Thirty-two Things
by
supportingcharacters
Hyuuga Hinata has three and a half months left in Konoha. To make the most of her remaining time, she has made a list. A list of things that she wants to do before she leaves. And Hinata is determined to complete all thirty-two things on that list, no matter what. {NaruHina + friendship fic, AU-ish.}
"What? No way!" Yamanaka Ino slammed the table with the palm of her hand, nearly causing her almost-empty glass to topple.
"This is…ridiculous. He can't do that, can he?" Haruno Sakura's reaction was more subdued than the blonde's, but anger was still clearly audible in her voice.
Oriho Tenten said nothing at first, but rubbed the tips of two fingers against her temple. "God," she muttered. "I think we all need another drink."
The four friends said nothing to each other as they ordered their drinks. It was only when four fresh glasses were in front of them that Tenten spoke.
"Okay, Hinata. Explain it again, slowly."
What Hinata had said wasn't very complicated. However, it was bad news, and her friends seemed to be in a state of disbelief.
"Father wants me to go to college in the Sunshine Country. Apparently, Sunshine Country's best University has an excellent business and accounting programme, and it's quite near to my Aunt Kanade's house. He says there's a job already waiting for me, managing Aunt Kanade's fashion company." Hinata spoke calmly and clearly, but she wasn't feeling very calm. The last thing she wanted to do was leave her friends to study something she had no interest in. She had tried her best to worm out of the situation but her father was…stern.
"But…but…" Ino opened and closed her mouth a few times.
"Did you tell your father that you don't want to study business in the first place? I thought you wanted to become a teacher, Hinata."
"I do, but he said teaching wasn't a suitable profession for a Hyuuga." Hinata's voice wobbled slightly. "I wouldn't have minded studying business in Konoha, where I have friends, but…"
"But the Sunshine Country is so far away!" Tenten finished. "Why does he want to send you away all of a sudden?"
"I-I think that he wants me out of the way," she said. "If I'm in the Sunshine Country working for Aunt Kanade, Neji or Hanabi can then take over Hyuuga Corp. I knew he always wanted Neji to be his successor." At this, a tear slid from Hinata's grey eyes. All her life she had tried so hard to make her father proud and now he was packing her away without a second thought.
"Aww, honey, it's okay," Ino comforted in a reassuring voice, patting her arm. "We'll find a way out of this."
"No, we won't." Hinata took a deep breath. "He's made all of the arrangements. I'm transferring from Konoha Uni to Sunshine Uni in December."
Silence enveloped the four. It was Sakura who broke it. Her usually confident voice sounded uncertain.
"What will we do?"
The four girls had been friends since middle school, all through high school and even now, starting college (Sakura and Ino studying medicine, Tenten music and Hinata business) they remained close. The thought that their quad would be ripped apart was horrible.
"When are you leaving?" asked Tenten.
"December 22nd. Aunt Kanade has a horrible New Year's Eve party every year, our whole family spends the New Year at her mansion. Except this year, I'll be staying on."
"That's like, in three and a half months," Ino mumbled.
"Well…" Hinata began. "There's really nothing we can do. So, I, uh," Hinata paused, slipping her hand into her purse and pulling out a slip of paper. "I made a list." She handed it to Tenten, who unfolded it.
"A list of what?" asked the brunette.
Ino and Sakura leaned over to read the paper with Tenten.
"It's a list of the things I want to do with you before I leave."
Hinata's List
1) Dye my hair a crazy colour
2) Go bungee jumping
3) Go to a house party
4) Have someone (not family or Ino, Sakura or Tenten) tell me I look pretty (and mean it)
5) Try ten different alcoholic drinks
6) Skinny dip at night
7) Learn to sew
8) Jump into a pool fully clothed
-"Er, Hinata? Were you feeling okay when you wrote this?" Sakura asked as she scanned the list. Some of the things were rather un-Hinata-ish. Some of the things Sakura couldn't ever imagine the Hyuuga doing. "Some of the things are very, uh…"
"Adventurous?" offered Ino. Sakura nodded.
A slight blush grew on Hinata's cheeks. She hadn't given them her full list. Her full list contained thirty two items. The list she had given her three best friends only had twenty four. The twenty four were things that she wanted to do with them, or needed their help to do. The other eight were private things, things she needed to do alone.
