Uchiha Izumi

As they were finishing dinner, Fugaku set down his chopsticks and glanced at Kiyoshi. "Come visit when you have time."

Kiyoshi's chopsticks paused.

You're inviting me over? Someone in your position wouldn't say that casually. You asked about my grades and then invited me back. Do you think I could be useful?

But he kept his face blank and nodded. "Okay."

Fugaku said nothing more. He stood, picked up his documents, and went into the study.

Kiyoshi set down his chopsticks. "Thank you, Auntie. I'm finished."

Mikoto looked at his bowl, still half full of rice. "Is that all you're eating?"

"It's enough."

"Boys need to eat more to grow tall."

"...I'm full."

Mikoto didn't insist. She smiled and began clearing the table. Kiyoshi stood, helped her stack the bowls and chopsticks, and carried them to the kitchen.

"Kiyoshi, just leave those there," Mikoto said. "I'll wash them."

"I'm used to doing it."

Mikoto looked at him and smiled. "Whoever marries you someday will have so little to worry about."

Kiyoshi washed the dishes with a blank face and didn't respond.

Auntie, don't say things like that. I'm only six. Still, did you mean you think I'm a good kid? Looks like I've earned some affection points.

He finished washing the dishes, dried his hands, and left the kitchen.

Sasuke stood in the living room doorway, watching him with a somewhat complicated expression.

"What is it?" Kiyoshi asked.

Sasuke was silent for two seconds. "...Nothing."

"Oh."

He changed his shoes, walked to the door, and looked back. "I'll be going, then."

Mikoto poked her head out of the kitchen. "Come play again sometime."

"Mm."

Kiyoshi stepped out through the Main House's front door, closed it, and took a deep breath outside.

He looked up at the roof of the Uchiha Main House. The sun hadn't quite set, and the horizon was awash in orange and red.

He turned and headed home. After walking a little way, his steps grew lighter.

No one saw.

[System notification: Host successfully completed "Uchiha Main House · Dinner Challenge." Face Value +80 (increased attention from the clan head + increased affection from Itachi + increased affection from Mikoto). Awkwardness Value +20 (burned himself drinking soup but didn't show it). Totals: Awkwardness Value 795, Face Value 1030.]

[System notification: Current Face Value has passed the 1000 milestone. Intermediate pool unlock progress: 1030/1600.]

My Face Value has hit a thousand too? Too bad I need 1600 for a ten-pull. Tragic!

Kiyoshi walked home with a blank face, quickening his pace.

He had only just met Uchiha Itachi that day. He hadn't expected to meet his future girlfriend the very next day.

It was another Taijutsu class. Iruka stood at the front and announced the plans for that afternoon.

"This afternoon, we'll have sparring practice. I've invited a Uchiha senior who has already graduated to help instruct you. Everyone will complete three rounds of basic Taijutsu sparring with her."

The classroom fell silent for a moment, then erupted.

"Already graduated?"

"A Uchiha senior? Doesn't that make her a Genin?"

"Iruka-sensei, you got a Genin to teach us?"

Kiyoshi sat in the back row, his face blank, and said nothing. He turned to look out the window. A figure with a low ponytail was already standing on the training grounds.

Iruka clapped his hands to quiet everyone. "The pairing list is already on the noticeboard. Check it yourselves after class. Meet on the training grounds at two this afternoon. Anyone who's late runs ten laps."

As soon as the bell rang, the students swarmed the noticeboard.

Kiyoshi didn't rush. He sat at his desk until the crowd ahead had thinned, then slowly stood and walked over.

A ring of students surrounded the noticeboard. He waited on the outside until those in front dispersed, then finally saw his name.

Uchiha Kiyoshi, Uchiha Izumi.

He stared at that name for two seconds.

Uchiha Izumi. Izumi. That name... sounds familiar.

After thinking for a moment, he remembered she was Itachi's canon love interest. He turned and left, his face blank.

Two that afternoon, on the training grounds.

The first-year students stood together, waiting for that "Uchiha senior who had already graduated" to appear.

Kiyoshi stood at the edge of the group and scanned the grounds, looking for the person who went with that name.

A girl approached from across the grounds. She looked only two or three years older than him, wore a fitted black training outfit, and had her hair tied in a low ponytail. She glanced at the group, smiled, and walked straight up to Kiyoshi.

"Are you Kiyoshi-kun?"

Kiyoshi looked up at her.

She was half a head taller than him, with black hair tied in a low ponytail and bright eyes. When she smiled, a gentle warmth seemed to radiate from her.

"Mm."

"I'm Izumi, Uchiha Izumi." She smiled. "I'm your partner today."

Kiyoshi looked at her, then looked again before lowering his head.

"Hello."

Izumi smiled. "Hello. You don't seem very talkative?"

"Mm."

"That's okay. I'm not very talkative either. Just kidding." She smiled. "Shall we start? We'll warm up first, then do some basic Taijutsu sparring."

Kiyoshi nodded.

During the warm-up, Izumi's movements were precise, her pace neither fast nor slow, as though she'd done it countless times. Kiyoshi followed along, his movements just as precise and his rhythm steady.

Izumi glanced at him, a little surprised. "Your form is very good."

"It's okay."

"Just okay? You can stretch farther than I can."

"I'm flexible," Kiyoshi said, his face blank.

Izumi smiled and didn't press him.

This junior really keeps his answers short. Still, short answers or not, there's nothing wrong with his form.

Once the warm-up ended, Izumi stood opposite him and took a Taijutsu opening stance. "I'll attack first, and you defend. Watch my movements carefully."

Kiyoshi nodded.

Izumi attacked.

Her movements weren't particularly fast, but they were steady, and every move had a clear purpose. She wasn't trying to hit him, but to let him clearly see the path of each strike.

Kiyoshi blocked twice, dodged once, then stayed where he was without dodging again. He could tell she was teaching him, slowing down so he could see her movements.

When Izumi saw him stop moving, she pulled back. "What's wrong?"

"You're holding back."

Izumi paused, then smiled. "You caught me. I was worried that if I hit you right away, you wouldn't want to keep practicing."

"I would."

"Really?"

"Mm."

Izumi looked at him and smiled. "Then shall I stop holding back?"

"Okay," Kiyoshi said, his face blank.

This time, Izumi moved considerably faster, but Kiyoshi reacted even faster. He dodged the first strike, blocked the second, and found an opening on the third, flicking his hand around to tap her wrist.

Izumi withdrew her hand, a little surprised. "You react quickly."

"I'm okay."

"How are your grades in Taijutsu class?"

"Okay."

Izumi smiled. "Are 'okay' and 'mm' the only things you say?"

Kiyoshi thought about it. "...I also say 'sure.'"

Izumi laughed aloud. It wasn't an exaggerated laugh, just the kind that slipped out when something genuinely amused her. Once she finished, she shook her head. "You're pretty funny."

Kiyoshi kept his face blank and didn't respond.

Izumi didn't press him. She took her opening stance again. "Let's do another round."

For the second round, Izumi picked up her speed another notch.

Kiyoshi could feel her testing his limits. Each round, she went a little faster than before, trying to see when he would stop keeping up.

But Kiyoshi never fell behind.

In his previous life, he had been a twenty-seven-year-old corporate drone, not a ninja, but training had considerably improved his physical abilities in this life. With the practical combat techniques Shisui had taught him, handling Taijutsu instruction from a Genin wasn't too difficult.

His face blank, he blocked, dodged, parried, and tapped.

Izumi's attacks grew faster and faster, while his defense grew steadier and steadier.

After a round, Izumi stopped. Slightly out of breath, she looked at him. "Are you sure you're a first-year?"

"Mm."

"Your Taijutsu is so much better than your classmates'."

"It's okay."

Izumi smiled and didn't press him, but a hint of curiosity appeared in her eyes.

This junior is no ordinary kid. His answers are short, but his moves aren't lacking. A lot of first-years couldn't pull off those defensive moves just now. Did he really only just enroll?

Kiyoshi stood where he was, his face blank, and considered it. Did I do too well just now? I should have held back a little. But she said she wouldn't hold back, so getting hit would have looked even stranger.

Instead of continuing to spar, Izumi went over to the side, picked up two bottles of water, and handed him one. "Let's take a break."