The next morning, I awoke early, made my bed, dressed, and went to the restroom.
It was a peaceful morning at home as I washed my face and brushed my teeth.
I made my way to the kitchen after leaving the bathroom and finishing my morning routine.
Walking in, I was greeted by the sound of running water, which drew my attention to the sink.
My Mother was cleaning some pots and pans and preparing some food for cooking.
I took a seat at the table, "good morning" I said
She turned, grabbing my mother's attention, and her familiar smile smeared across her face. "Good morning, Haru."
She asked, "How did you sleep last night?"
It made me happy to be able to hear her voice more because it was sweet and caring.
I'll admit that I felt a little awkward, but that's to be expected. I just hoped I'd get used to the situation quickly.
Looking down at the table, I realize I slept well; in fact, I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep.
This was the first time I felt like I fell asleep without having to wake up tossing and turning in my bed.
"Is there anything in particular you'd like for breakfast before Uncle Izuna arrives?"
something particular I lifted my head, thinking hard, but I couldn't come up with anything, so I just blurred out "Ramen."
My mother raised an eyebrow and turned to face me.
But then her expression softened and she said, "sure, but I'll make sure to add some rice to it," turning back to the counter and grabbing one of the pots, begging to make the ramen and rice.
When breakfast was ready, I re-entered the kitchen and took my seat, still waiting for my mother to finish cooking.
There was a freshly made bowl of ramen with rice on the side in front of me. My nostrils were filled with its delectable aroma.
This looks to be fantastic. I smiled as I looked up at my mother, who had also taken a seat.
She said, "Well, I hope you enjoy it."
I was about to start digging in to my meal when my mother stopped me
"Haru remember to give thanks for your food," she said as she waited for me to do so.
I quickly expressed gratitude and began eating.
My mother sighed but laughed as she gave thanks for her food and ate.
After we finished eating, my mother grabbed both of our dishes and began to wash them.
I wasn't used to not cooking or cleaning, but she wouldn't let me, so I sat at the kitchen table and watched her.
"Haru, Uncle Izuna should be here today, right?" she asks, turning to face me as she scrubs the pot.
"oh right, yes"
Uncle Izuna and I were going to practice with my Sharingan.
"Yes, he should be here soon", I said. " What are you going to do?" she asked, putting the pot away.
"I've been practicing with my Sharingan". I responded. She simply smiled and advised me to be incredibly careful.
While we were mentioning my Sharingan, I couldn't help but wonder about my father, given that it was clear by this point that my mother didn't have it and the rumors I'd heard.
"hey, mom" I spoke quietly to catch her attention.
"Haru, yes?"
"what did my father look like?"
"Is he still alive?" While I waited for her response, I wondered aloud,
Instead, she dropped one of the plates that had fallen to the floor and looked at me with wide eyes, as if I had asked the most horrific question ever.
She bent down quickly, attempting to pick up the pieces of the broken glass plate.
"Okay, sweetheart, maybe we should find a better time to talk about this", she said as she cleaned up the mess she made. She smiled as she looked at me, but it wasn't a genuine smile, more like a fearful one. It irritated me that I couldn't control myself.
"Why are you all the same!?" I slammed my fist on the table, causing my mother to flinch slightly as she stood there staring at me. Her expression shifted from fearful to concerned.
"Haru-" she started, but I cut her off.
"why does everyone refuse to tell me about my father I thought you'd at least tell me something. but just like uncle you avoid the subject!?" I shouted at her.
Her helpless gaze fell to the floor. I felt guilty after realizing I had just yelled at her, considering everything she had just been through. But she might have felt the same way about me.
I tried to say something but couldn't because the sound of knocking drew both of our attention to the door.
My mother went to open the door, still not looking at me. It was my uncle Izuna who did so.
"Yuno, good morning." My unlce said
She greeted him and hugged himl
After moving out of the way to let my uncle in and taking off his shoes, he followed my mother into the kitchen, where she began to finish the remaining dishes.
"hello, kiddo!" He cheered and shook my hands. But the sense of guilt kept me from reacting.
"what exactly is going on?" Izuna wondered aloud, his grin fading as he sensed the tension in the room.
"Nothing" my mother said in response to my uncle's question
"We had just finished breakfast" when she continued.
"Haru You should get ready to go your uncle right now."
"You don't want to waste time for your training." she said as she closed her eyes ans smiled but it slightly twitched.
"Time is of the essence. It's the one thing you'll never be able to replace." She motioned for me to get up from my seat.
My mother was clearly bothered and put on a brave face. My uncle, on the other hand, could tell there was a sense of depth to what she was saying and that she was clearly bothered.
getting up as directed I got ready, and Izuna and I both left to train. My mother also had a meeting with Lord First today.
