I Only Feel Bad for My Sister

"What's the meaning of this? Inviting me over as a guest?"

Genkawa Uchiha was bewildered.

Did they not know exactly what kind of relationship he had with the rest of the Uchiha Clan?

Asking him over as a guest at a time like this... it was pure nonsense.

Mikoto Uchiha nodded.

"That's right. It was proposed by Yashiro Uchiha and a few others."

"Wait, don't explain yet. My head is a bit of a mess."

Genkawa Uchiha wore a strange expression, a multitude of thoughts spinning round and round in his mind, yet he still couldn't fathom the reason why.

Seeing this, Mikoto Uchiha smiled. "They feel that you are the one within the Uchiha Clan who holds most firmly to your principles."

Genkawa Uchiha opened his mouth to speak, but ended up laughing instead.

"Forget it. Let them think whatever they want. There's no need to tell me about things like this in the future; I'm not going over there anyway."

Mikoto Uchiha seemed to have expected this attitude all along, so she had brought it up as if it were a joke, not attaching much importance to it.

Of the entire Uchiha Clan, she was the one who understood Genkawa Uchiha best.

"That said, you coming here... the Clan Head won't be angry, will he?"

Mikoto Uchiha was busy folding his clean laundry nearby. At these words, her hands paused, and her expression turned unnatural for a fleeting moment.

"Why would he be angry? Don't overthink it."

Genkawa Uchiha nodded. "That's true. Regardless of anything else, he is the Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan; he should at least have that much magnanimity."

Mikoto Uchiha fell silent.

"Sigh, it's a pity. I can't help you with this matter; I can only feel sorry for you here, sister."

The words were spoken with a straight face, but Mikoto Uchiha knew him far too well. Seeing him like this, how could she not know that the brat was harboring mischievous intentions?

"Eat your food."

Seeing her willow-leaf brows knit together, Genkawa Uchiha chuckled, but said nothing more.

The two chatted idly, carefully avoiding the topic of the Uchiha Clan and sticking to trivial matters.

Finally, just before Mikoto Uchiha finished tidying up and prepared to leave, she suddenly asked, "Genkawa-kun, can you do me a favor?"

Genkawa Uchiha was picking his teeth, and upon hearing this, he nodded. "Go ahead, what kind of favor?"

"Promise me first."

Genkawa Uchiha's hand paused, and he raised an eyebrow.

What is this? Trying to act spoiled with me?

It didn't seem like it, though.

He looked Mikoto Uchiha up and down, focusing his gaze on her chest and waist for a few moments, which made her face flush slightly as she reached out and swatted him.

"Are you going to promise or not?"

Genkawa Uchiha opened his mouth slightly. Seeing her like this, he felt it was all a bit strange.

"Tell me what it is first."

"Promise me first."

Having said that, she just looked at him, saying nothing more.

Genkawa Uchiha remained silent, equally stubborn.

The two seemed to be in a standoff, waiting to see who would break first.

The result was obvious; Mikoto Uchiha spoke first. "I've been looking after you since you were six or seven years old, for several years. Do you remember how you loved the food I cooked, and how I washed all your clothes? When others spoke ill of you, I was the one who stood in your way. When you were unhappy, I was the one who coaxed you..."

She listed the things she had done for him one by one, her eyes growing redder and her voice more tearful with every word.

It had to be said, she was a married woman after all; some things were truly learned without a teacher. She had actually resorted to using schemes on a handsome young man like him.

Even though he knew Mikoto Uchiha was doing this on purpose, Genkawa Uchiha couldn't just watch.

He might have a strained relationship with the Uchiha Clan and an intention to distance himself from Mikoto Uchiha, but it hadn't reached that point yet.

Seeing that she showed no signs of stopping her rambling, Genkawa Uchiha shook his head helplessly. "Let's get this straight: if it's something that puts me in a difficult position, I will refuse."

Only then did Mikoto Uchiha stop. She said directly, "I want to ask you to become Itachi's teacher."

Genkawa Uchiha pointed at himself.

"Me?"

Mikoto Uchiha nodded.

"Be Itachi's teacher?"

Mikoto Uchiha nodded again.

"Yes."

