"Rin..."
Obito completely ignored Kakashi and Minato above him. His entire attention was fixed on Nohara Rin.
"This feels a little awkward."
Just as he was about to sneak in a kiss, he remembered the last time Kakashi had walked in on him.
He glanced left and right. Once he confirmed no one was around, he pulled out tape and tissues again.
He used the tape to cover Kakashi's head on the photo frame so he would not get that horrible feeling of accidentally kissing Kakashi.
Once that was done, Obito gripped the tissue, ready to secretly kiss the picture of Rin.
It was fantasy time.
"Rin..."
Caught up in the moment, Obito whispered her name.
"Um... Obito, I am right here."
To Obito's shock, someone actually answered.
And it was the voice he had been dreaming about nonstop.
He was finished.
His hand tightened around the tissue as he slowly looked up.
Two people were standing by the window.
One was Nohara Rin. The other was Kiyohara.
"Ahem. Oh, it is Rin and Kiyohara."
Obito smoothly tilted his head away, wiping his nose like nothing had happened.
"What were you doing, Obito?"
Kiyohara looked at the photo frame in Obito's hand. Even without seeing the picture, he could easily guess what was on it.
"Nothing much. Just reminiscing."
With Rin standing right there, Obito shot Kiyohara a warning look, telling him to drop it.
"You should take care of your health, Obito. You need to practice moderation."
Kiyohara spoke with sincere concern.
Secretly kissing photos. Not even hardcore 2D goons went that far.
"Take care of his health?"
Rin blinked, not understanding the implication.
Obito's eyes widened as he exclaimed:
"How dare you make baseless accusations!"
"Really? You were not secretly kissing Rin's photo?"
Kiyohara raised an eyebrow.
Honestly, Obito should have studied under Jiraiya.
One liked spying on bathhouses, and the other liked secretly releasing emotions at photos.
Obito's face turned bright red. A vein twitched on his forehead as he protested:
"There was dust on the photo. I was bending down to blow it off. How can maintaining bonds between comrades be considered sneaking a kiss?"
Then Obito launched into a speech about the Will of Fire and the bonds between teammates.
For a moment, the mood grew cheerful.
Rin simply assumed Obito and Kiyohara were joking and did not overthink it.
"Obito, if we do not leave now, we will hold up the mission. Kakashi and Minato-sensei are already waiting."
Rin spoke gently.
Seeing she was not angry, Obito finally relaxed.
His noble, heroic image could not be damaged in front of Rin.
"I know."
Obito turned, put on his pack and ninja pouch, then pulled down his yellow goggles.
He had been ready the entire time.
He had simply forgotten everything the moment he saw Rin's face.
"Let's go."
Seeing him finish preparing so quickly, Rin moved to wait by the window for him to come out.
Just as Obito placed the photo back and reached for an extra kunai, Rin noticed that Kakashi's face in the picture had been covered with tape.
"Why did you cover Kakashi's face?"
"To keep dust off."
Obito reacted instantly.
"I see."
It still seemed odd to Rin, but she nodded.
That was Kiyohara's private thought.
Once Obito was crushed by that boulder and injured, it was certain he would be left with lasting damage.
As for whether he would recover fully or if some part of him would be permanently affected, that depended on which side he had been injured.
Either way, Kiyohara doubted Obito would be able to act the same after the incident.
The White Zetsu replacement limbs didn't come with full functionality.
"Let's go."
Obito said goodbye to his grandmother and stepped outside.
Then he saw Kiyohara watching him with a look of pity, which only confused him.
...
At the Konoha gate.
"You are late again, Obito."
Kakashi glared as Obito ran up.
"So what if I am a little late?"
Obito muttered. Was being a few minutes late really such a crime?
"A true ninja must obey the rules. Anyone who cannot is trash."
Kakashi spoke sharply.
In his mind, ninja rules came before everything.
His father had broken the rules by choosing to save his comrades instead of completing the mission, and that had led to disaster.
"Alright, Kakashi. Ease up."
Minato stepped in.
Ever since the death of the White Fang, Kakashi had been like this.
Minato knew part of the story, but as a ninja, he could only follow orders.
"During missions, everything else comes after completing the objective."
Minato continued.
Team unity mattered, and he wanted the arguing to stop.
"Also, this mission is classified. I can only explain the details once we reach the border."
Kiyohara listened behind him.
He never really understood why they always had to gather at the main gate before setting off.
He chalked it up to ninja ritual.
"By the way, does my future self ever get a girlfriend?"
Kiyohara casually asked the rogue-ninja version of himself in his mind.
After the urn trembled, the rogue Kiyohara's spirit drifted into view.
"Actually, no. Surviving was already difficult. There was no energy left for romance."
Rogue Kiyohara shook his head.
He had wanted to try, but the only people available were female rogue ninjas.
Not everyone could be like Sakura, willing to chase after Sasuke even after he became an S-rank rogue ninja.
You needed Sasuke-tier looks to pull that off.
His own looks were decent, but his face had taken too much damage over the years.
"I see."
Kiyohara quietly vowed that his future would not end up like that.
After Minato finished speaking, he gave the order:
"Move out."
The group set off at once.
Days passed, sun rising and moon setting.
They traveled through the forest by day and rested at night.
Since they were lightly equipped, they reached the border quickly.
"We are almost there."
Kurenai pushed off a tree branch, leaping from branch to branch. It was the preferred way to travel for many ninja.
"I wonder if we can complete the mission."
She glanced at Kiyohara.
"We just do our best."
Kiyohara replied.
The worst result of failure was punishment. Death was the real end.
He was earning a genin stipend, basically the bottom of the bottom.
To be blunt, what was the point of risking your life for three thousand a month?
They wanted thirty thousand worth of work for three thousand pay.
Not slacking off already counted as dedication in his eyes.
Too many ninja carried the so-called Will of Fire and willingly bled for their ideals.
"Let's stop here."
Seeing they had gone far enough, Minato had everyone halt.
The open grassland swayed in the wind, each blade bowing like it was paying respect.