It was quite a fine evening in Konoha.
Not to mention, in a few minutes will the sun set over the monument of four great ninjas, giving the whole village a golden glow before finally disappearing into the darkness.
Also, on this rather warm evening, a certain Team 7 had just completed their daily list of glorified chores-or D rank missions, which seemed to multiply infinitely for some reason.
"GAH! We water 30 miles of wheat fields and get only 600 RYO! What's with this Granny!" Naruto complained, which wasn't per say and extremely rare occasion, but the oddity was his two teammates actually AGREEING to his rant.
Sakura gave a diplomatic smile, while still expressing frustration and said, "For once, Naruto is Right. My parents are out of town a while and all I have is what I earn by missions this week."
"Hn" Sasuke grunted, somewhy leaning toward affirmative.
"I know right! AND I HAVE MY WHOLE MONTH TO SUSTAIN! NOT JUST A WEEK!"
Well, those electricity, water and god knows else bills aren't gonna pay themselves.
Tsunade just rubbed her temples and gestured towards Kakashi, who gave a long sigh as he snapped his orange book shut, gaining the attention of three inquisitive teenagers.
"You know, back when I was a kid, for a task such as this we would barely have scrapped 250 Ryo. Inflation aside, these are the side effects of war. Back during the Third great ninja war, the average payroll for a C-rank mission was around 750 ryo, what you guys usually get for a D-rank mission. During war, every one, is affected. Shinobi lose lives, the civilian stock market crashes, even the Daimiyo goes insanely poor. And even though konoha seems in a good shape, we had a home assault from a major as well as minor village, essentially waging a 1-day war with them cost the village. Deal with it."
Naruto pouted.
The Fifth Hokage cleared her throat,
"However, to address some of your financial problums, you can always request another mission"
Celeruan orbs lit up.
"Now we have this house cleaning mission, which for some reason is worth 1200 ryo to each of you. Do you want to take it?"
Kakashi frowned. That was exceptionally high, for a D-rank that is.
"And what may be the mission, Milady?"
Tsunade cast kakashi a weary look and said, "We had a request from Tamaki Nohara, to clear her dead daughters bedroom. She is having another child and would want to make that a baby room."
Kakashi stiffened.
His blood turned cold.
Violent flashbacks of Rin coughing up blood and repeating his name started filling his mind.
"Are you okay Kakashi? You look rather pale." Asked shizune as she bought in a new stack to paperwork, much to Tsunade's dissappointment.
Meanwhile, naruto and co. Had decided to accept the mission, and were now heading out.
"C'mon sensei, we need to find Tamaki-obaa's house"
Oh, Kakashi knew where was the house was alright, he was going down a trip to memory lane. This time with monsters.
There is a fine line between culpable and a scapegoat, but with Kakashi Hatake that line might as well be non existent.
He held rules above comrades, and got paid with a sharingan and a few hundred tonnes of guilt.
He once again had to choose between his village and his comrade, but this time the latter made the decision.
And just when the path ahead couldn't look any bleaker, an unexpected ray of sunshine presented himself.
The Fourth Hokage had no idea, just how well did his decision to make his last student witness the nurturing life of his unborn child pay off.
But once again, call it Murphy's law, did misery befall him.
The Nine-tails attack left him hollow, and also a blond blue-eyed angel, who's godfather unreachable, made himself the legal guardian of the child.
Bruised and bailing, but still sailing, he had to refuse.
Years later, with sticks and stones and broken bones, call it fate or the sandaimine's rueful scheming, was he put in charge of the child he indirectly neglected, the brother of confused 13-year old ANBU prodigy (He believed he could have saved that one as well) and a girl who was growing to painfully remind him of Rin every day.
And not just her, mind you.
Team 7, a carbon personality copy of his former team, he just hoped that they didn't end up like his previous one.
With the formation of Team 7, he also realised that he was ready to move on.
Not to forget the noble sacrifices of his companions, but rather to finally forgive himself.
Just when he thought his days of talking to rocks to make himself feel better were over, of course this had to pop up.
Now he didn't hold Lady Fifth accountable at all, her absence from the village for about two decades was well noted.
In fact, she might as well as be oblivious to the melancholy of the entire scenario.
And moreover, he was a well seasoned shinobi, he should expect the unexpected, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
But nothing in the 5 elemental nations could have prepared him for what was to come next.
He wouldn't break down to tears or lose it, but he wasn't ready. Not yet, Never.
After Obito, he steered clear of the uchihas.
After Rin, he gracefully avoided the Nohara household.
After Minato, he ran away from Naruto.
But everything was failing him.
