Chapter 13: Resolving Misunderstandings (2985 words)

Chapter 13: Resolving Misunderstandings

"What does 'unreasonable idea' mean?"

Just as they stepped out of the flower shop, Giyu suddenly asked.

He was so confused that even the snowflakes swirling around him seemed to form countless indiscernible question marks.

Uchiha Mikoto stopped in her tracks, looking at Giyu curiously. "Why are you asking about that?"

"That kid named Ino told me. She warned me not to have any ''unreasonable idea'' about her. She only likes Sasuke, and even if I looked similar, I wouldn't stand a chance."

Giyu's eyes held innocence. "But I don't understand why she said all that."

Uchiha Mikoto sighed deeply, helpless. "Giyu, you must have said something that could be misinterpreted again."

It seemed that leaving Giyu alone with strangers is still a bit reckless—

Even if they were unfamiliar children—

She was still a bit impulsive.

[So, how did he manage to get along with those kids from the clan?]

Uchiha Mikoto pondered in bewilderment.

"I wanted to ask her for a strand of hair."

Giyu thought for a moment, then added, "But she seemed really reluctant."

[As expected.]

Uchiha Mikoto was both amused and exasperated.

This was something only Giyu could do.

"Giyu, can you tell Mom why you did that?"

"Because I wanted to collect red or yellow hair."

Giyu counted on his fingers, remembering the other few people who needed to be revived. However, only Mitsuri had a distinct hair color. "And also pink & green hair, I think I'll need some of those too."

[You still haven't said why you need them!]

Mikoto internally sighed in frustration, while outwardly she explained with a touch of sternness, "Giyu, important things like hair can only be requested between extremely close friends."

"Requesting hair from someone you just met, especially from a girl you just met, is very impolite and can easily be misunderstood."

"If you were an adult, you might even be apprehended by the guard."

[In the past, hair was often used to make tokens of affection.]

[I heard that the shrine maidens of the Land of Demon have a spell that makes the owner of the hair fall in love with anyone...]

Unconsciously, Uchiha Mikoto's thoughts drifted to the distant past.

When she had just gotten married, her old friend, Uzumaki Kushina, told her that one of the Sannin, Jiraiya, had once asked Tsunade-sama for a strand of her hair, claiming he wanted to use it for a spell from the Land of Demon. The result was that after the incident, he was beaten so badly he lost consciousness, and four of his ribs were broken.

Speaking of which...

The Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and his wife, Uzumaki Kushina, also had hair colors that were coincidentally red and yellow.

"But she invited me for a drink."

Giyu's words brought Mikoto back to the present.

"We should be friends now, right?"

From Giyu's limited social experience, if a stranger invited him for food or drink, it should be with the intention of getting closer—strengthening the bond between them.

"But just being friends isn't enough."

[Besides, she was just being polite...]

Mikoto held up a finger and emphasized, "If the other person is a girl, asking for her hair is only appropriate between boyfriend and girlfriend, or even fiancés."

"But if it's a boy, it's probably easier. They generally don't care much about the deeper meaning behind this kind of thing..."

"Boys are more relaxed, huh?"

Giyu nodded, absorbing his mother's advice. He further refined his goal:

Find males with red or yellow hair, obtain their hair, and use it as a material for summoning Kyojuro Rengoku.

Suddenly, he remembered the yellow-haired kid he had seen in the woods, the one who was beaten up by three older kids while protecting a girl with Byakugan.

Although that kid's hair was somewhat dull, it was closer to the color of Kyojuro Rengoku's original hair than Ino. It was probably due to poor nutrition that it was so lacked luster.

Moreover, that kid had a strong recovery ability. Perhaps his genetic makeup was more suitable for being a material for summoning Kyojuro Rengoku. After all, among the Pillars, apart from Tengen, Kyojuro Rengoku's body was the best. If he became stronger after resurrection, Kyojuro Rengoku would surely be delighted.

Most importantly, this boy who was willing to protect the "weak" in a ninja world had a personality quite similar to Kyojuro Rengoku's.

It's a pity that Giyu hadn't seen him in the village since that day.

[Maybe he's no longer in Konoha?]

Giyu shook his head with a touch of regret.

At that moment, Uchiha Mikoto noticed that Giyu was holding a paper bag in his left hand, something he didn't have when he entered the flower shop.

"What's that?"

"It's from that kid Ino. She asked me to give it to Sasuke."

Giyu shook the paper bag in his left hand.

"Is it a New Year's gift?"

Uchiha Mikoto's mind was suddenly flooded with some pure and romantic speculations.

"Can Mom take a look?"

Giyu thought for a moment and nodded.

After all, there was originally something for his mother inside.

Curiously, Mikoto took the paper bag and gently opened it. She found that on the top layer of the bag, there were six different-colored daisies. Concealed in the middle was a small envelope with the childish writing "For Sasuke."

"I won't read the letter. I wonder if Sasuke would be embarrassed."

A smile appeared on her face as she focused on the six daisies.

These daisies were small and exquisite, each one carefully cultivated and trimmed. The colors and shapes were incredibly beautiful, even in the snowy weather. They emitted a delicate and elegant fragrance, clearly a lot of effort had gone into them.

