"I'm back."
At night, Itachi returned home under the moonlight. Noticing that Sasuke wasn't in the house, he looked slightly puzzled. "Where did Sasuke go?!"
"He's in his room. He ran straight in after getting home and hasn't come out yet!" Fugaku sat at the head of the table, watching his overly composed eldest son with a faint sigh. He blamed himself for piling so much pressure on the kid's shoulders.
"Itachi, go call Sasuke. Dinner's ready!" Mikoto walked out from the kitchen carrying dishes, giving instructions to Itachi.
"Okay." Itachi nodded, heading toward Sasuke's bedroom, intending to apologize for leaving him waiting earlier that day.
Chapter Twelve: Brother [Part 2]
"Welcome home, brother."
However, just as Itachi turned around, he heard Sasuke's voice coming from outside. Looking up, Itachi jolted in shock—his eyes instantly turned blood red, two pitch-black tomoe spinning slowly within them.
"S-Sasuke?!"
Sasuke appeared before everyone. Mikoto, who was holding a plate of food, froze on the spot. Her three-tomoe Sharingan surfaced involuntarily from sheer surprise.
"Would you like to eat first, brother? Or take a bath first? Or maybe… eat me first?"
Dressed in a black cat-maid costume with white thigh-high socks and matching paw gloves, a tail swaying behind him, Sasuke smiled while reciting the lines specially prepared by Sakura.
*Clang.*
The chopsticks Fugaku had just picked up fell directly onto the floor. His triple-tomoe eyes were nearly shifting into Mangekyou Sharingan. Fortunately, Fugaku had seen his fair share of trials—he took several deep breaths and finally managed to control his Sharingan.
"Rebellious child! What exactly have you been teaching your younger brother?!"
Fugaku glared at Itachi with his Sharingan activated. This was the son he'd placed such high hopes in—originally expecting him to be gifted like his older brother, Itachi. But now look at this nonsense! Gifted talent? Where? And he clearly wanted Itachi to teach some ninja knowledge to Sasuke. So what on earth had he taught him?! Hmm… though honestly, seeing Sasuke dressed like this actually looked kind of cute—it briefly made both parents imagine how their dream daughter might've looked.
Countless thoughts surged through Fugaku's mind. Meanwhile, Itachi stood there completely stunned. How could one day apart lead to such a dramatic transformation in Sasuke? Although… truthfully, Sasuke *did* look incredibly adorable dressed like this—Itachi couldn't help imagining hugging him tightly and petting him.
Shaking his head violently, Itachi shoved those naughty fantasies aside. Just as he was about to ask Sasuke what had happened, he saw his mother suddenly run over, smiling brightly and pulling Sasuke to sit beside the dining table.
"Mikoto…"
"Honey, don't you think Sasuke looks absolutely adorable right now?" Mikoto interrupted her husband, eyes sparkling with excitement. "You used to say you wished Sasuke were a girl, remember?"
"Hn." Fugaku Uchiha went quiet. Before Sasuke was born, since he already had Itachi, an exceptionally gifted firstborn, he had desperately hoped his next child would be a girl. So when Sasuke was eventually born, he had actually felt quite disappointed.
"Father, Mother," Itachi Uchiha opened his mouth, wanting to say something as he listened to his parents' conversation.
"Big brother, do you like this look on me?" Tilting his head with a gentle smile, Sasuke imitated what Sakura had taught him by placing both hands upright in front of his face, wearing fluffy cat paw gloves that looked extremely adorable.
"Hn, I like it." Dazzled by Sasuke's smile, Itachi—normally so reserved—blurted out a rare, honest response without thinking. Once he realized what he had just said, his normally stern face immediately flushed red.
"Alright then, no need to make a fuss over it. If everyone likes it, Sasuke can keep dressing like this—it's not like it changes anything anyway!"
Mikoto Uchiha was absolutely thrilled. She had always dreamed of having a cute and obedient daughter. When her second child also turned out to be a boy, she had been disappointed for quite a while. Although she hadn't achieved that wish back then, seeing Sasuke dressed like this now at least somewhat fulfilled her old longing.
Fugaku Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha didn't speak either. As someone with a brother complex, Itachi obviously needed no explanation—he was still a bit dazed right now. The impact of seeing Sasuke dressed as a cat girl maid had simply been too strong for him.
As for Fugaku Uchiha, watching Sasuke wear this outfit, he had secretly started contemplating whether he should buy a similar piece for Mikoto, so he could see her wear it for him someday.
The very next day, as soon as Sasuke arrived at the store, Sakura eagerly pulled him aside.
"How did your older brother react?!"
"It seemed like my brother was pretty happy. He told me directly that he liked me wearing it, but probably the happiest one was Mother. Even Father seemed pretty into how I dressed!"
Recalling how Itachi and the others reacted, Sasuke felt genuinely pleased inside. His big brother liked him wearing that outfit—then surely he'd manage to draw his brother's attention back soon enough, right?
"If they all like it, then keep at it!" A sly grin curled Sakura's lips, transforming her into a mischievous beauty with devilish charm. "How about this—I'll make you several more outfits like that if you're willing to work part-time at my shop, helping you regain your older brother's focus faster. How does that sound?!"
"Okay!" If regaining his brother's attention required selling even his soul, he wouldn't hesitate.
"Perfect!" Sakura smiled brightly. Now that he had stepped into her trap, there would be no easy escape. Then, if she claimed she wanted to test how the new looks turned out in photos beforehand, surely Sasuke wouldn't refuse taking a few pictures either!
Meanwhile, Sakura was wholly focused on luring Sasuke right into the trap she'd set. Elsewhere, a tense and somber mood settled in the Hokage Office.
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