The entire meeting between Naraku, Kakashi, and Fugaku could be described as quiet.
Aside from the sounds of conversation and tea sipping, there was no background music, allowing the clear, crisp clack of the shishi-odoshi in the courtyard to be distinctly heard.
The animator used this silence to convey the two children's restraint and the pressure created by the conversation.
The camera focused on the three scrolls Fugaku took out. As he pushed them forward, the harsh friction of the paper against the tatami grated on every viewer's ears.
After leaving the Clan Head's residence, Naraku flipped through the Ninjutsu scrolls, sighing that the Clan Head was a good person.
Kakashi couldn't stand his naiveté and bluntly stated that the other party merely wanted to win Naraku over.
[What's with this strange atmosphere?]
[It's too quiet.]
[This meeting feels a bit uncomfortable.]
[It's meant to make you uncomfortable because this conversation is essentially an exchange of interests, not the concern of an elder for a junior as Fugaku claimed.]
[It's good that Kakashi pointed it out; with no expectations, he won't be hurt by it later.]
[Naraku must be very sad; even the Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan is using his talent and identity.]
[Except for Kakashi and Sakumo, Naraku has never received love from anyone else.]
Most of Naraku's face was hidden in the shadows cast by his hair, making his expression unreadable.
Then, the scene switched to a side profile of him and Kakashi.
Under the afterglow of the setting sun, the silhouettes of the two children were blurry, as if already steeped in the darkness of night, dyed a deep color.
Everything around them was silent.
The audience heard Naraku's voice, so calm it was heartbreaking.
"I know. An adult's love is conditional."
He was saying that only if you are good enough will you be loved.
Perhaps everything in the past happened because he wasn't good enough in his father's eyes.
It was only natural that he, being insufficient, couldn't receive his father's love.
So he blamed everything on himself.
[Lies don't hurt people; the truth is a sharp knife.]
[So Naraku knew all along.]
[I'd rather Naraku not be this smart.]
[For smart children, the world is too cruel, and they are powerless to change it.]
[Baby, don't always blame yourself.]
[Past events have hurt Naraku too deeply.]
[In the end, it still left an indelible mark on him.]
"That's not true!"
The camera cut back to Kakashi's front, showing his agitated expression and movements.
In the audience's impression, he had always been confident, composed, and arrogant, but now he looked anxious, refuting so urgently.
[He's panicking, he's panicking!]
[First time seeing Kakashi this flustered.]
Kakashi must be remembering what Sakumo said about Naraku's great talent.
"Father didn't originally—because you were talented—"
Before he could finish, Naraku interrupted his explanation.
The background music started at the opportune moment, accompanying Naraku's confession, gently yet profoundly piercing the hearts of the audience.
"I know."
In the center of the warm-toned screen, Naraku and Kakashi stood on either side. Behind them, the sky was dyed orange-red by the setting sun, displaying a magnificent and splendid sunset.
"Only Master and you don't care about these things."
"I believe that even if I were a dead last who accomplished nothing, you would not ignore my suffering."
"So, I am especially happy now."
The slightly melancholic music reached its crescendo, stirring the emotions in every viewer's heart.
They saw Naraku slowly raise his head, his eyes full of clear light, revealing a smile full of hope and happiness.
He smiled so genuinely, as if he had forgotten past pains.
The evening breeze stirred Naraku's and Kakashi's hair, and the twilight added another layer of warmth to them.
Time seemed to slow down as well, flowing silently, afraid to disturb this beauty.
He whispered:
"Kakashi, I am especially happy."
"It's truly wonderful to have met you and Master."
The background music reached its climax at this moment, the surging and powerful music like a rushing tide.
The two gazed at each other in the sunset; Naraku's relieved smile and Kakashi's tender gaze would forever be etched in the audience's memory.
[Naraku, boo hoo hoo hoo hoo!]
[Our Naraku is the best baby in the world.]
[Why, after suffering so much, can he still say such gentle words?]
[Sakumo and Kakashi, the only two lights in Naraku's life.]
[Only Kakashi and Sakumo are special.]
[He has always seen things very clearly, only believing that the love of an adult like Sakumo has no conditions.]
[When an Uchiha strikes right at the heart, it's so painful, boo hoo hoo hoo.]
[He's smiling, I'm crying.]
[Tears streaming down, friends. This part is too tear-jerking.]
[I knew I shouldn't have watched it on the bus; others must think something's wrong with me, crying so miserably.]
[Me too... I'm in class and I cried out loud.]
The screen gradually darkened, and many viewers, reluctant to leave, were still sending bullet comments.
Naraku closed the animation and turned to open the forum.
Some bullet comments mentioning the forum earlier had piqued his curiosity.
I'm going to see how crazy the forum's CP section is.
As soon as he opened it, his entire vision was filled with trending posts.
The top-pinned post on the homepage featured a video, only a few minutes long, yet its popularity remained high, with hundreds of comments.