Same Day, 10:45 a.m. Somewhere in Konoha
A cat padded past a dense bush.
The bush rustled.
The cat leapt—
and something burst out of the foliage, pouncing straight at it.
"WWIIEEEENNNNN!"
The black ball of fur shrieked, claws flying wildly as it scratched its assailant.
Dust scattered.
When it settled, the cat found itself staring at a very unfortunate Obito—his face covered in fresh scratch marks.
"Obito-kuuunnn!" Rin cried, rushing to his side. "Are you alright?"
Obito let out a dry laugh. "Hehe," and promptly fell backward.
Rin gasped, immediately kneeling beside him and starting to patch up his face. The cat wriggled free and dashed off—
—but before it could escape completely, a voice rang out from above.
"EARTH STYLE, LITTLE CAGE!"
Three triangular earthen walls burst up from the ground, snapping shut around the cat.
Hatake Kakashi landed nearby, calm and composed.
So cool, Rin's eyes sparkled as she looked at him.
Obito jerked upright, barely conscious. He had almost blacked out.
"Meh… can't even do a simple job," Kakashi said, looking down at him.
Obito turned his face away. "Jerk," he muttered.
"Ok ok, VERY GOOD all of you," Minato clapped warmly as he approached. He knelt beside the earth cage and tapped it lightly with his index finger.
The structure crumbled instantly.
Minato gently but firmly lifted the cat.
"Oh ho ho… thank you, kids…" the cat's owner laughed as she hurried over. She pulled out several 100-ryo bills and handed one to each of them.
Obito accepted his with a bow.
Rin accepted hers with a deep bow and a cheerful, "Arigato Gozaimasu."
Kakashi, however, stood stiffly.
Minato glanced at him.
THE LOOK.
Kakashi sighed internally and took the bill with a half-hearted nod.
The poor cat struggled as the lady walked off, hugging it tightly the whole way.
Minato released a tired sigh.
Was it really a good idea for me to be stuck here supervising D-ranks when Sensei's on a war?
"Sensei… when are we gonna get some REAL MISSIONS?" Kakashi asked.
"Yeah, Sensei… we've been doing household chores for the last 4 days now," Obito added.
Minato opened his mouth to respond—but before he could, Rin spoke.
"We can't just yet…"
"WHY?" both boys shouted in unison, then paused, exchanging awkward looks.
"Because… our synergy is still very off," Rin explained carefully. "We were supposed to jump at the same time… Obito-kun jumped TOO EARLY, I failed to reach on time… and Kakashi-kun… you… you, like always, came last—not because you're slow… but because you want to do it all alone."
Minato felt his fatigue lift slightly.
"That's my bright student," he thought with a smile.
Kakashi hmphed.
She's on point, Obito admitted to himself.
"Just like Rin said," Minato began, pausing deliberately. He looked straight at Kakashi and emphasized,
"As a team… we can't take missions higher than C- or D-rank until we're ready to handle real ones."
"Anyhow… Sensei, are we done?" Obito asked.
"Yeah… we're done for today. Let's meet tomorrow, same time," Minato answered.
"But Sensei… what about training today??" Kakashi asked.
"Hm… I would love to train you guys, but I have an invitation," Minato said. He paused, then smiled. "Oh wait… why don't you guys join me??"
"Us, Sensei??" Rin asked. "Where?" she added, a hint of excitement creeping into her voice.
"To the Uchiha Clan."
Obito's face shifted into understanding. "Wait… Sensei, do you mean the Marriage Duel Ceremony today??"
"Yeah. Apparently, me and Keisho-san were pretty close back in the day, so… I have to be there cheering for him," Minato replied.
Obito chuckled. "Yeah… you definitely should."
Rin looked between them, confused.
"What's… a Marriage Duel??" Kakashi asked.
"Obito… you explain," Minato said briskly. "I have to go quickly."
He gave Kakashi a look and that poker face, "Kakashi... I know you'll behave."
