Loneliness and Liveliness

The moon slowly rose.

Silver moonlight spilled across the yard, illuminating two small figures and the two wooden swords clashing again and again.

After who knew how long, Kakashi was the first to lower his sword. "That's enough for today."

"What time is it?" Shin-chan asked, wiping away his sweat.

Kakashi looked up at the moon. "I don't know, but it must be late."

Shin-chan scratched his head and was about to say something when he suddenly heard a familiar voice in the distance.

"Shin-chan!"

It was Miya.

Then Hiroshi called out, "Shin-chan, where are you?"

Shin-chan's expression froze. He slowly turned to look at Kakashi.

"I think..." Shin-chan's voice grew quieter and quieter. "I forgot to tell Mom I wasn't coming home for dinner."

Kakashi was silent for two seconds. "You didn't remember while you were eating?"

Shin-chan blinked.

While he was eating?

He'd been too busy eating to think of anything else.

The voices in the distance grew closer. They were clearly heading this way.

Shin-chan hurried toward the yard's entrance. After only a few steps, he saw two familiar figures at the far end of the street.

The moment Miya spotted him, she hurried over. "Shin Nohara!"

Shin-chan shrank his neck and didn't dare make a sound.

Miya came up to him and tapped him on the head.

"Do you know what time it is? I made dinner, and you were nowhere to be found. I looked everywhere. Do you know how long your dad and I have been searching for you?"

Shin-chan held his head, his voice small. "I'm sorry."

"Does saying sorry help? Didn't you say you'd come home on time?"

"We were training and lost track of time."

"Training? Does training mean you don't have to eat? Does training mean your parents have to search the whole village for you?"

Hiroshi tried to smooth things over. "All right, all right. At least we found him."

Miya glared at him. "Don't say a word. Weren't you worried sick just now, too?"

Hiroshi gave an awkward cough and fell silent.

Shin-chan sneaked a glance at Miya's expression, then moved closer and hugged her leg.

"Mom, I was wrong. I'll remember to tell you next time."

Miya stiffened for a moment and looked down at him.

Shin-chan lifted his face and blinked up at her.

"Let there not be a next time, or I'll deal with you." Miya gently tapped him on the head.

Shin-chan breathed a sigh of relief. He knew he'd gotten off the hook.

Kakashi stood at the yard's entrance without coming any closer. He simply stood there quietly, watching Shin-chan's red-clad figure cling to his mother.

The three of them stood together in the middle of the street, gathered beneath the yellow lamplight.

Holding his mother's hand, Shin-chan walked away, glancing back to wave at Kakashi.

"See you tomorrow, Kakashi."

Kakashi raised his hand and waved back.

Then the three of them gradually disappeared into the distance, their voices fading until he could no longer make out what they were saying.

In the end, all that remained was a faint light at the far end of the street.

Kakashi lowered his hand and stood there a little longer. Then he turned and walked into the yard.

He opened the door.

Inside, it was pitch-black, just as it had been when he left.

The fire beneath the stove had long since gone out. Only the bamboo in the yard rustled now and then.

Kakashi stood in the genkan without turning on the lights.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, spreading a thin layer of silver across the floor.

The house was empty.

Too quiet.

Kakashi suddenly remembered the scene from a moment ago: Shin-chan hugging his mother's leg, looking up at her and saying, "I was wrong."

Then he thought of his own home. It seemed there had never been a moment like that here.

His mother was gone.

His father was away on a mission.

He was the only one in the house.

Kakashi went inside and sat down in the living room, hugging his knees as he silently watched the moon outside the window.

Dad... Mom...

After a while, he stood and went to his room.

It was time to sleep.

He still had school tomorrow.

The Nohara family walked slowly home along the street.

Miya was still chiding Shin-chan, but her tone wasn't as stern as before.

"Do you know how long your dad and I looked for you? We went to the training grounds and searched for ages without finding you. Then a vegetable seller told us he'd seen you heading this way with Kakashi..."

"Mm-hmm."

"If you're not coming home for dinner, tell us ahead of time. Got it?"

"Got it." Shin-chan nodded.

"And when you eat at someone else's house, be polite. Don't just focus on eating. You need to help clean up, too."

Shin-chan paused.

"Um... Mom."

"Hmm?"

"I helped Kakashi clear away the dishes today."

Miya froze for a moment, then smiled a little, pleased. "Really? That was nice of you."

"Then I broke two plates."

Miya's words caught in her throat.

Hiroshi couldn't help laughing beside her.

Miya took a deep breath.

"Shin Nohara."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Never mind. Since you offered to help, I'll let it go this time."

Shin-chan grinned and walked a few steps. Then he suddenly remembered something. "Mom, Kakashi's all alone at home now."

Miya paused.

"His dad's away on a mission. He doesn't know when he'll be back." Shin-chan lowered his head and kicked a little stone along the road. "Kakashi always has to cook and eat by himself."

Miya was silent for a while, then looked down at Shin-chan.

Shin-chan lifted his face and blinked. "Mom, can Kakashi come over for dinner tomorrow?"

"Come to our house?"

"Yeah." Shin-chan nodded. "It's lonely eating by himself. There are lots of people in our family, so it's lively."

Miya looked down at her son.

Moonlight fell across Shin-chan's face. His eyes were bright, and there wasn't a trace of his usual silly mischief in them. He was simply waiting very earnestly for an answer.

She suddenly felt that although he was usually a bit of a handful, sometimes he could be quite thoughtful.

Miya's lips curled into a small smile.

"Sure."

Shin-chan's eyes grew even brighter. "Really?"

"Mm. After you finish training tomorrow, bring him over for dinner."

"Great!" Shin-chan jumped up. "What are we having tomorrow?"

Miya thought for a moment, counting on her fingers. "We have a guest coming, so I should make something nice. Shrimp tempura, braised pork, miso soup, and maybe some hamburger steak..."

Hiroshi chimed in beside her. "Put in extra sugar with the braised pork. Last time it was a little bland."

"Be quiet. Do you think I need you to teach me how to cook?"

"I'm just making a suggestion..."

"That's not a suggestion. That's nitpicking."

"Fine, fine. You're the boss."

As Shin-chan listened to his parents bicker, he looked up at the moon.

Kakashi must be lonely at home by himself right now.

Tomorrow, he'd bring Kakashi over for sure. He'd let him try Mom's cooking. It might not be as delicious as the food he made himself, but there'd be plenty of people.

When there were lots of people, things were lively.

And when things were lively, no one felt lonely.

At the far end of the street, the little house in the Hatake Household stood quietly beneath the moonlight.

There was no light in the windows.

But the bamboo in the yard still rustled softly, as if someone were whispering.