"There's no need. I'm fine with just the apology," Shun said, smiling politely, understanding the warning hidden in his words.
"Smart kid. Then I'll leave you to rest. Take care." Naka smirked and walked away.
The moment his back disappeared, Shun's polite smile twisted into something darker. A devilish smirk spread across his lips. That apology will only last them a while. And you, Naka Uchiha—you just put yourself on my radar.
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After closing the door, he headed straight to his bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. The moment his weary body touched the mattress, sleep claimed him.
Hours later, Shun groggily opened his eyes. He stretched with a yawn. "Okay… time to wake up," he muttered before slipping out of bed.
In the bathroom, he splashed cold water on his face, then dried it with a towel. His gaze drifted to the clock on the wall—four o'clock in the afternoon.
"Not a bad time to go shopping," he murmured, stepping into the kitchen. From a container of rice, he dug out a hidden stack of notes.
"Father left me twenty thousand ryō. He'll be back in about twenty days… this should be more than enough until then." Shun grinned as he counted the bills. "I'm already tired. I'll give myself a treat today." Just imagining the food made his mouth water.
He grabbed a shopping bag and changed into grey pants and a blue half-sleeve shirt. Looking at himself, he sighed. "Not a single piece of black clothing… guess I'll buy some today." His fondness for black was obvious in the small smile tugging at his lips.
Taking the house keys and bag, he stepped outside. The sun's heat had mellowed, and a refreshing breeze brushed against his face.
The market was lively. Shun bought vegetables and other necessities, until a large ninja tools shop caught his eye—the Uchiha crest emblazoned on the board.
"Yeah… I'll need weights if I'm going to start training."
He pushed open the door. Behind the counter stood a familiar rugged face.
"Hello, Uncle Sora," Shun greeted brightly.
The middle-aged man turned, a stern expression softening into a smile. "Oh… Shun boy. Not with your father today?"
"He's on a mission outside the village."
Sora ruffled his hair. "So, here to buy ninja tools for training?"
Shun shook his head. "We've already got plenty at home. I'm here for training weights." His gaze wandered longingly toward the katanas gleaming on the wall.
Sora's expression hardened. "Weights aren't good for you yet. They'll stunt your growth. But…" His eyes twinkled. "I've got something better."
"What is it, uncle?" Shun asked eagerly.
"I recently acquired a gravity seal from a seal master," Sora said with a hint of pride.
Shun's eyes lit up. "Please give me that, uncle!" He pulled out the wad of cash with excitement.
Sora raised a brow. "It'll cost forty thousand ryō."
The number froze Shun in place. "Huh…? Forty thousand?" He stammered, "Uncle, I—I don't have that much."
Sora sighed. "Sorry, Shun. That's the lowest I can go. Negotiating with the seal master was tough. Any cheaper, and I'd take a huge loss."
Shun fell silent, then clenched his fists with determination. "Uncle, save it for me. When my father returns, I'll convince him to buy it."
"Alright, but don't keep me waiting too long," Sora chuckled. "I might sell it to someone else."
Shun smiled faintly, bowed, and left the shop.
After a little more shopping, a clothing store caught his eye. Oh right…I nearly forgot to buy the clothes.
Inside, customers browsed racks and haggled with clerks. Suddenly, a cheerful worker appeared before Shun.
"What would you like, cute boy?" she asked brightly.
He flinched at her sudden enthusiasm. "Uh… some pants and T-shirts. Preferably in black."
"Of course!" She hurried off, returning with a selection. Shun carefully chose two pairs of pants—one simple black with narrow ankles, another in a greyish cargo style.
He then picked three T-shirts, two black with different designs and one long-sleeved white, then added a black jacket.
"Umm… do you sell undergarments here?" he asked, lowering his voice.
"Yes, we do! We have underwear for you, little guy!" she announced a little too loudly.
Shun waved frantically. "Shh! Not so loud!" His cheeks burned as customers stifled laughter behind their hands.The girl winced, then quickly led him to the section.
At the counter, his total came to two thousand ryō.The quality's good. I won't waste time haggling, he thought, handing over the money.
Just as he turned to leave, a melodious voice called his name.He spun around—and his eyes widened in recognition.
"Mikoto-nii? What are you doing here? Weren't you on a mission with your squad?"
A tall girl with a ponytail, the Uchiha crest on her sleeve, smiled warmly.
"Ah, the mission wasn't difficult. We finished quickly. I came to replace my clothes—they were ruined." Her eyes twinkled. "And you're shopping too?"
"Yeah. My clothes were getting old." Shun raised the bags in his hand.
Mikoto grinned proudly. "Well then, since your powerful big sister just returned from a successful mission, let me treat you to dinner at the barbecue restaurant!"
Shun's eyes lit up. "Thank you, nii-chan! And congratulations on completing the mission."
He followed her out, deep in thought. To think someone this important is my relative… Mikoto Uchiha, the future wife of Fugaku Uchiha, daughter of my uncle, three years older than me, and already a genin. If I stay close, I might learn a lot from her.