The afternoon sky grew brighter.
The temperature was rising, too.
Whether in summer or winter, the village was sheltered by the surrounding woods.
It never grew too hot or too cold.
It seemed to be thanks to Yanbai's protection.
The chirping of cicadas drifted from the woods.
Uchiha Itachi's small body climbed nimbly up the towering buildings. He evaded the Heavenly Eye Technique and moved stealthily through the shadows.
Finally, Uchiha Itachi reached the rooftop of a tall building.
From here, he had a perfect view of the Hokage Office at the very top of the Hokage Building.
Uchiha Itachi knew Yanbai's preferences.
His office would always be built somewhere comfortable, where he could look out over Konoha's scenery with visiting guests.
After climbing to the top, Uchiha Itachi concealed himself and gazed into the distance.
Uchiha Itachi kept his emotions under control, betraying no feelings. Like a small animal that lived here, he hid in the shadows and cautiously peered out at the world of light.
Before long, Uchiha Itachi saw a silver-haired man and woman sitting opposite each other in the distant Hokage reception room.
They were so far away that Uchiha Itachi could only see their profiles.
But the silver-haired woman's movements as she brewed tea were all too familiar to Uchiha Itachi.
Watching from afar, Uchiha Itachi fell into a daze, as though recalling how Yanbai used to be.
Whenever he had free time, Yanbai was always brewing and drinking tea.
That was how he had been before.
Even now, that had not changed.
Brewing tea seemed to be one of Yanbai's ways of relaxing.
Only...
The person sitting opposite Yanbai, enjoying his tea, was no longer Uchiha Itachi.
No...
The person sitting opposite Yanbai could have been me.
But after discovering the form Yanbai had