"Kakashi, I heard you achieved the final victory in the battle before. You really are worthy of being my eternal rival!"
Kakashi was walking home from shopping with an air of indifference. He was carrying a large paper bag filled with all kinds of food... supposedly nutritious, but in reality, all instant food. Just then, someone hurried up from behind, smacked him hard on the shoulder, and said this.
That passionate tone, the overly familiar attitude that completely ignored the atmosphere, and the reckless way of hitting him—Kakashi knew without turning around who was walking beside him. Might Guy. Who else could it be? Kakashi had a rather lazy personality and was never enthusiastic toward others, which made it easy for people to think he looked down on everyone. So aside from someone thick-skinned like Might Guy, who else would become his friend?
The pain from the sudden blow to his shoulder nearly made Kakashi lose control of his expression. Fortunately, he was always wearing his mask. Still, he did not reproach Might Guy. That was simply how Might Guy was. He was even more self-absorbed than Kakashi, and reproaching him would be useless. He would only think it was a joke.
"Wasn't this supposed to be relatively confidential? Why does it feel like the rumors are everywhere?" As he spoke, Kakashi took an apple from the paper bag and tossed it to Might Guy.
"It wasn't a top-secret incident, after all. The rumors can't really be said to be everywhere—they're still only circulating within a small circle. I heard it from a senior jonin who participated in it... And besides, it isn't a rumor. It's the truth, isn't it?" Might Guy said.
"Indeed. Quite a few jonin participated in the battle... Or perhaps saying they participated in a competition