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"Brother, you can put me down now," little Sasuke chided. He sat on Itachi's shoulders as Itachi carried him steadily. His left leg had been bandaged after a heavy blow during outdoor Tai-jutsu practice. His large black eyes penetrated into Itachi's…their eyes were almost the same yet so different in what lay beneath…Itachi smiled to himself.

'He always pushes so hard. Is this power for hunger or simply brotherly competition?' Itachi contemplated in his head, 'Brotherly competition,' he finally decided on.

Sasuke, only 7 years old, didn't, no, couldn't share his drive for power. Sasuke thought it came so easy but it didn't. "You shouldn't push yourself so hard," Itachi murmured as he tightened his grip on Sasuke's legs.

Sasuke paused, staring up at the Uchiha symbol on the Police quarters building. Itachi knew he would have to explain. Itachi explained as best as he could how the Uchiha's started these headquarters and still took care of the order of Konoha to this day. At the end of his explanation, he couldn't help but add,

"Because criminal ninjas can only be stopped by the best."

As a result, he knew Sasuke could only gaze in admiration at the headquarters. He knew that expression only too well for he used to be exactly that way.

He sought out for power and was still seeking it. Yet he had larger dreams…Dreams that exceeded this clan…If only Sasuke knew…but of course he could never tell. His younger brother would never understand. He knew how different they were in mindset...

"Brother, will you join the police headquarters?" Sasuke asked. Itachi didn't know what to tell him. Lie…his immediate instinct told him No, he decided….only lie a bit….

"I-I'm not sure," he said tentatively.

"You should!" Sasuke objected enthusiastically.

"I'm going to join them one day, too!" Sasuke declared proudly.

Itachi could only nod. We will see about that…he thought grimly. He didn't want to think about the upcoming events that would perhaps, shatter poor Sasuke's life. He lowered his gaze. Sasuke continued, oblivious to his brother's pained expression,

"Tomorrow, I will start my 1st day at the Academy. The start of my dream!"

Sasuke raised his head to peer up at the clouds above happily. Itachi could not help but feel a rush of affection for his younger brother. So much vibrant hopes and dreams…

He was glad that his brother could feel at such ease. Not like the heavy pressure that constantly lay on him every minute of every passing day… Of course he could never outwardly show his pleasure towards his promising younger brother.

He walked on silently toward the Uchiha manor not looking forward to seeing his father face set in displeasure. His thoughts seemed faraway…lost….as Sasuke peered at his face. He decided not to talk to his brother anymore in fear of disturbing him.

Itachi continued to walk, thinking… If only Father could turn the attention away from him. He didn't crave or seek attention the way Sasuke did. He didn't deserve a single bit of attention with what he was about to do. Why couldn't he only see that and look at Sasuke a bit more? In a way, he anticipated the day he would kill his father,…his mentor, and director.

'Foolish father,'… Itachi thought bitterly. My mind is not set only on ANBU… I have my own hopes goals and dreams…

Suddenly, Itachi was abruptly interrupted from his deep thoughts. A sudden movement from behind made Itachi sharply turn back with Sasuke still on his shoulders. A twig snapped. Footsteps echoed… Perhaps, an attack?...

'No...,' he decided.

An attacker wouldn't be this inept…It could only mean one thing…

"Surprise!" A high pitched voice yelled out.

Itachi loosened his grip when he felt Sasuke being lifted off his shoulders.

"Kaira-san!" ('Ky-ra') ,Sasuke squealed happily as he flung his small arms around her shoulders. She beamed down at him and swung him around a few times as he continued to laugh and giggle. She then set him down gently back on the ground.

Sasuke peered up at her in admiration then his expression turned serious,

"Kaira-san, must you always lift me up and swing me around?" His face looked exasperate, "I am close to a man now and about to start my first day at the Academy tomorrow. I must resume training."

Kaira only nodded and gave a mock salute to indicate that she understood.

'Cute kid but growing up so fast…,' she thought affectionately.

Sasuke then walked away with a set expression proudly limping to the training ground in spite of his twisted, bandaged leg.

Kaira then turned her gaze around to face Itachi, his hands now devoid of carrying Sasuke.

Itachi silently stared at her as she turned around to face him. How different she was from him…so care-free and light… yet she was absolutely radiant. She looked stunning as her long black hair crowned around her face and her dark gray/violet eyes peered up at him expectantly.

"Well…?" She asked looking almost hurt now. "Have you nothing to say to me, Itachi-kun?"

Itachi decided to speak up now seeing as how she obviously wanted him to say something but it was often rare of him to speak unnecessarily.

He confidently strode forward and grasped her shoulders. He noticed how her knees involuntarily shook as he leaned in forward to sniff her scent for today. She always smelled so good… He smirked as she shuddered once more, that always happened when he got in too close.

"Lavender" he said to himself after sniffing only once.

She looked stunned, "Itachi-kun!, I haven't talked to you in 4 days and all you can say to me is Lavender!" "Please!, aren't you happy to see me at all?!" Her face was set in frustration, her eyes glinted under the sun.

Itachi knew he had to find the right words to say yet…Well…she was only too cute when she was angry. Still beautiful…Almost pixie-like….

He shook his head then cleared his throat. "Kaira-chan, forgive me but I can not speak to you now. Father…he is expecting me very soon. I will meet you near the forest outside of Konoha" She continued to stare at him, apprehensively...

Itachi knew he would have to try harder… "Please?" His cool breath blew into her face playfully as his fingertips brushed over her cheek. Internally, Itachi wanted to kick himself. He wished he could have different news for her. Of course, meeting with his father was not desirable but it had to be done.

