Chapter 51 "No matter what, Sasuke is to me..."

You glanced at him thoughtfully, and because he had been staring at you, your eyes inevitably met.

Would the arrogant and overbearing Itachi Uchiha really realize his mistakes? You think the possibility is very low, extremely low. It's more likely that he's only temporarily showing remorse to achieve other goals. You're more inclined to believe the latter. However, he can still be considered a useful tool.

At least you're obedient in bed, you think.

This is something Obito Uchiha couldn't compare to; it can only be said to be a difference in talent.

You rest your chin on your hand, gazing quietly at Itachi. Your scrutinizing gaze is undisguised and might be offensive to others, but Itachi lets you look at him like that. He doesn't find it offensive; in fact, he feels a secret joy. After all... you are looking at him, only at him, with no one else in your eyes.

That alone was enough to make him feel satisfied. The emotional void that had been there since you left was finally being filled little by little. It was as if his soul was trembling. He maintained his calm demeanor and said, "I really didn't expect that Shisui and Sasuke would both come looking for you."

Ha, so you knew he was going to start bringing up other Uchiha. Shisui and Sasuke, one is his friend and the other is his beloved younger brother, both very important people to him. They took the initiative to find you and then kept things from you, which is tantamount to deception, or even betrayal. So, is he saying all this just to bring up old grievances with you?

You leaned back slightly, nestling into the soft sofa. Because the underfloor heating was on full blast, you were only wearing a thin, long-sleeved, long-legged pajama set, loose and comfortable. With your movements, you exuded a slightly lazy feeling. You said, "Yeah, it seems they all coincidentally didn't tell you about this."

Words laced with mockery uttered from your lips; words can be sharp swords. Even Itachi Uchiha was not invincible; he too felt pain and was stung by those sharp words.

But, he meant "but"

If this pain is inflicted by you, he will accept it all.

So Itachi Uchiha said calmly, "Yes, because they all listen to you, Mingxi, and they are all very considerate."

Thunder and lightning raged outside, with several bolts of lightning piercing through the thick dark clouds, almost illuminating the entire night sky. The lightning naturally lit up the living room as well. Itachi Uchiha's long, thick eyelashes trembled slightly. His appearance was undoubtedly beautiful; otherwise, you wouldn't have made him your reward in the first place.

He is undeniably handsome, but his personality is also incredibly difficult and arrogant, yet he doesn't seem to realize it at all.

"Sasuke... what did he say to you when he came?" He still cares about his younger brother so much. But to be honest, his younger brother is much more reasonable than him. You can tell Sasuke something once and he will understand you completely. Unlike Uchiha Itachi, who has an endless divergent way of thinking. You say one sentence and he can even make up the sky.

That's incredible reading comprehension! You said, "It's nothing, he was poisoned at the time, and I didn't say anything to him."

"Really? Even if you tell me the truth, Mingxi, I won't be angry."

You sighed, too lazy to pay him any attention. You waved to Bai and said, "Take care of him, I'm going to rest."

This is your sleeping time, and you don't want to waste your precious sleep on this guy. After saying this, you get up and leave, leaving only Uchiha Itachi with his departing back. You walk up the stairs, and the rain outside is getting heavier and heavier, eventually turning into a downpour. The rain hits the window, blurring the view outside.

Luckily, your room's windows are very soundproof. Once you close them, all the thunder and rain noises will be shut out, so you can sleep soundly.

As for other things, such as how to deal with Itachi Uchiha, let's leave those problems for tomorrow. Anyway, there's always a solution to any tricky problem. You won't let this affect your sleep quality. When you returned to your bedroom and were about to fall asleep, Haku arranged for Itachi Uchiha to move to a room in another secluded corner on another floor, as you instructed.

He didn't deny that this was intentionally making things difficult for him. Yes, that's right. After all, you should have gone to bed earlier. It was because of his uninvited arrival that your sleep time was delayed. Bai hated this uninvited guest as much as he cared about your health. Being able to speak to him calmly was already the limit of his tolerance.

