And the road of flowers is so long

In the morning, as she walked through the streets of Konoha, Akina found herself in the civilian district, where she was a frequent visitor. Her eyes caught sight of a sporting goods store, which was busier than usual. Not only were ordinary people shopping there, but so were shinobi who were participating in competitions. "There must be equipment for archers," the girl thought, and headed towards it. The variety of sports equipment fully satisfied the modest needs of Konoha residents. Akina found the right counter with the help of a consultant. He was wearing several types of gloves: three-fingered, open and closed, finger pads and all kinds of releases. There were gauntlets lying to the side and breastplates. After examining the assortment, she decided that she could not do without the help of the guys and headed for the exit. But she bumped into a guy in the doorway. After quietly apologizing, she looked into Neji's light purple eyes, who smiled at her calmly. "Hi, it's been a while," he said. "Hi," the girl replied, stepping outside to avoid disturbing the customers. The guy followed her outside, eager to continue the conversation. "You're probably training all the time now. Since you've been part of the Uchiha team. I haven't seen you at all," he suggested. "I suppose you're not idle either," she remarked. "Yes, you're right," Huga replied. Akina gave him a friendly look. "It's you again! Stop hitting on him. Last time, you didn't understand that you didn't stand a chance," Tibo heard a displeased voice and turned around. Ten-ten was standing in front of her, looking angry. "Just because you were accepted into the team out of pity doesn't mean anything. You're still the same loser you always were. You probably begged on your knees to be accepted. Don't think you're equal to us now," Takahashi continued. Akina tried to ignore her and didn't respond to her attacks. However, this only made her more angry. "You think you're a great athlete. Let's see how you do in the archery competition you've entered," Ten continued. "Are you also participating in the archery competition?" Hyuga asked in surprise. "What do you mean, too?" Akina asked cautiously. The guy smiled back. "You're in it too," she said in a dejected voice. He nodded in agreement. Akin's stomach turned cold. "Well, I'll be going now," she said, and started to walk away. Neji was somewhat surprised by the girl's reaction, as if she was afraid of something. "I'm not saying goodbye. You'll be at the shooting range," Neji said, holding her back. "Yes, of course," Tibo replied quietly, and hurried away. Hyuga watched her go for a while. "Why did you leave without me? We agreed to go here together," Ten-ten scolded him. "I'm just tired of waiting for you," Neji replied and entered the store. "You need to be watched. There are all sorts of people around," she said dismissively, making a clear reference to Akin. "It's a public place," the guy said. "God, what a horror, what a nightmare. The competition will take on a completely different status if the captain of the best clan competition team participates. Why am I so unlucky?" Akina thought to herself as she walked home. "What's the matter with you? You look so sad," remarked Haku, who was sitting on the threshold of the manor house. The girl sat down next to him and mournfully lowered her head into her hands. "Where was my head when I agreed to this damn competition? What was I thinking," she said, looking down at her feet. "Maybe you should explain before you start panicking," Haku said. "Neji is participating in the archery competition. The leader of the Hyuga team and the empty shell of the Uchiha team," the girl said in frustration. Yuki looked at her reproachfully, sensing an unfamiliar presence. "Did I or Haru ever think you were a pushover? Why are you getting yourself all worked up? Who cares who's involved? Just do it for yourself, for us, and for the team," Haku said sternly. "It's easy for you to say," the girl sighed heavily. "You're making it too complicated. Don't think about who's cool or how cool they are. Just treat it as a fun activity. Stop torturing yourself," the guy continued in a softer tone. Akina looked into his chocolate-colored eyes, which were full of empathy, and rested her head on his shoulder. His words of support really made her feel better. Sometimes, she would wonder how he could use words or just a warm look to calm her down, unlike her brother, who would immediately find solutions to her problems, sometimes using drastic measures to protect her. Preoccupied with her own worries, she didn't notice Itachi standing quietly near the doorway, having just come out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee and was about to sit on the couch. But he was drawn to the voices on the porch. The door was open, and he could naturally hear what they were saying. Haku noticed him immediately, but he didn't show it, so as not to interrupt the girl and embarrass Uchih. Naturally, he couldn't see Uchih's black eyes burning with displeasure and annoyance. The knowledge that she would never be able to communicate with him in such a trusting manner was distressing. For some reason, in light of recent events, the belief that they would never become closer was growing stronger. "I don't trust him," he recalled her saying in the hospital, overheard by chance. "She doesn't trust me, so... What does she feel for me: fear, dislike... maybe even disgust. Clearly, there's nothing positive about her, because she avoids me. She even tries to avoid being alone with