He's Just My Best Friend | a Kakashi love story

Chapter 63

Today is the day. The day I become the Sixth Hokage. I spent the last month preparing with Tsunade, and I was ready, but I didn't feel like I was. Everything was in place. The elders had already retired, at my request. The look on their faces was priceless. I enjoyed every second of telling them that they were no longer needed. My new advisors had been instated and were already ready to work. Sasuke and I had been working on repairing our relationship so we could work together professionally without me flinching every time he spoke or looked at me.

I was ready.

"You can do this, Mika." Tsunade encouraged and handed me the Hokage hat. I looked up at her and swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Are you sure you want me? It's not too late to choose Kakashi." I said, weakly. She shook her head and laughed at me.

"Selling our your fiancé. That's true love if I've ever seen it." She teased. I rolled my eyes at her. "You've been doing the job for the last month. You're ready." She said, gripping my shoulders. I nodded. I didn't feel ready, but that didn't seem to matter.

She handed me my Hokage jacket and turned me to face the mirror. My jacket was a lot like Minato's, but shorter, like Tsunade's. It was white with red lettering on the back that read Sixth Hokage down the center. The bottom of the jacket had a red flame pattern that looked just like Minato's. The jacket hit my at the bottom of my hips, like Tsunade's did and was styled to look more like hers with loose sleeves and a cinched waist. It was a perfect combination of the two. It represented how I wanted to be remembered. I wanted to be smart, reliable, and level headed like Minato was, but also strong, passionate, and feared like Tsunade. I looked up to both of them tremendously, and I was terrified of failing either of them. With the Hokage hat placed on my head, I looked the part. Now to work on acting and feeling it.

"You ready?" Kakashi asked, poking his head in the door. I looked at him with nervous eyes and he rolled his at me. "You can do this." He said, stepping into the room and grabbing one of my hands. Tsunade grabbed the other one. "You're not doing this alone. You have both of us and Shikamaru and Sasuke to support you." He encouraged. I nodded, taking in his words.

"Today, you just have to make a speech. The rest of the day is a party." Tsunade added. I nodded again. "I'll even buy your sake." She bargained.

"And I'll buy your dinner." Kakashi added. I sighed. I'm not getting out of this. I have to do it.

"Okay, okay. I get it." I said, finally.

"It's time." Sasuke said, poking his head in the way Kakashi had earlier. I gulped and nodded. We had come a long way in the last month. I was still warming up to him, but I could be in a room with him and not be as cold. Kakashi led me out of the room, and into the roof, only letting go of my hand when I had to move forward to the front. I was standing in the middle of the roof, with Kakashi and Tsunade on my left, and Shikamaru and Sasuke on my right. We thought it would be best to announce the change in overall leadership here too. The whole village was gathered below me, and I could make out some faces. I saw Naruto, Sakura, and Sai in the front row, and smiled. I also saw the other four Kage and my nerves increased ten fold. How would they respond to me? I took a deep breath and readied myself. I can do this. I am ready for this.

"I am grateful to be standing here today after the war. We have achieved a kind of peace that many of us have only dreamed of. All five of the hidden villages have come together to form an alliance to protect that peace, and I am honored to be able to be a part of it as the Sixth Hokage." The crowed clapped and cheered. "I promise to put this village's needs before my own and treat every villager like family. Because we are a family. I will do my best as a Hokage who has been trained by both Lord Forth and Lady Fifth to take over this position. In return, I ask for your patience. I will not be perfect, but I will do my absolute best to keep this village and the peace we have fought for safe. I ask the other Kage in attendance to grant me the same patience. I am committed to protecting the peace that we fought together for, and I am honored to work alongside you all to do that." The crowd cheered again. I grinned. Almost there. I'm almost done. "I would like to take a moment to introduce you all to the new leadership council I have put together to assist me in protecting the peace." I gestured to Tsunade and Kakashi on my left side. "Stepping into the shoes of our previous elders are Lady Tsunade, and Kakashi Hatake. Lady Tsunade fought for this village in multiple wars, and protected us during Pain's attack on the village as a Hokage. Her knowledge will be invaluable to me. Kakashi Hatake has also fought for this village in two wars, and was a division leader with me in the most recent one. His ability to lead, work as a team and experience will also be invaluable." I smiled at them both and turned to Shikamaru and Sasuke. "Shikamaru Nara although young, proved his worth time and time again during this war. He stepped up to the plate and helped us create strategies that would ensure our success. I look forward to seeing him grow even more and do the same thing off the battlefield. Last, but not least Sasuke Uchiha." I took a deep breath. I was most nervous for this one. The crowd would not be as kind. "I know that many of you will see this decision and think that I favor him because he is my brother, but I did not make this decision alone. Sasuke has proven himself useful in many ways, and saved not only my life, the lives of many others during the war. He was a key contributor to our success against the enemy." I left out the part about him trying to kill me. We need the crowd to like him, after all. "Sasuke will function as a protector outside of the village as well as inside. With his impressive rinnegan eye, he will be able to detect attacks faster and better than others could." I smiled at both of them as well, and turned my attention back to the crowd. "With these four by my side, I promise that we will do our very best to ensure the safety of this village. Thank you!" I finished and waved to the crowd before walking away, and finally breathing normally.

"That was great. You're going to do a great job, Lady Mika." Shikamaru said, smiling at me before leaving the roof. I smiled back nervously, cringing at the name that everyone would now be calling me. I never was one for formalities.

"Oh god, that was terrifying." I said, trying to catch my breath. I put my hands on my knees and breathed deeply. We were just out of sight of the crowd.

"You did fine, Mika." Sasuke said, and I could feel his eye roll without even having to look at him. It's strange how I still know his expressions even with all that has happened.

"What did I let you two talk me into?" I said, glaring at Tsunade and Kakashi.

"Fearless in battle, but almost throws up after one speech." Kakashi teased with a smirk under his mask. I rolled my eyes.

"You can't take it back. It's too late now, Lady Sixth." Tsunade teased.

"I hate both of you." I said glaring at thim.

"See you at home, Mika." Sasuke waved. I nodded. He moved back into his old room. That was one of the conditions of his pardon. He has to live with Kakashi and I until I say otherwise. I needed to trust him before that could happen, and while we were working on it, its still a long road.

"Come on, sake is on me." Tsunade said and led me inside and down the stairs to my future of desk work and impossible responsibilities. I took a deep breath and let it settle in.

I am officially the Sixth Hokage.