Madara's Son ( Rewrite)

Chapter 33: A Bitter Homecoming

Madara! Izuna called out

Madara slowly opened his eyes, greeted by the fluttering of three leaves and the soft caress of the wind. He lowered his head from its resting place on the tree trunk and looked up at his younger brother, who stood above him, looking down with concern.

"The sun is starting to set. We should get going," Izuna said, offering his hand.

Madara took it, and Izuna helped him up.

"Do you have a place to stay for the night?" Izuna asked.

"Not at the moment. I was just planning to rent a room at an inn for a while. I was planning to come back home to Yūno, but look how that turned out," Madara said, his tone bitter.

"For now, why not stay with me at my place?" Izuna suggested. "That way, you can save your money."

Madara hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, Izuna," he said.

As they walked through the forest, Madara couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. He was glad to have his brother by his side, even if it was only for a few days.

Izuna glanced at Madara, his sharp eyes noting the weariness on his face. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

Madara nodded. "I'm fine," he said, but his voice was strained.

Izuna knew better. He could see the pain and sorrow in Madara's eyes, even though his brother tried to hide it.

"We can rest when we get to my place," Izuna said gently.

Madara nodded again, but his eyes remained fixed on the path ahead.

As they walked, the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the forest. The leaves on the trees whispered in the breeze, and the birds chirped their evening songs.

Madara took a deep breath of the fresh air, and for a moment, he felt a sense of peace. But then the memories came flooding back, and he tensed again.

........

That evening, Yuno and Masako sat on Masako's porch, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. Their faces were still flushed from their lunch with Yuki Haru and Ichiro, and their laughter still echoed in the air.

After Ichiro had headed home, Yuno had decided to walk with Masako, sensing that she wanted to talk about what had happened at the park earlier.

Yuki Haru, who was also tired from the day's events, had decided to go home and ask his uncle Izuna to practice with him using his Sharingan tomorrow.

As Yuno and Masako sat on the porch, the warm breeze carried the scent of honeysuckle and freshly cut grass. Crickets chirped in the distance, and the only other sound was the gentle rustle of leaves in the trees.

Masako looked at Yuno, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Yuno took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm fine," she said, but her voice trembled slightly. "I'm just still a little shaken up from what happened earlier."

Masako sat back in her chair, which swayed slightly back and forth, her eyes curious. "You know, I was meaning to ask about it earlier, but it didn't feel like the right time. Who exactly was he, if you don't mind me asking?"

Yuno held tightly to the cup of herbal tea in her hand, her knuckles turning white. "I honestly wish that he was nobody," she said quietly, looking up at Masako. Her tone was laced with sadness and regret.

"His name is Madara," she said slowly, savoring each syllable. "Madara Uchiha."

Masako's eyes widened in surprise, her brows arching in disbelief. She had heard that name around the village for the eight years she had been living in the Hidden Leaf. It was a name that was both revered and feared, whispered about in hushed tones.

"The Madara Uchiha?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. "I heard he was originally the leader of the Uchiha clan, but then one day he just got up and left."

Yuno nodded solemnly. "Yes, you were right. He was. But not only that..." Her voice trailed off, and her eyes cast downward.

Masako leaned forward, her heart pounding in her chest. "What else?" she urged.

Yuno took a deep breath and met Masako's gaze. "Remember when you were asking me about Haru's father?"

Masako's eyes lit up as she recalled their conversation at the park. "Ah yes, I do," she said, her voice tinged with excitement. "You were about to answer me, but then we were interrupted when Madara showed up."

She paused, her brows furrowing, as she realized something. "Wait, you're telling me that Madara Uchiha is Haru's father?" She asked aloud, her voice rising in pitch.

Some strangers passing by turned their heads in their direction, but Masako didn't seem to notice. She was too focused on Yuno's reaction.

"Oh, sorry," Masako apologized, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I didn't mean to say that out loud."

Yuno let out a soft laugh, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "It's alright," she said.

Masako paused again, her expression thoughtful. "It's just that... I never imagined that someone like Madara Uchiha would be a father," she said. "He seems so... cold and distant."

Yuno nodded in understanding. "He can be," but at the same time, he does have a caring side to him.

Masako paused, studying Yuno's face. "You haven't laughed or smiled since earlier at the park," she said gently. "I'm glad to see you smiling. It makes your face even more beautiful than it already is."

Yuno's eyes widened in surprise. She wasn't expecting such a compliment from Masako, especially given the circumstances.

"Thank you," she said softly, her cheeks blushing.

Yuno's cheeks still flushed a deeper shade of pink from Masako's complement. "I guess I never really spoke about Haru's father before," she said, her voice slightly flustered. "But right now, it feels nice to really talk about it."

Masako's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Alright, then," she said, stopping the swaying motion of her chair and pouring herself a cup of herbal tea. "Since we were on the topic, tell me more. How long were the two of you together?"

Yuno took a sip of her tea and thought for a moment. "Well, Madara and I had grown up together," she said. "We've known each other since we were kids, around the age of twelve. When we got together, we were both 16 years old, so we were together for about nine years—almost ten years."

Masako listened intently as Yuno spoke, her eyes wide with compassion.

"As I mentioned while we were in the park, Madara and I never got married," Yuno said, her voice tinged with sadness. "Around the time I found out I was pregnant with Haru, he had already left. And now he's back. To be honest, I don't even think we're together anymore."

Yuno's eyes dropped to her tea, and she began to spin the spoon in the cup, her movements slow and deliberate.

Masako could feel Yuno's pain as she spoke. "Does Haru know about his father?" she asked gently.

Yuno shook her head, her eyes still cast down. "No, he doesn't. Actually, not that long ago, he asked, but I just didn't know what to say or do. Especially now that Madara is back. I always did plan on telling Haru about him; he does have the right to know, but it just never seems to be the right time to explain."

Masako nodded understandingly. "To be fair, will there ever be a right time?" she said softly. "Sometimes waiting for the right time will cause the time to never come. It may be better to just sit down with Haru and lay everything out on the table. Of course, it's your decision in the end."

Yuno looked up at Masako, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you," she said. "I really needed to hear that." She raised the teacup to her lips, her movements graceful and elegant. She took a sip, expecting the tea to be bitter, but to her surprise, it was sweet and delicate.

A/N: Wow can't believe this story has finally reached chapter 33 which has now passed how many parts were in the original story. I'm happy to say that there is still more to come.