New Paths

A heavy silence filled the room, making Kakashi uneasy. His palms grew sweaty as he regretted what he had said. Perhaps he should have phrased it differently or had an excuse ready. But now it was too late. The words were spoken, and Minato's gaze remained inscrutable. He didn't react, and for a moment, Kakashi had the unsettling thought that Minato had stopped breathing. But upon closer inspection, he noticed Minato's chest rise and fall slightly.

The oppressive silence continued to weigh on Kakashi, fueling his worst fears. Perhaps Minato now believed Kakashi had lost his mind and would immediately summon his father. Doubts gnawed incessantly at him, and the silence threatened to drive him mad. Yet Minato showed no sign of movement, nor did he drop the slightest hint that he would react soon.

Finally, Kakashi resolved to break the silence and began to speak cautiously. "Sensei?" It seemed to snap Minato out of his stupor. He blinked several times before moving slightly and letting his gaze wander around the room. It was as if he were searching for answers, and his eyes betrayed a certain uncertainty.

Eventually, Minato focused his gaze back on Kakashi and cleared his throat once before speaking. "Kakashi, to be honest, I'm a bit at a loss," he began uncertainly. His nervousness and indecision were palpable. But Kakashi couldn't blame him. He tried to put himself in Minato's shoes and could hardly imagine how he himself would react if one of his students were to tell him something like this. Even with his current knowledge, even without the time travel he had undertaken, he didn't consider such a scenario impossible.

Minato interrupted Kakashi's thoughts as he continued speaking. "I had expected many things, but not this. Please don't be angry with me for asking, but are you really okay?" Kakashi flinched slightly. He couldn't deny that the question had hit him, even though he knew rationally that it was justified. After all, it was no ordinary situation.

Kakashi swallowed hard and lowered his gaze to his lap. For the first time in years, he truly felt small. "I know it sounds unbelievable and crazy, but you have to believe me!" he said softly. Kakashi raised his eyes to Minato again, looking at him imploringly. He knew he had to convince Minato. Kakashi had to lay everything on the table. If Minato didn't believe him, the situation would only get worse. Minato might even talk to his father, and they might think Kakashi was crazy.

Minato looked at Kakashi for a moment and then sighed. "I really want to believe you, but it's difficult for me. It's complicated," Minato confessed calmly. Kakashi was grateful that despite everything, Minato remained calm. Although he hadn't expected anything else, he knew Minato was a young but capable shinobi. He always kept his cool, no matter the situation, and for that, Kakashi was grateful to him in this moment.

Kakashi took a deep breath. He knew he had to choose his next words carefully. "I understand it's hard to believe, but please give me a chance to prove it," Kakashi said, despite the tension. He was aware that this was his only opportunity to explain himself.

Minato crossed his arms and fixed his gaze on Kakashi, then nodded. "Okay, I'll listen to you." Kakashi felt relieved. Now it was just a matter of figuring out what to say to convince Minato. But before he even had the chance to speak, he heard Minato murmuring thoughtfully to himself, his gaze lowered to the floor. "It wouldn't be entirely unlikely, after all. My Hirashin is also a kind of space-time jutsu." Kakashi was sure Minato didn't intend to say that out loud, so he left it uncommented.

Kakashi noticed Minato sinking further into his thoughts, so he decided to get straight to the point. "Kushina is a jinchuuriki," he said firmly. Minato's gaze shot up, and he looked at Kakashi in shock.

For a moment, Minato seemed speechless before finding his words again. "How do you know that?" That seemed to be all Minato could muster, his gaze remaining fixed on Kakashi in shock.

No wonder, it was information Kakashi shouldn't have known at this age. It was highly classified information known only to a few in the village. At his tender age of five, Kakashi shouldn't have had any idea, especially since he didn't even know Kushina properly at that time. They had only met a few times briefly.

