I like you
It was still early in the morning, the sun stretching its rays just over the horizon. The cool morning air couldn't deter Kakashi from standing at the village entrance, eagerly awaiting Minato. Excitement pulsed through his veins, and despite the early hour, he couldn't stay home any longer. His night was short, filled with overwhelming anticipation and worry. When he finally decided to get up, his father had already prepared breakfast, which they enjoyed together. During their farewell, his father gave him loving instructions for the upcoming mission.
Now he stood there, lost in his thoughts and waiting. Not only was he preoccupied with the impending mission, but also with the conversation he had with his father the night before. He had pondered intensely whether it could really be true that Minato liked him and could possibly even become a friend. To protect himself from potential disappointment, he tried not to get his hopes up too much.
Kakashi pondered how to initiate a conversation with Minato, what words to choose, and how to approach it. The right opportunity had to be waited for. He considered if there would be a chance during the mission, but ultimately decided it was better to wait until they were back in the village. Conversing during the mission could be distracting and jeopardize their task. Kakashi reminded himself that he needed to stay focused and decided to use the time during the mission to organize his thoughts and words.
It wasn't long before Minato appeared at the village entrance. With a radiant smile, he approached Kakashi and greeted him warmly. "Good morning, Kakashi. Did you sleep well and are you ready for the mission?"
Minato positioned himself in front of Kakashi, looking down at him kindly. Kakashi returned the smile and replied energetically, "Good morning, Minato-sensei! I'm well-rested and fully prepared for the mission."
Minato nodded contentedly, his expression turning serious. He squatted down in front of Kakashi, his gaze intense and his words firm: "Before we set off, there are some important instructions you need to follow. Please listen carefully."
Kakashi nodded determinedly. "Yes, Minato-sensei!"
"As I mentioned yesterday, it's crucial that you stay close to me and follow my instructions without question. If we encounter hostile shinobi and a fight ensues, hold back initially and leave the situation to me. Only if absolutely necessary and you need to defend yourself, do I expect you to do so. Do you understand?" Minato scrutinized Kakashi intently.
Kakashi felt a moment of uncertainty; how could he prove himself if he wasn't allowed to fight? But Kakashi knew he had to listen to Minato; after all, Minato was leading the mission. Plus, he had promised his father to listen to Minato. So he suppressed his doubts, refrained from any discussion, and nodded resolutely. "Yes, Minato-sensei! I won't let you down."
Minato smiled satisfactorily and rose from his squat. "Very well, then let's get going. If all goes according to plan, we should reach our destination by evening in two days and be able to deliver the scroll. Are you ready?"
Kakashi nodded again to reassure Minato that he was ready. The determination to prove himself and the readiness for more challenging missions were still firmly anchored in him despite yesterday's conversation with his father.
Minato gave the signal, and they set off. Kakashi was thrilled—it was the first time he was traveling outside the village. With curiosity, he explored the surroundings as they leaped through the trees, trying to absorb as much as possible. His excitement grew at the thought of seeing other parts of the Fire Country, and he looked forward to discovering new things.
The journey went smoothly, and they made good progress. During the day, they took several short breaks, only resting longer at a place during the nights. The watches were evenly divided over the two nights. Minato took the first shift, then Kakashi took the second for a few hours before Minato relieved him for the rest of the night. Kakashi felt bad for having so little watch time, but Minato assured him it was okay and he was used to it. So Kakashi trusted Minato and accepted the arrangement.
On the third day, they finally reached their destination in the evening. The scroll could be successfully delivered, and a wave of relief washed over Kakashi. The mission had gone smoothly up to this point, and Minato decided they should spend the night at this location before embarking on the return journey in the morning. Kakashi agreed, as the sun was already setting, and it seemed impractical to travel far before they had to set up camp again. The night passed peacefully, and they prepared to begin the journey back the next day.
Early in the morning, Minato woke Kakashi, and together they packed their belongings. Once everything was ready, they resumed their journey swiftly. The trip continued smoothly, and Kakashi looked forward to submitting a successful mission report to the Hokage.
By midday, Minato signaled for a break. They landed on the forest floor, in the midst of a clearing surrounded by tall trees providing pleasant shade. Minato turned to Kakashi, smiling at him. "Let's take an extended break here. We've made good progress, so we can afford to take a little more time." With a playful smile on his lips, Minato granted permission for rest.
