Minato strolled through the bustling marketplace, his hands casually buried in the pockets of his trousers as he searched for the ingredients for their upcoming dinner. Kushina had sent him off on a whim when she noticed that some essential components were missing for their meal. Now, armed with a shopping list and her urgent plea to hurry, he made his way through the crowd.
Although he had been looking forward to a relaxing evening with Kushina, his enthusiasm was now somewhat dampened. These precious, quiet moments together were rare, as their hectic lifestyles hardly left them time for shared hours. Minato was often away on missions, and Kushina also had to fulfill her duties as a kunoichi. Therefore, it was all the more meaningful when they could spend time together. Minato had suggested going out to eat and being pampered, but Kushina insisted on cooking for both of them. And Minato knew it was futile to argue with her – so he eventually agreed.
The sky glowed in a picturesque spectrum of oranges as the sun slowly sank towards the horizon. Minato felt a refreshing breeze that sent a brief shiver down his spine. He immediately regretted not bringing a jacket, especially after Kushina's warning. But at that moment, he hadn't found the coolness bothersome. Now, with the sun almost completely gone, he missed the pleasant warmth of the day. He vowed not to tell Kushina about it, so as not to be lectured with an "I told you so."
As he carefully compared two juicy cucumbers, Minato's attention was suddenly diverted by an excited voice. He turned around and spotted an older gentleman – estimated to be in his early 60s – the owner of a flower shop. In front of him stood a little boy, dressed in dark clothing, his lower face concealed behind a mask. A green scarf hung around his neck, while his unruly silver hair swirled wildly around. Minato estimated the boy's age to be a tender three or four years.
The man stared at the small child with a mixture of anger and incomprehension and thundered at him, "I've told you several times already: No money, no flowers! So go away now!"
The child defiantly crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the man with an expression of frustration. "But I promised I'd bring the money as soon as possible! Besides, the leftover flowers will be thrown away anyway if they're not sold. Please, it's really important! I'll keep my word and bring the money, I promise!"
The man seemed to be slowly losing control as he roughly grabbed the boy's arm and pushed him out of his shop. "I've had enough of you, go away now, or you'll regret it!"
Minato quickly set the cucumbers aside and decided to intervene before the situation escalated. Determinedly, he hurried over to the two of them and inserted himself between the man and the boy, forcing him to let go of the boy. The child rubbed his sore arm and glared at the man darkly.
Minato raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Let's all just calm down for a moment. What's going on here?" His voice was gentle, an attempt to soothe the man.
The man took a step back and explained the situation with a tense expression. "This boy tried to steal flowers and then has the audacity to claim he'll bring me the money later."
Before Minato could respond, he was interrupted by the boy, who hastily added, "I really didn't mean to steal the flowers! I just forgot my money, but I urgently need the flowers, and I need them today." His voice grew softer, and he added sheepishly, "They're for my mother."
Minato glanced down at the small boy standing behind him for a moment. He felt that the boy was telling the truth and recognized his sincerity. A sigh escaped Minato's chest before he turned back to the shopkeeper and asked, "How much does the boy owe you?"
Minato felt the boy flinch behind him. He cast a quick glance at the child and saw the surprise in his eyes. Then he turned his gaze back to the shopkeeper, who looked at him incredulously. "Are you sure? The brat doesn't deserve it."
A deep breath escaped Minato's chest as he felt the little boy straighten up again, ready to defend himself. Quickly, he signaled for the boy to pause and then turned back to the shopkeeper. "Let me take care of that. So, how much money do you need?" The shopkeeper shrugged and rang up Minato's purchase.
With a bouquet of flowers in his hands and a satisfied expression, Minato and the boy left the flower shop. They walked a few steps down the street before the little boy turned to Minato. Minato thought he could see a smile under the mask. At least that was his guess from the boy's eyes.
The boy bowed slightly and thanked him. "Thank you for helping me. Of course, I'll pay you back the money, I promise!" Slowly, he straightened up again and looked at Minato sincerely.
Minato smiled gently and leaned down to the little boy. "Don't worry about the money, it's okay. My name is Minato Namikaze, what's yours?"
