Escape [Sasuke Uchiha]

Chapter 47: His Wish

Flashback

"Itachi."

The two Uchihas spun their heads to the side, casting their gazes in the direction where the voice came from. A man around the same age as the older Uchiha stood a few feet away, regarding Itachi with a somber look. The younger Uchiha looked a little alarmed upon seeing the unfriendly expression on the stranger's face. He hid himself partially behind his big brother, clutching his well-grown hand apprehensively.

The unfamiliar stranger never tore his eyes off of Itachi as he said, "We need to talk."

Itachi looked him deeply in the eye. He knew what the man wanted to discuss with him about, and that topic was terribly inappropriate for someone so young and innocent like his little brother to hear. So he brought his eyes down, staring at the younger Uchiha with a pair of soft onyx eyes. He patted his small head and said, "Sasuke, please give us a time alone."

"Nii-san," the younger Uchiha whose name was Sasuke spoke up, "will you be alright?"

Itachi stretched his mouth wider, forming a gentle smile, and replied, "Don't worry. He is just a friend of mine."

He paused as he sneaked a glance at something behind Sasuke. Then he darted his eyes back to his clueless brother and suggested, "Why don't you talk to that girl?"

Knowing who he was talking about, he whirled his head around and looked with wide eyes and blushes bathing his cheeks. His shimmering eyes landed on the tiny girl who was still in the same position – crouching down in the middle of the abandoned park, drawing something on the ground using a small stick and humming an unfamiliar song. She seemed unmindful of their presences.

Sasuke suddenly felt nervous, unsure if he could strike up a conversation with that unidentified girl. He looked up at Itachi and stuttered, "S-should I... talk to her?"

The elder brother nodded, "It's time for you to make friends."

The young ravenette was about to object when Itachi lightly pushed him forward, "Now go. I will call you when we are finished."

"But, nii-san...!"

His voice trailed away when he caught sight of Itachi and the unknown stranger walking away to a quiet spot. Sasuke frowned indignantly, grumbling under his breath, "Why is he always not letting me come with him when something like this happens?"

"Something like what?"

The little boy was extremely astounded he nearly stumbled while spinning around very quickly to face the source of the new voice. He luckily got his balance evenly and turned his full attention on the tiny figure in front of him.

Standing before him was the same girl who he deemed cute just a few minutes ago. He was surprised seeing her standing there when he had last seen her crouching in the middle of the park twenty seconds ago. He started surmising that she probably had heard them and walked towards them out of curiosity.

Sasuke, who rarely talked to kids the same age as him, stammered, "I-it's nothing..."

"Oh..." the young girl brought her gaze down, staring at the ground beneath her mindlessly. She did not make a move such as turning around and strolling off; instead, she stayed there, fidgeting slightly in front of the young ravenette.

Due to her status of being the youngest daughter of a famous, wealthy family, it was hard for her to make friends, especially with the kids around her age. She was always surrounded by a small army of bodyguards under the strict order of her parents, and kids were frightened to get close to her because of the scary-looking guards. Seeing her surrounded by them also gave the impression that she was an ignorant, snobby girl, when in fact, she was the complete opposite. She was kept inside her house most of the time, learning etiquette befitting of a princess and other skills. She never had any freedom ever since she was born.