"Hmm-hmm... hmm-hmm-hmm..."
Hatake Kakashi hummed a leisurely, tuneless little song, cradling a large, bulging shopping bag in one arm. It was packed with fresh vegetables and all sorts of ingredients. He had just left the nearby market and was strolling home without a care in the world.
In the days following the Konoha Crush Plan, Kakashi, an elite jonin, had been run off his feet dealing with mountains of postwar affairs. Only recently had he finally escaped those tedious official duties and gained some leisure time of his own.
With the Third Hokage severely injured and requiring an extended period of rest, the village was temporarily without a leader, and the issuing of regular ninja missions had largely been suspended.
The official explanation was that the Third Hokage's old injuries had flared up after his fierce battle with Orochimaru, and he needed time to recover. Some rather dubious rumors were circulating, though, claiming that Lord Hokage had been beaten into the hospital by a mysterious woman...
Kakashi never believed or spread rumors. What woman could beat the Hokage that badly? He was more inclined to believe his old injuries were to blame.
After all, needing to spend some time in bed after a battle like that was perfectly normal in the ninja world—he often ended up that way himself.
It's been almost half a month since I last saw those three kids...
As Kakashi ambled along, he pictured his three students. This rare moment of leisure suddenly made him miss Team 7 a little. Since he had time today, he might as well go see them.
He had deliberately bought plenty of extra vegetables and ingredients that would keep well, mainly to take to Uzumaki Naruto, the only one of his three students without parents around to care for him...