Raftra Kitchen was completely quiet that night. One by one, the hanging lamps inside the shop were switched off, chairs and tables were stacked neatly—signs that the place was ready to be left.
Only Raftra remained busy, making sure the door was locked tight. Kakashi stood not far away, leaning casually against the outer wall of the shop while he waited.
"All set," Raftra said after pulling the door closed and checking the lock twice. He glanced briefly at Kakashi, then gave his shoulder a light pat. "Let's go."
They walked down the village street, which was still somewhat lively despite the fall of night. A few townspeople passed by, vendors were closing their stalls, and several shinobi patrolled the area.
Raftra looked around for a moment, then opened the conversation.
"Today went well," he said with satisfaction. "On the first day we opened, customers kept coming. I didn't expect it to be this busy. Most of them were pleased with the food. If this pattern holds—or even improves—opening branches won't just be a dream anymore."
Kakashi glanced at him briefly, then looked forward again. "If you seriously want to expand, you'll need staff. Don't rely on yourself too much."
Raftra chuckled and stretched his arms, fatigue showed on his face.
"Employees? I know what you mean. But honestly, I'm not ready yet. That would be too soon."
He raised an eyebrow, mischief in his gaze. "Besides, I have you, right? Working the register is easier than being a ninja, isn't it?"
Kakashi regarded him with a lazy expression. "True. It's easier—almost boring compared to a mission. But I'll say it again: my role isn't to cook or take orders. I'm here to watch."
Raftra grinned. "Yes, yes, I know. But for now I have no staff, so I have to use every resource I have. Including you."
"So you're using me?" Kakashi said flatly.
"Not using—cooperating. Just for now."
"If the number of customers stabilizes, I'll hire properly. But I need time, I can't hire recklessly. If I choose the wrong people, it could backfire on the business."
Kakashi nodded briefly and offered no further comment. They walked in companionable silence for a few steps until Kakashi finally spoke. "At least you're realistic. But don't be greedy. You were overwhelmed today."
Raftra sighed and rubbed his shoulders. "Yeah, my whole body aches. Honestly, I want to lie down until morning. But I'm annoyed we had to turn customers away. It feels like a waste."
"There'll be tomorrow," Kakashi replied simply. "If you keep pushing yourself, you might get sick. That would be far worse."
Raftra scratched his head, looking awkward. "You're right… but still, losing customers is unpleasant. I hope tomorrow's better."
They continued their leisurely walk along Konoha's main road. Occasionally, villagers glanced their way, surprised to see Kakashi Hatake walking with a young man they had only recently come to know, but neither paid the stares much mind.
Conversation dwindled. Only the sound of their footsteps echoed in the night.
…
When they reached home, Raftra and Kakashi entered without much talk. They exchanged a brief look, then took turns bathing to wash off the day's grime.
There was no long conversation—only the short routines before they retreated to their rooms.
In his room, Raftra collapsed onto the bed. He lay flat, hands tucked beneath his head as a pillow, eyes fixed on the ceiling dimly lit by a small lamp in the corner.
The night was quiet, only crickets sounded outside.
But Raftra's mind was far from calm. Thoughts swirled uncontrollably.
He tried to close his eyes, but memories of his family came sharply into focus.
He remembered his mother's constant chatter, his father who—though reserved—was always there when needed, and his siblings who annoyed him yet whom he loved deeply.
Those things had once seemed ordinary. Now, far from them with no clear way back, every simple memory felt immensely precious.
In his heart he murmured, 'If only I had had time to say goodbye before all this happened… maybe I wouldn't feel this tightness inside.'
'At least they would know I left, not that I vanished. I don't even know whether they're looking for me now, or if they think I'm dead.'
The thought pressed on his chest. He knew he had only been pretending to be strong. In front of others he always spoke with confidence and logic, as though nothing could shake him.
But in truth, he was fragile. He had not been truly alright since he first set foot in this world.
He took a long breath and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to push the pain away. The more he tried, the clearer the build-up of mental fatigue became.
'Pretending to be fine in front of everyone is far more exhausting than the hard work in the kitchen or any danger I might face.'
'To be honest… there are times I wish I could simply disappear from this world. Gone, without having to think about anything.'
'Not the center of attention for the village's elites, not carrying the weight of grand plans I'm not even sure I can realize.'
He stared at the ceiling. His breathing was heavy despite lying down.
He realized that if he let himself sink deeper into these thoughts, he might break. Yet he also knew he couldn't show this to anyone—not to Kakashi, not to Naruto, and certainly not to Hiruzen or Tsunade.
Raftra let out a bitter, small chuckle. 'Funny… I'm so good at reading others, yet no one can really read me.'
'Or maybe they notice, but choose to stay silent because I cover it up so well?'
'I don't know. But if this keeps up, I'm not sure how long I'll hold on.'
He turned his face to the side and stared at the bare wall.
Silence.
There was no one he could talk to about this. Once again, he felt truly alone.
'Hopefully… tomorrow will feel better.'