And with that, he vanished.
"So… basically…," Obito got up as he started to explain.
The trio walked toward the Uchiha Compound as he talked.
"Wow… that's actually very cool," Rin remarked after listening.
"Tch… why go through all that trouble anyway," Kakashi said.
Rin secretly pouted at his response.
"I share the same idea, Kakashi. In fact, most new couples just bypass it," Obito said.
"Then why do this… Keisho-san wants to do this? We live in a civilized village, not a military camp," Kakashi said, clearly displeased. "Seriously… if Sensei had given me the choice, I'd rather do some Ninjutsu drills."
Obito smiled awkwardly. "I don't think we don't live in a military camp… like… think about it."
Kakashi got it instantly—but admitting he was wrong was out of the question. "You mean… Lord Hashirama and Tobirama died for nothing then??"
"No, I'm not saying that…," Obito frowned.
"Sounds like that to me," Kakashi added, throwing fuel onto the fire. "I don't even think you know what a village is."
Obito stopped walking. He stared at Kakashi.
"Don't bother, Stupito," Kakashi mocked him. "You'll lose."
Obito rolled up his sleeve, ready to throw hands. Kakashi, hands still in his pockets, subtly adjusted his stance.
Before they could brawl, Rin shouted, "SHUT UP, YOU TWO… you want me to complain this to Sensei??"
"Tch."
Both clicked their tongues in unison, begrudgingly.
They continued walking, with Rin wedged between them, holding onto their arms like a pet owner restraining two cats from tearing into each other.
---
Konoha Main Market, Takoyaki Stall. 11:15am'ish
The two six-year-olds, Kaen and Rinka, were enjoying their snack. Kaen in particular was enjoying it far too much—so much so that he failed to notice a few familiar chakra signatures nearby.
A hand suddenly reached out from above Kaen's shoulder, making Rinka flinch.
Kaen almost lashed out.
"OYE—"
SHIT.
The hand grabbed a Takoyaki.
The ten-year-old boy standing behind them gulped it down shamelessly.
Rinka spun around like a whip. "What's this behavior?"
The boy only grinned.
Rinka glanced at Kaen with intrigue.
Why is he not reacting… is he afraid?
"Come on… you can turn around now," the boy said with a chuckle.
Kaen let out a sigh of defeat and turned. "Please don't tell Granny," was the first thing he said.
The boy was none other than Kaen's cousin—Uchiha Obito.
"Oh come on now, Obito… is this a new hobby of yours? Bullying little kids?" Kakashi said, holding a dango stick.
Rin laughed softly. She recognized the so-called "little kid."
"No no, Kakashi-kun… it's his little brother."
Kakashi's head snapped up in confusion. "Wait, I thought you had no brother, Obito."
"I AM NOBODY'S LITTLE BROTHER," Kaen yelled, blushing slightly. "I am Uzumaki Kaen… nice to meet you and… this guy is... just my Granny's other grandson."
Rinka's eyes widened as she struggled to hold back her smile.
Kaen losing his cool is so fun to watch.
Kaen picked up another Takoyaki and swallowed it whole.
The stall owner grimaced—again—at the specific ball he had chosen.
Kaen tried to act cool, but his reddening face made it obvious he had once again picked a fresh—perhaps too fresh—piece.
Obito looked like he was barely holding back his laughter. He glanced at Rinka. "Give him some water."
Then he turned back to his friends and continued walking.
Rinka watched him for a moment as he left. Then she looked back at Kaen, whose face was now redder than Kushina-san's hair. She immediately pulled out her bottle and handed it to him.
Kaen gulped it down in one go.
"Baka Ni-chan," he muttered.
Ni-chan??
Rinka side-eyed him hard at the hypocrisy.
Then—
"Oh shoot," Rinka remembered, facepalming.
"What happened?" Kaen asked.
Rinka opened her squinted eyes and said, "I forgot today Papa was gonna pick me up from the Academy."
