The room fell into silence.
For a brief moment, both women—Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Karin—stared at each other, their breathing shallow, their eyes sharp as kunai. Each carried the same burning thought:
If I truly fight for him, if I stake everything… will Sasuke only choose me?
Once the seed of this thought took root, it refused to die.
Sakura's lips curled into a confident smile. "I'm telling you right now, Sasuke's future wife will be me. That's a certainty. You should give up already and stop entertaining delusions. You're wasting your time."
Karin folded her arms beneath her chest, glaring with open disdain. "Please. Don't make me laugh. Sasuke doesn't care about you the way you dream he does. He's more relaxed and open around me than he'll ever be around you. I've always been by his side—when you weren't. I'm the woman who's always been there for him."
Sakura's brow furrowed, her fists tightening. "Always by his side? Don't be ridiculous! Sasuke and I have been together since the Academy days. We were teammates, training together, fighting together. We've known each other since we were kids! We're childhood sweethearts, Karin, something you'll never understand!"
Karin rolled her eyes so hard it was almost audible. "Childhood sweethearts? How childish. Just because you knew him when you were young doesn't mean you're the one meant for him. People grow, Sakura. They change. And only when they mature do they truly discover what their heart desires."
Then she moved closer to Sasuke, slipping her arm through his and leaning against him, her voice dripping with coyness. "Isn't that right, Sasuke?"
Sakura panicked. She immediately grabbed Sasuke's other hand, desperation in her voice. "Sasuke-kun! Don't listen to her nonsense!"
The Uchiha prodigy stood between them, his jaw tightening. His patience, thin as a paper seal, snapped.
He wrenched both arms free and stepped back, his cold aura pressing down like suffocating gravity. "Enough. Stop this childish bickering. If you can't behave, then leave. Now."
His voice carried the authority of the clan heir, his tone as cutting as a blade.
Both women froze, stunned by the sudden eruption of his anger. They opened their mouths to protest, but then Sasuke's eyes shifted—the black tomoe spinning into the kaleidoscopic pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan. His Rinnegan flickered faintly, veins of power running through his sclera.
His gaze was sharp, dangerous. "Leave. Or do you want to taste Genjutsu?"
Neither dared defy him. With reluctant steps, Sakura and Karin retreated from the house. Yet even as they left, they both waved politely toward the living room where Mikoto Uchiha and Fugaku Uchiha were sitting.
Before either mother or father could return the gesture, Sasuke slammed the door shut with a thunderous bang.
Finally, silence.
Fugaku smirked faintly, his stern eyes glinting with pride. "Sasuke… that's good. You are indeed my son. To have two kunoichi fighting over you… it shows your strength, your status, your bloodline."
Mikoto, however, frowned, worry lining her gentle face. "Fugaku, don't talk like that. Sasuke, those two girls clearly care about you deeply. Don't dismiss them so coldly. They've been with you through your journey. They've stayed by your side because they truly love you."
Before Sasuke could even respond, Itachi Uchiha—silent as always—spoke up from the corner. His voice was calm, analytical, but it carried weight. "Actually, in my opinion, the clan is in need of new blood. With so few survivors after the massacre, having both women as wives would not only preserve the Uchiha name but also secure the clan's future. If they both love Sasuke enough, then why not accept them both?"
Mikoto's eyes widened with realization. Fugaku too gave a subtle nod, finding his elder son's reasoning practical.
Both parents turned their gaze expectantly toward Sasuke.
Sasuke's heart sank. He pressed his hand to his forehead, deeply exasperated. "Why… why is my entire family starting to sound like Naruto?"
Before he could vent further, a knock echoed from the front door.
Knock. Knock.
Sasuke's patience snapped again. His voice was sharp as a kunai's edge. "Didn't I tell you to leave already!?"
But when he opened the door, the breath caught in his throat.
A girl stood there, her presence ghostly yet graceful. Her features were familiar, her chakra signature unmistakable. Her body bore the signs of the Impure World Reincarnation—pale skin, cracks like porcelain.
