Terrifying Discovery
Minato strolled towards the training ground, still a bit groggy, with the fatigue weighing on his bones. The night before, Kushina had spent the evening by his side, and together they had enjoyed a long night. Much to his dismay, however, he had overslept that morning and was now arriving at the training ground later than usual. He was still on time, but he usually made a point of arriving an hour early to ensure that Kakashi wouldn’t have to wait too long alone. Since the day Minato had first met Kakashi, he had made a habit of this—a small gesture of care that he had maintained ever since.
With quick steps, Minato entered the training ground, only to stop abruptly—Kakashi was nowhere to be seen. His brows furrowed thoughtfully as he sharpened his senses. No sign of Kakashi’s chakra—this meant he hadn’t arrived yet. It was odd, as his student was never late. A quiet concern began to spread through Minato, but he suppressed the urge to immediately go looking for him. Instead, he forced himself to wait a moment.
Minato thought hard about why Kakashi might be late. Perhaps he had spent the evening with his father, and they had spent hours discussing the Chunin Exam. Sakumo could have allowed him to sleep in before eventually sending him off. There had to be a good reason why Kakashi hadn’t shown up yet. Despite the nagging doubts that began to surface, Minato decided to wait a little longer.
After another half hour with no sign of Kakashi, Minato could no longer remain still. Despite all his attempts to convince himself that everything was fine, an uneasy feeling gnawed at him. He knew Kakashi too well to believe any excuse could keep his student from arriving on time for training. Something must have happened. This realization made him restless, and the urge to go search for him grew stronger.
Minato decided not to waste any more time and set off immediately. He followed the usual path Kakashi would take, but found no trace of the boy. With each step, the unsettling feeling in his chest grew. Something wasn’t right, and though he didn’t know exactly what had happened, he had the undeniable sense that trouble was looming.
Eventually, Minato reached the house. His gaze swept over the grounds, but nothing seemed out of place. Everything appeared almost too peaceful, but Minato’s instincts warned him—something was wrong. Every fiber of his being remained tense as he approached the house slowly and cautiously.
Carefully, he opened the garden gate, the faint creak of metal breaking the silence. Step by step, he crossed the front yard. The unease gnawed at him, but he forced himself to stay calm. Maybe, he told himself, everything would turn out to be harmless. Maybe Kakashi had simply overslept, exhausted from yesterday’s exam.
When Minato reached the front door, he paused and listened. But inside the house, there was only absolute silence—unnatural and oppressive. He took a deep breath to dispel his unease and knocked firmly on the door. Tense, he waited for any sign of life, some reaction, but nothing stirred. The silence was suffocating.
After a moment, he knocked again, this time harder, but still, the eerie quiet remained. A faint, unsettling feeling spread within him. Minato hesitated, his mind racing. His instincts screamed that something wasn’t right. He knew he couldn’t just leave. Determined to find out what had happened, he decided there was no other choice—he had to go inside.
Minato placed his hand on the door handle and paused for a moment, as if sensing that something sinister might be lurking beyond the door. Finally, he slowly pressed down the handle and cautiously pushed the door open. The hallway stretched out before him, still and seemingly empty, yet something about the scene caught his attention. His gaze fell on the coat rack—Kakashi’s shoes and weapon pouch were still there, untouched.
Minato frowned. Kakashi must still be here. A strange knot formed in his stomach.
Minato’s eyes scanned the hallway again, which was cloaked in an eerie silence. The house felt abandoned, as if no one had been here for days. A creeping sense of unease rose within him. “Hello?!” he called out in a firm voice into the seemingly empty house, taking a cautious step forward. “It’s me, Minato! Sorry for coming in unannounced, but I’m worried. Kakashi didn’t show up for training!”
His words echoed, but the hoped-for response didn’t come. Minato felt the anxiety inside him grow as he waited for a reaction that never came.
The silence in the house was overwhelming. Minato instinctively felt that something was wrong, even though he couldn’t quite pinpoint where this feeling came from. A quiet but insistent voice within him urged him to proceed with caution.
He sharpened his senses and focused on the surroundings to detect any chakra. Indeed, he picked up on a familiar chakra—it was Kakashi’s. But as he sensed it, he noticed that it was strange and chaotic, almost like a storm.
