Izumi turned twelve years old. Jun knew that Itachi had his birthday before his sister’s. It meant the young prodigy was also twelve. He was a member of the ANBU. He must have begun spying on the Uchiha clan. Danzo must have reached out to him as well. There was about a year left before the massacre. Jun felt like the years had flown by so fast. It seemed so far away the day he had entered the Academy and had thought he had a decade before Itachi’s rampage.

Jun also saw Neji Hyuga. He was a serious-looking boy, whom he simply passed on the street on his way home. The resemblance with Kazuma was uncanny. The shape of their faces, the chin, the hair… only their eyes were different. Neji had large pale eyes with a cold gaze while Kazuma had his mother’s black eyes.

The teenager watched the boy walk away without a word before continuing on his way. It wasn’t until he went home that he realized what he wanted to do.

“I saw Kazuma’s brother today. They looked alike, only their eyes are different.” He said to his mother who was preparing dinner.

His mom flinched and almost dropped the spoon she was holding. She put down the utensil and turned to his son with a resigned look.

“I know. I’ve seen him as well.”

“Doesn’t he look lonely?”

His mother squinted suspiciously.

“Jun…”

“Someone should help him.”

She sighed deeply.

“I know. But that someone isn’t me, you, or Izumi. If the Hyuga clan ever found out about Kazuma… Hizashi and I parted ways to protect him. He loved Kazuma, but he knew that he couldn’t protect him against his clan and its rules.”

The teenager crossed his arms.

“If it was Kazuma who was lonely like that, with such a miserable expression on his face, I’d like for someone to help him.”

“Jun, please…”

“We don’t need to adopt him. He’s a smart boy, right? He would understand that the secret must be kept. I’m sure he doesn’t like the main family anyway.”

“What if he hates Kazuma? What if he resents his little brother for being born free? What if he’s mad at me? I thought about it, Jun. Since Hizashir's death, I’ve wondered what had become of his son. I know Neji lacks nothing but a family. Is sharing mine with him worth the risk it puts my own children?”

Jun felt embarrassed. He wasn’t aware of his mom’s feelings, but he was familiar with his mom’s arguments. He used similar ones to convince himself that he could not save the Uchiha clan. Is protecting someone else worth endangering his own family?

However, Jun feels like the situation was different. The Uchihas were strong, stubborn, hostile, and brought calamity upon themselves. Saving them would be too complicated. Neji was just a kid.

“Have you met him?” He asked.

His mother hesitated.

“No, not in person.”

“You should. You need to see him in person to judge if he is trustworthy. You will be able to decide then…”

His mother let out a sigh and went back to cooking dinner. However, there was a sudden determination emanating from her person.

Jun went on a mission with the special team soon after. He didn’t witness the meeting between his mother and Neji. He learned afterward that she first approached the boy to offer her late condolences for Hizashi’s passing. Perhaps that had piqued the boy’s curiosity. They had talked for a few minutes, and Hazuki had finally given in. For a boy his age, Neji was incredibly mature and intelligent. Moreover, the resemblance with Kazuma was something Hazuki couldn’t ignore.

She confessed to Neji that his father had taken a secret to the grave, a secret for which the main family would have punished him. She told him he had intended to tell Neji when he entered the Academy. They saw each other a few times and shared memories of Hizashi. Hazuki patiently listened to the boy’s furious whispers against the main family and wiped away his tears.

When Jun returned from his mission, his mother introduced the children to Neji.

“I don’t think it’s necessary.” Neji tried in vain.

“It’s absolutely necessary. Children, this is Neji. He is the son of a dear friend. Neji, this is Jun, Izumi, and Kazuma.”

Hazuki’s children greeted the Hyuga, but the latter remained silent. Jun could see the understanding on Neji’s face when Kazuma gave him a big smile. Izumi must have been warned as she was watching the boy with curiosity. The group was in a deserted part of the village where no one could hear them. Jun challenged Izumi to race up a tree with Kazuma’s encouragement. While they were playing around, their mom and Neji sat on a bench and had a long conversation in low voices.

There was new anger in Neji’s eyes, more like a betrayal. He was shocked. It was understandable. He just found out he had a hidden brother. However, Hazuki spoke calmly and softly. She patiently explained everything to the young Hyuga, and little by little, the negative emotions left Neji. His expression now showed acceptance. He bowed politely to Hazuki when he left.

“What did you tell him?” Jun whispered on their way back home.

“I told him his father didn’t commit treason. Also, he could have left his clan to be with me, but he stayed despite knowing the danger because of Neji. He needed to know how much his father loved him. The only reason Hizashi gave his life for the clan and the village to avoid a conflict with Kumo was to protect Neji in a way.”

“And he decided to keep the secret because of that?”

Hazuki shook her head.

“He will keep the secret to protect his little brother. He doesn’t want the main family to treat Kazuma the same way they treat him.”

After that, Neji appeared regularly in Jun’s family life. He didn’t talk much, but he was there. He greeted them in the street. He also helped Izumi and Jun carry groceries whenever he saw them with arms full of provisions. He accepted the lunch boxes their mother discreetly slipped him. But he had yet to come to their house. They were being cautious in case they were being watched.

When Neji left the Academy for the day, he made a detour that brought him near a park where he ran into Hazuki who was picking up Kazuma from the daycare. They walked the rest of the way together, without exchanging a word while listening to Kazuma enthusiastically telling them about his day.

