And the road of flowers is so long

Waking up early in the morning, Akina felt completely exhausted and drained. She had only managed to fall asleep well after midnight. The memories of the previous evening were still haunting her. Her feelings of resentment and anger persisted. She was perplexed by the reasons behind Uchiha's behavior. Her mind was spinning with thoughts. "If I were a shinobi, he wouldn't have treated me this way," she concluded. She didn't want to leave her room. If she went to the living room or the kitchen, she'd probably run into Uchihu-senpai, and she didn't want to see him after yesterday. She even considered going back to her own house, but she quickly dismissed the idea when she thought about confronting her brother. He would probably want to know why she was making this decision. "If you can't change things, you have to endure them," Akina thought as she got out of bed. The girl changed her clothes, combed her unruly hair, braided it, and grabbed the doorknob to open it, holding her breath like she was about to jump into the water. But her next step proved to be fatal. Akina lost her balance and fell to the floor. It turned out that something was lying across her door on the floor, blocking her path. "The prankster will go to hell," she thought, assuming that one of her classmates had played a prank on her. "Did you get hurt?" the obstacle asked unexpectedly. The girl turned around and barely suppressed a heavy sigh. "Why am I being punished like this?" she thought, her face expressing a sour expression. "Itachi, what are you doing here?" the girl asked wearily. Judging by the position of his body, he had been in this position all night. His appearance was, to put it mildly, disastrous: dark circles under his eyes, a bruise on his left cheekbone that had appeared out of nowhere. "I..." he hesitated, unsure how to begin the conversation. "I'm sorry for my behavior yesterday." Akina couldn't help but shudder at the memory of his ruby-colored Sharingan eyes. "That's the only reason you're sitting here," the girl replied indifferently, getting up. "I didn't want to put it off. I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of my position in this regard," he said, getting up from the floor. "Well, that's exactly what it is," Akina thought to herself. "I understand, team morale and all that," the girl said, not looking at him. "The team has nothing to do with it. I care about what you think of me. I don't want to be a bad person in your eyes," Itachi explained passionately. Akina looked at him intently, and he calmly met her piercing gaze. "I don't think you're a bad person. Perhaps you're too confident and stubborn, willful, and a bit domineering, but you're not a bad person," she replied thoughtfully. Itachi was taken aback by her revelation. It was something she had never said before. She had never said what she thought of him. But if she thought of him at all, then she was thinking about him. And that meant that she cared about him in some way. "Say something else about me," he thought. "Despotic, is it?" he said aloud, looking at the girl with a slight smile, his arms crossed over his chest. "That's right. You give yourself the right to command those who are weaker than you," the girl declared, her nose tilted stubbornly. "Are you referring to yourself as a victim of my tyranny?" he replied with a hint of amusement. "I was wondering when she would start striking again... And now she has," thought Itachi. — And even so. You don't take my opinion into account at all. You do whatever you want without even asking if I like it... Even something like that... The girl blushed involuntarily at the last words. — Okay, I'll ask you: do you like it when I kiss you? — the guy clung to her phrase, wanting to tease her a little. Indignation turned to anger in her eyes. "Don't exaggerate. What you're doing is wrong, and it doesn't matter if I like it or not," she continued angrily. — It's important to me. Let me know what you like. Guide me in the right direction," Itachi insisted. "What do you like..." she involuntarily remembered his passionate kisses and hot touches, the fear of not understanding the reason for what was happening and the strange reaction of her body, and felt herself blush even more, because she realized that with his words he had simply driven himself into a corner. "Why would you do that? What for?" Akina asked quietly, looking away, trying to hide her embarrassment, which amused Itachi. "To get to know you better. I'm willing to make amends, just tell me how. I want you to know that I'll always come to your aid, even if it means returning from the dead to help and protect you," his tone shifted from mocking to affectionate. Akina remained silent, perplexed. If he wanted to confuse her completely, then he did it perfectly. She turned around to go downstairs and end this awkward dialogue. "You don't have to. Just ask Sasuke to be careful with you in training. I understand that you have to keep fit and keep your skills up, but you don't have to hurt each other at the same time. You're a public figure, and it shouldn't be bruised," she said reproachfully before leaving, leaving his questions unanswered. After she disappeared up the stairs, he couldn't help but touch his face where Yasuharu's mark remained. "That's how she