Bonded and Broken

Prologue

People say that love is not easy. However, there are many who yearn for it despite its complicated nature. They claim that it's never the same for each individual. Love can be fleeting for one or it can be everlasting for another. It can be as simple as breathing yet it can be as severe as drowning. It can be as silent as a whisper or as loud as a raging thunder. There is no simple way to describe something as complex as love.

But for me, love has always been him.

Every time I hear that word, I think of the wispy silver hair framing his face and the beautiful charcoal eyes that he has. I think of the way he always puts his hands in his pockets, that green scarf he wore when we were younger, and that mask he never seems to take off. I think of his soothing voice, which always sounds so calm, and the way his mere presence ignites a warm feeling within me. Meeting him has always been one of my most favorite memory. We were a pair of young and innocent kids, still uncorrupted by the mad world that we lived in. Back then, I had not yet realized how that fateful encounter on a seemingly very normal spring day would have the greatest impact on my life.

I was up earlier than usual that day, being awakened by the commotion inside our home. To my frustration, I noticed that it was still dark outside, as the sun had not risen yet. The whole house was already buzzing with activity since everyone was busy preparing for the luncheon my father is hosting for his friends in the village. I decided not to bother anyone since all the household staff seemed to have a lot of tasks on their hands and my presence is not really needed for the preparations. Our estate is located on the outskirts of Konoha, a little bit on higher ground, overlooking a vast expanse of untouched nature. I decided to spend my morning on the eastern side of the property, where there is a large clearing with a breathtaking view.

I sat by a tree overlooking a portion of the village where only the mountains, river, and some trees could be seen, away from the residential areas and most clan grounds. It's the perfect place to connect oneself with nature. The sky is still gray, waiting for the soft orange glow of the sun to slowly peek on the horizon.

I heard light footsteps slowly approaching, making me alarmed for a moment. I turned to look who the quiet paces belonged to, and relaxed when I saw it was coming from a silver-haired boy wearing dark-colored clothes with a scarf snugly wrapped around his neck. He seemed to be deep in thought, lightly kicking the small rocks in front of him as he walked towards the edge of the clearing where I was carefully observing him, still unaware of my presence. After a few more paces, he reached the area where I was at, he seemed to finally realize that someone was scrutinizing his figure. With hands tucked inside his pockets, he slowly lifted his gaze to meet mine. I got dazed for a moment as we were looking directly into each other's eyes, and I felt a slight tingle on my skin as his intense stare bore into mine.

I broke the silence by greeting him first, "Good morning, did you lose your way on the path of life?" I greeted him in a teasing manner to lighten up the mood. He didn't answer me and just raised his eyebrows with a questioning look. I continued the one-sided conversation since he did not look like he would say anything at all. "Well, it's just this area that is a part of my family's compound. I was only asking if you were lost, but in an amusing way."

A shade of pink appeared on the little skin his masked face showed. "Sorry, I thought this was a public area," he said in a low voice while staring down at his feet and looking kind of ashamed by the fact that he had been walking around on private property. He was about to walk away when I invited him to stay. He lifted his gaze at me, paused for a few seconds, before mumbling a small thank you. He sat down on the ground and leaned against a tree a few feet away from where I was.

We waited there patiently for the sun to paint the sky with rosy pigments to start the day. My senses have always been sharp, so I vividly remember this memory as if it just happened yesterday. The smell of morning dew, the sound of birdsong in the air, the slight wind brushing my face, and the beautiful sight of the sky slowly changing its color to shades of orange, red, and yellow as the sun rose over the horizon.