Imprints
It was a gloomy afternoon. The sun was shining as the wind blew coolly. The thick gray cotton balls up on the sky were warning to the town of Konoha that it was going to pour down some rain soon.
Chuunin exams are coming and ninjas everywhere are training harder and longer as their missions mount up. Most of these ninjas were aspiring Hokages. There were those who trained themselves in such a manner that they were able to discipline themselves and became masters of their own skills. Then there were those who were skilled by blood. They were the blue-blooded geniuses chosen to be heirs to their clans. Each trained harder than the rest to prove them worthy in leading the pack. And like the rest of them, these heirs/heiresses had their share of frustrations, mortal enemies and expectations that they had to fulfill, just like any other teenager growing through adolescence.
At the beginning, Uchiha Sasuke had been separated from his assigned partner, Hyuuga Hinata, but now that he was done, he observed in the shadows as the young heiress trained and meditated on her chakra in the middle of the forest.
Kakashi had expected Sasuke to finish his task within thirty minutes, but he underestimated the boy. Sasuke was able to mold his chakra, climb the trees upside down, replicate shadows of himself and of other people, and mastered the use of his Sharingan with less than fourteen minutes to spare. Getting bored, he had searched for the source of the noise he heard while he was training, and decided to hide behind the trees after seeing Hinata.
She was sitting on the grass with her eyes closed, trying to control her energy in a way that she would be able to take off from the ground. Sasuke watched carefully as she attempted to float for the nth time.
After three more frustrating tries, she stood up and made replications of different people.
Several minutes later, she groaned out of frustration and slumped to the ground, apparently unsatisfied.
"You call yourself a heiress?" Sasuke loomed in from the darkness as Hinata breathed heavily for air.
"Sa-sasuke. What are you doing here?" she said as she stood up, still holding her composure despite her weariness.
"Tuh.. I find it hard to imagine you leading the Hyuugas," he jeered. He circled and studied her from head to toe, "Hmpf. I'd choose Neiji over you any day."
"I-" Hinata bowed her head out of humiliation.
"You're weak Hinata," he said with his cold sneer, "Weak."
Sasuke's words echoed through her head like a resounding gong. Hinata tried to control herself as her veins started to throb harder. She felt her cheeks redden while her whole body went shaking. She wanted to cry as the hot tears gathered behind her eyes. But she didn't make them fall. She decided to fight back, and fight back with everything inside her.
She has had enough of his insensitivity and couldn't stand another insult any longer.
Without waiting for her reply, Sasuke started walking away, satisfied by the look of Hinata's face.
Within her, another inevitable energy tried to get out and free itself from prudence; rage was taking over. Her body started to move by instinct, wanting to hurt the conceited raven haired boy, just to show him that he was wrong to have judged her.
She's had enough.
"You're wrong!" She half shouted, half-murmured through gritted teeth, her eyes still glassy with suppressed tears.
The boy stopped dead at his tracks and turned his head back, his face smug with satisfaction.
"You couldn't even hit me with both my eyes closed." He waited with his arms crossed. He knew that Hinata had snapped and was going to attack him any time.
Yet she remained there standing with her eyes to the ground, hot tears dripping.
The horizon slowly changed into a deep shade of blue and the crickets started their song. The sun disappeared and was slowly being engulfed by the clouds, but still, nothing happened.
Sasuke exhaled loudly, slowly getting weary of waiting. Just as he was about to throw another insult, Hinata moved and flew towards him as swiftly as an eagle. She striked him everywhere and tried to cause him pain, but he was just as fast as she. He defended himself and avoided the assaults like he was playing with a child. He unworriedly took the attacks without a single scratch and just smiled.
"At this rate, even a turtle can surpass you sooner or later." Sasuke mocked her in between dodges and blows.
Hinata took the comment as a challenge and continued to fight like she had unlimited supply of Chakra. She wanted to finish this up with him, even if it would take her the whole night, she was more than willing to do so, as if fatigue had mysteriously left her.
"Is.That your. Best?" He smirked as he avoided her hook punch.
Growing tired of his cruelty, she punched harder, moved faster and kicked sharply below. She forgot about her morality and focused all her energy on Sasuke's elimination.
Finally, after what seemed like a quarter of an hour had passed, they paused and came to a stop for some air. She watched him as Sasuke breathed heavily across her, anticipating her next move. She saw excitement glimmering in his eyes, and she knew that he wanted more from her.
They were now covered with cuts, blood, sweat and bruises, but it seemed like Sasuke was just getting started.
Patiently, she waited for him. She had just decided on what she would do next after studying the situation carefully.
For five whole seconds, they just looked into each other's eyes and stood there, panting.
Then it came.
Sasuke's bead of sweat was building up on the corner of his left eye, and then it began to slide down, blurring his vision. He had no choice but to wipe it off.
As soon as he lifted his left arm, Hinata took advantage and attacked him with her rib crushing flying side-kick. With his right hand, Sasuke was able to block it off. But due to the absence of his other hand, he wasn't able to avoid Hinata's powerful elbow as it shot through his chest. Knocked down with great force, Sasuke flew a few inches back before hitting the ground.
Weak and stunned, he tried to get up, but even before he could move his feet, Hinata came and pushed him back, slightly pinning him to the ground with her foot.
"That was unexpected." He muttered, feeling his heart.
