A/N: Must write continuously before I lose focus...

-x-x-x-

Chapter 4: Showing off

A kunai hit its target flawlessly. It was a very accurate and precise hit, and there were about nine of them, all of them released at the same time. They were all thrown in different directions. Even the target behind the bush was hit accurately. No wonder Itachi is redeemed as one of the rare geniuses in the clan.

Tsubaki watched intently as Itachi was teaching her a few techniques and the plaster in her head is already gone. That afternoon after school, she had requested Itachi to teach her, and to her delight he had agreed. Today has been the third day that they have been practicing with their kunais and shurikens. Every day, they would spend their afternoons by the Konoha woods, a place further away from the busy village wherein nobody would ever disturb their training. Without her knowing, Itachi had really kept a close eye on her. He even asked some of her teachers and classmates about Tsubaki's performance in school, they all said that she was an excellent student, in academics and in practical exams.

"My turn!" Tsubaki said enthusiastically. She gracefully stood up after sitting in the grassy terrain of the forest. She then got various kunais and shurikens from her holster.

Itachi smirked at her "Why so many?" he asked. "Do you know how to use them once?"

"Tch," she made a face "Sure I can" she gave a little laugh of confidence and then prepared herself by undoing the bandages in her arms. "Just make sure I won't hit you,"

"I doubt if you can hit the blind spot," he said referring to a hidden target behind the bush.

"If I didn't hit it that means to say that my teacher is very stupid for not teaching me right..." Tsubaki said as she inched closer towards the boy.

"If you didn't hit the target, it means that my student is very stupid for not figuring the technique out..." Itachi countered the girl.

"Fine." Tsubaki snorted as she walked to her starting point. As she positioned herself, she sighed deeply and chanted the word FOCUS all over again. She counted, 3... 2... 1... GO! She did her stunt. She ran, somersaulted, and released her grip on the kunais and shurikens which all landed flawlessly in their perspective targets, all except one. She wasn't able to hit the blind spot perfectly.

Itachi was surprised to see how greatly she had improved. He had only taught her this technique since yesterday, couldn't she have thought about the strategies in hitting the target the whole time? Ever since Shisui, he had never been impressed by anyone in the clan until now. "You're good," he said.

"But, I wasn't able to hit the blind spot accurately;" Tsubaki panted "I must try again."

"I see," Itachi said calmly "well then, I have no choice but watch you until get it"

Tsubaki did the same exercise for around ten consecutive tries. All of them had the same result as the first one. On her eleventh try as she prepared herself again, her leg involuntarily twitched. Ignoring it, she proceeded into performing the technique. As she jumped in order to perform a somersault, her body involuntarily lost its momentum, making her lose her balance and release some kunais making one kunai stab her ankle.

"AHHH!" she cried in pain, Itachi rushed and placed her under a tree to give some first aid.

As he removed the kunai, the wound was deep but not deep enough to hit the bone. He took out some gauze from his kit and then sponged the excess blood out. He then cleaned it with an antiseptic and removed some of his bandages in order to bandage his friend's ankle.

"I'm sorry," Tsubaki said as she watched him work with her ankle.

"A kunoichi must know her limitations," he gave her a slight scolding.

"I'm sorry, I am a bit clumsy today," Tsubaki said looking away from him. "The last time that this happened was when I was sparring with nii-san,"

Itachi listened to her.

"Nii-san was very worried, I never saw him so worried before... it even scared the hell out of me," she gave a small laugh "Nii-san always teases me but he cares for me,"

Itachi sighed. "Well, you scared me too," the he offered her his back. "I'll carry you home, training session is over,"

-x-x-x-

Night has already fallen when they had arrived at the busy village; Tsubaki was riding on Itachi's back. Itachi felt Tsubaki's grip around him tighten.

"Itachi-kun," she whispered to his ear "Can you stay a little while longer at home?"

"Why?" he asked.

"Uhm... I wanted to cook Itachi-kun dinner, so..."

"You must rest; you have been very clumsy nowadays..."

She made a face then gently rested her chin on his shoulder "how does it feel to be on a mission? I bet it is exciting! After I graduate, I'll meet my teammates, and then we'll all become best of friends. We will accomplish a lot of missions together, from D-rank to S-rank missions. Then one day, who knows, I might join you in the ANBU..."

