A countdown had started in Kakashi’s head after he mentioned the time he was supposed meet up with his team. Everyone who knew Kakashi knew he was late to everything, nearly without exception. The difference, and the reason for the countdown was-

“WHAT!? TEN? TEN AM?!? Kakashi it is ELEVEN THIRTY!”

Airi was the only person to still give him a hard time about it. And that always made him smile, a true and honest smile, which was never the less hidden behind his mask. Everyone else he knew had given up chastising him about it even the Hokage only ever grumbled about it occasionally. He figured that no one felt like doing anything about it because his overall reliability when it came to missions, one of the few things he was prompt for, but she never let him get away with it if she had any say about it.

It was why he always made sure to see how she was doing occasionally; she was the only person who seemed to care about him as a person, or at least that was how he saw it. Guy was his Eternal Rival yes, but only in regards to being the best ninja. Sarutobi cared for him, probably, but he cared for all of the ninja under his command. That was as far as most of his friendships went, comrades-in-arms, even Airi started out that way, but things had changed after she retired, possibly even before that.

Still, he was rather out of the loop, when it came to the goings on in her life.

The masked nin let offered no resistance as his friend went to yank on his ear. “Would you look at that, so it is” he said lazily as he glanced at the clock scratching at his chin as he did. Thinking about it a moment longer he stood up and made a single Shadow Clone, making sure not to have the smoke obscure him as he did so. With a nod his clone ventured off to get the copies he was intending to get, after all no reason to not get them since he was here.

Turning back to Airi he ran a hand through his silver hair and attempted to look sheepish “Well it seems to be that I lost track of the time” He wasn’t fooling anyone, but the tradition was to be upheld none the less “Guess I should head out to meet up with them, you’re welcome to join me, if you want” he offered as he half turned to the door, hoping she would, even if only for part of the way there. After all he hadn’t had a chance to talk with her in some time, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so.

The fact that it would mean he would be even later in meeting up with his team since he would be walking was merely a side benefit.