The news of the Uchiha Clan's mysterious disappearance, without a doubt, swept through every corner of the entire village, becoming the focus of heated discussion in every alley.
After all, such a large clan vanishing into thin air was a secret that could not be easily concealed.
Hiruzen Sarutobi held his pipe, his face grim as he scrutinized the mountain of intelligence piled on his desk, with the words "insufficient intelligence" frequently catching his eye.
It wasn't until he inexplicably delved into the Ninja Academy's attendance records that a detail caught his attention.
On the day the Uchiha Clan disappeared, only Shiratori Chizhao had taken sick leave.
Was there a connection between these two events?
His intuition as Hokage told him that this child possessed special abilities and was by no means as simple as she appeared on the surface.
Moreover, with the disappearance of the Uchiha Clan, the potential coup crisis also seemed to vanish into thin air.
What appeared to others as a potential threat to Konoha was, in fact, an indirect salvation of Konoha's peace.
Hiruzen gently rubbed his temples, organizing and filing the documents on his desk one by one when, inadvertently, a photograph slipped from a drawer's crevice.
He picked up the photo, his gaze fixed on the child's face.
Shiratori Chizhao?
.........
A few days after the Uchiha Clan incident, the villagers' initial panic gradually subsided.
However, this incident still often became the focus of their discussions after meals, an indispensable topic at their dinner tables.
"I heard the Uchiha's divine disappearance was because they angered the Shinigami!"
"Don't talk nonsense, the higher-ups have strictly forbidden discussing this..."
"Oh, come on, if you think about it, the Uchiha's powerful Sharingan is nourished by pain; maybe that's why they brought about such a tragedy..."
On this sweltering summer day, Chizhao hurried along the sparsely populated streets, occasionally catching fragments of conversations about the Uchiha Clan, but she didn't pay much attention.
Instead, she purposefully stood at a stall piled high with watermelons.
She gazed happily at the round, tempting watermelons, a dry, burning flame seemingly raging in her throat, desperately needing a bite of sweet, delicious watermelon to quench the heat.
"Hello, Auntie! Please cut me a slice of watermelon!"
"Alright! Coming right up."
The stall owner put down her fan and enthusiastically stepped forward, carefully selecting a watermelon and tapping it; the crisp sound only heightened Chizhao's anticipation.
With a swift cut, the owner's knife revealed a vibrant, juicy red flesh, making one's mouth water.
What puzzled Chizhao was that, amidst her busy work, the owner's eyes occasionally darted forward, her face showing a wary expression, as if she was guarding against something.
"Little sister, do you know that person? I noticed he seems to have been following you since you arrived."
"Huh?"
Hearing this, a hint of doubt arose in Chizhao's heart, and she followed the owner's gaze.
She saw a white-haired young man, dressed in a black short-sleeved jumpsuit, his face hidden beneath his clothing, wearing a Konoha headband askew, standing silently in the shade of a tree.
He held a book titled "make-out paradise" tightly in his hand, his eyes fixed on it, appearing somewhat suspicious in the hot weather.
This, this, this.....
Isn't this Kakashi Hatake?
Is he following me?
Chizhao took a deep breath, her lips pressed together, and slowly turned around, a complex emotion in her eyes.
"In this hot weather, dressed like that, he clearly isn't a good person..."
The owner grumbled indignantly while cutting the watermelon, her cuts growing heavier each time.
"How about you stay here for a bit, and I'll go find someone from the ANBU to arrest him for you."
"No... no need, Auntie, he... he's an older brother I know..."
Hearing this, the owner's movements paused for a moment, a hint of embarrassment crossing her face.
"Oh... is that so? Then it was a misunderstanding, I'm sorry..."
Under the scorching sun, even standing in the shade of a tree offered no protection from the fierce sunlight.
Kakashi Hatake's dead-fish eyes looked even more lifeless now; he felt as if the words before him were starting to blur.
If he hadn't taken on this surveillance mission, he would probably be happily lying in his room, fast asleep.
He looked up at the sky, his heart filled with helplessness, his thoughts drifting back to the Hokage's office two days prior.
When summoned to the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage handed him a photograph; the girl in the picture left him momentarily perplexed.
Just as he was wondering, Hiruzen spoke first:
"This girl was previously under Uchiha Shisui's surveillance; now that he has sacrificed himself, you will temporarily take over this mission..."
He looked up at the mottled leaves above his head, sighing inwardly.
This season is truly tormenting.
"You must be very hot, please have this watermelon!"
"Eh?"
A sudden voice interrupted his thoughts.
