The Ghost of You. [Modern Itachi Love Story].

Chapter 8.

Tenten emerged from the shadows, her blood boiling as Sasuke kissed Karin. Tenten, about to storm over and interrupt, got pulled back into the shadows, startled she tried to scream but a cold hand slipped over her mouth. "Quiet down Tenten!" Kuro hissed into Tenten's ears. Tenten let out a sigh of relied as Kuro's hand moved from her lips. "Kuro, did you see them?" Tenten whispered as her mind swept right back over to the image of those two locking lips- Karin her worst enemy and Sasuke the love of her life, Tenten's mind was in knots and incomprehensible.

"I saw them alright, it's not something I'd like to believe that I was witnessing in all honesty," Kuro breathed out as she peeked out and saw Karin's hand locked in Sasuke's dark locks as she pecked Sasuke's cheek. "That's... not what I expected," Konan breathed out and Hinata nodded her head, "I agree, I always thought Sasuke hated Karin especially when Sasuke was clearly in love with you," Hinata whispered, placing a hand on Tenten's trembling shoulder. Tenten turned her head to look at everyone before throwing herself into Kuro's arms, "Is this what love feels like?" She whispered.

"It's what I've come to know," Konan replied back, glancing at Tenten who stared up at her new found friend, "And me too," Hinata whispered before they turned there attention to a quiet Kuro. "I was always told love was a beautiful thing I was never told that it could hurt so much when you lose the one you love," Kuro finally spoke her mind and looked at the other three. "Neji loves you," Hinata finally admitted, thinking that now was better than ever. Kuro nodded her head slightly, "I had noticed earlier," Kuro whispered, her mind floating to Neji.

"But this isn't the time or place, we're going to confront Sasuke now!" Kuro exclaimed before stepping out into the light only to be pulled back by Tenten, "No, it's alright Kuro. I'll question him about it when I next see him, there's no need to make the matter any worse than it is now," Tenten sighed before watching as Sasuke and Karin stood, embracing each other. Kuro frowned and looked down at her hands which were trembling slightly, "I never wanted to see you hurt Tenten," Kuro admitted, "I wish you and Sasuke never met," Kuro then took off.

Tenten stood there in shock as she watched her best friend run off, "Did.. did she mean that?" Tenten whispered in disbelief, "She meant it so that you never would have gotten hurt by falling for Sasuke," Konan interrupted Tenten's thoughts. Tenten sighed and shook her head, knowing Konan was right. Kuro had always wanted to keep her from falling in love so she never had to follow in the path of a tragic love life like Kuro had witnessed with her parents. Kuro had always wanted to protect Tenten, she hated seeing Tenten cry and she understood that.


~+~


I sighed as I laid down in my bed with my eyes shut, tears slowly leaking. Aki rushed through the door giggling like a mad woman which caused me to sit up almost immediately, "The Uchiha family are visiting for dinner!" She grinned before her eyes widened, "Kuro sweetheart, whats wrong?" Aki made her way over to my bed and laid down next to me, gently running her fingers through my hair. "There's a lot going on Aki, I just haven't let it get to me since now. Everyone's changing, Itachi left me and Sasuke's changed completely," I admitted, guiltily.

"Is that so?" Aki started, "Well I guess I should have a talk with the Uchiha boys to find out why!" Aki chuckled to herself causing me to smile slightly, "It would be nice to know why," I admitted feeling slightly embarrassed as I rolled over and stared at the wall. "Well first things first," Aki sighed, "Stop wearing contacts and please let your natural hair colour grow back. I don't care how much it makes you look like Sakura, she is your cousin after all," Aki sighed causing me to grimace- Sakura will never be family to me again.

"I know Aki but I don't think I could ever classify her as a cousin ever again," I grimaced before sitting up and removing my contacts and putting them where they belong. I looked in the mirror to see my regrowth and I smiled slightly, I always enjoy having unnatural pink hair. "I understand that, I do Kuro. Might I just add, you looked so beautiful with pink hair," Aki smiled and I giggled but stopped when the door bell rang. I hurriedly went into the bathroom and cleaned myself up. "It's time to find out why Kuro," I whispered.

I made my way downstairs and sat at the table between the boys as I normally but I wouldn't look at them, only at their parents. I couldn't work up the courage needed to speak to them. "Kuro, how have you been? I haven't seen you for quite some time," Mikoto smiled at me and I smiled back to be polite. "I could be better," I chuckled, "But life is always going to try and tear you down," I smiled at Aki who gave me a thumbs up while my father shook his head, "Whats wrong?" Mikoto questioned me politely.

I glanced at Sasuke and Itachi, "It's a long story and perhaps I can tell you after dinner," I smiled at Mikoto while Fugaku seemed to be staring at the boys after noticing how I had looked at them. I glanced over at my father who seemed to be watching me before he and my step-mother stood up to go and check the food. I found myself feeling quite awkward being alone in a room with the Uchiha family but I put up with it for my own sake but I couldn't help the blush that crawled up my cheeks.

