Kakashi adjusted his collar, looking down at the blue fabric of his tie. It felt strange to be standing here in a formal suit instead of his usual uniform, but looking in the glass, he had to admit the tailor knew exactly what she was doing. He took a slow breath, letting the reality of the day settle in. After everything he'd been through, he was actually getting married.
He looked over at Naruto, who was waiting calmly.
"Go ahead, Naruto," Kakashi said, giving a small nod. "Start bringing them through."
Naruto vanished on the spot. A brief moment later, he reappeared with Gai right beside him.
Gai was wearing a formal black montsuki kimono with a traditional haori jacket and hakama trousers, completely replacing his usual green jumpsuit.
The moment his feet touched the floor, Gai ignored Naruto and Sasuke entirely and marched straight over to Kakashi. He didn't say a single word. Instead, he began walking in slow, focused circles around his eternal rival, inspecting him from head to toe. Gai leaned in close, checking the alignment of Kakashi's lapels, smoothing out the shoulders of the jacket, and giving the cuffs a light tug to make sure nothing was sitting loose or sloppy. He even squinted at the hem of the trousers to ensure the length was perfect over his dress shoes.
After checking over every single seam to make sure his friend looked flawless for the big day, Gai finally stepped back, flashed a dazzling, white-toothed smile that practically glinted in the room's lighting, and gave a single, firm nod of approval.
"Maa, I take it I pass your inspection then?" Kakashi asked, giving a faint, amused huff as he adjusted the watch on his wrist.
Gai didn't answer right away, simply keeping his dazzling grin locked in place as he gave Kakashi a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
Before the two rivals could exchange another word, Naruto vanished from the room again. A few seconds later, he reappeared with Asuma and Kurenai. Asuma had actually managed to find his old formal suit, though he looked slightly stiff in it. In contrast, Kurenai looked effortlessly beautiful in a sleek, formal dress that complemented the occasion perfectly.
The moment they arrived, Asuma and Kurenai both stopped in their tracks. Their eyes completely bypassed the groom, locking onto the best man instead.
Asuma stared, a massive look of disbelief washing over his face as he took in Gai's sleek traditional attire. He took a slow breath, shaking his head. "I never thought I'd see the day you actually took off that green jumpsuit, Gai. You actually look civilized."
Kurenai covered her mouth, letting out a soft laugh at Gai's polished appearance. "Honestly, Gai, the look suits you. You should dress like this more often."
Asuma walked past his stunned teammates and approached Kakashi, pulling a wrapped wooden box containing the premium sake from his coat.
"Here," Asuma said, handing it over with a smirk. "The good stuff, just like you asked for. Consider it a proper send-off to your bachelor days."
"Thanks, Asuma. I appreciate it," Kakashi replied, taking the box with a genuine smile.
In the background, Gai was already bowing dramatically to Kurenai, his voice boisterous as he thanked her for the compliment on his outfit, loudly declaring that the power of youth could adapt to any style of clothing.
Asuma and Kurenai shared a look before nodding to Kakashi. "We'll head out to the main reception area outside and find our seats," Asuma said, leading the way out the door.
Naruto kept the rotation moving, vanishing from the room. A moment later, he reappeared with Tsunade. She looked over Kakashi's suit with a sharp eye, gave a short nod, satisfied that everything was in order, and left the room to join the guests outside.
Next came Team 10. Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino appeared together, offering quick congratulations before heading out to the venue grounds. Naruto kept up the steady rhythm, flashing away and returning with groups of Kakashi's closest peers and old allies. The room filled with quick handshakes and congrats before everyone filed out toward the outdoor seating.
Before long, the dressing room emptied. Everyone had headed to the reception outside, leaving only Kakashi and Gai waiting for the final call.
A firm knock rattled the dressing room door, breaking the quiet.
"Kakashi-sensei? Gai-sensei?" Sakura's voice called out from the hallway. "The guests are all seated, and the music is about to start. It's time."
