Chapter Text
Chapter 54: Rin
Obito was a boy with a very large heart.
Though, if he had to list the things he liked most, he could manage to dwindle it down into roughly four things. First were the pranks that he played; not because of the chaos it caused, but because at the end of the day it always drew a smile on people"s faces (now if only the stuffy Uchiha clan would work out those stiff lip muscles as well). Second was his dream of becoming the best shinobi ever; with strength like that he could save everyone and no one would ever suffer from being orphaned like was. Third was that sweet, kind brunette called Rin, but don"t anyone ever dare tell her that. And finally, fourth was Hatake Kakashi, because despite how the silver-haired boy acted, he was the sort of friend who kind of grew on you after a while until it was unthinkable to be without him.
Obito had initially approached Kakashi that first day of class because, frankly, it was bad-ass to wear a mask in such hot weather. How did he breathe in that thing?
It"d certainly been a good conversation starter, though Obito was pretty sure he"d annoyed Kakashi that day with his constant nagging – to the point where Kakashi had eventually looked away and refused to face him for the remainder of class.
Then, Obito came back for a second round the next day.
He didn"t know why Kakashi never pushed him away.
Obito stuck with the other boy throughout the week. Don"t get him wrong, Obito could tell he managed to irritate Kakashi – Obito never claimed not to be annoying. But Kakashi had been patient, and when he looked at him, he looked and saw Obito for Obito, and it was more than he could say for anyone else he"d met.
Obito couldn"t let him go.
Obito had always seen it, that calculative glimmer in the eyes of people around him when they realised he was an Uchiha. It was a blessing to be hail as one from such a prestigious family, and it was also a curse because people always had expectations from him. And yet the moment he failed to meet those preconceived assumptions, they would turn their backs on him, as though he didn"t matter as a person of his own.
Obito could name a number of "friends" he"d lost due to that.
He hadn"t had much hope in Kakashi initially, to be honest, the way Kakashi had looked at him so critically, eyes burning on his appearance and every movement. But the silver-haired boy soon proved him wrong.
He"d seen Obito"s clumsy jutsu, and Obito"s failing assignments, and he"d unexpectedly accepted it all.
Unlike him, Kakashi was smart; he saw the way Kakashi would stare at their worksheet, roll his eyes at the contents, and proceed to fill in every answer correctly. He"d been on Kakashi"s lecturing end of how to properly hold his stance, and how to fix up his sloppy hand seals. He"d seen every last one of Kakashi"s perfect results, and it never helped the terrified wonder in his heart why Kakashi never walked away from him in disappointment.
Perhaps it was part of Kakashi"s oddness and eccentricity, because gods Obito knew Kakashi had a lot of those. There were times when Kakashi held a far-away gaze that made Obito"s breath catch, and he"d find himself babbling mouthfuls of nonsense just to draw his attention away from that unseen horror. There were times when Kakashi would stare at the students in their class and seem as though there were words he wanted to relay to them but would never manage to in the end. There were times Kakashi acted too mature and forlorn for his age, that even Minato would look over with his brows pinched together. Then there were times Kakashi would get this mischievous twinkle in his eyes and Obito would scramble to stay on his good side least he suffer from Kakashi"s unusual sense of humour.
Kakashi was always a bit on the stoic side as well, majority of the time. He was calm and collected and Obito sorely suspected that other than Kakashi"s adoration for Minato (and hopefully himself as well?), Kakashi cared for little else. Even of the friends Obito had tried to introduce Kakashi to, the boy hadn"t really spent much time with (other than maybe Gai, but Obito was actively trying to ignore all thoughts of that kid).
So, it was a real surprise when the love of Obito"s life suddenly came up to him and started a conversation revolving around the topic of Kakashi, of all people.
It began unexpectedly.
Obito"s eyes widened at the sight of Rin approaching him after class one day, face unwillingly heating up. He never forgot the gentle smile she"d graced him the first day they met, or the fact she"d kept Obito on her mind when she took an extra copy of the Academy entrance papers because she"d known he would be late.
"Hi Obito, do you have a moment?" Rin called out in her sweet, tender tones.
"Y-yes, Rin?" he asked, trying not to sound like an idiot. If it didn"t work, Rin didn"t show it. But then again, the girl was wonderful like that.
"You"re friends with Kakashi, right?"
Obitio blinked. Of all the issues he fantasized talking to Rin about, Kakashi was never on that list. Also, he didn"t even know Rin knew Kakashi in the first place. On the other hand, why wouldn"t Rin? The girl was so observant and smart, and Kakashi was in their class together.
"Kakashi"s my best friend. Did you want something with him?"
Rin gave a nod, and then proceeded with a conversation that Obito was wholly unprepared for. "I think I used to see Kakashi around my neighbourhood when I was younger," Rin began, "I"ve tried getting his attention in class whenever he looks over, but he tears his eyes away so quickly. Do you think he"s too shy to talk to me?"
Obito snorted at the thought. "Kakashi? Shy?" Kakashi was many things, and shy was no where on that list.
Rin shrugged, uncertain. "Maybe he thinks I won"t like it? I never invited him to play when I saw him around as a kid-"
"What? Why not?" Obito gasped, like it was a sin to fail to fully appreciate Kakashi. "It"s not fair I never saw him around. We could"ve been childhood friends!" he whined. It was a shame Obito didn"t know Kakashi also spied on him as a child as well. It was only because of the Uchiha walls and guards that Kakashi hadn"t dared wander close enough for Obito to notice him doing so.
Rin tiled her head in confusion. "Aren"t you technically already?"
"Even better childhood friends from an even younger age," Obito declared, and then muttered something about Gai that he hoped Rin didn"t catch, least she considered him petty. "It"s Kakashi," he explained like that was a reason of itself.
Rin accepted it agreeably. "Well, it wasn"t that I didn"t want to play with him, but my father always told me not to … something about still feeling too young to hand me over to some guy so easily, or something," she murmured, then couldn"t help herself as she giggled into her hands at Obito"s face.
"Wait what -?"
Rin waved her hands in a defensive, and possibly even calming, manner. Most likely calming, considering bewilderment stretched onto Obito"s face. "No, no! That was just my father being ridiculous," she uttered, embarrassed, face rosy red. If it weren"t for the fact Obito was still futilely trying to envision his best friend with the description Rin was painting for him, he would"ve gushed at the sight. "And I never even knew what he was talking about until I was older. I"m sure Kakashi never meant it like that. Apparently he ends up near my house a lot because he gets lost easily, or so I"ve heard."
