At the beginning

Minato led Kakashi through the village to the ramen stand, where he planned to meet Kushina. He was relieved that the young boy had agreed to come along. When he had asked him about it, Kakashi had been hesitant, and Minato had expected him to decline. Therefore, he was all the more pleased that Kakashi had joined him. Now he just had to hope that Kushina wouldn't mind. Of course, she wouldn't send Kakashi away, but there was a risk that he might get into trouble afterward. They didn't have much time for each other. Kushina had missions, and Minato was occupied with Kakashi's training, in addition to his own. But he enjoyed it. He was growing more into the role of a sensei. At least, he believed so; Kakashi didn't show how he felt about it.

A few days ago, Kakashi casually mentioned that his father was on a mission. After Minato inquired further, he learned that Kakashi stayed home alone. This realization deeply affected Minato. The thought of this child – to Minato, Kakashi remained a child, despite his abilities and mental maturity – being all alone at home pained him. Although Kakashi assured him that it didn't bother him, Minato couldn't simply ignore this fact. Yet, he quickly understood that Kakashi wouldn't readily accept obvious help. After three days of joint training, Minato discovered that Kakashi always arrived too early. So, Minato decided to come early as well. For Minato, it was the small things that counted.

Minato was amazed at how well Kakashi managed on his own. The boy seemed well-rested, always carrying his lunch and enough water for training. He consistently appeared neatly groomed and clean for their sessions. Reflecting on his own childhood, Minato couldn't recall being so disciplined at the age of five.

However, today was different. It caught Minato's attention immediately when he saw Kakashi this morning. He seemed tired and distracted, his thoughts not focused on training. His chakra control wasn't as precise, his movements were sluggish, and he made many mistakes. Minato started to worry. Kakashi hadn't even noticed that their first break was longer than usual. But Minato knew that he couldn't address it directly; Kakashi would deflect and withdraw further.

Minato contemplated the reason behind Kakashi's uneasiness. The most obvious assumption was that he missed his father. Even though Kakashi had tried to deny it, Minato believed it to be true. Despite Kakashi's advanced abilities and apparent maturity, Minato had clearly observed in the past two weeks that Kakashi was still a five-year-old boy. Both his body and, to some extent, his mind unmistakably displayed this. For instance, Kakashi became moody around noon, usually due to hunger and fatigue. After eating and resting, Kakashi's mood improved, especially as he engaged in fewer discussions.

As they approached the stand, Minato spotted Kushina's striking red hair. She stood in front of the shop, looking around attentively. The eatery wasn't particularly noticeable; it was a small shack open to the front. Only a curtain attached to the roof provided some privacy. Behind the curtain was just a counter with several stools.

As Minato and Kakashi drew closer, it seemed she had noticed him. She raised her arm, waved to Minato, and walked toward him. "Hello, Minato, there you are. I've been waiting forever. Where..." Suddenly, Kushina paused; she seemed to have noticed the young boy. Kakashi stayed slightly behind Minato, casting an uncertain glance at Kushina. She nudged Minato aside and crouched down in front of Kakashi. "Hello, little one, who are you?"

Kakashi frowned, and Minato sensed that he wasn't pleased with the greeting. Before anyone could say anything, Minato intervened, "Allow me to introduce you. This is my student, Kakashi Hatake." Kushina glanced briefly at Minato before turning her gaze back to Kakashi.

A friendly smile appeared on her lips. "Hello, Kakashi, I'm Kushina Uzumaki. Nice to meet you! Minato has told me quite a bit about you."

With lingering distrust, Kakashi glanced over at Kushina. Obviously, he was unsure about what to say. Nevertheless, Minato wanted to give him the chance to react on his own. After a conversation with Sakumo and knowledge about Kakashi's difficulty in dealing with others, Minato pondered on how to help strengthen Kakashi, providing him with more confidence in social interactions. One consideration was to train together with another Genin team. This would force Kakashi to interact with others and give him insight into life within a team. They probably wouldn't remain a duo forever, and additional team members might join. But initially, Minato wanted Kakashi to get used to this situation. He wanted to give both himself and Kakashi the opportunity to adjust to each other.