Kakashi took one last look in the mirror, smoothing down the front of his jacket. He turned toward the door, a small smile pulling at his lips as he thought about the woman waiting for him.
"Well," Kakashi said, his voice calm but holding a soft, genuine weight. "Let's not keep Mei waiting."
Gai gave a firm, supportive slap to Kakashi's back, his usual loud antics completely melting away into a rare, quiet pride. "Right behind you, my friend."
They stepped out of the room and walked up the winding stone path to the top of the hill. The ceremony grounds sat on a pristine grassy peak, completely open to the coastal breeze. Below them, the entirety of the Land of Waves stretched out toward the horizon, and spanning across the wide water was the massive bridge connecting the island securely to the mainland.
Kakashi took his place at the altar, looking out over the crowd. Seeing his entire generation sitting alongside representatives from the Mist Village in peaceful attendance was a sight he never thought he'd witness. In the front row, Zabuza sat with his arms crossed and a gruff look on his face, while Haku sat right beside him with a serene smile.
The low murmur of the crowd fell completely silent as the music shifted to a deeper, sweeping melody. Kakashi turned his gaze down the aisle, his heart skipping a beat as Mei appeared at the entrance of the path, looking completely stunning.
As Mei walked down the stone path, Kakashi found himself tuning out the music and the whispers of the crowd entirely. He didn't look back at where he had been, nor did he look ahead to what was to come. He was entirely locked into the present moment, his thoughts focused solely on the woman walking right toward him. Watching her, everything else fell away, leaving him in a profound, quiet peace.
Mei finally reached the altar, stepping up onto the platform to stand directly across from him. Up close, she was completely breathtaking.
She looked into his eyes, her expression softening as a rare, deeply intimate smile graced her lips. Kakashi couldn't help but smile right back. In that quiet, shared look, the rest of the world completely faded away, leaving just the two of them.
The low murmur of the crowd died down completely as the former Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stepped forward to face the couple. He wore formal ceremonial robes, a warm smile on his face as he watched the two, silently happy that the Leaf was moving toward a strong alliance like the one Lady Mito and Lord Hashirama once did.
He looked between Kakashi and Mei, clearing his throat before addressing the gathered crowd.
"We are gathered here today on this historic peak, not just to witness the joining of two incredible individuals, but the union of two hearts," Hiruzen began, his voice carrying easily over the coastal wind. "Kakashi, Mei, you have both carried immense responsibilities. But today, you stand here simply as a man and a woman, choosing to share the rest of your lives."
Hiruzen paused for a brief moment, letting his words settle over the quiet crowd, before looking directly at the groom. "Kakashi, are you ready?"
Kakashi nodded before looking at Mei, his smile softening as he took a slow breath. He reached out and gently took her hands in his, looking directly into her eyes.
"I, Kakashi Hatake, take you, Mei Terumi, to be my wife," Kakashi said, his voice quiet, steady, and clear. "I pledge to stand by your side, to protect your smile, and to give you my absolute devotion and loyalty through all things for the rest of our days."
Mei's smile grew even warmer, her eyes softening as she squeezed his hands tightly in return, ready to give her response.
Mei looked directly back into his eyes, her expression soft but completely certain. She tightened her grip on his hands, her voice unhesitant and without a hint of doubt.
"I, Mei Terumi, take you, Kakashi Hatake, to be my husband," she said, a small, genuine smile gracing her lips. "I pledge to share my life with yours, to support you completely, and to stand as your partner in all things through the rest of our days."
"By the power vested in me, and before the witnesses of our nations, I now pronounce you husband and wife." Hiruzen looked at Kakashi with a smile before stepping back and giving the couple room. "You may kiss the bride."
Kakashi stepped closer, gently pulling Mei into their first kiss as husband and wife.
The moment they separated, the quiet crowd instantly erupted into a massive wall of cheers and applause. From the front rows, the Leaf and Mist shinobi were clashing together in a roaring celebration of the historic union.
"YOUTH!!!" Gai roared from the sidelines, his fist pumping violently into the air as tears of pure, unadulterated joy streamed down his face.