The boy blinked briefly, confused, before answering. "My name is Kakashi Hatake. Nice to meet you. But I can't just accept this."
When Minato heard the last name, he immediately remembered the name Hatake. Kakashi had to be the son of Sakumo Hatake, one of the most powerful shinobi in the village, whom Minato greatly admired. At that moment, Minato realized that it was quite late for a young child to be out alone.
"Don't worry, Kakashi. It's okay," Minato reassured the boy. "But tell me, are you all alone?" Curiously, Minato looked at Kakashi, waiting for an answer.
Kakashi nodded and replied, "I wanted to surprise my mom, so I had to go alone. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore." His words were calm and matter-of-fact. Then he quickly added, "Thanks again for paying for the flowers. But I have to go now."
That made sense, yet Minato felt guilty about letting Kakashi go alone. The darkness was setting in, and the cold was intensifying. Minato noticed that Kakashi wasn't wearing an extra jacket and felt uneasy about letting him go like this. A moment of indecision washed over him as he briefly glanced down at the ground. He knew he would get in trouble with Kushina for being late, but he couldn't just let Kakashi go alone. "Where do you need to go now?" he finally asked, his voice filled with concern and determination.
Kakashi looked at Minato questioningly but immediately responded to his question. "To Mom. I want to bring her the flowers." His words radiated full conviction.
The certainty that the child wanted to go home reassured Minato somewhat. He rose from his crouch decisively. "All right, I'd like to accompany you. Just to keep you company. What do you think?" he asked with a warm smile.
For a moment, Kakashi looked at Minato thoughtfully before nodding. "If you want, we can go together. But we really need to go now."
"Okay, let's go then. I'll follow you," Minato replied kindly, smiling at Kakashi. The little boy immediately started moving, and Minato followed him without hesitation. It just felt right to accompany Kakashi home. That way, he could ensure the boy arrived safely at his mother's.
As they strolled through the streets, there was almost silence between them. Minato watched Kakashi as he led them determinedly through the streets. His silver hair fluttered gently in the wind, and Minato couldn't help but think how cute the boy looked, holding the bouquet firmly in his hands. But he kept his thoughts to himself and let the scene unfold.
Eventually, they left the bustling center of the village and made their way through increasingly sparsely populated areas. The further they walked, the more uncertain Minato became. He couldn't remember there being any houses in this part of the village. But he remained silent and continued to follow Kakashi. The sun had now completely set, and the cold was intensifying. Minato deeply regretted not wearing a jacket and hoped fervently that Kakashi wasn't too cold. He longed to arrive at Kakashi's home soon.
When they finally turned down another street and approached a gate, Minato painfully realized where they were headed. His fears were confirmed as Kakashi led him through the gate – they entered the cemetery.
Confidently, Kakashi walked along the cemetery path, leading them straight to a grave. Upon arriving, they stopped and looked at the headstone. Kakashi turned to Minato. "May I introduce you to someone? My mom."
Minato didn't know what to say. He looked at Kakashi, then let his gaze wander back to the headstone. This wasn't what he had expected. He was speechless. Kakashi turned back to the grave, knelt down gently, and placed the flowers. Then he folded his hands and began to speak.
"Happy birthday, Mom. I'm sorry I'm only coming now, and Dad isn't here. But he's very busy; he has a mission coming up and had to prepare for it." Kakashi paused for a moment, while Minato stood next to him, watching attentively. He could see the sadness in Kakashi's eyes as he continued. "Please take care of Dad when he goes on a mission again! I love you."
A pang pierced Minato's heart as he listened to Kakashi's gentle voice. He felt a mix of sadness and compassion spreading within him. He couldn't help but imagine how hard it must be for Kakashi to grow up without his mother and to constantly fear losing his father.
A moment of silence hung in the air before Minato gently touched Kakashi's shoulder and gave him an encouraging look. "Your mother surely hears you, Kakashi. She's probably proud of you and your courage to come here and pay tribute to her." His words were soft but full of sincerity.
Kakashi lifted his gaze and met Minato's eyes. A moment of silence passed before he nodded slowly. "Dad told me I can talk to Mom anytime I want, and she'll listen to me. Even though she's not here anymore, she's always there for me."
