Worried Ito Hanako might say something else strange, Ito Haowen hurriedly put down his bowl and chopsticks after a couple of bites.
"Grandpa, Father, Mother, I'm done eating! I'm off to school!"
Ito Aoyama caught the look his wife gave him, then stood up.
Ito Haowen glanced at his father, who stood behind him looking like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how. His father had never walked him out when he went to school before, and he wasn't a little kid anymore.
"Father... is something the matter?" Ito Haowen asked Ito Aoyama curiously.
"Ah... well..."
Ito Aoyama seemed a little awkward...
"If there's something you want to say, just say it, Father! You're not usually like this!"
"Ah... it's just... what your mother said earlier.
"Your father was your age once, too. It's perfectly normal for young men to have some strange thoughts...
"But you still need to take care of yourself. You're still a little too young for that.
"It's normal for a boy to have some strange thoughts when he's alone at night!
"But you need to get more rest from now on. Don't let yourself end up like you did today. Those dark circles are way too heavy!"
At those words, Ito Haowen's mouth fell open, and his face instantly turned bright red!
What on earth was his father talking about?!
Did he think he'd stayed up all night doing something weird?!
Damn it!!!!!
"Father! I have no idea what you're talking about! You don't need to walk me out! Goodbye!!!!"
With that, Ito Haowen fled toward the Ninja Academy.
Ito Aoyama stood there awkwardly, rubbing the tip of his nose.
When he'd been curious about those things at that age, his own father had sat him down for a talk just like this. So why had it gone wrong with his son?!
Ito Haowen let out a long breath when he reached the Ninja Academy...
It seemed he really had gone a bit overboard with Uchiha Madara last night.
He'd made his parents misunderstand something!
He'd have to be a little more careful with his training from now on!
Iruka-sensei hadn't arrived yet, so the classroom was in a bit of an uproar.
Nara Shikamaru was slumped over his desk, looking listless. Yamanaka Ino was fiddling with a few flowers. Akimichi Choji was enthusiastically munching on chips. Haruno Sakura was gazing at Uchiha Sasuke with adoration, while Uzumaki Naruto stood on his desk, shouting about something...
"Hey, Choji, already eating? How many snacks did you bring today?"
"Of course I brought a lot! You know this backpack of mine only holds snacks!"
At that, Akimichi Choji pulled another bag of chips out of his backpack and offered it to him...
"Hey, Ino, those flowers look nice! Who are they for?!"
At Ito Haowen's words, Yamanaka Ino's face instantly flushed. She stammered, unable to get a word out...
"Shikamaru! Didn't sleep well last night?!"
"Going to school is such a pain..."
Nara Shikamaru listlessly scratched his pineapple-shaped head.
"Yo, Naruto! What's going on here? Are you putting on some kind of performance art?!"
"Haowen, why do you seem different from before today? It's so weird—you're just like that annoying Sasuke!!!"
Standing on his desk, Uzumaki Naruto scratched his head in confusion as he looked at Ito Haowen, then glanced at Uchiha Sasuke, who was sitting in the corner by the window...
"Well, well! Big forehead, still sneaking looks at Sasuke?!"
"Huh? You awful Ito Haowen! What are you talking about? I'm not! Sneaking looks at him... I'd never do that!!!"
As Haruno Sakura spoke, her face turned red.
At the same time, she sneaked a glance at Uchiha Sasuke, wanting to see how he would react to finding out she'd been looking at him.
Unfortunately, Uchiha Sasuke simply sat there looking peaceful, without reacting at all...
"..."
Ito Haowen greeted all his classmates in the classroom. After all, they'd known one another for years by now.
They all got along really well. Ito Haowen could even proudly say he was allowed to eat Akimichi Choji's chips!
Although Uchiha Sasuke, sitting in the corner by the window, seemed to be watching the view outside, he kept studying Ito Haowen out of the corner of his eye.
A faint, almost imperceptible trace of envy flickered in his eyes...
Just then, Uchiha Sasuke noticed Ito Haowen walking toward him, and he couldn't help feeling nervous.
Ito Haowen often came over to talk to him, but Sasuke had never exactly been friendly in return...
He did want to make friends, deep down, but... but... he just didn't know how to face him!
Sometimes he wanted to have a proper conversation with him, but the words that came out always sounded completely different from what he'd meant!
"Hey, Sasuke! You seem even more handsome today, but you're still nowhere near as good-looking as the great me! Hehehehehe..."
Uchiha Sasuke's face instantly flushed red at those words!
"Tch! You only know how to brag?!
"I heard we have a combat exercise today, Ito Haowen!
"I'll show you the power of the Uchiha! I'll show you Uchiha pride!!!"
After saying that, Uchiha Sasuke turned his face away awkwardly, immediately regretting it.
Damn it!!!
He'd only meant to argue with the guy about who was more handsome. How had it somehow turned into a speech about the power and pride of the Uchiha?!
He sneaked a look at Ito Haowen. Seeing that the other boy didn't seem upset, Uchiha Sasuke finally breathed a sigh of relief...
After returning last night to the empty Uchiha Clan Compound, where he was all alone, Uchiha Sasuke had spent the night thinking about a lot of things.
Especially the strange feeling Ito Haowen gave him!
The feeling that they seemed to share the same blood!!!
Uchiha Sasuke's instincts told him that Ito Haowen might have Uchiha blood running through his veins!
Although that idiot Uzumaki Naruto gave him a special feeling too, it was completely different from the feeling Ito Haowen gave him!
Before you continue