Leaving Obito behind was easy enough.
The evening air was cool against his skin, carrying the familiar sounds of Konoha through the quiet streets, yet none of them reached him, as though his thoughts were louder than the world around him.
Kakashi made his way toward Minato's house. He entered quietly, went straight to his room, and took a long bath, letting the hot water wash away the blood, dirt, and exhaustion from the mission.
When he finally changed into fresh clothes, he stood in front of the mirror without really meaning to, his reflection waiting for him in complete silence, unchanged... yet somehow completely different.
He stared.
The reflection stared back.
Something had changed.
But what?
His hand rose slowly until his fingers rested against the cloth covering his right eye, remembering the warmth of the Sharingan, the voices in the white world, and the choice he had made without hesitation.
He had protected them.
He had kept his promise.
And yet...
Why...
.....Did he feel different?
Kakashi wandered through the streets of Konoha without paying attention to where his feet were taking him, his thoughts drifting far beyond the village as the laughter of children, the voices of merchants, and the warmth of the evening slowly faded into nothing but distant noise.
He passed familiar roads and familiar faces without seeing any of them, his body continuing forward on instinct alone until, almost without realising it, he found himself walking a path he hadn't taken in what felt like forever.
Some places...
Never called with words.
They simply waited.
The Memorial Stone stood quietly beneath the evening sky, surrounded by rows of weathered graves that had witnessed countless tears over the years; the silence there was different from anywhere else in the village, not empty, but peaceful.
Kakashi walked between them slowly until his steps finally stopped before a familiar stone, its name carved into the surface with the same dignity its owner had carried throughout his life.
Hatake Sakumo.
The White Fang.
Kakashi sat down beside it.
"...Hey, Dad."
A small smile appeared on his face, tired but genuine, as if speaking those words made the silence feel a little less lonely than before.
"How are you?"
"I'm..."
"I'm doing okay."
"I was away on a mission."
His fingers traced the grass beside the grave as memories slowly surfaced one after another, each one heavier than the last, yet somehow easier to speak aloud than to keep inside.
"During the mission..."
"Minato-sensei had to leave."
"So I became the captain."
"It was just me...Obito..and Rin."
Kakashi lowered his head, taking a slow breath before continuing, his voice quieter now, every word carrying more weight than the one before.
"And during the mission... I faced a choice." His voice was steady. Carefully steady. "Like you did, Dad. Complete the mission. Or save my teammates."
"You know what I chose?"
A bitter laugh escaped him.
"...The mission."
He exhaled slowly, something wry and broken sitting at the edge of it.
"Yeah. Bad choice. I know." He tilted his head slightly. "But what did you expect from me? After everything I knew after what happened to you when you made the other one—"
His voice trembled for the first time.
"I couldn't..."
"I couldn't understand you."
Silence settled between father and son, broken only by the gentle wind passing through the trees as Kakashi stared at the name carved into the stone before him.
"But you know what happened?"
"One of my teammates punched me in the face." A short breath that was almost a laugh. "Told me about teamwork. About friends.
"And then he told me something."
Kakashi swallowed, his throat tightening as those words echoed once more inside his heart, the same words that had changed everything.
"He said..."
"...Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their comrades are even worse than scum."
A tear rolled quietly down his cheek.
He didn't wipe it away.
"And he told me you were a hero, Dad."
His throat moved.
"He said it as he meant it. Like it wasn't even a question." Kakashi looked at the grave, his voice dropping lower. "And he was right."
Kakashi smiled through the tears before slowly turning his head toward the grave beside Sakumo's, his expression softening as another familiar name greeted him.
"...Mom."
"Tell him I'm still angry with him."
Another pause, longer this time.
"...But I still love him."
He looked between both graves at the two names side by side, and something in his chest settled, the way things do when you finally say what you've been carrying for a long time.
"And he's my hero too."
Kakashi slowly stood, brushing the dust from his clothes before giving both graves one final look, not as the lonely child who had come here years ago, but as someone finally beginning to understand the man his father had been.
"Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad."
"I should go."
"...My friends are waiting for me."
And with that, Kakashi turned away from the graves, leaving the cemetery behind as the evening breeze quietly passed through the trees, carrying words that no one answered...
Because they never needed an answer.
Kakashi arrived at the meeting spot a few minutes later than usual, finding Rin already waiting beneath the old tree as the evening breeze gently played with her hair, the peaceful atmosphere feeling strangely unfamiliar after everything they had survived together.
The moment she noticed him, a warm smile spread across her face as she raised a hand to greet him, the kind of smile that carried no burden, no guilt, only quiet happiness that they were all still here.
"Kakashi."
"You're here."
Kakashi gave a small nod before stopping beside her, his hands resting casually in his pockets as the two of them watched the people moving through the streets, enjoying a silence that no longer felt awkward.
"Obito...will be late."
