Engraved Hearts
Summary: Hinata attends Naruto's wedding, but her mind keeps drifting to their past relationship they had together.
Hinata walked into the church and instantly went to the back row. Her attention was instantly glued to the scene unfolding in front of her.
It was a pain wrenching sight. The wedding was perfect to every last detail. The white flowers were in place and the people looked like they came out a photo shoot. The groom was smiling and so was the bride. A dream wedding surrounded by family and friends.
"Do you take her as your bride to hold and love?" The priest read from the bible.
"I do." Naruto looked straight at his bride and gave her a passionate kiss. The crowd of people clapped loudly that could be heard from miles away.
She went along with the clapping, like a puppet being controlled by its master. The only thing that wasn't right, was her. She was suppose to be the bride, not Sakura. In her happy ending fairy tale, she would have marry the man of her dream, Naruto. But sadly, that wasn't the case.
She couldn't help but remember all the times they spend together. During those moments, she thought they were infinite and unstoppable, that it could never end. She remembered the necklace he gave her, engraved on it was: 'And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.'
"Hinata, I swear, that was the most amazing moment, I've ever spent in my life," Naruto gave her his goofy smile and shake his head. "Here I've something to give you." He pulled out a box.
Her eyes widen. What could it be? Spending time with him was enough of a present for could compensation for the time they had spent together.
"I had that made yesterday, I know you would love it." Taking out the necklace, he put it around her neck. "See...I told you!"
Tracing the necklace's engraving, she quickly put it back under her dress. Slapping herself on the wrist and she told herself, 'This isn't the time for remembering something like that.'
She tried throwing away the necklace countless times, but each time she stopped short of throwing it away. It always taunted her, of what could be but never was, like a painful stab to her heart.
He was her first love, her first heart break. She couldn't forget about him. There was too many happy memories of them together.
She honestly tried to, but on the day they broke up she compiled a box of photos of them together and burned them. Even though physically, the items of them together were gone, but the emotional impact was still there.
It still pained her whenever she remembered the reason for the break-up. It wasn't really her choice or his, but her father's.
"Hinata, you are the heiress to the family. You are the result of our bloodline. Respect it." Hiashi Hyuuga said with a stern face. He was reminding her daughter who she was. He was furious when he heard the rumor about her hanging out with that nobody, which turned out to be true.
She stood still. No noise came from her. He decided to emphasis his point, again. "Do you know who you are? The heir to our family." No one was in the household during their one to one conversation. "Cut your ties with that boy." He said in his stern voice.
She broke her silence. How can her own father ignore her love for Naruto? "No." She burst out. "I will not. I love him." Looking at her father for his reply; she knew it wasn't going to be positive. This was the first time she openly oppose him.
"If you really 'love' him, then I suggest you cut all ties with him. Tomorrow." He stared her down, with the same look: the look which someone would give to a pitiful pest."Save him some embarrassment from falling lower, then where he already stands in society." Her father was being serious and that he will carry out the threat, if she continues seeing him. He was set on making Naruto's life into a living hell.
Her decision would save him. She was going to remove him from her life. "Yes, Father." She replied and bowed down. She ran upstairs to her bedroom and wept herself to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a hard day.
She arrived at their usual hangout the next day with butterflies in her stomach. She wasn't ready to end it, but her conversation with her father kept ringing in her ears.
Naruto was already there, sitting in his usual stool eating ramen. When he saw her, he gave her a huge wave and motioned her to sit next to him. She opted to stand. This was the first place, they met during their first date and it will be the last place they will ever meet up in.
In a cheerful voice, he announced, "Hey, Hinata! You ready need to try this!" Taking another bite out of his bowl. "Ayame told me, I'm the first customer to ever have this favor! It's like eating sushi ramen." He laughed at his own joke.
She gave him a small smile. The quicker she ends it, the better. Inhaling some air, she finally said it, "After your finish eating. I need to talk next to you." She still stood next to him, knowing that once she sit down, his charm would win her over and that would means disobeying her father. The wait was unbarring; each ticking second was like a bomb getting ready to go off.
