You run and run as fast as you can from him. His strength and abilities are absolutely not a human like, he's more like a devil. You know that you're no match for him.

Suddenly, your forehead protector fall down from your forehead, trying to catch it before it hits the ground and you managed to get it but, maybe that is your mistake. No, you love your village so much, this is where you were born.

A few sharp shuriken stabbed you in non-vital spots, at your shoulder, your left arm and your thighs. You fall as your thighs is all bleeding. The moonlight which was showering you just now is covered by something, no...someone. Someone who used to admire a lot. Someone who you called a friend, someone who is the reason you're living right now, someone you loved...

You looked up to face him with streams of tears cascading down your cheeks. "Why? Why are you doing this?!" You asked while pulling out the shuriken that stabs your thighs as you winced in pain.

"How foolish of you, (y/n). You see me as a friend but I only see you as an opponent for me to surpass, but you're not even worth it for that role. Even if for being an empty weapon, you're still useless. You're weak." He said with a venomous tone.

You gritted your teeth in anger, "Then what is your goal?" You slowly withdraw your kunai but he quickly stabbed your right arm and broke it. You yelped in pain but still aware the sword that was swing straight at your neck. That is something too easy to read so you kick him away, and jumped from him.

"Hn, you're a bit senior with our eyes but mine is stronger..." He said while his crimson red eyes that have three tomoe on it spiraling to form another advanced shape. The next level of the doujutsu.

You quickly avoid his gaze, throw a few kunai at him and run away again from him. He's out of your league now. Suddenly, a sharp pain hit your back, exactly at the back of where your heart is located. Not just one, you're being stabbed with five flying kunai right now and collapsed on the ground, soaking in your own blood.

He marched towards you, his sword in his right hand while his crimson Sharingan was reflected with your own red eyes before it slowly fades away along with your blood. Maybe this is it...

"You are a stubborn one, my friend. Can you look into my eyes one last time. I'll give the best thing that you could ever seen, I promise, (y/n)." He said, suddenly with a soft voice.

You can't even do that by now. You're too tired, your vision is getting blurrier and you could feel that your life is flying away from your body. The cold night doesn't feel that icy too right now. You feel numb... Maybe, last words...

"I'm...sorry... I-Itachi-kun..."

"I'm sorry too, (y/n)." He raised his sword and stabbed you.

You gasped and jumped from your pillow, your hands are shaking while clutching tightly at the sheets. You try to calm your breathing pace down while wiping all the sweat with your shirt. You looked at the small old clock at the night stand beside you, 2am. You sighed. This is the third day that you got the same nightmare now.

"Hn, not really a nightmare..." You smirked as you glanced at the scar at your left arm. "It's real." You chuckled as you get up and went out of your room.

You went to the kitchen to get some water before you go back to sleep but then, a bit shocked to see him in the kitchen, stuffing his mouth with that cup ramen. You giggled, "Hungry much, Len Nii-san..." You said as passed him, get yourself a glass of water before you sit with your foster brother.

Len paused his eating while looking at you. His face is actually sad over something which you can easily read it since it's been so long that both of your being siblings. "Want some?" He offered the half empty cup to you.

"Thanks, Nii-san but I'm fine. What's wrong with that long face while enjoying your supper? Am I disturbing you that much?" You asked, joking at him which only resulted him to choke on his ramen.

He quickly chug on your cup of water before he calms down. "Don't say anything like that, baka (y/n). You never disturb me..." He said before continue with his eating.

You smiled softly at him as nostalgic feelings surrounded you again. Len really reminds you of your elder brother who is an overprotective one towards you. He is the first friend that you ever made but...being a shinobi, death can get you at any time,no matter you're young or old. At the age of four when the third shinobi war blasted, you were with your mother at home while your father and your brother went to the battlefield. When it is the time for the shinobi to come back from the war, it came out that it's only your father who came back but your older brother is nowhere to be seen. It is how it is to be a shinobi. He's still a twelve years old boy but...that is what being a shinobi is. Die, die and die. Nothing good will ever happen if you keep living on as a shinobi.

You sighed at this thought before looking back at the blonde in front of you. He surely seems troubled, it must be because if that...

"Nii-san, do you miss Oto-san?" You asked while putting your head on the table. Not wanting to let him see your tears from this angle.

He sighed, he finishes his food and throw the empty cup away before pulling his chair and sit next to you. He patted your back gently, "Sakata-san is surely like a real father for me, (y/n)...I never had a father but...when I'm with him, I think I get the idea on how living with a father is like. It sure is harmony and the night he brought you back, I was about to kill him on the spot as I thought he kidnapped you..." He said and let out a soft chuckle while his hand is still patting your back. "...and again, after he told me that you're my new sister, I was over the moon. I finally have a real family! It is a good memory to make...and now... you're the only family member that I have now, (y/n). Eventhough we're not related with blood, I still love you so much, (y/n)..."

You raised your head and smiled at him, he surely a strong guy. Len is only one year older than you which is 20 now while you're 19. From three, the number reduced into two. It's just the two of you since Sakata-san passes away two days ago because of his illness. Now, it's just you and your foster brother in this small house. It is small but too spacious for the two of you since your foster father is not here anymore.

But, you need to be thankful for still having your brother here. Len will always be here with you, just how he promised you when you first met him about 6 years ago. For being siblings for that long, you never opened up your dark past to him, not because you're not trusting him but... it's for a greater good. More too safety issues.

