Chapter 3: Gifts and Enlightenment

Chapter 3: Gifts and Enlightenment

"Click... Bang."

The sound of opening and closing doors resounded one after another.

Giyu returned home and instinctively glanced at the shoe cabinet beside the entrance.

Five pairs of slippers, one pair missing, meant that no one was home.

"That's great."

"No one will disturb me while I cook."

Thinking back to the last time he came home late and found Itachi frying eggs for Sasuke alone, only to accidentally spill them all over the kitchen, Giyu felt a bit annoyed. However, seeing Itachi's even more frustrated expression at not being able to fry the eggs properly, so much so that even a slight extra comma appeared in his left eye, Giyu didn't say much anymore. From then on, he simply didn't want to see his older brother in the kitchen.

As for the meals their mother cooked, well, the taste was alright, but not as good as his. Sasuke, who was used to Giyu's cooking, didn't particularly enjoy the changing flavors, which inevitably made their mother feel a sense of disappointment.

In summary, it was best to leave the Uchiha kitchen to Giyu alone.

However, things didn't go as planned.

"Is Giyu back?"

A clear and pleasant voice came from the kitchen.

Giyu's gaze froze, and a faint red light suddenly emerged from his originally deep blue irises.

Mikoto Uchiha, wearing clean shoe covers and holding a mop, walked out of the kitchen, looking at her youngest son with a smile on her face.

"Mom came home early. Isn't Giyu happy?"

Since Giyu took over all the household chores and even Fugaku's stern dissuasion proved ineffective, Mikoto found herself with nothing to do and decided to go back to teaching the students who graduated from the ninja academy.

However, considering that today was the birthday of her two youngest sons, she gave the students a day off and came back early to clean the house.

Giyu saw that his mother wasn't holding any kitchen utensils, just cleaning, and the red light in his eyes gradually faded away.

Looking at the still partially wet floor, he contemplated for a moment, then turned around and was about to open the door and go outside and wait until the floor was dry before coming in.

Mikoto used Body Flicker Technique and appeared between Giyu and the front door. With her hands on her hips and a pouting expression, she pretended to be unhappy. In fact, she was trying to imitate her red-haired old classmate.

"Why don't you greet your mom when you see her? I'll be sad if you don't."

She, Mikoto Uchiha, had three sons, each with a different personality, so naturally, she had to handle them differently.

For the eldest son, Itachi Uchiha, who was deep and mature in his thoughts, treating him as an adult and having open and honest communication (maybe, probably) would work.

As for the second son, Sasuke Uchiha, who was spoiled by both his older brother and younger brother, but longed for his father's approval, as long as she mentioned something related to Fugaku and Itachi's expectations of him, he would temporarily set aside his mischievous behavior and listen seriously.

And then there was the third son, Giyu Uchiha, who was the most difficult to handle among the three.

In order to encourage Giyu to initiate conversations and interact with others, Fugaku Uchiha once requested that the family not speak to him for a week, to see who could endure it. Of course, in the end, Giyu won the game, but it caused great distress to the couple.

This child, Giyu, could be described as immature, but he often revealed a gaze that seemed to say, "I have seen through everything" and "There's nothing worth caring about," calmly dealing with challenges from peers and even criticisms from Fugaku without showing any emotion.

He neither desired praise from others nor sought attention from his parents. Instead, he quietly took on the responsibility of taking care of Itachi and Sasuke's daily life. When he didn't speak, he even seemed more like the eldest son of the family than Itachi.

But if we were to say he was mature, he completely disregarded others' opinions, occasionally behaving rudely and bluntly expressing his thoughts, easily hurting others' feelings.

For example, a few days ago, when Sasuke and Itachi were practicing the Fireball Jutsu and finally managed to produce a small flame, they ran to Giyu to show off. Despite Giyu's usual care for Sasuke, no one could have expected that he would blurt out, "Are you trying to learn how to light a candle with that?"

Because of this, Sasuke hasn't spoken to Giyu since that day. Of course, they still ate together.

But this child, who only spoke the truth, Mikoto couldn't understand what he was really thinking.

In order to communicate with him, she had to adopt a slightly exaggerated and intrusive approach, constantly launching attacks in a persistent manner, as if begging for his attention.

