Chapter 23: They All Like Sweets (BONUS CHAPTER)
Konoha belongs to everyone, at least for now.
This place wasn't Uchiha Itachi's private property; of course, he couldn't drive Izumi away. Besides, they were clan members who knew each other...
"Huh? Is that the sweet shop on Central Street? Does Itachi like the sweets there too?" Uchiha Izumi spotted the food bag hooked on the crow's claw at a glance and said in surprise, "I often go there to buy Three-Color Dango too, but they're so hard to get..."
"Yes, their Three-Color Dango usually sell out in the afternoon..." Uchiha Itachi was well aware of the sweet shop's business situation.
The crow looked sullenly at the bag on its claw. It really gets everywhere... But, do you think this means you've found a common interest?
Little girl, a five-year-old's mind is still too naive...
"Caw?"
Kitahara knew Uchiha Itachi's obsession with sweets all too well; it had to offer a friendly reminder! At this time... what a man should do isn't idle chatter, but share the sweets in the bag with the little girl.
"Ah, is that so?" Uchiha Itachi's little face was instantly filled with conflict. He looked at Izumi somewhat awkwardly, "I didn't buy many Three-Color Dango... Izumi, do you like sticky rice dumplings?"
Uchiha Izumi: "..."
"Caw~" The crow chirped lightly.
Is that what a man should say? Because I didn't buy many Three-Color Dango, so you shouldn't fight me for them... Give up, little girl! This man who won't even share a skewer of dango with you... you deserve better in the future!
"...Hooo... Hooo..."
In the air, only Sasuke, snoring and blowing bubbles, remained, blissfully and ignorantly asleep in his brother's arms...
"The one in Itachi's arms, is it a younger sister?"
Uchiha Izumi wasn't the first to say this, and certainly not the last. These people's words didn't prove how pretty Sasuke was, only that he looked effeminate as a child...
Uchiha Itachi remained unfazed, patiently explaining. There was a hint of inexplicable pride when he introduced his younger brother, "He's my younger brother, his name is Sasuke..."
"Do you need me to help hold him for a while?" Izumi secretly bit her lip. The sight of the little boy carrying his younger brother with a sling was truly unbearable... It was like seeing your idol and sniffing his socks to judge if they could be worn again the next day...
"Sasuke just barely fell asleep..." Uchiha Itachi secretly glanced at Kitahara and continued, "...Let's forget it. If someone else holds him, he cries easily."
Cub, what do you mean?
Uchiha Izumi persisted, "...I'll be very gentle..."
Perhaps feeling that women had a natural advantage in this aspect and could easily gain a young child's trust, Itachi reluctantly unfastened the sling and handed his younger brother into Izumi's arms...
Then he picked up the food bag and took out a skewer of Three-Color Dango... This way... perhaps he wouldn't have to share with Izumi?
"...Waaah... Waaah..."
Sasuke, living up to expectations, started crying in the unfamiliar embrace. The expression on the little girl's face gradually became dazed... What the heck!
Uchiha Itachi quickly went over to soothe the child... But a crow landed in front of Sasuke faster than him, "Caw!"
"...Pff... Pff..."
"Caw!"
Damn you... Do you know anything other than spitting? Kitahara was furious.
Uchiha Itachi suddenly didn't want to take over anymore... Anyway, when Sasuke and Kitahara started bickering, they completely ignored his own situation, so it didn't matter whose arms Sasuke was in, right?
Izumi looked at the little boy's actions, her smile strangely contorting into something a bit ferocious, "Itachi, what should we do now? Give him back to you?"
"It's okay... When Sasuke gets tired of crying, he'll fall asleep..." The little boy glanced at the crow again and continued, "Or, when Kitahara gets hungry, it'll end."
"..."
This was likely their last visit here before moving. The Uchiha clan's new grounds would soon be completed, and winter was also approaching... After the New Year, both Uchiha Itachi and Izumi would reach the age for Ninja Academy enrollment.
