~Secrets I have held in my heart~

In the academy classroom, students were engaged in discussions within their usual groups. Now that six months had passed, most of them had found their circles and stuck close with those they connected with the most. Only a few exceptions, like Itachi, remained alone, though even he wasn't completely spared from the enthusiasm of the girls, who would constantly surround him to try and strike up a conversation.

They had attempted the same with Ren at first, but he had politely asked them not to disturb him. Fortunately, none of the girls were particularly obsessed with him, so they eventually gave up and focused all their attention on Itachi instead. As a result, Ren was spared from the jealousy and resentment of the other boys, who secretly wished the girls would pay attention to them instead.

Like always, Utakata entered the classroom at the exact time, his expression as neutral as ever. Without wasting a single second, he began the lesson, moving through the subjects efficiently and precisely. The day passed just like any other academy day, and although the students remained focused, many of them had one lingering thought—would they be receiving any rewards today?

For those who knew they had performed poorly, there was a sense of unease, but when nothing was announced throughout the lessons, some of them felt mild relief, thinking they had escaped punishment.

When the final class ended, Utakata finally addressed them. His voice, as always, was calm and direct.

"I will be in the staff room. Form a line and enter one by one."

Without saying anything further, he flickered out of the room, leaving the students to quickly organize themselves.

As Ren was second to last in line, he had plenty of time to observe the reactions of his classmates as they exited the staff room. Some emerged beaming with joy, clearly pleased with their rewards, while others looked disappointed, angry, or even frustrated, likely having not received what they wanted. A few students who had worried about punishments looked relieved, realizing their fears were unfounded.

When Eiji finally came out, he was grinning ear to ear, looking extremely pleased with himself.

Ren, curious, asked, "How much did you get?"

Eiji's grin widened, and he said proudly, "He said 15, but I haggled for 20."

Ren couldn't help but nod slightly. Eiji's ability to bargain was impressive. Considering that a normal academy student received around 2000 ryo per month as a village subsidy, getting 20,000 ryo in one go was practically an entire year's allowance in a single day.

"Good for you," Ren replied casually. Money didn't really concern him his father was already taking care of those matters for now.

Finally, it was Ren's turn. Entering the staff room, he saw Utakata seated behind a desk, a clipper and a stack of documents in front of him.

The jonin glanced up as Ren entered and, without any preamble, asked in his usual neutral tone, "You have the option to select your reward, but be reasonable."

Ren nodded and stepped forward, placing a rolled-up scroll on the desk. "I want this weapon," he said.

Utakata picked up the scroll and unrolled it, his sharp eyes scanning the details. He studied the design carefully, then gave a small nod.

"I estimate it will take about a week, maybe less. I will inform you when it's ready."

Ren nodded in understanding. Just as he was about to leave, he remembered his father's message.

"My father asked me to tell you that he wants to meet you after you receive the scroll," he added.

Utakata's expression didn't change, but his eyes lingered on Ren for a moment before he finally nodded.

"Alright. You may go."

Ren gave a short bow and exited the room, heading off to begin his evening training.

{LOCATION- ICHIRAKU RAMEN}

Night had fallen over Konoha, but the village was alive with activity. The streets were bustling with people shopping, vendors calling out their wares, and families enjoying the cool evening air.

At Ichiraku Ramen, the soft glow of lanterns illuminated the humble stand. The fabric curtains at the entrance parted as a one-armed man stepped inside, a bottle of sake in his hand. His eyes scanned the small space until they landed on a black-haired man with a ponytail sitting at the counter. With a casual saunter, he made his way over and took the seat beside him.

"It's been a while," Juichi said, opening the bottle of sake with practiced ease.

"Indeed, it has," Utakata replied evenly.

Just then, Teuchi emerged from behind the counter, a knowing smile forming on his face as he took in the sight before him.

"I don't remember the last time I saw you two together," he mused, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "It's nice to see you both."

Juichi lifted his cup in a small salute. "Good to see you too, Teuchi-san." Utakata merely nodded in acknowledgment.

"I'll get your order," Teuchi said, disappearing into the kitchen to prepare their usual.

Juichi wasted no time, pouring himself a cup and downing it in one go. By the time their ramen arrived, he was already on his third glass.

