Contrition [Itachi Uchiha x Reader]

#5: Calculation

"[Name], are you okay?"

Startled, the [h/c]-haired woman jumped in her seat. "Huh? Yes, Hinata. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You seem tired."

[Name] flashed her a small smile. "A bit, yeah."

"How did it go with Itachi Uchiha?"

"Well."

Hinata opened her mouth to comment on her exhausted state but decided against it. "I just wanted to remind you that your next class starts in ten minutes."

"Okay. Thank you."

Hinata gave her a wary look as she exited the room. [Name] watched her leave before gazing back at her laptop screen.

'Itachi Uchiha gets parole!'

'Mass murderer Uchiha walks!'

'Where is justice?'

Just as expected, [Name] thought, as she came across a multitude of articles on her latest object of interest. The media loves him. Sadly, no one else does.

There were blogs which spoke strongly about why murder convicts shouldn't be granted parole. Some even actively proposed death penalty. And then there was one article.

               Are we truly safe?

What with murderers being set loose on the streets, how certain are you that you will live to see another day? Will you be at peace when your child goes to school? Can you go to bed every night without a semblance of a doubt that you would wake up the next morning? How are we expected to trust a stranger's words and believe that a man who ruthlessly murdered his own parents is of no danger to the society? Does she have the credibility to ascertain the mental health of someone who didn't even hesitate to mutilate his own kin? More importantly, if this man were to move into your neighbourhood, would you be able to live in peace? Would you invite him to dinner, allow him to drive your children to soccer practice or ask him to help you carry your groceries? No amount of therapy can change what he did. Once a murderer, always a murderer. It's time we all accept that.

A frown made its way onto [Name]'s face as she continued to search the web for anything of importance. It was then that she had an idea.

She had read Itachi's file so many times that she almost had it memorized. There was still one living member of his family left: his brother, Sasuke Uchiha.

Maybe he knows something, she mused, as she typed his name into the search tab.

She found the link to a Youtube video titled 'Sasuke Uchiha talks!' A man who bore a striking resemblance to Itachi, seemingly ambushed by reporters, frowned at the camera.

"Sasuke," one reporter began. "How do you feel about your brother being out on parole?"

"It doesn't concern me." The man didn't seem to be in any mood to entertain them.

"Surely you must feel troubled by the fact that he's out after everything that he did."

"I don't care."

He definitely knows something.

"Do you think he's a changed man?" asked another reporter. Sasuke simply glared at him.

"I don't believe that people can change."

"You were very young when you witnessed the murder of your parents. Do you think you'll be able to forgive your brother for what he did?"

"Why should I?"

I have to find him.

"If your brother was watching this, what would you say to him?"

"I would ask him to stay away from me. He's no brother of mine. He's dead to me."

[Name] was so engrossed in the video that she failed to notice Kakashi Hatake standing in front of her with a scowl on his face.

"Is this what you meant by 'My work won't suffer'?" Kakashi queried, slamming a hand on her desk. "Why aren't you in class, [Name]?"

The woman slammed the laptop shut. "I got caught up researching on something."

"It better not be about Itachi Uchiha."

"It's not," she lied, gathering her papers and sprinting out of the room.

"Don't make me regret this, [Name]," he continued, following her down the hallway. "I only let you do this because- Are you even listening?"

"I know. And I can't thank you enough. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a class to teach."

Desperate to get away from the Hatake, she turned a corner and entered the first classroom she had laid eyes on. She was met by a bunch of clueless faces and a very surprised Kurenai Yuhi.

"Professor [Surname]? What are you doing here?" asked Kurenai.

[Name] grinned nervously at her colleague. "I'm sorry. I'll be on my-"

And that's when she saw him. He was sitting in the back of the class with his chin resting on his palm and a bored expression on his face. She couldn't mistake the spiky, raven hair styled to resemble a cockatoo that she had seen only a minute ago.

Sasuke Uchiha was there.

Must be my lucky day! [Name] rejoiced, as she made a mental note to corner him after class hours.