“W-well, because the day after tomorrow is…” Shikamaru looked away. His cheeks were turning a deep crimson.
Kakashi curiously tilted his head at him, waiting for the rest.
“…I have a date.”
“Pfff!” Kakashi snorted in sudden laughter.
Shikamaru glared at him.
“To think that you’d turn down a mission to go on a date is surprising,” Kakashi chuckled, “But sure, you have my permission! Go on your date.”
“Thank you.”
Kakashi leaned back, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. “Spring has come for you, Shikamaru.” He said, nodding repeatedly. “Yup, yup.”
Fine, I gave up on my dream to have an average life.
But for goodness sake, at least let me enjoy this comforting part of my life in peace.
“Then, I’ll be going.” Shikamaru swiftly turned his back to Kakashi, stepping forward to head towards the exit.
“Shikamaru.” Kakashi called out to make him stop. He had stood to get on his feet now. “I feel like if I ask the current you, then you’ll understand more than you did last time. Do you mind if I ask you one more time? What do you think it means to be an adult?”
Shikamaru looked up at the ceiling for a while, gathering his thoughts. An answer appeared in his mind, and he opened his mouth to share it with full honesty.
“Giving up on one thing, and finding something else that’s even better, more valuable…” Shikamaru said. “It’s that kind of feeling, isn’t it? Though I might not understand it all that well.”
“Giving something up, and finding something more valuable, huh?” Kakashi echoed.
“Well, while there are people like Naruto who never give up on their life-goals and always work towards them from their childhood onwards, most guys usually give up on a goal because it turns out it can’t be done.” Shikamaru said. “But they keep living on, and, in the end, they find something that’s even more valuable, and live working towards that goal instead. Or at least, that’s what I think.”
“I see…” Kakashi closed his eyes again, crossing his arms.
“Well then, I’ll be off.” Shikamaru said, turning around and heading out. He was too embarrassed to stay there any longer.
He was just shutting the door behind him, when Kakashi’s cheerful voice rang out one more time.
“I hope you enjoy yourself, Shikamaru.”
Although he knew Kakashi wouldn’t hear him, Shikamaru replied anyway.
“Thank you very much.”
Everyone kept living their lives, and time passed slowly and steadily, like a stream…
He looks a lot like me, doesn’t he?
Our son had only just been born, but he was crying like he’d already seen through everything the world had to offer.
“It’s alright.” I told him. ”One day, you’re going to realise you don’t know everything as well as you think. And when that time comes, you’ll have definitely made comrades who will walk side by side with you.”
The baby couldn’t have understood a word, but he still stared up at me with wide eyes. Those eyes of his looked just like his mother’s, all long slit and almond shaped.
“I really can’t say anything’s troublesome from now on, huh…” I said.
“You can say it a little.” Temari told me. “If it ever looks like you’re getting so bad that you’ll stop functioning, then I’ll intervene and send you flying back to your senses again. So, it’s okay.”
“Aa, you’re right. Then…”
What are we going to name him?
“How troublesome.”