The day had been long and full of quiet tension beneath smooth conversation. As i walked beside Kakashi under the glowing lanterns of Konoha, her expression held a mixture of amusent and interest.
"You know," i said with a small smile, "you're quite the enigma, Kakashi. Charming, strong, polite, and sohow surrounded by so of the most dangerous and powerful won in Konoha."
She had felt the chakra of the two won earlier, although the black haired one wasn't that strong, but the other one was.
"I didn't exactly plan it this way." Kakashi gave her a sideways glance, his eyes crinkling in a half-smile.
i raised a brow, her long auburn hair brushing over her shoulder as she turned slightly toward him. "That's the part that intrigues . How did you even get them to stay harmonious? Three won like that?"
"Things just… happened." Kakashi let out a low chuckle and shrugged.
"Oh, co on," i teased. "Don't give that vague shinobi answer. Who was your first woman?"
"Kurenai. It started when we began working together on genjutsu and missions." Kakashi looked upward thoughtfully as if rewinding ti.
"Hm…" i humd thoughtfully. "And then?"
"Then ca Anko," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Kind of… unexpectedly."
"Unexpectedly? You an you just tripped and fell into her arms?" i's eyes glinted mischievously.
"Not quite. Kurenai couldn't handle anymore." Kakashi's lips quirked.
"Handle you?" i tilted her head, confused.
Kakashi leaned in slightly, his breath brushing her ear as he whispered, "In bed."
i blinked, her face turning a light shade of red despite herself. For soone who never had experience in this domain and had never been flustered in the presence of n, Kakashi Hatake was proving to be… sothing else.
"You really are dangerous." As she recovered, she shot him a look.
Kakashi chuckled but said nothing.
The flirting continued with a teasing ease as they made their way toward his ho. By the ti they reached his front door, i was smiling more than she realized.
Kakashi opened the door with his usual calm and stepped inside, only to pause as a familiar voice rang through the living room.
"Well, well, well. Look who it is, the once gloomy, brooding loner has beco a full-blown playboy."
On the couch sat Kushina Uzumaki, arms folded and smirking as if she'd been waiting all day to make that remark.
"As I told you, it's pure love, Kushina-san, I swear." Kakashi only sighed.
"Pure love, he says…" she rolled her eyes dramatically. "Tch. You used to blush just saying hello to a woman, and now look at you, holding hands and charming Kage-level beauties."
"You know that's a lie, I didn't interact with won at all" Kakashi confidently said, as Kushina rolled her eyes at him.
i blinked in shock, halting beside Kakashi. She stared at the red-haired woman on the couch with disbelief, taking a step back as the pieces in her mind clicked together.
"You…" i said, her voice low. "You're… Kushina Uzumaki. Kirigakure has intelligence on you. You were the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. The Fourth Hokage's wife."
"Guilty," Kushina said casually, waving. "Nice to et you properly, Mizukage."
"But…You were…" i narrowed her eyes.
"Dead?" Kushina finished with a grin. "Yeah, I was. Until Mr. Genius over here pulled so miracle using cells, seals, and other things I still don't fully understand."
i looked at Kakashi again, a flicker of admiration shining through. Reviving soone like her… is there anything this man can't do?
Kakashi just gave a humble shrug.
Before i could ask more, familiar chakra signatures flared as the door opened. Tsunade, Anko, and Kurenai, all stepped in one by one, laughing about sothing from earlier.
"Slls like dinner's ready," Anko grinned, licking her lips.
"Where's Naruto and the others?" Tsunade asked as she slipped off her cloak.
"They're out," Kushina replied. "Ranmaru went with Naruto and Sasuke to the Uchiha compound. Karin and Sakura went ho."
"Good," Tsunade said as she made her way to the table. "Then it's just us tonight."
Inside the dining room, the won gathered around a long table. Kushina and Tsunade sat at opposite ends, with Kurenai and Anko flanking Kakashi, while i was given a seat beside him.
Shizune brought out the dishes, at, grilled fish, seasoned vegetables, warm soup, and a small mountain of rice. The atmosphere was cozy and relaxed, the golden light flickering over the plates.
As they dug in, Kushina launched into her half-true half-false stories.
"You know, when I was pregnant with Naruto, this guy was my personal guard," she said, pointing a chopstick at Kakashi. "He was so awkward back then, he couldn't make eye contact for more than five seconds."
"Really? Kakashi, awkward?" Anko cackled.
"Oh, you should've seen him when I caught him reading Icha Icha in the corner of the room. Nearly choked on his own spit when I noticed."
Everyone burst into laughter, even i who covered her mouth politely.
"Don't listen to her. She makes up half of what she says." Kakashi gave her a sideways glance.
"Only the good parts," Kushina grinned.
As the al went on, the conversation shifted.
"I wanted to bring sothing up," Kakashi said, setting his chopsticks down. "About Naruto and Sasuke."
Everyone quieted a bit.
"I've already signed their Anbu admission letters. They're ready."
"Kakashi… you know what the Anbu can do to a person." Kushina's brow furrowed, worry flickering in her eyes.
"I know," Kakashi said softly. "That's why I'm going to lead the squad myself. I won't let them get swallowed by it."
"It's better this way. They'll learn discipline, take on real missions, and with Kakashi in charge, I trust they'll co out stronger, not broken or swallowed by the darkness." Tsunade nodded firmly.
"You'd better keep your word, Kakashi." Kushina still looked hesitant but slowly nodded.
"I will," he said quietly.
The warmth returned to the room after that, with Kushina pouring drinks for the table and Anko challenging Kurenai to a sake shot contest, one that Kurenai pretended to refuse before ultimately joining in.
It was a scene i never thought she'd witness. A man like Kakashi, surrounded by strong, confident won who not only cared for him but supported one another too.
"You're full of surprises." i leaned slightly toward Kakashi and whispered,
Before Kakashi could respond, Kushina pointed at him again. "By the way, I heard you mastered Flying Thunder God."
All heads turned to Kakashi again.
"It's just the Flying Thunder God. Wasn't too hard." He smirked slightly, the corner of his mouth tugging upward.
"Do you want a beating?" Kushina stared at him blankly.
Kakashi imdiately raised both hands in surrender, laughing. "Alright, alright. It was hard. Really hard. I cried twice."
Everyone chuckled again, the tension breaking with ease.
As the evening wore on, i found herself laughing more than she had in weeks. Konoha felt… warm. Alive. And Kakashi? He was far more than a genius or a shinobi. He was sothing rarer. A man strong enough to carry many burdens, yet gentle enough to make space for others.
And as she looked around the table, surrounded by Konoha's finest, i Terumi realized one thing clearly:
She was going to stay a little longer.
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