Chapter 11
April 16, 2026 at 5:08 AM
Itachi woke up as soon as the dawn broke. He went downstairs to prepare breakfast. While he was chopping the vegetables, he heard his brother's footsteps.
"Good morning," he said sleepily as he walked into the kitchen and went to his brother. Sasuke froze when he felt Itachi's forehead against his back and wrapped his arms around Sasuke's waist to pull him closer.
"Sasuke, you haven't slept well," Itachi realized.
"No," he said sleepily, drawing his cheek against the back of his hand. Itachi remembered similar episodes from childhood with a warm smile.
"Sasuke, are you asleep?" Itachi asked.
"No, I'm not asleep," Uchiha Junior replied, settling even more comfortably on the older brother's back.
"If you didn't get enough sleep, then why did you even get up? There are still two hours until the run," Itachi said.
"It's a habit," replied Sasuke, yawning.
"Good mor...," Akina greeted, stopping in mid-sentence when she saw this charming sight, remembering how she used to do the same when she was a child.
"I'm going to practise," she said and disappeared behind the door.
"Try not to be late for breakfast." Itachi said after her.
"Good," the girl said, already at the door, before leaving home.
The training session with Neji went smoothly. However, he noticed that Akina was a little tense, afraid that he would ask about their decision. Neji knew that now was not a good time to start a romantic relationship, so he remained silent.
Meanwhile, the rehearsal hall was buzzing with activity. Most singers preferred to rehearse there instead of at home.
"Maybe we should do it. What's the worst thing that could happen? We can prepare a performance and we're always there," Marie suggested once.
"That's a good idea. Let's show them what we can do," Asemi suggested. "Let them know that we are more than capable of moving books around."
"Yes, but who will help with choreography? If we just stand there it won't be enjoyable," said Ryoko.
"We need someone who can dance." Yuki said
"Maybe Yudai could help. He is pretty good at dancing." Marie suggested.
"My brother dances when he gets bored with training," Asemi said doubtfully, "and if I ask, it won't surprise me."
"That leaves only Akina. Is she also a dancer?" Yuki asked.
"She hasn't left the clan's compound very often lately, since what happened to her." Ryoko replied, sounding slightly frightened.
"She's supposed to come here today." Yuki reminded him.
"It's going to be evening, and we need to start rehearsals now to make sure we're ready for the concert on time," Marie said.
"So, who's going?" asked Ryoko. Everyone looked dejected.
Of course, the prospect of being in the Uchiha Clan's territory in the main house was tempting, and they would certainly see the most handsome guys in Konoha. At the thought, all feelings froze in sweet languor.
The lot, which they decided to draw, fell on Asami. Kamatsu walked through the village as if in a daze, heading towards the gates of Uchiha's clan quarter. The mere thought of a green-eyed, handsome man whom she might encounter there made her legs tremble and her heart beat faster. She soon found herself on the clan's land. Slowly, she looked around, observing dilapidated buildings, until she reached the mansion. Finding it easier than she had expected, it was the largest, two-story structure with an attic and a network of multilevel terraces. There was a vast area surrounding it, including a park with gazebo. Standing in front of its door for a moment before pressing the bell, she heard a chime from within. Soon, footsteps were heard, and the door was opened by a windcatcher, revealing HIM. He was tall and well-built, with brown hair, a short, disheveled cut, and piercing bright emerald eyes surrounded by thick black lashes. Asami's breath stopped at the sight, and she looked back at him.
"I'm sorry to disturb you," she said, in a sudden husky tone. The girl flushed as she stood before the green-eyed man.
"Haru, how long are you going to keep your guest at the door?" replied Itachi, sitting in a chair and reading the latest edition of the Konoha Herald.
"Come in," Haru said with a radiant smile.
He stepped aside, allowing her to enter the room. Asemi walked unsteadily into the house, finding herself in the living room, and froze in shock. All the members of the Uchiha team were sitting on the sofas and armchairs. Asemi felt her face growing hotter. Itachi motioned for her to sit down. The girl sat down on the sofa next to Haku.
