Shisui Uchiha

The kitchen in the Uchiha Clan Head's home.

On this sunny morning, Fugaku had gotten up early and gone out on business, but Koki had gotten up early too. He saw how hard Mikoto worked making breakfast every day, so he planned to show off his skills in the kitchen and make a delicious breakfast for Mikoto and Itachi.

In his modern life, Koki's parents had paid him little attention after they remarried, so his housekeeping skills were decent.

In the kitchen, the fresh aroma of rice mingled with the rich scent of sauce, filling the air and whetting the appetite.

Koki stood on a low stool in front of the stove. Before him were freshly cooked rice, marinated pieces of fish, miso soup ingredients, and an assortment of vegetables.

He nodded, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

First, he put the fish in the pan, added the right amount of oil, and slowly fried it over medium-low heat. The fish sizzled in the pan, filling the air with its aroma.

Once the fish was done, he put the washed vegetables in the pan, added a little salt and olive oil, and quickly stir-fried them.

The vegetables tumbled in the pan, a vibrant green.

Then Koki scooped the cooked rice into bowls, arranged the fried fish and vegetables on top, and poured the miso soup ingredients over them. A breakfast that looked, smelled, and tasted wonderful was complete.

Koki looked at the breakfast he had made with his own hands, a satisfied smile on his face.

He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite. The savory fish juices, crisp vegetables, and soft, sticky rice mingled in his mouth, tasting wonderful.

Koki carried the food out and carefully placed it on the table. Mikoto and Itachi were still in bed, so he left a note on the table and went to the training ground.

After Fugaku's devilish training over this period, Koki's Ninjutsu had improved by leaps and bounds. He even felt as though something was missing if he went a day without training. Could I have gotten used to being abused?

Sunlight spilled like golden ribbons across the vast Uchiha training ground, cloaking the land, steeped in an air of iron and blood, in a dazzling glow.

There, Koki was practicing with Shuriken in total concentration.

Koki was already quite agile. His black hair fell like a waterfall, swaying gently in the breeze, and his eyes shone with determination. He wore a loose black Uchiha training outfit, its fabric fluttering through the air and lending his movements an extra touch of grace.

He gripped Shuriken tightly in both hands, their blades slender and sharp, as though light were dancing in his grasp. His gaze was focused and deep, as if he meant to see through their trajectories.

Taking a deep breath, Koki leaned slightly forward like an eagle about to spread its wings and soar. His hands whipped forward, and ten Shuriken flew from his grasp in an instant, whistling through the air.

In midair, the ten Shuriken seemed to come alive, spinning toward their respective targets. They traced graceful arcs through the air and buried themselves precisely in ten wooden targets not far from him.

Swish, swish, swish! All ten hit!

But Koki showed no joy. He merely frowned slightly, then quickly ran over and pulled out a Shuriken that had missed the bullseye.

Still not good enough? He carefully examined the Shuriken's condition, as though searching for his own shortcomings.

Then he returned to the starting point and prepared for his next throw.

Over the time that followed, Koki practiced throwing Shuriken again and again, each throw more accurate and powerful than the last.

He danced across the training ground, darting about like lightning, too fast for the eye to follow. The fine beads of sweat on his forehead bore witness to his persistence, and he never slackened in the slightest.

Only when the last rays of the setting sun covered the training ground did Koki stop practicing.

He collapsed onto the ground, utterly exhausted and gasping for breath, but his eyes shone with satisfaction and pride.

Suddenly, Koki sprang to his feet! There it was again-that gaze watching him in secret. Koki glanced around warily, carefully walked to the edge of the training ground, then leaped out.

He quickly scanned his surroundings and spotted the small grove, its leaves swaying gently in the breeze as if beckoning to him.

"Come out! I know you've been watching me train. Who are you?" Koki shouted from inside the grove, but all around him was silent.

"If you don't come out, I'm going to get mad! Don't ever watch me in secret again. I'm leaving." Anger flashed in Koki's eyes. He flung out a hand, turned, and strode away.

But before Koki had taken more than a few steps, a little boy of six or seven appeared miraculously in front of him. His figure flashed through the air like a phantom, his movements almost impossible to catch.

"D-don't be angry. I, I, I..." Faced with Koki's questioning gaze, sparkling like a sky full of stars, Shisui Uchiha was so embarrassed he could barely get the words out.

Shisui gazed at the boy before him, his eyes twinkling like stars.

His heart beat so hard that he could almost hear it. He clutched the flowers in his hands, his fingers turning slightly white from nervousness, and a faint blush spread across his cheeks.

This was not actually the first time Shisui had seen Koki. He had chanced upon Koki helping an old man in the clan carry things, seen him help an old woman across the road, and watched him feed stray cats.

Whenever he did those things, he always wore a smile as warm as sunshine, making people take a liking to him.

As Uchiha children, especially as shinobi, they were strictly taught by their families from a young age. At the very least, all the Uchiha children Shisui had met were proud and conceited.

That intense atmosphere of striving for power weighed on his heart like an invisible boulder.

As a member of the Uchiha Clan, and especially as a descendant of Kagami Uchiha, he could only push himself to keep growing so as not to disgrace his ancestor's name.

Although the Second Shinobi World War had ended many years ago and these were peaceful times, friction between the shinobi villages never ceased, and hatred continued to build. War might soon come, so he could only redouble his efforts and grow strong enough to protect Konoha and the Uchiha Clan.

Shisui had already reached such an understanding at his young age.

In the Uchiha Clan, someone like Koki, who could laugh freely and without restraint like an ordinary boy, offer help without reservation, and disregard others' gazes, was truly rare. What was more, he was the clan head's eldest son.

Shisui Uchiha's world always seemed full of complexity and burdens, but Koki's appearance was like a ray of sunlight, dispelling the gloom in Shisui's heart.

Koki had a pure and kind heart. His smile was like the warm spring sun, radiating warmth and brilliance; his actions were like a mountain breeze, stirring with naturalness and innocence.