me, as if she's afraid I'll harm her," Uchiha thought bitterly. "Even if I were his girlfriend, he wouldn't hesitate to kill me," he shuddered at the painful memories and walked further into the room, sitting down on the couch. Towards lunchtime, Sasuke brought in an impressive-looking oblong bag. Inside was the ill-fated compound bow. The boys gathered around the table, examining the assembly instructions. They quickly deciphered them, and within minutes, the compound bow was assembled. Haru handed it to his sister. She eyed the weapon as if it were a rare and exotic creature. "I'm not sure I can do this," she said cautiously, examining the loops and oval wheels. "Stop whining. It's simple. Hold it like this, and pull it like this," Haru showed her. "The oval wheels need to be adjusted from time to time so that they rotate synchronously," Sasuke added, demonstrating how to do it. The girl sighed heavily. Towards lunchtime, she went with Itachi to a sporting goods store to get some extra equipment. They walked along the street in silence. The guy occasionally watched her. There was no longer any open hostility in her gaze, but the tension between them had not yet disappeared. Once inside the store, Itachi scrutinized the releases, gloves, and scowled at her small hands, in his opinion. Eventually, after much deliberation and numerous tries on, Itachi chose a release for his index finger. And two finger pads. "Do you like it?" asked Uchiha as they left the store. "Yes, it's quite comfortable," Akina replied. After lunch, with the air of a condemned man, the girl headed to the specially equipped training ground for archers. Itachi decided to take a walk to the library. Nobu-san warmly greeted the visitor and offered his services. Itachi stated that he did not need assistance, only asked to show him the section with lyrics and poems. After walking through the rows of bookshelves, Uchikha finally selected a few books. If the old librarian was surprised by his choice, he did not show it. Akina had hoped that there wouldn't be many people at the shooting range, but her hopes were dashed. There were quite a few people interested in this sport, both shinobi and civilians. This showed how popular archery was in Konoha. It was one of the few sports where ordinary people could compete with shinobi. Akina's first attempts at archery were unsuccessful. While it was comfortable to draw the bowstring, she had to get used to the release. The girl changed the release to a finger-tip. It was much more familiar, but the accuracy of shooting was very far from ideal, as if she was holding a bow for the first time in her life. Soon, noticing that the wheels were moving unsynchronously, Akina decided to adjust them as Sasuke had shown. But no matter what she did, they stubbornly refused to move in the same way, and the distance from the shoulders to the bowstring was different. The girl tried to ignore the sideways glances and sarcastic chuckles in her direction. "I should have asked Sasuke to show me how to do it again," she sighed in frustration. "What a bunch of people. She decided to make a slingshot out of a bow," she heard a sarcastic voice behind her. As expected, it was Ten-ten. "The gods must be angry with me for something, because this is the second time I've run into her today," Tibo thought dejectedly. "What do you want? Leave me alone," Akina said quietly. "You should leave Neji alone. Stop chasing after him," Ten-ten said with a hint of threat. "Well, try to stop him from coming near me," Akina replied calmly. "You're saying that Neji Hyuga would pay attention to someone as pathetic as you. Who do you think you are?" The kunoichi became angry. "Ten-ten!" A cold male voice called out to her. The girl turned around. The hero of the day was standing in front of her. "Hi, Neji, I was hoping to see you here," the girl chirped, smiling. He looked at Akina and saw a screwdriver in her hand. "Can I help you?" he asked her. "If it's not too much trouble," Tibo said, realizing that she couldn't do it on her own. Ten-ten looked at her with undisguised malice, thinking she had done it on purpose to get his attention, and stalked off in a huff. "Don't pay attention," Huga advised. "I was hoping to find you here." "Why?" asked Akina. "To see how you shoot. Maybe I should be afraid, and my position isn't as secure as it used to be," he said with a smile. "At least don't make fun of me," Tibo said in annoyance. "I just wanted to take another walk with you, because we were interrupted the last time," he said. Akina looked at him searchingly. A chill of doubt crept into her soul. There was something fishy about all this, but she couldn't put her finger on it. One thing was clear: this sudden interest in her was not accidental. "Neji, I don't think that's possible right now. We're rivals now," she replied, her eyes fixed on him. "We'll only be rivals in competitions, but we're not rivals right now. I don't understand why it bothers you so much," the guy insisted. "It's unnerving that the genius of the Hyuga clan has taken an interest in a nobody like me for some unknown reason," she replied mentally. "It's just a bit unexpected," the girl said out loud. "Unexpected? I told you I liked you. Have you forgotten?" continued Neji. Akeine didn't want to continue this conversation, as the guy was starting to put pressure on her. His authority was undeniable, and he was taking advantage of it, albeit unconsciously. "No, of course not. I just don't think I'll have time," she said uncertainly. "I'm sorry, of course it's up to you. I just really want to," he