explained the bruise. Well, so be it," he thought, deciding that she didn't need to know the truth, even though the bruise was already starting to hurt. "A bit of a tyrant... To keep you close, even if you don't like it, even if you resist, even if it's just for a short time... You're here with me. And if I have to be a tyrant to you to do that, then I will be," thought Itachi confidently, remembering her words, explaining to himself the reason for his actions, but for some reason only in his thoughts, realizing that he would not dare to say something like that to her directly. Entering the kitchen, Itachi saw Yasuhara and Haku setting the table. The Uchiha's gaze fell upon the brown-haired man. He behaved completely calmly, as if there was no discord between them that had occurred yesterday. "I should talk to him after all. What a nuisance," Itachi sighed worriedly. "Good morning," the clan head greeted him. The guys responded in a reserved manner. The breakfast was held in a calm, quiet atmosphere. A basketball game with Akimichi's team awaited them. Despite their size, this team should not be underestimated. However, they still lagged behind the Uchiha team in speed. During the game, Akina fell a couple of times, injuring her knee. This worried her teammates, although the girl insisted that she was fine. The guys understood that the girl was starting to tire, both physically and mentally, and was holding on by sheer stubbornness. Even enough rest didn't restore my strength the way it used to. The match ended with a slight advantage of the Uchiha team. The doubles lawn tennis with Itachi and Sasuke against the Hyuga team also ended with the victory of the Uchiha clan, which did not affect the placement of places. They were ranked seventh overall. After they returned home, Itachi advised the girl to rest, and she had no choice but to follow the advice of the leader. Ten minutes later, Itachi quietly looked into her room. Akina was already asleep. He covered her with a thin blanket and went out. Itachi did not see Haku enter the girl's room noiselessly after he left. The guy looked at her face for a while, which even in a dream was haggard and bore the stamp of fatigue. But something caught his attention. A beautiful emerald pendant wrapped around a vine. As long as he had known Akina, she had never taken it off. "Is this really it?.. The Shinju seed, "Yuki thought. If he steals it, will his life remain the same as before? Will he be able to hide what has to do with the missing pendant, and for how long will he be able to hide it? What if that person doesn't limit himself to the artifact, and the blackmail can go on forever? However, remembering the words of the mysterious blackmailer, he realized that after that, even if not immediately, he would be forced to leave Konoha, and this time for good, so it would not be like before anyway. His hand quietly reached for the emerald pendant. After going downstairs, Itachi sat on the sofa and opened the latest issue of the Konoha Bulletin, looking through sports reports and village news. The events of the last few days had been a little unsettling, but the feeling that life, which had already become familiar, would soon come to an end was growing. There are a couple of days left, and the festival will be over. And they will return to their homes. His house will be filled with silence again. But he wasn't sure he wanted to anymore. The windcatcher's bell rang. Ayumi flew into the house and, seeing the object of her adoration, went to him, climbed onto his lap and gave him a passionate kiss. "Oh my God, I've missed you. When will this festival end? " she sighed, clinging to him. Itachi did not answer, because their desires did not coincide at all. "Maybe we can practice together... Like before," she suggested. The guy agreed, hoping that it would distract him from his sad thoughts. After sleeping for a short time and seeming quite rested, Akina went downstairs. The living room was empty. The girl decided to relax a little and take a walk around the block. Her legs led her to the gym. Tomorrow was the last day of the competition, which they did not participate in. All the results of the clan competitions were summed up, and their team invariably remained in seventh place. The girl picked up a basketball and threw it into the ring. Suddenly, longing squeezed her heart. She would never wear that dark blue and black uniform with the Uchiha clan emblem again. Memories whirled through her mind: their training sessions together, the attack on her, Neji's kiss, their trip to the city, swimming at the beach, her argument with Neji, their picnic in the park, and her victories and defeats. A sad smile tugged at her lips. She would miss their unity, but everything comes to an end, and she would have to accept that. The girl made a few more throws into the ring, then left and locked the building, as if saying goodbye to this place. Unclear sounds made her turn off the path and pass by the training ground, not particularly expecting to see Ayumi Itachi as a rival. Watching them, she involuntarily admired their sharp, honed to automatism movements. Itachi skillfully received her blows with a block and dodged her rapid attacks in time, allowing himself only to defend. He was probably waiting for the girl to get tired, so he could go on the