And the road of flowers is so long

Akina left the manor house to return home and change her clothes for the party before anyone else. "Those boys are lucky. They just combed their hair and they're already beautiful," she thought with frustration, realizing how much work she had to do to prepare for the celebration. As soon as she crossed the threshold of her house, she was immediately sent to the shower by her mother. After drying her hair, she had to wear a gorgeous evening dress. Itachi chose a combination of bard and black colors. The cool, rich-colored viscose was shaded with black lace on top. The flowing bard fabric exactly followed all the contours of the girl's body, gathering on her shoulders with thin straps and small folds under her breasts. From the chest to the waist, the fabric lay in folds, then descended to the bottom in the form of a half-sun. Lace decorated with black glass beads formed wide sleeves to the waist, revealing sloping shoulders, and covered the silhouette to the very bottom. His floral ornament, rare on the entire dress, thickened to the bottom of the hem and sleeves. The look was complemented by black velvet shoes, lace gloves and a light floral fragrance. Even in such a gorgeous outfit, Akina felt out of place. She thought she would look ridiculous. "My goodness, you're a beautiful girl," Fumi said, clasping her hands together and looking at her daughter. She didn't put much effort into her daughter's hairstyle, simply braiding small pigtails on either side of her head and securing them with a hair tie and a cherry-studded hair clip that complemented her dark green hair. Fumi then turned her attention to the boys. Haku and Haru were struggling with their unruly ties. And this battle would have been lost if Lady Chibot hadn't intervened. She went up to the attic to help them. She quickly tied their ties and started working on their hair. It was easier with Haku. Fumi left her hair loose and tied it back with a leather strap. "Haku, dear, you look wonderful," she said, looking him over. The young man smiled awkwardly. "Haku, dear... if she had her way, she'd adopt all the orphans in the village," Haru thought irritably, unwilling to admit that he was a little jealous. "Yasuharu Tibo, what a plebeian appearance!" she exclaimed, looking at her son. There were problems with Haru. He was strongly opposed to the styling. His unruly thick dark brown hair stubbornly went in different directions. However, after a short period of persuasion and threats, he finally surrendered to the victor's mercy. The sleek hairstyle transformed the already handsome boy, making him look like a prince. Akina paced anxiously in her room. She didn't really like large crowds of people she didn't know, and having such handsome men around her would make people look at her, which was frustrating. Soon, the Uchiha brothers arrived in full dress. They didn't want to take off their shoes, so they didn't enter the house. After a few minutes, Haku and Haru came out to greet them. Fumi followed them, scrutinizing all the guys. They looked stunning. Their suits fit their athletic bodies perfectly. Burgundy shirts with pointed collars. Black tuxedos and matching classic trousers. Black batwing bow tie and burgundy leather-clad gloves, and patent-leather shoes. The look was completed by a perfume with woody, leather, coffee, and sea notes. She did, however, adjust Sasuke's bow tie and the satin collar of Itachi's tuxedo. Satisfied with their appearance, Madame Thibault returned to the house. The appearance of Akina caused the guys to look at her in admiration. Itachi stared at her, and it seemed to him that all of Konoha could hear the pounding of his excited heart. The girl was somewhat embarrassed by this attention. Yasuharu approached his sister and, taking her hand, led her to the others. Itachi extended his hand to her. "You're absolutely magical today," he said quietly. Indeed, the light makeup made the girl irresistible. She looked at him uncertainly, and he smiled reassuringly, then took her hand in his, and they walked towards the residence. In the foyer of the grand hall where the celebration was to take place, all those who had been ordered to attend were gradually gathering. And, of course, there were no shortage of intrusive photojournalists. The flashes of cameras could be seen here and there. She looked around at the crowd, and it was hard not to notice a group of young men in blue suits with tuxedos and white batwings bow tie. Among them was a girl a little older than Akina. She was tall and slender, with long, smooth, dark blue-tinted hair and the pale blue eyes that were characteristic of the Hyuga clan. Her dress was made of flowing blue silk, and it fit her perfectly. She kept glancing at the Uchiha group with admiration. "Chizuru, stop staring at them," Masaru scolded her, glaring at his younger sister. The girl turned away, embarrassed. However, she couldn't help but sneak glances at the green-eyed brown-haired man, who kept adjusting his burgundy gloves, which fit him like a second skin. "That's quite a job," Haru thought critically, observing the people around him. It seemed strange to him that as soon as his gaze fell on the young ladies, they would smile shyly and turn away. Everyone remembered the Hokage's decree. They were supposed to both guard and entertain the crowd. However, he had no idea how to do the latter. It was also challenging to keep track of such a large group of people. As the guests were about to arrive, everyone entered a spacious hall filled with tables filled with snacks. The