1. Mise en Abyme: Hinata

'Mise en abyme? Sounds like some sort of posh French restaurant.'

Slowly, my gaze went from the sea-blue coloured nails to Ino's sea-blue coloured eyes, which were scanning mine expectantly.

Several heads were turned in our direction. Ino didn't seem to notice we were in a library, nor did she seem to grasp the concept of a library. I swallowed nervously. 'You really should try to whisper Ino-chan. We are in a library after all.' I felt stupid for saying this to her, but really, she should know better! The eyes of the glaring students felt as if they were burning a hole in the nape of my neck.

Ino rolled her eyes and continued reading in one of my textbooks. 'Locus Terribilis? Sounds like killer cocktail if you ask me.'

I sighed. Locus terribilis had nothing to do with any cocktail or alcoholic beverages. I really loved my blonde, bubbly friend, but at the same time I had been reading the same line for the tenth time, for she kept interrupting with terminology from my textbooks. I started to feel a little bit frustrated. I came to the library with the sole purpose to finish reading an extremely tricky text about the meaning of literature in a phenomenological way. And because of Ino's incessant chatting, I didn't even get what "phenomenological" meant.

'D-don't you have any classes to attend?' I quietly asked, silently hoping she wouldn't take it in a bad way. She usually got irked when someone observed her skipping-habits.

I startled as she slammed my book shut. I smelled a whiff of her freshly painted nails. And again, several heads went up, but Ino gave them The Look so they quickly resolved their attention back to their books. Rather than giving me the evil eye, she smiled sweetly.

'I figured it would be a good idea to skip Philosophy of the Western Law today, professor Orochimaru gives me the heebie-jeebies, and accompany you to the library. I also have an essay due for tomorrow so I could do my research right here, right now!' she grinned and leaned over to pinch my cheek. She then proceeded to take out some stuff from her little bag. I never got how Ino could fit so many things in such a little bag.

I smiled back and read the beginning of my text for the eleventh time. It seemed that Ino had calmed down and she was clicking and typing away on her little, silver laptop. Occasionally, she would scrunch her nose and ferociously attack the backspace-button.

I had almost finished a whole page (finally understanding what the writer meant by "phenomenological"), when Ino suddenly jumped up and started waving at someone behind me. I turned in my seat and saw Sakura's pink head appear.

'Hi,' she said, slightly out of breath. In contrast to Ino's tiny bag, Sakura was carrying an enormous backpack, filled with books and course notes and possibly anatomical figurines. I cringed as she dropped the gigantic thing on the table with a muffled bang.

She began chatting animatedly with Ino as she rummaged in her backpack, pulling out several books and notes.

I spied for the librarian, who was notoriously known for her outbursts of frustration if you talked or breathed too loud. I spotted her on the second floor, scolding a clearly uninterested student with a lot of sign language and furious expressions.

I tuned in on the conversation Ino and Sakura were having. '…I ran all the way from my campus, just had a dissection of the human eye.' She said, beaming with joy. I weakly smiled. Sakura always got very spirited when discussing her classes and Ino always gleefully joined her. 'Did it have a nice colour?' 'Nah, it actually looked a bit foggy.'

There was something fishy going on. Ino, although a notorious skipper, normally studied in our dorm and Sakura preferred to study in the library on her campus. Claiming she could not miss all the medical books they had there. Furthermore, Sakura's campus was situated on the other side of the city.

And here they were, in the central library that belonged to the literature students.

'So how are things going, Hinata?' Sakura asked, finally sitting down next to Ino, who grabbed one of Sakura's books and opened them on a random page.

'Aww, juck! Dissection of the bowel? Really, in full colour?' Sakura gave me a look, I shrugged.

'I'm okay.' I whispered.

'Oh.' Sakura said, clearly disappointed with my dull answer. I noticed Ino listening; she had stopped turning pages, focusing on a diagram of the daily bowel movements.

'So nothing special happened? Currently?' she urged and I frowned, having no idea what she was referring to.

'No?'

'No?' Ino had shut the book and was also staring intently at me.

'No!'

'Mmh.' Sakura had a disappointed look on her face as she shared a meaningful look with Ino. Ino just grinned at me and resumed attacking her keyboard.

Just as I began to think I could actually finish the phenomenological text today, the doors of the library screeched open. I never understood the meaning of silence in a library when you had a door that clearly needed some good oiling.

Ino and Sakura's heads shot up and I could see from the widening of their eyes, someone special had just come in.

