Uchiha Itachi's single remark plunged the dinner table into an eerie silence that lasted until the clueless young Uchiha Sasuke reached out his chopsticks and picked up a piece of fried tempura.
Sasuke suddenly sensed something was wrong; his small hand froze mid‑air.
He looked left, then right.
Whether it was Father, Mother, or his beloved Brother, all three were sitting rigidly in their chairs, motionless.
Sasuke also noticed that his brother was staring at Father, while both Father and Mother were staring at his brother.
"What's the matter with you all?"
Swallowing nervously, Sasuke could not help wanting to break the silence.
But Fugaku ignored him and spoke directly to Itachi: "Itachi, I told you during the day—at a time this critical, I will not allow you to lay a hand on one of our own clansmen without proper cause.
"Moreover…"
Fugaku's voice grew stern. "You and Chizumi are the two geniuses who can shoulder the future of the Uchiha. If the two of you clash, how will the rest of the village view our clan?
"We're already being heavily marginalized; if word gets out that we're deeply divided inside, the Uchiha's position will grow even worse.
"Itachi, you're only twelve, but you understand these things—you've always been mature for your age."
Uchiha Itachi shook his head.
"Father, I won't fight him," he said expressionlessly. "I only want to talk with Uchiha Chizumi."
After a pause, Itachi added, "I give you my word."
…
Before dawn the next day.
Uchiha Itachi stood before the door of a plain two‑story house.
Dark circles shadowed his eyes—clearly he had not slept well.
He raised his head, gaze settling on the doorbell.
"Go on, ring it."
A deep voice sounded behind him. "Didn't you say you wanted to talk with Chizumi?"
It was Fugaku.
Since Itachi had given his word, Fugaku trusted that his elder son would not resort to violence. He prided himself on knowing Itachi well.
Yet—
He believed he understood Uchiha Chizumi too, and was not sure Chizumi would show the same restraint. Years ago Chizumi had struck first once already.
Although Chizumi had seemed "calmer" since then—when they happened to meet, their eyes merely crossed—Fugaku still preferred not to risk it.
So he had followed Itachi.
At that moment, both father and son looked upward.
They saw an orange tabby ninja cat perched on the second‑floor balcony rail, eyes fixed on them.
—What a fat cat.
That was their first impression.
"It's Chizumi's ninja cat," Fugaku told Itachi. "A remarkable animal—it's been with him since the Third Great Ninja War, running the battlefield at his side. They say even elite jōnin have trouble catching it."
"I know it," Itachi said coolly. "The day Uchiha Chizumi and I came to blows, that cat left three deep gashes on my ankle. The scars are still there."
Fugaku fell silent.
Even Chizumi's pets are formidable, he thought.
"Fugaku-sama," the cat—Jūjirō—addressed him politely.
It offered no such courtesy to Itachi, not even a greeting.
After licking its paw, Jūjirō said, "Chizumi-sama is in the living room downstairs. Tea is ready, meow. No need to ring—the door's unlocked. Just push it open."
Fugaku blinked.
He realized that Itachi had been standing there for over three minutes without pressing the bell. Evidently, the moment they arrived, Uchiha Chizumi had already noticed them.
Itachi stepped forward and pushed the door open.
It was his first time entering this place, and the first time in years he would face Uchiha Chizumi directly—this slightly older man, a peer of Shisui's, once every bit as renowned in the clan.
Fugaku followed, finding himself the most anxious of the three present.
He dreaded that the two young men might come to blows.
He was prepared to intervene, even if it meant exposing his Mangekyō Sharingan; he could not watch the clan's two prodigies injure each other in a civil feud.
Itachi did not sit. He walked to a sofa and looked at Uchiha Chizumi, who sat there in casual home clothes.
"I expected that the instant I came through the door, I'd be met by a surge of magma. I was ready to fight to the death."
Glancing at the steaming teacups on the table, Itachi felt his tension ease slightly.
He was not speaking for effect—he truly believed it. Confronted with a man once Shisui's equal, Itachi dared not relax for a second.
Even with the legendary eyes, he harbored no arrogance—for he did not know whether this astonishingly capable man might possess the same eyes as he and Shisui.
Itachi slipped the ninja blade from his waist and set it aside. In a flat tone he asked, "I've always had one question about what happened back then. To my knowledge, I never offended you.
"So why did you try to kill me?"
…
Meanwhile, not far outside.
"Ah, finally here…" After once being late, Izumi had sworn it would not happen again. She had risen before dawn and hurried to Chizumi-senpai's home.
But to her surprise, the door was open!
The girl froze.
Has someone broken in? The absurd thought flashed through her mind, only to be quickly dismissed. Surely no one in Konoha was foolish enough to steal from Chizumi-senpai.
Curiosity tingling, Izumi patted her still‑sleepy cheeks, quickened her pace, and walked up.
"Senpai! Police Force Rookie Uchiha Izumi reporting!" she shouted energetically from the doorway, raising one hand in salute—and at once drew three pairs of eyes inside the house toward her.
"Eh?"
"Ehh!"
Izumi had never expected to run into Clan Head Fugaku and Itachi‑kun in Chizumi-senpai's home!
Hiss—
Was this the worst possible timing to show up?
~~~
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