Naruto sat in ichiraku, a patch on his cheek and a bandage around his head.
He gazed upon the full bowl of ramen, he didn't seem exactly hungry. Proding his food.
His gaze was quite cold... he wasn't pleased at all... seemed even a bit depressed...
Not that one could blame the boy.
He was unaware who his parents are.
He was hated by most of the village thanks to the tailed beast sealed inside him.
His 'grandpa,' the sandaime hokage has died and so did 4 people that he in the near future might have called friends.
And the only being on this planet that he might have been able to call a friend has abandoned the village...
Quite unfortunate really.
Not that Kakashi that sat next to the boy seemed to care about the recent event, and eye smile present.
"You don't seem that hungry, naruto?"
The voice made naruto flinch, freeze and than his neck snapped, twisting to gaze upon his sensei in utter surprise...
"Sensei...? When did you...?"
"Don't worry about it."
Kakashi looked at the bowl of ramen before naruto, the broth was already cold and naruto didn't even start.
Pulling out some money, putting it on the table next to naruto's bowl before telling his cute student to come along!
Naruto looked at Kakashi in surprise, what did Kakashi sensei even want...
He didn't need to be comforted... and Kakashi didn't seem like a person that would offer it or maybe he was?
Naruto stood up from the stool lazily and fell in step with Kakashi...
They walked, no-where to in particular.
Kakashi reading his book and naruto looking around and feeling the cold evening breeze.
The wind that carried leaves throughput the village blew through his hair...
The sun partly setting at the horizon where he looked at... the beautiful light that it gave off, glowing on his face.
A smile on his face... a sad but real smile.
He gazed at the horizon and lingered for a second, "Kakashi sensei... is all of it supposed to feel so hollow, so utterly hollow?"
Kakashi stopped a few places ahead, and smiled looking back...
"Yes... that's the feeling that all shinobi have to endure, one of many. You forsure will feel many of them... you already felt many and endured them all."
Naruto's gaze fell to the ground, he whispered to himself, "shinobi is one that endures."
Kakashi nodded, "if you want some help with training or something else come to me, jiraya is currently quite busy. And i feel quite bad for how i rejected and failed to train and prepare you for your fight with neji and seeing that sakura has a teacher right now and you don't..."
Naruto's lips rolled up into a smile, his eyes wattered turning glassy, "thanks, Kakashi sensei!"