arriving guests were dressed in the latest European fashion, as required by the dress code of the celebration. Akina was a little confused, and this was noticed by Itachi, who had been holding her hand all this time, and felt the nervous trembling of her palm. "You don't have to do anything, just smile," Itachi told her. Gradually, the elegantly dressed Konoha shinobi scattered throughout the hall. Suddenly, a blonde shinobi, her lace-trimmed dress caught on her shoe, causing her to stumble. However, she was unexpectedly supported by strong arms, helping her regain her balance. She looked up and was struck by the sight of a strikingly handsome man with emerald eyes. Dressed in a black tuxedo, he had a well-proportioned figure and smooth dark brown hair. "Did you get any damage?" he asked. The girl just shook her head no. Satisfied with her answer, he let go of her and walked away without even trying to continue the conversation. But he stopped when he felt someone timidly grab his sleeve. He turned around. It was the same blonde girl. "What's your name?" she asked, blushing with embarrassment. "Yasuharu," the boy replied. "Yasuharu," she repeated softly, dreamily, after he had left. The girl kept looking for him in the crowd. He went over to the tables to avoid attracting attention, but it turned out to be useless. "Hi, I didn't know there were so many handsome guys in Konoha, but few can match you," said a tall brown-eyed brunette, boldly approaching the guy. Yasuharu just shrugged, indifferent to the compliments. He felt like he looked absurd in this outfit, and he was only following the village leader's orders. "Do you have any suggestions?" she asked, pointing at the table. "I don't know what you..." You like it," he quickly corrected himself, lest he offend the noble lady with his familiarity. "Then suggest something that you like, and I will try it. Perhaps I will like it as well," she suggested. The guy looked around the table. He took one of the small plates and a small spatula, placed a shrimp and mushroom tartlet, a piece of salmon sashimi, a couple of pieces of pickled ginger, a chicken onigiri, and a bacon tempura on the plate, and handed it to the girl. Busy with his task, he didn't notice the blonde girl standing across from him, her face pale with indignation and anger. Haku made his way through the crowd, heading towards the window. It was convenient to watch both the hall and what was happening outside. With his speed, he was confident that he could react in time, even without a weapon. He didn't notice the three older women standing nearby, staring at him intently. It wasn't until a folded fan touched his shoulder that he became aware of their presence. "I never thought shinobi would look like this. Where does Tsunade get her diamonds from?" said one of them, a rather tall blue-eyed dark blonde, giving the boy a once-over. Haku instinctively froze, unsure how to react. "Come on, sister, don't embarrass the boy, or he'll be even more handsome than before," said another, a slender blue-eyed brown-haired girl, looking into his brown eyes, and the boy felt a slight blush on his face. "His hair is truly enviable. Not every girl has hair like that," said another, with fiery red hair, approaching him from the other side and touching his hair. Haku tensed visibly, trying to suppress the reaction to the intrusion into his personal space of strangers, which was worked out to automatism, and not to harm the girl. "Can we take a walk in the garden?" the first one suggested. "I'm sorry, lady, I can't leave the residence without proper order from the Hokage," he replied. "You're here to entertain us." "Well, entertain me," the brown-haired girl said dismissively, and her fan rested against the boy's chest, sliding along the row of buttons on his maroon shirt. As she walked deeper into the hall, she heard someone calling her name. A well-dressed blond man, the brother of the feudal lord from her only mission, was making his way through the crowd. "I was certain that I would find you here. Such a beautiful woman must be present. Do you know when the concert and dancing will begin?" he asked after complimenting her. "Immediately after the first waltz," she replied. The first waltz, which will be attended by the noble feudal lords, the Kage present at the event, the heads of the Konoha clans, if they wish, and the captains of the clan competition teams. Other young people approached them, demanding that the blond man introduce them to his companion, and gradually Akina found herself surrounded by suitors who constantly bombarded her with questions. She skillfully engaged in conversation. Her extensive reading had proven to be a valuable asset. Occasionally glancing around, she noticed Neji chatting with a young woman and a man who appeared to be related, with the woman gazing at Neji with admiration. Itachi was talking to a tall, beautiful woman who was staring at him with an inquisitive, hungry gaze, and another woman soon joined them, wanting to join the conversation. "Oh, it will be difficult for them. This is not like waving kunai on missions," Akina thought involuntarily. After a while, she took her leave and went out onto a small terrace. It was getting noisy in the hall, and a large crowd of people was openly pressuring her. Soon, having escaped from the new-found admirer, Itachi joined her. "It's too busy for you, isn't it?" He guessed. "As you probably already realized, there are never so many people in a library at one time," Akina said. "There you are... They left us to be devoured by these