And the road of flowers is so long

The next morning came. And they finally reached the gates of Konoha. "Welcome back," said Kotetsu, who was sitting at the checkpoint as usual. He signaled to Uchiha to stay behind. After saying goodbye to her teammates, Akina continued on her way, blending in with the crowd of Konoha residents who were hurrying about their business. Kotetsu waited until Tibo was far enough away to avoid overhearing their conversation, and then informed Itachi that Tibo's house had been attacked two nights ago. "Has anyone been injured?" Itachi asked in a calm tone. "Fumiko is in the hospital. But the wound isn't serious," the gatekeeper replied. When she finally returned home, she was horrified to find her father with a bandaged leg. "What happened?" Akina was frightened. Haru briefly explained about the attack at night. The girl rushed to the hospital. "Honey, you're back," Fumi said happily. Her hand was bandaged. "Mom," the girl looked at her mother anxiously. "Don't worry, dear, I'm fine," her mother hastened to reassure her. "How was the mission? How are the boys?" "It went pretty well, but to be honest, it was really boring," she replied, recalling the episodes with the incompetent shinobi, her trip to the bookstore, and the attacks in the palace. "What does the boys have to do with it?" the girl asked in surprise. Fumi laughed when she saw her daughter's displeased expression. "Rare pedants," Akina replied. As she walked home through the Uchiha neighborhood in the evening, she kept replaying the events of her mission in her mind. When she reached her house, she sat down on the porch. Akinu couldn't shake off the feeling that she had missed something, and she couldn't help but feel like she had been kept in the dark about something important. She kept thinking about the attack at the feudal lord's house. She also wondered why her bodyguards had been the ones targeted. After all, there were many noble guests around, for whom a ransom could be taken if there was an attempt at kidnapping. "You've understood your tasks..." she recalled the Fifth Hokage's overheard order. "Did she know...did they know what might happen...that's why high-ranking ninjas were sent with me. Protection against a possible attack, which is exactly what happened," came an unexpected realization. Fury was rising from the depths of her soul. Was she so unimportant that they didn't bother to inform her about the danger to her family? She had a right to know. She quickly left the vicinity of her home. With a beautiful shimmer, the windcatcher in the manor house announced the arrival of a late guest. Itachi was drinking coffee in the living room. An uneasy feeling came over him when she abruptly opened the unlocked door of his house. She was pale, and her eyes were dark with anger. "Akina," he said warily. The young man slowly stood up, placing his cup on the low table. He knew that this conversation would not be pleasant. "You knew. You both knew that my family was in danger. Fifth deliberately sent me away from the village. Is that right?" she accused. He looked at her in silence. It had been a long time since he had seen so much searing hatred in someone's eyes. Especially if that someone was a girl. "So that's how it is. How could you! She took his silence and lack of objection as confirmation of her guess. "This is my family!" Her eyes were filled with indignation. "If you have any complaints, take them up with Fifth. We were just following orders," Itachi finally replied dryly, as if it didn't bother him much. He had no desire to quarrel with her. "A convenient excuse for everything. And it doesn't bother your conscience. Does it?" she continued, her voice unchanged, but her eyes were filled with tears. The guy was silent. But her words cut through his heart like a knife. However, he didn't show it. "What's going on?" Sasuke asked as he came out of the kitchen. Itachi signaled to his brother not to interfere. "You're just a dog on a chain, doing what you're told, and you don't care about anything else. What else were you told to do? Oh, right, find out what the Shinju seed looks like, if I remember correctly. Well, I've got some news for you. Here, have it! She said, taking off the pendant around her neck and throwing it at Sasuke. The pendant hit him in the chest and fell to the floor. She turned around and walked away. Sasuke chased after her and stopped her at the gate. "You've completely lost your mind!" Uchiha-jr was angry, shaking her by the shoulders. "I had a right to know. I should have been here!" the girl said firmly. "And what would you do, useless? You would only get in the way, and someone would really get hurt. You would only be a burden," Sasuke continued, emphasizing the last phrase. Tears rolled down the girl's cheeks. "Sasuke!" He heard his brother's stern voice behind him, and he let go of her. She ran away from the house. "Why did you let him talk to you like that?" Sasuke asked, looking at his brother in displeasure. "You can understand her. She's upset because her mother's in the hospital, and she's just found someone to blame," Itachi replied calmly. "And you're just going to leave it like that?" Uchiha Jr. couldn't believe it. "I will," Itachi confirmed. Lying on his bed in his room, he couldn't forget her hateful gaze, and her angry words echoed in his subconscious. Why was he so calm about her accusations and insults? If it had been anyone else, they would have been dead for their audacity. He