"You're Akin's friend, right?" Haku asked, remembering that he had seen her in the practice room. His chocolate-colored eyes made her feel hot. The blonde nodded in agreement.
"Maybe some tea or coffee," Haru suggested.
She shook her head no, staring at her hands folded in her lap. Apparently, gestures were all she could manage. She seemed completely at a loss, alternating between blushing and turning pale. The boys found this amusing.
"I'll go get Akinu," Haru said, heading for the stairs to the second floor. Haku, meanwhile, was staring at the blonde, his chin propped up on his hand, resting on the back of the couch. Asemi fidgeted nervously.
— How are the rehearsals going? Yuki asked, forcing the girl to say at least one word.
"It's okay, Haku-kun,— she replied softly.
Soon, Akina's light footsteps could be heard on the stairs. Upon seeing her friend in a pitiful state, she gave Haku a displeased look. Haku only smiled in response. Akina motioned for her to follow. With a sigh of relief, Asemi stood up from her seat.
"Thank you for your hospitality," she said with a slight bow and headed towards her friend.
Haru winked at the girl as she passed by, and she almost tripped over the low threshold before leaving the house. Akina gave her brother an annoyed look and followed Kamatsu out of the house.
Once outside, Asemi let out a long breath, gradually regaining her composure.
"Asemi, is something wrong?" Akina asked.
"Phew! I'm alive. I must have looked like a complete idiot. What must they think of me now!" Kamatsu panicked.
"That's an understatement. So what do you need?" Akina reminded her of the purpose of her visit.
The girl explained her request to her.
"You're coming tonight." You're having your first rehearsal with Her... She couldn't finish her sentence because Akina put her hand over her mouth, glancing warily at the door of the manor house. Afraid that the guys might hear her. She grabbed the blonde by the arm and dragged her away from the house.
"Speak softly. None of them must know about this," said Akina.
"Didn't you tell me?" Asemi was surprised.
"This is a very bad idea. Itachi and Neji are like a cat with a dog. It was with great difficulty that I managed to persuade them to let me train with him. And it is unlikely that the fact that we are also singing together will please the Uchiha," Akina replied quietly.
"How romantic that is.".. Just like Romeo and Juliet!" Kamatsu marveled.
"Yes, I feel that, just like in the play, it's not going to end well," Thibault sighed.
The girl accompanied her friend to the gate, and she returned to the house.
"Itachi, can I have a word with you?" She said, and they went out onto the terrace.
"I'll have to go to the rehearsal room tonight to help my friends," she said.
"You can't go alone," Itachi snapped.
"It's not necessary. It's not far away," she tried to argue, but the clan leader was adamant.
"I wouldn't mind if I knew you could defend yourself, which I highly doubt," he said, staring at her sternly. The girl's face showed her offense. Itachi was right, of course, but she thought he was too straightforward. She looked away and walked past him, heading towards the house, but he stopped her.
"It's been a long time since we became a team, but we haven't really become a team. And this applies primarily to you. You stay away from us, leaving the house under any pretext. I know he's a stranger to you, but maybe you can explain why." Itachi was saying.
"It's not about the house or you, it's about me. You're just different. No one expects anything from me," Akina replied, carefully averting her gaze.
"Sometimes I really don't understand you at all. Have any of us ever said or treated you like that? Where did you get this complex from? "He was surprised.
"To understand this, you need to spend at least a day in my shoes. When we first arrived here and my "unconventional" nature became known, not only did I not receive any interaction from the shinobi, but even the common people shunned me. It was as if I could be infected with this. You can call it a complex, but it wasn't my own creation. It emerged from the way others treated me," the girl replied sadly.
Itachi had nothing to say. She was right. He knew exactly how people felt about her. Even now, when the initial shock had subsided.
