The Distance Between Us

The soft evening breeze was blowing gently as YN stood by the river, staring at the water in silence.

So many things had changed.

Naruto was now dating Hinata.

Sakura, who once used to follow Sasuke everywhere, was now in a live-in relationship with him.

Obito and Rin… they even had a 3-year-old daughter now. Her name was Rinto.

Everything had moved on.

Everyone had moved on.

But YN… she was still standing still.

Just then, Sakura arrived.

She walked up to YN and started talking, her voice carrying concern.

She could clearly see it—YN was pushing herself too hard. Completing multiple S-rank missions continuously, one after another, without even resting properly.

Sakura hesitated a little, then asked,

“Did you hear something?”

“Y… Sensei… is he coming back today?” Sakura asked, then suddenly stopped, noticing YN wasn’t reacting.

YN stood there silently, staring at the water. No expression. Calm. Empty.

From a distance, Naruto suddenly ran toward them.

“YN!”

But because he was running so fast, he passed her slightly and had to stop, gasping for breath before turning back and standing in front of her.

YN looked at him, slightly irritated at his dramatic entrance.

Naruto finally said,

“Hokage office… they’re calling you.”

YN didn’t even respond properly. In the blink of an eye, she disappeared.

Naruto sighed and shouted after her,

“And Kakashi sensei also said—”

But she was already gone.

Naruto stopped mid-sentence.

“Guess I’ll tell her later…”

—

With a loud crash, YN pushed open the door using her kick.

“Dad!”

she shouted immediately as she entered.

“Today’s mission was too easy. Who the hell made it an S-rank? That idiot must have—”

Minato sighed tiredly from behind his desk.

“That idiot would be me. And before entering my office, can you please knock? You’ve already broken three doors.”

YN only smiled slightly.

Minato pointed toward a corner of the room.

“Look there.”

YN turned her head.

And froze.

Kakashi was standing there.

Her face became cold again.

She looked at Minato and said flatly,

“Is this why you called me here? For some useless reunion?”

Minato tried to speak, but YN raised her hand, stopping him.

“I have a lot of work, Dad. I don’t have time for your emotional gatherings.”

Without looking at Kakashi even once, she turned and left the room.

Kakashi just stood there silently, completely stunned.

Minato sighed.

“…Sorry, Kakashi. You know her.”

—

Later that evening, everyone was gathered.

Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, Rin, Kakashi.

Only Obito was missing.

Sakura asked,

“Hey, where is Big Bro?”

Naruto casually replied,

“Obito? He probably went to bring YN.”

Just then—

Obito entered.

And YN was on his shoulder, struggling lightly.

“Obiiiiiiii! Put me down!”

Obito calmly said,

“Okay, okay, I’m putting you down.”

He placed her down next to Kakashi’s seat.

YN immediately tried to leave again, but Obito stopped her.

Before she could move, a small hand grabbed her sleeve.

“YN auntie… where are you going? Please stay…”

It was Rinto.

YN froze.

For a moment, her eyes softened.

Then she quietly sat down near Naruto’s seat.

Everyone started eating.

Sakura looked around and asked,

“So… where will YN stay now?”

YN tilted her head slightly.

“Stay?”

Sakura quickly waved her hands nervously.

“Nothing! I was just saying! Hehe 😅”

Naruto casually said,

“Probably at her own place.”

Kakashi asked,

“Her own place?”

Naruto nodded.

“Yeah… after you left five years ago, she stopped staying at your house. She barely even went to her mother’s place either. Eventually she bought her own apartment using all her savings.”

He paused.

“And in these five years… she never once met her mother. Not even spoke to her.”

The atmosphere went silent.

Suddenly—

YN slammed her chopsticks onto Naruto’s head.

“Shut up, dummy.”

Kakashi looked shocked.

Before he could say anything, YN suddenly turned toward him.

Her eyes were sharp.

“Sensei?”

“Hm?”

“You married me to protect me, right?”

Her voice was calm.

“Because in your eyes… I was weak.”

She paused.

“But don’t worry. I’m not weak anymore.”

“I completed more than 50 S-rank missions. I’m a Jonin now. I don’t need protection anymore.”

She stood up slowly.

“The marriage you did as a duty… you don’t have to continue it anymore.”

She looked straight into Kakashi’s eyes.

“Let’s divorce.”

Silence.

No one moved.

No one spoke.

Naruto’s eyes widened.

“…What did she just say?”

Even Kakashi froze, completely shocked.

Sakura nervously said,

“Sensei… you should be thankful she didn’t break your hands and legs for what you did…”

“What did I.....!

Obito snapped.

Do you even realize what you did?!”

“You took that little girl, saying it was for protection… and then you just left on a mission and came back after five years!”

“Did you once ask about her? Did you once check if she was alive or okay?!”

