The streets of Konoha were alive with chatter that evening, the orange glow of lanterns flickering against wooden shopfronts as vendors called out their last sales of the day. Uchiha Kaito walked slowly, his hands in his pockets, his thoughts drifting. Training with Kushina earlier had left him drained, but not just physically—it was the way her smile lingered in his mind that unsettled him.
Why does she keep getting through to me so easily? he wondered, tilting his head toward the night sky. The stars above twinkled, bright and unrestrained, much like the red-haired kunoichi who seemed to have barged her way into his once-calculated existence.
But he didn't get much time to dwell.
"Kaito!"
The voice came from behind, cheerful and teasing. He turned to see Mikoto hurrying over, her black hair swaying with each step, a soft smile on her lips. She looked different out of her usual training gear, wearing a light blue kimono patterned with white cranes.
"You look surprised," Mikoto said, stopping just in front of him, "what, did you think I only existed on the training field?"
Kaito smirked. "I wasn't going to say that, but… the thought did cross my mind."
Mikoto rolled her eyes, but her smile deepened. "Good thing I'm full of surprises."
For a moment, silence settled between them as the bustle of the village surrounded them. Kaito noticed the way her gaze occasionally drifted upward toward the stars, her expression softer than usual. It was a rare side of her—one that tugged at something in his chest.
"You know," Mikoto began, her tone quieter now, "when we were kids, I used to come here with my parents. My father would point out the constellations and tell me they were the spirits of Uchiha ancestors watching over us."
Kaito tilted his head. "Do you believe that?"
Her lips curved faintly. "Maybe. Maybe not. But I like to think… the stars hold our promises. They don't fade, no matter what happens."
Kaito's chest tightened at her words. A strange sense of responsibility pressed on him—an instinct, perhaps, to protect her from the kind of fate he knew too well from the fragments of his past life.
He forced a lighter tone. "And what about you, Mikoto? Do you have any promises hidden up there?"
Mikoto hesitated, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Her dark eyes lingered on the sky before she whispered, "Yes. To find someone I can trust completely. Someone who won't abandon me, no matter what storms come."
Kaito froze, unsure how to respond. Her voice carried a quiet vulnerability that contrasted with the confident, graceful girl he'd come to know.
Trust… someone who won't abandon her.
For reasons he couldn't explain, a part of him wanted to step into that role. But before he could answer, another voice interrupted.
"Kaito-kun! Mikoto-chan!"
Kushina appeared in a burst of energy, waving wildly as if the night were hers alone. She had traded her usual shinobi outfit for a short, bright red yukata tied with a golden sash, her fiery hair practically glowing in the lantern light.
Mikoto sighed softly but smiled nonetheless. "Kushina, you're always so full of energy."
"Of course! What else would I be?" Kushina grinned, planting herself between them without hesitation. "So? What are you two doing here, staring at the stars all romantically?"
Mikoto's cheeks flushed slightly. "It's not—!"
Kaito chuckled, shaking his head. "You have quite the imagination, Kushina."
"Hey, I'm just saying what it looked like." She winked at Kaito before adding with a teasing lilt, "Not that I'd mind stealing you for myself."
Mikoto shot her a sharp look, but Kushina only laughed harder. The tension broke, and for a while, the three of them simply walked through the lively streets, weaving past vendors and children playing tag.
Yet, beneath the surface, Kaito could feel the shift. The warmth of companionship, the budding rivalries, the quiet promises under the stars—all of it was weaving together into something bigger than he had anticipated.
As they reached the quieter edge of the village, where the chatter of the market faded, Kaito slowed. "You two go ahead. I want to stay out here a little longer."
Kushina tilted her head. "You sure?"
"Yeah." He gave her a faint smile. "Go on."
With a shrug and a wave, Kushina tugged Mikoto along, and soon their laughter echoed faintly in the distance. Kaito remained, lifting his gaze once more to the endless sea of stars above.
His hand clenched into a fist at his side.
If the stars hold promises… then I'll make one too.
"I'll protect them," he whispered into the night, his voice low but resolute. "Both of them. No matter what happens, I won't let their light fade."
The wind stirred, rustling the leaves, as though the universe itself had heard his vow.
And though he didn't know it yet, that single promise would bind him tighter than any destiny written in the stars.