"You dream too much,"

"Well that's better than none... One day I'll catch up to you, just wait," She smiled "Itachi-kun, if ever I'll be put in danger, would you save me?"

"You're so dramatic" he answered stoically.

She yanked his clothes a little "Just answer the question,"

He sighed. "Alright, alright... if you're in danger... I'll just laugh at you, because... for an Uchiha to be in danger is just some senseless thinking..."

The girl at his back frowned. "...meanie..."

"...but," he continued "I'll still save you because, I really like you."

When he had said this, Tsubaki began to explode.

-x-x-x-

That evening, Tsubaki made some onigiris for them to eat. Itachi, even if he wouldn't admit it, was very happy with her cooking. Even with an injured ankle, Tsubaki strived to walk properly around the house. Even if Itachi would tell her to rest, she wouldn't even listen to him.

She giggled as she did the plates with him "If ever we ended up together some years after now, do you think we could find ourselves in this kind of situation?"

Itachi paused at the question. The question was just simple, and now that she have mentioned about herself ending up with him in the end... then that means... "You like me?"

Tsubaki fell silent, her face getting very red "It w-was only... a question..." she sighed and then let her short black hair frame her face as she looked down at the dishes in her hands. When she already calmed herself, she beamed at him. "Of course I like you," she said "If I didn't like you, then you wouldn't be my friend in the first place"

Itachi rolled his eyes. What a safe answer... "You know that's not the answer I wanted to hear Tsubaki-chan," he closed his face to hers. Tsubaki could feel her chest beating very widely his stare at her is so intense like, in a minute she felt like she would faint. In her hands was a porcelain tea cup, with such intense emotions and a tired body, she felt her hand twitch involuntarily which made the cup fall to the floor.

"I'm sorry!" she said as she saw the broken cup on the floor.

"I'll clean it," Itachi offered.

-x-x-x-

She laid in her futon quietly. She knew Itachi would leave after he bid her good night.

"Good night," Itachi told her, in a way he would always say it whenever he'll leave her at night.

"Itachi-kun," Tsubaki said that made him stop at his tracks. "Can I ask you a favour of staying with me until I fall asleep?"

He nodded quietly and entered the dimly lit room. The room was dark but there was a small lampshade with camellia designs that it casted shadows all over the room. He sat in a little corner watching her as she closed her eyes.

"I am not lonely now," she said "I have somebody here to keep me company, and I know he will be willing to listen to everything that I will say,"

Itachi remained silent and let her go on with what she is saying.

"I feel happy today even if I am a little bit clumsy today, because ...I am with somebody whom I like," she smiled but her eyes are still closed "This evening, when he asked me if he liked me, I couldn't answer him properly... maybe because I am a very shy person, I don't like anybody to know my emotions... but, my actions always betray me... and today, I didn't expect that he'll say that he likes me too." She paused for a while "When he said that he liked me, I felt so happy, I suddenly felt that I could do anything, if only I didn't have a bad ankle today I would have done a hundred kunai practices today,"

Itachi gave a little smile in his own corner. He watched her open her eyes slowly and then she looked at him. "Thank you very much for today,"

As promised, Itachi watched over her until fell asleep. As he mulled over the things that happened this week, Shisui had been right. There's something wrong. This week, she had been getting more and clumsier, and lately she had been receiving lots of cuts and bruises already.

When he made sure she was already asleep, he summoned a hawk to give Shisui his report about Tsubaki.

-x-x-x-

When Shisui received his letter, he felt his eyes welling up in tears when he read:

Even though she would constantly fall and hurt herself, she would always try to stand up and smile like nothing really happened. It's kinda ironic for somebody like her to mess up some kunai practices. I made a little research and everybody said that Tsubaki is really brilliant and no doubt, she would be this year's number one rookie. But, lately, her accidents are getting more and more frequent, and I am a little relieved that it wasn't anything serious. I think you are right when you claimed that what happened between you and Tsubaki a week ago wasn't an accident. The truth is; it's obvious that she is aware of her condition, because as she closed her eyes tonight, I noticed that there were tears streaming down in sides of her face. She fears that she is losing herself.

-x-x-x-

A/N: Please review!

Thanks to katarauchiha653719, Crizzel, and emi for reviewing ^^