Chapter - 05
"Ahh... It's so boring," Rick complained, throwing the book he had in his hand to the sides. He had read this book 'Love over a bowl of Ramen' more than a couple of times now. Though interesting, after reading it a couple of times, the book no longer helped him pass the time.
It has been over a month since he came to the village hidden in the leaves, and his life here is nothing short of luxury and comfort here. Because of the fourth Hokage's orders, his food and shelter problem is taken care of by Kakashi. Rin took him out to the village and bought him a lot of clothes. On top of that, he also applied for relief provided by the village to orphans. The village administration provided a sum of 1500 ryos every month to the orphans living in the village until they become a genin, start earning on their own or turn fifteen, whichever is the earliest.
Kakashi lived in isolation with minimal contact with his neighbours. But this changed with the arrival of cute little Rick. Rin would visit them almost every day, accompanied by the Obito when they were not on a mission. Aside from them, the neighbourhood ladies would visit them, bringing them dishes, fruits and whatever else they had.
Rick would have loved their visits if not for the fact that by the time they leave, his cheeks would end up all red and puffed up like a tomato.
During this month, Kakashi was at home for less than a week. For most of the time, Rick had the whole house for himself. Rick spent his days reading the books he got from the old man Osamu. Unlike his name, which meant discipline, the old man was frivolous and perverted. He would run around the village all day chasing skirts and peeking at girls in the bathhouse. Over the past few days, Rick became a good friend of his, as the two of them shared some common 'interests'.
Today was another such day. Kakashi was out on a mission, and Rick, as usual, was lounging around reading the second volume of 'Love over a bowl of Ramen'. His room was littered with chips packets, instant noodles and bottles he bought with the money Kakashi left him and what he got from the Hokage. The neighbourhood ladies would help him clean up the house a couple of days before Kakashi would come from the mission. Everything was going in his favour.
**Knock! Knock!
'Must be aunt Junko,' Rick thought, 'Kakashi is going to be home tomorrow, and aunt Junko said she will help me with the cleaning. Well, perfect timing, I was already getting bored,' Rick lazily dragged himself to the door and opened it.
"Aunt Junko, what took you... so...lo..." Rick was stunned to see the person in front of him. It was not aunt Junko but Kakashi.
While Rick was stunned, Kakashi tried to walk in, but Rick immediately closed the door on his face.
'What is he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to come tomorrow?' Rick thought. Other times, he would clean the house, taking a margin of two to three days, but this time he slipped up.
Kakashi was left stunned outside. The door of his own house was closed on his face. Behind him, aunt Junko walked in humming her favourite song, but when she saw Kakashi standing there, she ran away the way she came.
"Open up, Rick," Kakashi yelled.
"I won't," Rick standing by the door, said. When he saw the state the house was in, he couldn't help but facepalm himself.
"What do you mean you can't?" Kakashi asked.
"How do I know that you are the real Kakashi and not someone trying to steal our family heirloom using 'Transformation Jutsu'?" Rick said from inside.
"I don't have time for this. Either you open the door, or I have other means to enter," Kakashi was not playing the game with Rick.
"Alright... alright... If you can tell me the name of the Ramen, the protagonist orders in 'Love over a bowl of Ramen' volume second to propose to the girl he likes. I will let you enter," Rick said.
"I don't know," Rick heard Kakashi's voice. Rick, whose face was stuck to the gate, looked through the peephole but couldn't see Kakashi.
"Ahem... ahem..." Rick heard the sound of clearing the throat from behind him. When he turned around, Kakashi was already in.
"How did you get..." Rick wanted to ask.
"Next time, if you try something like this. Try to make it a bit challenging and close the windows." Kakashi said, and leaving Rick by the door, walked to the sofa and made himself comfortable, completely ignoring the mess in the house.
Rick, like an obedient child, followed behind Kakashi and sat in front of him, waiting to be scolded. But to his surprise, Kakashi forwarded a piece of paper in front of him.
"What is this?" Taking the paper from Kakashi, Rick asked.
"This is the admission form to enter the academy. Think about it, and let me know," Kakashi said.
"What is there to think about? I am not going to any..." Rick was about to refuse to go to the academy right away. Although he was very much interested in gymnastics, ninjutsu and the ways of the ninja in the beginning when it came to learning them, it was too much work, and Rick gave up after a couple of days. Instead of doing something so vigorous all day, he would rather spend his days reading his favourite books and save enough money by the time he is fifteen to open up a shop. This was the life he was more inclined to.
"Rin said that you were going to join," Kakashi said in between.
"When do you join the academy? If big sis Rin wants it, I wouldn't mind becoming the Hokage," Rick took a one-eighty degree turn and agreed to join the academy.
Kakashi was not surprised in the least. He had noticed for the past few days, whenever Rin or a girl was involved, Rick was more than happy to go out of his way to entertain them. Kakashi left the sofa and said, "Fill in the form by tomorrow. You are going to be five soon, the minimum age to join the academy. So the fourth Hokage suggested that you join the academy instead of wasting your time at home."
They did not know how old was Rick. They knew he was around four or five, but nothing was clear. So to know his exact age, the village hospital did a carbon test on his bones, and with that, they determined he was about four years and eight months old. So taking this into account, Rin decided to celebrate Rick's birthday on 'January 17'.
"And the next time, be sure to clean up this mess before I am back," Kakashi said and flicked Rick's forehead hard enough to send him flying crashing into the wall.
"Repairs will be done from your allowances," Kakashi said, walking up the stairs, leaving the unconscious Rick behind.
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