CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: The Sweet Smell of a Flower

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Shisui remained silent as he focused on Hanako's story. She talked to him about the mission she went to with her father, and everything that there happened, including all the details of how he died and how she burnt down the entire village. When she was done, Shisui looked at her for a moment before drifting his gaze back to the lake and sighing.

"Hanako...I really don't know what to say..."

"Then don't say anything, it's not as if I were expecting you could help me anyway..." she replied without taking her eyes off her reflection. "I miss my father, though...I wish none of this had happened." Shisui's eyes moved back to her as he looked at her with sadness, how could this world be so bad that a girl like Hanako would already have to handle so much pain at such a young age?

Shisui's eyes drifted to the forest across the lake; there he saw a yellow flower planted at the edge of the water body. He smiled to himself as he stood up. Hanako looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you leaving?" she asked but he didn't reply. He disappeared in the blink of an eye and reappeared at the other side of the lake. "What? That was fast!" Shisui heard her and let out a chuckle.

"Do you know what they call me, Hanako?" Shisui asked, truly curious. The girl tilted her head, giving him a lost look, showing him that she didn't understand what he meant.

"What they call you?" Shisui nodded. Hanako just laughed at the thought. "What...you make it sound like they call you names...like some sort of mockery. Are you sure you're supposed to be proud of that?"

"I guess your sarcasm doesn't wear off even after feeling depressed a few minutes ago..." Shisui raised an eyebrow. "Shunshin no Shisui," he added with a small smirk. "I was granted this name in the Third War to which I was forced to participate in at the age of nine."

"Nine?"

"Yeah... Those were difficult times." He lowered himself to pick up the yellow flower, then he moved quickly to stand beside the Uchiha girl with it in his hand. "Maybe I can teach it to you one day." He suggested, handing her the plant. She took it with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "It's a daffodil," he explained. Hanako played with the flower in her hand, contemplating it. "I know what it's like," Shisui suddenly said. "Losing your father so soon, wanting to have spent more time with him, and feeling that it wasn't enough." Hanako sighed. "But I knew that I had to move on, so every time I feel down, I just think of something I like and let it take my pain away." Hanako didn't reply. "Do you like flowers?" She finally looked up at him and nodded. "Think about it this way, every time you smell a flower, you are going to let go of all of your problems. Clear your mind, okay?" Hanako nodded again.

"Alright." She did as he said and closed her eyes, inhaling the sweet smell. She let go of everything that bothered her and smiled a real smile. "It's...nice."

"Just like you are," Shisui said. "Whenever you're not bothering everyone around you with your fake sarcasm." Hanako looked up at him with widened eyes. He was smiling down at her, a knowing smile. She looked back at the lake. "I know you just pretend to be mean so you can shut everyone out. Damn it, Hanako, I've known you for years. You should know I can read you like an open book."

"You're a nuisance," Hanako said with a faint smile on her lips. "Just like my sister is."

Shisui sighed, "Hanako, drop it. I think it's time for you to accept that whatever happened, it's done."

"Or else? Mother will be next? Or Hikari?" Hanako scoffed. "Come on, Shisui! I should have died there! Everyone thinks so!" she snapped, glaring up at him. Shisui was so shocked he was left speechless. "You think I don't know? About the meetings? About the rumors? About why Fugaku-sama wanted to train me so badly and teach me how to defend myself? You think I don't know about the elders' obvious interest in me?"

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