Sakura smiled, reading about how a loud and enthusiastic boy named Menma ended up being dragged into a forest full of mines by the massive dog he was assigned to walk in the park.

Now she understood why Naruto and the boys spoke ecstatically about the manga – the story was hilarious.

She had to admit she liked the female character Menma was infatuated with. The girl, though weaker than her peers, was brave and confident. For Sakura, the girl had the strength that Sasuke told her she didn't have.

Sakura took a deep breath and sighed.

Yes, she remembered that day she first spoke with Sasuke – or Sasuke first spoke to her.

"You're weak," he said, stating an obvious fact as she succumbed to the clasps of self pity.

And he was right.

Sakura closed her eyes as memories of the family and the life she lost flooded back into her thoughts. It pushed a tear down her cheek. She tried to keep more tears from falling; clutching the sheets for help and unconsciously turning her trembling fists white.

"You're weak," Sasuke's voice echoed in her ears and she winced – the pain of the memories stabbing her chest.

Her mother's smiles, her father's laugh, their reprimanding voices, their warm embrace…

Sakura bit her lip, feeling another tear touching the brim of her eyelids.

"You're weak."

Sakura gasped and burst into tears. She covered her face; ashamed that Sasuke's book witnessed her weakness.

She heard sobs bounce off the four walls of her white room.

What was she thinking? She was weak! She cried like a baby. She was too scared to stand up for herself.

Sasuke's cold gaze flashed in her mind.

She was the girl Sasuke hated.

Sakura wiped her eyes and set her gaze on a page of the manga. It showed a panel where her favourite character stood confidently in front of the boy she adored.

Sakura smiled. She hoped the girl ended up with the boy in the end.

She suddenly wondered what it would be like to be friends with the girl in the manga.

"You're not weak," she imagined her speaking on her bedside, gazing caringly at her. "You're just weak now. You can be better."

Sakura took a deep breath and wiped her face.

She can be strong. She hadto be strong. No one else would be there to protect her. No one else would care and love her, but herself. She had to be strong to live. And maybe, just maybe, she would be strong enough to make whoever killed her parents feel sorry for what they did.

Sakura looked grimly to the manga, feeling fear and anger rumble in her gut.

She had to grow up. She had to live.

Sakura turned the page of the book and read about Mema yelling he would never give up. She smirked. That was exactly what she would keep in mind.

"Hey," Kio felt the soothing voice she longed to hear touch her ear as she stood by the edge of the rooftop, gazing out at the student-cluttered field of of the Konoha High.

She couldn't keep her lips from smiling when it was complimented by a warm and tight hold around her waist. Then he ended it with a kiss on the side of her forehead.

Damn Itachi and his boyfriend skills!

Kio turned and looked up at him. "Where's my cake?" she asked, trying to sound indifferent.

Itachi leaned his head slightly to the side to point at their make-shift picnic place in the shade of the stairs that led to the rooftop.

Kio nodded, eyes on the small pink box beside the stack of bento boxes she brought for the two of them – and if Shisui was planning on joining them – for the three of them.

Itachi didn't let go of her though, the way he always did when she turned to look at him.

Kio looked up at him – raising an eye brow in query.

Itachi was studying her face.

"What?" Kio asked.

"You're not hugging me back," Itachi said.

Kio snorted and chuckled. She raised her arms and gave Itachi a tight squeeze. "Suddenly, you're being sensitive," she muttered against his chest.

"You're upset," he whispered. He stepped back and held her cheek. "What's wrong?"

"Wrong?" Kio asked.

Itachi frowned. "I grew up with you," he said. "Even Shisui would notice something's wrong with you."

Kio sighed and shook her head. "It's nothing."

"It can't be nothing."

Kio smiled at Itachi. "I'm hungry," she said. "Let's eat."

Itachi sighed and let Kio walk to the shade. He followed her a moment later and sat across from her, wondering how he could persuade her to talk.

Luckily, he bought molten lava chocolate cake.

"LUNCH!" they heard as the door to the rooftop flew open, revealing a huffing Shisui.

"Shisui," Kio greeted, handing Itachi a bento box. "Welcome back to school. You're just in time."

Itachi looked surprised at Shisui. He thought he was the only one who skipped the morning classes.

"Awesome!" Shisui excitedly said, taking a seat next to Itachi who was sitting near the door. "I am so damn hungry. Did you make maki?"

"Of course," Kio said, handing Shisui a bento box. "You kept reminding me about it last night."

Shisui smiled at her. "You are so meant for Itachi," he said, digging his chopsticks into the colorful bento box.

