Grabbing his backpack, Hitoshi shifted, his body aching. "Damn it, sensei. Why do you always hit so hard?" He took some ointment from his backpack and applied it to his back. Thanks to his access to advanced medical books, he had learned to formulate various ointments for different ailments. His level of medicine was considerably high.
The children ran out of the classroom, leaving the room almost empty. When he finished applying the ointment, Hitoshi noticed someone still in the room. Mikoto was still sitting. Perhaps she wanted to talk to him about the rumors that had spread the day before—rumors that were born because of him.
The girl stood up just as he finished. Her presence radiated nobility, and her eyes reflected a firm determination. Yesterday, she had spoken with her father about the derogatory comments that arose simply from being near someone.
Mikoto entered her father's office. Unlike other days, the place wasn't so messy, although papers and maps continued to pile up on the desk. The man watched her closely. This time, she hadn't come of her own free will; her father had called her. With his fingers interlaced and a serious look on his face, the clan leader let the silence bother his eldest daughter.
"Genjutsu on a civilian boy..."
With those words, Mikoto immediately understood the reason for the conversation. She straightened her posture, ready to wait until her father finished so she could defend herself.
"And to be more precise, the Fukui boy you told me about... You were bold, my child." He shifted in his chair, noticing the slight trembling in the girl. But Mikoto remained firm, hiding any hint of weakness. "It's surprising how quickly rumors travel in this village. Even in an academy where the education of the students should be safeguarded, the most sensitive information seems to slip through the net easily." His cold, calculating tone left no room for interpretation.
"You're not in trouble, Mikoto." His words eased the young woman's tension slightly. "I spoke with some older students and pieced together the true story. I must admit, that boy had quite the courage to approach the Uchihas. However, now his name is echoing throughout the village. Someone who was once a complete unknown is now the object of attention. If you notice him starting to slip up or avoid you, don't be disappointed. He's smart, and his only option will be to become invisible again."
As her father spoke, Mikoto's confidence crumbled. Guilt and sadness began to take hold of her. The man raised an eyebrow at the change in his daughter and sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Unbelievable..." she thought.
"My recommendation is simple: apologize and don't associate with him again. You're putting a target on his back. But tell me, what do you think?"
"Father, it was never my intention to cause this. He just came over, we had lunch together, talked a bit, and then went to class. It was the other children who started the rumors."
Her father gave a light laugh.
"Children only reflect their parents' prejudices. To them, the Uchiha will always be inherently dangerous."
He sighed, visibly tired.
"I understand, Father. I'll speak with him tomorrow. I'll tell him I won't associate with him again. Your advice is valuable, and I'll follow it."
The clan leader didn't respond. He just listened. Mikoto, for her part, allowed her emotions to seep through, though her noble bearing remained intact.
"May I leave?"
Her father gave her one last look and returned to her documents. Without further ado, Mikoto left the office.
Her walk through the halls of the home was slow, almost wandering. When she reached the courtyard, she sat under the shade of a tree. Her mind was filled with dark thoughts and unanswered questions.
"Why do the Uchihas have this reputation?" She clenched her fists helplessly. "Could what sensei told Hitoshi-san be true? That Sandaime-sama is responsible for the fall of the Senju and the marginalization of the Uchihas?"
She remembered the time she had followed Hitoshi, intrigued to know what he would do after exposing his training grounds. Hidden away, she saw him with his teacher. She heard things she perhaps shouldn't have heard. But that information, although dangerous, had revealed important truths to her.
Without realizing it, her mother had sat down next to her. She said nothing, just pulled her onto her lap and hugged her. Mikoto, surprised, didn't resist. Perhaps that was what she needed. After so much stress, a mother's hug was an unexpected relief.
She didn't know when she fell asleep, but her mother's warmth enveloped her completely.
In the distance, her father appeared in the doorway. He watched the scene in silence. Without a word, he returned to his office. The mother, for her part, hugged her daughter even closer, as if with that hug she could protect her from all the weight she was carrying.
Mikoto woke up in her room, the morning light filtering through the window. Her mind was still clouded with thoughts from the previous night as she replayed over and over how she would break the news to Hitoshi. She had to tell him they couldn't keep seeing each other—to protect him. She had even considered acting cold or dismissive, but she knew behaving that way would only reinforce the prejudices against the Uchihas.
She got up and, after getting ready, walked with determined steps. But just as she was about to speak, her vision was suddenly filled with a lunchbox.
"I noticed you liked the onigiri I made yesterday, so I prepared some more." Hitoshi's youthful and energetic voice echoed in her ears.
