Obito and Shisui

Yuki seemed to see right through what Obito was thinking.

Her big eyes curved as she spoke in a teasing voice.

"Little guy, call me Yuki, and I might give you a discount."

To her surprise, however,

Obito still looked perfectly calm, completely unmoved.

"Discount or no discount, I don't care."

"Right now, I just want to know why your name sounds so lovely, Yuki."

Yuki: "..."

All right. She had overestimated this brat.

To be fair,

Obito really did have some thoughts about Yuki's name.

"Princess" was a word usually reserved for women of high status.

Wasn't it a bit much for the owner of a Pharmacy to use it in her name?

He didn't dare say that out loud, though.

He still wanted that discount...

Yuki asked with a smile.

"What medicine do you need this time, little guy?"

Obito answered without hesitation.

"The same medicine as last time. Double the amount!"

Yuki's rosy lips parted.

Her features were usually alluring, but just then she looked adorably stunned.

After a long moment,

she recovered and asked in an odd tone,

"You used up all the medicine I gave you last time?"

Obito nodded as if it were obvious.

He didn't understand why Yuki was asking.

Yuki fell silent, then ventured,

"Your teacher is... still alive, right?"

Obito was completely baffled.

"Uh... of course he is?"

Only then did Yuki breathe a sigh of relief and pat her ample chest.

"I'll get your medicine... But you absolutely mustn't use it carelessly. Something terrible could happen!"

Obito gave her a knowing look.

"Don't worry, Yuki. I know what you mean."

Before long,

Yuki came back carrying two bags of medicine.

She set them on the counter and looked at Obito.

"There's no one else in the shop right now, little guy. Why not stay and chat with me for a while?"

Obito pointed to the Forehead Protector on his head.

"Yuki, I'm a distinguished ninja. My time is worth tens of thousands of ryo a minute."

"How could I have time to sit around chatting with you?"

Yuki tapped the counter with a slender finger and said casually,

"Thirty percent off."

Obito pulled a little stool over from beside the counter and promptly sat down next to Yuki.

"So, Yuki, what would you like to talk about?"

A mocking smile flickered across Yuki's lips.

"Oh, esteemed ninja, how did you suddenly find time to chat with a humble woman like me?"

Obito gave her an awkward but polite smile.

All right, woman, that's enough.

If you weren't so pretty, with such a great figure,

do you think Earth Boy would care about a little money like that?

"By the way, brat, what's your name?"

"I'm Obito Uchiha."

Over a month later,

at Obito's home,

Grandmother's puzzled voice came from the kitchen.

"Obito, where did all the Fruit Wine I made go?"

Obito hurried into the kitchen and said sheepishly,

"Grandmother, I gave it to my teacher."

Grandmother's voice suddenly shot up several pitches.

"All that wine? You gave it all away?"

Obito nodded guiltily.

"Well, the wine you make is just so good."

"My teacher loved it after one taste, so I've been taking him a jar whenever I get the chance."

Grandmother sounded a little helpless.

"I... Well, all right."

The Fruit Wine she made wasn't worth much anyway.

If her grandson's teacher liked it, she didn't mind giving him more. She could always make another batch.

"Your Uncle Chuan is bringing little Shisui over for lunch," she said with a sigh.

"I was going to give your uncle two jars of Fruit Wine to take home and try after lunch, but you've gone and..."

Grandmother sounded as though she was scolding Obito, but her eyes were full of affection.

Seeing that he felt bad, she rubbed her grandson's head.

"There now, don't look so down. I'm not blaming you."

"It's little Shisui's birthday today. Did you get him a present?"

Obito nodded.

"Of course, Grandmother. How could I forget my cousin's birthday?"

Grandmother patted Obito's head again.

"All right, go have some fun. I need to start preparing lunch."

Obito grinned.

"I'm not doing anything right now. Why don't I stay and help you?"

Grandmother smiled with satisfaction and said no more.

At noon,

Uchiha Chuan arrived at the old house with Shisui.

The whole family sat down together for a hearty lunch.

Afterward,

Chuan helped his mother clear the table.

The two boys settled in a room and started chatting.

Obito took out a ninja tool pouch and handed it to Shisui.

"Happy birthday, little Shisui. I got this for you."

"Thank you, Obito!"

Shisui happily accepted the pouch.

When he opened it,

he found it filled with all kinds of finely crafted ninja tools. It had almost everything he could need.

Obito chuckled.

"Well? Do you like it?"

Shisui nodded eagerly.

"I do."

Good, Obito thought to himself.

After buying medicine for Minato-sensei, he had spent all the money he had left on this gift.

He couldn't help it. Shisui was his little cousin, after all.

Spoiling a younger brother was practically written into every Uchiha's DNA.

Shisui put the pouch away and asked curiously,

"By the way, Obito, there's something I've always wanted to ask you. What's it like being a full-fledged ninja?"

I spend most of my days doing odd jobs, Obito thought.

I've only had one or two proper missions... What am I supposed to say?

But telling his cousin the truth would be a little embarrassing.

After thinking it over, Obito clasped his hands behind his back and put on a solemn air.

"Some things involve village secrets, so I can't say much."

"But there's one thing I want to tell you. Make sure you remember it."

The atmosphere grew suitably serious.

Shisui met his cousin's profound gaze and nodded with anticipation.

What is he going to tell me?

Obito silently counted to thirty before finally speaking.

"With great power comes great responsibility."

"That's what I wanted to tell you."

Shisui tilted his little head and pondered Obito's words.

He felt they held boundless wisdom.

In his eyes, his cousin suddenly seemed far more impressive.

After lunch,

Chuan left with Shisui.

On the way, Shisui asked thoughtfully,

"Father, what kind of person do you think Obito is?"

Chuan rubbed Shisui's head and said with a smile,

"Your cousin? He has more talent than anyone I've ever met..."

But that boy's personality can be downright exasperating!

Chuan thought better of saying the rest aloud.

"Oh."

Shisui nodded to show he understood.