When Tsunade asked to shelter them in her territory, he replied dismissively: "Just don't let them get in the way." He also looked at Haru with nonchalance. After all, what can a carpenter's son do? It was only after Haku appeared in the village that he showed himself in all his glory and thus attracted the attention of the head of the Uchiha clan, namely after passing the Chunin exam. Their fights were the most spectacular, and the guys in his team caught the attention of not only the strong shinobi of their village, but also the heads of other villages who were present at the exam, establishing themselves as some of the best fighters. It turned out that Tibo was not so simple. And she. He didn't even notice her, as if she didn't exist. If he did pay attention to her, it was as an annoying addition to her undoubtedly talented brother. Then there was the mission, which he considered unusual for himself. However, he didn't have the habit of discussing or reacting to the orders he was given. What happened next didn't fit into his usual perception of civilian girls. Usually, no matter what happened between them and shinobi, they would look down and apologize. But her. He remembered her fiery gaze and the words that haunted him.
"Maybe it's a punishment from above for looking down on her," he suddenly decided.
"I have to go," she said, turning to go into the house, but felt his strong fingers clamp down on her shoulder, stopping her. He pulled her against his body.
The next moment, her gaze was fixed on his broad chest. His arms were like a steel trap, encircling her shoulders and waist. He gently guided her head to rest on his shoulder. Only then did she realize how much taller he was than her. She could barely reach his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. The girl looked at him doubtfully.
"Itachi is apologizing??? The world is over," she thought.
"What for? " Akinah was taken aback.
"For being so short-sighted. In order for you to feel comfortable in our company, you must spend as much time with us as possible. Moreover, it is time for our rehearsals together. Try to keep your time outside my clan's territory to a minimum, no more than three hours, except when you are carrying out an assignment. "I understand that your friends need help, but you have equally important things to do here," he said, feeling the girl tense up, bristling like a hedgehog, and trying to pull away from him.
"Do you want to limit my freedom?" she asked warily.
"Akina, don't get me wrong. I don't want that at all. You're avoiding us because you think we're looking down on you. I want to prove to you that that's not true. There's still plenty of time before the sports festival. We can make up for lost time and fix things," continued Itachi.
"It all sounds like a prison," Akina remarked.
"I could forbid you to leave my territory, except when I deem it necessary, but I don't think that's necessary right now. I'll limit it to personal escort. If people see you with one of us all the time, they'll understand how important you are to the team," he said firmly.
"Are you serious? Am I going to walk around Konoha under escort?!" the girl was indignant.
"Don't take it that way. I just don't want anything to happen to you again. I still can't forgive myself for that incident. It shouldn't happen again," said Itachi.
"I can't refuse to help my friends. I'll break my promise," she tried to dissuade him.
"Don't worry, you'll keep your promise," promised Itachi.
"What about my morning training?" she asked in a dejected voice.
"In both cases, one of us will accompany you," replied Itachi.
"Why waste time? Use it for training or rehearsals," she said.
"We'll only be there to see you off and on your way back. As for Neji, I can only let you go alone if it's a date. Is it a date?" asked Uchiha, looking at her intently. It was a good way to find out what she had decided about their relationship. She hesitated.
"No," she replied quietly, pulling away from his embrace.
"Then if you're going to the shooting range tomorrow morning, I'll come with you," he said in a tone that brooked no argument.
"Whatever you want," she replied quietly, and returned to the house.
After lunch, as promised by Itachi, there was a joint rehearsal, and, as in the case of Neji, she suggested that he choose the song himself. This came as a surprise to him and slightly confused him. Sasuke helped with advice, choosing a romantic song, in his opinion, an unbreakable option.
In the late afternoon, after training, having warned that she had to leave, Akina slowly walked down the street, accompanied by Sasuke.
"What should I do now?" she thought. It would be difficult to keep her rehearsals with Neji a secret.
Sasuke occasionally glanced at the girl. He needed to break the ice, but he didn't know how to start a conversation.
"What will you be doing there?" asked Uchiha Jr. without much interest.
"I'll be helping with the choreography," Akina replied.
"With the dancing," the boy clarified.
"Yes," the girl said.
Soon, they reached the rehearsal hall.
"How long will you be here?" asked Sasuke before leaving.
"About three hours," Akina replied, mindful of the time limit set by Itachi.