Before he could jump into the aisle and completely disrupt the couple's moment, Tenten lunged forward, grabbed the back of his formal haori jacket, and violently yanked him backward into his seat. "Gai-sensei, sit down! This is not the time for that!" she hissed, rubbing her temples while Neji and Naruto laughed beside her.
Mei leaned her head against Kakashi's shoulder, laughing softly at the ongoing chaos as they looked out at all the smiling faces gathered on the hill.
Before long, the formal setup transitioned into the reception right there on the grassy hill. Tables were filled with food, and the atmosphere relaxed.
Over by one of the main tables, Asuma cracked open a large ceramic jar of sake to pour generous cups for the guests. This wasn't the premium bottle he had just gifted to Kakashi, but an extra one he brought along specifically to share at the reception.
Tsunade took a deep drink, letting out a satisfied sigh before raising her cup toward Kakashi with a grin.
A few feet away, Hiruzen paused mid-conversation, his eyes locking onto the unique markings of the ceramic jar in his son's hands. He squinted, his brow furrowing as a look of sudden realization hit his face. 'Wait a minute... that's my sake!'
Nearby, Naruto and Sasuke stood near the edge of the hill overlooking the bridge, chatting quietly with Haku. Zabuza stood a few paces back, watching the crowd with his arms crossed over his chest. Even Gai had managed to calm down slightly, nursing a small cup of sake while Tenten and Neji kept a watchful eye on him to make sure he didn't try to challenge anyone to a celebratory sparring match.
Mei leaned into Kakashi's side, holding her own small cup of sake as they watched their friends and allies mingling under the clear sky.
*Ding
Kakashi heard the familiar chime, but he chose to ignore it until it started to speak to speak a message to him.
"Congratulations on your marriage. Your life has been an interesting one, and you've made the most of what you've had… though I do suggest you claim some rewards; some in there would be genuinely useful for you and those around you should you choose so, but enough about that, I prepared a wedding gift.
*Ding
As your best friend would say, YOUTH! Youth is something that women strive to maintain with cosmedics, jutsu, and other such methods, so let me help you make you, your wife, and whoever you desire to share it with happy.
Reward/Gift: Wine of Youth
Description: A Special wine made by the Gods that, while tasty, doesn't do anything for them, but for mortals, this can stop and even reverse the aging of any mortal who drinks it. With this drink, anyone who takes a sip will find they'll slowly start to revert or stop aging. WARNING: THIS WILL NOT MAKE ANYONE IMMORTAL, ONLY STOP OR REVERT AGING.
Kakashi read it over and over again, looking at the large bottle in his inventory; it looked like the size of a bottle that Tsunade would pass out, truly a generous gift. While he was thinking about it, Kakashi claimed the rewards that caught his eye, even one that wasn't knowledge of an ability.
*Ding
*Ding
*Ding
Reward: Knowledge of Demon Slayer Breathing Styles (Only the ones used by Demon Slayers; as Michikatsu Tsugikuni was once a demon slayer, Moon Breathing is included. Also, the styles themselves are merely sword forms; elemental effects can only be achieved if one can produce them with chakra.
Reward: Knowledge of Wind Stream Rock Smashing Fist and Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist
Reward: 15 tons of fresh Sea King meat from One Piece. (Please note that this meat will not result in anyone sprouting from a normal or above-average height to the ridiculous heights of the One Piece world, but the meat is more nutritious than anything the Ninja world has discovered.)
As the wave of new knowledge settled into his mind, Kakashi mentally acknowledged the notification windows. The rewards were incredibly useful, and his mind already spun with ideas, but that stuff could wait.
Right now, he was at his own wedding reception.
Kakashi let out a quiet breath, completely pushing the thoughts away as he wrapped his arm around Mei's waist and pulled her closer.
Mei turned her head, her smile softening as her eyes met his. She leaned up slightly, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his cheek before resting her head comfortably against his shoulder.
- Chapter End -
(I put images in chapter comments)