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"And one more thing," Uchiha Tsukiko said as she swallowed the last piece of chicken from her plate, a sly light flashing in her eyes, "Sister Kushina loves lively events more than anyone."
Mikoto looked at her, amused by that confident little face, and gently set down her chopsticks.
"If you really plan to bring Kushina, then tell Hokage-sama first," she said in her usual calm voice. "Her identity is special. No matter how festive the day is, safety must come first."
Tsukiko immediately thumped her chest as if accepting a sacred mission.
"Leave it to me, Aunt Mikoto. I've already thought everything through."
That answer made Mikoto smile, though she clearly knew Tsukiko's idea of "thinking everything through" usually included at least three reckless decisions and one outrageous surprise.
Still, she did not stop her.
Because lately, for the first time in a long while, the Uchiha compound had begun to feelā¦ lighter.
And Tsukiko, with all her noise, nonsense, and shameless energy, was right in the middle of that change.
---
Over the next several days, the Uchiha Spring Festival slowly transformed the entire clan district.
The roads were swept clean until even the stone paths looked brighter than usual. Lanterns with the Uchiha fan crest were hung neatly along the streets, swaying in the evening breeze. Temporary stalls were built one by one, filling the once-stiff clan compound with the smell of grilled meat, sweet syrup, roasted chestnuts, and fresh dumplings.
Children ran around laughing.
Women discussed decorations and food.
Men who normally wore heavy expressions actually stopped to talk.
And Tsukiko?
Tsukiko had somehow inserted herself into the middle of everything.
Officially, she was helping the preparation committee.
In reality, she was walking around like a tiny tyrant with an armband that said Festival Staff, a folded fan in one hand, and the confidence of someone who believed she alone understood beauty, order, and dramatic effect.
"Hey, that lantern is crooked!" she shouted at one group of clan members. "Move it a little to the left. No, not your left, my left. Yes. Good. We're holding a festival, not decorating a prison corridor!"
A few streets later, she was at a food stall, pointing at a row of takoyaki with deep disappointment.
"Why are these balls harder than shuriken? Lower the fire. Slow roast them. I want golden, fluffy, and delicious, not something that can be used to assassinate a chunin."
Then she turned around and saw a group of boys climbing on the festival stage.
"You lot! Get down from there! If that stage collapses before tonight, I'll personally hang all of you from the gate like New Year ornaments!"
The boys scattered immediately.
Watching them flee, Tsukiko nodded with satisfaction and flicked open her fan.
This was the life.
No Root.
No Danzo.
No gloomy politics.
Just food, lights, excitement, and beautiful women who would surely dress up for the evening.
Of course, deep down, she also knew this festival mattered for more than fun.
If this night went well, then the Uchiha clan would not just be celebrating a holiday.
They would be showing the village another face.
A warmer face.
A livelier face.
A human face.
And if Kushina and Minato appeared openly in the middle of it all, then the meaning would become even greater.
Tsukiko could already imagine certain old men grinding their teeth in private.
That thought alone filled her with joy.
---
At last, the evening of the festival arrived.
As the sun disappeared and the sky turned deep blue, the entire Uchiha compound came alive.
Lanterns lit up one by one, bathing the district in warm red and gold light.
The streets were packed.
Stall owners called out to customers.
Children ran past holding sweets and paper toys.
Laughter and music filled the air.
And standing near the entrance, waiting impatiently, was Tsukiko herself.
She had dressed for the occasion.
Her kimono was short and lively, colored in red and white with a wide black sash around her waist. Her hair had been tied into two neat buns, making her look playful, bright, and just mischievous enough to be dangerous.
She stood on her wooden sandals, stretching her neck to look toward the village road.
"Why aren't they here yet?" she muttered. "Don't tell me some old fossil stopped them to ask ten useless questions."
Just as she said that, she heard a familiar laugh.
"Sorry! Sorry! We're late!"
Minato Namikaze appeared first, smiling helplessly as always. He wore lighter casual clothes than his formal robes, but he still kept the Hokage hat on his head, making it clear that this visit was both personal and official.
And beside himā
Tsukiko forgot how to blink for a moment.
Kushina had arrived.