Kushina seemed to grow impatient as Kakashi showed no reaction. Pointing her index finger at Kakashi, she admonished him in a calm tone, "Well, listen! It's quite rude not to say anything."

Kakashi's frown deepened; he crossed his arms and turned slightly away. "What am I supposed to say? Minato-Sensei has already introduced me. Besides, I find it rather impolite that you're pointing your finger at me! My father taught me not to do such things!"

Minato could kick himself for interfering too early in their conversation. Now the whole situation threatened to escalate. He realized that he should have stayed out of it from the beginning. Perhaps he should have prepared Kushina better for Kakashi. He had told her a lot, but mostly surface details.

Kushina straightened up, placed her hands on her hips, and looked down at Kakashi with annoyance. "Don't get cheeky! Even though Minato introduced you, you should have said something. I don't know – like, nice to meet you too – or something."

Now it was Minato's turn to pacify. He soothingly placed a hand on Kushina's shoulder and smiled somewhat sheepishly. His gaze shifted to Kakashi. "Could you please go ahead and save us seats? We'll join you shortly."

Kakashi sighed, his face relaxed, he let his hands drop to his sides, and he followed the instructions. He strolled slowly towards the shop, disappearing behind the curtains.

Minato took a deep breath. Lucky break. Then he turned to Kushina, who had now crossed her arms and was glaring at him. With an accusatory tone, she said, "You didn't tell me what a cheeky brat he is! And is he really Sakumo Hatake's son?"

Minato sighed, turned fully towards Kushina, and placed both hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry; I should have mentioned that Kakashi can be a bit challenging at times."

Kushina raised an eyebrow. "A bit challenging? Minato, you're understating it. Why did he even come if he obviously doesn't want company?"

A weary smile appeared on his lips, and he lowered his gaze slightly. "I invited him; he's not in a good mood today. Something seems to be bothering him. Probably missing his father; he's been on a mission for several days now, and Kakashi is home alone. I couldn't just let him go earlier; I felt sorry for him. So, could you please try to be nice to him? For me?" Minato lifted his gaze again, looking directly into Kushina's eyes.

She softened a bit and relaxed. "Fine, but you owe me afterward!"

Minato smiled and nodded. "Thank you! Anything you want!" Slowly, Minato released her shoulders and stepped back.

Kushina let her arms drop and looked at Minato with a smirk. "Don't promise what you can't keep." Minato laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. Then Kushina's face turned serious again as she noticed, "You said Sakumo is on a mission. Is Kakashi left all alone at home? I mean, he's five! Doesn't he have a babysitter or a friend to stay with?"

Minato's expression became somewhat somber as it was a topic he had pondered a lot over the past few days. He had also tried to talk to Kakashi about it repeatedly. But Kakashi was Kakashi. He dismissed it as if it wasn't a problem, explaining logically why he didn't need anyone when his father wasn't around. "Kakashi told me he can manage on his own. I believe that, at least it seems that way. He used to have babysitters before, but he found them annoying because they didn't allow him to train as he wanted and were constantly around him. Kakashi is a very independent person, and I think he genuinely likes being alone. But he's still a child! I can't imagine it's good for him to be alone so much."

Kushina scrutinized her friend and then slapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, the little brat is waiting." She hooked her arm through Minato's and pulled him towards the shop.

Upon arrival, they disappeared behind the curtain and spotted Kakashi. He was sitting at the edge, looking bored. His legs swung lightly back and forth. Minato gently sat down beside Kakashi, who glanced at him briefly before looking at Kushina, who settled on a stool beside Minato.

"Sorry for the delay." Minato smiled and nudged Kakashi gently.

Kakashi turned his head to Minato. "It's okay."

Minato cleared his throat and clapped his hands. "Well then, let's order something. I'm hungry."

They quickly made their choices and placed their orders. While waiting for their food, Minato and Kushina engaged in casual conversation. Kakashi stayed quiet and didn't say anything. Minato decided not to involve Kakashi initially; the boy needed a moment to adjust to the situation. It already bothered him that the first encounter didn't go well. From now on, he wanted to proceed more cautiously.

It didn't take long for their food to be served. Minato reached for his chopsticks when he noticed Kushina staring intently at Kakashi. Kakashi seemed to dislike it and asked, without looking at Kushina, "Is something wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?"