Kakashi returned the smile hidden beneath his mask. Then he turned away, set down his backpack, and prepared some provisions. He comfortably settled under a tree, and Minato joined him, sitting beside Kakashi. In comfortable silence, they enjoyed their provisions. Kakashi occasionally glanced at Minato. During their shared breaks, he always positioned himself so that Minato couldn't see his face. This consideration from Minato eased Kakashi, who wasn't pressured to reveal his face.
Kakashi didn't wear the mask for any specific reason. He simply felt more comfortable with it. He only removed the mask for the people he trusted, which weren't many. Mainly, it was just his father. Perhaps someday he would feel equally comfortable with Minato and could remove his mask in front of him. But for now, he found comfort in keeping it on.
As they continued eating, Kakashi pondered whether he should talk to Minato. The question of whether Minato truly liked him weighed on him. Suddenly, Minato turned to Kakashi. "Is everything okay with you?"
Kakashi flinched slightly, set aside the remainder of his provisions, and pulled up his mask again. Then he turned to face Minato. "Yes, everything's fine," Kakashi replied calmly.
Minato smiled contentedly, also setting aside his provisions before turning back to Kakashi. He placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and smiled at him reassuringly. "I'm very proud of you. You've done very well so far." He removed his hand from Kakashi's shoulder.
Kakashi tilted his head slightly. "Nothing has happened yet. How can I have done well?"
Minato leaned back slightly, arms crossed. "Well, it's not always about proving yourself in a fight. We've successfully delivered the scroll, which was our mission. You've followed all of my instructions so far, stayed close to me, and kept watch attentively. I think those are enough reasons to commend you."
Thoughtfully, Kakashi looked at Minato, letting his words sink in. Ultimately, Minato was right, even though Kakashi would have liked to prove himself in a fight. Nonetheless, he agreed with Minato. "You're probably right, thank you, Minato-sensei."
Minato smiled gently. "You're welcome, Kakashi." Then Minato straightened up and began to tidy up his belongings.
Kakashi followed Minato's every movement attentively. The question of whether to talk to Minato crept back into his mind. In this moment, the perfect opportunity seemed to present itself—time and tranquility hung in the air. The main mission was almost completed; the journey back to the village promised a pleasant atmosphere.
Kakashi glanced uncertainly at Minato, took a deep breath, and gathered all his courage. "Minato-sensei? Can... can I ask you a question?" His cheeks flushed slightly, and he quickly averted his gaze from Minato.
Minato paused, turned to Kakashi, and raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Of course, Kakashi. What do you want to know?"
Kakashi cautiously looked at Minato, without further ado, he began to speak. "Yesterday, I had a conversation with my father, and he gave me something to think about. Now, I'm wondering if he's right. He said that..." Kakashi hesitated for a moment, his heart pounding, as he tried to find the right words. His gaze shifted to the ground in front of him.
Suddenly, Minato reassuringly placed his hand on Kakashi's shoulder. Kakashi lifted his gaze and met Minato's gentle eyes. "What did your father say? You can tell me, everything's okay," Minato encouraged Kakashi to continue speaking.
A hint of tension lingered in the air as Kakashi took another deep breath and continued. "He said that you like me. So I'm wondering if it's true. Do you like me?" Expectation weighed heavily in Kakashi's gaze as his heart beat faster in his chest. The brief silence between them felt like an eternity to Kakashi, even though it was only seconds.
Minato seemed surprised, not expecting the question. But quickly, his face lit up again, a smile gracing his lips. His hand continued to rest soothingly on Kakashi's shoulder. "Your father is right, I do like you. You've grown very dear to me. Did you feel like I didn't like you? I thought I had shown it over the past few weeks. I apologize if that wasn't the case." Briefly, a flicker of pity appeared in Minato's eyes.
Kakashi's eyes widened. A pleasant feeling, an unfamiliar warmth, spread in his chest. The realization that Minato liked him filled him with happiness. Yet he was annoyed that he hadn't recognized it on his own, as his father already had.
Then Kakashi quickly shook his head. He realized last night that Minato had clearly shown that he liked him. It was only Kakashi who hadn't seen it. A feeling of guilt rose within him as Minato apologized, even though that wasn't the case. He had done everything right; it was Kakashi who hadn't recognized it.
Just as he was about to reply, Minato raised his hand. His face became serious, his gaze focused into the distance, past Kakashi. Minato's hand on his shoulder tightened slightly. Kakashi immediately sensed the tension and looked eagerly at Minato. Slowly, Minato stood up and pulled Kakashi to his feet. Meanwhile, he whispered to Kakashi, "Someone's here."