"Itachi-kun, you'll definitely become a ninja in the future, right... Will you go to the Ninja Academy?" Uchiha Izumi fiddled with her small braid and said in a low voice, "You should be able to apply directly to become a Genin!"
The crow looked at Izumi as if looking at an idiot... Isn't that stating the obvious? He's already awakened the Sharingan; if he doesn't become a ninja, is he going to switch careers and become a chef?
Uchiha Itachi, however, answered seriously, "I'm not familiar with much of a ninja's knowledge. The courses at the Ninja Academy are a must-learn."
"Then next year, we should be able to meet at the Ninja Academy! Please take care of me... Itachi-kun... I'll become a ninja too!"
A gentle breeze blew, brushing past the little girl's long hair. A faint blush appeared on Izumi's face. She had gotten the information she wanted and said what she wanted to say.
Kitahara glanced at Izumi sitting there gently, then turned back to look at the little boy whose expression had changed slightly. It finally realized what was wrong...
Uchiha Itachi hadn't had much contact with females. Besides the irritable auntie Kushina Uzumaki who was prone to hitting people, there was only his gentle mother at home.
Therefore, he had immense tolerance for these females who were usually gentle as water but possessed a strong and resolute inner core... Izumi happened to fit that description perfectly...
"...I should go home..." After a moment of daze, Uchiha Itachi hurriedly picked up Sasuke and beckoned the crow to come up.
Uchiha Izumi for a moment, her expression gradually twisting, "...What kind of person..."
Kitahara stood on Itachi's shoulder, looking back at Izumi who still couldn't figure out the situation. This girl, in the future, isn't she going to be a dense, straightforward woman!
If the Uchiha clan's crisis is eliminated, won't the future be even more interesting?
It's still too early. I have to wait longer, at least until... Uchiha Itachi can awaken the three-tomoe or even the Mangekyo Sharingan! When he can realize that the relationship between the village and the clan is irreconcilable, then I'll start planning!
Kitahara remembered their lifeless state when they saw Kakashi Hatake today... That proved there was actually an excellent opportunity right now, to delay things a little...
"Caw..."
"Do you want to go out and play by yourself tomorrow? You can't run too far... No, I have to go home and ask Mom..."
The little boy clearly didn't dare to make a decision about the crow going out alone... But Kitahara didn't seem to intend to discuss it with him, someone who couldn't make the decision, "...Caw..."
"Impossible, Mom must be told about this... If she doesn't agree, I absolutely won't let you go out by yourself!" Uchiha Itachi shook his head stubbornly.
Kitahara remained silent for a moment, leaning weakly against him... You won't even provide cover. Cub, you're becoming more and more disappointing...
At dinnertime, upon learning Kitahara wanted to go out alone, Uchiha Mikoto thought for a moment. After asking about its itinerary, she surprisingly agreed very seriously.
When Fugaku heard about this, there was a look of disbelief in his eyes, "It's a crow! Why would it want to go out and play..."
"Now, Kitahara is a bird... It wants to go see the scenery too..." Uchiha Mikoto said with a bright smile, ladling a bowl of soup and placing it in front of Kitahara, "Besides, didn't it say it's only going out for one day?"
The crow looked at Uchiha Mikoto's smile and nodded vigorously, not daring to refute...
Fugaku sighed, "Indeed, we've all been very busy lately and haven't had a chance to take it out. Otherwise, I could ask someone in the Police Force..."
"The clan members will have strong opinions..."
"Can we entrust Shisui?" Uchiha Itachi, seeing his parents' troubled expressions, put down his chopsticks and raised his hand to speak.
Kitahara glared sullenly at the little boy. Can you not ruin my plans?
The next morning, there were two bento boxes on the table at home... and a genius Chunin waiting for the crow to wake up.
(End of this chapter)
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We've hit 100 Power Stones goal As promised This week, here's the bonus chapter. Thank you for your support—please keep it coming!