[Starting in Naruto with a Daily Login System] Chapter 36  Third-Wheeling and Fist-Throwing

I had barely recovered from my first Anbu mission (thanks, Taka), when Rin and Obito dragged me to our usual training spot.

I was already suspicious.

Obito looked way too smug. Rin was practically glowing.

Something was up.

I crossed my arms. “Alright, what’s going on?”

Obito puffed up his chest. “We have an announcement!”

I stared at him. “You’re pregnant?”

Rin choked.

Obito turned red. “NO!”

I smirked. “Then what’s the big news?”

Rin, still recovering, elbowed Obito. “Just say it already.”

Obito grinned and—holding Rin’s hand way too dramatically—declared, “We’re dating!”

…

I blinked.

Then blinked again.

Then, finally—“Oh, thank Kami, about time.”

Obito sputtered. “Wait, you’re not shocked?!”

“Obito, you’ve been in love with Rin since forever. And Rin, you’re literally the only person in existence who finds this idiot charming.” I shook my head. “Honestly, I was starting to think this was never gonna happen.”

Rin giggled. “So… you’re happy for us?”

“Of course,” I said easily. “Now I can finally stop hearing Obito whine about his tragic love story.”

Obito gasped. “I do NOT whine!”

Rin and I shared a look.

“You literally had a three-day sulk when Rin talked to another guy,” I pointed out.

“IT WAS GUY! HE'S MY RIVAL!”

“Still counts.”

Obito crossed his arms. “Tch. Whatever.”

Rin squeezed his hand. “We wanted you to be the first to know, Kakashi. You’re family to us.”

That made me pause.

Obito and Rin were the closest people I had. Minato-sensei was my mentor, but these two? They were my teammates. My best friends.

The closest thing I had to siblings.

So, I nodded. “Well then, I guess this means I have to be the responsible one now.”

Obito snorted. “You? Responsible?”

I smirked. “You’re right. That’s your job now, boyfriend.”

Obito groaned. “You’re never gonna let me live this down, are you?”

“Nope.”

And just like that, my best friends officially became Konoha’s most obvious couple.

Took them long enough.

—

It had been exactly three days since Obito and Rin started dating.

And I was already sick of it.

Seriously, I was happy for them, I really was. But did they have to be this disgustingly lovey-dovey all the time?

Like, I get it. You’re in love. Congratulations. Now can you please stop holding hands during training?

I was starting to think I was the third wheel in my own friend group.

Exhibit A:
 “Rin, do you need help with that jutsu?” Obito asked, all concerned boyfriend mode activated.

Rin smiled. “That would be great, Obito.”

Then they just grinned at each other like idiots for a solid ten seconds.

Exhibit B:
We were getting dango after training, and Rin fed Obito a piece. In public. In broad daylight. I nearly choked on my own skewer.

Exhibit C:
Obito, mid-mission, deflected a kunai—then turned to Rin and said, “I’d protect you anytime, my love.”

I wanted to throw myself off a cliff.

So, naturally, I did what any sane person would do.

I ran away.

And by “ran away,” I meant I went to find Guy.

—

“Ah-ha! Kakashi! I sensed your youthful approach!”

I sighed. “You were sitting here eating lunch, Guy.”

“Exactly! My youthful energy attracts those in need! Tell me, my eternal rival—what troubles you?”

I sat down across from him. “Obito and Rin are dating.”

Guy gasped. “Truly?! That is wonderful news!”

I sighed dramatically. “It was, until they started acting like they’re in a romance novel all the time.”

Guy nodded sagely. “Ah, young love! A most powerful force! But tell me, Kakashi—do you not yearn for such passion?”

I gave him a blank stare. “No.”

He smacked the table. “Then you must release your frustration through combat!”

“…You just want to spar, don’t you?”

Guy’s eyes burned with intensity. “YES!”

Ah, yes. Violence.

The perfect way to clear my mind.

Guy and I stood across from each other on the training field. He was practically vibrating with excitement, while I was just relieved to be away from the walking rom-com that was Obito and Rin.

“You seem especially focused today, Kakashi!” Guy declared, dropping into his stance. “Is this the power of your frustration?”

I cracked my knuckles. “Let’s call it… self-restraint.”

Because, honestly? If I didn’t hold back, Guy would be embedded into the ground within the first ten seconds.

I was Kage-level now.

Guy was getting there, but he wasn’t quite at the “I-can-take-on-a-country” tier yet.

So, in the interest of preserving our friendship, I had to nerf myself.

