Sincerely Devoted (SasuNaru)

The love we lost

10:15PM

I coughed in a failed attempt to swallow my noodles. The man sat in front of me nonchalantly, forcing Kiba to move aside.
My eyes awkwardly shifted to Kiba's before landing on the older Uchiha. Kiba was confused, he could only raised his brow at me before glaring at the taller stranger.

I shook my head ever so slightly to him, I reverted my attention back to Itachi.
"So.. What brings you here?" I broke the uncomfortable silence as he was flipping through the menu.
He smirked, "Just surprised.. That someone like my brother actually would end up eating at a place like this." His eyes continued to scan the menu, never once leaving it to look at me.

He swiftly closed the menu before flashing a gentle smile to the ladyboss in the near distance. "May I have what he's having?" He pointed to my miso ramen bowl with extra noodles and pork slices.

The ladyboss was astonished his presence, she couldn't stop staring at him. She blinked a couple of times, snapping out of it and was quickly to acknowledge his order before proceeding into the kitchen to let her husband know of the additional order.

The older Uchiha turned towards me as soon as she left the main dining area. "You really have him wrapped around your finger, huh?" He cupped his face, resting his chin on his palm and looking at me dead in the eyes. "To think you could change someone so cold-hearted.." He mumbled.

"He.. he isn't cold hearted." I boldly shot back.

"I'm sure you have seen the way he treats others, have you not?" His bony fingers lightly drumming against the wooden table. The repetitive sounds echoing throughout the eatery.

Just as I wanted to argue, the ladyboss interrupted me and served Itachi his bowl of ramen. "Please enjoy, Sir!" She turned to him smiling ear to ear.

"I must say.. You look very alike to Naruto's friend he brought with him yesterday! Are you his older brother perhaps?" Now I understood why she looked to be in a dazed when he entered the closed food place. She was calling for her husband to come and take a photo with a celebrity's brother but Itachi simply laughed it off.

"No, no. I don't have any siblings. In fact, I don't have a family. I was an orphan." He stated humbly before thanking her for the food.   I almost spit out my noodles when I heard his words. He seemed genuinely polite and kind, it almost reminded me of Sasuke before he showed me his true colors.
Could it be that his older brother is just like him? Are they just talented actors?

She apologised and sped off into the kitchen, feeling embarrassed.

I swallowed that bite of noodles, arching my eyebrow in confusion, "But you're.. not an orphan."
Unlike his brother, he hurriedly slurped up his noodles without a second of hesitation. The joy of every mouthful flashed on his face.

"There's no difference. To my family, I'm nothing more than a corpse." He explained in between his large bites of noodles.
At this point, I couldn't carry on eating but Kiba was already done with his bowl.
"Why? What ...did you do?" I finally gathered my courage to ask, placing my chopsticks down onto the table.
Sasuke mentioned that he only calls Sasuke for money and that he was a drug addict that gambles himself into heavy amount of debts. I vividly remember how much hatred he had in his voice when he described his brother.

But what would Itachi say?
Would he lie to me and come up with a sob story to get my money?
Is that why he's here?

The taller man took one last bite of his noodles before clearing his throat. Satisfied, he wiped his lips down before looking up at me.
"Yes, it's true. I'm an useless older brother who is addicted to gambling and drugs. And now I'm so deep in debt, that my life is in danger. I have no other options than to continue gambling in hopes to strike a fortune and repay the damage."

For a second, I saw despair and desperation in that man's eyes. And it pierced right through me. I held his hand that was left on the table across from me, with a burning sense of determination rushing through me. "Believe in yourself. You can get through this. Gambling isn't the only option you are left with."

Kiba jolted at my sudden moves towards the older brother.

"Na-"
"You don't understand, there is no other way." He shook his head, ignoring Kiba's existence.
"What happened exactly?" I asked, concerned.

There will always be two sides to a story.
One may be less factual than the other.
But I felt that it's worth hearing him out. It'll be good to understand his reasoning behind his actions and why it had to come to this.

".. It was 6 years ago. On my 20th birthday, my father announced that I would be taking over the company on my 21st birthday. Until then, Sasuke and I was kept as a secret from the public eye. The media didn't know about us as we weren't the best examples of rich families' children. But as the older brother, it was now my responsibility to ditch the partying and drinking, and step up to be the chairman of the company. I started to work under my father for a few months but the pressure was getting to me. And it was even harder because Sasuke continued his scandalous lifestyle as if nothing had changed. There were many people in the company talking behind my back as the spoilt brat that rode his father's coat tail. Humiliated, I decided to start my own business, but it failed. And I decided to start another one before it failed again."

He sipped his now turned cold tea. His dull eyes just left gazing aimlessly over his cup of tea.

"I started more businesses and each time I did, I invested more and more money in the next one. But there were little to none in returns. I just wanted to prove people wrong.. I wanted to make money with my own hands, not my father's. Not because I have the Uchiha blood.. I was so desperate to succeed, I'd do anything to accomplish what I felt like I needed to do at that time. So much that it drove me to resort to gambling as the last measure."

His voice cracked unsteadily and his words made my heart sank heavily. It pierced through and shattering me into pieces.
Because I completely understood how he was feeling and what he meant.
I wanted to prove my capabilities to people too.
I didn't want to be made fun of, or rely on Sasuke's money to carve a brighter future for myself. I wanted my future, in my own hands.

I patted his cold hand, attempting to comfort him.

He took a deep breath of air before continuing.
"When my father found out about my dirty habit, it was already too late. I was 8million dollars in debt. But my father paid it quickly and disowned me before anyone could find out that I am an Uchiha. You see, it was never about the money for him. It was the pride of our Name."

I bit my lip, shifting my glances between Kiba and Itachi. Kiba's eyes was laced with disinterest and suspicion. And I was unsure if I should trust his words completely. But his words, it really touched my heart. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but it felt real.
It could be because I'm naive as Sasuke always says or because it's relatable..

"I.. I understand your pain. It must have been so hard for you. But believe in yourself and things will look up for you." I muttered, uncertain of what to say besides encourging him. The tears were already building up in the corners of my eyes, I blinked rapidly trying to regain control of my emotions before I make a fool out of myself.

If it was true.. then I can't imagine going through this, abandoned and alone.
I can't imagine how scared shitless I would be out there in the streets, worrying about where I'm going to sleep, when will be my next meal and when those debt collectors will show up and kill me. On top of that, being disowned and unrecognised by my own blood.
It's like vanishing from the face of the earth.

For a split second, his eyes widen as if taken aback by what I said. The other hand of his' rested on top of mine which was patting his hand that was underneath.
He had a reassuring grip against my hand.
His gentle eyes locked with mine as he smiled softly towards me.

"Thank you for believing in me."