"Hmph, passable at best."
Sasuke still had nothing nice to say, maintaining his aloof cool. But that didn't dampen the others' mood. Lying there with his eyes closed, Shikamaru lazily gave a thumbs-up—his version of high praise.
"That was amazing! I've never heard anything like that before!"
Compared to Shikamaru's laid-back praise and Sasuke's tsundere snark, everyone else was far more enthusiastic. Hinata nodded with satisfaction and turned to Shino.
"Well done. Shino-kun, you really are a talented music producer."
Still expressionless, Shino pushed his sunglasses up and replied coolly, "The outcome was expected. Naruto's vocal tone while transformed was exceptionally clear, my accompaniment was precise and balanced, and your melody and lyrics were highly refined. Naturally, such an excellent result was inevitable."
"…Right. I'll just take that as you being satisfied too."
Hinata barely resisted the urge to punch him and moved on with the debrief. "Alright, I'm giving everyone one night to master the song. Tomorrow we record each character's solo version. For now—it's time to shoot the main story."
---
"Fox Tale" Episode 2: A Fateful Reunion
After a thousand years of waiting and reincarnation, the little fox finally found her shepherd boy again. But he was no longer the lonely child who died in solitude—now, he was a pleasure-seeking nobleman known as Lord Lin of House Sato.
Surrounded by dancers and decadence, Lord Lin lounged in his lavish hall. And then—she appeared.
"My lord, it has been long. Do you still remember your old friend?"
Amid a shower of cherry blossom petals, a white-haired fox spirit stepped gracefully through the noren curtain. Dressed in a dazzling oiran kimono, her bare feet touched down on the scattered blossoms, crushing them into delicate pink paste.
Stunned, Lord Lin froze. He had never seen such beauty. And when his eyes met hers—deep blue and full of emotion—it was as though centuries of time collapsed between them.
"You… Who are you? Have we met? Why… can't I remember you?"
He brushed aside his stunned companions and stood up, unable to utter his usual honeyed words. An ache stirred deep within his chest—a familiar sorrow, like the chill of mountain winds or the weight of night. A feeling he couldn't name.
Without realizing it, he waved away the remaining dancers, his entire focus drawn to the white-haired woman. An invisible thread bound them—an ancient bond of souls that had never broken.
"My lord once shared a song with me. May I sing it to you again?"
The fox spirit stood serenely. The breeze lifted her snowy hair just so, as if they were back on that hilltop a millennium ago—where a shepherd once played her a tune she never forgot.
"Yes… I will accompany you…"
The words escaped Lord Lin's lips without thought. He picked up a flute left behind by one of the dancers, surprised by how familiar it felt in his hands. As if he'd played it countless times before.
Her heart ached. Even though he had forgotten their past, his soul remembered the song… and the way it should be played.
With tears brimming in her eyes, the fox spirit opened her lips. Her voice floated out, soft and sorrowful.
"You said if you spread your wings and fly, you'd never return again…"
"CUT!!"
Hinata's sharp voice cut through the air like a blade. Naruto, mid-note, choked on his breath. Sakura and Ino—entranced by the scene—nearly toppled over. The emotional mood shattered instantly.
Choji fared worse—he was choking on a chip, rolling on the floor in agony.
"Ugh…"
On a nearby tree branch outside the Uchiha compound, Kakashi—completely absorbed in the scene—nearly lost his balance and fell out of the tree. He clung to the trunk, scowling behind his mask.
Seriously?! It was just getting good! What's with that buzzkill Hyuga brat?!
"What was that for, Hinata? The timing was perfect," Shino calmly inquired, pushing his glasses up once more. He'd been accompanying with a wind flute, still as unruffled as ever.
"It's enough for today. We've got plenty of footage. All that's left is dubbing the song Naruto already sang."
Hinata ignored the sea of disgruntled groans and focused on the camcorder screen. Yup, plenty of usable clips. Still rough around the edges, but it would do. For now, the photo-drama style was enough.
"But I thought we were expanding the project?" Sasuke had regained his composure. Though he was still disturbed by how moved he'd felt earlier…
"I meant once we graduate from the Academy and get official shinobi status. Right now, no matter how much money or skill we have, we're just a bunch of eleven-year-olds. A drama's one thing, but to shoot a proper TV series or movie—we'd need an adult sponsor."
Snapping the camera shut, Hinata continued, "Okay, I'm going to get these developed into photo-drama panels. You guys practice the song—everyone's got a solo. No exceptions. Once it's done, we're going out for a hot springs banquet."
Hot springs banquet—luxurious meals served in a private spa suite. A rare treat in Konoha, and a costly one.
"YEAH! Hot springs banquet!!"
"Isn't that too expensive, though?"
"Hmph, whatever."
"I agree—celebrating after hard work is a commendable practice."
Instant morale boost: achieved. After setting the time, Hinata finally left, ready to get their shots developed.
Watching her go, Kakashi tilted his head thoughtfully… then stood up.
Looks like it's time to approach these kids… and time for him to play sugar daddy.
"No choice now. Guess I'll be the adult sponsor after all…"
---
As a veteran jonin, Kakashi was used to all kinds of missions. The Third Hokage's directive this time had three objectives: guard, investigate, and infiltrate.
First, to guard the kids—Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Hinata—from potential threats, especially the "Root" operatives under Danzo. Second, to uncover the true nature of their activities. Third, to find a way to insert himself into their budding film project without raising suspicion.
Guarding was easy—he could take out any Root agent without breaking a sweat. Surveillance? Also simple. These kids were clever, but not that clever. Hiding in a tree outside the Uchiha estate was more than sufficient.
Infiltration, though… that required timing.
Hinata's solo trip to get photos developed? Perfect opportunity.
He left a shadow clone behind as a lookout, then teleported to the market district with Shunshin.
Sure enough, his sharp instincts led him to a dango shop, where two familiar figures were enjoying tea.
"Yo~ Asuma, Kurenai! Fancy meeting you two here."
"Huh? Kakashi?"
The man on the left had rugged stubble and a relaxed air, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips.
The woman on the right was elegant, with pale skin and long, gently curled dark hair—beautiful and intelligent.
Sarutobi Asuma. Yūhi Kurenai. Two elite jonin of the same generation as Kakashi—and currently dating.
"Not often we see you outside of missions," Asuma chuckled.
"Yeah, what brings you here, Kakashi?" Kurenai asked, raising a brow.
"Sorry to crash your date, but…"
Kakashi's tone suddenly turned serious.
"Sarutobi Asuma. Yūhi Kurenai. Under orders from the Hokage, I'm on an active mission and formally requesting your assistance."
In Konoha, ninja were allowed to request backup from available comrades during a mission. It was even standard practice. While not obligated to comply, few refused—especially not when it was Hokage business.
And with the photo-developing mission now underway… Kakashi's plan to insert himself into the kids' circle had officially begun.