"So Kokoa, I hear you're a jonin now. How exciting!" Mikoto smiled.
"It's a lot different. I'm getting used to it though."
"Have you been assigned any genin?"
"Not yet. I would prefer to do my own missions, but if I do take on some genin, I'm sure it'd be interesting. Maybe I'll have Sasuke one day."
"Then you can train me since Itachi never does." He pouted.
"Now Sasuke, I was just with you the other day." Itachi sighed.
"Still."
"You were in charge of your team the day that chunin died?" Fugaku questioned. Kokoa fell silent, her smile faded.
"Yes. They set me up with three chunin. The one who died had just passed the exam."
"What do you think went wrong?" Everyone fell silent.
"It seems that the ones who hired us paid for a C rank mission, when it really was a B or A mission. We weren't expecting to encounter the enemies we did. But…that's no excuse."
"Ho?"
"As shinobi we're expected to always be prepared to face anything. We were also chunin and jonin, not academy students."
"But there are times when no matter how prepared you are, things happen." Itachi added.
"You're right…but I still blame myself for his death. I should have been there. I needed to protect Mamoru. I know the mission is supposed to come first, but still, I…"
"What's done is done." Shisui said. "You can't live the life of a ninja if all you'll ever do is regret the decisions you've made. People die. Don't forget them, but move on and don't make the same mistake again."
"You're right. I'm sorry." She whispered. Itachi clenched his fists. This was supposed to be a nice dinner, not some interrogation. Seeing the smile fade from her face, hearing the sadness and guilt in her voice, it hurt him.
"Why don't we talk about something else? Kokoa is obviously still dealing with bitter feelings." He said.
"How was my yokan?" Mikoto inquired.
"Delicious. You have to show me how to make it. I don't think I can survive without it now." She smiled softly.
"I'm sorry about my father." Itachi said. He and Kokoa sat out back.
"There is no need to be sorry Itachi."
"He pushed you. I was hoping he wouldn't bring up your mission, but…"
"It's alright." She turned to him. "I've had other people ask me what happened. He wasn't the first, and won't be the last."
"I wanted this to be a nice dinner. Something fun for once." He sighed.
"It was nice, and fun. I was with you and Sasuke. Shisui is great too, and so is your mother. Thank you Itachi." She smiled. He inched away from her and changed the tone of his voice upon noticing Fugaku's presence.
"Do you know when you'll resume duty?" He inquired, seeming as professional as he could. Seconds after picking up on his change of behavior, Kokoa also noticed Fugaku watching from the house. She straightened herself and created a bit more distance between the two.
"I have to wait until I'm completely healed. If I go out there, I could get hurt again, or some problems might arise from the wound. It was worse than I thought." She answered.
"I see."
"But I'm not going to sit around and get lazy. I'm going to speak with Hokage-sama tomorrow to see if there is anything I can do while I'm recovering. I'm sure he'll find me something. I'd hate being useless."
"That's very good. Like you said, there's bound to be something for you to do."
"Mhm." She smiled. "Where did Shisui go?"
"He might be inside stuffing his face. He tends to do that whenever he's over. Let's go find out." He rose to his feet, heading inside with Kokoa close behind.
"This was wonderful. As always, your cooking was out of this world." Shisui said to Mikoto. She smiled hugely.
"But I should get going."
"Me too." Kokoa agreed.
"This was very nice. Thank you for coming."
"You should always come over Kokoa." Sasuke beamed.
"He's right. Then I can show you how to make all these sweets." Mikoto added. "Also, from now on you can call me by my first name. We're all friends here."
"Thank you Mikoto-san, for everything." Kokoa smiled. Minutes later, she and Shisui were out the door.
"I wish she lived here!" Sasuke exclaimed. "Then if I wasn't with Ni-san, Kokoa would be with me."
"You're welcome to invite her over any time Itachi. She's a fine young woman and shinobi. She has a good head on her shoulders." His mother said warmly.
"Yeah, then you two could become closer." Sasuke teased.
"I could see you two together. She's very pretty and has a good heart. Maybe you need a fine woman by your side-"
"Nonsense Mikoto." Fugaku interrupted. Being silent for most of the time, they had forgotten he was there.
"Itachi has more important things to worry about than winning over a girl's heart or giving into temptation. He doesn't have time for petty relationships."
Sasuke quietly inched out of the room. Itachi's gaze fell to the floor.
"I was only joking." Mikoto tried lightening the mood. "He and Kokoa are just friends, comrades. I was teasing. No need to make something big out of it." She turned to the kitchen to start the clean up. He turned to his son.
"I'll be in bed." And with that, Fugaku disappeared into the other side of the house, leaving Itachi.
"Goodnight Mother." He whispered before retiring to his room as well.
