Naruto: Chakra System

Outside, after paying for his pastries, Kakashi took a bite of a cream puff while sitting on a bench. He could have eaten inside the shop, but some of the original Kakashi's deep-seated habits had rooted themselves in him too.

One of these was not letting just anyone see his face from under his mask. Teuchi from Ichiraku Ramen had already seen it many times, so he didn't care as much in that shop, but it was different everywhere else.

Crunch!

Sitting on the bench, Kakashi ate the pastry, which made a soft crunching sound. It gave way to a cool, velvety custard filling.

A quiet thought comes in his mind, comparing it with pastries from his last world. "This... this is almost too good to be from this ninja world. The textures, the distinct sweetness, the delicate crispness—it's not much different from my last world."

He then tried the chocolate cake. The flaky crust shattered with a gentle crunch as the sweet chocolate cream spread across his tongue. He mused, 'Hmm, these are the simple and best pleasures of a world even with ninjutsu and war.'

—

Later, Kakashi tasted a few street food items, and for lunch, he walked towards Konoha's busy market district, heading for Dango. The Dango shop was not very fancy, but a modest place.

Inside, the air hummed with soft chatter and the gentle clinking of ceramic Dango plates. Kakashi entered the shop, pausing at the entrance, his right visible eye scanning the cozy interior.

Just then, his gaze landed on a figure he had expected to see in a Dango shop, just as he had expected Naruto at Ichiraku Ramen. This figure was already seated at a counter, a plate of Dango skewers in front of her.

It was Anko Mitarashi, her violet hair styled in a short, spiky, fanned-out ponytail. She wore a custom-made outfit of thin metal mesh that fit her body from neck to thighs.

Over that, she wore a tan coat with purple seams, a dark orange mini-skirt, a blue belt, and pale grey guards. Konoha's forehead protector rested on her forehead, and a small pendant shaped like a snake fang hung at her neck.

A wide grin was plastered across her face as she devoured a skewer. Kakashi glanced at her with his single visible right eye, which did not go unnoticed by the special Jōnin.

She paused her eating, a hint of surprise flickering across her face, a half-eaten Dango hanging precariously from her lips. She drawled, a playful glint in her eyes, "Well, well, it's really you, huh, Kakashi the copy-cat. Didn't take you for a Dango man."

Kakashi walked and took a seat beside her. "Why? Can't I eat Dango?" he asked.

Anko waved her empty hand and said immediately, "That's not what I mean, I thought you were more interested in Jiraiya-sama's books than wasting your money on sweets..."

"Cough... Cough!" Kakashi coughed lightly, a little embarrassed that Anko mentioned Icha Icha Paradise. "What kind of logic is that?" he said. "Why are you even comparing books with food?"

Anko said nothing and continued to eat her skewer while Kakashi placed his order. A waitress in an apron approached and placed a plate of two Dango skewers in front of Kakashi, with mochi colour of a pink on top, white in the middle, and green at the bottom.

Anko suddenly paused, her eyes narrowing playfully as Kakashi picked up a Dango to eat. She thought, 'How exactly does he eat them with a mask? Looks like I have a chance to see his face that rarely anyone saw. Kakashi you can't escape my sharp eyes today.'

She leaned closer to get a better look as Kakashi put his hand to his mask, her eyes wide with anticipation. This did not go unnoticed by Kakashi, who smirked under his mask.

Swish!

Kakashi's hands moved with lightning speed, removing and covering his mask while also taking a bite of a Dango piece. "Hmm, indeed tasty," Kakashi said while chewing the Dango, looking at Anko, his eye crinkling in amusement.

Anko chuckled awkwardly, a low, throaty sound. "Ahem, worth a try though!" she conceded, pulling back and starting to eat her Dango.

Kakashi picked up another skewer, the sweet smell filling his senses, and with lightning-fast speed, he continued to eat Dango without letting Anko see through his mask.

Anko grumbled lightly, but this small thing didn't truly bother her. She wiped a smudge of red bean paste from her chin and asked, "So, anything interesting happening with you, copy-cat?"

Kakashi chewed another piece of mochi, savoring the taste, and replied to Anko, "Nothing, just the usual. Oh, Sandaime-sama has given me a Genin team. I'll be a Jōnin sensei soon."

Anko gazed curiously at Kakashi, pointing with her Dango skewer, and let out a loud laugh. "Haha! So Hokage-sama made you babysit some snotty brats? Haha, that really funny!"

Kakashi snorted dryly at Anko's laugh and said, "Not just any random snotty brats. One is the Jinchūriki of the village, and the other is the last survivor of the Uchiha Clan."

Anko said, still chuckling lightly, "Well, that's obvious. Hokage-sama ain't going to make our village's pride, Copy-cat Kakashi, a Jōnin sensei of any random brats out there."

Kakashi and Anko later ordered a few more skewers, and Anko challenged Kakashi to see who could eat more Dango, which Kakashi obviously refused. First, he wasn't a true foodie, and second, Dango was Anko's favorite food.

He knew he couldn't win against Anko in dango eating competition, so why would he even choose a losing match?