Something Was Wrong with Itachi

"Knock knock knock." In the tranquility of the room, a soft knock on the door, like an untimely melody, unexpectedly intruded on the warm and peaceful moment between Koki and Itachi.

"Koki, aren't you up yet? It's time to eat, the food's getting cold." Mikoto's clear and gentle voice, carrying a hint of commanding tenderness, broke the silence of the room through the door.

Koki and Itachi exchanged a knowing smile, their eyes sparkling with unspoken understanding. They turned together and looked at the door.

"Okay, Mom," Koki tried to keep her voice calm. "I'll be right there."

After saying that, Koki hurried to the door, opened it, and Mikoto's smiling face immediately came into view, like the warm spring sun. "Koki, come and eat. You worked so hard last night."

"No, Mom," Koki said with a smile, standing in front of Mikoto. "I'm not tired; you're the one who's tired."

My mother has to take care of the whole family every day.

Mikoto gently shook her head, indicating that there was no need to be polite. "Go eat, the food is getting cold."

"Good."

"Brother, I've finished eating. You go ahead and eat. I'll come find you later."

Itachi, who had been silently observing the interaction between Koki and Mikoto, finally spoke. His voice was calm. After speaking, he walked back to the table and began studying the pile of scrolls.

"No problem," Koki readily agreed.

This startled Mikoto. Witnessing this scene, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She looked curiously at Itachi, then turned to stare at Koki.

"Koki, are you and Itachi alright?" As they walked down the narrow corridor, Mikoto finally couldn't suppress her doubts and asked with concern, "The atmosphere between you two seems a little unusual."

"Huh?" Koki seemed a little confused by Mikoto's question. He shook his head and asked, puzzled, "Why does Mom ask that? Everything's fine, what's wrong?"

"Koki, haven't you noticed that Itachi is acting strangely?" Mikoto looked helplessly at her oblivious eldest son, a hint of concern in her eyes.

Koki stopped and turned around to face Mikoto. "Mom, just say what you want to say."

"Alright then." Mikoto was silent for a moment, then said softly, "You see, when you're home, Itachi is always by your side, but today he didn't come out with you. Instead, he said he'd come out to find you later. Isn't that enough to explain things?!"

"If anything happens to you, be sure to tell Mom. I'll help you share the burden," Mikoto added, still worried.

"..." Koki was speechless. He really didn't expect Mikoto's thought process to be so complicated. In his opinion, this was just a very ordinary little thing. How could his mother have imagined such a big drama?

In Koki's view, Itachi had just had a nightmare and needed some time to process his feelings after being comforted by her, which was perfectly natural. However, he also knew that Mikoto was so anxious because of her care for them; concern can cloud judgment.

Koki shook his head, trying to make his smile look natural. "It's really nothing, Mom," he said. "I'll definitely tell you as soon as anything happens."

Mikoto nodded slightly, not pressing the matter further; she trusted Koki as always.

"Okay, then hurry up and come eat," Mikoto said. "The food is all ready; we've been waiting for you for a long time."

On Natsuhi afternoon, the sunlight slanted lazily into the courtyard of the Uchiha Clan Head's house, and a gentle breeze carried a cool breeze through every corner.

After enjoying a sumptuous lunch, Koki leisurely sat under the veranda in the courtyard, immersing herself in this rare moment of tranquility alone.

At the top of the long corridor, several strings of wind chimes hang gently from the eaves, swaying in the wind and tinkling like heavenly music.

Koki closed her eyes and listened quietly to the sounds, as if she were in a dream world. A feeling of joy welled up in her heart, as if all her worries had been blown away by the gentle breeze.

The flowers and plants in the yard swayed gently in the breeze, releasing a fragrant aroma. Koki took a deep breath, as if he could smell the scent of nature, which completely purified his soul.

In the spacious courtyard, stone tables and benches are arranged in a staggered manner, providing a place for guests to rest and enjoy tea.

Koki's gaze swept across the courtyard and landed on the stone table where his father Fugaku, and his uncle, Sakumo, were engrossed in a Go match.

Fugaku and Sakumo sat around the stone table, their brows furrowed and their expressions focused, as if the entire world had shrunk to just the chessboard before them.

Fugaku's fingers gently caressed the Go pieces, as if he were deep in thought about his next move; while Sakumo closed his eyes in contemplation, his breathing steady and deep, as if he had entered a transcendent state.

After witnessing the focused expressions on the two of them, Koki almost burst out laughing. He recalled that at the dinner table earlier, his mother mentioned that after his father and Uncle Sakumo played Go last night, the two of them found themselves evenly matched and became so engrossed in the game that they couldn't extricate themselves. The two of them had been playing Go all day.

"It's so good to be here. It's so good to have everyone around me," Koki thought to herself, marveling at the changes his arrival had brought to her surroundings. Then she lazily lay down on the wooden floor of the corridor.

Soft sunlight filtered through the gaps, falling on Koki. He inhaled the fresh scent of the sun-baked wood, felt the tranquility of the breeze caressing his face, and his thoughts drifted to the unique stories of everyone.

Gradually, Koki felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him. He gently closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep again without realizing it.