After Uchiha Madara's departure and his battle against the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, the clan had been relegated to the status of outcasts.
Persecution from the higher-ups had never ceased.
Being an Uchiha was enough to be discriminated against.
Until the arrival of the Yellow Flash, Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage and Kushina's lover.
If the child of the Fourth Hokage... and that of the Uchiha were to unite, it could resolve the clan's age-old problems.
Mikoto had also hoped things would go as Kushina had imagined.
That Naruto and Sako would grow up together, and then get married...
But everything collapsed during the Kyūbi Attack.
The Uchiha faced even harsher discrimination, and Mikoto eventually gave up on that dream.
And yet...
Fate had brought Sako and Naruto together.
Could it be Kushina's will from beyond the grave?
Carrying her groceries, Mikoto stood still, lost in thought.
Yet this seemingly mundane scene hadn't escaped a pair of watchful eyes.
Across the street, Hyūga Aoba and Hyūga Hinata were drawn to a display of sparkling jewelry.
The two girls, fascinated by the shiny objects, couldn't move.
While they were choosing, time passed.
Naruto, completely uninterested, glanced around... and eventually spotted Mikoto and Sako.
Unfortunately, Sako was going to come up empty-handed, as he wasn't home.
However... Sako's mother could be met instead.
Thus.
Without hesitation, Naruto began walking across the street.
Once he made it through the dense crowd, the two girls noticed his movement.
What they saw then... was Naruto about to help Mikoto.
"Ma'am, do you need help? You seem to be struggling with all those bags..."
Standing still with so many things to carry, it was normal to assume she was in trouble.
However, Mikoto was not a helpless civilian.
Before becoming a housewife, she had been a jōnin of the Uchiha clan.
Carrying a few bags was no problem for her.
What surprised her, though, was realizing that the one offering help was none other than... Naruto Uzumaki, Kushina's son!
Instinctively, Mikoto looked toward the end of the shopping street.
Her daughter's silhouette had already vanished into the crowd.
Apparently, Naruto was out shopping too today.
"What... a kind boy..." she murmured as she observed him.
His gesture gave her a good first impression.
As for his appearance...
His face resembled his mother's, and his hair had his father's color...
For his part, Naruto was waiting for her answer while also studying her.
Their first meeting had been almost a month ago.
At the time, Mikoto's appearance had left a mark on him.
Now, during this second meeting, he could better grasp the details.
Mikoto, despite having already had two children, showed no signs of aging.
Time had left no trace on her, and at the height of her beauty, she exuded an enchanting aura.
Different from Yūgao's youthful charm.
Also different from Hinata's teenage-to-adult transition.
Mikoto fully embodied the beauty of a mature young woman.
Her gentle eyes, highlighted by delicate eyebrows, radiated an elegant allure.
Raised in the traditions of a noble clan and endowed with the strength of a jōnin, her education and power gave her a dignity surpassing even that of Hyūga Tsukiyo.
With her red, luscious lips and radiant white skin... she was simply stunning.
And of course...
The most remarkable thing about Mikoto Uchiha was without a doubt...
— ...
Naruto's gaze slowly dropped... to the many bags Mikoto was holding.
And then, finally... to her generous curves.
Yes.
This was Sako's mother.
A beauty known throughout Konoha, even in the entire ninja world.
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern."
Mikoto gave a slight bow and offered Naruto a gentle smile.
"To love one is to love the other."
Because of her friendship with Kushina, she couldn't help but be more lenient toward Naruto.
And remembering the fact that he had lost his parents so young, her gaze grew even warmer.
"Ah, in that case, I won't bother you any longer. Goodbye, ma'am!"
Naruto scratched his head, his eyes squinting in a goofy smile, successfully fooling Mikoto's observation.
Then he disappeared into the crowd, heading in the opposite direction.
He quickly rejoined Hinata and Aoba.
Seeing this scene, Mikoto blinked, puzzled.
"Why is this boy hanging out with members of the Hyūga clan?"
And not just any members: the servant of the main family... and the eldest daughter of the clan head, Hiashi Hyūga!
Realizing the weight of the situation, Mikoto felt her heart stir.
Hinata and Aoba gave her a slight bow before walking away with Naruto.
Mikoto's lips tightened.
She watched them disappear into the crowd, then decided... to speak to her husband Fugaku about it later.