Chapter 3

It was the smell that alerted him- his father was home.

He pushed himself upwards from the warm grass he was laid in as he turned his headtowards the back door to the house, his father was already there opening it and he smiled widely. He actually missed the man.

Sakumo had been gone for a total of two weeks and 4 days, and now he was back. The man stepped out onto the garden smiling at his eldest child.

"Takahashi," the man said warmly, he stood up in place rushing towards his father.

"Tou-san" he said back, just as warm as he did. It was scary knowing that when someone went on a mission they might just not come back, he was glad Sakumo did.

"Kashi started walking" he blurted out, with excitement, it was just great to see his brother grow up and he was glad he was getting to witness it. He was now just eleven months old, walking about with his curious eyes, wandering about the place when he wasn't trying to follow Takahashi around.

Sakumo smiled, and nodded, "Akira mentioned it… he's really growing up" the man mumbled mostly to himself.

Then out of the blue Sakumo spoke again, surprising Takahashi with what he asked.

"So… would you like to go to the park?"

He should have responded straight away but he didn't he merely raised a brow, "The park?" he parroted back, why? Hadn't he just arrived, but the more he actually stared he noticed his father wasn't wearing his ninja gear, he must have been back a bit earlier and changed.

The man seemed flustered, "Ah- well, it was just a suggestion I just thought that-"

"Okay, are we going now? What about Kashi?"

"Akira is still here, she offered to make lunch."

Takahashi nodded, "Thank kami." He whispered as he bolted out towards the gates.

"I heard that!" his father shouted after him.

Just a few steps out the compound gates his father was already at his side and on instinct he grabbed the larger man's hand, guiding them towards the park. "Alright, let the adventure begin!" he announced for the world around them.

Sakumo smiled down at him.

"Neh, tou-san?"

"Hm?"

"I learned the tree walking exercise you showed me before you left, can you teach me the water walking one?" and that was the start of their conversation, with him mostly doing the talking.

He talked about everything, whether it was a new word Kakashi said or something new he had learned when his father was away. He talked about the little things his father had taught him and he now was able to get the hang of it. He asked all the questions that filled his mind while the man was away.

Time went on and on, longer than needed.

Hatake Sakumo found himself questioning whether his son has forgotten where the park was seeing as they had been walking longer than what was needed. They were going in complete circles, and that circle did not include the park he thought his son was going to lead them to seeing as the boy had taken the lead pulling him around.

"And then… he said my name! like my full name not just Taka, it was really funny, even Akira was laughing. Poor Kakashi seemed so confused it only made me laugh more, but then I felt bad because he started crying, the poor confused soul- Oh did you know-"

Reluctantly he interrupted his son "Takahashi?"

"Ah? Yeah?" he answered looking back up at his father, with a curious gaze.

"Where are we going?"

He gave his father a bemused look, as his head tilted, "To the park of course… Hm, maybe we should make a trip to the hospital it would seem you might be getting memory loss in your old age."

Sakumo was surprised with that, he didn't expect the words to come out of his mouth, the laughter erupted from him as the words came out.

"Takahashi! My memory is perfectly fine, I should be worried about yours seeing as you're still young. We should have been at the park about 20 minutes ago."

"Hm? 20 minutes ago, what makes you think that tou-san?" he questioned his father with fake confusion.

"…Takahashi… the park is 5 minutes from home, do you know where you're going?"

He waved his hand dismissively as he spared one glance back at his father once more, his mask covering the amused smile on his face, although he was sure his father could sense it. He was right the park was 5 minutes away from their home but he wanted more time to talk to the old man, so… he took a 'shortcut'.

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

His father just sighed.

--

Upon arriving at the park about 10 minutes later. The park was still fairly warm, with the sun yet to set. The place was filled with families, with teenagers mingling about the place. Takahashi couldn't actually say he was fond of the park, the only thing he did like was the swings and that was it.

He never really made an effort to make friends… seeing as they all actually were children, he didn't have anything in common with them other than wanting to be a ninja.

There was a large children's playground right in the middle of the park, containing everything you would expect a park for children to have. There were the monkey bars, different options of slides, but what caught his attention were the swings! He didn't care how old he was he would never get tired of swings.

Several benches were already filled with mothers keeping a watchful eye on their children.

