Kakashi Hatake POV
I checked the list in my hand one more time, along with the contents of the bags I was carrying. I think I got everything I needed..., I concluded. I had done all the shopping for Amaya and was heading straight back to the redhead's house.
Or at least I thought I was heading straight back...
– Hey, Kakashi! – I heard the shrill voice calling for me and let out a soft sigh, already imagining what was coming next.
I stopped walking and turned my attention to the boy in all-green clothes quickly approaching, noticing he was accompanied by two other former Academy classmates.
Although, thanks to Amaya, I had partially learned how to deal with other people my age, I never felt as comfortable with them as I did with the Uzumaki.
– Kakashi, let's duel! – Gai said excitedly as soon as he got close to me.
– I'll pass – I said simply.
Due to Amaya's intervention during the first one of those competitions Gai proposed to me, we continued having them in the following years.
Besides learning to "read" situations better, as well as other people's intentions behind their attitudes, I also found a good partner for periodic training.
But it seemed like only I had understood that these training sessions or competitions, as he liked to call them were periodic. It wasn't uncommon for Gai to show up multiple times a week, or even on the same day, challenging me.
– That's not the attitude my eternal rival should have! – The boy spoke again – How will you burn with the Springtime of Youth with that attitude?
– Gai, it's obvious he's busy – Asuma pointed out, making both me and Gai look at him – Can't you see how much stuff he's carrying? He's obviously helping someone...
Since my father's death, everyone knew I lived alone. So seeing me with so many things, like right then, made it clear they weren't for me.
– This is for Amaya, isn't it? – Kurenai asked, which made the three of us look at her, and me with a particularly confused expression about the accuracy of her deduction.
– That makes sense... – Gai said in agreement and Asuma just nodded.
I could have asked her why she thought that, but it seemed the brunette quickly read my confused expression in that moment.
– Ah, it's simple – She explained nonchalantly – It's hard to imagine you offering to help anyone, besides Amaya.
– She's the only one you don't avoid – Gai chimed in next.
– And the one you actually seem to seek out to interact with – Asuma added.
I couldn't tell what was the strangest part of it all: the three of them being so sure about that, or the fact that it was true.
– I'm just helping her during her recovery – I said briefly, to steer the conversation away from the direction it was taking.
It wasn't news to any of the three in front of me that Amaya and I had a certain closeness, but we never explained why. So it wasn't uncommon for the subject to come up for questioning now and then.
– Recovery? – Kurenai and Gai asked in unison, clearly worried.
– What happened to Amaya? – The brunette asked.
– Is she okay? – And then it was Gai's turn to ask hurriedly.
And although he was quiet, Asuma's expression gave him away, showing the part of him that was curious about the Uzumaki's condition. I should have expected this..., I thought.
– Amaya is fine, but she's temporarily suspended from missions – I explained succinctly.
Whether I wanted to or not, I couldn't go into details about that, both because of the mission involving the Uzumaki's origin – which none of them knew about – and because it was something for the redhead to choose to tell them herself.
– I overheard my father talking about a team of young shinobi that was ambushed a few weeks ago – Asuma commented calmly, with his hand resting momentarily on his chin.
– And that was also around the time I looked for opponents for hot-blooded disputes – Gai said, looking at me – And I couldn't find them, when I looked for you and Amaya.
The feeling was like being cornered, second by second. All the deductions from putting the facts together were leading the three in front of me to understand my and Amaya's connection to the mission.
If things keep going like this, I thought, it won't be long until...
– What mission was that you were on? – Kurenai asked.
And there it was. The obvious question that was about to come and corner me. I let out a heavy sigh before continuing.
– I can't talk about it – I said simply, and seriously.
As shinobi, we knew since the Academy that some missions could be discussed with others, while others had to be kept completely secret usually high-rank ones or those involving unique interests for the village.
In the case of this laboratory mission, it was an example that encompassed both cases where it should be kept secret.
Even though surprised, and confused by that information, the three nodded, considering the matter closed right there.
Kurenai was the one who changed the course of the conversation this time, asking me if the three of them could accompany me to visit Amaya. I agreed, since seeing them might even be good for the redhead.
Third Person POV
Hatake led his former classmates with him to the redhead's house.
The platinum-haired boy wondered if the Uzumaki would be awake by the time they arrived, but quickly reassured himself by remembering she always woke up early, whether she needed to or not.
And seeing the house's windows open just confirmed his earlier thought.
Kakashi was the first to enter the residence, immediately setting down the bags he had been carrying to take off his shoes.
– I'm home! – The boy said, announcing his presence to the redhead.
The trio accompanying Kakashi quickly took off their shoes as well. As a result, the platinum-haired boy was the first to head to the living room.
