Ghostly Figure

Chapter 34: Shattered Morning

-Kakashi-

The sun is just beginning to rise, painting the sky in hues of soft pink and gold as I make my way toward Kurenai's home. My steps are steady, but there's a heaviness in my chest that I can't quite shake off. It's like an itch in the back of my mind, something nagging at me ever since I woke up this morning.

A feeling that something is... off.

I don't usually get like this—not without reason—but there's no denying the strange gut feeling that has been with me all morning. Kurenai had called early, saying she had to leave for a mission and asking if I could come by to check on Yui. Nothing unusual there—I've taken care of Yui many times before—but today feels different. It's like there's a storm in the air, even though the sky is clear.

As I reach the house, I push the door open quietly. Kurenai's home is simple but warm, always smelling faintly of tea and flowers. I'm greeted by the usual calm silence that fills her home, but today, even that silence feels heavier than usual. I step into the living room, the wooden floor creaking lightly beneath my feet.

That's when I see her.

Yui stands near the window, her back turned to me, her ghostly white hair flowing in the gentle morning breeze. The curtains flutter, and the sunlight dances around her small figure, but there's something off about the way she's standing. She looks... distant, as if she's not really there, lost somewhere deep inside her own thoughts.

I let my Sharingan activate out of habit, scanning the room for anything unusual, and then I focus on her. When I look at her through the Sharingan, her eyes... they're heavy. They're holding something deep, something dark. It's not just her usual anxiety or fear—it's something else entirely. A burden she's carrying alone.

"Good morning, Yui," I say, my voice calm and measured as I step forward.

Yui doesn't turn right away. She stands frozen for a moment, her body tense as if she's trying to gather her thoughts. Slowly, she shifts her gaze toward me. For a split second, I notice her hesitation—her eyes, usually shielded behind her eyewear, meet mine directly. She's not wearing them today. It's the first time in a long while I've seen her like this, unguarded.

"K-Kakashi..." she stutters, her voice shaky but firm with a certain resolve.

Something's wrong.

"What is it?" I ask, keeping my tone soft, but my chest tightens.

She swallows hard, her eyes fixed on mine with a determination I've never seen from her before. Then, the words tumble out of her mouth, soft but direct.

"I... I need to seal myself."

The room falls silent, and for a moment, I don't move. I can't move. Her words hang in the air like a heavy weight that seems to crush the lightness of the morning. Seal herself? What does she mean by that? It feels like all the air has been sucked out of the room, leaving only the gravity of what she just said.

"Seal yourself?" I repeat, almost as if I'm hoping I heard her wrong. My mind races to process what she just said, but none of it makes sense.

She nods, her lips trembling slightly as she fights to hold herself together. "The elders... they came to see me," she begins, her voice small but steady. "They said... they said I'm a danger to Konoha. That my powers—my eyes—are too dangerous to leave unchecked."

Her voice cracks slightly as she continues. "They told me about a shrine... a place where I can seal my powers... but..."

I feel my heart pounding in my chest as she speaks. The elders... they went to her without telling me? Without telling Kurenai? What were they thinking?