A/N: My attempt at NejiHina after reading a couple very good Hyuugacest fics. I may add onto this as time goes on but for now, it is just a drabble.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
She had heard the news.
The news of her cousin leaving should have had no effect on Hinata. He was just a member of the branch house, a servant to the main house. There were plenty other branch house members to serve the main house, it was not akin to losing a member of main house for the war.
But, it gave her an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Neji had always been around ever since she was young, it was normal, right? But Hanabi did not seem to be effected the way she was, Hinata concluded as she sat in the dining room of the Main House of the Hyuuga clan, watching both her father and sister eat as if they had not a care in the world.
"Neji is leaving later tonight."
Hinata looked up at those words as her father began to talk about how Neji was leaving for a noble cause. Hanabi nodded and commented occasionally, everything she was saying sounding intelligent and mature, detached of emotion. Hinata's gaze returned to her plate of unfinished food, glancing at her father and sister every once and a while out of the corner of her eye.
They did not seem to care. They did not care that Neji was leaving. Why would they? He was just another member of the branch house. But, he was more than that to her yet she could not explain why.
"M-m-m-may I b-b-e exc-c-c-c-c-c-c-used?" Hinata asked, finally, her voice barely above a whisper. Hiashi raised his eyebrows and Hanabi rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. And with a quick nod of his head, Hinata was excused. She quietly slipped out of her seat and pushed her unfinished plate of food away from her spot.
Walking into the hall, she looked around, as if Neji would be in the hall. He would be leaving tonight. With almost silent foot steps, she walked toward the window and peered out of it. The sun had already set, the sky already a dark blue, the moon shining from a corner of the sky. The moonlight fell on a lone, tall figure which was walking out of the property of the Hyuuga clan. There was self assurance in every step the figure made, a dead giveaway to who the person was.
"Neji-nii-san." the Hyuuga heiress muttered. She watched him walk, knowing she shouldn't run after him. It would make her father even more displeased with her than he had ever been. Imagine what the clan elders would say if they saw the future heiress running blindly after a branch member?
Neji's long and lonely stride across the large Hyuuga property was watched closely by Hinata. She wanted to run out to him, cling to him, tell him he should not leave. But all she could do was stand at the window. And wait.
Neji looked over his shoulder, not needing the Byakugan to know that she was standing at the window, watching him. He turned away from her and continued walking, out of the gates of the Hyuuga Mansion and into the streets of Konohagakure no Sato to start his journey to where he was needed, as he was a jounin now.
But just as he left the gates of the property his lips mouthed out one sentence. "Farewell, Hinata-chan.".