3Summary: Konoha finds a civilian girl who unknown to her, had a strong genjustu sealed in her head. Suspicious, the village decides to open her mind up.
On top of a green hill stood a lone tree where under its shade, a girl and a boy sat.
''You mustn't look at an Uchiha in the eyes.'' The boy spoke as he sharpened his kunai.
''You have beautiful eyes.'' The girl beside him replies instead, looking up from her book. She leaned closer the boy as if to catch his eyes.
''They're black.'' He simply says, unfeeling, a statement made to end her fantasies.
The girl chuckled, resting her chin on his shoulder. He paused, turning to stare at her with patience akin to a wild predator letting a bird perch on it. But when their eyes met, something shifted between them.
Like sunlight on kunai.
It made their audience more uncomfortable, seeing the infamous murderer and S-ranked criminal act like a human, or in this case, just like another young man – just a boy with a girl smiling at him.
All of this made the breach into this girl's lost memories even more uncomfortable. Because now, it also feels like breaching into Uchiha Itachi's memories too.
Sakura wondered if they should've allowed less people to join in to check the girl's memories, given how private things seemed to be and given who was involved. Beside her, Sasuke watched the memory unfold as was his right as the last Uchiha. Then there was Naruto, Ino, Shikamaru, Ibiki-san, Kakashi-sensei as the current Hokage and of course, Tsunade-sama as additional witnesses.
Sakura wanted to leave but it was all too late. Sasuke had spotted the girl on their way to Ichiraku and with a swiftness of a serpent grabbed the girl, demanding her name and why she had his brother's chakra inside her.
''Yes, they're black.'' The girl smiled, her long dark hair draping across her back. Her voice carried by the wind like a sweet forgotten song.
''Black like the sky after a great night storm, just as the stars start to glimmer out from the dark expanse of heavens. Black, like the matter that began everything, before the universe unfolded from it.'' The girl reached out, fingering an errant lock from the boy's face. ''Black, like the deep grasping breath of relief, of rest.''
They watched and held their breath as the girl slowly leaned closer to close the gap between her and the boy, closing her eyes just as their lips met.
''How was it?'' The girl asked after she pulled away, suddenly shy, her cheeks blushing under the boy's steady gaze.
''Disappointing.''
The girl gasped, face twisting as her eyes teared up.
''Is this what civilian girls your age busy themselves with?'' The young Itachi Uchiha continued.
The girl stood up and stomped her feet. ''What is that supposed to mean!?'' Without waiting for an answer, she marched off. ''Just so you know, I'm disappointed too!''
Everything else swirled into memory, like black watercolour, including Uchiha Itachi who watched her go from his perch.
When the memory settled again, they girl and the boy were laying on the grass side by side, watching the stars on the night sky.
''Oh! A falling star! Quick! Make a wish, Itachi!'' The girl clapped her hands together and closed her eyes tight. Beside her, Uchiha Itachi watched with a smile pulling at his lips.
''What did you wish for?'' The boy asked when the girl opened her eyes once again and sighed.
''I asked for three wishes.''
Sudden like a burst of thunder and lightning on a clear sky, the boy laughed.
''What? What's so funny?''
The boy shook his head. ''What's your first wish?''
''Well, first, I wished for you not to die.''
Just like that, the quiet joy on the boy's face vanished. ''Disappointing.''
The girl scowled. ''No it's not!''
''I'm a shinobi. I am born to die.''
The girl rolled her eyes. ''Everyone is born to die, Itachi. Quit your dramatics.''
''You should've chosen a better wish.''
''Fine! I wish for you to die!''
The boy stiffened then after a few breaths the girl turns to lay on her side, facing him.
''I wish for you to die. And when you do, I wish the gods to cut you.''
An amused smile grew on the boy's face that defied the sadness in his eyes. ''Cruel.''
''I wish they cut you into little stars.'' The girl sighed. A cool breeze rushed in, bending the stalks of grass around them as a cold moon watched over them. ''This way, you'll forever make the heavens so bright that everyone else will fall in love with night.''
He stared at her for a moment before sighing. ''What is your second wish?''
''I'm not telling you.''
The girl turned her back to the boy with a huff. Lonely black eyes watched her from behind as the shadows started to swirl again.
''My parents will only let me marry another Uchiha.'' The boy suddenly said as he watched the girl carve their initials out of their tree with a kunai that was undoubtedly his.
The girl smiled with furrows in between her brows as she worked. ''That's okay. I'll be an Uchiha in my next life.''
The boy grimaced. ''You wouldn't want that.''
''I so would!''
The soft-looking boy disappeared then and Uchiha Itachi, the shinobi, turned towards her, leaning against their tree.
''I would be your distant cousin or something.'' The girl tilted her chin higher as if in challenge. ''Very, very distant, we might as well not be related.''
At this, Uchiha Itachi did a wonderful thing.
He threw his head back and laughed.
''Itachi…Please don't.''
The boy knelt in front of the girl, trapped between himself and their tree. He brought his hand to the side of her face, thumbing her tears. Who was more in pain between them, no one knew.
The girl leaned to his touch but he was a man dying slowly in agony, watching his last hope break into pieces, falling in between his fingers like water.
''I told you not to look an Uchiha in the eyes.''
''Itachi…''
The darkness swirled again, red bleeding into the shadows of the Sharingan.
''Forget me.''