"So, what do you want to do?" Sakumo asked awkwardly as he glanced around the filled area.

"I'm going on the swings you can go do something with your time" he spoke, leaving no time for his father to respond he ran off, carefully dodging the snotty-nosed kids. There were still two swings seats empty and he was making it his mission to get one which he successfully did.

His legs swung back and forth, bringing him higher and higher. His eyes were closed as the cool air brushed against his face; it was nice. Opening his eyes as he went higher and higher, he let his eyes wander around before spotting his father.

He was talking to someone, a man… must be some ninja colleague, as boring as it was to watch he turned his gaze away, watching the other children mingling with each other, making use of the toys available to play with. He could spot some boys screaming whilst sitting on top of the monkey bars, it was annoying but then again kids will be… kids.

He closed his eyes once more bathing in the sunlight, he'll just stay for a few more minutes before he'll be ready to go back. There wasn't much point in going to the park just to go on the swings, but it was nice to do it once in a while. He'll probably do it more often when Kakashi is older.

"Ano… excuse me?"

His eyes snapped open as he heard a voice near him, it was a boy… but why was he talking to him?

He stuck his feet out forward no longer moving them back and forth, in the effort of slowing down the momentum.

He was still high up so when the swing went back down, he responded, looking at the brown eye's boy with a curious gaze, wondering what he wanted.

"Yes?"

"Can I use the swing after you?" the boy seemed nervous as he asked.

He didn't respond straight away but looked towards his left and right seeing the other swings taken then he looked to where his father was, well it seems like his father was sat doing nothing but staring idly at some wall, so he'll just leave now.

With no response as the seat got low again, he jumped off into the air landing perfectly on his feet.

"Um, can-"

He ran off towards his father, wondering what Akira made. Maybe curry? He wouldn't mind having that.

"Tou-san!" he yelled as he ran towards the man who was now staring at him.

He grabbed onto the man's large hand and started dragging him away, "Let's go home now, I'm hungry."

"Really? We didn't stay for long."

Like before he waved his hand dismissively, "We stayed long enough, I want to eat."

They were already so close to the Compound he could see it from where they were, just as they took another step they were stopped by a loud voice.

"Well, well, if it isn't Sakumo!"

"Ah, what is this, it's a mini Sakumo!" the man spoke again, the man's dark eyes on him with a wide smile. The man was as tall as his father, his hair white, not silver like his own he had two red lines going frown his face from both his eyes… his hairstyle was interesting.

He looked the man up and down his face scrunching up… could this man be a ninja?

"Is this a fan of yours tou-san?" it must be, but then again, the man had the headband, so he had to be a ninja.

Sakumo snorted back a laugh, while the strange man seemed to choke on nothing.

"It's been a while Jiraiya. Takahashi, this is-"

Jiraiya decided he himself wanted to introduce himself. "I am the Great Jiraiya! The super-"

"Right, okay I think Takahashi gets it."

Even with his mask on, he could smell the man- all he could smell were frogs? "Neh tou-san's fan, do you have frog summons?" he must have unless he just smelled like frogs because he was near ponds nearly most of the time or he just ate them regularly.

"-Toads! They're toads and yes, I do… hm? How did know."

Takahashi didn't even bother to respond and just pointed to his nose; he was getting hungrier.

He looked towards his father, "I'm going home now, I'll give you time to sign his autograph." He then turned towards this 'Jiraiya'.

"It was nice to meet you frog man!" with that he ran off trying not to burst out laughing at the man's facial expression. It was so fun being a child.

As he reached home, he burst through the door, "I'm home!" he called out, rushing towards the kitchen he knew Akira and Kakashi were.

"Welcome home Taka-kun" Akira said with a kind smile, she had Kakashi sat in his high chair as she was working away at the counter. Kakashi let out a happy sound as he saw his brother.

"Hashi!"

"I'm home Kashi, tou-san will be here soon we ran into some frog guy" he spoke out casually while Akira raised a brow 'frog guy'?

"I'm super hungry you know?"

"Hm? Akira responded, "I thought you were Takahashi?"

He rolled his eyes, "…Akira-nee, you're not funny. That was the worst joke anyone had ever told me." In his new life, that was,

There was a beat of silence before they both dissolved into laughter. Kakashi himself joined along not really knowing what was funny in the first place.