Day 50


The fall festival was both celebrating the changing of the seasons and the defeat of the nine tailed fox. Fittingly, the starting date was October tenth. And Itachi would rather be anywhere else except making a public appearance with Hinata in formal Uchiha dress.

They only needed to be seen, however. After the formalities they could wear whatever they wish. All they had to do was stand on the platform with the other clan heads and heirs. Tsunade's speech would be as short as possible; she seemed to dislike this as much as himself.

He glanced at Hinata for the first time in several hours. Her expression was a frozen mask of careful neutrality. He supposed his was the same.

After the opening ceremony was finished, and he had put his normal manner of dress on, he met with Hinata again. She was wearing a blue yukata with violet lilies printed on the fabric. She lifted a hand.

"Hi."

"Hey." He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Um...I'm kind of glad the speech was short." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "I, um. I'm not sure why they do it."

He snorted. "Yeah."

"Want to…take a walk?" She shrugged. "I guess."

But she didn't move.

He looked around the different pathways throughout the festival area. It would not reflect well on the clan if he left the event, according to his father. Did anything reflect well on the clan? He supposed his skills were held up as a credit to Konoha. His choice would have been, as he did previous years, to simply disappear into the alleyway and make his way back home.

Now, though, he looked to Hinata.

"Where would you like to go?"

"If, if I'm being honest," she began, swallowing, "home."

"Alright." He threw his hand forward. "Lead the way."