"Kids these days are so mature."

She muttered softly.

"I remember that the language of daisies means 'pure secret admiration/love,' right?"

[Unfortunately, Sasuke probably isn't interested in flowers and plants. That child's efforts might have been in vain.]

Mikoto continued to look through the bag and noticed at the bottom, there was an individually wrapped Chrysanthemum.

"Giyu, is this also something Ino gave to Sasuke?"

Uchiha Mikoto took out the Chrysanthemum, her expression a bit strange.

As the name suggests, the Chrysanthemum symbolizes longevity and health. It's usually given to middle-aged or elderly people, or those who are ill.

"No."

Giyu answered quite seriously, "Didn't you say before that you wanted me to pick a flower for you?"

When he was picking a flower, Giyu had asked Ino, "Which kind flower should I choose if I want the person who receives the flower to live a long and happy life?"

(TL-Note: yes Japan also have this flower)

"Of course, it would be the Chrysanthemum. But these flowers are more common at the Konoha Hospital than they are at my home. If you're willing to help me deliver this to Sasuke, I'll pick the best Chrysanthemum from the store and give it to you."

That was Ino's answer.

Her confident manner in matters of flowers had influenced Giyu's judgment, so he made up his mind.

If he had mentioned even once that this was meant for his mother, Ino probably wouldn't have chosen a flower that so obviously hinted at age.

Watching Uchiha Mikoto freeze in the snow with a stony expression, Giyu, not entirely confident, asked, "What's wrong, Mother? Don't you like it?"

"..."

Uchiha Mikoto showed a relieved smile, sealed the paper bag, and handed it back to Giyu.

This was the first time she had received a gift that Giyu had specifically (rather than incidentally) chosen for her. From the symbolism of the flowers, she could sense the love and blessings that her youngest son had never openly expressed. Her heart was already content.

[But what should I do if Giyu continues to lack common sense in the future?]

"I really like it. However, Dad is older than me, so this flower is more suitable for him. Can I pass Giyu's gift on to Dad? If he knows it's from you, he'll definitely be very happy."

"Feel free to decide."

Giyu nodded in a somewhat bewildered manner, completely unaware of what he was about to hear in the next second.

"But since the flower is going to Dad, does that mean Mom won't get anything?"

Mikoto bent down, revealing a cunning smile. Her hair fluttered in the wind and snow, gradually merging with the image of his elder sister from a previous life.

"Can I directly ask Giyu for a special gift? The kind of promise you can't take back."

"..."

This time, it was Giyu who fell silent.

A shadow cast over his forehead as he stepped back two steps, worried that his mother might kiss his face again like she did before. It was really embarrassing.

"Hey, is that a refusal? I haven't even said anything yet. "

Uchiha Mikoto's expression once again revealed sadness, as if she was wounded. If Itachi or Sasuke saw her, they might be surprised.

However, sometimes using the same old tactics worked quite well.

Uchiha Giyu froze in place, like a porcelain doll that had been frozen in foolishness.

He was the quietest among the Nine Pillars, but also the one with the softest heart. For example if any other one of the pillars encounters Nezuko who turned into a demon, the latter cannot survive.

He was soft with strangers, let alone closer relationships, Giyu was determined not to let others feel pain.

So, seeing his mother's seemingly disappointed expression, he immediately said, not entirely certain, "Go ahead and tell me."

"Don't go back on your words"

Uchiha Mikoto's expression changed in an instant.

She stared into Giyu's eyes, her facial features suddenly soft and kind, with a hint of pleading.

"So, Giyu, I hope you can call me 'Mom' (Kassan) directly, like Sasuke and Itachi. Can you do that?"

The word "Mom" was a knot in Uchiha Mikoto's heart.

Shortly after Giyu was born, he suddenly learned to speak one day. At that time, the couple was pleasantly surprised, thinking they were blessed with another naturally intelligent child.

However, unlike what Mikoto had taught him and Sasuke, Giyu's first words of address were the distant and formal "Mother" and "Father."

(Note -> with honorifics, it's a different language & not English hope you understand)

In a clan like the Hyuga, which was governed in a hierarchical manner, this might be quite normal. However, in the close-knit Uchiha family, where the family was the core, such a formal way of addressing was too distant.

Both Mikoto and Fugaku could feel that this child seemed to intentionally keep his distance from them.

As he grew a bit older, the differences in how Giyu treated them and Sasuke became even more apparent.

He seemed to place himself in a lowly position in this family, silently taking on household chores at times. Yet, he never asked his parents or brothers for anything, including praise. He even gave Sasuke any new clothes that were different from his. It was the same with New Year's money.

Perhaps Giyu himself didn't see anything wrong with this behavior. He might even believe that he was repaying the kindness of being born to Fugaku and Mikoto.

However, Mikoto felt defeated. Why did this child treat them as if they were distant outsiders?

Every time Giyu respectfully called her "Mother," she didn't feel respected. Instead, it was agonizing. She wondered if she had done something wrong when Giyu was younger, making him think he was a bastard child treated as a servant in those epic stories.

