Two years had passed since Mitsuki's dismissal. Itachi was shining in the ANBU, and had already become the captain of the Rô team, still alongside Kakashi. Both of them were performing their missions with great efficiency. Maybe even too much for the taste of their friends, who sometimes saw them, with fright, executing their enemies without any hesitation. They didn't understand them, they couldn't, and that's why the elite ninjas often operated in the shadows.

Mitsuki, on the other hand, spent most of her time in the hospital, the only place where she felt useful enough not to lose her footing. She kept on working, sometimes even forgetting to go home, which didn't please Aruna, who feared for her health. However, he could not make her listen to reason.

The young girl, who was approaching 13 years old, had become more bitter with time, even if she remained altruistic and smiling in all circumstances, it was not rare that they argued about her lifestyle. Sensei could only understand her need to keep that connection to the Ninja world, but he missed his Princess regularly.

One morning in the last week before spring, he decided to take the lead and went to the Yamanaka store to pick up some flowers on his way to the hospital. He was served by a charming little blonde girl with big blue eyes, with a vivacity and a joy of living that reminded him with nostalgia of his little sister who was barely older than her when they met. How long had it been since she had smiled so genuinely? He was not fooled, despite appearances, the situation of the young Hata was far from making her happy. He finally sat down on the low wall of the establishment which saw her much more than him, and waited until the end of this umpteenth guard that she carried out.

Hardly did she appear on the step of the door, that she hurried to him, surprised as well by his presence as by the immense bouquet that he gave her.

"Would you allow me this day, Princess?

Mitsuki gave her one of his most beautiful smiles, one of the ones he was hoping to get with this initiative.

"Don't you have a class to teach at the Academy today?" the young girl assured herself, smelling the bouquet with delight.

"You've been so cooped up in there that you don't even know what day it is! No, no class today, and I decided to dedicate my whole day to my little sister, if she allows me!

His cheerful tone left no room for hesitation, and Mitsuki caught an unconcealed joy, despite the dark circles underlining her bright eyes.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to take a good shower and change my clothes first, I'm not decent for an outing as it is!" she asked as the only condition.

"How about a trip to the bathhouse then?" suggested Aruna, determined not to set foot in their home again anytime soon.

He knew her behind her impulsive joy, she would be able to pretext a nap to escape the outside world once again. And it was out of the question!

"What about clean clothes?" reminded Mitsuki.

"Give me a minute, and I'll find you a comfortable outfit right across the street." evaded the Sensei.

Mitsuki laughed softly, and gladly accepted. They spent the afternoon happily, chatting like in the good old days, through the palisades of the baths, then in the streets of Konoha. Mitsuki forgot her condition of simple citizen, for the greatest happiness of her big brother.

At the end of the day, while they were having dinner at Ichiraku's house, Aruna made a surprising request:

"The spring festival is only in a few days you know... I would really like you to go there, it would be good for you."

"Is this a masked invitation to be your date?" giggled Mitsuki.
"No! I... I've already planned to go with someone. But the idea of you being locked up alone on such a beautiful day makes me a little sad... Why don't you ask one of your friends to go with you? Except that Kakashi, I don't feel like it... And he's too old for you." Aruna suggested, grumbling at the end.

Mitsuki rolled her eyes to the sky.

"Kakashi is a good person, you know. You should think about getting to know him, by now!" she defended him.

"Okay, okay...but...is he as good as Itachi?" replied Aruna mischievously.

Mitsuki almost choked on her ramen, causing her older brother to laugh.

"Tsk... How about this person who will accompany you to the party?" tried to divert the girl by wiping her mouth with a backhand.

"Hmm ... Very interesting how you mirror Itachi and 'the one' who will accompany me." giggled Aruna while rubbing her chin, "I would be you, I would not hesitate to invite him, I remind you that he is the coveted type..."

"Pfff ... He's more than coveted, he'll probably go to the party with Izumi Uchiha... After all, they've been together for a while now..." grumbled Mitsuki.

"Really? How can you be so sure?" Aruna gasped.

"I've only seen them go on a date once, shortly before the Chûnin exam, and it looked like they were serious. Shisui also said that she's in Fugaku's good graces, being from the Uchiha clan." argued Mitsuki.

"So... In short, you are basing your claim that Itachi and Izumi are a couple on a date that took place two years ago, without ever having seen them together again. I would add to that that Fugaku almost likes you as if you were his own daughter..." countered Aruna.

"Itachi is the discreet type and you know it... When I asked him about it, he only told me that there was nothing to tell" Mitsuki persisted, bitter.

"If Itachi is discreet, Izumi would never withhold such information! But either... I don't think it means much, but if you're willing to leave Itachi to Izumi... I'm sure Shisui would be happy to go with you too. He's a good kid," Aruna pretended to look for him.

Mitsuki sighed as she patted his shoulder, making him laugh harder.

"I'll go to that party, with or without a partner, don't worry. If only to find out who makes my dear brother's heart beat!" assured the young wolf, mischievous.

They finished their meal in a good mood, Mitsuki's heart lightened from all the bitterness he was accumulating lately.

