Summer is a season of dreams.
The saying has always been that Spring is the season of beginnings, Autumn is the season of death, Winter is the season of rest - and Summer is the season of dreams.
Summer was when they had first met—
—their dreams began to sprout that day—
—only to grow into what, in the future?
“Damn that Nii-san,” A young raven-haired boy with hair that stuck out the back fumed as he strode towards his usual secret hang out—the river. Eight-year-old Uchiha Izuna was frustrated at his position as the younger brother once again. He swore about how he should have been the older sibling instead of Madara with his murmured threats falling on deaf ears as there was no one around besides the forest animals. “One day, I’m really going to throw him into the koi pond and see how he likes kissing the fish!”
It was around the time that he was just about to exit the brush in order to enter the area around the river when he heard a loud splash—
—a splash too loud to be one made by a mere fish or even a stone.
Izuna knew what the sound of a stone crashing into the water was like. In fact, he had heard it enough times to be able to distinguish what size the rock thrown was and how hard it was thrown. It came naturally when you had an older brother who could beat you in just about everything but stone-skipping, especially if the said brother was too stubborn to admit defeat and so would continue their competition until sunset even after Izuna had surrendered for the thirteenth time.
Therefore, since Izuna was capable of recognizing the sound of a stone being drowned, he knew right away that this was no ordinary occurrence. Someone is here…?
Using all the skills in stealth he could muster, Izuna carefully peeked into the river’s perimeter to get a better look at what had created the sound. Izuna's breath hitched at the sight. So—so cool…!
Past the brush and into the river stood a boy. He looked no older than Izuna with messy silver hair, a loose black tank top and gray hakama pants on as he holds a rather large katana in a battle stance. The boy sliced through the air, his sword leaving quick arcs of silver and water droplets as the mysterious silver-haired boy practically danced on the water.
Izuna wished for a better look—he wished that he could just go up and touch the empirical-looking floating bubbles before they fell back into the river. With this thought, Izuna unconsciously inched forward.
Snap!
The dark-haired boy stepped on a twig, causing an echo which announced his presence. Oh, snap! Izuna instantly began to retreat on instinct. However, he froze to observe the boy more out of curiosity. Crimson eyes that Izuna has only seen in the experienced ninja of his clan pierced through him from the silver-haired boy.
It is said that curiosity killed the cat.
The mysterious boy lowered his sword and sighed. “Whoever you are, come out.”
But, then again, it also said that “satisfaction brought it back”.
Izuna stepped out of the shadows, jumping out from the brush and into the light. The dark-haired boy nonchalantly had his hand behind his head as he sauntered over to the other boy.
The mysterious boy didn’t visibly tense but Izuna’s reflexes and sharp eyes caught the slight change in the boy’s stance.
If it wasn’t clear from the fact that the boy was balancing on the water’s surface—an effort that required quite a bit of chakra control—and that he had a katana, there was only one conclusion one could make from these facts.
