New Paths

Kakashi stood at the door, listening to the quiet house. Carefully, he extended his chakra to sense the surroundings and felt the calm, steady chakra of his father. With a soft sigh, he leaned against the doorframe. Finally, Sakumo had fallen asleep.

Slowly, he straightened up, walked over to his bed, and arranged the blankets to make it appear as though he were sleeping there. Then, he grabbed his jacket, slipped it on, and quietly opened the window. Without making a sound, he jumped outside. Suppressing his chakra carefully, he moved swiftly through the surrounding trees, with a clear goal in mind: to finally speak with Minato.

It had been two days since they returned to the village. Sakumo had insisted that Kakashi undergo a thorough examination at the hospital. His leg was treated further, and the fracture was additionally stabilized. However, he had to take at least a week off from training – and if it was up to his father, even two weeks.

Sakumo had made it clear that Kakashi needed to listen to him and avoid taking any solo actions. They would also have a serious conversation about what had happened on the front.

But so far, Sakumo hadn't found the time for such a conversation. As feared, he hardly rested. Only after persistent urging did he allow another examination at the hospital – but instead of resting afterward, he immediately threw himself back into work. He handled reports, had meetings with the Hokage, and didn’t take any breaks.

Kakashi was worried about his father. He seemed exhausted, but Kakashi knew there was no point in bringing it up. Sakumo would just reassure him, assuring that everything was fine – all to avoid burdening him.

To his relief, Sakumo had fallen asleep early on the sofa tonight. Exhaustion had finally caught up with him. Kakashi left him to sleep peacefully and seized the opportunity to sneak away unnoticed.

He absolutely needed to speak with Minato – tell him everything and hope that he would have a solution. But most of all, he needed to apologize. He hadn’t been fair to his sensei and had just bypassed him.

Kakashi hoped that Minato would give him a chance and would talk to him. He didn't know why he was afraid of being rejected; Minato was always fair and wouldn’t just send him away. Still, he was worried. He had bypassed him and went off on his own.

But now he needed his help and had to speak with him. Maybe Minato had an idea of what he should do next. The Sharingan remained gone, and Kakashi didn’t know how to activate it. He also hadn’t had a chance to speak with Orochimaru. Although the Sannin had traveled back to the village with them, he had kept his distance from Kakashi and hadn’t given him a chance. To make matters worse, his father hadn’t taken his eyes off him, and even back in the village, he hadn’t had any chance to speak with him.

Kakashi landed silently on a branch and peered through the kitchen window into his sensei’s apartment. But instead of seeing Minato, he spotted Kushina, who was standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot.

He furrowed his brows – it was already pretty late for dinner. For a moment, he hesitated, then let his chakra flare briefly. As expected, Kushina immediately reacted and turned to look at him.

When their gazes met, Kakashi gave her a brief smile and waved at her.

Kushina stood still, regarding Kakashi with an expressionless gaze. He knew all too well that she was far more vengeful than Minato. She would give him a brutally honest opinion about his behavior – without holding anything back.

After a brief moment, she lowered her head before walking to the window and opening it. "What are you doing here so late?" she asked in a calm voice.

Kakashi crouched down and extended his chakra carefully, but he couldn't sense Minato’s presence – the apartment seemed empty.

"I need to speak with Minato-sensei," he began, then looked away and quietly added, "I want to apologize to him."

Kushina remained silent for a moment before crossing her arms and giving Kakashi a skeptical look.

"He was never really angry at you, and you know that. Minato was worried. Although, to be honest, I would have preferred if he was angry with you – after all, you bypassed him and just left for the front."

"I know!" Kakashi replied, straightening up. His gaze was serious, his voice firm.

"I should have accepted his no. I shouldn’t have just gone behind his back and disappeared. But I had no choice – I had to go to the front. I had to know how my father was doing."

After a brief silence, Kushina sighed softly, then stepped aside.

"Come on in. Minato would be upset if I just sent you away," she said, then added, "But he's not here right now. He just came back from a mission and is giving his report."

Her gaze drifted to the clock, and she slightly furrowed her brow. "He should be back soon."

Kakashi nodded briefly, jumped onto the windowsill, and glided silently into the kitchen. Immediately, the familiar scent of Kushina's soup hit him – a dish she often cooked when Minato and he returned from a mission.

Back then, he had often refused the food, but the smell had stayed with him. And now, in this moment, it gave him an unexpected sense of security.

Slowly, Kakashi stepped up to the stove and watched as steam rose from the pot. The familiar scent hung heavily in the air. Kushina watched him calmly but said nothing.

After a moment, Kakashi took a deep breath. "You used to cook this soup for us a lot. Sensei always looked forward to it when we came home. He talked about it so much that it almost got annoying." A faint smile flickered across his lips as he drifted into memories.

Kushina's posture softened immediately, and she took a step closer to Kakashi. He felt the change in her mood right away and knew she had something on her mind.

Slowly, he turned toward her and looked at her calmly. "What do you want to know?" he asked quietly.

Kushina chuckled softly and looked at Kakashi with an amused expression. "I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you noticed that right away. After all, you didn’t become Hokage for nothing."

