Over the course of time, Yumetsuki found herself growing closer to her classmates as they took up their duties as Chunins. And during one such occasion brought Yumetsuki to sit next to Obito as the two of them hung out at the Training Grounds, having some lunch together.
"This is really good!" Obito exclaimed as he looked down at the bento that Yumetsuki had brought for him. "Did your Oba-Chan make this?"
Yumetsuki looked over at him and nodded in reply as she smiled gently at how excited he was. She had been off duty and like many other days, come around to watch Obito train.
"It is really, really good!" Obito said, eating quickly.
Minato had told her a lot about it but Yumetsuki had never quite known just how different the two boys were but as she saw more of them, she realised just how much of a rivalry was between Kakashi and Obito. It was almost like raging fires.
The Uchiha boy never backed away when complaining about Kakashi. Sometimes Yumetsuki was surprised, as she had never known Kakashi to be like that and other times, she wasn't so much.
Whatever the reason was, but Yumetsuki had come to envy how Obito liked Rin. The white-haired girl had developed a sort of crush on the Uchiha and did not like how she was not in Obito's thoughts when he went to sleep at night or when he woke up.
That person was Nohara Rin.
Yumetsuki did not dislike Rin for being the core of Obito's affections. She had a cordial relationship with the brunette as well, who often invited her to certain activities when she heard the Yumetsuki and Kakashi were friends, although the older female had looked uncertain at the thought of Yumetsuki being friends with Kakashi for some reason.
It was something Yumetsuki never questioned Rin about, in case the brunette felt like the younger girl was out to steal Obito away from her. No, Yumetsuki only wished that they lived in an alternative world where she and Obito could simply spend all of their afternoons together.
"Are you free today, Obito-Kun?" Yumetsuki inquired. "Do you want to go see my house?" Obito looked over and was thoughtful for a second. "Grandma Chi was asking about you,"
"I'm sorry, Yumeko," Obito said. "But... you know..." He blushed. "Rin asked me to meet her at the park today! I need to buy some flowers!" He jumped up from the bench.
"W-Wait, um, what...?" Yumetsuki asked, surprised.
"Sorry!" Obito replied. "I'll come with you tomorrow! Tell Grandma Chi that she is great at cooking!"
Yumetsuki was handed the empty lunchbox and turned to see Obito run off in the direction of the Yamanaka Flower store. She was stunned at what had happened in a whirlwind. She looked down at the lunchbox and sighed, closing the lid before picking up her own and closing it as well. She stacked the two in her bag and zipped it close, pulling it over her shoulder.
Let's just go work.
The remainder of Yumetsuki's afternoon was spent as an extended shift at the Konoha Hospital before she headed out to the Konoha Library, on the way to she was met with none other than Nohara Rin. The brunette noticed her and came over to her.
"Yumetsuki-Chan," Rin said and Yumetsuki bowed her greetings to the elder female. "Are you going to be free later this afternoon? Around five o'clock?"
"Today?" Yumetsuki asked, thoughtful as she thought about her schedule for the day. "Um, I believe that I am free... it depends on what you are going to request,"
"It's not much," Rin replied. "But there is something I want to arrange for a later date and today is just a meeting to discuss it. Everyone is coming, and you were Kakashi-Kun's classmate, too,"
Yumetsuki had agreed to come by just so she would not appear rude, and it seemed like Kurenai was going as well because she came to pick her up so the two of them could go together. The meeting was being held in the playground and Yumetsuki saw familiar faces.
Even from the distance, Yumetsuki noticed Obito standing there and he was hiding something behind him when he noticed other people arrive. She felt embarrassed for him, realising that he had mistaken this meeting for being something between only him and Rin.
Aside from Yumetsuki and Kurenai, plus Obito, there were Asuma, Genma and Ebisu present. Gai seemed to be arriving as well, and so did Rin, running to them.
"I'm sorry I'm late!" Rin called out, panting a little and Yumetsuki wondered what was going on.
"Why did you call us all over?" Kurenai asked as they all turned to look at her curiously.
"For this," Rin said, pulling out a stack of flyers and handed them around to everyone.