The throbbing sensation on his chest made him weaker than he had expected and it made him want to surrender and give in.
He gasped, "Okay, you got me. You-you were able to beat me. You are a worthy opponent after all Hyuuga Hinata."
To Hinata, it might sound like he had failed. What she didn't know was that the oldest technique to win is to admit defeat in the face of the opponent. While the impending victory slowly sinks in, he would suddenly grab her and turn the situation around.
Victories weaken the defense of the opponent.
As expected, Sasuke saw Hinata relax a bit after a few seconds. He gave her ten more seconds before he surprised her and lunged forward. He grabbed her and pushed her to the grass floor, his heavy body on top.
"Don't you ever forget that I'm an Uchiha." Sasuke said as he took hold of Hinata's shoulders, savoring the victorious moment. He inhaled more air and grinned to himself.
Hinata seemed annoyed but chose to be quiet. She was tired now. She felt stupid and was now disappointed for the wasted time. She shouldn't have fought back. She felt the warm air from his breathing and looked up to meet his eyes.
This close, Hinata was able to look intently into the eyes of the lonely warrior. She felt for once that they were not so different after all. He too was just pulling up a facade just to fulfill expectations. Deep down, they both crave to be loved and appreciated as persons but knew better that they would never get that chance. And so they push themselves to their limits so that they may forget the child weeping within them and tune out the small voice begging to be free.
The trees danced rhythmically as a zephyr passed by. They both remained motionless and silent, their eyes locked, their expressions empty.
Finally feeling awkward, Hinata pulled away from the trance and lowered her head down and lay still, not knowing what was going to unfold next.
Sasuke watched as she bent her head down, her cheeks florid. Then slowly, his eyes wandered and began to examine every inch of her delicate skin as if she was a specimen under a microscope.
Sensing his eyes, Hinata fidgeted and tried to get him off her. They would certainly make a scene if someone might come and see them in this position.
"Sasuke,I-I need you to-to get off me now. I-I need to breathe..Please.." She spoke slowly while she struggled with her limbs. He looked at her and then thought twice. Hinata on the other hand was trying to get ready for what might happen. She had thought that Sasuke was planning to do something harsh to her for speaking too soon.
Fortunately, Sasuke got up immediately. He looked back at her and then held out his hand.
Hinata stared at it and hesitated, but she accepted it later on after she was assured by the look of his eyes.
"Um, I-I'm sorry for the attack an-and for uh, hitting you like-like that. I je-just couldn't control it anymore. Um, are you o-okay? I know I-I might have hurt you o-or-"
"No regrets. You shouldn't have regrets too. Move on with your life and live with your actions Hinata. That's how you survive in this word," he told her as he adjusted his arm warmers and scrutinized the sky. And then he returned to look at her, "And stop stammering like you're about to break."
She simply nodded in response.
Don't worry, I've experienced much more pain than this. I'm immune to the suffering anyway.
"I better leave. I sense a famous loudmouth coming." Sasuke watched her as she straightened her dress and wiped off the dirt.
"Sa-Sasuke. Matte." she said as she ran to him.
He looked at her.
Feeling like she was getting lost again, Hinata turned her eyes away and watched the ants scatter on the grass. A mile away, dark clouds started to rumble.
"I..I wanted to thank you. You taught me something. Because of your provocations, I began to fight and for that, I am thankful. If you had not taunted me, I wouldn't have been able to exercise fully my-my skills. Uh, Your efforts are honored and deeply appreciated Uchiha Sasuke." she gave him a deep bow, "Arigato desai mas."
She looked up and found his mesmerizing eyes staring back at her.
Don't look at me like that, I might get lost. Turn your eyes away from me for they might hold me captive inside once more.
As if she was being betrayed by her exhaustion, she thought she saw Sasuke's mouth curve into a real smile accompanied by a short nod. She smiled back at him.
Your smile is heaven in my eyes Sasuke-kun. If only you knew.
And then silently, he left without looking back.
A few steps later, he heard Uzumaki Naruto's loud voice as he greeted Hinata and nervously gave her lilies.
"Hinata. It's almost supper. We better get back before it rains. Oh. uh, I brought you some lilies. They reminded me so much of you."
Then he heard her chuckle, amused by Naruto's gesture and seeing him blush in front of her for the first time.
He sighed and looked back at the two figures. He saw the nine-tailed fox keeper take out a towel and he began wiping her face gently. She bowed her head out of shyness and just admired the flowers. In a blink of an eye, she looked to Sasuke's direction and found the empty windows of his soul inviting her once more. They locked eyes and felt their souls connect, and then she turned away and started walking with Naruto, listening to him as he spoke of his adventure.
Back in the shadows, Sasuke never took his eyes off Hinata, even as she only appeared to him as a small dot.
If only I could move closer to you for another moment and feel your tender breath on my neck again. I would savor every second of it as I hold your beautiful skin and listen as you speak like a child for one more time. If only I would be able to hold you in my arms for one last time and pretend once more that you belong to me.
If only time had been on our side Hinata and I could have loved you better.
He held the spot on his chest where Hinata had kicked him earlier. It unexpectedly felt more painful than before, but it didn't throb as hard.
"No regrets." he reminded himself as he exhaled his sorrow.
He looked up to the trees and welcomed the pitter-patter of soft water running down his body. And then he started walking back home.
-end-