Becoming an Older Brother!

"How have you been lately?" Shisui asked, turning his head toward me in the setting sun.

"Did you know Lady Mikoto has started worrying about you?"

"So... is it that obvious?" I hung my head, looking utterly dejected.

For the past few days, my brows hadn't relaxed once. I couldn't sleep well, and I was exhausted. At this rate, I felt like I'd soon have Uchiha Itachi's trademark tear troughs.

"Yes. She noticed you were in a bad mood and asked me how things were going at school." Shisui shifted me higher on his back and teased, "What is it? Did you fall out with some girl? Get your heart broken?"

"No, I didn't!"

I lowered my head, feeling even worse.

The two of us were walking along the embankment, our shadows stretching long behind us. Below, a group of children chased one another, shouting and playing, while dusk settled over the forest to our left.

After a while, I spoke in a low voice.

"Shisui, actually... I don't know how to face Itachi."

"Itachi?" Shisui stopped, looking a little puzzled.

"I don't know how to face my little brother. I think I like him, but... I also feel like he'll be a threat to me in the future."

"I see..." Shisui paused, then actually agreed with me. "If you feel that way, you must have your reasons."

I suddenly became agitated. Grabbing his black curls, I twisted my face into a miserable scowl—

"That's exactly what I'm struggling with! I don't know what the right thing to do is! As his older brother, I know I should protect him, but... but I just—"

"I'm just scared—"

I was afraid he would become the Itachi who massacred the clan.

My fingers clenched tight. Shisui sensed something was wrong, stopped, and set me down. He brushed my bangs aside, revealing my pale face.

"Akatsuki, the world's ideas of right and wrong are just things other people impose on us." His words were measured, calm, and full of strength.

"If you don't know what to do, then do what you won't regret in this moment."

"You only need to follow your heart."

"Follow... my heart?" I looked up in confusion, meeting his eyes as I searched for an answer.

Shisui asked me, "Do you like Itachi?"

I hesitated, then slowly nodded.

In my previous life, Itachi's character had captivated me. In this life, he'd been born as my little brother and instinctively relied on me.

I had no idea how to hate him.

"Since you like him, then what you need to do is keep that affection alive." Shisui patted my head. The setting sun lit his eyes with a golden glow, so warm it made my heart flutter. "Make sure you never have a day you regret."

"And even if that day comes, even if something bad happens, I'll face it with you."

I looked into his sparkling eyes, and suddenly all my doubts vanished. Staring at Shisui's face, I burst into giggles.

"Uchiha Shisui, what are you playing at, acting like some hero?" I laughed, waved my little hand, and headed home ahead of him, already set on what I would do!

When we reached the entrance to the Clan Head Mansion, I put all my tangled thoughts aside and walked in, one step at a time.

I trod across the grass and along the stone path. Before the spacious wooden house, a shallow stream trickled by. Two bamboo water features clacked against the pebbles, stirring the flow with a gentle, peaceful rhythm.

I'd been here for several months now, and I no longer felt as resistant to it as I had at first.

Most importantly, a new life had been born here—Uchiha Itachi.

I let out a breath, took off my shoes, stepped into the entryway, and slid open the wooden lattice door.

Mikoto was already home. In the main room, she was playing with Itachi, a feeding bottle in her hand. When she saw me come in, her expression shifted slightly. She stood and walked over.

"Were you fighting again?" Her tone was reproachful. She gently touched the wound on my cheek with her right hand. It had been cut by a shuriken earlier, but the bleeding had stopped, so I hadn't treated it.

I flinched and guiltily lowered my head.

She knelt in front of me, brushed my sweat- and dust-matted bangs aside, and sighed softly.

To my surprise, I didn't feel any aversion to her closeness this time. I met Mikoto's eyes and said what was on my mind.

"I wasn't trying to fight. Someone else provoked me first."

It seemed like the first time I'd ever told the truth.

"That was still too dangerous!" Mikoto was indeed angry. Her stern voice startled Itachi on the cushion behind her, and he began making the sounds he always did before crying.

My gaze wandered to the crib, and concern flashed through my eyes.

"It's okay, Mother. I knew what I was doing." I lowered my head and hid my battered hands behind my back.