said more calmly, looking at her expectantly. "I can't say anything definite right now," she replied, sounding a little confused. "I understand," said Hyuga, and walked away. She watched his broad back, covered by a cascade of long black hair, for a moment. Then she had no choice but to return to the free target and continue her agonizing attempts to get into the center of the circle. Itachi was lying on his bed in his room, holding one of the books he had brought from the library. Feelings: sympathy, tenderness, and love. What did he feel for the girls? A series of meaningless faces flashed through his mind. He had even ignored the heart-shaped letters and kisses he had received from the girls, considering them a waste of time. He couldn't remember how many letters he had received or from whom. They were all stored somewhere in a drawer in the bottom of a closet, like something that wasn't urgent. Were they waiting for some kind of response, or was it enough that he had received them and knew about their feelings? But he didn't know. At first, it was interesting and somewhat amusing. But then the letters started to feel similar to each other, and he simply stopped reading them, although he didn't stop receiving them. Itachi opened the book and scanned the lines. It was strange to read such a thing, but he was used to studying his opponent before deciding how to defeat him. And now he had a difficult and treacherous opponent—love. She returned after lunch, greeted the guys in the living room curtly, and went up to her room. Neji's behavior seemed increasingly suspicious. A premonition persisted that this would not end well. She came out to help her mother with dinner. Her mother was in the kitchen, putting the still-hot food on plates. Meanwhile, Akina was finishing the salads. "Akina, Neji came by an hour ago. I told him that you live here now, and he left," Fumi said casually. The guys sitting in the living room heard their conversation and became somewhat wary. "He came here without permission again," Itachi thought gloomily, believing that an open clash with Hyuga would soon be unavoidable. "Did he say anything?" The girl was worried. "No, but it was clear that he was saddened by the news," Fumi replied. After setting the table and wishing everyone a pleasant meal, Mrs. Thibault left. There was a sense of tension at the dinner table, and Akina was acutely aware of it. The meal was eaten in silence. The boys did not engage in their usual conversations, and they kept casting uneasy glances in her direction. This continued during the tea party in the living room. "What's wrong?" she burst out. "And what are your dealings with Hyuga?" Sasuke asked stiffly. "What business do I have with him? We just met at the shooting range. As far as I know, it's a public place, and I can't forbid him from going there. Especially since he's participating in these competitions," the girl defended herself. This news was extremely disturbing for Itachi. He knew how the journalists of the local newspaper would present it, and not only the local one. Now it would not just be about Akina's participation in the competition, but a confrontation between two clans, which could have a negative impact on the girl herself. "What did he want from you?" Haku asked. "How should I know? If you're so interested, you should ask him yourself," Akina replied irritably, standing up from the couch and intending to leave. However, her brother's heavy hand on her shoulder brought her back to her seat. "Hyuga is our opponent in the competition. We're just afraid that he might try to use you against us. For example, he might convince you to miss a tennis ball or fail to hit a volleyball ball during a serve," Haru explained calmly, trying to reassure his sister. "My God, do you even hear yourself? You're talking as if there's a nefarious plot against the Uchiha clan. From your words, it seems like all the villains in the world have gathered in the Hyuga clan," she replied in displeasure. "Now, that's out of line!" Sasuke protested. "Everyone knows that all the villains in the world are from our clan." After his words, Itachi almost choked on his green tea, which caused the other students to laugh. Sasuke managed to defuse the tense situation. The girl couldn't sleep that night. "Why are they bothering me? They're like my jailers. And why did Neji come? Man, it's all so confusing," she thought, covering her head with a pillow in an attempt to drown out her anxious thoughts. But it didn't work, as it always did. The girl felt more acutely than ever, as if she were between a hammer and an anvil. After several failed attempts to fall asleep, she put on a robe and decided to take a walk in the garden, hoping that the cool night air would help to dispel her anxiety. Opening the door to go out onto the terrace, Akina discovered that she wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep that night. On the porch sat Itachi, wearing the same black cloak with red clouds. A fairly bright street lamp illuminated him well. From the position of his body, the tilt of his head, and the movements of his hands, the girl realized that he was reading. "I wonder what you can read at a time like this. A thousand and one ways to use martial arts while standing in a hammock," she laughed to herself, and she crept up behind him, as she thought, unnoticed. She didn't see the slight smile that played on his sensual lips. Leaning forward slightly, she looked over his shoulder and froze in surprise. Under no circumstances had she imagined that he would be reading something like this.

