"Uchiha Hiko!!!"
After school, Tsunade glared at him, teeth clenched. She couldn't vent her anger at the teacher, so she pushed all the blame onto Hiko.
Drama incoming!
The pack of kids around them froze in place. No one wanted to go home. They waited eagerly to see what sparks would fly this time.
Hiko, on his way to the training grounds, stopped when Tsunade blocked his path. One look at her furious face, and he understood. The teacher's teasing about "romance" had set her off, and now she wanted payback.
"That was the teacher's line, not mine. Don't blame me. Besides, I, Uchiha Hiko, have no interest in you, Tsunade. Girls who aren't cute, only violent, don't appeal to me."
"..."
Danger ahead. Clear the blast zone!
The onlookers scattered in an instant. Even Orochimaru slipped away. Not from fear—just from prudence. Watching was fun. Being caught in the blast was not.
Tsunade's little face went dark. Her fist clenched, ready to smash his nose in.
She was precocious, yes. Clever, yes. But still five. Hiko smirked inwardly. If he couldn't handle a five-year-old, his two decades of life experience meant nothing.
"Don't hit. If you swing, you're proving me right. Calm and reasonable, remember?"
His teasing words made her hesitate. For a second, she actually thought about it.
"It's your fault the teacher said that! Who'd ever want to be with you?!" she snapped, pointing at him.
Hiko shrugged, calm as ever. He stared at her long enough to make her flinch, then she took two steps back, shouting, "What are you looking at? Never seen a pretty girl before?!"
Rubbing his chin, Hiko mused aloud. "I've seen pretty girls. But pretty without cute? That's new. Orochimaru, how about you? Want to date Tsunade?"
Divert the disaster. Classic move.
"Hmph."
Orochimaru paused, then strode past them. "Boring." His voice was cold, his back straight. He enjoyed a good show, but joining one? Never.
"Then Jiraiya, what about you?"
Tsunade had just started to cool off when her face went black again.
Jiraiya, grinning as he watched, froze. "Wha—me?!" He staggered back a few steps, shouting, "What a joke! Me, with her? I'd rather—uh..."
He caught himself too late.
"Tsunade, wait, I didn't mean it!"
But the damage was done. Ignored by Orochimaru, mocked by Jiraiya—her fury boiled over.
And it all came crashing down on Jiraiya's head.
Hiko whistled softly as Tsunade chased the boy down the hall, fists flying.
"Not very kind to shove trouble onto someone else," came a voice.
Orochimaru leaned against the corridor wall, watching Hiko emerge. His eyes were cool, but sharp.
"You had your share too," Hiko replied with a grin. "So let's not point fingers." He waved and walked off.
Smart, that boy. Already a schemer at five. But Hiko didn't care.
Yes, Orochimaru was handsome now—an elegant, pale sort of handsome. But Hiko couldn't forget what he would become.
The long tongue. The serpent body. Not man, not beast.
Was power worth becoming a monster?
If it were him, he would have gone for the Sharingan immediately, not waited until Itachi humbled him. Cultivating Sasuke only to be betrayed—what a joke.
That was the real meaning of raising a tiger only to be mauled.
If it were Hiko, he'd never make that mistake.