After looking outside for quite a while without spotting any sign of Izumi, Uchiha Nai called out to Itachi.
"Itachi, you're here! Take a seat. I'll be done soon."
"Okay. Auntie, is there anything I can help with?"
"No, no, I can manage."
Uchiha Nai waved him off with a cheerful smile.
Itachi took a seat on Gua's other side.
At that moment,
he noticed that Gua was looking at him as though he were a monster.
"What is it?"
Itachi looked bewildered.
Gua: ...
He really wanted to ask, "Are you trying to be the perfect houseguest?"
This Itachi really was getting more and more polite!!
You're making me look like a total idiot.
When you visit a friend's house, just behave like a spoiled brat!!
Bastard!
"What is it?"
Seeing Gua still staring at him, Itachi asked again.
"Nothing."
Gua turned his head, avoiding Itachi's gaze.
Itachi didn't mind. Gua had always been like this, and he was used to it.
"Gua, guess what I got you for your birthday?"
Itachi waved the long cloth bag in his hand.
Gua looked at the bag, then at Itachi, and fell silent for a moment.
"Is it a soccer ball?"
Itachi looked at the bag, then at Gua.
This damn thing was long and narrow.
A long, narrow soccer ball?
Who was supposed to kick it?
The village soccer team...
Itachi stopped, dismissing that train of thought.
"Guess again."
But Gua didn't keep guessing. Instead, he looked into Itachi's eyes.
Had one year really whipped Itachi into shape like this? Gua, you really are something.
Gua felt particularly magnificent right then.
He even had the urge to rush into the Uchiha Shrine and carve his own name ahead of the ancestors'.
Noticing Gua looking at him again, Itachi looked back.