couldn't help but wonder how she knew about Tsunade's order. However, it didn't matter now that she knew everything. He turned the pendant she had thrown at him over in his hands. It was a rather crude piece of work, but it was quite beautiful. Inside the emerald, he could see the crest of the Tibo clan. It was strange that such a valuable item had been entrusted to an ordinary person. Perhaps it was a calculated move, as it would be expected that the seed would be sought out by those who could protect it. It was a bit of a surprise. This way, no one would suspect that the seed was in the possession of an ordinary person. Itachi looked at the bedside table. There was a beautiful box with a water balloon. He turned on the music box and watched the petals and glitter fly for a long time before falling asleep. For several days, Akina visited her mother after work and was relieved to see that she was getting better. "I heard you had a fight with Itachi," Fumi said during one of her daughter's visits. She didn't say anything, but her mother could tell from the cold look in her eyes that it was true. "It's a pity. I hope all misunderstandings between you will be resolved and you will make peace. He is a wonderful young man. He visited me a couple of times, offering his help," she said, carefully observing her daughter's reaction. "Why would that be? My conscience tormented me. I don't think the Uchiha have anything like that," she replied sarcastically. While talking, they did not notice the sound of approaching footsteps. He reached out his hand to knock on the ajar door, but his palm froze in the air when he heard Akina's voice. "Mom, I can't get used to a man for whom nothing but the order exists. There are all sorts of things said about him, both good and bad. But I've always been used to judging a person by the actions I see myself. And what I see in him, I really don't like. To be honest, I want to stay away from him, despite the fact that I'm certainly grateful for the fact that he has taken us in. The knowledge that if I were his friend, or anything else, even his girlfriend, he would kill me without a second thought if he was ordered to do so. And after the mission, it only became stronger," Akina said. "I understand you're upset about what happened to us, but it's not Itachi who should be blamed, but those who attacked us. Don't you think you're being unfair to him? Fumi said. Akina looked at her stubbornly, and the woman realized that it would take time for her to cool down. There was a knock on the door. After permission to enter, Itachi Uchiha appeared in the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt," he said quietly, glancing at the girl. She glared back at him. "Come in, Itachi-san," Fumi replied with a smile, trying to stand up. "How are you feeling, Fumiko-san?" Itachi asked. "Thank you. It's all right," the woman replied. "Akina, you dropped this," he said, placing the pendant on the bedside table. Fumi looked at her daughter in confusion. "I must go. Get well soon, " he said with a slight bow, and retired, lingering a little at the door. "Akina, what's going on? Her mother asked anxiously. "Nothing," the girl replied stubbornly, taking the pendant. "Dear, no matter what happened between you. I'm sure you're jumping to conclusions," Fumi smiled, trying to extinguish the volcano of indignation in her daughter's eyes. "If you think that Uchiha Itachi cares about the opinions of others, you're very wrong. He only cares about his own opinions," she said firmly. He walked slowly down the street, oblivious to the people passing by, lost in his own dark thoughts. "So that's how she thinks of me. I wonder if she always thought that way, or did her opinion change after the mission? Although what does it matter now. The girl with the cold eyes who hates me. At least there's some variety," he thought sarcastically, wondering why he cared so much about her opinion. For about two weeks, the Uchiha brothers practically did not appear in the village. Coming from one mission, they left again for another. Itachi took on any job, no matter how dangerous, just to get away from Konoha. He couldn't explain his own behavior, just following his desires. "You're exhausting yourself," Sakura reproached him after a medical examination that the Fifth Hokage had insisted on after his sixth mission in a row. "There's nothing to worry about. I'm fine," replied Itachi, standing in her office, shirtless. A dark-haired girl with clear blue eyes flew into the office and threw her arms around his neck, preventing him from getting dressed. "Itachi, are you injured?" she asked worriedly. The boy gave the girl a stern look. "What the...Get out of here!" Sakura was outraged. The girl did not argue and left. Uchiba dressed, apologized, and left Haruno's office. The brunette was waiting for him in the hallway. "I don't remember calling for you, Ayumi," he replied angrily, making it clear that she had put him in an awkward position in front of Tsunade's student. "I'm sorry, I was worried," she said timidly, looking at him guiltily. "I didn't ask for that either," he replied sharply and walked away. Ayumi followed quietly, her head down. For a long time, Yano had shown great interest in him, jealously guarding all approaches to his heart, and sometimes doing so in her own way, which was not always to the liking of the object of her passionate love. Itachi did not tolerate quarrels between girls over his person, which often Ayumi