Jun decided to cut Kazuma’s hair to diminish his resemblance to Neji. It would be bad if people started getting ideas because they looked alike. Their mother took it a step further and started lightening her son’s hair color. Neji noticed the change and also got involved. He began wearing lighter colors clothes while Kazuma often wore black. The resemblance between the two became less visible.

Neji was taciturn and abrupt, coldly polite to strangers, and not much warmer to people he knew. Jun had spied on him a little. At the Academy, he was among the best students. He didn’t hold back his blows when sparring with others. However, he softened up facing Hazuki. He was less on guard with her and more relaxed. Jun even saw him smile on rare occasions.

Izumi and Jun were treated with courtesy, probably out of respect for their mother. There wasn’t any real bond between them and the young Hyuga. They didn’t have much in common. Izumi was studying medical ninjutsu and training with her team. She had no time to bond with Neji. Jun didn’t know how to connect with the boy. They only exchanged greetings and walked side by side in comfortable silence. There was a distance between them.

Neji didn’t have many opportunities to be alone with Kazuma. But when he did, he was patient and delicate. He treated his brother with care and displayed a protective side. Jun was pretty sure the Hyuga would beat up any kid trying to bully Kazuma.

The boy didn’t change right away. The anger and resentment he carried toward the main family remained with him. Moreover, he was a bit arrogant. On the other hand, he was fiercely loyal. But he wasn’t alone anymore. He spoke and opened up more often to Jun’s family.

No one seemed to notice the relationship between the Uchiha outcasts and the Hyuga genius. It was partly due to how cautious they were. But also because Neji was a loner. He had no legal guardian. As for Jun and his family, the Uchihas acted like they didn’t exist and ignored everything related to them. The teenager wasn’t bothered by it. He liked that the clan didn’t pay any attention to his family. If they were still members of the clan, it would have been very challenging for them to create a healthy relationship with Neji.

However, they didn’t relax. They had a story to tell in case people started asking questions. Neji had helped Izumi once to carry groceries, and the family had taken a liking to him. That was the story they all agreed upon. Jun was also careful to not let his Hyuga friends and other of his acquaintances find out the truth.

Fortunately for him, Miyamoto wasn't one to be noisy and invade others’ privacy. But Shisui was the opposite. He was the type to put his nose in others’ business. However, he was aware that Jun’s family was a sensitive topic and didn’t want to risk damaging their friendship over it.

The special team was on its way to becoming a permanent unit. Jun was doing fewer missions with other people and more with Shisui and the others. They were doing a good job, and the bond between them was getting stronger.

Kanna spoke freely about her Doton techniques. Miyamoto talked about his Gentle Fist without the caution his clan members usually reserved for strangers. Jun had taught them some useful Fuinjutsu seals. Shisui gave them tips on the Shunshin no Jutsu and discussed his Sharingan’s abilities in depth.

Kanna had a boyfriend she wanted to get serious with. Miyamoto was hesitant to be promoted for fear of his clan elders. They would arrange a marriage for him to start creating offspring. Shisui hinted at the pressure on his shoulders; he was one of the few Uchihas serving the village and not the Police. Jun complained about his progress in Medical Ninjutsu and often bragged about his siblings.

“By the way Jun, have you seen Iwa’s Bingo Book? The bounty on your head had gone up.” Kanna said.

“I haven’t. I’ve been thinking more of Kiri; I wonder how much my corpse is worth to them.” Jun replied.

“Given the number of their ninjas you killed, I wouldn’t be surprised if it surpasses that of Iwa. Are you going to take the jonin exam soon?” Miyamoto added.

“I think so. The Hokage told me it would be sometime next month. I don’t think it’s like the chunin exam where you know the date in advance.”

They all turned to Shisui, the sole jonin among them.

“It’s not. A guy approaches you in the street, sends you to the Hokage, and … Well, you’ll find out soon enough.”

“It seems different from the Tokubetsu jonin promotion. You just need the recommendation of some of our peers.” Miyamoto said.

“Are you thinking about it? The Ninjas Sensor Department would back your Tokubetsu promotion request in a heartbeat. You’re the best tracker among us.”

“I can recommend you if you want. You probably don’t need it, but just in case…” Shisui offered.

“What about me? Would you recommend me for jonin?” Jun asked.

“Of course. I can also train you so you get to that level fast. Itachi and I are meeting at the old training ground tomorrow night if you want to join.”

Jun was taken aback by the offer. It was abrupt. Shisui remained casual as if there was nothing strange about his proposition. Jun narrowed his eyes suspiciously. They both knew reconciliation wasn’t possible between Jun and the Uchiha clan, so why would he want him to be around Itachi? Unless Shisui was still worried about…

“You’re still worried about him and his lack of friends?”

“He’s too isolated. He needs to socialize more.”

“Why me? I’m not his babysitter. I wasn’t that five years ago, and I’m still not.”

“The other Uchihas are pressuring him. And he had no connection to the people outside the clan. But he knows you. He trusts you, Jun.” Shisui pleaded.

“I doubt that.”

Training with Itachi seemed like a bad idea in his opinion. The time of the massacre was approaching. He wanted to stay as far as possible from the young prodigy and disappear from his memories so that he and his family could slip through the cracks. Jun wanted to be forgotten.

But when he really thought about it, there was a big chance Itachi would not forget him. If Shisui was right and the young Uchiha considered him a friend, Jun may be among the first names on his killing list. Moreover, it was an opportunity to gauge Itachi’s current level. Jun liked to keep his friends close, but perhaps he should keep his enemies closer as well.

“I will be there tomorrow.” He finally said to Shisui.