Chapter 163: A Mother-in-Law's Care

"Takuya?"

When Sayuri Uchiha, Mikoto's mother, saw Takuya arrive with gifts in hand, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.

With a delighted smile, she set her teacup aside and quickly shuffled over in her wooden sandals. She wrapped him in a big, tight hug and playfully pinched his cheeks.

"My, you've grown! Really grown up, you little rascal. It's been years, and you didn't come to visit me at all!"

"Ouch, ouch! That hurts!" Takuya cried out, even though she wasn't pinching him hard.

"Stop whining, I didn't even use any strength," Sayuri scolded, giving him a light smack on the arm as she took the gifts and set them aside.

The two of them sat down in the courtyard. However, Sayuri noticed how restless Takuya was, unable to sit still. She sighed, remembering how he had always hated sitting in the traditional kneeling posture ever since he was a child. It wasn't a surprise that he still couldn't handle it.

"My legs hurt," Takuya said with a sheepish grin, shifting to sit cross-legged instead. Kneeling was just too uncomfortable for him.

"You haven't changed a bit," Sayuri chuckled, a mix of affection and amusement in her voice as she observed him.

"Still so handsome, though," she added with a grin.

"I've always been this handsome," Takuya replied, feeling comfortable in her presence.

"Oh, stop it," Sayuri said, playfully dismissing his words as she poured him a cup of tea. "So, are you here to see Mikoto? She's at the police force. She won't be back until late. The war's made things a lot busier for her."

Whenever war broke out, spies inevitably stirred up trouble, and Mikoto, who worked in the administration department, had been working overtime almost every day.

"No, I didn't come for Mikoto today," Takuya shook his head. "I actually came to ask you for a favor."

"For me?"

Sayuri blinked in surprise. Takuya visiting Mikoto wasn't strange, given how close they were growing up.

In fact, many people in the village assumed they were already a couple.

But for him to seek her out directly? That caught her off guard.

"Yeah," Takuya said, setting down his cup. "I'm opening a restaurant with a friend, and we need someone reliable to handle the money. Naturally, I thought of you, Auntie."

"A restaurant? You want me to handle the cash?"

Sayuri stared at him in surprise, pointing at herself in disbelief.

"Of course! Who else would I trust with something like this? I can't just let anyone deal with it," Takuya replied.

Sayuri's eyes softened as she looked at him. "You've been managing so much all on your own, haven't you?" Her voice cracked slightly as she pulled him into another tight hug.

"Uhm... Auntie, I need air…" Takuya muttered, feeling slightly smothered by her affectionate embrace.

Sayuri let go and wiped her eyes. "Alright, I'll do it! How could I say no to you?"

To her, Takuya was practically like her own son. There was no way she could refuse helping him.

As they continued chatting, the front door suddenly opened.

"Mom, I bought some black pork for dinner!"

In came Mikoto Uchiha, holding a basket of groceries in one hand and rushing inside, her bare feet padding on the floor. She immediately spotted Takuya's shoes at the entrance.

Excited, she kicked off her sandals and ran straight into the house.

She had managed to get off work early after convincing her superior to let her take a break, knowing that Takuya was in the village.

"Oh, look at her, running around barefoot just because she knows you're here," Sayuri teased with a grin as Mikoto hurried over.

"Mom!" Mikoto's face flushed with embarrassment as she quickly composed herself. "You didn't have to tell him that!"

"Looks like I've said too much already," Sayuri laughed as she rose to her feet. "Well, I'll leave you two to chat. I've got dinner to prepare."

Before leaving the room, Sayuri handed Mikoto a bottle of Takuya's favorite orange juice and winked at them. Mikoto's cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red as she handed Takuya the drink.

"So, when did you get back?" she asked, sitting down beside him.

"Just yesterday," Takuya replied. "I came to ask your mom for some help with a restaurant I'm opening with Kushina."

"Oh, that sounds great!" Mikoto said with a bright smile. "Mom's been bored out of her mind lately. Having something to keep her busy will be good for her."

She listened as Takuya explained the details of the restaurant, nodding in agreement with his plan. She understood why he needed someone reliable to handle the finances, especially with the Uzumaki clan members involved.

"You've thought this through," Mikoto commented. "It's definitely the right move to have Mom help out. You know how tricky things can get when money's involved."

Takuya nodded. "Exactly. I don't want things to get complicated between Kushina and her clan, and I know I can trust your mom to handle things fairly."

As they continued talking, Takuya noticed Mikoto looking a little tired. "Busy day at the police force?"

"It's not too bad," she said, waving it off. "I mainly handle paperwork and documenting witness statements. It's more tiring for the patrol teams. They have it rough, especially now with the war going on."

"I can imagine," Takuya said, leaning back in his chair. "But it sounds like you'll be staying in the village for a while?"

"Yes, for now," she replied. "What about you? Are you getting some time off?"

Takuya sighed. "Well, not exactly. My team's been split up. Minato and Nawaki were sent to the frontlines, and the Hokage wants me to become a jonin instructor."

Mikoto's eyes widened in surprise. "A jonin instructor?"

***********important********

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