twenty-seven, To Be a Jounin
IZUMI AND SEN WERE WALKING THROUGH THE BUSY STREETS OF KONOHA, squeezing past people in order to get to their destination: Kushina-sensei's place. Only the former had a special request for the woman, but the latter was dragged with her to the quest, using the time to tease her friend mercilessly.
"With how Rin was acting, I think she might have a crush on Kakashi." Sen's dark eyes were watching Izumi's reaction intently.
Hatake Kakashi had just been promoted to the Jounin rank. To say Izumi felt proud of the silver-haired would be an understatement, her heart soared once he had told her. It also led her to plan something for her best friend to properly congratulate him for his success.
Izumi had not been the only one to organize something for the silver-haired Jounin. Nohara Rin had rounded up people from their year to get him something as congratulations to be the first to be promoted to such a rank. Izumi thought the plan was very much so adorable, but at the same time, they interfered a bit with her own plans.
"I asked everyone to come and discuss the gift." said Rin, a giddy smile accompanying the blush on her cheeks.
Izumi had drowned at the girl, focusing on the paper just handed to her instead. 'Top Secret Mission: Gift for Kakashi to celebrate his promotion' was written on it in delicate handwriting. Reading it made her frown slightly, though she quickly schooled her expression into one of delight.
From the peripheral of her vision, she could see Obito standing to the side, looking disappointed. His cheeks were tinted pink though his eyes gleamed with sadness as he looked down at the same paper, reading it over and over again. The smile he had put on was not as convincing as he had probably thought of it to be.
"What do you think would he like, Izumi?"
The brunette turned her focus away from the upset Uchiha boy and instead focused on the girl he was obviously crushing on, Rin. Rin gave her a shy smile, lips tugged upwards once she had finished her question. She fiddled with the paper she was holding, looking at Izumi expectantly.
Izumi shook her head quickly in denial. "They're just friends."
"What makes you think that?" Sen gave her friend a curious look. As much as she enjoyed teasing the brunette, getting behind the issue was her priority now.
"He never mentioned it."
"He doesn't have to."
"But I'm his friend." stated Izumi, obviously dejected. He would mention it ... right?
"No doubt in that, everyone can see that." Sen fixated on the box with the bracelet Izumi had just bought, proving her point. Sen's lips were tilted into a smirk. "Why do you make such an effort for him anyways?"
"Again, because he's my friend. He means a lot to me."
The raven-haired kept herself from snickering. "Only a lot, huh?"
Izumi came to a halt in her steps, brows furrowed as she turned to look at her friend in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I said: 'only a lot, huh'."
"No, no. I got that part. What do you mean by that?"
Sen had the sudden urge to slap the girl in front of her, hopefully activating a brain cell or two. "That you care for him more than that."
"He's my best friend?" offered Izumi, tilting her head.
Sen set into motion again, forcing Izumi to follow. "More than that, stop denying."
"I don't get it."
The way Izumi stared at her, eyes wide with innocence gleaming within them made Sen want to slam her head into the nearest wall. Sometimes, being her friend drove the Nara insane.
"You like him more than a friend, Izumi. It's clear as day."
Izumi had never thought about being romantically interested in anyone. In her twelve years of life, she sure often thought of Kakashi. He was on her mind, an omnipresent thought. When he gave her one of his smiles, her heart fluttered against her chest while her cheeks grew warm. But that was how she had felt around for a long time now. Was that not normal?
Did she have a crush on him? Impossible.
"I don't like him like that." muttered Izumi, shaking her head at the idea.
"Love sick idiot." murmured Sen in response, giving her friend a knowing look.
"I'm not lovesick."
"You totally are. You are in love and that makes me sick."
"I'm not in love with him."
Was that the truth? Her mind did somersaults, her heart beginning to beat against her chest.
"No one who doesn't want to impress anyone puts this much effort into a gift."
Wait.
Izumi crossed her arms over chest. "Well, I do!" Her cheeks had taken on a shade of red by now.
"You're blushing."
"It doesn't mean anything."