Bai said, "This is your room. Mingxi is resting now, and I hope you won't disturb her." He spoke the last half of the sentence slowly and deliberately, as if it were a reminder or a warning.

Warn him not to push his luck.

Uchiha Itachi nodded and politely thanked him.

Haku could see the difference between Itachi Uchiha and Shisui; the former was more composed, keeping his emotions and feelings hidden deep inside.

So what is he thinking right now? Bai couldn't help but wonder, is he thinking about how to get back together with you?

However, the premise for a broken mirror to be mended is that he and you were once together, but the fact is clearly there: you and Uchiha Itachi were never together.

They did sleep together, that's true.

But these two things can't be confused, so Bai said, "Mingxi won't like you."

Itachi Uchiha said, "Have you ever seen what it's like when she truly likes someone? If you haven't, why are you so sure?"

Bai said, "But I've seen how she looks when she doesn't like someone, like the way she looked at you just now."

The polite smile that Itachi Uchiha had maintained on his face the whole time disappeared, replaced by a blank, even somewhat gloomy expression. When Haku saw this expression, he knew that what he said was true.

Uchiha Itachi entered the room and closed the door. Haku walked briskly toward your room, pushing open your door gently and carefully, afraid of making too much noise and waking you. He caught your light, rhythmic breathing, which made Haku feel incredibly at ease.

You are asleep.

Bai walked to your bedside, quietly watched you, tucked the blanket around you, and then quietly left your room.

*

The next morning, when you woke up, the sky outside the window was clear, which was a good omen. You woke up naturally without any morning grumpiness, and your mood was very stable. You got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash up.

As your consciousness gradually returns, you remember that the uninvited guest from last night, Itachi Uchiha, seems to still be in this villa.

Ah... this is a little annoying, but only a little. You quickly adjust your mood, change your clothes and go downstairs to the living room. Then you see Uchiha Itachi, who got up at some point, sitting at the dining table with a warm breakfast on it.

It's like he knew exactly when you'd come downstairs, so the breakfast was served at the perfect temperature. He also changed his clothes to a lighter color. You mentioned before that darker colors suit the Uchiha clan better, but actually, as long as you have a good face, you can look good in any ugly clothes.

His tone was gentle as he said, "Mingxi, you're up." His tone was the same as before, as if nothing had happened between you, that you hadn't left Konoha without a word, and that you hadn't spoken ill of him.

It has to be said that Itachi Uchiha's ability to withstand pressure is indeed very strong, which seems to be a tradition of the Uchiha clan. You thought that what you said yesterday was hurtful enough, and anyone with a bit of self-respect would have backed down, right? But Itachi Uchiha was not like that. He did the opposite and even acted more gently.

Hasn't he ever heard of the saying "to offer a warm face to a cold backside"?

Someone as intelligent as Itachi Uchiha must understand this principle. However, understanding the principle is one thing, and putting it into practice is another. You said, "I thought I made myself clear enough yesterday."

“I did explain it very clearly, but please don’t misunderstand me. I didn’t come here to question you or anything. I just wanted to see how you were doing outside. In that respect, I’m no different from Shisui and Sasuke.”

"The difference is huge," you muttered to yourself, keeping your expression unchanged. You pulled out a chair next to the dining table and sat down. Breakfast was golden-brown, crispy toast with jam on top. He used to make this kind of breakfast all the time. Thinking about it, you realized it had been a long time since you'd had this breakfast.

You can't say you miss it, but the food is innocent. Even if you don't like Itachi Uchiha, you won't take it out on the food. So you keep eating the toast, taking a few sips of mineral water to moisten your throat halfway through. During this time, Itachi Uchiha keeps staring at you, as if observing your subtle changes in expression.

You said, "Why are you staring at me like that? Just say what you want to say. I can't read minds and I can't guess what you're thinking if you keep silent."

You've been very direct. For people like them who like to beat around the bush, being direct is more beneficial than harmful. At least they won't overthink things. Uchiha Itachi said, "You seem to have lost a little weight."

So, after observing you for so long, is this all he's come to?

You suddenly feel a little helpless and say, "Is that all? I thought you would come to a more profound conclusion."

