"C-Clan Head…!?"
The moment Mikoto saw Ryujin, her eyes lit up with pure, unfiltered joy. But that joy lasted only a second. Then she noticed the crimson robe he was wearing—the wedding attire—and her expression dimmed almost immediately.
"…Why did you come to see me?" she asked softly, her voice dropping lower. "Today is your wedding."
Ryujin looked at her quietly. With two lifetimes of experience, as a clan leader and as a man who had seen far too much, how could he not understand what this little girl was feeling?
What a mess, he sighed inwardly.
Still, a faint smile appeared on his face. "Because today is my wedding," he said lightly. "How could I not come see you?"
The moment those words fell, Mikoto froze. Then her head lowered even more, and her small figure seemed to shrink, like an ostrich trying to hide from the world.
"…I see…" Her voice trembled slightly. She was clearly trying not to cry.
Ryujin immediately realized he had gone too far. Enough teasing.
His tone shifted, becoming serious. "Actually, my people found you during patrol. They came to inform me."
There was a hint of helplessness in his voice. He had already given orders for all non-combatants—women and children—to be relocated. But Mikoto hadn't listened. She had hidden herself away.
If not for the patrol, he might not have found her at all.
"I was worried about you," Ryujin said gently.
He placed his hand on her head and patted it softly, then again, and again. The feeling was strangely addictive. No wonder people liked doing this.
"…Really?" Mikoto looked up at him again. Her big eyes were still shimmering with tears, but now there was hope in them.
"Of course," Ryujin replied without hesitation.
Then he crouched down, lowering himself until their eyes met. "Now that I've found you, can you tell me why you didn't leave with the others?"
"…I…" Mikoto opened her mouth, but her voice broke. A faint sob slipped out. "I thought… today is your wedding… and after you get married… I won't be able to come see you anymore… like before…"
Her fists clenched slightly. "So I… I just wanted to see you one more time… on your wedding day… Clan Head…"
Her voice shook with every word. "Did I do something wrong…?"
Even saying this much must have taken everything she had.
"…Silly girl."
Ryujin smiled faintly and spoke gently. "Why would you think that? Even if I get married, you can still come see me anytime. I won't stop you, and Tsunade won't stop you either. You can come whenever you want."
He paused briefly, then added, "You can even stay with me. I still want to drink your fish soup again."
Mikoto blinked, then froze.
Fish soup.
That memory struck her instantly, and her face turned bright red.
"…Clan Head," she whispered shyly. "Do you really like my fish soup?"
"Of course," Ryujin said without hesitation.
"…Even last time…" She hesitated, her voice growing smaller. "When I fed you like that… you weren't angry?"
Ryujin's expression stiffened slightly, but he still nodded. "…I wasn't."
"…Then…" Mikoto's eyes sparkled again. "If I feed you every day… will you accept it?"
Ryujin couldn't help but laugh softly.
She was still a child. Her understanding of liking someone was simple, pure, and innocent. Perhaps, to her, this was love.
But he couldn't just agree to everything.
So instead, his tone became gentler and more serious. "Mikoto, you don't need to think about these things yet. For now, train. Become a strong ninja. That should be your goal."
He looked at her steadily. "And when you reach that point, whatever you want, as long as I can give it to you, I will."
Mikoto stared at him with wide eyes, her imagination already painting a future from his words.
"…If I become strong…" she whispered. "…then even you… can I have you too?"
Ryujin paused.
That sentence could mean many things. The Clan Head position? Or him?
He didn't ask. He didn't need to.
Instead, he smiled, like an older brother coaxing a child. "Of course. As long as you become the strongest in the Uchiha, anything you want, I'll give it to you."
But Mikoto shook her head firmly.
"…You're being unfair."
She looked at him with surprising clarity. "In the Uchiha, who could ever surpass you? Even in the entire village, no one is better than you."
Her voice was filled with certainty. Not doubt. Not simple admiration. It was absolute belief.
"…Do you think I'm easy to trick, Clan Head?"
Ryujin actually felt a little awkward.
This girl was smarter than she looked. Still childish, still innocent, but not foolish.
And more importantly, her faith in him was far beyond what he had expected. She had been raised in Konoha, where the Hokage was seen as the strongest. Yet in her eyes, Ryujin stood above everyone.
That level of devotion was no longer simple admiration.
It was something deeper.
Something dangerous.
And Ryujin knew it.
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