Early in the morning in the hidden leaf village, Hashirama had just arrived at the office to begin his day of work, attending to the massive piles of paperwork on his desk.
Alongside him is his right-hand man, Tobirama, who is assisting him with the paperwork. It was as quiet as usual; normally, Hashirama would try to lighten the mood with a joke or two, but with Tobirama being Tobirama, only the sounds of writing and flipping through papers could be heard.
Tobirama sighs as he notices Hashirama raises his head and looks toward his younger brother, breaking the silence. His gaze was drawn to him, who sat at his desk, a file in his palms.
"What's on your mind right now?" Hashirama ponders, his elder brother's voice filling his eardrums. He turns his head to look him in the eyes.
"It's nothing." Tobirama responds, placing the file on the desk alongside the other pile of files he had already gone through.
Hashirama spoke, "as I expected." returning his gaze to the paper he was filling out There was only silence between them for a few moments until Tobirama began to speak.
Tobirama was concerned when he sensed an unfamiliar tension emanating from his elder brother. "Can you tell me what's on your mind?"
"It's unusual for you to be so quiet for this long."
"Normally, you'd be cracking jokes, acting upbeat, and brightening the mood."
"However, you have recently been very apathetic, which is completely out of character for you." Tobirama began to pry a little more, but with good intentions and concern for his elder brother.
"I guess I didn't notice" Hashirama's response. It can be heard in his voice, apologetic. Tobirama wanted to ask more questions, but he could tell Hashirama's response was only half genuine, so he didn't want to pry any further.
To relieve the tension in the air, Tobirama casually returned to organizing the paperwork on his desk.
"Have you seen Yuno's file"?, Hashirama asked, lowering his hand and looking over to Tobirama?
"Yes, it's the one I just closed," he Tobirama replied, grabbing the file and returning Hashirama's gaze.
"You two haven't spoken since the incident." Hashirama stated as he rose from his desk and took hold of the file.
"It's not like I've deliberately avoided her." Tobirama sighs, returning his gaze to the next file on his desk.
"I've been trying to figure out what happened that day" he kept tubing his temple.
"We've been waiting seven years for a lead, but we still don't have one."
"It's likely that we'll never find a solution to this problem."
"Concerning the incident from seven years ago, I invited Yuno to meet with me."
"to discuss what occurred that day in the Hidden Sand"
"You mean you haven't questioned her until today?"
"We haven't, no."
"Lady Mito reasoned that it would be best to give her time to adjust to her new surroundings."
Standing alone in front of an office door with the words "Hokages Office" written on it. Taking a nervous breath as I debate whether to knock or walk away.
Yuno stood there, pacing back and forth, hesitantly knocking on the office door.
"Yuno had recovered sufficiently to resume missions by this point. Of course, it is her decision in the end." Hashirama, on the other hand, had requested to speak with her about the situation.
Yuno tentatively raises her hand and knocks on the Hokage's door. It was a gentle knock, but it was loud enough for anyone to hear.
Midway through their conversation, Hashirama and Tobirama's heads turned to face the door as the sound of knocking on wood filled their ears.
"Come in" Lord Hashirama announces to the person who had knocked
"Hello there, Hashirama. Tobirama" Yuno softly smiles as she peers in through the door.
"Ah, Yuno, you've arrived; please take a seat."
"How are you and Haru doing?"
"Fortunately, Haru is currently with his uncle Izuna."
Both uncle Izuna and I went to a wooded area with many trees outside of the village but close by to continue practicing using my Sharingan while catching kunai.
"Haru, you've awoken your Sharingan."
"However, you only have one tomoe, and at your skill level, it does not provide you with sufficient kinetic visual acuity to read your opponent's movements."
Uncle advised that for the time being, we should concentrate on fortifying it.
preparing a slew of kunai to hurl at me Uncle had thrown the kunai because he could tell I was getting ready quickly.
With my Sharingan activated, I was able to trace majority of the kunai and avoid blocking them with my own. However, I was thrown off balance, causing me to trip.
As the kunai stopped flying towards me, I fell to the ground. I groaned in pain.
What happened before I left the house continued to distract me, as did the lingering questions about my father. I kept making mistakes. Uncle Izuna decided to take a lunch break after a period of not making any progress
We sat by the river eating dumplings for lunch, and even though I didn't have much of an aapitate, my mind was still preoccupied.
Izuna began to speak as he looked over at my uncle.
"What's going on, Haru?" He asked, leaning in close to me.
I looked over at him but then away, as if he wasn't going to give me an answer.
I'd like to know more about my father and whether or not the rumors about him are true. I said this while looking him in the eyes.
