The bitter wind nipped at the small spot of exposed skin around his right eye. Nevertheless, he took it as if it was of no bother to him, his destination clear as he walked the empty streets of Konoha. Leaves dragged dryly across the streets, all seeming to become dull gray and brown colors as he walked past each tree.
It was normal. For him to feel regret and sorrow nag at him like a dog who could not ever seem to get rid of that itch. He sighed, letting out a huff of cold air despite the mask that covered the bottom half of his face. He had visited Obito and Rin the day before. He couldn't help but feel the urge, something pulling him, to go to her grave. It was hard to look at. He had never even said goodbye.
Now looking back on it, he wished he could do it all over again. He wished he could have just smiled and asked her where she was going. He wished he had spent more time with her, helping her with the long distant memories that she had been trying to recover despite the pain they brought. But most of all, he wished he had stopped her.
He wished he had pulled her back and listened to his gut. It told him something was off. He brushed it aside. She was strong. She was reliable. She could handle herself. It wasn't until she had spoken her last words to him that he wished he wouldn't have just stood there and gawked, shocked.
Slowly he made his way to the small enclosure of trees, the only place that seemed to be more gloomy than his already dull surroundings. He wished it were not so. Much like his father, she was branded. No one believed she deserved a grave, simply because of who she was.
He clenched his pocketed fists, trying hard not to let the feeling take him over. He slowed his pace as he approached the small stone that sat in front of the big oak tree surrounded by many smaller trees that encircled the stone partially.
It was rather sad. All he could manage to give her was a stone. A blank standing stone with one symbol on it. He knelt to the ground, his hand emerging from its den and slowly tracing the outline of the symbol.
"It isn't right," He breathed, "It was only one man. Why did the remaining two have to be branded as well?"
He rose back up, looking down at the stone solemnly.
"I wish… I wish you could have lived a fuller life," He looked up to the sky, closing his eyes, "Yeah… life is unfair, isn't it?"
Lowering his head back down to look at the stone once more, he couldn't help but think of her parting words.
"Heh… I guess, in part, you were right."
"Well, I need to go then."
Kakashi couldn't help but notice the sadness laced ever so lightly in those few words.
She looked over at him, black silky hair basking in the broad daylight of the sun. Her onyx eyes told novels. Novels that even she couldn't read. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she saw Kakashi's silver hair glint in the sunlight. Kids ran and played in the distance. His normally nonchalant and faraway eyes seemed to be here. In this moment. Smiling, she shook her head lightly, taking in the sight of him one last time.
"You know, Kakashi…"
Kakashi's eyes wandered till they fell on her bright smile and gleaming yet saddened eyes. His own eyes began to widen in confusion before his whole face contorted to that of a shocked man.
"You'll make a great Sensei one day."
"How on earth did you even know…"
Slowly, Kakashi turned his back.
"You'll be happy to know… I am a proud Sensei of three. They are all different, but, one by one, they are beginning to understand more and more about the importance of friends and teamwork."
He smiled under his mask.
"I only wish you could see them Mira. You'd be pretty proud, yourself."
With his last words, he began to walk into the distance, only conscious of the beam of light slowly hitting the stone with the inscribed symbol of the Uchiha.