An early spring afternoon at the Uzumaki's.
Dread came over Sakura as Hinata leant over to top up her cup of tea. Married to a successful man with 2 children, she had it all... At least that's what she thought.
With a smile Sakura kindly gestured a thank you to Hinata before picking up the cup and saucer. Pressing the cup to her lips, she hoped the hot water would take her mind off the matter at hand.
'Cheating bastard! How could he do that to this honest and beautiful woman?' She contemplated.
"Thank you for coming over Sakura," Hinata spoke softly picking up her cup and saucer while she leant back into her chair. "Now that the kids are in school and Naruto's busier than ever, it's just me at home."
Sakura laid her cup onto the sauce and placed her saucer. She lent over her crossed legs and placed her saucer onto the coffee table. She pressed her fingers together against her lips and closed her eyes.
"S-Sakura.. Are you alright? Is everything okay?" Nervous, Hinata placed her cup and saucer down as well.
Sakura took a deep breath, trying to build the courage to speak.
"I have some bad news... It's about Naruto..."
Worried, Hinata place her hand on her chest. "What's wrong with Naruto? Did something happen?" By the time she finished asking her questions, Hinata was on the edge of her seat and her eyes wide with genuine concern. Sakura quickly pulled her thoughts together trying to focus on the subtle approach.
"He's being unfaithful!" Sakura blurted out, quickly covering her mouth. 'That was not subtle!' She screamed internally.
Taken aback, Hinata's glassy eyes quickly turn to confusion and frustration.
"W-wait... What? Why would you say that?"
"I'm so sorry Hinata, but it's true.. I saw him." Sakura said gently as she got up to kneel at Hinata's feet.
Hinata flinched and shifted in her seat, clearly displaying her discomfort. "T-that's not true. Why would you accuse my husband of...of cheating?" She turned her eyes quickly to Sakura's both enraged and offended. "What proof do you have?"
Sakura crawled over to her bag and pulled out a white envelope and placed it next to Hinata's cup.
"It's all in there..." Sakura said. "I've been following him over the winter after suspecting something wasn't right... this is what I have."
Hinata stared and the envelope for a while.
She respected Sakura and knew she wasn't the kind to stir things up on a whim. But in the back of her mind she hoped it was some sort of lonely house wife behaviour and that this would all be a mistake.
After losing the battle in her mind, Hinata reached over with shaky hands. As she pulled out several photographs from the envelope it revealed her worst nightmare.
It was Naruto with what looked like a mysterious woman. On 3 different occasions he was found kissing and grabbing her in inappropriate places.
Hinata's heart sunk and her hands froze letting the photographs fall to the floor. She looked up at Sakura with disbelief and turned bright red.
Sakura's eyes began tearing up as Hinata hid her face behind her hands. She leaped to Hinata's side and wrapped her arms around her placing Hinata's head on her chest.
"You're one of my closest friends and I didn't want you to hear from someone else…" Sakura said feeling a thump form in her throat as she continued, "I know it's a lot to take in. I didn't want to believe it myself."
"D-do you know who she is?" Hinata sniffled in a weak voice.
"Unfortunately no... I only managed to get Naruto and not the other woman."
Hinata shrugged off Sakura, tears threatening her eyes. "How many people know about this?"
Trying her best to comfort her she replied. "Only me… and Sasuke. I haven't said anything to anyone else…"
Hinata quickly ran into the kitchen. Sakura followed soon after. Pulling a scroll from her spice cabinet, she released the scroll and there poofed a delicate large lunch box with a fine Crimson cover and deep black container with a beautiful lacquer finish, wrapped in a cherry blossom scarf.
She wiped the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Hinata?" Sakura asked softly.
Without a word Hinata placed the scroll back onto the rack. She glided into the living room and picked up the images, slid them back into the envelope and placed them into Sakura's hand.
"Please destroy these… along with the negatives." Hinata asked politely, taking Sakura's free hand to her chest. "As a friend... No. As a best friend I ask... please keep this between you and Sasuke."
Her eyes where as big as they were before, pleading for Sakura to honour her request.
With a quiet nod and sheepish smile Sakura acknowledged her. Hinata quickly grab the lunch box and her house keys and briskly walked to the front door.
"Hinata?" Sakura called out again quickly following close behind. "Where are you going?"
"Naruto," she replied quickly putting on her boots and coat.
"What do you mean? Are you going to him?" Running the question back in her mind, it was stupid. But Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that she was indirectly about to be the cause of a broken family.
She stopped briefly after pulling the zip on her last boot, hair covering her face as she replied. "I-I... love Naruto. I'm sure he loves me too... I must speak to him..."
"Wait... Hinata!" Sakura panicked as she ran to her side. She knelt in front of her again and held her shoulder. "You can't talk to him now? Y-you.. Don't you think it's too soon? Why not wait until he gets home? You need time to process your emotions..."
The dread from before were now heavy weights on Sakura's shoulders. There were too many mix feelings at this point. The righteous feeling she felt before was no longer there.
'What have I done? Was this the right thing to do? I'm so sorry Hinata.'
Hinata shook her head, hair still covering her face. "I must take his lunch to his office... There I will speak to him..."
Sakura's heart sank even deeper. In the face of adversity, Hinata was still the loving doting wife. She could relate to Hinata and it made her blood boil. How could he do this to her!? How dare he!?
"Okay..." Sakura finally said breaking the silence. "I'll come with yo-"
"NO!" Hinata exclaimed looking at Sakura with her teary eyes. "I appreciate all that you've done...I truly am. Thank you for telling me Sakura. But I must do this alone. This is not your battle… I must face Naruto and ask him myself."
"But..."
Hinata gently stood up and opened the front door. Bowing low, "Thank you Sakura, but I must leave. My family is in trouble and it is my job to keep us together."