…
Raftra closed his eyes, his breathing slowly evened out and his scattered thoughts faded. Consciousness blurred into darkness.
Shortly after he fell fully asleep, he suddenly woke—but the room before him was not the simple room he knew. This place was different, far from anything he had seen.
He stood in a large, orderly study that felt utterly foreign.
He turned his head and inspected every detail. The room was on an upper floor of a tall building—he couldn't tell which floor.
A large desk stood tidy with stacks of documents and writing tools. Shelves were filled with archives, and small cabinets lined the room. The space felt modern but not extravagant: there was still wood grain, modest pendant lamps, and decor that retained the village's character.
Raftra walked slowly to the big window. When he drew back the blind, his eyes widened.
From there he could see the whole of Konoha: busy streets, children running, rows of shops. Most striking was the Hokage monument in the distance, he could clearly make out the Fifth Hokage's face. The statue loomed, an unmistakable sign that time was much further along than his current reality.
Raftra drew a deep breath, trying to make sense of what was happening. He turned toward a large mirror standing to one side and froze when he saw his reflection.
The body before him was not his present self. He looked taller and broader-shouldered, his posture more erect, his face matured—his eyes carried an authority unlike the fifteen-year-old he knew.
He looked like someone who had been through much, someone who commanded.
In his mind he whispered, 'Is this… me in the future? Taller, more authoritative…'
'It's strange. But why does it feel plausible?'
'Does this relate to that vision I had before?'
'This feels like a dream, yet it's too vivid to be an ordinary dream.'
A knock came at the door. Reflexively his mouth moved. "Come in," Raftra said.
The door opened and Shizune entered carrying a thick stack of files. She bowed politely before speaking.
"Raftra-sama, here are the documents you requested last night."
Raftra was stunned. Shizune—clearly older than him—addressed him with full respect. Even more surprising was that a part of him felt this was natural, as if he had often received such treatment.
Before he could fully think, his mouth answered on its own: "Shizune—please, I've told you many times, don't call me that. Call me like before."
"It feels wrong to be called that by someone I've known for a long time."
Raftra didn't understand why he had said it. 'It feels like my actions weren't entirely under my control.'
Shizune smiled, then laughed softly with her hand over her mouth. "But your position is different now. I must observe proper etiquette, especially for official matters."
Raftra sighed and shook his head. "Stubborn, aren't you? No matter how many times I say I don't like it, you insist."
He accepted the documents Shizune handed him and opened the cover. The contents confused him thoroughly.
There were detailed reports on Raftra Industries—a vast business network that apparently stretched across several regions. Notes on clan organizations in Konoha appeared, complete with diagrams of political and financial ties.
There were long-term plans: infrastructure projects, cooperation with the Hokage, even ventures he could not begin to grasp.
He flipped rapidly through the pages, eyes focused but mind in turmoil.
'What is this? Raftra Industries? Clan organizations? Long-term projects with the Hokage?'
'So this dream… seems to continue from that vision I had.'
He closed the file with a grave expression, trying to calm himself—but the more he tried, the harder it became. This was no ordinary dream.
Too detailed, too real. He could feel the texture of the paper, hear Shizune's voice clearly, feel a breeze from the window, even smell the document's paper.
'If this is a dream… why does it feel like reality? And if it's real… does that mean I really will reach this point someday?'
Raftra still stood in the large study, thick documents in his hands. The harder he tried to focus, the blurrier his vision became.
'My sight… why?'
At first he assumed it was fatigue. But gradually his eyes could no longer focus. The room spun slowly, and the ticking of the clock on the wall grew unbearably loud.
He squeezed his eyes shut reflexively. When he opened them again, the room had changed.
Now he was on a fifth-floor balcony, the night air was cold against his face.
Below him, Konoha stretched out, lit by the glow of household lamps. People were still active, the night was not yet late.
He let out a short breath, trying to comprehend the sudden shift. 'What the—just a moment ago I was inside the study.'
A page turned beside him. He turned to see Tsunade sitting nearby, relaxed and leafing through a thick book.
Raftra glanced around. The balcony felt strange, and when he looked toward the Hokage monument, he realized something: there was no statue of Tsunade there. That meant the era he now saw was earlier, Tsunade had not yet been made Hokage.
Tsunade closed her book and asked in a serious tone, "Raftra… why aren't you in this drawing?"
Raftra frowned and looked at the book in her hands. His eyes widened slightly when he saw an illustration.
In it, Naruto was depicted as the Seventh Hokage—grown, wearing a robe patterned with flames. He stood surrounded by friends, students, and allies.
A few faces he recognized: Kakashi, Shizune, Guy, even Tsunade herself. But, as Tsunade had noted, Raftra was not in the picture.
Tsunade gazed at the image for a long moment, then continued.
"In the drawing you made, many people I know are here. There are also unfamiliar faces. Yes… I am here," she said, pointing at the page.
"But you? The person who is always at Naruto's side… isn't here. Why, Raftra?"
