Uchiha Sasuke glanced out the window. Outside, the sun was burning brightly. As he tried to make out the two forms of different sizes coming that was, the sun in their back, the powerful light hit his retina, and he backed away, eyes shut. Pitiful.

Immediately, his head shook right and left, checking for anybody who may have seen the silly scene - none around. An Uchiha to have his eyes tricked so easily and unconsciously... if his father had been there to see such, Sasuke would have quietly gone and dug himself a hole in the backyard, to hide in.

"Sasuke, what made you flinch so?" Itachi.

Sasuke turned, his face getting warmer. Though, he had to be thankful for his complexion that rarely let blushing show.

Itachi was smiling as he came closer, but, throwing a glance out the window, too, his face sobered so badly and suddenly, it looked as though he frowned. Sasuke guessed his brother's eyes were not to be deceived that easily and that the two figures coming across their yard represented something bothering and troubling.

Itachi left the window without a word and, crossing the hall, he must have gotten outside, on the porch. Sasuke did not know whether it was alright to follow him or not, but he eventually did it - Itachi, unlike their father, never sent him away harshly.

"Hokage-sama, we're always glad to receive your visits," he heard Itachi say politely as his steps came closer to the door.

The Hogake? Maybe it was not good for him to go there. ...but maybe he could just peek and leave.

"Your son, Naruto, I guess," Itachi followed. Sasuke's face messed up in horror - not that one; he was so annoying! Why would the Hokage bring his son along? And a jealous side of him pointed it out how his father never took him anywhere...

As soon as he reached the porch, he saw the blonde boy smiling widely at the sight of him. "Sasuke-kun!" Sasuke folded his arms, pouting - why did this guy have to exaggerate like that? However, he internally felt good about being regarded with so much happiness, so that he unconsciously ended up smiling.

Right then, the two older ones both burst out laughing at them and Sasuke's arms fell down with embarrassment, and he felt the threatening blood from earlier finally filling his cheeks deep red. In the meantime, Naruto stood there, oblivious - he couldn't get the joke.

"Why don't you go play, boys?" Minato told them and the two started walking away - Sasuke, awkwardly, Naruto looking like he was still trying to understand what happened earlier. "You, too," he added, and the boys turned to see the smiling Hokage placing a hand on Itachi's shoulder.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes in Hokage-sama actually sending someone like his brother 'to play'? Itachi looked confused as well.

"I'm here to talk to your father, so you may as well rest for now by looking after these two, Itachi. My son, at least, cannot be trusted."

" 'Tousan!" Naruto snapped, unaware of the changing glances between Minato and Itachi. Sasuke did see it, though - today, something was going on, something important.

"Hokage-sama," Fugaku appeared on the porch. A short bow of the head followed his words, but both actions had a kind of carelessness in them. He was dressed as for work, the Konoha vest on his back, the Uchiha symbol placed proudly on both shoulders. He had come recently, though it was not certain how much of recently and for how long he had been there - surely none of them sensed him, though. "I understand you were looking for me," he added, crossing his arms, his face as serious as usual.

"Indeed, Fugaku-san," Minato bowed back shortly. "Shall we go in?"

Fugaku was not happy to be invited inside his own house, but he nodded bluntly. He took a look back at Itachi before walking away with the Hokage. Itachi looked back at him and shook his head slightly - seems he had no idea of what was it all about either.

"Itachi-san, 'tousan always says you are truly great," Naruto started rambling as soon as the adults were in the house, instantly leaving the previous questions somewhere in the back of his head. "Can you teach us something? Please!" he burst with all his usual enthusiasm. And this enthusiasm of his bothered Sasuke more than ever, because of the request it was attached to. How could he just ask his brother for something like that? Also, Itachi barely had time to stay with him, though...

The older boy looked quite surprised for a moment at hearing the boy's direct request. He observed the younger child for some moments. Naruto looked all pleadingly and enthusiast. It seemed Naruto was that type of a child too nice and pushy that no one can refuse or ignore. Giving it a thought...

"Well, I was left to take care of you two, after all," he replied and even smiled a bit. Sasuke, even though somehow happy he's going to spend some time with his brother, was kind of startled to hear the reply. So many requests of this kind from him unsuccessful and now the Hokage's son had it granted so easily.

"Why looking so gloomy, Sasuke? Don't want my around you and your friend, too?" Itachi asked with a genuine smile.

"Not at all, niisan," Sasuke said promptly and loudly, all unlike him. That little protest inside him flew out just at the thought that his brother could think such. Immediately, he realized he showed too much of his inner thoughts once again and pouted at his own mistake.

"Come on," his brother pushed him gently ahead by the shoulder. "I could show you two something to work for both."

Still not over the fact that he had acted stupidly, Sasuke followed his brother. A warm feeling grew inside his chest - even though Naruto was going to be there, too, he was happy to have the chance of spending some time with his brother.

"What could be the problem?" Fugaku went straight to the point, as soon as they were in his office.

Minato smirked - he also thought the matter should be discussed simply and directly. "To tell it straight, Fugaku-san, we are both aware of the increasing tension within the village."

"Concerning the upcoming war?"

"No. I'm not talking about the war," Minato said lowly, but sharply.

They exchanged glances and, all of a sudden, Fukagu laughed.

"I saw this coming," he sobered all of a sudden. "I knew there was something strange going on with him." He was obviously talking about Itachi.

"Really?" Minato asked, smirking again. "Do you think Itachi is the one with something strange going on, in the current matter?"

Other moments of silence and glancing followed.

"And what are your intentions, coming here personally, discussing this directly?"

"Well," Minato began, "would you consider yourself as old, Fugaku-san?" he asked simply. Fugaku narrowed his eyes at the unexpected question. What was he implying?

