Minato had expected the end of his first day in many different ways… but definitely not the scene unfolding in front of him. His eyes darkened as he looked at the blindfolded man standing before him. Kyojiro stood straight, his fiery hair tied back into a sharp ponytail that looked almost akin to a living flame.
There was a certain authority he imposed on the world simply by existing. Minato could feel the seriousness radiating from his friend… yet he couldn't help but sigh.
"Explain, Kyojiro. Your statement could have many meanings." Minato's exhausted yet gentle voice rang out.
I almost expected you to be talking about gifts or something else… definitely not something as preposterous as leaving the village like this.
As Hokage, granting leave wasn't exactly outside his jurisdiction. But Kyojiro was a crucial asset to Konoha—one who had just returned from Kumo. Add in his weakened state and the sheer dangers of the world, and it is beyond foolish to let him go like this.
Yet amid his chaotic thoughts, Kyojiro's bold voice rang out. "I am not talking about leaving the Leaf Village. You can think of my request as a vacation."
Before Minato could even raise a finger, Kyojiro continued, "And I have another request on top of that."
Minato could already feel the pressure of Hiruzen's future comments. "What is it now, Kyojiro?"
A small twitch tugged at Kyojiro's lips, barely suppressing a smile. "As you know, I am blind… so I wish to take Kakashi with me." Seeing the pin-drop silence fill the room, he continued, "Of course, I will issue an official mission for it—with genuine pay."
Kyojiro still had enough money left in his account for such an endeavor.
Minato stared at his friend for another long minute, eyebrows furrowed. Well… a vacation with the support of Kakashi is something I can grant., he thought. His eyes narrowed. "I do trust you, Kyojiro. But as the Hokage… I need to know where you're going."
Kyojiro nodded, expecting this. "Just wish to feel the ocean near me… so somewhere around the border of the Land of Fire."
Minato mulled over the implications of that request, letting the silence sink in, before finally sighing. "Kyojiro, look." His voice softened, a gentleness slipping through the cracks of authority. "I understand you need a vacation… especially after everything." His blue eyes darkened for a brief second.
"If it's your choice, I will let you go. But the world isn't safe, Kyojiro—not for a weakened Uchiha. Are you sure you want to do this?" His concerned voice filled the room like a quiet storm.
Kyojiro nodded, jaw tightening. "Hundred percent, friend."
Minato didn't realize it then… but he had helped Kyojiro immensely. Had Hiruzen still been the Hokage, Kyojiro would have never officially received such a permit—not with his condition.
The Hokage's office remained still, the frozen midnight breeze slipping through the cracks. Both the Uchiha and the Hokage continued talking, their earlier seriousness slowly melting away into something far more familiar.
The moon rose high in the night sky, its pale glow illuminating their faces.
Minato Namikaze — The Fourth Hokage of the Leaf.AndKyojiro Uchiha — The Gentle Uchiha.
...
Kakashi kept glancing, from time to time, at the fiery-haired Uchiha beside him. Multiple questions churned inside him—curiosity, worry, lingering memories of a time when everything had been much simpler.
When he had thought he couldn't lose anything more… life dealt him a new low. His best friend died. His hands—the very hands he once carried with pride—now carried the blood of Rin, his teammate.
He looked again at the blindfolded man beside him. They were both currently outside Konoha. The rising sun had long since climbed past the horizon, its rays filtered by the shade of the leaves above, creating a small sanctuary against the heat.
Every time Kakashi's gaze drifted back to him, memories crashed like waves, threatening to drown him. I can't deal with this., Kakashi muttered somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind.
He twisted his head away, choosing the scenery over the haunted past demanding his attention.
Just then, a gentle voice reached him. "Last time we met… you were angry at me." Kyojiro turned toward the white-haired ninja. "I used to think I had a lot of time—thought I could ask you anytime…" He shook his head, reflecting. "But now I wish to know. Kakashi… what happened that day?"
Kyojiro's voice was calm, warm—like a heating bonfire on a cold night.
Kakashi turned to him at last.
His lone eye fully took in the sight of his senior. Arms frailer than a girl's, his face sunken, a blindfold that nearly handicapped him.
His career is over… all because he tried to save some Konoha shinobi who died anyway.
Kakashi knew the story—the reason behind Kyojiro's capture. Had it been the previous Kakashi, he would have scorned the man… shouted at him to leave them. To leave the people.
But Kakashi now understood. Those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum.
Yet now… as he looked at Kyojiro's weakened, broken state, another image overlapped in his mind—white hair, a familiar sword, the same unwavering gentleness, the same morals.
His father.
Kakashi let out a deep, weary sigh. "You reminded me of my father… that's why." His voice sounded exhausted—not physically, but at a soul-deep level that couldn't be faked.
Kakashi was depressed.
Yet hearing that answer brought a calm, almost tender smile to Kyojiro's face. "Your father was a great man."
That was all he said. No long speeches. No probing questions. Yet that single line pierced through Kakashi's cold heart more deeply than anything else could have.
Memories he had locked away began to surface, threatening to spill over.
The death of everyone he ever loved. As if he were cursed.
And just when he felt himself cracking, Kyojiro's hand gently gripped his shoulder. "I know a lot has happened to you, Kakashi. You don't need to explain everything right now." His calm voice spread through Kakashi like a balm. "For now, just treat this as a vacation. You don't need to act like a ball of sunshine or anything."
Kyojiro turned toward him, his fiery hair swaying softly in the breeze.
"For now… just stay in the present. With me."
.....
Btw today is my birthday guys ;)
Enjoy the ch