"Kakashi? Lost?" Obito echoed, because that was yet another thing he"d never known before.
Seeing Rin"s clueless smile, something squirmed uncomfortably in Obito"s chest. The only problem was that he didn"t know why. He swallowed quickly, pressing a grin on his face. "That"s silly. You"re worrying over nothing. Kakashi isn"t shy, and doesn"t get bothered by small things like not being invited, and doesn"t get lost. I should know."
Rin blinked at him, nodding at his words. "Okay then, you know him best."
"Of course I do."
A frown creased between Rin"s brows at his firm tone, and suddenly Obito felt horrible that he made her feel even the slightest bit awkward. "I- I mean, I just didn"t want you get the wrong idea about Kakashi. He"s awesome, you know? A-and you"re awesome too. And uh, awesome is cool, so-" Obito"s voice faltered, because he honestly had no idea where he was going with this.
"Boys," Rin sighed, shaking her head. "Just tell Kakashi I don"t mind if he comes by to say "hi", please?" she said, thanking the goggled boy and graciously leaving before he could make more of a mess of himself.
Obito groaned into his hands and wondered when he would be able to learn to talk properly with Rin.
Obito"s eyes were narrowed in contemplation before Kakashi arrived. Kakashi didn"t know what the boy was thinking about, but the fact that his eyes revolved intermittently on Rin was quite the hint. Obito jolted the moment Kakashi dropped down on the chair beside him, eyes wide and frantic as though he"d been caught doing something he wasn"t supposed to.
"Should I be worried?" Kakashi wondered flatly.
Obito fumbled for an answer. "It"s – er, Rin …" The kid fluttered around, "I mean, er. What do you think about her? Do you think Rin is cute?" he finally pieced out, sounding hesitant but equally curious.
On Kakashi"s part, the jounin-turned-boy could only suppose this was a best friend thing, confessing their crushes to each other. Even twenty years of experiences did not prepare him for the topic of love talks amongst friends. Never mind the fact that she was one topic he"d rather do without.
"Hmm," Kakashi hummed, for a lack of better words.
He hadn"t been actively avoiding Rin, but Kakashi tried to stay out of her way the best he could.
When he was younger, prior to attending the Academy, he"d stood outside Rin"s house before, keeping watch over the whole of her family as atonement of his actions in his future"s past. The truth was, unlike Obito, Rin wasn"t sheltered inside a prestigious clan district, and Kakashi could"ve engaged with her any time he wished - yet he couldn"t force himself to do so.
A dying Obito had made Kakashi promise to protect Rin as his last and only wish, and Kakashi had failed him miserably. If anything, he"d personally done the opposite and ended her precious life with his own two hands. Hiding outside her house was the closest thing he could manage, unable to stomach the thought of getting any closer
If he was being honest, Kakashi didn"t try to think about her too much. He thought on Rin"s safety, but never of Rin herself. The pain and guilt between interacting with people he hadn"t managed to save the first time around, and the person he"d killed personally (accidentally, involuntarily, but killed all the same), were on two vastly different levels.
"I suppose so," Kakashi murmured out, staring off to the side.
"You"re not even looking at her," Obito countered, sounding considerably frustrated.
"I –" can"t, Kakashi wanted to say, but what kind of excuse was that? Was he going to spend his whole life avoiding the thought of Rin? Logically he knew it was inadvisable, and even more so if he was planning on keeping up his friendship with Obito.
Kakashi pulled his heavy eyes over at her, well aware of Obito burning holes into him and his more-than-unusual actions.
He saw Rin talking to her friends with laughter on her lips. There was a bubble of fondness as he recalled all the kindness the love of Obito"s life had showered towards her teammates despite Kakashi and Obito"s constant bickering. He could remember her thoughtfulness, her tender smiles, the warmth of her medical jutsu, her strength amidst battle, her death -
– mouth pressing tightly together in a morbid smile, trying not to give in to the wet hacking coughs, while the stench of scorching, blistering flesh sizzled in the air from the chidori torn through her delicate chest.
Kakashi looked away, paying no heed to the abruptness of his actions. He pressed a hand across his face, trying to physically scrub the image away. Kakashi pulled his eyes down immediately, trying to stop future images from overlapping and ruining her precious appearance.
– blood dribbling off the corners of her pink lips, eyes hollowed unseeingly at him while her lungs struggling to work through the hole, and thick blood scalded down Kakashi"s arm. "K-Kakashi-" she"d sputtered out at him, as her knees gave out.
Kakashi didn"t want to remember it all again.
Had she realised, Kakashi wondered, that his Sharingan had been active? The image had been burned clearly for him to remember for all eternity afterwards.
"Kakashi?" Obito called softly from his side, staring between Kakashi and Rin in growing uncertainty. The boy grasped as his next words hesitantly. "Are you - do you…" The Uchiha trailed off in confusion, or maybe he just didn"t want to word his worst fears.
Kakashi didn"t want Obito to falsely misunderstand he hated her.
"She"s compassionate and persevering," he said, meaning every word; even to the infuriatingly obstinate and irascible teammate that Kakashi had once been, she never gave up hope. She did her best to pull the team together and keep them together, no matter how arduous the task. Team Minato would never had been the same without her. "She possesses a heart that everyone should look up to."
Kakashi took a breath, fingers twitching in a need for movement. He tapped at the untouched sheet on their table, directing Obito"s attention towards it. "Anyways, worksheet," Kakashi continued, pulling away from that wretched topic.
Obito stared at him for a second longer before slowly dipping his head into a nod. "Ah, right, worksheet," he agreed in a voice miles away.
Chapter 55: Senpai
Though Obito was the main culprit when it came to monopolising Kakashi"s free time, the friends he"d stubbornly forced upon Kakashi slowly drifted into his solitary life as well.
It"d been Asuma who had approached him first, hesitant but determined. There was no doubt he was observant of Kakashi"s introverted personality and had been uncertain to bother him initially, but clearly his latest attempt succeeded because it was more than just a social call.
"Kakashi," Asuma nodded in greeting, catching the other boy on his way home from the Academy.
Kakashi returned the nod. "Asuma," he replied.
Despite the repeated exposure to these familiar – yet not – faces, Kakashi never considered he would ever become acclimatised. Except he had, so seamlessly one day, when Kakashi glanced over at them and suddenly realised the discomfort in his chest was slowly becoming a foreign thing of the past.
