If Only Things Were Different

Epilogue

Kakashi traced the name on the tomb, Karin Kikuchi-Uchiha.

After Shisui satisfied himself in beating him to a pulp, Kakashi suggested to bring Karin and have her buried properly.

When they arrived, the interrogation team requested for Shisui but Tsunade refused as she wanted to hear it from him first hand before handing him to Inoichi to support his claims.

Shisui indeed proved his and Karin's innocence and he's welcomed back to the Hidden Leaf and was offered to be a part of ANBU again but he refused, saying he doesn't want to stay and just travel. He just wanted to Karin to be buried properly and to have a place for him to visit.

"If only things were different, then I would've gotten to know you more. Shisui, Itachi and I would've gone on missions together as an ANBU. You would've been a great sister image for both Sasuke and Naruto. I would've proclaimed my love for you."

Kakashi squat down and dusted off her tomb, he smiled a little before letting his tears flow.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed, "I should've been more careful. I should've just talked to and begged for you to come with us. I shouldn't have asserted in violence then maybe you could've been alive today."

"Kakashi,"

He wiped his tears away when he heard the voice and stood to face the man.

"Shisui," he said.

"Don't blame yourself," Shisui placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder before squatting to place a flower on his sister's grave, "you were only doing your duty as a shinobi."

"Also, my sister did it to protect me like she always does," he whispered.

Shisui remembered the time when he was training with Itachi and both Karin and Sasuke watching them, a wild bear appeared and bumped into the tree where the younger ones took a seat at one of its branches.

Karin reflexively hopped down but Sasuke still couldn't do what she could do, luckily, Shisui caught him before he could fall to the ground.
Itachi took a protective stance in front of them giving her an idea to snatch Shisui's kunai from him and attack the bear.

"Karin, look out!" Shisui ran towards her and when the bear raised its hand to scratch her using its claw, Karin stabbed the bear's arm causing for it to go berserk.

Shisui grabbed Karin and Itachi took the opportunity to throw a bunch of kunai to the bear, defeating it.

After everything has finally synced into her mind, Karin cried and buried her head unto her brother's chest earning a laugh from the older Uchiha's.

"I never knew," Kakashi said, "until she left the village."

"Just like her. She denied it at first but when the village was attacked by Pein and couldn't sense your chakra, she began to realize how she felt."

"She told me that using her genjutsu. I thought I just heard it because I wanted to hear it, but it turns out to be real."

Kakashi closed his exposed eye and remembered everything he did together with Karin.

"Karin never wanted to hurt anybody," Shisui confessed, "but in order to protect, she has to fight back."

Shisui stood up and smiled at Kakashi, "she'll always love you, Hatake."

Kakashi left right after Shisui flickered his way out. As he walks back to his house, Kakashi bumped into Shikamaru.

"Kakashi,"

"Yo, Shikamaru."

"Did you just came from the cemetery?"

"Yeah, I just needed to talk to her. With the war that's coming."

"It'll be alright," Shikamaru smiled.

"How can it be alright if they made me the commander?" he sighed.

"If Karin is here, she would've kicked your butt for being lazy,"

Kakashi laughed, genuinely, "yeah, she would've."