1.2.3

1
It was the kind of day Rin would've liked. She would've welcomed the cool breeze, wouldn't have cared if the wind blew hard and ruffled her hair to a mess. She would've looked forward to sitting under a tree after a sparring session with Kakashi and would've taken a nap right then and there. Or she would've picked some flowers and brought them to the memorial stone. She would've told Obito about the things Kakashi were up to: him getting into the ANBU, the last challenge between him and Gai, the puppy Kakashi adopted. Rin would've done a lot of other things on a day like that, Kakashi thought as he unlocked the door to his house and quietly went in.

There was enough light in the kitchen to see his way around. He put the things he bought on top of the counter  and started to unwrap them. The bunch of flowers were placed on a tall drinking glass half-full of water and the strawberries on a clean, dry bowl. The strawberry cake was taken out of the box and everything was placed on the table, including a gallon of strawberry ice cream. Rin would've liked all of it and he wouldn't have minded if she asked him to help her eat all of it even if he wasn't much into sweets. He sat himself on a chair vacantly staring at everything in front of him.

Kakashi reached out a hand and touched the cold, wet gallon of ice cream. With his index finger, he traced the characters of her name upon the condensation on the side of the container.  リン. It was readable for a couple of moments until the droplets of water gathered and trickled down the gallon's side. The light faded and night settled in. He didn't notice the passing of the hours. It would've been a nice day, and the ones before that, and the ones after, if only Rin was there.


2
It was the kind of day Rin would've liked. She thought it would've been nice for staying outdoors and finding a deserted rooftop or a big shady tree or a cool grassy meadow to hang out on. She didn't know that Kakashi was thinking the same thing as he walked in a leisurely pace towards Konoha Hospital. He didn't know that it was always quite a pleasant surprise for Rin whenever she finds him there waiting for her at the end of her shift. They didn't know the amused looks they got when their faces, one looking tired and the other looking vacant, would then light up the moment they caught sight of each other. It would've been nice to spend what remained of the day outdoors but if it wasn't weariness from work then it was the coming of night that brought both of them a longing to just go home instead.

And so, not long afterwards, they were slumped on the couch, leaning on each other, side by side, hand in hand. Then, as if he just remembered something, Kakashi stood up and went to the kitchen coming back with a tasty-looking strawberry cake which made Rin's eyes grow wide the moment she saw it. "Is that mine?" she asked, sitting upright, her mouth watering up. "No," Kakashi replied in the driest, most deadpan expression ever. "It's totally mine. And I'm not sharing it with you." A forehead protector was thrown playfully at him which he dodged way too easily.

They both sat on the floor, setting the cake on the low table. "Thank you very much for the cake," Rin said as she scooped a little icing with her index finger and brought it to her mouth. "It's just a cake," Kakashi said with a shrug. Rin shot her a slightly miffed look. "You don't say 'It's just cake,'" she said. "How do you feel whenever I cook your favorite miso soup? With the eggplants and all that?" Kakashi sighed, thinking. "It feels great," he admitted. "Okay, I get it now. You're very welcome. For the... you know... cake." He punctuated it with a sheepish smile and a little scratching of the back of his head. And Rin gave him a smile which he dares think is the sweetest thing he would ever know.


3
It was the kind of day Rin would've liked. She was also pretty sure it was the kind of day her son Sakumo would've liked for playing outdoors. They would've gone to the park or the woods and the boy would've frolicked on the grass, chased by his playful white dog. He would've gone tumbling around; doing cartwheels and somersaults. If Kakashi arrived, Sakumo would've asked his dad to teach him some taijutsu which would've eventually led to some roughhousing between the two. Or Sakumo would've asked Kakashi to summon his ninken so he can play with them. And even though Rin loves Kakashi's ninja dogs and didn't mind having all of them around, she's still horrified with the idea of a little kid playing with a big bulldog wearing a collar full of spikes, and yet she would relent because Kakashi always kept a good eye on their son.

On that day, however, she found both Kakashi and Sakumo indoors, quietly waiting for her in their kitchen. Kakashi quiet because he usually was and Sakumo also quiet because he was vainly trying to stay awake and was nodding off as he sat by the table, with an untouched strawberry cake laid on top of it, with his father. The boy was carried by Kakashi out of the kitchen and onto the couch, not aware anymore that his mother, whom he had been waiting for, had come. "He was waiting for you so he can start eating your cake," Kakashi whispered to her. "Aside from your brown eyes, he's got a sweet tooth just like you."

They waited for Sakumo to wake up from his nap. "Kaa-san!" the boy enthusiastically greeted. "Can we eat your strawberry cake now?" Rin laughed at their son's persistence. "Of course," she said. "Go wash your hands first." The boy happily jumped off the couch and ran to the kitchen followed by his parents. "Can we also eat the ice cream now?" Sakumo asked his parents. "How did you know about the ice cream?" Kakashi asked. He did not tell his son that there was ice cream in the fridge. "I smelled it!" the boy replied. "Hmm," Rin, with a smile on her face, whispered to Kakashi. "Aside from your gray hair, he's got a sharp nose just like you."