Uchiha Itachi laughed. His smile was always mixed with something else, like the kind of weather you dislike the most. It's like there's a little sunshine, but when you look up at the sky, you see one or two thin, pale clouds floating overhead. They're not white clouds, but light gray clouds that haven't yet condensed into dark clouds.

You hate this kind of weather the most. This lingering, unpredictable rain really tests one's mentality. It's the same now. You took another sip of water.

Uchiha Itachi said, "Are you having a hard time out there? Otherwise, why would you have lost weight?"

"Do you really need such a simplistic standard for judging whether someone is doing well or not?" And it's as down-to-earth as the relatives you meet during Chinese New Year. You can't judge whether someone is doing well or not just by their weight.

Uchiha Itachi realized you seemed to be joking, and his tense expression relaxed slightly. He said, "Apart from that, you haven't changed much compared to before."

If Itachi Uchiha hadn't said things that left you confused, you wouldn't dislike him so much. However, the fact that he sent you an engagement invitation without your consent did indeed offend you, so you said, "Just because I'm sitting down to talk to you now doesn't mean I've forgiven you. What you did back then was truly repulsive."

"I understand. So, how does Mingxi want to punish me?"

Why does his voice seem to carry a hint of expectation? You've figured it out; most ninjas in this world have hidden attributes. So when he talks about punishment, it's actually a reward. You've already seen through this. So you say, "No, you just need to clarify to others that we have absolutely no connection. As for punishment, I'm a kind-hearted person, and more importantly, I don't want to waste my time on you."

The best way to deal with this kind of person is to ignore them. That's right, giving them the cold shoulder is the best approach.

The silent treatment is the most effective form of violence.

Anyway, after that you never spoke to Itachi Uchiha again, and you would even subconsciously ignore the look he gave you, truly ignoring him completely.

This method proved to be very effective. You had peace and quiet for the past few days, and your work efficiency increased dramatically. In your free time after finishing work, you went to the waterfall in the Land of Rope with Shiro to enjoy the scenery. You completely forgot that there was another figure in the villa.

Itachi Uchiha's ability to withstand pressure is indeed very strong, but even the strongest person will feel pain when their loved one deliberately ignores them, and Itachi Uchiha is currently in this situation.

He wants to talk to you, even if all you say to him is sarcastic and sharp words, it's better than you not saying a word.

When his patience reaches its limit and he loses control, he confesses to you that what he did was indeed wrong.

Only at this point do you realize that his repentance was sincere.

He came to your study near dusk, so quietly, like a phantom, silently approaching you, and said, "I want to confess to you."

You gave him a strange look, thinking to yourself that this was a study, not a confessional in a church.

But since you've already finished most of your work for the day, just listen patiently to what he has to say next. You ask, "So what do you want to confess to me about?"

Uchiha Itachi slowly knelt down, his body resting on your knees, his beautiful profile pressed against your knees, his smooth, lustrous long hair draped over his legs.

He said, "I shouldn't have been so arrogant, thinking that I could control your life and that we were in love. These were all my presumptuous thoughts, and I'm sorry."

From your perspective, all you can see is his high, straight nose and his forehead, which is as white as jade.

I have to say you were quite satisfied to hear Itachi Uchiha repent to you and admit his mistakes. You said before that he was only the most likable when he was vulnerable, and he was undoubtedly vulnerable at this moment.

You can say that passive-aggressive tactics are very effective. You can say, "Really? I'm glad to see you admit your mistake."

Making an arrogant person realize how proud they are is an incredibly difficult task, but you seem to have succeeded. Uchiha Itachi raised his head and looked at you. He said, "I don't expect you to forgive me, Mingxi. You can hate me or despise me, but I beg you not to ignore me."

This was his final request.

His bangs were slightly disheveled from his earlier movements. In your memory, Uchiha Itachi always kept everything perfectly in place. His uniform was always impeccably tailored, without a single wrinkle. Even his long sword was regularly maintained, its blade gleaming with a cold, sharp light, and its hilt was periodically repaired.