I waited patiently for my parents to return and Aki waltsed into the room with great news. "Dinner's almost ready," Aki smiled warmly at the two Uchiha boys, "Now while Aito is waiting and preparing the dishes," Aki turned her gaze to Sasuke and Itachi. "First up is Itachi; Itachi my daughter believes you have changed, I presume it doesn't just involve dating my darling daughter's cousin of course or you working late and Kuro, before we move onto Sasuke, tell me what's changed since he last visited, okay?" Aki smiled at me and I found my cheeks reddening.

"I suppose I have changed," Itachi sighed, "I know I have hurt Kuro and I suppose that's the price because she can't get over what Sakura's done to her, I pushed all of Sakura's wrongs out of my mind because she's beautiful," 'Not as beautiful as Kuro,' Itachi added in his mind. "I forgive Sakura completely for all the wrongs she has done whether it to Kuro or me, everyone has to change sometime and Sasuke agrees with me completely which is why he left Tenten because she was holding him back, Karin on the other hand supported him completely."

I couldn't control the tears that started to form in my eyes, "I-I see," I whispered looking up at Aki who understood what was wrong with Sasuke and Itachi now. "Sasuke," Aki nodded her head in his direction which caused him to clear his throat, "Personally, I don't agree with Itachi on the Sakura thing but with the Tenten and Karin thing I agree. Tenten is beautiful and amazing, I love her I really do but Karin is more suited for me if I plan to go somewhere in my life," Sasuke admitted and smiled at Aki who frowned.

"I'm sorry Kuro if this upsets you but everybody changes and me and Itachi just happened to change before you," Sasuke admitted before looking at Itachi who nodded, "I greatly apologize for making you cry Kuro but it's the truth," Itachi looked directly into my eyes. Aki found her throat tightening, "Kuro, are you alright? I know this isn't what you had expected," Aki said, looking directly at me. I kept my gaze onto the dining table, my mind trying to grab onto something that I thought was somewhat reasonable- I couldn't believe this and I refused to, this wasn't right.


"Are you alright Kuro, you look quite flushed," Mikoto looked worriedly over at me and I found myself looking up but I tore my gaze away and it landed on Itachi who was staring at me with those same tired eyes that contained worry. I tore my gaze and looked at Mikoto, my palms sweating. "Yeah, are you okay Kuro?" Sasuke asked and that made it worse- my vision started spinning and I found my body heating up and sweet forming on my forehead and palms as I struggled to breath. I stood up and fell to the ground unconscious.

~+~

Itachi sat in the hospital, outside Kuro's room, his wide eyes staring at his palms which were sweating and trembling with every loud yell that came from inside of his beloved Kuro room. Sasuke was seated a few seats away with his head in his hands as tears fell onto his palms, "I'm so sorry Kuro," Sasuke whispered as he rocked back in forth. Tenten and the girls sat a fair way away and were comforting each other, Ino walked in with a bouquet of flowers and made her way to the girls with tears rolling down her pale cheeks.

"Why are you here?" Tenten whispered as she looked up at the crying Ino, "She's my friend to you know," Ino spat at Tenten and stared at the room where Kuro laid lifeless. That's when Sakura walked through the door with more flowers than Ino and sat right outside the door and was staring directly at it. All the girls grimaced at Sakura, finding the anger dwelling inside them becoming almost uncontrollable. Tenten frowned and slammed Sakura up against the wall by the collar, "How dare you step foot near Kuro's room you bitch!" Tenten hissed at a shocked Sakura.

Sakura took a deep breath before screaming out the one thing that shocked everyone, "I love Kuro more than anything! I don't care if we're related or if she hates me, that won't stop me from loving her, it'll just make me love her more!" Sakura yelled, only loud enough for the people that sat outside to hear. Everything went quiet outside, especially when Kuro screamed in pain from behind the door. Itachi stood up with wide eyes as did Sasuke as they stared at Sakura in pure horror. Tenten dropped Sakura which caused her to hit the ground, hard.

Neji, on the other hand, was cooped up in his room with tears falling down his cheeks at the news of Kuro. "Why do I love her so much," Neji growled to himself, "She loves Itachi and will never love me. I should have never agreed to date Kuro in such a circumstance where I could fall in love with her again," Neji whispered to himself as tears fell down his cheeks. "Why do I love her so much?" Neji whispered as he opened his cupboard and gazed at the pictures of the love of his life, she was beautiful.

This was the only way Neji could see her happy and pretend she was happy because of him, not some other man. The idea made Neji smile to himself before his mind fell back onto the recent news- Kuro had collapsed and was in hospital right at that moment. Neji immediately rushed to the hospital, only to hear Sakura scream as was about to turn the corner, " "I love Kuro more than anything! I don't care if we're related or if she hates me, that won't stop me from loving her, it'll just make me love her more!" Neji froze in his spot with a look of horror on his face.

Sakura loved the same woman he loved!?!