Chapter 2
“Mahh, my sweet little genins. Why are you all seated outside the academy?” Kakashi tilted his head, his single visible eye narrowing with curiosity as he observed the three children huddled in front of the academy’s entrance, speaking in hushed tones.
The trio looked up at him, their expressions unreadable at first. Kakashi felt his curiosity deepen. “What’s going on?” he muttered.
Sakura and Sasuke exchanged a glance before turning to Naruto, who continued to stare at Kakashi with an intensity that made the older ninja pause.
Finally, Naruto spoke. “Sensei, my parents are alive.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and surreal. Kakashi froze, his mind scrambling to process what he’d just heard. He stared at Naruto, hoping this was some kind of elaborate joke. “You’re not… kidding?” he asked, his voice unusually quiet.
Naruto shook his head, his blue eyes shimmering with emotion. A wide, radiant grin spread across his face, his happiness overflowing. “Sensei, my parents are alive!” he repeated, his voice cracking with joy as tears spilled freely down his cheeks.
Sakura smiled warmly, stepping closer to wrap her arms around Naruto in a comforting hug.
“That’s… that’s incredible, Naruto,” Kakashi finally said, his voice soft with genuine relief and happiness. He reached out, ruffling the boy’s blonde hair affectionately. “I guess we don’t really need to mess with the past that much, huh?” he added with a small chuckle.
But then, as if a thought struck him, Kakashi turned his attention to Sasuke. His expression shifted to something more serious. “Sasuke,” he said slowly, “I’m guessing yours are alive too?”
All eyes turned to the Uchiha, the question lingering in the silence.
Shocked from the sudden attention, Sasuke timidly avoided their stares. Gloomily he shrugged his shoulders “I.. don't know. Didn't check the compound” He muttered.
Kakashi’s gaze lingered at Sasuke, pity clouding on his features as he frowned deeply.
“Why didn't you check teme?! We got sent back into the past! Wouldn't you want to know if your parents were alive?!” Naruto reprimanded, frustration evident with his squinted eyes and crossed arms.
Sasuke’s shoulder tensed, his sharingan flaring to life as he levels Naruto with a fierce glare. “Shut up, Naruto.” He growled, low and dangerous. “You don't know how it feels like to check a place— hoping against all hope that everyone is still alive, only for that hope to be crushed when you remember the bloodshed that had actually happened.” He growled.
He rolled his eyes, “I'm so— terribly, sorry!” His voice rose, voice mocking and dripping with sarcasm. “For not wanting to expect something—when there is nothing left for me to expect!” He roared, voice echoing with unrestrained fury.
Naruto looks taken aback he frowns as he sees the anger in Sasuke’s eyes, he backs down. “Sorry teme…” he murmured, regret evident in the way he spoke.
An uncomfortable silence hung around them as Sasuke huffed and crossed his arms back facing Naruto and the others.
Kakashi sighs, “Maa– kids.. ‘ske, naruto already apologised, give him some slack…” he mutters as he tries to put a hand on sasuke’s shoulder only for it to be slapped away. Kakashi’s eye grew from shock.
“Shut up, Kakashi!” Sasuke snapped, his glare cutting through the tension as he fixed his eyes on the Hatake. “Don’t treat us like we’re still genin! We may be in our past bodies, but we’ve already grown—more than enough!” he screeched, his voice sharp with frustration.
Kakashi frowned, “Sasuke, calm down.”, Sasuke fixed him with an even fiercer gaze which in turn lets Kakashi raise his hands up in a gentle placate manner. “Why don't we check if the Uchiha clan is alive? At Least then, you won't be alone if that hope gets crushed. Would that be okay for you?” He says, gentle and low.
Sasuke glares at the white haired man, as if debating with himself he sighs, defeated and nods slowly. “Yeah.. Okay..” he muttered. He glances at Naruto, “Still don't forgive you, dobe.” He huffed, childish enough to earn a smile from Naruto.
Naruto laughed as he slapped a hand behind Sasuke’s back. “Bet ya your clan’s alive teme!” He jokingly said in which Sasuke slaps a hand at the back of Naruto’s head.
Earning a whine from the hit and an anger filled response from Sasuke, Kakashi chuckles at his two boys.
As the boys walk on ahead, Kakashi lingers and glances at his pink-haired kunoichi.
Sakura looks up at Kakashi, with an emotion Kakashi can't read. “Sensei.”
Kakashi hums, “Yes, Sakura?” He tilts his head. “This might sound… selfish or something but…” she worries, fiddling with her skirt nervously, a nervous tick Kakashi remembers Sakura haved?— having?– as a kid.
“I'm happy that Naruto’s parents are alive… and that Sasuke’s might be too… but, doesn't it fill you with suspicion?” She worries, her face showing concern and worry. “How come we get sent back to the past… but not really?” She rambles, “How come— it's so different?” She mutters.
