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The sparkling lights were clearly visible from the roof of the Hokage Building. The night breeze brushed against her skin and hair. A melancholic thought took hold of their heart and mind, making her drift into the passage of time.
The sounds of the streets echoed below. From house to house. It was only 9 PM, still too early to sleep and let the day slip away.
Her thoughts were interrupted when a can of beer was thrust into her hands. She turned to face the tall man standing to her right. His hands were resting on the railing and he too stared down below, where ‘his family’ was active, sharing smiles and laughter.
"I'm a failed Hokage, aren’t I, Shizune?"
Shizune was startled. "What do you mean? Of course not!" Her tone rose by a decibel.
The Sixth Hokage sighed lightly, dramatically looking at the view before him.
"Because I can't make you smile when everyone else is smiling."
Shizune opened the beer. She took a sip, perhaps needing warmth after five minutes in the night air. She didn't respond to Kakashi—she was used to his teasing. And, to be honest, it was a little amusing.
Kakashi realized his words might be repulsive in Shizune’s eyes. He chuckled. His new hobby since becoming Hokage was teasing her until she walked away with the tap of her heels that seemed to slice the earth.
"I was kidding," Kakashi said, trying to suppress his laughter. "What do you think about up here on the roof? It’s cold."
Shizune shrugged. "Just looking at the view, maybe."
"You could look at the view from the Hokage office. It’s warm there too." Kakashi took Shizune’s right hand. "See? Your hand’s freezing. If you pass out again, Tsunade-sama and Sakura will scold me."
Shizune laughed. Kakashi was extra chatty tonight. She even suspected that the person beside her was someone else disguised as Kakashi.
"I won’t pass out."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
Shizune frowned. "Are you wishing for me to faint?"
Kakashi raised both his brows. "No. That’s not what I meant..."
The odd little argument faded and a comfortable silence settled. Both of them stared at the view below—people walking by, a couple holding hands, a father carrying his sleeping son.
"Have you… ever missed someone?"
Kakashi glanced at Shizune. The warmth in his heart had faded.
"I miss a lot of people. Every day."
Shizune didn’t expect Kakashi to answer her question. She thought he wasn’t as mysterious as the rumors made him out to be.
"What’s wrong? Do you miss your ex?" Kakashi asked, half-teasing.
Shizune smiled faintly. "No way."
Kakashi frowned. "So, you’ve been in a relationship?! You have an ex?!"
Her assistant sighed. Kakashi always bombarded her with personal questions, while Shizune was too afraid to ask. It wasn’t fair.
"Never. There’s no one."
Kakashi sighed. For some reason, he felt relieved.
Shizune didn’t smile. Kakashi knew he had ruined the mood. Eventually, silence returned, with Shizune not starting another topic.
"Is something wrong? Was your day bad?" His voice softened. He moved closer to Shizune. Their hands still intertwined, as if transferring warmth and energy.
Shizune nodded at Kakashi’s question—affirming it.
"Sometimes, when I forget and don’t miss the people who passed before me… it makes me feel like a bad person. And then, when I suddenly remember them, I think about how disappointed they must be in me."
Kakashi closed his mouth. He touched Shizune’s shoulder, pulling them closer together.
"Shizune, I think you’re wrong if you think that way," he said. "They’re not disappointed. They’d actually be grateful that you’re living your life without being haunted by their deaths."
Shizune was moved by her Hokage’s comfort. Without realizing it, she leaned against Kakashi. He didn’t pull away, offering her his shoulder, as much as she needed.
"I miss my uncle. He used to greet me warmly when I came home. Now, I don’t even remember his voice anymore."
Kakashi nodded. He understood that pain. He always felt it because home wasn’t a place of joy for him—there was no one to greet him. Only cold and darkness.
"Cold and dark," murmured Kakashi. "Sometimes, home isn’t a good place for us. We’re just greeted by darkness and no one answers our greetings, right?" Kakashi rested his cheek against Shizune’s head. "Shizune, do you know the best place for me?"
Shizune shook her head. She took another sip of her beer.
"My office," Kakashi replied.
She frowned. She thought Kakashi hated the office because he was always late.
"Why the office? You always seem stressed out there."
A smile spread behind his mask.
"I like it when I open the door to my office in the morning and someone says ‘ohayō gozaimasu’ to me. I like it when it’s time to leave and someone says ‘otsukaresamadeshita.’ I like those words, even though we never say ‘tadaima’ or ‘okaerinasai.’"
Shizune’s smile slowly grew as well. Her mood started to lift with his sincere words.
"Oh, so you like those words."
"And I like you."
The wind blew again, hitting them from all sides. It was strong, maybe a storm was coming, with thunder that would hurt their ears.
"Kakashi-sama, let’s go back to the office. It might rain soon."
Kakashi nodded. "If it rains, people will be lazy to come to the Hokage office, especially at night. The rain will also make your voice harder to hear."
Shizune intended to leave Kakashi, but her wrist was held by him.
"Let’s go. We need to turn off the heater and let the room cool naturally," Shizune said.
"Then, I’ll make you warm."