Mikuru had been going to this dress shop for years, her mother being the one who toook her there the first time. It carried nice, pretty, yet inexpensive clothes; including a wide array of dresses. Just what she wanted. Just what Hatake-sama wanted.
"Good morning, Mikuru-chan!" the shopkeeper shouted from the back room. Miyami Yuka had watched Mikuru grow up from a baby; to the beautiful, blonde sixteen year old standing before her. "Haven't seen you in a while," she added as she walked out and bowed. "...how are you doing?"
Mikuru shrugged halfheartedly. She was right. She hadn't been in the shop since shortly before her mother died. She had brought her in here to cheer her up and shop; even though they both well knew Haruhi would never wear the clothes they had bought that day. "Okay, I guess," she said softly. Yuka put a hand on Mikuru's shoulder and rubbed it.
"You know I'm always here for you, Mikuru-chan." She nodded in response. "And as you know, you're free to look at anything in the store." Almost immediately, her eyes darted to a strapless black dress with large, silver polka-dots. "I knew you'd like that one." Yuka walked over and pulled it off of the rack, handing it to her.
Mikuru looked through the store some more and pulled a few more out, all various colours and patterns, and headed to the dressing room to try them on.
Pleased with herself and the fact that all but one fit, she went to Yuka and paid for them. Before she left, she looked back to her and smirked.
"Miyami-san," she said softly. "Could I put one of these on in the dressing room and walk out of here wearing it?" Yuka nodded in response. Once again, Mikuru smirked.

Mikuru leaned against the facade of the building, grumbling things that couldn't be repeated in mixed company. Kakashi said 11:30. It was 12:30. Ayame poked her head out of the door and looked at her; Mikuru flashing her a soft smile.
"Waiting for Hatake-san?" she asked. Slowly, Mikuru nodded. "He has a habit of being late."
"Obviously."
"Here he comes." She pointed at a suited man nonchalantly walking towards them. Ayame went back into the restaurant as he got closer; Mikuru staring at him with an angry look on her face.
"You're late," she said sternly.
"I'm sorry, Mikuru-san," replied Kakashi as he bowed to her. "A black cat crossed my path, so I had to go the long way." She stared at him with a "what the hell?" look on her face, shaking her head. "Let's go ahead and eat, okay?"
"Okay."
"And again, I'm sorry."
Mikuru looked at him, smiling softly again. "It's okay."

The two walked in and sat down at the bar. Ayame greeted the two with her usual perky smile and asked, "same as last time?" Kakashi glanced to Mikuru, she nodded.
"Yes, same as last time," he said. Ayame nodded and gave the order to her father. As she walked away, Mikuru looked at Kakashi out of the corner of her eye. He was eyeing her approvingly. Quickly, she looked back to Ayame and her father; her face turning red, or so she was sure. She didn't think the dress she picked to wear was revealing, but it was obvious Kakashi approved. It was a simple, strapless white ruffled dress. Mikuru had also found a patent leather belt to wrap around her natural waist. She was quite pleased with her new purchase, and apparently, Kakashi was as well. The two bowls of ramen appeared then in front of them a couple minutes later, much to the pleasure of the two.
"Itadakimasu!" they said happily, beginning to gobble down their lunch. As they ate, Mikuru looked up at Kakashi. He had obviously taken his mask off again, but she wasn't nearly as shocked as the first time. And to be quite honest, she was pleased when he did. It gave her something good to look at.
"Hatake-sama?" she said, dabbing the top of her lip with the napkin.
"Yes?"
"You never told me about Koto Atsushi."
"I didn't?" he asked. Mikuru shook her head slowly. "He was a thief who broke into clothing stores and stole designer clothing and accessories...the very expensive kind...like diamonds and stuff."
"I see."
"We have another mission tonight, Mikuru-san."
"We do?"
"Her name is Nakama Jordan-san. She's originally from New Zealand, but got married to an elderly businessman—"
"What?" She looked at him curiously.
"She's twenty, he's sixty-one."
"Oh."
Mikuru looked back at the counter. Did he look at an age difference like that in a negative light? Sure, there was a forty-one year difference, compared to twelve, but still. "She's been frauding him since they got married. There's no love there." He looked back and finished eating, mumbling in between bites, "that's sick."
"What's sick?" she asked in a somewhat cross tone, hoping he wouldn't catch on to why she was asking.
"The fact she married him for nothing but money."
"Oh." She went back to eating, but then glanced back up at him. "When does this mission start?"
"Tonight," he responded simply, pushing his empty bowl away. "I trust you'll be more ready than last time?"
"Yes sir, I promise." She then smirked. She had gotten an idea, one she liked very much. "Hatake-sama, may I please make a suggestion?"
"Hmm?"
"Well," she replied. "I figured it was only fair since you made one early this morning."
He nodded and replied, "go ahead, Mikuru-san."
"Since I'm always to wear a dress when we go out, how about we coordinate?" He eyed her curiously as she continued. "Like, you match your shirt or tie to what I'm wearing."
He smiled at her. "Cute, Mikuru-san. So, what will you be wearing?"

