Itachi walked out of the surveillance station.
He crossed a street, and just as he turned a corner, he unexpectedly ran into his father, Uchiha Fugaku.
"Done with work, Itachi?" Fugaku asked with a rare smile.
"Yes, Father."
Itachi felt uneasy. He didn't want Fugaku to know that his task after joining the Anbu was to monitor their own clan.
But Fugaku had already seen through everything.
"Itachi, do you still remember the day our Uchiha clan was relocated to this new compound years ago?"
He gazed at the high-rise buildings looming just beyond the district. "I noticed these towers immediately. The village built them to watch us."
Itachi nodded silently.
"Hmph. The Third Hokage thinks he's clever. Using my own son to monitor the Uchiha?"
Fugaku narrowed his eyes toward the Hokage's office in the distance, his tone sharp with resentment. "But what he doesn't know... is that you've been our spy inside Anbu from the very beginning."
"I will try to be a bridge between the clan and the village, Father."
Itachi offered his answer calmly.
He didn't say which side he supported—because he didn't want to choose blindly. Only by understanding both Uchiha and Konoha could he make the right decision.
A bridge between the clan and the village... Itachi, do you intend to become Hokage?
Yes.
If Itachi could one day become Hokage, the Uchiha clan could fully reintegrate into the village.
Fugaku interpreted his son's words through his own hopes. His stern expression softened, and he placed a firm hand on Itachi's shoulder.
"I believe in you, Itachi."
He had always had complete trust in his eldest son.
"By the way, Father... I noticed on the surveillance feed earlier—were you with Uncle?"
Itachi hesitated, unsure whether to pursue the question.
"Ah, your uncle's coming to the house tonight for dinner. It's your mother's birthday, after all. Apparently, your nephew couldn't be the one to invite him, so this brother-in-law had to take matters into his own hands."
Fugaku chuckled lightly, brushing aside the deeper tension.
So that was all.
Itachi smiled faintly and didn't press further, though his inner doubts remained.
---
As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, evening settled over the village.
Back in the alley behind the gym, Duan spotted Samui standing quietly near the entrance. She was waiting.
When he approached—
"Curator, you're back."
Samui greeted him formally and gave a small bow.
"You seem worried about me," Duan observed.
"...Yes." Samui pretended to be flustered, lowering her gaze.
Who's worried about you, narcissist.
What she really wanted to know was how the meeting with Yashiro and the radicals had gone.
Unfortunately, Duan's moods were unreadable, and she couldn't pick up a thing from his expression.
"My brother-in-law's house invited you to dinner tonight. You're coming with me."
"...Huh?"
Samui was surprised. She hesitated: "Is that really okay? I'm... an outsider."
She made a show of reluctance, but inwardly, she was eager to say yes.
After all, while the Uchiha had been marginalized politically, their compound was a fortress—Konoha's own Anbu couldn't casually enter.
Now, as a spy from Kumogakure, she had the opportunity to step directly into the heart of Uchiha territory and meet the clan head's family.
It was a golden opportunity for intelligence gathering.
Duan saw through her thoughts.
"It was actually my brother-in-law's idea for you to come along. If it's convenient, don't refuse again."
He, too, was curious why Fugaku specifically requested her presence. What was the man playing at?
"Then... okay."
Samui agreed, pretending to be flattered.
---
Ten minutes later, the two changed into formal black and white kimonos, purchased a birthday cake, and headed toward the Uchiha compound.
In the courtyard of the patriarch's house—
Itachi and Sasuke were playing together on the veranda.
"Big Brother, can you teach me the shuriken move tomorrow?"
Sasuke wore the cat ears Itachi gave him and was rolling around playfully in his brother's lap, exposing his belly like a kitten.
"Sasuke, I have a mission tomorrow. I'll teach you next time, I promise."
Itachi smiled gently and patted his younger brother's head.
Suddenly, Itachi stiffened—he turned toward the gate.
Duan and Samui had arrived.
Itachi reflexively stood, but Duan signaled him not to move and walked over casually with Samui.
Sasuke hadn't noticed yet and kept playing.
"Nooo, you promised—!"
But then...
Sasuke looked up.
A towering figure loomed above him.
The man's silhouette blocked the moonlight; a heavy shadow fell over the children. His jet-black eyes seemed bottomless.
"Say hello, Sasuke. That's your uncle," Itachi whispered.
"...Uncle—boo hoo... Waaah!"
Sasuke burst into tears on the spot.
Uncle looked terrifying.
"He's grown a lot these past few years, but still cries just like before," Duan said calmly, seemingly unaware that it was his own menacing aura that scared the child.
"Uncle, I'm sorry. Sasuke doesn't know any better."
Itachi bowed and gently tried to comfort his brother.
Watching this peaceful moment, Samui recalled what Duan had told her about Itachi:
Cruel. Emotionless. Takes pleasure in killing. Cares nothing for family.
But... this Itachi didn't resemble that image at all.
He seemed kind. Loving. Gentle.
Curator, maybe you were wrong about him.
"Let's go inside."
Duan said to Samui, and they stepped into the house, removing their shoes at the entrance.
After only a few steps down the wooden corridor, a beautiful woman with long black hair emerged from the kitchen.
Uchiha Mikoto's eyes went red the moment she saw Duan. She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her brother.
Duan returned the hug gently, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Sister. Happy birthday."
"You know how long it's been since you visited me?"
Mikoto whispered, burying her face into his chest.
Their parents had died on the battlefield long ago. The siblings had depended on each other through their youth. Though younger, Duan had protected Mikoto growing up—until the day she married Fugaku.
"Truly a sibling bond."
Fugaku emerged from his study, visibly jealous.
In Mikoto's heart, her little brother clearly held more importance than her husband.
Mikoto playfully glared at Fugaku, then turned to Samui and smiled warmly.
"So this is the girl working at your gym? She's lovely."
"H-Hello, ma'am." Samui bowed quickly.
"No need to be formal. From now on, just call me sister like Duan does."
Mikoto took her hand warmly.
Fugaku had told her earlier that this Samui might be more than just an employee—that her relationship with Duan could be something deeper.
And after all, Duan was already 24 years old. At his age, he should be married and starting a family.