Obito's roses

Dawn was just breaking the next morning.

Asami Ri pushed open his front door, ready to greet a new day. Yet the moment his toes crossed the threshold, a faint whisper of wind brushed past his ear.

The Anbu ninja wearing the Dog-Faced Mask appeared at his side once more, like a phantom.

"Chunin Asami Ri." The Anbu's voice was ice-cold. "In recognition of your outstanding performance in the defensive battle in the Land of Hot Water, Lord Hokage has officially designated the mission as S-rank. Your mission payment and special reward are ready. Please sign for them."

As he spoke, he handed over a bulging brown paper envelope and a scroll.

"Two million ryo in cash, and the B-rank ninjutsu, Shadow Clone Technique."

Asami Ri accepted them. The two million ryo weighed heavily in his hand. That fortune would be enough to let him live comfortably through these turbulent wartime days, with money left over for some ninja tools.

"Thank you," Asami Ri replied simply.

"Farewell."

The instant the masked ninja finished speaking, chakra burst around him, and he vanished.

Yet at the very moment he disappeared, Asami Ri casually turned his head, his calm gaze locking onto the top of a utility pole ten meters away, diagonally above him.

Whoosh.

The air rippled faintly. The masked ninja's figure flickered at his landing point before disappearing into the distant trees.

But in the final second before he vanished, a trace of astonishment flashed in the eyes behind his mask.

He spotted me?

Asami Ri stood in the doorway, his right hand lightly running over the textured surface of the ninjutsu scroll.

The landing point of the Body Flicker Technique...

Asami Ri murmured inwardly, the faintest hint of a smile curling his lips.

Once, he had been utterly unable to track this elite Anbu's movements.

But after a year of training and the life-and-death trials in the Land of Hot Water, his senses and reactions had undergone a qualitative leap.

As I am now... I can follow even an elite Chunin's movements.

He closed the door behind him and headed toward Konoha's park.

Yesterday, Rin Nohara had specifically invited him there, looking rather mysterious as she said she had something important to discuss with him.

Asami Ri rapidly sifted through the plot points in his memory. Taking the current timeline into account, he soon deduced what that "important" matter was.

It should be Kakashi's promotion to Jonin.

Asami Ri considered it inwardly.

Kakashi had become a Chunin at just six years old. Over the following six years, he had completed a vast number of missions and accumulated an impressive record of achievements.

Not long ago, he had even killed a Kumogakure Jonin single-handedly, proving that his combat strength had reached Jonin level.

Even Asami Ri, who had merely assisted from the sidelines, had received a generous S-rank mission reward from the Anbu. As the main combatant, Kakashi would surely have a promotion to Jonin among his rewards.

Meanwhile, today would also mark Obito's official promotion to Chunin, after all his desperate efforts to catch up.

Asami Ri spotted a flourishing cherry tree the moment he entered the park.

Obito stood alone beneath it, tightly clutching a bouquet of bright red roses. He was so nervous that his fingertips trembled slightly, and his eyes darted awkwardly in every direction.

Asami Ri was just about to walk over when a thick, powerful arm suddenly reached out of the shadows.

"Shh!"

Before he could react, Might Guy grabbed him without explanation and pulled him into the shadows behind the park wall.

With an excited expression and a finger raised for silence, Guy signaled that Asami Ri absolutely must not make a sound.

Asami Ri steadied himself and looked around, only then discovering the hidden gathering behind the low wall.

Asuma Sarutobi had a toothpick between his lips, while Kurenai Yuhi wore a teasing smile. Genma Shiranui, Kotetsu Hagane, and the sunglasses-wearing Ebisu had also gathered to watch the show.

These future luminaries of Konoha were all holding their breath in perfect unison, looking for all the world like a pack of cats lying in wait for prey.

Does everyone... really love watching drama this much?

Asami Ri grumbled inwardly, though the lighthearted atmosphere he had not felt in so long eased much of his earlier solemnity.