Kakashi turned his gaze away and stared out the window. It didn’t surprise him that Minato had told her something about the future. Kushina could be persistent – she probably had asked him so many questions that he eventually gave in.

Still, Kakashi wondered how much his sensei had actually told her. He doubted Minato had been able to tell her everything.

"So, what do you want to know?" Kakashi asked, turning his gaze toward the moon.

Kushina hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "Minato told me we have a son, Naruto. And that you took care of him and kept an eye on him." She paused briefly, then leaned against the kitchen counter. "He didn't want to tell me anything, but I insisted and kept talking to him until he said something. But somehow, I feel like he didn’t tell me everything."

Kakashi hummed softly and looked at Kushina, who was staring at him with a serious expression. He lowered his head and felt the weight on his shoulders. How could he honestly answer her questions? Even Minato hadn’t been able to bring himself to do so. Kakashi didn’t want – and couldn’t be the one – to tell her the whole truth. But now there was no turning back; she would demand answers.

"What do you think he’s hiding from you?" Kakashi asked calmly, keeping his gaze fixed on her.

Kushina's eyes drifted to the ceiling as she hummed quietly. "He told me we had a son, but not much more. When I asked him about Naruto, he became noticeably reserved. I know exactly that he's hiding something from me – I know him too well for that." Her gaze met Kakashi’s again. "Please be honest with me. Is it possible that I couldn’t be there for Naruto?"

Kakashi bit his lip and looked away. There was no point in lying to her – Kushina wasn’t stupid; she knew something had happened. Slowly, Kakashi exhaled deeply and lowered his gaze to the floor. "You died shortly after his birth, just like Minato-sensei."

Immediately, an uncomfortable silence settled between them. Kakashi didn’t dare to look up at Kushina. He knew he couldn’t bear to see the disappointed look in her eyes. Knowing she had died before she could truly get to know her son must have been unbearably painful. Kakashi now understood why Minato hadn’t told her. His sensei had wanted to protect her, to spare her that pain – the pain of having abandoned her own child. No matter what he said now, he couldn’t take that pain away from her.

Before Kakashi could continue his thoughts, Kushina moved, going to the cupboard to get plates. "You’re welcome to eat with us, I made enough for everyone," she explained, starting to set the table. Kakashi watched her movements carefully.

"By the way, how did you manage to become Hokage? I mean, for someone who’s supposed to be an adult, you sure act childish," she added with a chuckle.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow – he knew what she was up to: she was trying to distract herself. He didn’t mind ending the topic. "It could be because I’m still a child," he explained, crossing his arms.

Kushina turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Your body might be that of a child, but your mind isn't – or at least, I thought it wasn’t. But from how you’ve acted, it was pretty childish."

Kakashi sighed and waved it off. "Yeah, yeah, I get it – it was wrong of me to just leave," he said, sinking into the chair at the kitchen table. His leg throbbed slightly – a reminder that it wasn’t fully healed yet.

He leaned back and continued thoughtfully, "But seriously, I think the time travel didn’t just change my body. It feels like my mind and emotions have been affected too. My mind is 36, but sometimes… I feel more like a child." His voice sounded slightly frustrated as he leaned back against the chair.

Kushina set a few more glasses on the table before sitting down across from Kakashi and watching him intently.

"It’s very possible that the time travel didn’t just affect your body, but also your feelings and hormones. You’re now in a child’s body – one that lacks the experiences of an adult." She leaned back and let her gaze rest on him. "You should be careful and not overestimate your body. Give it time. And most importantly – start accepting help."

"That's exactly why I'm here," Kakashi explained, absentmindedly moving the cutlery around. "I have a problem—or better yet, several. And I need your help."

Kushina raised an eyebrow in surprise and leaned forward slightly. "What's going on? If you're admitting you need help, it must be serious."

Kakashi nodded silently, his gaze dropping to the table. Over the past few days, it had become clear to him that he couldn't figure this out on his own—he needed support.

No one could tell him why his Sharingan had activated, or what was going on with it. Orochimaru’s true intentions were still a mystery. But maybe Minato or even Kushina had an idea. Together, they could figure out what to do next.

He had learned in life how crucial teamwork was—a lesson he had passed on to his students. But ever since he found himself in the past, he'd stopped practicing what he'd preached.

"We should wait for Minato-sensei," Kakashi said, running a tired hand over his face. "Then I can explain it to both of you properly."

Kushina nodded slowly, casting him a concerned look. "Alright, we'll wait until he gets back."

She leaned back in her chair, a soft smile appearing on her face. "While we wait, you could tell me about Naruto. I want to know everything I can about him." Her eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Does he take after Minato, or does he resemble me more?"

Kakashi studied her for a moment before a warm smile spread across his lips. It had been a long time since he'd had a normal conversation with Kushina—and it felt familiar, comforting.

"Whenever I look at Naruto, I see Sensei in him. His hair, his eyes—they're definitely Minato's. But his personality?" Kakashi chuckled softly. "That's all you. He's lively, full of energy and ambition. Just like both of you, he never gives up and puts his friends first. Naruto is an extraordinary kid, and he's really grown on me."

