Obito craned his neck to look.
Under the moonlight, a young girl stood at the edge of the woods.
She held a cloth-wrapped bundle in her hands, her black curled hair swaying gently.
Kurenai Yuhi.
She trotted up beside Might Guy, head lowered, cheeks flushed red.
Then she thrust the bundle forward.
“My mom made…
made too much.
Can’t finish it.” Same line again.
Guy took it, opened it up.
Two rice balls, a few slices of pickled radish, and two little dumplings.
He grinned.
“Thanks.” How many times had this been this month?
Guy had lost count.
Every time Kurenai came to bring food, it was always the same “made too much, can’t finish it” excuse.
He didn’t stand on ceremony either.
He picked up a rice ball and bit into it.
He’d been training hard for so long, he was starving.
Kurenai stood beside him, watching him eat in big mouthfuls.
The corners of her lips curved up, her eyes bright.
This was her favorite thing now.
Watching Guy eat the bento she brought.
Obito lay on the ground, watching this scene.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
“Hey…” No one answered him.
“HEY!!” Kurenai jumped in surprise, turned her head, and spotted someone lying on the ground.
Obito propped himself up and sat up, looking utterly speechless.
“I’ve been lying here for ages.
Did you not even see me?” Kurenai’s face turned even redder.
She quickly took a step back.
Obito scrambled up, peeked over at the rice balls in the bundle, and swallowed hard.
“Got any left?
Gimme one.” Guy pulled his hand back, moving the bundle behind him.
“Want some?
Go home and get your own.” Obito stared.
“Just one!” Guy chewed his rice ball, expressionless.
“No.” “You!” “These are for me.” Guy took another bite.
“Want some?
Train hard tomorrow, and get your mom to make you some too.” Obito ground his teeth in frustration.
“Cheapskate!” Kurenai stood to the side, watching Guy guard his food like that, and couldn’t help but want to laugh.
Then her brain short-circuited, and she blurted out: “Maybe…
next time I’ll ask my mom to make some for you too?” She froze.
Obito froze too.
Kurenai realized she’d let it slip.
Her face went bright red, all the way to the tips of her ears.
“No, no, no!
I mean…
next time I…
next time my mom makes too much…” She stammered, stumbling over her words, waving her hands back and forth in front of her.
Guy swallowed the last bite of his rice ball and clapped his hands together.
“Sure.
Next time bring a bit more, let him have a taste too.” His tone was as casual as if he were saying “nice weather today.” Kurenai blinked, looking up at him.
Guy was already standing, brushing the dirt off his pants, and turning to Obito.
“Aren’t you heading back?
It’s dark already.” Obito snapped out of it, pursed his lips.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m going.
But stay away from me—what’s that smell on you?” Guy lowered his head and sniffed himself.
Sweat, dirt, and the fishy stench of that black sludge he’d expelled earlier.
Not exactly pleasant.
Before he could say anything, Kurenai spoke first.
“That’s the smell of a man!” Her face was dead serious.
Obito’s jaw dropped.
He looked at Kurenai, then at Guy.
Kurenai realized what she’d just said.
Her face flushed again, but this time she didn’t look down.
She just stood there.
Obito clutched his cheek, like he had a toothache.
“Fine, fine, fine.
Men, you’re both men.
I’m out.” He turned and walked off.
After two steps, he looked back.
“Bushy Brows!
See you at school tomorrow!” Then he ran off into the dark.
Guy turned to Kurenai: “Come on, I’ll walk you back.” Kurenai shook her head: “No, I can get home myself.” Guy thought for a moment: “Then you go first.
I’m heading to the waterfall to wash up, and I’ll train a bit more while I’m at it.” Kurenai blinked: “More training?” “Yeah.
Haven’t hit today’s target yet.” Guy flexed his fingers.
Kurenai looked at those hands.
His fingers were swollen, with dried blood scabs stuck in the nail beds.
She wanted to say something, but swallowed it back down.
“I’m going then.” She picked up the empty cloth bundle, turned, and walked away.
After a few steps, she looked back.
Guy was still standing there, waving at her.
Kurenai waved back, then broke into a little run and disappeared into the trees.
Guy turned and walked toward the waterfall.
The sound of water grew louder.
He stripped off his clothes and stood under the cascade.
Cold water poured from head to toe.
Ahh, that feels good.
The Shaolin Muscle-Tendon Change Classic circulated inside him.
Cold water and warm inner flow crashed against each other, his whole body feeling like it was both burning and freezing.
He dropped into a horse stance, jabbing at the rock in front of him, over and over.
One.
Two.
Three.
[Vajra Finger Proficiency: 493] “Seven thousand more jabs to go!” “Keep at it.” The next day.
Ninja Academy.
Might Guy pushed open the door and sensed something off in the classroom.
No one was talking.
The usual chatterboxes who always gathered to gossip were sitting quietly in their seats.
More people were turning their heads, looking at Kakashi sitting by the window.
Kakashi was in his usual pose, staring out the window, motionless.
But Guy noticed: the eye above his mask was a little red.
Guy’s heart thumped.
He walked quickly to his seat, dropped his bag, and poked Obito in front of him.
“What happened?” Obito turned around, lowering his voice.
“You haven’t heard?
White Fang-senpai—Kakashi’s dad—” He paused, his expression complicated.
“His mission failed.” Guy’s head buzzed.
“Apparently it was a super important mission.
He was supposed to complete it, but White Fang-senpai abandoned the mission to save his comrades.” Obito’s voice dropped even lower.
“The whole village is talking about it.
Saying he brought shame to Konoha.
Saying he’s unworthy of being a shinobi…” Guy didn’t say anything.
He stared at Kakashi’s back.
That small, motionless back.
In the original story, this was it.
Not long after, White Fang took his own life.
Watching Kakashi’s back, Guy clenched his fists.
This time, he was going to do something.
End of Chapter 9