He can organize every little detail of his life perfectly, as if everything is under his control. The more someone is like this, the more likely they are to develop a control freak personality. And what you like to see most is this kind of person lose control. You reach out, hook your fingers around his long hair, and with a little force, he moves closer to you with your force. It's obviously intentional.

You say, "Sure, you've satisfied me now, so I can grant your request. But if you do anything annoying later, I won't give you a second chance."

You made yourself very clear, and judging from Itachi's expression, he seemed to have taken it to heart. So you let go of his hand and gently patted his cheek with your palm.

Uchiha Itachi was a great helper when it came to handling paperwork. When he was in Konoha, he often had to deal with a lot of documents because he was the vice captain of the Konoha Guard.

It is well known that the deputy positions are the most demanding, and this also applies to the Konoha Guard. However, Itachi Uchiha's hard work is rewarded, since the captain is his father. When his father retires, the position will be given to him.

So this world is full of human relationships and social niceties. Uchiha Itachi can also be considered a second-generation official.

The topic seems to have strayed a bit. What you're trying to say is that if we don't talk about feelings, Itachi Uchiha could play a more significant role, and he even willingly tells you inside information about Konoha. There are some things you feel are inappropriate to tell an outsider like him. You said, "Is it really okay for me to know these things? Even though your father is the clan leader and captain, you'll still be punished if you commit a crime."

And it could very well implicate his father and brother. Speaking of which, does Konoha have a system of collective punishment? Ah... that system is really outdated.

When faced with your question, Itachi Uchiha spoke very casually, saying, "If it's Aki, then it's fine."

It's like you're special to him.

Perhaps this is indeed the case in Itachi Uchiha's view. After all, the Uchiha clan is indeed very loyal and sentimental. This adjective can be interpreted positively or negatively, since emotions are a double-edged sword for the Uchiha. They gain great power because of emotions, but they also become uncontrollable because of emotions.

Honestly, if you were in a high position, you would also find it very troublesome and headache-inducing to deal with such a group of people. No wonder the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha is not very good. If it weren't for your help in mediating, their clan would probably have died from political persecution long ago.

However, since Itachi Uchiha has revealed so much information to you voluntarily, you can only reluctantly accept it. When the truth comes out, it will be Itachi Uchiha's fault, and you will have nothing to do with it. Although nothing has happened yet, you have already started thinking about how to absolve yourself of all responsibility when things go wrong in the future.

This is called being prepared for a rainy day.

Itachi Uchiha cherishes the opportunity to talk to you, mainly because you didn't pay much attention to him in the past few days. Now he just wants to hear you say a few more words, that's all.

When Itachi Uchiha was writing down those important messages, he would look up at you from time to time.

What does it mean that he keeps looking at you like that? You said, "Is there anything else you want to say to me?"

"When Sasuke came to see you, he must have been very happy to see you, right?"

They are truly brothers. When you accidentally saved Sasuke at the casino, he would mention his brother to you, usually unintentionally. You understood, since he has always talked about his brother since he was a child, and he can't stop talking about his brother. Even now that he's grown up, he hasn't changed much and still mentions his brother in everything he talks about.

So you said, "You and your brother are so alike; the first thing he did after waking up was to apologize to me."

"Apologize?" Itachi Uchiha seemed not to understand what you meant. You repeated, "Yes, he apologized to me, thinking that he was too careless back then and only cared about his own feelings without putting himself in my shoes. I have to say, Itachi Uchiha, your brother is much more considerate than you."

If you were comparing him to Shisui, he might have something to say, but you mentioned his younger brother. Perhaps deep down, Itachi Uchiha also thought so. He felt that his younger brother was also perfect, so he didn't refute you. He even nodded and said, "Yes, Sasuke is a thoughtful child."

"Do you still treat him like a child? He's mature enough to stand on his own." Anyway, you think that in terms of psychological maturity, he might even be slightly better than his older brother, Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Itachi said, "No matter what, Sasuke is still just a child to me."

“Well, if it were a child, they wouldn’t say something like ‘I can do better than my brother,’ right?” you said.