"Is this Kakashi's house? I didn't expect it to look like this now…" Perched in the corner of a quiet single-family residence, Rin's clone muttered to herself as she stared at the unfamiliar building before her.
If not for the Hatake clan symbol carved into the doorplate confirming the location, she would've thought she had come to the wrong place entirely.
Sensing her chakra nearing its limit, the clone didn't hesitate—she leapt up to the second-floor window.
'That's Kakashi… 25 years old.' Through the glass, she spotted the figure lying on the bed. Her heart surged with emotion.
Bathed in moonlight, the faint scars above and below Kakashi's left eye were clearly visible. It matched what Ishikawa had said—his left eye had indeed been injured.
But she needed definitive proof.
"Bang…" Just as Rin's clone raised her hand, intending to break the glass and confirm if that eye was the Sharingan, Kakashi's sleeping figure suddenly vanished into a puff of smoke!
'No… I've been discovered.'
Her expression changed instantly. She prepared to cancel the connection with her main body—but before she could act, the cold edge of a kunai pressed tightly against her neck.
"Don't move if you want to live." A familiar, low, and icy voice whispered from behind.
Startled, Rin's clone froze mid-seal. She hadn't even realized Kakashi was waiting in ambush. He had sensed her approach and used a shadow clone to mislead her before seizing the moment to counter.
This… is Kakashi's current strength? But perhaps—this was also her best chance.
"Who are you? Why are you sneaking into my house?" Behind her, Kakashi's sharp gaze was fixed on her back, his tone cold and suspicious.
A spy? An assassin? Root? No… unlikely. No enemy village would send a Chunin-level ninja with such obvious breathing and movement to ambush a jonin, let alone someone like him.
"Kakashi, it's been a while." Just as he slightly relaxed his kunai grip, the girl turned her head and revealed a face that made his entire world freeze.
"Rin...? No… it can't be…" In that instant, Kakashi's mind went blank. It was as if he were staring at a ghost from his deepest nightmare. The kunai slipped from his hand and hit the floor with a dull clink.
"Why? Why did you try to kill me, Kakashi? Kakashi!!" Despite the emotional shock of seeing Kakashi's scarlet Sharingan in his left eye, Rin's clone pushed forward with her mission and asked her question directly.
Though she'd promised Ishikawa not to engage, the opportunity was too critical; how could she retreat when the truth was right in front of her?
But she had no idea how much those words would devastate Kakashi.
As soon as the question left her lips, his pupils shrank. In his mind, the vision of Rin's blood-covered body, lying in his arms with lifeless eyes that still shimmered with hope, flashed like lightning.
"Haa... haa…" Kakashi's expression turned cold. His breath grew ragged. Sweat beaded down his forehead as his body trembled.
"Kakashi…" Rin's clone hesitated. She no longer knew what was real or if Ishikawa's words had twisted her view.
Just as she took a step forward, Kakashi's head snapped up. His left eye glowed blood-red as the Sharingan activated.
"No… you're not Rin! How dare you take her form… Damn you!!" His voice cracked with rage and pain.
"We'll meet again, Kakashi." Smiling softly at his reaction, proof of how deeply he cared, Rin's clone vanished into smoke as Kakashi lunged forward, his face contorted in anguish and fury.
"Shadow clone?" Kakashi, poised to attack, froze, feeling as if he had just punched empty air. A dull, hollow sensation welled up inside him.
Who was it? Who dared…? To use a shadow clone and Transformation Jutsu to mock him—this wasn't a prank. No, this was a desecration of his most sacred memories. An unforgivable blasphemy against his friend.
And you even dared to say we'll meet again? How arrogant.
"Rin… I won't let anyone insult your memory like this. I swear on the name of Hatake Kakashi! Next time, I will find that bastard and make him kneel and apologize!"
Burning with guilt and fury, Kakashi stormed out without a second thought; sleep was the last thing on his mind.
His destination: the Konoha Memorial Stone.
---
The Next Day – 8:00 AM
"Wow… you're getting more and more handsome." Admiring his reflection, Ishikawa studied his sharpening jawline and brightening features with satisfaction.
"With this face now, I'm more than just a background character—I might even be a lead!"
Nearly two months of chakra-hardened doorknob training had subtly refined his appearance day by day. While not quite at Sasuke's level, he'd comfortably stepped into the ranks of Konoha's good-looking elite.
"No mission today, probably, but I've got an even more important one…" Patting his ninja tool pouch, Ishikawa's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Spending money!
The rich man sprinted out the door with a grin, locking up behind him and heading to the usual meeting spot.
Three hours later…
"Huh? Why isn't Teacher Kakashi here yet?" Ishikawa, who had skipped breakfast to make time for his shopping spree, looked thoroughly betrayed.
His morning excitement had fizzled out. He had planned to finish early and treat himself to a feast, but Kakashi was now two hours late. Completely irresponsible!
"Yeah… I wanted to buy some ninja tools and maybe a new outfit too," Taro mumbled, head lowered.
"Wait, same here!" Jiro's eyes widened. The two looked at each other, surprised, then delighted.
They turned to Ishikawa with knowing smirks.
"Hehe… Brother Ishikawa, don't tell us you're the same…"
"Of course," Ishikawa replied proudly, and the three of them exchanged a look, then burst out laughing together.
"Well, you guys sure seem to be enjoying yourselves…" Just then, a familiar lazy voice cut through their laughter.
Kakashi. Late. Again.
"Teacher Kakashi! You're the worst today!!" Instantly, all three of them turned on him with mock outrage, unleashing a wave of exaggerated complaints.
Kakashi, expression unreadable behind his mask, accepted their scorn with a sigh.
"Alright, alright… I was at the Hokage Building," he offered nonchalantly, clearly not expecting to be believed. Then, without giving them a chance to grill him further, he tossed each of them a reward envelope.
"This is your A-rank mission reward—10,000 Ryo each. Also, an A-rank mission has been officially recorded in your profiles."
"What?! 10,000 Ryo?!"
"An A-rank mission record, too?!"
Taro and Jiro shouted in disbelief, eyes sparkling. They hadn't expected to receive such a windfall again so soon. The added mission credit was the icing on the cake.
"Alright, no mission today. You're free to go. Ishikawa, come with me." Kakashi waved off the two younger boys, who were already busy counting coins like treasure hoarders.
'Crap… did Rin's clone cause trouble last night?!' Ishikawa's heart skipped a beat as guilt surged through him. But he masked it with a calm nod and silently followed Kakashi.