Fleeing from Konoha-Chapter 619 - 92: Building Blocks and Preparation

The days of June, the weather gradually turned hot and dry.

Although it wasn't as scorching as July or August, the warming air was enough to sap one's energy, especially for Ayane, who was carrying a child—she became even more lethargic than usual.

"Asuka, do you think the baby in Aunt Ayane's belly is a little brother or a little sister?"

Seated on the living room sofa, Ayane, playing hanafuda with Asuka, smiled kindly and asked him.

Asuka was flipping through the brightly colored cards, and at Ayane's words, he looked up and answered without a second thought, "I think it's a little brother."

"Why do you think it's a little brother? It could just as well be another little sister."

Ayane asked, feeling amused.

"Because I want a little brother. I already have Ichihime as a little sister."

Asuka answered innocently.

Simply because he already had a little sister, he wanted a little brother—such a simple, easy-to-understand thought.

Although Asuka had the Uchiha surname, his personality was so different from most of the Uchiha Clan; he wasn't weighed down by that heavy gloom, nor did he take after his parents at all.

Still, Ayane liked Asuka's temperament very much. He always showed his truest self, without any thoughtless schemes or ulterior motives.

So, Ayane hoped that the child she was carrying could grow up to be a good kid like Asuka.

Her own childhood hadn't been a happy one—she hadn't even had basic freedom, always hemmed in by the clan's rules.

When she was little, all she'd wished for was to break the chain wrapped around her neck. So, she didn't want her own child to end up that way; she hoped her child could have the right to choose a better life, rather than be caged in by endless rules and expectations.

Not being bound by convention—that was her wish for them.

She got pregnant in March. The due date would likely be December this year, or maybe January next year.

The last few years had been so busy, she'd ignored this matter.

Now the Great Ninja War had ended, and Uchiha Madara—everyone's thorn in the eye—had also been dealt with successfully. Although another, possibly even more troublesome enemy had been created, at least for now life in the Land of Demons had settled down.

Still, she probably wouldn't be able to get involved in the Hidden Mist Village business anymore.

Even so, Ayane didn't think it was a big deal; plans for the Hidden Mist were already laid out. Even without her, Hakushi and Ruri were more than capable of helping Yagura seize the Fourth Mizukage's seat, so the Land of Demons could win over a powerful ally.

Although Hidden Mist's power would take a hit after the coup, given the size of the Hidden Mist Village, they'd recover in just a few years.

The strength of the Five Great Nations was fundamentally different from the smaller ninja villages.

They had a foundation of countless fine ninja, a deep well that little ninja villages simply couldn't match.

As for her own life now, aside from some simple yearly physical training, she mostly spent her time looking after Asuka and Ichihime, that pair of siblings.

Since Ruri often went off to train, and Hakushi was busy with work or research, the job of watching the children naturally fell to her.

But most of the time, Ayane only needed to look after Asuka—it was an easy job.

Ichihime hardly ever needed any looking after; she was far more sensible and clever than Asuka.

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"Ichihime, why will Aunt Ayane's baby be our little brother or little sister? Aunt Ayane isn't even our mom."

Playing with building blocks in the spacious toy room, Asuka suddenly remembered something and asked his sister Ichihime, who was nearby.

Ayane, exhausted, had gone to the bedroom to rest.

Finding it boring to play alone, Asuka came to the toy room to play with Ichihime instead.

"I don't know."

Ichihime, laid flat on the floor reading a book, replied offhandedly.

Although she was a lot more mature than Asuka, she didn't exactly have much life experience herself.

She had some concept of money, but as to matters between men and women, she understood very little.

"You don't know either, Ichihime?"

Asuka, stacking blocks, was surprised.

"Why do I have to know?"

"Because you know more stuff than I do, Ichihime,"

Asuka spoke matter-of-factly as Passport as he kept building his blocks.

"If you want to know, why don't you go learn to read and then look for modern books about it in Dad's study?"

Ichihime replied.

"But learning to read is such a hassle, and my memory isn't good. Mom's taught me so many times, but all I can write is my own name and some simple characters."

Asuka much preferred play to studying or learning to read.

Especially building blocks—those were his favorite toy of all.

With blocks of different shapes, he could freely create all sorts of fun things.

Like houses, animals, and things even he didn't know what they were, but they seemed really interesting.

The moment he finished building, a sense of achievement and pride welled up inside him.

Compared to that, learning to read and do lessons just seemed way too much hassle.

He longed for what was unknown and fun.

"By the way, Ichihime, you're so quick at learning your characters and studying—Mom and Dad have praised you for that more than once."

Asuka built a truly grand castle with the blocks.

Instead of copying the blueprint exactly and making the same old castle, he used his imagination freely, building something much more magnificent than what was shown on the plans.

The complex, intricate look of it showed just how much effort and thought Asuka put into it.