The idea was perturbing, because Kakashi remembered not too long ago, when seeing these fresh faces brought about suffering at the thought of replacing his brothers-in-arm with these naive children. Yet daily class interactions had acted like an unforgiving wave, washing over him, striping him bare, and taking away all those unnecessary grieving.
It was a lie to say he didn"t feel anymore because he was numb.
It was more of an unconscious acceptance that this was how their lives would forever be, and no amount of self-imposed blindness would reverse such a fact.
They say acceptance is the last step to the five stages of loss, except what loss was there when these children were still alive, and had every chance to grow into the figures similar to those Kakashi had lost in the future? Not the same, but similar, and that already counted for a lot. (Or maybe everything was relative, and after the forced confrontation to the sight of Rin, these bitter feelings started to seem like nothing more than minor aches in comparison.)
In front of Kakashi"s unmoving form, sandals shuffled in the ground. Asuma grimaced uncomfortably, faced with Kakashi"s wordless stare.
"I"m not bothering you, am I?" he wondered gradually, to the other boy"s discouraging response.
"Mmm, no," Kakashi replied, looking away.
The Asuma he knew wouldn"t have been so tentative around him. He treated life leisurely, but had an aura of a leader, unafraid to challenge Kakashi and his fellow Jounin. He"d been one of the reasons why Kakashi hadn"t completely been able to isolate himself after the last of Team Minato fell. The other man had stubbornly interacted with Kakashi despite repeated brush offs, until he at last wormed his way into Kakashi"s heart and become a trustworthy friend. This was not that man.
Still, Asuma was yet young, and refusing contact with the other boy due to disheartenment was foolish and unnecessary and letting the loss of his future dictate his actions.
Asuma hadn"t even known him as long as he had in the future.
Kakashi made a silent gesture for the boy to continue.
The raven-haired boy let out a breath in relief, before prodding, "I want to ask a favour…" trailing off sheepishly.
"From me?"
Asuma ran a hand through his hair and took a breath. "It might be a lot to ask from you, but my friends and I wanted to know if you would join us for practice and give us some pointers...?"
Kakashi hummed thoughtfully, shuffling away from the road to recline against the tall wooden fence erected along the path. He leaned his head back in thought. "Why me?" Kakashi asked, genuinely curious. Though they were classmates, they never interacted much, even after Obito had shoved Kakashi into the group and one-sidedly declared them all friends. Asuma was well aware that Kakashi scarcely engaged with his peers, as evident from the hesitant way he had approached the silver-haired boy - yet here he was, asking him of all people.
"You understand our lessons very well. You always finish our worksheets and tests before anyone else. You have excellent chakra control and never have any problem with your jutsu. Your taijutsu form is always perfect. Honestly, it"s only sparring that you seem to have any problems with," Asume replied reasonably.
Kakashi pursed his lips.
"Also, Obito recommended you," Asuma tacked on, and Kakashi sighed.
Given the chance, Kakashi knew Obito had plenty to say about him, and not the least, label him omnipotent. He almost feared what tales he spread this time. "What has Obito been telling you?" Kakashi asked cautiously. On the other hand, did he really want to know?
A grin stretched on Asuma"s face at Kakashi"s expression. He seemed to relax in front of the Hatake at last, given the chance to tease the other boy. "Oh you know, the usual. You"re super smart and helpful. Occasionally grumpy because you can"t breathe out of that mask of yours. You were born with the knowledge of everything there is to know about jutsu and then some, because you"re too awesome not to have. In fact, you"re so awesome you"ve passed all of Nimori-sensei"s exams with your eyes closed and hands tied behind your back." He grinned, "Stuff like that. Obito swears it"s nothing but the truth."
Kakashi pressed a hand to his face.
Somehow the expression on Asuma"s face managed to widened.
"Obito..." Kakashi lamented under his breath. Why was he best friends with that kid again?
Then with a shake of his head, Kakashi interjected earnestly, "I"m certain those of our class are aware I am incapable of spars," because surely that was reason enough for Asuma to dismiss his help.
Kakashi had adamantly refused to allow himself to become accustomed to recognising the proper distance between the limbs of his child-form and the targets before him. He couldn"t afford the Copycat to ever fall into a momentary lapse in judgement, addled with pain or blood loss or whatever horrors that awaited shinobi, and lose his life because his mind was not able to determine which set of information to use. It was better to let his body remember only the instincts of fighting in his larger form than to ping-pong between the two.
That is not to say Kakashi was willing to let his unhenged-self be completely useless until he reached his future height once more. There was a wait, but if anyone had the luxury of following the Copy-cat"s everyday training, they would have noticed the strange phenomenon of the shrinking shinobi. It was a gradual shift to meet the height difference half-way, and if Kakashi was lucky, his sudden growth spurt during his teenage years would quickly correct the inconsistency sooner than later.
That was for the future, though.
At present, it mattered little to Kakashi that his class would label him inept in spars, as long as it preserved his life.
Surprisingly, Asuma only shrugged to his response. "Your techniques are fine, with perfect form, even sensei says so. It"s only when you"re moving, or fighting against someone that you start failing." Kakashi nodded mutely, no reason to elaborate. Asuma continued, "Obito says you get dizzy easily so it can"t be helped."
That was the first Kakashi ever heard of that.
"He did, did he?"
"Yeah. Obito says that"s why we always see you sleeping in class and moving so lethargically. It makes sense that spars are too vigorous and the dizziness causes you to lose focus and miss frequently."
Kakashi didn"t know what was more astonishing, Obito"s wild imagination creating an underlining condition to explain his odd flaw, or the fact that the lie was so believable that none of his peers doubted the assumption for a second.
Asuma gazed obliviously at him.
"Fine," Kakashi uttered at last. "Only if you will to listen to me," he added, because though he was experienced in teaching, that didn"t mean he had the patience of a teacher. Being a Jounin teacher gave him perks like thrashing his kids into compliance if they didn"t obey his lessons. He highly doubt that was transferrable to this case.
To his grudging agreement, Asuma quickly led Kakashi to one of the small and few training grounds reserved for Academy students. They were barren lands, sectioned off by metal-chained fence, making for easy surveillance since Academy students were prone to accidents and mishaps. From a distance it was easy to spot the other classmates Asuma was leading him to.
"You remember Genma and Tokara?" Asuma asked, gesturing towards the other two.
The two were locked in battle at the moment, sparing no notice to the new arrivals. Asuma grumbled under his breath, "I can"t believe they started without me."
Kakashi studied their movements thoughtfully.
