Chapter 36: Obito and Shisui

It seemed the woman had read Obito's thoughts perfectly.

With her large, expressive eyes curving in amusement, she spoke in a teasing tone.

"Call me Sister Yuki, and I might just give you a discount."

To her surprise, Obito's expression remained indifferent, utterly unmoved.

"Discount or no discount, I don't really care," he replied flatly.

"What I want to know is—how did Sister Yuki end up with such a beautiful name?"

Yuki: "…"

Alright, maybe she had overestimated this brat.

To be fair, Obito did have some thoughts about her name.

"Yuki" was a title typically reserved for women of noble status.

For a mere pharmacy owner to claim it—wasn't that a bit much?

Still, he kept that opinion to himself. After all, he was still hoping for that discount.

Yuki leaned against the counter, her smile never faltering.

"So, little brother, what are you buying this time?"

"Same medicine as last time—double the amount!" Obito answered without hesitation.

Yuki's full lips parted slightly, her face—which usually carried a calm allure—now looked surprisingly dazed.

After a moment, she recovered and asked in a puzzled tone,

"You… already used up what I gave you last time?"

Obito nodded matter-of-factly, utterly oblivious to her confusion.

Yuki hesitated before carefully asking,

"Your teacher… is still alive, right?"

Obito looked at her like she'd asked the most obvious question in the world.

"Uh… yeah? Why wouldn't he be?"

Letting out a visible sigh of relief, Yuki patted her chest.

"Alright, I'll go get your medicine. But listen carefully—don't misuse it! It could cause serious problems!"

Obito gave her a knowing look.

"Don't worry, Sister Yuki. I understand what you mean."

Moments later, Yuki returned with two medicine pouches. She set them on the counter, then glanced at Obito.

"Little brother, the shop's quiet right now. How about you keep me company for a bit?"

Obito pointed to the ninja headband tied around his forehead.

"Sister Yuki, I'm a distinguished ninja, worth thousands of ryo every minute. Where would I find the time to sit and chat?"

Yuki tapped her slender fingers against the counter, speaking in an offhanded tone.

"Seventy percent off."

Obito dragged a stool over from the side and sat down beside her without hesitation.

"Sister Yuki, what would you like to talk about?"

Yuki's lips curved into a mocking smile.

"Distinguished ninja, how come you suddenly have time for a humble girl like me?"

Obito gave a sheepish but polite smile.

Enough, woman. Let's not overdo it, alright? If it weren't for your good looks, I wouldn't even care about this little discount.

"So, kid, what's your name?" Yuki asked casually.

"I'm Uchiha Obito."

...

One Month Later

At Obito's house.

A voice called out from the kitchen.

"Obito, where's all the fruit wine I made?" his grandmother asked curiously.

Obito quickly stepped into the kitchen, rubbing the back of his head.

"Uh, I gave it to my teacher."

His grandmother's voice immediately rose by three octaves.

"All of it?"

Obito nodded guiltily.

"Well, your wine is just so good, Grandma. My teacher tried it once and loved it, so I've been bringing him a jar every now and then."

His grandmother sighed, a mix of exasperation and indulgence on her face.

"Fine, fine. It's not worth much anyway. If your teacher likes it, I'll make more."

She paused before adding,

"Your Uncle Kawa is coming over for lunch with Shisui later. I was planning to send him back with two jars to try, but I guess I'll have to make another batch…"

Though her words sounded reproachful, her eyes were full of affection. Noticing Obito's remorseful expression, she reached out to ruffle his hair.

"Alright, don't feel bad. Grandma's not mad."

"Today's Shisui's birthday," she reminded him.

"Did you prepare a gift for him?"

"Of course, Grandma! How could I forget my cousin's birthday?" Obito replied confidently.

His grandmother gave him a warm smile and patted his head again.

"Good. Now run along and play—I need to get started on lunch."

"Let me help you, Grandma! I've got nothing else to do," Obito offered with a grin.

His grandmother chuckled and nodded, pleased.

Noon

Uchiha Kawa arrived with little Shisui in tow, and the family enjoyed a hearty lunch together.

Afterward, while Kawama helped clean up, Obito and Shisui sat chatting in the living room.

Obito handed Shisui a carefully wrapped ninja tool kit.

"Happy birthday, Shisui! This is your brother's gift to you."

"Thank you, Obito!" Shisui said brightly, opening the package to reveal a set of finely crafted tools.

Obito grinned.

"Well? Do you like it?"

"I love it!" Shisui nodded enthusiastically.

Good. Obito inwardly sighed in relief. After buying medicine for Minato-sensei, he'd spent the rest of his money on this gift.

But hey, spoiling my little cousin is in my Uchiha DNA, right?

Shisui carefully put away the tools before asking curiously,

"Obito, what's it like being a real ninja?"

Obito scratched his head.

What's it like? Mostly doing chores and the occasional real mission… not exactly glamorous.

Still, saying that out loud felt like admitting defeat.

With a dramatic pause, Obito clasped his hands behind his back and put on a solemn expression.

"There are some things I can't tell you, Shisui. Village secrets and all."

"But," he added, his tone growing serious, "there's one thing I can share—something you must remember."

Shisui's eyes widened in anticipation, hanging on every word.

Obito let the tension build for a few moments before declaring:

"With great power comes great responsibility."

Shisui tilted his head, pondering the weighty statement.

To him, it was profound wisdom. His respect for his cousin soared.

As they walked home, Shisui turned to his father.

"Dad, what kind of person do you think Obito is?"

Kawa ruffled Shisui's hair, smiling.

"Your cousin? He's the most talented kid I've ever seen…"

…But his personality is truly something else.

Kawama decided to keep that part to himself.

"Why do you ask?"

Shisui nodded thoughtfully.

"No reason."

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