"My name is Shiraishi."
Shiraishi returned to the wooden bench with two cans of juice he had bought from the vending machine nearby and handed one to Itachi.
Itachi quickly reached out to take it. "Thank you."
Shiraishi smiled, sat beside Itachi, and opened his can. After taking a small sip, he looked at Itachi.
With worry beyond his years in his eyes, Itachi stared at the juice in his hands. After a few seconds of silence, he looked up at Shiraishi.
"Shiraishi-senpai, what is the meaning of life? Why do we kill one another and take other people's lives so casually?"
"Those are two questions." Shiraishi set down his can.
Itachi looked at Shiraishi with expectation in his eyes. He hoped he could get an answer from his senior.
Shiraishi smiled faintly and asked a question that seemed unrelated.
"As a member of the Uchiha clan, have you ever raised a cat?"
"A cat?" Itachi looked at Shiraishi in confusion. What did the meaning of life have to do with cats?
"Have you?"
Itachi shook his head. "No, but I've fed lots of cats in the Clan Land."
"Have you ever seen a cat in heat?" Shiraishi continued.
"In heat?" Little Itachi looked bewildered.
"It means that, under the influence of hormones produced by their bodies, cats start urgently seeking mates. They want to mate and reproduce." Shiraishi explained it very bluntly.
Itachi was not yet four years old. He was still too young to know about such things. Hearing them for the first time, he did not feel embarrassed. Instead, he looked as if he had learned something.
"For female cats, mating and reproducing isn't a pleasant experience. Pregnancy also takes a tremendous toll on their bodies.
"After giving birth, nursing their kittens is another huge burden."
At that, Shiraishi paused. He looked at Itachi, who was listening intently, and posed a question.
"Tell me, for these cats, reproduction doesn't bring pleasure, and pregnancy increases the cost of survival. Why do they do it?"
Itachi froze. His little brows gradually furrowed, his face full of thought.
"They raise their kittens until they're grown, then drive them away. They don't expect the kittens they've sent off to come back and care for them when they're old and too weak to hunt." Shiraishi continued.
Itachi shook his head and said, puzzled, "I don't know."
"From nature's point of view, their behavior reflects life's most fundamental purpose." Shiraishi said.
After hearing this, Itachi felt even more confused. He looked at Shiraishi. The questions in his mind had not diminished; there were even more of them now.
"From a biological perspective, the meaning of life is to strive to survive, then keep reproducing and raising the next generation, doing everything possible to pass on your genes. That is the purpose of existence for most living things."
Shiraishi saw that Itachi was still thinking, so he waited patiently for a while without saying more.
"But as humans, we..." Itachi looked up again and asked his question.
"You mean humans are different from other animals?" Shiraishi had already guessed what he was going to ask.
Itachi closed his mouth and nodded.
"Actually, most humans aren't any different from animals. They're not like a child born into a great clan, like you. They don't have the time or energy to think about this question. For them, simply staying alive is the greatest meaning." Shiraishi said.
Itachi murmured, "Staying alive..."
"Exactly, staying alive! For most people, their greatest goal in life—the meaning of their lives—is to have enough to eat, clothes to wear, and the chance to live without falling ill; to marry a wife, have a few children, and successfully raise one or two of them to adulthood."
"So the meaning of life has never had one fixed answer. It's different for different people and different living things."
"If you want to understand the meaning of life, just thinking about it by yourself won't help. You have to look with your own eyes and measure the world with your own steps. Travel through the whole village, the whole country, the whole world. See different people and find out what they live for. By then, perhaps you'll find the answer you're looking for."
With that, Shiraishi raised his right hand, extended his index and middle fingers, and gently tapped Itachi between the eyebrows.
"You're too young to be thinking about things like this."
Itachi covered his forehead and stared blankly at Shiraishi. His questions had not been answered, but he had learned how to look for the answers.
Looking at the dazed Itachi, Shiraishi smiled warmly and continued, "As for your second question—why do people kill one another? What you're really asking is why war exists, isn't it?"
Itachi came back to himself and quickly nodded.
"That question is simple. It's because of desire, because people long for a better life."
"Tell me, what do you think people living in the deserts of the Land of Wind, where conditions are harsh, would think of the Land of Fire? They work hard all year, yet harvest less than the people of the Land of Fire, who can reap more after just a few months of labor on fertile land." Shiraishi prompted.
Itachi thought carefully and already had an answer in mind. "They'd be envious, and then..."
Shiraishi continued, "Then they'd think, 'Why do we have to suffer in the desert while the people of the Land of Fire get the most fertile land and the most favorable climate?'"
"When more and more people start thinking that way, and someone steps up to lead them, they'll go to war with the Land of Fire in pursuit of a better life."
"That's the nature of war, and the nature of conflict between people. Beasts fight other beasts to claim better territory. Humans are no different."
"As long as existing productivity can't satisfy everyone's needs, and resources can't be divided fairly, conflict and war are inevitable."
This time, Itachi understood clearly. But that gave rise to another question: if that was the nature of war, did it mean that war would never end?
Itachi voiced his question, hoping to get an answer from Shiraishi.
"Never say never. Nothing in this world lasts forever. We can only do our best to make peace last longer, rather than thinking we can eliminate war forever. That's nothing but an unattainable illusion." Shiraishi concluded.
Itachi got up from the bench and stood facing Shiraishi. His little face was tense as he bowed earnestly. "Thank you, Shiraishi-senpai! Thank you for teaching me."
Shiraishi smiled, reached out his right hand, and patted Itachi on the head. Then he stood up too and stretched lazily.
"All right, these aren't things you should be worrying about yet. It's true that people should look ahead, but they also need to make every step they take count."
Itachi lowered his head respectfully. "I'll remember that!"
"Hahaha! Don't be so serious." Shiraishi laughed. "You're very mature for your age, but that isn't necessarily a good thing. Everyone only gets one childhood. Once it's gone, it's gone. Treasure the time you have now!"
With that, Shiraishi left without saying goodbye to Itachi. He walked down the path and headed into the distance.
Seeing this, Itachi hurried after him with quick little steps.
"You don't have to follow me. Go play with your friends!" Shiraishi didn't stop. He just raised a hand and waved, bidding him farewell.
Itachi stopped and watched Shiraishi's back, wanting to say something but hesitating.
"Oh, right." Shiraishi seemed to remember something. He stopped and turned to look at Itachi.
Itachi's eyes lit up, and he looked at Shiraishi expectantly.
"I'll introduce you to a teacher. Want one?" Shiraishi asked with a grin.
Itachi froze and asked blankly, "What kind of teacher?"
"A very impressive teacher. You'll like him." Shiraishi seemed to have thought of something amusing, and his smile grew wider.
"Shiraishi-senpai, how do I find you after this?" Itachi asked quickly.
"I'll come find you in a few days. Don't tell anyone about what happened between us." Shiraishi reminded him one last time.
Itachi nodded earnestly and promised, "I won't tell anyone."
Before you continue