Kakashi's Unexpected Love

The Stall Granny

A Stroll Through the Village

Two and a half years had passed since Naruto left the village for training with Jiraiya. Life in Konoha had changed, but some things remained the same. One of those constants was the unlikely yet unshakable friendship between Kakashi Hatake and Ino Yamanaka.

It was a rare day off for both of them, and they decided to take a casual stroll through the village, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

"Hey, why don't we get something to eat?" Ino suggested, stretching her arms above her head as she walked beside Kakashi.

"Great idea. How about takoyaki?" Kakashi offered, hands in his pockets.

"And cherry tomato pudding!" Ino added enthusiastically, her eyes practically sparkling.

Kakashi sighed, shaking his head. "I should've known. You and that weird pudding obsession..."

"Excuse me?" Ino gasped, placing her hands on her hips. "It's not weird. It's divine."

"Right, right," Kakashi muttered, sweatdropping. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Ino-chan."

They made their way to a familiar takoyaki stand first, ordering a bento full of steaming, golden-brown takoyaki to share. Then, as expected, Ino dragged him toward the pudding stall she frequented.

As soon as they arrived, the elderly woman running the stall greeted them warmly.

"Ah, Ino-chan! Here for the usual?" the old woman asked, smiling kindly before glancing at Kakashi with a peculiar look.

"Yup!" Ino chirped, oblivious to the way the woman was scrutinizing her companion.

The old woman hummed as she began preparing the pudding, then suddenly asked, "Say, Ino-chan, are you involved in an arranged marriage or the Clan Restoration Act?"

The unexpected question made both Ino and Kakashi freeze mid-motion.

"W-What?!" Ino stammered.

Kakashi, who had just been lazily watching the transaction, nearly choked on air. "E-Excuse me?!"

The old woman gave them a knowing look, then shrugged. "Well, you two just seem to have that kind of relationship—despite the age gap."

Heat immediately rushed to their faces.

"N-No!" Ino quickly denied, waving her hands. "We're just best friends, right, Kakashi?"

"Yup," Kakashi confirmed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

The old woman didn't look convinced, but she handed Ino the pudding and chuckled softly. "Alright, alright. Enjoy your date—ah, I mean, your friendly outing."

"We're leaving!" Ino squeaked, grabbing Kakashi's wrist and dragging him away from the stall at full speed.

Once they reached a quiet, secluded field, they finally stopped to eat.

"That was awkward," Ino groaned, shoving a spoonful of pudding into her mouth.

"You're telling me," Kakashi muttered, still processing what had just happened.

They sat side by side, eating and chatting, when Ino suddenly smirked.

"You know, that whole situation reminded me of a certain mission I had with Naruto."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Do tell."

Ino chuckled, setting down her pudding. "It was a bizarre mission. I had to impersonate a noblewoman because the real girl—who was supposed to get married—lost her confidence after gaining weight." She rolled her eyes. "She was actually really sweet, but the guy she was engaged to was a self-absorbed rich man who thought he was so handsome."

Kakashi smirked behind his mask. "Sounds like a wonderful match."

"Right? Anyway, long story short, there was some chaos, Naruto caused a disaster—because of course he did—and somehow, despite everything, they still got married. So, I guess it worked out."

Kakashi chuckled. "Naruto always manages to turn things into a mess."

Ino sighed, suddenly looking exasperated. "And speaking of messes, did I ever tell you how I accidentally touched Naruto's urine?"

Kakashi froze mid-bite. "Excuse me?"

"It wasn't on purpose!" Ino huffed, crossing her arms. "I thought it was raining, okay? But no, it was Naruto running across the rooftops, peeing while being chased!"

Kakashi dropped his chopsticks. "I—I don't even know what to say to that."

"I nearly murdered him," Ino grumbled. "Honestly, that idiot..."

Kakashi sighed in sympathy. "And yet, Konoha would be so dull without him."

"True," Ino admitted, shaking her head.

A comfortable silence fell between them as they continued eating. Then, Ino glanced at Kakashi with a teasing smile.

"You know, if that incident hadn't happened, that noble guy might have kissed me."

Kakashi, without realizing it, breathed out a sigh of relief.

Ino caught it immediately. "Oh? What's this? The Kakashi Hatake is relieved that I didn't get kissed by someone else?"

"E-Eh?!" Kakashi stammered. "Of course not! I just—I mean—uh, I wouldn't want you to be kissed against your will!"

"Mmmhmm," Ino hummed suspiciously.

Kakashi looked away, flustered. "Shut up, Ino-chan."

She giggled but let it go, instead leaning back on her hands and looking up at the sky.

"So," Kakashi said, trying to change the topic, "have you had your first kiss yet?"

Ino smirked. "Yup."

Kakashi blinked. "...Eh?"

"Shikamaru," she admitted with a laugh. "We were ten. It was an accident. We were pretending to be a couple for a game, but then the log we were sitting on broke, and we fell. Our lips just... collided."

Kakashi snorted. "That sounds painful."

"It was painful," Ino confirmed, rubbing her chin at the memory.

"So... how about you?" she asked.

Kakashi hesitated, then sighed. "It was also an accident. During a mission."

"With your mask on?"

"Of course," Kakashi deadpanned. "I only plan to kiss someone without my mask if they're my bride."

Ino gasped dramatically. "Oh, wow! What a lucky girl she'll be."

Kakashi smirked. "Right? What a lucky girl indeed."

She rolled her eyes, and they both laughed.

As the sun began setting, they sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the moment.

Neither of them said it aloud, but they both knew—life in Konoha wouldn't be the same without each other.

And that was just fine.