In the restroom, Kakashi pressed the flush lever.
With a whoosh, the water rushed into the bowl, spiraling into a deep vortex before disappearing down the drain with a hollow gurgle.
Kakashi exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"This Shizune…" he muttered under his breath. "She's obviously doing this on purpose. She just wants to stay close and see who'll get embarrassed first."
He slapped his forehead with a sigh. "Troublesome woman…"
Opening the stall door, he stepped out and stood in front of the mirror. His reflection stared back at him — calm on the outside, mildly panicked within.
"What does she even see in me?" Kakashi asked himself quietly, tilting his head as though expecting the mirror to answer.
Just then, the restroom door opened. Two Chūnin stationed in the Hokage Building entered, freezing mid-step when they spotted the Sixth Hokage.
"Lord Hokage!" both greeted immediately, bowing slightly.
Kakashi smiled, waving them off casually. "At ease."
He washed his hands, adjusted his flak vest, and exited the restroom, sliding his hands into his pockets as he walked back down the corridor toward the Hokage's office.
Avoiding her isn't the answer, he told himself firmly. I promised Naruto last night I'd stop running away from things — from my own damn emotions.
Kakashi clenched his fist slightly as he walked. What am I even afraid of? It's just Shizune. She's not a wild beast — she's not going to bite me.
With that thought, his step grew lighter, his expression calm once more. When he reached the office door, he paused briefly, inhaled, and then opened it.
As soon as he entered, Shizune looked up.
Their eyes met.
Kakashi gave her a polite smile — the kind of soft, collected expression that made his thoughts unreadable.
Shizune quickly dropped her gaze, pretending to be deeply immersed in the stack of documents on her desk.
Kakashi frowned slightly at that reaction, then sat down in his chair and quietly began scanning his own paperwork. But even while pretending to read, his single eye kept glancing at her.
From the corner of her vision, Shizune noticed him sitting down — and against her better judgment, she lifted her head. Their eyes locked again.
This time, neither turned away.
Kakashi didn't flinch or avert his gaze. Instead, he smiled faintly — confident, teasing, almost challenging.
The reaction caught Shizune off guard. She looked down quickly, her cheeks faintly pink.
Kakashi smirked knowingly. So she's not as composed as she pretends. She's testing me… but she's nervous too.
Now that he understood that, his anxiety faded.
So that's how it is, Kakashi thought. You're putting on a brave face, aren't you? Someone must've told you to be bold — probably Tsunade.
Otherwise, there was no way Shizune would be acting this out of character.
He leaned back in his chair and nodded to himself.
At first, her sudden assertiveness had thrown him off. But now, after a moment alone to clear his head, he'd regained his balance.
Alright, Kakashi thought, if she wants to play it like this, I'll play along.
Returning to his desk, he began processing the mission reports, his composure fully restored.
Meanwhile, Shizune was far less composed than she appeared. Every time Kakashi's quiet voice broke the silence with a soft tsk of his pen or a shuffle of paper, her heartbeat seemed to quicken.
When she finally dared to look up again, Kakashi was working normally — calm, focused, completely unbothered.
She frowned slightly. Did I imagine it?
But then, as if sensing her gaze, Kakashi looked up once more. Their eyes met again — steady, silent, unyielding.
This time, neither of them backed down.
For a few tense seconds, they simply stared at each other, the air between them charged with unspoken words.
Then, Kakashi suddenly stood up.
Shizune blinked. What is he doing now?
Kakashi casually picked up the kettle on his desk, walked over to her side, picked up the cup sitting beside her paperwork, and poured water into it.
"Here," he said evenly, setting the cup down. "Stay hydrated while you work."
He didn't wait for her response — just turned and walked back to his chair, completely calm.
Shizune looked at the glass of water for a moment before her lips curved into a small smile. She picked it up and took a sip.
When Kakashi noticed her drinking, he asked lightly, "Is there enough water?"
Shizune put the cup down, amusement glinting in her eyes. "That's enough. Though if I drink more, I'll end up running to the bathroom like you."
Kakashi froze for half a second — then burst out laughing.
That subtle jab broke the invisible wall between them. From that point on, the office felt warmer, less heavy.
Without realizing it, that single glass of water had opened a channel of understanding neither of them had dared to reach for before.
They worked steadily until noon, their movements synchronized in quiet harmony. When lunchtime came, they went downstairs together and ate in the Hokage Building cafeteria — a casual, comfortable silence hanging between them.
Afternoon
By the afternoon, the officials responsible for each segment of Jiraiya's wedding ceremony arrived one after another. Soon, the Hokage's office was filled with voices and reports.
Kakashi chaired the meeting while Shizune coordinated the records.
The discussion lasted for two long hours — security, guests, media, seating, catering, the whole structure of the event.
Finally, after all the adjustments, the plans were finalized.
It was Konoha's second large-scale ceremony since Naruto's wedding. Although this time the guests were fewer, the weight of the event was just as immense.
After all, Tsunade — the Fifth Hokage — and Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, were not just any couple. This was an event that would echo across the shinobi world.
Once the main group dispersed, a few key figures stayed behind: Shikaku Nara, Choza Akimichi, Ibiki Morino, Shizune, and Kakashi.
Because of Guy's lingering leg injuries, he wasn't assigned to this coordination work — otherwise, Kakashi would have had him here too.
Leaning back in his chair, Kakashi exhaled deeply. "Ah, finally over. I thought since we had the experience from Naruto's wedding, this one would go smoother — but it still ate up half the day."
Shikaku chuckled, his expression relaxed. "That's normal. This time, we're not getting help from other villages. The duty roster alone took hours to organize."
He crossed his arms, continuing, "Besides, Tsunade's a former Hokage, and Jiraiya's a living legend. Every shinobi in Konoha wants to attend. Unlike Naruto's wedding, there's no crowd from outside the village — but the guest list inside is massive."
Ibiki grinned. "To be honest, I'm just glad I get to witness it. Seeing Tsunade and Jiraiya tie the knot after all these years… that's something worth celebrating."
Choza laughed heartily. "You said it! Even Minato would be thrilled if he could see this. Speaking of which, Kakashi, did you inform him?"
Kakashi smiled faintly. "Minato-sensei doesn't have to handle logistics this time. He's directly helping Jiraiya with arrangements. Knowing him, he's probably making sure Jiraiya doesn't run off again."
Choza nodded in agreement. "Fair point. Jiraiya definitely needs someone keeping him in line."
Meanwhile, Shizune stepped forward, holding a clipboard. "Hokage-sama, here are the finalized minutes of the meeting. If everything looks correct, please sign so I can distribute the orders to each department."
"Right," Kakashi said, taking the pen. He quickly scanned the report, then signed his name at the bottom and handed it back with a small smile.
As Shizune accepted the papers, Shikaku raised an eyebrow, a small grin tugging at his lips. "You know," he said casually, "I heard the two of you have been spending a lot of time together lately."
The room went silent.
Choza blinked, glancing between them in mild surprise. Ibiki, meanwhile, scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Seriously?" Ibiki muttered under his breath. "What's with everyone pairing up these days? Guess it's that kind of year."
Kakashi coughed lightly, eyes darting anywhere but at Shizune — while Shizune herself tried to focus intensely on her clipboard, though the faint pink on her face betrayed her composure.
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