"Itachi and romantic poetry are incompatible," she had thought before. "What if the rumors were true, and he really did develop romantic feelings for Ayumi? That would kill Yuki. It's definitely not a coincidence. It's definitely not a coincidence," she decided. "You haven't been taught that it's not nice to spy on an adult man," he said with a hint of amusement. Akina was so startled that she almost lost her balance and fell into his arms. Before she could retreat, Itachi grabbed her and sat her on his lap, setting aside his book. In her confusion, she didn't even think to resist, remaining alert and uncomfortable in the tight embrace of his arms. "So it's true," she said quietly, trying to hide her confusion. "What exactly?" Itachi asked. "You're dating Ayumi," she replied. The guy gave her a hard look, making her feel uncomfortable. "Does it bother you?" was his next question. "No, not me," Akina turned away from him to hide her embarrassment. It was none of her business after all. "That's how it is. Well, if you're not interested, then let the one who cares ask about it," said Uchiha with a sly smile. He reached out to brush a loose curl from her shoulder, and he noticed that she tensed, as if expecting a blow. "Why are you afraid of me?" he asked the question that had been haunting him for so long. The girl looked at the guy for a long time, assessing the consequences of her answer. The light from the streetlamp reflected in his calm gaze with mysterious glints. And not a trace of emotion on his beautiful face. "You used illusion techniques on me," the girl reminded him. "You didn't quite understand me. I didn't intend to harm you. I just thought that you might misunderstand what I wanted to do if it happened in my bedroom," Itachi explained. Akina remembered their kiss. She was so shocked that she probably wouldn't have noticed the place where it happened. Although the place was indeed very beautiful, it would be foolish not to acknowledge it. "Why did you do that in the first place? You kissed Ayumi before. You were just joking," she said, and the strain in her voice made Uchiha uncomfortable. "You're accusing me again. Do you really think I'm capable of such a thing? You're the only one who treats me differently. It makes me sad that you're avoiding me. Am I that unpleasant to you?" continued Itachi. The girl thought about it, listening to her own feelings. The guy had an incredibly dangerous power, and it made her want to stay away from him. "I don't dislike you. And if my presence here is inconvenient... " she began. "Don't be silly," he interrupted her. "I'm glad you're here to look after us. Besides, we have a deal." "Tell me, why didn't you give the amulet to the Fifth Hokage, since you had it?" asked Akina, standing up from his lap. "I wasn't ordered to take him from you, just to find out what he looks like," Uchiha replied. "Yes, rare efficiency," Akina thought. "Then why didn't you use it yourself? Maybe you missed your chance to become equal to a god, maybe even stronger than Kaguya. Or to fulfill your deepest desire," the girl continued, staring at him intently. He looked at her with a hint of amusement, wondering what answer she expected from him. "Is he really capable of that?" he asked with a sly look. Akina said nothing. "Apparently, you doubt that he can do something like that," Uchiha guessed. "But if the amulet could do all that, what would you wish for?" the girl persisted. "Do you really want to know?" he asked, suddenly standing next to her. Fear, confusion, and anxiety were in her amber eyes. "Yes," she whispered softly, feeling herself being drawn deeper into the depths of his black eyes. He leaned closer to her, his mouth close to her ear. "I won't tell you," he whispered. Akina looked at him with undisguised indignation. He thought she looked like an angry, pouting sparrow. "That's not fair!" she protested. "Good night," he said, and walked away from her. He grabbed his book and disappeared through the front door. "You're a bastard! You're a degenerate, you're an imbecile! How do I feel about you? You're about to find out how I feel about you. I'd kill you..." she thought, standing alone on the porch.