And it seemed that he couldn't discern those subtle emotions. Mikoto had to pretend to be dramatically angry or sad to make Giyu perceive her emotional state.

Sure enough, when Giyu saw his mother blocking the doorway, seemingly a bit angry, he stopped his movements. Then he greeted her with a cold voice, "Was work not going well today?"

Mikoto Uchiha decided to surrender.

She crouched down and held Giyu's rigid little face, forcing a stiff smile, and asked somewhat dejectedly, "Aren't you happy that I'm back?"

"You come back every day."

Giyu tilted his head, "It's only worth being happy when you've been away for a long time."

For example, seeing Tanjiro return safely from a dangerous mission, knowing that Nezuko was unharmed.

For example, returning to Mt. Sagiri and seeing smoke rising from Master Rengoku's small house in the distance.

For example, when had a premonition that he was going to die, and when he passed by the Kamado family, and overhead them argue with their neighbors about whether "demons really exist in the world." It seemed like he could still live for some time.

Knowing that everyone could lose their lives at any moment, but still surviving, that's what's worth being happy about.

"I admit defeat."

Mikoto Uchiha lowered her head.

This is an action she would never do in front of Itachi and Sasuke.

She glanced at the ingredients in the plastic bag and didn't worry about the price.

"With such heavy stuff, aren't you tired of carrying it all by yourself?"

"There are resting places along the way."

Giyu said that as whenever he encountered that blonde guy, the Hyuga family's young lady, and Kakashi, he would temporarily put down what he was holding.

"Oh... salmon. It's another ingredient I don't know how to handle, so it seems I can't help you."

Uchiha Mikoto picked up the bag and walked into the kitchen, asking casually, "So Giyu, what do you plan to make today?"

"Salmon roe sushi, bonito rice balls, sashimi, radish and salmon stew, pan-fried salmon belly, three-colored dumplings, and ice cream for dessert..."

"That sounds very appetizing. And they're all dishes Itachi and Sasuke love."

Mikoto turned her head and jokingly said, "Then why don't we have something that Dad loves?"

"It's not his birthday today."

Giyu replied earnestly, his face serious, "The main purpose of today's dishes is to please Sasuke. He hasn't spoken to me for a week."

Tanjiro taught him before the final battle that if he prepares food that others love and feeds them anytime, it can bring people closer.

For example, after carrying Hagi no Tsuki with him, his relationship with Shinazugawa Genya improved a lot (at least he believed so).

It should work with Sasuke too; their personalities are quite similar.

Upon hearing her son's words, Mikoto hesitated.

[Is it really okay to be so straightforward?]

Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "So, Giyu, do you know why Sasuke isn't talking to you?"

"I don't know."

[I thought so.]

"Are you not bothered by it? Don't you want to know the reason?"

"No need to know."

Giyu put on the apron that Itachi had made for him, stood on a small stool, and pulled out a half-meter-long salmon from the plastic bag. He gave it a punch on the head.

He confidently said, "As long as we have this meal, the problem will surely be resolved."

Smack.

Mikoto held onto the door frame.

Why is it so difficult to communicate with this child?

Ten minutes later.

"I'm back!" (x2)

"Is it Itachi and Sasuke?"

Mikoto headed towards the entrance like a wanderer in the snow finding a fireplace.

"Mama!" Sasuke took off his shoes and rushed over to hug Mikoto's waist, looking extremely happy.

[If only I could give half of Sasuke's clinginess to Giyu...]

"Did you give them a day off today?"

Itachi stood at the doorway, neatly arranging Sasuke's shoes, and immediately realized why his mother was at home.

"Because my lovely children have their birthdays today."

Mikoto regained her usual confidence as a mother. She rubbed Sasuke's spiky hair and asked, "Did you take Sasuke out for training? He's covered in sweat and has an animal smell..."

"We didn't train today. Brother took me to Granny Cat's place and gave me a birthday present."

Sasuke, who was five years old, spoke in a lively and sharp voice, taking out a rusty shuriken from his pants pocket.

"Oh, what's this?"

Mikoto carefully examined the shuriken. It seemed to be an old style, so she continued to ask based on what Sasuke said.