“I.. don’t know.” Kakashi guiltily says, as he looks at Sasuke and Naruto’s retreating back. “It might be from what Obito did… or something else entirely..” he drawled as he glanced back at Sakura.
Sakura frowned, her gaze still fixed on Kakashi. “We just have to find Obito and hope he got sent back with us... maybe he can explain this mess,” He said, his voice tinged with uncertainty, a false hope.
Kakashi sighed and patted her hair affectionately. “Until then, let’s catch up with Sasuke and Naruto,” he said, his tone soft but firm. Sakura nodded and went ahead, Kakashi following behind.
.
“Here we are…” Naruto murmured, his voice soft as he stood in front of the imposing, closed gates of the Uchiha compound. The air felt heavy with unspoken emotions as the group glanced at Sasuke, each of them wearing expressions laced with guilt.
Sasuke, however, seemed different. There was a glimmer of hope in his dark eyes as he stared at the gates.
“Sasuke… I’m—” Naruto began, his tone uncertain, but Sasuke cut him off with a quick shake of his head.
“Shut up, Naruto,” Sasuke quipped, his voice unusually light.
Naruto stiffened, mistaking the remark for anger. He huffed, crossing his arms. “Sasuke—look, I’m sorry, okay?” he whined, his voice growing louder with frustration.
Sasuke turned to him, tilting his head slightly, confusion flickering across his face. “Sorry? About what?”
Naruto looks taken aback as he looks at Sasuke’s soft gaze. “About– taking you here?” He sounded unsure. “I got your hopes crushed..” he spoke softly, bowing his head in shame.
Sasuke laughs softly at Naruto, it stuns the others. “Ne, Naruto.” He smiles gently and soft as he glances back at the gates. “The gates dont have the warning tapes and don't look like an investigation case.” He added lightly as he walked slowly towards the gates.
The others stood frozen in stunned silence, their disbelief evident. But Naruto broke the moment with a beaming, sunny smile, leaping toward Sasuke and wrapping him in a tight bear hug. His loud guffaws echoed, full of unrestrained joy.
Sasuke, however, was less enthusiastic. His expression twisted with annoyance as he squirmed in Naruto’s grip, attempting to pry him off. He shoved and pushed at Naruto, but the blonde’s grip only seemed to tighten.
It fills Kakashi and Sakura with joy at the sight of the two’s antics.
As they walked up to the gates, two Uchiha police forces walked out. “Oh! Sasuke!” One of the Uchiha greeted. “Back from the mission already?” They asked, glancing back at Kakashi and the others.
Sasuke looks happy, but otherwise nods and plays along. “Yeah. I wanna go see my parents after the whole mission.” He sheepishly said.
The two Uchiha cooed, “Awww! Lady Mikoto and Fugaku-san must feel so loved to have such a sweet little boy.”
One of them nudged the other with their shoulder. “Sorry kiddo, but we gotta go,” they said, tugging their partner along as they walked away.
Sasuke watched them leave, amusement flickering in his eyes.
“Wow,” Sakura murmured, her gaze fixed on Sasuke with a faint blush rising to her cheeks. “This is the first time I’ve seen Sasuke smile so genuinely.”
Sasuke’s expression quickly shifted into an embarrassed scowl, his earlier warmth vanishing.
“Stop staring,” he muttered, turning his head.
Naruto and Sakura whined in unison, clearly enjoying the rare sight.
Sasuke huffed, crossing his arms. “I’m going to see my parents,” he scoffed, casting them a sideways glance. “What about you guys?”
Kakashi hummed thoughtfully, drawing all eyes to him. “I need to check on Obito’s grandma to see if Obito’s around,” he said with a casual shrug.
“Why do you want to see if Obito is here?” Sakura blurted out, then immediately realized how rude it sounded. “I-I don’t mean it in a bad way, Sensei! I just—uh—” she stammered, her words tumbling over themselves.
Finally, she paused, her voice softening. “We’re in the past… so that means Obito is here, doesn’t it?” she muttered, almost to herself.
Kakashi sighed, taking out a crumpled photo from his pockets. “Here,” he said as he gave the photo to his genin.
As the trio took the photo and inspected it, they noticed the stranger on the side where Obito once stood. “Obito isnt my teammate,” He grunted out, “I want to go to his grandma and see if she knows about Obito..” he shrugged.
They stare at Kakashi with pity.
“See if what Obito said about ‘probably no Obito to cause mayhem hahaha’” Kakashi mocked, “had caused anything.” He said with a finality, refraining eye contact with his team.
“I wanna come with..” Sakura spoke suddenly, Naruto smiled and nodded, “me too! I wanna as well!” He beamed.
Both Sakura and Naruto glanced at Sasuke, waiting for him to come with them.
Sasuke sighed, “I’ll.. go see my parents,” before Naruto and Sakura could squawk and try to hit him into coming with, he added, “and ask my parents about Obito.” He glared at the two.
The two looked away, visibly embarrassed. Kakashi chuckled softly at their antics, a gentle warmth spreading through him as he realized how much his genin team cared for him.
