If he had been asked how he got there, he would surely have said, "It's a long story". A little feint used to hide that he probably did not know anything about it himself.

If he had been told to give his reasons, perhaps he would end up saying the first thing that came to mind. It was she. She: war, death, sadness, destiny, coincidence. But more like she; the woman.

He could not tell what had helped him through the last four years as one crosses a bumpy plain, as in a daydream. Akemi had certainly been the trigger for all this. He had lost loved ones during this war, close friends, teachers and students. However, he was already sad, long before all this happened.

What to do once everything is finished otherwise look? Look for a reason to continue, or to stop. Seek hope in yourself or others. Convince yourself that everything will change, that we must still believe in a happy tomorrow. So he left. Without even looking back at those who remained, without an explanation, he had left Konoha.

He was looking for new promises now, crazy hopes. He was looking for her, as he had never stopped doing.

He had scrutinized the armies, searched the villages and examined the dead. Even so, Kakashi never thought of ever seeing her again. It was surely this denial that had brought him to where he was, on this green hillside lined with fragrant tea plants, bordered by the sea.

He had seen places marked by battles during his journey. Villages still filled with grief. Sinister places where one cursed the assailant, the stranger, or even his neighbor for his inability to stop the massacres. But where he was, it seemed that time did not flow in the same way. Everything was bright and peaceful. It was another dimension where the war had not taken place: the Land of Tea.

There were no fighters there. No schools for turbulent ninjas apprentice. No warlord, no army. No problem. Nothing but spray, fresh air and tea.

In a place where serenity seemed to be a way of life, nothing surprised him to see children running and laughing. Screams of joy he had almost forgotten. Amused, he had joined them beyond the flowering plantations. There, on the beach lining the hill, two children ran and heckled.

An ephemeral smile passed over his face as the children stopped in front of him, troubled by the sight of a stranger with a masked face. There was a boy and a girl of the same age; he would not have given them more than four years. They looked alike, with their mutinous faces and freckles on their noses. They had black eyes but above all, both had incandescent orange hair.

To see themselves thus observed their glances darkened. Their expression gave Kakashi an impression of déjà vu, but it did not come back to him. However, their hair...

Could it be that...?

"Hello," he said in the most joyous tone he could, "I am Kakashi Hatake." The children did not seem inclined to sympathize with a stranger, whatever his name.

"I ... how to say that ... your mom is here?" he tried, unsure.

"... No." the boy said with a hard look.

"Ah ..."

The little girl leaned over her brother's ear, who kept his eyes on Kakashi, to say a few words. This look was familiar to him, but he still could not put a name on it. Yet everything in them reminded Akemi, even their insolent attitude. He had wanted to see that face again; he would have recognized it among a crowd.

"Are you a ninja?" asked the little fellow.

"Yes, from Konoha and ..."

The attitude of the children changed suddenly. At the mention of the village, they exchanged a glance of which only they understood the meaning, then began to run as fast as their little legs allowed.

Taken aback, Kakashi followed them with his eyes. They had skirted the beach and then went up the dune, which bordered it, and disappeared. Could it really be simply there? He could hardly believe it. So many years to get to that point and, as he seemed to be nearing the goal, everything seemed so unexpectedly easy.

He followed in their footsteps, his gaze haggard. He was moving slowly so as not to risk making everything disappear, perhaps he was just dreaming. Yet he felt the soft sea breeze in his neck and the slight bite of the spring sun on his feet. He was abnormally hot and his mouth was dry.

He had the impression that the dune was slowing him down, that he would never reach the summit. When at last he succeeded, he only saw fields resplendent with green and white. In the middle of the plantation, a path was emerging. He borrowed it mechanically although he no longer saw the children. It was only after a few meters that he saw a house.

An aged wooden porch and clear stone walls, dulled by salty air and years. He could see the entrance as he approached. The door was open. His mind was confused, if it really was her, what would he do, what would he say? However, if it was not her, where would he go next?

He arrived at the end of the road. There was still a few meters between him and the steps of the porch, but he stopped at the mouth of the field. The place seemed suddenly unreal. Could it really be her home, growing tea and raising children?

Maybe she would look like her but would she really be the same? Would she remember him? His mind beset with doubts as his eyes searched frantically for answers on the dusty ground at his feet, he did not see the woman who had just come out under the porch. He heard footsteps in front of him, it came down the steps, and the wood creaked underfoot.

It came in his direction. He held his breath and looked up; it was her. Always slender, her hair always flamboyant, skin a bit more matte than before. But there was something more, she exuded a certain quiet strength, a reassuring and serene aura. She was looking at him, without the slightest expression on her face. Her golden-tinged eyes stayed in those of Kakashi as she advanced.

Before he finally decided on how to approach her, she was already planted in front of him. Her mouth gave a smile that did not fit with her gesture; she slapped him.

