Chapter 272 Caught in the Act
Itachi Uchiha was both eager to know the severity of the price to pay and afraid to know how much his aunt had paid.
His shoulders trembled involuntarily, and the tears he had been suppressing finally fell vertically, slamming heavily onto the table.
One after another, they were filled with deep sorrow and regret.
Did my aunt always live like this?
Pay the price, go back to the past, and change the fate of the Uchiha clan.
Upon returning, he not only lost all his memories, but also had to experience the Uchiha clan's path to coup once again.
Having lost her memory, she unknowingly returns to the past time and time again, determined to achieve a happy ending for the Uchiha clan.
Finally, the Uchiha clan really did change for the better.
But what about her?
Forgotten by the Uchiha clan who should have remembered her the most, her image was mercilessly erased by history and fate, and finally, she was deceived by her own memories.
Even Itachi Uchiha wanted to question her: why did she have to pay such a heavy price?!
Everything she did was not for herself, but for the Uchiha. If there is to be a price to pay, why can't we let them pay?
Itachi Uchiha's breakdown was silent and powerless.
The room was completely silent, except for his barely suppressed sobs.
Sitting opposite him, Fugaku Uchiha remained silent, maintaining his composure throughout.
To outsiders, he might be considered cold-blooded, showing no emotion whatsoever when faced with his returning sister, and even preventing his clansmen from keeping her.
But only he himself knew how much willpower he had expended to barely suppress the urge to keep her in front of his people.
As the captain, he had to set an example by remaining calm.
As the clan leader, he must consider the overall situation and assess the circumstances.
As the older brother, all he wanted was to keep his younger sister.
His deep, weathered eyes could reflect anyone but himself.
This may be the first time in many years that he has felt overwhelmed by the responsibilities he must bear.
Behind the not-too-heavy sliding door, Uchiha Sasuke leaned against the wall, eavesdropping on their conversation.
After hearing that they had stopped talking, Uchiha Sasuke left the spot in a daze, his steps gradually becoming longer, and ran back to his room.
The moment the door closed, Uchiha Sasuke slid down against it and collapsed onto the floor.
Therefore... the Uchiha clan massacre really happened...
It wasn't his dream...
There was also a coup d'état; everything the Sharingan saw was actually true...
His usually sharp mind was struggling to process what was happening.
The images from his first Sharingan experience were already blurry; he only remembered the Uchiha clan being wiped out and him being the only survivor.
At that time, he hadn't even graduated from school yet.
Endless despair and pain shrouded his life. Blinded by hatred, he found himself completely alienated from the happy family he now had.
It shouldn't be like that...
That's not his life...
His real life should be one where he had a gentle mother and a strict father from childhood to adulthood.
His brother would always be with him unless he was busy with his work in the secret service. His brother would almost never make him wait until later to do what he wanted to do at the moment.
But is all this happy and fulfilling life achieved at the cost of Haruko Hayama paying a price?
Uchiha Sasuke lowered his head, his face full of confusion and helplessness.
The darkness, both visual and psychological, engulfed everything; in the vast world, it was so quiet that it seemed as if he were the only one left.
In a flash, he seemed to transform into his seven-year-old self.
Having experienced countless tragedies and terrors on the way home, I locked myself in a dark room, curled up, and dared not open my eyes to accept reality.
A complex mix of thoughts gripped him, making him feel like he was suffocating.
Uchiha Sasuke snapped out of his daze, panting heavily as if he had escaped a terrible fate and survived a catastrophe. His already pale face turned even paler.
That's right... that wasn't his life...
His life has been changed...
His life... has been changed by Haruko!
This realization shone brightly, dispelling all the gloom surrounding him. Uchiha Sasuke reached out and supported himself as he stood up.
Unable to suppress his impulse and eagerness, he hurried to the window and pulled back the curtains.
With his powerful thrust, the curtains billowed open from both sides, revealing the bright moonlight streaming down upon him.
