I've done some editing for my posted chap 3 and this one is beta-ed. Have a look!

Disclaimer: Should i say that again?

Chapter 3: Meeting the Uchihas

"Yeah! Uchiha, that's it."

"You have to be kidding!"

Remina was about to ask the shocked old man a question, and worriedly perked up her eyebrow. Ichiraku-san looked onward. The old man seemed to be sunk into his own thoughts before he sighed deeply and slowly gazed back into the big honey eyes.

"Believe me, you won't make it..."

"What made you shocked all of a sudden, Ichiraku-san?" Remina curiously asked. Ichiraku-san was only scratching the back of his head and grinning sheepishly. He never meant to scare the girl but he couldn't help himself by feeling sad for the girl's fate. "Just let it be untold… it is much better."

"My advice is, don't ever go to Uchiha's compound..." But can the old man tell this and prevent her from stepping into the Uchiha's? He was nobody to the young girl, but he felt terribly sorry for her. Someone should teach that principal about humanity from letting her innocent orphan work for the perfectionist like family.

"If I could help this girl I would! I'll let her work at my ramen stand instead of working forthat arrogant man, Fugaku-sama."

"Ne, you're making me feel bad, Ichiraku-san," Remina pouted and crossed her arms

"I-Iie…Remina-chan…actually I'm happy for you," he flipped his hands apologetically. "Maa! It's hard to find a good job nowadays. I bet you can earn good money," Ichiraku-san comforted.

"Huh? Hmm…maybe," the girl looked away uncertainly. This conversation couldn't rid off her bewilderedness in the end, even made it worse. It was useless! "What can I do, Kami-sama? I'm just a poor, lone girl, give me strength to face them." Remina mentally prayed.

"I'm wondering how much the man has paid for you…" Ichiraku-san unthinkably muttered out and barely noticed by Remina. "What did you say, Ichiraku-san? I heard you saying something about a man paying for….sounds like that."

"Oh! Ah! About that? Ahahaha…I was thinking about how much I will get pay from my business," the man toothily grinned.

"Hontou ni? You're a businessman?" Remina rolled her eyes, snapped out from her irritating thought.

Ichiaraku-san nodded once, "It makes me a lot of money, you know. I create a variety of ramen recipes and sold them off to the all of nearest countries, including Grass. In fact, I have my own ramen stand and everyone loves to come there."

"Sugoi….You don't look like a businessman."

"Don't judge people by their appearance, Remina."

The girl merely blushed. The previous scene of her rudeness towards the humble old man started to come into her mind. "I'm so stupid!"

"Gomenasai, Ichiraku-san…I didn't mean to yell at you at first." She asked for forgiveness and bowed a little longer.

"Oh, just forget it. For how many times do you need to say that? I didn't take it seriously."

Remina raised back her head to see Ichiraku-san pick out a small item from his pocket.

He then handed over the small, green book to the girl and Remina quizzically looked upon the weird thing, not wanting it. "Just take it." He gently demanded.

"What's this, Ichiraku-san?"

"20 free Ichiraku Ramen's coupon. You may eat as much as you want," the man happily grinned when Remina took his gift. Her face lightened up. There's no finer way that he could do to make the girl happy instead of giving her his own saving coupon. Every one of his ramen fans would die to have it especially to the certain little blue-eyed blond.

"Sugoi… Arigato, Ichiraku-san." Remina flipped her coupon over and smelled the nice scent of paper carried by the wind, "How lucky I am... Ichiraku-san is so kind."

After a few while, they went back to being speechless and the previous thoughts again invaded Remina's mind. She sighed inwardly and felt cold sweat. The joyful moment of free ramen was over.

"Ne, Ichiraku-san?"

"Yes?" the man quickly looked over to the girl.

"You know Uchiha, right?" Remina confidently asked with an unhesitant gaze.

"Not much that I know."

"Since the Uchiha is that famous, I bet you know a lot about them."

"Didn't your principal mention anything?"