The force of the blow threw his head to the side. At first stupefied, it was only after a few seconds that he felt the burn on his cheek. He slowly raised his face, Akemi still smiled but her eyes betrayed her confusion, a mixture of anger and doubt. She had not changed, and he was relieved.

To look at each other in the face, Kakashi thought she was going to tell him something, even insults. This slap was still a meager punishment for the little effort that had been made in her favor.

He had no idea what she could have endured. It was not until after Pain came to Konoha that he understood that it was him who had taken her away. He had sown all these spears of a strange metal on the plain and spilled her blood.

Since he had nearly died under the blows of one of Pain's bodies, he had first thought she was dead too. Then he met Madara Uchiha, who had come to destroy Konoha again, who had turned the whole village upside down in search of someone, a kunoichi. The connection was obvious since Pain was working for him. It was inevitably her, it was said that this woman had made him mad. He had then resumed hope; she must be alive...

But then ... Madara, the children? No ... it cannot be that!

He came to realize part of what had been her ordeal. A slap was a meager compensation finally. How could he do this to her? He could hardly believe it.

She was done. She was about to turn back without even saying a word, her lips still stretched in that fake smile as to contain the turmoil inside of her. Kakashi grabbed her wrist to hold her back, distraught.

"Wait! ... Why? ... Why didn't you come back?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

Her gaze was lost for a moment then she looked at him, opposing no resistance to the firm hand on her arm.

"It was too late, it was not home anymore." she said in a calm voice as her smile faded.

"That's not true ... we never forgot you."

"I'm glad to hear it ..." Akemi started, turning her eyes to the ground in a slight shake of her head.

"I never stopped looking for you Akemi!" he cut her.

She froze. It was what she had always wanted to hear since everything had started. Her vision became blurry as her eyes fogged then.

"Thank you ... Kakashi ..." she whispered.

"Mom ..." a little voice whispered behind her. Akemi turned her head hastily; two little heads had appeared at the window behind her.

"It's okay, kids, I'm coming," she said with a smile, trying to control her trembling voice.

He did not let go of her, tightening his grip on her wrist. If he did, he feared that she would disappear again and he needed to understand.

"... Who is their father?" he dared.

Akemi stared at him again and finally gave a small and honest triumphant smile. Kakashi recognized that expression. It was the one she wore when she had done something stupid but that had turned all to her advantage.

"You did not recognize him? They have his eyes ..."

"Yes ... I ... know those eyes but ... it was not ..." Kakashi stuttered, hesitant.

"You have known him well ... He was your pupil, it seems to me." She let out as she smirked.

"... what? How is it...? Sasuke?" he exclaimed, puzzled.

He looked at the children. Their suspicious glances, those piercing eyes, it appeared to him as evidence at that time.

"How is it possible ?" he murmured, more to himself than to Akemi.

"They should have been from Madara but ... Sasuke was stronger ..." she replied softly.

"That's what Madara wanted?" he resumed.

"That's why he made me kidnap, he wanted to found his clan again, and then, when I managed to escape, I ... well, I came across Sasuke by chance and ... it just happened." She concluded in a firm tone, making clear she would not go into further details.

Kakashi appeared puzzled again but chose not to insist on the matter. "They are Uchihas then ..."

"Hm. They did not have much luck in Konoha in the past, it seems to me." She added ironically.

"That's the reason you decided not to come back?"

"... Yes ... among others, but they are not Uchihas, well ... not completely, they are my children, they are Kishiros."

She was smiling for real this time. She was happy and proud, he could tell. He would have liked to contribute to it. He wanted to find her before and help her, save her. In the end, she had managed alone; it was what was meant to be.

After all, he had never seen her smile that way before. She had found peace now; he did not feel the right to spoil everything. He had found what he had been looking for, the proof that she was alive and well; he should be satisfied with that. He dropped her arm.

Without a word, or even a look, she turned and walked up the steps to her door. The children came running and clung to her legs. Kakashi was about to say goodbye to her without even expecting an answer but she turned back to him.

"What are you going to do?" She asked.

"... I ... will continue my journey, I think."

"... Well ... if you have nothing planned for ... let's say, the next ten years ..." Akemi looked down at her children who were looking at Kakashi curiously now, while he was hanging on to her words. "I don't know how to use the sharingan so ... I...huh, they might need you." She looked up at him with hesitant eyes.

Is she trying to...?

In front of his silence, she went on.

"Do you want to stay with us?" she finally let out in a short breath.

She blushed. That reminded him then that night, on the roof of the building in Suna. It suddenly seemed to him that it had happened the night before. Time was such a strange thing.

Once again, he had lacked the courage to face his feelings, to say that he never wanted to lose sight of her again, to give her the touch they were both craving. But this time she had taken the lead.

In the end, she might not be the same anymore. She had become as ductile as gold and more voluntary than fire.