Meeting (3)

"So, you're the grandson of the Senju Clan leader? My father speaks highly of you," Shikamaru took the initiative to start the conversation.

'Shikaku knows me? It makes sense since his father was the Hokage's advisor,' Kibishi thought to himself.

This time, Kiba spoke up. "Why are you wearing a Uchiha crest on your shirt?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, my father is from the Uchiha clan," Kibishi explained. This revelation shocked all four of them once again.

"Why are you all surprised again?" Naruto grumbled, clearly confused.

"It's nothing. How about we play now? Since I just joined, I'll be the one who chases you," Kibishi suggested.

"Sure!" Naruto exclaimed. "Count to ten before you start chasing us and try to catch us," he explained.

"Mendukose," Shikamaru mumbled, and they all took off running.

On the sidelines, Hanabi had a smile on her face. She noticed a familiar woman approaching her, holding a child's hand.

Hanabi waved to her and the child, saying, "Sister Mikoto." Mikoto smiled and quickened her pace.

Mikoto took the initiative to hug Hanabi. "What are you doing here, Hanabi? Did you bring Kibishi?" she asked, realizing it had been a while since she last saw him. "Oh, and this is my second-born," she added.

"Introduce yourself, Sasuke," she instructed the shy child hiding behind her.

"Hello, I'm Sasuke Uchiha," he spoke softly.

"What a cute kid," Hanabi said as she pinched one of his cheeks. "I came with my son. He was playing over there," she pointed towards where Kibishi was.

Mikoto looked in the direction and saw a kid with a Uchiha crest on his shirt. "He's grown tall and cute," she remarked.

Sasuke curiously looked at Kibishi. "Mom, are they Uchiha?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"Not quite. How can I explain this?" Mikoto pondered for a moment, trying to find the right words for a child. "His father is my little brother, Kazuchi Uchiha, your uncle. She's also your Aunt. " Sasuke nodded, seemingly understanding.

"I forgot to introduce myself to Sasuke. Hello, I'm Hanabi Senju," she said. "You can join them after their game."

Sasuke continued to watch the game, while Hanabi and Mikoto caught up with each other. "How have you been, Hanabi?" Mikoto asked.

"I've been assigned to numerous missions recently. I barely have any time for my son," Hanabi sighed.

"That's unfortunate. You should request some time off to be with your son and so we can spend time together as families," Mikoto replied.

"Yeah, I've requested a month off. Hopefully, the Hokage approves it," Hanabi said.

"So, is Kibishi enrolling in the academy this year? I'm planning to enroll Sasuke," Mikoto inquired.

"Yes, Kibishi will be joining too. He has been training a lot lately. I've encouraged him to make friends and explained that he won't fully enjoy his childhood if he becomes a ninja," Hanabi explained.

"That's good that Kibishi will be joining too. Training is important, but it's equally important for him to have friends outside of his family. Just look at my firstborn, Itachi. He doesn't have many friends," Mikoto sighed. She then whispered to Hanabi, "He actually joined the ANBU."

Surprised by the revelation, Hanabi replied, "Why did you allow him to join the ANBU? It's a dangerous and intense place."

"I only found out recently myself. He's still just 11 years old. He could have enjoyed his childhood instead," Mikoto said, sounding dejected.

They continued their conversation as Kibishi finished capturing Naruto, Choji, Shikamaru, Shino, and finally Kiba.

"Kibishi, you're really fast. It hasn't even been two minutes yet," Choji huffed, trying to catch his breath. The others nodded in agreement, also struggling to recover.

"It's because you guys were already tired when I joined," Kibishi humbly replied.

Just then, Hanabi approached them with Sasuke. "Kibishi, let Sasuke join you too," she suggested before leaving. Everyone turned their attention to Sasuke, each with their own thoughts.

'So this is Sasuke, a kid Sasuke from the Uchiha clan. He seems different from the Sasuke in the anime,' Kibishi observed, watching Sasuke fidget nervously. 'The Uchiha massacre really affected him. He looks nothing like the cold-hearted Sasuke we saw when he first appeared in Naruto.'

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha," Sasuke introduced himself. Each of them reintroduced themselves as well.

"Since you just joined, you're 'it'," Naruto declared.

They resumed playing, with Sasuke initially chasing Choji after counting from one to ten. Sasuke struggled a bit, surprised by Choji's agility despite his size. After catching Choji, he went after Shino, followed by Shikamaru, Naruto, and Kiba.

Finally, Sasuke began chasing Kibishi. 'He's faster than the others. Just as I expected from someone learning from Itachi. But he's still too slow to catch me. Even without working out yet, my bloodline makes me faster,' Kibishi thought, allowing Sasuke to catch him after a minute.

They continued their game till sunset. After resting for a while, they talked to each other.

"Looks like my mom is here to pick me up. See you guys next time," Choji announced.

"See you later. My mom's here too," Shikamaru added, walking alongside Choji.

'Their families seem close,' Kibishi observed.

A few minutes later, Shino and Kiba also left with their parents. Kibishi noticed Naruto standing alone, looking a bit down and teary.

Hanabi and Mikoto arrived to pick up Kibishi and Sasuke, noticing Naruto's loneliness.

"Come on, Sasuke and Kibishi, we're going to grab something to eat," Mikoto said, glancing at Naruto and offering a smile. "Naruto, you can join us if you'd like. We're going for ramen."

Hanabi, Mikoto, and Kushina were close friends, and they felt a sense of responsibility towards Naruto. They had promised Kushina to take care of him, but they had been busier than expected. All they could do was give him some extra allowance.

Naruto's face brightened up. "Uh-huh," he nodded with a smile.

They walked for a few minutes until they reached Ichiraku Ramen.

"Naruto, just order whatever you want. We'll pay for you," Mikoto offered. Teuchi approached and asked for their orders.

"I want the one with noodles, tender slices of meat, and no vegetables," Naruto requested. "Miss you Ramen? Milyu? The one with soup," he said, scratching his head. This caused everyone, including Sasuke, to burst into laughter.

"It's called Miso Ramen, Naruto," Kibishi corrected him. "I'll have the same."

"Same for me," Hanabi chimed in.

"Just give us all the same," Mikoto instructed.

"Coming right up," Teuchi replied with a smile. "Ayame, handle the noodles while I chop the ingredients."

Kibishi observed the brown-haired lady and realized that she was Teuchi's daughter.

While they waited for their food, Mikoto asked Naruto, "Are you joining the Academy, Naruto?"

"Yes, I am. After I graduate, I'll become the Hokage," Naruto replied with a proud smile.

"Indeed, Naruto, I believe you'll become a great Hokage," Mikoto said, offering a warm smile.

After 15 minutes, their food was served, and they enjoyed their meal for another 15 minutes while Mikoto and Hanabi engaged in conversation. Kibishi quietly listened, taking in their words.

Once they finished eating, they went their separate ways. "Make sure to visit our house sometime, Kibishi," Mikoto suggested.

"Yes, Aunt Mikoto," Kibishi replied. Naruto also departed shortly after they did.