Swoosh swoosh!
Konoha's main gate.
Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane were busy registering trade caravans and ninjas.
Suddenly, Izumo Kamizuki looked towards the road outside the gate.
Thump, thump, thump!
Leading the group was a young man with a headband, a ponytail, and a sword on his back, accompanied by three teammates in Ninja vests.
They were approaching step by step.
Izumo Kamizuki nudged Kotetsu Hagane: "Hey, it's Hayama and Satoru. Those two rascals are actually on a mission together."
Kotetsu Hagane looked outside the gate upon hearing this, as his two former classmates slowly drew closer.
"Darn it, Hayama and Satoru can go on missions together, while we're still stuck playing gatekeepers. It's so unfair!"
He was a bit disheartened; they also wanted to go on missions.
...
"Hey, old friends, why are you playing gatekeepers again? Seriously, why is it never my turn?"
As the four approached, Satoru also saw his two old classmates performing their registration duties.
Hayama also nodded at them with a smile.
After registering the four, Izumo Kamizuki sighed: "Stop with the sarcastic remarks. I wish I could be like you, travelling all over the different countries!"
"I don't like travelling everywhere. Besides the Analysis Team's work, being a gatekeeper is already my dream."
Satoru scratched his head.
Why travel? He'd seen everything over the years, it was exhausting, and he couldn't see his wife.
Thinking of his wife, he was already a bit impatient.
"Brother."
Just then, a cute, spiky-haired child appeared, shouting happily at Uchiha Itachi.
Then he rushed over, taking small, quick steps.
Whoosh!
Just as he stepped on a small stone by the roadside, a look of panic appeared on the child's face. He was about to fall when Itachi suddenly appeared in front of him and caught him.
"Sasuke, don't be mischievous."
Uchiha Itachi picked up Sasuke, who was now smiling.
"He heard that today was the day you returned from guarding the border, so he came early to wait for you."
Behind Sasuke, Uchiha Mikoto watched the harmonious brothers, covering her mouth with a soft chuckle.
Then she looked at Hayama: "Thank you for taking care of him."
Hayama nodded: "No need, he's my teammate, not my apprentice, so there's no talk of taking care of him. Besides, he's very impressive, truly worthy of being the Uchiha's genius Ninja."
Sasuke, in Itachi's arms, heard someone praising his brother, and his adorable big eyes lit up with excitement.
"Brother is the best."
He waved his small hands.
"So cute."
Anko Mitarashi looked at the adorable Sasuke, smiling as she stepped forward to pinch his cheek.
Slap!
Sasuke slapped her hand away, then rested his head on Itachi's shoulder, staring at her without blinking.
Anko's face stiffened. She forced a smile and said: "I'm your brother's teammate, and I took good care of him on the mission, too. Can I pinch your cheek, please?"
Sasuke said nothing, burying his head deeper.
"Be good, play with Sister Anko."
Itachi said.
Sasuke: "No."
Anko: "..."
"Then can I hold you?"
Satoru looked at Sasuke, who was still about three years old at the time, his adorable big eyes so different from Orochimaru's father's.
He took out a long, thin bamboo strip and a reed from his embrace.
When Sasuke looked over, he quickly moved his hands up and down, and under Sasuke's curious gaze, a figurine slowly appeared.
Starting from the feet, then the ankles, waist, body... and finally the head.
A mini Q-version of Itachi appeared in his hand.
Sasuke looked at the figurine, which was identical to his brother, his eyes slightly widening.
"It's Brother."
"How about it, isn't it identical? As long as you play with me, this will be yours."
Satoru held up the small Itachi figurine, smiling at Sasuke.
You little rascal, I'll get you.
Anko watched, gnashing her teeth. That guy, darn it, she lost to him again!
No, when she had time, she had to learn some skills too.
"No way."
Just as Satoru felt his eager gaze and thought Sasuke was about to agree, Sasuke turned his head, rejecting his offer.
However, his eyes were still fixed on the small Itachi figurine.
...
"Heh, my resourceful teammate, you're not so good after all!"
Anko suddenly felt a surge of delight.
Her previous unhappiness vanished instantly.
It seemed there was no need to learn skills; saving money to buy three-colored dango would be better.
The onlookers watched and chuckled.
They never thought that someone from the Uchiha clan could be so adorable.
They were completely different from those in the Defence Force!
Itachi also showed a slight smile.
If the Uchiha could gradually integrate into Konoha, it could still be salvaged.
Just looking at Satoru, he knew that there were ninjas in the Village who held no ill will towards the Uchiha.
"Darn it, kid, I'm giving you face. You'll take it whether you want it or not. Is what I give you something you can refuse?"
Satoru lifted him out of Itachi's arms, grabbing his back, and dangled him in front of himself, stuffing the small Itachi figurine into his hand.
You little rascal,
Did you think you could escape my grasp?
Hmph, from now on, I can also boast that I'm the man who carried the Six Paths Sasuke.
Who else?
Satoru felt a little more satisfied with his sense of accomplishment.
That tsundere youth, that arrogant youth, that youth who liked to forcefully act cool...
At this moment,
He was like a puppet in his hands.
Indeed, it's best to hit people early and to play with people early.
When he grows up later, hehe...
Waaah~~
Sasuke looked at the bandaged face so close to him. After a moment's pause, he seemed to react, suddenly wailing loudly, tears streaming from his eyes, but he held the small Q-version Itachi figurine tightly in his hand.
The people nearby all looked at him speechlessly.
Seriously,
Did he have to tease the child?
Uchiha Mikoto looked a bit awkwardly, shouting in her heart: "Will this guy with his bad taste corrupt my little Itachi during the mission?"
Uchiha Itachi was even more speechless. He had already felt that this powerful teammate had a strange, mischievous streak, enjoying pranks on others. Now he was certain of his idea.
Satoru was just a person with a peculiar quirk.
"A man who inherits the Will of Fire having such a quirky, lifelike habit, should be normal... should be..."
Itachi could only think this in his heart.
Waaah~~
"Bad person."
Looking at Sasuke, who was clutching the small Itachi figurine tightly and wailing, and feeling the gazes of the people around him.
Satoru was expressionless and stuffed him back into Uchiha Itachi's arms.
"Alright, crybaby, go back to your brother's arms. My figurine is yours now."
Looking at the adorable Sasuke, Satoru's heart had already flown back home.
It had been over three months, and in seven more months, his baby would be born. It would be cuter than Sasuke.
Thinking about how Sasuke would grow up and that feeling of forcefully showing off in front of strong people, he felt that his child would surpass him.
"Brother."
Back in Itachi's arms, Sasuke tightly clutched his brother with his right hand and held the figurine with his left. The crying in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by happiness, and he looked at the small Itachi figurine in his hand with a snotty, joyful expression.