offensive. And that's exactly what happened. He clearly had no intention of sparing his opponent, and she didn't need him to. "Joint training, learning techniques, missions. What do I have in common with Neji?.. Nothing," Akina's heart skipped a beat from the realization that they seemed to live in different worlds that were never destined to become one. Sighing sadly, she walked away, not noticing how Itachi looked after her, almost missing Ayumi's attack. The dinner was held in a calm atmosphere, although Sasuke noticed the tension in Itachi's behavior immediately, but he did not ask anything. Itachi was unable to talk to Yasuharu and resolve the conflict between them, although it did not affect either Tibou's behavior or his performance, which was satisfactory to Uchiha, although the feeling of unfinished business remained. After the evening tea, he went out onto the porch and sat on the threshold, as he often did these days. "What's going on with you, brother?" he heard Sasuke's voice behind him. He did not respond. Sasuke approached him and sat quietly next to him. "Itachi..." the boy touched his brother's shoulder, bringing him out of his thoughts. Itachi looked at him, a sad smile on his lips. "Don't worry. Just a little tired," the boy made an excuse. Akina came out under the canopy to get some fresh air, and when she saw the Uchiha brothers, she had to fight the urge to go back inside. But Sasuke noticed her and called her over. She had no choice but to come and stand next to him, leaning against the railing. "What do you think would make Itachi tired?" he asked, trying to engage her in conversation. "Our presence, of course. Our arrival has disrupted the peace in this house. My brother and Haku are quite the quiet ones. And if Naruto comes over, they'll destroy half the house without even noticing. In a couple of days, we'll leave, and the house will be quiet again," Akina replied without hesitation. At her words, Itachi visibly tensed, and an unpleasant chill ran down his spine, which Sasuke immediately noticed. "That's not true," Itachi retorted quietly. "Silence is a good thing, of course... And no one's trashing the kitchen," Sasuke said loudly, teasing the girl. She gave him a displeased look, once again confirming that the Uchiha were evil. "Well, I'll be going," Sasuke said, standing up and giving them some privacy. He understood his brother's sadness, and it might be a long time before they had this opportunity again. "Why do you only see the bad in me? Is there nothing good about me?" he said after a short silence. "I said what I thought. It's not my fault that you don't like it," Akina replied. "I understand that you've disliked me since the mission that led to the attack on your family. You quickly blamed me, and I'm still paying the price," said Itachi with a hint of reproach in his voice. "You kept the true purpose of this mission from me. You wanted to keep me out of the way, didn't you?" the girl was starting to get angry. "No. You needed to be protected and the enemy dispersed. You could have been taken hostage and your family blackmailed until they gave the artifact to the kidnappers. That's why it was decided to remove you from the village," the guy explained quietly, not revealing the whole background of their mission with Neji. Akina stubbornly turned away, not wanting to admit that she had been unfair to him to some extent. However, the habit of treating him with prejudice was not so easily eradicated. "Nedji is exempt from this sin. You have made me the sole culprit, so you trust him unconditionally. I, on the other hand, do not have this privilege," he continued reproachfully. "I do not idealize Nedji," she retorted. "But you've said more than once that you trust him," Itachi said, watching her carefully, sensing something was wrong. "That's how it used to be," Akina replied, sighing heavily as she remembered their falling out. "But now? Has something happened between you?" he guessed. "It doesn't matter anymore," she evaded. With a gesture, Itachi invited her to approach. Akina came and sat on the threshold next to him. "Everything that concerns you is important to me," Itachi insisted. “We don’t communicate with Neji anymore. So you can be calm in this regard,” Akina replied without looking at him, but he noticed that this circumstance did not please her at all. “What did he do?” There was a steel in Uchihas voice. “What does it matter? I’m finally doing what you’ve wanted and pursued all this time. Does it matter what the reason is as long as you get what you want?” She was starting to get angry. Uchiha's persistence was starting to annoy her. How else could she make him understand that she didn't like this conversation? The wet gleam in her amber eyes didn't go unnoticed by him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her close, and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder. "I can't enjoy something that causes you pain. Even if it's what I want," said Itachi quietly. The girl could hear the thud of his excited heart and tried to listen to her own feelings. His words were a little puzzling. The change in him during her stay in his house seemed strange to her. But maybe, since her departure, everything would finally fall into place and he would become cold and serious again, as before. It was more