Chapter 216: Long-awaited Reunion

The morning in Rain Village was shrouded in mist, and the drizzle was hitting the bluestone road.

The address Yuxi gave him was clearly imprinted in his mind: "Eastern District of Rain Village, end of Sakura Lane."

Sasuke stood on the street corner, breathing rapidly, his three-magatama Sharingan moving unconsciously.

His gaze passed through the rain and locked onto a small shop not far away with a sign that read "Three-Color Dumplings".

"Right here..." The middle-aged Sasuke's throat tightened and his fingers trembled unconsciously.

Over twenty years have passed, and ever since that bloody night, he never thought he would see his parents again.

And now, they are behind that wooden door, living, breathing, and making the most ordinary three-color dumplings.

Sasuke took a deep breath and took a step forward.

The rain wet his black hair and slid down his cheeks, and it was hard to tell whether it was rain or tears.

He pushed open the door and the wind chimes made a crisp sound.

"Welcome." A gentle female voice came from behind the counter.

Sasuke's pupils suddenly contracted.

Mikoto - his mother, was looking towards the door with a smile.

Time has left fine lines at the corners of her eyes, but her gentle eyes have not changed at all.

She was wearing a plain apron and her hands were stained with glutinous rice flour.

Mikoto's smile froze the moment she saw Sasuke. Her lips trembled slightly: "Sa...suke?"

Sasuke stood there, as if he had been hit by a lightning attack.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

More than twenty years of longing, pain and loneliness burst forth like a flood at this moment.

His knees buckled uncontrollably and he fell heavily to his knees on the wooden floor.

"Mother..." He finally squeezed out these two words, his voice hoarse and unremarkable.

Mikoto dropped the wooden spoon in her hand.

She walked around the counter and quickly walked towards Sasuke.

But she stopped two steps away from him, and reached out to touch his face in disbelief: "It's really you...but how did you..."

"Mikoto, what's wrong?" Fugaku's voice came from the kitchen.

When he pulled back the curtain and stepped out, Sasuke saw that his father looked much older than he remembered.

There were strands of silver in his black hair, but his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle's.

Fugaku froze the moment he saw Sasuke, and the tray in his hand fell to the ground with a bang, and the dumplings rolled all over the floor.

"Father..." Sasuke's voice choked.

He lowered his head, resting his forehead on the floor, his shoulders shaking violently. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I should have protected you..."

Mikoto knelt down and hugged Sasuke tightly: "Silly boy, what are you talking about? Aren't we fine? It's just... why did you suddenly grow so big?"

Fugaku walked over to them and crouched down.

A rough hand pressed on Sasuke's shoulder: "Get up, Sasuke, this isn't the way a man from the Uchiha family should be."

Sasuke looked up and saw tears glistening in his father's eyes.

The man who was always stern in his memory was now looking at him with a gentle gaze that he had never seen before.

"Father...Mother..." Sasuke stood up with difficulty, "I am not the Sasuke of your world, I come from another time and space...There, you...have already..."

Mikoto gasped and Fugaku's expression hardened.

They pulled Sasuke to sit at the table in the corner, Mikoto's hand still tightly clasped around her son's.

As if afraid that he would suddenly disappear.

"Tell us what happened," Fugaku said solemnly.

Sasuke took a deep breath and began to tell about that bloody night.

Itachi's massacre, his own road to revenge, and finally reconciliation with Itachi's truth.

When he talked about how Itachi actually took on everything to protect Konoha and his brother, Mikoto's tears fell silently.

"Itachi in that world... must be in great pain." Mikoto said softly, stroking the tear marks on Sasuke's face with her fingers, "My children..."

"Why?" Sasuke suddenly raised his head, his eyes full of pain and confusion, "Why is there no Lord Yuxi in my world? Why is only this world able to be redeemed? Why must Itachi die? Why must I... lose everything?"

His voice became louder and louder, almost a roar.

The anger, sadness, and resentment that had been pent up for many years all burst out at this moment.

Fugaku was silent for a long time, and suddenly asked: "Did Lord Yuxi change the history of this world?"

Sasuke nodded, "Yes, in my world, she doesn't exist, Naruto's parents are dead, and Kaguya is the enemy." His voice choked.

Mikoto gently pressed Sasuke's head against her shoulder and stroked his black hair like he did when he had nightmares as a child: "Poor boy... You must be lonely."

Sasuke closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of his mother's embrace breaking his heart.

He smelled the familiar sweet scent of glutinous rice and red beans on her, which was the most reassuring smell of his childhood.

"In this world, Itachi..." Sasuke asked hesitantly.

"Itachi is a good boy." Fugaku's voice was full of pride, "Although he joined the Akatsuki organization."

Just then, the wind chime on the door rang again.

"Good morning, I brought freshly picked tea leaves..." The familiar voice stopped abruptly.

Sasuke looked up suddenly and saw Itachi, wearing the red cloud and black robe of the Akatsuki organization, standing at the door with a bag of tea in his hand.

Itachi's eyes widened the moment he saw Sasuke and the tea leaves in his hand fell to the ground.

"Sasuke?!" Itachi's voice was full of shock, "No..."

Mikoto stood up and wiped her tears: "Itachi, this is... this is Sasuke from another world. He comes from a... very cruel world."

Itachi's brows were furrowed as he quickly walked to the table.

Sasuke tensed up unconsciously, even though his mind told him that this Itachi had not killed his parents.

But his body's instinctive reaction still made him alert reflexively.

Itachi stopped in front of Sasuke and studied his face, his gaze lingering for a moment on the Rinnegan in his left eye.

To Sasuke's surprise, Itachi reached out and gently hugged him.

"You've grown a lot." She whispered in his ear.

Sasuke's breathing hitched.

This hug is too warm and too real.

He thought of his brother in his world who died smiling in the rain, and of the finger he poked into his forehead for the last time.

All the grievances, anger, and longings burst out at this moment. Sasuke hugged Itachi back and cried like a child.

Mikoto was wiping her tears while Fugaku turned his back to her, his shoulders trembling slightly.

The air in the shop seemed to be frozen, with only the sound of Sasuke's suppressed crying for years and the sound of rain outside the window intertwined.

Itachi patted Sasuke's back gently, just like he did when he was a kid and comforted his brother who had a nightmare: "It's okay... It's all over..."

It took a long time before Sasuke calmed down.

Itachi let go of him and reached out to wipe the tears from his face. This action reminded Sasuke of that rainy day in the Valley of the End.

"What happened to me in that world?" Itachi asked softly.

Sasuke took a deep breath, "He died, but before he died, he told me the truth. He said...he had always loved me."

Mikoto's tears welled up again and Fugaku clenched his hands into fists.

Itachi was silent for a while, then suddenly turned and walked towards the kitchen: "Mother, make more dumplings today. Three-colored ones...Sasuke's favorite."

Mikoto nodded, wiped her tears and followed in.

Fugaku patted Sasuke's shoulder and stood up to help.

Sasuke sat alone at the table, looking at this familiar yet unfamiliar family busy at work, and a warm feeling surged in his chest.