Even though it was already late at night, the streets of Konoha were still bustling with celebrating villagers. The streets were adorned with colorful decorations, and even visitors from other villages joined in the festivities.
For the Uchiha, who were tasked with maintaining order in the village, there was no time to rest. Fugaku, as clan head, kept his speeches short during clan meetings to avoid delaying their duties.
The Uchiha Police Force bore the responsibility of ensuring peace during the celebrations. Any disorder would inevitably fall on their shoulders.
As a member of the Uchiha, Mikoto was no exception. She was still working late into the night, despite her husband, Takuya, having repeatedly encouraged her to resign and take it easy. However, Mikoto always refused, and after several attempts, Takuya had stopped trying to persuade her.
"Lady Mikoto, the clan head has asked you to go to the office. He has something to discuss."
"All right, I'll head there right away."
Mikoto smiled politely at the messenger, tidied up her desk, and made her way to the Police Force headquarters.
The Police Force was managed entirely by the Uchiha, and the clan head always served as its leader. Familiar with the layout, Mikoto soon arrived at Fugaku's office. She knocked lightly on the door and waited.
Hearing the reply, she opened the door and stepped inside.
"Clan Head, you called for me this late? Oh..."
Mikoto trailed off as she noticed two small figures standing quietly in the office—Itachi and Shisui. Her lips curled into a smile.
"So, Itachi and Shisui are here too? Still not asleep?"
We'd like to sleep, but we don't dare.
Sharing a glance, Itachi and Shisui exchanged helpless looks before bowing politely. "Good evening, ma'am."
Something was definitely off. Mikoto's sharp eyes scanned the office, noting the piles of neatly wrapped gift boxes. Her curiosity grew as she asked, "Clan Head, what's all this about?"
Sitting behind his desk, Fugaku rose to his feet. "Just some small tokens. Please, have a seat and make yourself comfortable."
He gestured for the two boys to fetch chairs. Taking the hint, Itachi and Shisui scrambled to drag chairs that were nearly as tall as themselves.
"Please sit down, ma'am."
Mikoto, utterly confused, seated herself. Fugaku, not one for unnecessary politeness, had never behaved before. The presence of the young prodigies, the gift boxes, and the late-night summons all pointed toward something unusual.
Her instincts told her this wasn't about official business but rather something personal.
Is he trying to find a teacher for these two?
Mikoto knew about Fugaku's intentions; even Takuya had mentioned them before. However, she also knew Takuya was unlikely to take on disciples, no matter who approached him—not even if she asked.
Once Mikoto sat down, Fugaku also took his seat, motioning for the two boys to stand in attention. He then addressed Mikoto directly.
"Mikoto, the reason I asked you here tonight isn't about work. It's a personal matter."
Itachi and Shisui were at the perfect age to begin advanced training, and the clan had been debating who should mentor them. Fugaku had once considered teaching them himself but later shifted his hopes to Takuya, only to be repeatedly turned down.
Mikoto sighed inwardly. She didn't want Takuya to be put in an awkward position because of her.
"If this is about asking Takuya to mentor them, I'm afraid it's unlikely—"
Fugaku's face remained stoic as he interrupted her. "I asked them to prepare gifts because I want you to take them on as your students."
Mikoto blinked in disbelief. Fugaku elaborated, "Itachi and Shisui have reached the age where they need proper guidance. You're fully aware of their talents—they're in no way inferior to Kakashi of the Hatake clan. I believe you're the best person to mentor them."
Then, to Mikoto's shock, Fugaku stood and gave her a deep bow.
Equally stunned, Itachi and Shisui quickly followed suit, bowing deeply. "Please, ma'am."
By the time Mikoto stepped out of the office with two new disciples trailing behind her, she was still dazed. She couldn't quite process how she had ended up agreeing to this. Fugaku had given her every possible out and shown her the utmost respect. Faced with such sincerity, Mikoto found it impossible to refuse.
As a fellow Uchiha, she genuinely wanted to see Itachi and Shisui thrive under the best mentorship possible. But now, she faced a new dilemma.
How am I supposed to teach these two...?
She stopped in her tracks, turning to the boys. "Go home and get some rest for now. I'll need some time to think about your training plan."
The boys nodded obediently and headed home. Mikoto, meanwhile, returned to her own office, sitting down heavily in her chair.
Even as a seasoned Jōnin, she felt unprepared. Teaching wasn't her forte, and her current workload left her with little spare time. But the decision was already made—she couldn't just abandon her disciples now.
It was late at night by the time Mikoto finally returned home. Her mother, who had been waiting for her, immediately brought out freshly prepared food.
"You must be exhausted. Wash up and eat something," her mother urged.
Mikoto wandered off to wash her hands, her mind still elsewhere.
Her mother noticed something was off. "Did you and Takuya have a fight?"
"Then why do you look so distracted? You're scaring me. Hurry up and eat something. Work is important, but so is your health."
"...Mom, I took on two disciples."
"That's wonderful—wait, what?! You took on disciples?"
"It's Itachi and Shisui. The clan head insisted. I couldn't refuse, so I agreed."
Her mother was floored. "You're taking on students? When will you find the time? Do you even know how to mentor someone?"
"What else can I do? They've already started calling me 'sensei.'"
"That's your problem to figure out."
Her mother quickly excused herself, unwilling to meddle further. It wasn't that she doubted Mikoto's abilities, but knowing how busy her daughter was, she couldn't imagine how Mikoto would manage the added responsibility.
And then there was the issue of teaching itself—Mikoto had no prior experience as a mentor.
Seriously, how did this happen?
Shaking her head, Mikoto resigned herself to the task ahead. For better or worse, she was now Itachi and Shisui's sensei, and there was no turning back.
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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read up to 50+ Chapter at com/ Emik01.
DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING