𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝘆𝗲𝘀

15 • Shenanigans and Sharingans

I can only stare blankly at what's in front of me. Everything around me is muted as I try to process what just happened. I'm mentally over 30 years old. I'm physically better than my peers. I'm theoretically smarter than my peers in knowledge due to ROOT. And yet...

"How the ever loving fuck did I lose?" I mutter in disbelief, the shogi board still the same as it was two minutes ago when Little Deer declared his win. Even now he's smirking in smug success as Blond and Duck argue about which one of them would be better, Bunny tries consoling me, Butterfly continues eating, and Beetle studies the board.

What an embarrassment. Getting shown up by an actual six-year-old.

"That was fun," Shikamaru comments almost lazily, but I can hear the excitement in his tone. "I actually had to try."

"Let's play again," I demand, glaring a little at the smug little shit. "We'll play again and again till I win because fuck damnit, I will win one of these days."

His smirk widens into a genuine grin, a glint lighting in his usual lazy eyes. "You're on," he agrees wholeheartedly, an obvious conviction in his voice.

I don't blame him, not many actual six-year-olds are really interested in shogi and I can't imagine how it must feel to win a game. From what Shikamaru shared as he first explained the rules of the game to all of us, he's only ever played against his father and clan members — all who are older and better than him.

I will win against him one day. That's a fucking promise.

ʕ •̀ o •́ ʔ

It's after school, the academy having just let out, kids still running around the yard and parents still mulling about. I only have a couple of hours before I'm due back at base. Since I'm still with the all civilian class, it's boring as fuck.

"No mama! The books are all wrong! They loved each other! It was forbidden love!"

For the most part.

I bite down on a cackle, happily walking along as I hear more and more of my classmates complain to their parents about history. When I first made up that trashy romance story, I didn't actually think it'd progress so far! And the absolute best part?

"Haruno-san," a very irritated and tired voice calls from behind me. I turn around with the most neutral expression I could have.

"Good afternoon, Fu-chan," I greet with a small smile to his scowl. Behind him stand Princess and Duck. Sasuke looks confused while I can barely make out the amusement in Itachi's expression.

"Would you care to explain why several of my officers have reported that first year civilian academy students have walked up to them to apologize?" He scowls even harder, hands curling into fists. "And just how they came up with the ludicrous idea that my clan's ancestor was..in love with the first Hokage?"

Itachi snorts quietly, Sasuke pales a little but I can see his lips twitching into a smile, and Fugaku is turning red. I can't help the grin that pulls at my lips, only barely holding back my own laughter.

"Ah, I think the idea is that Madara-sama was actually in love with Nidaime-sama. He was only using Hashirama-sama to get to his brother," I correct instead.

Fugaku's expression turns stormy, his eyes very briefly flashing red. He opens his mouth to speak but is quickly interrupted.

"Oh! Uchiha-san!" A civilian woman calls, her daughter pulling her along. I smile and wave at the daughter, someone from my class obviously. She smiles back brightly but quickly turns her attention to Fugaku.