The night was already deep.
The candlelight in the Hatake household was still burning, its warm glow seeping through the paper sliding doors, illuminating the maple tree in the courtyard that was beginning to turn yellow.
A few maple leaves swirled, gently landing on the wooden floor of the veranda.
Hatake Sakumo sat at a low table. Spread out before him was not a top-secret mission scroll, but a crop planting plan filled with strange symbols and lines—"Preliminary Plan for Winter Crop Rotation and Soil Improvement at Konoha Ecological Farm."
This was the planting plan for the next quarter of the constant temperature barrier farm, which he and Nara Shikaku had stayed up for several nights to put together.
He studied it with intense focus, his brow furrowing and relaxing in turn, the pen in his hand constantly modifying and annotating the blueprint.
Since taking over the farm, these moments of contemplation had become a part of his life.
"Mmm..."
A slight noise interrupted his thoughts.
Sakumo looked up and saw the sliding door quietly open a crack. A fuzzy silver-white little head was peeking in.
It was Kakashi.
The little guy was wearing a set of blue pajamas, his mask already removed, revealing a delicate face that was almost a carbon copy of his father's.
Seeing that his father had discovered him, he wasn't afraid. Instead, he grinned, showing a mouthful of baby teeth.
"Father."
Kakashi called out in a milky voice, slid the paper door open, and ran in quickly.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Sakumo put down the pen in his hand and asked gently.
"Father, look! A huge tomato!"
Kakashi held up the big red tomato to Sakumo as if presenting a treasure, his little face full of pride. "Uncle Hokage gave it to me! He said this is a tomato grown on the farm, grown by Father!"
This tomato was from the first batch of crops successfully trial-planted in the constant temperature barrier farm.
Because of sufficient sunlight, suitable temperature, and the Nara clan's secret nutrient solution, it grew exceptionally well, sandy and sweet. It would definitely become the food children coveted most in the future.
Watching his son's triumphant little look, Sakumo's face unknowingly softened.
He reached out, took the heavy tomato, placed it aside, and then smoothly pulled his son into his arms.
"Mm, Father sees it. Does Kakashi like to eat it?"
"Like!"
Kakashi nodded vigorously, rubbing his little head against his father's chest. Then he curiously leaned over the table, looking at the complex blueprint. "Father, what are you drawing? Is it a treasure map?"
"It's not a treasure map."
Sakumo was amused by his son's innocent question. He extended a finger, patiently pointing to an area on the blueprint, and explained in the simplest language, "Look, here, we planted tomatoes. After the tomatoes are harvested, the nutrition in this piece of land will decrease, so we need to plant some beans here. The roots of beans can make the land stronger, so next year we can grow more and bigger tomatoes."
"Wow..."
Kakashi nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite, his big eyes full of curiosity.
He looked at his father's focused profile under the light.
Father's hair was silver-white, just like his.
Father's hands were large, with many thick calluses on them. When they touched his face, they were a bit rough, but very warm.
While other children were listening to legends of heroes and admiring ninjas who could unleash powerful ninjutsu.
Hatake Kakashi's childhood idol was this father who could make the land produce so much endless food, make the piglets in the sty fat and strong, and even conjure delicious vegetables in winter.
He felt that his father was the most amazing person in the world.
Father was omnipotent!
This was much more amazing than those ninjas who only knew how to fight and kill.
"Father is so amazing."
Kakashi praised sincerely, rubbing his little head against his father's chest, full of admiration.
Listening to his son's praise, a warm current surged in Sakumo's heart.
He gently stroked his son's soft silver hair, his eyes becoming gentle.
This feeling of being needed by family, of being admired by his son, was perhaps the warmth called family.
In the quiet room, there was only the sound of the flickering lamp and the steady breathing of the father and son.
Kakashi looked at his father's focused profile under the light, at the hand that once held a sword but now held a pen. His little head seemed to be pondering something very important.
After a long time, he suddenly spoke in an unusually serious tone: "Father."
"Hm?"
"I... don't want to be a ninja who only knows how to fight in the future."
Sakumo was stunned upon hearing this. The hand stroking his son's hair stopped in mid-air.
He looked down in surprise at the little guy in his arms.
Kakashi was also looking up, his dark, clear eyes lacking their usual innocent liveliness.
It was a seriousness that didn't match his age.
"I want to learn farming from Father."
Kakashi said word by word, "I want everyone in the village to be able to eat delicious food every day, just like me, to eat the vegetables Father grows."
"I want... to protect everyone's smiles."
The last sentence was spoken softly, but it echoed fiercely in Hatake Sakumo's mind.
He too had been young and frivolous, stubborn about the death of his parents and his understanding of missions.
Thinking that protection meant using the sword in his hand to kill all enemies threatening the village.
Until he met Lord Hokage, that light that dispelled the surging darkness and illuminated the path forward.
But now, looking at his son in his arms, whose eyes were full of sincerity and longing, Sakumo suddenly understood.
His son would never have such a twisted understanding in the future.
Because he had now found his own ninja way.
True protection is not just killing.
It is creation.
It is making the land fertile, the granaries full, so that every child can discuss what they want to eat tomorrow without worry under the warm sun.
Everything he had done, unknowingly, had planted such a beautiful seed in his son's young heart.
An immense sense of satisfaction and gratification instantly filled his chest.
Sakumo felt his eyes getting a little hot.
He lowered his head and gently pressed his forehead against his son's smooth forehead.
"Alright."
Sakumo's voice was slightly choked. "Father will teach you."
"Yay!"
Kakashi let out a happy cheer, his little arms tightly hugging his father's neck.
"But..."
Sakumo gently stroked Kakashi's soft silver hair, a very gratified smile on his face. "Farming also needs powerful strength to protect it. Otherwise, the grain we worked so hard to grow will be stolen by bad guys."
"Just like those police uncles in our village. Only if we are strong enough can we protect our fields from being destroyed by bad guys. Only then can everyone eat their fill with peace of mind."
He looked at Kakashi, his eyes becoming incredibly serious.
"So, Kakashi, before you learn how to sow the first seed, you must first learn how to protect our home. When you grow up, you must first learn powerful ninjutsu and become a strong ninja who can protect the farm and the village."
"Then use your strength to protect everything you want to protect. Can you do that?"
Kakashi nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
He didn't quite understand the deep meaning in his father's words, but he understood the last sentence.
To become strong, to protect.
"Mm!"
Little Kakashi nodded vigorously, puffed out his small chest, and answered loudly with the most energetic voice of his life, "Father! I definitely will!"
"Mm, then it's a promise."
"Okay!"
Sakumo looked at his son's eyes burning with fire, a very gratified smile on his face.
That energetic look was full of infinite longing for the future.
He seemed to see a brand-new future.
A future no longer bound by the heavy shackles of missions and comrades, a future belonging to Hatake Kakashi, filled with sunshine and the fragrance of rice.
That was the future belonging to Hatake Kakashi.
This path had slowly unfolded a corner before Sakumo.
A brand-new seed of the "Will of Fire" of the Hatake family.
At this moment, it took root and sprouted.
And he, Hatake Sakumo, would use his whole life to nurture it, letting it grow into a towering tree that could shelter Konoha from the wind and rain.
"Kakashi, Father is waiting for that day."
The flickering candlelight shone on the father and son, stretching their shadows very, very long.
A promise about protection was quietly made.
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