"What else could they do? We can't grow food here, and there's nothing they need to guard. If they don't go out to work and earn money, how are they supposed to feed themselves and the clanspeople here?"
Sasuke froze. Izumi had already drawn closer, and only when she could make out his face did she offer a faint smile and reach out to stroke his hair. "You sounded so distant when you addressed me just now that I couldn't help teasing you a little."
Although he realized she had reached for his head out of habit, Sasuke felt embarrassed and stepped back, dodging Izumi's affectionate pat.
"Clan Head Izumi..."
"Ah, you really aren't as cute as you were when you were little... Won't you call me Older Sister Izumi anymore?"
Sasuke could tell now that none of the distance Izumi had deliberately put on earlier remained in her voice.
"Izumi... Older Sister."
"Mm, that's more like it."
Izumi withdrew her hand and looked at Sasuke, relief filling her beautiful face. "Let's go somewhere else. You must have a lot of questions. We can have a proper talk."
Sasuke had imagined countless ways Izumi might react when she saw him.
She might say scornfully, "You actually have the nerve to show your face before us? You've been clinging to life in Konoha. You must have forgotten your clanspeople completely."
Or she might rage, "Uchiha Itachi's little brother! You bear his blood debt too. I'll kill you first!"
She might be cold, she might be sorrowful, or she might simply tell him to leave...
This was the one situation Sasuke had never imagined.
"My home is a little bare. Is it different from what you imagined?"
Izumi brought Sasuke into her house and poured him a cup of water. "If plain