And every day since, that was the promise that he abides to. No matter what, he put his family first.
And so he turned down opportunities for them. Not wanting to lose time with his little girl and the woman who not only gave him second chance at life but gave him the reason for even existing. He had been kneeling in front of his father's tombstone with his daughter in his arms when he asked for forgiveness for turning his back on an honor of being Konoha's Hokage.
For years, since people realized that his father's decision to save his comrades rather finish the mission is the correct one, whispers of him being Hokage had been rampant. Personally, he doesn't desire the position, but decided to accept it if ever it was offered to him. Not for him, but for his father's honor.
But he declined it.
He knows that he can make a change if he accepts it, he was born in a generation where a war is brewing and survived it. He lived through the most dangerous times and went on to fight on another war and lived to tell the tale. He knew he can deepen the camaraderie between the village, he knew that he can be a good Hokage, if he so desire.
But at what cost?
He doesn't want to be away from his family for too long. He wanted to be present and to be there whenever and wherever they would need him. He wants to see all of his daughter's milestones. He already missed the first two months of her life when she was still in her mother's womb, and that is two months too many already. He is not missing more.
Besides, the future of their village lies to the next generation. The new generation always surpasses the old one. And with Naruto – his former student, the hero of the Fourth war, the son of his late sensei – he knows that the future is bright. And now, all he has to do is be a father that his daughter needs and a partner that Sakura deserves.
Kakashi knelt in front of his father's tombstone, cradling his daughter as she slept soundly in his arms. The wind blew softly through the trees, rustling the leaves in a quiet, almost reverent way. He gazed down at the small, peaceful face nestled against his chest, feeling a swell of emotion that words couldn't quite express. This child had become the center of his world, the force that had reshaped his life in ways he never could have imagined. And in the quiet of that moment, he whispered a truth he had held close for a long time.
"I'm sorry, Father," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "I know you would've wanted me to continue your legacy, to uphold the honor of our family. But I can't. I can't be Hokage."
Kakashi's eyes flickered with the weight of his decision. The village elders had asked him, more than once, to take the mantle of Hokage. The people respected him, revered him even, for all that he had done for the village. But every time he had been asked, he had said no. And standing here now, in front of his father's grave, with his daughter's gentle breaths the only sound in the stillness, he knew why.
"I don't regret it," he continued, his gaze steady on the tombstone. "I don't regret turning it down. Because this—" he looked down at his daughter, his heart full "—this is what matters to me now. My family. My daughter. Sakura."
Kakashi's thoughts drifted to Sakura, who was waiting for him at home, likely pacing the house with their second child due in just a few weeks. She had been understanding, supportive of his decision to step away from the path that seemed so clear to everyone else. When he had told her about turning down the offer to become Hokage, she had simply smiled, placing a hand on her growing belly and saying, "You've already given us everything we need, Kakashi. That's enough."
He hadn't realized how much he needed to hear those words until they were said.
"I hope you understand," he said quietly, looking at his father's name carved into the stone. "I'm not turning my back on your legacy. I'm just choosing a different one. A better one. One where I'm not haunted by the past, but building something new, something lasting." he nuzzled his firstborn's cheek. "I plan to ask her to marry me, Father." he murmured. "We, Hatake men, already made our mark in the shinobi world. We already made our legacy. I want my family to be my legacy."
Kakashi remained still for a long while, the only sounds being the soft, rhythmic breathing of his daughter and the wind moving through the trees. The weight of his decision pressed down on him, but there was something liberating in it as well. For years, he had been haunted by the expectations placed upon him—not just as a shinobi, but as the son of a man who had given everything for his country. His father had died with the burden of his own choices, with the weight of his ideals. And for so long, Kakashi had thought he would follow in those same footsteps, fulfilling his father's legacy, continuing the path he had left behind.
But now, here, with his daughter in his arms and the quiet presence of the woman he had grown to love and trust again waiting for him back home, Kakashi realized that the legacy he wanted to leave behind was not one of war, nor of endless duty. It was the legacy of love. Of a man who chose his family over anything else. A man who, despite his past mistakes, had found redemption in the very people he thought he'd lost forever.
