And the road of flowers is so long

Two days had passed since the incident. Akina was diligently avoiding Uchiha-senpai, literally, even if she saw him from afar. Her anger had been replaced by fear. Her confidence in her judgment of him had only grown stronger. Uchiha Itachi was dangerous. At least, to her. Fumi often visited him, and thanks to her care and the medicine that Sasuke had provided, the boy was quickly recovering. He was immensely grateful to her. Soon, he was training on the training ground, getting his body back in shape. Ayumi was also a frequent guest at his house. However, when she saw Akinu in the Uchiha household's courtyard and garden, as she continued to clean and maintain it, she did not feel any resentment or jealousy towards the girl, as she believed that the owner of the Sharingan would not pay attention to a common civilian. A rather large building next to the library was set aside as a rehearsal hall for the concert. As a result, Akina, who was sitting in the children's department, could clearly hear the music and singing coming from the rehearsal hall. It came as a surprise to her friends, who were organizing the event, that there were many talented singers in Konoha, both among the shinobi and among the civilians. The program of the holiday should be full. In addition to entertainment events, there are sports competitions, in which the use of chakra, techniques and power techniques was strictly forbidden. And the main of them, which gathered crowds of spectators and made the highest bets - is the competition of clans. Every year the leader of these competitions becomes the Hyuga clan. Akina slowly went to work. Now she and Nobu were coping with it together. There were not so many visitors in connection with the preparation for the holiday, so it was not too difficult. The girl didn't immediately notice that her name was being called persistently. She turned around. Neji Hyuga had caught up with her. "Good morning," the guy said. "Good morning, Neji-san," replied Tibo. "You're going to the library. Let me walk with you," Hyuga suggested. Akina shrugged and continued walking, realizing that he wanted something from her. Neji walked alongside her. "I never had a chance to thank you for the gift and for saving me," he said. "That's something to remember," she said disapprovingly. "I want to take you out for a walk tonight," he suddenly suggested. Akina stopped abruptly and looked at him in confusion. "I doubt Ten-ten will like this," she replied, her face turning pale. "What does she have to do with it? We're just on the same team," Hyuga chuckled. "I think she thinks differently," Akina continued. A bad feeling crept into her soul. "What are you afraid of?" asked Hyuga. "You know, the desire to live is quite natural for a human being," Akina replied, trying to find a way out of the situation. Hyuga laughed modestly. "You have nothing to fear from me," the guy assured her. "That's great. With you... And without you?" the girl said cautiously, weighing the pros and cons and realizing that this walk would lead to big problems. "You're trying to refuse me," Neji realized, his gaze fixed on her. "You see, my self-preservation instinct is stronger than my desire to enjoy a pleasant walk with you," Akina said. "Don't worry. I'll be waiting for you near the gates of the Uchiha compound at nine o'clock tonight," he said, touching her hand. Then he walked away. "What about my opinion?" she thought, watching him anxiously and knowing full well that no one cared. The girl continued on her way, but suddenly she felt a burning gaze on her, and a shiver ran through her body. Akina slowly turned around. Uchiha Itachi was standing nearby, and his heavy gaze, as black as night, filled her with a chilling fear. The girl walked away, her steps increasing with each passing second, and soon she was running. She ran into the library, locking the door behind her, and resisting the urge to barricade it, knowing it was foolish. The air was coming out of her lungs with a whoosh, and her heart was about to burst out of her chest. She realized that she was starting to panic about Uchihu-senpai. After warning her parents, she waited with fear of the unknown when it would be time to meet with Neji. And so, reluctantly, with a dejected look, she went out of the gates of the Uchih quarter at the appointed hour. Hyuga, as promised, was waiting for her. The girl was dressed rather simply, after all, it was just a walk. "Listen, maybe it's not a good idea," she said quietly, looking away cautiously. "You have nothing to fear," the guy smiled, taking her hand and leading her away. They walked slowly through the streets of Konoha. He still had his hand on her arm, which made her look around nervously. She kept expecting to see Ten-ten watching them from behind every corner. After a while, they reached a park near the river. The lights were already on, and there were a few couples strolling around. Neji sat down on a nearby bench and invited her to do the same. Akina sat down a good distance away from him, as if she was afraid of something. The guy chuckled. "They say your clan's team is the best in the clan competitions," the girl said, breaking the long silence. "So far, yes. Our opponents are always strong, so it's not as easy as it seems," replied Hyuga. "Are you also determined