Their techniques were amateurish, in motions that didn"t flow like the dances Kakashi were used to seeing. Genma dashed up to his opponent, arm pulled back to punch. It"d missed when Tokara dodged, but there was no change in motion – the punch continued its trajectory to the a staggering end before the boy switched to a new attack, as though he"d never considered weaving together several skills, nor thought step ahead to counter evasions.
Tokara spun in spot, before lowering his stance and shot successive kicks towards Genma, disrupting his stability.
Genma only smirked and grabbed at his sandaled feet with a jerk. Tokara stumbled. Genma kicked back.
It was ... lacking.
Beside Kakashi, Asuma ran an agitated hand through his hair. "Argh, I"m itching to fight!" he uttered, but etiquette forbade him from intruding. With a huff, he pulled out a worksheet from his pockets, scrunched and crumpled from its ruthless storage. "Might as well get some work done. Want to work together?"
Kakashi gave it a glance. "I"ve finished."
Asuma frowned.
"Didn"t we just get this today?" There was wonderment in his tone, because when did Kakashi get the time to work on it if he caught him on his way home?
"Mmmm," the silver-haired boy said unhelpfully, and Asuma groaned.
"Are you kidding me? Did you finish it in the few minutes after Nimori-sensei handed it out?" He heaved a sigh. "Obito wasn"t exaggerating about you, was he?"
"Obito is known to exaggerate," Kakashi corrected promptly, lest Asuma obtained odd habits of overestimating him, much like Obito himself.
The gesture of goodwill wasn"t appreciated.
"Tell that to me again when any of these problems stump you," Asuma uttered bitterly.
Honestly, it was insulting to suggest any would - but Kakashi knew better than to answer truthfully (or answer at all).
Asuma was halfway through his assignment, with occasional hints from Kakashi, when the sounds around the two gradually quieted from the smacking of exchanged fists, to the silence of nature. Kakashi turned his head, to be greeted with the disheveled forms of Genma and Tokara heading their way.
There was a frown on Genma"s face when he noticed the silver-haired boy. "Kakashi?" he said curiously. "What are you doing here?"
Asuma stiffened discreetly. "I invited him," he said with what sounded like challenge in his tone. His dark eyes bore into Genma"s, and a silent discussion held between their linked sights. The air around them thickened darkly.
Genma looked away first.
"You shouldn"t be here," Genma directed at Kakashi. He avoided Asuma"s glare, carrying obstinately on with his unflinching words. "This is the sparring grounds, and we all know you can"t spar," he said, and it was a not-so subtle snub, if anyone heard one.
"He gets dizzy," Asuma defended, "It"s not his fault."
"How did he even get into the Academy, then? It"s one of the requirements: "Be healthy in mind and body"." The boy crossed his arms. "Clearly there"s a problem here. If he can lie to get into our class, then he can lie about the so-called knowledge you think he possesses-"
"You leave yourself vulnerable when you perform a high kick," Kakashi interrupted, cutting through the boy"s impending rant. Genma"s outburst was growing more heated with every word, and some things couldn"t be retracted after it was put out in the open. "Your weight distribution is off. You pull your body back to increase momentum, but it leaves you unstable when you perform your next move. It would be advantageous to make use of your arms to counter the balance, or alternatively tie a subsequent move to utilize the motion – though that might lower the force behind your kick if not flowed properly."
Genma blinked wordlessly, uncertainty in face of the barrage of unexpected advice.
An eyebrow rose on the Sarutobi"s face. "You were watching them spar while doing the worksheet with me?" he said, sounding impressed.
There was an eager glow on Tokara"s face, hand shooting into the air as though he was in class. "What about me?" he requested, looking equally anxious and nervous.
"Too many unnecessary motions," Kakashi said, without a moment"s thought. It was a frequent mistake of many ninja-in-training. They were enamoured with the idea of flashy, showy attacks that made the eyes of civilians sparkle, because those were the moves they recognised from plays and fairy tales shown to them as kids.
In reality, shinobi relied on simple, concise movements that showed enemies no openings.
"Keep your limbs close. Less is better – the more extravagant your motions, the more they open up to weaknesses that can be taken advantage of."
Though the advice was true in Tokara"s case, it was rather generic. If this were his genin team, they would"ve already been booing and sulking under their breaths in annoyance from his "unhelpful" tip. Kakashi chuckled fondly at the thought of his stupid, rambunctious kids.
Then Kakashi drew his mind back to Tokara and Genma"s spar, analysing for something simple these Academy students could improve on. Never say he was a stuffy teacher. "You understand your own strengths but don"t take into regards your opponent"s. You are stronger than Genma, but not faster – that was why even though you managed to hold him back, he was ultimately able to turn the match around."
A thoughtful silence washed over the team.
"Huh, Kakashi. I didn"t think you"d actually be so helpful," Genma said honestly, breaking the peace.
There was a smug look on Asuma"s face, no doubt because he was the one who"d advocated for Kakashi"s assistance. "I told you so. You should"ve believed me."
"I did. And then Obito started telling us tales about Kakashi, and then it all started to sound like outrageous boasts. Obito"s gullible sometimes, and … sorry for doubting you," Genma directed at Kakashi. "You make a good teacher," he added, as a token of apology.
"Thanks… sensei," Tokara said shyly.
Kakashi gave them all a flat, unimpressed stare. "Don"t call me that," because there were three children who that title was reserved for in the future, and despite the pains and worries they gave him, they"d grown on him without fail.
"Senpai?" Asuma tried.
"We"re the same year," Kakashi replied, sigh hidden on his lips.
"You clearly know more than we do," was the candid reply.
Kakashi opened his mouth to retort, only to wordlessly closed it again because he knew stubborn children when he saw it. He was constantly surrounded by the stubborn-est of the bunch, it seemed. But that was how Asuma had been able to insert himself into Kakashi"s life in the past, even when that broken teen Kakashi had become tried his best to push everyone away, wasn"t it? He was so, so similar it prickled nostalgically.
Kakashi said nothing, and they took his lack of response as agreement.
"Really, thanks Kakashi," Asuma told him while the other two echoed his words.
"It"s no problem."
"We should do it again some time," Genma said – asked, really, because he couldn"t assume. The three"s eyes were sparkling with excitement, and Kakashi honestly wondered when he"d become so soft towards kids.
"Can you help us with homework too?" Tokara chimed hopefully, spotting the finished assignment in Asuma"s hands.