Intrigued by their reactions I shot a glance behind me. Naruto Uzumaki had just come in and already managed to stir the library with the peeping sounds of his sneakers. In his wake was Sasuke Uchiha, closing the heavy door behind him.

I turned back to my reading. Because of Sakura, I had exactly two minutes before Naruto would notice her and start to flirt with her. Something Sakura would pretend to despise, but secretly she enjoyed as much as Ino enjoyed skipping classes.

So I tried to read as many lines as I could understand and waited for Naruto to come over at our table.

But he didn't.

Instead, I saw him and Sasuke Uchiha taking place at the table behind Ino and Sakura.

Speaking of those two, they were shooting me these meaningful looks I couldn't quite grasp. They both knew I was over Naruto the second he had confessed he didn't read. At all. Surely, I'm not as shallow as to lose my crush on him, solely on the fact that he didn't like to read, but it certainly played a big part in letting him go.

So why the meaningful looks? They didn't know, did they?

I ignored their stares and returned to my text, for the thirteenth time. I advanced well enough to sporadically glance up at the two friends, who were taking out books from their bags. At least Sasuke Uchiha was. Naruto was just staring at the ceiling, twirling a blond lock hair between his fingers absentmindedly, while tapping with his pencil on the table. It got him several angry looks from Sasuke Uchiha, until Sasuke Uchiha reached over and yanked the pencil from Naruto's hand. 'What the hell, man?' he mouthed at Sasuke Uchiha. But the latter just continued writing, Naruto's pencil sticking out from the breast pocket of his black shirt.

In the meantime, Sakura and Ino were also pretending to study. Sakura was dozing of above her text about the human digestive system and the little blue cell-phone screen was obviously reflected in Ino's glasses. (Which were, she swore, only an accessory to look smarter.)

Finishing the last line of the text, I, again, glanced up to the table Naruto was sitting at. Or better put, on which he was taking a nap behind on his sketchbook. I also cast a quick look at Sasuke Uchiha and his eyes coincidently met mine.

Feeling caught, I looked straight down again, acting as if my pencil rolled of the table and ducking to fetch it.

I heard the screeching of a chair and saw Sasuke Uchiha's black shoes walking in the direction of our table. I sat up and saw he was pulling out the chair next to me. He took his time getting seated and finally his dark eyes entirely focused on me.

I blushed. Of course I blushed. Sasuke Uchiha doesn't normally give his attention to a subject of the female species. He slammed the book he was holding on the table, waking Sakura from her doze and Ino from her texting.

'We got the same book.' He said slowly, making sure I didn't look away from his stare.

Ino was mimicking a fish on the dry and Sakura, being used to the company of the prince of darkness, dozed off again.

I couldn't come up with a response and Sasuke Uchiha sighed, opened his book and pushed it towards me. The text I had been reading almost slipped off the table, but I slammed my hand on it. I shyly scanned the pages of his book. The text was familiar but clouded with drawings of a mini-Sasuke Uchiha carrying a duck on his head instead of his normal spiky hair. These were probably done by Naruto (an art major) and I had to admit that they really did resemble Sasuke Uchiha pretty well and they were definitely cute.

I raised my brow questionably at Sasuke Uchiha. 'I need to copy yours.' He said.

I shot a wary glance at Sakura and Ino, only to see that Ino was distracted by a group of guys who were standing at the counter and tilting her head a little bit to the left, she smiled dreamily. Sakura was still asleep.

'O-OK.' I said as I pushed his book back to him, with my own copy beneath it.

A minuscule grin appeared on Sasuke Uchiha's lips as he unbuttoned a button from his black shirt. I blushed.

'I'll return it tomorrow.' And he rose from the chair, making sure my nose almost brushed his shirt and walked back to Naruto, who immediately fired silent questions at his friend.

A couple of minutes later, Ino got up and announced she was heading to our dorm. 'I'll be making dinner tonight, so ya'll better not eat!' she said in some, really bad, southern accent.

Without my book and with the text finished, I had nothing to do in the library anymore. So I began packing up and said my goodbyes to Sakura, who was actually studying now.

As I stepped outside the library, I felt as if a giant weight fell of my shoulders. Just the sheer stress of sitting in that library with those two, trying to make them talk with lowered voices and then, Sasuke Uchiha coming up and invading my personal space and time. It had been knackering. Even the icy-cold wind that blew in my face felt lovely.

I checked my watch: half past six. Ino said dinner would be ready around 7, so plenty of time to go home by foot. I had a bike, but I preferred walking. The chances to cause accidents were remarkably slimmer without me riding the bike.

