"Not going to sleep, Kakashi-senpai?" Kamizuki Hikari pulled out a futon from the closet, glancing curiously at Kakashi.
Kakashi remained expressionless.
He had, in fact, been planning to head back to sleep. But when Hikari mentioned that Tsunade-sama was considering introducing Shizune to himâalong with the news of a new bookâKakashi felt like he could go without sleep for three days straight.
"Hey, Hikari, about that new book... I think itâs worth discussing your ideas. As a long-time reader, Iâve got some insights!"
"The bookâs already taking shape in my mind, so thereâs no rush on that." Hikari said, laying out the futon before plopping down on it. "But regarding Shizune, Tsunade-sama has brought it up several times and still hasnât made a decision."
"Why not?" Kakashi tilted his head slightly.
Tsunade was the Hokage. This wasnât some outrageous requestâwhy hesitate?
As for Kakashi himself, he wasnât entirely sure how he felt.
If asked whether he wanted to get married, he did sometimes feel lonely living alone.
But if asked what kind of woman he wanted, he had no idea.
Still, when Hikari mentioned Tsunade considering Shizune for him, Kakashiâs heart had raced uncontrollablyâand even now, it hadnât fully settled.
"Itâs because youâre too outstanding, Kakashi-senpai. Tsunade-sama is worried that if she brings it up and you refuse, itâll make things awkward for both you and Shizune. Right now, you two are her most trusted aides. She doesnât want to put you in an uncomfortable position over something like this."
âSo... Iâm that important to Tsunade-sama?â
As a loyal shinobi of Konoha, who wouldnât want to be the Hokageâs right-hand man?
The Hokage was the true authority in the village. With their trust, many problems could be resolved effortlessly. Take Hikari, for exampleâa guy who wasnât even a Special JÅnin, yet thanks to Tsunadeâs favor, he could come and go freely in the Hokageâs office.
Sure, some people gossiped behind his back, but most of it was just envy and jealousy.
"Well... personally, Iâm inclined to follow the leadershipâs arrangements!" Kakashi said with a noble and righteous look.
What a shameless thing to say with a straight face.
As a single man, the loneliness of late nights often weighed on him. Over time, saying Kakashi never thought about marriage would be a blatant lie.
If Rin and Obito from his team had survived, Kakashi wouldâve been married by nowâeven if the bride wasnât Rin, it wouldâve been someone else.
But fate had cursed him.
He lost his father early, then his teammates. Just when his sensei became Hokage and he thought he might finally catch a break, Minato and Kushina both perished.
When the Third took over, Kakashi sealed off his heart for self-preservation. Apart from Maito Gai, he trusted no one.
"If youâre sure, Iâll mention it to Tsunade-sama later so she can make arrangements." Hikari casually spread out a cushion, kicked off his shoes, and rolled onto it.
"Ahhh, nothing beats a futon. Hey, Kakashi, mind if I crash here for a few more days?"
Kakashi stared at him.
This guy changes topics way too fast.
"Why not stay at an inn?" Kakashi asked, genuinely curious.
From what he knew of Kamizuki Hikari, aside from treating people to meals, the guy barely spent money. Given that, his book royalties mustâve been astronomicalâat least by Kakashiâs standards.
With that much cash and no desire to enjoy it, Kakashi was convinced Hikari had a screw loose.
"Staying at an inn just doesnât feel right. Besides, Iâm a man of integrity. Too many shady people go in and out of inns. What if someone starts rumors that I go there to look for women? That would destroy my glorious image!"
Kakashi gave him a once-over, baffled by his self-perception.
Glorious image?
A guy who wrote those kinds of books would face far worse backlash if exposed than someone who visited pleasure houses.
The latter was just a matter of failing to control oneâs urgesâmutual consent, no harm done.
But the former? Profiting off that kind of writing, while not illegal in the shinobi world, was considered morally corrupt by many.
Take a certain Toad Sage, for exampleâa lost cause since childhood, peeping into womenâs baths, only to grow worse with age. His chances of ever winning over his goddess were now nonexistent.
As for why Kakashi was so popular? Simpleâstrict self-discipline. He never set foot in questionable establishments. Years of this had earned him the title of Konohaâs Most Desirable Bachelor.
"Honestly, the women there have been weathered by time. I feel like Iâd be paying for disappointment. Might as well marry a pretty, honest woman instead." Under Kakashiâs silent gaze, Hikari finally spoke the truth.
The moment those words left his mouth, Kakashiâs eyes changed.
It was the look of finding a kindred spirit.
A true comrade!
"So, Hikari, whatâs your type? If I know anyone who fits, I could introduce you." As he spoke, Kakashi mentally ran through the single women he knew.
Uzuki Yugao was one. Then there was YÅ«hi Kurenai, Mitarashi Anko, Ayame... Wait, his social circle really was small.
"Donât bother. I plan to stay single for a couple more years. Once I hit your age, Iâll find a nice, pretty woman to settle down with."
Kakashi scratched his head. Hikariâs words felt pointed, but upon reflection, they seemed harmless.
"Fine, suit yourself. Letâs talk about your book instead!"
"So, Hikari, what are you writing next? A Hospital Story sequel? Or a spin-off to Sneaky Father? Maybe a sequel to Autumn âHeatâ?"
"If I tell you, itâll ruin the surprise. Thatâs no good!" Hikari dodged the question.
He definitely couldnât admit that he was planning to write The White-Horse Shinobi Chronicles.
If Kakashi found out the protagonist was a masked shinobi riding a white horse, heâd immediately connect the dots. There was a real risk that Kakashi might awaken the Rinnegan and seal him with Chibaku Tensei, sending him to the moon to keep Kaguya company.
"Good point... but now Iâm even more curious!" Kakashi thought of the novels heâd reread countless times. Claiming he could recite them backward would be an exaggeration, but he could predict every scene just from the opening lines.
The more he read them, the less excitement they held.
Now, Kakashi desperately needed a new book to reignite his passionâsomething thatâd leave him restless, burning with energy, unable to sleep all night.
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Read 40+ advanced Chapters on my P@treon.
/KakuzuTL