Satoru grinned mischievously, a skewer of three-colored dango dangling from his mouth. Every day, he worked tirelessly to accumulate acting points and unlock his abilities bit by bit. Though he had only managed to unlock *Six Eyes* and *Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue* so far, it was enough for now.
"Hey, kid, are you trying to dine and dash?"
A sudden, booming voice interrupted the quiet of the shop. The shop girl, having noticed the commotion, came rushing over with a broom in hand, her red skirt fluttering as she charged forward.
"Whoa, quite the energy," Satoru said, exaggerating his tone for effect. He adjusted his slipping blindfold and felt a ringing in his ears. Was this the legendary *Lion's Roar*?
"Hey, do I look like the type to skip out on paying?" he said with mock indignation. "Relax. See? My sponsor's here."
He flashed a bright, innocent smile and, before Itachi could react, pushed his older brother forward.
"Over to you, Itachi. No need to thank me too much!" Satoru added cheerfully. "Come on, I believe in your wallet's strength."
The girl, flustered by Satoru's disarming smile, shook her head, her cheeks turning crimson. "Oh, Satoru-kun isn't like that at all," she said, reassured. However, her smile faded the moment she met Uchiha Itachi's serious expression.
"U-Uchiha…" she stammered, a note of panic in her voice. "Nine-Tails…"
"No, I don't want your money!" She backed away, eyes wide with fear as the subconscious pressure from Itachi's presence settled around her.
Satoru's grin vanished, his pale blue eyes turning solemn. He knew all too well the reason for her fear. The Uchiha clan, in charge of Konoha's police force and tasked with maintaining law and order, had always been viewed with suspicion by the village. Their inherent pride and aloofness didn't help their reputation either.
The Nine-Tails attack had only worsened the situation, sowing resentment and mistrust. After the incident, the village authorities had forced the Uchiha to relocate to the outskirts of Konoha, sparking anger and unease among them.
The shop girl's reaction was a harsh reminder of the Uchiha's strained relationship with the rest of the village.
"What's this, boss? Are you letting me go because I'm too handsome?" Satoru joked, trying to lighten the mood. "I mean, I know I'm devastatingly good-looking, but I'm an honest guy—I don't rely on my face to get by."
He leaned in conspiratorially, winking. "So, Itachi will pay, and if he doesn't, he can sell his clothes to cover the bill. He'd make a great model in women's wear, trust me."
The shop girl's laughter dispelled some of the tension, and she nodded. "No, no, I'm not that kind of shop owner," she said with a smile. "I won't do that."
Maybe the Uchiha weren't as fearsome as the rumors suggested. The girl looked from Satoru, with his striking white hair and blue eyes, to the stoic Uchiha Itachi and thought that perhaps not all Uchiha were intimidating.
Seeing her smile, Itachi sighed, resigned to his fate. He pulled out his money pouch and handed it over. The girl took the pouch eagerly, as if afraid it would disappear.
"Itachi, you're always so reliable," Satoru teased, giving a playful nudge.
As the coins changed hands, Itachi couldn't help but reflect. Satoru was unpredictable, to say the least. Despite his carefree demeanor, there was a sharp intellect lurking beneath the surface. Even as his brother, Itachi couldn't fully decipher what went on in Satoru's mind.
"One thing's for sure," the shop girl said, cradling the pouch like a treasure. "This boy really did eat everything in the shop."
She cast a glance at Itachi before hurrying off, clutching her hard-earned takings. It was clear she had no intention of letting them go without a fight.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 10 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
Gimme power stonesssss
Also, leave a review FFS