At a quiet park in Konoha, Mitsuki and the others were deep in discussion.
"From what we know so far, your father chose to abandon the mission on his own accord — it wasn't because he couldn't complete it" Mitsuki said, turning to Kakashi.
"That's right" Kakashi nodded. "With my father's strength, he could have finished the mission alone if he wanted to."
Obito furrowed his brows in thought. "Then… what if your father claimed he was forced to abandon the mission due to running into a formidable enemy?"
Mitsuki shook his head. "That won't work. Even if Sakumo-san were willing to lie —assuming he is — the fact remains that the mission failed. The villagers won't care about the reason. The outcome doesn't change."
"What if we find the comrade he saved?" Rin offered. "If the situation was truly dire, and that person speaks up to explain things, maybe the villagers will understand."
But Kakashi sighed bitterly and gave a forced smile.
"You guys probably don't know… the person my father saved is actually among those who are now criticizing him."
"What does Sakumo-san think about all this?" Mitsuki asked again, eyes sharp.
"He's… doing okay, I guess" Kakashi replied, hesitant. "He just won't leave the house. He hasn't said anything about what he plans to do."
Rin tilted her head.
"Is Sakumo-san just waiting for the storm to blow over? That feels... kind of passive."
"It sounds unbelievable, but… yeah. That might be it" Kakashi muttered. "He's been calm, but still shut in. That's the only explanation I can think of."
"No. That's not possible," Mitsuki said firmly.
"Huh? Why not?" Obito blinked. "Rin's idea makes sense to me too."
"It's true that not responding during the peak of public outrage and waiting for it to pass might seem like a passive but viable solution" Mitsuki admitted. "But you're all forgetting one thing."
Seeing the puzzled looks on their faces, Mitsuki didn't keep them waiting.
"Rin" he said, turning to her, "if you had to choose between completing a mission that's crucial to the village or saving a teammate's life… what would you do?"
"I…" Rin hesitated, tilting her head as she thought. It was a genuinely difficult question for her. On one hand, she wanted to say she'd choose her teammate. But on the other, everything she'd learned as a kunoichi told her that missions always came first.
"I… I don't know. I think I'd only know for sure in the moment."
"Then let me rephrase" Mitsuki continued. "Let's say I was seriously injured, and saving me would cause the mission to fail. What would you do?"
"Of course I'd save you, Mitsuki!" Rin replied without hesitation. To her, there was no dilemma at all between saving Mitsuki and completing the mission.
And that was the real issue.
"You mean… the key isn't how the villagers see Sakumo-san" Kakashi realized, "but how the one he saved sees him."
"Exactly" Mitsuki nodded. "Sakumo-san made a conscious choice to prioritize his comrade over the mission. Someone like that — someone who'd make such a decision — would've already accepted the consequences. The villagers' anger doesn't matter to him. But the betrayal from the very person he saved? That's the knife that cuts deepest."
"That bastard…" Obito muttered through clenched teeth. "If you got saved, then just say thank you and move on, damn it!"
"Thank you, Obito. You're my emotional support loudmouth."
Honestly, having someone like Obito around wasn't half bad.
"So then our goal is simple, right?" Obito continued, still fuming. "We just need to find that bastard and make him apologize to Kakashi's dad!"
"Right" Rin agreed. "If the village suffered because Sakumo-san failed his mission, then it's understandable for people to be upset. But that guy—the one who got saved—shouldn't be criticizing him as a victim. That's just wrong."
To Rin, if she were saved without even realizing it and her comrade was later blamed for it, she'd take full responsibility. She'd never turn around and hurt the person who risked everything to save her.
Besides, a failed mission is the responsibility of the whole squad. Even if Sakumo was the leader, the injured comrade contributed to the failure too.
"Alright" Mitsuki said, seeing that everyone was on the same page. "Now that we have a plan, let's move. Step one: we find that bastard — ah, my bad — the person Sakumo-san saved. Kakashi, you have any intel on him?"
Even Mitsuki had been influenced by Obito's attitude. He had to admit — it was oddly satisfying to let loose a little.
Kakashi thought for a moment before responding. "His name is Shimura Arima. Last I heard, he's still recovering at the Konoha Hospital."
"Shimura, huh…" Mitsuki muttered to himself.
"You figured something out?" Obito asked, eyes locked on Mitsuki. Ever since the analysis earlier, he'd been completely focused on him.
Truth be told, Obito admired guys like Mitsuki and Kakashi — clever, quick-thinking types. Mitsuki's deduction earlier had blown him away. The only thought running through his mind was:
"This guy is totally me if I had a brain!"
On the way to Konoha Hospital.
"Mitsuki" Kakashi said casually, "once we find Shimura Arima, how do you plan to get him to apologize to your father?"
That was the exact question Rin and Obito had been wondering as well.
"I have no idea" Mitsuki replied coolly.
"WHAT?!" ×3
"Hey! That's not funny!" Obito panicked. "Come on, Mitsuki, I know you're joking! Tell us your real plan already!"
"I'm not joking" Mitsuki said calmly. "And I honestly never planned to make Shimura Arima apologize to Sakumo-san."
Rin blinked. "Then… should we come up with a different strategy? If Shimura Arima already stabbed Sakumo-san in the back once, a guy like that probably won't apologize willingly."
"You have another plan, don't you?" Kakashi asked, narrowing his eyes. "You never said you'd make Arima apologize. You only asked for his location."
"Now that you mention it…" Obito muttered, trying to recall. "Yeah, Mitsuki never said what we were gonna do with him."
Rin's eyes filled with curiosity as she looked at Mitsuki. Her expression clearly said: Tell us already!
Mitsuki smiled and said, "Arima is the key to this whole thing… but he's not the only one."
Then he turned to Kakashi.
"There's also you, Kakashi."
Kakashi pointed to himself in confusion. "Me?"