“Five years, Kakashi! FIVE YEARS!”

“Do you know what she did in those five years? She never stopped. She kept fighting, kept surviving, took s rank missions like nothing,kept pushing herself like her life didn’t matter!”

“And you stand here asking what you did?”

Before anything could continue—

Sasuke placed a hand on Obito’s shoulder.

“Obito… stop.”

“Enough. He understands now.”

Everything went silent again.

Kakashi didn’t speak.

He just stood there, frozen… staring at the empty space where YN had been sitting just moments ago.

The silence in the restaurant felt heavier than any battlefield.

No one dared to speak after YN’s words.

“Let’s divorce.”

Those words were still hanging in the air like a curse.

Kakashi didn’t move.

For the first time in years… he looked completely lost.

Then slowly, without saying a single word, he turned and walked out of the restaurant.

Naruto called after him—

“Sensei…”

But Kakashi didn’t stop.

Kakashi stood outside alone.

The wind hit his mask softly.

But inside his mind, everything was loud.

YN’s eyes.

Her voice.

That final sentence.

Let’s divorce.

His hand slowly rose… then stopped mid-air.

“…What did I even protect?”

He lowered his hand again.

And walked away.

---

meanwhile...

The door slammed open.

BAM.

YN stepped inside.

For a moment—silence.

Then her expression twisted.

Not sadness.

Not pain.

Just pure irritation.

She walked straight into the room and grabbed the nearest chair.

THUD.

She threw it across the room.

The glass frame on the wall cracked.

She didn’t even blink.

“Five years…”

She grabbed another object.

THUD.

“This is what you call protection?”

Not a single word or letter!

Not anything.!accept waiting waiting and waiting.

A cup shattered against the floor.

She breathed heavily, not crying—just burning.

Every object in her reach became a target.

Not random rage.

Controlled destruction.

Like she was erasing everything that reminded her of patience.

Then she stopped.

Silence again.

She stood in the middle of the broken room.

Her hand slowly loosened.

“…Tch.”

She clicked her tongue.

And walked past the mess like it didn’t matter.

---

At the same time.

Kakashi stood outside her apartment door.

He could hear it.

The breaking.

The rage.

The silence after it.

His hand slowly lifted toward the door.

Paused.

For the first time… Kakashi looked unsure.

He might be too late to knock.

Next day.....

The morning light was calm over the Hokage building, but inside the office the atmosphere was anything but peaceful.

Minato stood behind his desk, arms crossed, watching both of them.

YN stood straight, expression cold and impatient.

Kakashi stood slightly behind her, silent as always.

Minato finally spoke.

“This is a combined mission.”

YN’s eyes narrowed instantly.

“I already said no.”

Minato didn’t react. Instead, he leaned forward slightly.

“You don’t get to refuse this one.”

He opened a file and placed it on the desk.

“This mission is connected to the enemies targeting you.”

YN’s gaze sharpened.

Minato continued calmly.

“You want answers, don’t you?”

A pause.

“Who is targeting you… why they are targeting you… and who exactly I arranged your marriage to protect you from.”

The room went still.

YN’s expression didn’t soften—but her eyes shifted slightly.

Minato turned his gaze toward Kakashi.

“Kakashi is going with you. He already knows parts of this case.”

Kakashi said nothing.

YN looked at him once.

Then back at Minato.

Without a word, she turned and walked out of the office.

The door slammed behind her.

BAM.

YN walked forward without waiting.

Her footsteps were sharp, controlled.

Kakashi followed silently behind her.

Step… step… step…

No one spoke.

The distance between them felt heavier than words.

Then—

YN suddenly stopped.

But she didn’t turn back.

Her voice came cold.

“You don’t have to come.”

A pause.

Then—

“I’ll go alone.”

Silence.

Kakashi’s eyes shifted slightly.

His voice was calm, but firm.

“No.”

Another pause.

Then he added—

“You’re not going alone.”

YN clicked her tongue.

“Tch…”

She finally turned her head slightly, irritated.

“So what? You think I’m weak again?”

Kakashi didn’t react.

His tone stayed steady.

“No.”

A beat.

“I know you’re not weak.”

That made her pause for half a second.

She turned fully now, eyes sharp.

“Then stop following me.”

Kakashi stepped forward once.

Still calm.

“They aren’t ordinary enemies, YN.”

“They know your patterns. Your missions. Your limits, they knoweverything about you.”

A slight pause.

Then—

“I know them better than you think.”

YN’s irritation rose instantly.

“So now you suddenly care about knowing things?”

Kakashi didn’t answer.

That silence made it worse.

YN turned away sharply.

“Fine.”

She started walking again.

Cold voice over her shoulder—

“Follow if you want. I don’t care.”

She increased her pace.

Kakashi followed behind her.

Always a few steps back.

Always silent.

And the distance between them…

never closed.

---

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