Bonds Beyond Blood

During these three months, nothing particularly eventful occurred, except for a grand celebration hosted by the Hyūga Clan. The reason? The leader of the clan and the head of the Main House, Hyūga Hiashi, had finally welcomed a daughter and future heir of the clan. The baby was named Hyūga Hinata, and many had high hopes for her. Aside from this, everything remained relatively calm. Kakashi was now more attentive in caring for Naruto — not only because of the support of his friends but also because he was finally able to maintain a better sleep schedule. He moved from mission to mission, leading a quiet life.

But not everything was going well.

Since the Kyūbi’s attack on Konoha, the Uchiha Clan had faced worsening circumstances, made even more challenging by past troubles. The leader, Fugaku, had not been chosen as the Yondaime Hokage at the end of the war, despite considerable support. On the night of the attack, the Military Police Force — all Uchiha members — was not permitted to defend the village directly and was instead assigned to patrol its outskirts. Tensions worsened when the clan was later forced to relocate to a compound on Konoha’s outskirts. To make matters worse, rumors began to circulate, linking the Uchiha to the attack and the Kyūbi.

It was clear that, bit by bit, distrust towards the Uchiha Clan was creeping into the villagers’ minds — a distrust that would fully take root years later.

At that moment, in the Uchiha Clan compound, the clan head’s wife, Mikoto, was preparing to leave, watching intently by her eldest son, Itachi. The young prodigy noticed that unlike her usual shopping trips or casual outings, she was dressing up elegantly, as if for something significant. In a stroller besides her, Sasuke, his younger brother, slept peacefully. Itachi could tell his mother planned to take Sasuke with her, but to where, he hadn’t a clue.

“What do you think, Itachi?” Mikoto turned so her son could see her properly.

“You look beautiful, Mother. But to me, you always do.” Itachi complimented her sincerely, although she did look even lovelier this time. Her hair was styled back in a bun with a few strands framing her face, and she wore a dress his father had gifted her for an anniversary. Her makeup was delicate, enhancing her elegance. “Are you going somewhere special with Father?”

“I’m going to visit a dear friend. It’s been a while since we last spoke, and I want to see how she’s doing.” Mikoto slipped on her heels and placed her hands on the stroller. “Take care of the house, alright?” As she opened the door, she was surprised to see a little girl standing there. “Izumi-chan! What brings you here?”

“Hello, Mikoto-sama. Is Itachi here?” Izumi asked.

“Izumi-chan, how many times must I tell you? You don’t need to add -sama with me! You’re Itachi’s friend, so I don’t want you treating me with such formality,” Mikoto gently corrected her. “My son is inside. Come in; I have to leave now.”

“Thank you, Mikoto-sam— Mikoto-san!” Izumi entered, slipping off her sandals.

“Have a lovely time!”

After saying goodbye to both children, Mikoto walked away with the stroller, leaving Itachi and Izumi alone. Itachi glanced at Izumi, who was smiling with a playful look on her face. Like him, Izumi was an Uchiha, though only her mother belonged to the clan; her father was a shinobi from a civilian family. Tragically, her father had died protecting her from debris during the Kyūbi’s attack, sacrificing his life in an instant. This trauma, however, had awakened Izumi’s Sharingan, the precious dōjutsu revered by the Uchiha Clan, which led her and her mother to return to the Uchiha compound.

Itachi had met Izumi a year earlier when she invited him to play with her friends. Though he declined, she was the only one to defend him when the others started teasing him. From that day on, and especially after he had comforted her during the Kyūbi’s attack over her father’s death, the brown-haired girl had stayed by his side. Initially, Itachi showed little interest, until he learned that she had already awakened the Sharingan at just five years old.

The Sharingan was rare among the clan members, unlike the Byakugan, which was common among the Hyūga.

Intrigued by this, Itachi gradually warmed to Izumi. Although his initial interest was purely to test his skills against another Sharingan user, his curiosity eventually turned into genuine friendship. Thus, the young Uchiha prodigy found a friend his own age — something he’d never had before. Although Shisui was his best friend and nearly like a brother, he was a few years older, so Itachi was glad to finally have a companion closer in age.

“How are you, Itachi?” Izumi asked curiously. “We haven’t talked in a few weeks.”

“I’ve been fine, nothing much to report. Except that Mother and Father have been training me hard to prepare for the Academy. They think I’ll be ready to start in a few months,” Itachi said with a hint of pride. “You’re training for that too, right? I’m curious if you’ve been able to control your Sharingan more. Not many manage to awaken it so young.”

