Encountering My "First Love"

On the dark streets of Konoha, the warm yellow lights on both sides of the street cast long, swaying shadows on the ground at the alley entrances.

Under the watchful eyes of Kakashi, Kisame, and Utakata, Koko smiled gently and bent down, looking directly at the handsome black-haired child in front of him.

This scene would probably be a heartwarming sight to any child of the same age.

But to Sasuke, the overly friendly smile on the face in front of him seemed rather strange.

"Is there something wrong with Kakashi? Why do all sorts of strange guys appear around him every time I see him?"

Sasuke expressionlessly shifted his gaze to Kakashi, silently thinking to himself:

"First, there was that pervert who did a handstand and shouted all over the streets of Konoha while wearing a green bodysuit; then there was the Fifth Hokage who was recently blasted from the Hokage Building onto the Hokage Rock and is still lying in the hospital; and now there's this overly friendly, weird old man..."

Thinking of this, Sasuke couldn't help but recall how Kakashi had begged him a few days ago to use his "Outstanding Student" membership card from the Ninja Academy to help him snag the limited edition illustrated doujinshi that had recently become so popular it was sold out.

Recalling Kakashi's pathetic state back then, Sasuke's lips twitched slightly. He then decisively turned around, picked up the large bag of vegetables, and prepared to leave.

This Kakashi is completely useless. If I stay with his bunch of scoundrels any longer, I'll be corrupted sooner or later.

For the sake of our great revenge, we must get away from this pathogen as soon as possible!

Seeing the undisguised disgust on Sasuke's small face, the gentle smile on his lips froze instantly.

He reached out his hand, which hung awkwardly in mid-air, his fingertips still in the position he had just tried to pat on the head.

Looking at his superior who had lost face, Utakata instinctively wanted to step forward and scold the impolite brat.

But when he looked at Sasuke's frail figure, the rebuke that was already on the tip of his tongue was ultimately swallowed back down.

Kisame stood behind Kokoro, watching the "Lord Kokoro" who was rarely humiliated, and looked at Sasuke's departing figure with some curiosity.

Kakashi looked at Sasuke, who showed no respect and left without a word, and a hint of embarrassment appeared in his eyes.

He subconsciously raised his hand, futilely stretching it out towards Sasuke's retreating figure:

"Hey, Sasuke, don't be so rude, Lord Sora... uh, Mr. Sora is a very nice person, please don't misunderstand."

As Kakashi spoke, he quickly turned his head and whispered an explanation to Koko, who was still squatting on the ground:

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Kong."

He's actually a very polite child, but some things have happened recently, and he's become a little withdrawn. He might be a bit shy around strangers, so please don't worry about it."

"Uh... well, Mr. Kakashi."

Kou slowly stood up, forcing a smile that was still twitching at the corner of his mouth, and pointed forward.

Kakashi turned his head in the direction of the tapping finger.

Sasuke was standing a few steps away, staring at him with disdain in his large, dark eyes.

Looking at Kakashi, who was completely bewildered, he forced a smile and said with a hint of schadenfreude:

"This kid doesn't seem to be targeting me."

"... Huh? Huh?!!"

Kakashi, feeling Sasuke's disdainful gaze, scratched his messy silver-white hair, looking utterly innocent.

Sasuke sighed helplessly, looking at Kakashi's completely oblivious attitude.

He lowered his eyelids, waved the vegetables he was carrying, and said in a somber tone:

"I'm not interested in ramen or anything like that. You just continue with your task. I'll take care of dinner myself."

"I... haven't reached that point yet."

After saying that, Sasuke turned around, picked up the large, heavy bag of vegetables, and Earth Flow into the twilight at the alley entrance without looking back.

Kakashi watched Sasuke's small figure gradually disappear into the distance, recalling his last words, and his eyes dimmed.

After a moment, Kakashi suppressed his complex emotions, turned around, and said apologetically to Kou:

"I apologize for taking up your time. Let's get going as soon as possible..."

He looked at Kou's gentle, harmless face, which showed no abnormality, and softly confirmed:

"Sora-sama?"

Kou slowly withdrew his gaze from the direction Sasuke had disappeared.

He narrowed his eyes, gave Kakashi a polite smile, and nodded slightly.