Mikuru pulled her shopping bag up to her lap and rummaged around. She pulled out a simple, candy apple red dress with spaghetti straps and a black cummerbund. A ribbon of the same colour was wrapped around it and tied in the front. Kakashi tried his hardest to make sure his mouth didn't fall open.
"So?" she asked with a smile. She knew Kakashi was speechless. He hadn't said anything for almost a minute.
"It-It-It's..."
"So you like it?"
"It's amazing, Mikuru-san," he replied. He smirked and then added, "I'll have to make sure I have a red tie to match." She replied with a smile and put it back in it's bag.
The bell attached to the door sounded and the two looked back. Mikuru gasped. It was her friends, Karako and Suka. They picked a table off to the side, and Ayame had gone over to take their order.
"Do you know them?" Kakashi said softly. Mikuru nodded. "Hold on."
Mikuru watched as Kakashi pulled his mask up and headed off towards the bathrooms. He peered around the wall and gave a thumbs-up. Mikuru smiled and gave him one back, mouthing, "thanks."
She spun the chair around and looked towards her friends.
"Miku-chan!" squealed Karako, waving like mad. Suka looked over her shoulder and waved as well. "I didn't know you ate here!"
"I decided to try it out a couple days ago," she replied, walking towards them. "I quite like this place."
"It is a great restaurant," said Suka. "Say...who was that man you were sitting with?" She pointed to the seat Kakashi was in. Mikuru shrugged in response.
"He's been here every time I've come. We've talked a little. Seems like an interesting guy." As Kakashi leaned against the wall, he snickered.
"I've seen him in here as well," Karako replied. "He seems kinda strange to me."
"How so?"
"Well, besides the mask and the eyepatch..."
"I've seen him come in here and read porn," finished Suka.
"What?!" Mikuru exclaimed. "That's ridiculous."
"Dontcha know that series, Icha Icha?"
"Well, I don't tend to keep up with the latest pornography."
Suka shook her head, snickering. "Well, either way. I've seen him come in with the book and read while he eats." Mikuru glanced back at Kakashi and crinkled her nose up in distaste. He shrugged in response.
"I burnt a DVD of the movie, Miku-chan," Karako said, reaching into her pocket and grabbing a CD case. Then she handed it to Mikuru with a smile. "It turned out pretty good."
"Thanks," she responded, smiling back. "I gotta pay my bill and run some errands, so I gotta go..." Suka and Karako looked at her dejectedly. "Sorry!"
"Hey, maybe we can go to a movie sometime?" asked Suka. Mikuru nodded.
"Yeah, that'd be awesome. Just let me call you when I can go." She again glanced back to Kakashi, then back to her friends. She bowed to them, got her bags, and paid her bill, despite Kakashi motioning no as she stood at the register.