furies, and they took off," an annoyed Sasuke appeared on the balcony. "What's wrong?" Akina was alarmed. The guy looked like he had just returned from the battlefield. "Haku and your brother are about to be torn to pieces. I barely escaped," replied Uchiha Jr. In the hall, one could immediately determine the location of the epicenter of the tragedy by the density of people. Near the snack tables, there was a verbal battle between two dressed-up young women. The noble ladies, having forgotten the norms of morality, upbringing, and decency, were engaged in an unflattering exchange of words. "I was the first to see him!" the blonde shouted. "And I was the first to approach him, so back off!" the brunette retorted. "You don't even know his name," the blonde argued. "So what? You're just jealous because he didn't ask you to dance, you bitch!" the brunette retorted. "Whatever, I'll still get the first dance with him!" the blonde did not give in. "You'll get over it!" the brunette retorted. Passions were so heated that the girls were ready to tear each other's hair, and all attempts by outsiders to intervene ended in disastrous consequences. Meanwhile, the green-eyed "apple of discord" tried to calm down the raging girls. "There's no need to quarrel. I'll dance with both of you," Haru replied. Two pairs of eyes immediately turned on him, blazing with withering fury. And he understood without words what would happen to him if he gave preference to his opponent. Akina, having somehow made her way through the crowd, looked from one girl to another in confusion. One thing was clear: it was necessary to save my brother, at the same time extinguishing the volcano of confrontation between well-born people who did not put themselves in the best light. The girl took a deep breath, raised her head, and walked confidently towards her brother, standing between the two warring factions. "I'm sorry, Onii-san, the head of the clan asked me to find you. He needs to talk to you urgently," she said, bowing respectfully and taking his arm. Haru gratefully looked at his sister and walked with her, leaving the encirclement. "What's the matter with them? Haven't they ever seen a guy in their life?" Yasuharu said when they were far enough away from the brawlers. "Well, some fathers or older brothers don't encourage girls to talk to guys. And next to a handsome man like my onii-chan, it's hard to restrain yourself, and believe me, not only I, but also half of Konoha's girls think so," Akina said, looking at her brother affectionately. "You'll say it too," Haru said. "In my opinion, there is more than enough evidence," she said, pointing in the direction of the girls, who were already being chastised by their older relatives for their indecent behavior. Yasuharu sighed heavily and they continued on to the terrace. There was only Sasuke. Itachi summoned Tsunade and he left. “Try not to leave anywhere. Although I wouldn’t call this place a safe haven,” she said as she returned to the hall to find Haku. As she made her way through the crowd of guests, she came across her elegantly dressed friends. "You look lovely," Akina told them. "You look like a princess yourself," Mari remarked. "We're not even talking about your princes. We'll be lucky if we get to dance with any of them," Ryoko sighed in frustration. "My princes..." Akina thought, and her face turned slightly pale as she remembered Haku. "Well, have a nice evening. I'll see you later," she said and walked away, looking around. The girls watched her go, perplexed. It took her a while to find Haku. He was being pinned against a wall by three tall girls. "Look at him, he's so handsome. You could drown in his eyes," said a blonde. "And those coral-colored lips." "How many girls wish they could kiss them," the redhead said with a touch of mockery, touching his chin with a folded fan, making him look at her. "The most kawaii boy at this ball," the brown-haired girl replied with a smile. He looked from one girl to the other, bewildered, and had no idea what they wanted from him. Akina stood nearby, watching the scene unfold, unsure of what to do. The trick she had used on her brother wouldn't work here. She needed a different approach. She knew that the mere fact of her wanting to take their victim away would provoke a reaction from these glamorous harpy women. But there was no other option. She had to take a chance. "Haku, my dear, there you are, and I've been searching for you everywhere... And what is this?" Akina said loudly, with all the severity she could muster, pointing at the young ladies. Yuki was completely stunned, unable to breathe for a moment. "And who are you?" the brown-haired girl asked with cold arrogance, staring at the young woman. "Who I am is none of your business, and get your hands off my boyfriend," she said decisively, grabbing Haku by the sleeve of his tuxedo and yanking him towards her, hanging on his neck. "What are you doing?" "What is it?" he asked her softly, as Akina clung to him with her whole body, hugging him. "Just play along with me," she replied in a whisper. "I knew someone would reach out to you. Who gave you permission to touch him in the first place!" Akina lashed out at the girls, continuing her performance. Haku quickly picked up on her line of behavior and sighed in frustration. "There's no need to get so angry. You know I only have eyes for you," he said, touching her shoulder and smiling to try to calm her down. "You know how to calm me down," Akina smiled, touching his face and hair, showing the harmony and understanding between the two lovers. "Let's