Chapter 1
Hinata Hyuga arose rapidly from her bed in an instant, her dreams having had been interrupted by the clamorous blaring of her alarm clock. A dim trickle of sunlight shone against her round face as she rubbed her pale lavender-colored eyes softly, moving them sluggishly towards the clock's direction. 6:15, it read. Hinata groaned to herself quietly, collapsing onto the purple felt sheets of her bed as she shut her eyes for a brief moment.
She'd been accustomed to waking up this early, as she was usually up and going by the crack of dawn, but on this particular morning, to her astonishment, she felt more like dozing off the entire day rather than arising. She didn't want to leave the comfort of her Tatami mat, wanting to consume herself in her dreams once more. As much as Hinata wanted to stay tucked in her bed, however, she knew she couldn't. Today was her first day of 10th grade, the start of her sophomore year in Konoha Central High School.
It seemed so unreal to her. Not much more than a year ago, Hinata had graduated the eighth grade and begun her first year of High School as a 9th grade freshman, and now, she was about to initiate her tenth year of school. Today, her older cousin, Neji would become a junior, graduating High School the following year, and her younger sister Hanabi would be going into the 5th grade and would be transferring to her school in two more years. Where had the time gone? Everything had been occurring so rapidly in Hinata's life, so quickly that she could not keep track of it all.
The young girl sat thoughtfully for a moment, becoming engaged in her thoughts until she heard her alarm clock go off once more. She quickly moved her head towards the clock, and upon seeing that it now read 6:30, she shot out her bedroom hastily, heading towards her bathroom across the hall.
Hinata examined her reflection in her bathroom mirror once she'd finished taking her shower and gotten herself dressed in her school uniform. To herself, it hadn't seemed as though she'd changed that much throughout the summer, except for the fact that her bust had increased gradually in size, along with her having slightly gained more curves than the previous year. She was still the same petite, 5 foot 2 ½ girl, with her same midnight blue hair, which now nearly reached her waist, and round, child-like face with her small, slightly turned up nose. Deep inside her mind, she felt somewhat disappointed at not having changed too much throughout the past three months, but shrugged it off softly and continued on smoothing out her dark bangs. She wasn't really all that concerned with her physical appearance, or fashion, like most girls her age she knew, for that matter.
Hinata made herself down the stairs slowly, having had smelled a pungent sweet aroma from the bathroom that had filled up her household like a fragrance. She could tell that smell from fifty miles away. Upon arriving at the breakfast room of her house, she saw Kumikou, one of the Hyuga household's servants, setting the table with Hirayachi along with cinnamon rolls, one of Hinata's two favorite foods. Her mouth watered at the sight of them, the fluffy breakfast pastries being set up with their delicate icing in seeming patterns. "Ohayou, Kumikou-san," she greeted warmly. "Ohayou, Hinata-sama", Kumikou smiled at the girl. "I have made your favorites for this morning. Freshly baked cinnimon rolls! After all, a growing teenage girl has got to have a good breakfast, especially for an occasion like this one." The servant winked at Hinata mischievously. "Arigato," she replied, heading towards the table.
Once she arrived there, she found Neji and Hanabi already seated, along with her father, Hiashi Hyuga, whom was head of the clan. "Ohiyou, Hinata-sama," spoke her father, in a stern way that lacked affection towards her. "Ohiyou, father," she retorted politely. Hinata had been used to her father's treating of her in that manner, as she'd always known that he'd been somewhat disappointed in her. As heir to the clan, Hinata had been destined to become a powerful and level-headed clan head, a strong and mighty talented fighter to represent her family. Instead though, she was a shy, idealistic girl whom sought harmony and disliked conflict of all forms. To her, conflict was like injecting a venomous toxin into her body.
While Hinata was intelligent and quite perceptive of her surroundings, she was not necessarily the strongest person physically, despite her constant training. However, though still quite shy towards those around her, she had managed to become slightly more outgoing, compared to her childhood and early adolescent years, and now, she was determined to be able to gain that bodily strength she sought after as well. This year, she would prove her true ability to both herself and her family. She would become stronger and maintain the nindo that she shared with Naruto Uzumaki.
