Ichiro—who was Yakushi Kabuto—came out of the orphanage, holding Naraku's and Kakashi's hands, one on each side, preparing to meet his parents.
Naraku, with his free hand, held a skewer of three-colored dango, giving one to Kakashi and one to Ichiro, before finally biting into the last one himself.
Kakashi looked at his puffed-up cheeks as he chewed the dango, his heart melting completely.
-- Even though it was his favorite sweet, he still gave it to the children without hesitation.
-- There's just no helping this idiot Naraku.
-- I'll buy him another one later to make up for it.
Naraku, meanwhile, was pondering how to cure Ichiro's amnesia, completely oblivious to the tender gaze Kakashi was directing at him.
Hurrying along, the three of them arrived back at Granny Ame's sweets shop just before dinner.
"Papa! Mama!"
The moment he saw his parents, the connection of blood and soul made Ichiro remember them, and he tearfully rushed into his papa's and mama's arms.
"Ichiro!?"
"Oh my goodness...! My Ichiro!"
The family, reunited after a long separation, embraced and cried loudly, oblivious to their surroundings.
Naraku pursed his lips and subtly lowered his gaze.
-- It turns out... no complex Medical Ninjutsu was needed at all.
-- Love itself is a miracle that can heal people.
He let out a long sigh of relief, about to quietly turn and leave, when he realized his hand was being firmly held by Kakashi.
The boy's warm body temperature radiated from their clasped hands into his palm, tightly connecting to his pulse, beating in unison with his heart.
Feeling his ear tips getting a little warm, Naraku cautiously wiggled their joined hands: "Kakashi...?"
"Hm?" Kakashi was completely unaware of anything amiss, "What's wrong?"
This self-assured response completely stumped Naraku: "N-nothing..."
"Then let's buy another serving of dango and go home."
"...Okay."
The reunited parents absolutely refused to accept payment, insisting on using their day's wages to pay for Naraku and Kakashi.
Unable to argue further, Naraku accepted their kindness and carried the even larger quantity of steaming dango home.
After greeting Mikoto and sharing some sweets with Little Itachi, the two hurried off to Sister Kana's house for a dinner party, celebrating Minato's election.
Seated around the spacious dining table, Kana drank iced beer, enthusiastically recounting Kushina's and Minato's wedding plans.
Caught up in the excitement, she blurted out under the influence of alcohol, "Arashi and I will do the same—"
Arashi's face flushed, and he quickly tugged her arm: "Alright, alright, Kana, have something to eat."
The little person inside Naraku rolled his eyes: 'Girls grow up and can't be kept, already thinking about marrying him.'
Too lazy to watch the lovey-dovey couple, he turned to lean closer to Kakashi, to soothe his injured little heart, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other boy huddled with Rin, discussing something.
-- Fine.
Naraku gloomily ate large mouthfuls of grilled meat, feeling a bit choked, and casually drank the entire glass of iced drink beside him.
As he swallowed the last sip of the drink, Naraku vaguely tasted a hint of bitterness, but he didn't pay it any mind, continuing his battle with the grilled beef brisket on the table.
After Kakashi and Rin finished their whispers, a faint, indiscernible joy twinkled in his eyes.
But when he looked at Naraku, the abnormal flush on the latter's face almost made him jump.
"Naraku!"
"Hmm...?"
Naraku looked up at Kakashi dazedly, still with unchewed beef in his mouth.
"What's wrong...?"
"Idiot! Did you drink the wrong thing!"
Kakashi picked up the empty bottle and turned it to the front, and sure enough, found the alcohol content near the bottom.
"Eh, isn't this the fruity beer I bought? How did it get here... I heard this one is quite strong, you know."
Kana worriedly touched Naraku's forehead, and after confirming he was just a little hazy, told Kakashi to quickly take him home to rest.
"He might have a headache, Kakashi, remember to make Naraku something to sober him up tomorrow morning."
"Yes, I understand. Thank you, Sister Kana."
Kakashi carried Naraku on his back and left Sister Kana's place first, walking step by step towards home under the bright, clear Gekko.
Thinking of the blunder that had just occurred, he couldn't help but grumble at his thoughtless close friend.
"I swear, you're hopeless, you idiot Naraku... Can't you even tell it's alcohol...? And you're already a Jonin..."
Naraku, tipsy, couldn't hear the nagging, obediently resting on Kakashi's shoulder, his eyes narrowed in a doze.
Every now and then, he would hum and whimper, rubbing his forehead against the other boy's ear, his soft black long hair getting all disheveled.
Kakashi's face flushed at this seemingly spoiled gesture, even feeling as if he, too, had been drinking, and he tightened his arm: "Alright, stop moving."
Just then, a cool breeze swept by, and Naraku shivered, instinctively hugging the large source of warmth in front of him, softly murmuring the name of the person he cared about.
"Hmm... Kakashi..."
As he spoke, warm breaths brushed against Kakashi's collarbone and neck, carrying a faint, subtle fruity scent.
The soft whispers by his ear were like feathers brushing past, light and gentle, stirring the boy's restless heart.
Kakashi felt his head spinning a little, the ground beneath his feet seemed to turn as soft as cotton, impossible to step on firmly.
-- Strange, I'm not under Genjutsu... He slowed his pace, jiggled Naraku higher on his back, and walked even more cautiously, afraid he might accidentally stumble and drop the person on his back.
After being exposed to the cold wind for a while on the road, Naraku gradually sobered up a bit, struggling to open his hazy eyes, taking several seconds to understand who the person carrying him was.
-- It's Kakashi...-- My most important... Kakashi...
He straightened his back to support his body, tilting his head to press his flushed cheek against the other boy's cool white hair.
"Kakashi..."
Naraku called Kakashi's name, again and again, as if persistently confirming that the other boy was still by his side.
And with each call, he received Kakashi's patient response.
"Kakashi!"
"Hm, what is it?"
"Kakashi..."
"I'm here."
"Ka...kashi..."
"...Idiot."
...The two called and answered each other all the way home.
By the time they arrived home, Naraku had long since fallen asleep on Kakashi's shoulder, and who knows what he was dreaming of, his expression showing ease and comfort.
After laying the idiot on his back comfortably on the bed, Kakashi found a warm, damp towel to wipe his face, his thoughts involuntarily drifting back to the dining table.
"You ask me how I see Naraku?"
At the time, Rin considered for a moment, looking at him with a teasing expression, and smiled.
"Of course, he's the most important..."
"...comrade."
"What else could he be?"
Kakashi couldn't help but grin foolishly.
Though he didn't understand why his heart felt so happy the moment he heard Rin only considered Naraku a friend...