Things We Do For Love

CHAPTER SIXTY NINE

Y/N'S P.O.V.

Everything looked bleak, felt lonesome and the vibrancy that ruled my life departed with a grim farewell. Dreams were a rarity I cherished because it was the only place where Iruka would visit me. In those lands, we were together and had a home. We were smiling with our children and planning to live a healthy life till we turned old and grey. And that's why it hurt when I woke up to a reality filled with tears and heartache. I was suffering beyond words could describe and no one was here to help me through it. My loneliness stemmed from the fact that I was dumped by the boy I dearly loved and after two months of my dreadful public breakup, my friends were sent off to distant lands to serve feudal lords. Naomi and Saaya had come running, eyes soaking as they had broken the news to me. I had remembered how much I pleaded to Midori-toji to let me go with them as well, since I had nothing left in Konoha, but no one cared. At the end, my friends left me with their little assigned group, far away and our mistress didn't let me keep their postal address for any communication. I was truly alone and depressed.

Because of Midori-toji's sudden austere decisions, our relationship faltered, and I was no longer her favorite. Rika stood in my place as she gained her confidence and supported her every move, even if they were ridiculous. The money given to our mistress was enough to let her buy more gold jewelry and pass some on to Rika as well. I was taunted at every whim, my whereabouts not significant as long as I had finished my chores and even if I came home late, there was no one waiting for me. The house would be quiet, no lights left on and the food would be cold, that was if there remained any. Several months had passed, Midori-toji's mental health deteriorated and I watched as the once beautifully charming woman, disintegrate into a shell of envy and conniving mess. While the house became a prison wall with guards taunting me, I was fully sheathed into a chaotic place. The many mistakes I made were heaving up on me and I felt worse than ever before. Since my friends were gone, I had taken wrong decisions after decision, affecting my personal life and mental stability. I was scared of the consequences, ashamed of how I had decided to resolve issues and the fact that I was still trying to process how my life turned upside down in a matter of months. I wanted to get the hell out of this village, start life anew and forget everything. Maybe, track down where my friends had been taken to and be with them. They were my family, the only ones who had loved me from the beginning and, being stripped off their affection was asphyxiating. I wanted them back and I wanted my remaining peace to be protected at all costs. If that constituted of enduring brutal commentaries from my mistress and Rika, to finally find the escape I wanted, then I was ready for the battle.

One fine evening, as everyone in the house prepared to sleep, Rika had entered through the corner of the living room where I slept. My self-respect wouldn't allow me to sleep in the upstairs room, hearing the nasty whispers of the girls as they talked about my friends and me. Her silver eyes held no mercy as she checked me out head to toe, my hands shielding my body with a pillow as if her words would magically be deflected by its presence. She didn't beat around the bush either, her words were straight and accusatory. How she enjoyed the morning when my friends bid me goodbye, the way I had fallen from grace in front of Midori-toji's eyes, and that she was finally satisfied to see me miserable. I hadn't peeped at a word until one comment caught my attention. It was the most peculiar thing to utter in my presence and I wondered why she thought I was the culprit. In her hand, she held two thick strands of silver hair. They were straight and shiny, looked more like cat fur and I cocked my brow at her in suspicion.