In a quiet park within Konoha, four figures huddled together, deep in discussion.

  “The intel we have so far tells us your father, White Fang, abandoned the mission of his own volition. It wasn’t because he couldn’t complete it,” Miketsuki said, turning to Kakashi.

  “That’s right. With my father’s strength, he could’ve completed the mission solo if he wanted to,” Kakashi nodded firmly.

  “Then… what if we have Kakashi’s dad cim he encountered an enemy too strong to defeat?” Obito offered after a moment of thought.

  “No,” Miketsuki shook his head immediately. “First of all, we don’t know if Mr. Sakumo would even be willing to lie. And even if he did, the fact remains—he did fail the mission. The outcome doesn’t change.”

  “Then how about this,” Rin chimed in. “What if we get the ninja he rescued to speak out? If the situation really was that severe, maybe the vilgers would understand.”

  “No good either,” Kakashi sighed, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. “You guys probably don’t know this, but… the person my father saved ended up joining the group that’s now tearing him down.”

  “What…?” The three others were visibly shaken by that.

  “What does your father think about all this?” Miketsuki asked again, eyes sharp.

  “He’s… doing okay, physically. But he won’t leave the house, and he hasn’t told me what he pns to do.” Kakashi’s voice was tight with frustration—perhaps even disappointment.

  “So… Uncle Sakumo’s just waiting for the public to forget? Let time wash the scandal away?” Rin looked uneasy. That didn’t sound like the White Fang they’d heard about.

  “It’s hard to believe, but… maybe,” Kakashi admitted. “It would expin why he’s been so calm, yet keeps himself locked indoors.”

  “No. That’s not it.” Miketsuki’s voice cut through the air like a bde. He was certain.

  “Huh? Why not?” Obito frowned. “Rin’s theory kinda makes sense to me, too.”

  “Yes, withdrawing in the face of public backsh and waiting it out could be a passive—but practical—strategy. But you’re all forgetting something important,” Miketsuki said, raising a finger.

  The three stared at him, puzzled.

  Miketsuki didn’t keep them waiting. “Rin, let me ask you something. If you had to choose between completing a mission critical to the vilge, or saving a comrade’s life—what would you pick?”

  “I…” Rin tilted her head, clearly torn. It was a question she’d never had to face directly. Her heart leaned one way, but the ninja code she’d grown up with pulled the other.

  “I… I’m not sure. I think I’d only know for certain in that moment,” she admitted honestly.

  “Okay, let me rephrase it.” Miketsuki smiled gently. “Let’s say I was badly injured, and saving me would cause the mission to fail. What would you do?”

  “Save you, of course!”

  Rin answered without a second of hesitation. To her, there was no choice to be made at all.

  And that—was the entire point.

  “You mean… this isn’t about how the vilgers see your father,” Kakashi said slowly, piecing it together. “It’s about how the man he saved sees him.”

  “Exactly,” Miketsuki said, his tone calm but firm. “If Sakumo-sensei chose to abandon the mission for a comrade, then I don’t believe for a second he wasn’t ready to bear the consequences. The real dagger that cut into White Fang wasn’t public opinion—it was the betrayal of the person he risked everything to save.”

  “That damn bastard…” Obito growled under his breath, fists clenched. “You get rescued, and you repay it by stabbing the guy in the back?!”

  Thanks, Obito—my personal mouthpiece from the internet, Miketsuki thought, amused.

  He had to admit, having someone like Obito around—hot-headed, but honest—wasn’t such a bad thing.

  “So our top priority now,” Obito decred, “is to find that bastard and make him apologize to Kakashi’s dad!”

  “Right,” Rin agreed. “If Sakumo really failed a mission that harmed the vilge, then sure, the vilgers have a right to be angry. But that guy? The one who got rescued? He has no right to act like a victim and bme Sakumo-sensei.”

  After all, Rin thought, if it were her—if she were saved without even knowing what was going on—she’d never bme the person who saved her. She’d shoulder the bme herself.

  And honestly, when a mission fails, it’s a team responsibility. Even if Sakumo was the leader, his teammate getting injured was still a factor in the failure.

  “Alright,” Miketsuki said, seeing everyone was on the same page. “We’ve got a pn. Time to move. First step—find that bastard. I mean, find the man Sakumo-sensei rescued. Kakashi, you must know who it is.”

  Obito had clearly rubbed off on him. Miketsuki caught himself with a wry smile. A little sass now and then didn’t hurt.

  Kakashi nodded after thinking it over. “His name’s Shimura Arima. Last I heard, he’s still hospitalized at Konoha General.”

  “Shimura, huh…” Miketsuki muttered.

  “Did you figure something out, Miketsuki?” Obito asked eagerly. Ever since Miketsuki started breaking down the situation, Obito had been watching him with wide-eyed admiration.

  In truth, Obito was kind of jealous of guys like Miketsuki and Kakashi. Sharp minds, clear logic. That analysis earlier? It blew him away.

  This is totally what I’d say if I were smarter! he thought.

  …

  On the way to Konoha Hospital, Kakashi turned to Miketsuki.

  “What exactly are we going to do when we meet Shimura Arima? How do we convince him to apologize?”

  It was the question on Rin and Obito’s minds, too.

  “I have no idea,” Miketsuki replied, totally unfazed.

  “Nani?!” ×3

  “H-Hey! That’s not funny, Miketsuki! C’mon, spill the real pn already!” Obito half-panicked. “You’re not Doraemon, don’t leave me hanging here!”

  “I’m not joking. And I really haven’t thought of a way to make Arima apologize to Sakumo-sensei,” Miketsuki said pinly.

  “Then maybe we need to rethink the pn?” Rin suggested. “If Shimura Arima already chose to throw Uncle Sakumo under the bus once, he’s not going to just suddenly do the right thing now.”

  “…You’ve had another idea all along, haven’t you?” Kakashi said, eyes narrowing. “From the start, you only asked where Shimura Arima was. You never said what we’d do after we found him.”

  “Now that you mention it…” Obito frowned, trying to recall. “You really didn’t.”

  Rin also looked at Miketsuki, her expression full of curiosity.

  Miketsuki smiled at her. “Yes, Arima is the key to this situation. But he’s not the only one.”

  Then he turned to Kakashi, his tone turning serious.

  “The other key… is you, Kakashi.”

  Kakashi blinked, pointing to himself. “Me?”

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