Chapter 21 - Rain and Tears

"Sensei?" Sakura turned to face Kakashi as they reached her front step. Kakashi had a bag of groceries in one arm and the other was snaked around her, his hand on the small of her back. She had her own bag of groceries in her arm, resting on her hip.

"Hmm?" Over the course of the day, Kakashi had found himself relaxing bit by bit, opening up to her. It was so easy to forget everything with her. Being around Sakura just felt... right. He looked at her now, and his stomach clenched at her serious expression.

"I..." She started, then paused, biting her lip.

"What is it, Sakura?" Kakashi gave her a somber look, not sure if he wanted to hear her next words.

"Um... I had a really good time today... with you." She looked away from him, her cheeks staining a glorious red. He had to supress a chuckle- she was just so cute.

"I did, too, Sakura," he replied, his eye crinkling up in a smile. She quickly glanced up and down the street to make sure there were no witnesses, then reached up on her tiptoes and pressed a hasty kiss to his cheek, just tagging the corner of his mouth. He wanted so badly to turn his head so their lips touched through the thin fabric. But he didn't, and too soon she had returned to her original position.

"Can we... do this again sometime soon?" Her words were tentative, but hopeful.

"Sakura..." Kakashi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" She pouted, her bottom lip jutting out.

"Because I'm your teacher," he said flatly.

"So? Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji go out and about with Asuma-sensei all the time," she protested.

"That's different, and you know it." He sighed, regarding her wearily. "I don't see Naruto or Sasuke anywhere, and Asuma doesn't accost Ino in his kitchen, does he?"

Sakura blushed at the reminder of what happened that morning. She jutted her chin out, defiant. "But what does it matter?"

"What does it... What does it matter?" He exploded. "Sakura, it matters a great deal! You have no idea how much trouble we'd be in if people even started guessing about a relationship between the two of us, much less if they were right! I'd lose my job, and any credibility I have, and your career would be way past over."

"Sensei, I-" Sakura started, but he cut her off.

"If even that doesn't convince you, how about statutory rape? You're fifteen, I'm thirty! I'd be thrown in prison for God knows how long. You'd be branded as that girl who'd fool around with her teacher to get a better grade. Is that what you want?"

"I wasn't asking for you to take me to bed, sensei," she remarked coldly. "It's just a date, if you could even call it that."

"Same thing, Sakura. One date leads to another date which leads to another which leads to..." He trailed off, the fire in his grey eye giving her a graphic image of exactly what those dates would lead to. He stepped closer to her, invading her space as her heart squeezed painfully. "It would be better if we both just pretended like today didn't happen."

"But I-" She was cut off again by a warm finger pressed to her lips.

Kakashi leaned forward and kissed her forehead so gently that tears began to form in her eyes.

"I can't, Sakura," he whispered against her forehead. "I just can't."

And he was gone, unwittingly taking a part of Sakura's heart with him.

Her umbrella fell to her side and the rain kissed her face, mingling with the bitter tears that flowed freely down her cheeks. She stood like that for a long time, staring blankly at the spot where Kakashi should be.

--

Chapter 22: http://www.fanart-central.net/chapter-100868.html

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