Encountering Kakashi

The three of them stepped out of their home and headed toward Ichiraku Ramen. Pedestrians came and went on the street, but the moment they caught sight of Naruto and Menma, they would quicken their pace and steer clear, as if avoiding a plague.

At the same time, cold, cutting remarks struck like arrows. Those unbearable voices echoed in the air, making the atmosphere feel stifling.

Seeing people dodge them and hurl insults, Menma merely shrugged helplessly; he had long since grown accustomed to such treatment.

As for Naruto, his shoulders slumped slightly, a flash of sadness crossing his eyes, and the corners of his mouth drooped involuntarily. Clearly, this situation still weighed heavily on his spirits.

Might Guy felt a sense of shared empathy. After all, back in his own childhood, he had been a "dead last" who only knew taijutsu and was frequently mocked by his classmates. Yet, compared to Naruto and Menma, his own past struggles seemed like nothing.

"Alright! Let us pour out our sweat and run straight to Ichiraku Ramen!" Might Guy said in an encouraging tone.

"Huh?" Before Menma could react, he saw Might Guy had already bolted away. Naruto was also stunned for a moment and looked at Menma, only to find Menma wearing an equally helpless expression.

"Sigh, let's go..." Menma called out to Naruto with great reluctance, and then they both took off running.

Inside Ichiraku Ramen, steam rose into the air, which was filled with the rich aroma of noodles. When Might Guy brought Naruto and Menma inside, Teuchi noticed their arrival.

At this moment, Might Guy looked as breezy and unbothered as ever, while Naruto and Menma were panting for breath.

"You actually... made us... take the long way around, Guy-sensei..." Menma said, gasping for air as he sat down on a stool.

"Taking the long way was one thing... but running... so fast... I almost couldn't keep up..." Naruto added from the side.

"Hahaha... that is the essence of youth! Once we finish eating, I'll teach you how to read this afternoon! One order of the signature miso ramen! Naruto, Menma, order whatever you like." Might Guy laughed and patted Menma on the shoulder.

Naruto's eyes lit up. "I'll have the miso ramen too!"

"Sigh, I'll have the miso ramen as well," Menma said with a sigh.

"Alright! Boss, three orders of the signature miso ramen!" Might Guy said to Teuchi.

"Oh, Might Guy, is this... you bringing Naruto and Menma for noodles?" Teuchi asked while he began to boil the noodles.

"That's right, the Third Hokage asked me to teach them how to read, so I brought them here for lunch," Might Guy said with ease.

"Oh, is that so?" Teuchi was puzzled. The Third Hokage arranged for Might Guy to teach children to read? Teuchi was baffled; he knew a thing or two about Might Guy, and he doubted this was truly the Third Hokage's plan.

Although Teuchi was confused, he didn't say anything, as it was the Third Hokage's arrangement after all. A short while later, three bowls of ramen were served. Seeing the steaming noodles, Naruto began to drool.

"Itadakimasu!" Naruto didn't waste any time and started eating immediately. Seeing this, the other two began to eat as well.

Halfway through the meal, Menma suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. He lifted the curtain and glanced outside. After seeing who it was, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and he nudged Might Guy's arm, gesturing toward the back. "Guy-sensei, there's an acquaintance behind us!"

Might Guy turned his head and saw a man with white hair, wearing casual clothes and a mask that covered one eye, walking past Ichiraku Ramen while holding a box.

Might Guy's eyes lit up. "Yo! Isn't that my eternal rival, Kakashi?" Might Guy shouted a greeting toward Kakashi.

Upon hearing Might Guy's voice, Kakashi paused slightly. His eye, partially obscured by his headband, glanced in their direction without a ripple of emotion, and then he continued walking toward his home with a steady gait.

Seeing this, Might Guy was stunned for a moment before he stood up and ran toward Kakashi.

Watching this, Menma thought to himself: Is he just going to abandon us? What about the reading lesson? Menma was too tired to complain and simply continued eating his ramen.

At this point, given Kakashi's situation, he was still in the Anbu and would not become a jonin squad leader for another three or four years. With his current personality, he likely had no desire to socialize with others.

Menma figured that once Might Guy went over there, he probably wouldn't return to teach them until the afternoon. Just as he was thinking this, he was surprised to see Might Guy dragging Kakashi by the arm back to Ichiraku Ramen shortly after. This sudden turn of events caught Menma off guard, and he couldn't help but silently criticize Might Guy's style.

"Don't be so shy, Kakashi. Come have some ramen, and after we eat, let's have a real man's duel!" Might Guy said, sounding as energized as if he'd been injected with adrenaline.

Kakashi didn't pay much attention to Might Guy, instead noticing Naruto and Menma, both of whom were staring at him.

Back then, the mission Minato had assigned to Kakashi in the Anbu was to protect Kushina and witness the birth of new life, hoping it would help him emerge from the shadows. Yet, no one expected the Nine-Tails incident to occur on the very night of her delivery.