"Sasuke." Itachi said quietly, sensing his brother outside his room.
"You're good." Sasuke grinned, creeping in.
"Why are you up so late?"
"I couldn't sleep." He pouted. "And you didn't look too good after Shisui and Kokoa left."
"I'm fine Sasuke. Just tired." He smiled, motioning for his brother to come. Sasuke took a few steps, then paused.
"You're not going to poke me again are you Ni-san?" He sighed.
"Not this time Sasuke. Just come sit with me." He assured him. Sasuke cheerfully climbed up onto the bed beside his brother.
"Even I can tell that something's bothering you Itachi…"
"I just felt a little frustrated out there is all. Father easily decides everything for me. I'm surprised he doesn't tell me what to eat or wear."
"I bet if he was around more, he would." Sasuke grinned.
"Just for that," Itachi poked him with two fingers. "There you go."
"Not funny Ni-san." He rubbed his forehead. "Are you sad because he said you can't have a relationship with a girl?"
"Slightly. It's the fact he thinks I'll fall behind or screw up if I do start seeing someone. I wouldn't neglect my duties. I'd have a balance of things: time for missions and the clan, time for family, and time for Kok-" He froze, heat rushing to his face as Sasuke's eyes widened.
"You do like her. I knew it!" He cheered, jumping on the bed.
"Sasuke, ssshh! Before Mother and Father hear you!" He scolded.
"You're just embarrassed Itachi." He crossed his arms.
"What are you going to do Sasuke?"
"It depends."
"On what?"
"We're having this imitation mission at school. It's basically a camping trip. We're split up into groups, and a chunin or jonin is our guide."
"You want me to be in charge of your group?"
"Mhm!" He smiled.
"I would Sasuke, but-"
"Here come the excuses…" Seeing the smile diminish from his brother's face, caused a wave of guilt to wash over him.
"Sasuke you know I love you, and I love spending time with you, but as part of ANBU…father wouldn't let me. He'd call it silly, wasting my time. You know that."
"I know…"
"And if I'm needed for something, they could come for me at anytime. I can't just abandon your group. I'm sorry. I truly am. I wish I could. It'd be some good brother bonding time." He ruffled his hair.
"It's alright. I understand." He sighed, staring off to the side. Itachi thought for a moment.
"While I'm unable to go, I know someone who would gladly accept."
"Sato Aika?"
"Here!"
"Suzuki Hitoshi?"
"Present!"
"Ito Koemi?"
"Here sen-sei!"
"Yamada Naoto?"
"Hai!"
"And last but not least, Uchiha Sasuke?" She called out. He looked over at Kokoa with a smirk.
"Yo."
"Yosh! That's our group guys. Grab your stuff and let's head out." She announced.
The five academy students followed Kokoa through the forest.
"She's so pretty." Aika swooned. "Don't you think so Koemi?" She asked her friend.
"I think so." Hitoshi grinned. Naoto rolled his eyes. Sasuke glared.
"Why so upset Sasuke? Think I'm gonna steal your girlfriend?" Hitoshi teased. The Uchiha turned his face.
"Leave him alone Hitoshi." Koemi scoffed. "Stop being so immature."
"He's the immature one. Can't even look me in the face. How're you going to be a ninja?"
"I'll be better than you." Sasuke snapped.
"Oh yeah? You're not Itachi. I'm not scared of you." He poked his chest. Kokoa sighed. Even kids his own age pressured Sasuke.
'Why is it so hard for people to separate the two?' She thought. 'All Sasuke has ever done is follow Itachi, act as his shadow because everyone expects him to be just as good. It leaves Sasuke with bitter feelings like jealousy, and Itachi feeling extremely guilty. Expectations…hn, it's all crap.' She came to a stop.
"First of all Hitoshi, I'm not Sasuke's girlfriend, and there's no chance that you'll ever win me over. Why? Because I'm almost old enough to be your mother, and because I don't like arrogant children like yourself." Everyone fell silent. "Arrogance is a terrible quality. You can talk big and brag, but in battle, the enemy won't think twice about silencing you. As for Sasuke, you're right, he's not Itachi, but he's an Uchiha, and I believe one day he'll be just as strong, or even stronger than his brother. He has the top grades in the academy, and he's training under me."
"Training under you?" Naoto gasped.
"No way." Hitoshi scoffed.
"Yes way. I was showing him some shuriken tricks not too long ago. Worry less about Sasuke and his level, and more about yourself. We're stuck together for a while. Let's try to make it work." She started walking again. Hitoshi mumbled a few things. Aika and Koemi giggled to each other. Naoto casually followed, and Sasuke smiled to himself.
'You're always looking out for me…just like Ni-san.'