Pity. That was it. I had been placed there to seduce him, to manipulate his feelings, to make him fall in love with me and, by doing so, secure my own power. But I was weak. I was stupid. I fell in love. And now, here I was, at the mercy of a fate I had created myself but could not control. Stupid girl. Foolish girl. Lovesick girl.
C's words cut through the heavy silence surrounding us.
— It's over, Pakura. — He said in a tone that made me feel the weight of every syllable. — He'll send you and Tenten away in the morning. He needs to leave two for the final choice, and the Hyuuga will bring more prestige than either of you.
Those words hit like a blow. The truth was raw and direct, with no sugarcoating. I didn't need anything else, nothing he could say now. The pain was instant and immense. A weight settled in my chest, crushing the air out of me.
No. It couldn't be like this. It couldn't. Not after everything I had done, all the time I had spent dragging myself through this palace, through this game, trying to convince him to truly see me, trying to believe that he was capable of looking beyond the façade we were all forced to maintain.
I wasn't going to let it end like this. Not without a fight.
Before C could step away, I grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the wall with a strength I barely knew I still had. The impact made a painting fall from the wall, and I felt my hands trembling uncontrollably, but I didn't stop. I couldn't.
— He can still choose me. — My voice came out weak, a whisper broken by the anguish overflowing from me. The words spilled from my lips before I could think them through, but I wanted to believe them. I needed to believe them.
Tears began to fall, thick and heavy. They kissed my cheeks, but before I could shrink into myself any further, C stepped closer with unexpected gentleness. He wiped my tears with the same tenderness with which he had spoken, and that gesture made me feel even more lost. How could he be so kind after everything? He knew what he was doing. He knew what this meant to me.
— It's over, dear. — He whispered, and the weight of his voice felt like a death sentence. I didn't know what else to feel. Pain, disgust, helplessness. I had come so close. So close to getting what I wanted, and now everything was falling apart.
I was a lost woman in a game I could not win. And, in the end, maybe that was exactly what I deserved.
***
After dinner, I retreated to my room, feeling the weight of everything that had happened piling onto my shoulders. I dismissed the maids who insisted on helping me with my dress and spent the next two hours staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. The decision I was about to make would mark me forever, stain me in a way that there would be no going back. But I had to act. C's words still echoed in my mind: "He's going to send you away." The final choice was approaching, and I had no time to waste.
I took a deep breath and called one of the guards standing outside my door, handing him a note containing the words I could no longer hide. Everything was at stake now. There was no turning back.
Minutes later, I heard a soft knock on the door. My heart raced. I took a deep breath and, as I opened it, I threw myself into his arms, kissing him with all the repressed passion I felt. With the warmth of his skin and the familiar scent surrounding me, I wanted him more than ever.
— Pakura… — He said, trying to turn his face away from my kisses and gently push me back by the waist. But I didn't let him. I was stronger than he thought. I had been trained—not to be a delicate, submissive woman, but to be the perfect soldier. Strong, fast, beautiful, and intriguing. I had a goal, and the Selection had been the perfect opportunity for Akatsuki to place me in this game, to turn me into the spy, the infiltrator, the chosen queen. Pakura Shakuton.
I closed the door and started undoing the buttons of my dress. What I was about to do was something I knew there was no coming back from. I was almost at the point of no return when I felt his hand over mine. I looked at him, and the moment our eyes met, I realized tears had begun to fall without me even noticing.
— What's wrong, dear? — He asked, concern written all over his face.
"Dear…" I was his dear, wasn't I? He liked me, treated me with care, preferred my company, had fun with me. He liked me. But C's words still echoed in my mind, reminding me that I wasn't who he thought I was. I was a spy. I couldn't allow myself to dream about him. I couldn't desire something that, deep down, would never be mine. I was there to destroy what he represented, to bring down his kingdom.
My body trembled, and a sob escaped my lips. Naruto pulled me into his arms, as he always did, with gentleness, with that sweetness only he possessed. He was like a prince from a fairy tale, exactly the kind of man girls dream of meeting, but… I wasn't one of those girls. I couldn't be.
He kissed my forehead and guided me to the bed, trying to soothe me. His touch was soft, but something inside me was broken, and I didn't know how to deal with it. The weight of the lie I carried on my shoulders felt unbearable now.
— Is something wrong? — He asked, his voice full of concern.
I didn't know how to answer. The words escaped before I could think.
— Are you going to send me away? — The question came out louder than I intended, as if everything I felt had exploded in a single moment.
Naruto smiled at me, but it wasn't a real smile. He held my hand tighter, maybe trying to reassure me.
— I like how direct you are. How you know how to choose your words well and end up turning an offense into criticism. I think that will be very useful.