Kakashi sighed deeply as he sank onto the weathered wooden bench at his secret spot, a secluded clearing tucked away in the forest. The soft rustle of leaves in the breeze and the distant chirping of birds did little to ease the weight pressing on his chest.

His thoughts drifted to Sasuke—his former student, his responsibility, and perhaps, his greatest failure. No matter how many times he replayed the past, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he should have done more, said more.

Running a hand through his hair, Kakashi stared blankly at the sky, tinged orange with the setting sun. Sasuke’s words from their last encounter echoed in his mind, filled with anger and pain. “Revenge isn’t the answer,” he had told the boy, but how could he expect Sasuke to listen when his own life had been a lesson in loss and vengeance?

Kakashi couldn’t help but wonder if he had failed Sasuke in the same way his father had been failed—left alone to bear a burden too heavy to carry. The thought stung, and for the first time in years, Kakashi felt helpless.