Naruto felt Nine-Tails' fur bristling against his arms as the fox stiffened in protest.
"Oh, are these the clothes from Hanabi's dolls?" Naruto asked calmly, examining the tiny garments. "They're pretty cute."
"Yes, Naruto-kun!" Hinata held up a miniature white lace dress, turning it left and right. "I think the little fox would look adorable in this one."
"Thanks, Hinata." Naruto accepted the small bag. It was stuffed full—probably a dozen different outfits at least.
Nine-Tails' fur stood even more on end.
"Let's go," Naruto said, slinging the bag over his shoulder. "Sasuke and the others are already waiting at the foot of the mountain."
They walked side by side down the gravel path. Hinata wore a traditional kimono with wooden sandals, so Naruto matched his pace to hers, moving slowly enough that she wouldn't stumble.
Meanwhile, Sasuke had already left the farm. He carried a backpack filled with water bottles and snacks, a straw hat perched on his head to ward off the late afternoon sun.
When he reached the small shop at the mountain's base, he discovered he was the first to arrive. The shop was a modest establishment run by a portly man who sat fanning himself with a banana leaf. The Summer Festival had brought good business—customers came and went, purchasing water and snacks for the evening's festivities.
An awning stretched beside the shop, shading a wooden bench. Sasuke claimed the seat, set his backpack down, and took a sip of water while he waited. He half-listened to the shop owner's conversations with various customers.
A thin man approached the counter. He wore a mask that covered most of his face, revealing only a single lazy eye and shock-white hair. He leaned against the bar and spoke in a low voice. "Boss, do you have any picture books?"
"Sure, sure. Got plenty right here." The fat proprietor continued fanning himself. "Which kind are you looking for?"
The white-haired man leaned closer, lowering his voice further. "The kind you don't display."
The shop owner's eyes lit up with interest. His body quivered as he heaved himself upright and rummaged beneath the counter. After a moment, he produced a thin magazine. "Just got this in. Some brave soul risked his neck sneaking into the bathhouse for these photos. It's called Bathhouse Heat—and let me tell you, it lives up to the title."
"How much?" The white-haired man's visible eye remained utterly calm.
"Five hundred ryō."
"Too expensive. Let me flip through a few pages first. If it's any good, I'll consider it."
The man opened the magazine and scanned several pages. His expression didn't change, but internally he found the content disappointing. Too straightforward, no subtlety or mystery. And without a proper narrative structure, the whole thing felt dry and unengaging.
He much preferred storylines with proper investigation and plot development.
The white-haired man set the magazine back on the counter and pulled an orange book from his vest pocket instead. Icha Icha Paradise—now this was quality literature. He'd read it multiple times and always found something new to appreciate.
Young Sasuke had no idea what they were discussing. He listened vaguely for a moment, then spotted two figures approaching on the gravel path: Shikamaru and Choji.
Choji's round face gleamed with sweat, but he continued munching on chips without pause.
"Sasuke, have you been waiting long?" Shikamaru dropped onto the bench beside him, hands in his pockets, slightly out of breath.
"Hey... Sasuke..." Choji panted.
"Just a few minutes," Sasuke replied.
"Where are Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, and Ino?" Shikamaru asked.
Before anyone could answer, two excited voices called from the side. The boys turned to see Sakura and Ino waving frantically as they hurried over in small, careful steps.
Sakura wore a cyan kimono, while Ino had chosen pale blue. If their faces weren't still slightly swollen from their "friendship process" with Naruto, they would have looked quite elegant.
As it was, the effect was somewhat diminished.
The two girls promptly squeezed themselves onto the bench, shoving Choji and Shikamaru aside to flank Sasuke from both directions. Each grabbed one of his arms.
Choji and Shikamaru exchanged resigned looks.
More than ten minutes later, Naruto and Hinata arrived.
They settled onto the bench to rest before beginning the climb to the temple.
The white-haired man's gaze flicked toward them from behind his orange book, stealing glances at Naruto.
Naruto had noticed him immediately upon arrival, but showed no reaction. His parents' chakra had shared enough information for him to deduce the man's identity without much difficulty.
Still, resentment simmered in Naruto's chest. Where were you when I needed help the most? When I was five years old and starving?
Sensing the white-haired man's furtive observation, Naruto's irritation grew. Fine. If you won't come introduce yourself, I'm certainly not going to make the first move.
Who wasn't a proud person?
Naruto deliberately raised his voice and glanced in the man's direction. "Hey, Hinata, look at that weird uncle over there reading perverted books."
"Oh... um... that's..." Hinata turned to look, her eyes widening. "How scary..."
Sakura and Ino caught on immediately, both shooting disapproving glares at the white-haired man.
The man felt a sharp pain in his chest. He turned around abruptly, choosing to face away from the group.
"Alright, everyone," Naruto announced after they'd rested sufficiently. "We should get going. If we're late, we won't find a good spot to watch the fireworks."
The group began their slow ascent up the mountain path.
Once they'd disappeared from view, the white-haired man turned back around. His visible eye tracked their retreating forms with an unreadable expression. Naruto stood nearly as tall as an adult despite being only seven, his build broad and powerful. He looked more like a parent chaperoning six children than a kid among peers.
The corner of the man's mouth twitched.
Is this really Sensei's son?
If not for the distinctive blonde hair and blue eyes, he might have mistaken Naruto for a member of the Yotsuki clan from the Cloud Village.
When Naruto's group finally vanished over the ridge, the white-haired man pocketed his book and returned to ANBU headquarters.
An operative approached immediately upon his arrival. "Kakashi-sama, the Third Hokage is looking for you."
"Understood." Kakashi nodded and made his way to the Hokage Building.
He knocked on the office door.
"Come in," Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice called from within.
"Lord Third, you wanted to see me?" Kakashi's tone remained flat, detached, as if nothing in the world could truly affect him.
"Why? Not going to watch the fireworks?" Hiruzen sat wreathed in pipe smoke, his expression amused.
"Not interested," Kakashi replied simply.
"After Naruto graduates from the Academy," Hiruzen said, his tone shifting to something more serious, "I want you to leave ANBU and become his instructor."
For the first time, emotion flickered through Kakashi's visible eye. "You mean that?"
"I do."
Kakashi left the Hokage Building wearing his usual mask of indifference, but internally, his thoughts churned like a raging river.
Surprise. Anticipation. Fear. Confusion.
He'd been waiting for this day—but also dreading it.
How was he supposed to face Minato-sensei's son?
The boy clearly knew who he was. That pointed comment about the "weird uncle" had been deliberate.
Kakashi's emotions twisted into an impossible knot.
He looked forward to that future day when he would finally meet Naruto properly.
And yet, he was terrified of what he might find when that day came.