"Granny Cat said it's a shuriken from the founding era of Konoha, even older than Grandpa's age. Back then, she saw this shuriken flying from a faraway place and breaking the First Hokage's wooden clone, so it has a lot of significance!"

Sasuke held the shuriken in both hands and raised it in the air, making a bold declaration.

"I will become an even stronger ninja in the future. Even the First Hokage himself will never be my opponent."

Upon hearing Sasuke's words, a hint of worry flashed in Mikoto's eyes. Itachi, being keenly observant, noticed it and whispered in Sasuke's ear, "The First Hokage and the Uchiha clan's ancestor established the village together. They were both great individuals, not enemies. In the future, don't disrespect the Hokage-sama outside."

Uchiha Mikoto also nodded. "Sasuke, listen to your brother's words, understood?"

"I know."

Sasuke pouted, slightly unhappy, but still agreed. Even though his brother's words were different from what other kids his age would say, Sasuke chose to believe in his brother.

After correcting Sasuke's mistake, Itachi Uchiha looked toward the direction of the kitchen and said, "Giyu, are you cooking today? It's his birthday, so maybe I should do it instead--"

"Dang!"

A loud noise came from the kitchen, startling Sasuke.

"What happened, Giyu?" Mikoto asked.

"The knife fell on the floor," Giyu's voice sounded calm and serene.

"Be careful, okay?"

Although Giyu had been cooking for two years, Mikoto still felt somewhat uneasy about him handling tasks, especially deboning salmon. Even professional chefs could accidentally cut themselves.

She glanced at Sasuke, who had been wearing a sour expression since hearing Giyu's voice, and smiled faintly. "Sasuke, why don't you go take a bath with Mom?"

"Nah."

Sasuke shook his head without hesitation. "I want to take a bath with my brother."

Mikoto gave her eldest son a meaningful look, then nodded her chin towards the kitchen.

He understood instantly.

"Mom came home early specifically to do something for you guys."

Itachi Uchiha ruffled Sasuke's hair and lightly tapped his forehead with a finger. "Don't make her sad, okay?"

With that, he added, "If Sasuke behaves, I can continue practicing the Great Fireball with you tomorrow..."

"Deal!"

Sasuke happily almost jumped up and then turned to his mother. "I'll go take off my dirty clothes first!"

After saying that, he rushed towards the second floor, deliberately letting out a loud "hmph" as he passed by the kitchen. Seeing that Giyu didn't turn to look at him, he ran even faster.

"Well then, I'll leave Giyu to you."

After making a gesture to Itachi, Mikoto went to the bathroom to run the water.

Itachi stood at the kitchen door for a moment, seemingly preparing himself mentally. In the instant he stepped into the kitchen, Uchiha Giyu turned around with a knife in hand and casually threw the deboned salmon bones into an iron basin, making a clanging sound.

"What are you doing?"

Giyu's tone carried a hint of caution.

[Could it be that he wants to help me with cooking?]

The pan that Itachi had used to fry eggs last time was no longer usable, so Giyu took it and used it as a milk bowl for stray cats on the street.

"Happy birthday, Giyu."

Itachi walked straight towards him, his smile was not as obvious as Mikoto and Shisui's, just a faint curve.

"Sasuke really likes the gift I gave him. I'm just not sure how you'll react after receiving yours, so I'm a bit nervous."

That wasn't a lie.

Even though Itachi held Giyu as a child, he had trouble understanding him from a very young age.

For example, Itachi knew all of Sasuke's likes and dislikes very clearly, but when it came to Giyu, it was like a bottomless lake for him.

Others believed that doing housework was Giyu's hobby, but Itachi Uchiha felt that it was more like a duty that Giyu imposed on himself. Otherwise, there would be no need to be so meticulous and do it every day.

Besides, there were many other peculiarities about Giyu.

For instance, a month ago on a certain day, when he accompanied Giyu to buy groceries, they passed by a shinobi tool shop where a ninja from the village,

Hayate Gekkō, was selecting a shinobi sword. The sound he made when drawing the sword caught Giyu's attention.

Itachi still couldn't forget the expression on Giyu's face when he looked at that sword, after Hayate Gekkō covered it with chakra and dyed it.

