Kakashi held the gleaming kunai threateningly close to Obito's face, his eyes betraying no emotion, while Obito gasped for breath, exhausted, defeated, and lying on the ground. An icy calmness filled Kakashi's voice as he declared, "You've lost." Slowly, he let the kunai slide back. Obito struggled to pull himself up, taking deep breaths to recover.
With a disgruntled look, Obito raised his head in defense, "Your victory only came because I was momentarily distracted," he declared, slightly offended, glancing away.
Kakashi fixed his penetrating gaze on Obito, taking a moment to observe him. "If you ever want a chance to face me, you can't let yourself be distracted," Kakashi explained seriously. "As a shinobi, it's unprofessional to be distracted in battle. In a real fight for life and death, that could end fatally." The rejection was evident in Kakashi's voice.
Obito snorted contemptuously and immediately sprang to his feet, pointing his finger challengingly at Kakashi. "Don't think you're anything special. The day will come when I'll defeat you," he declared with determination, proudly straightening up and pointing his thumb at himself. "After all, one day I'll be the Hokage," he proudly declared, a broad grin on his lips.
Kakashi sighed softly, choosing not to pursue it further. Calmly, he turned away, much to Obito's irritation. "Hey, you can't just walk away like that!"
Kakashi glanced over his shoulder at Obito, his voice tinged with annoyance. "What else is there? The fight is over, and Minato-sensei is expecting us back." His expression remained expressionless, but his eyes narrowed slightly. "His orders were clear, or did you not understand that?"
Obito's cheeks flushed slightly with anger, and he crossed his arms defiantly. "I'm not dumb, but there's nothing wrong with taking some time for ourselves," he retorted challengingly. A slight smile played on his lips as he added, "Or is the great Kakashi afraid of trouble? I didn't know you were such a coward. Is that why you follow every rule so strictly? Because you're a scaredy-cat who fears consequences?"
Kakashi abruptly turned to face Obito, fixing him with a stern gaze, his voice threatening. "You have no idea what you're talking about. One day, not following the rules will get you killed!" The tension in Kakashi's stance was palpable, his hands clenched into fists to hide the trembling.
With a casual wave of his hand, Obito closed his eyes in relaxation. "What harm can come from not always following all the rules? In the end, rules aren't everything. What's more important is that the team returns to the village together." He paused for a moment, then opened his eyes again and smiled faintly. "For my team, I would overlook rules sometimes."
Kakashi lunged at Obito, grabbing him by the collar and forcing him to the ground. He sat heavily on Obito's chest, pressing him firmly against the ground. His gaze was dark, the intensity of his eyes unmistakable. "You have no idea what you're talking about! The most important thing is to complete the mission. That comes first!" His anger erupted in a burning gaze directed at the boy beneath him.
With wide eyes, Obito looked up at Kakashi as he began to squirm to free himself from Kakashi's grip. "Let go of me! You're out of your mind!" Kakashi fixed his gaze on Obito for a moment longer before calming himself and collecting his thoughts.
Slowly, Kakashi rose from Obito and stood up. He turned away from him, dusting off his pants and allowing his thoughts to wander for a moment. Behind him, Obito got up, his expression dark. "What was that about? Are you out of your mind?" Obito followed Kakashi's lead and brushed the dirt off his clothes. Then he turned an uncertain gaze to Kakashi, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Does that mean you would abandon your team for a mission?" A hint of uncertainty tinged Obito's voice as he waited for Kakashi's response.
Kakashi kept his back turned to Obito, his gaze fixed on the ground as he bit his lower lip. After a few moments, he took a deep breath and responded calmly, "The most important thing is to complete the mission; that comes first."
Obito looked stunned and speechless, gazing at Kakashi incredulously. For a moment, silence hung between them as they both delved into their thoughts. Finally, Obito broke the silence. "You're damn heartless," he began, a mix of disappointment and anger in his voice. "You tell me that I'll regret not following the rules. But I think you'll be the one who eventually regrets following the rules so strictly."
Kakashi merely shrugged in response and started to move away. "Minato-sensei is waiting for us," he said tersely and walked away from Obito. Obito watched him for a moment before following Kakashi, stepping into his footsteps.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%
"Kakashi?" The gentle voice broke the silence, and Kakashi opened his eye, turning his head towards the sound. He was lying under a tree in the training ground, his back against the trunk, legs stretched out, and arms resting in his lap. His gaze followed Minato as he approached, a gentle smile on his lips. But behind the facade of the smile, concern and sorrow reflected in his eyes.
As Minato took a seat beside Kakashi, their shoulders lightly touched. He turned his gaze to Kakashi and asked, "What brings you here? Rin and I have been waiting for you." His smile remained warm on his lips as he gently looked at Kakashi.
Kakashi let his gaze wander into the distance and sat up slightly. "I was lost in thought and lost track of time," he explained simply, drawing his legs closer to himself.
