And the road of flowers is so long

At the fair, the Uchiha clan team was greeted with enthusiasm. The way the kids performed at the first festival was satisfactory to its leader. With a reserved smile, he confidently answered questions and accepted congratulations. Akina stood aside, observing him. His posture was straight, his eyes were confident, and his voice was even. At that moment, it was impossible not to admire him, a natural-born leader. After wandering around the rides and stalls, the guys finally found a shooting range where they could shoot miniature crossbows. A peaceful competition began between the guys, despite the strict conditions set by the owner: they would receive a prize if they managed to hit 100 targets in a row from each member of their team, who were eager to test their accuracy. Akina immediately declined to participate, feeling a bit out of place, and gradually noticed that their group was attracting attention and gathering a crowd of onlookers. As expected, the vast majority of the spectators were women. As she watched the boys, she didn't immediately notice Itachi's hand on her shoulder. "If you want, we can leave right now," he said quietly, leaning close to her face, as he was afraid that the noise around them would make it difficult for her to hear him. However, his actions were met with disapproval. Akina nodded in agreement, and after informing Sasuke that they were leaving, they departed. The couple walked slowly down a wide street. The girl kept glancing at the passers-by and buildings, as if she had forgotten what Konoha looked like. The guy occasionally watched her. They walked in silence, but he enjoyed walking with her in silence. It felt warm and peaceful. Until Neji and Tokuma Hyuga came around the corner. Itachi greeted his former rivals with a reserved smile. Akina stepped back when she saw Itachi. He stopped and looked at her excitedly. "What happened?" he asked, looking at the girl carefully. "Nothing," she replied, looking after Hyūga with a wary expression. Then they continued on their way. Neji stopped and watched them go for a while. There wasn't a moment after their argument that he didn't regret his outburst. But he didn't know how to make amends, how to tell her that he didn't mean to hurt her, that he was sorry for what he had done. The fear of rejection was the most overwhelming emotion that he felt. "Neji," Tokuma brought him out of his sad reverie and they continued on their way. Soon, Akina opened the library door, smelling the long-forgotten smell of printing ink, paper, and old bindings. The girl looked around for a while, looking at the bookshelves. Itachi stood next to her and watched with what touching nostalgia she looked at the books, as if she saw old acquaintances. But then Yuki came out from behind the shelves and stared at Uchiha in amazement. "Oh, Mr. Itachi, how did you know I was here?" she stammered, coming up to him. "I'll be right back," Akina replied, and headed for the children's section. The guy sat down on the couch. Yuki sat down next to him and said something to him: How glad I am to see how she supported his team, how she admired his game. However, Itachi was preoccupied with completely different thoughts, and he hardly listened to the words spoken by the girl. What could have happened between Akin and Neji? I remember that she was so fiercely protective of him, but now she's avoiding him like the plague. Akina touched the colorful covers of the children's books and smiled, realizing how much she had missed this place and the children who had visited it. However, nostalgia was one thing, but she had work to do. She scanned the rows of books and selected those that were almost falling apart. She gathered them into a stack and wrote down the title and year of publication. Then she made a copy for herself. Every six months, they would select books from each department that were completely worn out and beyond repair, and they would write them off, hoping that they would be replaced with newer editions or new arrivals. However, this was quite rare. Konoha was reluctant to spend money on books that they deemed useless. As a result, the library's collection continued to dwindle with each passing year. Akina asked, putting the books at the reception next to other neat piles, putting a list in the first one. She looked at her with displeasure, because Akina had violated her privacy with Itachi. He, in turn, stubbornly responded with indifference. "Again, I didn't make a selection. It doesn't happen that often. Nobu-san will reprimand you, it won't seem enough," Akina guessed. Yuki made a face of displeasure. Itachi looked at the books that Akina had brought. The bindings were worn, and