Sound Track #1

You'll think of me by Keith Urban

(Kakashi X Obito)

"Obito, I think it's for the best that we stop seeing each other starting from now on," Kakashi remorsefully uttered as he stood at the doorway with his bag at one hand and on the other was his keys for the front door, "for both of our sakes."

Obito sat at the top of the staircase with the look of annoyance painted all over his face as he only bothered to stand up from his place and grumbled in hatred, "at least that's what you like to believe in." And afterwards, he marched back to the bedroom that was at the end of the second floor hallway. The loud slamming of the bedroom door echoed in the entire house making it known that Obito was genuinely furious about the entire break up that they are going through at that moment.

Kakashi could just release a deep breath as he then turned around, exited the front door, left his keys at the doormat and proceeded to his lonely vehicle that was parked on the empty sidewalk just in front of their house. Abandoning Obito was probably one of the hardest decisions Kakashi made in his life; however, as of that moment, that was the most logical choice he could have made for the both of them…but as Obito have said, it was just what Kakashi believed in.

A few years later after that day, Kakashi still believed that he had made the right choice since his intentions for doing so was fulfilled. Now that he was out of Obito's life, Obito finally decided to continue to military school as he had planned before he had met Kakashi making his clans folk proud him. And not only that, he had gain a few recognitions here and there while at school making the clan treat him a little better than before. Actually, it was much better than the time they found out that Obito was going out with Kakashi. Some say the absence of Kakashi in his life made him realize the real world and straighten his life for once. And that made them happy for him. However, was he happy for himself?

Staring at the ceiling of his small apartment, Obito was still thinking about Kakashi even after what happened because despite having been deserted by said man, Obito find it difficult to say that he hated him. Yes, he was hurt and was offended on some degree (at a point that he swore that he would punch him on the face once he decides to show up again), but never had he stopped loving him nonetheless as he would often tell to himself, "have I crossed his mind by now?"

Though he'd figure that might be a no since from what he heard last from their friend Rin, he's been seeing someone new and from the looks of it, he might have been happier than when he was with him. And was he insulted by it; definitely. But was he going to do something about it…

"Tsk, doesn't matter. I'm surely going to be fine by my own. Thinks he's the only one who could be happy. Well I'll show him wrong then," Obito cursed as he hopped out his bed despite it still being an ungodly hour for him to wake up as he grabbed himself some decent clothes from the cabinet and headed outside. He needed a small walk to clear him mind unaware that on that same moment, Kakashi had felt the same while he gaze absentmindedly through the glass window of his office as he thought to himself, "we two are bound to meet one day. And when that happens, I wonder who I would be to you."

And with that, he brushed off the invisible dust from his coat and headed out the elevator. A short walk won't kill him right? Well, the walk surely wouldn't, but the person he would meet during the walk would definitely will.

It was still around 4 am that time, Obito reckoned as the moon was still out and the sky was still pitch black. Not a usual scene for him to see anymore ever since he had 'straightened' his life and have been following a routinely schedule. Today was just an exception as he had found himself awakened not by the alarm, but of a memory he no longer needed. And since he made a strict rule to himself that once already up he should proceed with the day and not head back to bed once again for more dozing off, he started to learn how to appreciate the nearby park down the street of apartment more than just a pretty view from his apartment window.

Beginning from the time he tied the laces of his shoes, locked his apartment door and jogged down the towering heights of his apartment building, Obito seemed to be in a good mood as he hummed a gaiety tune to uplift his spirit for the morning jog. He even waved to the elderly woman who lived next door and was also already up watering her plants outside her window.

"What a beautiful morning we have today isn't it?" he greeted with a bright smile that the elderly woman had grew fond of.

"Of course young lad; it certainly is," the woman responded waving eagerly back to him, "and that smile on your face certainly made it even better. You know," she pushed her glasses up her nose bridge," you should smile more often like that. A frown would make your face look wrinkled like mine and it would be such a shame. You're such a charming little fella after all."

Obito could just grin bashfully in response as he scratched the nape of his neck and waved on last more for goodbye. A few compliments are well accepted for him, but to flatter him that much. His head might inflate bigger than an air balloon. But he disregarded it and looked it on a brighter side. Probably it must have been a sign that this day might turn out great for him.

Or at least, he'd wish it would be one.

Kakashi, as always, walked as though time was a grain of sand that he held in hand with that empty expression on his face. People in the park were either terrified of him (for reasons) and some were just intrigued. After all, why would a man clad in a full suit bother to walk around the park on such ungodly hour of 4 while wearing a black face mask that covers not only his mouth but even an eye? If it weren't for his dignified stature, a name that has been whispered all over the street, and neatly pressed suit that must have been more than a thousand dollar in cost, he would have been accused to be a terrorist of some sort. The depressing aura around him would even suggest it as such. However, that aura, as misleading as it maybe, didn't came from an intention to terrorize anyone. Actually, it's his inner self screaming how he failed to even deceive himself that he was even by the slightest, happy like how he made others believe that he was.