"It'll be a bit late. Don't leave until I arrive," he said.
"Okay," she promised.
The rehearsal continued as usual. Akina quickly decided on the choreography after hearing the song. The movements were quite simple, and the girls easily memorized them. Neji soon arrived. She told him about her conversation with Itachi.
— Why do you want to hide the fact that we are rehearsing together? Hyuga was surprised, and it seemed to her that he was slightly indignant.
— Understand, he also wants me to sing with him at the concert. And how do you think he'll take the fact that I'm singing with you at the ball? He considers you not just a rival in a competition, but almost a personal enemy. I'm already walking around the village with an escort, as if I'm helpless," Akina replied anxiously.
"Okay, I'll figure something out," he promised the girl.
Akina liked the song he chose. After a few tries, they started to get the hang of it. Their voices blended well together, complementing each other. As the time approached for Uchiha Junior to arrive, Neji made sure to leave early to avoid running into him. As they walked home, Sasuke noticed that Akina was smiling to herself, lost in thought.
"Are you unhappy with your brother's decision?" he asked suddenly.
"Would you be happy with such a decision?" The girl answered the question with a question.
"He only cares about you," Sasuke objected.
"He has a strange concept of caring," she replied in the same tone.
"He just feels responsible for what happened to you. For that attack," Sasuke continued to defend his brother.
"That doesn't make sense. He didn't attack me," Akina said.
"You can't imagine what responsibility he has," the guy insisted. The girl had nothing to say to that. They soon returned home.
Dinner was delayed this time, and Akina, as always, helped her mother set the table. After her mother left, the girl went to her room, but was stopped by her brother and seated at the table next to him.
"I don't feel like eating," she explained.
"Don't be silly and stop your stupid boycott. Don't act like a child," Haru scolded her.
"I'm not a child," Akina replied with annoyance.
"Then act like one," her brother said sternly.
Akina turned her back on him in a show of defiance, but she didn't try to leave the table again. The others pretended not to see or hear anything, as no one wanted to get involved in their argument. After dinner was over and the dishes were cleaned, Akina was the last to leave the kitchen, as she always did after washing the dishes. Today was her turn to take care of the kitchen. Sasuke and Itachi were sitting in the living room, talking about something. As she was climbing the stairs, she overheard a snippet of their conversation.
"Aren't you being too strict with her?" Sasuke asked his brother.
"As long as she's on my team, I have to take care of her. If something happens to her, all our efforts for the competition will be in vain. I can't allow that to happen. She's truly a weak link, as Tsunade said. And I've only just realized how difficult it is," replied Itachi.
Akina leaned against the wall, not believing what she was hearing. So all the care he was taking of her was really a burden. Her eyes filled with tears.
"So that's how it is... The weak link. All his assurances that they don't consider me an empty space were just to put me at ease. In reality, he doesn't think that way. And the restrictions he imposed were not to ensure that nothing would happen to me, but rather to prevent himself from worrying about it," she thought, and tears of resentment formed on her cheeks. The hope that they would treat her like a full-fledged member of the team for even a short time had vanished in an instant. Akina slowly continued to climb the stairs. Her legs suddenly felt weak, and she barely made it to her room. She collapsed on the bed and, burying her face in the pillow, let herself cry.
"Do you regret taking her on the team?" Sasuke continued to ask.
"No, she's a really good player, just because she's trying her best. But as for the rest of it... I didn't think anyone would hate her that much. I don't see any reason for it. And now I'm worried that she'll get into trouble again and we won't be able to help her," replied Itachi, his eyes filled with concern.
Sasuke smiled and patted his brother on the shoulder.
"There's no need to worry about what might happen. It would only make things worse. We'll all be looking out for her. So it's our shared concern now," Sasuke said.
Itachi smiled warmly at his brother. Talking to him was as soothing as ever.
Waking up early was not easy for her. Her sleep did not bring her rest or peace of mind. Looking at the clock, Akina realized that she was running late, but this did not bother her in the least. She got up, brushed her hair, and braided it as she had done many times before, and then went downstairs. After completing her morning routine, she grabbed her bow and necessary equipment and headed out the door.