to win this year?" Akina continued. "We're excited, but it's hard to predict what will happen this year. I'm sure you'll enjoy the holiday," the guy said. Hyuga was devoid of the vanity that some people had. He had a clear understanding of his own strength and that of his opponents. This appealed to the girl. "Your gift caused quite a stir in our household. Hanabi kept asking who it was from," the boy said, casually sitting next to her. "She probably thought it was from Ten-ten," Akina replied. "It's unlikely that Ten will give something to the guy. He's probably expecting a gift from him," Hyuga countered. "You mean from you," Thibault corrected. The easy conversation helped to relax a little, which was something that was absolutely not worth doing. "Neji, what's the meaning of this?! Hanabi said you had a date! And with whom... Are you out of your mind?!" Tenn-ten erupted in an angry tirade. "First, it's not a date, it's a walk. Second, it's my personal business," his voice was filled with barely contained anger. "Your business is my business," the kunoichi insisted. Akinah looked cautiously at Hyuga and his partner. She did not want to be at the center of such a scandal. "I knew it would happen," the girl sighed sadly. She was already starting to enjoy this casual conversation with Neji. "What are you doing sitting there?" Ten-ten asked Akina, who jumped in surprise. "Get out of here, or I'll break your legs if I see you near him again." "You want to discuss it with Haru," Hyuga chuckled. The girl turned pale. Her techniques were useless against the woodland creatures. And she didn't want to quarrel with Haru. Thibault slowly stood up and started to walk away. But before she could take more than a few steps, she felt strong fingers wrap around her wrist. She turned around. "Don't leave," Neji said quietly. "Actually, I invited Aki to go for a walk. And you just showed up uninvited. So it's not your place to tell her to leave," Hyuga said firmly. "You're kicking me out for this..." Ten-ten looked at Akinu with contempt. "I can't kick you out of the park. It's a public space. Please don't disturb us," he said, pulling Akin closer to him. Ten glared at both of them and left. "Why?" asked Akina, when the girl was out of sight. "I don't like people behaving like that. But she's too stubborn to understand. I've made it clear that things don't always go the way she wants," the guy explained. "And you used me for that," she realized. "That wasn't my intention. I didn't think she'd show up. I just wanted to be with you," Neji continued, and Akina felt like he was making excuses. "As a token of gratitude. Believe me, a simple 'thank you' would have been enough," the girl said. "No. I just like you. You're determined, even if you're reckless. When the attack happened at the palace, you didn't get scared or panicked, you rushed to save me, even though I'm not your family or friend, and in a way that I appreciated," a slight smile touched his lips. Akina looked away, but she was more discouraged than embarrassed. "He had something to remember. I can only imagine what the genius of the Hyuga clan was interested in. I'm sure this fake mission was quite amusing for him. Well, I'm glad I could provide some entertainment," she thought with a heavy sigh. "I've long since forgotten how to panic. It's a quiet, measured life here in the Hidden Leaf Village, and every day we fall asleep with the thought that we might not wake up," the girl said softly. She felt his hand on her shoulder, pulling her closer to his strong, muscular body, reassuring her that she was safe with him. Her heart began to race. "You're in no danger here," Huga said. "If that were true, my mother wouldn't have ended up in the hospital," Thibault said, referring to the attack on his family. "I understand how you feel, but you still couldn't have changed anything," Neji replied. The girl sighed heavily, reluctantly acknowledging his point. He gently brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Akina looked up at him, their eyes met. It was the first time she had been this close to him. He had a handsome face with regular features, jet-black hair, and pale purple eyes that were devoid of pupils, allowing him to see things that others could not. However, from the outside, it appeared as if he were blind. "Is something wrong?" Neji asked, calmly meeting her scrutinizing gaze. "It's late," Akina hinted delicately. "I'll walk you home," Hyuga offered. They walked quietly side by side, and silence reigned between them. Akina listened to the gentle splash of the river, and it was soothing. "You don't need to walk me any further," Akina said as they stopped at the gates of the Uchiha district. "Don't worry," Neji smiled, and despite her protests, he walked her all the way home. As they passed the manor house, Akina noticed a dark figure on the porch, but she didn't pay much attention to it. "Thank you for the walk," he said to the girl as he was leaving. "You're welcome. Good night," Akina smiled and disappeared behind the gate of her house. Hyuga waited until she disappeared inside the house, then he walked away. As he passed the Uchiha house, he suddenly felt uneasy. "I don't remember allowing you to enter my clan territory," he heard Uchiha Itachi say, was standing behind him, his eyes filled with cold disdain. Neji