At the time he had left Obito, he was already sad at that point. Did he really wanted to do it; certainly no. But did he have to, definitely yes on that one because if he didn't, Obito would have been disowned by his family. And even if Kakashi knew that Obito wouldn't have cared about that, Kakashi did. After all, what kind of future would Obito have with him? Kakashi himself doesn't even know if he has a future himself at that time when they were still silly children that believed in fantasies and false hopes. The world after all wasn't as forgiving and kind as many would wish for it.

So as he walked out the door that day, he knew Obito was watching through the window upstairs to see whether he would turn around and change his mind. But Kakashi have already decided that day and he had made that choice; thus, the reason why he's alone right now.

And though he tried to distract himself from said loneliness by going out with other people (any would do at this point in his life) and working and studying at the same time (because he decided upon doing so), did his loneliness left him? No, it just became worse that he could hardly taste anything at all. Food was bland, the air conditioner in his office felt nothing despite the mechanic saying that it was in good condition and his co-workers complaining that they were already dying due to it being in full all the time, coffee tastes like water and a murky one at that (probably because his intern was just bad at it) and his scent was something he could no longer decipher. For him, he smelled like the air (no scent at all), but with the continuous complaints though from various people, he might actually smelt bad for all he know.

He confined this to a doctor and they told him that he might be depressed of some sort. Not that he had gone to the doctor by initiative after all, so he wasn't in full attention of what they were saying. What made him stop ignoring the doctor was upon the mention of the words, "you haven't forgiven yourself haven't you?"

Kakashi's eyes (eye if based from the perspective of the doctor) widened as the drumming of fingers on their desk ceased as he focused his attention on them but yet have spoken a single word since he uttered his complaints. The doctor shakes their head as they placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and said, "Every one of us makes a huge mistake that we'd regret in our entire life. However, what would be more painful is that when we were given the chance to fix it, but we didn't. So to whatever that may be, don't run away from it any longer because in the end, you'll just regret much more. And probably by that point, forgiveness might have expired on you."

Kakashi was left speechless that time (not that he had been a talkative fellow to begin with) as he then found himself mindlessly walking back towards the office after the appointment. To what he has to think and to what he was suppose to do, all of those faded with the noise of the blaring cars in the background. At that time, he knew he needs a small walk to clear his mind. A walk that leads to an encounter he wasn't ready to face just yet. But it wasn't like Kakashi shall be ready at all.

At the entrance of the park, Obito smiled at the scenery in front of him. It turns out he wasn't the only one who was having a morning jog as he have seen familiar faces in the park wearing their sweatpants and were (if he'd be truly frank) too engaged on their morning routine that they didn't even noticed that Obito was there. Well, it wasn't like he'd wanted to be noticed because last time they did, Obito called in sick to work afterwards.

"So, what kind of half assed exercise shall I do first?" he asked to himself as he had done a few stretches while deciding to whether running a lap wasn't going to kill him or was doing crunches on the corner wouldn't make him look like he's a homeless person suffering stomach cramps.

However, even before he could have convinced himself that neither of those negative thoughts were true, his eyes was caught by a man walking in a rather slowed down pace heading towards his directions. Now due to the darkness of the surrounding, the man's face was hardly visible that Obito even had to squint so hard to make something out of it. But as the man drew near and with the aid of the faint moonlight, Obito regretted to not have chosen running a lap as his starter.

In all the odds of running across one particular person in a country that has almost a million of people flocking in every corner, Obito could have sworn that this was no mere coincidence and his luck might have gone sour when he failed to complete the 12 fruits for the New Year alongside the fact that he didn't went home for New Year (not that anyone noticed his absence) and the fact that he slept through New Year (well, who would blame him. He was on night shift).

But whether was it bad luck or coincidence or conspiracy (if granted the pleasure to assume it was), Obito simply wanted to flee from the scene. Yeah, it may be true that he wanted to move on from Kakashi starting that day; however, the thing to emphasize on are the words 'starting that day'. Meaning, he hasn't worked on that yet so at that moment, he's like a soldier facing the battlefield without guns (and knives) at all. But before he could have skedaddled and make an escape, the other had lifted their gloomy head and their eyes met. By then, Obito knew there was no escape.

"Obito…is that you?" Kakashi looked confuse at first but that expression changed to what seemed to be terror as he took a step back and exclaimed, "Obito, it is you! I didn't expect to see you here!"