Itachi smiled and started to eat the food that Kio prepared for him.

"Is that cake?" Shisui asked, eyeing the pink box while chewing his food.

"Yes," Kio answered. "Ita-kun bought it for me."

Shisui nodded. "Sure," he said. He turned to Itachi. "So she sent you a message while you're out," he said. "Is that the cake shop near the Aburame's?"

Kio frowned. "Can't Itachi just buy me a cake?"

"Yeah," Itachi said, smiling at Shisui.

"Ah! They have awesome chocolate cakes," Shisui said. "I love their dark decadent cake. Is that what you bought?"

"Molted lave cake," Itachi answered.

"Wonderful!" Shisui said. "I haven't seen their molten lava cake before." He leaned closer and began to open the small box.

"Hey!" Kio said. "That's mine!"

"What, you're not going to share it?" Shisui asked.

Kio groaned and rolled her eyes. "Hold on," she said. "I'll get forks from my desk." She then stood up and ran down the stairs.

Shisui smirked and filled his mouth with food again.

Itachi wanted to follow Kio, but he knew it was Shisui's way of getting rid of her.

"She told you to buy that?" Shisui asked once they heard the stops on the stares vanish.

"No," Itachi said, knowing that Shisui was asking if Kio asked him to buy chocolate cake. "I just thought that was what she needed."

Shisui nodded. "She's preety out of it," he said.

"Did she tell you anything?" Itachi asked.

Shisui chuckled. "Of course not," he said. "I'm not you."

Itachi sighed and looked down at his lunch. "Yeah but… She hasn't told me anything either."

Shisui glanced at Itachi for a moment and chuckled. "You have no idea, do you?"

Itachi raised his brows at Shisui.

Shisui smiled. "Rumors," he said, waving his chopsticks in emphasis. "Listen to them. It's hilarious."

Itachi frowned. "You know I don't have time for that," he said.

Shisui nodded. "In that case, let me see," he said, feigning the act of thinking deeply – eyes gazing up at the clear blue sky. "Have you been giving flowers to someone in the hospital?"

Itachi froze. "What the— You're not— That's just—" In the end, Itachi just looked heatedly away. "Where did that come from?"

Shisui shrugged his shoulders. "People with nothing better to do notice things that shouldn't really be noticed, and make a big deal out of them," he said before stuffing his mouth with another maki.

Itachi glared at his bento box. "I was… working," he said. "Somewhat."

"I know," Shisui said.

Itachi looked anxiously at Shisui. "Does she think I'm cheating on her?"

"She thinks you're doing it for something important," Shisui answered. "—You're not talking about it because it's classified. But her feminine psyche is telling her bullshit."

Itachi sighed heavily and wiped the frown on his face. "I can't tell her," he muttered. "Heck! I can't even tell you. Though you already seem to know about it," he said, glancing at Shisui.

—Which reminded him that he had an important matter to discuss with his best friend.

Shisui smirked and pointed a finger at his chest. "ANBU," he said. "And I know you're not that kind of person. That's an Uchiha curse – being extremely loyal to the people they love."

Itachi smirked and shook his head. "What should I do? I'm not saying she'll tell on me, but I just think I've told enough people about it. I'm not saying that I don't trust you either—"

"We're talking about Kio here, not me," Shisui said. "You keep forgetting that I'm bound by the same rules you're bound to. I know what you mean."

Itachi nodded. "So what should I do?"

Shisui grinned. "Do what you do best," he said. "And maybe knock her up one of these days."

Itachi frowned at Shisui. "Kakashi's going to kill me," he said. "You know that."

"He's going to be in ANBU soon anyway," Shisui said, shrugging his shoulders. "I doubt he'll kill the person he knows would take good care of his very pregnant niece."

Itachi sighed and looked at his bento. "Nah," he said. "I'll just marry her."

"Who are you going to marry?" Kio's voice echoed from the door.

Shisui and Itachi turned around to see her looking curiously at them by the door with the forks in her hand.

"You and your sneaky ninja skills," Shisui muttered, and turned to look at Itachi. "I'll think twice about marrying her if I were you."

Itachi raised his brows at Shisui.

Kio crossed her arms over her chest. "Why is that?" she asked – a hint of blush on her cheeks at the realization that the boys were talking about Itachi marrying her.

Shisui rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, Ita-chan," he said. "You can't tell me you don't see how you'll end up coming home everyday to an obsessed hag who spies on you all the time."

Itachi smirked as Kio's foot forcefully made contact with Shisui's cheek, throwing the lad on the concrete floor.

