Quiet Summer

A Flower Full of Hope : Part 2

~Ones again I don't own this beautiful fan art posted above! Credits to the talented artist who does!~

"Are you sure you are good all by yourself?" Kakashi persistently asked once again as I laid down on his bed while he got ready to go train Sasuke.

     "Yes! A hundred times yes I'm fine!" I jokingly yelled 'exasperated.' "And besides I might go with Asuma later on today. I think he mentioned something along the lines of a barbecue lunch with Shikamaru and Choji? Now please go before Sasuke comes after me for delaying his training!"

     "Okay okay I'm going now," Kakashi answered 'defensively' with his hands up. "Can you please lock up when you leave?"

     "Got it," I tiredly responded as I snuggled into his comforter. "Good luck with training and tell Sasuke I said hey."

      "Thank you and will do," he called out as he descended downstairs to leave. Tentatively I listened in to Kakashi's movements downstairs and soon I heard the front door of the house open and shut.

Frantically untangling myself from Kakashi's covers I let out an exasperated breath. "Damn it! Why do I need to be such a wuss when it comes to that Snake Bastard ugh!" I annoyingly exclaimed hating myself for being weak.
'Just breathe Shizuka breathe breathe breathe breathe,' I chanted in my head as I calmly laid back down on his bed eyes closed breathing in and out rhythmical.

Soon after I regulated my breathing I opened my eyes looking up towards the ceiling. Slowly I trailed my eyesight down the olive green walls and onto his midnight black bed comforters. Kakashi's room has always been on the more simplistic side. He didn't have many things handing off of his walls besides a few notes and reminders here and there off of a corkboard. Slowly I sat up from his bed allowing myself to scan his room more closely. As my glance made its way towards the head of the bed a small smile formed its way to my lips. There resting on the shelf were two picture frames side by side. One was a picture of Kakashi and his team with Sasuke and Naruto bitterly posing for the picture while Sakura smiled enough for both of them. In the other picture frame, it was... a picture of Minato's team.

     Carefully I reached over and grabbed the picture of Minato's team. My fingertips softly traced the scratches etched around the old wooden frame of the picture as I scanned the image. Looking at Kakashi's and Obito's bitter looks alongside Rin's gleeful smile brought my eyes to water but it wasn't until I saw Minato Sensei's warm smile that my tears began to flow out. As my tears streamed down from my eyes I curled down bringing the picture frame closer to my chest.

     'I wish things could have gone differently....'

~~~~~~~

     "Waiter more!" Choji exclaimed happily as he wolfed down the food.

     "Please and thank you!" I called out right after him from my place beside him. "Choji why don't we slow down a bit okay? Let's give the food more time to simmer down a bit to get more flavor!"

     "I know your right Shizuka Sensei but I'm starving!"

     Just like I had informed Kakashi I came down to the barbecue restaurant with Asuma, Shikamaru, and Choji. I sat right next to Choji with Shikamaru directly in front of me with Asuma next to him.

     "You sure can eat..." Shikamaru began with a slight look of disgusts. "Just watching you makes me feel ill."

     "Hey!" I angrily scolded as I kicked him from underneath the table.