𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐘 | Kawaki Uzumaki ✓

019

"I'll punch you right through that tree if you don't give that photo back!" Sarada shouts, her eyes flaring with irritation.

"You know you love me~" Boruto teases, holding the photo high above his head so Sarada can't reach it.

I don't get why she's so worked up over some photo—seriously, it's not that deep. But watching Boruto and Sarada bicker is like watching a comedy sketch; part of me enjoys the show, but another part is just over it.

"Boruto," Sarada yells again, stretching to grab the photo, but Boruto is taller and just holds it higher.

I sigh, rolling my eyes. If I don't step in, this will go on forever. I walk over to Boruto and casually snatch the photo from his hand. He looks at me with wide eyes, surprised that I got it so easily. Considering that I'm only a few inches shorter than him, it was no big deal. Plus, with my ninja shoes, I'm practically his height.

I take a good look at the photo Sarada just retrieved from Boruto. It's a group shot of my dad, Aunt Karin, Uncle Suigetsu, and Uncle Jugo. They're all wearing matching uniforms—black cloaks with red clouds. I can't help but smile at the sight. It's like finding a hidden gem among the usual chaos.

I glance up at Sarada, who doesn't seem to recognize the significance of the uniform. It's just a picture to her, but I know it's much more than that. The Akatsuki were infamous, responsible for causing chaos and conflict in the ninja world. I know what it would mean if Sarada realized her dad was part of them at some point.

If she knew that the Akatsuki played a major role in the Fourth Great Ninja War, she might feel differently about her dad. He's her hero, her role model. If she found out he was once part of the group that killed Lord Gaara, kidnapped Killer Bee, and even blew up the Leaf Village, it might shatter her image of him.

I decide to keep the secret for now. It's not my place to reveal the dark history of the Akatsuki. But I can't resist planting a little seed of curiosity, just to see if she'll start to question things.

"Hey Sarada, do you know anything about the uniform Dad is wearing in this photo?" I ask, pointing to the distinct black cloak with red clouds.

She gives me a puzzled look. "No, why? Is it something important?"

"No reason," I say with a shrug and a small smile. "I just thought it looked interesting, you know?"

Sarada squints at me, her suspicious look forming. "Do you know what the uniform is? You seem awfully curious."

I shake my head, pretending to be clueless. "I've never seen or heard of it. Should I be concerned? It looks pretty weird, doesn't it?" I say, adding a little ominous smirk for effect.

Of course, I know about the Akatsuki and their history. I went through all the trouble to reanimate them for emergencies, but nobody knows that besides me. It took me years to perfect the jutsu, and now I have a secret weapon for when the village is in trouble. The only Akatsuki member I don't have in my collection is Hidan, who's buried somewhere in the Nara forest, guarded by a swarm of wild animals that are loyal to the Nara clan. I've had a few run-ins with them while trying to get in, but nothing serious. The trick is to be discreet.

"Sorry I'm late, my parent and I were training," Mitsuki says, appearing out of nowhere with a cheerful smile.

I can't help but give him a quick look-over. He's had quite the glow-up. I mean, seriously, why do all the guys have to get so handsome all of a sudden? It's not fair to the rest of us.

But even though Mitsuki looks good, Kawaki will always have my heart. He's mine, not anyone else's. Even though he's blunt and sometimes a bit of a jerk, he said I belong to him. No one else gets to have him, especially not that bubblegum-haired Sarada. I glance over at her, feeling a surge of jealousy. What if she tries something with Kawaki? No, I won't let that happen.