“Yeah, Mom’s been training me for the Academy,” Izumi admitted with a hint of embarrassment. “But…I still can’t get used to the Sharingan. I don’t have enough chakra to use it for long, and while my perception has improved, adapting to it is tough.”

“I understand. It’s also hard since your mother doesn’t have the Sharingan.”

Izumi nodded, knowing she couldn’t hide anything from Itachi, especially with how perceptive he was. They sat in silence for a moment until her stomach growled slightly, and she blushed deeply, red as a tomato.

The Uchiha prodigy chuckled, amused by her reaction. “How about we go out for something to eat?”

“Y-Yeah…let’s go eat something,” Izumi stuttered, wishing she could disappear. Just now, her stomach had betrayed her — but it was her own fault for skipping breakfast after waking up late.

Mikoto finally arrived at the gates of the Hyūga Clan compound. She hadn’t visited in months, yet it was as grand and ostentatious as ever. Unlike other clans that preferred simple designs, the Hyūga compound projected nothing but power, wealth, and pride. At the entrance, two Hyūga stood guard, their foreheads covered with bandages or cloths — a clear indication they belonged to the Branch House.

“Stop!” commanded one of the guards, a woman. “Who goes there?”

“I am Uchiha Mikoto, wife of the head of the Uchiha Clan, and this is youngest son, Sasuke.” Mikoto introduced herself. “I’ve come to visit Hyūga Harumi, wife of Hyūga Hiashi, to offer my congratulations.”

“Please, wait. We’ll inform you if you’re permitted to enter.”

The Hyūga woman nodded to her male companion, who disappeared inside the compound. Five minutes later, he returned and whispered something to his partner. The guard nodded, and Mikoto understood she’d been granted entry when the Hyūga woman gestured for her to follow. Shortly after, Mikoto found herself at one of the many rooms within the home of one of Konoha’s oldest clans. Sliding open the shōji, she was greeted by the sight of her dear childhood friend, Hyūga Harumi.

Harumi was a beauty without equal, even among the Hyūga women. Unlike most clan members, her hair was not brown or black but a striking dark blue. It flowed down to her waist, framing her face with two locks. Her complexion was pale, though not in an unhealthy way. But her most distinguishing feature, marking her as a pure Hyūga, were her pearl-like eyes, the clan’s most treasured trait, and the eyes needed to wield the Byakugan.

“Mikoto!” Harumi greeted, beaming.

“Harumi!” Mikoto responded, equally thrilled.

The two women embraced warmly, happy to see each other after so many months apart. Though they had hoped to keep in touch, being the wives to the heads of their respective clans kept them busy. Mikoto also cared for both Sasuke and Itachi and often trained the latter. Meanwhile, Harumi had only recently given birth to her beloved daughter, Hinata.

“I heard your clan now has its own heiress. Is that true?” Mikoto asked, sitting on her knees on the tatami.

“Yes, the Hyuga Clan finally has its heir — Hinata, my dear daughter. Great things are expected of her, but I know she’ll never disappoint me.” Harumi’s smile softened as she thought of her daughter, only one month old but already gentle and calm. “Right now, a girl from the Branch House is looking after her.”

“I see. Was there any trouble during the birth?” Mikoto asked, turning serious.

Harumi averted her gaze briefly, then sighed. “You don’t miss a thing, do you? I suppose your kunoichi instincts are as sharp as ever…” Harumi had hoped to keep this from her friend to spare her worry, but it was no use. “Yes, there were a few complications, but the doctors managed to resolve them before they got too severe. With their guidance, I should be back to normal in a few months, as long as I keep up with my medication.”

“Take care of yourself, Harumi. I don’t want to lose you too — I’ve already lost Kushina.”

“Kushina…” the Hyūga matriarch murmured with regret. How could she forget the redhead with her fiery, stubborn nature, yet warm and cheerful personality — or her love for ramen? Though she and Kushina had vastly different personalities, they were very close friends. It had even been Kushina who helped her gather the courage to confess to Hiashi. And to think that she, along with so many others, had perished in the Kyūbi’s attack… “I still miss her.”

“Me too, me too…” Mikoto replied with a tinge of melancholy. “And where is Hiashi-san?”

“I was at a clan meeting, Mikoto-san. Enjoying yourselves without me?” a serious, authoritative voice interjected.

