Chapter 359: Finding the Culprit Behind the Thrown Flowers
When Kakashi returned, the once-perfectly plated pan-fried river fish was reduced to nothing but a pile of fish bones.
Kakashi retrieved a cup from the cabinet, poured a drink, and handed it to Obito.
"Just finished eating fish, must be thirsty, right?"
Obito ignored him, and the two stood in a moment of tension until Obito broke the silence:
"You don't have to do all this for me. It's pointless. I've changed. Everyone changes."
"Nothing you do now will alter my resolve. I won't forgive you, so stop trying to play on my emotions."
Kakashi chuckled lightly and calmly placed the drink in front of Obito.
"I know you'll never forgive me. I never expected you to."
"Yes, everyone changes. But the memory of you hasn't."
"Back then, you liked sweet drinks. Because Haneda liked orange juice, you started liking it too."
"This is something I specifically ordered for you. If you won't drink it, I'll just leave it for Haneda."
Turning away, Kakashi returned the bottle to the fridge at a steady pace.
But as he glanced back, he noticed the glass on the table was already empty.
Kakashi froze for a moment, then allowed a subtle smile to creep across his face before quickly suppressing it.
Feigning nonchalance, he picked up his usual light novel and said:
"Let's go. Haneda gave us a task—to find the culprit who's been throwing flowers."
"Fine," Obito replied curtly.
He stood up, ready to follow Kakashi out.
But as his gaze fell on Kakashi, his attention was caught by the book in his hands.
Icha Icha Paradise!
It was the very same book he had gifted Kakashi for his 18th birthday!
Obito's lips twitched as he spoke in a flat tone:
"What's that in your hand?"
"Icha Icha Paradise. Haneda gave it to me," Kakashi said as he tucked the book away, answering truthfully.
In truth, he had no intention of reading it. He'd merely taken it out to avoid showing any reaction to Obito earlier. Now that Obito was ready to leave, he put it away.
"When did he give it to you?" Obito asked, feigning indifference.
Kakashi replied without hesitation:
"On my 18th birthday, that night."
"At first, he gave me a copy of My Struggle, but he must have thought it wasn't meaningful enough, so he gave me Icha Icha Paradise instead."
"Oh, by the way, Icha Icha Paradise is an excellent book by Jiraiya. Very educational. Don't get the wrong idea."
Obito's mouth twitched.
The gift he had thoughtfully picked out was now being credited to Haneda…
Forget it. No need to argue with this reserved pervert!
Clenching his teeth, Obito followed Kakashi out the door.
The moment they stepped into the yard, Obito's demeanor transformed from somber to bright and cheerful.
"Wow~ What a beautiful day it is today, Kakashi-senpai!"
"Are we heading straight to the Memorial Stone, or should we stop by the flower shop to pick up some flowers?"
"I'm so excited! Let's go, Senpai!"
Afei's exaggerated enthusiasm and animated gestures were so over the top that Kakashi was momentarily stunned.
"Senpai! Senpai! Say something! Where are we headed next?"
Afei's loud antics drew the attention of the stoic Uchiha clan members in the vicinity.
A few Uchiha women with children quickly hurried away, pulling their kids along as if afraid Afei's eccentricity might rub off on them.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Kakashi finally replied:
"Let's get some flowers first. After I place them, we'll hide and see who's been throwing them away."
As he spoke, Kakashi couldn't resist taking a jab.
He had been bringing flowers for nearly ten years, always thinking that their disappearance was some sort of divine punishment.
But now…
Kakashi glanced at Afei, studying his expression for any changes.
However, Afei acted completely unfazed, laughing and saying:
"Ah~ The person throwing away flowers is really awful! So rude! Especially since they're throwing away Senpai's flowers!"
"Do you have any suspects, Senpai? Tell me, and I'll stand up for you!"
Kakashi gave Afei a few looks but found himself at a loss for words.
Left with no choice, he led Afei along, responding with noncommittal grunts like "Mm-hmm," "Yes," and "Right" to Afei's endless chatter.
Along the way, they endured countless judgmental stares from the villagers.
It couldn't be helped. Afei was far too loud and eccentric, constantly pulling off bizarre stunts.
He was like an upgraded version of a young Naruto or Obito!
After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached the tranquil Memorial Stone.
As they approached, Tobi suddenly quieted down.
The two walked up to Rin's grave. Kakashi noticed the withered flowers on the ground and silently shifted his gaze to Afei.
The meaning was clear.
"Senpai! Why are you looking at me, Senpai? It wasn't me!" Tobi declared righteously.
Kakashi ignored him and cleaned up the area around Rin's grave. He then placed the fresh flowers they had brought into the vase next to the gravestone.
At that moment, Tobi pulled out a red rose he'd been hiding behind his back and gently placed it in front of Rin's grave.
The two of them stood quietly before the grave for a long time, as if in silent prayer.
"Let's go, Obito… I mean, Tobi," Kakashi said.
"What about the culprit throwing away the flowers, Senpai?" Tobi asked playfully.
Without waiting for Kakashi's response, Tobi darted behind a tree.
"Hiding without hiding your rear~"
"Senpai! Quick, come here! I found the perfect spot for spying—uh, I mean, investigating!"
Kakashi turned to look at Tobi and saw that he had hidden his head but left his rear completely exposed. He couldn't help but laugh.
He was reminded of Haneda's description of an animal called an ostrich: If I can't see danger, then danger doesn't exist. I'm safe.
Tobi's antics were as absurd as an ostrich's.
Still… this hiding spot…
Why hadn't Kakashi noticed it before?
Suddenly, a thought struck him.
"So this is where Obito used to spy on me!"
Kakashi made a mental note of the spot, planning to catch the flower-throwing culprit in the act the next time he came to visit Rin's grave.
"Senpai, what do you think of this spot? It's got trees and bushes—a perfect observation point!"
Tobi crouched behind the bushes with Kakashi. Through the foliage, they had a clear view of Rin's grave.
"Mm. It's not bad. Close enough to sneak up and knock someone out with a stick," Kakashi said.
Tobi, or rather, Obito, immediately understood the subtext.
On the night of the Nine-Tails attack, this was the very spot where he had knocked Kakashi unconscious.
Tobi responded, "But, but… Senpai! This spot is so far away—it'd take several seconds to run over. What kind of ninja would let themselves get knocked out?"
Kakashi: "…"
Deciding to pretend he hadn't asked, Kakashi said nothing further. Tobi also remained still and quiet, as if determined not to attract attention.
A gentle breeze blew past, and suddenly, a figure appeared in front of Rin's grave.