"You sleepy, himouto?" He asked you out of the blue.

You shrugged. "Not really but sleeping is not a bad idea too." You replied.

"Wanna have a spar with me?"

You looked at him with an awkward look. It's almost 3 now. "I change my mind..." You said as you stood up.

"What? You agree?" He asked with full of enthusiasm.

"No. I think sleep is the best idea for now. Going out late at night is not that safe, Len Nii-san. There might be wild animals or even bad guys out there." You warned him.

"It's okay, himouto! I'm strong enough for that. Plus, I can protect you too!" He said with his proud tone.

You sigh. "Nope. I wanna sleep because tomorrow we need to gather more materials for our orders." You told him as you yawn. Sleep is trying to devour you by now.

"Orders? Did they order from you again?"

"Chill, Nii-san. We both will do it together, right? I mean, our crafts are just the same. They use the same materials and even share the same quality." You reassure him as you know that you're always get the orders more than him because the people always say that your artwork is better than him but no matter what, you still thinks that your brother's works are better because he is the senior in this school.

"Hhmm...yeah, you're right, I think...we should sleep well tonight for the task tomorrow." He grunted. "Good night." He said and went into his bedroom while you walked to your room as well and get some sleep for the night.

***

*the art is not mine, this is just my imagination on how Len looks like.

"Hey, (y/n)." Your foster brother called you.

"Hn?"

"I've been wondering..." He said while gathering metals and iron ore before putting them in his bag.

"What?" You replied flatly, still gathering the materials too while taking a look at your order list once in a while. With only the help of that small shinny stone that can light up in the dark, it is totally a bit hard to find these materials.

"Are you a ninja, (y/n)? I-I mean, of course before Oto-san took you..."

That question makes you flinched a little before continue with your work. You sighed. "What is it that makes you think I'm a ninja before this, Len Nii-san?"

"I don't know...I mean, that night when Sakata-san found you...you were gravely injured with a lot of stabbed wounds. Oto-san used something special in order to... I don't know, 'revive' you that night. And-"

"Revive me?" You cut down his words with your random question, paused with your work as you turned around to face the blonde.

"Yeah, and then you were so skilled with fencing! I mean, you seems like you already have the basics. You took less than a year to become super good while I took more than 2 years to become good, not super good!" He was so eager to tell you what is going on in his mind right now until he just ignores your curiousness just now.

You looked down to your feet after hearing this. You don't want him to know anything about your past because... what happened before, it's better to just let it go and you don't want to ever look back ever again. Your past is in the past and you will only focus on the present along with your family. Maybe you should tell him but...not now. At least.

"I just got lucky while training. That's all, Nii-san..." You answered while sitting next him while handing him the bottle that you bring for the both of you.

He grabbed it and drink it after muttering a 'thanks' to you. He then sit with you as well, wiping his sweat out of face and take a rest for a while.

"Nii-san, what do you mean by Oto-san 'revived' me back then? I mean, is it too severe?" You asked him while looking into his emerald orbs.

"Oh, you were almost like dying but..." He moved closer to you and motioned you to lend your ears to him. You shifted your sitting position and do as he motioned you. He whispered something that you will never believe even in a hundred year, "Sakata-san is actually a spirit."

You scrunch your face while looking at him. "Seriously?"

"I know, right! It's so cool! I mean, we lived with one of the forest spirit before!" He said with his usual hyper voice.

"Are really believe that Oto-san is a...spirit, Nii-san?" You asked for confirmation from him as you definitely 100% doesn't believe with that statement. Your deceased foster father is definitely just a normal person. You're very sure about it.

"Y-You don't believe it, (y/n)?" He asked.

You shook your head in denial. But, when you think about it again, it's not something that is too... extraordinary to be exact. "How do you say that he is a spirit?" You asked.

"It's...hard to explain to honest..." He muttered. "When I was a child, I was always alone...my hometown is full of red haired people, unlike me who has blonde..." He said while playing with the tip of his hair as he smile weakly at the fact.

You put your hand on his to channel some courage to him. It also as a sign to tell him that he's not alone anymore, you will be here with him. "You don't have to tell me if it hurts, Len Nii-san." You speak softly while carving a soft and loving smile with your lips.

"No." He said as his beautiful orbs show his determination that will never faint away from those emerald gems like eyes. "I trust you like no one else, (y/n). You're my one and only sister and the only one person that trust in everything...I think it's not a big deal to tell you about this... it's my past, and it is something important in order to strengthen our bond, right?"

You were speechless with his speech. 'Past is something important...to strengthen your bond?' it's just a past, right? It's not something that you should take it seriously. The past is already happened and no matter what you do, you can't change it. If your past is terrible, just let it go and live on. That's how life works, right?

"Why is it so important?" You blurted out without you noticing it.

"What?" Len asked.

You flinched as you didn't realised that you accidentally said the word out of your mind. "The past, I mean..." You added.

"Of course it is important, himouto! It's... something that shaped us like how we are right now. Mistakes give us a lot things that we can learn from. Mistakes and past are the best teachers, you know..." He explained to you briefly with his own words but it is more than enough to make you understand.

"They are so important, huh?" You said while looking down at your hand. For the person who already abandoned her past and even her last name, her hometown... everything. You already left everything behind after that faithful night. Even the memoirs about your own family, your own blood, your own...self.

"My past, hn?"