Stand By Me

STAND BY ME - chapter 22

A dreadful year had passed by since Itachi's absence.

"Happy birthday to me." I muttered, looking up towards the night sky on my windowsill, sighing. Itachi, where are you? People are worried. Your family is worried. I know you're still out there...

---

"Y'know, I don't really understand you." Sasuke said, a dull expression clearly on his face.

"Yeah, why's that?" I replied, slurping my ramen noodles. Sasuke, Shisui and I were at Ichiraku's.

"I don't understand what you find about Itachi mildly attractive," He mumbled, "He's quiet... and weird."

I covered my mouth and laughed.

"Itachi's quiet, but he isn't weird, Sasuke..."
"Whatever floats your boat." Sasuke said, "This ramen reminds me of Naruto. Speaking of which, I need to see him soon." Sasuke got up and said his goodbye.

"The kid has a point." Shisui said, rubbing his chin.
"He's just joking." I picked at my food, which was unlike me, "Itachi... will come back. I'm sure he will."
"We can't be so certain but, I'm sure he's out there too." Shisui sympathetically smiled, and for some reason, I didn't like it. It made me feel doubt.

---

I walked throughout the streets of Konoha, admiring the yellow rays of the sun cast upon the village.

"Itachi's a traitor, leaving his family like that." I overheard a couple of ninja say. I heard such statements a couple of times before, but today, I decided that was it. I will not let them damage the name of Uchiha Itachi.

I walked up towards the group of jounin shinobi who were speaking ill of Itachi. They immediately kept quiet.

"Hey, Aya. It's sure been a while." One of the jounin sneered.
"It sure has been." I smiled, "I heard you guys talk about Itachi just now."
"Yeah. That rut? I can't believe him, vanishing from the clan just like that." The other older jounin spoke, clearly a Uchiha by the crest worn on his chest.
My eyes were cast downwards, almost sadly.

"Please, forgive Itachi, on my part!" I bowed down onto the ground, hands and knees on the dirt.

"Enough, Aya." I heard a deep voice speak. I stood upright and found Fugaku.

"Fugaku-san, your son is no traitor," I said defiantly, "He's... on a journey, I'm sure of it."
He looked at me sadly, as if I was making something up.

"Go home." He sternly ordered. "And you three, speak of Itachi next time and there will be consequences."
Part of me felt relief for Fugaku saying that. Someone needed to put them in their place.

---

"Your way is too gentle." My father bluntly spoke, and frankly, right now, his words were sharp, and it hurt.

"You can't feel obligated to go on the ground and defend him every time an opportunity arises." Hiashi crossed his arms. "Remember, you are the successor of the Hyuga."

"I know what I am." I clenched my fists. "I just... not Itachi. When it comes to him, things are different." I stared at my father, who was taken aback by my defiance. "I'll do everything in power to protect the Hyuga, the village, and Itachi." I arose and made my way out my father's room.

---

"Let's practice your rotation some more, Hanabi." I pat her shoulder. She nodded eagerly.

"Rotation!" Hanabi yelled, and chakra burst outside of her limbs. She rotated as fast as her two feet can take her. Her chakra dissipated, and she flew backwards against the tree.

"H- Hanabi!" I ran to her.

"It was working last time..." Hanabi seemed discouraged.

"Don't worry, you'll get it right. Just a couple of more times. Remember, first slowly dispel your chakra, and relax." I smiled.

"Really?" She said, with her puppy-like eyes.

"Really. You have everything right, just your posture needs some work. Stand on your feet firmly, so the rotation doesn't fling you back just like now." I explained.

---

"So... I'm taking that silence as a yes." I mumbled to Kayumi. "You're upset with Itachi." I confirmed.

"Of course I am..." She said, looking at me sadly, "A clans-mate is gone. He left you just like that. Aren't you mad?" She asked me.

"I'm not, surprisingly." I looked down at my feet. "He'll come back, I just know it. Can we talk about something other than Itachi? He's all people talk about nowadays."

Kayumi shot me a violent glare. I immediately regretted what I said.

"I'm sorry." I nervously rubbed the back of my neck, "The truth is, I miss Itachi so much it hurts." I shut my eyes and sighed for the nth time that day, hoping it would relieve that burdening weight on my chest, but it didn't. "But thinking about him only makes time go by painfully slower..."

"I understand what you mean," Kayumi said, looking up to the sky, "I feel that way with Shisui too. Time goes by so much slower when he's not around."

"Yeah." I agreed.
"Speaking of which, Shisui wants to have a kid." The raven-haired Uchiha looked at me, flushed.

"No. Way." My mouth was agape. "Shisui?"

"Yeah!" Kayumi slapped her knee, laughing, "Funny, right?"

"Oh, Kayumi!" I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her, "Your kids would be so beautiful."
"You think so?"
"I know so!" I said, smiling.
"I hope they get his eyelashes..."
"That would be deadly, don't you think?" I laughed.
"You're right. My hypothetical children would be so popular."

I looked at Kayumi and smiled. "So are you guys trying?" I asked.

"I mean, well..." Kayumi blushed, "I want to have a kid, but..."
"You're totes nervous."
"I am! I can't help it, a child is a big deal." She exclaimed.
"I know..." I was trying to resist a laugh, she seemed so anxious.
"And I don't have any siblings either, so I don't know how it's like to have to take care of someone, other than Shisui, but that's different..." Kayumi explained, a pained expression on her face.
"Don't think about it too much." I advised, "You love Shisui, and he loves you, so I'm sure anything you two will decide to do will work out." I patted my friend's back, reassuring her.

"I guess so..." Kayumi's fingers began ripping the grass out the ground, "I still can't believe Itachi left you like that. So unfair... you love him, and he just leaves you?"

I remained quiet. That day when Itachi left, the way Itachi touched my skin, the way he said my name, the way he kissed me that night, he must have known that he would be gone for so long. Maybe that's why Itachi had seemed so bothered. Whatever Itachi was doing right now, it must have been important.

"Don't be mad, Kayumi," I rubbed my friend's back, "He's out there doing something important. I just hope he comes back home..."

Kayumi let out a grumble of disappointment. "Yeah, I hope so too."