Learning to Love | Kakashi x Reader

Lesson Seventeen

Kakashi's slip of the tongue wasn't accidental. He picked up the thin box and handed it to you, equally as excited to explain his gift to you as you were when you gave him his. You carefully undid the string around it and lifted the lid of the box. Inside lay two train tickets, one with your name on it and one with his. 

Your brows furrowed in confusion. "What's this for?"

"It's your real gift," He explained, "Well, at least the first part of it, anyways. We're going on a trip."

His explanation wasn't much of an explanation. He was pretty vague, as always. 

"To where?" You asked, searching the look on his face for more clues, hopefully, but all he gave was a knowing smile.

"You'll see."

*****

Much to your surprise, the tickets were for later that afternoon. You didn't even know that the trains still ran on Christmas Day. You packed to leave for several days, and before you knew it, you were on the train heading somewhere, but you didn't know where. At least, you hadn't heard of the town where you were headed before. 

You both sat in a compartment alone. Kakashi sat in the backwards facing chair while you sat across from him. The only sounds were of the train rattling along the tracks and every so often of a page turning as Kakashi practically devoured every word in the new book. Every so often, you cast him a glance as he read. Truth be told, you loved the way he looked when he read. He was so focused, so calm; his eyes were alight, fleeting across each word. Even though it might not be the type of book you would read, seeing him so excited over it made you excited in turn.

Mainly though, you watched outside the window as snow covered  scenery of Konoha turned into fields that flew past the window as you left the walls of the village. The swaying of the train was steady, enough to put you to sleep. You didn't sleep for too long, though. The ride itself was only about an hour and a half, and soon the rolling of the train to a stop brought you back.

The two of you gathered your things and got off at the stop. The temperature here was a bit more temperate than Konoha but still pretty chilly, especially when the breeze brushed past. However, the air felt much cleaner. 

"It's not too far from here," Kakashi said as you exited the station, "Only about a ten minute walk or so."

You nodded and followed after him. Although where to, you still couldn't say. The area around the station was fairly suburban, but it definitely leant towards the more rural side, especially the farther out you walked. The road narrowed into a path that bordered a series of rice paddies. Kakashi finally stopped in front of an older, more traditional style house. It was a moderate size, single story house that seemed to be simultaneously neglected for several years, but there was evidence around the yard that someone had been around to take care of it recently. 

You turned your gaze to Kakashi, whose own gaze was fixated on the house as well. It was hard to read his expression, but it seemed he'd been here before. You could only guess what memories were surfacing in his mind. 

He took a sharp breath in and seemed to perk up. "This is the place," he announced.

You watched him momentarily as he strolled past the old fence line towards the front door. He turned back to you when he didn't hear your footsteps following.

"Well, are you coming?" He asked.

You nodded and followed after. Kakashi took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door, sliding it open to the entry way. He closed the door behind you, and you both took off your shoes and left them by the step in the entry way. Then, the two of you set down your travel bags on the elevated floor and proceeded further into the house through the hall to the left.