2 The Uchiha Family  

(Sarada met the two most important men in her life.)

Much later, Sarada could still remember that dusk.

——That day, she met the two most important men in her life.

That day after school, Sarada went to the vegetable market to buy ingredients for dinner as usual, planning to go home and make dinner.

Her mom was usually very busy, so dinner was always prepared by her. If her mom didn't have to work overtime someday, she would let Sarada know in advance.

Looking at the blue and orange dusk sky, Sarada recalled what Boruto complained about the Seventh Hokage to Shikadai and the others today.

It seemed that the Seventh Hokage went out of the village yesterday for some emergency. But that idiot Boruto actually blurted it out in public.

Does he even understand what the Hokage means to everyone in the village?

If the Hokage leaves the village, something big must have happened. If this news spreads, it will cause panic among the villagers, and may also be exploited by the enemy...

Fortunately, the Seventh Hokage returned soon after. But still, Boruto shouldn't have shouted about it so carelessly for everyone to know.

Sarada couldn't stand his childishness anymore and spoke up to stop him.

——But that idiot Boruto... actually said she was meddling and making a fuss over nothing...

Sarada's forehead pulsed with anger again.

She sighed helplessly, shook her head, and cheered herself up again.

Turning a corner, Sarada habitually looked towards her home. But when she did, she was stunned.

A man in black with black hair stood outside her yard.

Looking at that man, Sarada only felt her heart pounding rapidly. A strange feeling guided her and prompted her to make a bold guess——

——Could it be...

She quickly walked over, excited to strike up a conversation. But suddenly she noticed there was a boy about her age standing beside the man that she didn't see earlier because the man blocked him.

Sarada stopped abruptly. The previous excitement turned into extreme disappointment.

——She's an only child, so as expected... it's not him, right? Sarada sighed again. Wiping away the unrealistic fantasy from her mind, she looked curiously at the two people in front of her house, guessing they were here to see her mom.

After all, there were always many people coming to express gratitude for being cured of illnesses.

Just then, the boy seemed to notice Sarada approaching and turned to look at her with cold pitch-black eyes, directly meeting Sarada's curious gaze.

Sarada was startled.

At this moment, a familiar voice called out from behind her, "Sarada!"

The girl turned around to greet her mother with pink hair hurrying over, "Oh, Mom! You're home from work so early today? Someone is here to see you."

But the beautiful young woman was stunned in place as she looked at the two people in front of the door, or rather, the man who had turned around to look at her, seeming to have tears flash through her eyes.

Sarada's heart skipped a beat and she quickly turned around again.

"I'm back... Sakura." The low, cold voice carried a barely noticeable gentleness as it rang in Sarada's ears, making her stare in disbelief, hardly believing what was happening before her eyes.

Sakura came to her senses, raised her hand to wipe her eyes, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help blossoming into a brilliant smile. "Oh my, look at me..." She looked up, her emerald eyes shining with a bright light that touched one's heart.

——"Welcome home, Sasuke."

Time stood still for an instant.

"Mom, he... he is..." While clutching her mother's clothes, Sarada looked at the man, stammering for a long time but unable to utter the word deeply buried in her heart.

"He's your dad, Sarada. Your dad is back! Come on, call dad!" Sakura smiled and bent down to hold her daughter by the shoulders, encouraging her unusually stunned daughter.

"Dad..." Sarada's eyes lit up for an instant.

Wait!

She suddenly thought of something and looked towards Sasuke's side. That boy... Looking at him like this, they... they look alike! ——What's going on here?

Sarada, who had never seen her father, had always had complicated feelings towards Sasuke. She yearned for a father's love and hoped to see her father, but on the other hand, she had made all kinds of guesses about the father who hadn't come home for ten years that she couldn't restrain herself from making. As precocious and smart as she was, she had never asked her mother about her longtime fear——

——Dad, has abandoned us?

For a while, Sarada looked at the boy who looked about seven or eight parts like her father, then at her father who was staring at her looking rather cold. She couldn't get any words out.

Sakura was still immersed in the joy of reuniting with Sasuke, subconsciously ignoring the child by his side. Seeing her daughter looking a little wrong, she became somewhat puzzled.

"What's wrong, Sarada?"

While Sasuke, seeing the suspicion, unfamiliarity and guardedness in his daughter's eyes, sadly averted his gaze.

He already felt guilty towards his daughter. Just now when Sakura asked her to call dad, he was somewhat at a loss subconsciously putting on a cold face. Unaware of himself, he thought Sarada was resenting him.

Little did he know, Sarada did feel some resentment, but at this moment, a different suspicion took precedence.

——Children are often the most sensitive to certain things, ignorant adults.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming awkward from the previous warmth, the boy who had been standing silently by Sasuke's side suddenly spoke up.

"Aunt Sakura, I am Uchiha Chitose."

