Happy Birthday to meh sistahs! (Sept. 9 and 14)
Apple
Coming from the proud Hyuuga clan—from the main branch, no less—was a young girl named Hyuuga Hinata, the lineage heiress.
A pretty girl yet timid she was. She didn't have many friends, only her pig-tailed neighbor Tenten and her cousin Neji. She was not allowed to leave home with no company of the grown-ups. She couldn't play with other children in the village. It was a must for her to stay at home and train until she was ready to study at the academy.
The poor girl couldn't take the pressure anymore. She felt like a prisoner who's locked up for no good reason. At a very young age of 6, she already felt the awful sensation of loneliness, even if Tenten and Neji were with her.
But one day, when everything was too much for her little heart, she finally decided.
"Tenten, can you help me escape, just for a while?" she whispered to make sure no one hears them.
"What if we get caught?" Tenten nervously gripped at her plastic toy kunai.
"I…I promise…I'll t-tell them that you have n-nothing to do with this."
"But it's unfair!"
"I-I'm ready…to be punished afterwards. I just want t-to be…free."
"But…"
"W-will you help me?"
Tenten tightened her grip on the toy and answered, "Okay, I'm in."
Hinata smiled. "I…I can't thank you enough."
xxx
Fresh air. The sound of the villagers' laughter. The smell of fragrant fresh flowers from the Yamanaka shop. So this is what it felt like to be in her hometown. This must be the best day of her life. She could savor the sweet taste of freedom.
She clutched her sling bag then continued walking. She remembered Tenten as the brunette waved goodbye at the Hyuuga residence's back door. Too bad Tenten couldn't come. If she did, Father would find out she's into this, she thought.
"Hey! I never saw you before." Someone interrupted her thoughts. "What's your name?"
Hinata eyed the stranger—a boy about her age with bright blond hair, ocean blue eyes, and perfectly tanned skin. But something was queer about him; he had those odd three parallel lines on each cheek.
Suddenly, she remembered that he was asking her something. What was it again? Her name.
Her pale cheeks began to blush all of the sudden for she wasn't used to be with someone she doesn't know. She gulped and tried to speak. "Hi-Hina…" She couldn't continue.
The boy grinned at his new-found friend. "Hina is it? Well I'm Naruto!"
Xxx
They eventually became friends. Hinata later learned that Naruto was also lonely. His parents died from an accident and now he's under the care of a teacher at the academy. Mothers of the other kids won't let them befriend him for fear of Naruto's 'bad' influence since he's not brought up by parents. Those odd lines on his cheeks where scars from a bloody incident from the past; he was nearly killed by some unknown guy who was ordered to assassinate him when he was still a baby…
"Hey, Hina-chan," he said, trying not to sound rude. "Your eyes are different."
Hinata hesitated but didn't look offended at all. "M-my mother said they are s-special though everyone in my family has them. My father says they are like b-body weapons."
The blonde burst into laughter. "Haha! What can eyes do? Stare at you until you melt? Haha!"
She couldn't help but smile at his joke. She forced her giggle in, but she failed.
Her friend looked at her with much amazement. Eventually, embarrassment overcame her. What did she do?
"You know," he sheepishly said. "You're pretty when you smile."
The little heiress flushed at the comment. No one had ever said that to her before. Maybe it's because her old days were filled with frowns.
Xxx
The day was coming to an end. The sun was setting. Hinata's father must be looking for her by now.
"Here," Naruto handed her a ripe red apple which he bought from the fruit stand. "You must be hungry."
But instead of munching it away, like Naruto had done to his, she put it in her sling bag thinking that it would be better not to eat it too soon.
"So, we'll meet again?" Naruto asked with anticipating eyes.
The heiress stopped for a moment and smiled with rosy cheeks. "Y-yes."
And just as she that, someone gripped her right wrist. "I don't think so," he said. It was her father.
Hinata moaned in pain as the grip got tighter. This was the price she was expecting to pay.
Naruto punched the man with all his might. But with one swift hand, he was sent falling to the ground. "Stay away from my daughter!" And then the man turned to Hinata. "How dare you disobey me? You have much explaining to do at home, Hinata."
Hina-ta?, Naruto was still unable to get up. He could only lay there and watch his friend being taken away as the crowd of villagers whispered in low voices.
Xxx
The door opened, revealing a worried Tenten. She eyed her black-haired friend staring at the moon beyond the window.
"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan."
The young heiress turned around. Tenten saw her right cheek red and swollen. Her father must have slapped her when they returned. Shocked, the brunette placed her hands over her mouth as she gasped.
"I would rather thank you," Hinata replied, "because I met a wonderful friend." She took the apple from her bag and laid it gently against her swollen cheek. She smiled and whispered, "It's cool." Tears followed as she spoke.
Tenten moved closer and hugged her. "Oh, Hinata-chan…"
I promise we'll meet again, Naruto…
END
Thank you for reading! Please review, I'd to know what you think of this story. :)