Mikoto sighed, took ointment and bandages from her pocket, and carefully treated my wounds before putting on the bandages. Then she frowned with worry. "Don't do anything reckless again, all right?"

I nodded. I was about to go check on Itachi when Mikoto suddenly leaned close and pulled me into her arms.

I stiffened instantly.

"Your father... can be too strict sometimes," she said slowly, each word sinking straight into my heart.

"I know you still think about your birth mother. Becoming our child so suddenly must have been hard to get used to."

I listened in silence.

"Akatsuki, you can talk to me about some of these things. I know I can't compare to your birth mother, but... I worry about you too. I want to help you."

She was worried about me.

"Please try to get closer to me. Let yourself rely on me, all right?" Mikoto's voice was right beside my ear. Our chests pressed together, and I could feel her gentle heartbeat, as well as the warmth and scent of another person.

I could feel her kindness.

Perhaps it was because she had a child of her own now. Ever since I'd promised to protect Uchiha Itachi in the hospital last time, her attitude toward me had changed a lot.

She'd become... like a real mother to me.

I didn't know how long passed before I murmured, very softly:

"Okay."

Just then, Itachi suddenly burst into loud cries, and a pot in the kitchen began to hiss. Mikoto let go of me, unsure whether to soothe Itachi first or hurry to the kitchen. She looked flustered.

"Mother, go to the kitchen. I'll take care of Itachi." I walked to the crib on my own and carefully lifted Itachi into my arms.

I relaxed my arms and nestled him against me, making sure he was lying as comfortably as possible.

Miraculously, despite how clumsy I was, Itachi's crying gradually subsided.

I watched him, my resolve growing firmer by the moment.

I already had the courage to face the future.

Whatever lay ahead, whether for Mother, for myself, or for Shisui, Kuixing, and Mikoto... I had to be strong and do my best to change the fate of the Uchiha Clan—

Instead of pouring all my fear onto my little brother.

He hadn't done anything wrong.

My thoughts returned to the present. Itachi was fast asleep, clutching the front of my shirt. I carefully held him while sitting on the cushion, afraid to move at all.

I focused on maintaining that exhausting position, but before long, my back began to ache. I let out a breath and slowly stood up, hoping to lay the sleeping Itachi in his crib. But the moment I loosened one arm, he showed signs of waking and let out a whimper, the sound he made before crying.

Uchiha Itachi, enough already! I was at a loss for words.

You're the future Itachi of the Shinobi World! Could you stop crying all the time, spitting up, burping, and relieving yourself everywhere?!

At the noise, Mikoto was still busy in the kitchen. I had no choice but to pick him up and walk circles around the room.

"There, there, Itachi. Don't cry, little Itachi~" This was exactly what Shisui had predicted. I really was starting to soothe a baby!

Just as I pushed down my urge to break down, my hair was suddenly tugged. I looked down and saw that Itachi was awake.

His eyes were still a little unfocused, but my face was reflected in his pupils—completely and utterly, I was the only person in his eyes.

A sense of fulfillment suddenly welled up in me, the kind you might feel when painting on a blank canvas.

He was so little, only just becoming self-aware. He knew nothing and could do nothing; he could only rely on me.

The Uchiha Itachi of the future was my little brother now.

"Itachi, I'm your older brother." I leaned closer and spoke softly. "Say 'older brother.' O-ni-i-san."

"Ah—" He opened his mouth, babbled a few baby sounds, then suddenly smiled. His little hands waved at me, reaching for a hug without stopping.

Children never hid their affection.

I looked at his smile and slowly smiled too.

Itachi, starting today, I'd try to learn how to be an older brother.

Not only your older brother, but Uchiha Fugaku's eldest son, too.

I wouldn't back down anymore.

When Mikoto came out of the kitchen with a plate, this was the scene she saw.

The older brother stood by the window, gazing tenderly at the younger brother in his arms. The younger brother giggled, his little hands gripping the front of his brother's shirt, his eyes full of curiosity and delight.

Sunlight streamed down and spread across the floor, gilding them in gold.

The scene was lovely and peaceful. Time flowed gently, as if it would last forever.

In that moment, her heart finally found peace.