Kakashi simply continued. "She carries the Nine-Tails within her, a closely guarded secret of the village. When she first joined your class, she was bullied by others because of her red hair. You liked her hair color, but still didn't help her because you thought she could handle it on her own. Until one day she was kidnapped by Kumogakure. On her way, she left behind strands of red hair to leave a trail. You came to her rescue back then and were the first one to compliment her on her hair." He paused, observing Minato's reaction. Obviously, Minato was speechless. Kakashi shouldn't have known all this at that time, yet he could tell the story.

Kakashi didn't give Minato time to collect himself and continued to tell him more details, of which he shouldn't have known. After a moment, Minato raised his hand, and Kakashi immediately stopped, curious about what his sensei would say. All color had drained from Minato's face, his gaze fixed on Kakashi as he began to speak. "You shouldn't know all this, and yet you do. I don't know what to say. You really come from the future," he said incredulously. His voice trembled slightly with disbelief.

A soft chuckle escaped Kakashi, and he covered his mouth with his hand before speaking. "I've never seen you speechless before. I must have hit a nerve," he teased Minato with a mischievous grin, watching eagerly for the teenager's reaction.

Minato paused for a moment before a gentle smile spread across his lips - a sight that surprised Kakashi, as he hadn't expected it. Then Minato began to speak: "Since we've known each other, I've never seen you smile without your mask. In fact, I've never really seen your face. Has that changed in the future?"

Kakashi glanced at Minato for a moment, surprised by his unexpected initial reaction. But in that moment, he felt a heavy burden lift from his shoulders. The relief that Minato believed him washed over him. A gentle glow appeared on Kakashi's face as he smiled at Minato. "I didn't expect this reaction, but to answer your question: Eventually, I gained enough trust in you and removed my mask in front of you."

Minato maintained his smile as he looked out the window. "To be honest, I have many questions, but I don't even know where to start," he confessed before his face turned serious again, and he looked at Kakashi. "Moreover, it's dangerous to know too much about the future. It could have consequences. I have no idea which future you come from, but you must be aware that everything you do here can have consequences." His voice was serious, and Kakashi knew Minato was right.

Kakashi sank into his pillow, arms crossed thoughtfully. "I'm aware of that, I've thought about it a lot. It's clear that telling you everything is a risk, and I have to be careful," he murmured. A sigh escaped his lips as he looked towards the foot of the bed. He was still torn. The desire to save his father was deeply rooted within him, but at the same time, the fear of the possible consequences was ever-present.

A gentle nudge from Minato on his upper arm brought Kakashi out of his thoughts. He turned his gaze to Minato. "From now on, we'll find a solution to your situation together. First, we need to figure out how you got here to find a way back," he explained calmly. Minato's face took on a pensive expression as Kakashi contemplated his words. Suddenly, he avoided Minato's gaze, who noticed Kakashi's hesitant reaction and raised an eyebrow. "Kakashi, do you even want to go back?"

Did Kakashi really want to go back? In essence, he didn't even know how he got here. Even if he and Minato brainstormed how it might have happened, they would only speculate. The prospect of finding a way back to his time seemed nearly impossible. And if Kakashi was honest with himself, he had already made a decision. He couldn't bear to see his father die again – or anyone else.

It felt like a second chance, and Kakashi felt he couldn't let it go to waste. Deep down, he knew it was selfish and that he should simply find a way back. But he couldn't ignore it, he had to try. Of course, he also longed for his own time. There, he had finally found peace with everything and was happier than ever before. In his students, he had found a new family. He had never dreamed of becoming Hokage, and even now, it wasn't his wish. But living Obito's dream and even Minato's filled him with happiness. And with Naruto, he knew he would have a good successor. He was actually happy, but now a new opportunity was presented to him.

Kakashi shrugged and looked away. "I have no idea how I got here. When I woke up, I was just here. The whole day before is like erased, and I just can't remember. Finding a way back seems next to impossible," he explained calmly before looking back at Minato. "When I woke up, I thought I was trapped in a genjutsu."