Kushina slightly flinched and leaned forward. "You should take off your mask if you want to eat." Minato sensed Kushina's curiosity and realized she just wanted to know what Kakashi looked like without his mask. Of course, he shared this curiosity, as he had once asked Kakashi why he wore the mask. However, Kakashi evaded the question and didn't give a clear answer. When Minato noticed that it made the boy uncomfortable, he stopped asking further. He respected Kakashi's decision and didn't press him.

Kakashi immediately turned his head to her, glaring at Kushina. "I'm aware, but I can't eat when I'm being stared at like this."

Before Kushina could respond, Minato hastily swallowed his food and turned slightly towards her. "How do you find the ramen? I feel like they taste somehow different today." He wanted to distract her; he knew Kushina could be persistent.

Kushina blinked, confused, at Minato and then lowered her gaze to her bowl. "Taste different? Wait, let me try." She began to eat, taking her time. After she had swallowed, she turned back to Minato. "What are you talking about? They taste just like always."

"Hmm, do you think? I don't know; I have this feeling that there's something different." Minato made a pensive face and stirred his chopsticks in his ramen.

Kushina raised an eyebrow, confusion in her eyes. "I can't detect anything... Hold on! Kakashi, did you already finish?! You really shouldn't eat so quickly; it's not good. What if you choke on something?" Kushina nudged Minato slightly backward, looking at Kakashi with wide eyes. Minato could see some concern in her eyes.

Kakashi shrugged casually and set his chopsticks aside. "It's okay. I often do it this way, and nothing has ever happened."

Kushina leaned back again, sighed once, and replied, "Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it couldn't happen."

Kakashi regarded her suspiciously but refrained from delving further into it. Minato was unsure whether to be relieved or disappointed that Kakashi made no effort to engage in conversation with Kushina. He decided to leave it at that for now. Kushina and Minato resumed their meal, falling into silence.

Kushina set aside her chopsticks, leaned back slightly, and stretched. "That was really delicious!" she remarked, leaning forward and looking over at Kakashi. "Hey, why do you have so many scratches? Was Minato's training tough today?" she asked curiously, studying the boy.

Kakashi snorted and shook his head. "No, Minato-sensei got us a mission." Minato received a disgruntled look from Kakashi.

Kushina snapped her fingers once, her eyes widening. Something seemed to have clicked for her. "Let me guess, you were chasing Tora?" She looked expectantly at Kakashi.

He looked visibly surprised and glanced questioningly at Kushina. "How do you know the cat?"

Kushina burst into loud laughter and then explained, "Both my team and Minato's had to catch her too. I can tell you, I hated that cat! Although you look relatively harmless compared to Minato." Minato knew what was coming next. He deliberately hadn't told Kakashi this story; it was a bit embarrassing for him. But he held back to give Kakashi the chance to talk to Kushina.

Kakashi became visibly curious, leaning forward to get a better look at Kushina. "Minato-sensei didn't mention that at all. What happened?" Minato was relieved that Kakashi was showing interest and interacting with Kushina. A faint smile formed on his lips as he continued to listen to the conversation.

"No wonder he kept quiet about it. Minato really made a fool of himself. His team took five hours to catch that cat. In the end, he was soaking wet because he fell into a stream." Kushina couldn't help but giggle.

Kakashi looked at her attentively and then shifted his gaze to Minato. With a slightly accusatory tone, he said, "You didn't mention any of this!"

Minato chuckled lightly and shrugged. "Well, I thought it wasn't that important. I practically forgot about it already."

Kakashi seemed unconvinced, raised an eyebrow, and explained, "That could have been important. You emphasize that we need to become a team. If you had told me you knew the cat, you could have given me valuable tips. We could have completed the mission faster and more efficiently. After all, experiences should be shared."

Minato looked surprised at Kakashi; his explanation was plausible. Before he could react, Kushina nudged him lightly. "Your student is quite clever, Minato. He's not wrong." Then she turned to Kakashi, winked at him, and teasingly added, "Although I think he was too proud. It's embarrassing for him to admit he struggled so much to catch that cat."

Kakashi seemed unable to suppress a slight giggle. He covered his mouth with his hand and said while chuckling, "Probably!"

