Kakashi's new beginning

Evening fell.

Lights came on one by one in homes throughout the village.

But the Konoha office remained dark and gloomy.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood at the window overlooking all of Konoha, watching the lights of its countless homes. From time to time, he took a couple of puffs, his expression complicated.

Minato suddenly appeared in the smoke-filled room.

"The end of this war is finally in sight." Hiruzen did not turn around, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "But our losses have been devastating, and the village's resentment toward me keeps growing. Danzo... never mind. My heart is no longer in this position."

He slowly turned around.

"I'll start building support for you. Once the war ends, Konoha's future will be in your hands, Minato."

Then Hiruzen glanced sideways at Minato. "What brings you here so late?"

Minato glanced at the repaired desk, reached inside his vest, and handed over a report.

"This is the report on Kakashi Hatake. He... seems to be mentally unstable after suffering a tremendous shock."

Hiruzen took the report and lowered his gaze to skim it in the moonlight coming through the window. He tossed it onto the desk, then turned back toward the window.

"Sakumo was a hero, and Kakashi is a genius in his own right." Regret tinged his voice. "It's just that he's carrying too much now."

He turned around to face Minato again.

"Have him stay with you, Minato. Find a way to pull his heart and his will out of that mire."

His pipe glowed faintly in the darkness.

"Have him join the Anbu under your command. Give him some assignments that can soothe his heart and take his mind off things."

"Work that can soothe his heart?" Minato sounded puzzled.

"Assign him to guard Kushina," Hiruzen said. "Your wife is pregnant, isn't she? Security in the village is very tight right now, so it'll be an easy assignment. It will also let him experience some family warmth. Perhaps... it will help him."

"Understood." Minato nodded, but inwardly sighed.

The next morning.

Konoha Hospital.

Minato stood outside the hospital room with a fruit basket, listening for sounds inside. The room was deathly silent, without a sound.

After a moment, Minato decided to go in and take a look.

Knock, knock.

Minato turned the handle and pushed the door open.

Kakashi sat on the bed, staring blankly at the sky outside the window.

"Kakashi?" Minato called softly.

Kakashi did not respond.

Minato raised a hand to scratch his head as he looked at Kakashi's current state. This mess Mr. Pero left behind is really giving me a headache.

He walked to Kakashi's bedside and set down the fruit basket.

"How are you feeling today? Are you feeling any better physically?"

Kakashi's lips moved, but no words came out.

He slowly raised his hand and gently touched his left eye, which was covered by his forehead protector.

Seeing this, Minato lowered his eyes.

He knew that the Sharingan placed an enormous drain on Kakashi's chakra. Without Uchiha blood,

it meant the eye would be like a valve that could not be shut off, consuming his chakra every moment.

Over time, it might even affect his development.

"Why..."

"Why are you always too late, Sensei? With Obito, and with Rin..."

Minato's heart clenched. He reached out, wanting to stroke Kakashi's head as he always had.

"I'm sorry... Kakashi. It was my fault."

Smack.

Kakashi knocked Minato's hand away and spoke in a low voice.

"Are ninja... just tools for completing missions? Can our comrades' lives... be thrown away without a care?!"

Watching Kakashi break down before him, Minato recalled his conversation with the Third in the office yesterday.

He took a deep breath, held his hand out to Kakashi, and offered him an invitation.

"Kakashi, join the Anbu."

"I'd like you to guard Kushina."

"Let Kushina and me help untangle what's weighing on your heart."

Once all this is over, I have to make Mr. Pero undo that damned genjutsu, Minato silently vowed.

At the mention of Kushina's name, Kakashi's agitation seemed to ease a little.

He looked into Minato's sincere eyes and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he slowly nodded.

And so Kakashi accepted Minato's invitation, joined the Anbu, and took responsibility for guarding Kushina for the next six months.

Minato stepped outside, gently closed the door, and let out a long sigh.

This won't be resolved anytime soon. I'll have to rely on Kushina to keep Kakashi stable for now.

"Well, if it isn't Minato."

A soft, effeminate voice, like the flicking tongue of a venomous snake, suddenly came from the other end of the corridor.