Mikoto, surprised, opened her mouth to respond, but he didn't give her the chance.
"I know a place where we can eat without so many prying eyes. Those rumors are so ridiculous—I couldn't believe them."
Another light laugh escaped Hitoshi as he finally lowered the lunchbox, revealing a friendly smile. Mikoto, unable to process it all, could only nod. She had spent so much time thinking about how to push him away, and yet here he was, as if none of it mattered. His brown eyes looked at her without malice or ulterior motives.
"Do you know the Transformation Jutsu?" Hitoshi asked in a conspiratorial tone. "That way, we can avoid curious looks. Once we get there, we'll deactivate it and be at ease. No one usually goes there."
Without waiting for a response, he formed the hand signs and took on the appearance of an older student, keeping only his signature backpack. Though transforming into someone else wasn't entirely ethical, Mikoto didn't object. With a slight smile, she performed the jutsu and turned into a girl from another class.
Hitoshi winked at her and began leading the way through the academy. They walked like any other pair of students, not attracting curious stares or malicious whispers. For Mikoto, that sense of normalcy felt strange. She had been sure that Hitoshi would ignore or avoid her, and yet here he was, laughing and acting as if nothing had happened. For a moment, she set aside her noble and distant demeanor and allowed herself to just be another child.
When they reached a rarely used door, Hitoshi glanced around with exaggerated caution, as if about to commit some grand mischief. His clumsiness made Mikoto chuckle softly—something he noticed with satisfaction.
"All clear, no one saw us."
They stepped onto the rooftop, where a light breeze accompanied the vast view of the academy. The clear sky and the tranquility of the space seemed to offer them a brief respite. Hitoshi closed the door behind them and led her to a comfortable spot to sit. There were no words, but also no discomfort—just two children sharing a moment.
"This time, I tried a new recipe. Let me know what you think." Hitoshi opened the lunchbox and offered her a couple of onigiri. Mikoto accepted them with a faint smile.
The atmosphere was different. There was no trace of nobility or formalities—just two friends sharing a meal. The view from the rooftop was stunning, but at that moment, it didn't seem nearly as important.
After a few bites, Hitoshi broke the silence.
"When you came up to me… were you going to say something?"
He knew. He had sensed what she had meant to tell him. That's why he had acted first—trying to hold onto their small friendship before Mikoto could tear it away with painful words.
"Oh, about that…" The confidence Mikoto had displayed earlier crumbled. Her gaze wavered, looking anywhere but into Hitoshi's brown eyes. "I just wanted to invite you to eat something…" she lied.
Why did she lie? Even she didn't know. Maybe the mere thought of losing him was enough to twist the truth.
"What a coincidence!" Hitoshi laughed. He knew it was a lie, but he didn't mind. Accepting that lie was easier than facing an uncomfortable truth.
"Then tomorrow, you have to bring something to share. I already made onigiri."
"That's not fair, you know how to cook."
"Are you telling me the Uchiha prodigy doesn't know how to cook?" Hitoshi teased with a playful smirk, earning a light punch on the arm.
"Says the guy who's barely in the middle of the class ranking!" Mikoto shot back with a small laugh.
"Well played, well played." Hitoshi grinned as he finished his onigiri. "But that doesn't get you off the hook. We'll split the food. Deal?"
Reluctantly, Mikoto shook his hand.
"Perfect. By the way, I love meat and salmon. What about you?"
The conversation flowed naturally. They talked like any pair of children, without the weight of their names or the expectations that surrounded them. The difference in power and status faded away. All that remained was the sound of their laughter and the wind brushing against the rooftop.
But all things must come to an end. The bell rang, signaling the return to class, and both of them, with slight reluctance, gathered their things.
"Transformation Jutsu again."
"Of course."
Without another word, they returned to their disguised appearances and walked down the halls as if they had never shared that moment.
Despite not looking at each other or exchanging words, rumors quickly began to spread.
"Apparently, Uchiha-san lifted the genjutsu from Takeo-kun. They don't even look at each other. That proves he was forced to talk to her. Damn Uchihas."
The words were whispered but impossible to ignore. Both of them frowned, each in their seat.
"We need a Fourth Hokage, someone serious and firm. It could be me, but I don't think a friend of an Uchiha would make a good candidate."
The voices faded into the general murmurs of the class, but the words lingered. It wasn't the first time Mikoto had heard something like that, and she knew it wouldn't be the last.
Even so, for now, she had something more important to think about—what to prepare for lunch tomorrow.
The sensei arrived, and with his presence, everyone fell silent and focused on the lesson.
