Kakashi got hit by the boomerang

"Hey, Kakashi! Kakashi!"

"I already said, at least call me Kakashi-sensei (sound effect)."

You should know that before Sasuke was led astray by you, he always called me Kakashi- san.

On the street leading home, Kakashi, with his lifeless eyes, said helplessly to the energetic Naruto beside him:

"Naruto, you should at least listen to what Minato-sensei and I have to say and tone it down a bit."

At least try to make some serious friends at school. When I went to the Ninja Academy to ask for leave for you the other day, Iruka complained to me for a long time...

Kakashi glanced at Naruto beside him, Naruto was trying to whistle to avoid the topic, and sighed heavily.

"You only have Sasuke a friend at school, right?"

Naruto had been striding ahead, suddenly froze, guiltily averting his gaze.

"Well, it can't be said that it was only that guy!"

I did listen to my parents and tried to be friends with Shikamaru and the others!

"You mean by 'trying to make friends'? You mean tearing up all their homework, then going to Iruka-sensei and telling them you're bullying them, and making them pretend to cry so none of them have to do their homework?"

Kakashi glanced sideways at Naruto, who looked embarrassed beside him, and continued to criticize mercilessly:

"You don't actually think Iruka and the others won't see through your act, do you? Your acting is just awful."

"Uh... just tell me, did I make this friend or not?!"

Naruto heard his parents' barely suppressed laughter in his mind, and his face instantly turned red. He shouted loudly and confidently.

"No, this is clearly not a normal way to make friends."

Kakashi continued to complain, but a deep, heartfelt worry silently flashed across his eyes as he looked at Naruto.

Naruto himself may not have realized it, but he, Minato-sensei, and Sister Kushina all vaguely sensed the same thing.

Compared to Sasuke, who experienced the Night of the Uchiha Massacre and is currently in a state of withdrawal, Naruto's mental state is actually more worrying.

Contrary to his outward image as an enthusiastic, flamboyant, and unrestrained troublemaker, Naruto is actually a rather sensitive child.

Growing up under the villagers' strange gazes, which were filled with fear or disgust, he was able to keenly perceive others' true attitudes and inner thoughts towards him.

This keen insight allowed him to strike back decisively against those who harbored clear malice towards him (partly due to Kushina's upbringing).

It also allows him to cherish those who never view him with prejudice and to willingly repay them with the utmost kindness.

Sasuke, Minato-sensei and Sister Kushina, myself, Lord Jiraiya, the Lord Third Hokage, and some of my classmates from the Ninja Academy, including Shikamaru...

Naruto has always tried his best to "repay" these hard-won acts of kindness with his sincerity and actions.

His so-called actions were simply using his notorious reputation among the villagers to do things he believed could help those important people.

For Sasuke's sake, he was willing to personally beat up villagers in public who had suffered at the hands of the Uchiha Police Force and then made boastful remarks after their clan was wiped out.

While at the Ninja Academy, he used his deeply ingrained image as a troublemaker in the Teacher ' minds to do things he thought would help his friends (like tearing up homework).

For Naruto, this was one of the few things he, who only knew how to destroy and cause trouble, could do for these people he cherished.

However, the essence of these behaviors all stems from Naruto's extreme sense of unworthiness towards the kindness of others.

Because he was treated coldly by the villagers from a young age and regarded as the incarnation of a fox demon, he never dared to hope that he could receive love without expecting anything in return.

Because he fears that one day he will lose the warmth he has finally managed to hold in his hands, he is so eager to repay it with his actions and prove in his own way that he deserves it all.

Perhaps if things continue like this, Naruto will indeed be able to make more and more friends who truly care about him.

But if this anxiety, rooted deep within the heart, is allowed to continue to develop, it will definitely not be a good thing for this child!

Thinking of this, Kakashi involuntarily stopped in his tracks.

In the middle of that street, bathed in the warm yellow light of the streetlights, Kakashi looked at the blond child who was turning around and looking at him with a puzzled expression, a rare seriousness flashing in his eyes.

"Naruto, you... you don't actually need to constantly think about what you can do for your friends."

Kakashi looked at Naruto and said gently:

"Neither Sasuke nor Shikamaru became your friends because they wanted anything from you."

If you genuinely care about them, you can completely accept their kindness towards you.

"Kakashi..."

Naruto stood frozen in place, feeling Kakashi's gentle gaze that seemed to penetrate all his pretenses and see straight into the deepest thoughts in his heart.

Just as Kakashi was about to say something more, a furious shout came from behind him, making him instinctively jump.

"Kakashi!!"

"That voice is... Hong?!"

Kakashi made a hasty judgment in his mind.

He almost instinctively tried to escape, but Red seemed to have anticipated his actions and placed her hand firmly on his shoulder before he could act.

Kakashi mechanically turned his head, and what came into view was Kurenai's beautiful face with a gentle smile.

But at this moment, in Kakashi's eyes, that smile seemed to carry a chilling aura that sent shivers down his spine.

"Kakashi, where... are you thinking of going?"

Hong tilted her head slightly, her smile deepening, and her voice becoming even softer:

"Aren't you going to explain your act of missing-nin your comrades just now, Mr. Kakashi Hatake, who values his comrades?"

"I... I had no choice but to do it because of my mission..."

Feeling the increasingly dangerous gaze from Kurenai, Kakashi's forehead began to bead with cold sweat.

He stammered as he tried to explain himself, while frantically searching his mind for any possible reason to extricate himself.

The next moment, Kakashi suddenly seemed to remember something, and his eyes lit up instantly:

"Oh right! It's getting late, I need to hurry and take Naruto home, Sasuke is still waiting for us there!"

Seemingly having finally grasped a lifeline, Kakashi felt a surge of confidence and, feigning regret, sincerely apologized to Kurenai:

"Although I really want to explain things to you right now, I'm just too busy to get away."

Sorry, Red...

Naruto?

Red looked behind Kakashi with a puzzled expression and said:

"You mean Naruto? He left just as you turned around."

"Well?!!"

Kakashi suddenly turned his head around.

Behind him, on the brightly lit stone path illuminated by the streetlights, there was no trace of the small blond figure.

All he could see was a small, blond figure swaying slightly in the darkness of the distance.

The little golden retriever that abandoned him without hesitation and walked further and further away even waved to him under the streetlight.

Kakashi froze on the spot.

"Now, can you explain this to me properly, Kakashi?"

Kurenai watched with a smile as Kakashi was accurately hit by the boomerang, and the hand on Kakashi's shoulder tightened its grip even more.

"Ah, this, that..."

Kakashi felt the heavy force from that slender hand, raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and asked cautiously:

"Hey--Can we reconcile?"

Hong's red eyes curved into two extremely beautiful crescent moons:

"At this very moment? You're not kidding me, are you?"

"Haha, you're right!"

Kakashi said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, as he looked up at the full moon in the night sky.

Naruto, is it too late for me to take back what I just said?

Even if it's just now, think about it, think about what you can do for me!!

(Naruto, who had already left: You're such a selfish person, all you ever think about is yourself~)

--

(There's one more chapter, it might be a little late, so I suggest everyone go to bed early.)