Kakashi's eyes widened briefly as Minato gently pushed him behind him. Slowly, Kakashi reached for his pouch to draw a kunai. He felt his hand tremble slightly but forced himself to suppress the shaking. It was important to stay focused now; he had to remain calm.
Minato didn't look at Kakashi as he spoke to him in a serious tone. "Remember what I told you. Only intervene in an emergency, only fight if you need to defend yourself. If I give you a signal, hide in the forest."
Horrified, Kakashi looked at Minato. He couldn't ask that of him. Kakashi shook his head. "I can't just leave you behind. Please, let me help!"
Minato shot a brief, sharp look at Kakashi before his attention returned to the front. "We've discussed this. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Trust me, I'll be back with you soon."
Kakashi bit his lip. He was aware that he had to obey Minato – the instructions before the mission were clear. Moreover, he had promised it to Minato and his father. With a nod, Kakashi signaled his readiness and waited for the signal. Suddenly, something flashed: a Kunai flew directly towards them. Minato reacted swiftly and deflected it. "Now, Kakashi!"
Minato's voice cut through the air, and Kakashi responded immediately. He sprung into action, swiftly leaping into the trees, moving away from the clearing. From the corner of his eye, he saw at least five enemy shinobi leap from the trees and land in front of Minato. But Kakashi ignored it and swiftly traversed the treetops.
In the moment when he was about to continue jumping, he hesitated and turned around again. Doubt gnawed at him. Kakashi couldn't just leave Minato alone. His hands clenched into fists, and an inner conflict arose. On one hand, Kakashi knew he had to follow Minato's orders, but on the other hand, his father and Minato had both taught him the importance of teammates. He couldn't just run away and leave Minato behind. He had to at least make sure Minato was okay.
His fists began to tremble. Kakashi bit his lip and pondered what to do next. Minato had just said that he liked him, and perhaps he could be his first friend. But what kind of friend would Kakashi be if he just left now? Determinedly, Kakashi turned around to support Minato. After all, he hadn't had the chance to say what he wanted to say.
With utmost speed, Kakashi made his way back to the clearing. He wanted to make sure Minato was okay, that he really didn't need help. Silently, he landed on a branch, hidden behind the leaves, to have a clear view of the clearing.
His eyes widened as he saw Minato surrounded by enemies. Kakashi felt his whole body tremble. Breathing deeply and with a determined look, he reached for a kunai – he wouldn't abandon Minato. His expression was resolute as he tightened his grip on the kunai even further. With a sharpened gaze, he leaped off the branch, his target in sight. Eyes narrowed, arm raised with the kunai, ready to strike. In the next moment, he was behind one of the enemies, thrusting his kunai into their back. With a powerful kick to the back, he knocked the screaming enemy to the ground, pulled the bloody kunai out, and landed smoothly on his feet. His gaze remained focused on the remaining enemies, the kunai held firmly, his expression still determined.
Kakashi ignored the smell of blood, didn't allow himself to dwell on the bloodstains on his hands, and blocked out the fact that he had killed someone. His focus remained on the remaining four men, who looked at him in surprise – unable to anticipate another shinobi. Kakashi knew he had the element of surprise on his side. Just as he was about to move, Minato's voice pierced the air. "Kakashi!"
Kakashi's head whipped around, and his gaze landed on Minato. Minato looked at him, eyes wide with shock. For a moment, Kakashi was solely focused on Minato, forgetting to maintain his cover. An enemy shinobi took advantage of that and hit him with a targeted kick to the ribs. A sharp pain shot through his body, as if the air was being ripped from his lungs. Kakashi couldn't stay on his feet, fell roughly to the ground, and hit his head on the ground.
In a brief moment of darkness, Kakashi could only perceive muffled voices around him. He lost his orientation and forced himself to open his eyes again. He found himself lying face down on the forest floor, arms lying up, hands beside his head. His gaze scanned the clearing and landed on Minato. Desperation reflected in Minato's eyes as he tried to reach Kakashi, but too late to notice an enemy closing in on him.
Kakashi tried to get up to help Minato, but his limbs didn't respond. Tears welled up in his eyes as everything around him blurred. Dots danced before his eyes, and he felt the unconsciousness tugging at him. He lost more and more control. The last thing he saw was Minato being hit by an enemy with a kunai. Then darkness enveloped him, pulling him into its embrace. The last thing he heard was Minato's pained cry: "Kakashi!"
Kakashi couldn't say what he wanted to tell Minato. It weighed heavily on his soul; he longed to finally have a friend.
"...I like you too, Minato-sensei!..." were Kakashi's last thoughts before he finally sank into unconsciousness.