"You got him a custom bracelet. You don't do that for 'just a friend'."
Izumi kept quiet, not knowing what to retort to that. Was that something a friend does for a friend? Or for a crush? The whole matter left her confused.
"Izumi, just think about it."
She was thinking about it. It made sense but at the same time appeared completely incredulous to her, as a fever dream would.
"I don't know, Sen."
Was Izumi lying to herself?
"Are you sure?"
No, not at all. Hatake Kakashi was omnipresent on her mind and in her heart. Around him, Izumi was the happiest, heart feeling as though it would burst from all the delight he provided her with. Even if she had a crush on him ... would he ever feel the same?
"LET ME REPEAT, you want me to enforce this with fuinjutsu to not break?" Kushina looked down at her students, brows furrowed as she tried to understand the odd request.
Izumi nodded fervently. "Yes, sensei."
"Why?" Kushina would have done the fuinjutsu even without knowing why her student needed it to be done so urgently, but if she was honest with herself, she was also more than just a little noisy. It was not every day that someone came to her with a peculiar request such as that one.
"Uhm," Izumi averted her gaze from the inquisitive violet eyes of her sensei, choosing to stare at the wall behind the woman instead. "It's for Kakashi."
Playfully Kushina held her hand to her ear, cupping around it while she leaned closer to her student. "What was that, I couldn't hear you?"
Izumi resisted the urge to grit her teeth at all the teasing she had been subjected to in a matter of hours. "I said, it's for Kakashi." This time she spoke louder, almost raising her voice.
Footsteps echoed from the hallway, thundering towards the pair. Around the corner peeked bright yellow hair, followed by a pair of electric blue eyes, lighting up at the sight of the visitor. "Oh, hello Izumi. I thought I heard someone." He came from around the corner and offered the brunette a fist bump.
Izumi accepted it, bumping her fist against his. "Minato-sensei." On the inside she was nervous, hoping the man wouldn't join his partner's teasing.
"Say, what is for Kakashi?" He wore a smile as he asked, though in his eyes gleamed mischief.
If she could have done so, the Chuunin would have disappeared into the ground, only to never appear again.
Kushina gave him a playful hit onto his shoulder. "Minato, stop teasing my little student. That is my job."
In a defensive manner, the blond held his hands up and took a few steps back, surrendering. "I was just curious. Kakashi is my student after all."
I could just throw myself out of the next window.
Izumi let out a sigh, surrendering to the embarrassment. "I got him this bracelet and I want Kushina-sensei to use fuinjutsu on it."
Minato looked almost nostalgic, closing his eyes in thought. "Young love. That's adorable."
The brunette turned beet red in a matter of seconds, her face feeling as though it was set on fire. Izumi blinked several times in an attempt to reduce the awkwardness building up in her, but failed miserably. "Sensei! We're thirteen!" She almost screeched.
Minato clicked his tongue in response. "At that age, I already fell in love with Kushina." He distantly remembered saving her from the Kumogakure Shinobi, carrying her back to Konoha, clutching her tightly in hopes of never having to let her go.
Kushina nodded in agreement, leaning her head on her partner's shoulder. "That's true." She smiled at him lovingly, pecking him on the cheek before leaning against him again.
"Well, that doesn't mean we are falling in love too." Izumi almost sputtered the words out. Why was everyone teasing me about potentially liking Kakashi today?
Her sensei gave her a warm smile, eyes crinkling at the sight of it. "Don't give up on love so easily, Izumi," With her dominant hand, she ruffled her student's hair affectionately. "Especially with your dedication to him."
Izumi peered up at her sensei, hopeful. "Can you help me with the bracelet then?"
"Of course!" Kushina clapped her hands together in delight. "Come one, Izumi, I'll show you how fuinjutsu is done." She reached out towards her students and clasped her hand, only to pull the brunette with her into another room. Izumi stumbled after her sensei, letting out a small laugh at the action.
Kakashi was her friend and she was doing something special for him, that was all.
"Izumi and Kakashi, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-"
"Sensei!"