The Runaway Crow

When they were very young, wasn't this how they faced things they feared or hated, whether people or animals?

Kitahara turned his head and saw what the children were doing.

Despite the little girl's startled cries for them to stop, the children threw stones from their hands... Arcing through the air, they flew toward Uchiha Itachi...

Such a boring little children's game. As if you could hit—

"Caw... caw... caw..."

Kitahara clutched tightly at Itachi's clothes, his body swaying precariously...

These Konoha children who dreamed of wearing forehead protectors were quite skilled at throwing stones. At an age when they were not allowed to use shuriken, they practiced with little rocks instead.

Uchiha Itachi easily dodged with his Chakra perception, while the half-baked crow on his other shoulder flapped about in dizzy confusion. Two pebbles eventually struck its wings.

It did not hurt much, like wind brushing over feathers...

The problem was that those bratty children immediately found it funny. "Look at that ugly crow! It's so ugly! Hit it, hit it!"

"It flies around the village every day. It must be stealing food everywhere! Stone it to death!"

"Y-you... Don't hit Itachi..."

"I practice shuriken every day! I definitely won't miss!"

The adorable children seemed to have changed targets. They had found a new source of fun... That bedraggled crow was really an eyesore!

"Caw..."

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Uchiha Itachi's childish voice rang out. A massive fireball burst from his mouth, and the sound of stones exploding echoed through the air. Flames scorched the ground, leaving behind a patch of blackened burn marks.

One little boy was so frightened that he burst into loud tears on the spot...

The remaining children stood there dumbfounded... Even the more mature little girl, Izumi, slowly welled up with tears. "Itachi..."

"Caw..."

Kitahara raised a wing in a thumbs-up... Nicely done!

Itachi helplessly closed his eyes and pressed a hand against Kitahara's back. "Let's go. We're heading to the training ground."

"Ahhh!" The little girl raged helplessly behind them.

...How amusing. With that kind of ability, she wanted to be the cub's dog?

No small matter in this world vanished without cause. It always left behind a ripple in people's hearts, and it would always set off the next event.

Uchiha Mikoto was discharged from the hospital not long afterward, and life at home gradually returned to normal. Adding a little pup to the household naturally brought some changes, so Fugaku drew up a new training plan for Uchiha Itachi.

The reason was that he was still young. Practicing taijutsu and shuriken throwing in the morning, then ninjutsu in the afternoon, was too intense...

"You can arrange the timing yourself. Mind your health..." Fugaku's gaze on his son drifted slightly before he continued, "Usually, Itachi can also make more friends."

"Yes, Father." The little boy sat properly on his knees.

Fugaku continued, "The Uchiha Hazuki family recently returned to the clan, though they have not yet moved back to the clan compound. Itachi might still—"

"Waaah... waaah..."

Before he could finish, the infant in Mikoto's arms suddenly began wailing. It seemed this conversation could not continue.

"Caw!"

The crow's cry instantly stopped little Sasuke's tears. Perched on Mikoto's shoulder, Kitahara watched helplessly as the baby drew back his tears... and began puffing out his cheeks...

"Ptoo... ptoo... ptoo..."

The little fellow actually wanted to spit... Naturally, the crow refused to show weakness, its crimson eyes staring at him without blinking!

"Caw!"

"Ptoo... ptoo..."

"Sasuke is so energetic..." Uchiha Mikoto smiled with narrowed eyes. "And he seems to like Kitahara very much!"

The father and son present: "..."

Forgive me for speaking frankly... That was not what it looked like...

Uchiha Fugaku had originally wanted Itachi to get out more and make more friends... His eldest son's withdrawn personality had already become known outside!

What no one expected was that the day after the conversation, Uchiha Itachi stepped into the ranks of child-carriers, a sling bag hanging from his shoulder and Sasuke in his arms...

A little boy carrying a baby around appeared throughout Konoha's streets and alleys... Of course, he sometimes pushed a stroller as tall as himself... That child named Uchiha Itachi... Was the Fugaku family seriously raising him like this?

It had to be said that sensible Itachi made life much easier for the couple, and Uchiha Mikoto's postpartum days were going well... Just as she wished, their home had indeed become livelier.

A new problem also arose... The crow and Sasuke disliked each other and often quarreled. Who knew how two species that did not share a language communicated? They could even determine who won and lost!

Ichiraku Ramen.

Ever since the little boy learned to cook, Kitahara had not come for ramen in a long time... But today was a special case.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sound of a sharp beak striking the menu was especially loud. A little girl shrieked beside him, "A crow! Dad, there's a really scary-looking crow!"

"..." Another day of wanting to become human again...

"Ayame, don't make such a fuss. That's very rude..." As kind as ever, Uncle Teuchi said, "Oh, is this young Itachi's crow? It's been a long time..."

"Caw!"

"A bowl of tonkotsu ramen, then!" Teuchi glanced at the menu and went to make the noodles, leaving his daughter Ayame staring timidly at Kitahara. "Um, if a crow eats ramen, will it pay?"

"..."

Kids really did focus on different things.

Little girl, you really were amazing... You had actually thought of something even I had overlooked!

"It's fine... Mr. Crow is one of our regulars..." Uncle Teuchi patted his daughter on the top of her head and brought out a bowl of ramen. "I'll treat him to this bowl... Besides, we still have plenty of ramen on the wall that hasn't been claimed!"

The ramen on the wall had been left behind by Kitahara through Uchiha Itachi.

The Third Shinobi World War had only just ended, and many orphaned children had drifted into Konoha. Charity work was not something Ichiraku Ramen could manage alone.

That day, Uchiha Itachi had bought four bowls of ramen and requested that they be put on the wall... Uncle Teuchi had solemnly made a sign for it.

Any customer with a kind heart could buy extra bowls of ramen, which Ichiraku Ramen would distribute to homeless children.

Most ninja had seen the misery of war, and many gave generously. Ichiraku Ramen became increasingly popular... It became a regular dining spot for many ninja heading out on missions.

Perhaps even its advocate had not expected that one day, he would enjoy such treatment himself...

Little Ayame was very curious about the crow that had come alone. She chattered away at it for quite some time, and when the other customers learned that it was the pet of the little boy who had first proposed the charity initiative, their attitudes became much friendlier.

Until the Konoha Police Force surrounded the ramen shop, most of them fierce-faced and aggressive...

Little Ayame's favorable impression of the Uchiha clan came to an end right there... A father and son hurried over, and the little boy left carrying the crow...

"Even if you lost an argument with Sasuke, you can't run away from home! Father nearly took action!"

"He isn't even two months old. He can only spit. Why were you even arguing?"

Young Ayame heard the last two sentences spoken by that little boy, and she remembered one name: Sasuke.

Later, she learned from her father that the little boy carrying the crow was Uchiha Itachi.

Well, that little brat was actually quite handsome. It was just that the pet he kept was far too fierce...