Seito Tea House. True to its name, it was a place that stood out even in the lively streets of Miki-Tei—a teahouse and tavern that carried a rare air of elegance and serenity.
After escorting Red home, Tsunade insisted on taking Uchiha Ran out for a drink, and the quiet ambiance of Seito Tea House seemed the perfect choice. But as they stepped inside, neither expected the familiar figure waiting for them.
"Misato-senpai? What are you doing here?"
"Misato… why are you drinking alone?"
Ran's sharp eyes caught Uchiha Mikoto sitting on the second floor, her gaze lingering over a lone figure across the street. Misty emotions clouded her eyes, and when she heard a familiar voice, she looked up—only to see Ran and Tsunade approaching.
"Ran-kun… and Tsunade-sama?" Mikoto's voice carried the slightest quiver, soft and gentle like a small cat's nuzzle against the heart.
"Mikoto-senpai… are you okay?" Ran asked carefully, sensing that her usually calm and composed demeanor was fractured tonight. Even Itachi wasn't with her; she had left their child in the care of the clan. Something had clearly gone wrong to leave her drinking alone like this.
Ran glanced across the street, taking in the establishment called Taki-Hime Private Inn, a well-known place catering exclusively to men seeking high-end, private entertainment. He scanned the figures inside, and suddenly recognized one familiar posture.
"Wait… isn't that the Third Hokage?" Tsunade murmured, eyes narrowing. The old man must be in his fifties by now, and yet… here he was, in a place like this. Tsunade never would have imagined Hiruzen-sensei still had a taste for indulgence.
"Mikoto-senpai… is this… about Fugaku-sama?" Ran asked, his gaze sharpening as he recognized the figure beside Hiruzen.
"Fugaku… he… he…" Mikoto's voice faltered, tinged with sadness.
"Senpai, sometimes men have unavoidable duties of social etiquette," Ran said, choosing to give Fugaku the benefit of the doubt. "Perhaps he's only here out of obligation… for the clan and the village."
Mikoto shook her head, her eyes glossy. "Ran… don't comfort me. I already know… if it were truly just a matter of duty, I wouldn't be this hurt. But Fugaku… he's crossed the line. He has the authority to take more wives as clan leader, and I wouldn't stop him—but my heart… my heart is for Itachi. And yet… he…"
Ran and Tsunade exchanged glances. Listening to Mikoto, it felt almost scandalous—as if they were peeking at the hidden secrets of the Uchiha clan patriarch himself.
"So… Fugaku-sama went further than expected?" Ran asked, surprised that the head of the Uchiha clan could be so careless. For news like this to reach Mikoto, who had been away from active ninja life for years, meant Fugaku had let his guard down. Ran thought: If he's truly wronged Mikoto-senpai, I won't hesitate to help her.
"What… what did Fugaku-sama do? Mikoto-senpai, don't be sad—we're here with you," Ran said, pouring a drink as Tsunade moved beside them, ready to share the weight of her sorrow.
As Mikoto recounted the story, the reason for her heartbreak became clear: Fugaku had gone too far.
As the Uchiha clan's matriarch, Mikoto hadn't demanded exclusivity from her husband. In the ninja world, taking multiple wives for the sake of family succession was generally acceptable. But there was a line—and Fugaku had crossed it.
Not only had he been sneaking around, he had secretly met with a woman named Sarutobi Dandelion, a relative of the Sarutobi clan. For her, Fugaku had diverted funds from the security division—and his behavior had become increasingly reckless. He even lost his temper at home, in front of infant Itachi, and subtly questioned Mikoto about her intentions to return to her father's house.
"Lost his temper… over what?" Ran asked, curious. Fugaku was usually a man whose word was law, and Mikoto-senpai was a devoted wife. Conflict seemed improbable.
"Recently, he's been moving large sums from the security and Uchiha family funds," Mikoto explained. "I told him not to handle it secretly for personal reasons, and he… lost his temper."
Ran and Tsunade hadn't known the woman named Sarutobi Dandelion, but from Mikoto's account, she was a young, striking twenty-year-old of noble heritage. Ran scanned the surrounding chakra, detecting a few signatures inside the room. His Zanpakutō, Fushō Ru Mō, could sense only three of them. He cursed inwardly at the weapon's limitations—wishing it could merge with his own power, like Aizen's, though he hadn't yet mastered its full potential.
At that moment, his Mangekyō Sharingan stirred, forming a subtle link between himself and the Zanpakutō.
"Unbelievable… as expected of the Kinjutsu Orb," Ran muttered. "First, I'll need to evolve to the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan… that's the real path."
"Mikoto-senpai, I can find out Fugaku-sama's true intentions—but it will take some time," Ran said. "Tomorrow morning is the Third Hokage's award ceremony and departure assembly. As a recipient, I'll be speaking there, and I can use a large-scale genjutsu during the event to subtly gauge the thoughts of Hiruzen-sensei, the elders, and Fugaku-sama. By the time I return, we'll know the truth."
"Can a genjutsu affect Kage-level shinobi?" Mikoto and Tsunade asked in unison, curiosity and awe in their voices.
Ran only smiled faintly, keeping his full abilities secret. "It's one of the Mangekyō Sharingan's techniques… with a very long cooldown."
"The Mangekyō Sharingan… you, Ran?" Mikoto gasped, eyes widening with concern. She understood the risks of activating it.
"It was Tsunade-sama," Ran admitted quietly. "Seeing her engulfed by Amaterasu ignited my Mangekyō… Mikoto-senpai, in my heart, Red, you, and Tsunade-sama are the people I care for most."
"M-Ran… you…?!" Both Mikoto and Tsunade felt their eyes glisten, the depth of Ran's sincerity striking them profoundly. Especially Tsunade—her gaze practically melted.
Ran caught himself smiling faintly. After comforting Mikoto-senpai, it seemed tonight with Tsunade would be another long, sleepless evening…