For a moment, the other three were stunned. Sakura reacted first. Only then did she remember the boy's affairs. She smiled embarrassedly, "Oh... this child is..." Recalling his origins, afraid to uncover the child's scar, she sought help from Sasuke with pleading eyes.

"...He is my brother——Uchiha Itachi's son." Smart as Sasuke was, he immediately understood his daughter's strange reaction after the boy's reminder and promptly explained.

Then he looked at Sarada, who was clearly also shocked but obviously relieved.

"...Sarada, from today onwards, he is your brother who will be living with us."

"Brother?" Sarada was startled, then eagerly asked, "Then, will dad be with us too, and never leave us again?"

Sasuke looked at her with some surprise and remained silent. But at this time, the boy spoke up again, "Uncle will come back often." He looked straight at the girl looking back at him and hesitated for a moment, softening his gaze.

"If you miss him, he will come back. Right?" The last question was clearly asking Sasuke beside him. Sasuke lowered his head to look at this boy who for the first time since they met wasn't so cold, his expression distracted for a moment as he nodded.

The resemblance in this boy's looks to that person brought back memories. That person with a similar face was also so calm and gently loved his caring family members.

In a distracted moment, Sarada had already come to the two and curiously looked over the two most important men in her life.

Sakura also walked over. Naruto had told her about this child's background and that he would be living with them, so that's why she was able to wrap up her work early and rush home.

Looking at the child who seldom revealed his gentle side, thinking back to his experience, and that brother of Sasuke's who could never be forgotten by him, her heart instantly softened.

——Sasuke must be very happy. He finally has a chance to make up for things with his brother.

——Like this... won't your heart feel better? Can your journey of atonement... not be taken with such anguished feelings anymore?

She walked up to the delicate-faced boy and bent down to rub his soft hair.

"From now on, this is your home and we are your family. Please take good care of us, Chitose!"

The boy named Chitose quietly looked at the warmly smiling woman for a long time, his dark eyes flickering imperceptibly as he nodded almost unseen.

But this was enough to make the three Uchihas who had been watching him anxiously breathe a sigh of relief in unison.

"Alright, the guest room on the second floor will be Chitose's room. Sarada, take Chitose to play first. Mom will show off her skills today to celebrate dad and brother coming home!" Sakura clapped her hands cheerfully and tilted her head to look at the two very similar children.

——It's so nice... Sasuke's brother's child, looking like this, it's as if Sarada and him are twins... Sarada must be very happy too, right?

——Like this, from now on this child will officially become a member of our family.

Sarada loudly responded to her mother, then pulled Chitose's hand and uncharacteristically rushed into the house happily like a 10-year-old child.

With her father rarely coming home and her mother being extremely busy as the head of the hospital, Sarada's current maturity was actually very distressing. Having to buy groceries and cook dinner alone every day, sometimes even spending the night home alone when her mother worked overtime. As a 10-year old child, one could imagine how lonely Sarada felt seeing other families together happily.

But now, she had a brother. She had thought about and longed for a younger brother or sister before. Now, she suddenly had an older brother, one she could rely on.

She was overjoyed.

And...

Sarada secretly glanced at Chitose who was surveying the exterior and courtyard of the Uchiha residence at the front gate. He immediately noticed his younger sister looking and turned to face her. Although his delicate face that even girls would be jealous of still remained expressionless, Sarada saw gentleness in his very similar eyebrows and eyes.

——Her brother is handsome and gentle.

Sarada happily smiled.

——That said...

Sarada looked back at Sasuke.

".....So, why is dad standing outside and not going in, is it because he doesn't have the key?"

Sasuke: "....."

***

Konoha Marketplace.

Sasuke held Sakura's left hand, watching her choose ingredients for dinner at the various stalls, his gaze gentle.

Suddenly, he spoke, "...Sakura, Naruto should have told you about Chitose's affairs."

Sakura gripped Sasuke's hand tighter.

"Mmm." She answered in a low voice, a sore feeling surging in her heart.

Such a young child had suffered through such inhumane torture... What's more, he was big brother Itachi's only descendant. They were his last living relatives in this world. And he had gone through similar experiences as Sasuke...

"From now on, I will treat him like my own son." After a long silence, Sasuke spoke in an exceptionally determined voice.

——With my lifelong conviction, Itachi, I will definitely raise your child properly.

In the noisy marketplace, the lone eye revealed under Sasuke's forelocks held as heavy as a mountain, solemn and determined.

What responded to his words was Sakura's firm tight grip on his hand.

"I understand, Sasuke." Facing Sasuke's gaze, the corners of her mouth held a warm smile.

——No matter what you do, I understand and support you. Not to mention that pitiful child related by blood to you. Without you saying so, I would still treat him well like my own child.

——On behalf of his great mother.

Sasuke's expression flickered. Then he released his right hand and raised two fingers to Sakura's forehead.

His cold, stern brows softened. He gently poked.

"Thank you, Sakura."