"You shouldn't drink so much," Utakata remarked, picking up his chopsticks and breaking them apart.

Juichi waved him off with a lazy flick of his wrist. "Ah, I don't get many chances to drink like this anymore. I've got a kid to care for."

Utakata took a sip of his broth before replying. "He's good, your kid."

Juichi smirked, pride evident in his expression. "Of course he is. After all, he's my son."

Utakata, however, simply shook his head. "The boy is an exact copy of Sayaka (Ren's Mother), but his talent is like 'his'." He paused meaningfully before continuing, "I doubt anyone would believe he's yours."

Juichi, caught mid-drink, choked on his sake and coughed violently, pointing a shaky finger at Utakata.

"You—" cough "you—"

"Stop making a scene and eat your food," Utakata cut in, eyeing him with mild disdain.

Juichi grumbled under his breath but eventually turned his attention to his ramen, glaring at Utakata as he ate.

After a few moments of silence, Utakata spoke again. "You wanted to see me? About the weapon?"

Juichi nodded. "Take it to the old man. Tell him to make it good as compensation for not letting me see 'the boy'." His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of bitterness beneath the words.

Utakata regarded him carefully. "Didn't let you meet 'him' either, did he?"

Juichi snorted, his irritation clear. "It was that one-eyed bastard who refused, and the old man allowed it."

Utakata didn't seem surprised. He simply nodded, as if he had already expected this outcome.

As they finished their meal, Juichi stood up first, tossing a few coins onto the counter.

Just as he was about to leave, Utakata spoke again.

"Any idea where Sensei is?"

Juichi paused for a moment before answering.

"Out chasing the traitorous snake."

With that, he pushed aside the curtains and disappeared into the night, leaving Utakata alone at the counter, deep in thought.

(LOCATION- HOKAGE OFFICE)

Even though it was late at night, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was still working, his desk cluttered with scrolls and documents. The dim glow of the lantern cast long shadows in the office as his brush moved rhythmically across the paper. A knock at the door broke the silence, but without pausing or looking up, Hiruzen simply said, "Enter."

Utakata Ito stepped inside, closing the door behind him before walking up to the desk. He stood silently, waiting for permission to speak.

Several moments passed before Hiruzen finished signing the document in front of him, setting his brush aside with a quiet sigh. Looking up, he acknowledged the jonin before him with a nod. "You're here."

Utakata nodded back.

"Have you documented the students' choices?" Hiruzen asked.

Without a word, Utakata handed him a scroll containing the records of the rewards distributed and the choices made by the top-performing students.

Hiruzen unrolled the scroll and scanned through it, his expression unreadable. There were no particular reactions as he read, his eyes calmly absorbing the details.

"Good," he finally said, rolling it back up. "Handle it as you see fit."

Utakata nodded and reached into his vest, pulling out another scroll and placing it on the desk.

"Design for Ren Takahashi's weapon of choice," he stated.

Hiruzen took the scroll and unfurled it, studying the intricate design carefully. The weapon was well thought-out functional, adaptable, and clearly designed to complement Ren's fighting style. His eyes lingered on the details for a moment before Utakata spoke again.

"Juichi said the weapon should be made well… as compensation for not letting him see 'the boy'."

At these words, Hiruzen exhaled a quiet, weary sigh. He slowly closed the scroll and placed it in one of the drawers of his desk, locking it with a soft click.

"You were always the rational one out of the three," he said, looking at Utakata with measured eyes. "So you must understand why I'm doing this."

Utakata nodded slightly, his face betraying nothing. "I know. He knows it too. He just doesn't like it… and I don't think Sensei would like it either."

Hiruzen's grip tightened slightly on his pipe as he took a slow drag, exhaling a thin stream of smoke into the air.

"I wish I could do something," he admitted, his gaze drifting to the window overlooking the village. "But sometimes, even the greatest have no choice but to take a step back."

Silence settled over the room as the two men stood there, each lost in their own thoughts, the quiet hum of Konoha's night serving as the only witness to their conversation.

{A/N:- I think most of you might have guessed Utakata and Juichi's identity by now but stick around if you hadn't.}

{I have made a KO-FI account can someone check if it works *cough* Gib Moneh *Cough* https : / / ko - fi . com / zeenon (Ignore the spaces)}