She was wearing a brilliant red furisode decorated with golden whirlpool patterns. Her long crimson hair had been pinned up loosely with a beautiful ornament, though several soft strands still framed her face. With just a touch of makeup and that bold, radiant smile of hers, she looked breathtaking.
Tsukiko's eyes instantly lit up.
"Sister! You're too beautiful!"
She rushed forward, ignoring Minato completely, and latched onto Kushina's arm like an overexcited little fangirl.
Kushina laughed proudly and spun once on the spot, letting her sleeves spread like wings.
"Of course I am. I had this made specially for tonight. How do I look? Did I embarrass our Tsukiko?"
"Embarrass me?" Tsukiko nearly shouted. "You're so stunning tonight the whole Uchiha district is about to lose its mind!"
Kushina burst into laughter, clearly pleased.
Minato watched the scene, already resigned to the fact that he had once again become the least important person in the group.
"Come on, come on!" Tsukiko said, tugging Kushina eagerly. "Aunt Mikoto is already inside. There are food stalls, games, and later there'll be fireworks. Tonight is going to be amazing."
Minato could only follow behind them, carrying the snacks Kushina had somehow already bought before even entering the festival.
---
The moment they passed through the main gate, the atmosphere shifted.
People noticed them immediately.
Not just because the Hokage had arrived.
Not just because Kushina was beautiful enough to turn heads.
But because the sight itself was surprising.
The Hokage and his wife, walking openly into the Uchiha district.
No tension.
No cold stares.
No obvious rejection.
Instead, murmurs spread through the crowd.
"Is that Kushina-sama?"
"She's even prettier up closeā¦"
"Hokage-sama actually came."
"I heard Tsukiko was the one who arranged this."
"Maybe relations really are changingā¦"
Tsukiko listened to all of it and smiled wider.
This was exactly what she wanted.
She leaned toward Kushina and whispered, "See? I told you the Uchiha aren't as scary as people make them sound. Someone just has to walk through the door first."
Kushina, already distracted by three different food stalls at once, nodded quickly.
"It's much more fun than I expected! Oh! I want to try that goldfish scooping game!"
"Done!" Tsukiko declared grandly. "This way, Sister!"
She led Kushina through the crowd like a proud tour guide.
Not far away, standing near the side of the main square, Mikoto watched with a quiet smile. She wore a graceful light purple kimono that suited her perfectly, soft and elegant without trying too hard. Beside her stood Itachi, holding a bag of cotton candy and observing the scene with those calm, serious eyes of his.
Mikoto sighed softly.
"She really did it."
Itachi followed Tsukiko's figure through the crowd, watching how naturally she laughed, shouted, and pulled everyone around her into motion.
"Yes," he said quietly. "Sister Tsukiko really isā¦ amazing."
Before Mikoto could answer, Tsukiko's voice shot across the festival grounds.
"Itachi! Get over here! Kushina-sama says this game is impossible. She wants you to use the Sharingan to save her dignity!"
Itachi froze.
Mikoto covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
A few moments later, Itachi approached the goldfish stall with the expression of someone who had already accepted the collapse of his personal honor.
"Sister Tsukiko," he said under his breath, "the Sharingan isn't supposed to be used for this."
Tsukiko gave him an innocent look.
"Why not? Precision is precision."
Kushina leaned forward over the water basin, eyes shining.
"Hurry! That red one! No, the black one! No, both!"
Surrounded by children already staring at him in awe, Itachi reluctantly activated his Sharingan.
Two tomoe spun in his eyes.
The crowd gasped.
The stall owner nearly dropped his scooping net.
Using the Uchiha clan's dÅjutsu for a festival game was so ridiculous that nobody even knew how to react.
With a smooth, exact movement, Itachi dipped the fragile paper scoop into the water and lifted out a red goldfish with unbelievable ease.
Kushina cheered loudly.
"Itachi, you're incredible!"
She slapped his shoulder with enough enthusiasm to make Minato wince in sympathy.
"Again! I want that black one too!"
Though Itachi still wore his usual calm face, the slight upward curve at the corner of his mouth gave him away.
He didn't hate this nearly as much as he pretended.
Within minutes, Minato was somehow holding three separate bags of goldfish while the stall owner stood there looking like his soul had left his body.
Tsukiko finally took pity on the man.