"You're not even going to have some tea," she heard a voice say from the kitchen. Itachi was standing in the doorway, holding out a cup of hot tea. He approached her and took the quiver of arrows from her shoulder. She took the cup of tea from him.
"Were you going to leave without me?" What a sweet act of defiance," Itachi smiled bitterly.
—Not at all,— she said softly.
— Akina, why do you take every decision I make with hostility? "What is it?" he asked, looking at her sternly. The girl was silent. She had nothing to say. He realized that this question would remain unanswered.
They walked slowly through the deserted neighborhood. I didn't want to talk about anything. Almost reaching the shooting range, Akina suddenly stopped.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
She fumbled in her pockets and realized she had forgotten her fingerless glove.
"I forgot my fingerless glove," she replied.
"Let's go back," said Itachi.
Akina noticed Haru approaching them, returning from his jog.
"No need. Haru is taking me. It's not against your orders.You go to the shooting range," she said, handing him a quiver and a bow, and then called out to her brother and walked away with him, returning to the neighborhood.
"You forgot something," Sasuke realized when he saw the girl, even though he knew that she should have been at the shooting range with Itachi.
"Aha," she confirmed as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom. A minute later, she came downstairs when she found what she had forgotten.
"Why isn't Itachi with you?" Sasuke asked in surprise.
"Haru was there, and he went to the shooting range," Akina explained.
"Neji's there," said the noticeably pale Uchiha Jr.
Neji was focused as he shot arrow after arrow. Sensing someone's presence, he turned around. Not far away, under the canopy of one of the trees, Itachi was standing behind him, observing him.
"Finally, you're not hiding," Hyuga replied, pulling back the bowstring and continuing to shoot.
"I think it's time to face each other openly. What do you want from her?" Uchiha asked with a hint of menace in his voice.
"If it's about Akin, it's my own business," Neji said, not looking at the other man.
"Everything that concerns her concerns me," Itachi objected.
"In what way? Our relationship has nothing to do with your team or the competition. So keep your excessive concern to yourself," Hyuga replied.
Uchiha's expression changed, and his eyes flashed unkindly.
"I won't allow anyone to harm her in any way," said Itachi confidently.
"And you think I'm going to harm her. I think she should be protected from you," said Neji with a chuckle.
"You're a troublesome brat, doing this to spite me while messing with Akina's head," said Itachi, his eyes flashing red.
"If you think that trash like you is of any interest to me, then you have a high opinion of yourself," Neji said confidently, his veins bulging at the temples.
Itachi knew that Neji still considered him a renegade and a murderer, and believed that he had no place in Konoha, even though everyone in the village already knew that Itachi and the Uchiha clan had been victims of Danzō's schemes.
"If you don't leave her alone, you'll regret it," Itachi continued.
"You don't get to tell me what to do," Neji replied defiantly, throwing his bow aside. Suddenly, kunai appeared in both of their hands.
A group of guys, moving rapidly across the roofs, headed towards the archer training ground. One of them had a girl in his arms. Even from a distance, they could hear the metallic clanging echoing throughout the area. Soon, the guys reached the shooting range, and Haru lowered his sister to the ground. A fierce battle was taking place on the grounds. As the opponents, having exchanged kunai strikes and already being lightly wounded, retreated from each other, it was difficult to keep up with the lightning-fast movements of Uchiha's hands as he formed six seals. His opponent froze in a fighting stance. Those who had just arrived on the platform were already rushing towards them. Haku and Haru were forming hand seals on the fly. Haru stopped and touched the ground, using the technique of entangling trees. Sasuke knew what was about to happen. The chakra inside Itachi's body rapidly transformed into fire, and he unleashed a fireball attack. Meanwhile, Neji was also concentrating a huge amount of chakra in his body, releasing it in a specific direction at high speed, responding to Uchiha's attack with a celestial rotation. They would have collided if a giant ice mirror hadn't rapidly formed between them, canceling the fireball's attack, and a chakra whirlwind from the other side created ice shards. In the next instant, Sasuke stopped his brother with a forceful grip, and Neji was entangled by a wooden ribbon that emerged from the ground, immobilizing him. It was the only way to break through Huga's technique.