"W-well," the Hyuuga began. "Even if I make friends in the Sunshine Country, they won't be my high school friends. Some of the things on that list are things I'd only do once in a lifetime. I want to do them with you, so even when I'm away I'll have all of the memories of our once-in-a-lifetime adventures."
Ino smiled. Although it was her wide, beautiful smile, her baby blue eyes looked sad. "Hyuuga Hinata," she said. "I promise that I, Yamanaka Ino, won't rest until everything on this list is completed."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "A tad over-dramatic, Ino. But I agree, we'll help you complete your list."
Tenten nodded. "Agreed."
Hinata beamed at them. "I'm so lucky to have such good friends," she thought to herself. "I'm going to miss them."
9) Pull a prank on someone
10) Learn to play an instrument
11) Go to the beach with my friends
12) Try 20 new things that I've never eaten before
13) Make someone a candlelit dinner
14) Go camping
15) Fly a kite
16) Stay up all night
"You want to dye your hair? Since when?"
Hinata glanced at Tenten before looking down at her hands. "I-I've always thought that I looked, well, plain."
"What?!" Ino screeched. "Hina, you're drop dead gorgeous!"
Hinata smiled at the compliment. "But, well…" Hinata had never been one fixated with her looks, but as she said, she always felt sort of…plain. "I've always felt plain," she repeated. "My hair is dark, my skin is pale, and my eyes are grey. There's nothing colourful or wild about me." She looked at her friends, her gaze falling on Sakura's pink hair. "I don't have colourful hair like Sakura-"
"Who would want my hair?" Sakura interrupted miserably, tugging on a lock. "What sort of genetic combination gets pink hair?"
Hinata continued, looking at Ino's pretty blue eyes. "I don't have colourful eyes like Ino's." She finally looked at Tenten's bronzed skin. "I don't have any colour on my skin, like Tenten."
"Your skin is beautiful, though, Hinata," Ino protested. "You don't have a single blemish!"
Hinata took a sip of her coke. "I suppose so, but do you know how many people have asked me if I was sick when I wasn't? Or how many times I've been compared with a ghost? There's nothing wrong with pale skin, but sometimes I feel a little…too pale."
Tenten tilted her head slightly. "So you want to dye your hair a different colour?"
"Not all of my hair," Hinata added hastily. "I just want to…change my look, a little."
The three nodded.
Sakura glanced at the list again. "Go to a concert? Go ice skating? You've done these before, Hina."
Hinata smiled. "Some of the activities are once-in-a-lifetime activities, but some of them are things I'd like to do again with you guys."
"You want to go bungee jumping?"
Hinata laughed a little. "Neji went last year, he said it was scary but exhilarating. I've wanted to try it ever since."
Ino reread the piece of paper. "Wait a second, you want to go skinny dipping? Heck yes!"
Hinata blushed.
17) Go hiking
18) Kiss a stranger
19) Make a wish on a shooting star
20) Have a snowball fight
21) Buy a camera and take lots of pictures
22) Go ice-skating
23) Learn a new language
24) Go to the circus
"There's a place in Suna, what's it called? Kazekage Towers? Anyway, it's this super fancy hotel and casino, it's huge! Anyway, you're able to bungee jump off the top of it! It's probably expensive, but we could still go!" Sakura chattered away, already making plans.
Tenten nodded. "Yeah, we should all go to Suna. We'd probably be able to complete a few of the things on your list there, Hinata."
Hinata smiled warmly. "That sounds great."
"My Mom and Dad's wedding anniversary is the weekend before my birthday," Ino said thoughtfully, "and they're going away the weekend of my birthday. I could ask them if I can have a party that weekend for my birthday! That could be your house party!"
"Kurenai-san's wedding is in the Tea Country, right? And the reception is in a hotel on the beach! We could get to the beach then!" added Tenten. "And if you want to learn an instrument, I could teach you the guitar," she offered.
"Ooh! And as for your language, I could teach you French!" added Sakura.
Hinata nodded again, her smile still in place. She was sad to be leaving, but seeing her friends so determined to make the most of her remaining time…well, she decided she'd enjoy her last months.
25) Go fishing
26) Go to a bonfire at Halloween
27) Go to a concert
28) Travel to another country
29) Have a heart to heart with Hanabi
30) Kiss under mistletoe
31) Throw a party before I leave
32) Fall in love