Mikoto turned to see Hyūga Hiashi, head of the Hyūga Clan. His imposing posture and sharp gaze made it clear why he led the clan — he emanated power, authority, and discipline all at once. Unlike his wife, Hiashi’s long, black hair was typical of most Hyūga, and he wore traditional yet fine clothing. His expression was stern, his face unsmiling. Mikoto often wondered how Harumi, with her gentle and warm personality, had fallen for someone as strict and serious as Hiashi. Then again, her own husband, Fugaku, was much the same way.

“Good morning, Hiashi-san,” Mikoto greeted him, bowing her head respectfully. “A challenging meeting?”

“You have no idea, Mikoto-san.” Hiashi’s frown deepened as he recalled the meeting, his frustration evident. “We were discussing commemorating the late Hyūga Nanami, who fought valiantly during the Kyūbi’s attack to protect both Konoha and the Hyūga Clan. I wish to add her name to the scroll honoring our bravest Hyūga, but I don’t have enough support. The majority of the council believes her name is unworthy of that honor simply because she was from the Branch House.”

Nanami had not only been Hiashi’s sister-in-law but also one of the clan’s most powerful members. Praised as a prodigy since her youth, some whispered that her strength nearly rivaled Hiashi’s. Tragically, she had died young, leaving her husband widowed and her son, Neji, without a mother.

“Those damn council members. They can all go to hel—” Harumi nearly swore, but Hiashi cleared his throat, giving her a sidelong glance. The blue-haired woman smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

Mikoto chuckled, and Hiashi sighed deeply.

“By the way, Mikoto…would you mind if I held you son?” Harumi asked, looking over at the stroller where Sasuke still slept soundly.

“Of course you can!” Mikoto replied with a warm smile. “But I should warn you — if someone other than family picks Sasuke up, he usually starts crying for no reason.”

“I’ll take my chances.” Harumi rose from the tatami and walked slowly over to the stroller, carefully lifting a sleeping Sasuke. As he felt himself being moved from his cozy stroller, Sasuke’s eyes fluttered open, landing on the unfamiliar woman holding him. Mikoto fully expected him to start crying, yet, to her surprise, he did the opposite. Sasuke smiled at Harumi and began reaching up, making little gestures as though he wanted to play with her hair. “It seems he likes me.”

The Uchiha matriarch was taken aback, pleasantly surprised by her son’s reaction.

“My wife has always been good with children,” Hiashi commented.

Hearing Hiashi’s voice, Sasuke turned toward him — and immediately began to cry upon seeing the Hyūga’s serious and unsmiling expression. Panicked, Harumi gently rocked the baby in her arms, humming a lullaby to soothe him, while Mikoto burst into laughed at the scene.

A vein appeared on Hiashi’s forehead. “I think I’ll be going now.” As he left the room, both women heard his muttered words. “It’s bad enough that my own daughter cries when she sees me…now this too?”

“Kusa Dango for the young lady, Mitarashi Dango for the young man, and of course, the Hanami Dango pack!” The elderly owner of Dangoya handed each Uchiha their plate of dango. “That’ll be 30 ryō for the young lady, and 50 ryō for you, young man.”

“Thank you.” Both Uchiha paid for their treats.

They took a seat on one of the shop’s benches, each grabbing a skewer of the two varieties of dango they’d bought and starting to eat. Izumi maintained a neutral expression as she enjoyed her sweets, while Itachi, despite his efforts, could barely hide his smile. It was well-known that the Uchiha prodigy had a sweet tooth, especially for dango. Though Izumi didn’t dislike the sweets, she definitely didn’t share the same obsession.

“I’ll say it again, Itachi — I would’ve preferred Ramen Ichiraku or even the Lightning Burger,” Izumi said, pouting as she wished for something more filling.

“You weren’t complaining a minute ago,” he replied calmly.

Izumi shot him an unimpressed look, baffled that the ‘serious’ and ‘mature’ genius would use such a flimsy excuse. “Itachi…Shall I remind you that when we left the compound and I mentioned wanting one of those places, you started talking about Dangoya nonstop? And when that didn’t work, you pulled the puppy eyes! Knowing I wouldn’t be able to resist!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Itachi feigned ignorance, finishing his second skewer and reaching for the third.

“Don’t try to dodge the guilt, Itachi. Since you like acting older than you are, at least own up to it.” She pointed one of her sticks at his chest as though scolding him, but inside, she felt glad. Finally, her friend was acting like the five-year-old boy he truly was, rather than a teenager or adult. “Next time, I’ll choose where we eat.”

“Fine, fine,” Itachi sighed, accepting his defeat.