Looking down, he saw that, at some point, his surveillance target had quietly appeared before him, holding a bright red slice of watermelon, looking innocent and even more radiant under the scorching sun.
Kakashi slowly lowered the hand holding the book, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible laziness.
"Thank you, but I don't need it..."
"You've been following me, right? That auntie across the street has been watching. I told her you're an older brother I know, and if you don't accept my watermelon, she's going to have you arrested by the ANBU."
He looked up at the owner of the shop and indeed saw her wary expression, which gave him a headache.
I'm not a suspicious person...
Chizhao's expectant eyes sparkled as she held the watermelon, a dark, mischievous grin secretly forming in her mind.
How about it? You'll definitely eat this watermelon, right?
You'll definitely pull down your mask, right?
As long as I see your true face, I can brag about it to Naruto and the others for the rest of my life, heh heh heh!
"Then... I won't be polite..."
Putting away his pervy book, Kakashi took the perfectly cut slice of watermelon from Chizhao's hand.
His long index finger gently rested on the bridge of his nose, slowly sliding down, revealing an unintentional elegance.
So close, so close!
"Huh?!"
His movement suddenly paused, a flicker of doubt and surprise in his eyes, his gaze involuntarily darting forward.
Affected, Chizhao also turned her head curiously, seeing only an empty space ahead.
Only when the shimmering heat waves on the ground continuously rolled did her pupils contract, and she instantly realized.
Oh no! I've been tricked!
"Thanks for the treat! This watermelon is really sweet!"
Kakashi, holding the completely eaten watermelon rind, his eyes curved into crescents, enthusiastically greeted the owner across the street.
And that owner, her attitude completely changed, held her face with a lovesick expression, shyly fidgeting.
Damn it!!
I didn't even see it from this close!!
Your speed at eating watermelon is too insane!!
So frustrating!!
"Here! Please have another one!"
The girl in front of him tilted her head, the shimmering light dancing in her eyes, like the rippling surface of a summer lake.
Kakashi bent down, a hint of a smile in his eyes as he gazed at her:
"You didn't come all this way just to treat me to watermelon, did you? Aren't you worried that I might be a bad person?"
Seeing that he didn't reach out to take it, she dejectedly pulled back the hand holding the watermelon and took a big bite.
The sweet juice instantly moisturized her parched throat, bringing an indescribable freshness and satisfaction.
Then, with an innocent tone, she looked at him:
"I've already treated you to watermelon, are you sure you still want to hurt me?"
Hearing Kakashi throw the question back at him, he smiled helplessly.
He hadn't expected this girl to be so mischievous, truly different from those easily fooled children.
"Alright then, to repay your kindness for the watermelon, where do you live? I'll walk you home."
After taking you home, I can also get off work.
Finishing her watermelon, Chizhao casually took the watermelon rind from Kakashi's hand and tossed it into a nearby trash can, her movements swift and natural.
"You're really acting like a bad person now; you want to walk me home without even knowing my name?"
Although both of them knew each other's identities, it was officially their first meeting, so the introductions couldn't be skipped.
"My name is Shiratori Chizhao, what about you?"
"Kakashi Hatake."
Hearing that name, Chizhao wasn't surprised. She carried the remaining watermelon.
Stepping out of the tree's shade, a cunning smile played on her lips.
"Then I'll trouble you to walk me home, Kakashi Watermelon Big Brother."
Her voice was clear and melodious, with a hint of playfulness.
"Alright, it's on my way anyway... Wait, what... what did you just call me?"
Unsure if he had misheard, Kakashi, with one dead-fish eye, looked at the vibrant girl under the sun, exuding an aura of exhaustion completely opposite to hers.
"Didn't you say you wanted to repay my kindness for the watermelon? If you don't like that, how about I call you Watermelon Big Brother, or Big Brother Watermelon?"
"Uh..."
What if I don't like either?
With his hands in his pockets and "make-out paradise" tucked under his arm, he walked out from the tree's shadow, his back slightly hunched in a somewhat dispirited manner.
"I knew I shouldn't have eaten your slice of watermelon..."
A complaining voice came from behind, but he still walked under the scorching sun, stepping onto the heat-radiating road, leisurely following behind Chizhao.
"That won't do, if you don't eat the watermelon, you'll be locked up in the ANBU."
Kakashi: .......
Why does he feel like he fell into her trap?
"Kakashi Watermelon Big Brother! Hurry up!"
Chizhao's call rang out again, and she secretly chuckled to herself as she looked at the speechless Kakashi.
"Keep your voice down... everyone's looking..."
Kakashi reminded her helplessly, trying to ignore the gazes and snickers from the street.
He wondered if it was too late to request the mission be canceled now...