difficult to understand herself. Something inside stopped her every time she tried to trust him. Was it intuition, a premonition, or a self-preservation instinct? She took a deep breath and relaxed, melting into the warmth of his body and his embrace. The power that emanated from Itachi was undoubtedly dangerous, but it was also incredibly alluring. He was like a powerful volcano that could erupt at any moment, unleashing a devastating flame that would consume everything in its path. And she was afraid of being consumed by that fire. After a while, she pulled away from him. He didn't resist. She looked into his eyes. Their black pools shone with silvery highlights, reflecting the light of the lantern hanging above the entrance. But their alluring light was not cold and unapproachable, but rather warm and caressing. The girl had to turn away to avoid falling under the spell of those incredible eyes. "I've already told you that you can trust me," said Itachi quietly. "Yes, I suppose so," replied Akina, stood up, and went inside. After she left, he could feel someone's piercing gaze on him. At the far end of the terrace, Yasuharu was standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. He was openly observing him. Once he noticed his presence, Yasuharu disappeared into the house. Itachi leaned back against the doorway and gazed up at the star-filled night sky. He had hoped that the Thibault family would treat him differently from those who had lived in Konoha all their lives and knew his dark history firsthand. Perhaps this was what was preventing the girl from trusting him, from seeing what he could be, from giving him a chance to show the light side of his soul. But it was as if he was facing a wall that he could not overcome. "What should I do?" he asked, looking up at the stars, but they did not answer. Soon, he returned to the house and went up to his room, slowly undressed and lay down on the bed, not expecting to fall asleep. After a while, he heard his brother's familiar footsteps at his door and the rustling of it. Sasuke entered the room, and it was enough for him to see that his conversation with Akin had not led to anything. The boy approached his bed and lay down next to him. "Maybe now is not the time, but I am willing to listen to you," Sasuke said. "What do you want to hear? What do you mean?" asked Itachi, although he knew exactly what his brother was talking about. "That's it. I can see that you've been restless lately. So, out with it," Uchiha Jr. replied. Itachi remained stubbornly silent. Sasuke turned to him, resting his arm on the table. "Fine. If you don't want to talk, then I'll tell you. The day is approaching when she will no longer be in our house, and you will not see the coat of arms of our clan on her clothes, you will not hear reproaches about and without, you will not be able to casually touch her, you will not see her silhouette on the porch or a burning lantern in the gazebo," Sasuke said. "Where are you from..." Itachi was amazed at his awareness, slightly rising from the bed. "My stupid brother. You're counting every second you've spent with her. She's like a spring in the desert for you, and only you think that no one notices. Who would have thought that a former renegade, an S-rank jonin, could be made happy not by cool forbidden techniques, but by the favor of an ordinary girl," Sasuke replied a little mockingly. Itachi scowled at him and lay back down on the bed. It was not pleasant to hear his own phrase from the mouth of his younger brother with mocking overtones. "Am I wrong about something?" Sasuke asked. "He's right," my brother replied reluctantly. He had nothing to object to. "Then why aren't you doing anything?" Sasuke was indignant. "What can I do? No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, it only pushes us further apart. Her fixation on social divisions is unbearable. I can't seem to convince her that it doesn't matter to me," replied Itachi in frustration. Sasuke looked at him and sighed in resignation. "You're not learning anything.The solution to your problem is right in front of you," Sasuke chuckled, and in response to his older brother's questioning gaze, he got out of bed, walked over to his desk, picked up a few anonymous letters with hearts and kisses, returned to the bed next to his brother, and, after opening one of the letters, began to read aloud: «Do you know what happiness is? Happiness is love and a complete reunion with your loved one. I dream about you every night, and I can no longer hold back my feelings for you! I love you! I love you in a way that can only be loved once in a lifetime, with all my heart and soul! I will always be there for you, no matter what happens or who comes between us! I will bring you joy and the immense love that makes life meaningful! I love you so much that you take up all my thoughts. You're in my dreams, and they're all about you! I love you so much, Itachi!» Then he opened the second one: «Ever since we met by chance, I can't live peacefully. I dream all the time to be in your arms, to feel the smell of your body, to go crazy from your touch. I love you, Itachi, I want to you, I dream to be all life near you, to protect your peace, to caress you, to cherish. My breath quickens, my heart beats stronger at the thought of you. My soul is filled with