Kakashi studied the boys" pleading faces, and wondered, why not? They were the generation who would live through the rise and fall of two Shinobi Wars (- one, if Kakashi could help it), and the memory of comrades forfeiting their lives because they were not strong enough to survive, was not a sight anyone – lest of all Kakashi – would like to see again. Who was Kakashi to deny them the sturdy foundation they needed, when he was so capable of doing so?
He"d set out to change the world for the better, and this here was a chance he hadn"t even needed to seek out himself.
"Whenever you like," he answered.
Then he sighed as they three kids answered him with a brisk, "Yes, senpai!" and a mock salute that left him wondering why he always stuck with such unruly kouhai, whatever lifetime he was in.
Chapter 56: Grades
To be honest, Kakashi sometimes worried how much truth there was to Obito"s belief in his supposedly omnipotent abilities. A mischievous part of him appreciated the outrageous claims, because sometimes they actually weren"t too far from the truth, whether or not Obito realised it. Yet another part worried it was Obito"s genuine assessment, and feared the boy would view Kakashi"s overestimated genius as an unclimbable mountain, and eventually become discouraged to try and catch up.
The disparity in their grades was already a daunting thing, and Obito was needlessly widening that chasm.
It was nothing like the rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke, because Kakashi wasn"t someone Obito refused to accept as superior to him. Rather, if anything, he was one to cheer on Kakashi"s continual growth, and aid it in any way possible.
Obito had the drive to work hard like Naruto did, but lacked a proper rival in Kakashi.
Not that Kakashi didn"t encourage him in other ways, under the title of "supportive friend" that he claimed this time around.
He helped Obito with his homework, with understanding the basics, because he knew the Uchiha had no one else to turn to. Especially not in that Uchiha clan, where Kakashi knew the boy never felt as though he belonged, let alone felt courageous enough to show his weaknesses, lest they found more faults to pick at.
It was also that clan which leeched Obito"s confidence from him. Though the boy was boisterous and reckless, Kakashi also knew it hid away self-esteem issues. Obito may have confidently declared himself Kakashi"s best friend and stubbornly dragged him along with all his whims, but Kakashi knew he was constantly afraid to lose their current relationship.
Which again, was why Obito and Kakashi would never form the suitable rivalry to spur on Obito"s growth.
Obito would argue and fight, but he would never push Kakashi what he deemed too far, in case he toed over the line and lost the friend he held dear. That was the difference between Obito and Naruto. Naruto never had expectations from Sasuke because he was already resigned to the fact that no one bothered to care, and he had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Perhaps, Kakashi supposed, he had been too hasty to befriend Obito.
On the other hand, Obito seemed happy, and Kakashi couldn"t deny the Uchiha that. Not after all his future-self had done for Kakashi.
So Kakashi had attempted a different approach to make catching up to him seem a little more realistic.
Slowly but certainly, Kakashi"s grades dropped, lower and lower until he was hovering just under average – higher than Obito"s scores, but not high enough for to seem like a sacred, unreachable goal. Obito could lie to himself all he wanted, but the boy always knew the limits of what was feasibly possible and what wasn"t.
Surely it would also do away with any feelings of inferiority that Obito may or may not develop in the future.
Of course, his dropping grades also came with its own set of problems.
Nimori had the decency to wait until Obito was gone before he pulled Kakashi aside for another quick talk. "I understand you get along well with Obito, but have you considered getting to know your other peers as well? Not that I have anything against who you choose as friends, but I have noticed that your grades have been dropping as of late. Perhaps he may not be the best influence for you?"
"He who stays near vermilion gets stained red; and he who stays near ink gets stained black," the saying went. Kakashi understood the man"s worry well. Were he an actual child, Kakashi would have likely irked at the accusation, and continued to seek Obito"s company in order to spite the man and his seemingly unreasonable request. But this Kakashi knew the hardship of teaching and caring for students. If Sakura suddenly lost her book-smart and regressed to Naruto"s level of intelligence, Kakashi would worry as well, trying to seek out the cause of the change.
Logically, it seemed like Obito was the cause (and it actually was, but that wasn"t the point), so it was no wonder Nimori had spoken out in worry. Few, and any, would expect the action was actually deliberate on Kakashi"s part.
(Even his classmates had been just as blatant in their concern. Asuma had confronted Kakashi, Genma and Tokara flanking his sides.
"Is it our fault?" he"d asked, once the pattern of Kakashi"s falling grades caught their eye.
Kakashi blinked nonchalantly, hands in his pocket. Pleading ignorance would do little else than prolong their conversation, so he only replied bluntly, "Why would it be?"
The boy looked away. "We"ve been taking up your time with our requests," and perhaps they had, but it had been irregular and sparse, and Kakashi would never refuse seeing how dedicated they were to improving with his guidance.
"Obito takes up more of my time than any of you," Kakashi replied, honest.
"But your grades…" Genma spoke up, worryingly. "You"ve been helping us with our homework, so how is it possible we"re doing better than you," he argued, "unless we"re leaving you no time to finish it properly after helping us."
Kakashi shrugged and wondered why stupid kids weren"t the norm so they wouldn"t notice little things like these. "It is nothing you need to worry about."
"Still…" and there was guilt in their tone.
"I have better things to do with my time than schoolwork," Kakashi said frankly. "If it bothered me, you"d know," he offered at last.)
At present, Kakashi presented the teacher with a curt smile. "Aaa, thank you for the concern, but it"s irrelevant," Kakashi told him honestly. "No matter Obito"s grades, they have no effect on the results of my own assignments."
"I am not saying you should not be friends," the teacher probed carefully, "only that you should try getting along with others as well. Everyone has their strengths and opinions, and they can help expand your understanding of the world," Nimori pointed out, unwilling to let Kakashi"s dismissive tone deter him.
Kakashi nodded but otherwise held unresponsive.
The teacher studied Kakash"s unyielding form before he finally gave a nod in defeat. "I see," he said. "I admit, your loyalty is admirable. You will do well as a shinobi as long as you do not let your grades fall further," he confided fondly. "I expect great things from you."
Kakashi smiled from under his mask.
Approval and encouragement – a teacher"s praise easily motivated a student"s desire to do them proud. Kakashi eventually realised such tactics, but it was almost embarrassing how awful his initial teaching manner towards his own students had been. He had never been one to commend their successes, or pull them aside for personal discussions – his only excuse was that they were genin and he was helping them learn to look underneath the underneath for Kakashi"s concealed approval.
(The truth of the matter was that Kakashi had no experience teaching, and he"d muddled along the best that he could.)