He looked at her pleadingly begging with his eyes for her to understand," Will you wait for me there, Kaira-chan?"

Kaira sensed subtle sadness flicker in his eyes as he uttered these words. She wanted to reach out and embrace him, tell him that she wouldn't miss being there for the world yet Kaira could only nod as she gazed deeper into his eyes, mesmerized by its complexity.

"Good…" His deep voice, hollow with sorrow, murmured as his thumb brushed against her cheek once more brushing a stray hair away.

"See you…there" He breathed into her ear as he whirled away and strode off into the distance.

Kaira stared after him feeling strangely empty. He always seemed so busy….So overworked. Whenever she talked to him, sorrow seemed to flicker in his eyes as if he regretted every single action he made. Why didn't she speak up? Why did she always feel so weak around him? It was like a single touch could shatter her like a fragile object.

She saw Itachi still a medium distance down the path, in sight of the Uchiha manor. It wasn't too late to stop him…she knew that this was not a smart move yet her instincts told her otherwise...

She started to jog and then picked up the pace, "Itachi-kun!" She cried, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her towards him.

She ran and ran down the path. How far did he walk in a matter of seconds? It was then that she realized in a few milliseconds that she would crash headlong into his back unless she slowed down. …

'Too late,'… she thought, cursing herself for being so clumsy.

Luckily, Itachi actually had amazing reflexes and turned around before she and him both toppled over. Kaira looked up into his eyes; his arms were still firmly around her.

'Strange,…' She thought. His face looked almost amused. She hadn't seen that expression on his face in a long time and she liked it. She smiled dreamily.

His eyebrows then raised higher and a confused slowly spread across his face. "Kaira-chan?" He asked…still holding her in the fortress of his arms probably scared that she would jump up and do something reckless if he let her go.

Kaira looked up into his face. She still saw the sorrow etched in his eyes. She hoped and prayed with all of her heart that this expression wouldn't be permanent. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Itachi! Will you truly come to see me-at the forest?-You must. I need you to be there" , she paused not sure whether to make her statement more personal. She continued after short hesitation, "……For me" Her eyes pleaded with his. She hoped he would understand…

Hurt flashed across his face before he quickly looked away, avoiding her pleading face. "I gave you my word that I would be there. Is that not enough?" He asked.

"Not if it means that you must be in sorrow every second of every day! I can't stand to see you hurt!" Itachi still avoided her searing gaze.

He simply didn't understand…He really was ignorant enough to believe that he had been fooling her. Was it that obvious this whole time? He wondered… He withdrew his arms from around her and gently tried prying her tight fingers away from his neck. They wouldn't budge.

"F-father will be expecting me." He said simply before forcibly breaking free of her tight grasp. He leaned down to give her a gentle peck on the cheek.

"As I said before, forgive me. I can and I will explain everything you want me too. It pains me that you are hurt but I must leave for now." He pecked her on the cheek yet Kaira's face did not brighten as he expected to.

He then wheeled around and quickly left hoping not to be followed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kaira walk away in the opposite direction, her head hung down dejectedly.

Kaira continued to walk down the path, the opposite way of Itachi's route. She hated secrets being kept from her but she had to allow him privacy to his thoughts. What was wrong with him, though? They had been childhood friends since they were four. She had always run over to comfort him when his demanding father yelled at him for his misdeeds. Of course, he had very few misdeeds but it was only until now that his father seemed truly proud of Itachi yet his expectations were still very high. She knew something more was developing whenever his eyes would linger to her in the Academy class or when he broke the rules to come out and see her. She knew they were still young of course, but she had feelings for him and she knew that he knew. She only assumed that he felt the same… Their bond was so deep that they shared everything together. What was going wrong now? She certainly hadn't changed…so something was very wrong.

'I guess seeing him in the forest this evening will be the only way to find out…,' she thought.

Itachi slowed down when he realized that he wasn't being followed by Kaira. He felt more alone than ever. He might have told her if he was completely sure that she would understand. He knew that he forced pleasure to show on his face to appear fine in front of his family and Sasuke.

Sometimes he didn't even bother talking to them for fear that they would notice how differently he was acting. But, he had no idea that the sadness showed in his eyes even when talking with Kaira. He thought he had been doing a fairly decent job with keeping his emotions in check, to keep under constant vigilance. Of course, in his decision, he was still torn...

'Why am I so…weak?' ,He wandered to himself. Yet…He knew that when the day came to take action, he must use excuses and act without hesitation.

It was true that he was not at all closest to his family but still…the connections were still there no matter how much he tried to break them off.

Today will be the day I tell Kaira, he decided. He was determined…but the reason that still lurked in the back of his head was much different…He couldn't bear to leave her after his plan completed. The pain hollowed out in his chest. He felt unable to breathe and ready to collapse. He forced that idea out of his head. Today, he would not think of that. That thought is what almost killed him the most. Worst of all is that he would never see her again. How would he tell her that?...

Itachi's thoughts lurched into the present as he saw his father's hard, stony face as he walked through the Uchiha manor entrance…His father merely said, "Follow me, you were expected much earlier." As he led the way towards the open room where Sasuke was already waiting. "Father," Itachi acknowledged curtly as he followed him.

This would be a long discussion and he could find time to figure out how he would tell Kaira, he knew it wouldn't be easy, he couldn't stand to break her heart.

'Why am I so weak? 'He wondered again as he heard his father's voice speak to him about trivial upcoming ANBU promotions.

To see her in the forest in the evening…. He had a sinking feeling that it would be a long day ahead…