Inside the studio, Naruto, Jiraiya, and Sai were drinking happily. Between drinks, they picked at snacks, their laughter filling the room. The mood was easy, warm, and full of satisfaction.
Jiraiya looked over at Naruto and grinned.
"Naruto, if sales keep going like this, it won't be long before I've paid you back everything I owe!"
Naruto raised his glass with a chuckle.
"There's no rush, Pervy Sage."
Jiraiya nodded knowingly. He understood Naruto's meaning — Naruto wasn't in a hurry for repayment. What he wanted most was for Jiraiya to finally hold his wedding with Tsunade. Once the wedding was done and savings were stable, repayment could come later.
The three continued drinking, sharing stories and jokes.
After three rounds of drinks and five plates of food, Naruto noticed the time. He stood up and smiled awkwardly.
"Pervy Sage, Sai, if there's nothing else, I'll get going. Hinata's still waiting for me at home."
Jiraiya's face was flushed from alcohol. He let out a loud, hearty laugh.
"Naruto, when did you become such a henpecked husband, huh?"
Naruto scratched his head, smiling sheepishly.
"Hehe, can't be helped, Pervy Sage!"
Sai raised his hand politely.
"Goodnight, Naruto!"
"Yeah, see you!" Naruto replied, waving as he left.
Jiraiya and Sai went back to drinking while Naruto stepped out into the cool night.
The wind brushed through his blond hair as he walked home. He tugged at his collar slightly — late October in the Hidden Leaf meant the first chills of autumn were setting in. The breeze wasn't biting, but it carried that crisp, refreshing edge that reminded you summer was truly gone.
As Naruto walked through the quiet streets, he noticed someone approaching from the other direction. When the streetlight caught the person's face, Naruto grinned.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
Kakashi looked up from the small, covered book in his hand and smiled beneath his mask.
"Ah, Naruto. Out late, huh?"
Naruto's eyes drifted down to the familiar shape of the book Kakashi was holding. His curiosity immediately sparked.
"Sensei, are you still reading while walking? You really haven't changed at all! What's that, another volume of Make-Out Paradise?"
Naruto leaned forward to peek, but Kakashi was quicker. He smoothly closed the book, tucking it behind his back in one motion.
"Ah—what, this? Nothing, nothing! It's late, I should be getting home too!"
And just like that, Kakashi vanished in a blur, disappearing down the street.
Naruto blinked, utterly confused.
"Huh? What was that about?"
He scratched his head. Kakashi had taken off like someone guarding a state secret.
Then it hit him — the size of the book, the way it was wrapped, and how defensive Kakashi had been. There was only one explanation.
"Ohhh… I see how it is, Kakashi-sensei…" Naruto muttered, smirking to himself.
There was no doubt now — Kakashi was reading the comic version of Icha Icha Paradise.
It made perfect sense. Kakashi had been Jiraiya's number one fan for years. Naruto could still remember their first mission together — back when he, Sasuke, and Sakura were trying to snatch the bells. Even then, Kakashi was calmly reading Make-Out Paradise while effortlessly dodging their attacks with one hand.
Naruto laughed at the memory.
"Man, some things never change."
Watching Kakashi's retreating figure disappear around the corner, Naruto chuckled.
"Kakashi-sensei, the eternal bachelor…"
In his previous life, after Naruto became the Seventh Hokage, Kakashi had retired and spent most of his time traveling the world with Guy. The two old friends — one loud and one lazy — were inseparable. But Kakashi never married.
Naruto scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"Huh… maybe this time, I can find someone for him."
But then he frowned.
"Although… that's gonna be tough."
Because honestly, Kakashi had always been distant when it came to women. Apart from his childhood friendship with Rin, he'd never really shown interest in anyone.
"This is gonna be a real challenge," Naruto muttered, shaking his head as he continued home.
Meanwhile, at the next intersection, Kakashi leaned against a wall and exhaled.
"Phew… that was close."
He peeked around the corner to make sure Naruto wasn't following. Seeing the coast was clear, he relaxed, his shoulders slumping in relief.
"That idiot almost caught me reading it!"
He pulled the comic from inside his vest and stared at it with a sly smile. The cover shimmered faintly under the lamplight — it was indeed the Icha Icha Paradise manga edition.
"Good thing I wrapped it in a book cover," Kakashi muttered proudly. "A Hokage can't be caught reading this in public."
He chuckled to himself.
"Alright, time to head home and enjoy this properly."
At the Hatake residence, Kakashi arrived to find his father, Sakumo Hatake — the White Fang — setting dinner on the table.
"You're back, Kakashi. Come eat," Sakumo said with a calm smile.
Kakashi nodded, quickly joining him. He ate faster than usual, his mind clearly elsewhere.
Sakumo raised an eyebrow.
"You're in quite a hurry tonight."
Kakashi laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.
"Ah, just a long day, Dad. Gotta rest early."
"Mhm."
After finishing dinner, Kakashi stood up.
"I'll head to bed early tonight."
"Alright, get some rest," Sakumo replied kindly, assuming his son was simply overworked from his Hokage duties.
Once in his room, Kakashi sat on the bed, locking the door behind him. His expression turned serious — the same expression he wore before facing an S-rank mission.
Then, slowly, he pulled out the Icha Icha Paradise manga.
As he began reading, his single visible eye widened slightly. His hand tightened around the page.
"Tch… Sai really outdid himself this time. The art's incredible."
Every panel was detailed and expressive, the characters drawn with such emotion and… energy that Kakashi couldn't look away. Even though he already knew the story from Jiraiya's novels, seeing it visualized made it feel completely new again.
The scenes practically jumped off the page. The intensity, the pacing, the emotions — all of it hit differently in comic form.
Kakashi's heartbeat quickened.
"Damn… this is… too good."
He shut the book for a moment, pressing a hand over his masked face. His composure was slipping — a rare thing for him.
"Okay, calm down… breathe."
He stood up abruptly.
"Nope. Cold shower. Definitely need a cold shower."
Meanwhile, in the living room, Sakumo sat reading the evening paper. When Kakashi emerged from his room, slightly flustered, Sakumo glanced up.
"Kakashi? You're awake again?"
Kakashi froze mid-step, hiding the book behind his back.
"Ah, Dad… you're still up?"
"Couldn't sleep," Sakumo replied casually. "Was reading the paper. I don't need much rest these days anyway." He folded the paper thoughtfully. "By the way, do you think you could arrange some work for me? Maybe night guard duty at Konoha's gate? I'd like to help the village somehow."
Kakashi blinked, a bit caught off-guard by the request. His father had indeed been resurrected for quite some time now — and though they cherished the time together, Sakumo seemed restless.
"Sure, Dad. I'll look into it," Kakashi said quickly, eager to escape before his father noticed anything.
Then he darted into the bathroom.
Sakumo smiled faintly, assuming his son was simply tired.
"He's been working too hard again."
Inside the bathroom, Kakashi turned on the cold water. The sound of running water filled the small space.
He let the stream pour over him, cooling his face as he sighed.
"Alright, Kakashi… get a grip."
Even after years as a Hokage, a jōnin, and an elite shinobi, some things never changed. His composure, his love for literature… and his guilty pleasure for Jiraiya's works.
As the steam filled the room, Kakashi smiled faintly under his mask.
"Jiraiya-sensei… your legacy lives on."
Outside, Sakumo glanced toward the bathroom, shaking his head fondly.
"Same old Kakashi. Still can't hide anything from me."
He smiled, his eyes soft with pride.
"Guess some habits really do pass from father to son."
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