Minato and Kushina looked at him in surprise. Minato was speechless; in the entire two weeks, he hadn't heard Kakashi giggle or, let alone, laugh. He was always serious and reserved. Despite their initial awkward encounter, Kushina had managed to elicit a giggle from the young boy. Pride swelled within him – partly because Kushina achieved it, and partly because Kakashi engaged in the conversation. Despite the rocky start, Kakashi had given her a chance.

The sudden silence seemed to unsettle Kakashi; his gaze turned serious again, and slightly embarrassed, he turned away from them. Minato knew he had to react somehow to show him he hadn't done anything wrong. However, Kushina beat him to it. "Remember that, Kakashi. Surely, you can get back at him someday for not helping you." She winked at him and gave him a smile.

Kakashi looked at Kushina and nodded hesitantly. Then, he turned his attention to Minato. "Thanks for the invitation! But I should head home now; it's getting late."

Minato slightly flinched and quickly agreed. "Yes, of course. Let's go."

Minato paid for the meal; they said their goodbyes and left the restaurant together. After a few steps down the street, Kakashi turned to Minato and Kushina, bowed slightly, and addressed Minato, "Thanks for the invitation, Minato-sensei! See you tomorrow." Then, he turned to Kushina. "Goodbye, Kushina. Thanks for letting me join!"

Kushina smiled gently and crouched down in front of Kakashi. "Of course, Kakashi! It was nice to meet you. I hope we'll see each other again soon." Then Kushina stood up again.

Kakashi's eyes briefly widened, and Minato noticed a momentary surprise in them. However, seriousness quickly returned to his face. Kakashi seemed uncertain about how to react, raised his hand in farewell, turned around, and walked down the street.

Kushina and Minato watched him for a moment before Kushina turned to Minato. "He's an interesting kid, albeit a bit cheeky."

Minato glanced briefly at Kushina before his gaze returned to Kakashi, slowly disappearing among the people on the street. Shaking his head slightly, Minato replied, "No, he's not cheeky. Just unsure about dealing with other people. Anything he does or says is by no means meant maliciously. In essence, he's a polite and kind boy."

Kushina turned fully to Minato, smiling at him. "But the boy has really got you wrapped around his finger." Then she paused briefly, her expression softening. "You like him, don't you?"

Minato lowered his gaze, took a deep breath, and thought for a moment. Does he like Kakashi? Their beginning wasn't smooth, and he believed they still hadn't found a common ground. Yet, Kakashi grew on him; he couldn't deny that. He recognized the loneliness and insecurity in Kakashi, even if the boy was adept at hiding it. Despite others not immediately or ever seeing it and deeming him cheeky, Minato knew better. In these two weeks, he had already learned a lot about Kakashi. He wanted to teach him not only to be a shinobi but also to show him how to make friends and overcome loneliness.

Minato slowly lifted his gaze and looked at Kushina. "Yes, I like Kakashi. Even though he can be a bit challenging and hard to understand at times, he has grown on me. I want to help him and be a good sensei."

Kushina smiled gently, placing a hand on Minato's shoulder. "If anyone can do it, it's you. I wouldn't have the patience for that."

Minato chuckled softly, then pulled Kushina close to his chest, wrapping his arms around her. He gently kissed her forehead. "Thank you for embracing him." Slowly, he pulled back, looking at Kushina with affection.

She grinned at him, nodding understandingly. "Of course, he's still just a child. I get what you mean. Deep down, he's a sweet, adorable boy." Minato's grin widened even more as Kushina noticed it, and she quickly added, "But he remains a cheeky brat!"

Minato burst into laughter, remarking, "You don't have to pretend. You kind of like him."

With a stern look, Kushina gazed at Minato, furrowing her brow. "Don't overdo it, Minato. Don't forget you owe me something now!"

Minato nodded understandingly, taking Kushina's hand. "I won't forget. Let's spend some more time together." Then he pulled Kushina alongside him, and they walked off together.

He looked forward to an evening with Kushina and intended to savor the short time they had together. In retrospect, he was glad he invited Kakashi. Even though it was a small success involving just a brief laugh, it was worth it. Minato would find a way to help Kakashi. He would take care of his student.