"Why do you two sound so naturally close when you call each other?! Just how long have you even known each other?!"
Naruto's painful and brutally direct question hit on the very core issue everyone in the room had been silently dying to ask. The moment the words left his mouth, all the gazes that had momentarily eased off Itachi sharpened again in unison, homing in like kunai.
'I… I… she… I…'
Had Itachi not been trying his absolute best to maintain a decent image in front of Izumi, the sudden betrayal by Naruto and the renewed interrogation from every angle might have left him sobbing on the floor like a fallen war hero stripped of rank.
And if looks could kill? Then poor Itachi would have been shredded down to chakra particles by the sharp, inquisitive, and utterly gossipy stares stabbing at him from all directions.
Just like how Danzo and Orochimaru were clearly two very different people across a ten-year gap… even someone praised and deified among fans as the mighty Itachi-sama was, at this moment, nothing more than a boy only a few years older than Sasuke, a kid whose mind had yet to fully mature.
He lacked the cunning, the experience, and the composure that the original Itachi had when he joined the Akatsuki and became a double agent. Let's not even mention the masterful act where he used his entire life to spin a convincing lie to protect Sasuke, making his brother hate him so Sasuke could grow stronger and live on. That Itachi doesn't exist here. None of those advantages are present in this version of him.
And precisely because he lacked all three—experience, deception, and mental fortitude—Itachi was now a flustered mess under the barrage of questions from those closest to him. It was hard to believe that this timid, harmless-looking boy would one day become a ninja strong enough to alter the course of the world.
'I must've been caught in some weird Genjutsu just now… I already knew how terribly things ended for Pervy Sage… and I still went to Naruto for help? I'm sorry, Pervy Sage. I shouldn't have laughed at your poor judgment last night. That was my mistake.'
As he muttered bitterly to himself, unable to withstand the pressure of everyone's silent but piercing stares, Itachi slowly backed up—step by step—until his back hit the wall. He trembled as he looked at the four figures now closing in on him, forming a tight circle, sealing off every route of escape. A wave of despair washed over him.
'This guy… this guy's not some angel at all… he's a devil. A full-blown little devil!'
Looking around frantically, Itachi caught sight of Naruto's gleefully smug face—clearly proud of his handiwork—and regretted everything. But in that moment of regret, a tiny spark of hope flickered in his mind.
'Huh? Wait a minute. Angel?'
His thoughts stirred again, and Itachi turned slightly to the side, carefully avoiding the triple death glares aimed at him. His eyes landed on the silent little Uchiha who had also stepped forward but hadn't said a single word.
Relieved, the corners of Itachi's lips lifted into a faint smile.
'If we're talking about angels… isn't one standing right here in front of me?'
Indeed. Of the four people present, if anyone might extend him a helping hand amidst all this chaos—the gossiping parents and the treacherous Naruto—it had to be his beloved little brother, Sasuke, whom he had spoiled since birth.
Just as Itachi was a hopeless bro-con, it was clear that Sasuke had inherited a solid case of bro-con too. Because Itachi knew his dear little brother so well, he figured: if Sasuke wasn't joining the others in pressuring him, then that meant he must be trying to figure out how to help him out of this mess.
"Sasuke…"
At the same time, Sasuke seemed to sense his brother's gaze almost instinctively. He muttered something under his breath, bit his lip, and then raised his head to meet Itachi's eyes directly. Their eyes locked.
Itachi saw it—the determination in Sasuke's gaze. It was the look of someone who had made a decision and wouldn't be shaken.
Relieved, Itachi gave a small nod in return. His heart calmed.
'Of course… blood brothers are the most reliable. All that love and care I gave him wasn't for nothing…'
With his mind finally at ease, Itachi let his guard down for just a moment—forgetting that he wasn't the only one who had changed over the past year.
"Big Brother… a g-girlfriend? What does that mean?"
'…Huh?'
Just as Itachi began to relax, a sharp jab of surprise pierced through him. Before he could even enjoy the moment, an unexpected twist yanked him right back into the abyss.
In just a second of distraction, Sasuke had dropped his head, lips pressed tight. When he looked up again, there were visible tears welling in his eyes, clinging to the edge as though ready to spill over at any moment.
He puffed out his cheeks, curled up a bit, and began poking his fingers together with the saddest little pout imaginable. Gone was the resolute look from moments ago. Now he looked like a kicked puppy.
"You got a girlfriend… does that mean you don't want Sasuke anymore? Did Sasuke do something wrong? Is that why Big Brother got mad and secretly brought home a girlfriend…?"
"No, no no no—Sasuke, it's not like that! Listen to your brother! Let me explain…!"
Each word from Sasuke pierced Itachi's heart like kunai dipped in guilt, driving deep into his soul. In full panic mode, Itachi leaned closer, desperately trying to soothe and clarify things to his pitiful little brother.
'W-wait… what is this?! Could it be…?!'
But then—
Just then, Itachi caught a flicker in Sasuke's eyes. A flash of something familiar. Mischief?
No… it was more than that. It was a sneaky glint that vanished almost instantly—but not before Itachi recognized it. That look, that vibe—it matched another certain someone perfectly. That smug, prankster smile…
Realization hit him like a Rasengan to the face. The truth dawned on him, and with it came a bone-deep chill and a tidal wave of regret.
"Oh my, oh my~ Sensing something off now, are we, Itachi-san? Too bad—it's already too late~"
With his arms folded, Naruto had been quietly admiring Sasuke's performance from the sidelines. The moment he noticed the shift in Itachi's expression, his grin widened even further.
He lifted his hand, wagged his index finger, and spoke with a sly twinkle in his eyes—leaving everyone else completely lost.
"City folks really do know how to play the game~"