Naruto: They Have Systems

But even with the food Uchiha Mikoto had served him in front of him, Uchiha Yin did not pick up his chopsticks.

"What's wrong? Does my cooking taste bad? Why aren't you eating?"

Uchiha Mikoto frowned and asked him.

"No. I'm just curious, Mikoto. What's gotten into you?" Uchiha Yin asked honestly.

After all, Uchiha Mikoto was family. He did not want to assume the worst of her. Life would be exhausting if he had to keep his guard up even around his own family.

Besides, Uchiha Mikoto was different from Kushina Uzumaki. Kushina Uzumaki might be under ANBU surveillance, so he naturally had to be careful around her. But that was not the case with Uchiha Mikoto!

With Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Yin wanted to show more of his true self.

At his question, Uchiha Mikoto's expression stiffened. Then she took a deep breath, as though she had made a momentous decision.

She spoke haltingly. "It's like this, Yin. I realized I was too cold and rude to you before. I'm asking you to forgive me."

As soon as she finished, Uchiha Mikoto bowed deeply and shut her eyes.

She seemed to be bracing herself for the mockery and ridicule Uchiha Yin would unleash.

Uchiha Mikoto knew just how awful Uchiha Yin could be.

When Uchiha Yin had first come to live at her home, she had not disliked him. But as they spent time together, his bad habits and behavior became more than she could stand. That was why she had grown so averse to him.

Certain she knew him well, Uchiha Mikoto was sure he would mock her viciously. She had prepared herself for it.

It's all that system's fault. Making me apologize to my obnoxious little cousin. Honestly.

"Mikoto, you don't need to apologize to me. Let's put the past behind us. I was young and didn't know any better. Sorry you had to put up with me."

But just as Uchiha Mikoto was grumbling to herself and bracing for his mockery, she heard Uchiha Yin answer her openly.

Startled, Uchiha Mikoto straightened and opened her eyes, disbelief plain on her face.

Uchiha Yin apologized to me? Is this really the cousin I know?

Apologizing to Uchiha Mikoto cost Uchiha Yin nothing. After all, his predecessor had done those things, not him.

And family mattered deeply to him. If an apology was all it took to earn Uchiha Mikoto's forgiveness, he thought it was worth it.

He was not the sort to think he was so great that the whole world owed him something, nor did he see what he would lose by apologizing.

Besides, Uchiha Mikoto had apologized to him first. He could hardly reply with something like, "Since you're so sincere, I'll forgive you," could he?

Well... if Kushina Uzumaki apologized to me like that, I might actually say it. But she's not Kushina. She's my older cousin.

Uchiha Yin naturally treated different people and situations differently.

Looking at the courteous Uchiha Yin before her, Uchiha Mikoto could no longer hide her surprise.

Are you really Uchiha Yin? You're not someone using the Transformation Technique, are you?

Uchiha Mikoto almost blurted it out.

But she managed to hold her tongue.

Come to think of it, Uchiha Mikoto had not spoken to Uchiha Yin in ages. Their last real conversation seemed to have been back when they were children.