Little crybaby

Koki felt as if an invisible hand was squeezing his heart tightly. The pain made it almost impossible for him to breathe. The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. Fear surged over him like a raging sea, engulfing him. Sadness welled up in his heart, and tears uncontrollably slid down his cheeks.

"Ugh..." He bit his fingers tightly, afraid to make a sound, as if that would seal all the pain deep inside his heart.

At that moment, Itachi, lying on the bed, finally noticed something was wrong. That gentle voice, "Brother, are you alright?" softly touched Koki's heart, which was already riddled with wounds.

Koki's voice was a little hoarse, as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper, "It'll be fine soon."

He hurriedly wiped away his tears, tried to remain calm, poured himself a glass of water, and slowly Earth Flow the bedside to sit down, pretending that everything was normal.

However, while others might be fooled, how could Itachi, who understood every subtle change in him, not see through it?

Itachi looked at his brother; his magnificent clothes were now disheveled, his delicate collarbone was exposed, and his reddened eyes were filled with tears, which were about to fall but did not. His pitiful appearance made people feel extremely sorry for him.

Koki, who always appears strong in front of Itachi, now makes no attempt to hide her vulnerable side.

Koki was unaware that his hair was now disheveled, with a few strands falling casually across his forehead, making him look even more haggard.

Itachi had almost never seen his brother so vulnerable. The person who had always sheltered him from the wind and rain and protected him was now as helpless as a wounded child.

Itachi's gaze was fixed on Koki, as if he wanted to absorb all of Koki's pain.

He sat there without saying a word, only his Sharingan, which had just been withdrawn but was now reappearing, silently witnessing the emotional fluctuations deep within his heart.

Those blood-red eyes revealed endless heartache and worry, mixed with a hint of barely perceptible anger.

He didn't know why his brother was so sad.

Koki felt extremely uncomfortable under the intense gaze of her younger brother Itachi, as if countless ants were crawling all over her.

He shifted slightly, as if trying to shake off the discomfort, carefully picked up the water glass, gently brought it to Itachi's lips, and softly said, "Here, have some water."

Like a fledgling bird eagerly returning to its nest, the weasel suddenly pounced on Koki, burying its face deeply in Koki's shoulder, its arms wrapped tightly around Koki's neck like tenacious vines, as if that was the only place in the world it could rely on.

The water glass in Koki's hand lost its balance due to Itachi's sudden movement, and the water spilled onto the blanket, but the two sitting on the bed at that moment had no time to care about it.

"What's wrong?" Koki asked, her voice filled with deep concern and suspicion.

Upon hearing this, Itachi gently nuzzled Koki's neck, his hair lightly brushing against Koki skin, the wind-like touch causing Koki to tremble slightly.

"What exactly happened?" Koki asked again, her voice filled with barely concealed anxiety.

"I've grown up. My brother can trust me and rely on me now," Itachi said in a low voice, his tone firm and resolute.

Upon hearing this, Koki's face immediately lit up with a smile, and she happily said, "That would be the best, of course."

Where Koki couldn't see, Itachi's expression was far from pleasant.

He frowned slightly, a hint of melancholy flashing in his eyes. He realized that his brother hadn't truly understood the meaning behind his words and was still comforting him as if he were a child, which made him feel incredibly disappointed.

Itachi's face showed a look of grievance, and a strong sense of resentment arose in his heart. He secretly made up his mind that he would never act like a child again.

He wanted his brother to feel that he was someone he could rely on, a strong support who could shield his brother from the wind and rain.

Itachi hugged Koki tightly, feeling his brother's warmth and heartbeat.

At that moment, he felt as if he owned the whole world.

I must become stronger in order to protect my brother and gain his true trust and reliance.

"Good boy." Although Koki didn't know what Itachi was thinking, he could feel his younger brother's unwavering determination.

Inside the room, Koki and Itachi were immersed in this warm moment, and time seemed to slow down at that instant.

The tranquility was broken by a sudden knock on the door, "Knock, knock, knock." The crisp sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

"Who is it?" Koki asked with a hint of doubt as she stood up and walked towards the door.

The moment the door slowly opened, Koki's eyes widened instantly, her face filled with joy.

The handsome man standing at the door was none other than Uncle Sakumo, whom I hadn't seen in a long time!

Hatake Sakumo stood tall and straight, his face cold yet gentle. He looked at Koki, his eyes filled with longing as well.

For the past three years, Hatake Sakumo has remained in the Uchiha Clan Compound and has gradually integrated into the clan, to the point that he could even be considered half Uchiha Clan.

During this period, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to cultivating and training the "Root" force belonging to the Uchiha Clan.

In this world, light and darkness always coexist.

Like Konoha, it stands proudly under the sun, absorbing the nourishment of sunlight and rain, and exuding a vibrant vitality.

However, in that hidden corner, there once existed a "Root" buried deep underground, silently clearing obstacles in its path.

The Uchiha Clan also needs such a secret force, a powerful team capable of eliminating all potential threats, eradicating hostile forces, and nipping danger in the bud.

Just then, Hatake Sakumo had just finished an important task, rushed to the Fugaku. When he heard Fugaku describe what had just happened, he became even more anxious and ran over immediately.

Seeing Koki's red eyes and pitiful appearance, Sakumo felt a surge of pity. He spoke softly and affectionately, "How old are you? Still crying? You little crybaby."

"Waaah... Waaah, who's the little crybaby?" Koki could no longer suppress the bitterness in her heart, tears welled up in her eyes, and she buried her head in Uncle Sakumo's warm embrace, letting her emotions flow freely.

The moment he looked at Uncle Sakumo, all his anxiety and grievances seemed to find their home.

"Oh, okay, okay, don't cry anymore." Hatake Sakumo half-squatted down, gently hugged Koki, and softly pressed his forehead against his chest.

He heard a firm and strong heartbeat in Koki ear, and slowly closed his eyes, feeling this warmth and peace of mind.

Surrounded by strong arms, Koki felt as if she had found a sturdy harbor to shelter her from the storm, and all her worries vanished at that moment.