looked around. The streets were lined with empty, partially dilapidated houses. This was all that remained of the once-prosperous neighborhood of one of Konoha's most powerful clans. "Thanks to you, your clan doesn't exist," Hyūga reminded him, and started to walk away. Itachi gave him a hard look. "It's not your place to judge me. What do you want here?" he asked sternly. "It's nothing special. I just wanted to make sure the girl gets home safely after our walk," Hyuga replied calmly. "Why do you think she's in danger on my territory?" Itachi continued coldly. "You're the biggest threat here," Hyuga persisted, aware in the back of his mind that he was playing with fire. In the next moment, Itachi's eyes flashed with a crimson glow. Neji knew what it meant. His Byakugan activated, and the two men locked eyes in a heated exchange. "I'm giving you five minutes to leave my territory," Itachi finally said. Neji turned his back on him in a show of defiance and walked away at a leisurely pace, not fearing an attack from behind, but rather testing Uchiha. Itachi kept a piercing gaze on him until he disappeared from view. That night, Akina found it difficult to sleep. Neji's words about how he liked her were haunting her, keeping her awake. What did he mean by saying that, and what was his motive? "He's probably playing a trick on me," she thought as she fell asleep. It was a normal working day at the library. It was quiet after lunch. After the last child was taken from the children's department, Akina was sitting in the reading room, reading. The windcatcher's chime signaled that there was a visitor in the library. However, it turned out to be an angry Ryoko. "What happened?" Akinah asked, looking at her friend's face, which was flushed with righteous anger. "What happened?"?? You're asking what happened?! There aren't enough nerves with these new singers! The panda himself stepped on the ear, and still there, they climb onto the stage. I'm ready to kill! " she yelled, pacing back and forth in the reading room. Akina watched her friend, chuckling softly. If the quiet and calm Ryoko was brought to such a state, then it really wasn't an easy matter. "Maybe you could come by and take a look," Ryoko said, feeling a little better. "Okay, I'll come over on the weekend," Akina promised. There were only a couple of days left before the weekend. The task assigned to the girls was not an easy one. Everyone wanted to get on stage, even those who had no talent as a singer, as the Fifth Hokage had decreed that anyone could participate in the concert. Everyone wanted to prove themselves. Akina suggested that the girls simply sing, setting a standard for their performances, which helped to some extent. However, some people were stubbornly convinced that they were "great singers," and there was no way to dissuade them. In order not to lose his form due to forced idleness caused by the Hokage's order, Uchiha Itachi decided to practice on the training ground. In the lead-up to the holiday, the shinobi involved in sports events were not assigned to missions and devoted their time to sports training. And he was rather in a hurry to return to completing missions. Itachi stood in front of the targets, holding several kunais in his hands, focusing on the small circles at different heights. With a few quick movements, all the targets were hit exactly where they were supposed to be. Feeling someone's gaze on him, he turned around. Standing near a nearby tree, arms crossed over his chest, was Haru, observing him. "Not bad," he concluded. "Do you want to join?" asked Itachi. The boy put his hands in his pockets and walked slowly towards him. "Target practice is a dubious pleasure, but sparring is much more interesting," said Tibo. A slight smile touched the lips of Uchiha-senpai. "There you are!" Sasuke appeared in the clearing. Itachi gave Haru a meaningful look. "You're trying to make it harder for me," he guessed. However, Haku joined him a couple of minutes later. "Well, I can make it difficult for you too," said Tibo, looking meaningfully at Yuki. They were returning from their training session, a little tired but quite content. "I was just about to defeat you," Haku said to Itachi. "Don't be so confident. It'll get you into trouble one day," Uchiha replied. "Maybe we can fight one-on-one sometime," Yuki suggested. "Well, I'll give you that opportunity someday," Itachi replied. The next day, they also trained together. Fumi invited the Uchiha brothers to dinner. They readily accepted the invitation. They arrived on time. Soon, Fumiko invited everyone to the table. Itachi was surprised to see the girl missing from the table. "Won't we be waiting for Akina?" he asked. "No. She's going to come from work to the girls' rehearsal. It'll be very late," Fumi replied with a mysterious smile. "I don't think the concert idea is very successful," Haru said with a frown. "Applications for the clan competitions are starting to be accepted today. Why don't you apply?" Fumi suggested. "Unfortunately, that's not possible," Itachi sighed sadly. Of course, he wanted to announce his clan to the world. It would no longer be considered a dead clan. But one couldn't dream of the impossible. "Why?" the woman asked in surprise. "You need at least five people to participate in the competition, and preferably two more in