Taking a deep breath, Minato gathered his courage and moved toward the chakra at the other end of the hallway. Sakumo didn’t seem to be present—at least, Minato couldn’t sense any sign of his chakra. Was this the reason Kakashi hadn’t shown up for training? Maybe he had been upset that his father wasn’t home when he returned yesterday. Minato wondered where Sakumo might be now. Ever since his failed mission, he hadn’t left the village.
Shaking off his thoughts, Minato continued down the hallway. At the end, he saw a door wide open, pulling him toward it irresistibly. But as he took another step into the house, he froze abruptly. His eyes widened as a familiar yet terrifying scent hit his nose, sending an icy chill down his spine. The metallic smell of blood hung heavily in the air. For a terrible moment, he was paralyzed. His limbs felt like they were made of lead.
After a few seconds, Minato regained his composure. Now wasn’t the time to be overwhelmed by the situation. He had to think clearly and act. With renewed determination, he moved again. Whatever had happened, one thing was certain: Kakashi needed his help—and urgently.
His steps quickened, tension building within him as he approached the open door. When he finally reached it, he let his gaze sweep across the room. But as his eyes fell on the center of the room, he came to an abrupt halt. His heart raced as he fixed his eyes on the scene before him.
The metallic scent of blood was so overpowering that Minato almost gagged, his throat constricting. But what made his blood run cold was the sight before him.
Sakumo lay curled up on the floor, motionless in a pool of his own blood. Kakashi knelt before him, his small body leaning heavily against his father’s chest. The boy was covered in blood from head to toe. Minato’s heart clenched painfully—the scene was so tragic and disturbing that, for a moment, he almost forgot to breathe.
Minato’s breath caught as he realized he couldn’t tell whose blood it was. A cold shiver ran down his spine, but without hesitation, he moved forward. When his eyes fell on Sakumo’s face, the cruel truth hit him: it was too late for him. The expression on Sakumo’s lifeless body was one Minato knew all too well—he had seen such sights far too often.
He forced himself to block out the blood staining the floor as he knelt beside Kakashi. The silence in the room weighed heavily on him, but his focus was solely on the boy’s still body. As he cautiously reached out to Kakashi, he noticed his hand trembling uncontrollably. The situation, so tragic and surreal, took his breath away for a moment. But he had to act.
Minato gently placed his trembling hand on Kakashi’s shoulder, his heart racing as he desperately searched for a sign of life. A faint tremor ran through Kakashi’s body, barely noticeable, but it was enough to give Minato a flicker of relief.
“Kakashi,” he whispered softly, though his voice sounded shaky. “Kakashi, can you hear me?”
The boy didn’t move, his face buried in his father’s chest, and the blood covering him made Minato momentarily hold his breath. He could feel the pain and grief Kakashi was enduring and knew there were no words to ease the unspeakable sorrow.
Minato carefully lifted Kakashi from Sakumo’s body, the blood clinging to his clothes and hands. “Kakashi, you need to wake up. I’m here.” His voice was quiet but firm, hoping to pull the boy out of his shock.
Slowly, Kakashi lifted his head. His eyes were glazed and empty, as if he had drifted into another world—a world of grief and despair. “Sensei...” His voice was barely a whisper, broken and filled with pain. “I... I couldn’t do anything.”
Minato tightened his grip on Kakashi’s shoulders and gently pulled him closer. “It’s not your fault,” he whispered, though he knew these words couldn’t ease the deep pain. “I’m here, Kakashi. You’re not alone.”
He held the boy tightly, as the oppressive silence around them swallowed everything. Minato silently vowed to help Kakashi through this nightmare, no matter the cost. But what was he supposed to do? How could he help him?
Minato himself was still young, barely more than a teenager. Kakashi, on the other hand, was just a child. Despite the time Minato had spent with him, he had no real idea how to deal with a child—especially in a moment like this. What could he say? What could he do? Was there anything that would be right?
Kakashi had just lost his father—the only person left in his life. There was no one else. Minato felt overwhelmed by the responsibility that had suddenly fallen on his shoulders. But he knew one thing: he couldn’t leave Kakashi to face this alone. He had to act, somehow.
Though he wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was, Minato knew that at the very least, he had to be there for Kakashi—now more than ever.
Minato cleared his throat quietly as he gently stroked Kakashi’s back, hoping to soothe him a little. “Come on, let’s get you out of here and cleaned up,” he whispered softly, his voice calm and gentle. He tightened his hold on his student’s small, trembling body as he carefully lifted him up.
