In Kei's eyes, simply diverting attention could only suppress inner pain temporarily. True peace of mind came only from full emotional release.
In the original timeline, the Third Hokage had Kakashi leave the ANBU and become a team leader, hoping that bonds and human connection would help him walk out of the shadows.
And to some extent, it worked. Through Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura, Kakashi saw reflections of his long-lost teammates. With the power of those bonds, he was able to step back into the light.
But to Kei, a trained psychologist, this didn't count as true healing.
Kakashi had merely buried the darkness in his heart beneath new emotional attachments. If those attachments were ever broken, he could easily spiral back into the same abyss.
Fortunately, Kakashi was never forced to face that kind of cruelty.
But even so, Kei disliked any treatment that wasn't 100% effective.
What he wanted… was total recovery.
That was the meaning behind making Kakashi cry so hard, this was, in essence, a psychological detox.
As night fell, Kei returned to the forest carrying a skewer of freshly grilled rabbit. He handed it to Kakashi, who was sitting on a rock, staring blankly into space.
Kakashi had calmed down. His eyes were still red, but in Kei's view, he was no longer the same man he was before.
Taking the rabbit meat, Kakashi glanced at him with a complicated expression. His voice was hoarse.
"…Thanks."
He didn't clarify what he was thanking Kei for, whether it was the food or something deeper. Maybe it was both.
Only Kakashi knew.
Kei didn't press the issue. Instead, he asked casually, "How are you feeling? Want me to give you a little more space?"
"I'm fine. Just… the wind got some dust in my eyes earlier," Kakashi muttered, turning his head.
"Alright. Whatever helps you sleep at night." Kei gave a half-smile. "Now then, can you spare a moment to listen to your nagging therapist?"
Kakashi hesitated. "Kei… I think I'm okay now. There's no need for more therapy, right?"
Kei's methods had left him rattled, impossible to defend against, unpredictable in their depth. Kakashi wasn't sure he could survive another breakdown after just beginning to recover.
Kei gave him a warm, familiar smile. "Don't be so tense, Kakashi. You've been watching me long enough to know, I'm always gentle with my patients."
Kakashi's pupils shrank slightly.
"You… knew I was watching you?"
He'd been confident in his stealth and skill. Confident that he'd gone unnoticed.
And yes, after observing Kei for some time, he'd had to admit he misjudged the man.
For instance, when Kei had fought Uchiha Tekka, his performance had clearly exceeded Chūnin-level.
Even so, Kei was probably just brushing the threshold of Jōnin level. Maybe a Special Jōnin at best. His real advantage lay in speed, enough to catch Tekka off guard.
Kakashi, on the other hand, had become a Jōnin at twelve. Years in ANBU had only honed his edge, he was now a proper elite Jōnin.
With such a gulf in ability… and with Kei being blind, lacking even the Byakugan…
How had Kei noticed he was being watched?
Kakashi couldn't figure it out. Where had he slipped?
"Nothing's impossible," Kei said lightly. "Let's just say I was born with unusually strong perception."
Then his tone shifted.
"But enough about that. Let's talk about you. You think you're past it all… but I think you're far from done."
"I just want to have a proper conversation. Don't worry, I'm not a demon. I won't bite."
Kakashi pressed his lips together.
"…Fine. What do you want to talk about?"
"Your father," Kei said. "After these two experiments, what do you feel?"
"…He wasn't as weak as I thought. I was wrong to blame him all these years."
"That's it?" Kei didn't seem satisfied. "Come on. With your intelligence, I know you've thought of more."
Kakashi hesitated.
"…It's not that I haven't. I just… I need more time to process it."
Kei took a few steps forward, standing in front of him.
"In that case, let me say it for you."
"What happened to your father… it wasn't just misfortune. Someone in the village fanned the flames. That's how the tragedy unfolded."
Kakashi looked down slightly. He neither agreed nor denied it.
"You want to bury it, don't you?" Kei asked softly. "To protect the village from harm?"
Kakashi remained silent for a long while.
Then nodded.
He knew Kei was watching, even though the man couldn't see. But somehow, Kei's lifeless gray eyes seemed to perceive everything.
There was no point in hiding anything.
"If that's what you believe, then I'm sorry to say, you're very, very wrong," Kei said.
Kakashi frowned. "If I stubbornly dig up the truth, not only might I be putting myself in danger, but the village might suffer as well."
"The fact that you can even see that much proves your wisdom," Kei said.
And that one line… revealed everything.
Kakashi knew something was wrong.
He understood that Sakumo Hatake's death wasn't as simple as it seemed.
The White Fang of Konoha, an elite on par with the Kage. Could a man like that really be so fragile as to take his life over villagers' gossip?
Was it possible?
Yes. But the odds were slim to none.
What was more likely… was that Sakumo had realized the true meaning behind the accusations.
That a man who had given everything for the village… was being targeted from within.
That despite the whispers, no one came forward to help him.
Only one possibility remained:
The pressure didn't come from outside, it came from his very ideals.
Which meant…
Even without threats, Sakumo had only one path left:
To die.
Because only through death… could he protect Kakashi.
"…Let me ask you something." Kei finally broke the silence. "Do you know what the meaning of life is?"
Kakashi touched his chin thoughtfully.
"…That's a heavy question. I think everyone has their own answer."
"You're right," Kei nodded. "Every person interprets the meaning of life differently."
"But even in that diversity… I believe there are some meanings that are the same for all of us."
"Oh? Like what?" Kakashi asked.
Kei's expression grew solemn.
He spoke only two words.
Two words that carried the weight of a lifetime.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapters
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