"That's enough, Sister. If we keep going, he'll shut the stall down and run away."
Kushina laughed and stepped back.
Just then, Mikoto arrived carrying two skewers of grilled squid. She handed one to Tsukiko, who took a huge bite immediately and sighed in satisfaction.
"Aunt Mikoto," Tsukiko said while chewing, "you look so beautiful tonight that half the men over there forgot how to breathe."
Mikoto gave her a gentle, reproachful glance.
"You always say such shameless things."
But she was smiling.
At that moment, another voice called out brightly.
"Itachi-kun! So this is where you are!"
A girl in a pink yukata decorated with cherry blossoms hurried over, carrying a small lantern.
It was Uchiha Izumi.
The moment she saw Itachi holding a goldfish scoop, her eyes widened, and then she giggled.
"Itachi-kunā¦ I didn't know you played games like this."
Itachi immediately deactivated his Sharingan and stood up so quickly it almost looked suspicious.
"I was only helping Kushina-sama," he said stiffly.
Tsukiko's eyes sparkled with wicked delight.
Without hesitation, she grabbed Izumi by the shoulders and nudged her closer.
"Perfect timing! Itachi was just saying he wanted someone to go with him to the shooting stall. Since you're here, the problem is solved."
Izumi looked surprised.
"Really?"
Itachi looked at Tsukiko with a long, suffering stare.
But under Izumi's hopeful expression, he had no escape.
"ā¦Yes," he said at last. "Let's go."
Tsukiko watched them leave and let out a deep, satisfied sigh.
"Ahā¦ youth."
Kushina pinched her cheek at once.
"You're seven. Stop sounding like an old woman."
But Tsukiko barely reacted, because she had already spotted her next target.
A dart stall.
And hanging above it, as the grand prize, was a huge orange-red plush shaped like a fluffy Nine-Tailed Fox.
It was round.
Ridiculously cute.
And absolutely nothing like the terrifying beast it represented.
Kushina saw it too.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Minato! Look! Look at that!"
She rushed toward the stall like a child finding treasure.
"It's so cute! I want it!"
Minato, who was still carrying goldfish and other random festival spoils, didn't even have time to answer before Tsukiko stepped in front of him like a heroic warrior.
"Brother Minato, please rest. This battle is mine."
She slapped money down onto the counter.
"Boss! Ten darts. I'm taking the fox home."
The stall owner, a broad-shouldered Uchiha man, grinned when he recognized her.
"Well, if it isn't our clan genius. Go ahead. But let me warn you, that grand prize needs perfect hits on the moving center target."
Tsukiko took a dart and rolled it between her fingers.
She had known about this stall for days.
In fact, she had quietly helped arrange for that plush to be placed there in the first place.
Because from the moment she heard there would be a prize booth, she had already decided Kushina needed that fox.
"Watch carefully, Sister," Tsukiko said, glancing back with a grin. "This is your Spring Festival gift."
She took aim.
The target shifted.
Several moving wooden obstacles swung in front of it.
Then Tsukiko threw.
Three darts flew out almost together, curving in impossible arcs before landing with crisp, precise sounds directly into the tiny moving center.
The crowd burst into applause.
Kushina's eyes shone.
The stall owner stared in shock.
But Tsukiko wasn't done.
She took the remaining seven darts all at once.
Even Minato blinked at that.
Then she threw again.
The darts clashed lightly in the air, changed angle, and then shot forward one after another like sparks of steelāevery single one striking the moving center target.
Ten throws. Ten perfect hits.
For one second, the entire stall went silent.
Then the applause exploded even louder than before.
The owner let out a helpless laugh.
"That's outrageous. Fine, fine. A promise is a promise."
He handed over the giant fox plush.
Tsukiko nearly disappeared behind it from sheer size, but she still held it up triumphantly toward Kushina.
"Sister! Here!"
Kushina hugged it at once, rubbing her cheek against the soft fabric with pure delight.
"It's adorable! Tsukiko, you're the best!"
Then, with no warning, she pulled Tsukiko into a one-armed hug while still clutching the plushie.
Tsukiko was nearly squeezed flat.
And loved every second of it.
Mikoto, watching from the side, smiled softly.
"That really is lovely."
Tsukiko instantly turned toward her.