Hours later, Hitoshi was sparring with his teacher.
He dodged a strike aimed at his head, quickly lowered himself to the ground, and prepared his legs to launch a kick at the opening his sensei had left. But at the last moment, he decided to redirect his attack to his opponent's chest, using it as leverage to propel himself away. That's when he noticed the glint of a hidden kunai under the teacher's clothing, aimed directly at his foot.
"Your reflexes have improved. A few weeks ago, you would have been caught by this kunai." The sensei twirled the weapon between his fingers with a slight smile. "I could read the fight. I knew you wouldn't leave such an obvious opening."
Returning to his combat stance, the teacher continued, "Very good, but don't get too used to my style. Many adapt their counterattacks. For example, when you pushed off my body, I could have reacted sooner, grabbed you, and broken your leg. Don't assume others won't respond quickly. Some shinobi have exceptionally trained mental and physical control."
Hitoshi nodded, pulled out two kunai, and threw them straight at his teacher while advancing to continue the fight.
"Wasting ninja tools that could be useful against other enemies." The sensei raised his kunai to deflect one of the projectiles and, in the process, cut the hidden ninja wire connecting them. "You must consider light and shadows. Remember, there's a clan specialized in using them, and many shinobi train specifically to face them."
Though Hitoshi didn't manage to surprise him, he didn't stop his charge. He prepared a direct strike but was met with a kick. Quickly, he regained his balance, pulled out another kunai, and aimed it at his teacher's neck. But in the blink of an eye, the figure exploded into a cloud of smoke.
Without hesitation, Hitoshi turned his head, scanning his surroundings.
"Above, right, left, behind..." His mind analyzed every direction with no success. Until something clicked.
"Below!"
He jumped at the last moment and threw a kunai at the ground. Instantly, two arms emerged from the earth but vanished in another puff of smoke upon being struck. Hitoshi smirked slightly, thinking he had outmaneuvered the trap. But in the next instant, a kick sent him crashing down.
"A small victory doesn't mean you can lower your guard." His sensei's voice resonated as he stood over him.
"But I checked the area carefully. You weren't nearby." Hitoshi's voice carried both pain and confusion.
"It seems I have a student with exceptional talent." The teacher let out a chuckle, clearly pleased with his discovery. "You're a chakra sensor. You do it unconsciously. When I hid my chakra, I disappeared completely from your perception."
He extended a hand to help him up.
"And how do I train that?" Hitoshi asked, rubbing his side.
"That's what I like about you. You're not surprised by what you are—you just think about how to improve." He ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. "I know an old Yamanaka friend. I'll ask for some advice so you can develop your ability. Give me a month to gather useful information. For now, meditate. That's the basic recommendation. Try to expand your chakra perception as far as possible. It'll be difficult, but I'll give you all the details later."
He returned to his combat stance. "Now, position. From today on, your training will be even harder."
Despite his exhaustion, Hitoshi nodded and prepared to continue.
By the end of the session, both were sitting on the ground. His sensei took a sip of water before breaking the silence.
"And how's the Uchiha girl situation going?"
"I think it's going well. I've never had a friend before, so I guess I'm doing okay." Hitoshi answered while applying ointments to his sore spots. Now that his ability had been discovered, the training had become brutal. Keeping up was a constant challenge.
"Wow, and here I thought you'd be good at everything." The teacher laughed, ruffling his hair again.
"I try, but it's complicated." Hitoshi smiled. "I'm only human. Besides, Mikoto is nice. I get along with her."
His sensei nodded in silence. His gaze drifted momentarily to the dark sky above the village.
"When I was your age, I had several friends. Many died, and those who survived left the shinobi world. They're merchants now, living peacefully. Sometimes we meet up, but..." His voice trailed off. "I guess it's normal when you have a killer in your home."
They both remained silent.
"Sensei, have you ever thought about settling down?" Hitoshi asked with some curiosity, trying to steer the conversation away from its melancholic tone.
"Good question." The man gave a faint smile. "Many of us don't live long enough to do so. Settling down at this age would be ideal, but I don't think I'm the type to seek companionship. Maybe if I reach thirty, I'll consider it. But for now, no."
"And you?"
"Me?" Hitoshi tilted his head. "I don't know. The heart is an unknown path. Many have tried to understand it and failed. If I ever fall in love, it'll be when I least expect it. If it never happens, then maybe I'm just not meant for it."
His voice was calm, with no trace of anguish or urgency. His teacher raised an eyebrow, surprised by the response, but said nothing.
"Maybe you're right..." the man murmured, letting the starry sky handle the rest of the conversation.