And the road of flowers is so long

After their morning run, Itachi announced that he and Aki would need to go to a sporting goods store to buy the missing equipment for her. "Why? I'm fine with what I have," the girl replied. "If you get hurt, I'll be responsible," Itachi said. "You're talking as if it's a small child," Akina continued. "This is my final decision. Whether you like it or not," Uchiha said, ending the discussion. "Yeah, who am I to argue with the genius of the Uchiha clan, the head of the Uchiha clan, and the captain of the Uchiha team?" the girl replied skeptically. Itachi gave her a reserved look. All the way to the store, Akina remained silent, displeased. It was sad for her to know that if things continued like this, she would enter the archery competition fully clad in armor, rattling with the sound of it. As he selected gauntlets and a breastplate, he occasionally asked if she liked it and if it was comfortable, but her responses were evasive and mostly neutral. This silent protest against his arbitrary actions elicited a rare smile from Uchiha. After lunch, Akina trudged back to the shooting range. She failed to convince Itachi that she would only need additional protective equipment for the competition. The team captain was adamant. And the girl was wearing gauntlets and a breastplate. It was a little unusual to be dressed like this. Her appearance in this form caused a new wave of ridicule, but Akina was already getting used to it. It wasn't until Neji came up to her again and greeted her that everyone quieted down. "Mom said you came by yesterday," she reminded him. "Yes, I wanted to suggest that you train early in the morning. There will be fewer people, and we might even be alone. It will be more peaceful for you. You can focus on shooting. Maybe your performance will improve," suggested Hyuga. Akina understood the truth of his words. But how would the others react? "You've noticed that I have trouble shooting, too," Tibo said disappointedly. "You're just being distracted, or you're paying too much attention to others. So what..." the guy asked impatiently. "I'll have to get up early, but I'll have more time to work on other games," she mused. "That's a great idea! I like it," the girl finally agreed. "Then we'll meet tomorrow morning," he smiled. "Agreed," she agreed. Akina returned to the manor house, which was silent. As she had guessed, everyone was in training. When she saw the boys in the gym, something immediately caught her eye. They were all wearing dark blue summer uniforms with black accents, consisting of long shorts and T-shirts, with the Uchiha clan emblem on the back and chest in the form of a small logo. Looking at her brother and Haku, she smiled ironically. "The Uchiha's are new." "Go change your clothes," Haru commanded, noticing his sister. "Why now?" Akina objected. "That's how it's done. Then don't complain that the shape doesn't fit. It'll be too late to order something else," said the brother. Akina reluctantly returned to the house. A large paper bag was placed in front of her door. As promised by Itachi, no one had entered her room during her absence. She picked up the bag and entered the room. Inside the bag were three sets of clothes: a T-shirt and slightly tight-fitting breeches with pockets, a jacket and trousers with drawstrings at the waist and a short top and classic trousers with many pockets and metal studs for everyday wear. All the clothing items were adorned with the Uchiha clan emblem. All of this was accompanied by a navy blue baseball cap with a black visor and the Uchiha clan emblem. "Oh, great, I'll have to wear this all the time," the girl thought with annoyance. She chose the first set and put it on. The fabric was comfortable, and the suit didn't restrict her movements. She immediately realized that her mother had helped with the measurements. It felt strange to wear the emblem of a different clan. When she returned to the gym, she was immediately noticed. The blue color suited the girl very well and was in harmony with the color of her eyes. Although the guys didn't say anything, she could feel the interested glances of some of them sliding over her body, and this made her uneasy, since before that she mostly wore skirts and loose-fitting clothes, as she did not consider her figure attractive. Itachi sometimes cast a thoughtful glance at them, watching the guys with the emblems of his clan. If it weren't for what happened in the past, if it weren't for the human envy, greed, and ambition that he and his clan fell victim to, his team would be much larger. There would also be spectators in the audience wearing the emblem of his clan. It was already evening, and Akina had almost forgotten that she had promised her mother to take a bag of medicinal herbs to Nobu-san. As she ran through the streets of Konoha, she managed to make it to the library before it closed. After giving the old man the bag of herbs, she asked about his health and the library's progress. She learned that everything was going well, but he had forbidden the children to come