Chapter 7

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Health is not valued 'til sickness comes.

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*3rd POV*

Kin wanted to stay and live as a happy journeying merchant, to enjoy the freedom and the sense of companionship that came with Haru.

Haru wanted nothing more than to live like this with Kin, to have a life that she couldn't have with Itachi.

But life was not kind enough to grant them their wishes.

Haru and Kin were walking down an empty street, each holding a bag with their dinner located inside, the aroma attracting a stray dog or two. The sky was a mixture of warm colors, streaks of clouds following the sunset that was lying on the horizon in the distance.

The street was quiet, save for the two companions' footsteps as they walked down the deserted path, one anticipating happily for a night full of treats and chatter, while the other simply looked forward to spending more time with the other.

Their plans were ruined by a series of harsh coughs that racked through the silence.

Kin dropped to her knees, coughs erupting from her mouth, her lungs burning, the bag containing her food laying forgotten and dropped on the floor. Haru stopped in her tracks purely out of terror, staring at her mentor with horrified eyes. The coughs continued to come, one after another, splotches of red scattering across the road, a red liquid spilling from her mouth. The heavy scent of iron filled the air, overlapping the smell of food.

Eventually, the coughs subsided, and Kin heaved herself up after a few moments, forcing out a warm smile as she staggered, trying find balance. "Calm down, Haru. I'll be fine."

But to the young Uchiha, it wasn't fine.

The blood on the floor, the coughs that ripped through the lungs...

It was all too familiar.

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[Edited]