A large bang awoke Kakashi up from his dream. His bedding that he received from his sensei covered with cold sweat. He turned over to the window. The tree by his house making a strange scratching noise as it bump against the window. It was a stormy night. Nobody had expected it after a week of lazy sun and clouds. Spring brings unexpected weather an unholy cross between the freezing winter and the scorching summer. He can't understand why Gai of all people worships the season as so.

He slips off of his covers, his feet touching the cold wooden floor. Kakashi was living in his apartment that Minato-sensei helped him buy at the age of seven. Now working as a Chunin he was able to pay for rent on his own. It was a shinobi apartment that's for genin in the genin corps or for genin who want to live on their own. Although it was a government sponsored home it was pretty out of shape and very dirty. Kakashi vowes that after he made jonin to get out and rent a new place. 

The inside of the house was quiet as it always has been but the twelve year old can't help but reach for the Kunai under his pillow.

He was a shinobi after all. He must be prepare for anything at all time. He have no time to rest peacefully. 

Kakashi made his way to the main room which was a combination of a living room (which only contain a couch) and the kitchen (which was just as bare as the living room) he closed his eyes and concentrate on his surroundings just as his teacher taught him to.

A good shinobi should easily locate another sign of life. 

He then twist his arms and-

Klang!

The sound of two kunai clashing . Kakashi opened his eyes and make an expression that not even his mask could hide.

There was a boy right in front of him. He had sliver hair that stick up on the right side, he had a konoha jacket that was colored black by the night, the boy also had a mask that cover his mouth and nose leaving only his piece dull eyes to stare at him.

The boy was him.

The two jumped back Kunai facing each other ready for another attack. 

"Who are you?!" Kakashi demanded. Who was this boy? What is he doing in his apartment? 

Why does he look like him?

The other boy stared back pulling down the mask showing his face and smile and mouth two words slowly for Kakashi to read.

A good shinobi should never let their emotion get the best of them.

A good shinobi should never let a poor excuse get to their head.

A good shinobi should never freeze in battle.

Kakashi realize that he is not a good shinobi. He realize this as he lay on his floor a Kunai sticking out of his chest. He was breathing heave as if each and every breath was his last , it was.

The imposter was crouched beside him staring at his defeated body as if some sort of trophy. His mask still forgotten on the floor from their battle.

Could what happen can even be called a battle? No it was a homicide : a murder. 

Kakashi started back at the boy who went in the kitchen . He thought back to the words that was spoken to him.

I'm you.

And so Hatake Kakashi died quietly in his home with nobody not even his negihbor knowing he was killed in the middle of a stormy night.

--

A soft knock echo throughout the apartment.

"Kakashi ? Are you up already? We have to go to the academy to meet your new teammates." A voice called out from behind the front door. 

"Yes Sensei. I'm coming!" 

The doorknob squeaked as the door open. Minato smile seeing his student. "There you are Kakashi. Why does your house smell like bleach?"

Kakashi frowned as his face flushed slightly red like a child who was caught eating a cookie in the night. "One of my dogs had an accident during the storm. I spend most of the night trying to clean it up and get the smell off the floor."

It surely looked like Kakashi was cleaning. The bags under his eyes and his red knees shows that he was on his knees during the night.  "Why do we need new teammates anyway? We are fine this way." He complained. 

"It's Hokage-sama's wish."

Kakashi sigh as he left the house with his teacher.

Minato-sensei does not know. Kakashi would like to leave it that way especially for the sake of the grave with no name beside its father.