Chapter 02: Men, No Different after All

Saturday was that time of the weeks, when they decided to make an appointment just to talk to each other after a very long week. The place was never an issue, they always welcomed to each other's house or apartment in Shisui case. Shisui was supposed to show up at 7, but it was already past 8 and the guy didn't even care to send an explanation to them. So, it left him and Izumi alone in his room. Izumi had been a part of his life since before he could remember, her presence more of a constant than the rising sun. She had always been there, always understanding and always gentle. Her patience knew no end, and her quiet confidence was one of the few things that allowed him to lower his guard, even if just a little. Tonight, she was sitting beside him, their silence unbroken as she read a novel under the lamplight. The occasional rustling of pages filled the room with an intimacy he had grown fond of. They're platonic, he said to no one in particular, countless time.

She looked up and noticed his pensive expression, a small, knowing smile touching her lips. "Are you feeling alright?" she asked softly, her voice as gentle as the autumn breeze. Itachi nodded, returning her smile with a faint one of his own. He knew that Izumi had always seen him more clearly than anyone else. Sometimes, he wished he could reciprocate her openness; the weight of her unspoken affection was not lost on him. He sensed it in the way her gaze lingered on him, in the small kindnesses she offered without expecting anything in return. But there was something about the way he felt for her that he couldn't quite place. It was close, comforting—like family.

"You don't have to stay here with me, Izumi," he said after a while, knowing she had better things to do than sit in his room reading on a Saturday night. "I'll be fine."

Izumi's gaze softened, but there was a flash of something else there, something he didn't entirely understand. "I know, Itachi," she replied, keeping her tone even. "But I want to be here. Just because Shisui doesn't want to, doesn't mean I feel the same. Besides, someone has to make sure you don't disappear into thin air one day," she rolled her eyes while mentioning Shisui's unexplained absence.

He let out a short, quiet laugh. Izumi's loyalty, her quiet warmth—it was a light he had come to rely on. Yet, he couldn't help but wonder if he was keeping her from something more. Someone who could reciprocate her kindness and give her a love that didn't feel so distant.

A knock at the door stirred them both from the moment. Izumi closed her book as Itachi's younger brother, Sasuke, entered the room, looking distinctly uncomfortable, though it was clear he was trying to mask it.

"Hey," Sasuke greeted them, leaning against the doorframe.

"Sasuke," Itachi acknowledged, watching his younger brother's frown as he avoided Izumi's gaze. Izumi caught this and decided to excuse herself. "I'll get going," she said, closing her book and standing. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her hand lingering as she looked at Itachi with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "See you later, Itachi. Goodnight, Sasuke."

Sasuke gave her a brief nod, barely looking up until she had closed the door behind her. Itachi watched him carefully. Sasuke's face held a mix of frustration and guilt, and Itachi, always perceptive, could read the unease etched into his brother's expression.

"What's wrong?" Itachi asked, sensing something deeper.

Sasuke crossed his arms, sighing. "I don't know," he began, a conflicted look on his face. "It's… her."

Itachi said nothing, knowing his silence would encourage Sasuke to continue. For years, he had watched his brother wrestle with his feelings for this someone. Sasuke never gave him the name, he referred it as 'her'. It was painfully obvious to him—and probably even to this someone—that Sasuke was in love with her. Yet, he never acted on it.

"It's frustrating," Sasuke admitted, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. "I thought if I distanced myself from her, I'd move on. But every time I see her, it just… it all comes back. I've been hiding this for years, Itachi, and all it's done is make me feel more trapped."

Itachi nodded, understanding Sasuke's internal struggle. He knew how it felt to keep things hidden, to suppress emotions until they felt like a weight bearing down on one's chest. "You should talk to her," Itachi said quietly. "It's better than pretending. Love isn't something you can just ignore, Sasuke. It doesn't disappear."

Sasuke looked away, frustration boiling over. "I know, but it's complicated. What if she doesn't feel the same way?"

Itachi sighed, he's not an expert in the field of romance. But, in a way, he knew he wasn't so different from his younger brother. They always held back, afraid of crossing lines, afraid of consequences. But perhaps that was the way of things in the Uchiha family: a history of suppressed emotions.

"Is that why you're dating different women who are not her?" Itachi asked gently, a faint smile ghosting his lips. He doesn't know who this person that make Sasuke feels so strongly, but he knew that she's not one of many women Sasuke dated recently. "You're trying to convince yourself that you don't care."

Sasuke's expression darkened, but he didn't deny it. He clenched his fists, a flicker of shame crossing his face. "I know it's wrong. They don't deserve it, but… it's the only way I know how to deal with this. I don't want to admit how much I care. Not to anyone."

Itachi understood all too well, but he knew that letting this fester would only cause more pain. "Sometimes, holding back only worsens things, Sasuke," he said, his voice calm. "You'll have to decide whether you want to keep hiding or be honest with yourself—and with her."

Sasuke's eyes softened, and he nodded, though his face was still filled with uncertainty. "Thanks, Itachi," he mumbled, standing up straighter. "I just… I didn't know who else to talk to."

As Sasuke left the room, Itachi was left alone with his own thoughts. Watching Sasuke struggle with his feelings had made him feeling more restless. How long had he, too, been suppressing the truth about himself, hiding from the world because of his fears and anxieties?

And then there was Izumi. It was a name that tugged at him, always in the back of his mind. She had been there for him in ways few others had, her affection an unspoken truth lingering between them. And though he could sense her hope, he was afraid of what would happen if he tried to cross the chasm between them. He was afraid he couldn't give her whatever she deserves.

Itachi sat in silence, a strange feeling blossoming in his chest. Perhaps, after all these years, he was bound to confront his fears. He wasn't sure what that would mean for him, or for Izumi. But he knew one thing, he was tired of hiding. Outside, he heard a quiet knock on the door again, and Izumi reappeared, holding two cups of tea, her expression calm but a little pensive. She entered the room, her familiar presence filling the space with a warmth he hadn't realized he'd missed.

"I thought you might want some tea," she said, handing him a cup. Her hand brushed against his as she gave it to him, lingering just long enough for him to feel the warmth of her touch. Odd, it didn't do nothing to ease his ever cold feelings.

Itachi took a deep breath, letting the warmth of the tea soothe him. "Thank you, Izumi," he said softly, meeting her gaze. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and he realized, in that moment, how much she meant to him.

Perhaps, just perhaps, he would never ready to change anything, whatever it is that already happened between them. Had he ever said that he was no different from Sasuke?