Chapter 5 - Kakashi

The morning after, Mikumo excitedly prepared for the day ahead. Stood in front of a large mirror, Mikumo saw her image reflected through her green eyes.

"I was never one to care about clothing in my past life, but now that I have such a nice body, might as well start caring a little bit."

Mikumo spun around a little bit to see her current attire. A sweatshirt covered by a thin workout jacket with long spats that reached down her knees.

Mikumo was a little smug at seeing her well-coordinated attire.

"Heh, not bad."

After a pleasant breakfast, Mikumo followed her mother to the Kashima general store and helped around as it was still early in the morning.

It didn't take long before the sun was overhead and a familiar silver-haired individual appeared in front of the store, hand-in-hand with a young boy.

Mikumo currently was in the back of the store preparing riceballs with her mother for the store, so she didn't notice their arrival.

As the silver-haired duo entered the store, Nikumo saw them and beamed with a smile.

"Hey! Sakumo, good afternoon!"

Sakumo nodded gently as Nikumo's gaze moved on to the small figure beside him.

"Oh, and you must be Kakashi-kun, is that right?"

Kakashi simply nodded and didn't say anything. He was dressed in black attire with a scarf around his neck and a mask covering his face.

Sakumo chuckled at the boy's behavior.

"Haha, he's a little shy."

Nikumo also chuckled in amusement.

"Heh, it's fine, it's fine, maybe he can teach Mikumo how to be less restless."

Nikumo then turned and shouted towards the back of the store.

"Mikumo! Sakumo is here!"

Mikumo heard her father and turned to her mother. Toka nodded in approval with a smile.

"Go ahead, I got it covered here."

"Okay mom, see you soon!"

Mikumo then turned to immediately rush out to the front, before being caught by her mother by the nape.

"Young lady, are you planning to go out with that dirty apron as well?"

"Uhh."

Mikumo looked down to see her messy apron with seaweed and grains of rice dotting the apron.

"Ahaha, whoops."

Toka sighed as Mikumo swiftly took off the apron, put it in the work laundry basket, and darted out to the front.

As soon as Mikumo breached through the cloth curtain separating the front and back of the store, she saw her father talking with Sakumo at the register.

Sakumo and Nikumo both noticed her right away and waved at her.

"Miku-chan! Over here."

Mikumo excitedly made her way to the pair, however, on her way, a flash of a silver-haired four-year-old boy idling in the ninja section paused her steps.

'Is that...Kakashi?'

Kakashi noticed Mikumo's stare and met her gaze. He eyed her slightly up and down before returning back to examining the ninja tools in the aisle.

Sakumo and her father both noticed her curiosity and smiled. Sakumo walked over and patted her on the shoulder before pointing at Kakashi.

"Mikumo-chan, that's my son, Kakashi. I hope you don't mind him joining us today, I don't have too many days off so I plan to train him after we're done."

Mikumo shook her head lightly.

"It's fine, Sakumo-san, I was just a little surprised. He looks just like you!"

"Ahaha, is that so? Then I hope you can get along with him. He's a little shy so he doesn't have many friends."

Kakashi seemed to notice what his father said and huffed a little while playing with a kunai.

Mikumo chuckled a little at their interaction.

'Heh, now this is getting exciting. Little Kakashi being teased by Sakumo is simply precious, I wish I had my phone to take a picture right now.'

Mikumo then tugged at her father's shirt.

"Okay, I'm gonna go now, I'll be back later."

Nikumo nodded and patted her on the head.

"Listen to uncle Sakumo, okay? Don't wander around, or chase stray cats, or follow strange people."

"I got it, I got it, okay let's go, Sakumo-san!"

Sakumo nodded and patted Nikumo on the shoulder before giving him a thumbs up.

"I'll take care of her, don't worry."

Nikumo nodded assuredly and returned to tending to the store.

Sakumo then led Mikumo over to Kakashi.

"Okay kids, we're going to head over to training ground 3, it's not too far from here. Come along."

Mikumo and Kakashi nodded obediently and followed after Sakumo. As they left the store, Mikumo made her way next to Kakashi.

"My name is Mikumo, you're Kakashi, right?"

"Ah, yeah."

"I saw you playing with a kunai earlier, do you want to be a ninja too?"

"uhuh, yeah."

'Hehe, it's really him, just like in the anime.'

Mikumo didn't really mind his empty-minded responses, as she knew what his personality was like already.

Sakumo, however, was a little flabbergasted by how anti-social his son was as he sighed internally.

Mikumo continued talking to Kakashi as she was very excited to be able to talk to someone from the main cast.

"I'm six this year so I'm planning on joining the academy soon. what about you?"

"...I want to go, but father won't let me."

Seeing that Kakashi started opening up, Mikumo started pressing more.

"Ah don't worry about it, it's probably because you're still a little young. You'll probably join me next year! Besides, you're being taught by your father, right? How can the academy teachers teach you better than Konoha's White Fang? No need to be in a hurry."

Kakashi for the first time decided to look at Mikumo instead of staring into space straight ahead, he had his eyebrow raised but it was hard to tell what his real expression was under his mask.

"Yeah, you're right. What about you, are you learning ninjutsu from my father as well?"

Mikumo smiled brightly seeing Kakashi more engaged.

"No, I'm a civilian for now, but Sakumo-san is going to test my aptitude for ninjutsu. My parents won't let me join ninja academy unless I get approval from both Sakumo-san and my grandmother."

"Ah, is that so? So you're a civilian? Why do you want to become a ninja?"

Mikumo perched her lip up with her finger while pondering how to answer.

"Because it's cool! I know ninja life is dangerous but hearing stories about Konoha's White Fang and the Third Hokage's disciples, the Sannin, feats in battle to ensure the prosperity of our village, isn't it exciting?"

'Well, mostly because it's cool and I want to protect myself and be able to play an active part in this world, but that wouldn't make much sense to say.'

Kakashi nodded approvingly hearing Mikumo's praise for his father.

"Indeed, father is indeed an excellent ninja. Well, even though you're a civilian, with father's help I'm sure you'll be fine."

Sakumo didn't comment on the exchanges between to the kids but he was secretly happy. A little embarrassed by the praise he's receiving but happy about it all the same.

Mikumo laughed and patted Kakashi on the shoulder.

"Heh, don't be too shocked when I surpass you Kakashi. Sometimes I think my genius, is almost frightening."

Kakashi couldn't help my scoff a little at the statement.

"Dream on dude, let's see if you can still say that after one of father's training sessions."

"Hehe, do you have any other hobbies?"

"Ah, not really."

Mikumo pouted slightly at the answer but it wasn't surprising.

"Aw come on, there must be something you like to do when you're done training. Don't tell me you're just lazing around the house?"

"Haa? As if, I'm just busy. After training, I need to take care of my ninken." [1]

Mikumo raised an eyebrow and thought back on her knowledge.

'That's true, Kakashi's pack of ninken was personally raised by him.'

Her eyes then lit up with a sparkle.

"Taking care of ninken counts as a hobby, I want to see them! Do you mind showing me? You can't say no, by the way, you can't bring up dogs and not show them. It's called the pet tax."

"What kind of ridiculous rule is that? Besides, they're not my pets, I'm raising them as ninja dogs."

"Aw don't be so stingy, I just want to see them, maybe pet them, or feed them."

Kakashi sighed and shrugged.

"Sure, whatever, maybe when there's time."

"Yatta!"

As the pair of children chatted randomly about meaningless topics, Sakumo soon lead to the entrance of the third training ground.