Kakashi didn’t respond. His body was limp, as though all his strength had left him. He lay motionless in Minato’s arms, his head resting heavily on Minato’s shoulder. But what pained Minato the most was the empty look in Kakashi’s eyes, fixed on the room behind them—the final glance at what was left of his father.
With a deep breath and a lump in his throat, Minato finally turned away. He carried Kakashi out of the room, trying to leave behind the weight of grief and blood. With a soft click, he closed the door behind them, as if trying to shut out the cruel reality for just a moment. But he knew it would be a long time before this pain would fade—if it ever did.
—----------
It was only when evening had long fallen that Minato finally entered his apartment—Kakashi limp and silent in his arms. The boy hadn't spoken a single word all day, only clinging silently to Minato, as if he were the last anchor in a world that had completely fallen apart. Minato had taken care of everything, step by step, with a calmness he could barely maintain.
First, he had cleaned the blood off Kakashi and freed him from his soaked, heavy clothes. The boy endured everything in silence, his eyes vacant and distant. Even when Minato found a wound on Kakashi's hand and gently treated it, there was no reaction, no resistance. The question of how the injury had occurred remained unanswered, and eventually, Minato decided not to pursue the matter further. Kakashi was already broken enough; he didn’t want to burden him with more.
After tending to Kakashi, Minato dealt with the necessary tasks. He informed the appropriate authorities and made sure that Sakumo’s body was treated with respect. He also brought Kakashi to the hospital to ensure his physical well-being. Minato didn’t want to overlook anything, even though Kakashi had no visible injuries—aside from the wound on his hand, which Minato had already treated. To his great relief, it turned out that Kakashi was physically unharmed except for that one injury. Still, as a precaution, the doctors administered fluids through an IV.
When the doctors suggested keeping Kakashi overnight for observation, Minato firmly refused. The thought of leaving Kakashi alone after enduring the worst day of his life was unbearable for Minato. He wasn’t entirely sure how to handle everything, and although he didn’t have all the answers, one thing was certain: Kakashi shouldn’t be alone. Not after everything that had happened. Minato would stay by his side, no matter what.
The idea of Kakashi spending the entire night in that room—surrounded by the horrific sight of blood and his father’s body—made Minato shudder. Even the brief moment he had spent in that room had weighed heavily on his heart. The thought that the boy had been trapped alone in that nightmare was intolerable to Minato.
Minato pushed all his own worries and thoughts aside, focusing solely on Kakashi. Gently, he sat down on the sofa with the small, silent boy pressed close to him. He stroked Kakashi's back soothingly, hoping to provide at least a little comfort in this incomprehensible situation.
“How about I make us something to eat?” Minato asked quietly, his voice soft and gentle, careful not to overwhelm the boy. But Kakashi barely responded. A slight shake of his head was all he could manage.
Minato sighed inwardly but remained patient. “Okay, how about something to drink?” Again, just a silent shake of the head.
The silence between them was heavy, but Minato tried to fill it with warmth, even though he knew Kakashi couldn’t let anything in at the moment. He wouldn’t push. Instead, he continued to softly stroke Kakashi’s back, letting his presence be enough. Minato knew that no words could offer comfort right now—but he could be here. And that’s exactly what he would do.
After a long, oppressive silence, Kakashi finally lifted his head slowly. His eyes looked tired. In a soft, barely audible voice, he whispered, “I want to sleep.”
Minato paused for a moment, realizing that Kakashi hadn’t eaten or drunk anything all day—apart from the fluids he received at the hospital. Worry gnawed at him, but he knew forcing the boy now wouldn’t help. Kakashi needed rest more than anything else.
With a quiet sigh, Minato nodded and carefully stood up with Kakashi still in his arms. “Alright,” he said gently, “you can sleep in my guest room.”
He carried Kakashi to the room, the boy leaning silently and exhausted against his shoulder. Minato could almost feel the weight of the boy's fatigue.
The guest room was simple—just a bed and a small dresser. Nothing special, but it was quiet and peaceful. Minato carefully approached the bed and gently laid Kakashi down. The boy barely seemed to register what was happening around him.
As soon as Minato pulled the blanket over him, Kakashi hastily grabbed it, as if he wanted to bury himself within it and hide from the world. Without another word, he turned his back to Minato and wrapped the blanket tightly around himself, leaving only a small part of his silver hair visible. "I’d like to be alone now," he murmured softly, his voice barely more than a muffled whisper through the blanket.