The question was replied by a shake of Remina's head. Ichiraku-san pathetically looked towards the girl. He huffed lazily and leaned back, "So the task goes to me."

"Do you already know the head's name?"

She vigorously shook her head.

"His name is Captain Uchiha Fugaku and he held a high position in the Konoha navy for years I think."

"Quite a busy man, huh? How's his wife?"

Ichiraku-san frowned up sadly and brokenly smiled, "She's dead." Remina gapped and was about to ask the expected question.

"About two years ago… Mikoto-sama used to come to my ramen stand with her son when she still alive. She was indeed a beautiful and gentle woman."

Remina eyed the man sadly "What an irony…"

"Maa! I didn't expect to have a widow as my boss. Ne Ichiraku-san, how many kids do they have?" the girl curiously asked with an enthusiastic glint gleaming from her eyes.

"Two!"

Remina gestured two fingers at the man. "Hmm…two, sounds easy. It's not like I need to take care over a dozen kids. Kami thanks."

"They're all males and the eldest is Uchiha Itachi."

"Tch! That kid never paid his debt and always left my stand without paying."

Remina smirked a little and gave a meaningful look towards the old man, "Ne…you seem to know a lot, Ichiraku-san."

"I'm familiar with my customers and there are a lot of stories those I've heard of from them, Remina-chan,"

"Like your great skill in analyzing people, don't you think Ichiraku-san?" Remina smiled sweetly and the old man returned the smile, "Probably…"

"How bout the youngest son, Ichiraku-san?" the girl suddenly asked making the old man daze off. Ichiraku-san frowned up. He hasn't seen the said boy for a long time. Last time he saw the boy was when Uchiha Mikoto treated him to ramen an year before her death. In fact, he has already forgotten the boy's face and the most of it his name.

He unexpectedly scratched his head and glanced unknowingly towards Remina. "Gomenasai Remina-chan….I don't even remember the boy's name. I haven't seen him for years since his mother's death."

"What happened to him? Is he dead or he has he turned crazy?" the girl leaned forward. "He still alive but …..I don't have an idea what's gotten into him. I always meet Itachi but not his brother," the man looked forward and then spaced out into his immersed thoughts.

"Sounds mysterious…"

"Seems that Itachi is more famous than his brother," Remina muttered out loud to herself before she stared back towards the old man, aiming to ask about the sudden focus of her attention, Itachi.

"Ne, can you tell me bout the boy…I mean Itachi-san."

Ichiraku-san finally looked back to the girl and unintentionally smirked. Remina sensed uneasiness from the look. Could it be that this was her bad omen?

"What is the best word that I can use to describe the boy? Hmm…anyway just bear this in your mind, better beware Itachi."

"Better beware Itachi….better beware Itachi….beware Itachi….Itachi….Itachi." The ghostly words mocked her inside repeatedly. It was truly pissing her off. This Itachi kid might be the source of fear and the restlessness since an hour ago. But Remina doubted that she could be defeated by the young boy. After all Itachi was only fourteen and he still a kid, damn it! There's no way he could win over her.

"Tch! Spoiled brat…" Remina exclaimed while crackling her fingers.

Ichiraku-san perked up worriedly, "Don't underestimate him; he's a bad boy. You don't know him anyway." "He might kill you!"

"I know Ichiraku-san and don't worry, I'll keep your words in mind. By the way thanks for your information. They might be helpful to me when handling the kids," Remina convincingly smiled.

"Ah! If you ever think about quitting, feel free to see me and I'll give you a job, (Ichiraku-san sincerely offered. Remina happily grinned. "Arigato Ichiraku-san!"

The old man blushed when the joyous girl hugged him. She made him miss his family terribly. "Oh! How many days have I not seen them?"

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Remina's eyes trailed off with the movement of the cab until it lost from her sight. She sighed in bewilderment, shutting her eyes for a few seconds before she turned her view towards the massive gate. Two great, red crossing fans decorated it beautifully as a proud symbol of Uchiha.