until Akina returned. The new teacher had not been well received by the children. "You look great in your new clothes," Nobu said with a smile. Only then did Akina notice that she hadn't bothered to change her gym clothes. "Thank you," she replied and left. As she wandered back down the street, she didn't notice the shadows following her. When the boys returned to the manor, they discovered that Akina was missing. "Akina's gone again," Sasuke remarked. "Ah, my super-fast sister," Haru smiled. "I hope she won't be late for dinner," replied Itachi. "That's not a fact," Thibault replied. "You wouldn't know it from her activity, but she doesn't have any shinobi abilities," Sasuke continued. "Sometimes I think it's for the best," Haru chuckled. Turning down an alley, she found herself on a small, deserted street, looking for a shortcut. "You must have lost your fear, you wretch," she heard a voice behind her say in a tone of disgust. It was easy to guess that the words were directed at her. Akina turned around. She was immediately surrounded by four masked girls. "What do you want from me?" Thibault said cautiously, realizing that she was in big trouble. If she was injured, their team would be disqualified, but she had no idea how to avoid a conflict. "You need to know your place and not disrespect real shinobi by wearing the symbol of one of Konoha's strongest clans," said the woman blocking her path. "Why do you suddenly think you're equal to us? Because your brother's a ninja? You're just getting in his way. He's probably secretly ashamed of having such a worthless sister. It would be better if you didn't exist at all. You're a thorn in his side. I hate you," said the other girl. "What have I done to you? Why do you hate me so much?" Akina tried to defend herself quietly. "Name one reason why you should be treated any differently. Because you're messing around with useless little shits like yourself?" another one chimed in. "You had the audacity to look at the shinobi boys. You're useless. You need to wash the streets with soap to keep yourself clean. You're a disgrace to your family and the Uchiha team. But don't worry, we'll fix it," said another girl. The girl was roughly pushed around until one of them grabbed her by the fabric of her shirt and slashed it with a kunai. A hole appeared on the chest where the Uchiha clan emblem had been. "That's a good idea," another one said. And soon, a similar hole appeared where the large emblem on the back had been. A sharp pain pierced her back. Akina was knocked to the ground and showered with dust and small gravel from the roadside, kicked by her feet, mockingly laughing with the words: "This is your place." But then one of them flew to the side, and with a shout: "Get off her!" an unexpected savior appeared. In a flash, the attackers were scattered like pins by powerful blows. Sakura stood beside her, furious. The girls were blown away. None of them dared to contact Tsunade's student. "Are you okay?" she asked Aki. Aki didn't respond, still in shock. Sakura helped her up and examined her. There was a small, bloody scar on her back. "You need to treat the wound on your back right away," she said. "It's nothing. Thank you for saving me," Akina replied quietly, gradually regaining her composure. She was trembling nervously and barely able to stand on her feet. Sakura escorted her to the gates of the Uchiha clan compound. "Are you sure you don't need my help?" Sakura asked. "No, thank you, you've already done a lot for me," Thibault said, and disappeared behind the gate. She walked slowly through the deserted neighborhood. The evening quickly turned into night. The only sound was the occasional gust of wind and the creaking of wooden awnings or doors that had fallen off their damaged hinges in the empty, dilapidated houses. It was hard to imagine that life had once been vibrant here. Akin's soul was filled with the same oppressive emptiness. How could someone hate someone so fiercely just because they were born with something different? Unbidden tears welled up in her eyes. "How am I going to show myself in this state at the Uchiha house?" she thought, sniffling as she imagined Itachi's disapproving look. She wanted to hide in the darkest corner, where no one would ever find her. Slowly, she made her way past the manor house. Dinner had long since ended, and the boys were starting to worry about Akina. "If he doesn't show up in an hour, we'll go look for him," said Itachi. "She's probably still at the girls' rehearsals. I told her to let me know if she's going to be late," Haru said worriedly. "I'm going to walk to the gate, maybe she's already in the clan territory," Sasuke said and left. Once outside the gate, he looked around and saw the girl almost reaching her house, so he ran after her. She screamed in fright when Sasuke's hand landed on her shoulder. He looked at her: her face and hands were dirty, her clothes were covered in dust, and her tank top was torn. He turned her around and saw the wound on her back. "What happened? Who did this?" he demanded, turning her to face him. His eyes were impenetrably black with worry. