Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto… And if someone else already wrote this idea, I'm sorry, I haven't read enough Naruto fan fiction…
Warnings: Just some SasuHina-ish-ness and a paragraph of Sakura bashing…
Sasuke took the liberty of sighing in relief as he continued down the path he had chosen. No regrets, just him and his destiny: Orochimaru, power, revenge. But he would not let his guard down. Someone had already tried to stop him from leaving the Leaf Village once that night, and he was almost certain that it would happen again.
Sakura- he almost let slip an audible groan. He had initially felt bad for knocking her unconscious, but that had passed quickly. He was completely justified in his actions- she was annoying, she was in his way, and she needed a reality check. He shook his head. Oh, Sakura… Why didn't she just turn around and start hitting on Naruto already? The only person he thought could possibly be more obnoxious was Ino. Even Naruto wasn't that bad.
"S-Sasuke?" a quiet voice trembled behind him. He turned to face what he assumed would be the second in a long line of people trying to hold him back.
Hinata. She was one of the less annoying people in the village. The least by far of the girls at the Academy.
"You're leaving," she stared at her feet. It was a mere statement of fact. She didn't seem to be trying to convince him to stay, but Sasuke couldn't think of any other reason for her to come.
"Yes," he answered slowly, cautiously. "I am leaving."
"Naruto will be sad," she pointed out.
"Maybe," he shrugged. "But I can't let that stop me."
Hinata began to walk forward. Slow, gentle steps. She was trying not to appear threatening. "Please, Sasuke," her voice was a whisper. "I know this is something you have to do. I won't try to stop you. I just need to know why."
Sasuke hesitated a moment longer than he should have. He knew Hinata had been rejected by her father as a weakling. He knew what Neji had done to her in the Chunin Exam. She might understand pain. More than Sakura in any case.
"All right. I'll tell you. But you have to walk with me." Hinata nodded resolutely.
He told her everything. Looking up to Itachi, the Uchiha clan massacre, his desire for revenge, Orochimaru, the curse mark, the power Naruto possessed, the attack from the Sound Four. Leaving the village, he thought, was the only was he would even stand a chance when that fateful day came and he confronted Itachi.
Once Sasuke finished his tale, the village gate loomed before them. Hinata then noticed that at some point during the walk, either Sasuke had grabbed her hand or she had taken his. Unable to clearly remember which one, she felt her face grow hot and pulled her hand away.
"Do you understand now?" Sasuke asked. "Do you see why I have chosen this path?"
Hinata lowered her gaze as she uttered the word:
"No."
She looked the puzzled Sasuke in the eye as she continued, "I see now that I'll never understand. Our ways are too different for that…"
"So, I guess this is good-bye…" her voice trailed off as she stared at her feet once more.
"Yes," Sasuke sighed. "This is good-bye."
Hinata nodded meekly as she turned and walked home. Sasuke sighed again as he watched one of the two people who would stand a remote chance at making him stay leave him.
But he had no time for regrets. He turned back to the gate and stepped out to face whatever his destiny held.
Author's Note: Sorry if I made Sasuke sound a little like Neji… Please R&R!