Worry
With a tense expression, Minato gazed out the window as the sun slowly rose on the horizon. He rubbed his face tiredly; he hadn’t slept a wink all night. On one hand, he had to deal with the chaos, and on the other, he was too consumed by worry for Kakashi. Even if he had laid down in bed at home, he probably wouldn’t have been able to find any peace.
Minato sighed deeply, slowly turned around, and sank heavily into his chair. His eyes remained fixed on the door, in the silent hope of receiving news about Kakashi soon. Danzo had been immediately arrested and taken into custody by Minato’s Anbu, but Minato had paid him no further attention. His thoughts were entirely focused on Kakashi.
When the silver-haired boy collapsed unconscious, panic shot through Minato. He immediately checked for a pulse and breathing, and to his relief, found both, though weak. Without hesitation, he rushed Kakashi to the hospital as quickly as possible. Upon arrival, Kakashi was immediately taken from him and rushed to the emergency room.
Minato was left alone, his thoughts overwhelmed by worry and guilt. Almost an hour passed before someone finally came to him with sobering news: Kakashi needed immediate surgery, and only after that could they determine whether he would survive. The initial assessments from the doctors offered little comfort—the sword had narrowly missed Kakashi’s heart. However, to fully assess the extent of the injuries, they had no choice but to operate on him immediately.
After two more hours of waiting, Minato was eventually sent home to rest. But he knew he wouldn’t find peace there. Naruto was in good hands, so he decided to go to the office, hoping to distract himself. Yet, the worry for Kakashi weighed too heavily on him. Minato simply couldn’t focus on his work—the fear for his student was too overwhelming.
Minato buried his face in his hands, tormented by guilt. He kept blaming himself for Kakashi’s injuries—he should have figured out what was wrong with him much earlier. But before he could delve further into his thoughts, there was a sudden knock at the door. Instantly, he jumped up, his heart racing. “Come in!” he called out tensely.
The door opened immediately, and Shikaku stepped into the room. With a resigned sigh, Minato sank back into his chair. “It’s you,” he murmured, exhausted.
Shikaku closed the door behind him and stepped further into the room. “Who else were you expecting?”
“I’m still waiting for news from the hospital,” Minato explained, leaning back tiredly.
Shikaku’s expression grew concerned as he studied Minato. “How’s Kakashi?”
Minato shrugged and let his gaze fall on the untouched pile of paperwork on his desk. “I have no idea. They sent me away and said they’d let me know as soon as there was any news. I haven’t heard anything yet,” he explained, pausing briefly before continuing, “I’m really worried. It’s my fault; I misjudged the situation.”
Shikaku sighed deeply and shook his head. “Who could have predicted that Danzo would go that far? You can’t blame yourself. The most important thing now is that Kakashi recovers.”
Minato paused for a moment in silence before leaning forward, fixing Shikaku with a piercing gaze. "Why are you here?" he asked, determined to change the subject.
Shikaku studied Minato for a moment before finally beginning to speak. "I wanted to update you on the current situation. Danzo is in prison and remains silent. His Anbu are isolated at headquarters and refuse to cooperate. We're now combing through all his documents to get a clear picture. However, it will take some time to go through everything."
"I expected nothing less from Danzo," Minato said, clenching his hands into fists. "I’ll handle him personally. He won’t get away with this!"
Shikaku crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Don't do anything rash," he warned calmly. "Even though it's hard to bear, Danzo still has supporters behind him."
Minato felt his anger rising. "Am I just supposed to let him get away with it?" he growled. "He nearly killed my son and threatened me. I will not let that go unpunished!"
Shikaku met Minato’s gaze, speaking calmly but firmly. "I understand your anger, Minato, I truly do. But you need to act wisely, not out of anger. If you react impulsively now, it could cause even more chaos. We need to find a way to hold Danzo accountable without further destabilizing the village."
Minato breathed heavily, his fists still clenched. He knew Shikaku was right, but the thought of letting Danzo continue to operate freely was unbearable. "You're right," he said finally, his voice quieter but no less resolute. "But I won't allow him to position himself where he can harm us again. We must ensure his power base is dismantled—piece by piece, until he has nothing left."
Shikaku nodded slowly. "That's the right approach. It won't be easy, but we have the resources and the patience to do it. Together, we’ll make sure he’s held accountable for his actions."
Before Minato could respond, an Anbu appeared in his office and knelt before him. "Excuse the interruption, Lord Fourth. I was sent to inform you that Kakashi has returned from surgery."
Minato immediately sprang to his feet, giving the Anbu a brief, grateful glance and said curtly, "Thank you!" He then turned to Shikaku, who nodded in acknowledgment. Minato returned the nod, and in the next moment, he was gone.
***********
Minato hurried through the hospital corridors, his thoughts entirely focused on Kakashi. He hoped that the surgery had been successful and that his student was stable. When he finally reached the operating room, the head doctor was already waiting for him.
"Lord Fourth," the doctor began as Minato approached. "Kakashi is out of surgery and stable. He has survived, but the next few hours are critical. He is in a fragile state, and we must continue to monitor him closely."
Minato breathed a sigh of relief, though the concern in his eyes remained. "May I see him?" he asked.
The doctor nodded. "Of course. You can be with him briefly, but please be cautious and follow the instructions of the medical staff."
Minato entered the room and found Kakashi lying in bed, surrounded by blinking monitors and humming machines. The sight of his severely injured student hit him like a blow, but he forced himself to remain calm. Carefully, he stepped closer to Kakashi's bed, gazing at his pale yet living face.
Minato's eyes stayed on the silver-haired boy, whose chest rose and fell steadily. Slowly, he sank into the chair beside the bed, never taking his eyes off Kakashi. He cautiously reached out to take Kakashi's hand, but stopped just short, hesitating. Guilt washed over him again—it was his failure that had led Kakashi to this state.
"Kakashi," Minato whispered softly, as if afraid of further burdening his already fragile student. "You have to hold on. I need you, and so does Naruto—he misses his big brother." Minato paused, taking a deep breath to steady the emotions welling up inside him. "I'm so sorry for letting you down. But I promise you, things will get better. I won't let you down again."
Gently, he took Kakashi's hand in his own, holding it firmly. He vowed to himself that he would do everything in his power to protect his family and ensure that Danzo faced justice. But for now, only one thing mattered: that Kakashi recovered and became healthy again. Until then, Minato would stay by his side, supporting him and making sure he wasn’t alone.