Chapter 8: Are You Really My Father?

"Kabuki…" Mitsuki felt like crying herself as she carried her sleeping daughter home. "Kabuki, what happened?" She opened the door and walked inside. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, you're back," Kakashi said as he walked over and closed the door. He looked at her face. "Mitsuki, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. Kabuki just burst out in tears when we went out."

"Is she hurt! Did someone hurt her!" He was suddenly on edge. "What happened to her!"

"I don't know okay! I don't!" She took her over to Kabuki's room and put her in bed. Fenrir followed her urgently. "Oh Kabuki, my daughter, why?"

Kakashi came in as well. "I'll wait here until she wakes up."

"I will too." Fenrir bark as he jumped up and the bed and laid down next to Kabuki. "Alright Fenrir, you can stay with Kabuki too."

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He's…not my father… Kabuki opened her eyes slowly. "What?" She felt warm fur next to her. "Fenrir?" She looked over and nodded at the wolf. She put on her glasses and found Mitsuki and Kakashi asleep at her bedside. "Mommy?"

Mitsuki opened her eyes. "Wha? K-Kabuki?" Kakashi opened his eyes and sat up as well. "Kabuki!"

"Kabuki, are you okay?" Kakashi asked.

She looked at him. …No… "…Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"…Are you really?"

"Am I really what?" He looked at Mitsuki, then back to her.

"…Are you really what you claim to be?"

"Kabuki, what're you talking about?" Mitsuki asked.

"…Are you really my father?"

The two adults froze. "Wh-What?"

Her lower lip quivered. "Are you really my father?"

"K-Kabuki, where would you get such an idea?" Mitsuki asked.

"I heard some women talking and they said that Kakashi isn't my real father."

Kakashi thought to himself. …What do I tell her? He glanced at Mitsuki. I can tell that Mitsuki's terrified right now. She doesn't know what to tell her.

"Tell me the truth!" she yelled through tears. "Are you or are you not my father?"

"Kabuki, please, stop this!" Mitsuki begged.

Kakashi sighed. I hoped this day would never come. "Kabuki, please stop crying." She looked at him. "W-Well, uh, I guess you uh, caught me. You want the truth, so I'll tell you. Kabuki…I'm not your real father."

Her heart suddenly shattered into pieces. "I-I knew it! Why didn't you tell me!" Everything's happening so fast!

"Kabuki, please understand that we didn't tell you for your own interest. Growing up without a father would-"

"No! This is worse! You let me think that someone who isn't related to me in any way is my father! You should've told me!"

Mitsuki began to cry as well. "Kabuki, he was there for you though! He acted like a father!"

"But still!"

"Please Kabuki, calm down," Kakashi said. "Kabuki, whether I'm your father or not doesn't matter to me. As long as I can be there for you, as long as I can protect and teach you, I will always be your father. I love you Kabuki and I want to take care of you."

She forced herself to stop crying. "…Where's my real father?"

"…He's…He's dead," Mitsuki quickly lied.

"D-Dead?"

"…He died trying to protect me long ago, before you were born…" She looked away. It pains me to lie to my child like this.

Kabuki looked down. "…Oh…" …So…My real daddy isn't even alive…Kakashi's taken good care of me…They're right. She looked up at Kakashi. "C-Can I still call you 'Daddy'?"

Mitsuki gasped and looked at Kakashi. He smiled. "Of course you can."

"Thank you…Daddy."

"Kabuki!" Mitsuki hugged her and began to cry again along with her daughter.

I'm so sorry Kabuki… Kakashi hugged them as well as he forced back tears.