What Kind of Person Is Kakashi Hatake?

"This is feeling worse and worse..."

Naruto Uzumaki walked down the village streets. The villagers who had once despised him now regarded him with an extra measure of fear. Their gazes lingered on him only briefly before shifting away.

Apparently, news that a certain Special Jonin had been beaten into the hospital by the Demon Fox yesterday afternoon had already spread throughout Konoha by this morning.

His image had probably been demonized even further...

The villagers who had dared to mock even jonin all fell silent at the sight of Naruto Uzumaki, because this Demon Fox Kid now possessed strength worthy of attention.

What was more, jonin like Might Guy would not attack ordinary villagers, whereas that Nine-Tails Fox had caused countless bloody tragedies twelve years ago!

Only after the figure in orange ninja clothes had left did some villagers begin muttering among themselves. "Why does the village keep such a dangerous guy around?"

"Did you see that Demon Fox Kid's eyes? They were terrifying..."

"The village actually let him become a ninja! Isn't that too dangerous?"

"Shh. Maybe the Third Hokage has his own reasons! Who knows what those big shots are thinking? As long as we leave him alone, it'll be fine..."

Yesterday afternoon's incident seemed to have had quite an impact.

Naruto Uzumaki gave a soft laugh and comforted himself. At least one good thing had come of it: from now on, no one would point at his nose and tell him to get lost.

At the very least, he could show up anywhere he wanted.

Outside a breakfast shop, Naruto Uzumaki stood before the steaming baskets and stingily dug two coins out of his pocket. "Two buns."

The breakfast shop owner, his face full of fierce-looking flesh, glanced at the blond ninja by the entrance, tapped his table, and said disdainfully, "Not selling. Get lost."

"..."

Naruto Uzumaki's expression immediately fell.

After standing there in a daze for a moment, he dejectedly put his money away and turned to leave. He might as well go hungry and head to the training ground.

In the middle of the street, an old man standing at the entrance of a ramen shop smiled with narrowed eyes and waved to him. "Hey, Naruto. If you're not in a hurry, come have breakfast with us!"

"Uncle Teuchi, you're open this early?"

"No..."

Teuchi adjusted his chef's hat and draped an arm around the blond ninja's shoulders. "I just made some breakfast. If you don't mind, come inside and eat with us!"

"How could I mind? Thanks!"

Ichiraku Ramen.

Ayame brought over a plate of steamed buns and several small dishes. She leaned curiously against Naruto's shoulder, and a fragrant scent wafted toward him. "Hey, Naruto, are you starting ninja missions today?"

"I'm not sure."

Naruto Uzumaki shook his head. "Sensei Kakashi said we first have to do a Survival Exercise today..."

As he said that, Naruto Uzumaki's expression suddenly changed. "Wait, I think Sensei Kakashi said we weren't allowed to eat breakfast!"

"Don't be like that. You're already here..."

Ayame pressed him back into his seat, then sat down across from him and tilted her head as she looked him over curiously. "Is Kakashi Hatake your jonin instructor? He's an incredibly handsome guy!"

The young lady at Ichiraku Ramen really did see things differently.

To everyone else, Kakashi Hatake was the Copy Ninja, the Leaf Village's Skillful Ninja who had mastered over a thousand jutsu, Sharingan Kakashi, and so on.

To her, looks were justice.

Naruto Uzumaki could only laugh awkwardly. "I-Is that so? But he wears a mask, so I have no idea what he looks like underneath..."

"If he's so handsome on top, he can't be too bad underneath!"

Ayame winked at the boy and whispered in his ear, "There's something I have to tell you in secret! A lot of people in the village think he's cold-blooded and heartless, but he's actually someone who cherishes his companions!"

"Huh?"

Naruto Uzumaki couldn't help raising his head in confusion. "Shouldn't all ninjas cherish their teammates?"

"Some people are different."

Ayame shook her head and spoke with a serious expression. "Whenever people used to mention Kakashi at the ramen shop, they would say he was a terrifying ninja who would kill even his own teammates for the sake of a mission..."