it was clear that they had been repaired more than once. Some of the books were so worn that the titles were unreadable, and others had missing pages due to the lack of a spine. "Have you finished?" he asked the girl. "Yes, we can go," Akina replied, and they left the library. Later, everyone went to a cafe. The guys were actively discussing who was the best sniper, and Akina was given a small stuffed cat. As always, she sat between the Uchiha brothers, not even thinking about objecting or being annoyed. She felt like it would take her a long time to get used to this habit. Soon, a waitress appeared at their table with their orders. The table was filled with various dishes, and the presence of a plate with colorful dango had become a tradition. At that moment, the entire Hyuga clan team entered the cafe and sat down at a nearby table. Neji kept casting piercing glances in their direction. Itachi immediately noticed the change in the girl's mood. Her appetite immediately vanished, and Yasuharu noticed it as well. "Why are you worried? You'll get more," she replied in a casual tone. Suddenly, the girl felt a strong, long-fingered hand resting on her palm, which was resting on her knee. The fingers intertwined with hers, gently stroking them. Akina instinctively froze and looked at Itachi with a wary expression. Itachi did not give any indication of his actions under the table, which only Sasuke could see. He even managed to insert a few words into the conversation between Yasuharu and Haku. Then, Itachi picked up a dango stick and handed it to the girl. She took it, keeping a wary eye on the boy. However, the gentle caress of his slightly rough fingers began to soothe her. Akina sat there, clutching the stick of colorful rice balls in her hand. "Are you going to eat it, or keep it as a keepsake?" Sasuke asked with a hint of amusement. Akina gave him a displeased look and began to eat. When they returned home, Akina went up to her room, while the boys stayed in the living room. Itachi looked at Haku, who was sitting next to him, drinking tea, and remembered his house, which had been destroyed by ice spikes. "Haku, have you experienced any more involuntary chakra releases?" he asked. "No, it wasn't," Yuki replied. “What do you think it is?” Itachi continued. The young man shrugged. “Maybe it's because you haven't used it for a long time? After all, we only train, but we haven't used it in battle for a long time,” Itachi suggested. “Are you suggesting a real training session?” Haku brightened up, smiling. Itachi smiled back. After a while, they were standing on the training ground facing each other. "Well, go ahead," said Itachi, activating his Sharingan. Haku formed a seal, and the entire training ground was covered in fog. Ice mirrors began to grow around Itachi. Haku merged with one of the mirrors, and his clones appeared in each mirror. They swiftly moved from one mirror to another, attacking Itachi with a cloud of steel needles. Beating them off with his kunai, Itachi watched him. He knew perfectly well which of the mirrors the real Haku was in, because the sharingan's capabilities allowed him to distinguish between clones. Then he quickly folded the seven seals, exhaling flames, launched several shurikens at the clones, immediately setting them on fire, activating the phoenix flower technique. He did this more to distract Haku than to counter his attacks. Haku, preoccupied with his incredibly fast movements, naturally failed to notice the change in the pattern in his ruby eyes, which had awakened the Mangyoku Sharingan. Itachi focused, and his body ignited with fiery chakra, forming a fiery skeleton, and his flaming fist struck the mirror where the real Haku was supposed to appear. With an incredible effort, Haku changed his trajectory and flew out of the circle of mirrors. "How he found out... After all, sharingan is dangerous and great," Haku thought, marveling at his skill. The fire area of the chakra increased, and the fiery skeleton began to grow armor. Haku's attack no longer brought tangible results, because the clones, approaching the fiery samurai, died, and soon the cracking of the collapsing ice mirrors was heard, as Susano began to grow in volume, and the mirrors could not keep him within their boundaries. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced Itachi's right eye, causing him to shed bloody tears. "This can't be happening," he thought as he fell to one knee. Haku noticed something was amiss, and as soon as Itachi broke off his technique, he rushed over to help him up. "What's wrong with you?" Haku asked, genuinely concerned. "It's nothing, it happens sometimes," Itachi reassured him. Despite Itachi's assurances, Haku still went up to his room with him. Fortunately, there was no one in the living room. "I can bring you some medicine or make a compress," Haku suggested, feeling that it was partly his fault. "No, it won't help. It will pass," Itachi replied. Haku left his room and returned shortly with a tray containing a cup of tea and a cold compress. "This is a restorative tea that will help you regain your strength quickly. Put a cold compress on your eyes, but don't hold it for too long, or you'll catch a cold," Haku explained. "Thank you," Uchiha said. Haku treated the minor scratches on his body, which had been caused during their training. As Yuki was about to leave his room, Itachi stopped him by taking his hand. "Don't tell anyone," he asked. "But..." said Haku, who found Itachi's condition dangerous. "There is nothing unusual in this, it happens. Everything will be fine in a few hours, and I'll be fine. You shouldn't worry others about this," Itachi urged him. "Whatever you say," Haku replied warily and left. In fact, what happened was very disturbing for Itachi, as the pain in his eyes, and even more so the bloody tears, appeared after repeatedly using the Mangyokyo Sharingan in a day. But he hadn't used it for a long time. "How can this be?" he wondered, sincerely hoping that it was just a coincidence. After half an hour with a cold compress, the pain began to subside. After drinking tea, Itachi fell asleep and only woke up for dinner, having fully recovered. Remembering an urgent matter, Itachi hurriedly left the house. Entering the store from the back, he saw Ino waiting for him. “You’re very lucky. Your bouquet arrived ten minutes ago,” she said with a smile. The girl tied a red ribbon to one of the tight, unopened buds of maroon with black edging, wrapping the bouquet in pink paper with a red shiny net, and handed it to Itachi. "Say hi to Ayumi for me," she said after him. As soon as he left the shop, he ran into Hatake Hakashi, who was reading on the go, in the alley. "Are you planning to propose to someone?" he asked, surprised to see his burden. "I don't think that's going to happen," replied Itachi, looking away in embarrassment. As soon as the copying ninja was out of sight, Itachi, deciding that he was attracting too much attention with such a burden, climbed onto the roofs of houses. A few moments later, he entered the porch of his own house, silently crept up to the kitchen windows, seeing a familiar silhouette. After dinner, Akina stayed in the kitchen. I had to clear the table and wash the dishes. "Let me help you," she heard Sasuke's voice behind her, and in surprise she dropped the plate she was washing. It clattered to the floor and shattered. "No need, I can handle it myself," the girl replied. The guy silently took a dustpan and a broom and began to sweep away the pieces. The whole difficulty of Itachi's task was that there was no terrace leading to the windows of Akina's room, and he had to climb the trunk of a nearby tree. Balancing easily on the branches, he climbed onto the narrow windowsill. Then, with a knife he had brought with him, he pushed the hook that closes the shutters from the inside and entered the room. "If anyone were to see me from the street right now, they'd think I was crazy," the boy thought ironically, hoping that the approaching twilight would conceal his actions. He entered the room, placed the bouquet on the bed, and left her room after closing the window. "You shouldn't be so distant with Itachi. If you got to know him better, you'd realize how interesting he is." And anyway, someone else in your place would be over the moon with happiness... Sasuke was saying. "Why should I be over the moon with happiness?" the girl did not understand. The guy felt a rush of heat from the knowledge that he had almost let it slip. "You live in our house and..." Sasuke found an excuse. "That's lucky," Akina replied skeptically. "Don't be biased about him," Sasuke continued in the same vein. "I understand that you're protecting him. He's the best for you and all that. And that's okay in principle, but what does it have to do with me," the girl wondered. "Can't you see anything beyond your nose?" the guy was surprised, realizing that Akina was not even aware of Itachi's feelings for her. "Sasuke," he heard his brother's displeased voice behind him. After standing for a while, Uchiha Jr. silently left the kitchen, giving him the right to act. "I'm sorry about my brother. Sometimes he can be too intrusive," he said calmly, acting according to a pre—planned scenario with Sasuke. "Nothing," she said, about to leave the kitchen, but he stopped her at the door. "Will you walk with me?" He suggested. "Why not? I'll just change," the girl agreed. "No