Minato looked toward the voice, his eyes widening slightly before he immediately adopted a respectful expression.

"Good morning, Lord Orochimaru."

Orochimaru gave a slight nod, then glanced at the information on the room's door.

"Kakashi Hatake, is it? I heard he's the only one left from the rookie team you led."

"Life really is fragile, Minato." Suddenly, Orochimaru leaned his head close to Minato's ear.

"Sensei likes you very much."

"Even an animal you've raised for a little while inspires affection, and losing it always stirs some emotion."

"But I can't see the slightest sadness in your eyes. Could our beloved Yellow Flash really be so cold and heartless?"

"Or could it be that our hero Minato is actually lying?"

Minato's gentle smile stiffened for an almost imperceptible instant.

Then Orochimaru let out two erratic cackles, turned, and walked away.

Minato shrugged helplessly where he stood.

Obito and Rin aren't really dead. What am I supposed to be sad about? My only headache right now is figuring out how to guide and train the problem child in there.

Evening.

Minato's home.

Kushina sat in the living room, stroking her slightly swollen belly, her eyes full of tenderness.

Hearing the door open, she looked up at Minato, a smile spreading across her face.

"You're home a little late today."

"Yeah, I stopped by the Hokage's office." Minato scratched his head sheepishly, then turned around and pulled out Kakashi, who had been hiding behind him the whole time.

Kakashi's face was expressionless, as though the entire world had nothing to do with him.

At the sight of Kakashi, Kushina's smile faltered.

She slowly stood, walked over to Kakashi, and spoke gently. "Kakashi, did you like the food I brought you at the training ground last time?"

Watching the gentle Kushina, Minato's mouth twitched as an image of the usually hot-tempered little firebrand came to mind.

As though sensing Minato's disrespect, she turned and shot him a menacing glare, then gently turned back again.

A bead of cold sweat slid down Minato's face.

She reached out and gently stroked Kakashi's signature silver-white hair.

"Come on in and sit down."

Kakashi raised his eyes to Kushina's beautiful face, his gaze unconsciously drifting to her belly.

He quickly looked away again, lowering his head to stare at the floor in silence.

He remained silent.

Minato took off his vest and casually hung it on the coat rack.

"For the next little while, Kakashi will be living next door and taking care of your safety."

With his head lowered, Kakashi spoke in a barely audible voice. "I'll make sure to complete my guard assignment."

"All right." Kushina turned toward the kitchen.

"Dinner's just ready. Stay and eat with us, Kakashi."

Kakashi said nothing.

Minato hurried to smooth things over. "He just reported to the Anbu today. He's been run off his feet. Let him rest for a bit."

With that, Minato pushed Kakashi by the shoulders and settled him into a chair at the dining table.

At dinner.

Steaming miso soup and stewed fish sat on the table.

Kakashi sat holding his chopsticks, staring vacantly at the hot food.

Seeing this, Kushina gently pushed the dish on the table toward Kakashi.

"Try some. The fish is delicious and fresh today."

Kakashi tightened his grip on his chopsticks. In the end, he picked up some fish and lowered his head to eat in small bites.

Seeing Kakashi finally start eating, Minato breathed a sigh of relief.

After dinner, Kakashi stood by the door and said goodbye to Minato and Kushina.

He turned, opened the door, and stepped outside.

After closing the door, however, he did not leave. Instead, he leaned against Minato's front door, raised his head, and quietly watched the bright moon in the sky.

Inside, Kushina looked at Minato and said softly, "I'm afraid the knot in his heart won't be so easy to untangle."

"I'm afraid the knot in his heart won't be so easy to untangle," Kushina said softly.

"Let's take it slowly. He'll get better eventually. I'll have to trouble you to look after him more during this time." Minato sighed.

Leaning against the door outside, Kakashi heard every word from within.

In his lifeless, dead-fish eyes, a barely perceptible glimmer seemed to stir as they shifted.

Inside, Minato looked at the lonely shadow showing through the gap beneath the door and rubbed his brow helplessly.

I hope this assignment can have some positive effect on him for now.