It seemed like getting these flyers printed was what had gotten Rin so late to this little secret meeting. Yumetsuki was suspicious of it because Kakashi was no present here. Kurenai passed one to Yumetsuki, who took it gratefully and looked down at it to see what it.
Plan by Kakashi's classmates:
To gather gifts to celebrate his promotion to Jonin
「TOP SECRET MISSION」
Yumetsuki now understood why Kakashi was not present, and why Rin had invited her because she was his classmate. She found it to be a wonderful idea – it would be nice for Kakashi to see that his teammates cared about him enough to arrange gifts from all of his classmates for him.
During times like this, the white-haired girl wondered if she had been stupid to not make the precious bond of a Genin team when she had the chance.
After Rin had explained everything to everyone, Kurenai pulled Yumetsuki along so the two of them could go together. Yumetsuki looked over her shoulder at Obito, who looked downtrodden.
"What are you going to get him, Yumie-Chan?" Kurenai asked Yumetsuki and the younger girl quickly turned her head to look at her, blushing in her cheeks a little.
"I am not quite sure..." Yumetsuki replied, and she really was uncertain what to get Kakashi because she couldn't think of what sort of thing he would need as a Jonin.
"I bet he'll like whatever you'd get him," Kurenai teased as if she knew something that the girl did not. "Oh? Your cheeks are all pink! Are you blushing?"
At that moment, fortunately, an interjection came in the form of Gai, who called out to – "Hey, Yumehime-Chan! Do you want to go to the Dango shop with me?"
"Gai-Kun, I apologise, I had my tea earlier," Yumetsuki apologised. She felt bad when she saw the disappointment on Gai's face. "I suppose we can go tomorrow?" Gai nodded quickly.
"I'll come along," Kurenai offered at once, grabbing Yumetsuki's arm and taking her away once more. "Gai likes you and he can be quite overbearing, right?"
"I suppose so..." Yumetsuki replied absentmindedly.
For Yumetsuki was thinking to the fact that she might be overbearing, too. She knew she was being overbearing, coming between Obito and Rin. She vowed to herself that she would back away from them, from Obito. It was better for them to remain simply friends.
"Come on, Yumie-Chan!" Kurenai said, perking up suddenly. "I have so much to tell you about the last mission! You simply won't believe what happened!"
The rest of the evening was spent with Kurenai like that, and the two girls went to dinner together. It was nice spending time with her and the white-haired was grateful of her presence in her life. Yumetsuki made her rounds at the hospital afterwards and then headed up to the quiet Hokage Monument, wanting to have some solitude for herself.
Yumetsuki found herself staring at the stars in the dark sky, wondering if her will would be strong enough to let go of Obito. She shook her head rapidly, clearing such thoughts from her mind.
"Yumeko...?"
Kakashi's voice reached Yumetsuki's ears and she turned her head around to see him making his way upstairs, his tall figure with swaying, spiky silver hair. His dark grey eyes were upon her, and she wondered what had brought him here tonight. This was not his usual spot, after all.
"Kakashi-Kun," Yumetsuki said. "Congratulations on making Jonin,"
"Thank you," Kakashi replied. "You as well,"
"Thank you, Kakashi-Kun," Yumetsuki said.
That was it as usual between them – silence fell over the two as Kakashi walked over and climbed over the railing, sitting down next to Yumetsuki, keeping about two feet of space between them. Yumetsuki returned to look at the village again.
From atop the Hokage Monument, one could really see the whole of Konohagakure no Sato. The Academy and Hokage's office underneath, the training grounds, the forest that surrounded them, to the shops and homes to the Konoha Hospital... the restaurants where the former classmates would gather up and spend time together... everything to the Konoha gates...
This is home.
Kakashi looked at Yumetsuki, who was sitting shrouded in moonlight. Her long white hair had grown past her waist, it went down to her thighs – rich, white, illuminating against the moonlight. Her skin looked soft; it was alive with an endearing blush all over her.
Those lips were a gentle pink as well, and as he continued to trace her, Kakashi shifted his eyes up and they met up two orbs of pale blue, looking directly at him.