Minato took a deep breath and kept his gaze on Kakashi. "After our training, you didn't continue training alone, did you? Your chakra exhaustion came from this time travel," Minato recognized, then asked cautiously. "Does your father know about it?"

Kakashi shook his head decisively. "No, I didn't tell him. It's better..." He hesitated briefly before continuing. "To answer your first question: No, I didn't do any additional training. At least not that I know of." His words were determined, yet tinged with uncertainty.

Minato nodded understandingly. "It's probably best if we keep this between us for now. The fewer people know about it, the safer we are. But the question remains: What do you plan to do? How can I help you?" His gaze was determined as he looked at Kakashi. Kakashi returned the gaze, torn. Should he really involve Minato? But maybe it would be better. Minato could give him tips on what to do. Working together in a team might simplify the matter.

The idea of having Minato by his side seemed appealing. "Before I decide on anything, I need to know what date we're on. Only then can I determine what my first steps will be," Kakashi explained. He had a rough idea of the time period he was in, but to make concrete plans, he needed precise details.

"It's July 20th, you're five years old, at least your body is. You've been my student for almost three months," Minato explained with determination, looking expectantly at Kakashi. His words hung in the air as he waited for Kakashi's reaction.

Kakashi's eyes widened, and he immediately sat up. His father's mission couldn't be far off now. There were only a few days left until his father received the assignment. So, he didn't have much time to figure out how to prevent it. Even if he knew what would happen, he still didn't have a solution to stop it. Determinedly ignoring his body's protests, he swung his legs out of bed and jumped down. He landed gently on his feet and took the first steps. But the dizziness quickly became overwhelming, and he had to hold onto the bed. He bit his lip and was about to take another step when Minato stopped him.

Kakashi's gaze shot up, and he saw the concern in Minato's eyes. Slowly, Minato crouched down in front of Kakashi and placed his hands on Kakashi's shoulders. "What are you planning? You still belong in bed," he said gently, his face showing concern as he looked at Kakashi attentively.

Kakashi shook his head vigorously, trying to free himself from Minato's grip. He couldn't just stay lying down! "I can't just stay here! My father will soon receive his mission, and I have to do something," he explained resolutely. With a jerk, he freed himself from Minato's grip and took a step back. He still leaned on the bed with one hand, his gaze radiating impatience.

Minato remained crouched and sighed softly. "Please, Kakashi, you can't even take five steps. How do you intend to help anyone?" His gaze became pleading as he continued. "First, tell me what's going on. What about this mission? I'm willing to help you, but you have to talk to me." Kakashi realized that Minato was serious. His voice was firm, and his gaze showed sincere interest.

For a moment, they stared at each other before Kakashi finally relented and nodded. A satisfied smile played on Minato's lips as he slowly rose from his crouch and helped Kakashi back into bed. With gentle hands, he covered Kakashi, who gave him a reproachful look. "You know I'm not a child anymore. I could have managed that on my own," murmured Kakashi as he sank back into the pillows, watching Minato settle back on the edge of the bed.

Minato smiled at Kakashi and crossed his arms. "But just a moment ago, it didn't seem like it," he teased. Kakashi rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly. Then Minato became serious again. "Now, please tell me what's going on with this mission," he urged.

Kakashi nodded and relaxed a bit as he began to speak. "My father is assigned an extremely important mission crucial to the war. But something goes wrong, and he faces a difficult decision: Should he continue the mission and risk the lives of his comrades, or should he abort the mission to save the lives of others? He decides to abort the mission and return to the village with his team." Kakashi paused briefly, biting his lip. It still hurt to say what happened next. For him, his father was a hero, even though he only realized it through Obito. So, he couldn't understand the village's reaction that followed.

Minato seemed to sense that something was weighing on Kakashi. He placed a supportive hand on Kakashi's shoulder and smiled at him encouragingly. Kakashi returned the smile slightly, took a deep breath, and continued. "When everyone found out what had happened, the village turned against him and condemned my father. Even his teammates, whom he had saved, condemned him for aborting the mission. He was shunned by the village and sank into depression. Eventually, he couldn't bear it anymore and took his own life. I found him in his study..." Kakashi fell silent and watched Minato's reaction.