Since everyone had already set the mood, he simply bent down, found a gap with an excellent view, and watched the anxious boy beneath the tree with keen interest.

As Rin Nohara jogged into the park, Obito, who had been waiting with bated breath, instantly lit up with joy, anticipation sparkling in his eyes.

But a second later, Rin cheerfully waved toward the wall and called, "Everyone!" The people hiding in the shadows all emerged.

Obito's expression underwent a drastic change in an instant, from ecstasy to bewilderment.

A soft thud sounded.

The carefully prepared red roses fell forlornly to the ground, their scattered petals gathering dust.

To conceal his crushing disappointment, Obito forced an impossibly stiff smile. To everyone watching, it looked even worse than crying.

Yet Rin Nohara was wholly caught up in the excitement of preparing Kakashi's celebration. She kept handing out planning sheets, completely oblivious to Obito's strange behavior, let alone the ruined flowers forgotten by his feet.

Standing at the back of the group, Asami Ri witnessed this painfully dramatic "tragedy."

His gaze swept over the roses on the ground, then returned to Obito, who looked utterly crushed yet was still trying to put on a brave face. He could not help sighing inwardly.

Poor kid. He's already learned the bitter life lesson of being a hopeless simp at such a young age.

Beside him, Asuma, Kurenai, and the others exchanged sympathetic glances, cringing on Obito's behalf.

However, Rin Nohara's enthusiastic instructions soon broke the awkward mood. Everyone composed themselves, looked down at their celebration plans, and began discussing how to divide up the work.

Once Rin Nohara settled on the final plan for the celebration, the group dispersed, each going off to find a surprise gift for Kakashi.

Asami Ri wandered alone through Konoha's bustling streets, considering what would make an appropriate gift. Ninja tools were too conventional, while clothes were too personal.

I remember Kakashi has always enjoyed reading.

As he pondered, he came to a stop outside a bookstore.

A huge poster stood in the display window, its lettering especially striking in the sunlight.

"The latest masterpiece from Lord Jiraiya of the legendary Sannin—The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi! A spectacular debut!"

"The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi?"

Asami Ri murmured the title, an unusual glint flashing in his eyes.

It was not only Jiraiya's first book, but also the source of the future Child of Prophecy Naruto Uzumaki's name.

Looks like Jiraiya hasn't started writing his famous Icha Icha Paradise yet.

The image of an adult Kakashi holding a dirty book all day, his eyes listless, surfaced in his mind. His lips lifted slightly. That's just as well. Kakashi isn't an adult yet. Better keep that sort of "adult reading" away from him, lest he wear himself out while he's still so young.

With that thought, Asami Ri pushed open the bookstore door. He did not skimp on spending and bought a beautifully bound, limited first edition outright.

Opening the title page, he found Jiraiya's bold, sweeping signature, which carried an air of unrestrained bravado.

When Asami Ri found Kakashi, the newly promoted Jonin already had a pile of gift boxes in his arms. Clearly, he had just endured a round of his friends' "enthusiastic attention."

When Asami Ri handed him the hefty copy of The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi, a rare spark appeared in Kakashi's usually indifferent, slightly listless, dead-fish eyes.

As a literary-minded young man who preferred solitude and secretly harbored more passion than he let on, Kakashi clearly found a work brimming with strength and depth of thought more appealing than the usual gift of ninja tools.

"Thank you, Ri." Kakashi carefully put the book away, his voice carrying a little more warmth.

After they exchanged brief farewells, Asami Ri remained where he was, watching the somewhat slender boy with a short sword on his back walk farther and farther away.

The Battle of Kannabi Bridge... is finally about to begin. The hidden hand behind the scenes should be making its move soon, too.

Asami Ri's smile faded, his gaze growing deep.

He tightened the ninja tool pouch behind him and murmured:

"I should start preparing, too. After all... there's an idea I need to test for myself at that turning point of fate."