Simple Manipulation

 

.:Eleven:.

...Don't you know that she wants to fall in love again...Don't you know that he's satisfied to own her...

...Three Years Later...

Three years. Three long years.

That's what it took for someone to finally speak up and admit they'd seen you walking up the street to Itachi's house. It took Kohana only five minutes to determine that everyone had been killed way before then. An appeal was filed. The fact that you had arrived to the neighborhood after the average time of death of the Uchiha family was presented to the jury and you were quickly acquitted.

Three years of your life lost and wasted over someone who'd left you to take the fall for him.

You planned to kill that bastard the next time you laid eyes on him.

Your aunt never returned to the village. You figured she believed you did kill those people. Kohana walked with you back to your old empty, abandoned house. It was heart-breaking, finding that nothing had changed since the night of the murders. The kitchen still had a few dishes from a light dinner. The refrigerator was totally empty.

"I wasn't sure if you'd come back here or not...so I got rid of all the perishables." She admitted shyly with a sad grin. You thanked her with a hug and moved onto your room. It was exactly the same. The only thing missing was the letter from Itachi that you'd left on your bed when you went to question him. You balled up your fists at your sides and bit the inside of your cheek to keep your anger in check. No words could truly describe the betrayal you felt. Hot tears fell down your cheeks as regret washed over you. "(Y/n)..."

You turned towards her. "Hm?"

You could tell she was fighting the urge to hug you so you lifted your arms as an invitation. "Oh..." She cooed and embraced you tightly, allowing you to sob quietly in her arms. Never had you felt so...alone.

---

As if things weren't bad enough, the inhabitants of Konoha were of little help. Most of them looked at you the same way they had the morning after, when the crime scene had been discovered. You missed graduation and no one even tried to get you back in school. Kohana tried to help you get a job after you decided to live with her and her mother but no one was willing to employ you for fear that their business would go under due to people avoiding places wherever a "murderer" was working.

"They'll eventually move on, (y/n). They'll let the past go and allow you to live your life." As you both walked back home, Kohana tried to be reassuring but after your fourth job refusal for the day, you weren't all that optimistic.

"Why do I have to wait for them to move on when I was proven innocent?" You sneered looking at her skeptically. She shrugged and made a pained face.

"Well you can't make them move on, treat you better, and believe you're innocent. The most you can do is ignore them or-"

"Leave the village?" You offered sadly. She choked on her sentence and coughed violently, causing you to lightly pat her back.

"Leave? Why?"

You shrugged and sat down on the porch. "There's nothing for me here."

Your words stung a bit but Kohana didn't let on. "You have me and my mother..."

You nodded. "Yeah, I do. But I can't live off of you two forever. I want to be able to get a job and support myself. I don't want to be haunted by bad decisions and people that can't get over themselves."

She nodded with agreement. "I understand...but still...that doesn't mean you should leave."

You left it at that.