Just as my mother's face had changed, he had changed as well, with fear filling their eyes at the mention of my father.
You know what, nevermind I stood up, leaving my dumpling unfinished.
As I began to walk away, "Haru!" Izuna called out.
Turning around to face him, I say, "Come on, let's finish training." Aren't we supposed to listen to Mom when she says that time is something you can never get back?" I said it sarcastically, but I was also trying to get training over with.
Izuna and Haru returned home after their training.
Haru was in a bad mood, but he tried hard not to show it.
He couldn't figure out why he couldn't find out anything about his father.
As soon as he walked into the house, Haru threw off his shoes without checking to see if they were neat and made his way to his room.
Izuna could tell he was upset by the sigh that left his mouth as he, too, took off his shoes and neatly placed them by the door.
"Yuno we're back home from training."
"I expected you guys to be out all day and night", Yuno laughed as she emerged from the kitchen and into the entrance hallway.
"Haru, how was your training?"
"Fine" he said flatly, not even looking at his mother.
She could tell he was upset, and she suspected she knew why.
"Haru, I prepared some food for you; you must be hungry."
"Why don't you come and eat"
He avoided looking up at his mother, saying, "I'm not hungry."
"Haru" she said again, reaching for him, but he pushed her hand away and went to his room, slamming the door shut, leaving booth Ixuna and Yuno alone in the room.
Yuno was left alone as she made her way to the kitchen, taking off her apron and neatly folding it. Izuna trailed behind, unsure what to say.
"Are you hungry? Izuna" Yuno questioned, turning to face him as he stood at the kitchen doorway.
He simply nodded softly as he walked in and took a seat at the table.
Yuno then turned around, taking out two plates and filling them with foo. It was a simple meal, but after observing Haru recently, she noticed he liked it a lot, so she decided to make it for him for dinner.
After have given Izuna his plate, Yuno made sure there's enough for Haru to eat later, after he's calmed down a little.
sighing as she grabbed her plate and sat down, she began to eat, only picking at her food and not looking up to face Izuna, who felt he couldn't do anything but sit and watch, so they both sat quietly and ate.
Yuno broke the silence a few minutes later. " So, how did Haru's training go?" She took a quick glance up at Izuna before returning her attention to her plate.
that she had barely to touch
looking up to meet Yuno, " He could use some more time, but hopefully he'll be ready when his team's first mission begins."
"His first mission, huh?" Her face lit up a little bit.
"I hope his teammates are kind to him." Yuno spoke softly as she ate a little more of her food.
"you're aware..."
Izuna avoided Yuno's gaze by turning away and said, "He's been asking about him recently."
"I know" she paused for a moment, looked up, and moved the plate away from her.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to hide them, but Izuna noticed her wiping her eyes as she couldn't hold back the tears.
"You know you can always talk to me, Yuno." Izuna said as he sat closer to Yuno, his hand resting on her shoulder, trying to comfort her.
As she looks over to meet Izuna's gaze, she pushes her bangs out of her face. " Would Haru's life be better or worse if your brother never left?"
"What exactly happened?" Izuna raised his brow
"We were eating breakfast this morning when He asked me who his father was and if he was even alive"
"I was frozen. I was at a loss for words."
"I also broke a plate, and she burst out laughing, covering her face with her hands and crying again."
"Then I told him we should discuss it at a more appropriate time."
"So, what did he say?"
"Haru yelled at me for the first time, but stopped when you arrived to train him."
and I prepared to meet with Hashirama , Yuno explained with puffy eyes.
He did to me before while training, and Izuna admitted it wasn't the first time.
Really!
I didn't say anything because I wasn't sure if you wanted me to, even though he is my brother. Haru is, after all, your son.
Yes, I see.
Yuno, sooner or later, the boy will find out about his father.
I'm aware of it, Izuna. I'm simply not prepared for everything that has occurred as a result of the accident and the time I have lost with my son.
You believe what happened to you was an accident.
I'm not sure because I don't remember anything that happened.
I have no recollection of the mission or who I went with. Yuno exspressed frushtrated gettingup from her seat.
"But that's beside the point; I knew Haru would eventually wonder about his father; I just hoped it wasn't now." she stressed
"He's probably wondered why all the other kids have fathers but he doesn't."
"I'm ashamed to admit that I'm a terrible parent. she burried her hand over her face again."
"However, you are not Yuno. It's not your fault what happened to Madara and you."
"You cannot blame yourself for things over which you have no control."
You'll think of something when the time comes. Just know that no matter what, I'll be there for you and Haru. Izuna said getting up from his seat
Embracing Yuno, "goodnight." he said
"goodnight Izuna" yuno sniffed crunching up her nose.
Izuna then made his way to the door and left.