Chapter 89

"I guess I do like her. I mean, there's nothing to dislike about her. It's just that I feel too old. I watched her grow up. I grew up with her. She's like a younger sister and I can't...maybe if we were ten years older but not…"

"What happens to her, Haru?

"I don't know for sure. I don't think she ends up dying or anything. She becomes a strong ninja, like her father. But her jounin instructor, Asuma, he gets killed fighting Akatsuki."

Kakashi sat back in his chair and closed his eye. Having several broken ribs reset and healed meant that he was stuck watching Haru for at least a few days before bringing him back to Konoha. "Doctor's orders" meant a lot coming from a Sannin.

"Can you tell me what happens to me?" he asked.

"You're the only one who can defeat Obito. His Sharingan has the power of Kamui, which lets him phase himself and other objects into his personal pocket dimension. That eye you received is the only way to counter the technique and actually hurt him. I don't remember how you beat him though. I think he ends up fighting with you and everyone else against Madara."

The jounin paused his inquiries into the future for several minutes. Haru had warned that his memories and predictions weren't perfect and that future was subject to change depending on their actions in the present. But Haru's disturbingly casual tendency to mention people and events that were impossible for him to know gave credence to his prognostications. Life changing secrets and gruesome fates were just a matter of fact for the boy. It was unnerving.

"Haru, what is it like to know everyone's future but your own?"

"I don't know everyone's future. Just...the people around Konoha and Naruto. Did you know that if I didn't exist, he would have been on your genin team with Sasuke and Sakura?"

"How could I possibly have known that?"

"Oh, right. Anyways," Haru took a deep breath, "It's like I'm on the outside, looking into a world that would exist just fine without me. Only before I knew it, I fucked it up. That's why I tried so hard to make things better. That's why I tried to make Naruto and Sasuke and Sakura stronger. I didn't want to be responsible for things anymore.

"I'm selfish. I want to find out what I am, why I'm here. But I also think I'd feel less restless if everything were to work out for you guys. It's not because of the will of fire or anything like that. I'd just be annoyed if you guys failed despite all the effort I put into changing the future."

Kakashi's gaze was heavy and unwavering. "It's not selfish to care about your friends."

"But what I want isn't what they want. I have some kind of stupid destiny I have to fulfill and I can't be the person they expect me to be. I can't be in their lives..."

"You'd be surprised by your friends if you just let them be your friends. We want to be here for you. And trust me, no matter what destiny or fate has in store for you, you belong here with the people who care about you."

"Those are bold words coming from a friend-killer like you, Bakashi," spoke a third person in the room with Haru and Kakashi. He wore a black coat with red clouds and an orange mask with a swirling design centered on a single eye.

Kakashi immediately sprang between Haru and the mysterious intruder. "Who are you?" he asked, brandishing a kunai defensively and uncovering his Sharingan.

"Don't you recognize me? I guess you can't be expected to remember every single person you get killed." The man removed the mask, revealing a half-deformed, pale Uchiha face.

"Obito?" Kakashi's guard lowered from shock. He was pummelled by a spiral of white, wood-like projections. The material split into countless threads, pinning the man to the wall through his clothes and limbs.

The presumed-dead Uchiha grinned. "I don't see any point in hiding my identity, seeing as Mister Tattletale would probably spill the beans anyways."

Still in bed, Haru spoke, "Madara is using you. The Eye of the Moon Plan is obscenely stupid. Besides, that kind of world is more of a personalized nightmare than an ideal world."

Obito was unperturbed. "See what I mean? But joke's on you. Madara Uchiha is dead. And don't worry, we have something better planned."

Seeing the crazed smile on Obito's face, Haru barely managed to swallow because of the deep fear that comes from being helpless while facing the unknown. His heartbeat pulsed across his entire body.

"Kakashi didn't kill Rin…" Haru began to say.

Only pausing a moment, Obito concluded, "Lies. I saw it happen."

"Rin..." was all Haru managed to say before being grabbed by the throat by a cold, menacing Obito.

"We'll have plenty of time to talk later. And don't worry about Bakashi. He hasn't even begun to suffer enough for what he's done." Those were the last words Kakashi heard before he was left alone, bleeding on the wall of the hotel room.