"OUCH!"

"YOU DESERVE IT!"

"Did you see that, Itachi? SHE KICKED ME! AND SHE'LL KICK YOU TOO WHEN YOU GET MARRIED!"

"SHUT UP! ITA-KUN'S NOT LIKE YOU!"

"HE'S AN UCHIHA!"

"YOU'RE AN EXCEPTION IN THE UCHIHA CLAN!"

"YEAH? WELL YOU CAN'T BE AN UCHIHA, BECAUSE WE ONLY ALLOWONE EXCEPTION IN THE UCHIHA CLAN!"

"I'LL BELIEVE IT WHEN FUGAKU OJI-SAN SAYS SO!"

"HE WILL!"

Kio turned tearfully at Itachi.

Itachi just burst into chuckles. "Impossible," he said. "Okaa-san will kick him out of the house."

Kio smiled brightly and glared at Shisui. "Hear that?"

Shisui rolled his eyes. "Stop spoiling her, Ita-chan," he said. "Or she'll actually think she's beautiful enough to breed with you."

And that earned Shisui another kick on the face, which made Itachi laugh.

Fugaku read the report Obito submitted to him that afternoon as he sat in his office, sensing someone outside walking toward his door.

He sighed, flipping the page to continue the string of events he was seeing in his mind with every word he read on the document.

The asset from Suna… His connection with the Haruno family… Sakura's account of the murder… The lack of finger prints that could possibly be of the murderer's…

—The confirmation that Sakura's job in the case was done.

"Fugaku," Mikoto's voice filled the room.

Fugaku looked up to see his wife standing by the door with a wrapped bento in hand.

"You forgot your lunch, dear," Mikoto said.

Fugaku smiled and motioned for her to take a seat in front of his table.

Mikoto nodded and sat down, placing the bento on his table – moving some of the reports he was reading. "It's almost lunch time," she said. "Eat."

Fugaku chuckled and shook his head. "Will you be eating with me?"

"If you insist," she answered. "I did made some extra rice balls there."

"Ah," Fugaku said, nodding. He carefully unwrapped his lunch and allowed the scrumptious scent of Mikoto's cooking tease his senses.

Mikoto couldn't help but smile as Fugaku unconsciously sighed in relief.

Fugaku took his chopsticks and offered Mikoto some of his dinner. But Mikoto only took one of the three rice balls she included in the bento box.

"Itachi stayed up preety late last night," Mikoto said after chewing on a bite of the rice ball she took. "Was that for work again?"

"I'm afraid so," Fugaku said. "They've submitted reports on the case this morning."

Mikoto smirked. "I should blame you when he gets sick then," she said, teasing her husband.

Fugaku tried to smile at Mikoto, but a sad frown won over his features.

Mikoto sighed. "Is that classified?" she asked.

Fugaku knew what Mikoto meant and looked down at his food. "It is," he answered. "But I've been breaching that protocol with you ever since this mess began so I might as well tell you."

Mikoto smiled and nodded. "What is it?"

Fugaku looked at his wife. "Are you going to stay with her tonight?"

It took a moment for Mikoto to realize who Fugaku meant by "her." "Yes," she answered. "I was just about to ask you for permission."

Fugaku nodded. "You may stay with her," he said, looking down at his lunch. "However… I don't know…"

Mikoto raised a brow at her husband. He seemed sad and confused for some reason. "What's going on?"

Fugaku looked at Mikoto. "The report I received this morning contains Sakura's account of the incident," he said. "Itachi was able to persuade her to share what she remembered."

"Oh," Mikoto said, suddenly feeling anxious about what else Fugaku was going to say.

"She has basically fulfilled her role in the case," Fugaku continued.

"Uhuh," Mikoto mumbled, half hoping Fugaku was just teasing her.

"The agreement we have with social services is that we'll keep Sakura in our custody in the hospital until she's better and until she's given us the information that we need," Fugaku said. "Once those two conditions are fulfilled, we'll turn her over to social services who will then take her to the orphanage."

Mikoto nodded and looked away.

Silence filled the office. Fugaku watched Mikoto's blank expression, knowing that thoughts were rushing through her mind.

"Is…" Mikoto began, turning to look at her husband. "Is there a way to stop it?" she asked. "I mean, is there a way for us to keep them from taking Sakura to the orphanage?"

Fugaku reached out to touch Mikoto's hand, and shook his head. "It's the law."

Mikoto sadly nodded. "Will I be telling her about it?"

"No," Fugaku answered. "But Itachi might have to."

Mikoto took a deep breath. "When will they take her away?"

