Naruto: North and South

A ninja who takes his own life can never enter the Konoha Cemetery, nor can his name be carved on a memorial stone. Forget about funerals—such a shameful act is hardly ever spoken of. No one mourns, and no one grieves. No matter the achievements he accomplished in life, the single “stain” of suicide erases everything.

Years ago, the story of Konoha White Fang's own self-destruction spread like wildfire through the village. And now… heh, it seems the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

The morgue was cold and silent. Not a single friend was present, and even the “student” whom Kakashi had carefully cared for in life was absent. In such a lonely scene, Kita couldn’t help but reflect on the life of Konoha’s Sharingan prodigy, Kakashi Hatake, with a deep sense of regret.

Though their paths hadn’t crossed often, she had heard of him. A young hero who rose to prominence during the Third Great Ninja War. They said that in battle, his blade alone struck awe into all who faced him. For a boy of his age to achieve such feats… it was nearly impossible.

One had once hoped the village would see another swordsman rivaling the White Fang, but fate had other plans. That young swordsman never appeared. Instead, there was Kakashi Hatake. Not an Uchiha by blood, yet he wielded the Sharingan and carved a name for himself across the ninja world. Who didn’t know him? Konoha truly was a village that produced geniuses—Orochimaru, Itachi Uchiha, Obito Uchiha, and finally, Kakashi Hatake. Looking back on his life, one could only marvel at such talent.

But alas… he had taken his own life.

Why he did it remained unknown to Kita, but she knew one thing: the legendary Sharingan that had once terrifiied the ninja world was gone.

Even if it were to be collected as a kekkei genkai, such eyes shouldn’t have been claimed by Konoha.

Kita thought this, intending to remind Obito that Kakashi’s eyes were currently unaccounted for. But judging by Obito’s state, she decided it could wait.

Obito didn’t like Kakashi. He didn’t like his spiky white hair, didn’t like his dog, didn’t like the face hidden under his mask, didn’t like the way he spoke, nor the tone of his voice.

Obito disliked Kakashi—everything about him.

He found his cooking tedious. He found him slow when eating at home. He even found the way Kakashi peeled oranges intolerable: peeling off every bit of skin perfectly, removing the white pith piece by piece, stacking it neatly—even a single bit left was unacceptable. But that white part is edible! Yet Kakashi refused to eat it otherwise. Naturally, Obito loathed him for it.

These were trivial matters, though. There were worse things: cleaning. On any day off, Kakashi devoted half his time to cleaning. He moved the sofa to sweep under it, scrubbed the toilet twice—twice! Obito would always say, “Why make it so clean? It’ll just get dirty again.”

But Kakashi couldn’t help it. He insisted on it, forcing Obito to comply. Cleaning itself might be tolerable—but it was Kakashi’s obsessive nature that was unbearable. Books, miscellaneous items—all had to be arranged in perfect order. Even a slight misplacement drew ridicule. Obito couldn’t tell if Kakashi was too picky, or if he himself was too careless.

Kakashi’s flaws could be listed endlessly. From childhood to yesterday, from dawn to dusk, Obito could complain without pause. He hated Kakashi with all his heart—but never did he wish him dead.

Not as Obito Uchiha.

Not as Madara Uchiha.

Not even when he watched Kakashi’s hand pierce Rin’s chest.

But now…

The body was cold. The hands stiff.

Kakashi was dead.

“Hey…”

His voice trembled, his hands shaking as they reached out.

“Ka… Kakashi, hey, what are you doing? Hey, stupid, stupid Kakashi, what are you doing? Don’t scare me, don’t sleep now! I came to find you! Where did you go? I was gone for just a few days, what did you do? sniffle, sob…”

He shook the cold body. No matter how much Obito shook him, Kakashi wouldn’t wake.

“Please, wake up! I won’t let you sleep! You still owe me! Wake up!”

It was the first time Kita had seen Obito cry like this.

“Obito… Kakashi is already dead—”

“He’s not dead!!! Kakashi can’t die!!!”

Red-rimmed eyes roared like a beast. For Obito, perhaps the only person left in his life was Kakashi. He could ignore this hellish world—but he could never ignore Kakashi. Years ago, he had shouted these words, flushed with anger:

Kakashi is not a fool. He is a hero.

Even if his life fell to ruin, even if he turned his back on the entire world, to Obito Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake remained the hero who could never fail.

“Kakashi! sob What are you doing!!! Wake up! I… I was wrong, I really was wrong. Don’t scare me again! I won’t ever bully you again, please forgive me! It’s my fault, I know it! sob Rin’s death is my fault… Kakashi, wake up! Hit me, scold me, just don’t scare me! Kakashi…”

Kakashi would never answer him again.

Footsteps approached. Kita tensed. It wasn’t the fully armed ANBU, but a man in green. She recognized him—a rare one who had once kicked Kisame away.

Might Guy showed no hostility, neither toward the wailing Obito nor toward Kita, whose face was already imprinted in Konoha’s memory.

Her hand rested on her sword, face emotionless.

Guy shook his head and glanced at Obito’s pitiful display. He sighed lightly.

“I knew you’d come. I cleared the guards away. Go now. Kakashi wouldn’t want you and Konoha at odds over him.”

Ha, such a long reflex arc. If Kakashi were fine, would that supposed “conflict” even exist?

“Why… why did this happen?” Kita asked, now calmer than Obito. To her, Kakashi was an outsider; seeing him dead did not stir grief, only concern for Obito.

“Kakashi suffered long from illness. He could no longer bear it, so he chose to take his own life.”

Guy’s explanation matched what Kita had learned.

“Do you believe it?”

Guy said nothing. He approached the sobbing Obito, then Kakashi, stopping to look at him.

“Obito… take Kakashi with you. He… wants to be with you.”

A person who takes their own life deserves neither funeral nor even a patch of soil.

“W-why…?” Obito’s voice was hoarse.

Guy, walking away, didn’t pause or sigh. He only said:

“Kakashi once told me… no matter what you became, you were always his hero. So when you abandoned Konoha, he never blamed you.”

His steps receded. Kita sighed and patted Obito’s shoulder.

“Obito… go home. Take care of Kakashi first, then look into the rest.”

Obito flinched, like waking from a nightmare.

“No! Kakashi can’t die! He won’t die! I’ll save him! Yes… go home! I’ll save him! I must save him!”

His frantic cries faded into the distance. No trace of Obito, no trace of Kita remained.

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If you're enjoying the story, the complete fanfic is already available on [P]atreon.[c]om/Crimson_Lore [remove brackets]