The quiet of the night enveloped Kakashi as he sat in his sparsely decorated room, intending to indulge a litlle bit to pastime. Reaching into his pouch, he searched for his copy of Icha Icha Paradise, only to come up empty-handed. A slight frown appeared on his face as he patted down all his pockets.
"Did I… drop it?" he muttered to himself. He leaned back, letting out a long sigh. "Must've been when I went to visit Danzo. Well, that's unfortunate."
He considered the idea of going back to retrieve it but immediately dismissed the thought. Facing Danzo again over a book—even for what it seems like a masterpiece like Icha Icha—wasn't worth it. Resigned, Kakashi sighed and decided to turn in for the night. He lay down, letting the exhaustion from the day wash over him, and within moments, he was fast asleep.
Kakashi awoke the next morning to sunlight streaming through the windows, lazily blinking as he checked the clock. It was already mid-morning—a time considered "late" in the ninja world. He rubbed his temples.
"Eight hours of sleep… Maybe I should break that habit," he muttered, pulling himself up from bed.
To his surprise, Naruto was still snoring away in the guest room. The boy was sprawled across the futon, drooling on the pillow with one arm dangling off the edge. Kakashi raised an eyebrow, impressed.
"Out-sleeping me… That's a first," Kakashi murmured with a faint smile.
Feeling a rare domestic streak, Kakashi decided to make breakfast. He headed toward the kitchen, only to find his pantry barren. There wasn't even a single grain of rice left.
"Of course," Kakashi sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Looks like I'll need to go shopping."
As Kakashi strolled through the streets of Konoha, he immediately noticed something unusual: no one was watching him. The familiar weight of shadowy gazes—the Root members keeping tabs on him—was gone.
"Huh. Guess Danzo got the message," Kakashi mused. "Or maybe I just killed them all. Meh, either way, better for Naruto if they're gone."
He continued walking, glancing at the familiar sights of the village. It felt strange to be back after two years. The occasional nods and smiles from villagers were a reminder of how much time had passed.
During his stroll, he ran into some acquaintances, exchanging brief greetings. But as he turned a corner, a sound he hadn't missed rang out across the street:
"KAKASHI! MY RIVAL! COME AND FIGHT ME!"
Kakashi stopped, sighing deeply as he turned to see a blur of green spandex and bushy eyebrows charging toward him.
"Hey, Guy," Kakashi said flatly. "Is this how you welcome someone you haven't seen in years?"
Might Guy skidded to a stop, his trademark grin splitting his face. "I was just so excited when I heard you were back, my eternal rival! Hahaha! How have you been? Have you grown stronger in my absence?"
"I've… been fine," Kakashi replied, scratching his head. "Look, I'm kind of busy. I need to buy groceries."
Guy blinked. "Groceries? Hahaha! Such a humble task for a ninja of your caliber! Very well, I shall assist you! Together, we'll make it a youthful adventure!"
Kakashi sighed again but decided not to argue. With Guy's help, the shopping trip was quicker than expected. They gathered the ingredients Kakashi needed, and soon the two of them were heading back to the Hatake household.
When they arrived, Naruto was finally awake, rubbing his eyes groggily as he wandered into the living room. Seeing Guy's bold green outfit and intense smile, Naruto tilted his head in confusion.
"Who's the weirdo?" Naruto asked bluntly, pointing at Guy.
Guy burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Kakashi, you've been gone for two years, and you return with a kid! As expected of my eternal rival!"
Both Kakashi and Naruto froze.
"What?!" they said in unison.
Naruto's brow furrowed. "Kakashi-san, where'd you pick up this guy? He seems kinda… dumb."
"Just ignore him," Kakashi muttered, setting down the bags of groceries.
Guy squinted at Naruto, stroking his chin. "Naruto… Naruto… Why does that name sound familiar?"
"Because he's Minato-sensei's son," Kakashi said casually, unloading the groceries.
"AH! Minato-sensei had a son?!" Guy exclaimed, his eyes widening. He paused, then nodded slowly. "Oh, right! The Third told us to keep his identity a secret."
Guy crouched down to Naruto's eye level, his tone serious but warm. "Naruto, your father was a great man. He burned with the fire of youth and gave everything he had to protect Konoha. He was a true hero."
Naruto blinked, his cheeks reddening slightly as he smiled. "Th-thanks…"
Kakashi clapped his hands. "Alright, let's get breakfast started."
Kakashi washed the fish—a fresh saury—with care, removing any remaining scales. He deftly scored the sides of the fish with his kunai to ensure even cooking. Taking a small bowl, he mixed salt with a hint of crushed pepper, rubbing it onto the fish with practiced precision.
Next, he prepared the miso soup. Kakashi sliced eggplants into thin pieces, sautéing them lightly in a pan with sesame oil. The aroma filled the kitchen, causing Naruto to hover nearby, salivating.
He boiled water in a pot, adding kombu seaweed for a rich umami flavor before removing it. Kakashi then added the miso paste, stirring gently to dissolve it. The eggplants were added last, simmering until tender.
Within minutes, the meal was ready. Kakashi plated the salt-broiled saury alongside bowls of steaming miso soup and rice.
"Salt-broiled saury and miso soup with eggplant—Kakashi style," he said, presenting the meal.
Naruto and Guy sat eagerly, and together they clapped their hands. "Thank you for the food!"
As they dug in, Naruto's face lit up with delight. "This is amazing, Kakashi-san! I didn't know you could cook!"
Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "There's a lot you don't know about me, Naruto."
Guy laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Even in cooking, you aim to surpass me, Kakashi! Truly, you are my eternal rival!"
Kakashi sighed. "Just eat your food, Guy."
And for a moment, the three of them enjoyed the rare warmth of a peaceful breakfast.