Kaen noticed him before he ever saw him.
Observation Haki carried a presence unlike the others in the district — calm, steady, disciplined. Not arrogant like some clan elites, not wary like villagers.
Balanced.
Experienced.
Strong.
Kaen kept training anyway, pretending ignorance as he practiced beneath the autumn trees, catching falling leaves with eyes closed.
One leaf drifted slightly off pattern.
Kaen caught it mid-air.
And then he spoke without opening his eyes.
"You've been watching for three days."
Silence followed.
Then a low chuckle.
"So you really can sense it."
Kaen opened his eyes.
Standing a few meters away was a tall shinobi wearing standard Konoha gear, dark hair tied back, Sharingan inactive but unmistakably Uchiha.
Uchiha Kagami.
Even Kaen, with fragments of future knowledge from his past life, recognized the name. A rare Uchiha trusted deeply by the Hokage line… someone known for loyalty over pride.
Which made his presence here… interesting.
Kagami didn't approach aggressively.
He simply leaned lightly against a tree.
"You train like someone much older," he said.
"And you hide it well. Most children can't."
Kaen stayed silent.
Talking carelessly was dangerous.
Especially with someone observant enough to notice hidden strength.
"I'm not here to report you," Kagami added after a moment.
Observation Haki confirmed it — no hostility, only curiosity.
Still, Kaen remained cautious.
"Why watch me then?"
Kagami's gaze softened slightly.
"Because I remember what it's like… growing up Uchiha during uneasy times. And because war orphans shouldn't have to raise themselves."
That statement hit closer than Kaen expected.
But he didn't show it.
Emotion revealed weakness.
And weakness invited control.
Kagami studied him quietly.
"You don't trust the clan much."
Not a question.
An observation.
Kaen answered honestly — but carefully.
"I trust actions. Not names."
For a brief moment, surprise flickered across Kagami's face.
Then… approval.
"That's wiser than most adults I know."
They stood in silence for a while.
Leaves continued falling.
Kaen resumed catching them — partly training, partly avoiding direct conversation.
Kagami watched without interrupting this time.
Eventually he spoke again.
"You're approaching academy age soon. Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru — that generation will be entering around then too. Things will change."
Kaen already knew that.
But hearing it confirmed from someone living this era grounded his expectations.
"Change isn't always improvement," Kaen replied.
Kagami didn't disagree.
Before leaving, Kagami added something unexpected:
"If you ever need guidance — not charity, not clan politics, just guidance — find me."
No pressure.
No obligation.
Just an option.
That alone set him apart from most clan adults Kaen had encountered.
After Kagami disappeared, Kaen remained under the tree longer than usual.
Observation Haki stretched outward again.
District normal. No surveillance. No hidden hostility.
Safe.
Yet his thoughts lingered.
Kagami represented something rare:
An Uchiha respected beyond clan borders.
Proof coexistence wasn't impossible.
But also proof that individuals didn't erase systemic tension.
That evening, Hitomi noticed his distraction.
"You met someone important today."
Not a question either.
Kaen nodded slightly.
"Maybe."
"Dangerous?"
"…No."
She smiled faintly.
"That's good."
Simple.
Grounding.
As always.
Later that night, Kaen sat on their rooftop watching stars break through scattered clouds.
Strength was growing.
Political awareness deepening.
Connections beginning — cautiously.
The academy loomed closer.
And for the first time, Kaen wondered:
Not whether he'd survive it.
But what kind of shinobi he intended to become once he stepped inside.