It was still dark outside.
Daylight had not yet broken over Konoha.
Itachi rose from his bed because he'd made a promise to his younger brother. Today, he would help Sasuke prepare lunch for his new friend, Naruto.
After washing up quietly, Itachi stepped outside the house. Looking at the darkness that still blanketed everything, he couldn't help but feel a deep, bone-weary melancholy settling over him. In truth, he didn't want to live in the darkness. He never had.
Itachi longed for the light just as much as anyone else.
"Sasuke... brother will bear all the pain..." Itachi murmured to the darkness, his voice barely audible even to himself. Then he turned and went back inside the house, heading to the kitchen to begin preparing the bento.
Time passed slowly. Itachi worked in the kitchen wearing his apron, concentrating fully on preparing Sasuke's lunch for Naruto. While he was at it, he also made breakfast for the entire family.
Gradually, almost imperceptibly, the sky began to brighten outside the windows.
A small head poked into the kitchen doorway. "Brother, good morning!"
"Good morning, Sasuke." Itachi turned his head while continuing to fry an egg with practiced precision. A warm smile spread across his face as he greeted his little brother. "Go wash up quickly. And wake Mom and Dad for breakfast while you're at it."
"Okay! Thank you, brother! You worked so hard!" Sasuke's face lit up with that mischievous grin Itachi loved so much. He bounced away energetically to wake up Mikoto and Fugaku.
After Sasuke, Fugaku, and Mikoto had all washed up, Itachi finished preparing breakfast for the entire family along with the enormous bento spread for Sasuke's friend Naruto. Following Sasuke's specific request about Naruto's appetite, he'd found every bento box in the house and filled more than a dozen of them completely.
The family gathered around the dining table for breakfast together.
The meal was simple but satisfying: bread, fried eggs, and milk. Sasuke loved the fried eggs his brother made more than anything else in the world.
Mikoto looked up from her plate and noticed the mountain of bento boxes sitting on the table. Confusion crossed her face as she asked, "Itachi, why did you make so many bento boxes? Are all of these for Sasuke to take to school?"
Itachi heard the question and explained, "Mom, they're for Sasuke's new friend. Sasuke had dinner at his new friend's house yesterday, so today Sasuke asked me to prepare bento for him. He wants to return the favor and invite his friend to share lunch."
Hearing Itachi's explanation, Mikoto turned to Sasuke with a delighted smile. "Oh my! Our Sasuke has made a friend! You should invite him over to play at the house sometime when you have the chance."
"Mom, I—" Sasuke started to respond, but Itachi gently interrupted him.
"Mom, you actually know Sasuke's friend already. His name is Uzumaki Naruto. He's Aunt Kushina's child." Itachi's voice was carefully measured.
Itachi understood perfectly well that Naruto was the child of his mother's best friend. Unfortunately, that best friend had died alongside her husband, the Fourth Hokage, during the Nine-Tails attack.
At that time, his mother had grieved for a very long time.
"Kushina's child?" Mikoto's expression shifted to one of surprise. Her best friend's face appeared vividly in her mind—memories flooding back of times when the two of them had been inseparable, going everywhere together, shopping in the market side by side, sharing secrets and laughter.
In the blink of an eye, seven years had passed. Seven years since Kushina's death.
And her child was already seven years old now.
What a tragedy, Mikoto thought with deep sadness. She'd genuinely wanted to take in her best friend's child, to raise him alongside her own sons. But because of certain... difficulties, certain political complications, she hadn't been able to.
"Let's finish breakfast first," Fugaku said at that moment. His tone was gentle but purposeful—he was reminding his wife not to show too much emotion where Sasuke might notice and ask uncomfortable questions.
Fugaku sighed internally as well, feeling profound regret about the Minato family's fate. If Minato were still alive, with the close relationship Fugaku had shared with him, the Uchiha clan wouldn't have fallen to its current dire situation.
These circumstances made Fugaku extremely cautious about extending any help to Naruto, no matter how much he might want to. His Uchiha clan had been one of the founding families of Konoha, establishing the village alongside the Senju family under the First and Second Hokage.
But now? Some individuals within the clan seemed unable to sit still anymore, growing increasingly restless and radical.
Sasuke, blissfully unaware of the undercurrents of tension at the table, continued eating his breakfast happily. Between bites, he enthusiastically told his mother all about Naruto—his strength, his cooking, his farm, everything.
After the meal concluded, Itachi helped Sasuke carefully pack all the bento boxes into the enormous schoolbag. Then he walked Sasuke to the door, seeing him off before heading to his own work at ANBU headquarters.
Back at home, once they were alone, Mikoto walked up to Fugaku with concern evident on her face. "Is there any problem with Sasuke growing so close to Naruto?"