Undeterred by the moonlight, Uchiha Sasuke leaped out of the window.
He flew over several rooftops and headed towards Haruko's house.
In the dead of night, apart from the streetlights, there was almost no other light along the way.
Soon, as he ran, he arrived at the familiar house.
Haruko's room was on the second floor, and her window was right next to a rooftop, which made it convenient for Sasuke Uchiha to land on it.
Perhaps it was a bit hot tonight, because she didn't close the window, but just casually drew the curtains.
Through the half-drawn curtains, Uchiha Sasuke could clearly see into the room and into the bed where Hayama Haruko was fast asleep.
Her eyes were closed, her fine eyelashes drooping softly, her cherry-red lips slightly parted, and her long, smooth, glossy black hair was scattered around her, exuding the unique innocence and cuteness of a young girl.
The peaceful and harmonious scene calmed down even Sasuke Uchiha's chaotic heart.
He unconsciously moved closer, gently raising his left hand and placing it against the glass window, just enough for his fingertips to touch her face.
Suddenly, Sasuke Uchiha recalled the feeling of touching her forehead.
Unlike the cold, hard windows, she was warm and soft, with a subtle, sweet fragrance that beckoned us to explore further.
Perhaps he was too impulsive... What could he possibly say when he came to find Haruko Hayama?
Thank you?
But she had no recollection of what she had done.
Do you want to confide in someone?
But he already has the happiest family.
Are you sad?
But what right did he have to feel sorry for her?
Sasuke Uchiha lowered the sadness in his eyes, withdrew his hand, and took a step back. His pale hand, which had been resting on the glass window, was slightly bent.
After creating some distance, he did not leave immediately.
Instead, he stood still, tracing her serene face with his gaze again and again.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
The sudden sound alerted Sasuke Uchiha.
He turned his head and looked at the long-haired boy who was also standing on the rooftop opposite him.
Bai was wearing pajamas, still wearing a smile, but it looked somewhat fake.
"Isn't it inappropriate for you to come looking for Haruko in the middle of the night?"
Sasuke Uchiha sneered, showing no embarrassment at being caught, and his unique, fierce aura was rekindled.
"Why don't you think about yourself? It's not appropriate for you to keep living at Haruko's house, is it?"
Bai's smile remained unchanged as she calmly replied, "It was Haruko who gave me a new life, and I should repay her for the rest of my life."
He emphasized the word "a lifetime," and under Sasuke Uchiha's unfriendly gaze, he added the next sentence as if on purpose.
"I'm willing to sacrifice myself."
The vague "self"—it's unclear whether it refers to life itself or something more subtle.
Sasuke Uchiha, who had never thought about love, couldn't understand the deeper meaning in his words and was only annoyed by his feigned gentleness.
He lowered his brows, put one hand on his hip, and gave a sarcastic remark.
"If you like playing the victim so much, why don't you wag your tail at me?"
The smile, which had been a long-standing disguise for Haku, vanished amidst Sasuke Uchiha's merciless and harsh words.
Bai kept a cold expression, and out of consideration for his teammate, he did not adopt an aggressive stance.
"You should leave."
"You don't need to tell me."
Sasuke Uchiha turned his head and looked at Haruko Hayama in the room with eyes that had lost all their sharpness.
After staring at him for a few seconds, he left under Bai's wary gaze.
Seeing the annoying figure disappear in the distance, Bai softened her sharp edges and returned to her usual gentle demeanor.
After standing quietly for a while, he silently walked to Haruko's window and stood in the spot where Sasuke Uchiha had been, gazing intently at the sleeping girl.
His appearance is somewhat effeminate, and even when he goes out dressed in men's clothing, many people mistake him for a girl.
He didn't mind before, and besides, deceiving others was more beneficial to his own mission.
But... things are different now.
He didn't want to be mistaken for Haruko Hayama's older sister when they went out together.
Or rather, he didn't want to be mistaken for her brother.
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