A small smile creased through Hinata's thin pink lips as she thought of him. Naruto Uzumaki was a tanned, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, somewhat dense but sweet boy whom used to be in Hinata's class while she had still been a student in Konoha Ninja Academy, also being in her seventh and eighth grade classes when she was younger. Hinata had always been in love with Naruto for as long as she could remember, despite the fact that he'd never noticed her love for him while they were together. She thought of themselves as kindred spirits, as both had been outcasts as children and strived to prove themselves to those around them. Even though he was gone now, as he had left over 2 ½ years ago to go train with his godfather and sensei, Jiraiya, she still held him close to her heart, thinking of him at almost any given time of the day. She saw Naruto in her dreams at night, fantasies in which they'd be united, their souls being intertwined together as they'd been meant to. The young girl sighed mildly to herself as she thought of the boy. She knew that he'd soon be arriving back at Konoha at any given moment, though she did not know when. Perhaps I'll meet him again this year, she thought to herself jubilantly, though in the farthest end of her mind, she knew that the chances of that occurring were uncertain. Hinata continued daydreaming of him for a quick moment, and then returned back to reality, turning towards her cousin and younger sibling.
"Ohayou, Neji-nisan," she spoke brightly towards the two. "Ohayou, Hanabi-sama." "Ohayou,' they both said simultaneously. Neji sat firmly on his seat, eating away at his Hirayachi delicately. Hanabi, though also sitting with perfect posture, picked away at the cinnamon roll on her plate drowsily, he pale white eyes drooping over ever so often. This didn't surprise Hinata, as while she was an early riser, Hanabi was not a morning person.
If she were permitted to, she would probably remain resting on her Tatami mat the entire day. Despite the fact that Hanabi was quite strong for her young age, even having had surpassed Hinata's abilities when she was five, you practically had to drag her out of bed on a school day, contrary to her and Neji, whom was more of a night owl than an early riser, as he would often stay up late during the night either meditating or practicing his taijutsu quietly.
For a brief period, the breakfast table remained calm, not one sound being heard except for the clinking of the family's silverware and teacups along with Kumikou's gentle rustling about inside the kitchen. Hanabi slurped her morning tea in a quiet manner, Hinata putting in a small piece of cinnamon roll inside her mouth, Neji continuing on with his finicky eating and her father eating sullenly in muteness. They continued in this way for a few more moments, until finally, Neji, breaking the awkward silence spoke, "You sure have changed Hinata-sama. One minute, you were a small, twelve year old seventh grader whom had barely been admitted to genin level, and now, you have blossomed into a fifteen year old chunin about to start her sophmore year." He smiled warmly at his cousin, causing a light blush to emerge across her face an effect at the compliment. "Arigato," she replied meekly. "I really didn't-" Her sentence had been interrupted by her father's voice, Hiashi turning towards Neji and talking in an enthusiastic manner, "Neji, you have grown into a fine young man. Today, you shall initiate your junior year of High School, and with your keen skills, by the time you graduate the following year, you will have become a great, possible head for our clan. You must work hardly this year, as you always have." Neji nodded his head in response, and Hinata felt her heart sink as her body fell lower into her chair. Her father would often start his annual rant towards Neji the morning the new school years would begin, stating and emphasizing passionately how talented he was, as compared to Hinata, he was extremely gifted and a lot more suitable for the role of ruling the Hyuga clan than she was, him being both a realist and a genius, two of the key characteristics that her father believed a fit head should be able to embody, which she lacked. Like she was used to Hanabi's morning drowsiness, her sister now sitting half asleep on her chair, nodding her head softly, she was used to her father's favoritism of Neji.
She sighed slightly dismally as her father continued ranting on to her older cousin, picking at the breakfast on her plate soundlessly. After a few minutes, Hiashi's speaking had died down, and the table fell silent once more. After yet another moment of quietness amongst the table, the family felt the doorbell ring, Hanabi, now fully awake, getting up from her seat to answer it. "Hinata, Haku's here!" she hollered. Haku Shiro, Hinata's best friend, stood against the Hyuga household's front steps, his usual warm-hearted smile spread faintly across his pale face, which was framed by his neatly combed flowing dark hair. As he was only 5 foot 1 ft tall with a mere 95 lbs, him being even shorter than Hinata, whom was notably small for her age, was, his school uniform hung loosely from his slender body, a black belt being coiled tightly around his waist.