grab something to eat. I saw your favorite tuna sashimi," he said, pulling her along. "Only if you feed me," she replied with a smile. They almost breathed a collective sigh of relief when they were far enough away from Haku's newfound fans. Akina chuckled quietly, remembering the girls' expressions. "Apparently, their daddies have completely spoiled them," she thought. "I never thought it would be dangerous at a place like this," Haku chuckled. "Yeah... By the way, how did you know I like tuna sashimi?" she asked in surprise. The guy smiled mysteriously. Soon they joined the guys on the terrace. “Alive?” Haru asked, seeing his friend looking a little battered. “Almost. If it weren’t for Akina,” Yuki replied. “If the dancing doesn’t start now, we won’t last long,” Sasuke stated. The guys sighed sadly. After a short while, Tsunade stepped onto the small stage and asked everyone to gather in the hall, announcing the first waltz. "Please note that it is strictly forbidden to refuse an invitation from a partner," she concluded with a smile. The waltz began to play. The guests parted to make way for the dancers. Akina tried to escape into the crowd, but someone grabbed her by the waist from behind and literally carried her into the circle of dancers. The girl turned around quickly. Neji was standing in front of her. "I've been waiting for this all evening," he smiled. "This is a bad idea," Akina said. "Don't deprive me of this pleasure. Besides, you can't refuse me," he recalled Tsunade's order. The girl put her hand on his shoulder, put the other in his hand. "And in what lessons did Iruka teach you to dance?" The girl grinned. "A shinobi must be able to do everything," Hyuga replied with some pride, and they began to dance. He moved easily and naturally, as if he were floating around the room. Akina looked at her partner with a smile. It was clear that she enjoyed dancing with him. She didn't see the uncontrollable rage in Itachi's black eyes. He grabbed the first girl he saw in the crowd and led her into the dance circle. It was Yuki Mori. She was radiant with happiness. He couldn't take his eyes off the waterfall of dark green hair. The girl was saying something to him, but he couldn't hear her voice. An all-consuming hatred was burning in his chest. When the dance ended, everyone moved closer to the stage. The concert was about to begin. The singers and musicians were mostly civilians. Neji and Akina went to a nearby room, where everyone involved in the concert was gathering, preparing to take the stage. The girl was extremely nervous. There was no hope that Uchiba would ignore the fact that she was performing with their potential rival, and a difficult conversation with Itachi was inevitable. However, as her experience with him had taught her, it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Soon, their number was announced, and they took the stage. As she scanned the front rows of the audience, she couldn't help but notice the cold, penetrating gaze of Itachi, who was sitting in the front row next to a delighted Yuki. For just a second, his eyes flashed the scarlet color of a awakened sharingan. Although she hoped she was just imagining it. The music began to play, and she couldn't help but flinch, but the touch of Neji's hand brought her back to her senses. Their voices created a mesmerizing duet, making the audience listen to them with bated breath... As he listened to them, he felt as if he had been betrayed. His hatred was replaced by an oppressive emptiness in his soul. He was clearly not prepared for another blow. Yuki, who had the privilege of dancing with him for the first time, showered him with gratitude... What an honor... How happy she was. However, for him, it was as if the world had ceased to exist. All that mattered was this stage and her presence. "So all her excuses to help her friends were lies. She went to see him, she was with him..." he thought, and an incomprehensible dull pain in his chest wouldn't go away. "You've lost," his subconscious insisted. When the song stopped, the hall exploded with stormy, deafening applause. They didn't want to let the singers go for a long time. And after they did leave the stage, they were invited to one of the boxes in which the kage, daimyo and their governors were watching what was happening. One of the viceroys turned out to be an ardent fan of singing. He was a famous patron of the arts and patron of musicians. A short, plump, middle-aged man was excitedly pacing the box. "You are inimitable, you are magnificent. Such voices, such feelings. I haven't enjoyed music like this in a long time. Konoha is hiding such talents from the world. It's not right... It's not right. It's a crime," the man continued to praise them. The girl was a little taken aback. The boy, on the other hand, was completely calm. "Thank you, sir, for your kind words about our performance," Neji replied confidently. Akina suddenly remembered how Itachi had answered the journalists' questions. They were similar in that way. Both had that bright charisma of a leader. Maybe that's why they didn't get along. "I would be happy if you performed something else," the feudal lord continued. "I'm sorry, sir, but this is the only performance we have prepared," Neji said. "That's a shame," the man replied. "If the gentleman will allow me, I could sing another song for you," Akina replied. "Oh yes, yes, please, dear, make me happy," the music lover clapped his hands enthusiastically. The girl returned to the stage and began singing in an incredibly high-pitched, pure soprano voice:

Every night in my dreams

I see you, I feel you

That is how I know you go on.

Far across the distance

And spaces between us

You have come to show you go on.

Near, far, wherever you are

I believe that the heart does go on

Once more, you opened the door

And you're here in my heart,

And my heart will go on and on.

"Look, the flowers in the garden are blooming," a girl standing near the window said to her companion. The young man took a closer look at the garden. "That can't be right. These flowers shouldn't bloom at night," he said, dumbfounded, looking around the garden. Immediately, some of the guests rushed to the terrace. The garden was fragrant with the scents of flowerbeds. Haru, watching this, looked at his sister with concern. When Akina stopped talking, she was deafened by the applause, and when she appeared in the audience, the girl was surrounded by young people rushing to show their admiration for her talent as a singer. There were compliments from her friends. "You were amazing," Asemi replied. "Thank you," Akina smiled. Yuki seemed to be in a happy delirium. Dancing with her idol gave her an unshakable confidence that he was not indifferent to her. “Maybe he secretly has a crush on me? Just can’t admit it. Of course, the people around won’t understand if a shinobi of such a high rank admits that he loves a simple civilian girl. But I will wait, I can wait, if he wants to ask for a date or kiss, I won’t mind,” she said dreamily, as if talking to herself. The girls looked at her in amazement, wondering how far their imagination could take them with just one dance. "God, someone stop her," Akina sighed mournfully to herself. It was frightening to think where such fantasies could lead. She doubted she could withstand a confrontation with Ayumi, and she had already seen her in the ballroom. Ayumi had been at the first dance with one of the governors, which was the only reason she hadn't danced with Itachi. Soon, a group of young people approached them, and they were invited to dance. Akina had to dance two dances in a row with different partners. When the third came, the girl felt that she was beginning to get tired. "I beg your pardon, sir, the next dance this girl promised me," a voice of indifference sounded behind the new-found cavalier's back. He turned around. Itachi stood in front of her. The young man apologized and left. Uchiha stepped towards her and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her close. She looked into his eyes, feeling a chill run through her. His emotionless face was more frightening than his rage. He moved with the grace of a predator on the hunt, excelling at the music. A sense of unease gripped her. The change in him was terrifying. Finally, the music stopped, and Itachi bowed to his partner, thanking her for the dance, but he never let go of her hand, leading her across the room to the terrace. She sat down on a cushioned bench. "You look great together," he suddenly said, and it made the girl flinch in fright, but she remained silent, sighing guiltily. "Why didn't you tell me?" He continued in the same tone. "I'm sorry... I didn't want to bother you," she replied softly. "I didn't want to bother you, then... Or she was afraid that I would interfere with your happiness... Again," the Uchiha was saying. "What a coincidence, we were just rehearsing together," Akina said. "So it wasn't just me who had the idea of singing with you. I think we should avoid singing together now. I don't want to repeat myself," said Itachi bitterly. The girl looked at him in fright, but she didn't say anything, and she didn't try to persuade him to change his mind or object. "This is an order from Tsunade. I couldn't refuse," the girl said. "Yes, apparently, she didn't want to. I don't even know what hurts me more: from your actions or from your lies," Uchiha said. "I don't understand why you're angry. It's just a song. I didn't tell you because I knew how you would react to this, because you no longer perceive Neji as a rival in games, but as an enemy. Itachi, I didn't mean to offend or hurt you... Really," she tried to resolve the conflict. "It doesn't matter anymore," he said in a lifeless tone. "I've finally found you, my love," Ayumi appeared in the doorway wearing a tight, revealing dress with a thigh-high slit. She approached him with a cat-like grace and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I always knew that my boyfriend would be the most beautiful at this party," the girl whispered, touching his lips with her own, imprinting a passionate kiss on them. Itachi broke the circle of her embrace. "Come on, we're in public," he said sharply. "Well, people, there's no one here," she said arrogantly, ignoring Akina's presence. Her words stung painfully, and she had no choice but to get up and