What I've Done

Chapter 33 : Fireworks

"Are you sure? That day?"

"Well, you know, that would be way more romantic. The lanterns, the fireworks, everything!" Sasuke cheered, grinning widely.

"Isn't it too soon?"

"I think it's alright." Itachi replied, "I mean, well, better now before it's too late. I hate to say this, but right now, none of us know when are we going to lose her."

"Yeah, that's true..." the man replied, staring at the small box in his hands. No one knows (and he's gonna keep it that way), that he was quite an anxious person. It's true, he's a fearless shinobi, but the case change if it's about interactions with other humans.

Especially her.

She's strong but fragile, unbreakable, because she's already broken, always holding her pieces together all the time so that she won't fall apart in front of anyone.

He doesn't want to hurt her, he wants her to be happy. But every action has a risk.

"Just do it. She will be happy, I'm sure of it. I want her to be happy. Before she left, at least. I really don't want to talk about this, but I notice how her breath is getting heavier day by day."

"Despite what she'd done, she was, and maybe still, my hero." Sasuke muttered, "And yet she never seem to be truly happy around us. I can see it in her eyes. The guilt, everything. I want to see Nee-chan's smile in her eyes, just once more."

Kisame sighed. "Alright, I see. Leave it to me."

"Thank you, Kisame-san."

"But are you guys sure about this? I mean, if she does accept, I will be a part of your family. Is that okay? I mean, I'm an S-rank criminal who looks like a freak-..."

"Kisame-san." Itachi had a similar tone like Haruka does, the Swordsman noted, a strict tone, that turns the sentence he said into orders, "Enough with that."

Sasuke was looking at him with the same gaze she often use on him, a warning one, as if he almost, or already, done something wrong.

The Uchiha Siblings really are alike.

"Don't say things like that about yourself." The genin said, "Nee-chan would be mad to hear you saying that. Besides, I think you're a great person. Especially for taking care of her. And one more thing. She won't decline, I'm sure of it."

"Alright then. Mission accepted."

***

Kisame had his elbow on the table, his cheek leaning on his fist while his other hand had the fingers continuously tapping the table, looking at the clock.

"Never thought girls could take this long. It's just a simple festival, not some kind of meetings with a Daimyo."

Sasuke, who was sitting in front of the Hoshigaki, snickered, grabbing a tomato from the plate, "That always happens. Well, she hardly ever was allowed to go to such events. Usually she was told to go training and take missions, either those two and nothing else."

"Whenever we go out, Onee-san was required to look and acts like a true princess, since she's a heiress." Itachi explained, "So I guess it became a habit. Not many people knows, but she's quite a perfectionist too."

"Guess being born as a royalty has its own cons."

"Yeah. And girls got it harder."

"As predicted."

"Kisame!" A voice suddenly called. The man sighed, and rose from his seat.

"I'm coming!" He yelled back, walking towards Haruka's room. However, when he reached the room, he stopped.