"Would you consider me old?" Minato asked immediately. Minato asked immediately, not even giving him the chance to try figuring out where it was all leading.

"I do. I consider us both quite old by now," Minato answered himself the questions, crossing his fingers on the desk. Still not giving Fugaku the chance to add anything, he followed, "Should any of us still take such important decisions on our own?"

Fugaku snorted, "Then who should take important decisions? The children?"

"Precisely," Minato answered very seriously.

Fugaku watched him curiously, seeing the other man was not at all laughing at him. "What are you trying to say?"

"We didn't really get along, did we? And Sandaime never forgets to mention how Danzo and Uchiha Kagami did not quite get along. The First ended up killing Uchiha Madara. When people don't get along, when discussing a matter results in nothing, they can only find as solution to fight, measure the level of their righteousness by force, if anything else fails to work... But, when choosing this method, most of us forget that our decisions will affect others who had nothing to say in the matter and just throw themselves in the game." He paused a bit, sighed and added, "I'm talking about the children playing outside. And I'm including Itachi in this. Yes, he is talented, he is intelligent, he is mature - maybe a bit too mature just now - but..."

"What you imply is I'm dragging my children in something that will bring them only suffering? Am I not doing things for their future? Am I not thinking of them, in reality? Of the unjustness they are bound to live in? The young Uchiha do not realize how our clan is being played. When they will realize this, they will also feel betrayed that their parents accepted a situation of the kind for their own children. I'm thinking of only the children, thank you very much!" Fugaku said sharply.

"Hm..." Minato cleared his throat and, after waiting to see if Fugaku would say anything else, he talked again, "Do you hold a grudge against your parents for not acting themselves, Fugaku-san?"

"Hn. My parents were not so aware of our situation..."

"Neither are most of the children you're talking about. But those who are aware, already took their decision - why don't you trust them to make their own future? If they are wrong, the responsibility will be theirs."

"Shisui, too?" Fugaku snorted, "I had started to suspect it in Itachi a while ago... and, after all, they're best friends," he said more for himself.

"I know it's about political power in between," Minato commented. "So, if you don't want political power for yourself, just let them make out what they need themselves. We must back away sometimes. We are slowly fading in the past. They are the future. Itachi especially...," Minato got up, "...he is already a Hokage - he's always been. And years from now..." He started walking towards the door as he spoke. "Also, Naruto and Sasuke are friends. And I don't think they should just be told that the Uchiha simply don't get along with the village, so they shouldn't either. If we cut off us adults from the scheme, the Uchiha clan gets along with the village, if you think about it. No better future could be made than the one whose bases are put early. Do you know what they say?" he stopped by the door, hand on its knob. "That Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara started out as childhood friends. The strongest village of this world is the result of two children's mind. The adulthood was that which came with the problems.

"A war begins. So I'll just ask you directly - with the village or against it? I'm taking no measures if the last is the case. You have your right to take the clan to the enemy and turned it against us. It's your decision."

A few moments of silence followed, Minato still at the door, his hand still on the knob, Fugaku still seated. They looked at each other sternly, one waiting, one thinking.

"I'll pay you a visit at the office later today," was Fugaku's only answer.

Minato nodded and walked out.

"This place is such a mess...," Anko muttered, walking inside the house of Hatake Kakashi's house. As Kakashi had been later than ever today, Rin and Anko decided to take initiative - Rin went to get their mission alone, while Anko had to go pick up the lazy guy.

Wasn't this man regarded as a very organized individual? Obsessed with order and regulations? So how was this possible?

"I am late, I know, I know - just give me a second," a hasty Kakashi walked out of the bedroom and entered another room, leaving the door open behind him. Anko could clearly see, even from a distance, that the bedroom was even worse looking. Were those old noodles under the bed? A glass was lying on the floor, its content still spreading all around. From what it seemed, it had just been spilled. Did he just accidentally hit the glass, when coming out the room? One of the most talented ninja of Konoha, clumsily stumbling over things - well, that was unexpected.

"Someone should consider the charitable act of cleaning this place for you," she commented as he walked out of that another room, leaving the door, once again, wide open - Anko was not extraordinary organized herself, but this carelessness of leaving doors hung open was annoying even for her. The open door revealed an equally messy bathroom.

"I had someone do the cleaning just a couple days ago," he replied, taking out his backpack from under a pile of clothes lying in the middle of the house.

A couple of days..., she gave that a thought, her eye twitching.

"What?" he asked, seeing Anko not looking well at all.

"Nothing," she sighed.

Apparently, even though Kakashi was most organized in missions and rarely failed in anything when it came to his job, he was simply a mess in real life, Anko would later find out from Rin. Sure, Anko had seen that he was pretty much incapable of carrying out a conversation and simply socially awkward, but then again, she didn't like talking and socializing a lot either, so she hadn't given it much of a thought in the past.

"Basically, Obito was the one who organized our things for missions." Rin laughed at Anko's expression. Even though she could not remember much about the Uchiha boy in their team, she did recall he was clumsy, hasty, never attentive... well, to put it simple, she couldn't imagine him staying put, calmly folding clothes and packing sandwiches.

"Seriously. Kakashi usually kept forgetting his things, burning the food... he was a total mess. And, as you saw, he still is. Never careful with palpable things... I guess it's all about balance."

A/N: Concerning the title of this chapter, Uchiha=fan, the fan turns, the Uchiha turns, eh, got it? I'm not good at this title giving job, am I?

Oh, well, it's been a veeeery long while since the last updates in... like, any of my stories. So I thought it was time I seated myself here and did what I have to do, dattebayo! I don't know how good the updates might be, but, hey, I tried!