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The sky outside was bright and cloudless. Uchiha Itachi sat quietly in his room, peering through the slightly ajar door. Everything appeared as ordinary as ever—another uneventful day. The team the Third Hokage assigned him, a group of newly graduated genin, had been absolutely useless. Their last task? Catching a runaway kitten. Ridiculous.
Itachi rolled his eyes. Do they really think I, Uchiha Itachi, am meant to develop bonds with these inexperienced brats? Impossible. They're more trouble than they're worth.
---
Meanwhile, in the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Izumi, seated diligently in her classroom, suddenly sneezed. The summer warmth was in full swing, yet an inexplicable chill had run through her. She furrowed her brows. Weird. Itachi must be thinking about me again.
Shaking off the thought, she refocused her attention on the lesson. With Itachi absent, she could only rely on herself to excel.
---
Back in his room, Itachi felt a strange tickle on his big toe. Looking down, he was met with the sight of something soft and warm clutching his foot. A small frown crossed his face.
What now?
He shook his foot lightly, and sure enough, a very familiar little figure came into view—his younger brother, Sasuke. The boy had somehow decided to latch onto his foot, gnawing at it as if it were a treat.
Itachi stared in disbelief, wondering if Sasuke thought his toe was made of candy.
"Seriously, Sasuke?!" he muttered, exasperated. "You have your own feet—go chew on those instead!"
Sasuke blinked up at him, completely unbothered. His infantile mind clearly interpreted Itachi's words as encouragement, and the boy giggled as he tightened his grip on his brother's foot.
Itachi sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. Why does my life always devolve into this nonsense?
Steeling himself, he aimed a precise, light flick to Sasuke's forehead—a move their father favored.
Thunk.
Sasuke yelped, tears springing to his eyes as he toppled back.
"Itachi! Did you bully Sasuke again?"
The unmistakable voice of Uchiha Mikoto rang out as she entered the room. She scooped up the wailing Sasuke and frowned at her eldest son.
"Bully him? Hardly," Itachi replied flatly. "He's the one who ambushed me, latched onto my foot, and started chewing like a dog with a bone."
Mikoto glanced at Itachi's saliva-covered big toe, a mix of amusement and exasperation on her face. "I'm sorry, Itachi. I left Sasuke with you while you were napping. I didn't think he'd... well, get into mischief."
"It's fine, Mother," Itachi said, stretching his arms and rising to his feet. "But I think it's time I went outside. Sitting around at home is starting to make me feel like I'm rotting."
"Are you going on a mission?" Mikoto asked, her tone softening as she calmed Sasuke down.
Itachi shook his head. "No. Those brats they paired me with are practically useless. If I have to drag them along on a mission, it'd probably be more dangerous for me than the actual enemies."
Mikoto chuckled lightly. "That's just like you, Itachi. Always so blunt."
With a dismissive wave, Itachi headed toward the door. But after a few steps, he turned back, leaned down, and pinched Sasuke's chubby cheek. "That's for biting my toe," he muttered. Then, as an afterthought, he reached out and gave Sasuke a light pat on the head.
"Grow up a little, Sasuke," he said, before vanishing out the door.
Mikoto shook her head, a fond smile tugging at her lips. Despite Itachi's maturity and prodigious intellect, he could be surprisingly childish at times—especially when it came to petty grievances.
---
Strolling down the bustling streets of Konoha with his hands tucked behind his head, Itachi allowed his usual stoic expression to soften slightly. His sharp eyes swept over the lively shops and cheerful villagers.
Even in a world filled with danger and conflict, people still cling to peace. This village... these moments... they're worth protecting.
A small smile played at the corners of his lips. But I still wouldn't mind living the quiet life of lazying around!
And with that thought, he continued his leisurely stroll, blending into the vibrant rhythm of the Hidden Leaf.