Kairos |An Itachi Uchiha Story|

xx. and as I reach

"Itaaaachiiiii!"

He rolled his eyes at the child who ran around the entrance in excitement. But then again he wasn't sure if the eye roll was for Aiko or the feeling in his chest when she grinned so brightly.

He chuckled lightly to himself and closed his eyes.

"Whachya laughing at Itachi? She still needs to pick a date!" Shisui said after clasping a hand around Itachi's shoulder. The dark haired Uchiha raised an eyebrow before peeking an eye open at the corsage in his friend's hand.

That's not her favorite color...

He rolled his eyes at his friend's behavior before shifting his gaze back to the girl who waited impatiently at the festival entrance.

"You guys are taking forever!" Aiko complained before Itachi watched Shisui grin and approach Aiko confidently.

She's already my date Shisui...

Itachi thought almost exasperatedly as he stood with arms cross while walking toward the two.

"Aiko you have to pick between the two of us!" Shisui spoke dramatically and Itachi felt another eye roll coming. He already knew he had the right corsage.

Lilac and white hibiscus flowers that had pink crawling from their centers. They were bundled onto a dark band for her wrist and rested in his pouch because he was not wearing festival attire. Compared to Shisui who braved the cold in his festival clothes with a violet and dark blue colored corsage.

"Oh... Oh yeah!" Aiko laughed nervously. "Well let's see what you have for me then." Her amber eyes seemed humored as they danced with her petal lips that twirled a playful smile. Itachi knew he was staring too much but he couldn't help it.

Shisui grinned and pulled out the corsage proudly.

"Ta-da!"

Itachi watched the amusement grow on Aiko's face.

She knew he would guess wrong... Is she hoping I won't?

He knew he was thinking too much and too hard.

"Shisui that's not my favorite." She giggled sweetly and thanked him all the same while accepting the flowers. Itachi couldn't ignore how endearing the response was to him.

"Alright 'tachi, lets see whachya got." She sounded excited and knowing she did over something as small as flowers from him made him a little warm. But he rolled his eyes all the same with an annoyed hum.

"You and Shisui have the questionable habit of ignoring letters in my name." Aiko grinned in a way that made him drop the subject all together.

"Sorry 'tachi." She laughed and the melodic sound made Itachi inwardly sigh.

He opened his pouch and pulled out the corsage with ease. Though his face was blank, he was deeply smug on the inside. It only increased once her eyes lit up.

I think I care for her... Far more than I thought.

"How did you know?" A grin lit up her face with bright amber eyes. She looked genuinely pleased and Itachi felt a pride in his chest with the shot of warmth he received.

He shrugged as if he felt nothing, not moving from his emotionless facade.

A fear was creeping in his chest and he was realizing it was there finally. The realization that these petty feelings and care for others did not matter... It never did.