Chapter 2: Frank Doesn't Do Anything...
"Mikoto!" someone called. "Mikoto?! Where are you?"
Hoshizora Mikoto slowly sat up, opened her eyes, and rubbed them hard. She yawned drowsily. "Mmm," she mumbled. She stood up, and then entered the bathroom. After washing her face, she slowly made her way downstairs to eat breakfast.
Her mother was there, together with her brother, Ryen. He was sitting in a chair, paralyzed and one of his arms was bandaged. He grinned when he saw his sister, then almost immediately winced at the pain.
She laughed. "Doesn't seem like you'll be helping me till the farm today, Ryen," she said.
He nodded glumly. "I know; that last fight was rather nasty. I wasn't up against an Uchiha, you know."
"Why do you even have to go to those fights, anyway?"
He shrugged. "Just for fun. To pass the time with."
Mikoto shook her head. 'I can't see why you take pleasure in doing that—"
"Mikoto!" their father came bursting in. "I've been calling you since a while ago, child. There's someone here to see you. I suggest you prepare yourself as best as you can, for our unexpected visitor." Their father looked excited.
Mikoto stared at him curiously. "Really?" she asked. "Who is it?"
"Me," a deep voice arrived.
They all turned towards the door. Someone walked in, and immediately, Mikoto's father drew up a chair saying, "Master Uchiha, er... do sit down," he invited awkwardly.
"Thank you, but that won't be necessary," he replied. He turned to Mikoto, looking at her directly.
The moment he turned his full gaze towards her, Mikoto immediately recognized him at once. Before she could stop herself, she was releasing a tirade of words.
"You?! What are you doing in my house? Probably to pick a fight again? Well, I'm going to tell you something. If you think you can harm my brother again, you can't because you've already done enough damage and I'm going to make sure you don't do that again—"
"I came here to see you not your brother," he put in wearily.
She stopped. "What? I mean why? I don't know how to fight, and besides, well..."
"I'm not looking for someone to pick a fight with," he said.
"Well, that's good, so now you can probably go out and leave—"
"Mikoto!" their mother exclaimed.
She looked at her mother guiltily and back to the stranger again.
"So your name is Mikoto," he remarked. "Mine is Fugaku. Uchiha Fugaku."
"As you recall, it was already advertised," she returned icily.
He seemed flustered. "If this is a bad time, I guess I should go... I mean, we'll probably meet another time... "
"Iie, it's alright, she's just in a bad mood because she just came out from bed," their father put in.
He stopped. "In that case, please allow me to speak to your daughter alone. I wish to have a few words with her."
"We can talk outside," Mikoto offered. She didn't want her family leaving just because he wished to speak to her alone.
"That'll do nicely," he said. Together, they walked to the barn.
"Why do you want to speak to me?" Mikoto demanded. She wasn't going to engage in small talk.
"You're frank, aren't you?" he asked, wearing an amused expression.
"Hai, if you really want to know, I am. So get to your point straight away."
Fugaku took a deep breath. This was it. "I don't really know how to start this, but I suppose I should ask you something. Do you remember the first time we met, in the arena?"
She frowned at him. "Of course I remember. What about it?"
"Don't be surprised, because I'm going straight to the point, like you asked me to. Mikoto, ever since the first time I laid my eyes on you, I could never get you off my mind."