The two continued like that, one striding along impatiently while the other followed close behind, brimming with enthusiasm and endlessly spouting words like "youth," "passion," and "friendship." They drew plenty of sidelong looks from passersby.
After turning into a relatively quiet alley, Obito finally lost his patience. He spun around, ready to snap at Guy again.
Just then, another figure strolled toward them from the other end of the alley.
Silver hair, a mask, dead-fish eyes, and an equally fancy-looking box in his hand-it was Kakashi.
Obito and Guy immediately fixed their eyes on him, especially the box he was carrying.
"Hey! If it isn't Kakashi!"
Obito immediately switched targets, raising an eyebrow. "You're going to big bro Cheng's place too? What've you got there? Don't tell me that's a present too? Tch, no way it's better than mine!"
Guy immediately chimed in. "Kakashi! Let us compete to see who has the best gift for our dear friend! Let's see whose gift best represents the burning passion of youth!"
Looking at the two clowns before him, Kakashi's mouth gave an almost imperceptible twitch.
He felt as though simply standing beside these two was forcibly dragging down both his intelligence and his maturity.
"Idiots." With that concise assessment, he walked around them and continued on his way.
Every extra word he exchanged with these two children was a waste of mental energy.
"Hey! Who are you calling an idiot?!" Obito immediately bristled and chased after him.
Guy followed too, shouting, "Is this the verbal clash of youth?"
The alley once again filled with Obito's indignant yelling and Guy's spirited "declarations of youth." Up ahead, Kakashi's retreating figure radiated the weary disdain of someone who wanted to insist, "I don't know them."
As dusk settled, Uchiha Makoto's living room was already bustling.