Kokoro's favorite food was the mooncakes her teacher, Hayakawa Yuki, had once given her—rich, filling, and comforting. She also loved the glutinous rice balls Yuki made for her in the winter. The first time she tasted them, she thought they were delicious. But it seemed only Yuki knew how to prepare them; nowhere else in Konoha sold them.
The tri-colored dango, however, came from Itachi. They were his mother's favorite, so Kokoro never disliked them. She accepted the dango and ate happily, not even noticing the warm smile flickering across Itachi's face.
"Oh? Kokoro likes tri-colored dango too? Itachi likes them as well," Uchiha Mikoto said, stepping out of the kitchen with Sasuke in her arms.
The baby had a milk bottle in his mouth, his round face and big eyes peeking out from Mikoto's embrace.
Kokoro glanced at the single dumpling left on her skewer, her lips twitching. "Aunt Mikoto, where has Teacher Yuki been recently?"
"Kushina is pregnant, so she went to take care of her. She should be back soon," Mikoto replied gently.
Kokoro knew Kushina's name—Uzumaki Kushina, wife of the Fourth Hokage and the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. Uchiha Mikoto, Hayakawa Yuki, and Kushina had been close friends for years. As the eldest among them, Mikoto had always carried herself with the gentle warmth of a big sister. But now, with Sasuke to care for, she rarely left the house.
Still, Kokoro didn't get the chance to see Yuki again. Instead, a few days later, she received a parcel.
By October, her mother no longer accepted missions, staying at home to teach Kokoro ninjutsu.
"Kokoro, I'm going to buy some dango. Want to come?"
A cheerful voice called from outside—it was Uchiha Izumi, the girl who lived nearby. Kokoro had met her a month ago.
Unlike Kokoro, Izumi's parents were still alive, and her grandfather was an elder of the Uchiha clan. Bright and lively, Izumi often invited Kokoro to play in the village.
"No, I still have dango left from yesterday, and my mother hasn't told me I can go," Kokoro declined.
Izumi pouted regretfully. "Alright then, I'll be going."
A moment later, Uchiha Minako stepped out of the house. "Kokoro, I'm going to your father's grave. If you don't want to stay home alone, go to the clan head's residence and keep them company."
The Uchiha compound wasn't far from Usami Yayoi's grave, but Minako always lingered long when she went there, lost in her thoughts of the past.
Kokoro wanted to go too—she hadn't visited her father in so long. But Minako left without answering her, and Kokoro felt a pang of loneliness.
It was then she received Yuki's parcel.
The box wasn't large, with a letter pinned to the outside.
Kokoro, tonight may not be peaceful. If you're home alone, go to Itachi. We can look at the things in this box later.
The letter was dated October 10th.
October 10th? Watching the sun sink beyond the rooftops, Kokoro felt unease prickle in her chest. What did Yuki mean by tonight won't be peaceful?
Suppressing her nerves, she hurried to Itachi's house.
"Itachi!" She knocked anxiously. The door opened, and she slipped inside at once.
Itachi blinked, startled by her urgency. He adjusted the sling holding baby Sasuke against his chest. "What's wrong?"
Kokoro sat down in the living room, her breathing uneven. The uneasy weight in her chest lessened now that she was with him. "I don't know… I just have this bad feeling."
"You're too paranoid," Itachi said calmly, pouring her a cup of tea.
Kokoro accepted it and glanced around. The house was quiet. "Where are Uncle Fugaku and Aunt Mikoto?"
"Father is on a mission. Mother went out."
Kokoro's gaze drifted back to Sasuke in Itachi's arms. She reached out and poked the baby's cheek. His face puffed up like a dumpling, his displeasure obvious.
Kokoro giggled and poked him again. This time Sasuke wailed.
"It's alright, Sasuke, it's alright~" Itachi immediately turned gentle, coaxing him just like Mikoto would.
Once the baby calmed, he looked back at Kokoro, who was clearly amused and already reaching to poke again. "Don't tease him. Sasuke is still small."
Kokoro pouted. "You're such a brother-obsessed type. Just like Teacher Yuki said!"
"Brother-obsessed?" Itachi frowned, unfamiliar with the term.
"I mean you love your little brother so much, you're always doting on him," Kokoro teased, before turning her eyes toward the window, where the moon had begun to rise.
Itachi followed her gaze, his lips softening into a faint smile. Perhaps she was right. He truly did love Sasuke.
"Tonight's a full moon," Kokoro said casually.
"Mm." Itachi stepped outside with Sasuke. The autumn air was crisp—not too cold, but tonight there was a strange chill beneath it.
"What is this?" Kokoro hugged herself and moved closer to him. "Do you feel that cold too?"
Even Sasuke whimpered uneasily in his sling.
Itachi's expression sharpened. The chill was spreading, crawling under his skin. A terrible omen.
And then—
"Boom!"
A deafening crash split the night sky over Konoha. The earth shook violently. Houses buckled and collapsed.
Kokoro froze in horror, but before she could react, Itachi grabbed her arm and leapt clear, carrying her out of the crumbling house.
"What's happening?!" Kokoro shouted, stumbling as they landed.
"I don't know—let's go!" Itachi tightened the sling around Sasuke and sprinted ahead.
Kokoro followed, her heart racing. She glanced back at the spot where she had been sitting only moments before. If Itachi hadn't pulled her out, she would have been buried under the debris.
"The Nine-Tails! It's the Nine-Tails!"
"The beast is loose—run!"
The panicked cries of villagers filled the air. The words struck Kokoro like lightning.
The Nine-Tails. Kurama. The tailed beast sealed inside Kushina. How—how could it be here?
Stones and debris rained down from the sky. Kokoro darted forward, but pain shot up her leg as her right foot gave out beneath her. She stumbled into the rubble, unable to rise.
Her chest clenched with despair.
This was the Nine-Tails Rebellion.
The gentle night had been shattered—turned into a battlefield of fire and blood.