“Hey, Izumo, did you hear the news about the Hyūga Clan?” A lively voice nearby drew both their attention. The speaker was an older girl with purple hair and brown, pupil-less eyes, accompanied by a boy her age with dark brown hair and black eyes. “I hear that the clan heiress was born almost two months ago. Most of the prominent clans have already sent gifts and congratulations.”

“That poor girl,” Izumo said sympathetically. “Knowing the Hyūga, she’ll be training as soon as she can walk, and they’ll push her until she collapses. I’m just glad I’m not part of any clan. Don’t you agree, Anko?”

“Eh, I don’t care about all that,” Anko replied, popping the three dango balls into her mouth at once. “But I’ll bet anything she’d end up like everyone else in her clan — all high and mighty.”

“Let’s order more — Hanami Dango, this time,” she added, grinning.

“You’re going to gain weight if you keep eating like that,” Izumo muttered, only to receive a slap on the head. “Hey!”

“That’s for saying I’ll get fat!”

The two chūnin continued talking and eating, unaware that their conversation was being overheard by the young Uchiha pair. Itachi wore a thoughtful expression, as if what he’d heard had confirmed something he’d been mulling over.

“Interesting news, huh?” Izumi swung her legs, watching him curiously. “Do you think the Hyūga heiress and Sasuke will end up being classmates at the Academy?”

“Hm…More than likely,” Itachi replied, distracted. “They’ll probably enroll her just to show off how their future clan head outshines other heirs, whether they come from noble clans or shinobi families.” He paused, his mind elsewhere. Mother did tell me she was good friends with the Hyūga matriarch when they were young. I wouldn’t be surprised if she went to visit and congratulate her…

“I just hope Sasuke doesn’t have as much trouble making friends as his older brother,” Izumi teased, laughing.

Itachi shot her an unimpressed glance, a bit irked by the jab. “I have a feeling Sasuke will make plenty of friends at the Academy. Maybe even with that baby Kakashi’s taking care of.”

“Kakashi-san’s looking after a baby?” Izumi asked, surprised to learn this.

“He has been for about four months. You didn’t know?” Itachi looked at her in disbelief. “Three months ago, it was all anyone in Konoha could talk about. But…there’s something strange about the whole situation.”

Izumi gave him a blank stare, clearly missing the implication.

“Doesn’t it seem odd that Kakashi, a former ANBU captain, suddenly left to become a jōnin again and started caring for a baby? And it all happened right after the Kyūbi Attack?” Itachi’s mind raced as he connected the dots. “Plus, the Kyūbi’s Jinchūriki was born that same night — and rumor has it, so was the baby Kakashi adopted. That can’t just be a coincidence…”

“Itachi…you’re overthinking again.” Izumi rolled her eyes. “How many times do Mikoto-san and I have to tell you to stop acting like an adult and just be the kid you are?”

The Uchiha prodigy broke into an innocent grin. “You know what, Izumi? I think you and I should start training together. And I’ll bring Shisui too! Ever since I told him about my new friend, he’s been dying to meet you!”

“I-Is this payback for saying you’re overthinking?” When Itachi didn’t respond, Izumi felt a chill of fear. “You and Shisui are geniuses — you’ll leave me in the dust! I-I may have the Sharingan, but that’s nothing compared to what you two can do!”

After several minutes spent trying to persuade the black-haired boy to change his mind, the girl finally had to accept defeat. Whether she liked it or not, from now on, she would be training with the Uchiha prodigies. And hour later, the two friends returned to the compound, where Izumi bid farewell to Itachi with a gloomy expression. Her days of peace and tranquility were, after all, officially over.

Itachi then headed home, noticing as he entered that something smelled delicious. Following the scent, he went to the kitchen, where his mother, now dressed in more comfortable clothes, was busy cooking.

 “Itachi!” Mikoto greeted him warmly. “Did you have a nice time?”

“Yes, Mother. Izumi and I had dango at Dangoya, and I even brought a pack of Hanami Dango.” Itachi placed the package on the table. “What are you cooking? It smells delicious.”

“Tonkatsu and miso soup. I wanted to keep it simple but tasty tonight, especially since your father will be home from his shift with the Police Force soon,” Mikoto explained, tasting a spoonful of the soup and nodding in approval. “By the way, shouldn’t you introduce Shisui-kun and Izumi-chan? Since they’re both your friends, they should get to know each other.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Mother, I plan to.” Itachi hid a slight grin as he began setting the table.

He looked forward to introducing his two friends, certain that Shisui’s easygoing nature would make them instant friends — and knowing Izumi, the same would go for her. But he’d also have to remind Shisui to tease Izumi a bit during training.

No one poked fun at him without expecting a little payback.