reserve. But Sasuke and I are the only two," explained Uchiha-older. "Haku and Haru can be part of the team," Fumi continued. "But they're not from the Uchiha clan," Sasuke objected. "Does it matter? You live in the same neighborhood," Tibo insisted. Itachi looked at Haru expectantly. Haru looked at Haku. Haku nodded. "We can participate. But where are we going to find another player?" said Haru, voicing another obstacle. "Akina," Fumi replied. "Akina?" Sasuke was quite surprised. "That's right. I remember that she and Haru were very fond of sports. She'll get used to it quickly," the woman said. Haru did not share his mother's enthusiasm for this idea. "Only if she agrees," he said. And Itachi shared his concerns. Their strained relationship could ruin everything. The girl was studiously avoiding him, and Uchiha had never been able to settle the matter and explain himself to her. The windcatcher clanged, announcing that the girl had returned. "I'm home," she said wearily. "Welcome back, dear," Fumi replied. Seeing the guests, the girl looked at them indifferently, greeted them quietly, and went to her room. Then, after changing her clothes, she went to the kitchen. "Well, who's willing to risk their health?" Haru asked. Haku lost the rock-paper-scissors game. The girl was washing her hands when the young man appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Listen, Akina, we're going to apply on behalf of the Uchiha clan to participate in the clan competition. Haru and I will be part of the team. We need your participation," he said, his voice filled with uncertainty. Akina almost choked on the tea her mother had made for her, and her face turned pale. She was not looking forward to seeing a man she believed to be dangerous almost every day for an extended period of time. "Since when did you and Haru become part of the Uchiha clan? I don't have time for this nonsense. I have a lot of work to do in the library, and I can't leave my children, even for the sake of the Uchiha clan," she replied confidently. The boy left and shook his head negatively, indicating that the girl had refused. "It's all my fault," Itachi said quietly, referring to his repeated conflicts with the girl. Haru pulled Haku aside and spoke to him quietly. "Are you sure this will work?" Yuki asked in surprise. "Trust me," Thibaut smiled. Haku went back to the kitchen. "Okay, let's make a bet. You choose any book from the library, and I'll memorize it in an hour. If I succeed, you'll agree to participate," said Haku, feeling encouraged. Akina looked at him in surprise, knowing full well that no matter how skilled the ninjas were in various techniques, memorizing a book in an hour was beyond human capabilities. She was certain that Yuki did not possess a photographic memory. "Okay. If you can do it, I'll be there," Akina accepted the challenge calmly, confident that the guy would lose. The next day, Haru went to Yamanaka's shop and asked Ino for help, explaining what he needed her to do. Ino found it interesting and amusing, and agreed to help, promising to keep it a secret. She asked Haru to bring Haku to the shop. Haru did as she asked. Yamanaka focused her attention, touched both Yuki and Haru's foreheads, and stood there for a while, reading their chakra. "You'll be the guide," said the blonde Haru. The conspirators checked their watches. Akina chose a book from the library, and at the appointed time, Haku arrived at Tibot's house. Akina handed him the book and sat across from him, observing him to ensure that he was not deceiving her. Haku pretended to be engrossed in reading and maintained a calm demeanor. Meanwhile, Haru was searching for a second copy of the book in the library. Fortunately, he was not alone. Haru quickly rushed to the garden of his house, where Ino was already waiting for him. He gave her the book, and she focused, touching the brown-haired man's forehead as she stood facing the house, facing the direction where Yuki was supposed to be. She quickly identified his chakra and made telepathic contact with him. Haku gave a slight start when the sharp alarm clock went off. "Time's up," said Akina, taking the book from him. "Haku, I'm starting," he heard Ino's voice in his subconscious, causing a slight headache. The boy began to retell the story: "A hand appeared in the darkness, and in the hand was a knife. The handle of the knife was made of polished black bone, and the blade was made of hard steel, so sharp that you wouldn't even notice the wound. At first. The knife had almost completed its purpose in entering the house. Therefore, both the blade and the handle were wet. The night fog was creeping through the slightly open door where the knife and its owner had recently entered. A man named Jack stood at the top of the stairs. He had black hair, black eyes, and thin, thin black gloves. With his left glove, he pulled a large white handkerchief out of the pocket of his black coat, wiped the knife and his right glove, and then put the handkerchief back. The hunt was nearing its end. The woman was lying on the bed, the man was on the bedroom floor, and their daughter was in the nursery with its cheerful wallpaper, surrounded by toys and unfinished crafts. All that remained was their son, who had just started walking. The man named Jack flexed his fingers. First of all, he was a