The bicycle storage was so poorly lit that I had to shine by with my cell-phone. I finally found the thing when, suddenly, I felt a presence looming behind me. I had heard the campus stories about ghosts hunting the old buildings and the library happened to be the oldest building around. I took a deep breath and comforted myself that there was nothing a ghost could do to me, at least not physically, because they were dead. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up as I fastened my lock round my saddle.

I wanted to take the bike out of the irons when two arms reached out, hugging me in the process, and pulling the bike out. I screamed and began hitting my assailant.

'Ah.. stupid…stop.' I recognized the voice of my assailant.

'Sa-Sasuke?' I stammered, out of breath as I stopped hitting him with my backpack.

'Yes.'

I pointed my phone at him. In the dim light Sasuke, completely clothed in black, probably the reason I didn't immediately saw him, was rubbing his elbow.

'I'm sorry,' I said walking towards him. 'I panicked. A little. Sorry.'

He scoffed and did that typical thing he always did: he slanted his head and stared at me. I blushed as he patted me on the head. 'It's okay.'

'Going home alone?' he motioned at the bike in my hands.

We were both standing in front of the library. It was already dark outside and the lights of the library gave the little park in a sinister glow. Everything was clothed in a thick layer of snow.

I hesitated. 'N-yes?' I knew he didn't like it when I went home all by myself.

I could smell the soap he always used after swimming. He must have trained until he arrived with Naruto at the library. He said nothing.

'It's only a couple of minutes.' I quietly said.

'Sakura?'

'I think she and Naruto will go out after this.'

'Ino.'

'Already home, didn't you saw her leaving?' Didn't you notice the quietness she left behind?

'I'm walking you.'

'B-but…I can take care of myself!' I almost slipped on some ice, I had to clutch my brakes so I wouldn't fall down and make a fool of myself.

I tried to protest when he took the bike from my hands and started walking towards the gate. I pouted, but followed him, using is footprints in the snow as a lead.

He looked at me over his shoulder. His dark hair fell into his eyes and he carelessly blew them away, his breath forming small clouds. 'Walk next to me.'

'B-but.'

'Next. To. Me.' He halted his steps and I caught up with him.

'What was that all about?' I asked, carefully avoiding the slippery tiles.

'What?'

'You, asking me for my book in the library. You never do that.' I watched him for a reaction and he grinned.

'Your reaction was amusing. I was bored.'

'You surprised me.'

'Mh.'

We crossed the small square, with the ridiculous statue of some important men. It looked as if they were staring at us. But they certainly weren't the only ones.

Girls. There were a lot of girls watching us, almost spying on us. Especially stealing glances at Sasuke, who was walking beside me as if he was made of stone. Expressionless, not giving the girls even a flint of his attention.

I felt a little bit annoyed with them. Maybe a little jealous. With their short skirts and high heels. I even felt conscious about my legs when I wore jeans and the heels… I couldn't fathom how they managed to wear them when the ground was littered with snow. I buried my cold nose in my scarf, assuring myself they would probably regret wearing those, lying in the hospital with broken legs and fractured wrists.

'Cold?' he asked.

'No.' I answered before he could perform some gentlemen-like manners on me. He reached for my hand, taking it in a firm grasp. I could see a couple of girls turning away from us. I couldn't help but smile.

I recognized the lighted windows of my dorm, looming ahead. If I wasn't mistaken Ino's window was one of them and she had a good view of the street we were crossing now.

'W-we should stop.' I said eyeing the building. Sasuke followed my gaze and stopped. Stretching out my arms, I wanted to take my bike from him. But he had already pulled it out of my reach. So I stood there, like some idiot, arms awkwardly stretched out. People passing by would think I was practically begging the boy in front of me for some physical contact.

I always felt really small when Sasuke stood right in front of me, with all his loftiness and seriousness. But something else gave me a strange energy boost that I could feel in every fibre of my being. My heart was pounding loudly, as if I had run a couple of laps.

In a cliché-like manner, I gasped as Sasuke raised his hand and plucked at my beanie to put it straight and after a couple of seconds he pulled it off. My tiny ponytail had to go too. When he kissed me, his fingers were firmly locked in my loose hair and my hands found their way up to the edges of his jacket. The fingers of his other hand caressing my cold right-cheek.

He pulled away and I took a deep breath. Both his hand were covering my cheeks like warm pillows. My cheeks were blushing furiously and I felt like I was drowning in my own embarrassment.

