Not far from the village, near the edge of a quiet forest, a young boy was walking along a narrow path. A small bag hung over his shoulder, and the sunlight slipped gently between the leaves above.
He stopped after a while, taking out a kunai from his pocket and throwing it towards a wooden target marked with circles. The blade struck near the outer ring.
He frowned a little, then grabbed another kunai and began running left and right, throwing again and again, trying to get closer to the center.
Then he sensed a faint rustling from the nearby bushes. His sharp eyes glanced back. Behind a tree, half-hidden, stood a small figure. The face was hidden behind the trunk, but his blue clothes, with simple patterns drawn on them, were clearly visible.
The boy turned, walked to the tree he was shooting, pulled out the kunai, and tucked it back into his pockets. He walked following the way he came, then paused mid-way and spoke in his calm, thin voice
"I can see you behind that tree"
The little figure covering his eyes with his hands over a panda mask slowly lowered them and looked up. The boy walked over, curious.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
The masked child hesitated, then spoke softly "Who… who are you?"
The boy gave a small smile and said, "My name is Itachi. I came here to train. What about you? Are you lost?"
The little one nodded, his panda mask bobbing a little.
"What's your name?"
"S… Saturo" a shy reply came.
Itachi crouched down slightly, his sharp yet kind eyes meeting the saturo's "Can you show me your face?"
Saturo hesitated, then slowly removed his panda mask, revealing a soft, cute face with clear blue eyes.
Itachi smiled gently "Okay, Saturo. I'll help you get home. Come with me"
He stretched out his hand, Saturo paused for a moment, then reached out and held Itachi's small hand.
Together, they walked down the path, hand in hand. The forest trees slowly thinned, and the village roofs peeked through the branches.
On the way, Saturo tugged at Itachi's hand and asked in a small voice,"Hey… what's training?"
Itachi chuckled lightly "Training means doing something again and again to learn it well"
Saturo's eyes sparkled "Are you going to play games with that? Can you teach me too?"
Itachi shook his head with a soft laugh "It's not a game. It's something ninjas need to learn"
"Ah! Mama told me stories about ninjas! I'll become a ninja too!" Saturo said with excitement. He kept asking him questions one after another.
To anyone watching, they would seem like two ordinary children. But one was Itachi Uchiha, a rare genius of the Uchiha clan who, even at four and a half, had already begun training with kunai and mastered basic throws in just two months. The other was Gojo Saturo, only three and a half, yet with a mind sharper than most, his understanding and curiosity setting him apart.
Their voices and innocent words filled the air as they walked together, and before long, they reached the police station managed by the Uchiha clan.
As they walked down the path together, Saturo's small hand in his, Itachi saw a figure approaching from the other side. A graceful lady with deep black eyes and gentle features came near and stopped before them. Her long, dark hair framed her kind face, and she carried a soft air of calmness.
"Mother," Itachi called out.
Saturo's wide eyes stayed fixed on this beautiful woman, his round face innocent and curious. Mikoto glanced at Itachi, then looked at the little boy beside him.
"Itachi, where are you going? And who is this little one?" she asked softly.
Her gaze fell upon Saturo's adorable face, his big blue eyes staring up at her.
"He's Saturo" Itachi answered "He lost his way home. I was taking him to father to help find where he belongs."
Mikoto knelt down, bringing her face to Saturo's level "Oh my, are you lost?" she asked gently.
Hearing her tender voice, Saturo's lips trembled, and his eyes welled up with tears. He made a sad little face, on the verge of crying.
Seeing this, Mikoto's heart softened. She moved closer and gently wrapped her arms around him, lifting him up into a warm hug.
"There, there. Don't worry. We'll find your home"
In the comfort of her arms, Saturo's sadness faded, and his tears held back. The warmth of her hug reminded him of his mother's.
Just then, a figure came running from the distance, calling out in a worried voice.
"Saturo!"
It was Yuzuki Saturo's mother. Her long white hair flowed behind her, her light brown eyes wide with worry. As soon as she reached them, Saturo called out joyfully,
"Mama!"
He reached his little arms out toward her. Yuzuki quickly took him from Mikoto's embrace, holding him tightly.
"I told you to stay at home for a while," she scolded softly, though her voice was filled more with relief than anger. Saturo buried his face in her shoulder and hugged her tightly.
Yuzuki then bowed politely to Mikoto "I'm really sorry for all this trouble."
Mikoto smiled kindly and shook her head "No need at all. He's such a sweet little boy… those blue eyes, so rare and lovely."
Yuzuki chuckled softly "Thank you. I'm Yuzuki Kamishiro… we live not far from here."
"I'm Mikoto Uchiha" she introduced herself with a gentle nod "And this is my son, Itachi"
"Thank you, Itachi, for looking after my Saturo"
Itachi gave a small polite bow "It was no trouble"
Yuzuki smiled warmly "I hope you both can play together sometime"
Mikoto agreed, watching as Saturo clung to his mother "Yes — it would be nice for them to have a friend their age"
After a few more kind words, they bid each other farewell, each mother holding her child's hand as they walked back toward their homes under the shade of the village trees.