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her head bowed and her tears streaming down her face. "Did I ask you to apologize? I want to know who did this to you and why?" Uchiha Jr. said sternly. "I don't know them," the girl said quietly. "Come on, you can tell me at home," the guy said, pulling her along. "No, I can't show up like this. I'd better go home," Akina replied. Sasuke silently approached her, took off his shirt, and handed it to her. The girl hesitated slightly, as it was the clothes of a guy who was dating another girl, but she had no choice. "Put it on," he said firmly, and turned away. Akina took off her own clothes and put on the ones that still held the warmth of Uchiha, occasionally glancing at his muscular back. He took the ruined T-shirt from her hands and led her back to the living room. As soon as they entered, the boys realized that something had gone wrong, and they looked at Akina with concern. Sasuke threw the ruined T-shirt onto the couch. Haru's face turned pale as he looked at his sister, who stubbornly avoided his gaze, as if she were to blame for everything. "Who did this?" "What is it?" he asked coldly, coming up to her and grabbing her by the shoulders, forcing her to look into his eyes. "I don't know. They were wearing masks. Their voices were unfamiliar," she replied quietly. "She's only lightly injured," Sasuke said. Haru grabbed her hand and dragged her into the kitchen. He sat her down at the dining table and roughly removed the other man's T-shirt, tossing it onto the table. The girl grabbed it to cover her nakedness and the dark green lace bra. When he saw the bloody scar on her back, he froze in fear. His emerald eyes flashed with rage. "I'll find you and kill you!" he said with undisguised malice. Sasuke grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him away from his sister. "What are you doing? Don't you see the state she's in? You'll scare her even more," he said anxiously, feeling the boy's body trembling. His eyes were filled with anger and despair. However, Sasuke understood Tsubaki's feelings perfectly. "Take Hara to his room," Itachi said to his brother. He then approached the girl. The pale skin of her sloping shoulders, with its delicate cream color, beckoned him to touch it, which he did after a moment's hesitation. The velvety texture of her skin sent a shiver through his fingertips and radiated a gentle warmth throughout his body. Akina gave a slight shudder at his touch. The bloody scar was merely a deep scratch, likely caused by the tip of a kunai. "I'll treat her wound," said Haku, breaking Itachi out of his serious thoughts. "Okay, I'll get her some clothes," he said and left. Itachi went into her room, grabbed a robe from the bed, and returned to the kitchen. By this time, the girl had washed her hands and face, and Haku had treated the wound and applied a self-adhesive bandage. "I'm sorry for barging into your room without asking. Here, I grabbed whatever I could find," said Itachi, handing her a bathrobe. "Thank you," Akina said in a flat voice. He could see that she was depressed, but he didn't know how to help her. He wasn't sure if any words of comfort would make things better or worse. She got dressed and headed out of the kitchen. "Akina!" Uchiha called out to her. She turned and looked at him. The pain in her amber eyes, tinged with moisture that lingered on her eyelashes, echoed in his chest and stuck in his throat, making him feel guilty for not seeing or protecting her. Akina looked away and left the kitchen, heading to her room. She lay on her bed in her room, facing the window, and the incident was weighing on her mind. "Useless. Miserable. Worthless. Your brother is secretly ashamed of having such a sister," the words echoed in her mind, causing pain in her heart. A tear rolled down her cheek, leaving a wet trail on her temple. She flinched at the sound of the door opening quietly. She didn't have time for guests right now. Haru entered the room. He knew she wasn't asleep. The guy looked at her back for a while, then sat down on the floor with his back against her bed. He had calmed down a bit after talking to Sasuke in his room, but the feeling of guilt hadn't gone away. "I'm sorry, Aki. Living in this village has spoiled me. I didn't think anything could threaten you here. And now, when you need me the most, I'm not here. I'm not a good protector. I've been so focused on pleasing the village and the Uchiha clan that I've forgotten what truly matters to me," he said quietly. "Yasuharu, don't be silly," she replied, turning around. He gave her a guilty look. "I don't blame you for what happened. I blame the people who attacked me," she said confidently. They continued to talk for a while, and soon Akina fell asleep, convincing her brother that she was fine. He watched her breathe for a while, then quietly left her room. When Tsunade found out about the incident from Sakura the next day, she was furious. "I'll find out who did this, and I'll pull their legs out. If even a single