Conversation with the Hokage
Minato walked determinedly down the hallway toward the Hokage's office. Today, he had an appointment to discuss the upcoming Chunin Exam. In a few days, the nominations would take place, and Minato needed to address the matter beforehand. He knew it would be difficult to change anything after the last conversation with Sakumo, but he had to try. It dawned on him that Sakumo was right: even Sakumo wouldn't find an ear with the Hokage.
The Hokage wasn't an inhuman person, but he was also under significant pressure given the tense situation. The village elders wouldn't respect his decision if he held back the son of a traitor because of his age. They would undoubtedly only see his talent and not respect the Third Hokage if he listened to Sakumo. Additionally, the Hokage couldn't concern himself with the fate of an individual – he had to keep the welfare of the entire village in mind.
Nevertheless, Minato didn't want to give up without a fight. He was determined to at least try and do everything for Kakashi. After all, he had vowed to look after his student. Minato knew Kakashi would be happy about a nomination and might see it as a chance to restore the Hatake name's good standing. But that was exactly what worried him: if Kakashi indeed saw it as such an opportunity, the associated pressure could be overwhelming for him.
What was happening was too much for a six-year-old anyway. Even without the pressure to clear his name, the Chunin Exam was not suitable for Kakashi. Minato regretted delaying the matter for so long. Kushina had been right – he should have discussed it with Sakumo immediately. Now it was up to Minato to at least try and advocate for Kakashi.
Moreover, Minato couldn't shake the strange feeling he had after the conversation with Sakumo. The oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on him, and it broke his heart to know that Kakashi was exposed to this mood daily. Minato was convinced that Kakashi sensed this tension as well – he was simply too perceptive.
But now he pushed these thoughts aside. He stood in front of the Hokage's door. Before knocking, he took a deep breath and put on a serious face. Minato wanted to show how important the matter was to him. Determined, he knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter. It didn't take long before he heard a muffled voice: "Come in!"
Without hesitation, Minato opened the door, stepped inside, and quietly closed it behind him. He straightened up, took a deep breath, and then walked further into the room. "Good morning, Hokage-sama!" he greeted the Hokage with a firm gaze and determined voice.
Hiruzen looked up and gave Minato a friendly, albeit slightly tense, smile. "Good morning, Minato!" he said, putting his pen aside. He leaned forward, rested his arms on the desk, and asked warmly, "What can I do for you?"
Minato cleared his throat before he began to speak. "It's about Kakashi and the upcoming Chunin Exam," he began carefully, choosing his words with deliberation.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms. "What exactly is the problem? I thought we had everything settled," he remarked calmly.
"In my opinion, Kakashi shouldn't participate in the exam," Minato stated firmly, without hesitation.
Hiruzen studied him for a moment before responding. "I thought we agreed that his abilities are more than sufficient. What has changed your mind?" he asked, curious.
Minato held Hiruzen's gaze steadily. "I've thought long and hard about it and concluded that Kakashi is too young to take the exam," he explained with determination.
The Hokage raised an eyebrow and observed Minato for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Indeed, Kakashi is very young." Hiruzen paused, and Minato had to hide his surprise. Then the Third Hokage continued, "But we agree that his skills are already at the level of a Chunin, don't we?"
Minato bit his lip and nodded. It was undeniable that Kakashi's abilities were clearly at a Chunin level. Hiruzen leaned forward again, his expression remaining neutral. "We cannot ignore that Kakashi is underutilized in his current position. We cannot let his talent go to waste. In this tense situation, we need every capable Shinobi," he explained calmly.
"For Kami's sake, Kakashi is only six! You can't seriously be thinking of sending him to war already!" The words burst out of Minato impulsively, a knee-jerk reaction. He knew he was overstepping his bounds, but he could no longer stand by and watch how Kakashi was being treated. Minato felt that everyone was abandoning this child.
Silence settled over the room once more. Hiruzen lowered his gaze and stared at his desk while Minato waited tensely. Finally, the Third Hokage looked up and gazed at Minato seriously. "I'm sorry, Minato, but my decision stands. I must consider the welfare of the entire village," he stated matter-of-factly, pausing briefly before continuing, "However, there will be a change that I wanted to discuss with you."
Some of the tension left Minato's body. "What change?" he asked calmly, trying to keep his curiosity in check.