Further on, on a training ground, a discussion turned around the same subject:

"Are you planning to invite someone for the spring party? It would be good for us to do something else for a change...," Shisui asked his cousin.

- I wasn't planning on going, but why not if you're going..." Itachi replied, sending a volley of kunai at him.

- So what? Who do you think you're taking? insisted Shisui, dodging the attack without much effort.

- Is it really necessary to go with someone? itachi winced slightly.

- Are you kidding? The girls are waiting for this! A romantic walk under the cherry trees, a dance in the moonlight, fireworks on the rooftops... Don't tell me that you prefer to spend this evening alone!

- It's true that Izumi already asked me to go the other day...

- Izumi?! Seriously?!

- Yes... Why are you so surprised? She's been after me for years...

- And so far without success... I didn't think you were seriously interested in her!

- That's not what I said! She only asked me to go with her... But you, you already know who you're going with?

- I was thinking of asking... Mitsuki... I wish I could take her mind off things, she's always working, and I hardly see her these days. Actually, I thought you might want to invite her! And honestly, if you don't, I'll take my chances."

Itachi's face darkened, but he merely shrugged before continuing the fight. His attacks were getting harder and harder, and Shisui was barely able to parry them.

They left each other after a few hours of exchanges, in swimming.

After a good shower, Shisui got ready properly, before heading to Aruna's house. He would have hated to argue with his cousin, and had been sure that he would want to have such a sweet and beautiful evening with Mitsuki, but if the way was clear, he might as well not let such an opportunity pass.

He sincerely liked the girl, they could spend hours talking about everything and anything. He liked her too, he had always found her beautiful, with her big red eyes, her long raven hair, and she only got more beautiful as she grew up. He blushed slightly as he thought of the lovely curves that were taking shape on her now teenage body. She was not a little girl any more, not yet a woman either, but it was already certain that she would make turn more than one head on her passage. He instantly hated himself for thinking of her like that. She was his friend after all. Did he really want to have more than that? What he was sure of was that if Itachi wasn't willing to change her mind, he would be there to give her the best night out of the last few years!

He braced himself before knocking on the door of the house, and it was Aruna who opened, all smiles.

"Princess! It's for you!" he quickly guessed as he called his sister.

The girl went down the stairs four by four before finding herself facing a pinkish Shisui.

"Shisui-kun! It's been a long time!" she greeted him as she hugged him.

He gently returned her embrace.

"What brings you here? Did you come with Itachi?" she questioned him.

Ah... Itachi... He wondered if he had had a good idea in hoping to invite her. He knew they were very attached to each other, yet neither of them seemed to go further.

"No, he's not here ... I ... I was coming because I was wondering if you already had someone to accompany you to the party Saturday night ...?" he asked awkwardly.

"Oh yes... Aruna told me about it... I was thinking of asking Itachi, but I guess he'd rather go with Izumi so... No, not at the moment!" Mitsuki replied, in her legendary naivety.

"Ah... Just curious... What makes you so sure?" Shisui questioned, surprised that she would imagine such a thing.

"They're dating, aren't they? That's what I thought since the Chûnin exam..." Mitsuki explained.

Shisui burst out laughing. This situation was funny. Obviously, his cousin and the young she-wolf were hoping, without wanting to admit it, to go to the party together. And both of them had given up on the idea before they even thought of trying. So he decided to change his plan. He would not invite Mitsuki to the party. He liked her, it's true, but as a friend. What he was sure of was that Itachi loved her even more. And he wouldn't let him back out for some obscure reason!

"Are you okay Shisui? You look weird..." the small voice of the she-wolf asked.

"Oh yes, everything is fine! Don't worry about Saturday night, I'm sure someone will show up!" he assured her before running off, waving at her.

Mitsuki was dumbfounded, standing in front of the door without understanding, just like Aruna who had observed the scene from afar. What was he playing at? She finally went back to her room, sighing, before going back up without a word.

Shisui on his side went without waiting to knock on the window of his cousin.

"Do you want your revenge?" asked Itachi as he opened the door.

"I've just come from Mitsuki's house!" said Shisui as he slipped into the room.

"Ah... so? Did she agree to go with you to the party? I'm happy for you... It'll be good for her to have a good time..." the elder Fugaku tried to be cheerful as best he could.

"Stop your act, idiot! The only person she wants to go there with is you!" Shisui dropped, like a bomb in his cousin's heart.

"What?! Did she tell you that?" exclaimed Itachi a little too loudly, surprised, and obviously hopeful.

"She told me that she thought about inviting you, but for some reason, she's convinced that you're in love with Izumi, and has been ever since you passed the Chûnin exam." Shisui reported.

Itachi smacked his forehead. It was two years ago, but their conversation came back to him clearly.

"She was sure I'd been on a date with Izumi and complained that I didn't tell her about it, as a friend. I thought it was funny that she cared. I told her it was because there was nothing to talk about, I thought it was clear!

