Choosing My Heart

Sequel to My Heart Yearns

Life is full of choices. Even when we say there is no other way, there is. We humans are born with the ability to carve out our own path. Even when the outcome of a choice seems ridiculous, that choice is still an option for us. I stand here now with no other alternative, no other choice because I want no other option. I have made my choice and I am going to stick with it, no matter the outcome, no matter the consequence.

It's all or northing, and nothing is just too depressing to dwell on. I am going to fight and I am going to win. There is no other option except to give up—and that in and of itself, is not an option. I had worked far too hard for this, given up too much to just throw it all away.

A wise, aged man once told me, "Life finds a way to take a single frayed hem and make it into a tare. Then even when you try to patch the tare, it's just never the same as the original fabric."

I played with the hem of my shirt. The foreigners were coming today. I ran a hand through my hair before running down four flights of stairs. When I was near the bottom of the stairs, I slowed to an acceptable pace. I stood next to Chin and her various servants who were all waiting expectantly.

The two doors in front of us were suddenly opening, letting the setting sun creep into the hall. At first, all I could see were the outlines of four figures. When the door closed behind them, I had to wait for my eyes to focus. If there had been any doubt of them being the people we were waiting for, it was gone that second. Only foreigners would have such odd traits. Bright blond hair. Tanned skin. Clear eyes. Were those bandages over one of their eyes?

"Welcome, Naruto-sama and his honored friends," Chin said with a bow, everyone else following suit. They all looked uncomfortable except the clear-eyed man. He seemed completely in his element. Who was he? He was going to be the biggest competition.

"Thank you for your uh, hospitality," the blond-haired spoke. He wasn't going to be a challenge.

"Please, let me show you each to your chambers." With a wave of a hand, Chin was leading them down the hall. The blind man was walking as if he could truly see. I would have to look into that. The tanned girl beside him was paying close attention to her feet and not meeting anyone's eyes. The blond was gabbing about something to Chin. Pale eyes met my own and I took a step back, startled. I braced my feet beneath me. Those eyes were challenging—and I wasn't one to back out of a challenge.

They held mine like that for a good while, searching for some unknown thing. Meanwhile, I was searching his eyes for anything that I could find. He was so guarded, so emotionally withdrawn that it was hard to pick up on anything. He must have found what he was looking for because for just a split second, his eyes widened. That's when anger and hurt slipped through his mask. It was only for a second and when he blinked again, they were gone. It was only a second, but I had seen it. I had seen it and he knew that I had.

"We must not tarry!" Chin's voice broke through. I smirked at clear-eyes and give him a little half-wave. His eyes narrowed at me before going to follow his comrades.

Mika—one. Clear-eyes—zero.

The servants around me started running around to their various jobs the second the doors of the hallway closed. I climbed up the stairs—determined to spy on the new guests.

(Neji)

I had come on this trip because I had been left with no other choice. Naruto had been summoned by the Nakamura clan because of his eligibility as heir to the clan. Naruto was going so Sasuke went. Sasuke was going, so of course Tenten went too. That's why I tagged along. Someone needed to look out for her best interests—even if by doing so I would have to travel to a completely different country.

We walked through the doors to see rows of servants and the lady that had summoned us. They were all looking at us curiously, ready to serve our every whim. Some in the back were feigning innocence as they plotted how to take us down. This I could handle. I was raised to be formal and proper. I glanced at the three beside me. They, on the other hand, had not.

Naruto fumbled around, trying his best to be proper and polite. The secretary lady ignored it and motioned for us to follow her down the hall. Naruto began talking to her right away. Tenten and Sasuke followed behind them, and I brought up the rear.

As I was glancing at the crowds of people, seeing who I would have to watch out for, I caught another set of eyes. Unlike the other servants, she refused to shy away. Our eyes locked in hard competition. Her eyes didn't waver.

Interesting.

For just a second, her eyes were hesitant. That's when I saw it. The servants around her were all subdued and obedient, but inside of her was a spark ready to catch fire. She was observing me under the same scrutiny I was her. She was no average servant.

"We must not tarry!" Eye contact broken, I went to follow the rest of my group. When I looked back at the servant girl, she sent me a devilish grin. She sent me a wave.

The servant girl was up to something—and it wasn't good.

I walked past her and was forced to break eye contact. I lost sight of her, but I was definitely going to stay on the lookout. Obedient servants I could take. Scheming servants I could take. The problem was that I did not know how to take her.

