"Brother Yukika."
Konoha. The Senju Clan's estate. It was well past midnight, yet Senju Yukika continued to sweat profusely on the training field. The power struggle with the village's leadership had fully begun.
Don't let his brazen assault on two advisors fool you. Without Uzumaki Mito's protection, Sarutobi Hiruzen would have moved against him directly. Strength was everything—without it, words meant nothing.
Back in the village, the time for combat was over. Now Yukika needed to train harder than ever.
He had grown accustomed to nighttime practice.
But then…
He heard a familiar voice.
Pausing his sword swing, the young man wiped his face and walked over.
"I told you, you're still growing—no need to stay up late keeping me company," Yukika said, pinching Yugito Nii's cheek.
"Hmph, don't flatter yourself," she replied, handing him a lunchbox.
"I learned these from Mikoto this afternoon—take a bite."
Rice balls? Yukika opened the box to find two dark, coal-like orbs and frowned.
The gesture was heartfelt—Yugito feared he'd get hungry during his training. But these rice balls… would they really not cause digestive rebellion?
"Are you going to eat them or not?" Yugito asked, squinting.
To be fair, she'd spent all afternoon making them. Rejecting them now would be cruel.
With a sigh, Yugito reluctantly flipped the box open to the second tier. Beneath lay two perfectly formed rice balls, infinitely more refined than her own.
"I knew it," she said. "These are Mikoto's. She couldn't come to the Senju estate tonight—eat hers instead."
She spoke casually, but Yukika saw the hurt in her eyes.
"Everyone has strengths and weaknesses," he said, tousling her hair, "but if you give your all and enjoy the process, that's growth."
With that, he stuffed one of her coal-black rice balls into his mouth, chewed, then bit into Mikoto's rice ball—and somehow swallowed both!
A true man must do so!
He ate them!
Yugito's face lit up with joy. To her, seeing the boy she liked devour her cooking invoked a singular, inexplicable happiness.
"Go rest early—I have more training to do," Yukika said with a smile, nodding at her. He attempted to stand, but his face had turned a deep shade of purple from the effort.
"Okay." Yugito, still basking in her concealed glow of satisfaction, didn't notice anything amiss and finally turned and left.
"Ugh!"
No sooner had her figure vanished than the figure of "Yukika" doubled over and began to heave.
From a shadowed corner, a familiar presence approached.
"Good work, brother." Yukika patted his Shadow Clone's shoulder, admiration plain on his face.
Really—this was not the first time Yugito had brought him food. To ensure uninterrupted training (and avoid simultaneous punching and gastrointestinal failure), having a clone take the hit was wise.
"Not too hard… now it's your turn," the clone wheezed between heaves before dissolving into white smoke with a final poof.
Well, then.