After a long silence, Kakashi spoke again.
"Sorry… the one who severely injured you with Wood Release back then… that was Obito, wasn't it?"
The "severe injury" had only happened that one time. Konan smiled and nodded.
"Yes. No wonder your eyes seemed so familiar back then… who would have thought they were a pair?" She sighed slightly, then smiled again.
"Kakashi, the past is the past. Let it go. Why not live in the moment?"
All those years of imprisonment, all the suffering endured—Konan dismissed it with a single phrase. Kakashi didn't know whether to admire her magnanimity or call her sanctimonious. He knew little of her as a person; all his knowledge came from others and what she had done. Yet here she was, comforting an "enemy."
From Konoha's perspective, Konan was terrifying. From Kakashi's, as someone on a different side, he didn't know how to judge her.
After a long pause, Kakashi sighed and shook his head.
"If I could… I never want to be your enemy."
Konan smiled, saying nothing.
"But you can rest assured. I have no intention of reporting the information here to Konoha. I may belong to Konoha, but you're right—not everyone gets a second chance at life. I owe Konoha a clear conscience, yet I owe Obito more than I can repay. I will live properly. Pain saved me; I want to repay him in some way. If you need me, just ask. But I am still a ninja of Konoha. I cannot betray them."
Her stance was firm. Konan smiled and nodded.
"In that case, I won't be polite. There's a public librarian going on maternity leave. Since you're healthy, you can temporarily cover for her."
Kakashi froze, clearly surprised. Konan understood immediately and teased lightly:
"What's the matter? Don't want to do it?"
"N-no, it's not that."
He shook his head. His life as a ninja had made him an elite in Konoha, a valuable resource anywhere. As the famed Copy Ninja, he was a living ninjutsu encyclopedia. He had already prepared to serve Amegakure if necessary. But being asked to work in a public library—this was a retirement lifestyle.
"Like I said, Pain expects nothing from you."
Kakashi felt immense gratitude. Before he could speak, the Fifth Kazekage appeared outside the pavilion, interrupting the conversation. Konan glanced at Gaara, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice, and laughed softly.
"Still not giving up, Fifth Kazekage?"
"Of course."
Gaara stepped into the pavilion, his gaze moving from the supposedly dead Kakashi to Konan.
"If I remember correctly, Kakashi Hatake of Konoha was already dead. Seems that rumor wasn't true after all."
Kakashi shook his head.
"Well… it's not exactly a rumor. Konoha's Kakashi really did die."
Alive yet called dead—a complicated story. Gaara could guess part of it. For Amegakure, this was crucial intel, but in the present moment, whether Kakashi lived or died didn't matter. Gaara had more pressing concerns. He turned his attention back to Konan, greeting her politely.
"You must be Konan. I've heard of you."
Konan smiled, replying without ceremony.
"Did the One-Tail tell you?"
Gaara neither confirmed nor denied and sat on a stone bench, cutting straight to the point.
"The Five Kage Summit is imminent. You've detained me here—aren't you afraid the Five Nations will invade Amegakure?"
Konan shook her head with a smile.
"Detained? If I had truly detained you, you wouldn't be here right now."
Gaara admitted his wording wasn't perfect, but the effect was clear. He couldn't leave without encountering Akatsuki members—"detained" wasn't an exaggeration. Face aside, he accepted defeat at their hands, but he could not miss the Summit.
"I won't argue over words. The Summit, initiated by the Sixth Hokage, targets you Akatsuki. The other Kage attend because of the tailed beasts. Revealing details prematurely might have left some chance for negotiation. You brought me as a hostage for Shuren's safety—I understand. But delaying me here serves no purpose and only causes harm."
Gaara spoke sincerely, with all the effort of a Kage.
But…
He was still too young, thinking explanation might work. Konan's curiosity grew—how had he truly secured his Kage position?
"How did you learn about the tailed beasts' exile?"
"Naturally…"
Before he could finish, Konan rose and bowed slightly.
"Understood, but remember: benefit or harm is decided by Lord Pain. Your words don't count."
With that, the figure in red and black approached—the angel herself, arriving just in time. A few steps brought her to the pavilion. Her hand rested on her lover's shoulder, and she looked at Kakashi with obvious joy.
"Oh! You've been discharged. Are you feeling better?"
Kakashi, taken aback by this angel, nodded respectfully.
"Yes… thank you for your concern. Sorry for troubling you."
Konan waved him off.
"No trouble at all. Your life is precious—you'd better take care of it, or I won't forgive you first!"
Mostly teasing, Konan glanced at the angel leaning against her and chuckled.
"I just finished saying that to him, and now you're saying it too? Coming back so early and skipping work… are you trying to annoy Shigure?"
"Konan, you're getting more annoying," came the playful complaint.
"Oh? You only say I'm annoying now? When I protected you from Shigure, didn't you complain then?"
"Alright, alright, I'm wrong. Stop nagging… what's for dinner? I'm hungry."
"Eat what you want. Let's go home."
Hands clasped, smiles shared. The angel's joy was evident. But Gaara could no longer stay calm.
"Wait! Angel! Aren't you worried the Five Nations might attack?!"
The step forward paused. The angel looked at him, smiling, eyes full of delight.
"Fifth Kazekage, do you want me to beg them to stop?"
"Not beg. Just explain sincerely that exiling the tailed beasts was unavoidable. I believe not everyone in this world is unjust."
"Haha, explain? Explain how Konoha strengthens kekkei genkai? Or that the Otsutsuki clan's power is beyond human use? Fifth Kazekage, are you naive? Do you not know why the Four-Tails Son and Five-Tails Kokuo appear here?"
"That doesn't mean everyone behaves that way," Gaara argued.
"To my knowledge, the Two-Tails, Six-Tails, Seven-Tails, Eight-Tails, and Nine-Tails are safe. Things aren't hopeless. Keeping me here only makes matters worse. Step back, and all can be well."
Konan shook her head, taking the angel along, her voice carrying lightly:
"It's not about all being well—it's about you being safe."
...
The complete fanfic (Chapter 261) is already available on P@treon(.)com/Crimson_Lore