hurriedly leave. Itachi watched her with a tense expression. The girl tried to hide in a corner near the window, wanting to be alone. Her mood was worse than ever, and she didn't want to talk to anyone. All she wanted was for this evening to end. — What are you thinking about? — she heard a voice close to her ear and almost screamed in fright. Turning around, the girl saw a tall, slender blond man in a gray suit that looked great with his steely eyes. His piercing, which consisted of wide steel clips on both of his earlobes and a small stud in his right earlobe, added an interesting touch to his appearance. Few people knew that this was not just a fashion statement or a whim. These jewelry pieces were made of a special alloy and served as a lightning rod for the owner of the Raiton. "Yudai, you look great," she said, smiling sadly. "Thanks. Something happened?" He noticed her dejected look. "I'm just tired," she tried to smile. "Let's go to the garden. You can rest there," Kamatsu suggested. "But Tsunade was forbidden to leave the residence until the end of the evening," Akina reminded. "We're not leaving, and no one will notice our short absence," Yudai said. The girl looked at him and nodded. She went out into the garden and sat down on a bench. The guy took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders, as it was quite chilly at night. She thanked him. "How do you get along with them?" she asked, wanting to distract herself by talking. "With Haku and Yasuharu?" He guessed. "Yes, normal guys. Haru... He'll make a good leader someday. He makes decisions quickly, sometimes too quickly, but no one has any problems. Haku is generally a pacifist. If there is even the slightest opportunity to avoid a direct collision, he will take advantage of it." Akina listened to the owner of the raiton with interest, discovering something new for herself. "Why are you talking about them? Have they done something wrong?" Yudai became worried, fearing that this was the reason for her sadness. "No, I just wanted to know your opinion about them," Akina reassured him. She felt more at ease in his company, and they chatted easily. They sat in the garden for a while longer, but eventually had to return to the ballroom. "There you are. What does this mean... I've been looking all over for you," Asemi said to her brother. "It's my fault. I took him out to the garden for some fresh air," Akina said, handing him his jacket back. "There's a balcony for that," the girl said, frowning in disapproval. "Akina, where have you been? Itachi's been looking for you," she heard her brother say. "Sorry, it's my fault for suggesting a walk," Yudai said. Asemi looked at them in disbelief, realizing that the two of them would defend each other, and she simply pulled her brother away by the hand. "You could have warned me," Haru said in a displeased tone. "And interrupt your conversation with the high-born ladies, no," Akina replied with a laugh. Her mood had improved slightly. A couple of hours later, the evening ended with a beautiful fireworks display. And the guests began to leave the residence building. Akina was the last to leave, hoping to walk alone. But Haku was waiting for her at the door. As it turned out, the others went to see off the guests. They reached the house in silence and, apparently, came first. Akina went up to her room and changed her clothes. Soon, I realized from the noise in the hallway that the others had returned. Itachi entered his room, changed his clothes, and went downstairs to make himself some coffee, hoping that his favorite beverage would help him clear his mind. He was about to return to his room, but suddenly changed his mind and went up to the attic, picking up his guitar. "The most beautiful songs are the ones that come from the heart," Haru had once told him. His fingers touched the strings, producing soft sounds. Akina went downstairs to drink a glass of warm milk before going to bed, and suddenly she heard the sound of guitar strumming coming from the top floor, followed by soft singing. She stopped and went to the stairs, climbing all the way to the top, just before reaching the door to the attic. The door was slightly ajar, and Akina heard the soft, velvety voice of Uchiha-senpai. Listening to him, her heart sank painfully, and the girl slowly sank down on the threshold. She absolutely did not understand what was happening to him, and did not know how to react to it. But subconsciously she felt that there was a part of her fault in this. "After all, you shouldn't have hidden it from him. He probably thinks I don't trust him," Akina guessed, then went downstairs without listening to the song, afraid that he would notice her, and then went to the kitchen to drink tea with herbs. When I returned to my room, I fell into a deep sleep.