I'm sorry I left you, Kakashi...
But you know I can't ever come back.
-
-
Intertwined
Familiarity
Disclaimer:Naruto is not mine
-
-
Rain gently fell upon Konoha, cleansing everything from dirt and filth as the cold raindrops plummeted towards the Earth. There stood a lone woman, invisible, undetected; she stood with poise and elegance, of regret and of sorrow, of memories and of pain. It was a wonder how she remained undetected when she had made her way into her former home; perhaps, she thought, that her chakra was not threatening enough to those guarding the gates. This woman stood before the Memorial Stone, the Hero's Monument, and looked at the names carved into the obsidian, her chestnut orbs quietly tracing the name of her old friend.
Uchiha Obito.
Her chestnut orbs began to water with her salty tears, her heart panging with the old memories and the omnipotent pain.
"Well, I didn't know you'd ever come back here."
The woman turned around, surprised and shocked.
"K-Kakashi. P-please don't t-tell Saru –"
"He's dead."
The harsh bluntness of his familiar voice sent chills down her spine, sent icicles into her already broken heart. There was an awkward silence between the two former teammates. The woman looked at her childhood crush with awe; he had remained the same, except now he boasted of the Copy-Nin Kakashi legacy and wore his chuunin vest. She noted how he had tucked away an orange book (and found herself utterly disgusted), but found nothing else different. Kakashi, in turn, looked at his former teammate with his sorrowful, lazy eye. He began to remember the days when his team, his family,was alive, and when he could bring a smile to her face. He remembered the joyous feeling of being able to make her smile.
"I'm sorry I left, Kakashi-kun, but you know I can't ever come back."
"I never asked you to."
"Why are you -"
"I'm not."
His visible eye crinkled, the only indication that he wore the unseen smile beneath his valued mask. The woman forcefully returned the smile and averted her gaze to the shining stone, her smile not fading as her mind continued to read the name of her teammate over and over.
"Rin," the aging ninja began, "I should have tried to stop you."
The woman, Rin, let off a forced chuckle, her chestnut orbs shining with her tears of sorrow and happiness.
"Even if you had tried, I still would have left."
"If I listened -"
"Kakashi-kun," she quietly interrupted, "It wasn't your fault."
There was silence once more.
"I have to leave now, Kakashi."
She was met with a tiny nod.
"Kakashi-kun, I – before I go, you have a team, don't you? Of Minato-sensei's son, a cherry blossom, and an Uchiha?"
"Yes."
She forced another smile.
"Don't be scared to tell them about us – I mean, Obito-kun and I."
"Don't worry, Rin," he replied, "They've already went through what we did. There's no lesson to be taught."
"What's it like? Having the face of Minato-sensei looking at you each day, and the same eyes of an Uchiha staring at you?"
She was met with more silence.
"Oh, it just reminds me to return what was given to me a long time ago."
"Don't let it tear you apart, Kakashi-kun. I can see it in your eyes –"
"Rin," he interrupted, "They're my family. It's like I'm intertwined to every single one of my students – my children – to my valued teacher to my teammates. I have Minato-sensei's son, Obito's cousin, and the spitting image of you. Time just loves to be on my side, Rin. I know because of what happened, you're destined to never stay here for good. But it may never hurt to see them with your own eyes. I didn't replace you guys."
She laughed.
"Still perceptive as ever. Anyway – good-bye for now, Kakashi-kun."
"Rin, try to smile like you mean it."
The rain had stopped pouring, the sunshine peeking over past the horizon. She smiled and disappeared, her chestnut scent refreshed by the air.
-
-
"Who's there?"
"Sasuke-kun, it's not like it's -"
"Tsk tsk, Sakura-chan, letting down your guard."
"Shut up, Naruto-baka!"
They heard nearly inaudible giggles and they instantly stopped arguing.
"Did you –"
"Sakura-chan –"
"Sasu –"
Rin watched from the shadows as the faces of the people she remembered and held dear continued to relive her own history.
She smiled once more, and disappeared, once more leaving behind her only home and the people she held dear.
"Whoa, Sasuke-kun, do you smell that chestnut?"
"Hn. Yeah."
"It smells familiar, Sakura-chan."
-
-
Familiarity doesn't always have to be conscious.
The people who know you – in one way or another – will recognize you...
...As long as you remain who you are.
-
-
A/N: So, there's another drabble for you!
I sorta want to turn this into a full-story, just because I sorta like the concept of how much Kakashi's past is like Naruto's & Sakura's & Sasuke's past.
Anyway, thanks for reading!