hair falls from the head of any civilian, especially the Thibault family, it's the end of the shinobi!" Fifth was furious. Itachi got up early and went down to the first floor to make himself some coffee. He found everyone already gathered in the living room. It was clear that everyone had had a restless night. He greeted them with a curt nod and went to the kitchen. Soon, Haku joined him, making herbal tea to calm everyone down. "What should we do now? Keep her inside the neighborhood," Haru said as everyone gathered in the living room. "I think this will be a last resort," said Itachi. "Go everywhere with her," Sasuke suggested. "She'll be outraged. It won't be good if she has to walk around Konoha under guard," Haku replied. "Will it be seen as an act of distrust?" said Itachi thoughtfully. "I don't care how it's perceived," Haru said sharply. "It's all connected," Sasuke said. "There have been similar attacks before, but they've never escalated to physical violence," Haru said. "Maybe it's because she's on our team. It's been a while since the controversy died down... I think," Haku interjected. Itachi was restless. He needed to find out who had attacked Akin, if possible, and at least protect her from such attacks. He had a premonition that this event was related to the beginning of the clan competitions. "It happened after the archer training began," said Itachi. "Do you think Hyuga's involved?" Sasuke suggested. "Do you think he might have arranged for Aki to be incapacitated? If we lose a player, we'll be disqualified." "I can't believe Neji is capable of something like this," Haku said. Itachi thought about it. He didn't believe that Hyuga could harm Akina, no matter how much he wanted to annoy the elder Uchiha, who would hardly resort to such dirty methods. "Did she say anything else about the attack?" Itachi asked Haku. Haku recounted what he had learned from the girl during the bandaging. "It's more like a woman's revenge. It's not because the girls attacked her. It's more like a simple case of jealousy," concluded Itachi. "Raging fans?!" Haru was surprised. "What's the point of that? If they're yours, what does Akina have to do with it? And if they're one of the ones who's shoving their confessions at me, I don't understand it at all. Wouldn't it be easier to befriend the sister of the guy you like, so you can get closer to him?" "You don't know women very well." Sasuke retorted with a chuckle. "Some people think they can get what they want faster by doing things differently. They harass their idol's younger siblings until they agree to date them. Only then do they stop pursuing them. After all, no one wants to see their sister crying all the time, so the guy gives in. Some people believe that aggression is more effective in this regard. And in your case, it's even more true. After all, Akina can't defend herself, so she won't be able to fight back." "You'd have to be a complete idiot to do something like that. Under no circumstances would I approach a girl who bullies my sister!" Haru declared firmly. "If you know who she is." Well, for example: You get a love letter from a girl where she's willing to do anything just to be around. And then the attacks on your sister begin, even if by a group of individuals. After all, a girl can persuade her friends to help her happiness. Perhaps there will be more than one letter where she will persistently offer to meet or the like. And when you agree, it's all over. Thus, the girl will not cause negative feelings. After all, it's unlikely that anyone would dare to openly blackmail you: something like, "If you don't agree to meet me, your sister will suffer." Remember, there might have been similar persistent emails," said Itachi, his mind still preoccupied with the thought of Ayumi. It's unlikely that she would have done something like that, as she didn't perceive the girl as a rival, even now that she was part of the Uchiha team. "I'll have to ask Sakura about those girls, maybe she can shed some light on the situation," Sasuke replied. Haru leaned back on the couch, deep in thought. If there had been anything like that, he simply couldn't remember it. Earlier in the morning. A couple of minutes later, Akina came down the stairs with her bow in hand, greeted them curtly, and headed out the door. "Where are you going?" his brother asked. "Isn't it obvious? To train," the girl explained. "But you won't make it in time for breakfast," Haku objected. "Thank you, but I'm not hungry," she replied. "Wait. You shouldn't go anywhere right now," Haru insisted. "You suggest hiding in a corner and trembling with fear. Would you do that yourself?" she asked her brother. It was noticeable that he was slightly confused. The girl reached for the door handle. "Akina, I..." Haru tried to intervene. "Don't you dare follow me," she said as she disappeared behind the door. "I'll look after her," Sasuke said, and followed the girl out. Akina walked slowly down the street, no longer hoping that Neji would wait for her, as she was already quite late. She felt that she was gradually