"The doctor reported she can be out of the hospital in a week or two," Fugaku answered.

Mikoto sighed and bit on her rice ball. "Our boys won't like this."

Fugaku nodded.

He didn't like it either.

Shisui stared at swaying trees surrounding the green lot that once was the training ground for the child soldiers of Konoha. He stood at the center of the clearing, listening to the breeze of the afternoon and imagined kids Sasuke's age trotting around him with knives and sickles.

Autonomous villages were labeled as such because aside from following the laws of the country they are found in, they also followed laws that only took effect in the villages. According to the scrolls Shisui read in the archives, the villages were granted their autonomy to recognize their part in history.

For hundreds of years, the villages produced soldiers far more superior than any country's military. It was brought about by a way of life that they inherited from their ancient founders, where they relied on hiding their existence to keep them alive.

The villages perfected their hiding techniques in seclusion, and unconsciously established a reputation of using magic with various elements to defend themselves from their enemies.

Fear of the villagers' abilities turned to interest and merchants crossing various countries began to seek their protection from bandits. Stories of their efficiency reached more people with the years that passed, and politicians began employing village folks for various confidential tasks.

The way of life became a livelihood. The once hidden villages became overt to those who had the ability to pay for their assistance. Power and efficiency became key factors in topping the industry. More techniques were developed and taught, bringing about the Golden Age of Hidden Villages. It also started wars between villages – battles to determine which village was superior and worth visiting for aid.

And Konoha, ever since it's founding, won every war and reined above all the other hidden villages.

After the Great World War that severed the population of countries and hidden villages, the village leaders – the Kages – agreed to change their way of living to plant the seeds of peace. The Hidden Villages became Common Villages. And to thank them for the sacrifice they gave, the countries granted them autonomy.

Among the practices that Hidden Villages had was equipping its citizens with their way of life at an early age. Toddlers were trained to develop physical strength and endurance. Children were taught how to use various blades and weaponry. Adolescents were expected to accurately throw knives at the most fatal points of the human body. And before they reached adulthood, they were expected to be immune to the ways of war.

By adulthood, if they were lucky enough to reach it, they were connoisseur assassins.

Shisui looked grimly at the three mossy log posts standing across the field. He remembered examining it up close when he visited the field with Itachi and Kio. On its bark lay scars from playing the role of targets for generations.

The history class in Konoha Academy, the class Shisui was sure Sasuke would attend soon, taught children that the Hidden Villages were once home to mercenaries hence the various myths about ninjas living in the village.

The mercenaries practiced ninjutsu – a martial art that utilized tricks and tactics of unconventional warfare. Their techniques were popularized by the illusions they created in the eyes of their targets. The mercenaries, better known as shinobis and ninjas, vanished in thin air and moved in speeds that rivaled the fastest animal on land. They commanded weapons and explosions like they were extensions of themselves. And they utilized the natural elements as if they were gods.

Their knowledge and abilities brought about several wars, and in the Great World War, it produced massive casualties – men, women, and children. A politician craving for power at the time employed shinobis from a hidden village to start the war. After two years of starting and stopping genocides, Konoha and its allies ended the war in a 24-hour bloodbath.

To stop another Great War from happening, the Kage of every hidden village held an assembly where they stayed in one room for one week, discussing how they should proceed with their lives after the nasty conclusion. It was ended with a concurrence that the hidden villages would turn their backs away from the Ninjutsu way and embrace the "common" life – the daily life of people living outside their villages.

Every scroll, letter, and account about Ninjutsu and the villages' history were burned. The structures that were once used to train shinobis were either demolished or remodeled to erase the memories of the mercenary life. The only structure Konoha couldn't manage to defile was the Hokage Mountain. Village codes and laws were re-written to promote and follow "common" life. But they retained rules and laws that were deemed applicable in their transition.

Everything that would and could remind everyone of the villages' gory history was obliterated — at least, that was what the Kage and the villagers of the time wanted future generations to believe.

"This is all I get from high and mighty Konoha?" the voice of the man Shisui battled in Ame echoed in the breeze. Shisui didn't see the man's face because it wore a white cat mask. But he remembered the man's dark eye – the one he revealed when his katana sliced part of the mask.

"—And from an Uchiha no less," the voice rang in Shisui's ears.

Shisui tightly clenched his fists in anger. He remembered how vulnerable he felt at that very moment – how the man, in one swift move touched his chest and vanished… How the man's touch burned his skin, sending jolts of electricity through his veins… And smoldered his eyes…

"Realize your potential, Uchiha," the voice said again. Shisui knew the man was several feet above him, though he was feeling too much pain in his eyes to look around him.

