Chapter 1. Reunion

Sasuke consciousness slowly emerged as the light shining through his eye burned his retina.

　The old wooden ceiling. A colorful box of toys. A simple but heavy chest of drawers and desk. A dazzling light shone through a gap in the curtain, and a stuffed monster was in his arms.

　All of them looked familiar to him.

（My room. ...?)

　He searched for a distant memory and finally came up with the answer. It had been more than a hundred years ago

　The last time he saw that room was before he left his hometown. Sasuke birthplace had already been reduced to a pile of rubble by Pain Rikudo when he returned to the village with the reconciliation.

　It was a place where hatred grew as a symbol of sorrow and suffering, but more than that, it was a house where memories slept.

　Although he had heard about it beforehand, the shock of actually seeing it was so great that he felt as if a hole had opened up in his heart, and it was one of the reasons he decided to go on a journey after that.

This stuffed animal is one of those memories. The fluffy texture was nostalgic, and it smelled like sunshine when he hugged it tightly.

　The number of people in his clan was dwindling, and there were no children at his age, so he was always playing and training by himself. It wasn't hard, but he would be lying if he said it wasn't lonely. So when his brother, who would play with him, would leave for the academy or for a mission, he would cry a lot and annoy him

　His older brother bought this stuffed animal for his third birthday because he couldn't bear to see him like that. Looking back, he thinks he may have been his first friend.

　After that night, this stuffed animal that he loved so much turned into something he hated, but he still couldn't throw it away, so he remember putting it away where he couldn't see it.

(Why is it here?)

　Sasuke foggy mind suddenly cleared as he suddenly came to that thought. Sasuke jumps up and looks around the room once more, but nothing has changed in his eyes.

(What does this mean? I don't seem to be under any illusions. ...)

　He doesn't feel any disturbance in the flow of the chakra. But the fact that he had such a sensation is strange.

( "Goodnight, Grandpa" )

　He traced his memory and recalled that smile. He remembers the moment when his heartbeat gradually became smaller and slower.

　He died that day. There is no doubt about that.

　There was a possibility that this was the other world, but his heart, now thumping in a regular rhythm, denied it.

"What is this ...?

　He heard a child high-pitched voice in his ear, like a rolling bell.

　He kept his mouth shut and looked around the room, but there was no one there but himself.

(----No way.)

　He dismissed the thought that it was impossible, but his feet were slowly moving forward.

He was somewhat afraid of having a heart full of hope, and he was afraid of the disappointment he would feel when he was betrayed. Still, he had to be sure.

　Gripping the hem of the white curtain, he gulped and swallowed. Sasuke, who was ready for it, pulled it back at once, his eyes squinted for a moment by the light that flooded out of them. His eyes immediately widened in surprise.

　Walking down the street, a familiar place

The walls separating the houses are painted with the Uchiha family symbol without a single blemish. The rows of houses went on forever, and he could see them clearly from his second-floor window.

And there was one more thing that stopped Sasuke in his tracks.

(Why ...)

There is a reflection of young Sasuke on the window.

　Sasuke stood speechless at the unrealistic sight before his eyes, but just then the sound of his alarm clock rang and he came back to himself.

　Still skeptical, he turned off the alarm. He felt a ringing alarm from his palm, and immediately withdraw his hand from the realism of the sound.

　The house he thought he had lost, It's in front of him again

(so, then perhaps...)

　As soon as he recognized the presence of the others, Sasuke ran out of the room.

　His short legs and body and his unfamiliar body balance made Sasuke run with slightly unsteady steps.

From the end of the corridor, which felt unusually long, he heard a familiar sound: thump, thump, thump.

He knew he shouldn't get his hopes up.

　He couldn't stop his body from shaking even though he thought so. Clenching his fist tightly, he took a step into the kitchen.

　There was a woman with long hair. Her back was moving left and right as she cooked.

　She stopped cooking and turned around, perhaps noticing Sasuke standing there.

　As soon as she recognizes Sasuke, she smiles at him and says,

"Good morning, Sasuke. Oh, you're up early today, aren't you? You usually don't get up until your brother wakes you up"

"Mom, ...?"

"Sasuke? You're shivering, aren't you? Are you cold? Does your head hurt?"

　The one peeking at him with concern was undoubtedly his mother, Uchiha Mikoto.

　He felt the warmth of her hand on his forehead. The temperature that should have been lost a long time ago is gradually filling his chest with warmth.

"I'm glad you don't have a fever. ... Oh, dear. I'm not sure what's wrong with you. Did you have a scary dream?"

　He was tapped lightly on the back as if to soothe him, and his tears flowed more and more into his mother arms, which he had missed so much.

He wondered how long he had been doing that. Eventually, Sasuke crying stopped, though he was sniffling and sniffling. An impatient voice came into the kitchen.

"Mom! Sasuke , he was nowhere to be found ... ! Oh ..... Thank God, Sasuke, you're here."

　His heart trembled at the nostalgic, gentle voice.

　It was a little higher than he remembered, but there was no way he could be wrong.

"Ni ,ni san ...."

"Sasuke? What's going on, Mom?"

"I don't know, he's been crying ever since he came. he must have a bad dream"

　 A large hand popped onto Sasuke head, who could not bear it and began to cry again.

　When he looked up, he saw his troubled and worried older brother - Uchiha Itachi - standing there.

　he thought he had lost him. He thought he had killed him with his own hands.

"Sasuke. Don't worry, don't worry. I'll definitely protect you. ..."

　Even his kind words were now replaced by tears.

　Needless to say, he began to cry again when he saw his father sipping a tea.