It's already been two months since Itachi came to their village. All his wounds were fully recovered. However, Eiko still gave him a few medicine on a regular basis.

"You don't need to give me medicine anymore. I'm fully healed right now," Itachi tried to refuse taking any more medicine.

"You have to, Itachi-san. Otherwise, you'll be sicker than before," Eiko persuaded him. Itachi was puzzled by what Eiko just said.

"What do you mean, Eiko-san?"

"You don't know? I gave these kind of medicine since the first day you came here. I thought you know what you're taking, as well as the illness that you're having right now," Eiko revealed Itachi's condition.

"What are you trying to say?" Itachi still couldn't believe her.

"You're diagnosed with microscopic polyangiitis*, Itachi-san. I thought you already know that you're ill, that's why I just keep quiet about it. I figured out your illness when I treated you back then. I'm so sorry of not mentioning it earlier. And not all of those are medicine, some are drugs to just delay the effect of your illness. There is no absolute cure for your disease," Eiko revealed the truth to Itachi.

Itachi couldn't believe of what Eiko just said. He already vowed to himself that he must die on his younger brother's hands. He hesitated for a moment, but managed to ask a question.

"How serious is it? How much time do I have?"

"I'm not a person to predict someone's life, Itachi-san. But with my little knowledge about this illness, it's not somewhere near the future. If you don't strain yourself, that is," Eiko tried to calm him down. Itachi remained silent, still couldn't comprehend the reality.

"Don't worry, Itachi-san. I will provide you with a supply of medicine when you're about to leave," reassured Eiko.


Nyoko and Eiko accompanied Itachi on the way to the hut inside the forest. Once they reached the hut, Nyoko retrieved all of his belongings and returned them back to Itachi.

"Thank you for taking care of me all this time. I will be forever in your debt, Eiko-san, as well as you too, Nyoko-san," Itachi relayed his thanks.

"If you ever reveal anything about our clan to the Shinobi world…"

"I will never do it, Nyoko-san. I have made a promise with Eiko-san," Itachi tried to reassure the hot-headed Nyoko. Eiko was touched by the fact that he still remembered the promise.

"Here, keep these medicine with you. And we also packed a bento for you as well. And, emm," Nyoko gave both the medicine and the lunch box to Itachi. But there's also another thing that she wanted to give. She took a necklace from her pocket and handed it to him.

"Take it as a gift. It may looks simple, but the necklace had its own purpose. It can help to calm the wearer's mind and stabilize the chakra as well. Please take care of yourself, Itachi-san. Have a safe journey too. Urm, and if you're out of stock of the medicine, you can just come back and visit us again. I will always provide the supply of medicine for you, Itachi-san," said Eiko. She didn't realize that she was blushing at the moment.

"Nee-san, why would even invite him again? Let him be gone for good," Nyoko had enough of her sister's kindness.

"I'm honored to accept the gift. Till we meet again, Eiko-san, Nyoko-san," Itachi bowed as sign of respect and left them. They waited until he disappeared out of sight before went back home.


After that, Itachi would somehow returned to the village every couple of months. Sometimes, it was only twice in a year. Eiko would always keep the supply of medicine beforehand and waited patiently for his return. Itachi stayed for about three days and left again. Unbeknownst to Nyoko, other than the medicine, Itachi also came to search for information inside The Vault. Eiko always accompanied him to The Vault whenever he came to the village. Eiko also checked on Itachi's condition, worried if it's become worsened.


[Few Years later]

Eiko could feel it. This would be the last time he would ever came here. She was sure of it. He didn't even take the supply of medicine with him anymore.

"Nyoko-san, you have grown up so big since the first time we met. You have learnt a lot about physiognomy, right? Could you tell what my fate is by looking at my face?" Itachi asked in a friendly manner. He behaved quite strangely this time.

"Well. Hmm. Your fate… Well, I'm not even sure myself, Itachi-san. Just take good care of yourself, then you will always be safe," Nyoko avoided the question. She discovered something just by looking at his face but she didn't dare to tell him.

"That's such a pity, then. You really have to study properly, Nyoko-san, so that you can read my face next time. Please take good care of your sister, too, as well," Itachi said his goodbye to Nyoko.

Eiko stood in quite a distance. She couldn't hold back her tears. It would be the last time that I could ever meet him. Itachi approached Eiko, felt guilty by looking at her tears. He gently placed his hand on Eiko's head and brought her to his chest.

"Thank you for everything, Eiko-san. And… Farewell"

Itachi left and never came back ever since.

"What did you read from his face, Nyoko? I know you know something," Eiko asked Nyoko. Eiko also noticed that Itachi's condition had worsened a lot.

"Either because of a man wants to kill him that he would be in a terrible fight and died because of his illness as he's forcing himself… Or maybe because of his illness, he would be killed by that man. Either way, he will die soon, Nee-san," Nyoko revealed the bitter truth to Eiko.

*P/s: I have read a few theories about Itachi's cause of death and this one simply blows my mind. This's also why the name of the illness is a bit weird.

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