Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting in any way from this. If you see any mistakes, feel free to message me.

Ah, yeah. Sorry. I forgot about this.


Part 5: Your what?

"Hatake-san?" Obito had been staring intensely at him for an unsettlingly long time now.

"What is it?" he asked. He almost didn't even want to know.

"Mmmmm, if you could have anything in the world, what would it be?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I have my reasons. You know that," Obito smiled, vaguely more genuine (and significantly more menacing) than before. After finding out one of Obito's many Super Secret Secrets Only Obito Knows So Far (his words), something about Obito looked… well, for a lack of better words, clear? Less blurry? More natural? Whatever. There was a change.

"I know you have your reasons, but you never told me what they are," Kakashi responded. The Secret he found out was: Uchiha Obito purposely stays in the lower ranks. Kakashi did not know why.

"So? What is it?" Obito looked up with expectant eyes, almost borderline hopeful. Weird.

If Kakashi could have anything in the world, it would be a normal, peaceful life. But his life had taken the course of FUCK so far. There's really no going back at this point.

"I don't know," he settled with the neutral answer. His companion did not look very pleased, but whatever. Obito could suck it up.

"Fine. Then you'll have to settle with whatever I give you," he said.

"What's it for?" Kakashi didn't remember doing anything in particular that would warrant a gift of some sort.

"I'll tell you when I give it to you. But you have to promise you won't say no. You have to take it, okay?"

"Sure…" Kakashi knew right after his answer left his mouth he would regret it.


"Look over there, Hatake-san. That's our target," Obito nudged his shoulder during break. They were outside, hiding in the trees. Yes, hiding. Obito suggested playing spies.

"Who?"

"Nohara-san." Kakashi's breath tried to crawl back into his lungs, causing him to choke. Obito nearly pushed him off the tree trying to get him to quiet. That rude punk-ass bitch.

"What's with you?" Obito stared quizzically at him.

"Nothing. You have a crush on her or something?" Kakashi redirected the focus away from him.

"No. That's silly." Oh. The Obito in this world did not have a crush on Rin. "She's my enemy." That's… considerably worse than a simple crush.

"...Why?"

"Ah, well, it started like this…"


XX

First day of academy.

Obito was late, but not that late. Regardless, the instructors wouldn't let him in, closing the doors in his face. It wasn't his fault the grandpa at the corner store took longer than usual to bring out his reward (i.e. two jelly candies). But of course! It was not the grandpa's fault either. Obito was not unreasonable.

"Please let me in?" Obito put on his sweetest smile.

"No. Konoha needs ninjas who are on time. You shouldn't have been late." What an asshole.

"Fine," Obito scoffed at the instructor and walked away. Or so the instructor thought. Obito snuck around to the classroom windows. Luckily, it was his assigned class! Obito was not let in, but he could still listen. No need to waste his time by going back.


Class was over for the day, so Obito simply stood up, brushed his pants, and began his trek back home. But someone stopped him. It was a girl.

"Excuse me?" she said.

"Yeah, do you want something?" he asked, smiling. He had to smile, even if he didn't want to. Granny said smiles were pleasant to look at, and Obito wanted to be a pleasant person.

"Are you an Uchiha? Do you know Uchiha Obito?"

"That's me. Do you want something?"

"Ah, that's great! You weren't in class, so you couldn't pick up the packet. I volunteered to bring it to you," she smiled as well. Obito thanked her and continued his way, waving goodbye at the kind girl.

XX


"And that's how it happened," Obito concluded his story with a thoughtful nod. It really didn't explain anything to Kakashi.

"She was being nice, so what's the problem?" Kakashi asked.

"That's exactly the problem! Can't you see?" Obito exclaimed.

"No."

"Oh, you are so hopeless, Hatake-san. How will you be a ninja with a mindset like that?" Kakashi wanted to punch the boy beside him.

"Nohara-san is my enemy, because she is kind to me. And everyday, when she sees me, she smiles and says hello. You follow?" Nope, Kakashi did not follow. "She has to have some sort of hidden motive. She's up to something."

Ah. Obito was hardly shown free kindness, so he was cautious. Paranoid. Perhaps the reward system of his games messed with his brain a little.

"Okay. Then what are you going to do about her?" Kakashi asked.

"Nothing for now. Just watch. She'll slip up at some point, right?" Probably not. Rin was just a nice girl. Unless this world's Rin was not. Who knows.


"Do you suspect me to have some hidden motive?" Hatake asked. He looked curious. And worried. Well, he should be.

"Yup!" No need to lie all the time. The lady on the fourth street said liars go to hell.

"O-oh," Hatake faltered minutely. Obito's response was instantaneous. No hesitation at all. "How come?"

"Weeellll, you were such an arrogant asshole before, you know." Heck. "And then suddenly, you weren't. Now you're all chill and actually talking to the class loser. I won't believe you had a dream and had a change of heart overnight."

"Then am I your enemy, too?" Hatake braced himself for an impact that would not come. The boy was just so amusing!

"Nope! You're my friend! Because unlike, Nohara-san, you actively look for me and talk to me and play with me. You free me from my boredom, so you're okay."

Well, that's a relief.

"Besides, you should be the one to be worried, not me," Obito continued. Wait, what?

"What?"

"You're hiding secrets, big and small. I'm going to dig them out, no matter how long it'll take. So, be prepared. I'm going to win this game."

Obito was playing a game with him. For his secrets. Heh.

"You know, if it's you, I wouldn't mind having my secrets dug up," Hatake chuckled. Obito's grin slipped off his face. That wasn't the reaction he was expecting. Hatake broke his expectation.

"You are strange, Hatake-san."

"Coming from you, I should be more worried about that."

"Oh, shush, you."