Hiruzen kept his eyes fixed on Minato as he leaned back in his chair. "He won't be going into the originally planned team. I've assigned him to a different team for the Chunin Exam.”
Minato's gaze wandered to the window. He had a suspicion why Kakashi had been assigned to another team. "The sensei of the first team didn't want him anymore, did he?" he asked, turning his gaze back to the Hokage. Hiruzen just looked at Minato silently. "I understand," Minato muttered, sighing in frustration.
"Don't get too close to the boy. Remember, he's just your student," Hiruzen said seriously. Minato looked at him for a moment, then nodded silently in response. He didn't mention that it was already too late for that. Kakashi had become too important to him to view him solely as a student. He had long since taken Kakashi into his heart.
But Minato didn't need to say anything. The Hokage's expression briefly clouded with pity before becoming serious again. "Next week are the nominations. Then I will introduce you to the team. Kakashi should train with them for a few sessions so they can get to know each other. The exams will take place next month," he explained, moving on from the previous topic.
"The exams are happening this year?" Minato was surprised. He had assumed the exams would take place after the New Year.
Hiruzen nodded in confirmation. "At least the first two parts of the exam. The third and final part will be at the New Year. We can't afford to waste any time. Believe me, I would have liked more time to prepare as well."
Minato had to admit that it made sense to hold the exams as soon as possible, even though he was reluctant. In the current situation, they could use all the support they could get. However, it didn't change Minato's somber mood. He felt guilty for not being able to change anything and regretted waiting so long. If only he had spoken to Sakumo earlier, perhaps the situation would be different.
"I'm sorry, Minato! But as Hokage, I have no other choice, even though I partly understand your concerns," Hiruzen said sympathetically.
A gentle smile played on Minato's lips. "And what would you tell me if you weren't the Hokage?"
For a moment, their eyes met before a brief smile appeared on Hiruzen's lips as well. "I would tell you to never change."
Minato nodded in response, then turned and left the room. As he walked down the corridor, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It felt like a defeat, like he had failed.
—---------------
Minato watched Kakashi's training, refraining from discussing the Chunin exams with him just yet. He decided to wait until next week when everything was official. His mind still lingered on the conversation with the Hokage, feeling unsettled by the lack of progress. Yet, he knew he had to push those thoughts aside. If Kakashi was going to participate, it was Minato's duty to prepare him well.
But another concern gnawed at Minato. When the Hokage indirectly mentioned that the sensei of the first team didn't want Kakashi, he worried about how the other team would react to Kakashi. Quickly deciding, Minato resolved not to leave Kakashi alone. If possible, he would accompany Kakashi to team practices and keep an eye on him.
For now, he set aside all these thoughts. It was time for a break, and Minato wanted to talk to Kakashi again to see if Sakumo had already spoken with him. "Kakashi!" he called out. "Let's take a break."
Immediately, Kakashi walked over to him and nodded. They settled under their tree and unpacked their bento boxes. During their break, they mostly sat in silence. Before Sakumo's mission, Kakashi had become more open, engaging in conversations during their breaks, but that had changed after the mission.
After a moment of silence, Minato turned to Kakashi. "Say, Kakashi, has your father talked to you yet?"
Kakashi didn't show any reaction, keeping his gaze fixed on his food. "Yes, he has. Thank you for talking to him," he replied, taking a bite of his food.
Minato raised an eyebrow, a hint of concern showing on his face. "That's good. What did he say to you?" he continued, his eyes shifting to the training ground.
"He apologized for not keeping his promises and promised to make up for it as soon as possible." Kakashi kept his gaze on his food, as if wanting to hide there.
Minato looked at Kakashi again and smiled encouragingly. "That's great! Just let me know when you want to do that, and we'll take the day off," he offered.
Kakashi nodded gratefully. "I will, thank you." Minato couldn't help but hear the sadness in Kakashi's voice. The boy had lied to him. Something must have happened that he didn't want to talk about.
Minato wondered if he should press further to encourage Kakashi to talk to him. On the other hand, he knew it would be wrong to push him too much. The discomfort was palpable. With a heavy heart, Minato decided to drop the subject. It was clear Kakashi wasn't ready to talk about it yet, and he didn't want to pressure him further.
Minato's gaze shifted to the sky. "Let's sit here for a little longer. Then we'll start our training spar," he announced, leaning his head against the tree. Kakashi nodded beside him in agreement, averting his gaze. Minato closed his eyes, needing a moment to sort out his thoughts.