the warmth of your eyes, the softness of your words. I want to drown in your arms, to be intoxicated by the smell of your body. You are my oxygen, I cannot live without you.» Then he opened the third letter.: «What a blessing it is to have you in the world! I breathe you in. Even the memory of you makes my heart beat faster and my soul feel so good. My love for you transforms the entire world, painting it in the most beautiful colors and giving my life meaning. With all my heart, soul, and every cell in my body, I long for you. All my thoughts and dreams are about you. I love you, Itachi!» "Are you suggesting I write her a love letter?" Itachi guessed what his younger brother was getting at. "Not just a letter. It would be nice to back it up with something weighty," Sasuke smiled. "And yes, don't hide your emotions. In this case, it's playing against you. If you even dare to confess to her, which I highly doubt, with a stone-like expression, she is unlikely to believe your words," continued his moralizing Uchiha.jr. "Emotions? Do you think it will help? Do you know what she thinks about me?! I am a cold-blooded killer who will carry out any order without batting an eyelid," said Itachi with annoyance. "And isn't it?" teased Sasuke. Itachi gave him an indignant look. "By the way, I can understand her. If a guy who has a girlfriend hit on me, I'd avoid him like the plague," Uchiha Jr. laughed, watching his brother's face fall. "So why don't you break up with Ayumi? Prove your feelings," Sasuke said. Itachi remained silent, looking away. "Are you afraid to be left alone if she still prefers someone else? Don't you think that's not entirely fair to Ayumi? After all, she's used to being the center of your attention. And now there's another one in your heart, and she's not allowed to go there," Sasuke suggested. Itachi looked at him, and the regret in his gaze spoke volumes. After a few minutes of silence, Sasuke suddenly stood up, and the next moment he was sitting on top of Itachi, his wrists painfully clutched in his hands, pressed against the bed. "You're not just using Ayumi as a backup. She's your shield, your defense against Akina. All these books, these conversations... You're not trying to learn about this feeling, you're not trying to understand yourself and accept it, you're trying to fight it. You're not just afraid of falling in love, but of falling in love with Akinu, because you know that all your ninjutsu and genjutsu are powerless against this opponent. And Ayumi is your moral justification: "I can't be with Akinu because I have Ayumi." How foolish you are, brother, because you've already lost to this opponent, and you want to be with her more than anything else in the world. And the more barriers you put between you, the more you'll want to be with her," Sasuke said, looking him in the eye. He saw the fierce light in Itachi's eyes, the way his breathing quickened, and the way his chest vibrated, indicating that his heart was about to burst at the mere mention of Akina. For Sasuke, this was more than enough. He lay down next to his brother again, and silence reigned between them. Itachi was thinking. Of course, Sasuke's words resonated with him, and he was right once again. For years, he had built a wall of composure and indifference, trying to suppress his emotions. Now, those very emotions were shattering that wall. He had become too accustomed to suppressing his feelings, believing it was unnecessary. Recalling all the time he had spent under the same roof as the Tibo and Haku family, Itachi realized that he had never experienced as many emotions in such a short period as he had during that time: rage, pain, frustration, admiration, warmth, and love. At the thought of this feeling, he felt uneasy, trying to convince himself that Sasuke was wrong, unable to accept it. As he watched the couples in love in Konoha, he was certain that this would never happen to him, as he genuinely believed that love was a weakness, and he did not tolerate weakness. When Ayumi sought his favor, he did not oppose her, but rather experimented to see if anyone could awaken something in his heart. However, as he had expected, his stone-like heart remained unmoved by the blue-eyed beauty's efforts. He recalled the time when Takeshi Tibo came to pay his respects for allowing them to reside within his clan's territory. At that time, he had only seen his children from a distance. Later, he often observed Akina walking past their house early in the morning. The girl seemed a little funny and a little stiff, a quiet shadow of her brilliant brother. But what a volcano of passion she was when she attacked him with accusations after their first mission, not afraid to tell him to his face what she thought of him, thus challenging him. Itachi looked at the nightstand at the head of the bed, where her gift, a glass water ball with a peach tree, was placed. "What should I do, Sasuke?" he asked, and the silence was his answer. Itachi turned around and looked at his brother. He was sleeping peacefully. He couldn't help but smile, remembering a similar episode from their childhood. How little Sasuke often climbed into his bed at night if he couldn't sleep or was cold, dragging their desperately reluctant black cat with him. Itachi covered him with a blanket and turned off the bedside lamp.