After days of exhausting D-rank missions and training, Kakashi decided it was time for a change of pace. The team had been working hard, and even though they hadn't accomplished anything extraordinary recently, he figured a break would do them some good. He hadn't given them any serious missions in a while, and it seemed like a quiet night was in order.
It was early evening when Kakashi led Team 7 to a local barbecue joint in Konoha, a familiar spot where the aroma of grilled meat was always tantalizing. The place was lively as usual, and as Kakashi walked in, he noticed the other teams, Team 8 and Team 10, scattered around the restaurant. It wasn't the first time he had seen them here, and as usual, there was a casual atmosphere among the ninja, something rare given their usual life of missions and danger.
"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, the usual?" the waitress asked with a smile as she saw him walking toward the counter.
Kakashi nodded, taking his seat. "Yes, please."
Team 7 took their seats at a nearby table, and after a few minutes of casual eating, they began to relax. Kakashi's mind wandered a little as he observed his students.
Suddenly, the loud and unmistakable voice of Naruto cut through the atmosphere, drawing the attention of several tables.
"Hey, Kiba, listen up! Our sensei's way better than yours!" Naruto declared, grinning and pointing toward Kakashi with pride.
Kiba, sitting across from his teammates in Team 8, raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is that so?"
Naruto, completely oblivious to the casual teasing in the air, continued. "Yeah! Kakashi-sensei gives us money, he trains us more than any other sensei, and he even taught Sasuke an awesome jutsu!"
Kiba smirked and turned to Hinata and Shino. "Wow, sounds like Kakashi's really got Naruto convinced he's the best sensei in the village."
Naruto's voice carried over to their table, full of enthusiasm. "Kakashi-sensei even taught Sasuke a lightning jutsu! It's so cool!"
"Is that right?" Kiba called back, a playful tone in his voice. "Sasuke's learning jutsu from him, huh?"
"Yeah, it's amazing! I'm gonna be just like him one day!" Naruto boasted loudly, clearly full of pride about their teacher.
Kakashi sighed inwardly, realizing that his student had a tendency to boast a little too much. While it was true he'd taught Sasuke some powerful techniques, Kakashi hadn't taught Sasuke any jutsu as advanced as the Chidori yet. Still, hearing Naruto praise him so fervently made Kakashi's heart swell with pride. Though the bragging was a bit much, it showed that Naruto believed in him as a teacher, and that was what mattered.
As the conversation between Team 7 and Team 8 continued, Kakashi overheard Kurenai and Asuma exchange knowing looks.
"You've got a bit of a fan club there," Asuma remarked with a light chuckle, sipping his drink.
Kurenai nodded, her eyes flicking over to Naruto. "He certainly seems to think highly of you, Kakashi."
Kakashi shrugged lightly. "I suppose. He does tend to get a bit carried away with his words. But it's nothing new."
The evening went on with lighthearted chatter, and Kakashi continued to observe the interactions around him. It was rare to see such a calm, carefree night, and it was even rarer to see his team this relaxed.
As the night wound down, Naruto, ever the talkative one, continued his boasting, bragging to Kiba about how Kakashi taught them both important techniques. Kakashi smiled to himself, amused by the energy of his students.