The look on Shisui's face made it clear that he was wrong. He rolled his eyes and put his hand on his forehead, before saying:

"All she had to understand was that you didn't want to talk about it! And not surprisingly, she's more the type to respect your privacy! Forgive me, but really, what an idiot! It's been two years... TWO YEARS! That she's convinced herself that your heart belongs to someone else, and I KNOW you only see through her!"

"Stop yelling! How can you say that!" implored Itachi, redder than his Sharingan.

Shisui laughed nervously:

"All these gestures you have for each other, I know she is affectionate by nature, but YOU! Your underlying jealousy too, when I get too close to her... And just look at the look on your face right now! Itachi! You're crazy about that girl! And you have been for years! Please, go and ask her out right now before someone else does it before you! And clear up this story with Izumi! Idiot!" continued to exclaim Shisui, despite his cousin's signs to lower his voice.

"It's okay! I'll go, but I beg you, keep your voice down! If my mother hears you, it will be much worse than what you are doing to me!"

"I can't believe you missed it that much!" added Shisui as she flicked him on the forehead.

"We don't know, she... she might not like me that way." Itachi grumbled.

"Come on, Don Juan. I had a chance to make her mad when she saw you with Izumi. And even though she's all sweet and nice, I thought she was ready to bite that day. Don't miss it, Itachi. It would be a shame if she ended up in someone else's arms, you two are made for each other." Shisui encouraged him.

"I don't know if this is a good idea... We've been friends for so long, it would be a shame to ruin it..." sighed Itachi.

"It would also be a shame to attend her wedding as the witness of the bride, then become godfather to her children, dear 'friend', only to have to eat your fingers for allowing another man to lay his hands on her." argued Shisui, triggering a grimace in his cousin, as he imagined the scene.

"It's okay, you convinced me..." itachi abdicated before opening his window again.

Shisui walked out to go home, giving his cousin a thumbs up.

The young Uchiha sighed for a moment, before walking with determination to Aruna and Mitsuki's house. He knocked on the door, which opened again on the dejected Sensei.

"Please tell me you're here to invite him to the spring party..." he sighed.

Itachi nodded shyly, causing a huge smile of joy on Aruna's face, who called out to the girl:

"PRINCESS! It's back to you!"

The girl came downstairs at full speed, surprised.

"Is it Shisui again?" she asked, before spotting her best friend.

"Hello, Mitsuki-chan... What do you say...let's go for a walk?" proposed Itachi, trying to get away from Aruna's passionate gaze that was just waiting for him to propose.

Mitsuki jumped up and down as she rushed out the door, and Aruna took advantage of her turned back to point two fingers of his black eyes at Itachi's onyx ones, telling him that he had better not shy away. A drop of sweat beaded on the boy's forehead, but he gave a knowing look to the Sensei, before grabbing Mitsuki's hand to invite her to follow him. But this gesture that was usually so natural to him seemed suddenly very strange. However, Mitsuki tightened her grip around his, and gave him a reassuring smile, as if she could read him.He led her under "their" cherry tree, adorned with all its flowers as the sun began to set in the distance. It had been so many times that they had admired him here together, that Itachi wondered how the beautiful she-wolf could imagine that he had someone else in his life. All those rituals, all those stolen moments, all the promises they had made to each other, everything was so natural between them that he never wondered how the beautiful Hata could feel about him.

And yet, in spite of all her innocence, all her naivety, it was necessary to note that she had appreciated each moment they had shared. More than that, while she was sometimes sinking into sorrow, the presence of the Uchiha seemed to be enough to make her smile again. He smiled back as he thought about his cousin calling him an idiot. He was right about everything.

"What's so funny about this?" asked Mitsuki, sitting comfortably between his legs.

- Shisui...he came by to see me earlier.

- Oh...and was he okay? He came by my house too, and he looked weird... He just asked me if anyone was going to the party with me on Saturday night ...

- I know, he came to see me right after that." Itachi explained.

Mitsuki turned to give him a questioning look. She was so close to him... He feared she could even hear his unruly heartbeat. It only increased his fear of ruining everything between them, when everything was so simple until now. But he loved her, sincerely, with all his being, and the idea of being able to share more than just small gestures and promises with her gave him the strength to continue:

"We need to talk... About Izumi."

Mitsuki winced involuntarily. Her gaze seemed to dull, and she turned her face away again to focus on the setting sun.

"I'm not forcing you to, you never seemed to want to tell me anything more. I understand that you want to keep your private life... Private." she said, seeming to regain a bitterness, which shamefully warmed the heart of Itachi.

"No, it's not what you think. I'm doing it wrong again, like when you wanted to talk about it two years ago ... There's nothing between Izumi and me. There never was, Mitsuki," the Uchiha said in one breath.

"Ah..." Mitsuki hiccupped, surprised.

"So... Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up... And maybe this will seem less... weird... Would you like to accompany me to the party?" Itachi shyly invited her.

The young Hata turned around in a jump, before clinging to his neck.

"There is no one else I wanted to go with!" she exclaimed before placing a kiss on the cheek of the young man, who squeezed her a little more against him, before enjoying the end of the sunset, happy to be able to spend soon a magical evening with his pretty wolf.