Chapter 127
Did he really cry?
Chapter 127 Did he really cry?
"Hey, Menma." Hinata's timid voice came from behind, interrupting Menma's thoughts.
Earlier, when they were planning to eat at Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto suddenly suggested that he and Menma have a contest of eating capacity.
So Menma decided to drag Hinata along to join this eating contest, which only had three participants.
As a result, Mianma only ate two bowls and watched as Naruto and Hinata piled up the empty bowls into a small mountain.
Naruto finished with ten bowls, his round belly bulging as he slumped in his seat, soup still dripping from his lips.
Although Hinata ate twenty bowls, Menma keenly sensed that she still had energy left, so he shyly stopped eating.
"What's wrong?" Menma took his gaze away from Uchiha Hikaru, who had inexplicably appeared in Konoha Village, and turned to look at Hinata behind him.
From ahead came Naruto's defiant shouts. He was patting his belly, which was swollen like a balloon, and vowed that he would definitely beat Hinata next time.
Hinata covered her mouth and chuckled softly, while Ma said gently across from her, "It's almost time to go home."
It was getting late, and the afterglow of the setting sun bathed the three children in a golden glow.
"Ah, it's not dark yet." Naruto looked up at the setting sun and suddenly caught sight of Uchiha Hikaru not far away.
"Hey, there's a pretty older sister here." Naruto blinked curiously.
Unlike the other villagers, her gaze did not hold the familiar disgust that Naruto knew; instead, it was filled with a faint sadness.
"Then I'll take Hinata back first." Menma glanced at Uchiha Hikaru, who was standing quietly in the distance.
Then he said to Naruto, "You should go home by yourself, Naruto."
"Ah, wait!" Naruto rushed to Menma and Hinata's side, his stomach jiggling with the movement. "I'll take you home. It's on your way anyway. I can go back by myself later."
Actually, he just wanted to cherish every minute and second he spent with his friends, even if it was just chatting on the way back, laughing and talking while walking in the shadows of the setting sun.
"Alright, let's go together." Menma didn't expose Naruto, but patted him on the head.
Naruto immediately launched a fierce counterattack, but was suppressed by Menma with one hand.
The two playfully ran towards the clan's territory, with Hinata jogging behind, her eyes filled with joy.
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As the sun sets, on the banks of the Namaka River outside Konoha Village.
Uchiha Izumi walked along the road in Hui territory, carrying a paper box containing several strings of three-colored dumplings, looking somewhat lost.
"I haven't seen Itachi in so long." Uchiha Izumi frowned, remembering how Uchiha Itachi had refused her invitation a few days ago, citing a more important mission.
Suddenly, an orange cat wearing a small vest strolled past her feet.
"Huh? Is that a ninja cat?" Uchiha Izumi's gaze followed the orange cat.
The orange cat strode over to the small dock on the banks of the Namka River and sat down next to a young girl.
The river breeze ruffled the girl's cascading black hair, and the Uchiha clan crest on her blue coat stood out prominently.
However, this dock also cast a shadow over Uchiha Izumi, reminding her of the night of the massacre during the endless cycle of reincarnation that had tormented her for so long...
Suppressing a slight unease, Uchiha Izumi curiously walked over, wanting to greet the other person.
Upon getting closer, I found that the other person had their hands wrapped around their legs, their face buried between their knees, and their shoulders were trembling slightly.
She approached hesitantly and heard a very soft sob. "Hello, sister!" Quan called softly.
The girl slightly raised her head, tears still clinging to her porcelain-white cheeks.
"So beautiful." Uchiha Izumi couldn't help but hold her breath and sincerely exclaimed in praise.
Even as a woman myself, I was stunned by the girl's beauty.
"If you're feeling down, you can eat some sweets; it'll cheer you up." Uchiha Izumi sat down next to the girl, opened the box in her hand, and handed it to her.
Looking at the three-colored dumplings handed to her, and the clan crest on the same clothes as Uchiha Izumi, the girl hesitated for a moment before reaching out and picking up a string of three-colored dumplings.
First, I smelled it in front of my nose, and then slowly took a bite.
The orange cat curled up obediently between the two. Uchiha Izumi smiled at the girl opposite her and asked curiously, "What's your name, sister? I don't think I've seen you before in the clan's territory."
The sweets in her mouth somewhat dispelled her melancholy and sadness. The girl gazed at Uchiha Izumi, who was only seven or eight years old, and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "My name is Uchiha Hikaru."
"My name is Uchiha Izumi." Izumi narrowed his eyes, and the beauty mark on his right eye also rose slightly.
She didn't ask the other person why they were hiding there and crying secretly; she simply shared the food with them warmly.
In her heart, although the Uchiha clan members were sometimes aloof, they all harbored gentle hearts.
She admired beautiful older sisters like Uchiha Hikari and wanted to be good friends with them.
"Oh my gosh, I've been looking everywhere for you, and here you are!" A somewhat languid voice came from behind them as they were chatting.
Uchiha Izumi turned around and saw a boy wearing a black jacket with a spiky hairstyle walking towards her, his right hand in his pocket and his left hand scratching the back of his head.
Menma bent down, craning his neck to stand beside Uchiha Hikaru, tilting his head in a slightly cheeky manner: "Are you really crying?"
"Hmph!" Uchiha Hikaru suddenly tossed his head, his black hair slapping Menma's face, carrying a faint fragrance that tickled his face and nose.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Menma sat down on the other side of Uchiha Hikari, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I didn't mean to lie to you, and it's not that big of a deal."
This was the first time Menma's true form had been exposed. He didn't expect that Uchiha Hikaru, who was supposed to be on a mission in the Land of Rivers, would suddenly appear in Konoha without even saying hello.
Uchiha Hikaru took a big bite of a three-colored dumpling, his cheeks puffing out as he chewed, clearly still angry.
Menma gave Uchiha Izumi an awkward smile on his face: "I'm sorry you had to see this."
Uchiha Izumi covered her mouth and chuckled, realizing that the two were a couple arguing. She then handed the box to the boy opposite her, saying, "This is for you, big brother. You should cherish such a beautiful older sister."
"Thanks." Menma looked at the two strings of tricolor dumplings in the box in his hand and thanked Uchiha Izumi softly.
Quan hummed a song as he slowly walked away, tactfully getting up to say goodbye.
She didn't ask for anyone's name, assuming they were just Konoha ninjas.
As Quan walked onto the riverbank, she looked back and saw the boy on the small dock still coaxing the girl.
'I'm so envious. If only Itachi could be like that...' Izumi thought of the person she admired.
meow~
The orange cat had followed her around and was rubbing against her legs.
"Oh, you don't want to be a third wheel either?" Quan squatted down, picked up the cat, and gently scratched its chin with his fingertips.
(End of this chapter)