I thought I could raise a Hokage!!!

For now, Konoha belongs to everyone.

This place isn't Uchiha Itachi's private domain. Naturally, he couldn't chase Izumi away, especially since they were family and knew each other.

"Huh? That's from the sweets shop on Middle Street! Does Itachi like eating sweets from there too?" Uchiha Izumi immediately spotted the food bag hooked onto the crow's claws and exclaimed in surprise, "I often buy three-color dango from there, but it's hard to get…"

"Yes, their three-color dango usually sell out by the afternoon," Itachi replied, well aware of the shop's business patterns.

The crow glanced down at the bag in its claws with a dull look. How pervasive… But does she really think this is finding common ground?

Little girl, your five-year-old brain is still too naive.

"Gah?"

Beiyuan knew Uchiha Itachi's obsession with sweets all too well. He had to give a friendly reminder! At this moment, what a man should do is not engage in small talk—but share the sweets in his bag with the girl.

"Ah, is that so?" Itachi's small face filled with hesitation. He looked at Izumi with a bit of embarrassment. "I didn't buy a lot of three-color dango… Izumi, do you like sticky rice dumplings?"

Uchiha Izumi: "..."

"Gah~" the crow chirped cheerfully.

Is this what a man should say? So because you didn't buy many, she shouldn't even think about getting some? Give it up, little girl! A man who won't even spare you a skewer of dango… You deserve better in the future!

"...Hu... hu..."

The only sound left in the air was Sasuke's soft snoring as he slept soundly in his brother's arms, completely oblivious.

"Is that your little sister, Itachi?"

Izumi wasn't the first to say this, and she certainly wouldn't be the last. The fact that people kept mistaking Sasuke for a girl didn't prove how cute he was—it only proved how much of a mama's boy he was as a child.

Unfazed, Itachi calmly corrected her, taking some pride in introducing his younger brother. "He's my little brother. His name is Sasuke."

"Do you want me to hold him for a while?" Izumi gritted her teeth in secret. This boy was holding his baby brother while carrying a bag of sweets. Could he still carry anything else?

"Sasuke finally fell asleep…" Itachi glanced at Beiyuan out of the corner of his eye and added, "…Forget it. If someone else holds him, he'll start crying easily."

What do you mean by that, brat?

Izumi didn't give up. "I'll be very gentle…"

Maybe he thought that women had a natural advantage in this area, or maybe he was just testing things out. Either way, Itachi hesitated for a moment before reluctantly undoing the straps and handing his little brother into Izumi's arms.

Immediately after, he picked up the food bag and pulled out a skewer of dango… So… maybe he didn't have to give her any after all?

"...Wow… wow…"

Sasuke, right on cue, started wailing in the unfamiliar embrace. The expression on Izumi's face slowly turned blank. What the hell?!

Itachi hurried over to coax the baby, but a certain crow beat him to it.

"Gah!"

"...Pfft... pfft..."

"Gah!"

You little brat, is there anything else you can do besides spit bubbles?! Beiyuan fumed.

Itachi suddenly didn't feel like taking Sasuke back. Anyway, Sasuke is causing trouble with Beiyuan now. It doesn't matter whose arms he's in, right?

Izumi stared at the little boy's actions, and her smile became a little strained. "Itachi, what do I do now? Should I give him back to you?"

"It's fine… Once Sasuke gets tired, he'll fall asleep," Itachi replied, glancing at the crow again. "Or, once Beiyuan gets hungry, it'll be over."

"..."

This was probably the last time they would visit this area before moving. The Uchiha clan's new district was nearly complete, and winter was approaching. After the new year, both Itachi and Izumi would be old enough to enter the Academy.

"Itachi-kun, you're going to become a ninja in the future, right? Will you attend the Academy?" Izumi twirled a strand of her hair and whispered, "I might be able to apply directly to become a genin!"

The crow looked at Izumi like she was an idiot. Isn't that obvious? You've already awakened your Sharingan. If you're not becoming a ninja, are you planning to be a chef instead?

Itachi answered seriously, "I still lack a lot of basic knowledge. The Academy's curriculum is important."

"Then we'll probably see each other at the Academy next year! Take care, Itachi-kun… I'll become a ninja too!"

A light breeze lifted the strands of Izumi's hair, and her cheeks flushed slightly. She had gotten the answer she wanted and said what she needed to say.

Beiyuan glanced at Izumi, then at the little boy, whose expression had subtly shifted. And then, he finally understood what was off.

Itachi Uchiha had little experience dealing with women. Aside from Uzumaki Kushina—who had beaten him mercilessly online—he had only ever known his gentle mother at home.

Because of that, he had a certain level of tolerance for women who were usually kind and soft-spoken but possessed strong hearts beneath their gentle exteriors.

And Izumi fit that description perfectly.

"...I should go home." Itachi snapped out of his daze, hastily scooping Sasuke back into his arms and calling for Beiyuan.

Izumi was stunned for a moment. Then her face twisted. "...Who are you running from?"

Perched on Itachi's shoulder, Beiyuan turned back to look at Izumi, who still hadn't caught on. This girl… She's definitely going to be dense in the future.

As long as the Uchiha clan's crisis could be averted, things would only get more interesting. But it was too soon. He had to wait—at least until Itachi awakened his three-tomoe Sharingan, or even his Mangekyō.

Only when Itachi truly understood that the village and the clan weren't like water and fire could planning begin.

Beiyuan recalled the dull expressions of the people who had spoken with Hatake Kakashi earlier. That alone proved there was an opportunity right now—one that could buy some time.

"Gah…"

"Do you want to go out tomorrow? But don't go too far… No, I have to ask my mother first."

Itachi clearly wasn't the type to make decisions on his own when it came to the crow's outings.

Beiyuan, however, had no intention of asking permission. "...Gah…"

"No way. You have to tell my mother. If she doesn't agree, you absolutely can't go out alone!" Itachi shook his head stubbornly.

Beiyuan slumped weakly against him. Even if I tried sneaking out, you still wouldn't let me? You're becoming more and more disappointing…

At dinner, when Mikoto learned that Beiyuan wanted to go out alone, she thought for a moment and, after confirming the details of the trip, agreed.

Fugaku, on the other hand, was incredulous. "It's a crow! Why does it want to go out and play…?"

"He's a bird, Fugaku. He wants to see the scenery too," Mikoto said with a smile, placing a bowl of soup in front of Beiyuan. "Besides, it's only for a day, right?"

Beiyuan stared at Mikoto's smile and nodded vigorously, not daring to argue.

Fugaku sighed. "We have been busy lately, and we haven't had the chance to take him anywhere. Maybe I should ask the police force—"

"The clan will have complaints."

"What about Shisui?" Itachi put down his chopsticks and raised his hand. "Can we entrust him with Beiyuan?"

Beiyuan shot the little boy a dark look. Can you stop volunteering me for things?!

The next morning, there were two extra bento boxes on the table. And a certain genius chunin was already waiting for the crow to wake up.