Upon entering the room, the only unusual thing that caught Hatake's attention were the ninja gear beside one of the sofas. And before he could even think and deduce who they belonged to, Amaya appeared in the living room.
She stopped quickly near Hatake, holding the small velvet box she had found earlier with her brother, opening it in front of the boy.
– Kakashi, you're the only one I can ask this of! – The redhead said hurriedly, a clear sign of anxiety on her part.
Strangeness was the first thing that took over the platinum-haired boy. He looked at the object in the girl's hands, seeing the rings arranged inside. And then came his confusion.
Those few seconds of confusion were enough for Hatake to forget what he was going to tell the redhead when he arrived with Gai, Kurenai, and Asuma.
– Oh, my Kami-sama... – Kurenai's voice made both young people, one in front of the other, turn their gazes to the others present in the room.
And only then did Kakashi become aware of his surroundings again, remembering that his former classmates were there. But just like the Uzumaki, the boy was puzzled by the expressions on their faces:
Asuma wore a succinct smile, but still looked surprised. Gai wasn't even trying to hide it; he was open-mouthed and completely stunned. Kurenai had her hands over her mouth, hiding a radiant smile of excitement and was deeply flushed.
Amaya didn't understand the reason for those reactions, or the reason for her friends' presence there at that moment. But unlike her, Kakashi understood the double meaning of the situation at that instant:
To an outside observer, it looked like the redhead was proposing some kind of romantic union, since those rings were for commitment between couples and especially the words chosen by the Uzumaki didn't help at all.
Needless to say, the platinum-haired boy felt incredibly awkward and embarrassed trying to explain the mistaken interpretation his friends had made of that moment.
Just as Amaya's turn to feel embarrassed was beginning, with Kurenai asking her what that situation meant, Hatake noticed a sixth figure near the living room.
And the platinum-haired boy quickly recognized his biggest headache in human form. With that, he understood that the situation that had just occurred was, without a shadow of a doubt, his doing.
Shisui was making a tremendous effort not to laugh, more than he already was internally at what had just happened.
He had imagined something like this happening when he "innocently" suggested to his sister that she ask Hatake for help regarding the rings by telling the redhead that since it was a secret matter, it should be kept confidential.
And since the platinum-haired boy was the only one, besides the Uchiha himself, who knew about the girl and everything involving her, she could ask for his help and be sure he wouldn't talk to anyone else about it.
But the Uchiha didn't expect the situation to unfold with such flair, whether due to Amaya's choice of words, Kakashi's complete confusion, or the presence of the other two's former Academy classmates.
Even if he had planned it beforehand, it couldn't have turned out better, from the brunette's point of view.
(However, Shisui, you still clearly had no idea about something your sister and Hatake had in common: They forgot nothing. And you would only understand the consequences of that later...)
__________________________________________________________________________
Even though it took a while to be explained, the entire embarrassing situation from before was properly clarified.
The only disappointed sigh came from Kurenai, who had faithfully believed she was witnessing the start of a couple, like in her books it was known to few that the brunette was an avid reader of romance novels, and the ones where the characters had a whole history together from a young age were the ones that won her over.
And since the situation involving the rings was now known to their companions, Amaya asked for their help to understand what they were, and also asked them not to tell anyone else about the objects and they all agreed to the girl's request without problem.
"They're commitment rings"
That was the common answer from those present in the residence. They were a symbol of union between two people, representing a certain degree of commitment to each other.
An example to clarify things for the Uzumaki was given by Kurenai, pointing to the necklace the redhead wore. It was normally shared by couples, or even friends, indicating that they complemented each other which Amaya internally agreed with.
But the redhead didn't give her friend time to question her about who had the other half, as she continued her questions about the rings: What kind of union was this that involved two people? Why were those objects common only for representing this higher degree of commitment?
"I think it's for... Love"
That was the only answer given, even though it took a while to be said.
But none of the young people there knew how to explain to Amaya what that really meant. Personally, none of them had experienced it yet – although some were on their way to soon start feeling it.
And that left the Uzumaki restless.
Curiosity.
That was her weakness.
However, the girl didn't insist on it, at least for the moment. Soon that more serious conversation gave way to calm, and finally the reason why the redhead's former Academy companions were there was clarified.
The girl reassured them, almost like she did with her brother and Hatake when she got into some trouble, and soon the news that the Uzumaki was now a jounin became the focus of the entire conversation.
The atmosphere took on an aura of tranquility and relaxation among those present, and even Kakashi, being the grumpy person he was most of the time in the presence of others, would have enjoyed that moment.
(However, whether that earlier "doubly understandable moment" was mistaken or not, that situation would be something none of those present in the Uzumaki-Namikaze family residence would forget anytime soon, especially given the events that would occur in the following years...)