need," the guy said and, grabbing her by the hand, dragged her out of the house. The girl only managed to hang the kitchen apron on the fence in passing. She could only stop him at the gate by pulling on his arm. "What's the matter with you? It's like you're rushing into a fire," the girl protested. "I'm sorry," he apologized softly. The sad thoughtfulness that had been in his eyes for the past few days was beginning to bother her. "I think a walk will do him good," the girl thought. "Like last time, or on foot?" she asked with a sigh. "What do you want?" he asked, smiling, realizing what she was hinting at. "On foot," Akina replied without hesitation. However, his complaisance alerted her a little. They left the clan territory. When the young people finally reached the wide streets of Konoha, no one paid much attention to them. After all, it was not uncommon for people who were part of the same team and lived in the same neighborhood to walk together. However, his hand caught hers, and his fingers, slightly rough from constant training, intertwined with hers in the same way they had done in the cafe. The girl looked at him questioningly. His expression remained inscrutable. Akina began to fall behind a little, catching displeased glances. Feeling this, Itachi stopped, and Akina, naturally, ran into him, falling into his arms. She looked at him inquiringly. The guy's velvet gaze radiated an inviting shine, a gentle smile played on his sensual lips. The girl looked away and pulled him after her. So, slowly, they reached the bridge. There the girl stopped, leaning on the railing. "Are you tired?" asked Itachi. "Not really. It's just that the river is especially beautiful at this time of day," the girl explained. Evening was slowly descending on the village, lighting up the lanterns that reflected in the dark water of the river, spreading out in golden glimpses. "You've been living in Konoha for a long time, and I still haven't asked if you like it here," Itachi asked, standing behind her. He was so close that Akina could feel the warmth of his body and his hot breath in her hair, and it was a little disturbing. "In the village?" the girl clarified. "In the village... in my neighborhood... in your house," Itachi continued. "I like everything. And why these questions?" She replied timidly, sensing something was amiss. "Well, maybe one day you'll want to move out of your parents' house and live on your own. For example, do you like my house?" continued Itachi. The girl turned to him and looked at him in fear. The two-story mansion was impressive in size and decoration. Tibot's house was a mere shack compared to it. "Are you trying to kick me out?" asked Akina. "What a ridiculous idea." I just want you to live as close to me as possible, he said, gently embracing her. “Why?” she asked, wary. “Well, what if I need medical attention right away,” he smiled. “Very funny,” she frowned, and they continued walking. Soon they were walking through the park along a row of benches, meeting the walking passers-by. “Tired? Let's sit down," he suggested, and without waiting for an answer, he sat down on one of the benches, pulling her onto his lap. A cool breeze blew, and Itachi realized that the girl was only wearing a light T-shirt, and the evenings were still quite chilly. He pulled off his navy blue hoodie with a white hood and put it on her. "Itachi, don't," she protested. "No objection," he said decisively, feeling the coldness of her hands. He was left wearing only a mesh T-shirt. His clothes felt scalding, storing his body heat. "What's this?" she asked sternly, pointing to the Band—Aid on his chest and arms. He had completely forgotten about the consequences of training with Haku. "No, well, what is it called? Was it really impossible to wait a couple of days and then mutilate each other? What a morbid craving for a fight?" she complained, looking at the boy with displeasure. Itachi looked down guiltily. "What should I do with you? If you catch a cold, you'll get a scolding from Sasuke," she said as a sudden gust of wind blew by. But Itachi didn't even flinch. Despite this, just looking at his almost naked body in the wind gave Akin a chill. The girl came up close to him and put her arms around his shoulders. Itachi smiled. "All you had to do was take off your clothes," he thought with a chuckle. "You still haven't answered my question: do you like my house?" Itachi repeated. "It's spacious and beautiful," Akina replied evasively, recalling the luxurious mansion with its numerous terraces on both floors and covered passages connecting one wing to another. "I'm glad to hear that. I never dreamed of it," he said. "About what?" the girl did not understand. "About you