Kakashi Hatake took his usual path to the memorial stone. Everyday for the past few years he had visited the stone and today was no exception. Everything was the same as it always was on these trips, except for one thing.
There was a boy sitting in front of the stone.
He readjusted the ANBU mask on his face before he began making his way toward the stone once more; assuming that the boy had no idea he was there. It surprised him when the boy turned his head slightly to look back at him.
"Are you here to visit the ninja on the stone too, ANBU-san?"
Kakashi stopped in his tracks for a moment before he continued walking. Once he reached the stone he stood there in silence for a moment before responding.
"Yes," Kakashi said bluntly. No need to tell the boy anything more.
"Mother says that these people are heroes that died for the village," the boy said suddenly. "Is that true?"
He turned to face Kakashi and that was when he was able to get a good look at the boy. He had seen the boy a few times around the village with his brother. The boy was Sasuke Uchiha, youngest son of Fugaku and Mikoto.
Kakashi looked away from the boy and back at the stone; his eye automatically searching out the names Obito Uchiha and Minato Namikaze.
"Yes this stone is meant to honor the ninja that have died for this village," Kakashi said with something that felt like sadness. He wasn't sure what the feeling was anymore; he had long ago distanced himself from the death of his comrades in order to keep what was left of his sanity.
"Oh," the small boy said simply. After a few more minutes of silence he spoke again. "Father says that Uncle Obito doesn't deserve to be on the stone…he gave up the clan's power to someone unworthy of it."
Kakashi's eye narrowed in anger at the boy's words.
"Obito was a hero. He deserves to be on the stone just as much as any of the other nin on the stone."
The boy sat in silence as he absorbed Kakashi's words. A few moments passed before Kakashi heard the boy mumble something under his breath.
"Maybe if my name was on the stone Father would be proud of me…"
With that Kakashi turned around and began to walk out of the clearing. He wasn't sure how to react to that statement. He never could handle kids well. So he did the only thing that he could do; turn around and run.
It's not like he would ever see the boy again.