Under the Gate by Moonlight | KakaObi

Part I

Obito was just 6 years old when he heard a flute playing by the lake one night.

Being a curious boy, Obito wanted to go towards the source of the alluring sound, but his grandmother pulled him away. She warned him not to go towards the lake at night. 

There were stories, you see. 

Around town, there were legends about the Torii gate on the lake being an entrance to another world– one similar to this one, but darker and more sharper around the edges. 

It is said that on certain nights, you can see shadows of figures wandering through the misty haze of the lake. Other legends speak of townsfolk who wandered too close and were never seen again. A few of them returned many years later, but they came back having gone insane or not remembering their own name.

So Obito learned to stay away from the lake when it was nighttime. He was a young and obedient grandchild, careful not to be a burden on his aging grandparents. But deep within his being, he felt drawn to the lake. The songs that played there on certain nights were strangely alluring. 

Although it seemed like he was the only one who could hear these songs. Maybe he already was going insane...

As Obito grew older, he started playing the flute on his own. The music by the lake had him possessed. He didn't know why, but he felt this strong need to play the flute so that he could replicate the strange melody. Or perhaps, it was the mysterious emotion conveyed through the melody that he couldn't shake off. 

He couldn't describe what the flute music made him feel. The songs always felt so sad and lonely, but at the same time yearning and bittersweet. And for some reason, it made him feel like a part of him that was missing was slowly being filled. He didn't know he was missing a part of himself until he heard those songs.

So he practiced everyday, memorizing the feel of the bamboo on his fingertips and the sharp yet bright sounds the flute whistled out as he breathed life into it. He grew comfortable playing the flute. It became his peace, his passion.

Obito was 10 years old when his little family started falling on hard times. He was raised by his grandparents, since his father and mother died so long ago. They were a small family of 3 with a little farm, but with every year, it got harder to keep up and maintain it. The amount of food produced and the money they had was quickly growing scarce. And his grandparents were getting older. Times were getting desperate and playing the flute felt frivolous. 

On one night of the full moon, Obito wandered over to the lake, crying softly to himself. He knew the lake was dangerous– he should know– but deep down in his heart, he never believed in the legends. He felt comforted by the lake; No way could such beautiful flute playing be evil. 

He sits down and leans up against the Torii gate, sobbing to himself. What am I going to do? Grandpa is getting old, and it's getting harder and harder to tend the farm. And Grandma is getting older too. I don't want to be alone... 

Obito hugs his knees and dips his head to muffle his cries. His body starts to shake and he lets out a soft wail.

“Ugh! Could you stop crying!? Geez you’re so loud…,” says a voice above him. 

Obito perks up. “Who...?" He looks around and gets up on his feet. "Who said that?” he calls.

He continues to look around, turning his head side to side, but sees no one. He's not surprised. He made sure no one was here before he sat down to cry. And the people in town know to stay away from the lake, especially during the night. So where did that voice come from? 

Obito scratches his head and pouts. I swear I heard a voice. It sounded like it came from… 

Slowly, as if by instinct, he looks up.