Sakumo Hatake
For most of the walk to his student's home they spoke very little. Minato tried to start a conversation several times, but his student showed clear disinterest in engaging in talk. So, Minato gave up and walked silently behind Kakashi. As they left the village behind, a sudden thought crossed Minato's mind. Was Kakashi's father at home? When he had offered to accompany Kakashi, he hadn't thought much about it. Doubts crept into him about whether it was really right to go with Kakashi. He held great respect for Sakumo and also felt a bit apprehensive about what Kakashi might tell him.
"Hey, Kakashi, is your father actually at home?" Minato tried to ask as casually as possible, without making Kakashi suspicious.
Kakashi cast a brief glance over his shoulder before returning his gaze forward. "He should be at home, actually," Kakashi replied indifferently.
Minato wasn't sure, but he thought he sensed a slight uncertainty in Kakashi. Before he could dwell on it further, Kakashi asked him a counter-question – the first time since they had set out. "Why do you ask?"
Minato ran a hand through his hair. "Oh, just curious, that's all."
As they continued walking, they fell back into silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Minato tried not to dwell too much on it – after all, there was no turning back now. The road led them through increasingly sparsely populated areas, and soon they approached a small charming cottage. Minato noticed the coziness of the house, and the care of the surrounding property enhanced the idyllic impression. A fence enclosed the estate. As they drew closer, Minato spotted a man sitting on a bench right by the house, under a small awning. In his hand, he held a scroll, which he was studying. Minato suspected it was a mission scroll. He quickly recognized this man – it was Sakumo Hatake.
As they approached the property, Sakumo seemed to notice their presence – understandable, given his experience as a Jōnin, always alert. Calmly, he rolled up the scroll and put it in his pocket. He leisurely rose from the bench. Minato couldn't help but be impressed. Although he had seen Sakumo several times in the village or at the Hokage Tower, those encounters were usually fleeting. It was fascinating to witness Sakumo's composed demeanor. With relaxed movements, Sakumo strolled along a small garden path leading to a garden gate. Midway, he paused and observed Kakashi entering the garden through the gate. Minato lingered at the open garden gate, watching Kakashi approach his father. Sakumo gently smiled at his son, crouched down in front of him, and placed a hand on Kakashi's head. "Hello, Kakashi."
Minato attentively observed the interaction between father and son. With weary eyes, Kakashi greeted his father, "Hello, Dad." Sakumo began to run his fingers through his son's silver hair, carefully examining him. Upon closer inspection, Minato could see that Kakashi subtly leaned into the touch – evidently, he enjoyed it.
"You seem quite exhausted," Sakumo remarked, continuing, "did you have a good day?"
Minato flinched slightly at the question. Kakashi would likely mention that he didn't like Minato's teaching methods. How would Sakumo react to that? Probably not very pleased. It was likely important to Sakumo that his son received proper training. Hearing that Kakashi was dissatisfied wouldn't sit well with him. Minato was snapped out of his thoughts when Kakashi replied to his father, "It was a very interesting day."
Sakumo withdrew his hand from Kakashi's hair, smiling affectionately at his son. He then stood up, cast a brief glance at Minato, and turned his attention back to Kakashi. "Would you please introduce me to the one you brought with you?"
Kakashi briefly turned to Minato. Minato couldn't decipher his gaze, and the fact that the young boy's face was partially obscured made it even more challenging. Quickly, Kakashi turned back to his father. "This is Minato-Sensei. He insisted on escorting me home." Sakumo nodded understandingly, offering Minato a friendly smile.
Addressing Kakashi, Sakumo said, "Go inside and wash up. Dinner will be ready soon." Kakashi obediently nodded and started moving. Sakumo placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder, looking at his son expectantly.
Kakashi seemed to quickly understand what his father wanted from him. Swiftly, he turned to Minato, bowing slightly. "Thank you for escorting me home, Minato-Sensei. Until tomorrow!" Then he rushed into the house and closed the door behind him. Sakumo observed his son for a moment, a smile on his lips, affectionately shaking his head. Afterwards, the elder Hatake turned to Minato.
Contrary to his expectations, Minato felt at ease. Despite standing before one of the most powerful shinobi he deeply respected, he experienced an unexpected calmness. The tranquility emanating from Sakumo created a pleasant atmosphere. Minato couldn't precisely articulate what he had anticipated, but it certainly wasn't this. Sakumo appeared different, calmer — and now Minato understood where Kakashi inherited that calmness.
"You seem to have impressed my son. He wouldn't have allowed just anyone to accompany him home." Minato looked at Sakumo with wide eyes. Sakumo smiled kindly at him. Minato had expected many things, but not this. Had he misunderstood the whole day? He thought Kakashi was simply too tired to continue the discussion. He was speechless; nothing came to mind. For Minato, it seemed like Kakashi was dissatisfied. Sakumo sensed his uncertainty and lightened the mood. "I'm glad to meet you, nonetheless. The Hokage spoke highly of you as Kakashi's sensei, and I trust the Third's judgment."
Minato was overwhelmed. Suddenly, he realized how much trust the Hokage placed in him. But in that moment, it didn't feel right – he had failed. Doubts overwhelmed him again, and he averted his gaze. "I doubt I'm the right sensei for Kakashi." Minato cautiously glanced at the elder, who raised an eyebrow.
"What happened?" Sakumo asked curiously, still calm and friendly.
Minato sighed once and decided to tell what had happened. "I think I wasn't fair to Kakashi. After he repeatedly criticized my training session, I got heated and probably too harsh on him."