"See the treachery your beloved Hokage has done to you and your clan," the voice continued. "Then meet me again with your stunning eyes."

The encounter, Shisui recounted, ended in him screaming in pain – clutching the eyes he could not open – as he lay curled on the floor. He felt the warm hands of the writer of the manga gripping his shoulders in an attempt to console him.

When he opened his eyes – his cursed bleeding eyes – the man was gone.

After rummaging the archives, Shisui learned the secrets that their ancestors tried to keep from them. First, that some of the references and historical accounts in the Ninjutsu era was salvaged and kept in underground libraries. Second, that the history taught in the academy were incomplete. And lastly, that erasing the references was not enough for the villages to fully transition to common life.

Every citizen of the Hidden Villages had to submit themselves into a sacrifice no commoner could ever submit themselves to – a sacrifice that earned them the respect and autonomy from the countries' governments.

"Sorry we're late," Sasuke's voice echoed from behind Shisui.

Shisui quickly turned with a smirk on his face. "Ah! But you're just in time," he said, eyeing Shikamaru and Sasuke as they walked toward him.

Sasuke smiled, but Shikamaru only looked bored at Shisui.

Shisui bit a chuckle from escaping his lips. The rumours were true – the Nara pokerface was indeed rather intimidating, even when seen on the face of the youngest Nara clan member.

"How was school?" Shisui asked.

"Okay," Sasuke answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"Would you like to sit down?" Shisui said, gesturing toward the green grass.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Shikamaru muttered, crossing his legs on the grass. Sasuke sat next to him.

Shisui chuckled and sat down across from them. "So my condition," he said. "What do you like to know?"

"And here I thought we were going to ask you that question," Shikamaru said.

Shisui smirked. He had to admit Konoha children were different from children outside the village walls. They seemed to think too old for their age. Few of the toddlers in Konoha spoke in infant-directed baby speech, partly because parents spoke to their infants like they were old enough to speak complete words.

And now, Shisui wondered, perhaps partly because the village had unconsciously bred children with intellect that easily absorbed Ninjutsu instructions and trainings at an early age.

Come to think of it, even their bodies seemed different. Slim but toned physique was as common in autonomous region police forces, as stout and round physique was to police forces outside the villages. Then again, perhaps it was Shisui's imagination running wild.

"Let's see," he said, feigning the act of pondering for something to say.

"I know we're kids," Shikamaru said. "But you know we're not stupid."

Shisui looked surprised at Shikamaru.

"That's just how he is," Sasuke said, glancing at Shikamaru.

No – Sasuke wasn't reprimanding Shikamaru. He was telling Shikamaru that what Shisui was doing was an unconscious habit.

Damn these kids… Perhaps that was how the adults felt when they conversed with Itachi and Shisui when they were around Sasuke and Shikamaru's age.

"Sorry," Shisui said, scratching his head. "I'm concerned about her."

"Why?" Shikamaru immediately asked, like a predator who had been waiting for his prey to step into his trap.

"If I tell you, I would have to kill you," Shisui answered, smiling widely at the two.

Shikamaru nodded. "Sure," he said. "You know her."

Shisui just smirked.

"I'm not telling Aniki anything that happens here," Sasuke said calmly. "So how did you know her?"

"I'm friends with her neighbor," Shisui answered, knowing Sasuke always kept his word.

That was another Uchiha trait – a curse from their unbelievably loyal lineage. That was why girls mourned when Itachi pledged his love for Kio. They knew Itachi was doomed to marry her sooner or later.

Sasuke frowned. "Who of them..?"

Shishui chuckled. "You're trudging dangerous ground," he said.

"Why from us?" Shikamaru asked.

Shisui smirked. "Because she trusts you," he said. "If there's anyone who will be able to see her real condition, it's you. Not the doctors, not the police – not when she doesn't trust them enough to let them see her weak."

Shikamaru groaned and looked away – no doubt in thought. "Just information, huh..?"

"Yes," Shisui answered. "That's all I need."

Sasuke glanced at Shikamaru. Shikamaru glanced back at them.

Shisui smiled. They've made a deal. "Also," he said, catching their attention.

Sasuke and Shikamaru stared confused at Shisui.

"Don't worry," he said, still smiling at them. "I'm not asking any more favors. I am however, going to give you some updates on what's going on. And this just might change our plans for this mission."

Itachi frowned as he stared at the pebbles on the ground. He stood against the wall of the gymnasium, pondering on how he would speak to Kio, who he knew was inside the gym.

