Jealousy

Under the dark clouds of war, Izuna's heart swayed amidst the turbulent waves, filled with both fear and relief.

The figures of their people rushed forward one after another to the battlefield stained with blood and death.

On the battlefield, Izuna often secretly rejoiced in the dead of night, watching his kinsmen being mercilessly trampled by the giant wheels of war chariots. He was filled with gratitude for the "favor" that fate had shown to Koki.

Because of Koki recent eye discomfort, Koki was spared from joining his clan in this brutal massacre.

The battlefield mercilessly devours lives; Izuna witnessed too many of his clansmen vanish without a trace, while Koki was able to stay away from it all.

When Izuna returned from the battlefield filled with smoke and the smell of death, he was exhausted, but the thought that Koki was safe and sound at home made his steps lighter.

Behind that door, Koki's figure; he was the driving force that kept him going during the war.

He could hold Koki tightly and feel her familiar body temperature; for Izuna, this was the most beautiful comfort in the world.

"I missed you so much." Izuna hugged Koki tightly, like a child finding shelter, burying his face in her chest.

"Are you being cute again?" Koki lowered her eyes gently, reached out her hands, and softly stroked Izuna's head, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

"It's been so long, let me take a good look at you, Izuna."

Izuna slowly raised his head, his eyes reddening as if stained by the flames of war, his pupils shimmering.

Koki gently cupped Izuna's face in her hands; the touch was soft, a stark contrast to Izuna's rough hands, hardened by long battles.

Koki's gaze swept lightly over Izuna's face, from his slightly furrowed brows to his bright, sparkling eyes, then along his straight nose, finally settling on his well-defined lips and increasingly resolute jaw.

Koki's thoughts suddenly drifted away, and Sasuke's face flashed in his mind. He couldn't help but wonder if Sasuke looked like that too?

Izuna suddenly felt a surge of heat rising from deep within his body, slowly, gently flowing to his cheeks, as beautiful as the afterglow of a setting sun.

"Koki..." Izuna's voice was hoarse, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, revealing his inner unease.

His voice trembled slightly, and his cheeks burned as if they were being roasted by fire.

Koki was slightly taken aback, and subconsciously exclaimed softly, "Huh?"

He seemed to realize something, quickly composed himself, and tried his best to restore his expression to normal, putting on a nonchalant smile. "Izuna has indeed grown taller again, and his features are becoming more defined."

Izuna's cheeks remained burning hot, the heat showing no signs of abating.

He savored the memory of his heart pounding like a war drum, a feeling so unfamiliar. He hurriedly looked away, unable to meet Koki's gaze.

"It's strange that my heart is beating so fast," Izuna thought to himself.

"After all, I'm not a child anymore; I grow up very quickly."

Izuna tried her best to keep her tone calm, muttering, "My brother's change is truly drastic; just standing there, he can scare the kids into tears."

"Really?" Koki his head slightly, perhaps recalling the scene of Madara's majestic figure appearing among the children that day, and he couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth and chuckle softly.

"However, Madara is indeed too serious. He was quite cute when he was a child."

"That's right." Izuna uttered these two words softly, and as if recalling something, his eyes, which had been shining brightly, now concealed the stars.

A sudden sense of heaviness filled the boy's heart, making his breathing rapid.

Every time he was alone with Koki, the conversation would inevitably turn to Madara, which annoyed him.

This should have been precious time for the two of them, so why is it that Ban's shadow always follows him around?

Every time it was mentioned, it was like rubbing salt into Izuna's heart; the bitterness spread like vines, tightly binding every nerve in his body.

"Alright, let's not talk about Madara anymore." Izuna tried to break free from the heavy shackles in his heart. He turned around abruptly and gently rested his forehead on Koki's warm legs.

He forced a relaxed smile, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "The battle's finally over. Is there anywhere you'd like to go? Let's go together."

"The place I want to go..." Koki gently raised her eyelids, her gaze piercing through the window frame and landing on the boundless world.

His gaze seemed to traverse mountains and rivers, transcending the shackles of the mortal world, drifting towards a distant, unreachable shore.

After a long while, he slowly closed his eyes, a barely perceptible smile appearing on his lips, and gently shook his head. "There's nowhere I want to go."

Looking at Koki's dreamlike, detached appearance, Izuna was overwhelmed by a bittersweet feeling once again.

Koki had this expression, Izuna felt as if he were a mysterious visitor from another world, just stopping by for a short while.

He doesn't belong to this world; he's like a gust of wind, ready to vanish into the depths of the void at any moment.

This unspeakable sense of alienation filled Izuna with fear. He silently turned around, sat up straight, met Koki's gaze firmly, and said softly, "Don't think about anyone else. I'll always be with you."

"Okay, okay." Koki slowly came back to her senses, stretched out her fingers, and gently stroked Izuna's cheek.

Meanwhile, Ban stood quietly outside the door, watching the warm and harmonious scene inside, a hint of loneliness in his eyes that he deliberately concealed.

At that moment, he suddenly felt like an outsider who had stumbled into this place, so superfluous that it made him feel bitter.

He turned away quietly, not wanting to disturb the beautiful tranquility.

"Since you're here, why don't you come in?" Koki's keen senses still caught Madara's figure by the door.

This sudden remark made Ban stop in his tracks.