"Oh?" Kakashi gasped softly out in surprise. "I... that..."
Yumetsuki continued to stare at him curiously. She couldn't understand what he had been looking at her and why he now looked away flustered, his skin red and hands clutched into fists. However, before he could think of something, Yumetsuki turned and hopped off the railing, getting ready to leave.
"I will be taking my leave now," Yumetsuki informed. "Goodnight, Kakashi-Kun, I will see you later,"
Desperate, Kakashi tried to reach out to stop her but then lowered his arm before he could grab her hand, sighing slightly. He figured that she had not heard him and looked down at his hand that was clutched into a fist and opened it slightly, looking down at the hairpins he had gotten for her, styled as snowflakes that he knew she could create.
Kakashi sighed in defeat, looking up at the village, as he stuffed those hairpins within his pocket, wondering if he would ever get the chance or courage to do so.
❄️
Yumetsuki stretched softly, walking up to the orphanage's front doors. She had just returned home from a two-day mission with Uzumaki Kushina. It was around about time for lunch so Kushina had sent her home, telling her that she will deal with briefing the Third Hokage regarding the mission.
It was true that Yumetsuki was not feeling very hungry but she did not want to worry Grandma Chi so she headed home just to make sure that everyone would know that she was alright.
Things were heating up around the world, and Grandma Chi was always worried whenever she went out on a mission by herself. Even the Third Hokage made sure not to give her any mission that would take her near Kirigakure. In a strange twist, Yumetsuki wished she could go.
So many years had gone by and Yumetsuki had not gotten the chance to visit her mother's grave. She still had not located the place where her father had died, either.
Even if her mother had never been in her life and her father was always paranoid and anxiety-ridden, Yumetsuki thought fondly of them. They had brought her into this world as their child.
At the orphanage, everyone was getting ready for lunch, and Yumetsuki was told to come to the table as soon as she had freshened up. Grandma Chi had given her a big, warm hug as greeting.
Grandma Chi gave her a bowl of rice as well as soon as Yumetsuki sat down and placed her favourite salt-broiled mackerel pike in front of her.
"There's some eggplant miso soup of yours left over from last night," Grandma Chi told her. "Have it when you feel like it," She nodded at others. "Everyone finished theirs,"
"Thank you, Grandma Chi," Yumetsuki replied. "Thank you for the food,"
Unlike others in Konohagakure who used wooden chopsticks, Yumetsuki was only used to metal ones, coming from Kirigakure. She used them carefully to pull apart a little of the fish and placed it on the rice, gathering them together to take them up to eat.
"Chi-San...!"
There was a shrill voice and loud, thudding footsteps to the dining hall as Haruko appeared in the doorway, breaking to a stop. This run caused several eggs to topple out of the grocery bag the dark-haired woman was holding and crack onto the floor.
In the sudden commotion, Yumetsuki had dropped food back into her bowl. She carefully recollected them, wanting to finish quickly so she could go to the hospital.
"Haruko-Chan, what's wrong?" Grandma Chi asked, looking at her disapprovingly at the shouting.
"It's Sakumo-San!" Haruko shouted still. "You know, Hatake Sakumo-San – he committed suicide this morning! I was at the marketplace and I saw all these men rushing to the Hatake house! I had to find out what was going on!"
What a blunt woman...
Yumetsuki's hand had frozen and she dropped the chopsticks she was holding, making them clatter with two metallic pangs against the table as her head snapped towards Haruko in shock.
About an hour later found Grandma Chi carefully tying Yumetsuki's Mofuku together for the girl. Yumetsuki was staring outside the window nearby in silence, staring at the dark grey clouds that had plagued the sky. Yumetsuki could not put two thoughts together following the news.
There were a lot of things that Yumetsuki could not understand. She had seen him just a few days ago, he had been a little subdued and he had not smiled as brightly as he usually did at her. But she had never known that it would go down so badly on this path, after that mission...
Hatake Sakumo was a person whom Yumetsuki could only think fondly of. He had been the person to protect her and care for her that night. In his arms, she felt the warmth of her father.
Yumetsuki had a hard time containing tears but the thought of his warm smile vanishing was too much for her and her heart broke for Kakashi, who had now become an orphan as well.