Sakumo seemed to ponder for a moment, studying Minato. The elder's face became serious. Silence gnawed at Minato. Sakumo would probably tell him now that he's disappointed. After a moment, Sakumo asked seriously, "Do you stand behind your teaching methods?" He looked intently at Minato.
Minato had to swallow once. Did he stand behind his teaching methods? He had thought about it a lot and deliberated extensively. Overall, he was satisfied and believed it was right. It certainly wasn't perfect, but Minato was still learning – learning to be a sensei. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Sakumo and answered, "I do!" His voice was firm and convincing.
Sakumo's face softened again, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Then it was right that you showed Kakashi his limits. You are his sensei, and you must stand behind what you do. Kakashi needs to learn to accept it. He is still young, sometimes acts recklessly, and speaks his mind directly. If you think you said it too harshly, you must talk to him. It's essential to find a way together, but don't put too much pressure on yourself. You need time to become a team. It's an unusual situation for both you and Kakashi. Just give yourselves some time."
Minato looked at the sky, observing the setting sun tinting the sky in shades of orange. Sakumo's words echoed in his mind, and some of the tension lifted from him. The newfound confidence strengthened his role as a sensei. He highly valued Sakumo's opinion and was relieved that he saw it the same way. Slowly, he turned his gaze back to his conversation partner, responding with a slight smile, "Thank you! You're right; I demanded too much of myself too quickly. In the past week, I've prepared intensively, thought about the training, considered Kakashi's age. But perhaps I haven't thought enough that Kakashi must be a special boy to graduate at such a young age, distinguishing himself from other children."
Sakumo nodded approvingly and said, "I am well aware that Kakashi is not necessarily easy. His behavior is sometimes challenging to interpret, and he fundamentally differs from his peers. You need to give him time; he struggles with other people. His skills as a shinobi are outstanding, but he lacks social skills. I've tried to support him on this path, but he has difficulty finding his way. That was one of the reasons why I allowed him to graduate."
Confusion marked Minato's face. He didn't understand what that had to do with his graduation. Kakashi had talent far beyond the level of other genin. For Minato, that was the reason Kakashi must have graduated. "I don't understand. Didn't Kakashi graduate due to his extraordinary talent?"
"He didn't feel comfortable at the academy. On one hand, he found the material far below his level and felt unchallenged. On the other hand, he struggled with the other children. He couldn't connect with them, unsure how to behave. This led to the other children keeping their distance and misunderstanding his behavior. They thought Kakashi was arrogant and boasting about his abilities when, in reality, he just wanted to impress them and find connection. But he couldn't, and conflicts arose," Sakumo responded matter-of-factly. Minato noticed a brief pain in Sakumo's gaze. It seemed as if Sakumo was saddened by it. Understandably, as a father, it must be difficult to see his son struggle to make friends.
Minato admired Sakumo for being so reflective about Kakashi's behavior. This demonstrated Sakumo's impressive character, not just his unique abilities as a shinobi but also his exceptional humanity. It seemed Sakumo had a deep understanding of the people around him. No wonder he was considered one of the most powerful and feared shinobi in the village. His ability to perceive and analyze situations was undoubtedly impressive.
"May I ask you a question?" Minato asked eagerly, looking at Sakumo. The latter nodded in response, expectantly gazing at him. So Minato continued, "Was it in your interest for Kakashi to graduate at such a young age?"
Sakumo kept his gaze on Minato and seemed to briefly consider his response before answering. "I am very proud of my son. He has always been ambitious and has clear goals. Innately, he possesses the talent to become a great shinobi, but he has also trained hard for it. I allowed him to attend the academy, hoping that he would not only learn more about the life of a shinobi but also strengthen his social skills, make friends, and learn to be a child. Unfortunately, things turned out differently. Kakashi increasingly felt uncomfortable, so I decided to allow him to graduate. I have done everything to protect Kakashi, never putting him in the spotlight to shield him from my enemies. Now he will forge his own path as a shinobi, and I trust him."
Minato observed Sakumo and recognized from his words and manner of speaking that his love for his son ran deep. It was evident that Sakumo's interest lay in protecting his son. It made sense why Sakumo kept Kakashi covered—he had many enemies, and the revelation of his son could be used against him. This also explained why neither Minato nor Kushina knew about his son. Sakumo's dedication impressed Minato once again, solidifying his respect. Sakumo was a just and intelligent man. His entire demeanor and way of speaking were fascinating. Minato was convinced that Sakumo had the potential to be Hokage and had good chances of succession. He was sure that he could learn a lot from this man.
Minato bowed slightly to Sakumo. "I promise you that I will do everything to be a good sensei to Kakashi. I will protect and teach him well. You can count on me."
Sakumo chuckled briefly and gestured for Minato to stand upright. "I trust you, Minato. I have no worries. You truly engage with him and only want the best for him. You are honest and reflective. I have no doubt that you will be a great sensei. The Third made an excellent choice."
Minato looked at Sakumo with surprise for a moment. A slight blush of embarrassment tinted his cheeks. "Thank you!"
Sakumo waved it off and smiled contentedly. "I won't keep you any longer. It was a pleasure meeting you. It was a pleasant conversation; we can repeat it sometime. I wish you a pleasant evening and thank you for accompanying Kakashi home. Until next time, Minato."
With admiration in his eyes, Minato watched Sakumo. The older Hatake turned around and walked towards his house, without Minato having a chance to respond. As Sakumo disappeared into the house, Minato headed home, hands in his pockets, reflecting on the conversation and the entire day. Sakumo's stories about Kakashi helped him see a different side of Kakashi. It would surely aid in finding a common path. Minato had a lot to consider.