'Sure I can't go with you?' Sasuke asked. My hands moved from the collar of his jacket to his pockets and I pulled out my beanie from them. With a movement which I thought was elegant, I jerked the beanie over my ears, my bangs completely covering my eyes.

Sasuke, without laughing: brushed the hairs out of my eyes. He doesn't get the kind of humour were you laugh at people's faults or stupid mistakes, except when they are Naruto's. When it's Naruto, by all means, he will laugh.

But instead of answering his question, I mainly tried to avert his stare and focused on the trees behind him.

'I'll take it as a no.' He said. Not smiling. I really liked his smile. There was something refreshing in the way his nose would crunch at the bridge and the little creaks that would appear around his eyes. It could make me melt like a heroine does in a romantic novel when she sees her beau, dripping wet from the dive he just took in his pond. Or something like that.

'No, it's a maybe if I get my book back tomorrow.' I said cheekily.

The smile I wanted to see appeared.

Sasuke handed me the elastic and opened his mouth to say something, but closed it. 'I just got a text-message from Naruto.' I didn't ask how he knew it was Naruto nor how he felt it. He took his cell from his jeans pocket and quickly scanned the message. 'He went drinking with Sakura, stupid.' I could almost see how he typed the latter.

I watched him as I tied my hair together again. The tiny point of his nose was red from the cold and in his concentration a lost lock of hair flew in front of his eyes. My fingers tingled to touch him, to wipe that lock from his eyes. Suppressing the urge, I walked to my bike and unlocked it.

'Hinata.'

I turned and my bike fell almost out of my hands, when Sasuke kissed me again. Maybe a little rougher than the last one. His right hand grabbing my arm and his other hand resting at the back of my neck.

'I…have to go.' He released his grip on my arm, squeezing my hand.

'I know...' He said in the same, doubtful way. I had the nagging feeling that it wasn't all he wanted to say.

'S-sorry.'

'Mmh,' he kissed my forehead and picked up my bike. 'I'll wait until you get inside.'

I felt my cheeks heat up once again and pushed my bike forwards.

'Hinata.' Again I turned. Sasuke was being unusually… I couldn't put my finger on it…jumpy today? 'I think…I mean that I love…' I felt my face turn crimson red. Was he going to tell me… 'I like it when your hair is like this…free.' Sounds were coming back and the only thing I could think was: Free?

'E-excuse me?'

He stepped forward and pulled the elastic from my hair. Faster than I could say "free", he threw it on the street. I stared at him, open-mouthed. 'O-OK?'

'I love you.'

'O-OK? I-I mean w-what?' He said it so quickly, it could have been a sigh or a car that drove by for all I know.

'And I will give you your book back tomorrow.'

'M-me too… I-I mean OK?' Confusion could not quite cover what I felt and I was seriously concerned about not finding my way back to my dorm. Which way did I have to go? Suddenly everything seemed to be illuminated by a different, bright light. What was happening to me? Why did he have such an effect on me?

'OK.' Sasuke said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. 'I'll see you at Russian Lit tomorrow.'

'Uhuh.' I answered, still confused or whatever the state that I was in could be called. Bliss? Happiness? Love? Nausea?

'Your dorm is straight ahead.' He added with a little nod of his head towards my dorm.

'Yeah, straight head left…I mean right?'

Sasuke chuckled. I love when he chuckles. I love him. 'I'll wait until you get inside.' He repeated.

Reluctantly, I turned around and started to push my bike. I couldn't forget his words. What did they mean? Yes, I know what "I love you" means, but what does it mean to him? "I appreciate you being my girlfriend and stuff" or "Let's get married, now". I shook my head. He probably meant something in between.

Should I tell Sakura and Ino? Or better, did I have the nerve to tell them? How was I going to tell my little sister, overprotective cousin and my I-expect-you-to-be-perfect-in-every-way father.

Feeling numb, I stalled my bike and climbed the stairs. My hand already touching the doorknob, but I turned for one last look. He was still standing there, patiently.

I waved, he waved back.

Smiling broadly, I pushed the door open.

Ever read Yamamori Mika's Sugars? (If no, you should. The art is gorgeous and the stories are really cute. If Yamamori Mika sounds familiar, it's because she also wrote Hirunaka no Ryuusei.) I read it during the exams and it inspired me to write this. Not story wise, but I really liked the concept of different people connected with each other in one way or another. So this isn't a one-shot and will (probably) contain more chapters. Also, it will not only be centered around Hinata and Sasuke, expect reading about other couples too!

Love

Tina