"Are you sure you want to go, Yuren-Chan?" Grandma Chi asked, concerned for the white-haired girl but Yumetsuki simply and tiredly nodded her head.
"Yes," Yumetsuki replied in a quiet voice.
When the Mofuku was tied around her properly, Grandma Chi took the girl's hand and led her out of the room and out the front door. Yumetsuki looked up at the sky. The clouds were really thick, making the afternoon dark. She did not like the sight of that sorrowful sky.
"Chiharu-San," greeted a stranger as they did on funerals but Yumetsuki kept looking around instead, not really paying attention to anyone in specific.
"You see, Yumeko-Chan, we only get one chance.
There's no need to choose an impossible path.
It's fine to live as you like and die as you like, however...
Protecting a precious person from all sorts of pains...
You must not forget this no matter what path you choose,"
Grandma Chi brought Yumetsuki forward and allowed the girl to pay her respects to the departed man. The white-haired girl nodded slightly, bowing her head and closing her eyes. The two of them were standing amongst the crowd of other people in front of Sakumo's wake.
"... Kakashi-Kun," Yumetsuki mumbled under her breath when she was done with it and looked around and her eyes fell on the silver-haired boy.
Kakashi's head was lowered but held was completely wiped of emotion. Yumetsuki was reminded of the time when she lost her father. Except that she was unable to understand.
Even today, there were so many memories that Yumetsuki had lost regarding her father's demise. She remembered being covered in blood and hiding under a bridge, away from her father's dead body, trying to stifle her cries by stuffing her fist into her mouth.
Yumetsuki vaguely remembered the men who had attacked her father, hitting his feeble body again and again and again until nothing remained. To this day, she could not understand why blood was so sticky and red. Or how much it shined upon her Ice. There was rumble of thunder and lightning, and Yumetsuki looked up, furrowing her eyebrows.
It really is going to rain all evening today.
❄️
Later that evening, around about six o'clock, Yumetsuki found herself walking alone down the street, her hands deep into the pockets of her casual blue jacket. About four hours had passed since the wake, and the white-haired girl had gone to visit the memorial stone and was just returning. Unexpectedly, Yumetsuki found herself in front of the Konoha cemetery.
"Kakashi-Kun...?"
Yumetsuki saw the boy standing in the cemetery, by a fresh grave that was yet to receive the sunlight. His expression was twisted in a one of pain and anger. She had originally planned to walk over to him, but for some reason, possibly anxiety or pure nerves made her rush over clumsily.
"Kakashi-Kun!" Yumetsuki repeated and only Kakashi's eyes turned to acknowledge her. "Kakashi-Kun...? She wasn't sure that this place was right for him to be at, at this time, alone. "Hey... Kakashi-Kun, would you like to go on a walk?"
Under normal circumstances, Kakashi's heart would have fluttered and he would nodded at once. But these were no such circumstances. He let out a hum but the numbness plaguing him kept him from moving. His feet felt like they had been cemented to the ground with the grave.
Not that Kakashi wanted to. He just wanted to stay here. Before Yumetsuki could even sigh, there was a rush and the clouds released themselves. The heavy rain soaked everything within seconds.
Rain poured down as if the onslaught was its brutal swan song. Yumetsuki remained standing next to Kakashi as the water beat down upon the gravestone as if it was crying itself.
Hatake Sakumo
Hiruzen had told Yumetsuki that regardless of the road one took, the most important aspect was to protect the people who were precious to one. Sakumo had done that, and it had led down to this demise. Yumetsuki felt her heart lurch in pain and sorrow.
Yumetsuki turned her head over and looked at the boy next to her and parted her lips to call him out but then closed it. Instead, she reached out and grabbed his hand gently.
Kakashi looked down at the soft hand that had wrapped itself around his freezing one and saw that it belonged to the white-haired girl that had gripped his heart.
Although he had always wondered how that touch would feel like, Kakashi did not say anything and Yumetsuki stayed quiet as well, staring at the grave as well, letting him collect his thoughts and not be alone. But he could admit that it felt faintly comforting.