professional—at least, he considered himself one—and he didn't smile until he had completed the entire job. The second nursery was right under the roof. The man named Jack quietly climbed the carpeted steps, opened the attic door, and entered. A tiny moon was reflected in the polished black shoes, as in mirrors..." After reciting ten pages, Akina asked him to recite the text on the twentieth page, then the hundredth, and then the last page. Haku did not make a single mistake. "That can't be true," the girl said in disbelief, staring at the guy in surprise. "I've fulfilled your condition, now you fulfill mine," Haku reminded him of their agreement. "Okay, I'll be part of the Uchiha clan team, but I'll need to find a replacement for myself at the library for the duration," Akina sighed sadly, not particularly enthusiastic, still hoping that Itachi's application would be rejected. "I think the Hokage can help with that," said Haku, who was overjoyed that their scam had worked out. After lunch, Itachi went to the registration office. The old registrar gave the young man a skeptical look. "The Uchiha clan has finally decided to show their hand. What kind of competition are they going to participate in?" he asked. "The Clan Competition," replied Itachi. "It is forbidden to use shadow clones in clan competitions," the registrar said sternly. "I didn't say anything about using clones," replied Itachi, handing over the list of his team. The old man read the list and looked at the head of the Uchiha clan in outrage. — It's against all rules. There's no way I'm going to accept such an application. The presence of people outside your clan in it is half the trouble. But a civilian in a Shinobi team is outrageous! — the registrar stated decisively. "Let's see what the Hokage has to say about this," said Uchiha coldly, determined to see it through. Tsunade looked at the list of the Uchiha clan team for a while. "Lady Tsunade, nowhere in the rules does it say that a clan team can't have non-clan members. And since civilians are also participating in the individual competitions, I thought it would be acceptable for Akinu to be on my team," Itachi argued, standing in front of Fifth's desk in her office. "This is outrageous and unacceptable!" the registrar continued. Tsunade thought about it. The participation of a new clan in the competition would increase interest in it. And the participation of the Uchiha clan would bring additional funds to the village's treasury. Naturally, this fact tipped the scales in favor of Itachi. "You understand that Akina will be a weak link in the team and may get hurt, and you don't even have any backup players. You don't have any reserve players," Senju said sternly. "I'll try to prevent that," Itachi promised. "And keep in mind, if she can't continue the game for any reason, your team will be disqualified. And everything you've achieved will be for nothing," the Hokage continued. "I understand," Uchiba Sr. agreed. "Then, as an exception, I will accept the registration of the Uchiha clan team and appoint you as team captain," said Tsunade. Itachi left the Hokage's office amidst the receptionist's indignant protests, having asked Fifth to find a replacement for Akina in the library. She promised to assist with this. "We need to reconsider the rules for recruiting clan members," Tsunade thought as she listened to the stream of complaints. It was the end of the workday, and Akina was on her way home when the bell rang. The girl left her department, saying: "We are closed. Please come back tomor..." The girl stopped in mid-sentence when she saw the visitor. It was Uchihachu Itachi. A wave of cold fear ran through her body. They were alone in the building, as Nobu-san had left an hour earlier. The girl involuntarily took a step back. "I came to tell you that my application has been accepted, and you're officially part of my team. Don't worry about the library or the children. Fifth has promised to help find a replacement for you," said Itachi, breaking the silence. "You didn't have to bother coming here. I would have found out about it when I got home," the girl said, picking up her bag and heading out, locking the library. Itachi walked beside her and didn't really understand why he had come here. The girl could have learned everything at home from Haru. But something led him to these doors. Is it really the memory of the quarrel with Neji in the Uchiha quarter? He clearly didn't want him to use Akina as an excuse to show up there again, feeling like it was all for a reason. The guy sometimes looked at the girl. She was a little tense. She was uncomfortable in his company, and he knew why. The next day, the Uchiha clan team received a not entirely pleasant surprise: by special decree of the Fifth Hokage, clan teams can participate in the concert at will. Hyuga has already applied for participation. And Uchiha Itachi's decision became obvious — to follow their example, not conceding to rivals in anything. Akina didn't like this decision very much. He and his brother used to sing a lot. Their voices were quite developed, and now they sang when they were in the mood, but this happened quite rarely. Haku joined in on the singing, and the girl liked his clear, high-pitched voice. But no one has ever heard the Uchiha brothers sing. Who knows, maybe it was for the best.