I looked up at Tenten walking in front of me. I was not going to let any harm befall her. Even if she loved someone else, even if I lost my chance, I was still going to be here for her—forever. When the Uchiha bastard decides to dump her like he has everyone in the past, I'll be here to help her up. I know it will never be romantic between us. We had our chance and we had lost it. She would never feel the same way about me. I could accept that. I couldn't, however, accept that someone else was going to hurt her.

She must have felt my eyes on her because she looked back at me hesitantly, looking back ahead only seconds later. I was not bitter at losing her. I did not hate her for it. I hated myself.

At that moment, I promised myself that if I were to ever be given a second chance at love, that I would take it.

(Mika)

I watched as the foreigners were given a tour of the rooms. They all seemed comfortable enough around each other, but there was some kind of underline awkwardness. There was something that they weren't talking about but should have been.

I watched the blond as he talked with Chin. He was tall and had well-defined muscles. He was definitely a shinobi, and definitely attractive. I wondered if he was one of those guys that knew they were good looking and used it to their advantage.

"This is where she stayed?" He asked quietly.

"Yes, this is the room she kept while she was with us." Chin led them all into the room. Fortunately, she didn't shut the door behind her. The four of them plus chin glanced around the room with hesitant, glazed over looks. What had happened to them?

"This is…this is where Hana stayed?" The brunette girl finally spoke.

"Yes, she spent a little over a year with us here." They must have been close to Hana to feel so much pain at her loss. I had learned of it—obviously—but I had held no bonds with the woman. To me, she was just another name. She shouldn't have been, I knew. I should have felt some sort of feeling toward the person that led my clan, toward the woman that left my clan when we were in greatest need. I didn't, though.

I couldn't get myself to feel much of anything toward her.

Chin expertly lead them away from the room and down another hall. The feel of the group had drastically changed. Before, they had been awkward teenagers. Now, they were confident adults. Hanayo had held that kind of power?

The group was then lead to their individual rooms in the West Wing. I broke away from them then and made my way to one of the many sitting rooms. I pulled my feet up on the couch lazily. I was going to have a lot of work to do. Ugh. I put an arm over my eyes.

"I see no need to follow us around, especially when you do so quite inadequately." I peeked out from under my arm, seeing the clear-eyed man standing a few meters away. He sat himself down on one of the main couches, making himself comfortable. Rude. This wasn't his place and he didn't belong here. None of them did.

"I see no need to follow that girl around when she obviously harbors no feelings toward you." His eyes caught mine, boring holes into my eyes sockets.

"That is no concern to you." He was bitter—very bitter. Had the girl broken his heart?

"I'm sorry." That threw him off. He looked at me questioningly. "It wasn't my place. I apologize.

"Apology accepted." It was weird. All of the other foreigners spoke weird, but his flowed similarly to everyone else around here. He came from some kind of royalty. There was no other reason he would talk the way he did.

"I don't want you here, you know."

"I can tell," he spoke as he stood and inspected the room we were in. It was well decorated, which is why it was one of my favorites.

"My clan has been at war for many years now, and I don't want some outsider to come in and mess it up right when we start winning." The stranger sighed.

"What would you have us do, then? Completely forget Hana's memory?"

"Did you even know her?"

"Not well, no."

"Me neither."

We were quiet for a moment, him inspecting the room, me inspecting him.

"And there's another person who is fit to rule. My money's on that person."

"We were not made aware. Who is this person?"

"Someone of the main family that is coming of age soon. I'm sure you understand that I cannot release any more information."

"I do. This definitely changes things." He turned to me. "Why did he not rule before? Why did they seek Hana out if they had another? Why did they seek Naruto out now?"

"She," I corrected. "has not reached adulthood quite yet. She won't be eligible for the throne until her eighteenth birthday."

"Do you know her? May I speak to her?"

"Not personally, no. You would have to talk to Chin-san for that."

"Neji-san?" It was the voice of the brunette, from somewhere down the hall.

"Excuse me," he said with a polite bow before turning to leave.

"Nice speaking with you, Neji-san." He paused in his walking.

"You as well…"

"You can call me Mika."

"It was a pleasure, Mika," he said before exiting the room. The door closed quietly behind him. I sighed, pushing myself off of the couch. I needed to have a chat with Chin. Our 'chats' were never nice and I never won an argument against her. I pushed that thought aside.

I was not about to let the foreigners take what was rightfully mine.