In Minato's gaze was a mixture of incomprehension and pity as his hand rested heavily on Kakashi's shoulder, burdened by the weight of the events. "Kakashi... I don't know what to say. It's..." His voice sounded sad as he struggled for words. Not wanting to push him further into silence, Kakashi raised his hand, and Minato paused to look at him.

Kakashi put a gentle smile on his lips. "It's okay, Minato-sensei. I've learned to deal with it over the years and made peace with it. You don't have to say anything." His voice sounded sincere as he looked reassuringly at Minato.

Minato swallowed hard, visibly shaken by what he heard. Kakashi was grateful that he had not mentioned how he too had been treated coldly by the villagers. This would have only shaken Minato even more, and Kakashi wanted to spare him that. Minato briefly lowered his gaze, seeming to gather himself for a moment before looking at Kakashi again. "How old are you, by the way?" he asked curiously.

Kakashi's grin widened. "You're only asking that now. I'm 35 years old," Kakashi answered with more ease in his voice.

Minato regarded Kakashi for a moment before gently smiling at him. "I can't even imagine you being an adult," he confessed before becoming serious again. "What do you plan to do now?"

Kakashi shrugged resignedly. "I just don't know. Somehow, I have to prevent the mission from going wrong again or prevent my father from participating at all. But I have no idea how to accomplish that," he admitted, rubbing his face with one hand. "That's why I can't afford to lie around here any longer."

Minato leaned back slightly and crossed his arms. "I understand that you want to act immediately, but you need to recover first. You won't be able to help anyone like this. As you said, we still have a few days, and first, we need to think about how we want to proceed. We shouldn't rush into anything." It was an attempt to calm Kakashi down, and Kakashi knew he was right. But he would have preferred to find a solution immediately and change everything for the better. But Minato was right; he didn't even have a solution for any problem.

Kakashi finally nodded in agreement and let his head fall back. "Then I can use the time here to come up with a plan. After all, I've been in difficult situations before." Frustrated, he sighed and stared at the ceiling.

There was silence between them for a moment before Minato drew Kakashi's attention to him. "Kakashi?" he began with a heavy voice. Kakashi hummed in response, and Minato continued, "What happened in the future? I..."

Kakashi immediately looked at Minato and interrupted him. "Please wait!" he pleaded. "I don't want to talk about it yet. Someday, I'll talk to you, but not today. Then I'll also answer your questions, I promise!" Kakashi didn't want to tell Minato everything about the future. At least not at this moment. Gradually, he would reveal everything, but in a calmer moment.

Minato smiled sadly, but his smile was full of understanding. Kakashi returned the smile reassuringly and let his gaze wander out the window. He felt a tired heaviness settling over his body, and it seemed that Minato had noticed it too. Slowly, Minato rose, stepping closer to Kakashi and placing a hand on his hair. Weary, Kakashi turned his eyes to Minato.

"You should get some sleep first. We'll see what to do tomorrow. Until then, I'll think about what we can do. To avoid drawing attention, you should pull your mask back up, although I was very pleased to see you take it off in front of me." Minato gently ran his fingers through Kakashi's hair.

Kakashi smiled tiredly and nodded at him as he began to pull his mask back up. "Thank you, Minato-sensei," he said softly. Minato smiled gently at him, his hand sliding away from Kakashi's head, and he moved to leave the room.

Kakashi closed his eyes and surrendered to the tiredness, but he was interrupted once again by Minato. "Kakashi!? You should know that I support you, no matter what decision you make!" Minato called out lovingly. A warm smile graced Minato's face as he looked at Kakashi. Kakashi opened his eyes for a moment, then nodded tiredly and returned the smile. Slowly, he closed his eyes again and gently drifted off to sleep.