A Visitor at Home

Sasuke returned home with his brother and was surprised to find that they had guests.

Uchiha Fugaku was someone who drew an exceptionally clear line between public and private matters—perhaps too clear. To put it bluntly, the man was a workaholic. Especially after becoming clan head, he rarely received visitors at home, handling nearly all outside dealings in his office.

In his words: "Since I became clan head, every word and action I take is no longer solely my own concern. The same applies to you as my sons! You must be cautious, cautious, and more cautious outside, or you will disgrace the Uchiha Clan's name. Keep guests in the home to a minimum as well, otherwise others may think you favor personal feelings over fairness."

Sasuke did not know how Itachi felt about it, but he knew he was sick of that whole routine. Damn it, there were plenty of clan heads out there, but he had never seen anyone as perpetually stone-faced as his old man. Never mind smiling—his mouth corners did not even twitch upward. He was only a clan head, so why take it so seriously?

What Sasuke could not stand most was that his father was a tsundere, too. When he rarely praised Sasuke, he would actually turn his back! Damn it, would it kill him to let his own son see him smile once!?

So Sasuke was genuinely astonished now. His father, normally so stern it made his balls ache, was actually beaming.

Had he gotten a facial cramp or something? He had never smiled like that even at Itachi...

"Aunt Ayako... uh, Sister Ayako, you're here?"

The moment he spoke, Sasuke sensed the "killing intent" hidden beneath Uchiha Ayako's sweet smile. He swallowed the rest of his words and obediently changed how he