“Alright,” I said, slipping into a stance that looked casual but was secretly optimized to make this fight look even. “Let’s do this.”

With that, we launched at each other.

Guy moved fast, a blur of green and fists. To anyone else, he’d be terrifying. But for me? It was like watching someone on 1.5x speed instead of 10x speed.

I dodged his first strike with minimal effort and made sure my counter was just fast enough to seem fair. He blocked it, grinning.

“Your movements are even sharper than last time!” Guy said excitedly, throwing a rapid series of punches.

I dodged all of them by a hair, purely for the drama. “Oh, you know,” I muttered, ducking under a kick, “just trying to keep things interesting.”

I could end this fight at any moment.

I could blitz him with Raikiri.

I could overpower him with raw strength.

I could mentally break him by casually pulling out a bento from my storage belt and eating mid-fight.

But that would hurt his pride.

And I respected Guy too much to do that.

So instead, I let him push me back a little. Made it look like I was just barely keeping up. Let him feel the thrill of a fair fight.

Guy’s grin widened. “Oho! You’re going all out? THEN I SHALL MATCH YOUR SPIRIT!”

He surged forward, faster than before, and I pretended to struggle a bit more.

We fought like that for another ten minutes—me carefully curating the fight so Guy didn’t suspect anything.

Eventually, we both landed a hit at the same time—his fist to my ribs (which I allowed to land), my elbow to his gut (which I made sure wasn’t too hard).

We staggered back, panting—well, he was panting. I just pretended to breathe a little heavier.

Then, Guy laughed.

Not his usual over-the-top "HAHAHAHA!" but a quieter, knowing chuckle.

“Thank you, Kakashi.”

I blinked. “For what?”

He smiled, shaking his head. “For making this fight feel real.”

…Ah.

So he knew.

I should’ve guessed. Guy might be loud and ridiculous, but he wasn’t stupid. He had to know I was holding back.

Still, he appreciated it.

“You really are the greatest rival I could ask for!” he declared, suddenly fired up again. “To repay this honor, I shall—”

Oh no.

“—run around the village 100 times!”

Of course he would.

I sighed, already regretting my life choices. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Nonsense! Training is my way of expressing gratitude! NOW—” He pointed dramatically to the horizon. “I GO!”

And just like that, he took off, a green blur zipping away at inhuman speeds.

I watched him go, shaking my head.

“…I’m starting to think I’m the one enabling this.”

The next day, I woke up, got dressed, and prepared myself for another day of ninja nonsense.

Then I made the mistake of looking in the mirror.

And the man looking back at me?

Devastatingly handsome.

No, seriously. This wasn’t even me being cocky. This was objective reality.

My Six Eyes had fully integrated by now, and with them came a few unexpected side effects. My left eye had been restored—great. My vision was now so sharp I could probably count the individual grains of rice in a bowl from across the village—also great.

But the real problem?

I was too damn attractive now.

Like, absurdly so.

Think Gojo Satoru but better.

No, scratch that. Way better.

Gojo was an idiot. A handsome idiot, sure, but an idiot nonetheless.

I, on the other hand, was a refined, battle-hardened, terrifyingly competent ninja. A Jonin. A soon-to-be ANBU operative. I didn’t have time to be this beautiful.

It was distracting.

And I could already feel the consequences.

Yesterday, I caught someone staring at me in the market. Not just a casual glance—full-on, mouth-open, lost-in-thought staring. I thought I had something on my face, but no. It was just my face.

A few days ago, I passed by a group of kunoichi, and I swear one of them almost dropped her groceries.

Even Guy had been looking at me weirdly lately.

I sighed, rubbing my face. “This is a burden.”

And don’t even get me started on my hair.

It had somehow gotten fluffier, falling in perfect waves like I had a personal stylist following me around in secret. It had always been a little unruly, but now it was peak anime protagonist hair—all windswept and dramatic.

And the worst part?

I wasn’t even trying.

This was just my default now.

It was becoming a serious problem. Which is why I did something drastic.

I bought glasses.

Not because I needed them. My vision was already beyond perfect—but because I needed something to tone down my overwhelming presence.

Did they help? Slightly.

At the very least, they stopped people from fully combusting when I looked at them.

But even with the glasses, my Six Eyes were too sharp, too piercing. I still caught people staring, still heard the whispers.

I had a duty to Konoha.

And that duty was not to send half the village into a lovestruck daze just by existing.

With one last glance at the mirror, I sighed and turned away.

Being this handsome was truly a curse.