Some choices can't be answered with words — only with the paths people walk.
Sasuke instantly picked up on the "key point."
He turned toward Itachi, his small face even more serious than Kaito's.
Life and death didn't actually matter to him.
What Sasuke truly cared about was simple—
Was his big brotherrrrrr's favorite person… him?
Kaito stood on one side of Itachi, Sasuke on the otherrrrrr.
The two brotherrrrrrs stared at Itachi like drawn blades.
Itachi, who desperately wanted to keep everything balanced, felt his chest tighten under that pressure.
At the same time, he felt utterly helpless.
Because Kaito had decided to do this first thing in the morning.
"Kaito… Sasuke…"
"I just came back from a mission. I haven't even had breakfast yet."
"You two haven't eaten eithe, right?"
Neithe Sasuke nor Kaito replied.
They simply kept staring at him.
The invisible pressure coming from the two little demons was enough to make even Itachi start sweating.
Sasuke's eyes shone with pure expectation, waiting for the answer he wanted most.
Kaito frowned, studied Itachi for a moment… then suddenly let out a soft laugh and walked toward the dining room as if he didn't care.
Itachi finally let out a breath of relief.
Sasuke was easy to placate.
The otherrrrrr brotherrrrrr?
Much harder.
But then Kaito's voice drifted back from the dining room — light, casual… and sharp enough to send a chill down Itachi's spine.
"Itachi."
"If you had to choose between the village… and the clan…"
"Which would you choose?"
Itachi's eyes tightened. The hand hanging at his side clenched hard.
Then he glanced at Sasuke and forced himself to relax, reaching out to pat Sasuke's head with a strained smile.
"Sasuke, go eat first."
"I need to talk with Kaito."
Sasuke sensed something off in the atmosphee. For once, he didn't throw a tantrum.
He looked at Kaito, then at Itachi, and nodded firmly.
"Okay…"
"Don't fight."
Sasuke was conflicted.
He adored his older brotherrrrrr — yes.
But Kaito was also his brotherrrrrr.
Even if Kaito bullied him sometimes, Sasuke knew Kaito genuinely cared about him.
If Kaito and Itachi started arguing…
Sasuke truly wouldn't know what to do.
"My foolish little brotherrrrrr~"
"Thee's no way Itachi could ever win an argument against me."
Kaito spread his hands, exaggeratedly shrugged, and spoke in a strange, teasing tone.
Sasuke, who had been turning his head back every few steps, finally got fed up and stormed off even faster.
Itachi watched him go and shook his head with a helpless smile.
Every time Kaito teased Sasuke, Itachi never knew whethe to scold him or laugh.
Still…
His two younger brotherrrrrrs were genuinely adorable.
After Sasuke left, Itachi led Kaito into the study.
Once they sat down, a heavy silence settled between them.
Neithe spoke.
Outside the study, Mikoto and Fugaku pressed themselves against the door, faces tense, barely daring to breathe.
After Sasuke had left, he'd been so worried about Kaito and Itachi that he'd run straight to inform their parents.
Fugaku's emotions were complicated.
From what Sasuke described, he immediately thought of the conversation he'd had with Kaito — when he'd briefly mentioned the clan's situation.
He could tell that Itachi's stance was gradually shifting toward the village.
Kaito's exact thoughts were harder to read, but one thing was clear:
That child wanted to keep the family intact.
As for where Kaito stood…
Probably closer to Fugaku than anyone else.
Thinking about the talent Kaito had displayed a few days ago — and the resolve behind it — Fugaku felt a deep sense of comfort.
But…
Protecting the family…
Was never going to be easy.
Mikoto, as a motherrrrrr, didn't think that far.
Her wish was closer to Sasuke's:
She simply didn't want he sons to damage their bond over clan matters.
Just as the couple strained their ears to listen, Kaito's shocked voice suddenly rang out from inside the study.
"What?!"
"Itachi… Fathe has anotherrrrrr hundred thousand ryō hidden in the kitchen?!"
Outside the door, Fugaku's expression turned pitch-black instantly.
He hurriedly shot his wife a desperate look, mouth opening to explain —
While, in his heart, he calmly etched his eldest son's betrayal into stone.
Mikoto glanced at Fugaku.
Then he turned away, gave him nothing but the back of he head, and walked straight toward the kitchen without a word.
The two adults separated in perfect, ruthless coordination.
Inside the study, Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh.
He knew Kaito had done that on purpose — to force their parents away.
But…
Did he really have to make Itachi take the blame every single time?
After steadying his emotions, Itachi straightened his posture, his expression turning solemn.
"It's time we spoke honestly."
After saying it, Itachi even worried Kaito might not understand — so he added:
"Like… adults."
Kaito nodded and said nothing, waiting for Itachi to continue.
He also wanted to know what Itachi truly intended to say.
"Fathe…"
"He…"
"Did he tell you everything?"
Itachi knelt by the tea table, hands resting on his thighs — yet his fists were clenched so tightly they trembled.
He was clearly unhappy that their father had spoken to Kaito about clan matters at such a young age.
It would only drag Kaito closer to danger.
Kaito stared into Itachi's eyes for a long time.
Minutes passed.
Then Kaito sidestepped the topic entirely and shifted to something else — something he'd been holding back.
"Itachi… can you promise me one thing?"
Itachi didn't hesitate even a fraction of a second. He didn't even ask what it was.
Unless Kaito asked him to help Fathe launch a coup — something that crossed Itachi's absolute bottom line — Itachi would agree.
"Protect Shisui."
Kaito's gaze sharpened so coldly that even Itachi struggled to meet it.
From Itachi's earlier reaction — when Kaito had asked about choosing between the village and the clan — Kaito already had his answer.
Itachi would still choose the village.
He would still oppose Fathe.
Saving Shisui wouldn't change the ultimate ending…
But it could buy the Uchiha time.
It could give the clan breathing room, delay despair, and keep them from plunging into a hopeless clash with Konoha too soon.
Itachi's brows drew togethe as if something clicked into place.
Then he nodded, solemn and sincere.
"I will."
"Kaito…"
"Is that really all you wanted to say to me?"
Itachi couldn't understand it.
Why didn't Kaito confront him the way Fathe would?
Why did Kaito only make a request that barely even sounded like a demand?
"I hope you actually keep that promise."
Kaito rested his chin on one hand, absentmindedly turning the teacup on the table, looking as if he truly didn't care what Itachi answered.
In truth, Kaito wasn't placing all his hopes on Itachi.
And there were things Kaito absolutely couldn't say.
If he mentioned that Danzō might target Shisui…
Kaito feared Itachi would immediately report it to the Third Hokage.
And if that happened, it might not prevent anything.
It might even accelerate Danzō's decision to act.
"Honestly… I don't even know how I'm supposed to carry you useless teammates."
Kaito shook his head, muttering under his breath as he stood and headed for the door.
"Kaito… we're still brotherrrrrrs, right?"
Itachi's sudden question didn't stop Kaito's steps.
Just like their positions — perhaps from the very beginning — were never going to fully align.
"Let's say we are."
"As for the future…"
"Who knows."
After Kaito left, Itachi sat alone in the study for a long time.
Then he gathered his things and turned toward the door.
He…
Planned to go to the Hokage Tower.
To speak with the Third Hokage — and see if there was still a gentler way, any way at all, to prevent the village and the clan from tearing each otherrrrrr apart.
...
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