"Finally…" At last, she did it. Arrived at the family's compound and in any moment she would begin her path to the place of her nightmare. Right beyond the gate is the way that leads to Uchiha mansion. "Kami-sama, may you bless any and what measures that I'll take."

"I must be out of my mind….." She looked around and found an intercom beside the gate. Remina pressed the button once and a thick accented, male voice greeted her. "Yes, can I help you?"

"Konnichiwa, my name is Asakawa Remina and …," she couldn't even finish her words when the golden metal gate suddenly opened, revealing the inner scenery to the girl's eyes, "Open sesame…"

Seemed the man was well informed about her arrival, Remina's thought. There was quite a long path that led to the mansion.

"Rich and famous...What else can I say?"

The gate was like the separator of Uchiha from the outside world; it was creepy and mysterious. "Maybe there's a lot of traps in there. I better watch out."

She didn't wait for any longer and traveled past the gate. There were a few Sakura trees that have blossomed beautifully. Their pink cherry petals swiftly fell and a nice aromatic air smoothly breezed, refreshing and soothing.

The birds chirped merrily on the trees and there were some wild squirrels that chased each other, collecting the fallen chestnuts for the incoming winter.

"Like a fairy tale…."

Remina didn't know for how long she had walked, when the view of Uchiha mansion got closer to her sight. The mansion looked exotic and enormous. In fact, it was bigger than her orphanage and may have held two times the current number of Grass's orphans. Remina's lips couldn't stop mumbling from her astonishment.

While she felt unaware with her surrounding, there was someone observing her from the second floor. The little spiky haired figure quickly hid behind his window when Remina spotted him.

Remina furrowed, "I have a feeling it was one of the siblings." She shrugged and shoved her hands into her pocket.

Remina changed her view to the nearest Koi pond, watching over the school of Koi that swam gracefully in the clean water.

"Asakawa-san?"

Remina glanced over to the voice. There was an old, unfriendly looking man standing on the front foyer which led to the main door.

She bowed respectfully, "Konnichiwa, umm…what's your name occhan?"

"Uchiha Teyaki, the personal assistant and the cousin of Fugaku-sama."

"Ah! Gomenasai…" she bowed again; to think that the old man before her eyes was strongly related with a nobleman.

Teyaki's lips caved into a little smile. Remina looked childish and young in his eyes. "Please come over here Asakawa-san because Fugaku-sama is already waiting for you."

Remina merely nodded and obediently did what the man told her. She obediently trailed behind the old man through the main door in silence. The air was filled with tension; dull and negative aura began to surround her. No children's voices, no bickering, no screaming nor the sweet laughter of those Remina missed; she was used to feeling and hearing them. It was unfathomable.

"Why am I feeling so sick all of a sudden? What the hell is wrong with this house? What happened to everyone here? It seems dead!" Remina shook her head, erasing her unsettling thoughts and noticed a beautiful, brown-eyed brunette causally came their way.

"Haku, this is Asakawa Remina, Uchiha's new babysitter. Can you please bring her luggage to her room?" Teyaki ordered and Haku obediently took the luggage from Remina's hand. She stood in awe. The often-mistaken-for-a-cross-dresser was beautiful in her eyes.

"Wow! She's damn cute…I can't believe that she's a maid."

Haku then brushed back his dark brown locks, they fell against his snowy skin and he placed them gently behind his earlobe. Then he unexpectedly met Remina's impressed honey eyes. The male smiled embarrassedly and flushed from the girl's astonishment. Finally, he gracefully walked past them, without turning back. Remina only trailed her eyes after him as he moved.

"Haku eh? Strange girl…"

Teyaki coughed up and Remina startled back, "Shall we go then?"

"Yes!"

They wandered a little while until the old man escorted her into a wide visitor space. There were a few expensive paintings hanging against the wall and antique furniture neatly placed in the room.

"Make yourself comfortable, Asakawa-san, I'm going to call for Fugaku-sama," the old man left after receiving a short nod from Remina.

She then shifted her eyes towards the antique decors, "These must've cost a lot of money…What a waste." Remina grumbled and then scanned the beautiful paintings against the wall. She then saw two large portraits behind her; the portraits of a single man and woman in their wedding garments from the girl's point of view.