A sigh escaped Minato, his tone laced with concern. It was no wonder; the Kannabi Bridge mission had only ended three weeks ago. They were all still struggling to find a new normalcy, each dealing with the grief in their own way. Minato spent a lot of time with Kushina, perhaps to strengthen himself through her presence. Rin threw herself into her work at the hospital, seeking distraction and trying to regain a semblance of normalcy. And Kakashi? Kakashi wasn't sure which way to go. Guilt gnawed at him, as if he doubted his place in this village. The thought of moving on seemed like an insurmountable hurdle in the endless landscape of his thoughts.
Today, the three of them met for the first time since the mission. Initially, Kakashi had felt relieved not to see them. He needed time for himself, time to process what had happened. But soon he realized that he couldn't cope with it alone. How could he? Every glance in the mirror was a painful reminder of what had happened. Every step through the village brought back memories of Obito.
Minato leaned slightly against Kakashi. "We should start heading out. Rin is already waiting and has reserved a table for us," he said expectantly, looking at Kakashi with a warm gaze.
But Kakashi didn't move, remaining in his seated position, his thoughts still dominated by that memory. After a moment of silence, Kakashi turned abruptly to Minato. "Do you think Obito was right?" His gaze remained fixed in the distance, never meeting Minato's eyes.
A look of confusion crossed Minato's face, and he blinked a few times before finding his words. "About what?" he asked, his forehead slightly furrowed in confusion.
Without further ado, Kakashi began to speak. "He said it back then, that I would regret it. Maybe I should have listened to him. Maybe Obito was right." His words were quiet, but they carried a burden of uncertainty and self-doubt.
Minato remained confused, gazing at Kakashi for a moment. "Kakashi, I don't understand what you mean. You have to explain it to me," he said cautiously. Over the past three weeks, he had tried to talk to Kakashi several times, but he had shown no interest and remained silent.
For the first time, Kakashi turned his gaze to Minato, but his eyes betrayed no emotions. "If I had listened to Obito from the beginning, not followed the rules so strictly, and gone with him immediately to save Rin, maybe none of this would have happened. Then he might still be alive," he murmured softly. His gaze wandered into the distance again. "Then he wouldn't have had to die." The words sounded like a faint whisper of regret, weighing heavily on his shoulders.
A sad expression crossed Minato's face as he turned slightly to Kakashi and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, Kakashi. No one can be blamed for it," he tried to comfort gently. The hand on Kakashi's shoulder became slightly heavier, as if Minato wanted to express his support and sympathy through this gesture.
Kakashi snorted slightly amused. "I've heard that before. When my father died, you said the same thing," he remembered quietly. He leaned his head against the tree, pulling his legs closer and hugging them tightly. "Even then, I felt guilty for the death of another. I should have realized that my father wasn't doing well. I should have been there for him, but I wasn't. And now Obito died because of me. To save my life." The words sounded like a faint whisper from the darkness of his thoughts, heavy with the burden of past guilt.
Minato slowly shook his head and withdrew his hand from Kakashi's shoulder. "No, Kakashi! You must not blame yourself for it. It's important to look forward now," he emphasized firmly, before softening slightly as he added, "Don't forget, you're not alone. Rin and I are still here and will always be there for you. You can talk to us anytime."
Kakashi nodded in response, but otherwise remained silent. He had no more desire to talk; he knew they would just be going around in circles. In essence, he wanted to believe that he wasn't alone. But he knew the truth all too well. He had always felt alone, although that wasn't entirely true. It was only when his father returned from his mission that he truly felt abandoned. From that day on, he was on his own.
Minato sat silently beside Kakashi for a moment longer before rising and looking down at him. "Come on, we shouldn't keep Rin waiting any longer," he said with a friendly smile. Kakashi was aware that Minato was trying to distract him. Perhaps he simply didn't know what else to say. Kakashi couldn't blame him and went along with it. Slowly, he stood up and positioned himself beside Minato. Minato placed a supportive hand on Kakashi's shoulder, and together they set off.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Raindrops fell persistently from the sky as his gaze remained fixed on the memorial stone. He ignored the dampness of his clothes and hair. A cold gust of wind swept over him, making him shiver, but he remained standing. He remembered his conversation with Minato, who had assured him that he wasn't alone. Back then, he had been right; technically, he wasn't alone. But now he truly felt lonely.
Rin had died by his hand, and his promise to Obito had been broken. Minato had fallen because he hadn't been able to protect him. He had failed to save his loved ones, and now he had nothing left.
Obito was right, just like Minato. But both times, he hadn't believed it; both times, he hadn't reacted to it. And now he was being proven wrong and had to live with the consequences. This time, there was no one coming to him. Slowly, he turned around, stuffed his hands into his pockets, and walked away from the memorial stone. His expression was blank as he embarked on a new path, alone and searching, trying to find his own way.
They were right...