He fell silent for a moment, lowering his gaze, before quietly adding, "I miss him. And my other two students too. As much as they annoyed me at times... they're important to me."

"I can hardly imagine that you actually became a teacher," Kushina said with an amused grin. "But I'm glad that of all people, you're the teacher of my son."

Surprised, Kakashi raised his eyebrows. Of course, he knew that Kushina liked him—after all, she had even considered adopting him back then. But he had always assumed that she found him difficult as a child. He had been closed off, kept her at a distance, and consistently blocked her attempts to get closer. But apparently, she had still warmed to him from the very beginning.

"How can you be so sure that I was a good teacher for Naruto?" Kakashi asked quietly. "For most of his life, I wasn't there for him, and even as his teacher, I didn't accomplish much." He held her gaze and sighed. "Minato-sensei and you, you think too highly of me."

Kushina kept her smile, but her gaze drifted to the window. "Minato told me that you lost a lot—your father, your team... and then us too." Her voice softened. "The war had just ended, and you were still a child. Fourteen, right? No one could have expected you to take care of a newborn in that situation."

She looked at him again, her eyes full of understanding. "So stop overthinking it. I'm sure you did everything you could for Naruto—and that you took good care of him."

Kakashi stared at her silently for a moment, then closed his eyes and a warm smile spread across his lips. "You’re really something else."

When he opened his eyes again, he met Kushina’s gentle smile. Her calm presence made it easier for him to put his thoughts into words. "I admit, the time after your deaths was far from easy. To be honest, I was lost. I buried myself in my grief and didn't know how to move forward."

He paused briefly before continuing. "It wasn’t until I became a teacher and Naruto became my student—along with my other two—that I slowly found a way out of the darkness. They gave me new courage... and a family."

At those words, he slowly opened his eyes again. "Without them, I might never have made it."

Normally, he wouldn’t speak so openly about his feelings. He avoided admitting just how hard that time had truly been for him. But with Kushina, it was different. Her presence gave him a sense of security that he rarely felt.

She had always been important to him. And this time, he would do everything to protect her. Not just her. This time, he would save everyone.

Kushina studied him thoughtfully for a moment before a gentle smile appeared on her lips. She rested her chin on her hand and said in a warm voice, "You know, I don't think I've ever heard you speak so openly about your feelings. And it's so important."

She paused briefly, as if to let her words sink in, then continued, "Keep that up, Kakashi. Talk about it when something is weighing on you. It will do you good."

Kakashi waved it off with a slight smile. "Don’t get used to it. I’ll be fine, don’t worry." His voice sounded casual, but he knew very well that it wasn’t the answer Kushina wanted to hear.

"Don’t hesitate to come to me if you want to talk. I always have an open ear for you," Kushina said softly, a warm smile on her lips.

Then she leaned slightly forward and changed the subject. "But enough of that—we've gotten off track. Tell me, is it really true that Naruto will be the next Hokage?"

Kakashi couldn’t help but laugh before nodding. "Yes, it's true. He’ll be my successor, and honestly, I can’t wait to hand him the hat." An amused sparkle appeared in his eyes, but then his voice became quieter. "But he still needs some time to mature."

He leaned back slightly and continued in a gentle tone, "You can really be proud of him, Kushina. Naruto is an extraordinary Shinobi—and an even more impressive person. What he has achieved is simply incredible." Kakashi paused briefly before adding with a warm smile, "He really takes after both of you."

"From what you’re saying, I take it you’re not particularly fond of being Hokage?" Kushina asked curiously, tilting her head slightly.

Kakashi shook his head and sat up a little straighter. "Becoming Hokage was never my wish. I only did it to do a friend a favor."

Slowly, he leaned back in his chair and let his gaze drift to the ceiling. "There are definitely more pleasant ways to spend my time than sitting in the office all day and dealing with the village elders."

Kushina laughed heartily and threw her head back before looking at Kakashi again. "So those old guys are still in power? I can totally understand you—I bet it’s not easy with them." She shook her head with a smile.

"You just have to know how to handle them," Kakashi said with an amused wink.

Before Kushina could respond, the front door slammed shut, and a familiar voice called out, "I’m back!" Minato shouted from the doorway.

Immediately, Kakashi jumped up and rushed to meet Minato. When Minato saw him, he stopped abruptly and stared at him with wide eyes. "Kakashi? What are you doing here? Are you okay? Can..."

Kakashi raised a hand to interrupt his sensei. "It's all right, Sensei. I'm here because I need to talk to you, need your help, and I want to apologize."

Minato raised an eyebrow in surprise and seemed to search for the right words for a moment. "I see," he murmured, glancing briefly at Kushina before turning his attention back to Kakashi. "Maybe we should sit down first and talk calmly," he suggested.

Kakashi nodded in agreement and followed Minato and Kushina into the living room. Minato and Kushina sat on the sofa while Kakashi took a seat in an armchair across from them. He swallowed the lump in his throat and focused all his attention on the upcoming conversation. There was a lot to discuss, and he knew he couldn’t avoid revealing more details about the future. Especially about Obito and the Sharingan he had received from him. But first, he needed to apologize. That was the least he owed them. Only then could he gradually tell them everything.