hugging me like that," Itachi said with a slight sarcasm. "You set this up," she guessed, pulling back slightly and looking at him searchingly. "I wouldn't dream of it. I didn't ask you to keep me warm. You did it on your own, of your own free will, "Uchiha feigned innocence. The girl looked into his eyes, which were shining with a mischievous glint, and realized that she had just fallen into his trap. "Oh well," she sighed, embracing him again. She didn't see Itachi's warm smile. Wanting to get back at him, she touched his hair. It was thick yet light. Akina buried her fingers in them, feeling their softness and warmth. She slowly ran her fingers down his back, accidentally touching the hollow along his spine. Her light, caressing touch made him catch his breath. He arched his waist slightly, leaning forward, and his hands clutched the hoodie she was wearing, pulling her closer, wanting to be as close to her as possible. His heart seemed to be pounding so hard that it shook his entire body. Itachi longed for this moment to last forever. "Appearances can be deceiving. Now I understand why Ayumi's clinging to you like a leech, and why Yuki's walking around the village like a love-struck zombie after dancing with you. It's all because of your dangerous charm," she suddenly said, resting her head on his shoulder. "How many flattering epithets: self-confident, stubborn, willful, tyrannical, and charming. Only you don't seem to be affected by my charms," said Itachi with a slight chuckle, struggling to control his voice after her actions. "That's because I know you're a real bitch," replied Akina. "Would you go on a date with me?" asked Itachi cautiously. "no. I don't go on dates with guys who have a girlfriend," she replied, turning up her nose with an independent look. The guy laughed softly. She looked at him, and her gaze instantly became serious. His crimson face alerted her. "So the walk is over. Go home," she said, rising from his lap. He tried to object, but she pulled him firmly toward the exit of the park, reasoning that he would eventually end up injuring himself. They returned quickly at the girl's insistence. "Thank you for the walk," she said before heading toward the stairs leading to the second floor. "Thank you for agreeing," he replied, and after a while, he also went up to the second floor of the other wing. But five minutes later, the door of his room was abruptly opened. Akina was standing on the threshold and was very scared of something. "Itachi, are you awake? Okay, let's go," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him along. "What happened?" the guy was perplexed. "That's what happened," she replied, pushing him into her room and pointing to the bouquet on the bed. "I do not know how he got here. Messengers from the flower shop are definitely not working at this time. Maybe it's an illusion, and instead of a bouquet, there's a bear trap on my bed, or they exude a fragrance that will cause nausea and headache, or the stems are poisoned, and my body will be covered with terrible blisters," she said, meticulously examining the bouquet. Itachi sighed sadly. "It's not an illusion, and they're not poisoned. By the way, bouquets often come with a gift card," he said and left her room. After he left, the girl carefully examined the bouquet and found a postcard. Untying it from one of the buds, she ran her gaze over the lines written in a smooth, beautiful handwriting. "This evening with you was unforgettable, so warm, bright, incredible, long-awaited, and trembling. I would like to have many more such evenings. I am eternally grateful for the time I spent with you, as it gave me so much warmth. It is truly a great miracle to know that I have such a close, sensitive, and responsive person like you by my side, Akina. Thank you for your support and the wonderful emotions you bring to my life. You are the most skilled healer for my soul. It's a pity that your stay in my house is almost over. I look forward to seeing you again in my house, and I will make your favorite coffee for you... Itachi." "A bouquet from Itachi," the thought was spinning in her head. Every girl dreams of a gorgeous huge bouquet, fantasizing about what kind of flowers it will be. Will it be a bouquet in honor of a holiday or a birthday, just to make someone happy or to confess the most beautiful and intimate feeling in the world. And most importantly, who will give this bouquet. She didn't have time for such dreams. And so, as if hypnotized, she looked at the tight, unopened buds with their velvety, deep burgundy petals and dark edges on the long stem, and awkwardly sat down on the edge of the bed, sliding to the floor. "My first flowers... from Itachi," she thought as