Konoha, the Hokage's Office.
"Is this the child you brought back from the Land of Water?"
Looking at Shinichi and Haku before him, the Third Hokage took his customary puff on his pipe and said with satisfaction, "What a fine young girl. And an Ice Release kekkei genkai, no less. I look forward to Konoha's future more and more."
The Third Hokage had noticed it too. Shinichi never went out on missions normally, but whenever he did leave, he seemed to bring back a child with great potential.
He had even considered having Shinichi leave the Konoha Military Police Force and devote himself to finding promising orphans to bring back to the village, bolstering Konoha's next generation.
After all, the fellow clearly loved doing it!
"Lord Hokage, I think you may have misunderstood."
Shinichi cleared his throat twice and explained, "Actually, Haku is a boy..."
Someone this pretty had to be a boy!
The Third Hokage: "???"
He nearly choked on his smoke again, hurriedly turning away to hide his embarrassment. "Is that so? It seems this old man's eyes aren't what they used to be. Sorry about that!"
Haku looked entirely innocent, wondering why everyone thought he was a girl.
"One more thing, Shinichi."
Shinichi had only come to register Haku's identity and planned to take him home afterward, but the Third Hokage suddenly stopped him, saying meaningfully, "Less than two days after you left the village, Danzo's Root apparently set aside a portion of its funds specifically to donate to the Konoha Orphanage..."
At least that old bastard knew what was good for him!
That was Shinichi's private thought.
Even if the Third Hokage hadn't mentioned it, he had intended to visit the Orphanage to check.
If the Orphanage hadn't received the money, he would definitely have gone