She spoke softly, her voice filled with longing. "Excuse me… is Itachi-kun here?"
Sasuke's irritation melted into curiosity. He turned his head. "Brother, someone's here for you."
Fugaku and Mikoto exchanged puzzled glances. Another girl? Coming to their home for their sons?
Then Itachi stepped forward, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Izumi…"
It was none other than Uchiha Izumi, his childhood friend, his first and only love.
Memories surged like wildfire. Their days at the Academy. Training together. The moment in the tea shop where Izumi had confessed her love: "I want to walk the same path as the man I love."
But then—the massacre. Her life stolen. Her story cut short.
Yet here she was again, standing before him, smiling warmly. "Itachi… it's been so long."
She then turned to Mikoto and Fugaku, bowing respectfully. "Captain Fugaku. Mikoto-san."
They returned the greeting, smiling faintly. They knew Izumi well—she had often come looking for Itachi when they were children.
Sasuke finally recognized her, memory clicking into place. "Oh… you're that older sister."
Izumi looked at him with a fond smile. "You must be Sasuke. During the day, when I saw you from afar, I didn't realize how much you've grown. You've become so big now."
Sasuke gave a small smile, embarrassed.
Izumi chuckled, covering her mouth. "I remember holding you as a baby once. You cried within seconds, so loud the whole house shook. You didn't give me any face at all!"
Sasuke scratched his head, cheeks burning. Childhood stories always felt awkward. To escape the embarrassment, he quickly shifted the topic.
"Well then, Sister Izumi, you must be here to see my brother… for a date, right?"
Izumi froze, her cheeks blooming red at being so bluntly exposed. But instead of denying it, she nodded gently.
Without hesitation, Sasuke grabbed Itachi's wrist, dragged him toward the door, and all but shoved him outside. "Go on, brother. Talk with her."
Then slam—the door closed behind them.
Itachi stood frozen, helpless. "…"
Izumi giggled softly at his expression, her eyes sparkling.
Itachi felt a pang in his chest—guilt, sorrow, love all twisting together. He had abandoned everything once—family, friends, and her. He had sacrificed all for the village's peace. And now, faced with her again, he didn't know how to move forward.
Sensing his hesitation, Izumi took the initiative. She gently laced her fingers through his, pulling him along.
"Itachi, come with me."
"Where are we going?"
She only smiled. "You'll see."
They walked through the quiet clan grounds until they reached the riverbank, where the moon reflected across rippling water. Izumi sat on the wooden plank by the river's edge and patted the spot beside her.
"Sit. Let's talk."
Itachi lowered himself, sitting beside her. For a moment, the two simply sat in silence, the night breeze brushing against them.
Izumi swung her legs playfully, gazing up at the silver moon. "Do you remember? We used to sit here together like this. Back then, everything felt so simple."
The memories tugged at Itachi's heart. He gave a soft, almost imperceptible hum in reply.
Then Izumi turned her head, her eyes brimming with tenderness.
"Itachi… you must have suffered so much all these years."
The words hit him like a shuriken. His shoulders trembled. He kept his gaze fixed on the water, unwilling to meet her eyes.
But Izumi pressed on. Her voice was gentle but unwavering. "I saw the truth. The burden you carried, the sacrifices you made—for the peace of the village, you abandoned the clan, abandoned yourself. You endured alone, carrying pain no one else could bear."
"Itachi, I understand. You've been suffering from the moment you left the village. But it's over now. I've been given this chance to return, to see you again, to finally understand everything. And for that… I'm grateful."
She paused, her gaze softening. "But, Itachi… I need to ask you something."
Her voice wavered, vulnerable. "Did you ever truly love me?"
Itachi's breath caught. Slowly, he turned his head. Her eyes shone like the stars, filled with hope and fear all at once.
"I…" His lips trembled before he finally confessed. "I loved you."
The weight of his words made Izumi's heart leap. Her smile bloomed, radiant beneath the moonlight. She leaned forward, closing the distance.
And under the night sky, Izumi kissed Itachi.
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