Akina, who was watching all this, was half-dead with fear.
"How is this... Did they really want to kill each other?" she thought as she sank to the ground.
"Have you gone crazy!? You want both of our teams to be disqualified!" Sasuke shouted at them.
Katsu and Tokuma Hyuga, members of the Hyuga clan team, appeared on the set.
"What's going on here?" Tokuma asked warily when he saw the leader in a wooden vise.
—You bastards! They've set up an ambush! Katsu shouted with the obvious intention of rushing into battle, but Tokuma's heavy hand landed on his shoulder, stopping the heated guy. Haru interrupted the technique, freeing Neji from his wooden captivity. He looked at Tibo warily.
"He found a loophole in my technique... So quickly," he thought. After all, Haru had never seen his technique before. And this bothered Hyuga a little.
"Let's go," he said quietly to his clan members, and they walked away. Tokuma silently obeyed the leader's command. Katsu wanted to stay and confront the members of the Uchiha team, believing them to be responsible for the incident, but Tokuma dragged the reluctant Hyuga away.
"What's the matter with you?" Sasuke exclaimed, shaking his brother by the clothes.
He was silent. His gaze found Akina. She picked up her bow and quiver. The girl occasionally wiped her eyes, confident that no one would notice. She sat down under a tree, hugging her knees.
"Nothing," Itachi replied quietly. He started to approach the girl, but stopped when he saw her frightened, tear-stained eyes. Haku approached her and began to comfort her, gently touching her shoulder.
They returned home. From Sasuke's angry expression, Itachi knew he was in for a scolding.
"What's all this supposed to mean, brother?" I know that even Ibiki won't get the reason for what's happening out of you, but damn you, you're the head of the clan. Where did your composure and composure go? I knew you'd get into a fight sooner or later. And now, because of your stupid prank, both of our teams may be disqualified. Have you thought about that?" Sasuke scolded him. Itachi kept his mouth shut more and more.
"I can't imagine what would have happened if we hadn't arrived in time," Sasuke continued.
"I'm sorry, it won't happen again," Uchiha-senpai promised.
"I hope so. I've already lost you once, and I don't want to lose you again because of your recklessness," Sasuke said more calmly.
Itachi stood in front of him, listening to his brother's lecture without objecting or justifying himself, and he looked deeply into his brother's eyes. There was concern in his brother's eyes. Itachi knew that he had acted recklessly by letting his emotions take over and succumbing to Hyuga's provocations. After his brother's words, he realized that he had let everyone down, but there was no way to undo what had been done. Itachi looked around at the others. Haku was sitting on the couch. Akina was standing by the window, deathly pale, unaware that she had become the cause of contention between the two young men. Haru approached her. He touched her shoulder. She looked at him and rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"How are you?" he asked quietly, hugging her back.
She didn't say anything. He knew it would end up like this when he didn't want to take her with him. But there was an unspoken decision not to tell her anything, so as not to scare her beforehand and prevent her from making rash decisions. And this is how it turned out in the end.
I could see a slight concern on everyone's faces. No one knew how it would end or how Tsunade would react when she found out. But what worried him the most was that Akina had seen everything.
Suddenly, the door of the house opened, and a frightened Ayumi appeared on the threshold. The girl rushed to Itachi, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Itachi, are you all right? Are you hurt?" She chirped, staring in horror at the small wounds on her arms and chest.
"It's not worth your worry," Itachi replied calmly.
"I love you, that's why I'm worried," Ayumi replied, clinging to him with her whole body.
Sasuke looked at Yano with displeasure.
"It's not a house, It's a pass yard," he replied displeased, heading towards the stairs to the second floor.
