Leaving the bustling streets of Tanzaku Town behind, Kakashi slid open the door to a quiet little restaurant, leading Mei inside.
Turning around as the two entered his restaurant, the old man behind the counter wiped his hands on his apron. He didn't look up properly, simply giving the new arrivals a standard, gruff greeting as he walked over to the counter. "Welcome. What will you two be having?"
Mei looked to Kakashi. Kakashi ordered two skewers of dango; they weren't exactly hungry after a huge Sea King steak.
"Coming right up."
The old man turned to grab the food, completely caught up in the mechanical motions of serving customers. He passed the skewers over without really looking up, completely missing the silver hair of the man standing in front of him.
As the old man started to walk away, Kakashi called out.
"Wait, I didn't get your name last time."
The old man paused and turned back, a soft smile completely replacing his rough expression as he finally took a proper look. The recognition hit him instantly, remembering the silver-haired ninja who had stopped by with those two boys not long ago. It had been a while since anyone wanted to converse with him, and he certainly hadn't expected to be remembered.
"Ah, good to have you back, young man," the vendor said, his voice turning warm as his eyes drifted to Mei. "And this must be the wife. The name's Taizo."
Mei and Kakashi shook his hand, Taizo getting a better look at the two with a confused expression, especially at Kakashi.
"You wouldn't happen to be…. no, sorry, I was thinking about someone else."
"Does his name happen to be Sakumo Hatake?"
Taizo went completely still, wondering if the young man in front of him had one of those rare bloodline limits. "Yes. I met a man who looked similar to you once before; he was a good man, helped me deal with a few drunks who came in here after the bars kicked them out." Taizo looked like he was ready to pop a blood vessel just thinking about the rowdy customers before he sighed and looked to Kakashi again. "You don't happen to be related to that man, right?"
Kakashi chuckled, feeling a breath of fresh air. People usually recognized him at a single glance, whether they were ninja, samurai, or even civilians. "Yes, I am related to him; he's my father."
Taizo went bug-eyed before cackling the way only an old man can, coughing harshly and waving Kakashi off when the younger man stood up to try and help. "It's fine, I'm just an old man, nothing to be worried about. I still have some time left in me, too stubborn to die just yet."
Taizo looked at Kakashi and nodded. The hair, the face, the sword- it was the same kindness. "Maybe things do happen for a reason. I kept up to date with your father… I'm sorry about what happened; he was a good man, truly."
"I appreciate your words, but I've long since made peace with his death, and I know why he chose the path he did. I believe he's at peace as well." Kakashi knew for a fact that his father was at peace, but explaining to an old man that he had actually met his resurrected father likely wouldn't be good for his health to hear. Even if Taizo treated it like a joke, the old vendor would probably perceive it as a prank in very poor taste.
Taizo nodded before looking back at Mei with certainty in his eyes this time.
"And you must be the Mizukage, right? It's an honor to have you in this little shop of mine."
Taizo went to bow, but Mei stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, not wanting the man to hurt his back.
Kakashi, on the side, felt the scene was more amusing now.
'Didn't recognize me, but recognized someone from another country, from a village that was all but on lockdown for years. This is certainly a first.'
Mei was oblivious to Kakashi's amusement, and honestly, she was a little amused too; Kakashi is worldwide recognized, and for someone from the Land of Fire not to know him at least was rare.
"Please, don't think much about it; I'm just here with my husband on our honeymoon."
Taizo nodded, giving Kakashi a not-so-subtle thumbs-up before leaving them both to the skewers of dango.
Kakashi and Mei quietly enjoyed the skewers of dango at their table. The sweet treat was the perfect follow-up to their heavy meal, and the calm atmosphere of the little restaurant gave them a nice moment of peace away from the bustling streets outside.
Once they finished, they quietly stood up to leave while Taizo was occupied in the back of the kitchen. Kakashi reached into his pouch and slid a heavy stack of Ryō bills underneath his empty plate. It was a massive tip, far more than the cost of two simple skewers, but he knew his father would have approved of helping out the old vendor who still held onto his memory.
With a final glance toward the kitchen, Kakashi slid the door open, leading Mei back out into the warm afternoon air of Tanzaku Town.
"That was sweet of you." Mei hooked her left arm in his right one as they walked down the street.
"I felt it was appropriate. That man likely wouldn't retire, or I'd have left enough for that." Kakashi shrugged. The man gave off the impression that he'd die in his sleep or standing up, both of which he could respect.
"Well, anything else we should check?"
Kakashi thought about it before nodding and leading her through the busy streets and down the small alley to Shiori's place. The bell above the door rang, and Shiori walked around the corner before lighting up in recognition at the man on the other side of her counter.
"Oh, if it isn't the newly married man, and I'm guessing this is your…" Shiori, unlike Taizo, was more in tune with the world, recognizing Mei immediately. She had recognized Kakashi the first time too, but was too into her 'fashion' mode to properly react back then.
"Wife, yes." Mei helped the girl finish before continuing. "You're the one who helped my husband with his suit; it's nice to meet you."
Mei held out her hand, and Shiori lightly shook it, not wanting to come off as rude.
"I must know," Shiori said, her eyes twinkling as she leaned against the counter. "How did the suit hold up? I worked down to the wire on those custom alterations. Did he look as sharp at the altar as I think he did?"
Mei let out a soft laugh, shifting her weight as she smiled warmly at the designer. "He looked absolutely perfect. Your work is incredible, Shiori. He looked so incredibly handsome in it. Honestly, it made me think about getting him a few more custom suits in the future, though maybe just for my eyes only."
Kakashi blinked, a faint blush hitting his cheeks, though he kept his expression calm.
"Oh, I like the way you think!" Shiori teased, waving her hand playfully before turning her full attention to Mei. Her creative instincts visibly started to spark as she looked over Mei's stature and natural posture. "You know, I've been sketching out a few concepts for structural, high-collar casual wear that would look phenomenal on someone with your presence. The tailoring world completely ignores power silhouettes for women these days."
Mei blinked, an interested gleam instantly overtaking her expression. Shiori's sudden burst of artistic passion was infectious, and it completely erased any lingering formality between them. "Really? Honestly, I've been looking to update my wardrobe outside of my standard office attire. Everything back home feels a bit too rigid. What kind of fabrics are you working with?"
"Oh, you have no idea," Shiori said, her face lighting up with pure excitement. "Come over here to the workspace. I just got a shipment of premium woven silks that hold a sharp line without sacrificing movement. Let me show you."
Shiori gestured eagerly toward the back of the boutique, and Mei followed. Kakashi watched them walk over to the racks, letting out a quiet, amused sigh as he realized he was going to be leaning against the wall for a very long time.
- Chapter End -
So, I decided to post again today. I don't know why; motivated Ig, hope you enjoy because this won't be the last one.