The Kakashi Protection Program

Bell Test

Training Ground Seven, Konoha

"Good morling students!", Kakashi cheerily greeted his team when he appeared in the training ground, startling Naruto.

"Waah! Papasen, you're here!", Naruto said, surprised. Kakashi raised his brow at him, amused.

"You sound like you don't want, me here Naruto", Kakashi said.

"Of course not! I'm very happy you're here Papasen! We all are!", Kakashi received nods of agreement from everyone.

"... Can you not call me that?", Kakashi asked. In all honesty, that nickname had spread among the other Jonins and just down right embarrassing. They kept laughing and making fun of him. Asking all sorts of questions like who was the mother or why they were not invited to the wedding. Kakashi swore he would get them back for that.

"Sorry Papasen, no can do. We really like you, so we wanna call you Papasen!", Naruto said with a big grin on his face.

Well, if you say it like that, it was hard for Kakashi to actually refuse. Especially since all of them were smiling brightly at him, Kakashi really did not want to break such pure hearts. Sigh, the things he did for these kids...

"Anyway, I was supposed to tell you kids this yesterday, but something came up", Kakashi began. "Even if you graduated from the Academy, that doesn't actually make you all Genin. That's why, today, I'm going to give you all a test-"

"What kinda test Papasen?", Naruto asked curious, interrupting Kakashi.

"Nothing hard, just a little survival training for me to evaluate each of your skills and weakness. However, this test has a 66% chance of failure, so give it your best shot", Kakashi answered, before pulling out three bells from his pocket. "See these bells? You have until noon to get them from me-"

"Papasen! Why are there only three bells?", Sakura suddenly asked while raising her hand, interrupting Kakashi, again, from explaining the test. Sigh, this is why he hated kids, they keep interrupting him.

"Anyone who doesn't get a bell will be sent back to the Academy for further training-"

"Aha! I knew it!", this time it was Naruto who interrupted Kakashi, making Kakashi's visible eye twitch, annoyed. Naruto stood up and pointed at Kakashi accusingly. "You're trying to get rid of Sai again aren't you? You were reallly against it yesterday! You were planning to get rid of Sai  from the start!"

"Naruto, I was not-"

"Gasp! Kakashi-sensei, how could you?", Sakura said dramatically, clutching her hands to her chest, heart broken.

"Now, calm down-"

"That's cruel sensei...", Sasuke said, disappointed. All of them proceeded to stand next to Sai, surrounding him, as if wanting to protect him from Kakashi.

"If you three would let me finish-"

 "I see... I did find it suspicious that you gave up too quickly against my placement on the team. So you planned this test as a disguise to remove me from the team", Sai said, finally understanding the situation. 

"Wait, no, that's not what I meant-"

"It's alright Kakashi-sensei, I understand. Nobody has ever liked me before, even when I did nothing wrong. People just dislike me, so I know you also do not like me, so I'll leave", Sai said softly, before walking away.  Kakashi could feel a stab of pain from his words. They finally called him sensei, but why did it make him feel like he had failed them.

"Sai! Don't go!", Naruto called out to him. "Kakashi-sensei! Don't just stand there! Go after him!"

"Kakashi-sensei! How could you say that too him?!", Sakura yelled at Kakashi, enraged, before turning to Sai. "Sai, come back! He didn't mean to say any of that!"

"I expected better from you sensei...", Sasuke looked at Kakashi, disapprovingly.

Things were starting to look like a scene from a drama he onced watched. These kids were making it sound like he was breking up with Sai!

"Alright! Alright! You all passed! Sai, please come back", Kakashi called out to Sai, stopping him from leaving. 

"...  no. You do not want me...", Sai said, his back still facing them. 

"I've never said that Sai-"

"You said I was not part of the team yesterday", Sai said, interrupting Kakashi once again.

"I-I'm sorry Sai. I didn't know you were placed in my team until you told me. Please forgive me Sai", Kakashi pleaded. Sai hesitated, before slowly turning to face Kakashi, his head held down, not willing to look at Kakashi in the eye. It pained Kakashi to know that he had hurt the boy. He could see the young boy's shoulders trembling, trying to hold in his tears.

"...alright", Sai said quietly.

"Will you come back to the team?", Kakashi asked, still looking at Sai's small form.

"Yes", Sai answered, before hesitating." If you want me..."

"Don't be silly, of course we want you Sai! Right sensei?", Naruto said, looking expectantly at Kakashi. Kakashi did not know how long he could handle these kids, should he back out?  Faced with three heavily expecting glances and a desperately hopeful look, Kakashi could feel the heavy pressure placed on his shoulders, one wrong word and he felt like he would destroy their entire world. Taking a deep breath, Kakashi made up his mind.

"Yes Sai, I want you", With a shout of joy from the other kids, they ran towards Sai and tackled him to the ground, laughing freely. Seeing the brilliant smiles on their faces, Kakashi thought that maybe, it would not be so bad.

"Papasen! Come on, let's go have dinner together!", called out his team, pulling Kakashi out of his thoughts.  With a smile, Kakashi walked over to his team, all four of them jumped and latched themselves onto Kakashi. Naruto was on his back, while Sasuke and Sakura were hanging on his legs, Sai was securely on his front, his arms around his neck. Yeah, Kakashi was sure, this is his team. Laughing along with the kids, Kakashi carried them away from the training ground.