Sensing the loss of Kakashi"s interest, Nimori dismissed him reluctantly. "Come along, Hatake-kun, I"ll escort you out. The Academy will be soon closed for the day."
Kakashi dipped his head into a nod and followed behind.
It was a pity he had been too immersed in his mind, recalling nostalgic memories of his precious to-be students, to cast his sense out across the classroom - not that he had a reason to do so in the first place. However, hidden just outside and under the window, lying on the ground unseen, laid a goggled boy. He"d settle there as a fun, whimsical place to sleep, trying to waste time before he had no choice but to head home, but the voices in the classroom had caught his attention.
Now, he clenched his hands and stared listlessly into the clouds above, Nimori"s words to Kakashi echoing in his mind.
.
Far away, a man in with a red scarf flipped himself over unnaturally large flora roots as a small explosion sounded from behind him. He let out a small curse.
Kakashi, or the CopyCat, rather, as he was in costume, held still and strained his ears for new arrivals draw by the noise. It hadn"t been loud, quickly dampened by the trees and bushes, but it would"ve been enough if anyone had been stationed on alert nearby.
As far as innocent passersby went, the area itself was isolated enough to avoid attracting their attention. Danzou had a gift when it came to carving out hideouts in nooks and crannies of Konoha that nobody paid heed to. Kakashi was certain the elder had many holes, perhaps regularly rotated between, to throw shinobi off his back.
This particular location, Kakashi had been informed of by Sai, when Danzou eventually got what he deserved. The doorway was hidden between the large knobbly roots of Konoha"s magnificent trees, so dark that it easily blended into the impervious shadows. It was a base on the smaller side - rather, Kakashi reckoned it was more of an office than grounds for Root operatives to reside. That was only more reason Kakashi had sought this one out.
He"d scoped out the hideout earlier that day, before he"d eventually snuck through the sturdy doorway, slipped around some well-hidden seals that warded against intruders. He"d dismantled one initially, but the complexity of the seals discouraged him from doing so with any other, because it took too much time with his intermediate knowledge, and Danzou had too many Root eyes and ears for him to take the risk of being caught halfway through. Not when he had to take time afterwards to replace the seals as well.
So he had settled for slipping through the cracks instead.
It was an arduous task. Never had Kakashi missed his sharingan more than that moment, but Kakashi hadn"t spent over twenty years as a shinobi to be thwarted by lack of inconveniences.
Unfortunately, there"d been nothing in the office that incriminated Danzou. There were scarce reports written in code that Kakashi had a feeling, encrypted or not, were nothing of importance – perhaps casual correspondences that held no names nor specific locations. Danzou had long had his sharingan illegally implanted by this point in life, and with its capabilities, there was no reason not to burn crucial documents after memorisation by the dojutsu.
Kakashi had had his inkling, and now the lack of paperwork supported the theory.
Kakashi continued a systematic search after that. Sometime between replacing the reports, examining for hidden drawers, and trying to find anything that could trace back to Danzou, a seal abruptly activated.
Kakashi"s instincts reacted before he fully realised his slipup. The hairs on his arms had stood on their ends, and a tingling sensation squirmed at the base of his neck. He"d reached out with his chakra, then bolted, red scarf fluttering behind him.
Which lead him to his present position, crouched behind a sturdy tree, letting dust settle from the air.
The lack of sentries rushing to apprehend him meant Kakashi was safe for now. But Kakashi was certain it wouldn"t be long before Danzou circuited back to this hideout and noticed the disturbance. Not that the elder would realise who had tried to break in, but paranoia tightened defenses, both mentally and physically. Kakashi couldn"t have that.
Carefully, to avoid footprints, Kakashi peered back into the doorway. He kneeled to observe the blown hinges, scorch marks, and charred wood, then nodded to himself and shot out to hunt.
On unheard lips and unseen trails, a prayer had been murmured, a rabbit had been slain – death by blunt force trauma.
The corpse was laid in Danzou"s hideout, arranged meticulously. The door was worn down with water and fire jutsu, until it bore the signs of erosion, and a possibility of having given way for a wild creature to slip past in seek of shelter.
The Copycat pursed his lips under his scarf. A critical eye gave another quick glance over the scene and then promptly dispersed into a cloud of smoke.
One step forward, one step back.
Chapter 57: Resemblances
The moment Kakashi stepped into the Namikaze Complex, after a long day at the Academy, he was swept up again in a whirlwind of motion. Minato hurried the boy out before he even had the chance to settle down, because a meeting with the Hokage should never be tarried.
Kakashi followed dutifully along and silently wondered if Minato realised he had a rather solemn expression frozen upon his face.
The meeting was a quiet and private affair, with on the three of them present. Despite this, the atmosphere was dense, because like Minato, the Hokage"s gaze was too sombre for Kakashi"s liking.
For a skip of a heartbeat, Kakashi feared for his hidden identity, but wouldn"t he be in a cell for that interrogation instead?
"Kakashi-kun, how are you doing?" Hiruzen said, in an utterly vague opening that did nothing to sooth Kakashi"s internal apprehension.
Kakashi gave a respectful bow to the man. "I am fine," he answered carefully. Then, "May I ask the reason for this summon?" perhaps a bit too formally, but Kakashi was working with caution at the moment.
Minato rubbed Kakashi"s back. It was gentle and accepting, without prickling hints of suspicion or distrust, so Kakashi allowed the tension in his shoulders to melt away.
Perhaps realising such terse conditions were not ideal for children, the Hokage quickly continued. "I assure you, Kakashi-kun, you are not in trouble. I only have a several questions you may be able to help me answer," he said.
"Understood."
As if apologetic for bringing up the memories for the boy, the man carried on as gently as he could. "I know you"ve mentioned you don"t remember what happened months ago when your attempted kidnapping took place…"
Kakashi remembered.
Minato had fussed over him all that morning after, up until afternoon, when he finally, reluctantly, left the house to have an audience with the Hokage to report the incident. He"d returned later that day with the Hokage and several Anbu members in tow. They"d inspected the crime scene - not that there was much to inspect other than upturned furniture and diminishing chakra energies - and had gotten Kakashi"s side of the confrontation.
Kakashi hadn"t said much. He pleaded ignorance, claiming he"d tried to fight back, only to have been knocked out almost immediately. It wasn"t unbelievable, considering he was a civilian pitted against a trained shinobi. And he sort of had been knocked back, when he miscalculated the length of his limbs.