After he left, everyone followed suit and went back to their rooms, leaving Itachi and Ayumi alone. Ayumi insisted on treating his wounds, so they went up to his room. He sat on the bed and slowly pulled off his dark blue T-shirt, but he couldn't help but think about Akinah's fearful gaze. He wondered if what had happened would cause her to distance herself from them, and especially from him. After finishing the bandage, the brunette wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his, leaving a passionate kiss on them, bringing the young man out of his thoughts. He looked into her blue eyes and smiled restrainedly.
"Thanks. And I'm sorry, I have a workout soon," he said, making it clear to the girl that she had nothing else to do here.
"I understand," the kunoichi sighed sadly and, after a little hesitation, left his room. Then she left his house.
The training and rehearsals were not particularly enthusiastic. This time, Akinu was accompanied by Haru to her friends' rehearsals, which caused a deafening delight among the girls. After dinner and an evening tea that was silent, everyone went to their rooms.
Itachi could not sleep for a long time due to his anxious thoughts. Eventually, after lying in bed for a while, he got up, dressed, and went to the window. In front of him was a garden with fruit trees covered in blossoms. A light appeared in a nearby gazebo.
"Someone else can't sleep tonight," he thought, putting on a black cloak with red clouds, and he chuckled as he looked at the object in the closet.
As he approached the gazebo and recognized the midnight wanderer, he hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to disturb her solitude at this hour.
Akina sat in the gazebo, watching the moths and night insects flutter around the kerosene lantern she had found in the storeroom and brought with her, its light reflecting golden glints in her amber eyes. She did not immediately notice the jingle of a cat's bell behind her, assuming it was a stray cat that had entered the garden. But when the sound became audible right behind her, she turned around. Her eyes swept over the black cloak and landed on the obsidian eyes of Uchiha Senior. Around his neck was a leather collar necklace with a cat bell.
"I see. You like to mock me," the girl concluded with a hint of resentment from everything that was happening.
"I just fulfilled your request. Now you will know about my approach," he said in a velvety tone, sitting down close enough to touch her thigh with his.
A cold shiver ran down her back, and she struggled to suppress the urge to move away from him. She barely remembered the phrase she had uttered in a fit of irritation, which he had now latched onto.
"Very funny," Akina replied with displeasure. Itachi had a gentle and mocking smile on his lips at the same time.
"I'm sorry about what happened today. I think we've ruined your training," Uchiha said.
Tibo sighed sadly. It wasn't so much the lack of training that bothered her, but the young people's attitudes toward each other.
"I don't understand what's going on between you. Why do you hate each other so much? Back then, on the mission, you understood each other with half a word, with half a glance, and you worked so well together that you could have been invincible if you had been on the same team. But now you're ready to kill each other," she said quietly, and her eyes glistened with a sheen of moisture that clung to her lashes.
His fingers brushed through her dark green hair in a gentle caress, as if to soothe her.
"You don't have to worry so much. I don't hate Neji. But I don't like the way he's always around you. I don't know his motives, so I don't trust him," replied Itachi.
Akina looked at him. His eyes shone with a mesmerizing light, and she was afraid of succumbing to this dangerous charm.
"You mean our training sessions?" I just needed help," she explained.
"Why didn't you ask one of us for help?" He was saying.
Akina looked away. She couldn't admit that she was afraid of looking completely useless and causing additional inconvenience to her teammates.
A cool breeze blew, and Itachi opened his cloak, wrapping his arms around her. She felt a bit awkward, but she didn't pull away, enjoying the warmth of his body.
"You can trust us. You can trust me," he assured her.
She gave him a searching look. Her eyes couldn't help but linger on the cat bell. It looked good with the mesh tank top that Uchiha was wearing. It was quite attractive and a little provocative.
"He looks good," the girl thought.
They sat in the gazebo for a while longer, then returned to the house when the boy sensed that the girl was starting to feel sleepy. He lay in bed in his room for a while longer, thinking. Was he doing this for the sake of the team, as he tried to convince himself, or was there another reason for his actions? If he was doing it for the team, then why did he get angry when he saw her with Neji? Why did he start to suffer from insomnia because she might not be sleeping and was sitting on the porch? Was he being honest with himself? The question remained unanswered. But soon, sleep interrupted his mental turmoil.