Genkawa Uchiha fell silent.

(Note: The text contains a website-specific error message regarding book searches; omitting per instructions.)

Itachi was only four, nearly five years old—still just a little boy.

But the moment he thought about what this kid would do in the future, his head began to ache.

This person was a ticking time bomb.

Thinking this, he shook his head immediately.

However, Mikoto Uchiha seemed genuinely hurt by his attitude; her eyes reddened instantly, and tears began to fall.

"Why?"

Perhaps because she found it hard to accept, Mikoto Uchiha's voice trembled as she spoke.

After all, in her heart, she had always treated Genkawa Uchiha like family. For him to flatly refuse to be her child's mentor left her feeling a sense of defeat.

It felt as though the affection she had invested in Genkawa Uchiha over the years had been for nothing.

Damn it.

Genkawa Uchiha feared nothing more than a woman's tears.

Especially when he thought it over and guessed the reason for her current emotional state, his headache only intensified.

Others might not know what Itachi Uchiha would become, but how could he not know?

Yet, according to normal social conventions, it was perfectly reasonable for him to be Itachi Uchiha's mentor right now.

That was exactly what Mikoto Uchiha thought, which was why she felt so devastated after being rejected.

"I..."

Genkawa Uchiha was at a loss for words, but looking at her expression, he couldn't bring himself to continue the refusal.

"Let's get this straight: I'm not even an adult yet, so being a mentor isn't appropriate. I'll just act as an uncle and help you look after the kid in my spare time."

Upon hearing this, the look of sorrow on Mikoto Uchiha's face eased slightly.

Genkawa Uchiha continued, "I can't guarantee I'll be able to teach Itachi well. You know my situation better than anyone. As long as you aren't afraid of Itachi getting too close to me and picking up my personality—or developing a hatred for the clan—then it's fine."

Mikoto Uchiha wiped the corners of her eyes and said, "Hating the Uchiha is still better than being like the other clansmen, harboring unrealistic fantasies about the clan."

Genkawa Uchiha raised an eyebrow. "It seems you have a very clear understanding of these things, Mikoto-san."

Mikoto Uchiha ignored the comment and said, "Then it's settled. I'll tell Itachi when I get back."

"Aren't you afraid the Clan Head will refuse?"

"He won't."

With that, Mikoto Uchiha left immediately.

It was clear she was somewhat impatient.

Shaking his head, Genkawa Uchiha didn't dwell on it further.

The matter had come as a surprise, but it wasn't entirely unacceptable.

Reflecting on her words, it was clear that as a mother, Mikoto Uchiha did not want her child to become like the others in the clan, easily swept up by the collective sentiment.

If that happened, she would feel like a failure as a mother.

But being Itachi's mentor...

That was going to be difficult.

"I just hope that guy Fugaku Uchiha sticks to his principles and rejects Mikoto-san's request."

As it turned out, the result was completely beyond Genkawa Uchiha's expectations.

Three days after that conversation, Mikoto Uchiha came over once more, bringing news that left him bewildered.

"Fugaku agreed. This is a token of gratitude he asked me to pass on to you."

It was a ninja sword forged with chakra-infused metal; it was a masterpiece by any standard.

"How could he agree?"

Genkawa Uchiha was baffled.

As a father, and especially as the Clan Head, shouldn't Fugaku Uchiha have sternly refused?

After all, not just the Uchiha Clan, but even people in the village knew that he and Fugaku were at odds.

Was this logical?

It was completely illogical.

Mikoto Uchiha smiled faintly, delivering a final, crushing remark.

"You don't understand the feelings parents have for their children, nor do you understand the importance they place on them."

She explained, "Perhaps in your eyes, you and Fugaku are at odds. But in Fugaku's eyes, you are a true genius. Having you guide Itachi from your perspective is, to him, a good thing."

"Is that so?"

Mikoto Uchiha nodded. "Therefore, in six days, I will bring Itachi to meet you."

"Why six days from now?"

"Because there are still miscellaneous matters regarding the new clan grounds that require a few days to settle."

"Fine, then."

With things having reached this point, there was nothing left to say; he actually found himself wanting to meet Itachi, the perpetrator of the clan massacre from the original story.