After Naruto and Hinata finished arranging everything for that evening's gathering at the barbecue restaurant, they parted ways. When he got home, he found Kakashi and Karin waiting outside his door. The pitiful look on Karin's face told Naruto that Kakashi hadn't resolved the matter he had entrusted to him.
His expression darkened at once. He walked over and said, "Let's talk inside." Naruto unlocked the door and went in with a grim face.
Kakashi sighed at Naruto's dark expression, then said to Karin, "Come on in."
Naruto sat on the bed, while Kakashi grabbed a chair and sat down. Karin stood beside Naruto.
With a grim expression, Naruto asked, "What happened? That old man, the Third Hokage, won't let Karin live in Konoha?"
Kakashi replied, "Not exactly. When I first took Karin over and explained the situation, the Third Hokage agreed. But after the matches, he sent the Anbu to summon me again."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so something changed afterward?"
Kakashi nodded. "Yes. People from Kusagakure approached the Third Hokage, saying Karin was their village's ninja and asking him to hand her over."
Naruto looked puzzled. "The old man's a bit of a pervert, but he's not the type to shy away from trouble. Why would he agree to a demand like that? Don't tell me that perverted old man was afraid to offend them."
Kakashi's face went blank with exasperation. Naruto was the only person in Konoha who dared talk about the Third Hokage that way.
Choosing to ignore Naruto's disrespect toward the Third Hokage, Kakashi said, "Lord Third Hokage naturally refused their unreasonable request. But they said that if Konoha didn't return Karin, they would spread the word that Konoha was unlawfully holding their ninja against her will. The Third Hokage had to compromise for