"I want to build something with you, Sakura," he whispered, as if she were standing right there with him, her presence wrapping around him like a warm embrace. "I hope you understand, Father."
He stayed there for a few more minutes until he felt the wind blew in a comforting manner, as if it was his father telling him that it's okay. That he understood and he supports his decision. And it made his heart lighter.
"Oy Kakashi!" Genma called out to him, clapping his back, startling the slumbering two-and-a-half-year-old pressed against his chest. " Opps, sorry." he murmured as he patted the girl's head tenderly as her eyes fluttered close. "Jewelry shopping for your 'roommate' again?" he asked.
"For Kami's sake, Shiranui, Sakura is not my roommate." he snapped lowly careful not to wake up his daughter.
"Ow... of course, no roommate will ever carry your spawn once. And she's pregnant again." he teased. "So what is she now? Hatake incubator?" he asked. "Oh the young ones have a term for that, uhm... 'babymaker'?"
Kakashi shot Genma a sidelong glare, but his expression softened as he adjusted his daughter in his arms, her tiny hand clutching the front of his shirt. "Sakura's my partner," he said quietly, his voice filled with the weight of everything that word meant to him.
Genma raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Kakashi's choice of words. "Partner, huh? That's a step up from 'roommate.'"
Kakashi sighed, knowing he wouldn't hear the end of this from Genma. He wasn't exactly known for subtlety, after all. But beneath the teasing, Kakashi could sense something else—his friend's genuine curiosity. He had seen him at his lowest, had watched as he and Sakura's relationship unraveled and then slowly, painstakingly, began to stitch itself back together. If anyone understood the significance of where they were now, it was him.
"I'm going to ask her to marry me," Kakashi said, voice steady but low, careful not to wake his daughter but it was in vain as the girl woke up and sleepily adjusted herself on her father's arms. Slumping her head on his father's chest.
"Dada..."
Kakashi's heart softened at the small, sleepy voice of his daughter, her little face buried in his chest as she clung to him. Her soft, drowsy "Dada" cut through the banter between him and Genma, pulling his attention away from the teasing and grounding him in the simple, precious moment.
He smiled, his free hand gently stroking her hair as he whispered, "Shh, it's okay. Go back to sleep." His voice was tender, a stark contrast to the sharp edge he often carried in his words.
"Mama..."
Kakashi's heart swelled as his daughter, still half-asleep, mumbled "Mama" in her drowsy voice. Her small hand reached out, curling into the fabric of his vest as she nestled closer. Kakashi pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, his chest tightening with affection. Moments like these, small and intimate, had become the most precious parts of his life.
"Mama's at home," he whispered softly, rubbing her back to lull her back to sleep. "We'll see her soon."
Genma, watching this tender exchange, leaned against a nearby post, his usual grin softening. "You've really gone and changed, Kakashi. It's weird seeing you all... domestic. Must be Sakura's doing."
Kakashi chuckled softly at Genma's comment, his expression calm as he continued to soothe his daughter. "I guess it's true," he replied, his voice low and thoughtful. "She's changed me in ways I didn't even realize I needed."
Genma's grin shifted into something more sincere, a flicker of understanding passing between them. "I'm glad, Kakashi. You deserve this. You've been through enough."
Kakashi didn't respond immediately, but his mind echoed Genma's words. He had been through enough—enough battles, enough loss, enough regret. But somehow, after all of that, life had granted him something he never thought possible: a second chance, not just with Sakura, but with himself.
"By the way, I felt compelled to let you know. The younger jonins are eyeing your... partner. Said they will try to woo her out of your paws because you're never going to bring her any further than your bed. Thought you should know."
Kakashi's grip on his daughter tightened ever so slightly as he shot a sharp glance at Genma. The words seemed to hang in the air, cutting through the soft breeze and the peaceful moment like a kunai. "They said that, huh?" His voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge beneath it.
Genma shrugged, his expression still casual, but there was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "Just thought you'd want to know. These kids... they've got no clue who they're dealing with."
