Just as he was going to meet the new, potential team 7, Kakashi was informed that the Hokage wished to see him. Immediately. He didn't bother hurrying towards the old man's office or knocking on the door.
"Hello, Kakashi, " the old man greeted as Kakashi entered the room. However, the Hokage was not the only other person in the room. A girl, about thirteen years old with an aloof attitude and silver hair stood besides him.
"Who is this? " Kakashi asked, looking at the girl with bored eyes.
"Are you Hatake Kakashi, sir? " The girl asked with a cool and collected voice.
"Who are you? " He asked, avoiding her question.
"My name is Yuuki, sir, Hatake Yuuki. I believe you're my father, sir, " she said without looking away. Kakashi's visible eye widened as he heard the girl's words.
"Kakashi, as you can hear this young lady claims to be your daughter. She says the name of her mother is Hotaru, do you know anyone by that name, Kakashi? " Sandaime asked, a hand placed firmly on the girls shoulder. She glanced at it, clearly uncomfortable, but stayed still as if not wanting to cause any trouble. Kakashi kept an emotionless facade, though he was truly doubting the reality if this situation. Could it be?
"Yes, sir, I know Hotaru… Kid? " Kakashi said and looked at the girl, "how old are you? "
"Thirteen, sir. I think, " She answered, mumbling the last part.
"You think? " Kakashi and Sandaime repeated skeptically.
"Well, I never had the opportunity to celebrate a proper birthday because.. uh, " the girl looked agitated, as if not wanting to continue her sentence. She inhaled sharply and, while looking into her so-believed father's eye, said,
"... my mother was... " she hesitated again, but, as if regretting doing so, she then straighten up, now with a just as emotionless look as the white haired jounin before her.
"She was murdered, sir, shortly after my birth, less than a year I believe. I do not know why, but I know that the people from the Land of Water hated her, like they hate me. Although, I believe my birthday is late August or early September. Therefore, I believe my current age is thirteen or so."
A long time of tense silence filled the room afterwards and it was as if the time had slowed down, dragging every moment into eternity. The Hokage broke the silence with a low and serious tone,
"Kakashi, what does this tell you? What does this tell us? " He asked, looking at the silver haired Jounin who could only stare at the young girl before him in shock, unable to speak for the moment. He cleared his throat awkwardly and said,
"It means, sir, that she is… that she is mine. This girl is my daughter..., " he said to the Hokage, barely believing his own words.
Not even Sandaime could keep himself from looking surprised by the words that Kakashi had uttered just seconds ago. He wanted to ask the Jounin if he was sure, but, judging by the Kakashi's facial expression, he seemed to be quite certain. How, the Hokage wanted to ask, but that question already had an answer. When? Well, about thirteen years ago, he figured, just as Kakashi had. What now? Would the girl stay with Kakashi, her father? With his new job as a Sensei he wouldn't have time to look after her. Unless…
"Yuuki, " the Hokage looked at the girl beside him, but when she returned his look, he immidiately removed his hand from her shoulder since it was clear that what he had meant as a supportive gesture, was not appreciated.
"Yes, sir? " The girl said with a tense voice. She seemed troubled, as if trying to keep herself under control, though her expression stayed the same: Emotionless and unaffected... just like her father.
"Do you know how to fight? Have you, in the past thirteen or twelve years, trained in any way as a ninja? Do you believe that you could survive a mission?" He noticed the sudden tension in her voice.
"Sir? How is this relevant? " The girl asked with a raised brow, otherwise unaffected by the Hokage's serious tone. Quite unwillingly, Kakashi felt a tingle of pride at his daughter's comeback towards the honorable man. Instead of laughing though, he smiled underneath his mask.
"I shall give you permission, Yuuki, if you have the experience and abilities, to join your father's team 7, currently consisting of three Genins. If the team passes the test, you will train and complete missions with them, as a member of the team. So, do you have what it takes, I ask again? "
"Yes, sir. " She said, unaffected by his harsh tone, and looked towards Kakashi, who was still secretly smiling.
Kakashi had indeed never felt any kind of feeling like this before. He remembered how he had wished that his own father had not taken his life, and he remembered how lonely life had become afterwards. He was determined to make his absence, and therefore his mistake (wether he knew she existed or not), good again. He wanted to make up for the fact that he had failed to be there for this young girl.
"Good, well then it's settled. Kakashi, " Sandaime looked towards the male and said, "I believe you have some students waiting for you? "
"Yes, sir. " Kakashi said and told his daughter to follow, then they went to meet the new, potential team 7.