A month later.
In the early morning, the sky was just barely growing bright.
Kakashi woke up with a start from a nightmare, opening eyes whose pupils were abruptly contracted, his pajamas already soaked through with sweat.
He had dreamed the nightmare again-to be precise, he had dreamed it for several months in a row.
He dreamed of that moment when Rin Nohara collided with his Chidori, the sharp Chidori piercing right through Rin's heart.
That was no nightmare; it was something that had happened half a year ago. Though he used numerous reasons to try and persuade himself, he could not cover up the fact that Rin had died by his hands.
He had clearly promised Obito that he would protect Rin, yet in the end...
Rising from the tatami mat, Kakashi rubbed his temples and walked toward the washbasin.
The moment he turned on the faucet, he seemed to see his hands stained with blood once more, impossible to wash away no matter how hard he tried.
The phantom images before his eyes gradually overlapped. After a spell of dizziness, he picked up his ANBU mask and left his home with a click of the lock.
He had no idea what he was supposed to be doing, wandering and lost at the crossroads of life.
Whether joining the ANBU or becoming an ANBU squad captain, Kakashi simply followed orders, accepted orders, and kept on moving forward.
Walking through the village streets, Kakashi headed toward the ANBU base. His slanted forehead protector covered his Sharingan, also cutting off his connection to the village.
Occasionally bumping into passing peers, he still pushed forward in silence, without any desire to step forward and chat.
Those peers viewed him with that exact same sentiment.
The only exception was that idiot who dedicated