Kakashi let out a slow breath, shifting his daughter's weight as she nestled deeper into his chest. His mind wandered to Sakura, to the way her eyes softened when she looked at him, how they had worked so hard to rebuild what was nearly lost between them. The idea that anyone would question his commitment to her—it almost made him laugh.
"Let them try," he muttered, a hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "They won't get very far."
Genma chuckled, clearly enjoying the shift in Kakashi's mood. "You gonna show them what happens when they mess with the Copy Ninja's heart?"
Kakashi glanced down at his daughter, her small hand clutching his vest as she slept soundly. A sense of calm washed over him. "No need for that," he said, his voice soft but firm. "Sakura knows who I am, and I know who she is. That's enough for me."
Genma raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Because last I checked, you still haven't made things official." he commented. "She can still wiggle out of your paws you know."
Kakashi's smirk faded into something more thoughtful, his eyes narrowing slightly at Genma's words. It was true—despite everything, he hadn't officially asked Sakura to marry him yet. Their lives had become intertwined so naturally that the formality of marriage felt like an afterthought, but now, with Genma's words poking at the unspoken vulnerability, Kakashi couldn't ignore it.
"I'm working on it," Kakashi said, his voice quieter now, more reflective. He shifted his daughter in his arms, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead as if grounding himself in the moment. "But you know me, Genma... I don't rush these things."
Genma grinned, leaning back against the post with a casual shrug. "You don't rush anything. But maybe it's time to stop thinking and start doing. Those young jonins aren't wrong—Sakura's a catch. You think she's just gonna wait around forever?"
Kakashi's gaze drifted toward the village, his mind wandering to Sakura again. He pictured her at home, probably fussing over their shared space or preparing for the arrival of their second child. She had been endlessly patient with him, never pushing, never demanding more than he was ready to give. But Genma's words lingered. It wasn't about fear of losing her to someone else—it was about showing her what she meant to him, truly, without hesitation.
"I know what I have," Kakashi said, his voice more certain now. "That's why I'm here. I'm having my mother's ring resized for her."
"About time." The senbon-wielder sighed. "And we can finally rest from thwarting Lady Tsunade's assassination plots against you."
Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle at Genma's exaggerated sigh of relief, his mind flashing to the many times Lady Tsunade had teased him about his "commitment issues." She had threatened him—mostly in jest, he assumed—with everything from assigning him double missions to sending him on undercover assignments to the most remote corners of the world if he didn't finally get serious about his relationship with Sakura.
But now, the teasing and the joking felt like a distant echo compared to the weight of the ring sitting in his pocket, waiting to be resized. It was his mother's ring, a small but significant piece of his family's past. Giving it to Sakura wasn't just about making things official; it was about building a future with her—a future that honored where he came from but was wholly their own.
"Don't tell anyone," Kakashi said quietly, glancing around with mock suspicion, "but I might actually be a little nervous."
Genma's eyes lit up, clearly amused by Kakashi's rare admission. "Nervous? The great Copy Ninja, nervous? Now that's something I'd never thought I'd see. But hey, you're finally human after all."
Kakashi smirked, shaking his head. "I've always been human, Genma. I just didn't realize how much until now."
His gaze drifted down to his daughter once more, her tiny hands gripping his shirt as if she could feel the weight of her father's thoughts even in her sleep. Kakashi couldn't help but marvel at how much his life had changed—how the man who once thought he was destined to be alone, weighed down by guilt and regret, had somehow found himself here, holding his daughter, planning a future with the woman he had come to love deeply.
"I should get going," Kakashi said, adjusting his daughter in his arms as she stirred. "I still have a proposal to plan, and I'd prefer not to have an audience for it."
Genma gave a mock salute, his usual grin returning. "You got this, Kakashi. Just don't overthink it for once in your life. You'll do great. And if you don't, well... we'll be here to laugh about it."
Kakashi rolled his eyes but smiled, a warmth spreading in his chest. He didn't know exactly how the proposal would go, or if it would be perfect. But in the end, it didn't matter. What mattered was that he had finally found the courage to take the next step—not because he felt pressured by anyone else, but because it was what he wanted. For himself. For Sakura. For their family.