Minato smiled warmly and crouched down beside Kakashi. "I'm sure she is. Your father is right."
A pleasant silence spread between them as they both stared at the grave. Suddenly, a gust of wind caught them, and Minato felt a slight shiver run through Kakashi. He immediately focused his attention on the little boy. "Are you cold? Maybe we should start heading home."
Kakashi chuckled lightly and looked up at Minato. "Dad will probably be pretty mad. Hey, why were you at the market anyway?" His curiosity was evident as he looked at Minato.
For a moment, Minato looked at Kakashi and called himself a fool. Of course, Kakashi's father would worry if his son didn't come home on time. It was already late, and Minato should quickly take Kakashi home. But first, he answered Kakashi's question. "I had to get something for our dinner."
Kakashi blinked in confusion and then asked, "Our dinner? Is someone waiting for you? If so, you should go home quickly."
Minato knew it was already too late. Kushina was probably already angry with him and would reproach him. But he waved off Kakashi. "Don't worry. My girlfriend will understand. What do you think about us taking you home first? It's getting pretty cold, and neither of us has a jacket on."
Kakashi pondered for a moment, glanced at the grave again, and was about to answer when a voice echoed through the cemetery. "Kakashi!"
Both immediately stood up and turned towards the cemetery entrance. Minato quickly recognized the man running towards them as Sakumo Hatake. The closer he got, the clearer Minato could see the concern in his eyes. "Kakashi!" he called his son's name again, this time with a relieved tone.
Sakumo crouched in front of Kakashi, placed his hands on his son's shoulders, and seemed to scrutinize him intensely. "I was really worried when you weren't home. Why did you just run off without saying anything?" But he didn't give Kakashi time to answer as he turned to Minato. Minato flinched as Sakumo's sharp gaze met his. "And you? Who are you? And what are you doing with my son here?"
Minato didn't have a chance to react as Kakashi drew Sakumo's attention by tugging on his jacket sleeve. Sakumo turned his gaze to his son. "Don't be mad at Minato. He helped me and paid for the flowers. The stupid shopkeeper wouldn't give them to me even though I promised to bring the money. When he grabbed my arm and threw me out of the shop, Minato came to my rescue."
Sakumo looked at his son incredulously, sighed once, and asked, "Why did you go out alone in the first place?"
Minato observed father and son attentively and held back, unsure if he should intervene. With a gentle voice, but a touch of sadness in his tone, Kakashi replied, "I'm sorry, Dad, but I really wanted to bring Mom the flowers today. I would have been home much sooner, but the shopkeeper insisted on arguing with me for so long. Thanks to Minato, everything worked out. He was with me the whole time and looked after me. Actually, he was about to take me home." The little boy looked expectantly at his father, while Minato watched the scene with empathy.
Sakumo sighed again, his gaze full of sorrow drifting to the grave before he rose from his crouch. Gently, he pulled Kakashi into his arms and hugged him to his chest, gently rubbing the boy's back. Kakashi wrapped his arms around Sakumo's neck and rested his head on his shoulder, clearly enjoying the closeness to his father.
Then Sakumo turned to Minato, who tensed at first but quickly relaxed when he noticed that Sakumo didn't give him a sharp look. Instead, there was an expression of sadness and exhaustion in his eyes. "Thank you for taking care of my son. How much do I owe you for the flowers?"
Quickly shaking his head, Minato said, "It was nothing, I was happy to do it. The main thing is that Kakashi gets home safely now." He smiled kindly at Sakumo.
Sakumo returned the smile wearily. "Thank you, I don't want to keep you any longer. I wish you a nice evening. Until next time."
Minato nodded in response as Sakumo turned around and left the cemetery. Minato watched the two for a moment longer, seeing Kakashi lift his head and look over at him. Then a small hand waved goodbye to him. Minato returned the wave with a smile, waving back at Kakashi. Then father and son disappeared into the darkness.
Minato let his gaze wander to the headstone once more before he set off and began his journey home. The market was already closed, and he knew that Kushina would be quite angry. But Minato was confident that he could appease her with a small gift. He would buy her favorite food on the way. That would surely calm her down.