Looking at the two children, Kakashi felt a complex mix of emotions. He had an indescribable feeling that it was because he hadn't protected the village well enough and had failed the mission Minato entrusted to him that Naruto and Menma had become orphans.

Noticing Kakashi's expression, Might Guy pulled him down to sit and ordered him a bowl of ramen.

Teuchi was also happy to see Kakashi, as they were old acquaintances.

"Oh~ it's Kakashi. It's been a long time since you've been here," Teuchi said, greeting him while preparing to cook more noodles.

"Yeah, it has been a long time," Kakashi replied, as if lamenting something.

Menma felt something indescribable watching this. He put down his chopsticks, took Minato's kunai out of his pocket, and noticed the words "Sword of Shinobi Love" engraved on the handle.

Menma waved the kunai in front of Kakashi and said, "My father wouldn't want to see you like this."

Kakashi and Might Guy were both stunned. They looked at Menma in unison. Kakashi's gaze fell upon the Flying Thunder God kunai Menma was holding. In an instant, his pupils constricted as if something had struck the softest part of his heart. A complex array of emotions flashed in his eyes—surprise, nostalgia, and an unspeakable sense of guilt.

"This is... Sensei's Flying Thunder God kunai?" Kakashi looked at Menma in astonishment.

"Yes, it was my father's," Menma said, handing the kunai to Kakashi.

Kakashi took the kunai and pulled another one from his own pocket. The two were identical. Looking at them, Kakashi was filled with deep emotion. He looked back at Menma, who was now calmly continuing to eat his ramen.

"You... you know everything?" Kakashi asked, his voice low as he placed the kunai in front of Menma.

Menma swallowed his mouthful of noodles, wiped his mouth, and said slowly, "Not entirely. This morning, the Third Hokage gave us our parents' house. In the cabinet, I found this kunai. Besides a photo of my parents, there was another picture with someone who looks just like you. I guessed it might be you, and combined with a few other things, I was able to piece some of it together."

Kakashi had a sudden realization. He realized that until now, he hadn't cared for or looked after Minato's two children, and he felt a wave of guilt.

The ramen was served, and as Kakashi looked at it, he was reminded of the times Minato used to treat him, Rin, and Obito to ramen.

Now, things had changed, and of the original Team Minato, only he remained. He couldn't help but shed a few tears. The Copy Ninja Kakashi, who never showed his emotions on the outside, was weeping at this moment.

Seeing this, Might Guy patted Kakashi on the shoulder; he said nothing, yet it felt as if he had said everything.

Menma hadn't expected Kakashi to cry. After finishing his ramen, he reached into his pocket, placed some banknotes on the counter, and continued to watch Kakashi.

Kakashi did not linger in his sorrow for long; it took him only ten seconds or so to go from shedding tears to regaining his composure, and he adjusted himself quickly.

I'm really something, breaking the cold-blooded Kakashi with just a few words, Menma thought to himself with secret delight.

Kakashi pulled down his mask, finished his ramen with incredible speed, and then pulled the mask back up.

"You're actually quite handsome, so why do you wear a mask all the time?" Menma teased. "We get pointed at everywhere we go and we don't wear masks, so why does Kakashi..." Menma trailed off, unsure of what to call him. Should he say uncle or brother? Teacher or senior?

Seeing Menma stop mid-sentence, Kakashi seemed to realize something. He looked at Menma with a rather stiff smile and said, "If you'd like, you can call me Brother Kakashi."

"Ah... sure." Menma looked at Kakashi, feeling a bit awkward, his speech stuttering slightly.

"You two know each other?" Naruto asked, looking puzzled as his eyes darted back and forth between Menma and Kakashi.

"Didn't we see him at the Hokage Office this morning?" Menma jumped down from his stool, hands in his pockets, and began walking out on his own.

The others followed, with Naruto jogging to catch up to Menma, the two of them chatting and laughing as they walked ahead.

Watching the two of them, Kakashi felt a wave of nostalgia, thinking of Obito, Rin, Minato, and Kushina.

Seeing Kakashi's low spirits, Might Guy immediately spoke up: "Yo! Kakashi, how about a duel between true men!"

Kakashi had intended to refuse when he saw Might Guy's beaming face, but seeing the look of anticipation in his eyes, he found he couldn't bring himself to say no.

"Then what shall we compete in?" Kakashi asked with a smile, gesturing for Naruto and Menma to help him with the things in his hands.

Though reluctant, Menma helped Kakashi carry the box. It wasn't heavy, but its height was a nuisance; as Menma held it, his line of sight was completely blocked. Seeing this, Naruto hurried over to help lift the front of the box, then took the lead to guide the way.

"How about we run a lap around the village, with the finish line at Naruto and Menma's place!" Might Guy said, looking at Kakashi.

"That sounds..." Kakashi thought for a moment before agreeing.

Kakashi already knew where Naruto and Menma lived; Might Guy had told him about the brothers' current situation on the way over from Ichiraku Ramen.

"Then, let's begin!" With that, Might Guy bolted forward, and Kakashi, not wanting to be left behind, dashed out after him.