The more the time passed, the more the rain felt cruel to them – raindrops pelleted their backs like sharp rocks and Kakashi had not moved an inch from his place.
Somehow, still, Kakashi had reciprocated the hold on her hand.
Yumetsuki tugged at his hand. Kakashi looked at her.
"Come on, we need to go," Yumetsuki said. Kakashi looked away. "You will get sick if we stay out here any longer, Kakashi-Kun, you cannot stay out in this rain,"
The masked boy did not reply. Yumetsuki sighed and started pulling him away from the grave and surprisingly, Kakashi let her lead him out of the cemetery. Yumetsuki walked two steps ahead of Kakashi, clutching his hand as she dragged him along.
Both of them made their way down the lonesome path to their homes but where Kakashi was to turn right, he refused to allow her to lead him down that path – he began to pull away.
"Kakashi-Kun, do not be stubborn," Yumetsuki said as she turned to face him. "You are going to get yourself really sick if you do not get changed and warm,"
In the darkness of the evening rain, Kakashi stared at the girl's face, soaked and her white hair sticking to her flushed cheeks. Her eyes, however, blazed through his heart.
"I don't want to go there," Kakashi replied firmly.
Yumetsuki stared at his face, wondering what she should do instead. She needed to take away from his empty road and that lonesome house on that laid on the right.
"Okay," Yumetsuki spoke up. "Then..."
The white-haired girl prodded her thoughts before turning and resuming taking Kakashi along once more. Kakashi looked at back of the girl's head in surprise as they passed the corner and continued walking – rather, they turned to the fork toward the left.
"This is..." Kakashi trailed off as he stared at the building coming up in the distance.
"The orphanage," Yumetsuki replied. "I am aware, come on inside now,"
Yumetsuki took him inside, hurrying down the hall, ignoring the others staring them in surprise and into one of the empty rooms that was across from her room.
"Stay here," Yumetsuki told him and opened the drawers and looked through them, taking out a towel and some clean clothes that she deemed were fit for him.
When she turned around and held them out to him, Kakashi took them from her hesitantly.
"The mask, right, wait," Yumetsuki said, rushing out of the room and into another room that held medical supplies for times in war when the orphanage was temporarily used as a makeshift hospital.
Grabbing a surgical mask, Yumetsuki hurried to Kakashi, holding it out to him, "Here you are,"
"Thanks," Kakashi replied.
"I will leave you... to... you know, change..." Yumetsuki said, awkwardly. Kakashi nodded slightly and Yumetsuki walked out, closing the door behind her.
"What's going on in here, Yuren-Chan?" Grandma Chi asked, appearing on the other side of the hallway and Yumetsuki looked toward her.
"I will explain everything," Yumetsuki replied as she walked over to the elderly woman. "You see..."
"Change into some dry clothes, first," Grandma Chi said worriedly.
"Yes," Yumetsuki said.
Yumetsuki made a quick work of changing into warm clothes and drying her body from the cold rain. She explained everything to Grandma Chi, who allowed Kakashi to stay the night there if he pleased and that he could do so for as long as he wanted to.
"Kakashi-Kun?" Yumetsuki asked as she returned to the room that she had given the silver-haired boy and she gently knocked on the door to let him know it was her.
There was some scrabbling and the door opened, revealing the young boy in front of her. Kakashi looked down at the girl holding a small tray of food for him.
"You must be hungry," Yumetsuki told him rather than asked. "Have something to eat,"
"Uh..." Kakashi said as Yumetsuki walked in and placed the tray onto the Chabudai in the room.
"These are the clothes, right?" Yumetsuki asked, picking up the rain-soaked clothes that he had stripped out of. "I know this is all sudden... and you... you can go back tomorrow..."
"Thank you, Yumetsuki," Kakashi said. Yumetsuki nodded.
"It is nothing," Yumetsuki replied quietly. "It is the least I can do,"
"There's something I wanted to give you," Kakashi said.
Yumetsuki looked over in surprise and she watched as Kakashi walked to her, stopping in front of her. He held out his hand in front of her and Yumetsuki's eyes fell on a pair of snowflake hairpins.