Silence fell. Raftra looked at the illustration with empty eyes, his finger tapping the arm of the chair. He seemed to want to speak but held back.
After several seconds he finally found his voice, quiet but steady. "…Because in that imagination, I'm not there."
Tsunade cocked her head, eyes narrowed in judgment. "Not there? Explain in more detail."
Raftra exhaled, staring back at the picture.
"This picture is an imagination of a world without me. A world that proceeds as it should. Naruto grows up without me, becomes a great ninja, becomes Hokage, supported by those close to him. Everything goes as normal."
"And me? I never came to Konoha. I never opened a shop, never built a large business, never met any of you—basically I never interfered."
He paused, face calm but with pain behind his eyes.
"That's why I'm not in it. Because essentially… I'm not part of all this. So naturally I wouldn't appear in that imagined drawing."
Tsunade leaned back, expression steady. She did not rush to contradict, she watched how Raftra spoke. But it was clear she disliked his answer.
Raftra continued. "You see, everyone is in that drawing. Kakashi is there, you are there, Shizune is there—even faces you don't yet know."
"But me? No. Because this world does not need me to continue. From the start, perhaps that's how it should be, since I'm not originally from this village."
Those words deepened the silence on the balcony. Only the distant chirp of nocturnal insects reached them. Village sounds were faint now.
Finally Tsunade spoke, her tone tinged with anger—not at Raftra, but at his answer.
"You talk as if you're merely a passenger in this village. But in reality… many things have changed since you arrived. Don't pretend you don't know."
"And you… you are important to this village, so don't ever think otherwise."
Raftra glanced briefly, then looked out at the Hokage monument once more.
"Perhaps some things did change. But I remain aware of my limits. In the end… I'm not a part of all this."
"And of course… this is only an imagination I drew, so don't take it too seriously."
Tsunade looked at him with pity, she could sense the sorrow Raftra tried to hide. "Raftra… do you feel you don't deserve to be in Konoha?"
That question slapped him across the face. Raftra turned and met Tsunade's gaze for a moment, but his eyes were hollow, as if unsure how to react.
A few seconds of silence.
Raftra's hands trembled, his mouth opened but no sound came out.
Silence.
Tsunade repeated the question more softly this time, "Raftra… do you feel—"
He cut her off quickly, voice a bit too loud. "No. I don't feel lonely or anything like that. The drawing was just imagination, it has nothing to do with me. Don't misunderstand, Tsunade."
The words slipped out faster than thought. Raftra even startled at his own tone.
Inwardly he wondered, 'Why did I answer like that? I hadn't even planned those words.'
'This dream is strange—what is it trying to show me?'
Raftra watched Tsunade. Her face seemed calm, though her eyes pierced through his excuses.
'Does she believe me? Or does she become more suspicious?'
He leaned back in the chair, trying to appear relaxed, but his heart pounded.
'Why does a simple question make me so defensive? What happened in the future that made me imagine this?'
Suddenly his vision blurred again. It started faintly, then within seconds went completely dark. He could see nothing—only a blackness that made his head ache.
When his eyelids opened again, a familiar voice reached his ears.
"Raftra… wake up." It was Kakashi.
"Hey, Raftra." Kakashi tried to shake him gently.
Raftra opened his eyes slowly. His vision returned to the familiar ceiling of his simple bedroom. Kakashi sat beside the bed with his usual flat expression.
Raftra's body was soaked in sweat. His breathing was ragged, he sat bolt upright, clutching his head which throbbed as if pierced by needles.
"Calm down," Kakashi said, leaning in slightly.
"You look a mess. Did you just have a nightmare?" he asked, nodding toward a glass in case Raftra wanted a drink.
Raftra lifted his head and stared at Kakashi with tired, reddened eyes. He answered in a small voice, "I think so… a nightmare."
But inside he lied. 'Not a nightmare… it was a dream of the future. Something I couldn't understand, but it felt real. Too real to be an ordinary dream.'
He steadied his still-uneven breath and tried to regain composure.
Kakashi watched him, then patted his shoulder—a light, supportive gesture.
"I understand how it feels. I have nightmares too… they come from the traumas I've been through." Kakashi's tone was calm, as if speaking without burden.
"If something's wrong, talk. Don't keep it to yourself. I'll help if you need it."
Raftra studied Kakashi for a long moment. The ninja's face remained impassive, but strangely the words sounded sincere.
In his mind Raftra thought, 'He doesn't know that what I experienced wasn't a nightmare. If I tell him the truth, it will only complicate things.'
'Better let him think it was just a bad dream.'
Raftra drew a long breath, forcing his body to calm. "…Thank you, Kakashi-san."
Kakashi nodded and did not press further. 'What kind of dream did he have to react like that?' he wondered.
Raftra simply stared ahead, his thoughts tangled. 'If that dream truly is a glimpse of the future… then I might hold a major position in this village, as in that vision.'
'But why does it feel more like a burden than an honor?'
'I don't know… there's no clear answer.'