The yakiniku restaurant in Konoha buzzed with noise and smoke, the grill crackling as meat sizzled over open flames.
Asuma's small circle sat together, their body language obvious. The looks they threw Yoru carried a single, unspoken message: You climbed up on connections.
Yoru didn't react. He tapped the table lightly, smiling in a way that never quite reached his eyes.
"Guy likes to say effort can catch up to talent," Yoru said calmly. "I've never disagreed. But there are things effort alone can't bridge."
For a split second, a faint red gleam flashed in his eyes.
Asuma noticed and scoffed, shrugging it off as if to say this wasn't worth arguing about at a reunion.
Kotetsu, Izumo, and Ebisu weren't so relaxed. The glimpse of the Sharingan hit them harder than words ever could. It wasn't arrogance. It was a reminder. No matter how hard they worked, some doors were never meant to open for them.
"Guy, everyone's here. Let's get the food started," Kurenai said smoothly, cutting through the tension with a light smile.
Guy caught the hint immediately. He laughed, loud and carefree.
"Kakashi and I were late, so this one's on us!"
Just like that, the atmosphere loosened. Plates arrived, meat hit the grills, and conversation slowly found its way back. Laughter followed, cautious but real.
Yoru chatted easily, yet his attention drifted to Kakashi. This gathering felt less like nostalgia and more like an intervention. Guy's eyes never left his friend, worry shining through every exaggerated grin.
"Hey, Kakashi," Guy said suddenly, pointing with his chopsticks. "Yoru's the second jōnin from our class after you. He's even awakened the Sharingan. So who do you think is stronger?"
The table froze.
Kurenai pressed her fingers to her temple. Of all the things you could say…
Anko jumped in quickly, chin raised. "Orochimaru trained Yoru personally. Don't act like his strength is inflated."
Asuma snorted. "Congrats on the two-tomoe Sharingan, Yoru. Seriously."
The smile on his face didn't reach his eyes. Everyone knew what he meant. Kakashi's Sharingan already had three tomoe.
Yoru waved it off. "You're too kind, Asuma. I just live up to the Uchiha name. Same way you inherited the Third Hokage's smoking habit."
Anko burst out laughing. "Wait, seriously. When did you even start smoking, Asuma?"
The jab landed cleanly.
The laughter felt lighter, but something underneath had shifted. This wasn't the academy anymore. Everyone had affiliations now. Loyalties. Shadows behind their names. Even a gathering of nine reflected the village's political fault lines.
Guy tried again.
"Kakashi! Let's settle this the manly way. Eating contest!"
"…Fine," Kakashi replied.
He didn't sound competitive. He sounded tired.
Guy tore into his food with explosive enthusiasm. Kakashi lifted his mask slightly and ate slowly, methodically, eyes downcast. No spark. No interest. Just motion.
It was unsettling.
A shinobi who didn't value his own life was as dangerous as one who didn't value others'.
"Your Sharingan treating you well?" Yoru asked lightly.
His own eyes flickered red for an instant. In that moment, he saw Kakashi clearly.
Asuma clicked his tongue. "Kakashi made jōnin at twelve and created Chidori himself. Not everyone needs to borrow from others."
The provocation was blatant.
Kakashi's hand twitched toward his eye, then stopped. He lowered his gaze again.
"It works fine," he said flatly.
Yoru shook his head. "The Sharingan isn't easy to control."
Guy misread the moment, laughing nervously. "Don't worry, Yoru. Kakashi's carrying Obito's will. He won't waste that eye."
Yoru smiled faintly. "You misunderstand. The Uchiha don't take back what they've acknowledged. I was just speaking as a classmate."
No one replied.
The grills crackled. Meat burned slightly at the edges. And the reunion, once warm with memory, now carried a quiet bitterness no one could quite ignore.