A Beam of Light in the Dark Night

The classroom on the second day was even more silent than the day before.

Kakashi sat in the corner, like a small iceberg. He wasn't reading, wasn't tidying things up, just sitting there, motionless.

The surrounding classmates tacitly avoided his area, as if there was an invisible barrier there.

Kakashi remained silent for the entire day.

When the after-school bell rang, he was the first to stand up, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and walked out.

Shin-chan quickly packed his things and chased after him, "Kakashi, wait for me."

"What do you want?" Kakashi stopped and looked back at him.

"I'll walk with you."

"We're not going the same way."

"We are today," Shin-chan said righteously.

Kakashi glanced at him, said nothing, and turned to continue walking.

Shin-chan followed behind.

They walked through streets, through alleys, all the way to the gate of the Hatake Household Yard.

Kakashi pushed open the gate and walked in.

Shin-chan also followed in.

Kakashi stopped and looked back at him, "Why are you following me?"

"To play at your house."

"I didn't invite you."

"I came on my own," Shin-chan blinked, "Is that okay?"

Kakashi was silent for two seconds, about to speak.

The living room door suddenly opened.

A figure stood in the doorway, silver hair, a familiar outline.

But that face was different from Shin-chan's memory.

His eyes were sunken, he was unshaven, his face was full of fatigue and vicissitudes, and his eyes seemed covered in a layer of dust, devoid of any light.

Hatake Sakumo stood there, looking at the two children in the yard, his tone filled with exhaustion. "Kakashi, you're back."

Kakashi lowered his head, not speaking.

Shin-chan raised his hand and waved vigorously. "Silver Haired Uncle, you're back!"

Sakumo looked at the child in Red Clothes, looking at his bright smile, and suddenly didn't know what to say.

"Mm, I'm back."

Shin-chan ran over, looking up at him.

"Uncle, you look so tired. My Father is like this every time he comes back from a mission. Mother says he'll be fine after a nap."

Kakashi stood at the door, watching this scene, his lips twitched, but he said nothing.

Sakumo looked up at his son.

"Kakashi, go pour some tea."

Kakashi hesitated for a moment, then turned and went to the Kitchen.

Only Sakumo and Shin-chan were left in the Living Room.

Sakumo looked at the child in Red Clothes before him, his gaze complex.

"Shin-chan."

"Mm?"

"Are you... here to play with Kakashi?"

"Yes." Shin-chan nodded. "He's unhappy, so I came to keep him company."

Sakumo was stunned for a moment.

"You noticed he was unhappy?"

"Mm." Shin-chan said. "He hasn't said a word all day."

Sakumo was silent for a while, then sighed softly.

"Shin-chan."

"Mm?"

"You're Kakashi's friend, right?"

"Yeah." Shin-chan nodded. "We're in the same class, and we Cultivate together."

"Uncle, I have something to ask of you."

"What is it?"

Sakumo looked into his eyes, his voice very soft, with a barely perceptible tremor.

"In the future... take good care of Kakashi."

Shin-chan didn't quite understand. "Take care of Kakashi?"

"Mm." Sakumo nodded. "You are one of his few friends."

Shin-chan thought for a moment and nodded seriously.

"Okay, I will take care of him."

"Thank you." Sakumo showed a long-lost smile.

Shin-chan tilted his head and asked, "Uncle, you're asking me to take care of him, why don't you take care of him yourself?"

Sakumo was silent for a long time before saying softly, "Because... Uncle might not be able to take care of him forever."

Shin-chan blinked.

"Why?"

Sakumo didn't answer, just looked out the window, his gaze vacant.

Seeing him like that, Shin-chan suddenly remembered something.

"Uncle, is it because of that mission?"

Sakumo's body trembled slightly. "You heard about it too?"

"Mm." Shin-chan nodded. "Everyone is saying you failed the mission."

Sakumo fell silent.

Shin-chan continued, "But I don't think you did anything wrong."

Sakumo was stunned.

"What?"

Shin-chan said earnestly, "Third Hokage Grandpa said the Will of Fire is to protect important people and guard the Village. Teacher Ibuki also said that sometimes you have to sacrifice yourself to protect your comrades."

He looked at Sakumo, his eyes sparkling. "Uncle, you saved your comrades and sacrificed the mission. Isn't that the Will of Fire?"

Sakumo opened his mouth, unable to speak.

Shin-chan continued, "Moreover, Uncle, you've completed so many successful missions before. Even though this one failed, the previous ones combined should be much more than this one, right?"

He started counting on his fingers, but after a long time, he couldn't figure it out and simply gave up.

"Anyway, I think you're a good person, Uncle."

Sakumo stared at him blankly.

For the past two days since returning to the Village, all he had heard were accusations.

Mission failure, causing losses to the Village, betraying everyone's trust—these words were like knives, cutting into his heart one by one.

Even the companion he had saved looked at him with shifty eyes, afraid to meet his gaze.

No one said he did the right thing.

No one said he did well.

Everyone was saying, "You were wrong, you shouldn't have done that, you should have prioritized the mission."

But now, a five-year-old child stood before him, using the simplest language to say what the adults hadn't.

"You... think I did the right thing?"

"Of course," Shin-chan said as if it were obvious. "What's wrong with saving someone?"

Sakumo fell silent.

Shin-chan continued, "Besides, Uncle, you taught me Blade Techniques and even gave me a Wooden Sword. You've been very good to me. Good people don't do wrong things, right?"

Sakumo looked at him, his eyes suddenly feeling a little sore.

He lowered his head and covered his face with his hand.

Shin-chan was startled.

"Uncle, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing... I'm just... a little happy."

Shin-chan blinked.

"Why cover your face if you're happy?"

Sakumo didn't answer. After a long while, he lowered his hand. "Shin-chan, thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for saying these things."

Shin-chan tilted his head, not quite understanding.

At the kitchen entrance, Kakashi stood there holding tea, unsure how long he had been standing.

"Dad."

Sakumo looked up at him.

"Hm?"

Kakashi walked over and put down the tea. "The tea is ready."

Sakumo nodded.

Shin-chan suddenly said from the side, "Kakashi, your dad just told me to take good care of you."

Kakashi froze for a moment and looked at his father.

Sakumo turned his face away, a little embarrassed.

Shin-chan continued, "I promised, so when you're unhappy in the future, you have to tell me."

Kakashi was silent for a while, then softly said, "Okay."

"Then we have a deal." Shin-chan nodded, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh right, Mother said she wants to go back early today, there's Fried Shrimp tonight."

Sakumo looked at him, his gaze gentle.

"Shin-chan."

"Hm?"

"Come visit often in the future."

"Okay!"

Shin-chan walked to the door and stopped again, turning back to wave at them.

"Goodbye Uncle, goodbye Kakashi, see you tomorrow!"

The red figure disappeared outside the door.

Silence fell in the room.

Sakumo sat in his spot, looking in the direction of the door, not speaking for a long time.

Kakashi stood beside him, also looking in that direction.

After a long while, Sakumo spoke softly.

"Kakashi."

"Hmm?"

"You have a good friend."

Kakashi didn't speak, but his gaze fell on the Sunset in the doorway.

That Red Shadow seemed to still be there.