"... what is this?" Yumetsuki asked, taken aback. "Kakashi-Kun, I thank you but I am not sure..."
"Please have them," Kakashi insisted anyhow. "Take it as safekeeping,"
Before Yumetsuki could refuse again, Kakashi gently reached for her hand, bring it up to her and placed the hairpin upon her small palm. The white-haired girl stared at him in surprise.
"Safekeeping...?" Yumetsuki mumbled to herself as she looked down at the hairpins
As Yumetsuki returned to her room, she reached out to bring out the box that contained her prized possessions. Recently, there had been an addition of custom-made knitting needles by Grandma Chi with her clan's crest – a present for her promotion to Jonin.
"Safekeeping..." Yumetsuki repeated and closed the box.
It continued to rain throughout the night and before it was time for bed, Yumetsuki had to do the dishes. She finished with her task for the day and left the kitchen with a bottle of water and a glass. Everyone had retired to their rooms by now, tucking into their beds.
Yumetsuki walked over to the room that was across from hers, sitting in a quiet corner of the orphanage. She knocked gently on the door to see if Kakashi was awake.
The door slowly opened and Yumetsuki met eyes with Kakashi. It seemed like he was still awake, or forcing himself to be so because his eyes told her that he was really tired.
"Kakashi-Kun, you are still awake," Yumetsuki said, shaking her head at him. "I fetched you some water – you can keep it with yourself for the night,"
"Thanks," Kakashi muttered as he took it from her and she stepped back. "Uh, Yumeko?"
"Yes?" Yumetsuki asked and she watched as Kakashi's cheeks coloured softly.
"Are you going to sleep?" Kakashi inquired.
"Um, yes," Yumetsuki replied. She paused. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"... is it possible for you to... sleep in the same room?" Kakashi asked, and then he seemed to realise it was a stupid request. "Never mind, sorry, I will go now –"
"No," Yumetsuki interjected with courage that she did not know that she had. "No, it is okay," She tried to smile at him weakly. "I can bring my futon over to your room,"
Kakashi did not say anything as Yumetsuki walked over to her room to fetch her futon. She had a surprising amount of strength for her small stature and he watched in silence as she easily brought it over to the room that had been given to Kakashi for the night.
Yumetsuki laid the futon down before leaving to change into her pyjamas. Kakashi took the moment to lay down, and he took off his mask. He waited in silence for her to return.
It was strangely cute, for Kakashi, to see that Yumetsuki's light blue kakebuton was decorated with snowflakes. He had never expected her to have such child-like tastes.
When Yumetsuki returned to the room, she was rubbing her eyes in tiredness. She paused for a moment, noticing that he was not wearing a mask and then she quickly went to her futon, which was laid out within a foot of Kakashi's.
The two of them remained quiet as they laid in their futons, listening to the rain that was beating down outside. Kakashi let out a soft sigh and Yumetsuki stared at the ceiling.
Pity was not what Yumetsuki felt for Kakashi but she felt very sorrowful over the situation. She could sympathise with him, having lost her father but she was struggling to find words with which some comfort could be departed toward his feelings.
"... I am sorry," Yumetsuki spoke up and Kakashi turned her head to look at her in surprise. "I am sorry about what has happened to you, and to your father. I lost my... my Oto-Chan, too..."
For a moment, Kakashi was silent, but then, "When did it happen?"
"It happened four days before I arrived in Konohagakure," Yumetsuki whispered. "We were going to Yugakure when we were ambushed and attacked. My father did not survive,"
"You managed to get away?" Kakashi asked. "Did you run away?"
"I tried to fight them," Yumetsuki replied. "And then I hid under a nearby bridge. I had nowhere to go but I hid in wait even when I had no one to look forward to. Grandma Chi rescued me,"
"Then you came to Konoha," Kakashi said and Yumetsuki nodded. "I am sorry, too,"
Silence returned back to the two of them. Kakashi continued to look at Yumetsuki as she slowly closed her eyes. Sleep was not coming to him tonight, he was sure he would never sleep now but as he stared at the girl, he felt his eyelids descend with darkness upon him.
❄️