He really wanted to ask Shisui about the partial fingerprint in the apartment complex. But when he walked to his classroom, Shisui's classmates told him that his best friend had gone out on an urgent errand. They were snickering at the thought of Shisui going out on a date.

Itachi knew Shisui wasn't going out or wasn't intending to go out with anyone. Shisui, though a certified Uchiha clan member, was talkative. He wasn't as loud and foolish as Obito though. Shisui told Itachi every girl he fancied.

Heck! He even told him how he lost his virginity.

Itachi cringed at the memory.

Shisui was quite a story teller. And he insisted that Itachi listened to him so he wouldn't spoil Kio's first… time.

Itachi took a deep breath and sighed.

He should have confronted Shisui about the fingerprint that moment Kio left to get the forks in her desk. Perhaps then, he wouldn't be that bothered about Shisui anymore.

What if he admits to being in the scene though? What then?

According to the results Kobi told him, all the fingerprints in the scene were identified and owned by the victims in the massacre except for the partial print – Shisui's. If he was in the scene, and the fingerprint proved it, all accusing eyes would turn to Shisui. He would be arrested as a suspect.

He couldn't have committed the massacre, right? Why would he do it? He loved Konoha's citizens, just as much as every Uchiha that lived in Konoha. And Uchihas had been loyal to the village for hundreds of years.

"What are you doing here?" Kio's voice cut Itachi's train of thought.

"Kio," Itachi said, turning around to face her. He had to admit the sight of her in her kendo hakama made his breath hitch.

Kio always wore her straight hair down, draped against her back, except when she was training with her martial arts groups. For kendo, she had her long black hair neatly lifted up in a pony tail. The stray strands of hair near her face and the white towel lazily swathed on her shoulders told Itachi she had started the warm up excercises. And the curiosity in her deep dark eyes told him he had to immediately explain his presence in the gym premises.

After all, he told her he was meeting Shisui after class.

Kio's stance as she stood by the entrance of the gym exuded the daring and strong side of her that Itachi admired. A lot of Itachi's friends didn't find Kio attractive because she seemed too overwhelming and tough to be with.

But Itachi knew better, and he liked her the way she was – loved her actually.

"Hey," Itachi managed to say; suddenly clueless as to how to start the conversation he meant to have with her. Was he blushing? Good heavens! Was he blushing?!

"Yeah, we've established that," Kio said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Mind telling me why you're here? You're destracting my trainees from practice."

Itachi froze and heard sounds that seemed like chuckles from inside the gym.

Come to think of it, he was also pondering on how to get Kio out for a quick conversation. He was half hoping she would walk out to get something from her locker when he decided to stand by the gym door. And he was half planning to walk into the gym and ask her coach for permission to speak with her.

"Sorry," Itachi said, slipping his sweaty hands inside his pockets.

"I thought you were meeting Shisui after class," Kio said, narrowing her eyes ever so slightly to examine Itachi's face. "You two had a fight?"

"No, no," Itachi said, waving his hands in front of him in emphasis. "He got away before I could meet him. It turned out he had an errand of sorts."

Kio nodded. "What's wrong then?"

"Wrong..?" Itachi asked, hoping he still wore his professional face as he spoke. He didn't want to upset Kio further by showing how anxious he was.

Kio rolled her eyes. "Sure," she said. "Let's pretend I didn't grow up with you. Want to walk to the drinking faucet with me? All the teasing in the gym's making me lose my temper."

Muffled snickers echoed in the gym again.

Itachi glanced at the gym windows.

Yes – the entire girls Kendo team was watching them.

"Sure," Itachi said, leading the way to the drinking faucets and away from the gym.

Itachi watched splashes of water slide down Kio's face as she leaned close to the open faucet. She lifted her head, wiped the moisture on her face with the towel, and looked anxiously at Itachi.

Itachi raised his brows.

Kio frowned. "Oh come on! No one else is around," she said. "What's wrong?"

Itachi took a deep breath. "With me..?"

Kio rolled her eyes. "The last time I heard you call me 'Kio,' I was falling off a cliff," she said, recalling one of their class camping trips in primary school.

A silly girl in the group tried to catch the attention of Uchiha Itachi by courageously pretending to be in danger. It was free time and she and her group of snobbish bullies walked out into the edge of the mountain the class trekked early that morning. .

The most annoying of them all, a purple-haired girl whose name Kio didn't want to remember, decided to take advantage of the Uchiha gallantry to be noticed by the most handsome boy in school.