arranged if she saw him with another girl on the street or in the park. During one such brawl, he even had to intervene. Then he made it clear that one more such trick on her part, and she would never get close to him again. The doors of his house would be closed to her forever. Then there were apologies, tears, persuasions and promises. Itachi declared that he would not tolerate such behavior. And he is the kind of person who keeps his word. Since then, Ayumi has had to restrain her wild jealousy with all her might. They had already reached one of Konoha's bustling streets when Itachi spotted a familiar silhouette in the distance, wearing a librarian's uniform. Akina was crossing the street, leading a group of children, engaging in lively conversation as they made their way towards the library. "Yes, even if I were his girlfriend. He'd kill me without a second thought," he recalled her words, and his heart began to race. He was haunted by his own reaction to Akina's words. She was absolutely right to believe that he had never had any other opinion than his own. He could only listen to Sasuke's opinion, because he sacrificed a lot for him. Itachi still couldn't understand why her words hurt him so much, because he didn't give a damn who was talking about him behind his back. And it was strange to realize that all this time he was running from her hostile gaze, from her hatred. All this time, he's been searching for the reason behind his behavior, whether it's because her mother resembled his deceased mother or because she was the only one who treated him differently. A girl... His girl. There were often girls and women around him who were eager to capture his attention, but none of them sparked his desire to be by their side. "What's wrong with me?" he thought, displeased with himself. "Itachi," he heard a timid, quiet voice behind him, and he stopped and turned around. Ayumi was still following him, and she didn't want to disturb the young man who was lost in thought. He, on the other hand, had completely forgotten about her presence. "Maybe you have to take the initiative if you want to feel something for a girl," he suddenly thought, and this thought prompted him to act. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist, and gently kissed her, gently touching her lips with his own, not afraid that such a sight would not be appreciated. Ayumi froze in surprise, then tried to hug him back, but the guy had already pulled away from her. The deep blush on the girl's face spoke volumes about how much she enjoyed his kiss. "Itachi. It was so... unexpected," she stammered, her eyes burning with pleasure. Uchiha looked at her, trying to listen to his feelings, and did not understand: neither his mind nor his body responded to the touch of her lips. He felt more emotion from Akina's words than from kissing Ayumi. "Forget it," he replied, and hurried away, leaving the girl standing in the middle of the street, still in a state of happy shock. "Girls, trouble!!!" Asemi flew into the library. She was surrounded by worried girls. At the time, Akina was distributing pencils to the children who had already arrived. However, when she heard the commotion in the reading room, she briefly left her department. When she saw her friend, who was visibly distressed, she became slightly concerned. "What happened? Is Nobu worse?" she asked anxiously. "No, he's fine," Asemi replied, glancing at Yuki with a wary expression. "The thing is, Itachi's dating Ayumi. She's finally gotten her way," her friend finally said. There were gasps of shock. Yuki couldn't help but sob. "And what are these tragic conclusions based on? Asked Akina, who didn't want Yuki and the others to work with such faces as if they were in mourning. "We saw them kissing right in the street, not caring about anyone else," Asemi replied. "And what. After all, no one had heard him propose to her. So a kiss doesn't mean anything," Tibo tried to reassure everyone. "Do you think it's not true?" Yuki asked quietly, wiping away her tears. "I think it's all about experience. If you're interested in whether they're dating or not, go and ask him yourself," Akina said. "But it's inconvenient," said Ryoko. "Is it convenient to invent all sorts of nonsense and spread ridiculous rumors?" Come on, get to your places to work! Akina got angry, then retreated to her department. He walked on and on, without a specific destination. He didn't know how many streets of Konoha he had walked through. Suddenly, he came to a halt in front of a tall building with a beautiful iron door. "Konoha Central Library" read the sign on the building. Itachi suddenly remembered her amber eyes filled with hatred and pain. "Why?" he wondered, as his feet seemed to lead him here, and it didn't bode well. Was it a sense of guilt? With a heavy sigh, Uchiha headed towards his neighborhood. The next day, the Uchiha brothers went on a mission again. During their absence, Akina spent her evenings and weekends cleaning their garden, which soon stopped looking like a forest. She planted flowers near the gazebo, mostly perennials. She also created neat pathways. The gazebo required some effort. Her father was very helpful with it. Meanwhile, the Uchiha were on another mission. Sasuke noticed that his brother had changed a lot since his argument with Akin, and he seemed more thoughtful and silent. However, he didn't ask any questions. The last mission, the third one, was particularly challenging. There were injuries