Bowing modestly towards Hiashi, whom now, alongside Neji, stood in firm posture behind Hanabi, he said, "Ohayou-gozaimasu, Hiashi-san." As soon as Hiashi nodded in approval to his greeting, he rapidly greeted Hinata's younger sibling and cousin, whom both replied mumbled responses towards the young boy. Upon seeing Hinata, who rushed at the speed at light towards the front door as she straightened her uniform for a final moment before heading out the door, his formal disposition transformed into a nonchalant, easygoing temperament. "Osu, Hinata-chan!" he spoke in a content manner, embracing his best friend in a friendly hug. From seeing Haku's sight, the feelings of disappointment Hinata had felt earlier that morning due to her father's bragging over Neji had long disppeared, now being replaced with genuine happiness. "Ready to go?" Haku asked her. She nodded in reply, giving her father and younger sister each a quick hug as she headed out the door. "Ja-ne, Father! Good luck on your first day of school Hanabi-chan!" she called out towards her family. "Ja-ne, Hinata-chan!" Hanbi shouted towards her older sister.
"I can't believe we have to go back to school already!" Hinata moaned as the two walked alongside Neji against their familiar path towards the school bus. "It's as if we just got released for the summer yesterday, and now we're on our way back for an entire new year." "Oh, it's really not as bad as it seems," Haku replied optimistically, a lively grin creasing throughout his face. "At least we'll get to see our comrades and old teachers again." You could always count on Haku to put on a positive face towards the world at all costs. Also being a generally early riser as Hinata was, he was compliant and eager in that way, always wanting to look at the bright side of things and find the good in every happening. "Well, I guess you're right," Hinata spoke towards her friend, a slightly cheerful smile emerging throughout her face. "It'll be nice to see everyone we know again and see how much they've changed throughout the summer."
Not long after, the two teenagers instantly became consumed in conversation, chatting over the various activities they were going to do that coming year. As she and Haku conversed, Hinata couldn't help thinking back to her own passionate goal to become stronger and prove her father along with everyone else whom had doubted her abilities wrong, and with this, her thoughts linegered back towards Naruto. Her mind swarmed with numerous conceptions of him, imagining how Naruto might appear like now. Has he gotten taller, or is he still the same height? Is he still the same dense, lovable, determined guy I remember? Has he gotten stronger throughout this time and developed any new techniques as he planned? Would he even remember me at all? she thought, wanting to know every single detail at that moment. Her heart pounded lightly against her chest as she continued imagining the blonde-haired boy, her stomach fluttering as though it contained a million butterlies.
Once more, the girl became consumed by her daydreams, until they were intefered by Neji, whom called out, " Hey, Hina! Hinata-chan? Are you okay?" Startled, she turned to face her cousin, whom stared at her with a concerned expression on his face along with Haku. "Your face is red. Are you running a fever or something?" Hinata's brightly tinted face emerged into an even deeper shade of red, her now resembling a human tomato. "Oh. U- um, I'm sorry.... I was just thinking about stuff, that's all," she spoke sheepishly. The two continued staring at her in bewilderment for a brief moment, until Neji's lips suddenly held a sly smile on them. "Oh, I see," he said to his cousin. "You were thinking about Naruto again, weren't you?" Her face still crimson red, Hinata glanced down at her shoes in embarrassment fidgiting with her fingers soundlessly, not able to reply to or face either one of them.
Neji had known about Hinata's crush on Naruto for as long as she'd had it, and whenever he noticed his younger cousin with the slightest hint of pink on her face, he knew almost instinctively that she was thinking of him. He shook his head lightheartedly, chuckling to himself softly. "Well I guess some things do stay the same after all." Once her embarrasment had finally toned down, the three returned to their initial conversation, until they finally heard the distant screeches of the school bus' approaching from afar. The three got on rapidly, each giving the bus driver a brief greeting, and as Hinata took her usual seat towards the front of the bus alongside Haku, Neji having had gone towards the back to meet with friends of his, she thought to herself this year, I'll become stronger. I'll make father proud and prove myself to my comrades. And I'll become stronger like Naruto-kun. Smiling to herself softly, she turned around to chatter with Haku.