"I'm starving too, Ichiraku Ramen... I can't wait!"

Kou spoke with feigned longing, then Earth Flow the front of the group, as if he were truly just a foreign traveler newly arrived in Konoha, full of novelty about everything.

Seeing this, Kakashi breathed a long sigh of relief and then quickened his pace to catch up with Kisame and the other two beside him.

But directly in front of everyone, where no one could see, the smile on that gentle face had quietly faded away without anyone noticing.

He recalled the direction Sasuke just left in, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

I am very familiar with that direction.

That's... the direction of Kakashi's house!

After settling them in tonight, Kakashi will definitely head to the Hokage's office or Konoha Hospital as soon as possible to report to Jiraiya and the Third Hokage about today's meeting.

In other words, it's highly likely that Sasuke will be the only person at Kakashi's house tonight.

No, Naruto might be there too!

Thinking of this, Kou's heart involuntarily quickened.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me...

"Oh dear, it's so unsafe to leave two seven-year-old children alone at home."

To protect them, it seems Uncle Kou has no choice but to take action.

He murmured righteously to himself, completely ignoring the fact that he himself was the biggest safety hazard:

"Naloo, Sasuke, don't be afraid!!"

Uncle is coming to protect you... no! He's here to take care of you!

He murmured excitedly to himself, quickening his pace, and soon arrived at the familiar alley.

The storefront of Ichiraku Ramen still looks as simple and clean as I remember.

The curtain was half-rolled up, and warm yellow light spilled out of the shop, mingling with the rich aroma of the ramen broth and rising steam.

Through the curtain, one could vaguely see the tall, strong figure busy at the stove in the shop, and the young woman who had grown into a graceful young lady.

"Time flies, Little Ayame... she's grown so much already."

Watching the boy skillfully clearing the table of dishes, Kou couldn't help but whisper in his heart:

"Teuchi doesn't seem to have changed much. Is it because he's always looked older...?"

Gazing at the silhouettes of the father and daughter bustling about under the lamplight, a fleeting look of nostalgia flashed across his eyes.

Back when Ichiraku Ramen first opened, I brought my friends here to support the business quite a few times.

"The decorations are exactly the same as they were back then, nothing has changed."

Kou couldn't help but sigh softly, then subconsciously quickened his pace and soon arrived at the shop.

He reached out and, with mixed feelings, slowly lifted the still slightly swaying curtain:

"Hello boss, I'd like four servings of your signature tonkotsu ramen. Do you still have any left...?"

Just as the knocking sound rang out, two figures who had been facing away from him turned around almost simultaneously at the long wooden table he knew all too well.

The warm yellow light shone from the side onto the two beautiful and young faces.

The woman on the left has long, black, curly hair like seaweed, fair skin, and a lingering smile on her lips. The purple eyeshadow at the corner of her eyes shimmers faintly under the light.

The woman on the right has a very graceful figure; even wearing chainmail cannot hide her naturally endowed "talent."

Her eyes were very bright and lively, and her short, dark hair was casually tucked behind her ears. Despite her beautiful face, she exuded a sense of competence and freshness.

The first person to look at the person knocking was the woman on the right.

Her bright eyes paused for a moment when she looked at Kou, then she made no attempt to hide her gaze as she examined the Mist Village Forehead Protector at his waist, a cold, serpentine glint of killing intent flashing deep within her eyes.

Kou's gaze lingered on those two faces for less than a moment before he recognized their identities.

The woman on the left is none other than Rin's best friend from back then, Asuma's girlfriend whom that idiot Jonin in Konoha, and the daughter of Konoha's elite Yuhi Shinku, Yuhi Kurenai— Konoha Jonin Kurenai Yuhi.

And the one on the right...

Feeling the woman's scrutinizing gaze, Kou couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

The woman on the right is a mutual friend of Kurenai and Rin, a former disciple of Orochimaru, and also...

She was also his "first love" during his youth—now a Jonin Konoha, Mitarashi Anko!

(I'm actually quite conflicted about whether there should be other members of the opposite sex besides the female lead who like the protagonist.)

Given the protagonist's personality, it wouldn't make sense for only one woman to like him, but writing too much of that would easily lead to controversy.

After thinking about it, I decided to try writing it to make it more realistic...