His eyes flashed with a light brighter than a blade, and his entire face transformed from cold and stern to tranquil and gentle, as if the lifeless stillness of a mirror-like lake had been ruffled by a warm breeze.

To this day, Itachi Uchiha still couldn't fathom what had occurred at that moment. Originally, he had planned to buy a sword directly for him today, but upon further consideration, he decided against it since Giyu showed little interest in becoming a ninja.

Shaking his head lightly to dispel his doubts, Itachi Uchiha reached into his pocket and pulled out an eight-centimeter-wide photo frame, handing it to Giyu.

Giyu directed his gaze towards it, and his eyes instantly fixated on the image, unable to look away for a long time.

"This is a specimen of an ancient Phoenix-tail butterfly," Itachi Uchiha explained slowly, unable to discern Giyu's emotions. "It was discovered by scholars from the Land of Snow, deep within the icy plains, using Ice Release ninjutsu to extract it."

"I don't know much about butterflies myself, but the kunoichi from the Aburame clan who sold it to me said that this rare blue-purple Phoenix-tail butterfly looks beautiful in the sunlight, but it carries a deadly poison capable of toppling an elephant. Unfortunately, it is already extinct."

"You..."

Giyu put down the kitchen knife and wiped his hands on his apron. Hesitantly, he accepted the specimen, his deep gaze filled with layers of ripples.

In his eyes, it wasn't just a butterfly, but nine distinct silhouettes overlapping.

"Why would you give me this?"

It was the most unexpected gift for Giyu.

"Because the only things I can be certain you would like are Wisteria flowers and butterflies."

Young Itachi blushed shyly. "I love seeing the expression on your face when you encounter a Wisteria tree and find butterflies chasing each other. It's like a stone statue suddenly coming to life. If Mom and Dad could see it, they would probably feel the same."

"So, Giyu, what do you think of this gift..."

Itachi Uchiha paused, his voice filled with anticipation. "Do you like it?"

In the past, Giyu's reactions always caught him off guard.

His biggest concern was that Giyu would react like last year, returning the same steel shuriken that he had given to Sasuke and saying, "I'm different from Sasuke."

For someone infatuated with his little brother, that would be a nightmare.

"An extinct butterfly, you say?"

Giyu's voice sounded somewhat hoarse, then suddenly grew stronger, and clearer than ever before. "I really like it. Thank you, Itachi."

"..."

Itachi Uchiha was stunned.

Although Giyu's expressions rarely changed.

But if he liked this gift, shouldn't he at least raise an eyebrow?

Why did he look as if all his strength had been suddenly drained, even more, downcast than usual, as if recalling something dreadful?

If Itachi hadn't been aware that Giyu couldn't lie, he would have thought he was feigning his liking for the gift just to comfort him.

Giyu placed the specimen on the windowsill directly in front of him in the kitchen, then lowered his head as if no one was around, silently picked up the kitchen knife, and began preparing the ingredients. His thoughts had drifted elsewhere without his realization.

Itachi Uchiha sensed that now wasn't the time to speak, but he couldn't help but worry about Giyu's condition. So, he took out a plastic bag and started slicing the radish.

Thus, the two of them stood silently in the kitchen, without exchanging a word, yet the ingredients were being systematically transformed into a meal.

Fortunately, Itachi Uchiha's mind wasn't focused on cooking, so this time, nothing unusual occurred.

After a full hour, Giyu placed the sliced radish and pan-fried salmon into the stew pot, lit the gas stove's flame, and ignited a fire.

A strange voice echoed in his mind.

"[Spending one hour in close proximity with Itachi Uchiha. Flame Breathing analysis completion rate +0.02%, current completion rate 20.02%]"

"[Upon completion and achieving an average level of Flame Breathing, you can resurrect Flame Pillar Rengoku Kyōjurō.]"

Giyu widened his eyes abruptly, with intense red light shimmering within them, catching Itachi Uchiha's attention.

"Giyu, you..."

Before Itachi could finish speaking, white vapor suddenly emanated from Giyu's mouth and nose. The legs of the stool beneath his feet made a cracking sound as they snapped, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

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