"Even as a civilian ninja of Konoha receiving cultivation from the Academy, true geniuses still manage to slip through the cracks."
"Hayama, I believe you are one of them."
"In the future, do not fail my expectations."
Kakashi patted the shoulder of the young man before him, took a scroll from his chest pocket, and handed it over.
"Lord Hokage!"
Hayama Shirakumo stared at the glittering words "White Fang Saber Technique" on the scroll in his hands, feeling as though none of this was real.
But the tactile sensation of the hand on his shoulder told him that it was all true.
He used to think that the stories in novels about sparrows flying up the branch to become phoenixes were nothing but fantasy.
But when it actually happened to him...
"I will dedicate my life to Lord Hokage!"
Looking at the words "White Fang" on the scroll, Hayama Shirakumo—though he had never met that legendary man—had always been captivated by his deeds.
Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of Konoha, was his idol.
Now, that legendary man's son had entrusted his world-renowned swordsmanship to him. Hayama Shirakumo felt he could only pledge his life to repay this kindness.
"Don't go on about dying or not dying all day; living is quite good."
"That will be all for today. Itachi, you've been tired for a long time too. Go back and rest early."
"And Hayama, if there is anything you don't understand, you can come and ask me."
Patting Hayama Shirakumo on the shoulder again, Kakashi looked at the two before him and spoke with a hint of exhaustion.
Once the two had taken their leave, Kakashi was the only one left in the office.
Looking at the deserted and somewhat cluttered office, Kakashi sighed, walked over to the sofa nearby, and collapsed directly onto it.
Usually, he had to maintain the so-called image of the Hokage; often, he could only relax when he was alone or when he went home.
Now that the Uchiha matter had come to a close, and Danzō Shimura and Koharu Utatane had been thrown into death row with no chance of turning things around, the future of Konoha was essentially in Kakashi's palm.
Under these circumstances, Kakashi finally felt his heart relax a great deal.
As soon as he lay down, he fell asleep.
However, the office door was soon pushed open. Kakashi, who hadn't been asleep for long, opened his eyes slightly. Upon realizing who it was, he closed them again.
"Why haven't you gone back yet?"
The visitor was Kurenai Yūhi. She was holding documents, having been recording the minutes for the Jōnin meeting just now. Kakashi had temporarily press-ganged her into service. Since it was her first time doing something like this, she was worried she hadn't done it well enough and wanted to show it to Kakashi to see if anything needed changing.
But who would have thought that as soon as she entered the door, she would see Kakashi lying on the sofa resting.
"I... I finished the meeting minutes and wanted to bring them over for you to see."
Looking at the man on the sofa who had closed his eyes again, Kurenai spoke with a lack of confidence.
Today, it felt like she had truly recognized this man for the first time.
Cold, indifferent. Faced with nearly a thousand Uchiha, he killed without hesitation.
Faced with the village elders who once held high prestige, he showed no regard for their past contributions and threw them directly into death row.
This kind of man—merciless, one whose word is law, who holds the entire situation firmly in his hands.
Reason dictated that she should stay away.
Otherwise, if something happened, she might end up like the administrative staff in the Hokage building today.
One moment of carelessness and they could easily be swept up in the aftermath. Although the administrative staff were frightened but unharmed in the end this time, what about the next time?
Unless one possessed enough strength to protect oneself.
Otherwise, one should stay far away from this kind of man.
Kurenai remembered that night six years ago. Aside from the Fourth Hokage, Lord Minato...
The Third Hokage's wife, Biwako Sarutobi, and the Fourth Hokage's wife, Kushina Uzumaki, both died that night.
It could be said that being the Hokage's wife was absolutely a high-risk profession.
It was perhaps even more dangerous than the position of Hokage itself.
Maybe Lord Tobirama had considered this point, which was why he never married.
But...
Looking at the man lying on the sofa before her, who had no intention of getting up, Kurenai's beautiful eyes reflected the face of the one named Hokage.
The Kakashi of the past had merely sparked a fondness in Kurenai's heart, but today's Jōnin meeting had shown her another side of him.
No one dared to oppose him, no one dared to refute him; everyone could only bow their heads before this autocratic man.
Even the patriarch of a great clan like the Hyūga—those big shots who were once high and mighty—could only lower their heads in his presence.
"Just leave the files in Conference Room 2."
"Hiashi and the others will handle it tomorrow."
Kakashi kept his eyes closed, having no intention of rising.
"Oh..."
Kurenai responded with a muffled sound, yet she hesitated to move. Not only did she have no intention of leaving, but she also quietly closed the office door.
She felt like she was doing something dangerous.
She cautiously sat down on the sofa, gently lifted Kakashi's head, and placed it on her lap.
Kakashi sensed Kurenai's actions but did not stop her.
He was truly a bit sleepy, and smelling the scent that was uniquely Kurenai's wafting past his nose, he felt that having a pillow wasn't bad either.
Kakashi inexplicably thought of Hikari, who was still at home.
He and Hikari... they had a marriage contract, right?
And...
A strange emotion bred in his heart, making Kakashi feel a slight restlessness inside.
Hikari was right after all... men are all perverts.
Kakashi was no exception.
Meanwhile, seeing that Kakashi didn't show the slightest sign of stopping her, the tension in Kurenai's heart relaxed slightly.
Looking at the man resting on her lap, she reached out and gently smoothed the furrow in his brow that seemed to have been locked tight all this time.
This man attracted her like a poppy flower.
She knew clearly that being the Hokage's wife or woman carried a danger factor far higher than that of an ordinary wife, but she couldn't suppress the strange emotion in her heart.
When she first saw his true face in the hospital ward six years ago...
Kurenai admitted she had acted on lust at first sight; she craved his body.
But as Kakashi increasingly revealed his brilliance over the years, up until he became the current Hokage...
The restlessness in her heart grew more and more frequent.
Her pale, tender hand gently brushed over Kakashi's closed eyes. Just as she was about to pull back, Kakashi suddenly spoke softly:
"Just like that... the light is a bit glaring..."
Hearing this, Kurenai looked up at the ceiling lights, which weren't particularly bright. The corners of her mouth curved up slightly, as if she had thought of something amusing.
The light... is a bit glaring?
[TN: "Light" (Hikari) is also the name of the other female lead, creating a double entendre Kakashi might be aware of, but Kurenai interprets literally.]
Kakashi didn't know how Kurenai misinterpreted his meaning, but as her hand gently covered his eyes, he fell into a peaceful sleep.
At that moment, in the darkness outside the Hokage's office, a figure groped its way to the window.
But upon seeing the scene inside the office, the person's face stiffened slightly, and they immediately fled the area like a bolt of lightning.
"Pah, pah, pah!"
"Pervert, pervert, pervert!"
"And here I was worrying whether he had eaten properly!"
A certain Uchiha great-grandma, carrying a lunchbox, cursed a certain someone as she stood in the blowing cold wind.
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