Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived half an hour after Qianyu woke up.
It caught him completely off guard.
And the expression on the Hokage's face… there was a trace of warmth there. Friendliness. Almost fatherly.
Qianyu's mind raced, possibilities clicking into place. Several, all plausible.
Right now, though, performance was everything. This was an opportunity. Handle this right, and his life in Konoha could get a hell of a lot easier.
He pushed himself up on the bed, wincing—a perfect, pained grimace. "Lord Hokage! You… you came?"
Hiruzen stepped forward, a gentle hand pressing down on Qianyu's shoulder. "Don't strain yourself. Your injuries haven't fully healed. Rest." His voice was soft. Calm.
Tears welled in Qianyu's eyes. He let them. "Thank you, Lord Hokage." The words came out choked. Grateful.
The Hokage pulled a chair to the bedside and sat. He sighed, heavy with meaning. "Qianyu. These years… they've been hard on you."
Qianyu bit his lip. Hard. A single tear tracked down his cheek. He let it fall.
Hiruzen watched it. "Do you hate Konoha, Qianyu?"
"No!" The denial was instant, fervent. "How could I hate Konoha? It was my parents who betrayed the village. The fact that Konoha took in the son of traitors… I'm grateful. My mother, before she died… she made me promise. To atone for their mistakes here. I would never hate Konoha. Never."
Hiruzen listened. His expression didn't flicker. Nothing. Just calm observation.
After a long moment, he spoke again. "Then… do you hate the Uchiha?"
The change was immediate. Qianyu's face darkened. His jaw tightened. The word came out between clenched teeth, sharp and venomous. "Yes. My parents betrayed the village because of the Uchiha clan. Their arrogance. Their stupid rules keeping my parents apart. And when I came back… they wouldn't even acknowledge me. Called me names. A half-breed. A mongrel. Because of them, the whole village looks at me like I'm dirt. I never wanted to be an Uchiha. I don't want their name. But they made sure everyone hates me anyway. It's all because of them!"
This time, Hiruzen reacted. A slow, deliberate sigh. "Your situation… I have always felt responsible. Even as Hokage, clan matters are… delicate. It is difficult to intervene. I hope you can understand that." He leaned forward slightly. "But I can give you a chance, Qianyu. A chance to return to the Uchiha clan. To be one of them, truly. Would you accept?"
His gaze was sharp. Piercing.
Qianyu didn't hesitate. "No, Lord Hokage. I won't."
"Oh?" Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"I won't crawl back to them. Even if you force them to take me in, nothing changes. The stain is still there."
"But if you were an Uchiha, the villagers' prejudice would lessen. Your life would improve. Don't you want that?"
"I know why they hate me," Qianyu said, voice thick with a frustration that wasn't entirely fake. "It's because I have Uchiha blood. And the Uchiha… they flaunt their authority. The Konoha Military Police. They bully people. They make everyone resent them. If I joined them now, the villagers might stop saying things to my face… but they'd still think it. They'd still see me as one of them."
"Careful." Hiruzen's voice cut in, suddenly stern. "The Konoha Military Police was established by the Second Hokage. The Uchiha clan contributes to the village. As a member of Konoha, you should not speak ill of a clan that serves it."
You old fox. Qianyu kept the thought locked behind his eyes. If I didn't know how much they're currently a thorn in your side, I might actually believe you're defending them.
But he knew. This was a test. A performance. Why else mention the Second Hokage? Why phrase it as 'a member of Konoha'?
He met the Hokage's gaze, unwavering. "Lord Hokage, I don't want to join the Uchiha. I want to be a shinobi. I want to serve Konoha. To atone for my parents… and to prove myself. I want the villagers to know that Qianyu is not an Uchiha. I'm not a traitor's shadow. I am a shinobi of Konoha. That's all."
A slow, subtle nod. "To earn the acceptance of the entire village… that is a heavy burden. Are you prepared for that, Qianyu?"
"I am, Lord Hokage." His voice was steel.
Hiruzen's expression softened into something resembling paternal pride. "Good. I believe you can do it." He settled back in his chair. "If you do not wish to join the Uchiha, I will not force you. The place you live now… it is too isolated. Once you're discharged, I will arrange new lodgings for you. Closer to the Academy. It will be more convenient."
"Thank you, Lord Hokage." Qianyu poured every ounce of feigned gratitude into the words.
Internally, he let out a long, slow breath.
Talking with this old fox was exhausting.
That first question—Do you hate Konoha?—was a trap. Say yes, and he'd be dead before the week was out. This wasn't the softened, grandfatherly Hiruzen of the future. This was the Hokage in his prime. Ruthless when he needed to be.
The second question—Do you hate the Uchiha?—was the real test. Say no, and Hiruzen would mark him as a liar or a fool. After all the isolation, the insults, all sourced back to that clan… how could he not hate them? Admitting the hate let him pivot. To pledge loyalty to the village, not the clan.
And the offer to rejoin the Uchiha? Pure nonsense. Just another layer of the test.
But the new apartment… that was the reward. The sign of tentative trust.
Barring any surprises, after graduation, he'd be placed squarely within the Hokage's faction. Hiruzen might not stop the villagers or the Uchiha from their petty torments, but at least Qianyu wouldn't be sidelined as a shinobi.
In this world, even ninja needed connections.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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