among the group. The Uchiha, who were part of the team, didn't suffer much, but it was raining heavily on the day they returned. Fifth insisted on a medical examination for everyone, even those who returned unharmed. The Uchiha brothers refused to undergo the examination, and the next day they came to Tsunade for another mission. Tsunade was furious that they had ignored her orders, and she forbade them from leaving the village for ten days. "And no more missions! You miserable workaholics!!!" she shouted at them as they left her office. A couple of days later, passing by the door of his brother's room, Sasuke heard a strong cough. He entered his room without knocking. He was standing by the window as usual. Heavy, hoarse breathing and a painful blush on his face. Uchiha Jr. quickly approached him and touched his forehead. He was on fire. "I'm fine," said Itachi, clearing his throat and speaking with as much confidence as possible. But Sakura, who had come to the call, had a different opinion. There was a medicine in a small town two days away from the village that could quickly get him back on his feet. But Sasuke didn't want to leave his sick brother alone. "I'm not a little kid, I can handle it," he promised. The next morning, Sasuke left to get the medicine. The day of the annual sports festival in Konoha, which had been held for four years in honor of the end of the last shinobi war, was approaching. This anniversary was going to be a grand event. Akin's friends, who were notorious music lovers, were also involved in organizing the festival, including a celebratory concert. Akin stayed behind to help Nobu, who had already returned from the hospital, and continued her work with the children. In the evening, feeling a little tired, she returned home and was surprised to find her mother packing a basket of food. "As far as I know, Haru's team hasn't returned from their mission, and Haku isn't at home," she said in confusion. "It's not for Haku, but for Itachi," Fumi replied, handing her the basket. "No way. I'm not stepping foot in his house," she declared firmly. "Akina, you're a kind girl. Won't you help him in his time of need? I can't do it in person because I'm being called to the hospital," her mother urged. "Since when does he need help?" the girl asked. "Since he got sick. Sakura said he had a bad cold and I should take care of him. I went to his room, and he had a fever. I sent him to my room and told him I would take care of everything. I was cooking when I got the call. Please help him," Fumi continued. "Okay, the girl reluctantly agreed." Fumi smiled, thinking that this was a good opportunity to reconcile the two young people. Akina opened the first aid kit and took out a stethoscope, intending to use the knowledge she had gained from Sakura's medical training courses, as well as some herbs and medicines that might come in handy. After a while, she entered the manor house and went in search of the kitchen. It was quite easy to find. The girl left a basket of groceries there. Then another problem arose, where to look for the room of Itachi. The only effective method is the method of scientific poking. Opening the doors of empty rooms one by one, she finally found the right one. "Sorry for the intrusion, Itachi-san," she said, looking at him in surprise. Itachi wasn't in bed like a proper patient, but standing by an open window, drinking coffee. When she appeared, his heart skipped a beat as unpleasant memories flooded back. He froze in place, his body tensed upon seeing her. Akin's visit came as a surprise to him. "Did the doctor examine you?" she asked, and the indifference in her voice suggested that she was not here of her own free will. "Yes, Sakura came," he replied. "What did she say?" the girl asked. "She said there were some wheezing sounds in her lungs. I have no idea what that means," he replied. "This means that the inflammation has spread deeper into the lungs. Why aren't you in the hospital?" she asked with a hint of indignation in her voice. "I don't like hospitals," replied Itachi. The girl walked over to him and closed the window. "In your condition, you shouldn't stand in drafts," she said. "You used to call me by my first name," he remarked. "You used to be my partner, and now you're the head of the Uchiha clan," Akina explained. "And if I ask you to. Will you do the clan chief's request?" he asked.. The girl met his gaze. The coldness in her eyes made him uneasy. "In that case, I won't have a choice," the girl finally replied. "Then I'm asking you to call me by my first name. I want to hear it again," Itachi seized on the opportunity, but the tension between them remained. "Can I listen to your breathing, Itachi?" Akina asked. "Sakura's medical courses," he guessed with a slight smile. "Yes," Akina confirmed. Itachi slowly removed his shirt, straightening his shoulders. He was beautifully built: tall, with broad shoulders that gradually tapered into a slim waist, and well-defined chest muscles. His abdominal and side muscles were clearly defined, and his legs were long for his height, with smooth thigh muscles. Despite his slight thinness, it did not detract from his appearance, rather adding to his graceful physique. However, his weakness and fever were gradually returning. The girl took out a stethoscope, warmed the metal disc of the head in her hands for a moment so that it wouldn't experience temperature shock, and approached him. "Breathe deeply," she said, pressing the disc