Until one day, Itachi noticed her distress. He found Giyu and insisted that he drop the honorifics and use a more natural but still awkward "Father" and "Mother."

However, Giyu's behavior fundamentally didn't change much. He still found ways to differentiate himself from his two brothers.

Perhaps others would interpret Giyu's statement, "I'm different from Sasuke," as his self-proclaimed brag about being more mature than Sasuke. But as Mikoto, she knew Giyu's meaning was far from that simple.

Sometimes when he said that phrase with his head down, Mikoto would mishear it as a different sentence.

"I'm not truly part of your family."

Beyond incredulity, Mikoto felt her heart breaking. And this was the reason she chose to leave home and return to being a leading shinobi.

She couldn't face Giyu alone.

It wasn't until after Giyu and Sasuke's fifth birthday that things began to change.

The most obvious change was—

Giyu became more willing to be close to his family.

Whenever Itachi didn't have a mission, the three of them would stick together like Conjoined twins. They even slept in the same room at night. Although Fugaku often complained that this was not conducive to their children's growth, he seemed to secretly welcome it.

When the three of them were together, although Giyu would still sit a bit farther away, leaving more space for Itachi and Sasuke, this was still progress.

Physical closeness often indicated emotional closeness.

Now, after several months, Sasuke wouldn't sink into negative emotions due to Giyu's casual remarks. He knew that his understanding of Giyu's words was certainly different from what Giyu intended to convey.

What truly surprised her was a few days ago when Itachi was on a mission and Sasuke went to his grandfather's house to deliver something. Giyu actually cooked lunch, and for the first time, he brought it to Fugaku, who was on guard duty.

According to a pleasantly surprised Fugaku's retelling, Giyu spent the entire afternoon in his office, occasionally having him release genjutsu (in reality, Giyu was refining his analysis of moon breathing). Although Giyu didn't say much, compared to the father who used to worry about his son, he had become much stronger, many times over.

This incident slightly loosened the knot in Uchiha Mikoto's heart. Giyu's relationship with the other members of the family had visibly improved, so there was no reason it wouldn't with her.

She had waited for Giyu to call her "Mom" for far too long.

So, on this day, taking advantage of the occasion of the holiday and the flowers Giyu gave her, she intended to make an attempt.

With her hopeful eyes fixed on him, Giyu, however, felt as if he were being roasted over an open flame, a pain so intense that it felt like he was being scorched. Finally, a third emotion that couldn't be hidden appeared on his face—panic.

Giyu's complexion turned as pale as death, his lips quivered slightly, wanting to say something but unable to utter a word, as if he had lost the ability to speak.

Of course, he didn't want to disappoint Mikoto, but he also couldn't address her in that manner with a clear conscience.

"In these past few years, he could only see himself as an adopted son. 'Mother' was the most intimate address he felt he could use for his adopted mother.

Because in his heart, he was still Giyu Tomioka. He was a thief who stole the chance of survival from the true son. How could he have the right to address her so intimately?

His flustered appearance was seen by Mikoto, and she had never seen Giyu like this before. Worried that she might trigger further evolution of his eyes, she quickly took a step back, forcing a smile as she said, 'I was just joking, Giyu. You can call me whatever you like.'

"It's getting late. Let's hurry back home after we finish shopping, Giyu."

Saying that, she quickly turned around.

From behind, Giyu saw his mother raise her right arm and draw it in front of her. At that moment, he felt as if his heart had been submerged in extremely cold water, every single cell stinging.

It was then that a voice suddenly echoed in his mind—

['If it wasn't for your deceased soul being reborn, Uchiha Giyu would never have existed. This is your body after all.']

This sentence, like a bright ray of light, brushed away the dark clouds that had covered Giyu's mind.

['... Is that true?']

He questioned in his mind.

['Your essence is the same as the Pillar who's about to be resurrected. The only difference is that you were born. Otherwise, why would your name still be Giyu?']

The response was as cold and merciless as it could get, but it only strengthened the truth of this explanation in Giyu's heart.

After all, following the instructions of this voice, he successfully decoded the Flame Breathing technique and indeed acquired the method of practicing it. Until now, this voice had never been wrong.

"Giyu?"

In a daze, Uchiha Mikoto realized that no one was following her as she walked for a while. She quickly turned back to find Giyu and saw that the sky, which had been somewhat gloomy just a moment ago, had been torn by sunlight. Several bright rays of light pierced through the clouds, and snowflakes were hidden within the brilliance like angelic feathers.

Giyu stood before her, head lowered, with a thin layer of damp snow under his feet.

"Mom.."

He said like this, his tone shy and awkward.

At this moment, he was finally able to accept his identity without reservations. He called out this simple word he had never had the chance to say in his past life. From the moment he could remember, he only had one family member—his sister.

He lifted his head, warm tears blossoming on his serene and gentle smile. The glistening droplets reflected the beams of light, making his crimson Sharingan appear so soft.

"Can I keep calling you that?"

"Of course."

Uchiha Mikoto pressed Giyu's head against her chest, lowering her head gently, her smile irrepressible.

"I couldn't ask for more."

(Note-> Man this did bring tears to my eyes as I read for the 1st time, even not this made me emotional)