Chapter 5: Konoha

Uchiha Toshirou stepped out of the Uchiha compound and into the village of Konoha.

Looking up, from left to right, he saw the enormous rock faces of the First, Second, and Third Hokages. Their expressions, somewhat stiff, had been watching over the village and its people since the day they were carved.

"What a brilliant idea! Carving their faces into gigantic statues to watch over the village and inspire the villagers to look up to them. It encourages one generation after another of shinobi to strive to protect the village, everyone, and aim for the Hokage title," Toshirou thought. Even though the First Hokage seemed a bit silly on TV, his suggestions were quite respectable.

Strolling leisurely along the main thoroughfare of the village, enjoying the bustling streets, Uchiha Toshirou found himself daydreaming.

"So this is the Hokage Building?" He mused. It looked even uglier than in the anime TV series. It was oval-shaped, like an egg standing upright with the ends cut off, and coated in a layer of red paint.

After criticizing the Hokage Building's unique aesthetic, he continued past bustling streets, passing by Konoha Hospital, the Ninja Academy, and the headquarters of the Konoha Police Force, among other buildings.

The BBQ Q had already opened, but he didn't see Ichiraku Ramen. It must not have opened yet.

Having wandered around for over an hour, Uchiha Toshirou wore a fox disaster-averting mask slanted on his head. One hand held a small paper bag, and the other clutched a skewer of three-color dango, which he was savoring.

"The renowned three-color dango of Konoha does live up to its reputation, delicious indeed..."

He hadn't planned on buying anything, but recalling the 200 ryos that Mikasa had specifically placed in his pocket before he left, along with her concerned gaze, he decided to buy a toy to bring back for her peace of mind. As for the three-color dango, he had intended to just try it out due to its influence from the original anime, but it turned out to be quite tasty.

At that moment, a small white figure darted out from the diagonal.

"Be careful, Kakashi, don't bump into people..." Following the white figure were two individuals, a couple keeping a close watch on the child ahead, though their warning seemed a bit late.

With a thud, the white-haired child crashed into someone, landing on his bottom. Uchiha Toshirou's paper bag of three-color dango fell to the ground.

"Sorry, are you okay?"

The husband quickly stepped forward, picked up the fallen bag of dango, while the wife helped the white-haired child who had just fallen.

"Kakashi was too reckless just now. Did he hurt you?" The husband checked the bag, finding it undamaged, and handed it back to Toshirou while apologetically helping him up.

"It's okay, I'm not hurt..."

"He called that white-haired kid Kakashi! Could this white-haired man in front of me be Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, who only appeared twice in the TV series?" Toshirou thought, looking at the apologetic man before him.

Standing before him was Hatake Sakumo, a gentle-faced, not-so-tall man with disheveled white medium-length hair and a small braid at the back. Out of his battle gear and in casual clothes, he appeared very kind-hearted, hard to connect with the famous "White Fang" of the battlefield.

The wife, who had lagged behind a step, helped up the fallen Hatake Kakashi while gently chastising him. She also gave Toshirou an apologetic smile.

"I'm okay, Auntie," Toshirou responded, taking the paper bag from Hatake Sakumo, still thinking about Sakumo's fate. Due to abandoning a mission to save his comrades and facing the village's scorn and misunderstanding from friends, he ultimately committed suicide in desolation. 

As for Kakashi's mother, not mentioned in the original story, did she die on a mission later or commit suicide alongside Sakumo?

Was it the aftereffects of merging with another soul upon transmigration, or the anxiety of arriving in a new world? Toshirou's thoughts had been scatterbrained these past few days, often spacing out.

Seeing the kid really wasn't hurt and looking somewhat contemplative after glancing at him, Sakumo gently touched Toshirou's head. "Do you know me?" he asked curiously.

"I heard the clan members talk about you being a hero of Konoha," Toshirou answered plainly without elaborating.

"Sorry, I was too reckless." Urged by his mother, little Kakashi reluctantly apologized to Toshirou.

"It's okay, no need to apologize, but be careful while playing in the streets next time," Toshirou said while giving two-year-old Kakashi, who was much shorter, a head pat. Tired of adults constantly patting his head these days, he found satisfaction in finally patting back upon meeting Kakashi. 

"Is he a girl?" Toshirou knowingly asked Hatake Sakumo.

At this moment, Kakashi hadn't donned his iconic mask or developed his 'dead-fish' eyes, still resembling a bright sunny child. More like his mom, his delicate features, especially a beauty mark at the corner of his mouth, added a hint of charm. No wonder he would cover it with a mask later; with his years of experience, Toshirou thought Kakashi would probably mesmerize many girls when grown up.

"Uh, he's a boy," Sakumo replied, scratching his head awkwardly, while Kakashi's mother chuckled.

She adored her son's handsome looks and took great pleasure in his expression right now as his mother. Listening to the black-haired boy's conversation with his father, and his mother's chuckling gaze full of amusement, Kakashi could only feel the corners of his eyes twitching.

A feeling of grievance spread in his heart, secretly deciding to persuade his father to prepare a mask for him once they returned. He wanted to hide his beautiful face, keeping it only for himself while giving the kid before him a big side-eye.

"Nice to meet you, here's a gift for you."

Taking off his fox mask and handing it to Kakashi, Toshirou didn't dwell on the puzzled expression, gave a carefree wave, and turned to leave.

"I'm back!" After parting with the Hatake family, Toshirou didn't continue wandering, and walked back to the clan compound on his little short legs.

"Hey, Mikasa, I brought you some three-color dango."

"Ah, you're so considerate, Toshirou! Going out and still thinking of your sister, here's a reward!" she said, picking him up and giving him a kiss.

(End of Chapter)