𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑. ❪ 𝗌𝖺𝗌𝗎𝗄𝖾.𝗎 ❫

fourteen

For about a minute, Itachi feels her hand on his in a subtle touch. He looks at Nanami with a puzzled face. It appears she is trying to tell him something. "If Konoha was your home, then why did they create corruption towards you and Sasuke?" Nanami gives a question that no one would ever ask Itachi. He gently let go of her wrist to walk over to a tree and sits down under the shade. Nanami reads him like an open book; he wants to get comfortable so he could explain. She moves her legs and takes a seat under the tree with Itachi.

He begins breaking down the truth of it all.

"As someone from a noble clan, we weren't treated equally as the rest. After the Kyuubi invasion, Konoha claimed that the Uchiha Clan was responsible for the attack. Due to the uncertainty, Konoha isolated us from the mainlands on the map. My otou-san despised the unfairness that the Uchiha Clan was receiving. However, the village inhibited us like we are their enemy. While this was going on, I was at the foot to become a shinobi, and Sasuke grew into a kid. Pure yet curious about the reality." Itachi reminisces his brother's precious smile and happiness. It all got replaced by anger and resentment.

"Moreover, my otou-san established a coup d'etat of wanting to subvert the village's leadership. Fugaku is his name. He planned to construct the members of the clan as spies. I graduated from the Academy and surpassed the shinobi levels. I then got recruited in the Anbu Corps. But, I disagreed with my otou-san. I didn't believe it would be efficient and will cause another war. During that time, I had one true friend who'd stood by my side. Shisui. He also opposed the coup because he desired peace, and the Uchiha Clan is not a disgrace. Regardless, there is no trust. Shisui, unfortunately, ended his life before he gave me his eye. But my clan asserted that I was the murderer of my friend's death."

The look of dismay gets written on Nanami's elegant face. "Your clan accused you. Did Shisui had a purpose beforehand?" She wonders. Itachi opens up to address the confusion. "Shisui thought it was best to use his Mangekyō Sharingan on the Uchiha Clan's leaders to change their minds. Someone, though, disrupted his strategy. A man named Shimura Danzo took Shisui's right eye. The Third Hokage thought to find peace for the clan will not lead to a feud. But Danzo contradicts him."

"You may be wondering, what if the coup happens? There were two possible outcomes: there will be extermination to the Uchiha Clan, including Sasuke and me, or I assassinate my entire clan and spare Sasuke's life. So, you already know the answer. The night where the bloodbath starts, I slaughtered the people with someone that helped me. He kept his identity unknown, but he goes by Tobi. After that, I betrayed Konoha and Sasuke. I became who I am now." Once he ends it there, Nanami realizes the tragic misunderstanding of Itachi.

He loves Sasuke and wanted nothing more but to protect his brother. However, he had to sacrifice all of it. Nanami can see him staring at the sky as if he could be free from melancholy. She assumed that deep down, he must've feel hurt while telling her the truth. "Itachi." She says his name softly. The older Uchiha veers his gaze from the view and has his attention on Nanami. "I feel pity for you. The chances were going to be negative. Even if you didn't do it." Her lilac-colored eyes downcast.

The girl from the bakery has a heart for a broken criminal. Itachi feels a sudden warm sensation in his chest. She is sympathetic despite his cruel demeanor that hid his benevolence. "I can thank your forgiveness, but it doesn't change anything." He bluntly said. "It's difficult for a rogue to redeem themselves. You shouldn't be entrusting me." He goes back to his brusque attitude. Nanami understood, but she knows that Itachi doesn't need all of this suffering in his life.

"Well, you did say I was reliable, and I gave my consent to let you indicate the hidden facts. So you do trust me." The Sato girl countered back. Itachi never knew she would be this smart to pinpoint his words. A smile etched his lips. He shifts his body to face her and shows his smile fully. There was no glint of mischief but a cordial expression. "What's your name?" Itachi asked. "Nanami." She responded, a bit confounding. The Uchiha leans himself closer, and she could feel her heart beating a thousand beats. Nanami wants to push him or do something, but she stayed put. He is inches away from her that their nose almost touched.