"**Satoru, what are you doing?**"
Uchiha Mikoto stood in the doorway, eyes narrowed, her arms crossed over her chest. A thick, invisible flame of suspicion seemed to burn behind her gaze as she eyed her son.
"Huh?" Satoru stammered, caught off guard. "Haha, nothing, nothing at all." He quickly wiped his hands on his clothes, looking a bit guilty.
**"What's in your hand?"** Mikoto continued, her sharp eyes trained on the cake in Satoru's hands.
Satoru's eyes darted around for an excuse. "I was just… I thought I'd take a little taste for you, you know? Just a little preview before the big event." He laughed weakly, trying to cover his tracks.
"**I told you, you're not allowed to steal it!**" Mikoto said, her voice a mix of amusement and sternness as she stepped forward to take the cake from his hands. "You think you can just eat it before the celebration? No way."
Satoru chuckled nervously. "Hahaha, I'm just checking the quality, you know? Gotta make sure it's perfect for the occasion."
Mikoto raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying his story, though a small smile played at the corner of her lips. "If you're so serious about making sure it's perfect, then you can make three cakes yourself."
"Wait, what?" Satoru's face fell slightly at the idea of doing actual work.
Mikoto's gaze was steady and unyielding. "It's not like you to be so lazy. If you really want to make sure everything is right, I'm giving you time to make three cakes before the others come back."
Satoru's eyes widened in mock horror, but Mikoto wasn't having it. "It's all set now. Get to work."
---
Satoru reluctantly handed over the cake, which Mikoto then carefully placed on a scroll. She began sealing it with multiple layers of protection seals before placing the scroll into the refrigerator.
Satoru watched, confused. "Why the seals? What's with the refrigerator?"
Mikoto smiled serenely. "A little challenge for you. If you can unlock it, you can eat it."
Satoru stared at the refrigerator and then at Mikoto, raising an eyebrow. "You know, you're cruel, right?"
Mikoto chuckled. "If you can unlock it, go ahead. Try your luck."
Satoru sighed dramatically. "Okay, okay, you win."
---
After a few moments of silent contemplation, Satoru reluctantly left the kitchen, but not before greeting Sasuke, who was walking by.
"**Hi, Sasuke!**" Satoru called out, a huge grin on his face.
Sasuke stopped in his tracks, eyeing him suspiciously. "**Second brother? What do you want?**"
Satoru, with his usual mischievous grin, continued: "Oh, nothing, just wondering if you'd like to make a cake for Big Brother. You know, it's his birthday today, after all."
Sasuke's brow furrowed. "Huh? What do you mean? Are you serious?"
Satoru leaned in with an exaggerated frown. "Don't you want to help out? Do it for Big Brother! You're so good at everything, right?"
Sasuke was still skeptical, but Satoru's charm was hard to resist, especially with his act. "**I... I guess we could make one.**"
"**Great!**" Satoru beamed, his smug smile creeping back onto his face. *Perfect, I got him.*
---
The two walked into the kitchen, where Satoru immediately began setting up the ingredients and tools for cake-making. Sasuke, still a little confused about what was going on, followed along, picking up a few utensils.
"**Do you even know how to make a cake, second brother?**" Sasuke asked, still not quite believing in Satoru's abilities.
Satoru scratched his head, feigning modesty. "**Oh, don't worry, it's easy. I can handle it.**"
Sasuke gave him a doubtful look but shrugged. "**Fine, I'll show you.**"
Together, they began working, Sasuke taking the lead in the cake-making process. Despite his initial skepticism, he found that the process wasn't as difficult as he thought. With Satoru's enthusiastic, if somewhat chaotic, help, they managed to make a fairly decent cake, even though Satoru had more of a hand in eating the batter than anything else.
As they finished, Satoru took a step back, admiring their work. "**Well, what do you think, Sasuke? It's perfect, right?**"
Sasuke blinked, then slowly nodded. "**It's… okay, I guess.**"
Satoru grinned at the result. "**Of course, it's perfect!**"
Sasuke tilted his head, eyeing Satoru suspiciously. "**But… second brother… what did you put in the cake?**"
Satoru froze for a moment, his expression shifting slightly. He quickly recovered, his face twisting into his usual playful grin. "**Nothing, nothing! It's just cake, Sasuke. Don't overthink it.**"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "**I don't know… something feels off about this cake.**"
Satoru laughed nervously, quickly putting the cake in the fridge with the others. "**Of course, it's perfect! You'll see.**"
Sasuke looked unsure but trusted Satoru's word, though his doubts remained.
---
In the end, the cake-making session was a success, with both brothers (and some mischievous tricks from Satoru) managing to create a cake worthy of the birthday celebration. Despite his usual antics, Satoru knew one thing for sure—he had to keep moving forward, not just with the ninja world, but with the people around him.
The sweetness of cake and family, even in the midst of future challenges, was something to hold on to for now.
And as for the cake's true contents? Well, that remained a mystery…
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 60 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
Gimme power stonesssss
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