He did, of course, remember what his assailant looked like - it wouldn"t do for the Anbu to think his Copycat-self initiated the kidnapping after all - and described the Root operative with his Konoha hitai-ate, ceramic mask, and indifferent words.
"He talked to you," Hiruzen continued, "told you he was bringing you to meet someone important."
Kakashi nodded.
"Can you recall any more of your conversation? Did he describe that important person?"
Kakashi wondered what it meant for the Hokage to try to acquire more information. Danzou was a slippery sort, but had he blundered somewhere? He wasn"t one to leave behind evidence and his Root would never be able to incriminate him, accidentally or not. Not with that seal on their tongue. It seemed any conviction against Danzou depended on Kakashi"s answer, but anything damning enough was incredulous to believe without proof.
"I was told I was invited to meet with him, and the ...false-Anbu was to escort me."
Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully, though it wasn"t anything new. "And did you receive an invitation of any sort prior to this encounter?"
There was a silence as Kakashi hummed in thought. Then he said, slowly and cautiously, "There was that invitation from Danzou which I refused…"
If Kakashi wasn"t hesitant to seem too deliberate in trying to turn his accusation onto the man, he would"ve continued on about how Danzou"s expression didn"t sit right with him, and how he"d seemed so eager to take him from Minato, and how Danzou had gone on and on about his talented child orphans, and hadn"t that "Anbu" been young and talented as well?
On the other hand, it wasn"t as though the Hokage couldn"t piece those clues together himself - if he wasn"t blinded by their long-time friendship (which Kakashi couldn"t blame the man for, because if someone had told him Gai or Obito had been secretly plotting in Konoha, he would certainly be hard pressed to believe it). Surely Kakashi could give him enough hints of treason to look deeper into Danzou"s character, at the very least.
As it was, Hiruzen only nodded distractedly once more. "Is that all?"
Kakashi confirmed it cautiously.
The Hokage regarded the young boy grimly, eyes fixed on the younger one"s as he removed his pipe from his lips. With an unmoving gaze, he placed it onto the table with a resounding clack that would"ve startled Kakashi to a jolt were he anyone less. "I believe you"ve forgotten one other thing," he began. Kakashi stood straighter, and Minato"s hand tightened upsettingly on his back. "The one who goes by the moniker of "The Copycat"."
Minato stiffened at the name.
Kakashi took a breath.
"I don"t understand," he said, and that was a partial truth because Kakashi didn"t know what the Hokage had pieced together between his kid-self and the Copycat. The Copycat had "saved" him from the Root operative, but Kakashi had been supposedly unconscious at the time, and for all anyone knew, wasn"t aware of the man"s appearance that day.
"I believe you do," Hiruzen chided.
When Kakashi held silent, Minato whirled him around, kneeled before him with his two hands firmly grasped against his shoulders. "When was this? Kakashi, did he do anything to you?"
Eyebrows furrowed in a spike of frustration. "No," he defended, irked how his alter ego had been drafted as the antagonistic role so easily once more. Why couldn"t Minato (Sakumo) accept he was only trying to help?
"Then you admit you know of whom I"m talking about?" Hiruzen countered.
Kakashi reluctantly conceded, though it seemed as though Hiruzen was well aware already. He watched their expressions carefully. While Minato exuded worry and protectiveness, the Hokage on the other hand, seemed more cautious and calculative.
Out loud, Hiruzen gave a noncommittal, "I see."
Minato turned a firm gaze on them both. "Hokage-sama, I apologise," he interjected, polite but harsh as steel, "but last I enquired, you had informed me Kakashi had no contact with this man."
The Hokage nodded slowly. "Indeed," he murmured apologetically, "I did not want you to needlessly worry."
Minato"s brows pinched together at his admittance. "Then, when was this?" he asked, warily, turning to face his son.
Hiruzen held quiet. "A while ago," Kakashi said vaguely, forced to reply.
"Prior to Sakumo"s first meeting with the Copycat," Hiruzen elaborated, and then observed Kakashi"s silent form and lack of denial.
It was not knowledge the Hokage would know without having been told by Sakumo. Kakashi tried to remember all the things he"d said to Sakumo, either as the Copycat or as himself. He knew he"d argued rather adamantly for his henged-form"s case, before Sakumo had forcefully closed the topic.
How much of that had been disclosed to the Hokage?
Outwardly, Kakashi nodded needlessly. Seeing that, the Hokage continued on heavily, "But I am certain that was not your only meeting."
Kakashi had nothing to say. The problem was, Kakashi wasn"t entirely confident what the Hokage was insinuating – what had he concluded from these years of information? Certainly the Hokage couldn"t imagined Kakashi was this Copycat, but how deeply did he think their relationship crossed with each other?
Were Kakashi older, and more involved in the shinobi career, he might have worried that he was being accused of treason, exposing Konoha secrets to possible threats. But as it was, he was only an academy student - a very unenthused one at that.
Kakashi gave a muted shrug that was neither a lie nor outright admittance.
"Kakashi…?" Minato said hesitantly, before falling quiet.
The boy didn"t turn from their village Leader, waiting to see what the Hokage would say.
But he was quiet as well, staring at Kakashi with sharp eyes that made the ninja part of him - the part that had put his entire life into serving the village and their Hokage as diligently as he could - want to comply with orders as was expected.
It was just as strong as the child in him, the one who constantly tried to overtake his adult mentality. That one was loud and demanding as well, and Kakashi was sure it was him who made his heart ache at the sight of a disappointed Minato, and wanted him to hang his head sheepishly and confess everything in repentance.
Kakashi drew out his words, trying to sound exasperated and annoyed instead of the internal battle between the states of his mentality. For once the two sides weren"t clashing and were in agreement of more-or-less the same outcome, but the current Kakashi did not agree with either side. "Aaa, I might have seen him around."
"You never told me about this," Minato said, sounding equally hurt and apprehensive.
"It wasn"t important."
There was a look of disbelief. "Wasn"t important? He approached you, certainly with a hidden agenda in mind. What if he"d tried to do something to you?"
It was same problem over and over again: Kakashi could take care of himself, but Minato was an unmoving mother dragon, who hovered and worried and smothered him about things he didn"t need to. On the other hand, Minato was always over-protective, regardless, Kakashi supposed. Even when Kakashi had been promoted to jounin, Minato had given him that hiraishinkunai of his on his first mission as Commander, just in case – not that he"d told Kakashi what it meant, at the time.
