Memories

                                    

                                          
Izuka went to untie Naruto, which gave him the chance to hug her, then they all went to Ichiraku for ramen. They all took a seat with Sakura at the end, Kakashi next to her on her left followed by Naruto, then Izuka, and lastly Sasuke. 
                          
"Let me pay for it; I have plenty of money to pay for Naruto's appetite." Izuka suggested taking out her wallet placing the money on the counter.
                          
"Really? Are you sure?" Kakashi questioned glancing over at her.
                          
"Positive; I've been paying for him ever since I introduced ramen to him." Naruto flashed her a huge grin thankful that he didn't have to pay.
                          
"I guess I can't argue with that," Kakashi sighed with relief since he has heard of Naruto's appetite from Iruka and didn't want to go broke because of the blonde.
                          
 "Izuka, this is our teammate Sakura Haruno." Naruto introduced motioning to Sakura who shyed away from the older Uchiha.
                          
"Pleased to meet you Sakura." Izuka said with a fake smile forming on her lips which Kakashi caught onto right away.
                          
"Sorry for asking but how do you know them?" Sakura questioned as she glanced at her teammates.
                          
"Kakashi and I have been friends since I was four. I use to train with his team when I was younger; he didn't like me at first though. I raised Naruto until he was five but we stayed in touch. With Sasuke, I was close to his parents and I use to babysit him all the time." Izuka answered with no emotion.
                          
"Oh, do you know anyone else?" She asked.
                          
Then the old man came back with the ramen but overheard Sakura's question.
                          
"Everyone knows Izuka! When she was little she used to brighten up the village with her smile. She was friends with everyone plus she's a very strong ninja; she became a genin at age seven!" He boasted when he placed the bowls on the counter giving them a smile.
                          
Kakashi looked over at his long lost friend wondering where she has been all these years. The Hokage claimed she asked for a leave of absence and permission to leave the village but that was the last he heard from her. He never knew she was recruited into the Anbu, which surprised him. He was dismissed from the Anbu only a few years ago but he still kept in touch with his comrades when he had the chance. They would've mentioned an Uchiha survivor joining although, after Itachi, he doubted the Hokage revealed her identity to them. 
                          
"Well Kakashi, I'm guessing you're proud of your team since they're the first to pass the bell test." Izuka said not looking away from her meal. She had kept tabs on her old friend knowing he left his Anbu position and was assigned various teams but they failed test. 
                          
"Yes I am but I have a question for you." Kakashi replied earning a glance from the girl.
                          
"I'll answer anything for my best friend." Her voice sounded dead, void of any emotion when she said best friend. 
                          
"Ever since that day nobody has seen you. Where have you been?"
                          
Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke stared at her wanting to know the answer. Sakura looked between the four feeling the tension between them. It was obvious that she had left them and didn't make contact.
                          
"Well after I was released from the hospital I moved into an apartment then asked the Hokage for missions. Either I'd be on a mission, training, or secluded at home." She partly lied. 
                          
Kakashi knew there were lies in her story but couldn't press her on it now. He tried visiting her a couple of times but there was never an answer and hardly sensed anyone inside whenever he went.
                          
"Why did you come to the training grounds then?"
                          
"I wanted to visit all my fallen friends like you do. I miss all of them, especially Rin, Obito, Yumi, Minato, Kiru, Hiru, and my family. They were my life but now all I have are pictures to remember them by. I'm so glad that I was obsessed with taking pictures when I was little." Kakashi finally heard emotion in her voice even if it was sadness, the old Izuka was still there.