Kakashi rolled his eyes ever so slightly, already able to guess how their teammate would make his entrance, and somehow the thought alone was enough to make the corner of his mouth twitch.
Some things...
Never change.
The two talked quietly while waiting, speaking about small things instead of missions or war, letting the conversation drift wherever it pleased until a familiar voice echoed from the street.
"HEY, GUYS! I'M HERE!"
Obito came running toward them, waving both hands dramatically before stopping in front of them with a sheepish grin, slightly out of breath but looking far too proud of himself.
"Sorry, I'm late. There was this old lady with her bags, and I couldn't just walk past, you know"
Rin laughed softly.
"It's okay, Obito."
Obito flashed her a confident smile before slowly turning toward Kakashi, the grin on his face growing wider as a dangerous idea formed inside his head.
"Oh..."
"Hey, Kakashi, don't you want to say something to your big—?"
"Obito." Kakashi's voice was low and dangerous as his hand moved toward the hilt of his blade. "Do you really want to do this?"
Obito gulped, eyes widening. He glanced nervously at Rin, who was looking between them in confusion.
Obito swallowed.
"Haha! I was just joking, Bakakashi!" Obito laughed awkwardly, trying to play it off.
Kakashi stepped closer until he was standing beside him, leaning in just enough for only Obito to hear, his voice barely louder than a whisper.
Kakashi leaned in close to his ear and whispered coldly, "Whatever you say... ahobito."
Both boys stared at each other with pure, burning rivalry, sparks practically flying between them.
Rin sighed, stepping between them. "Guys... what are you doing? Let's go already."
Both boys looked at her, then back at each other one last time before answering together with the same tired expression.
"Hai."
And for reasons neither of them would ever admit...
They both started walking at the same time.
The streets of Konoha slowly came alive as the evening settled over the village, lanterns glowing one after another while the smell of grilled meat, fresh bread, and sweet dango drifted through the air, mixing with laughter that echoed from every corner of the market.
People filled the streets without a care in the world, children ran between the stalls chasing one another, and shopkeepers loudly advertised their food, making the village feel so ordinary that it was almost hard to believe a war still waited beyond its walls.
For once, none of them spoke about missions.
For once, they were just three teenagers walking through their home.
"So... where are we going?" Obito asked, eyes sparkling as he stared at every food stall they passed.
Rin laughed softly. "We've only been walking for five minutes, and you're already thinking about food?"
"I've been thinking about food since this morning," Obito declared proudly.
Kakashi sighed. "No surprise there."
"Hey!"
Before anyone could stop him, Obito had already spotted something: a festival stall covered in stuffed animals, dozens of them hanging from the shelves above a ring-toss game. The largest prize sat right in the middle: a soft white dog, almost lifelike, looking down at the street below with small dark eyes.
"Rin." Obito turned to her with complete seriousness. "Wait here. I'm going to win that for you."
"Obito, you don't have to—"
He was already walking.
He paid for three rings with the confidence of someone who had never once considered the possibility of failure, rolled his shoulders like he was preparing for something significantly more important than a children's game, and threw the first one.
It missed. Completely.
The second bounced off the edge of a bottle.
The third somehow travelled in an entirely different direction and landed on the ground behind the stall.
Silence.
The old stall owner looked at the ring. Then at Obito. Then back at the ring.
"...That was impressive." A pause. "In the wrong way."
Rin covered her mouth, trying not to laugh, while Obito stood frozen, staring at the rings as though they had personally betrayed him.
"I was distracted," he said finally.
"...By what?" Kakashi asked.
"The wind."
"There wasn't any wind."
Obito folded his arms, sulking.
Kakashi walked past him without saying a word, quietly placing a few coins on the counter before picking up a single ring, his expression as calm as ever while Obito watched with folded arms.
"You'll miss too."
"I know it."
The ring spun through the air.
Once. Twice.
Then settled perfectly around the neck of a bottle.
The old man blinked. Then looked at Obito. Then back at Kakashi.
"...Well. I suppose we have a winner."
Kakashi picked up the stuffed dog before walking back toward Rin, holding it out without looking directly at her, almost as if it wasn't a big deal.
"...Here. Lucky throw."
Rin's eyes widened in surprise and delight. "Kakashi... thank you!"
She hugged the soft toy to her chest, cheeks faintly pink.
Obito pointed an accusing finger. "That wasn't luck! That was cheating!"
Kakashi shrugged. "I threw a ring. It landed. Sounds like luck to me."
Obito groaned so loudly that even a few nearby villagers turned to look, making Rin laugh even harder as she hugged the stuffed dog against her chest.
"You two..."
"...are impossible."
The three continued walking until the smell of fresh dango stopped Rin in her tracks, her eyes immediately finding the small stall nearby as she happily walked over and returned a moment later carrying three skewers.
"Here."
"One for each of us."
Obito accepted him instantly.
"You're the best, Rin!"
