"Wow, man! That's a surprise," Naruto exclaimed with a laugh. "Maybe Ino and I will stop by after breakfast."
Sasuke glanced over at Hinata, who was skillfully flipping pancakes in the kitchen with Ren perched on the counter beside her, their laughter filling the room as she tried to create pancake shapes.
"If you want," Sasuke replied calmly before ending the call. He returned his attention to the newspaper, scanning the headlines for more news.
"Dad!" Ren called out, proudly presenting a plate with an oddly shaped pancake. "Mommy made you a pancake in the shape of a snake... but it came out like poop!" He burst into giggles, showcasing the peculiar pancake to Sasuke.
Sasuke smirked and rose from his seat, walking over to his son. He set the plate down and then lifted Ren onto his shoulder, the boy's belly resting against Sasuke's shoulder.
"D-Dad!" Ren exclaimed, stretching his arms out to maintain balance.
"Are you an airplane, baby?" Hinata chimed in with a warm smile as she placed the final pancake onto a plate.
With Ren perched on his shoulder and a mischievous glint in his eye, Sasuke began to walk around the kitchen, his son's laughter filling the air. Ren held on tight, clearly enjoying the ride his father was providing.
Hinata watched the two with a fond smile as she finished arranging the pancakes on the plates. The delicious aroma of the freshly cooked pancakes wafted through the kitchen, making everyone's stomachs growl in anticipation.
Sasuke pretended to be an airplane, complete with sound effects, circling the room with Ren on his shoulder. Ren's laughter echoed, and he clung to his father with glee.
"You're flying high, buddy!" Sasuke said, keeping the game going.
Ren giggled even harder, his small hands gripping Sasuke's shirt as if he were soaring through the sky. Sasuke finally touched down gently, setting Ren down on his feet.
"Safe landing," Sasuke declared with a grin as he ruffled Ren's hair.
Hinata brought the plates of pancakes to the table, each one bearing a mix of regular and uniquely shaped pancakes. They sat down together as a family, Sasuke at the head of the table, Hinata on one side, and Ren on the other.
Ren immediately reached for the pancake that had been intended to look like a snake but had, in his eyes, taken on a different form. He took a big bite, savoring the homemade breakfast.
"These are delicious, Mommy!" Ren exclaimed between mouthfuls.
Hinata beamed with pride at her son's words. "I'm glad you like them, sweetie."
Sasuke's phone rang for the fifth time that day. He shot a disapproving glare at his phone before decisively powering it off.
"Shouldn't you answer that? Perhaps it's something important," Hinata inquired, her concern evident in her gentle voice.
Sasuke offered a straightforward response, his tone devoid of any emotion. "It's not important."
A sigh escaped Itachi's lips upon hearing the beep from his phone. "Hey, Sasuke... I'm here too, you know! Your ever-loving older brother. Please, answer me. Love you!" He concluded the call and placed the phone on the bedside table in his hotel room. As he reclined on the bed, his gaze drifted up to the ceiling.
He had held onto the hope that they could all reunite as a family, but it seemed he was slowly fading into the background. It was just one day, but the anticipation of reuniting with his younger brother after four long years had weighed heavily on his heart.
Itachi suddenly sat up, a harsh cough seizing him. He hastily reached for a tissue kept on the bedside table beside his phone and pressed it against his mouth to stifle the coughs. They only seemed to intensify, wracking his body.
His eyes darted to the small cabinet within the bedside table, where he kept a pill for such moments. He retrieved it swiftly and slipped it into his mouth, chasing it down with a gulp of water from a nearby glass. Gradually, the coughing subsided, and he released a sigh of relief.
With a weary expression, he discarded the tissue, now stained with blood, along with the others that had accumulated.
Knocking resonated through the room, causing Ren to look curiously at his father, who sat beside him. "Who's at the door?" The young boy inquired.
Sasuke flashed a mysterious smile. "You'll see. Hinata, can you get that for me?" He requested, prompting a puzzled expression from Hinata.
She got up from the couch and cautiously opened the door, only to find herself engulfed in a warm embrace.
"Hinata~!" Two voices chimed in unison, and her eyes widened in astonishment.
"Naruto, Ino? What are you guys doing here?" She asked as she pulled back from the hug.
Naruto beamed. "We heard you were in town," he explained, while Ino playfully frowned. "I can't believe you didn't tell us!"
Hinata glanced at them, her gaze clouded with uncertainty. "But I thought you guys wouldn't want to hear from me after-"
"Hinata, you are our friend no matter what, got that?" Ino interjected, resting her hand on her hip. Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "You're my best friend; how could I ever push you away? I love you, you know!"
Tears welled up in Hinata's eyes as she gazed at the two. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "I'm sorry," she repeated.
Ino and Naruto exchanged puzzled glances just as Sasuke and Ren entered the room. Ren, with his innocent curiosity, asked, "Mommy, why are you crying?"
Hinata wiped away her tears and smiled at her son. "Just surprised to see my old friends, baby," she reassured him.
Ren nodded before his gaze shifted to a little blonde girl standing next to Naruto and Ino. She couldn't have been more than two years old and appeared somewhat shy, hiding behind Ino's leg. Ren couldn't help but smile. "She's cute!"
Ino giggled, while Naruto gave Ren a playful glare. "Sasuke, I swear... If your son touches my baby girl-"
Sasuke interrupted him with a smirk.
Hinata's eyes widened as she finally noticed the young girl. She was so overwhelmed by the moment that she hadn't even realized her presence. "You have a baby?" Hinata asked incredulously.
Ino proudly nodded. "Meet Aimi Uzumaki!" She introduced the adorable toddler, her smile beaming with pride.