"Gen! Let's have a showdown with our youth on the line!"
The hot-blooded voice interrupted Uchiha Gen's thoughts. He looked up, and sure enough, it was Might Guy in his green jumpsuit.
Class had just ended, and this hot-blooded enthusiast of youthful literature had already rushed eagerly to Uchiha Gen's desk and spoken in excitement.
"Next time, for sure."
Faced with the challenge, Uchiha Gen merely brushed him off with a casual reply, long used to it.
For some reason, ever since Kakashi had become a Chunin, Might Guy had completely switched targets, running up to Uchiha Gen after every class to challenge him.
For over a year, he had never stopped.
Uchiha Gen strongly suspected that Kakashi, that closet show-off, had said something to Might Guy.
"That answer again? All right, but as one of my only two eternal rivals, Gen! I will earn your recognition! Youth... is all about hard work and struggle!"
With that, Guy turned and sprinted out of the classroom.
As usual, he would run around the school grounds on his hands until class began.
Toward evening, Uchiha Gen finally got out of school and strolled leisurely toward the Uchiha Clan Compound.
What should I eat today? I'm getting a little tired of instant noodles. Should I splurge a bit? Try some barbecue?
Uchiha Gen walked slowly down the street, his thoughts entirely on that evening's dinner. What to eat each day was the question most worthy of his deep consideration.
However, just as he rounded a corner, a tall, straight-backed figure approached him. His short silver-gray hair was neat and striking, and he wore a Konoha jonin vest with flame-patterned half sleeves at the armholes.
Konoha's White Fang?
Looking at the jonin, Uchiha Gen recognized him as Hatake Sakumo.
A powerful ninja who had earned a formidable reputation in the monster-filled shinobi world through his consummate swordsmanship alone, and at the same time, the most useless of "weaklings."
However, this powerful ninja seemed to be in a rather bad situation. Even as he simply walked down the street, the passing Konoha rabble all gave Konoha's White Fang strange looks.
As they watched Hatake Sakumo, they whispered among themselves.
This situation...
Clearly, that incident had already happened.
But...
But Konoha's White Fang did not seem to care about the looks around him at all. In fact, he seemed to be in quite a good mood!?!
Watching Hatake Sakumo draw closer, Uchiha Gen stopped and calmly raised a hand, giving a slight nod in greeting.
"Sakumo."
"Hmm? I didn't expect you to recognize me. I was just wondering how to approach you and say hello. Ahaha."
Surprised that Uchiha Gen had greeted him first, Hatake Sakumo smiled, his gaze gentle.
"You seem to have run into a little trouble. Would you like me to call the Military Police Force? After all, freely slandering a hero..."
Uchiha Gen glanced around at the Konoha rabble, whose eyes had filled with even greater disgust upon seeing Hatake Sakumo talking to him, and asked with a smile.
"That won't be necessary. It's only a little hardship. They don't know the whole story, either. Let them be.
"As long as I believe what I did was right, that's enough. No matter what, I won't regret the decision I made back then.
"It's just that the losses caused... ah, well, it doesn't really matter. Compared to the value of my past missions, it probably wasn't all that much. Wait, why am I telling you such dreary things? Judging by the time, you must have just gotten out of school, right?
"Would you like to have dinner together? Kakashi has wanted to get to know you for a long time, but the boy's thin-skinned. To give him some practice, I even sent him ahead to reserve a table at Yakiniku Q. What do you say? Want to join us? My treat."
At those words, the corners of Hatake Sakumo's lips lifted slightly in a smile of relief. He paid no mind to the criticism circulating lately. Instead, he was more interested in talking with the boy before him.
With his long-renowned discerning eye, he could tell that the boy had both a good disposition and considerable ability, making him well suited to be Kakashi's friend.
Compared to the rumors about himself, Hatake Sakumo worried more about Kakashi's physical and mental well-being. He was deeply concerned that his child still did not have a single friend.
Looking at Hatake Sakumo's sincere invitation, Uchiha Gen said nothing and merely nodded lightly.
Yep, a thick-skinned Hatake Sakumo. Perfectly normal.
A short while later.
Inside a private room at the barbecue restaurant, wisps of smoke rose as the meat on the grill sizzled with fat, its rich aroma spreading among the tables and chairs.
Hatake Sakumo sat cross-legged, with two children of the same age sitting side by side beside him.
Kakashi Hatake kept his eyes lowered, his fingertips resting lightly on his knees. His tousled silver-white hair hid half his face, and he said nothing.
Uchiha Gen sat upright nearby, his gaze fixed on the meat on the grill. He was equally silent, and the atmosphere between them was quiet enough to feel stifling.
Seeing this, Hatake Sakumo smiled and picked up the tongs to turn the meat, breaking the silence first in a light, easygoing tone.
"I used to have so many missions, and now I finally have some rare free time. Kakashi graduated early, and Gen is busy with school. It's not often the three of us can get together for a meal, so don't both sit there in silence."
As he spoke, Hatake Sakumo picked up two fragrant, nicely seared pieces of meat with the tongs and placed one in each boy's bowl.
Then Hatake Sakumo looked at Kakashi.
"Kakashi, haven't you wanted to get to know Uchiha Gen for a long time? Your dad shamelessly dragged him over for dinner, you know. Don't leave me hanging."
Then he turned to Uchiha Gen, gentle expectation in his eyes.
"Gen, this is my Kakashi. You should remember him if you still have any impression of him. He was your classmate for a while. You're the same age, so when you're free, why not practice ninjutsu together, take a walk, or have some fun?"
After handing out the grilled meat, Hatake Sakumo added charcoal as he spoke with a smile.
At that moment, Hatake Sakumo was not Konoha's White Fang, whose name struck terror into people on the battlefield. He was merely an old father very much hoping his child would make more friends.
But Kakashi Hatake merely looked down at the meat in his bowl and gave a slight nod in response, remaining silent.
Uchiha Gen only raised his eyes to give Kakashi a brief, indifferent glance before looking away, quietly enjoying his free meal without initiating a conversation.
He could see it now. This little white-haired boy was sulking because he had refused to spar with him two years ago.
Before you continue