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Dawn light filtered softly over Ajino Takumi in the western district of Konoha.
The restaurant owner, Fujiwara—a sharp, energetic middle-aged man—stood at the entrance with a glowing face, directing several quick-handed employees as they bustled around.
"Hurry, hurry! Get that flagpole steady! A little higher on the left—yes, perfect!" He tilted his head back, voice booming with excitement.
Brand-new congratulatory banners were hoisted into place, lining both sides of the entrance in neat rows. Red backgrounds with bold white characters fluttered proudly in the morning breeze. The largest ones up front read:
"Congratulations: Shinichi Higashino — Winner of the Land of Fire's Number One Culinary Competition!"
"Master Chef Title — Commemorative Honor!"
"Ajino Takumi — Lifetime Honorary Culinary Master!"
At the end of the banner line trailed a smaller string: "Special Offer: 50% Off All Items for Three Days."
"It's not just us!" Fujiwara gestured grandly down the street. "I already coordinated with the neighboring shops—everyone's hanging their banners too! And put flags up at both ends of the street! I want every single person who walks by to know the champion came from our street, from our Ajino Takumi!"
Under his energetic direction, the entire little commercial street quickly transformed. Banners fluttered in long connected rows, turning the block into a festive sea of color. The wind made them snap and ripple, filling the air with a joyful, celebratory vibe.
Passersby stopped to stare, chatting excitedly. Many longtime regulars grinned and offered congratulations to Fujiwara.
Team 10 hadn't even returned from their latest mission yet, but Shinichi Higashino's name was already sweeping through Konoha's streets and alleys once again—this time in a whole new, unexpected way.
That same afternoon, Team 7—fresh from completing another D-rank mission—happened to pass through the decorated street while heading back to the Hokage Building to turn in their report.
"Whoa, what's all this?" Obito Uchiha was the first to notice the sea of banners and the buzzing energy. He craned his neck, eyes locking onto the largest flags outside Ajino Takumi.
He squinted and slowly read aloud: "Congratulations… Shinichi Higashino… Land of Fire's Number One Culinary Competition…"
He trailed off halfway, blinked, then whipped his head toward the ever-cool Kakashi beside him. "Wait—Kakashi! This Master Chef Shinichi Higashino who won the national cooking competition… why does the name match that guy Shinichi exactly?"
Kakashi didn't even bother lifting his eyelids. Hands still in his pockets, he muttered two words: "Idiot."
"What'd you say?! Damn you, Kakashi!" Obito exploded like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, waving his fists.
"It's the same person, Obito," Rin Nohara's gentle voice cut in smoothly, easing the usual squabble before it could escalate. She smiled at him. "Don't you remember? When Shinichi graduated early last year, he threw that big thank-you dinner right here at Ajino Takumi. He invited a ton of people. Fujiwara even gave a speech bragging that Shinichi was the best chef in their restaurant."
"Oh! Right!" Obito slapped his forehead, realization dawning. But his face quickly twisted into even greater disbelief. "B-But that was cooking! A national culinary competition! Shinichi's a shinobi, right? He's already crazy strong—now he enters a cooking contest and wins the whole thing? Master Chef?!"
He stared at the fluttering banners and the lively scene around the restaurant, mouth opening and closing before he finally managed: "That's just cheating at this point!"
Minato Namikaze listened to his students with his trademark warm smile. He glanced at the prominent congratulatory flags, then at the varied expressions on the three genin, and chuckled softly.
"True to form for Shinichi. Not only is he advancing rapidly as a shinobi, but he's reached this level in cooking too—winning the national championship."
He clapped his hands together. "Since Team 7 hasn't had a proper group meal since we formed, why don't we turn in the mission report and then grab dinner here? My treat. It's the perfect chance to celebrate Shinichi's win."
"Woo! Yes! You're the best, Minato-sensei!"
Obito threw both hands up in instant approval, eyes sparkling as he already imagined the food.
"Really? Thank you, Minato-sensei!" Rin smiled brightly, offering a polite bow of thanks.
Both were clearly thrilled, but in the middle of the cheerful atmosphere, Kakashi remained silent. He stood a little apart, hands in his pockets, head slightly lowered, staring at the ground.
"Kakashi?" Minato noticed right away, his voice warm and concerned. "You coming?"
Kakashi stayed quiet for a long moment. Finally, he lifted his head. His gaze swept over the excited Obito and Rin before meeting Minato's gentle blue eyes.
He looked away quickly and shook his head, his voice low and a little muffled.
"No thanks, Minato-sensei. I still have training I need to finish. You guys go ahead."
"What the heck, Kakashi!" Obito immediately protested, stepping right into his face. "Don't be such a downer! Training can wait—Minato-sensei rarely treats us! Shinichi won the championship, it's a big deal! Let's all celebrate together! Stop being so antisocial all the time!"
Rin gently tugged Obito's sleeve to calm him, then looked at Kakashi with quiet concern. "Kakashi, are you sure? You've been training so hard lately… it's okay to relax sometimes."
Minato watched Kakashi quietly. Deep in his blue eyes, a flicker of worry passed.
Training. Training. Always training.
Ever since Kakashi's crushing defeat at Shinichi's hands—when even the White Fang short sword, symbol of his family legacy and his father's honor, had been broken—the boy had changed.
Shinichi's sharp, piercing words and the sound of that broken blade had apparently struck something deep. They'd cracked the shell Kakashi had built around himself, the one where he hid behind cold rules and tried to bury the shadow of his father's death.
But when the old obsession was forcibly pried open, a new one—fiercer, more single-minded—had rushed in to fill the void: Get stronger.
No matter what. Get stronger at all costs.
As Team 7's jonin instructor, Minato had seen everything clearly over the past month.
Kakashi still performed missions with flawless efficiency and calm. But the moment there was even a minute of downtime between assignments, he'd throw himself into brutal physical conditioning, chakra control drills, or sword practice—like a machine wound too tight, never stopping.
It was a near-obsessive, almost self-punishing drive. As if he were trying to drown out some massive emptiness inside—carved open by Shinichi's words and the sound of that broken blade—with sheer physical exhaustion and rapid skill growth.