Minato stood still for a moment, watching the curled-up boy who looked so small and lost. His heart clenched, but he knew he had to give Kakashi this space. "Alright, I’m just next door," he said gently, leaving the door slightly ajar before exiting the room.
Frustrated, Minato walked into the living room, his gaze wandering aimlessly around the space. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so powerless. This deep helplessness gnawed at him, a feeling he rarely experienced as a shinobi. But this wasn’t a battlefield fight—it was a silent, emotional war, and Minato didn’t know how to fight it.
He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. The situation was overwhelming, and as much as he tried to find a clear plan to help Kakashi—there were no easy answers. He kept replaying the past hours in his mind, but no matter how many times he went over it, he didn’t know what to do next. The depth of his student’s pain tore at Minato's heart, and for the first time in a long while, he had no solution.
Before Minato could sink deeper into his thoughts, there was a sudden knock at the door. He sighed deeply and hesitated. At the moment, he didn’t want to see anyone, and more importantly, he wanted to give Kakashi the quiet he so desperately needed. Reluctantly, he moved toward the door, determined to quickly send the person away.
But when he opened it, there was no chance to do so. Before he could say a word, Kushina stormed into the apartment. "Where on earth were you? I’ve been waiting for over an hour! If you..." She froze abruptly when she saw Minato’s face. Her words died in her throat, and her eyes widened with concern. In an instant, she was at his side, her hand resting on his chest.
"Minato! What happened? Are you hurt?" Her voice softened, almost panicked. Minato saw the shock and worry in her eyes. She knew him well enough to recognize immediately that something was wrong.
At first, Minato didn’t understand why Kushina was so alarmed, but when he looked down at himself, he realized that his clothes were still smeared with blood. He hadn’t taken the time to change—he had been too preoccupied with Kakashi.
Trying to reassure her, he attempted a weak smile, though it was difficult. "It’s not my blood," he whispered, shaking his head gently. Before she could ask more, he pulled her into his arms, burying his face in the comforting warmth of her neck. For a moment, he simply stood there, breathing in her calming scent and letting some of the tension slip away.
For a brief instant, he could forget the weight of the day’s events, which had been crushing him all day. Kushina's presence helped him clear his mind, but deep down, he knew it wouldn’t be long before reality would confront him again.
Kushina seemed surprised at first, but only for a heartbeat. Then, she wrapped her arms tightly around Minato, returning the embrace. "What happened, Minato?" she whispered softly, her hand gently stroking his back, a gesture meant to ease some of the day's burden.
Minato took a deep breath, slowly pulling away from her and taking her hand to lead her to the couch. She sat down as he paused, gathering his thoughts before finally beginning to speak. His voice was calm, but the weight of the day hung in every word. "Sakumo… he’s dead," he began quietly, and Kushina’s eyes widened in shock. "And Kakashi… he was with him all night."
He felt the lump in his throat grow as he spoke of the blood, the sight he had walked in on, and how Kakashi hadn’t spoken a single word all day.
When Minato finished, a heavy silence settled over the room. The only sound was the faint ticking of the clock, which in the oppressive quiet seemed as loud as a drumbeat. Minato lowered his head, while Kushina slowly leaned back, taking a deep breath.
"It's unimaginable," she finally whispered, her voice full of compassion. "Kakashi must be completely devastated, finding his father like that... and then spending the entire night with him, alone with all that pain and despair." She shook her head in disbelief, her eyes shining with suppressed tears.
Minato nodded slowly, his gaze still fixed on the floor. "If only I had brought him home yesterday..." His voice was rough with self-reproach. "Then he wouldn’t have found his father like that. Or at least, he wouldn’t have been alone."
Guilt had haunted him all day. He should never have let Kakashi go home alone. He kept replaying the moment in his mind, searching for some way he could have prevented it.
"I should have been there," he added quietly, more to himself than to Kushina. "He shouldn’t have had to go through that alone."
Kushina gently placed a hand on Minato’s shoulder and shook her head. "Stop tormenting yourself," she said softly but firmly. "It wouldn’t have changed anything. No one could have known how bad things really were for Sakumo... that he was so desperate, he would take such drastic measures."