"I believe I can tell when someone is trying to manipulate me. I"m always careful," Kakashi replied, perhaps with a bit more bite than necessary with that former statement. It was a cold thing to do, because Kakashi was partially at fault for Minato"s consideration to Danzou"s words, and besides, why would anyone suspect a respected Konoha Elder?
The Hokage made an enquiring noise at his answer, eyes dark with curiosity. "Is that so, Kakashi? Tell me, what do you suppose is his purpose, then, this Copycat. Why would you say he approach you?"
"He"s…" It was difficult to explain the Copycat"s desire to save lives without it sounding like empty words. "It"s-"
Kakashi wondered if now was a good time to give in and confess everything. The Hokage was aware of the Copycat, aware he was assisting Konoha-nin, and aware of a connection between him and Kakashi.
And yet-
"You shouldn"t need to concoct excuses for him," Minato interjected, when the paused stretched on too long and unnatural.
And yet Minato seemed gung ho on seeing his alter ego in suspicion.
Kakashi could understand - this was a man with unknown intentions trying to cozy up with a seven-year-old, a prodigy at that. Even though he"d saved the lives of Konoha-nin, who was to say he hadn"t orchestrated the whole thing behind the scenes just to make himself seem altruistic? Never mind that Minato still sometimes viewed Kakashi as a traumatised child, so easily swayed by the next seemingly kind soul he saw, because hadn"t that been how he"d gotten Kakashi to accept him and live with him in the first place?
Kakashi was old enough to understand all the sides of arguments, and understand the interpretations that a child normally wouldn"t. He also knew that Minato was still young and insecure – not even twenty and definitely not the confident Fourth Hokage that Kakashi had as his last memories of the blond – and much like Kakashi"s lack of teaching experience, he was only muddling along his way with his lack of child-bearing skills. He only wanted what he thought was best for a young seven-year-old orphan.
But even though he logically knew the reason for Minato"s words, they still stung, to have someone as close and looked up to imply the worst about his alter-self. It was the same as insulting Kakashi himself.
"I am not," Kakashi insisted softly. "Why are you so determined to distrust him?"
"Why are you so determined to protect him?" Minato countered.
"Because he has done nothing wrong."
"Nothing that you"ve seen," Minato reasoned, and though it was logical, Kakashi had hoped that Minato"s heart could"ve been swayed at least just a little from his insistence, instead of this continual flat denial.
This was why Kakashi didn"t want to admit anything.
"Then the same can be said about anyone. Including myself. Who"s to say I don"t resemble him?" Kakashi replied carefully, eyeing Minato, in neither confirmation nor denial. But the hint was too vague, if anyone could even call it a hint. No one would do a double take at his statement unless they already suspected Kakashi of something, and Minato most certainly did not.
The blond shook his head. "He hides his identity and purpose, and expects to be trusted when he won"t do the same. If he means well, he would stop hiding and let us bring him in."
"Why let Konoha if this is the reception?"
"Kakashi, you do understand Minato is only keeping the village"s safety in mind? I must agree with his words," Hiruzen interjected, a calm in the center of two storms. Though the parent and child had been speaking in civil tones, there was an unmistakable burn between them.
Voice pinched, Kakashi replied, "I do." Because he honestly did. He"d been a loyal shinobi dedicated to the village"s safety just as long as these two.
"Then will you enlighten us why you fight so hard for his man? Who is he to you?"
Minato looked curious as well.
"He is …" Kakashi said slowly, edging into the words hesitantly, because he was afraid Minato would interrupt again and deny the truth of the quest Kakashi had been so desperately trying to carry out as the Copycat, "someone trying to watch over the precious people in his life."
Minato opened his mouth to retort, only to close it wordlessly. He seemed to withdraw, visibly so, as he turned away, frown marring his face. Kakashi blinked after him, but Minato didn"t notice, too busy mulling over Kakashi"s words.
The building atmosphere in the room seemed to dissipate at this point. The Hokage sent a glance at his jounin before returning to the boy. "Kakashi-kun," he said, "Why don"t you head along home first? There are still things I need to discuss with Minato."
The silver-haired boy nodded. There was no reason to stay since he"d already said his piece. Whether or not he"d changed Minato or the Hokage"s opinion about the Copycat still remained to be seen, but at the very least Minato seemed to find something to ruminate over.
He shot a glance at Minato, but the man astutely avoided his gaze. Kakashi sighed. "I understand. Please excuse me," he said and bowed, heading for the door.
It was only after he left that Hiruzen spoke out. "Jealousy is unbecoming of you, Minato."
The blond gave him an unamused deadpan.
"What is on your mind?" the Hokage continued, undaunted.
Minato looked down on his hands, but his eyes were cast through them, looking at things not constraint to the physical world. "Kakashi has a plant named Mr. Ukki Junior," he said suddenly, out-of-the-blue.
"Oh?" Hiruzen urged wordlessly, because as much of a tangent as that appeared to be at first glance, he knew his shinobi better than that. Minato wasn"t the type to become distracted so easily, especially when the topic revolved around his son.
"Do you know what he said when I asked him where Mr. Ukki Senior was?"
Hiruzen made a noncommittal hum from the back of this throat.
Minato remembered only asking Kakashi out of a whim. What should"ve been light-hearted bantering became so much more when Kakashi replied to him with such sincerity and fondness.
"Kakashi told me Mr. Ukki was watching over the precious people in Kakashi life," Minato said, and didn"t those words sound so damningly familiar? Not to mention, hadn"t one of the first people the Copycat appeared before been Sakumo, and who else was more precious to Kakashi than his one and only father?
The Hokage was silent for a moment, letting the implication settled. "You believe our mysterious Copycat is this man named Ukki," the Hokage deliberated, speaking what Minato could not. It sounded incredulous, though conceivable, as long as could believe in the truth of those words. Yet, "But yet it appeared Sakumo was not aware of this."
"I don"t know," Minato replied. Perhaps Kakashi was the only one Ukki disclosed his identity to, or perhaps Sakumo did know a Ukki, but hadn"t recognised him through the man"s disguise. Sometimes kids were able to see things adults so easily missed.
"That is certainly something to look into," Hiruzen finally acknowledged.
Minato was dismissed from the office a little later after that.
On his long journey home, Minato replayed the day"s meeting in his mind, and the entire time, couldn"t dislodge the uncomfortable weight in his stomach. Minato had never forgotten about the matter with Kakashi"s plant. Even though it had occurred what seemed like ages ago by now, he"d never been able to unsee that warm, loving expression that had graced little Kakashi"s seven-year-old face when he"d talked about his Mr. Ukki.