“Alright lets go.” He said as he walked ahead to the buzzling Uchiha Compound.
.
When they entered the compound, it was buzzling with life. Sasuke stared in awe at the different clan members he remembered before the massacre. It fills him with giddiness at the sight of his different younger cousins playing and laughing, his aunts and uncles walking about.
Amazed and awed he started walking ahead, until a hand held him at the shoulder and he stopped. He frowned as he looked back at his sensei in confusion.
“Let's meet back here at the gate, okay?” Kakashi ordered. He looked at his sensei, and nodded, after that he walked ahead to where he remembered his house was.
As they stare at Sasuke’s retreating back Kakashi starts to walk on ahead in the opposite direction, where he vaguely remembers Obito’s grandma lived from the times he and Rin were tasked to check on Obito why he was later than normal, he smiles longingly at the memory.
Walking down a mostly barren street of the compound, Kakashi’s two companions trailed behind looking weary.
“Sensei.. are you sure you know where you're going..?” Sakura asked, skepticism lacing her tone. Doubting her sensei knows where he is actually going and leading them to.
“This place looks abandoned, ‘ttebayo!” Naruto chimed in, glancing between the barren street and the abandoned looking houses with unease.
Kakashi hummed thoughtfully, as he took in the place. It vaguely resembled how he remembered it– barren, but was once alive with the sounds of children playing. Now it just looks unused, barren and forgotten.
He frowned at the possible implication of it, it weighs on him heavily.
They stop in front of a house, it looks like it's been to war and back, the shingles of the rooftop dropping and cracked, the walls moist and mossy from years of neglect. Overall, it just looks forgotten— neglected.
But– it is the house. It was the house, it was Obito’s… but— “what happened?” Kakashi whispered.
They stare at the house in silence, dread filling them.
“Kakashi?” a voice called.
Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts and turned toward the source of the voice.
His eyes widened as he recognized the man from the photo.
The man jogged toward him, smiling softly. “Hey, man! I didn’t know you wanted to visit the compound! You could’ve told me, and I would’ve given you a tour, big guy!” he said with a cheerful tone, putting an arm over Kakashi’s shoulder.
Kakashi tensed at the contact.
“Is this your genin team!?” The man exclaimed as his attention drove towards Naruto and Sakura. “Naruto-kun??” The man gasped, “Sensei assigned you with Kakashi?? I thought I was going to be your sensei..” He frowned, disappointed.
Naruto stared at the man, bewildered. He couldn’t help but wonder how different things might have been if this man had been his sensei instead of Kakashi. The thought unsettled him.
The man shifted his attention to Sakura. “And who might you be?” he asked, his smile warm.
Sakura blinked, caught off guard. “I-I’m, uh, Haruno Sakura,” she stammered, clearly thrown off by his attention.
His smile widened, and he extended his hand. “Mako. Uchiha Mako,” he introduced himself with a grin, voice boastful.
Sakura hesitated for a moment, glancing between Mako and his outstretched hand, before shaking it cautiously.
“So, are you coming by later to Sensei’s house, ‘Kashi?” He suddenly turned towards Kakashi, an eyebrow raised.
Kakashi stares, not expecting the sudden attention. “I- uh maybe?” He said with a unsure tilt to his voice. ‘This man is too much.’ Kakashi thought as the man paused, then looked at him with a face akin to eating a sour lemon.
“Maybe??” The man screeched, “Kakashi if you're busy you could just say!! No need to be all indecisiveee” He whined.
Kakashi’s eyebrow twitched, this man is as annoying as Gai when they were genin– if not more, which is a very shocking thing to say. He kinda misses Gai and his overbearing shout of a Youthful Challenge, after the events of the past(?) Everyone he cared about, his precious people, his village– except for his team and Obito– had died, and he can't help but grieve them all.
Now Obito isn't here and he cant help but grieve even more, just when he and Obito were back to good terms—
“Earth to Kakashiii?” A hand was waved in front of him, Kakashi blinked and stared at the man, “You good in there?” The man, Mako, he reminded himself, stood too close for comfort in front of him. He took a few steps back for good measure.
The man— Mako, seemed shocked by the blatant display of wanting personal space, but his face was quickly turned into a pout. “Okay,” Mako sighed, a disappointed and sad noise “I’ll be going now ‘Kashi, Byee” He waved as he walked away, not saying goodbye to Naruto and Sakura as he walked by.
Naruto stares at the man's back, glaring at him. “I don't like that man,” He murmured as the man was out of view, Naruto glanced at Kakashi waiting for his response.
“Same… He gives me bad vibes…” Sakura added as she too looked at Kakashi. “What now, sensei?” The quiet hushed tone snapped Kakashi from his thoughts as he directed his gaze to his genin team.
“We should go back to the gates and wait for Sasuke.. see if his family knows about Obito.” He said in a monotone voice, he started walking- a movement that resembled a robot as Sakura and Naruto, concerned for their sensei, followed along.