The Uchiha clan, along with another famous family in Konoha – the Hyuuga, was said to have a hereditary malady called Chivalry Syndrome. Their men, for the love of all that was holy, could not stand the sight of damsels in distress, no matter how they ended up in the situation; unintentionally or deliberately to catch their eyes.

So the genius little girl decided to stand at a rock at the side of the cliff. She reached her hands out to make it look like she was falling. Then her friends ran to the boys and announced that she got herself in trouble.

Itachi would see the poor girl and rush to her aid. He would pull her up, and she would slip into his arms, and she would pretend to be traumatized so Itachi wouldn't leave her side.

Kio had to admit she was smart to think of that plan. But she wasn't smart enough to realize that rocks on cliff sides don't care about girls and their intricate plans. She seated on a branch of a tree near the cliff, waiting to see how Itachi would rush to the girl's aid, when she noticed that the girl had stopped acting like she was falling.

Her hands – her fingers – had begun to really slip off the top of the cliff.

The snob mob were still fetching Itachi, and knowing their distance from the edge Kio knew he wasn't going to be there in time to save the girl.

So Kio did one thing she didn't think she would do – she jumped off the branch and rushed to the girl's aid. She pulled the girl up to safety from the cliff side, just as Itachi and his friends were rushing to help them.

And as if to reward Kio of her stupidity, the age-old rocks at the edge of the cliff crumbled under her weight and allowed gravity to pull her down the from the 25-ft precipice.

The next thing she saw was the sky… and Itachi flying above her – screaming her name.

Itachi smirked and looked away. He also remembered the memory.

Kio walked closer to him. "I know you can't tell me everything," she said. "But give me something to work on. I'm your girlfriend – not your trinket."

Itachi frowned and held her by the waist. "I never saw you that way," he said.

Kio smiled. "I know."

Itachi took a deep breath. "And I'm not cheating on you," he said.

Kio froze. "W—what..?"

Itachi looked anxiously at Kio's face, examining her reaction. "The rumours…"

"You never listen to rumours," Kio said. Then she snorted. "Shisui told you, didn't he? That rumormongering— if I hadn't known him since primary school, I'd say he was gay."

Itachi smiled. "He was worried about you," he said.

Kio smirked. "He was scaring you."

Itachi sighed. "It was pretty scary," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

Kio smiled. "I was really trying to convince myself that you weren't cheating on me," she said.

Itachi looked grimly at Kio. "That's it though," he said. "You're having inner battles because of me. And forcing yourself to believe something doesn't make you feel better about something."

Kio chuckled. "Yeah," she said. "But you know what? I thought about everything again while we were eating the cake you bought. And I realized just how stupid I was. There you were – telling me where you were going, buying me what I asked, and reassuring me without asking you to do so. And I still doubt you… Being biologically insecure sucks," she said, sighing.

Itachi smiled. "I can't blame you," he said. "I really want to tell you everything. It's just… I don't…"

Kio rolled her eyes. "My uncle works in the same department you're in," she said. "I understand."

Itachi nodded. "What time will your kendo practice end today? I'll walk you home."

Kio chuckled. "Don't you have someone to visit in the hospital?"

"I can always come back here and walk you home," Itachi answered.

"Aww," Kio crooned. "I'd love to have you as my bodyguard, but my uncle has promised to walk me home until the day he leaves for the ANBU," she said. "He wants to spend as much time with me as possible."

Itachi nodded. "How's that going?"

Kio shrugged her shoulders. "Aunt Rin learned about it by accident. She was furious. She offered to stay with me while uncle's away. But I told her I can manage. She has tasks to go back to in Sunakagure after all."

Itachi sighed. "So you're really just going to stay in your apartment alone? You can live with us you know."

Kio looked shyly at the buttons on Itachi's uniform. "Thank you," she said. "But I don't like to make your folks think I'm that excited to be part of the family."

"My folks won't think of such a thing," Itachi said. "Okaa-san already knows you'll be an Uchiha someday."

Kio slapped Itachi's arm. "This is why the entire Uchiha clan teases me!" she said.

Itachi chuckled. "It won't matter once we're married," he said.

Kio smiled. "You really think I'll make a good Uchiha? Aren't I too loud to be one?"

Itachi smiled back. "That's exactly why Shisui told me to marry you someday," he said. "We need a loud Uchiha at home to stop the rumours that our compound is a ghost town."

Kio frowned and hurled her fist at Itachi's torso.

"Your Aniki should be here in a few minutes," Mikoto said, slipping on the sleeves of her coat while she checked the steamy pots in the kitchen.

