The Akira Files Book 2

Kakashi, the morgue and Akira's ghost (apparently)

Kakashi’s POV

It had been a few days since my team had left with Yamato and I was receiving daily visits from the Anbu, who would conveniently disappear whenever Gai ‘escaped’ the psych ward or when someone would come with condolences for my loss. Whenever someone talked of Akira’s death, I would return to my book losing myself to its words. By now, many were appalled by my behaviour, yet not one asked me for my thoughts.

Pakkun had reassured my suspicion; Akira was alive and she was in the village. At the moment that’s all I cared about. When she had left I had been desperate to go after her, track her down again but my duty as a shinobi got in the way. It had been for the best, if I had forced her back I’m not sure how she would have taken it. She returned of her own will, and I was celebrating it as a victory.

I chuckled quietly, the nurse looking at me oddly. “Mr.Hatake? Is something funny?”

“Hm? Oh no, just a bit of celebrating on my part.” I said, my eyes lazily returning to skim the next page.

“Celebrating?” She asked , regarding me with new concern. Of course, all the hospital staff knew I had lost a relative. They may not know who it was but they knew we were close, and that’s all they were told.

“Yes, celebrating.”

“Celebrating what?”

“It’s a secret.” The undertone of amusement was not lost on the girl.

Though she didn’t pry any further, merely nodded and returned to her work. Soon she had left the room again and the young Anbu appeared on my window.

“You know,” I said. “They keep scolding me about closing my window, I wonder why that is?”

The anbu snickered. That was about all I usually got from them, I didn’t mind as much as I probably should have. It was nice to have quiet company after a talk with Gai.

“So, are you still refusing to help me check on my daughter?”

The anbu glanced at me, before returning to looking out the window.

“I’ll take that as a no then.” The anbu moved to get up, which meant I would be getting another visitor soon. “Can I get a warning on who it might be?”

She looked at me, debating it in her mind. “Tsunade.” She said, disappearing out the window.

Ah, that’s different. Tsunade rarely visits me, I was on the mend and just needed basic care now after all. I wonder what she wants.

The door slid open, “Haven’t the nurses told you to keep your window closed?” She asked in annoyance, walking over and shutting it. She must be having a bad day.

“Actually they have. I just haven’t been well enough to open or close it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I can’t get up.” I said simply, turning another page.

“So how is the window opening?”

“My mysterious visitor.”

She didn’t look impressed by my ambiguous answer. “Kakashi, it’s come to my attention that you’re mental state needs… work.”

That caught my attention. “What do you mean Lady Tsunade?”

“I mean, you can’t go around pretending Akira is still alive. The nurses say you’re laughing by yourself and when they pass the room they hear you talking to air. I realize that it’s hard to lose someone close to you but this isn’t the healthy way to deal with it. So, do you have an explanation?”