she came to her senses. But the euphoria of her initial excitement quickly gave way to an overwhelming panic that sent chills down her spine. "If this bouquet is from a flower shop, sooner or later Ayumi will find out about it and think that it's for her," Akina thought with horror, storming out of her room. With a bang, the door to Itachi's room opened once again, and Akina stood on the threshold, breathing heavily. "Why did you do that, Itachi? Do you even realize what you've done?" She blurted out. "I didn't know that giving flowers was a crime," Uchiha replied calmly. "It's a crime to give flowers to one girl and date another. You're wondering how soon Ayumi will find out about your purchase of a bouquet, and she probably won't think it's not for her. And, of course, he will expect certain actions from you, because such gifts are not made just like that. Now imagine what would happen to me if she found out who this bouquet was for," she said sternly. "If you don't like the flowers or they're causing you inconvenience, you can throw them away," Itachi replied dryly. His words cut through her with their indifference. Akina pulled off his hoodie, which she was still wearing, and threw it at him. "You're a fool!" She blurted out and ran out of his room. "Everything went wrong as always, and I'm starting to get used to it. Apparently, one of the gods has a big grudge against me," he thought, picking up his clothes from the floor. Returning to her room, she looked at the bouquet for a long time, then took it and breathed in the delicate scent of roses with pleasure. "Throw it away? You can't wait, they're mine," she thought stubbornly, burying her face in the flowers. Then she went down to the first floor to get a large vase from the living room in order to put a bouquet in it. When she was done with this, the bad weather outside the window abruptly opened the shutters of the window. A hurricane was coming, the treetops were swaying, raindrops were falling. A raven suddenly flew onto the windowsill. Akina froze in surprise, looking at the black bird. The raven hovered on the windowsill and, turning his head, tried to examine the girl. She tried to approach. However, the raven cawed and, flapping its wings, flew away. Akina thought for a moment that the bird's eyes were red. She wasn't the only one who stayed up late. Haku, tossing and turning in bed, still couldn't fall asleep. As the festival drew to a close, he began to have nightmares about Fumi telling him that she didn't want to know him anymore, and about Akina telling him that he was a liar and that they were no longer friends. He would wake up in a cold sweat and find it difficult to fall back asleep. Now, the thought of losing everything was haunting him. Slowly, he stood up and left his room. He was certain that Haru was already asleep, and as he quietly opened the door to Haru's room, he confirmed this. He entered his bedroom without making a sound. After standing at the door for a while, he kept his eyes fixed on the sleeping boy, trying to memorize every feature of his handsome face.He quietly approached him and sat on the floor, leaning against the bed, lost in a sad reverie. When his house was being renovated, Haru also took part in the process. However, his motivation was not to help his neighbor, but rather to get rid of the presence of others in his room. Haku was constantly thinking about how to make friends with the silent and gloomy boy. On the other hand, Tibo remained detached and pretended that his neighbor did not exist. Fumi was overjoyed when she found out that Haku had received the Hidden Leaf's bandana and was planning to take the chūnin exam, and she complained about her son's refusal to do the same. "Now you can train together," she said with a smile, although Yasuharu did not share her enthusiasm. One day, he was walking towards the training ground in the Uchiha compound when he saw Haru training alone. His strong, precise strikes against training dummies and his accurate kunai throws at various targets, all while wearing a blindfold, left a lasting impression on Yuki. Sensing his gaze, Yasuharu stopped his training and removed the blindfold. "What do you want?" Yasuharu asked curtly. "How about we practice together?" Haku suggested. "I've already finished," Tibo replied dryly, and he turned to leave, but Haku stopped him. "Why are you like this? I just want to be your friend," Haku said with a hint of frustration in his voice. "Konoha is full of people, choose anyone," Yasuharu continued in the same tone. Haku abruptly turned him around, meeting his cold, emerald-colored eyes. "Why are you doing this? I haven't done anything wrong to you. Why can't we be friends?" Haku spoke