It was six in the evening and Sasuke sat slouched on the couch, staring boredly at the newsfeeds on the TV screen. His mother had prepared food for supper, and something Itachi could cook for breakfast the next day.

Sasuke glanced at the bag that his mother placed on the couch. Judging by the size of the handbag, it contained clothes.

"Help your brother with washing the dishes," Mikoto ordered after checking the rice she cooked. "Otou-san is attending a meeting with the Hokage tonight so he'll be late."

Sasuke looked at his mother. "Are you going to stay with her tonight?" he asked.

Mikoto paused for a moment and turned to look at her son.

He seemed neither interested nor upset – his face almost a perfect replica of Fugaku's poker face.

"Yes," Mikoto answered. "But I can sta—"

"Can you ask Sakura if she's read the book I told Aniki to give her?" Sasuke asked. "I wasn't sure if she was going to like it. If she doesn't like it, I'll send a fairytale book from the library to replace it."

Mikoto stared at her son. He… He really looked like he meant what he was saying.

"You… You lent her another book?"

Sasuke nodded. "She already finished the book I asked you to give her," he said. "Aniki asked me what books she liked to read so he could get something from the library. I offered to lend her another book from my shelf."

Mikoto nodded. She would expect Sasuke to be that way with Naruto, but not with Sakura.

She smiled. "I'll ask her, dear," she said. "You're sure you're okay with being left here on your own?"

Sasuke smirked. "I'm not really alone," he said. "I can hear Oji-chan and Oba-chan just a few steps away from the door."

Mikoto chuckled.

Of course, that was one of the perks of living in a clan compound. Their relatives, at least the ones who had either retired or had to devote themselves to housekeeping, were there to watchover little Sasuke when none of the grown ups in their house could be with him.

"I'll expect you to go to them when you need anything then," Mikoto said. "Don't turn the stove on without any grown up assisting you."

Sasuke frowned. "You've been telling me that since I could remember," he said.

Mikoto smiled and walked to pat Sasuke's head. "That's because I don't want you to forget it," she said.

"You know I haven't forgotten it," Sasuke said, looking up at his mother.

"Humor me then," Mikoto said before giving Sasuke's forehead a kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Sasuke nodded. "Take care," he said, hugging his mother's waist.

Mikoto chuckled and hugged him back.

Sasuke waited until Mikoto's footfalls on the lawn disappeared before he reached his hand out and grabbed the phone receiver on the side table.

He dialed the number he could dial with his eyes closed, and held the receiver against his ear.

"Hello," a lively voice of a woman said from the other line. "—Namikaze residence…"

"Good afternoon, Oba-chan," Sasuke said.

"Sasuke-kun! Want to speak to Naruto?" the woman cheerfully asked.

"Yes, please," Sasuke answered.

"Stay on the line, I'll call him…"

"Thank you, Oba—"

"NARUTO!"

Sasuke winced and lifted the receiver away from his ear. He just couldn't get used to the loud voice of Naruto's mother. Then again, he was getting used to Naruto's voice so maybe in time he would also get used to it.

"—Sasuke's on the phone," Sasuke heard Kushina yell, luckily, away from the phone receiver.

"COMING!" Naruto's voice echoed in the background.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. How on earth could the Hokage live in his house?

"TEME!" Naruto excitedly greeted upon getting hold of the receiver.

Sasuke heard a loud thump.

"How many times do I have to tell you—!" came Kushina's muffled nagging in the background.

"Okay! Okay! Hello, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled at the phone.

Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed. "Dobe," he said.

"What's up? You miss me already?"

Sasuke frowned. "Of course, not, idiot," he said. "There's been a major change in the mission."

"EH?! What do you mean?"

"We're scheduled to do it either this weekend or on the following weekend," Sasuke said. "We'll discuss the specifics tomorrow morning in school, so meet me at the gates early."

"AWESOME!" Naruto said. "I think we'll do it the following weekend though."

"Why is that?" Sasuke asked.

"I heard my Otou-san talk with the elders about holding a funeral this weekend," Naruto whispered— hissed, since it was still loud enough to irritate Sasuke's eardrum.

Sasuke frowned. "Did you get the specifics?"

"I know the ceremony will be a private one," Naruto said. "They don't seem to be planning to announce it on the news."

Sasuke looked grimly at the TV screen flashing an orange juice advertisement.

They would keep the funeral a secret, probably only invite the remaining relatives and close friends of the deceased to attend it. That meant they were still on alert for the culprit of the massacre.

Perhaps it also meant that someone in need of great protection would be attending the funeral.

"Sakura," Sasuke whispered.