Ghostly Figure

Chapter 17: Math Problems

-3rd Person-

The evening sky is a deep shade of blue, fading into darkness as stars begin to dot the horizon. Inside Kurenai's cozy home, a different kind of storm brews. 

Yui sits at the coffee table, tears streaming down her cheeks, her small hands clutching the edge of her math homework. Beside her, Naruto is also in distress, his face red and blotchy as he sniffles, trying to make sense of the numbers in front of him.

The two children are a picture of despair, their innocent faces contorted in frustration as they stare at the seemingly impossible math problems. Yui's eyes are puffy, her lower lip trembling as she lets out another sob, the sound soft but filled with anguish. 

"I... I only studied words... not numbers..." she wails, her voice breaking with each word. The admission seems to deepen her misery, and Naruto, seeing his friend's distress, joins in with a loud sniffle, his own frustration bubbling over.

"I don't get it either!" Naruto exclaims, his voice quivering with frustration as he rubs at his eyes with the back of his hand. 

"Why do we even need to know this stuff? I just want to be a ninja!"

Kakashi, stepping through the door, is instantly on alert as he hears the sound of crying. His heart skips a beat, and he rushes into the living room, prepared for the worst. 

"What's going on?" he asks, his voice laced with concern as he sees the two children in tears. His eyes dart between Yui and Naruto, searching for any signs of injury or trouble.

Kurenai, who had been in the kitchen, hears the commotion and walks in, a tray of freshly steamed baos in her hands. Her expression softens as she takes in the scene, immediately understanding the situation. 

"It's their math homework," she explains with a gentle smile, setting the tray down on the table.

"They're having a bit of trouble."

Kakashi breathes a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders relaxing as he realizes there's no real danger. He kneels down beside Yui, placing a comforting hand on her back. "Math, huh?" he says, his voice warm and soothing. "It can be tricky sometimes."

Yui nods, still sniffling as she wipes at her eyes. "I don't understand it..." she whispers, her voice trembling. "The numbers... they don't make sense."

Naruto looks up at Kakashi with big, tear-filled eyes, holding up his paper. "We're supposed to do multiplication, but it's so hard!" he exclaims, his frustration evident. He sniffles again, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand. 

"Why can't we just practice throwing kunai instead!?"

Kakashi chuckles softly, ruffling Naruto's hair. "Multiplication, huh? Let's take a look at what you've got here." He picks up the worksheet, glancing over the problems. They're simple enough for him, but he can see why the kids are struggling. Numbers can seem like a foreign language to someone who's only used to dealing with words.

Kurenai takes a seat beside Yui, offering her one of the baos. "Here, have a snack," she says kindly. "It might help you feel better."

Yui takes the bao with both hands, her eyes still watery as she looks up at Kurenai. "Thank you," she whispers, taking a small bite. The soft, warm dough and savory filling seem to calm her down a little, and she takes another bite, chewing slowly.

Kakashi looks at Yui, his expression softening as he watches her struggle. He knows she's been through so much, and he can't help but admire her for trying so hard, even when things get tough. "Hey," he says softly, getting her attention. "You're doing great, Yui. Numbers can be confusing, but once you understand them, they're not so bad. Let's go through it together, okay?"