returning to a long-forgotten state, flinching at every sound and looking around her. Despite her tardiness, Hyuga was at the shooting range. He looked at the girl with undisguised anxiety. "I'm very sorry. How are you?" he asked, making it clear that he was aware of what had happened to her. "It's fine," the girl replied, standing in front of one of the targets. "I didn't think you'd come after what happened," the guy continued, standing in front of the next target. "I promised," Akina reminded him. Hyuga kept looking around anxiously when Akina was busy and didn't notice, sensing someone's presence. For the same reason, he didn't activate his Byakugan to avoid scaring the girl. The observer didn't show any aggression, which suited him just fine. Back at home, Sasuke was sitting at the kitchen table in quiet contemplation. After a while, Itachi entered the kitchen. "Guess who was waiting for Akinu at the shooting range," said Uchiha jr. "Hyuga Neji," Itachi suggested. "That's right. And as far as I could understand from their conversation, they've agreed to meet," Sasuke said. "And you left them alone," Itachi said. "I don't think Akina is in any danger in his presence," Sasuke replied. "Did he notice you?" asked Itachi. "Most likely, yes. And it's for the best. Let her know that she's being watched," Sasuke replied. After an hour of training, which left much to be desired, Akina approached a nearby table with her bow to adjust it. Neji offered to help her. He recognized that her current state of mind was unlikely to yield any significant results. However, he hoped that his presence and a change of scenery would provide her with some respite and allow her to temporarily forget about what had happened. "How long are you going to stay at the Uchihas' house?" he suddenly asked, trying to distract her. "Most likely, until the festival ends," Akina replied. "That's too bad. So we'll only be able to see each other here during our morning training sessions," Neji said sadly. Akina shrugged her shoulders. "I'd like to see you more often," Huga added. "Why?" Thibault didn't understand. "You're easy to talk to. You make me feel at home," the guy explained. The girl didn't pay much attention to his words. For several days in the evenings, the Uchiha clan team had been holding musical rehearsals in a spacious attic that had been converted for this purpose. The house was filled with music and singing, which had not been the case before. The first attempts to get the Uchiha clan to sing were not entirely successful. However, they enjoyed playing musical instruments. Sasuke chose drums as a simpler instrument. Itachi chose the guitar. However, neither of the brothers was in a hurry to reveal their vocal talent. Haru took on the role of playing the solo guitar. This instrument was familiar to him. Haku played the keyboards, and he seemed to enjoy it so much that he spent every free moment in the attic rehearsing. After a while, Haru managed to get Itachi to sing. Itachi's quiet baritone harmonized well with Haru's tenor. Tibo skillfully adjusted to his voice. Soon, Sasuke followed suit. Both brothers' inhibitions disappeared. "Who would have thought that the Uchiha brothers were shy about singing?" the girl sometimes thought. Now, when Akina returned from the shooting range, she heard the sound of guitars coming from the garden. She took her bow to her room and went out into the garden. Itachi and Haru were sitting in the gazebo with their guitars, quietly practicing. Their voices blended harmoniously, and Haru was doing a good job of masking the mistakes of the older Uchiha. She entered the gazebo and stopped at the entrance, leaning against the doorframe. "You're doing a great job," Akina said with a weak smile. Itachi looked at her carefully and was relieved to see that she was slowly recovering from her ordeal. "And someone is persistently skipping rehearsals," Haru reminded her casually. "You can handle things here without me. I'll only get in the way. I don't want to disappoint the audience by being on stage," Akina replied. Itachi felt uneasy. It was as if the girl was shutting them out. "I hope you haven't forgotten that we're a team," Itachi reminded her. "By the time the concert takes place, the competition will be over, and we won't be a team anymore. I don't have to be on stage with you. In fact, I don't want to be," Akina replied calmly. "I wanted to sing another duet with you. I hope you won't refuse the clan leader," Uchiha insisted. She looked at him with a long, lifeless gaze. "I think I'll have to agree with you now. Just don't expect a standing ovation," Akina said. "That's the least of my concerns," replied Itachi. On the evening of the same day, a rehearsal was scheduled in the large hall. Everyone was curious about how their singing would sound there. The boys were dressed in their everyday clan attire. Notably, each set was unique. Itachi wore black classic stretch jeans and a blue classic shirt with black accents on the sides and matching leather straps on his forearms. He adjusted his leather gloves with the