Kakashi nodded politely.
"...Thanks."
As they ate, Obito suddenly stopped chewing and stared at Kakashi's skewer with narrowed eyes, comparing it with complete seriousness.
"Wait a second... why does yours have four dumplings? I only got three!"
Rin tilted her head. "They look the same to me."
"They're not!"
Kakashi glanced down at his skewer for a moment, then quietly pulled off the extra dumpling and tossed it toward Obito without a word.
Obito caught it, blinking in surprise.
Kakashi kept walking. "I wasn't that hungry."
Obito stared at the dumpling, then smiled to himself as he popped it into his mouth. "...Yeah. Me neither."
Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Idiot."
Rin watched the two of them with a soft, warm smile, hugging the stuffed dog a little tighter. For this one evening, the weight of war felt far away.
She wished, more than anything, that moments like this could last forever.
After hours of wandering through the village, eating far more than they had planned, arguing over games they would never admit losing, and laughing at things that probably weren't even funny, the three of them finally found an empty bench overlooking the busy streets and dropped onto it with tired smiles.
The evening breeze drifted gently through the village as lanterns slowly replaced the fading sunlight, and for a little while, none of them felt the need to speak, simply enjoying the rare peace they had been given.
Sometimes...
Silence was enough.
Obito stretched both arms above his head, letting out a long, satisfied sigh as he leaned back against the bench, looking happier than he had in weeks.
"Ahhh..."
Obito leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "Today was awesome..."
Kakashi gave a small nod.
Rin smiled brightly. "Yep."
For a moment, they simply sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the cool evening breeze. Then Obito sat up again.
"So... what do we do now?"
Rin sat up slightly, something crossing her face as she'd just remembered. "Oh, actually, I wanted to buy some medical books.. There's a shop not far from here."
"Let's go together," Obito said immediately, already getting to his feet.
Kakashi shrugged and stood.
A few minutes later, they stepped inside one of Konoha's largest bookstores, the quiet atmosphere replacing the noise of the streets outside as endless shelves stretched in every direction, filled with books of every subject imaginable.
The smell of paper and ink filled the air.
It was peaceful.
Rin looked around excitedly before pointing toward one of the aisles.
I'll be quick. Just wait for me, okay?"Without waiting for an answer, she hurried toward the medical section, already scanning the shelves with the excitement only Rin could have over anatomy and treatment manuals.
Obito watched her disappear before turning toward Kakashi with a grin.
"Let's look around! See if there's any book I like."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You? Reading?"
Obito puffed out his chest. "I've said this before, Kakashi — I like reading books!"
Kakashi's eye curved in amusement. "Yeah. Children's books."
"Shut up!" Obito hissed, face turning red as he marched toward the shelves.
"That's the adult section, by the way."
Kakashi turned away before Obito could answer, the smallest smile hiding beneath his mask as he walked deeper into the bookstore.
Behind him—
"BAKAKASHI!"
The shout echoed through the store.
Several readers looked up.
One old man adjusted his glasses.
"...Keep it down."
Obito rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"...Sorry."
Kakashi wandered quietly between the shelves while Obito continued arguing with a bookstore employee about whether comic books counted as "real literature," leaving Kakashi to browse alone as his fingers drifted across rows of books without searching for anything in particular.
Titles came and went beneath his fingertips, books on history, chakra theory, famous shinobi, forgotten clans, and ancient wars, until one cover caught his attention, simple and worn, yet somehow impossible to ignore among the dozens surrounding it.
He reached for it.
The title read...
How a Shinobi Should Die.
For a single moment, the bookstore disappeared around him as his grip tightened unconsciously, his eyes fixed on the words while memories surfaced one after another, not as distant images but as feelings he knew too well.
The whispers.
The stares.
White Fang's son.
Look at him.
Just like his father.
Everything.
Returned.
His hands tightened slightly around the cover.
"Hey, Kakashi!"
He blinked.
Obito was at the end of the aisle, hands in his pockets, jerking his head toward the front of the store. "Rin's done. We're heading out."
Rin smiled from the other side of the aisle, waving toward him while Obito stood beside her, carrying two books under his arm, looking completely unaware of what had just happened.
"We're done."
"Ready to go?"
He started to turn, then stopped, his gaze dropping to the book in Kakashi's hands.
"You buying that?"
Kakashi looked down at the cover again.
The title hadn't changed.
But...He had.
Today...
He had laughed.
He had argued with Obito.
He had walked through the village without lowering his head.
The laughter that had come more easily than he remembered laughter being allowed to come
No stares. No whispers. Just... them.
He gently placed the book back onto the shelf.
"...No."
A small pause.
"...Not anymore."
Without another word, Kakashi turned and walked beside Obito and Rin as the three of them left the bookstore together, the little bell above the door ringing softly behind them while the book remained exactly where it had always been.
Waiting.
But...
Not...For Him.