Oh how I wish this was just a dream

In remembrance of Seraphine Hatake

Seraphine Hatake, someone who was admired and remembered for their kindness, bravery, strength, and much more. Oh how I wish this was just a dream he thought while tears soaked his clothes as he bowed his head solemnly.

Waking up to having ice-cold water dumped on you was not the ideal morning for Seraphine. Dreaming about eating ramen and then waking up to see your father standing over you with a now-empty bucket and a wide smile. "You have 5 seconds to get out of this room before I tear you apart." she hissed in anger. Oh, I have definitely done it now thought Seraphine's father, Kakashi Hatake. Within a split second he was gone and Seraphine got up grumpily to shower and change out of her now soaked pajamas.

After showering and changing she smells something mouth-watering so decides to follow the scent lingering in the air. Her short journey comes to a stop in the kitchen where she finds her father cooking. "Good morning Anata," her father says innocently, as if he had nothing to do with waking her up. "I made some tonkatsu ramen for breakfast." he spoke while looking at her with soft eyes.

"Otou-sama you don't have to wake me up. I'm 19 and already a full-fledged shinobi, so take a rest and let me handle things now." While she knew her father was still incredibly strong and young looking, she couldn't help but tell him that. Seraphine then walked up to her father and indicated to him with her chin to sit down. "Go sit down Otou-sama and let me serve you for once." Kakashi had opened his mouth to retort but a glare from Seraphine was all it took for him to keep his mouth shut. Breakfast was quiet as usual with the small talks here and there between the father-daughter duo. I wish things were like this all the time thought Seraphine. Kakashi had noticed his daughter stare off into oblivion and had become concerned.

"Anata," he spoke softly, successful in getting her attention. "What's on your mind? and don't lie to me either." His question and accusation of possibly lying to him made her freeze in her spot with her mouth slightly ajar. "Please tell me what's wrong. I can't help you if I sit here cluelessly worrying about you. So as your father, let me help and guide you." Now thinking back on her life with her father she had always worried him to death by doing things on her own and keeping many secrets that would have definitely given him a heart attack. Patience, forgiveness and unconditional love were the three big things Kakashi had displayed to her and she couldn't feel even more guilty than now seeing how much of a burden she is to her father. All the negative thoughts and stress of the past and present had eventually caught up with her, bringing fourth years of unshed tears. This made Kakashi widen his eyes and rush to her side.

"Forgive me Otou-sama for being such a burden on you all these years. I really don't deserve a father like you. I-." She was cut off by a stinging sensation on her right cheek. It took a few seconds for her to get out of her shock. Her glossy eyes widened in realization. Her father had just slapped her.

"You will not speak of yourself as such! You are MY daughter and not once have I ever thought of you as being a burden. Not just myself but everyone else in this village." with a raised voice Kakashi argued against her negative talking. Now, in a much softer and gentler tone he says "All these years I could see you holding your pain, stress and negative thoughts behind those walls you put up. I see the way your shoulders drop as if you carried the world on you. I see the dark bags under your eyes as if you have never slept in years. Now please, Seraphine, please I beg of you to share your problems with me and as your father I will help you as much as I can." She now realized the stress she had put on her father by the way his voice cracked between sentences and the tears that flowed from his grey eyes. Understanding what her father wanted, she began to tell him everything that led up to her unfortunate state. Listening to her rant brought up times when they struggled and times when happiness was the only thing showing. Seraphine was kind, caring, brave, strong, a bit scary, and everyone in the village including her father knew that.

Kakashi had wished that he could've comforted her more when she told him everything. He wished he could've said he was proud to have a daughter like her before she went away that day on a mission. He knew the risks yet still did not stop her. Guilt and loneliness plagued him. Oh how he wished many things but he knew none could be fulfilled now. Now standing in front of her grave he wept, as did the whole village. Oh how I wish this was just a dream.