Knock, knock, knock... Uchiha Tonan was immersed deep in the worries about Konoha's future when his sighs were interrupted by a knock at the welfare institution's door. He walked over to open it and was greeted by a group of familiar faces. The people who had come were Namikaze Minato, Uzumaki Kushina, Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, and Nohara Rin.
The first to smile brightly and call out was Obito, "Tonan, we're here!"
Tonan smiled and replied, "It's cold outside. Everyone come in and warm yourself by the fire."
Wa, wa, wa~ Perhaps, because Obito was too loud, the baby in the room woke up.
Duang~ A furious Kushina punched Obito on his head and reprimanded, "Lower your voice!"
Obito sullenly covered the area throbbing with pain. He was angry but didn't dare voice it out. Rin, who was beside them, couldn't help covering her mouth to smile. She then quietly looked at Kakashi.
The group walked inside the room together and saw Tonan's shadow clone sitting on his knees beside the cradle, shaking a small bell to soothe the baby.
"So cute!" Both Kushina and Rin melted seeing the adorable infant immediately, but Kushina came back to her senses and asked, "Tonan, what's the baby's name?"
Tonan smiled gently, "His name is Kotoura."
Minato turned his head to look at Tonan and asked with a smile, "Did you name him after your father?"
Tonan adjusted his glasses. Staring at Kotoura in the cradle, he answered, "Yes, Little Kotoura will be by my side in the future. When I see him, I'll think of my father. I also hope he will dedicate his life protecting Konoha just like my father."
Minato nodded and asked again, "But what about his surname?"
Tonan rubbed his chin and lightly commented, "That's a problem... Kakashi, you're the Hatake clan patriarch. Could you let Kotoura have the Hatake surname?"
Kakashi casually spread his arms and said, "I don't care."
Kushina immediately hugged the baby and happily said, "Hatake Kotoura..."
Perhaps, because of fear, Little Kotoura's mouth shriveled, and his little feet also squeezed together, and soon after...
"He peed..." Kushina became anxious. Tonan's shadow clone stretched out his hands and took Little Kotoura back, "Let me take care of it." The shadow clone skillfully changed the diaper and gently put Kotoura back in the cradle. The infant squinted his eyes as if insecure, so he forcibly kept them open to stare at the strangers in front of him.
Rin sat beside the cradle and turned to look at Tonan, saying in a low voice, "He seems to be sleepy."
Tonan nodded and his shadow clone took a small bell and shook it lightly. Tonan's main body also came up to the cradle and sat down on his knees. He sang a lullaby with a gentle look, "The lake is like your eyes, dreaming of the starry sky, the mood's a legend, of the invariable waiting..."
Outside the house, snowflakes that looked as light as feather and as white as silver fluttered about, sprinkling down from the sky.
Inside the house, the heating stove's warmth made the entire room cozy. Everyone listened to Tonan's singing and watched Little Kotoura fall asleep quietly. No one wanted to make a sound to break this peaceful scene.
'Ding! Gained Nohara Rin's acknowledgment.'
Tonan's expression remained unchanged, ignoring the fiery gaze on him. At this moment, Rin was half-squatting, and with her palms supporting her face, her eyes drifting towards Tonan, who was still singing for Little Kotoura.
'Tonan-kun is so gentle... Kakashi is also not bad... I'm so distressed...'
When it was almost time, Tonan got up and made a 'shush' gesture, following which everyone quietly left the room. The white snowflakes were getting bigger and bigger, filling the sky like dandelions.
Minato looked sideways at Tonan, who looked calm, and teased, "Tonan, it seems you like children very much."
Tonan nodded lightly, looked at the snowflakes dancing in the sky, stretched out his hand, and said, "Children are the future and the hope of the village. They are as pure as snow. Perhaps, I like to get along with such kind of people the most."
A snowflake fell on his hand, instantly melting by his palm's temperature. At this moment, a figure ran over from the Sunset Building not far away.
He was the 'eternal genin', Maito Dai. "Tonan, today's mission is completed. Not only did I clean every room, but I also changed their sheets and bedding."
Tonan placed his hands on his knees and bowed to Dai, "Dai-senpai, I'm truly troubling you. I just can't get away from here."
Dai waved his hands, "You don't need to thank me. This is my mission. If there's nothing else, I'll leave now. I've to go back and see if that boy Gai has slacked in his training."
Tonan nodded with a smile, "Dai-senpai, you can bring Gai with you during the day as well. Cleaning up is also a form of training. Also, I'm going to issue a long-term mission. You two can live in the welfare institution and take charge of guarding the welfare institution's safety. I'm worried about the elderly here. In case of an emergency, with your good physical strength, you can take them to the hospital in time."
When Dai heard this, his eyes lip up. He showed his white teeth and gave a thumbs-up, "No problem, I'll bring Gai with me from tomorrow. Tonan, you're such a good person!"
Dai turned to leave the welfare institution. "Youth is to burn recklessly!"
Tonan looked at Dai's back, and a smile couldn't help appearing on his face. It seemed despite the setbacks, this welfare institution still had some use. He was able to trick Dai and Gai into becoming security guards. As the saying goes, familiarity breeds fondness.
Tonan didn't believe that by the end of the Third Ninja World War, Dai wouldn't acknowledge him. A forbidden art that can make a mortal body comparable to the gods! If he truly ran into an enemy that he was no match for, it will be useful.
Using Eight Gates Released Formation and activating the Izanagi... As for Gai, after he creates Night Guy, his fate will also be the same.
At this moment, Obito, with his hands on the back of his head, asked in surprise, "Isn't he Gai's father? He looks so weird. I heard he has always been a genin."
Minato rubbed Obito's hair and leisurely said, "The level of a ninja doesn't explain everything. Dai-senpai is just not good at ninjutsu and genjutsu, but his taijutsu is very strong."
Tonan nodded in agreement, "Although I've come into contact with Dai-senpai for just these past few days, I've seen many rare and commendable qualities in him. In particular, the spirit of never giving up is worth learning for all of us."
After speaking, he looked at the snowflakes that had already gotten somewhat sparse and softly said, "Alright, it's almost time, I'm going to cook food for the elderly. After dinner, let's chat with them to relieve their boredom."