The man inside the portrait was undeniably handsome and charismatic in his navy uniform, while his wife dressed in her expensive white silk kimono; she was pretty and genuinely feminine. They looked like they were made for each other, matching and perfect.

A soft, stepping sound suddenly caught Remina's ear from behind. She warily turned around, only to see an unknown, spiky haired boy struggling to hide his small form behind the nearest couch. A frightened look registered in his black onyx eyes.

Remina could see the boy was holding something with him, a small, filthy stuffed bear. She stepped a few feet closer and studied him, but the unapproachable boy was shifting away even more. "Do I look like a monster?"

"Ne, kid…I mean no harm," she carefully told him. The quiet boy clutched harder on the couch's handle, "Aww man…"

"You don't need to come here if you're feeling so scared, boy," Remina knelt down before the couch. The boy didn't answer and was only fidgeting with his bear's fur. "Ne, what's your bear's name?" Remina tried to be friendly and the boy returned a sharp glare. Everything about him was so adorable. She truly admitted the boy was indeed cute and looked cuddly, his puffy cheeks were so ready to be pinched.

"By the way, what's your name kid?"

No reply. "Is he deaf or something?"

"Everyone has a name and I'm sure you do too!"

No answer. "Me too, I'm Asakawa Remina. Feel free to call me nee-chan!"

Since last ten minutes, the boy had said nothing. He just looked down at his small teddy bear, cutely fidgeting and sometimes glancing over shyly towards monotonously looking girl.

Remina impatiently crawled over but the kid successfully backed off to the other side of the couch, "Tch! He's fast!"

She tiredly huffed and leaned back, "Don't you ever dare to piss me off, spoiled brat!"

The boy seemed hurt from her harshness. She never meant to make him feel down and Remina hopelessly smacked her temple. "Oh no! Please don't cry. Please, I beg you…your father might fire me," Remina waved her hands, but the kid eventually began to weep.

Remina's eye twitched, "Oh! I hate crying! I really hate to see people cry. No more crying, stop crying! I need to do something about this." Crying was some kind of act that she couldn't stand for, made her remember the sad memory. It was awfully painful and she had kept a promise to never shed a tear. She only wanted to live her life to the fullest.

The boy sobbed silently and wiped off his tears with the back of his hand. He didn't even notice Remina slowly reaching her finger towards the upset boy.

The kid was shocked and thrown back, making the girl stumble forward and fall flat on the cold floor, "Teme…" the girl growled deeply and the boy roughly gasped. His small baby-fat arms shakily embraced around him.

"I mean no harm, kid."

"Go back to your room, Sasuke!"

"Sasuke eh?"

Remina remained stiff on the floor as she heard a precise voice coming out from nowhere. She then found herself looking up at a certain tall dark haired man who was standing beside the portrait. His face was so familiar. The same face which was pictured on the portrait. The girl hesitated and glanced back to the portrait. He was exactly the same man but looking much older. Some wrinkles lined up on his temple and under his eyes.

"Uchiha-sama…"

"Is there a problem here?" Fugaku coldly asked with his arms crossed. A tense atmosphere started to fill in.

She blushed hard and immediately jumped up, "Gomenasai Uchiha-sama …I didn't mean to be so rude, please forgive me," Remina apologetically bowed. For seconds, the man said nothing. He walked past the girl towards his favorite spot and then sat himself on the middle of the couch.

"Have a seat, Remina-san."

The girl froze from their small moment of silence and reached towards one of the available seats. She sat in awkward silence and gazed down nervously, waiting for a formal conversation. "Why can't I relax??"

She slightly peeked her eyes at Sasuke, but the boy was nowhere to be seen.

"He's gone."

Fugaku crossed his feet and emotionlessly eyed the restless girl. He then took out his cigar and clipped it between his lips, lit it up and inhaled his newly burnt cigar.

Remina never shifted her eyes away from the arrogant looking man. He seemed so calm and collected, but mysterious.