"Boss! The second prize too! The points should be enough, right?"
The owner laughed and handed over the second prizeāa long bolster pillow decorated with an elegant black cat pattern.
Tsukiko accepted it with satisfaction and immediately passed it to Mikoto.
"This one is for you, Aunt Mikoto. It's perfect for resting. Think of it as me staying with you in pillow form."
Mikoto looked down at the gift, then at Tsukiko, and reached out to smooth her bangs gently.
"You really do put your whole heart into these things."
---
Then someone shouted from the square.
"The fireworks are about to begin!"
A sharp whistle pierced the night sky.
An instant later, the first firework exploded overhead in a bloom of gold, showering light across the entire Uchiha district.
Then another followed.
Then another.
Red, blue, purple, silver.
The sky became a sea of light.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Tsukiko moved toward the river railing where the view was clearer and looked up as the colors reflected in her eyes.
Beside her, Kushina stood hugging the big fox plush with one arm while holding Minato's sleeve with the other. Her face glowed with happiness.
Mikoto stood nearby, holding the black cat bolster and watching the fireworks with quiet warmth.
Somewhere off to the side, Itachi and Izumi had reappeared, standing a little apart from the crowd in that awkward, innocent way only children with first crushes could manage.
For a moment, Tsukiko felt something in her chest loosen.
This.
This was what mattered.
Not schemes in the dark.
Not whispered hatred.
Not blood on stone floors.
This warmth. This noise. This peace.
In a world full of death and suspicion, a night like this almost felt impossible.
Kushina suddenly pointed up at the sky.
"Tsukiko! That one looks like a narutomaki!"
Tsukiko laughed at once.
"It does! If Sister says it does, then it absolutely does!"
Kushina nodded with complete confidence, as if that settled the matter.
Then, right in the middle of this perfect moment, that hateful mechanical voice spoke inside Tsukiko's mind.
[Ding! The Host's current emotional state is extremely joyful. Special event conditions fulfilled.]
Tsukiko nearly twitched.
[Hidden achievement completed: Beauty's Fireworks Festival.]
[Reward obtained: Slight increase in chakra control.]
[Additional special item acquired: Truth or Dare Candy ā Prank Version.]
Tsukiko's expression went blank.
A what?
The system continued mercilessly.
[Item effect: Anyone who eats the candy must answer a truth honestly or complete a dare within one hour. Failure will result in barking like a dog three times in public.]
Tsukiko stared at the fireworks with the face of someone trying very hard not to scream.
"What kind of cursed nonsense is this?" she muttered inwardly.
But thenā¦
A wicked idea appeared.
A truly terrible idea.
And the corners of her mouth slowly began to rise.
If that candy somehow found its way into Danzo's teaā¦
Or into the hands of certain self-important old menā¦
The possibilities were endless.
Beautiful, humiliating possibilities.
"Tsukiko?"
Mikoto's voice broke her out of her thoughts.
"Why are you smiling like that?"
Tsukiko snapped back at once and forced on the most innocent expression she could manage.
"Ah? No reason! I just think the fireworks are really beautiful!"
Then she pointed upward at random.
"Aunt Mikoto, look! That purple one looks like the Uchiha fan crest!"
Mikoto followed her finger, though her eyes remained faintly suspicious.
Minato, meanwhile, stepped closer and looked over the crowd, the lights, the smiling clan members, and finally Tsukiko herself.
"Tsukiko," he said gently, "thank you."
She blinked and looked up at him.
"Kushina hasn't smiled like this in a while," Minato continued. "Tonight meant a lot."
For once, Tsukiko did not answer with a joke.
She simply looked around at the scene.
At Kushina laughing under the fireworks.
At Mikoto standing in peace.
At Itachi, calmer now than he had been in days.
At the Uchiha district, glowing with life instead of suspicion.
Then she smiled, softer than usual.
This festival was more than a celebration.
It was proof that something really could change.
And somehow, without meaning to, she had become the thread tying those changes together.
A troublesome little thread.
A noisy, shameless, impossible thread.
But a thread all the same.
Above them, another firework burst across the sky, bright enough to turn night into day.
And beneath that light, Uchiha Tsukiko silently promised herself one thingā
She would protect this warmth.
No matter what it took.
No matter who she had to burn to do it.