At the Konoha Village gatehouse, Kakashi's pen paused for a moment. He turned to look, his left eye already hidden beneath his Forehead Protector.
Beside him, when Nohara Rin heard Hanazuki's voice, she had been about to smile and greet him. But at the words "good eyes," her expression immediately darkened.
"Hanazuki, this isn't Kakashi's, it's Obito's..."
"What a shame. Uchiha Obito's eyes hold tremendous potential. I'm better than anyone at recognizing talent, so take good care of the treasure in your left eye."
"Also, don't wait until you've lost something to regret it, Kakashi-senpai. Whether it's Obito, or..."
His pointed words brought back memories for Kakashi: that day he had gone to the Land of Grass, and the strange look Uchiha Hanazuki had given him.
"This is Obito's will. I'll use his eyes without hesitation to witness the arrival of peace. I won't lose anyone again, and I won't regret it. That's my promise to..."
Kakashi's gaze was as lifeless as a still pool. His mask hid any change in his expression. He spoke as if it were a trivial matter, and his own life meant just as little.
"That's enough chatting. I have to hand in my mission report now, so I'll be going."
Seeing this, several ninja who had stopped to watch hurried toward the Hokage's office to report. Nohara Rin looked at the black-clad figure walking away, her heart even more conflicted.
With the sun overhead, Hanazuki left the Hokage's office building and looked up at the sky, lamenting the state of his life.
"Low pay, too much work, and a long commute. No days off all year. One day, I'll change this damn world. I'll climb to the very top, step by step. I'll become..."
A weight on his shoulder cut short Hanazuki's lofty ambition. He turned and saw two bowl cuts gleaming black in the sunlight.
"Long time no see, Captain! You're as energetic as ever. Today's another perfect chance to burn with the fire of youth!"
Might Duy laughed heartily. The bandages wrapped beneath his green jumpsuit couldn't dampen his youthful enthusiasm. Beside him, Might Guy nodded too, his gaze fixed on the stern figure approaching behind Hanazuki.
"Oh, my eternal rival! Let's settle things once and for all today! A contest!"
In an instant, he darted off, clinging tightly to Kakashi's side. Might Guy was fired up, and soon the two disappeared into the distance.
"You're as fired up as ever, Duy. Your son is the spitting image of you. How are your injuries?"
Turning his head slightly, Hanazuki removed his Demon Fox Mask and asked with a smile.
"I'm grateful for your concern. If you hadn't recognized the chakra points for the Eight Inner Gates in time and suppressed the chakra there, even my body would have burned to ash from the excessive heat. That's what Lady Nonō told me."
Might Duy was filled with emotion. He had opened the Eight Inner Gates, fully expecting to die, so he couldn't believe he had somehow survived. It was truly a blessing.
"No need to thank me. I've already received my payment, and I'm quite satisfied with it. Keep living well, and be there to see the day your son becomes a jonin."
Hanazuki waved behind him and turned to leave. Although Might Duy had narrowly escaped death, his chakra pathways had been severely damaged, making it impossible for him to continue living as a ninja. Even so, he still wore a radiant smile.
"Yeah! Thanks, Captain! The dashing springtime of youth has passed, and now the blazing heat of midsummer is here! Do your best with your missions!"
"The blazing heat of midsummer, huh? That doesn't suit me."
[Character Sign-In: Might Duy] [Abilities Obtained: Eight Inner Gates] [Sign-In Successful. Today's Reward: Formation of the Eight Inner Gates!]
"I've accepted my payment. Now, where should I go to slack off?"
"Um, sorry to bother you, Hanazuki. Do you have anything to do next? If not, could you take a walk with me? You and Obito were friends, right?"
Hanazuki had been planning to head to the entertainment district outside Konoha Village and wander around. He turned at the sound of Nohara Rin hurrying after him. She looked serious, her tone firm.
"I want to know more about Obito. Please."
Looking at Nohara Rin, whose resolve seemed almost as strong as someone marching to her death, Hanazuki glanced around and finally settled on a direction.
"Sure. Then you can treat me. I'll tell you everything I know about Obito."
Rin looked up. Ichiraku Ramen was just ahead, its tempting aroma drifting through the air. She hurriedly took out her wallet, then gave a solemn nod.
Before long, two steaming bowls of ramen were served.
"Sorry for the wait. One special seafood ramen and one tonkotsu ramen. Enjoy!"
The man at Ichiraku Ramen went back to greeting the other customers. Just as Hanazuki was about to enjoy his meal, he noticed the astonished look from beside him.
He turned and saw that the steam from the ramen had flushed Nohara Rin's cheeks red. Hanazuki thought for a moment, then remembered that she probably hadn't seen his real face before.
"Now, to get to the point. Uchiha Obito... To be honest, I don't know much more about him than you do. But we were both orphans, and our families lived close to each other, so we inevitably crossed paths."
"Come to think of it, that rainy day, he rushed out in high spirits. When he came to my house looking completely dejected, I figured he must have confessed his feelings to you. Hahahaha..."
His laughter slowly faded. Nohara Rin couldn't stop herself from lowering her head as tears fell one by one. Beside her, Teuchi instinctively fixed Hanazuki with a suspicious stare.
He looked as if he suspected that this guy had been two-timing someone, only to get caught by his real girlfriend.
"That day, I..."
"You gave Obito an encouraging rejection and told him you liked Kakashi-senpai instead, right?"
Her sobbing stopped abruptly. Rin stared at him in astonishment, with a touch of curiosity and inexplicable embarrassment. Had Obito even told Hanazuki about that?
"He didn't. I made a reasonable guess based on your personality. Besides, you called out 'Kakashi, Kakashi' the moment you walked in. Wasn't it obvious?"
With his bright eyes and fresh smile, Hanazuki had a strangely reassuring air about him. Rin couldn't help feeling as if she were facing the kind Minato-sensei, though his youthful face reminded her more of Kakashi.
"Hanazuki, can your eyes see into people's hearts?"
"You're just easy to read. Your feelings are written all over your face, and that's not a good habit. Don't do that on a mission. Thanks for the treat. See you."
Huh? Rin sat stunned for a moment, then looked at the ramen bowl beside her, which was already completely empty. She couldn't help exclaiming in amazement.
"So fast! When did he finish eating? And that reassuring feeling he gives off is..."
Suddenly, a weight settled on her shoulder. Rin looked up in confusion and saw a familiar, pretty face gazing down at her with concern.
"Rin, are you okay? I've already heard about Obito from my teacher, Orochimaru. Are you all right?"