Chapter 4
Loud shouts directed Kakashi away from his thoughts, and he noticed it was the group of men from earlier. With only the thought of Iruka’s broken, crying face in his mind, he decided he didn’t care if he got into trouble for getting into a fight with civilians, and pulled out his book, pretending to read nearby to see what they would do. He wished that they were shinobi, because he would have been able to lash out more without killing them.
“There’s that jounin from before!” one of them audibly whispered.
“You mean the one with… the pansy?” They don’t even know Iruka, and they’re still bad-mouthing him. How shameful. Anger radiated within, but Kakashi's training as a shinobi made him look completely cool, calm, and collected on the surface.
“Let’s ask him what he was doing with that freak! Surely he’s not like him, ay? I mean, look at what he's reading.”
“Wait. That’s not any jounin, that’s the jounin, Hatake what's-his-face - the one with the sharingan eye!”
“Ehh? Well now I’m curious. Let’s go an’ see what ‘e was doin’ before!” They bee-lined over to him with confidence.
“Oi, you!”
“Mmm?” Kakashi put his book away, pretending he hadn't heard a word of their conversation - he wanted to see how ignorance would play out.
“Whatcha doin’ with that freak earlier?” Kakashi cocked his head to the side to convey confusion.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, c’mon. You know; that one with the girly hair in the ponytail.”
“You mean Iruka, Konoha’s best academy teacher? Mhn... He’s my friend.”
“How can you be ‘is friend after what ‘appened?!” one of the men asked, outraged.
“Maybe he doesn’t know yet, and that’s why.” Another assured in a whisper.
“Mhn? Is there something I’ve missed? I only just got back from a mission this morning.” Kakashi responded, wondering if he'd be able to find out why Iruka had been acting so strangely around him - there was always some clue to the truth in rumours, no matter how crazy they were. One of the men suddenly looked concerned for Kakashi and went closer to him, speaking in a hushed voice.
“Rumour ‘as it, he was drinkin’ with a group of shinobi and got too close with another man, if you know what I mean; throwing 'imself all over 'im and everything. I hear they even woke up in the same room together. I'm not one to believe e'erything I hear; but when you look at 'im, well, you know… Somethin’ ‘appened.”
"And why is that a problem?" Kakashi asked calmly, hiding the vast array of emotions that were flooding through him.
"'Sit's filthy an' unnatural; that's why! You ain't want one of those around ya!"
"Can't believe he's still allowed in the village.” the leader said. “Best watch yo' back 'round that thing. Wouldn't wan' 'im starting on you, too.”
“Now, what makes you think that I wouldn’t enjoy that?” Kakashi asked dangerously, studying the horror-stricken men with deadly eyes. He had never been so angry and bloodthirsty in his life; and it took everything in him not to attack the civilian group.
“Stay away from Iruka, and stop spreading lies.” He finally demanded before barging past the insecure men, following what he was sure was Pakkun’s scent.
With all that hatred towards Iruka, it was no wonder he hadn't told Kakashi anything.