"Sakumo-sensei, I've come to visit you."
In a room on the second floor, Hakushi softly spoke to the photo placed on the stand.
This was the photo they took together when their Team Five was first formed.
Ayane and Ruri were also in it, and during the photo-taking, he was sandwiched between the two. Reflecting on it now, it really was quite tough for him.
Meanwhile, Sakumo stood behind the three, carrying the White Fang Short Knife, wearing a Ninja Headband, and sporting a cheerful, happy smile.
As Hakushi was reminiscing about these things, the door suddenly opened.
"Hey, you know you shouldn't run around someone's house like this, right?"
Hakushi saw Obito swagger in without any reservation, causing him a slight headache.
"I was just about to say the same to you. What was with leaving me alone back there?"
Obito responded, equally displeased.
"I just came up to take a look."
"Well, I also came up to take a look."
Obito, getting smart, followed Hakushi's words.
Then, he also noticed the photo, staring at it closely. Although it was taken when Hakushi was twelve, making him look quite different now, Obito immediately recognized that it was indeed the Hakushi of the past.
"So you looked like this before. Doesn't seem particularly special."
Obito made a teasing comment.
Then he looked at the others.
"These eyes belong to a member of the Hyuga Clan. And this must be Ruri-senpai. As expected of a senior, even at such a young age, she exudes a reliable and strong feeling."
Looking at the photo of Ruri, Obito instantly became like a little fanboy, speaking with admiration.
"Eh, who's this white-haired guy? Is he your Instructor Jonin?"
Obito asked curiously.
"Yeah, he's also Kakashi's father, known as the 'Konoha White Fang' ninja."
Hakushi nodded. It was such an open fact that a casual inquiry could reveal it, so it wasn't considered a secret.
"No wonder he looks so much like Kakashi... But, Konoha White Fang... I feel like I've heard of him somewhere... Strange, where have I heard of him?"
Obito tilted his head, starting to think.
He vaguely remembered it was something from a few months ago.
But what exactly, he couldn't quite recall.
"Knowing these things isn't necessarily good for you."
Hakushi interrupted the topic.
Rumors about Sakumo mostly circulated among adults, and it was normal for students like Obito, who were still in school, not to know much.
They might only know the name but not what really happened, naturally never delving deeper.
Moreover, after Sakumo's suicide, many people stopped discussing the matter, pretending it never happened.
But scars have already been exposed; no matter how one tries to mend them, the wounds won't disappear, only be buried deeper.
"Oh, come on, I'm not a child."
Obito protested, dissatisfied.
"Alright, let's head back downstairs."
Hakushi led Obito downstairs, returning to the living room.
There, the takeout Kakashi ordered had already been delivered, and Kakashi himself was sitting there, waiting for them to join for dinner.
"Kakashi, have you been living on takeout lately?"
Seeing the trash bin filled with uncleaned takeout boxes, Obito frowned.
"Yeah."
Kakashi nodded.
Besides missions, he spent a lot of time training at home every day, having no leisure for cooking and relying on takeout for sustenance.
Seeing Kakashi's indifferent response, Obito frowned even more.
He wanted to say something but refrained upon seeing Kakashi's uncomprehending, distant gaze.
This version of Kakashi made Obito feel an unspeakable discomfort.
It felt as though nothing he said could bring him closer to Kakashi.
Even though he wanted to ask Kakashi why he had arguments with his mission comrades, whether it was true what people said that his comrades' lives valued less compared to the mission's worth...
In the end, Obito hesitated for a long time and couldn't bring himself to reveal his most pressing concerns to Kakashi.
Kakashi's home gave him a chilling, inhospitable vibe.
What has happened to him since graduation? Obito wondered in his heart.
Sitting at the dining table, Kakashi took a few casual bites of the takeout before closing the box.
"I've had enough. Once you finish, you should head back. There's nothing here worth hosting you."
Kakashi tossed his unfinished takeout into the nearby trash can, slung the White Fang Short Knife on his back, and walked into the yard.
"... Did we come at the wrong time?"
Obito glanced at Hakushi, feeling uneasy.
Hakushi replied, "It's not your fault, don't overthink it."
"Is that so?"
Obito questioned, half-believing.
After quickly finishing the takeout, Obito thoughtfully took the garbage bag filled with takeout boxes for disposal, knowing that leaving them longer would result in mold.
"Incredible, he's already trained the White Fang Swordsmanship to this level?"
As Obito went to dispose of the trash, Hakushi came into the yard, watching Kakashi continuously practicing his sword swings, deeply moved.
Although, from Hakushi's perspective, Kakashi's White Fang Swordsmanship couldn't be compared to Sakumo's, having quite a few flaws, the strikes displayed echoes of Sakumo's style. For handling Chunin-level ninjas, it shouldn't pose much difficulty.
Continuously accumulating like this, with his innate talent and effort, passing the Jonin examination before twelve seemed only natural to Hakushi.