Somehow, staring into ocean blue eyes like his former sensei or obsidian black like his dead best friend didn't faze him as much as seeing Rin's mother.
Somewhere down the line, when someone (Most likely Kurenai) had inquired him about his non-existent love-life, he realised the ugly truth. The tragedy that hurt so much, the face of the girl he unbestknown to him had fallen for, as she whispered his name and coughed her blood continued to haunt his nightmares.
So, when they finally reached Tamaki-san's house, he held his breath, crossed his fingers, hoped for the best and prepared for the worst. Just like sensei tough him.
Boy, did he feel like a 14 year old right now.
"Finally-ttebayo! We have been walking for ages!"
"DO YOU HAVE TO BE THIS LOUD BAKA! I AM PRETTY SURE ALL OF KONOHA HEARD IT! WANT TO TRY FOR SUNA NEXT?!"
"Hn. Sakura, I am positive Kumo heard you."
" STAY OUT OF THIS TEME!"
"Dobe"
"Teme!"
"Dobe"
"TEM-"
He was interrupted in the infamous word calling battle with his rival, when the pinkette sent a flying punch.
Kakashi sighed, "Knock it off you three, we have a mission to complete."
Well, might as well get this over with.
Then Naruto, due to his rather obvious ADD, rung the doorbell and the four of them waited patiently for someone to answer the door.
Their patience was well rewarded, as moments later, a soft click washeard and they were greeted by the smiling face of a chocolate haired lady, who appeared to be in her early forties, and her hair hung loosely around her shoulders, the pink house apron giving her a warm motherly aura.
" Welcome! You must be the gennin sent by hokage-sama to help in the cleaning. Do come in!" she hustled.
Sasuke gave her a pensive look but followed her in nonetheless.
Naruto and Sakura however, quiet well reciprocated her attitude.
"So Nohara-san, how old is the baby?" Sakura asked, these motherly Things getting her quiet excited.
"Oh! Sakura was it? Well, I found out only a few days ago and I must say, I haven't felt this elated since my last daughter." The woman's smile visibly fading.
Kakashi cleared his throat preventing further discussion about the said topic and asked, "Tamaki-san should we start cleaning Rin-chan's room?"
Sure enough, all the occupants under the roof were quiet surprised with the familliarity Kakashi addressed the said girl.
Before Tamaki's eyes widened in fond recognition, and she once again radiated glee.
"Kakashi! My my, who would have thought. Got your own team of brats I see? Well well, you know, since you decided to visit your teammate's good ol' mom after a decade, you know what children, lets have some tea and cake before somber matters. I just put on a fresh lot of cookies! They should be done any minute."
To say the three gennin were surprised would be an understatement.
But just then, Sakura remembered something.
"Nohara-san! I should really help you with the cookies. Too much stress is not good for the baby~" Sakura gushed on, leaving two sweat dropping teammates.
"Sakura dear, please it's just Tamaki! God you remind me of my daughter." She chuckled.
"Kakashi-kun, you know, your dear team reminds me of Rin-chan's team a lot. Do you think you guys could have a sleep over? Yoshiro is on a mission, and it sure does feel lonely 'round here"
By this time Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura had started a full blown classic Team 7 ruckus in the kitchen.
Kakashi was feeling quiet uncomfortable, the tears of pleasant memories and what followed after threatening to spill.
"Tamaki-san, we would love to but-" kakashi started, only to get cut off by the older woman.
"It's not your fault." It came out as barely above a whisper, but kakashi doubted he head a louder and clearer voice in his lifetime.
"I can see it in your eyes. You still blame and berate yourself for that day don't you?" She asked softly.
"You don't know wh-" kakashi started in a raspy voice, only to get cut out again.
"I do. You told Minato-san. He told his wife. She told me. I know Rin, she is my daughter. And it was not your fault at all. It was her choice, not as a helpless young girl but rather as a shinobi of the hidden leaf. And we honoured it. 30 years in the workforce can show you tough times. We knew you avoided us, and I can understand why." she gave him a sad smile.
Suddenly, as Kakashi noticed, this was not the same woman he met 13 years ago.
He had left a lively young woman of 30 at her daughters funeral, and came to an older, wise lady, the whole denamor of her being drastically converted. Her hair had a few grey strands, fine lines curled around her smile, and eyes older and had a tired and weary tint to them.
He wasn't the only one who underwent heartache.
"After all, you suffered as much if not more than us, didn't you?"
Kakashi chose to remain silent.
Yes! I posted a story on FNN after quiet a while, but for those of you with Wattpad do check it out there as updates are more spontaneous over there.
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