back of his hand exposed, occasionally glancing at his unfamiliar classic closed-toe leather shoes. Sasuke was dressed in black corduroy trousers with an abundance of straps that wrapped around his hips, and a long-sleeved T-shirt with a black ornate pattern. His wrists were adorned with leather bracelets. He wore comfortable high-top blue boots on his feet. Haku was dressed in a black tank top, topped with a blue short-sleeved, loose-fitting top with a wide neckline that occasionally exposed one of his shoulders. He wore trousers made of thick black material with an abundance of simulated patches, metal studs, and lock-style pockets. He was wearing high-platform sneakers, which didn't seem to bother him at all. He had leather fingerless gloves on his hands and a leather choker with a metal clasp around his neck. Haru was probably the one who was dressed in a black mesh tank top with a fake ripped T-shirt over it, along with black cargo pants with lots of pockets and small chains. He wore two—tone boots; on one wrist he wore three leather bracelets with metal studs, on the other a black half-glove with a high cuff. They all wore belts tailored to the style of the set, and each element of the top featured the Uchiha clan emblem.: on the sleeve or chest in the form of a badge. The guys looked very picturesque. The girl was at a loss to guess whether the guys themselves chose the design of clothes or trusted the professionals from the civilian quarter. It was scary to think what an impression they would make when they appeared on the streets of Konoha. Only Akina was wearing her usual clothes. "Why didn't you change your clothes? We agreed to wear these clothes. We'll have to perform in them, not just walk around the streets," said Haru. Akina turned pale when she saw the clan emblem on their clothes. "Can I not wear it now?" she said quietly. "What nonsense," his brother tried to object, but he felt Itachi's hand fall on his shoulder, and he shook his head negatively, making it clear that it was not worth insisting. They left the house. Their group kept catching the interested and admiring glances of passers-by, especially the female sex. Some even stopped to watch them go. And only Akina was like a white crow among them. But it's better this way than to catch not only contemptuous, but also envious glances. She quietly caught up with Uchiha Itachi. "I'm sorry about the uniform," she said quietly. Itachi looked at her in surprise, amazed that she would care about such a trivial matter after what had happened. "I'm going to stop understanding you soon. You're worried about a piece of cloth," Itachi replied, slowing down slightly. "But your clan's crest has been damaged," she sighed sadly, turning away guiltily. "The real crest of my clan is only on Sasuke's and my clothes. Your uniform only had an imitation of it," Uchiha replied firmly. The girl looked at him and calmed down a little. "Does the wound hurt?" he asked. "No... Only a little," she replied, not daring to lie to him. In the hall, they were met by her friends, who were supposed to be assistants. They looked at the group of guys with admiration, holding their breath. "Are we late?" Itachi asked them. "No," they breathed in unison. The girls greeted Akinu and embraced her comfortingly. The guys climbed onto the stage and picked up their instruments. The girls couldn't believe that they would be the first to hear the singing of Konoha's most handsome guys. However, their dreams were cut short when Akina mercilessly kicked them out of the room, believing that they were nothing but love-struck fools. As she closed the doors behind them, her eyes widened in horror when she saw the crowd of their fans gathered outside the rehearsal hall. The first rehearsal went smoothly. They had to repeat a few times, but everyone was satisfied with the result. Akina sat at the control panel, anxiously glancing at the door, which was already being pushed open from the outside. After the rehearsal, they put the instruments back in their places and headed out. Unfortunately, Sasuke and Haru were the first to leave, and as soon as Sasuke opened the door, they were immediately engulfed by a crowd of cheering girls. Itachi and Haku didn't dare to repeat their maneuver, lest they share their comrades' unfortunate fate, and retreated to a safe distance from the epicenter of the tragedy. Akina sighed heavily, observing the pathetic attempts of the boys to extricate themselves from the pile, and made her way to the five-liter containers of drinking water standing against the wall. She picked up one of them and, approaching the screaming mass, simply poured it over the girls. With a shriek, they scattered, leaving their victims sprawled on the floor. They were helped to their feet. "Stupid fools!" Sasuke replied angrily, brushing off his clothes. "I feel like a herd of elephants just ran over me," Haru said, touching his forehead. "Yes, it's a hard life as a celebrity," Akina sighed sympathetically, beginning to understand how difficult and sometimes dangerous it can be to be a handsome guy.