***

The sumptuous dinner passed joyfully among the now four members of the Uchiha family——yes four members now——amid laughter and lively chatter. In Sakura's eyes, Sarada's rare liveliness made her very gratified. And Chitose...

The black-haired, black-eyed boy's etiquette revealed good upbringing. He quietly listened to Sarada talk, also answering her questions concisely yet clearly.

"Ne, dad, brother will be going to Ninja School tomorrow too, right?" Suddenly, Sarada asked Sasuke across from her.

At this, Chitose's attention was also clearly drawn as he stared at Sasuke with Sarada.

Sasuke paused for a moment, put down his chopsticks, and deeply acknowledged, "Mm."

He believed Naruto would have arranged everything. Given this child's capabilities, catching up with the progress of the class would surely be a breeze.

School life would benefit his growth.

Sarada heaved a long sigh of relief, then excitedly cheered, "That's great! Brother will be in the ninja class with me, right? Then from now on we can go to school together!"

Saying so, Sarada got excited herself. Chitose looked at her, the cold ridges of his brows slightly softening.

Sakura looked at her delighted appearance, feeling guilty yet gratified.

——Sarada must have been very lonely... And Chitose, expressionless until now, unconsciously appears aloof and wary even if behaving properly. Fortunately, he gets along well with Sarada now. But this is unavoidable too... Having gone through things like that, it's hard not to develop such a cold personality. But it's alright, in the future, he will surely slowly accept us, just like Sasuke back then.

——But Sarada, this sensible child, didn't ask about Chitose's parents at all. Still, there should be an opportunity to tell her. It's best not to easily bring up Chitose's parents...

At night.

Chitose lay in bed, staring straight at the ceiling with wide open black eyes.

He wore the pajamas Sasuke bought for him after leaving the Hokage office that afternoon. The soft fabric felt very comfortable.

The new clothes to wear tomorrow were washed once by Sakura and hung out to dry. The beautiful young woman even solemnly assured Chitose that they would definitely be dry in the morning.

That solemn attitude...

Chitose's black eyes flickered.

After dinner, he helped Sakura tidy up what would be his room from then on. The Uchiha residence had two floors. The first floor was a connected living room, kitchen, and a very large study. The second floor had four rooms - a master bedroom and three smaller rooms. Currently, apart from Sarada and his bedrooms, the other room was filled with miscellaneous items. There were washrooms on both floors.

His room was opposite Sarada's. To his left was the storeroom and at the end of the corridor was the bathroom. To the right were the stairs, Sasuke and Sakura's room.

His bedroom had simple white walls and was not big. Apart from a bed, a corner desk and a chair, there was nothing else.

But still, such a life was unimaginable to him not long ago.

During the day, no longer needing to endure training challenging the limits of life——or rather, torture——as well as inhumane human experimentation. At night, also no longer worried about stealth attacks followed by forced drug injections, then enduring unspeakable agony...

Chitose turned over, facing the wall. His fists unconsciously clenched silently.

Mother, I can't do it... I can't not hate.

In the darkness, a viciousness and killing intent that made him seem like a different person from the quiet, aloof boy at the dinner table earlier flashed through Chitose's jet black eyes.

He closed his eyes briefly, suppressing the emotions inside.

Oh right, that guy, wonder if he can come back from the end of the cycle like he said.

——Have to survive.

He sighed, flipped over again lying on his back. Suddenly he heard a faint sound and immediately closed his eyes, evening out his breathing.

After a while, the door opened gently. Chitose secretly opened his eyes to a slit. In the hazy moonlight, the noticeable pink hair marked the visitor as none other than his aunt.

Sakura quietly came to the bedside and neatly tucked Chitose in. Then she gently brushed his bangs aside to both sides and looked at him for a while before leaving.

Before the door closing sound rang out, Chitose heard an extremely low voice.

".....How is it?"

".....Fine.....sleeping...."

Finally, the room returned to silence as the door closed. Chitose opened his eyes, hearing his heartbeat.

He didn't know how much time passed when there was movement from the door across. Chitose's door opened again and Sarada poked her head in, accidentally meeting Chitose's eyes directly.

Her little head bounced up in fright, apparently shocked. Then she smiled playfully and dragged her comforter in, closing the door. Chitose was already sitting up, "...Sarada?"

The girl grinned and lay on his bed, eyes shining brightly, "I can't sleep. Dad came home today, and brother will be living with us from now on..."

The usually lonely and mature girl revealed childish behavior unfamiliar to even herself in front of the brother she had just met yet felt strangely close to and trusted exceptionally.

"It's like a dream. I'm so happy... I feel so blessed." She smiled cutely, curving her big eyes like a small animal.

Chitose froze. Something in the softest part of his heart jolted. Slowly, he reached out, covered Sarada with the blanket, and hesitated for a moment before rubbing her head, resulting in Sarada unconsciously squinting her eyes.

Like a kitten.

He watched her for a while, then smiled.

"Go to sleep."