against his chest, listening to his harsh breathing. The girl was standing so close that he could feel her breath on his skin, and it sent a pleasant warmth through his body. When she touched his sides with the disc, it felt a little ticklish. Akina walked around him to listen to his back, and she brushed his long hair out of the way. Her light touch on his skin sent chills down his spine. Naturally, the girl didn't notice this. What really concerned her was his harsh breathing and the presence of wheezing in his lungs. "Sakura was right," she finally said when she had finished her examination. Akina took the appointment sheet and scanned it carefully. "You'd better stay in bed. Don't waste the energy you need to recover. Patients are always advised to rest," Akina advised. Her voice was flat and emotionless. "She's still angry. If it weren't for my illness, she wouldn't be so reserved," thought Itachi, not even considering following her advice. "I'll bring you dinner," the girl said and left. She went into the kitchen, which she liked very much, to be honest: large, bright, with dark wood furniture. She warmed up the food and made a herbal tea. She put everything on a tray and carried it carefully to Itachi's room. When she returned, she put the tray on the desk and turned to leave. But he stopped her by taking her hand. "Wait," said Itachi. "I don't see the point in staying here any longer," Akina replied. "I want to talk to you. It's important," he said, more to keep her there. "You have to listen to me," Uchiha insisted. "Listen to what?" the girl asked, feeling a bad feeling in her stomach. "I can't understand why. Why can't I forget the argument we had? Why are your words still haunting me? If you were a shinobi, I'd think it was some kind of mind control technique. But you're just an ordinary person. So why can't I stop thinking about it?" He said, trying his best to remain composed. Only the flickering red hues in his black eyes betrayed his overflowing emotions and the awakening of his sharingan. "Oh, my God," Akina thought, and tried to move away from him. "I can apologize if it makes you feel better," the girl said in a shaky voice, trying to calm him down. "It won't change anything," said Itachi, and the pattern in his scarlet eyes changed. There was no strength to look away from them. "He's going to kill me slowly and with pleasure," was her last conscious thought. Akina fell into a kind of trance for a few seconds, but then she felt the rough bark of a tree against her back. Looking around quickly, she realized that she was not in his room, but in a blooming peach orchard. She was standing under a tall tree, and small pink petals were falling from it. "What is this? A substitute for reality," she mused, listening to the rapid beating of her heart. "There's only one way to understand everything," said Itachi, standing almost close up to her, his hand resting on the tree trunk behind her, preventing her from moving away. The girl's face turned pale, and she began to tremble slightly. His fingers touched her face, resting on her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. Then he leaned down and touched her lips with his own. Akina was stunned. A wave of indescribable tenderness spread throughout his body. Without restraint, he pulled her into a passionate embrace, demanding more. His hands gripped the hem of her clothing, pressing her closer to his body. He could feel the softness of her flesh, a stark contrast to the firm muscles of a kunoichi. He deepened the kiss, caressing her tongue with his own, but she did not respond to his passionate call. He felt a wave of heat, either from the kiss or from the fact that he had a fever from his cold. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized that she was being kissed by a half-naked man. In a state of shock, she struggled in his arms, trying to push him away. However, his hand slipped beneath the waterfall of her hair, indicating that he did not want to stop what he was doing. The half-closed eyelids of his eyes showed that he was enjoying it immensely. Soon, he reluctantly pulled away. "Let go, you fool!" she cried, pushing him away, and tears of wounded pride spilled from her eyes. In the next moment, the garden was his room again. Itachi broke the technique. His eyes were the usual black. "Akina, calm down," he said, still holding her in his arms. "If you're going to kill me, just do it. Why bother to mock me?" Akina said, sobbing. "I didn't mean to kill you. I had no intention of harming you, "Itachi said, trying to calm her down. He wondered how such thoughts could have crossed her mind. "You're crazy," she said, pushing him away and running out of his room. When she returned home, she quickly climbed the stairs to the second floor, where her room was located, threw herself on the bed, and finally let herself cry. After she left, he finally went to bed. The memory of the sweetness of her lips and the tenderness of her body brought a slight half-smile to his face. "Who would have thought? I've been running away from her dislike all this time. And at the same time, I want her to have at least some feelings for me. Even if it's hatred, I don't want her indifference anymore. I want it to happen again. It's strange to feel this way about a girl who isn't even a shinobi," Uchiha tried to understand himself. Soon, the disturbing, oppressive memories were replaced by others that were quite pleasant. And he was quite content with that.