a/n: This is fifth chapter of my Kakashi fan fiction. The explanation of making this fanfic is at the end… thanks for reading! Again, I'm sorry for typographical errors and grammatical errors. I told you guys, I'm not patient in proofreading…And besides, a friend of mine dared me to finish this fanfiction in less than two weeks...

Dancing bears,
Painted wings
Things I almost remember
Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember,
Things my heart used to know,
Things it yearns to remember...
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory...
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December

Chapter five: The Return

I rushed down to the gates of the Konoha village the moment I felt I couldn't contain my excitement. I felt that it had been ten years since I had not returned. But in truth, it was just five years.

"Tadaima!" I said to myself. "It feels so good to be home…"

It was already night that time. So, I had to be careful not to wake up anyone. I crept to my old apartment room. But I found someone else sleeping there. Where am I suppose to sleep now? I asked myself. I decided to sleep in a bench near my apartment. It was freezing cold. But, hey, I even slept under a blanket of snow when I was away from Konoha…

"Hey, kid…" I heard someone say. He was trying to wake me up. "Wake up!"

I opened my eyes. It was already morning. Then, I saw him again, my uncle.

He smiled. "Ohayou! Breakfast?" he asked.

I nodded.

We ate at a small ramen house not far from where I slept.

"Jiraiya-san…" I said. I didn't want to call him Oji-san anymore.

"To embarrassed to call me Oji-san now, ne?" He laughed.

I sipped my ramen.

"You know, my sister would have been proud of you, if she were still alive…" He suddenly said.

"Oka-san…" I murmured.

Yes, she would have been proud if she were alive. For a while there, I thought of my mother, her sweet face, how her smile would look like if she knew had already become an Anbu. Just being a jounin at the age of thirteen, she would have been proud. I think Oto-san would have been proud too.

"Hey, kid…" my puffy white haired uncle said. " Here, have this. It's a welcome home present."

It was wrapped in orange paper. I slowly opened it. And when I did, I couldn't put that present down ever since…

"Come, Come Paradise…" My face looked puzzled.

My uncle just smiled. This book is…well… considering my uncle is a hermit that likes women (especially unclad ones).

"Come, come paradise?" I asked again.

"Read it, kid." He said. "I swear you'll love it…"

I stood up. But before I left that small ramen house, I said to my uncle "I'll read it, but don't every call me kid."

He laughed. "You've changed a lot…KID!"

I threw a stone on his face causing a well, huge mark.

"Don't push it, Oji-san!" I yelled. That was the last time I called him Oji-san. That was also the last conversation we had as uncle and nephew. He knew it. I knew it.

I walked towards the academy. On my way, I saw a familiar little boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. He had those little cat-like whiskers. Was this Naruto? He was alone sitting on a swing in an empty playground. Didn't he have friends to play with? I approached him and sat on the other swing beside him.

"Where are your friends, kid?" I asked him.

"I have no friends." He sighed.

"Why?" I asked him again.

"Because people say I'm a demon…"

"I see…" I nodded.

"Hey, Oni-chan," He then said. "Can you be my friend?"

I nodded and smiled behind my mask.

"Hey, why are you wearing a mask?" He asked.

"It's a secret." Then he pulled the cover down and revealed my face.

"Gee, Oni-chan." He said in a happier tone. "You sure are good-looking. Why hide it under a mask?"

"It's none of your business." I said.

"Are you training to become a ninja?" I immediately asked to stray away from the topic about my face.

He shook his head.

I smiled. "Your father wanted you to be one…Naruto"

"You knew my father and my name?" I asked in shocked.

Then, I left the boy. But, if you ask Naruto right now, he doesn't remember a thing. He doesn't even remember a line from that conversation. He doesn't remember how my face looked liked (but he always wanted to see it) or even a man who sat beside him on a swing a long time ago who knew his name. Up to now, he doesn't even know I knew his father, my sensei…

I kept on walking (while reading Come, come Paradise, of course). I swear I really love reading that book. Wherever I go, I always make sure I brought that book. I really like that book…

Anyway, while walking, I didn't notice that I was about to bump into someone. That someone was just a little girl, five years old, I think.

"Ah, gomen, gomen…" I apologized.

"It's all right, Oni-chan." She smiled.

When I looked at the girl, I saw those bluish-gray eyes that illuminated but somehow didn't glow and the hazel brown hair. Akiru… yes, she looked so much like her…

"Hey, kid," I asked. "What's your name?"

"Chounin Akiko Mizuhara of team seven, Sir!" She said cheerfully.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Go (a/n: five)!" She said loudly.

I smiled. She blushed. "Kakashi-sensei must be very handsome…" She turned very red. I could tell. Then, she left.

I continued walking. It was a long time before I realized it. How did that kid know my name? I haven't been here for more than twenty-four hours. Then, I joked to myself.

"Maybe, I'm just very famous that everybody in the entire village knows my greatness."

I laughed all by myself. Honestly, I thought I was losing it. Damn that Come, come Paradise book. I think made me a bit crazy.

Then, I saw it, the tombstone. I scanned the names.

Then, one of the names popped out. Uchiha Obito. I smiled. My best friend had become a hero…

"Welcome back, Hatake-san." An old but cheerful voice said. I turned around. It was the third Hokage. I bowed to show respect.

"Thank you, sir."

"Let's go." He said.

"Doko?" I asked.

"To the academy. Where else? You are now a jounin ready to lead a team."

"Demo…sir" I declined the offer.

I knew I wasn't ready to have a team of my own. I'll wait until Naruto becomes a gennin…

But until then, I just kept reading my most favorite book of all. (What's wrong me? Favorite and most?) I think I became a bit out of my mind after starting reading this novel. I mean… Well, it's nice…Junko said… I will lose track of you…then…

I just love those Come, come, paradise books!

a/n: This fan fiction is an explanation of a few things. a.) Why kakashi-kun adores/is fond of/respects a lot Jiraiya-san and his relationship to him b.) Why team seven was the first team he trained c.) the come, come paradise books d.) his past e.) why is he always in that tombstone f.) why he doesn't show his face g.) Naruto's relationship with the Fourth h.) Kakashi's obsession to rules i.)etc. Which are true? The come, come paradise books, the tombstone, Naruto's relationship with the Fourth, Kakashi's obsession to rules and some I can't remember… P.S. The Junko part there is a line from Kakashi's favorite novel…