"You're 10 minutes late….What took you so long, Remina-san?" Fugaku breathed out smoke. She tensed up. Why should he need to be so demanding and bossy all of sudden? 10 minutes was nothing and can be forgiven.

"I-I—"

"As a navy officer, punctuality is in my preference and you should be able to bear with that. Didn't your principal remind you of this, Remina-san?" Fugaku stood up and perked up his eyebrow, towering over the bewildered girl. The cigar was already between his fingers.

"Y-yes...umm Captain Fugaku," The formality didn't seem familiar on her tongue.

"Fugaku-sama! You're not in the army, keep that in mind," he snapped.

Remina weakly nodded. Damn it! Where did all her courage and denial go? She didn't want the man to empower her.

"Ano…I've been cleared up that you want me to be a babysitter for your kids, but…do you have anything to add before I start my job?" Remina bravely looked into the raven haired man's eye, "W-What the hell is wrong with me?"

Fugaku was silent. He then took one last inhale. The smoke simultaneously escaped from his mouth as he announced, "Don't ever try to put your hand on my kids."

"Huh?" Remina glared up, might this be some sort of warning or the man's quick decision after witnessing her little incident with Sasuke, "One more thing, you're not allowed to have an off day unless I give it to you."

"NANI!" Remina had unwittingly burst out and gripped her fist. Fugaku glared dangerously and the girl cowered down. To think that the girl began to fume up was something that despised Uchiha's head. No one ever dared to cross him yet.

"Kuso! What he talking about? That's cruel!"

"From my first sight, I can tell that you're not an ordinary babysitters than that I used to hire, Remina-san. Troubled kids must be handled by a troubled babysitter, don't you think?" Fugaku sneered. Remina mentally cursed. It was all Madam Suzuki's fault by letting the information flow out.

"Damn you…" she muttered out inaudibly. "I'll have you permanently banned from entering any organization and orphanage, even this!"

Madam Suzuki's annoying threat came back to haunt her. By escaping the Uchiha mansion and these scary people, everything seemed hopeless and useless.

"Yes, Fugaku-sama…I'll gladly accept," Remina almost bit her tongue. She knew the fact that she was being insincere, but she couldn't think any way to go against the order.

"Good!"

Fugaku then looked over toward a walking teenage male who just happened to cross them without a single glance.

"Itachi!"

The elder boy stopped and sighed inwardly. He only gave a cold shoulder.

"Meet your new babysitter, Asakawa Remina."

Itachi unfeelingly glared over towards Remina. "The Itachi boy…."

"Nice to meet you, Itachi-kun."

Remina respectfully bowed then looked up at the big replica of Sasuke. His school uniform was hanging loosely over his shoulder and was unbuttoned on his collarbone, exposing his pale skin, "Same face and eyes, except the pony tail."

"Another one, huh?" Itachi narrowed his eyes. There was a emptiness that gleamed out from those emotionless, almond shaped eyes. The eyes that reflected a lack of love by his inner burden.

"…." An awkward compassion invaded her heart. It might be the element of sadness and bitterness that emitted from the siblings, "Why should I feel this way?"

"Enough, Itachi!" Fugaku warned and both father and son seemed to fight with their glares.

"Tch, like I care," Itachi succumbed and stalked away to his room. Fugaku disappointedly eyed the teenage male until he was lost from his sight.

Remina coughed a little, distracting the man. "So, that one is Itachi and the little boy-"

"Sasuke… He's no more a normal child and Itachi is my chosen heir to carry on the Uchiha legacy. I don't want to put a disgrace on my family name and you need to bear this in mind, Remina-san. You better stay out of any problems out there," Fugaku strictly reminded.

Remina froze, "Is being an Uchiha that hard?"

"M-May I ask what happened to Sasuke?"

Fugaku stiffened and towered over the girl. Remina cowered off.

"Will you stop asking too much questions, Remina-san?"

The girl merely nodded and remained seated on the couch, nervously looking away.

"Good, now dismissed!"

TBC