(A/N): Hello to you all. I hope you're all doing fine. Here's the fic I've been anticipating to write. I don't have much to say really…

Genre: Romance/ Drama

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto… simply put.

…Enjoy…

Chapter 1

"The only place"

"I know the night is not the same as the day: that all things are different, that the things of the night cannot be explained in the day, because they do not then exist, and the night can be a dreadful time for lonely people once their loneliness has started."

-Ernest Hemingway

Lights illuminated her way, short but graceful legs carried her to a place she had never been before, but had thought of continuously.

The handle of her small and simple bag was kept neatly in the palm of her right hand, a small note, on which was written an address… kept in her left.

The streets were empty. Rare, seeing as to Konoha was one of those villages that never entirely went to sleep. But that night had been spent to its fullest, voices of excitement and joy were only few amongst the many noises that were heard that night. Why not… when a new year had just passed through the leaf's gates?

However… that did not necessarily mean that the whole village was celebrating said event.

She was not surprised… not even the slightest. She knew it was coming, she was told of her father's intentions 3 weeks earlier. But the thought… the mere idea of accepting her cruelly written fate… was something she had not handled with a few tears.

Tear stricken lavender eyes glanced down (for what could have been the billionth time) at the small paper in her hand.

It was confusing back at the time. She didn't understand why he had handed over to her his address. Back then, she had thought with a smile… that perhaps it was the only thing he could thank her with.

"Just take it…"

Who knew, that 3 years later, she would not even consider going to anywhere else but there?

Her father had been harsh. This she knew… It hadn't even been her birthday yet… But no matter how much she promised, or even tried to prove, he would not listen to her pleas. It had been decided 2 months before the occasion.

That if she was not able to prove her strength before the entering of the New Year's dawn towards him, (her own father) he would immediately and finally disown her.

So as she made her way to the only place she could go to at the moment, she could only accept, and during so… let her hopes leave her in the midst of a dark lonely night.

So it finally came to this…

--

To him, they were all he had left in this world.

Realizing this only made him laugh inwardly. In the beginning, they were both just plain annoying, barriers to his ambition. Yet strange as it seemed, life began to do its thing as usual. Show those who really needed it what it meant to have people beside you…

He knew what they were to him even before he had betrayed the whole village. But it wasn't enough to keep him from the intense desire to eliminate his own brother.

But thinking about those past events, as his onyx orbs indifferently glanced at the both of them… he knew that if the situation was to come knocking on his door for a second chance… he would not go.

Not in this lifetime.

"Maybe we should just set him up with someone. The teme's so full of himself he's never had a single girl by his side."

"……"

Then again…

Forest green eyes which glimmered with confidence and strength narrowed at the blonde haired Uzumaki, "Just because you had the pleasure of dating me for a few months, doesn't mean you have the right to compare yourself to Sasuke-kun…"

The orange attired ninja who was well known for his cunning pranks scratched the back of his head and stuck his tongue out famously, "I make use of what I get, Sakura-chan…"

The Hokage's apprentice sighed and resumed her relaxed sitting position before turning to the calm and reserved form of the being sitting across her, "As I was saying…" Those green eyes glanced angrily at the blonde sitting next to her, "… Kakashi-sensei told us to tell you that he's going to be away for a few weeks, meaning we won't be having many missions aside from the D-ranked ones the genins are still trying to get used to…"

The squirming and frightened Uzumaki slumped at this and pouted, "D-RANKED?! That must be fun… Ah, the dread…"

Dark, sharp eyes focused on that of his best friend, "Don't worry, dobe. It won't be too hard. D-ranked is just right for you… I assure you."

The blue eyed ninja sat up quickly, his loud mouth opening for another one of his useless come-backs.

Knock…Knock…

But instead of spitting out whatever he had in mind, he stood up and made his way to the door, mumbling something close to, 'I'll be getting that… then we'll see what I have in store for you, teme…'

The pink haired kunoichi looked at her dark haired comrade confusingly, "I thought this was your house…"

"It is…"

--

A dictionary of the vilest words crammed up in his mind as he made his way- no, stomped his way to the door. He had become used to his friend's sudden and sarcastic remarks… but somewhere along the way, he found out that he really wanted to out-smart him… at least once.

But just like what had happened recently, he just couldn't think of anything…

And what sucked even more was that… he just had to make a total fool out of himself…

But confidence was the heart of this young adult, and he knew that someday… he would leave the surviving Uchiha no alternative but to bow to his everlasting mightiness.

He opened the door, and once he saw who the visitor was, he grinned widely… It seemed like Uchiha Sasuke was going to have to kneel… very very soon.

"Oi, teme! Hinata-chan's on the door! Mind telling me why?"

(A/N): Your compliments, regards, complaints, and criticisms go in that purple (or was it blue?) button over there at the far bottom left of the page. Arigatou gusaimasu.

Now, I want to make this fanfic worth reading and this time… I do want reviews. They make me happy. So if you want me to continue this fanfic… I guess 5 reviews would be good for now . (for this chapter)

I apologize for the short chapter… I hate beginnings.

Kyotskete, ne?