Kaen burst out laughing. "You are an idiot," he said with zero filter.
Rinka opened her mouth to argue, but seeing Kaen laugh—
It's no use arguing with this guy.
She stuffed the last Takoyaki into her mouth and ran off.
"Hahaha."
Kaen watched her run. Then he turned back—and this time, there was a man eating beside him.
He looked up.
It took a moment for Kaen to recognize him.
"Oh… hi, Naoki-san, how ar—"
Then it clicked.
"Damn it," he whispered to himself, lowering his head in shame.
"GOMENASAI!" he blurted out in a loud, apologetic voice.
"What? Why are you apologizing like you're bunking classes or something, huh, Kaen?" Naoki said.
Kaen looked up in confusion, then realized it was sarcasm.
"I am sorry, Naoki-san… I messed up."
"No, kid. It's not just you," Naoki said calmly. "Unfortunately… my little princess is also involved. And now you'll both face the punishment you deserve."
Kaen's jaw dropped in disappointment.
"And… what'll it be?" he asked politely.
"Two hours," Naoki announced like a strict dad. "Two hours of standing on one leg."
Kaen listened. He thought. Calculated. Then smiled.
"Umm… can I do four hours… so Rinka-chan doesn't have to?"
Naoki's brows rose.
"You do realize how tough that is, right? Can you even do that?"
"I don't know if I can," Kaen said honestly, "but… finding it out would be interesting."
Naoki grinned and slapped Kaen on the head.
"AAAHH!" Kaen yelled.
"Kaen… walk with me," Naoki ordered.
Kaen, still rubbing his head with a tear in his eye, didn't want to listen—but authority was authority. He reluctantly replied, "Hai," and followed.
Not long after, Naoki asked Kaen, "Kid… why are you not in class?"
"Umm… I just… didn't feel like it," Kaen said, looking away.
"Kaen, you can't fool me. If you're really Enji's kid, then my child—you've already outgrown the impulse of undiscipline," Naoki said, a proud smile tugging at his face.
Kaen gulped.
Yeah… this uncle is right…
"Enju told me you grew up in a snowy area deep in the Frost Country. I'm sure Enji didn't just let you rest," Naoki continued, staring ahead as they walked. "He definitely trained you… beat you up… baited you into punching logs… and his face."
"How did you know all this… I didn't even tell Aunt Enju how my dad trained me," Kaen asked, a little concerned.
Naoki laughed dryly. "Trust me, kid. He was making those plans back when we were young Chunin—about retiring into the woods, marrying a beautiful wife, and having a kid he could train against bears."
Kaen's mouth opened in awe.
"Speaking of bears… kid… he didn't do that at least, right?"
Kaen's eyes widened. Then he laughed with pure joy. "HE DID."
He started hopping beside Naoki.
Naoki squinted and let out an amused breath. "Ah, Enji… you dumbass."
Unlike the last time they met, Kaen wasn't angry about Naoki talking like this about his father. Last time, something had been missing.
This time, it was there.
Familiarity.
"Tell me, Kaen… how did your mother react to this?" Naoki asked, glancing at him.
Kaen laughed. "She made him sleep outside that night."
Naoki chuckled. "Wow… and you're saying Enji complied with that?"
"He argued at first… kept saying sorry through the window for a while, then vanished," Kaen said. "Ka-chan didn't sleep that night—kept an eye on Oto-san. Then the cold hit hard around midnight… Mother went out to bring him back…"
Naoki leaned in, listening closely.
"Then she found out the blanket she'd been watching the whole time was on a rock. Not Oto-san."
Naoki burst into laughter. "NO WAY—WHERE WAS HE?!"
"He'd gone down the mountain. The townsfolk were pretty nice… he slept at a customer's house," Kaen answered.
Naoki stopped walking and dropped to his knees, laughing uncontrollably.
Kaen watched him, enjoying this thoroughly.