with fervor. "A friend will betray you sooner or later," Haru replied. "What makes you so sure it's going to be the same with me?" Haku continued. "I won't wait for that to happen," the brown—haired man replied calmly. For the first time in a long time, the calm and smiling Haku was able to lose his temper. He didn't understand his own anger or the attraction to his power. "I've submitted a request to Tsunade, and if she approves it, we'll be on the same team and can participate in the Chūnin Exam," Haku said. "It won't change anything," Haru stubbornly replied. "Will it change anything? What's the matter?" asked Yuki, making a sweep and knocking Haru to the ground. As he fell, Haru kicked at his opponent's right side, forcing Haku to let go in order to block the powerful blow. Haru quickly regained his feet and unleashed a series of punches, forcing Haku to either dodge or defend himself. The two continued their sparring match until they were both exhausted. Haku was on his knees, breathing heavily. Yasuharu was barely standing. "I'm not going to carry you home," Haru said, catching his breath. "You won't need to," Haku replied as he tried to stand up, only to find himself facing Haru's outstretched hand. "Well, you're about the same age and strength. Plus, we're missing a member of the team. I don't see any reason to refuse," Tsunade reasoned. This is how Haku Yuki became the partner of Haru Tibo and Yudai Kamatsu. One day, on his way home in the evening, he heard muffled crying coming from one of the dilapidated houses. When he entered the house, he saw Akina sitting on the floor near the wall. She was crying, her head buried in her knees. "What happened?" he asked. "What do you care?" the girl waved her hand. "Maybe I can help," he said, sitting down in front of her. "You can't, or do you know a way to turn an ordinary person into a shinobi?" she asked. "I don't know, and there's no need to do that. The civilian population is the heart of the village. Everything good in the village comes from the ordinary people," Haku replied confidently. The girl stopped crying and looked at him carefully. The guy's striking, attractive appearance had caught her attention on more than one occasion: dark brown eyes with a moist sheen, a slight blush on his pale face, and coral-colored, sensual lips. "He looks just like a girl," Akina thought more than once. "It doesn't change my position as the black sheep in the herd," Akina sighed sadly. "Does it really matter what others think if you are loved by those who are dear to you?" The guy continued, helping her up. "Konoha will never recognize me," she said, and the moisture appeared in her amber eyes again. "I recognize you," the guy replied confidently. The girl stared at him for a while, then walked up to him and buried her face in his shoulder, bursting into tears. From then on, she often told him about her problems or when she was upset. Haku was able to sense her mood and simply listened to her. In such situations, Yasuharu was eager to take drastic measures to protect his sister. Haku often had to calm down an angry Tibo. The storm raged outside the window, pouring down rain, just like the first time he spent the night in his room. A similar storm raged within his troubled soul. All of this could be lost in an instant due to his past. Haku looked at the sleeping boy, and tears rolled down his cheeks. "Would you stop staring at me?" Yasuharu responded rudely, annoyed at being awakened. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to wake you up," Haku said, startled by the sound of his voice. "Can you finally tell me what's been going on with you lately? You're looking at me like a beaten dog, as if this is the last time you'll see me. Do I look like I'm terminally ill?" Haru asked, looking at his friend searchingly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. It's just that the weather keeps me awake, so..." Haku said in a crumpled voice, hiding his gaze and getting up from the floor. Thibault gave him an incredulous look. "Haku," he called, looking at him sternly, sensing something was amiss. "Sorry, good night," he said, and hurried out of Yasuharu's room. However, after visiting Yasuharu, when he returned to his room, he couldn't sleep for a while, remembering how he once asked for advice on what to do when making a decision. "When making a decision, make your own choice. For those who ask for advice, it's often not because they don't know what to do, but because they want to shift the blame onto the person giving the advice if they fail, forgetting that the decision to follow the advice or not is ultimately theirs.So don't disappoint me," replied Yasuharu. And Haku finally fell into a heavy sleep.