Living Expenses

Because of the time spent tending to wounds, the sky outside the window had already grown dim.

Mikoto had prepared a meal in the cramped kitchen.

Using the limited ingredients available, she had prepared a steaming bowl of miso soup, with tender tofu and seaweed swirling inside;

A pot of glistening, fluffy white rice; the main dish was a salt-grilled saury, cooked to perfection with a slightly charred skin and succulent, tender meat;

Beside it sat a small side dish of seasoned spinach and pickles.

For Naruto, who often survived on expired milk and instant noodles, this was an unimaginably delicious feast.

He sat at the dining table, staring at the neatly arranged bowls and chopsticks, smelling the authentic aroma of the food, his eyes wide as he found himself momentarily at a loss for what to do.

"I'm starting," Sasuke said in a low voice before picking up his chopsticks.

Naruto snapped out of his daze and hurriedly followed suit, shouting:

"I, I'm starting!"

He then impatiently picked up a piece of fish and shoved it into his mouth. It was so hot he kept puffing, yet he still mumbled praises through his mouthful:

"So, so good! Auntie, this is so delicious!"

Watching him wolf down the food, Mikoto smiled gently:

"If you like it, eat more. If there's ever no one to cook for you, just come down and eat with Sasuke."

"C-can I?" Naruto looked at Mikoto, filled with pleasant surprise.

Upon hearing this, Sasuke immediately looked up, intending to object.

But seeing the undeniable gentleness in his mother's eyes and Naruto's blue eyes, which seemed to be sparkling with stars,

The words died on his lips. He simply lowered his head awkwardly and shoveled a large mouthful of rice into his mouth.

"It's settled then," Mikoto said softly.

Whether it was because the boy was Kushina's son, or because the Third Hokage wanted his own son to get along with Naruto,

She was simply making a little extra food.

"Yeah, thank you... thank you, Auntie."

"My name is Mikoto. You can call me Auntie Mikoto from now on, Naruto."

"Yes, I understand, Auntie Mikoto."

Naruto nodded repeatedly, feeling as though he were the happiest person in the world.

Seeing Sasuke's bruised and swollen face, Mikoto asked Naruto: "Who beat you and Sasuke up?"

Sasuke glared at Naruto, signaling him not to say anything.

But Naruto wasn't paying any attention to Sasuke and immediately replied: "It was Uchiha Shiren. He... he..."

After saying the name, Naruto stalled, not knowing how to continue.

But Mikoto already understood. Seeing Naruto stammering, she didn't press further.

She simply said to Sasuke: "From now on... let Mom pick you up from school."

"No need!" Sasuke refused immediately, his voice sounding stiff due to his urgency.

He didn't want his mother to be exposed to those strange looks and pointing fingers because of his own affairs.

Just then, a light knock sounded at the door.

Mikoto opened it to find Shien standing there, along with Shisui, whose face was completely obscured by a high-collared coat, a hood, and a mask.

They had come to deliver living expenses to Mikoto and to handle the matter regarding Shiren.

"Shien... Clan Head..."

Mikoto called him Clan Head with a hint of restraint.

Shien didn't correct her; he simply nodded in greeting. Mikoto still needed time to adjust her perspective.

His eyes swept the room, and he was somewhat surprised to see Naruto there as well.

"Why are you here?"

Naruto was also startled to see Shien; he still remembered that this was the person he had bumped into yesterday.

"Ah, it's you!" Naruto thought that if he hadn't bumped into this person yesterday, he wouldn't have been beaten up.

Shien stepped forward, grabbed Naruto by the arm, and dragged him toward the door.

"We have things to discuss. You aren't welcome here."

"Let go of me! Let go of me!" Naruto struggled hard in Shien's grip, but it was to no avail.

"Auntie Mikoto...!" he instinctively called out to the person who had cooked for him.

Mikoto shook her head at him: "Naruto, you go back first."

Naruto's struggle weakened, and he was pushed directly out the door.

"Bang!"

The sound of the door closing left Naruto fuming.

He had no choice but to head upstairs, feeling unwilling.

The ANBU on the nearby roof watched all of this, whispering among themselves.

"Should we intervene?"

"No need. Our primary target is Naruto."

"Shien didn't intentionally approach Naruto, which means he doesn't want to cause trouble."

"Record today's events. We'll send them to the Hokage once Shien leaves."

"Understood."

Inside the room.

Shien took a parcel he had been carrying and set it down.

"This is the living expenses for the next two months. Mikoto, it's best if you go out less. There are too many clansmen, and not everyone is rational."

"As the funeral rites in the clan conclude, more clansmen will begin to leave the Uchiha Clan Grounds."

He turned his gaze toward Sasuke.

"The situation you encountered today won't be the last time. You must learn to protect yourself so your mother doesn't worry."

Beside him, Mikoto bit her lip, looking helpless.

She wasn't a defenseless civilian, but with so many clansmen, she couldn't follow Sasuke everywhere.

Seeing his mother like this, a surge of frustration flared in Sasuke's heart.

He didn't want to see his mother worrying about him like this!

"I will protect myself!"

He shouted it quite loudly, but the reality was that he was only seven years old and had no ability to defend himself.

Seeing that he wasn't frantically looking for his brother or father anymore, Shien gestured to Shisui.

Shisui reached up and removed the mask from his face.

When his face appeared before Sasuke,

"Brother Shisui?!" Sasuke was shocked. He jumped up from his chair, ignoring the pain in his body, and rushed over.

"You're still alive!?"

Two years ago, the rumors of Shisui's suicide within the Uchiha Clan Grounds had been rampant, and Sasuke had naturally been very sad.

Seeing Shisui appear now, he was both surprised and overjoyed.

Shisui reached out to touch Sasuke's hair, but Sasuke noticed that the man's hand had no warmth at all.

His eyes didn't look like those of a living person, either.

"Brother Shisui, what happened to you?"

Shisui smiled wearily: "When I was alive, I trusted the wrong person and entrusted the clan to Itachi."

"In the end, it ruined the whole clan. I had no choice but to return from the Pure Land to atone for my sins."

"Brother Shisui?"

Sasuke looked into Shisui's tired eyes. Those cryptic words swirled in his mind; questions, heartache, and a flood of emotions surged within him.

Shisui shook his head: "Don't ask. It is a fact that your brother killed so many clansmen."

"There are many truths you must find for yourself once you have the ability."

"I don't have much time. From now on, every seven days, I will come to find you and teach you some self-defense techniques."

"It is only right that the clansmen hate you, but you must also learn to protect yourself."

"Brother Shisui...!"

Sasuke's eyes turned red. There were many things he didn't understand, but he could empathize with the inner torment Shisui was feeling.

He knew how close Itachi and Shisui had been.

Why on earth would his brother, who had accepted Shisui's instructions, end up walking down that path!?

The events of the last two days had caused Sasuke's inner world to gradually change.

"That's about it. Mikoto, take good care of the child. Konoha won't treat you poorly."

Shien gave Mikoto a meaningful look.

His words were double-edged, referring to both Sasuke and Naruto.

"I will." Mikoto was no fool; she understood Shien's implication.