"Rumble!"
Lightning flickered across the sky thick with dark clouds, accompanied by peals of thunder. Before long, rain came pouring down.
River sat beneath the eaves, watching the raindrops string together, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Suddenly, the falling rain was disturbed, and a figure appeared in the muddy courtyard.
"Teacher Sui, my father asked me to invite you to our home."
Uchiha Itachi spoke softly.
He wore a bamboo hat and a raincoat.
"This really isn't a good time."
River sighed softly.
But he also knew that, in rain this heavy, a man like Fugaku would not seek him out without an important reason.
"Wait while I change!"
Itachi nodded and stood there quietly, waiting.
He seemed entirely unbothered by the downpour.
A short while later, River put on a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, covering himself before stepping through the muddy water to stand before Itachi.
"Let's go!"
As they left the Namikaze Clan's courtyard, River suddenly spoke with a smile.
"Itachi, you're growing fast. You're almost as tall as I am."
Itachi paused briefly. "In my heart, Teacher Sui, you've always stood tallest."
River smiled. "Quite the smooth talker, Itachi. That's different from the quiet, reserved image I've always had of you."
"I'm quite good at conversation, Teacher Sui."
Itachi replied with a smile.
The two walked along the Konoha Streets. The rain was heavy, and puddles soon formed on the ground.
Water splashed with every step.
River glanced to either side, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"No strange people have approached you lately, have they, Itachi?"
He asked abruptly.
Itachi shuddered, shock flashing in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself. After a moment's hesitation, he spoke quietly.
"There was a strange Mysterious Man who invited me to join their organization."