Fugaku shook his head thoughtfully. "No. Sasuke isn't Itachi. If it were Itachi getting close to Naruto, then certain people would worry. But Sasuke poses no threat to anyone's plans."
Fugaku's analysis was measured and careful. He understood that Naruto's identity carried tremendous weight and political significance. He'd paid attention to Naruto's situation over the years, observing from a distance. As a child, the boy had received only minimal living expenses—nowhere near enough for proper care.
Where did Minato's legacy go? Fugaku wondered, though he immediately pushed the thought away. He didn't dare think too deeply about it. Didn't want to think about it. He was afraid that if he examined certain things too closely, if he took certain actions based on what he discovered, the entire village of Konoha might be plunged into meaningless, devastating conflict.
But then again... weren't all people eventually forced to act?
Some individuals in power were really going too far.
For a long while, Uchiha Fugaku's mind churned with thoughts—thoughts he didn't want to have but couldn't avoid. The weight of leadership, the burden of his clan's future, the impossible choices that seemed to loom on the horizon.
After chatting with Mikoto about lighter topics and discussing Sasuke's progress for a bit, Fugaku gathered his things and headed to work at the police force headquarters.
The morning passed quickly. Itachi worked in ANBU all morning, handling various missions and reports. When lunchtime arrived, he took advantage of the break to leave headquarters. He wanted to go to the Academy to see his brother.
Right now, more than anything else, he just wanted to see Sasuke. Wanted to look at him one more time.
Take one more look, Itachi thought with quiet desperation. Just one more look. In the future, it may become very difficult to see my little brother's voice and smile again.
When he arrived near the Academy, the lunch bell had just rung. Itachi concealed himself in a corner, watching from a distance as students poured out of the school gates.
After a short wait, Itachi spotted his younger brother.
Sasuke carried the huge schoolbag Itachi had prepared for him. Beside him walked Naruto—a boy who stood a full head and a half taller than Sasuke, which was remarkable considering they were the same age. The two walked out of the school gates together, talking and laughing with easy camaraderie.
So that's Naruto, Itachi thought, studying the boy carefully.
The reality of Naruto was quite different from the image Itachi had constructed in his mind. However, that distinctive yellow hair had definitely inherited the genetic legacy of the Fourth Hokage, the "Yellow Flash" himself. There was no mistaking it.
Itachi followed the two boys from a distance, maintaining perfect stealth. With his advanced skills, neither of them had any chance of detecting his presence.
He watched as Sasuke and Naruto made their way to the small river together. He observed them settling down on the grass by the riverbank, spreading out the cloth and unpacking the bento boxes. He saw Naruto's face light up with genuine amazement and delight when the boxes were opened.
Itachi couldn't help but smile slightly at that reaction. He'd always been confident in his cooking skills, and seeing them validated felt good.
It's just... The smile faded. In the future, brother... I may not be able to fry eggs for you anymore.
Itachi continued watching quietly as the two boys interacted. Their friendship was pure and beautiful, unmarred by politics or darkness. From Sasuke's smile—that open, honest, joyful expression—Itachi felt a small warmth kindle in his chest.
Brother, he thought, his heart aching. I'm doing all of this for your own good. I hope... I hope you won't blame me in the future.
As he watched, Itachi also confirmed what Sasuke had told him about Naruto's enormous appetite. The boy truly did eat an incredible amount. He consumed all dozen-plus bento boxes without even slowing down, showing no signs of discomfort at all.
After Naruto and Sasuke finished eating and left the grass by the small river, Itachi remained standing in his hidden position for a long while. Then, his expression returning to its usual blank mask, he turned and walked away in silence.
That evening, Itachi returned home after completing his day's work at ANBU headquarters. As he approached the door, he saw Sasuke's smiling face waiting for him.
"Brother! You're finally back!" Sasuke ran toward him with open arms.
"Yes, I am home." Itachi's face transformed instantly, the cold mask melting away to reveal a gentle, warm smile. His voice became soft as he greeted his little brother.
"Thank you so much, brother!" Sasuke's words tumbled out with excitement. "Naruto really loved the bento you made! He said your cooking skills are on the same level as his own! That's huge—Naruto's really good at cooking, so him recognizing your skills makes me so happy!"
Seeing how delighted Sasuke was that his friend had praised his brother's abilities warmed Itachi's heart.
"Well, of course," Itachi said, affecting an appropriately proud expression. "After all, who is your brother?"
"Brother..." Sasuke's expression turned a bit shy, almost hesitant. "Could you... could you teach me how to cook?"
Itachi looked down at his little brother's hopeful face, and something painful twisted in his chest.
But outwardly, his smile never wavered.
"Of course, Sasuke. I'd be happy to teach you."