Minato slowly lifted his head, meeting her concerned gaze. Kushina continued, her voice warm and soothing. "Especially after he’d spent the last few weeks with Kakashi again. Anyone would have thought he was getting better. You couldn’t have known." She lightly stroked his shoulder, as if trying to lift the weight of his guilt off him.
"It’s not your fault, Minato," she added, her eyes filled with empathy. "Sometimes the pain is hidden too deep to see."
Minato let her words sink in for a moment before he began to speak quietly. "When I think back to the last few weeks..." He hesitated briefly, the weight of realization hitting him. "I feel like Sakumo had been planning this for a while. Maybe he just wanted to give Kakashi everything he could in those last days."
He took a deep breath, his chest rising heavily. "I should have noticed," he said, his voice subdued. "I should have done something... anything."
Kushina looked at him sympathetically, her eyes reflecting the concern she felt for him. She took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Minato, you’re a great teacher and a good person. You did what you could. None of us can foresee everything, not even you." Her voice was firm, yet full of affection.
Minato shook his head, unsure if he could accept her words. "But Kakashi... he’s all alone now. I should have protected him." His voice trembled as he remembered the innocence of young Kakashi, kneeling in all that blood, unable to comprehend or process the pain.
Kushina leaned in slightly, her eyes locked on his. "You can protect him now," she said softly but firmly. "Kakashi needs you now more than ever. It’s not about what could have been—it’s about what you do now. You’re here for him, and that’s what matters most." She paused for a moment before asking, "So, what happens next?"
Minato shrugged helplessly, the despair in his eyes clear. "I have no idea," he admitted, his voice brittle. He looked to Kushina for guidance, hoping she could show him the way forward.
Kushina furrowed her brow in concern, her eyes shining with determination. "You’re not seriously thinking about sending him home alone, are you? He’s only six years old! No child should be left alone in a situation like this. He needs an adult to take care of him, to watch over him."
"What am I supposed to do? Of course, I’ll talk to him and try to convince him to stay with me for now. But if he doesn’t want to, I can’t force him," Minato replied, his voice tense with frustration. "It’s just so complicated. Even though we don’t like it, Kakashi is considered an adult by law, and he can decide where he wants to live. No one can make him stay with me or any other adult if he prefers to go back to the compound." Minato lowered his gaze to the floor, the inner turmoil raging within him.
Kushina looked at him with an expression that radiated both compassion and resolve. "Minato, you have to show him that he’s not alone and that he has support, no matter what he decides. It’s not just about convincing him to stay with you, but also about making him feel heard, showing him there are people who care about him."
Minato nodded thoughtfully. "I know, but..." He trailed off, leaning back in frustration. "I don’t want him to think I’m crowding him or taking away his space. He just lost his father. He needs time to grieve, to figure out what he wants. I don’t want to be the one who burdens him further."
Kushina sighed softly and straightened up a bit, gently placing her hand on Minato’s thigh. "First, you need to take a hot shower and put on some clean clothes. You haven’t eaten all day, have you?" Her voice was gentle but firm as she stood up, offering him an encouraging smile, though it was tinged with worry. "I’ll make you something to eat. And don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on Kakashi too. If he needs anything, I’ll be here. But I think it’s best to give him the peace he needs right now. Pushing him more today would only overwhelm him."
Minato stood up as well, giving Kushina a grateful look. "Thank you, Kushina. Please let me know right away if anything changes with Kakashi." His voice was soft, yet full of concern. He leaned forward, giving her a brief kiss and whispered, "I won’t take long."
As he turned to head towards the bathroom, he could still hear the quiet sound of Kushina’s footsteps moving into the kitchen behind him. The soft rustling and clinking of dishes filled the stillness of the apartment for a moment.
Before entering the bathroom, Minato paused briefly in front of the guest room, casting a careful glance inside. Kakashi was still curled up under the blanket, his small body almost invisible. Minato hoped the boy had managed to get some sleep, but the steady rise and fall of the blanket didn’t give him any clear answer. With a soft sigh, he turned away and continued toward the bathroom.
Minato was fully aware that everything would change from now on. Nothing would be the same as before. Kakashi was no longer the same child — the innocence in his eyes would never fully return. The coming weeks would be difficult and challenging, Minato knew that all too well. But no matter how hard it got, he was determined to find a way for them to get through it together.
One thing was clear to him: he wouldn’t abandon Kakashi. He would stay by his side, support him, and take care of him. He owed that to his student.