Rose [Shisui Uchiha]

Thorn #2

Koharu tapped the pen against her chin, staring up at the ceiling. She was trying to think of the next batch of flowers she would need to order, and making predictions about what her customers would buy next.

Would Shisui like colours other than red, though? She found her thoughts drifting back to one of her regulars. He's been ordering the same thing for so long; I wonder if he'd like anything else?

She tilted her head slightly to the side, continuing her habit. She decided to just get what she would normally, writing it down to make sure she wouldn't forget. She pinned it onto the board that was behind the counter, marking in red the date that she would meet the supplier.

"Okay, time to open up!"

--

"Did you get any leads?" Shisui questioned Itachi. He made sure that no one was around to hear them. It was a classified mission.

Itachi paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "The first 4 victims were killed inside their home, so no one bore witness. The most recent ones have been in public places."

Shisui placed a hand on his hip, thinking. "Why would they target in public places? It would be easier for them to get caught." He paused for a second, seeing Itachi's knowing look. "Unless they're purposely doing this."

Itachi glanced towards the direction of the village, then back at Shisui. "Shisui, you should make sure she is alright." He warned.

It was one thing that she was at the flower shop by herself, but it's another if she matched with the operatus modi and was defenceless.

The older Uchiha pressed his lips together only just slightly, but enough to let Itachi know that he was going to do just that. "I'll check up on her later. We have to go on a mission soon, don't we?" It was the same mission, but this time, they'd be expanding their territory and keeping close tabs on certain people that have paid them for their protection (AKA the rich kids).

Itachi didn't say anything in return, only putting on his ANBU mask and making a hand sign, disappearing from sight.

Shisui did the same, pushing the thought of Koharu in danger to the back of his mind.

--

Once Shisui finished his part of the mission, he changed into something comfortable and headed to the flower shop. Of course, he was going to get the same thing as always, but he also wanted to get something else so that he could gift it to Koharu, and invite her out to the festival that was happening in a few days' time.

He hoped that she was alright—she never really forced herself to stand out, even as the owner of one of the most well-known flower shops in Konoha. But even if she herself didn't stand out due to the cover of the flower shop, those who frequented it or passed by it often knew of the beautiful woman who owned it.

And that's the biggest problem here. Shisui's fingers curled around the coins in his pocket.

Heaving a deep breath in, Shisui opened the door to the flower shop. The bell rung a few times, but the stench of blood hit his nose like Itachi's punch to his face.

His eyes widened as his nostrils flared, obviously not expecting anything like this. He wrinkled his nose, momentarily stunned, before going in and taking a look around, saying Koharu's name a couple of times.

"Koharu?" He called, eyes looking around the shop. It was the late afternoon but the sun had yet to set fully, leaving everything to be basked in orange.

He glanced at the ground, seeing blood smears here and there which seemed to have been recent and not cleaned up. A few flower pots had finger sized blood prints on it, sending nervous chills down Shisui's spine as he thought of what would have happened in the shop.