He was finish with his bowl. Every last slip. She gulped. It was time.
She hastily told him, "I'm sorry but I can't see you. It's me not you. I'm so, very sorry." Tears were starting to form in the corners of her eyes, but before he could see them, she ran away. She hid behind the trashcan because that's how she really felt at the moment, trash for breaking up with her only love. She could hear him screaming her name and yet, she remained silent. When she couldn't hear him anymore, tears erupted from her eyes and along with it, loud sobbing.
If social boundaries never existed, then this would have never happen. If only…they never fell in love. Life would be so much simpler. In the following week, her father announced her arranged marriage to Itachi Uchiha. It was a lifeless marriage. He could never replace Naruto. She saw him at her wedding with tears in his eyes. Just like what she was doing, now.
She felt someone tap her shoulder. Naruto? Turning her body to that person, it was her cousin, Neji.
"Neji!" She gasped in surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"It's getting late. You need to go home," Neji spoke up as he tried moving her toward the doors. She didn't move. He noticed dried tears streaming down her cheeks. His expression soften.
"Naruto, right?" He remembered the countless nights he had spend, listening to her heart cry after the break-up, it was heart-wrenching to him. "Hinata, you need to move on; you had already said your vow to your husband and Naruto had to his new wife. Forget about him. Fate had already been set in stone, let's leave it like that." He tried reassuring her. It wasn't working.
"At least move forward from the past for both his and your own happiness. Let the past remain the past." He said as he helped her up.
The halls were emptied. The party had moved outside. Taking a look around, Hinata realized the only person still in it was her cousin and her.
"You're right, Neji. As always." She gave him a smile. "Can you please excuse me for a minute for some alone time?" He gave her one last glance before he walked out the doors.
She took off her necklace and traced the engraving one last time. Her finger lingered on the word, "Infinite." Truth be told, infinite really could end, she laughed quietly to herself after realizing the lies she had been feeding herself the whole time. She placed the necklace on the chair and left.
It was finally time. She moved on from the break up after two years that had passed.
She closed the doors as she left. Giving one lasting last look at the wedding scene outside, she couldn't help but frown as she saw Naruto and Sakura dancing the slow, couple dance. She saw the couple kiss and couldn't digest the scene happening in front of her anymore. She hurried into Neji's car.
Her eyes were glued the landscape as he drove across the countryside. It was breathtaking. She spoke to Neji, "Isn't it funny, how everything is standing still and how everything looks so undisturbed by time. And yet, everyday, we're waiting for that one big change to destroy our usual life?" He agreed with her statement.
At the end, it was a blessing in disguise. Naruto had been her first love and heartbreak. He rocked her world and taught her so much: that life was a gift. He helped bring her out of her shell and into the person she was today. If it wasn't for him, she didn't know where she would be.
She was thankful for everything he gave her.
The blue sky was shining and nothing could go wrong on his wedding day. In the center of stage, all eyes were on him as he danced with his wife.
For a brief second, he swore he saw his ex-girlfriend, Hinata, stared him down. The thought quickly left his mind, as Sakura implanted a passionate kiss on his lips.
Everyone started to depart once the sun went down. He gave his wife a peak on the cheek and told her, "I think I left something in the church." He left for the church's doors before she could reply.
A silver glint caught his attention. What could it be? He went straight to the back and picked the necklace. It was the engraved necklace he gave to Hinata. Holding it in his palm, his eyes stared at it. All the memories of their relationship came rushing back. He was in love with her, but she broke his heart; today, instead of being married to Sakura, he could have been marry to her.
"Naruto? Naruto?" Sakura said from outside of the doors. He bit his bottom lip and tucked the necklace in his pants pocket. He left the church holding his wife's hands as he led her into the limo.
He was still clutching the necklace in his pocket.
A/N: I'm so glad this story is finish, I spent a few days slaving over it. ^_^ Hopefully, you guys enjoyed reading it, as much I enjoyed writing it.
Special Thanks to Auraliee for beta-ing it, she helped made the story sweet and to the point! (just the way I like it :-D)
As always, I enjoy reading reviews. It make my day a little happier...Thanks for reading.