"But I know Kakashi is different. When I was very, very little, I think the Third Great Ninja War had just ended. Kakashi was acting strangely during that time. He often argued and fought with people, and they were always those handsome guys from the Uchiha Clan..."

"One time, they were right outside the ramen shop. Kakashi told those Uchiha that he would live on in place of his companion and use his companion's eye to watch this world... How could someone like that possibly kill his own teammate for a mission?"

"Ayame is right..."

Teuchi brought over three bowls of noodle soup, rubbed her head, and smiled with narrowed eyes, a trace of nostalgia on his face. "He was a child who wasn't good at expressing himself, yet he acted exactly like his father. What a pity, Lord Sakumo..."

"Is that so..."

Naruto Uzumaki casually picked up a steamed bun and said softly, "It sounds like this jonin instructor is actually a pretty good person!"

"You brat!"

Ayame slapped him on the head, clasped her hands together, and said, "How many times did I teach you when you were little? Before eating, you must mind your manners and thank heaven for giving us food! You're already a ninja, yet you still keep forgetting!"

"...Thanks for the meal."

Naruto Uzumaki pursed his lips and carefully glanced at her.

Beside him, Teuchi shakily clasped his hands, looked at his daughter, and stammered, "T-Thanks for the meal."

Because he had scrounged breakfast at Ichiraku Ramen, by the time Naruto Uzumaki arrived at Training Ground Three, his two teammates were already waiting for him.

Sakura Haruno raised her eyes and looked at Naruto Uzumaki as he strolled over leisurely. "Naruto, why are you so late? You're already late!"

"If our jonin instructor isn't behind you," Sasuke Uchiha said as he looked at the empty road behind Naruto, his expression turning rather unpleasant, "then it looks like you were right yesterday. That masked guy is late today."

"I went to have breakfast."

Naruto Uzumaki looked at his two bitter-faced teammates and couldn't help asking, "By the way, have you been waiting here for a long time?"

"Not too long."

Sasuke Uchiha clenched his fists and suppressed his anger. "Only three hours..."

Sakura Haruno looked up at him in surprise. "Sasuke, you got here at five in the morning? As expected of Sasuke, you're always so hardworking!"

"...Didn't you come with me?"

Sasuke Uchiha's face darkened further. "That guy told us to gather here at five in the morning. I thought he was going to start teaching us today, but instead he was messing with us. I should've done what Naruto did and come after breakfast!"

Naruto Uzumaki scratched his head. "Huh? Did he say we had to come at five? I don't remember him mentioning a time!"

"That's because our jonin instructor is so scatterbrained!"

Sasuke Uchiha's face remained dark enough to rain. "He came to the academy afterward to tell us. You'd already left by then, and Sakura said she would tell you..."

At that, both boys turned their gazes toward Sakura Haruno's face, their expressions filled with two enormous question marks.

"Ahaha..."

Sweat beaded on Sakura Haruno's forehead. She awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "Even after it got dark, I still couldn't find Naruto! Who knew he wouldn't even be home by evening!"

Naruto Uzumaki thought for a moment, then waved his hand. "Oh, that was indeed my fault. I had something to do yesterday afternoon, so I stayed at the hospital for a while..."

"Were you sick?"

"No. I just accidentally beat a Special Jonin into the hospital."

Ayame: Selling embarrassing secrets, all kinds of embarrassing secrets...

Naruto Uzumaki: Give me one about Kakashi Hatake...

Sasuke Uchiha: Do you have any about Itachi Uchiha?

Ayame: Kakashi's costs one hundred ryo... Itachi Uchiha's costs ten thousand ryo!

Sasuke Uchiha: Why is it so expensive?!

Ayame: Because he has more dirt on him!

Sasuke Uchiha: What kind of joke is that? He used to be perfect!

Ayame: Buy it and you'll find out! Ayame's Shop, fair to young and old alike!