"Well neither have I," Obito honestly replied as his grin turned upside down into a sharp frown instead. "But that doesn't matter. Neither of us went here for this purpose, so I shall take me leave then."

"Wait—," Kakashi protested when Obito was in the movement to run away. Though words weren't the only thing he used to stop the man as he grabbed him by the wrist firmly and yanked him slightly towards him in order to maintain eye contact. "I have something to tell you."

"Oh, would you now?" Obito sarcastically commented while rolling his eyes bitterly. "Last time I remember, you refused to listen to me when I had something to say. So, what in the God's Almighty made you think that I would consider hearing you out right now?"

Kakashi fell silent at this as he looked away and had released his hold on Obito, much to Obito's relief as he could walk away at that moment. However, something told him (or stopped him the very least) from doing it. Was it the pitiful outlook of the other or was it the tiny hope inside of him? He wasn't sure, but he'd wanted to know it by saying to him, "Kakashi, if this is about our past together, then it is what it is. You've left me in belief that it would do me good not considering whether I find it good myself. But had it really been like how you said it was, nay I tell you. And nay have you listened to my plights as you council this with only but yourself thinking that your view of this shall and will be the view that I will have for my own.

"Yes, I may have been doing well in the past few years every since you left me. That is, if being miserable and just forcing myself to wake up each and every single morning doing whatever my clan told me to do just to give myself a purpose to live for that day is your standard for happiness then I could say I am beyond Happy; so much so that I go beyond its charts even."

"Obito, I…" Kakashi paused due to the absence of words and the flooding of emotions in his chest. What were the right words to say for this moment, he wondered. Kakashi has never been the one who was likely to leave the conversation dead air or to be carried out by merely the other party. He often has a few words to say most of the time. But this time, he was just blank in the head and full in the chest—a moment where in Kakashi claims defeat.

"I'm sorry," he managed those few words but along with it was a tear that fell from his covered eye. Though it wouldn't have been seen by Obito since it was covered, Kakashi didn't want to hide it anymore thus making him remove the covers of his face showing not only the fallen tear but also the entire expression of guilt that was written on his face. He then began saying, "I was merely afraid of what might be of us if I…if I didn't leave you.

"It wasn't like I didn't have a choice. Yes, I had one and those were either, stay with you and lead an uncertain life or leave you and secure the future of the both of us. Obviously, I chose the other one because I was afraid that if the clan would kick you out, you'd have to suffer issues concerning about it. And sticking with me would just make it worse since my family's name technically isn't the best one to be associated with.

"So, the thing is—"

"Kakashi, enough..." Obito shakes his head disappointed. "I understand why you have done it even before, so don't go explaining yourself once more to me as though I didn't because that wouldn't change anything between us."

"It could, if you want it to."

"Yeah, it could. But that is IF I wanted it to, but Kakashi, can't you see the picture here." Obito explained in frustration. "I don't want you in my life anymore. You have already left it, so stay out of it already. And you know what, those words would mean something when you just told them during the time they were still relevant. But right now, you're just too late. I just wish that you have taken away everything with you when you left. Our memories together, my feelings for you and all that you have given to me. I wish you didn't have left even a single one but just your name because all I need is but a name to remind me of what I have learnt that day. And if I have to be frank right now; same should go with you, Kakashi. You should have known what you were giving for what you were trying to gain. Was it really worth it or were you simply deceived by your attempt to look smart?"

"I wouldn't know that either," Kakashi confessed. "But what's the use of knowing when it changes nothing, right?"

"Well, at least you'd know where you have gone wrong the very least," Obito responded bleakly. "So, the question is, 'does it even matter to you?'"

"It should…."

"But you didn't, do you?" Obito raised him a brow and shakes his head once more. "Just give it up Kakashi. What we had before is something we can't have anymore, and I already have accepted that so you should too. Just accept the fact that I am nothing more than just a memory that would cross your mind one day when your old and withered as you reflect o your past on your death bed because certainly, that's what you're going to be and nothing more."

And with that, Obito finally walked away but with tears finally breaking free from his glossy eyes as he marched off towards the rising sun. Words he really didn't meant were uttered due to rage, but just as much as he regretted saying them, he's slightly glad that he did. It wasn't like their relationship would have gone somewhere after all. All the things he wished they should and could have been…he doubted that they'd be any lick of reality in them. They were, as how they have always told him, were nothing but fantasies of a man that was in love. Kakashi, though, would argue otherwise.

"Obito, you're not just a memory that I would think of one. You're a reality that haunts me every day and a truth that a turned a blind eye on….but then, who was I to know then."

Kakashi muttered lowly under his breath as he watched from a distance, the thing he had given up on before fade away from a distance just like how he had let him go in the past. It was just that…he was just too late once more.