Summary: To keep the village safe from attack by a noble clan, Hinata volunteers to commit seppuku, a ritual suicide by disembowelment. Sasuke has something to say about it though and isn't going to let her off so easily. Tragedy ensues. SasuHina one-shot.
Warning: Grammar mistakes and incorrect historical facts.
Setting: A plain old village in feudal Japan. Think Inuyasha without the demons. No ninja play either.
A/N: This is a two-shot which means when you reach the end of this story, there will be a second part to it.
The One I Love
"Are you fucking kidding me? Don't even joke around like that! Why the hell does Hinata have to commit seppuku?!"
Five of the village men held me down on my knees. The urge to strangle the old man in front of me was overpowering. I was at my breaking point.
The village elder drew in a deep breath, staring at me with his hard and cold black eyes.
"I...received a notice from lord Tsukishiro that the nobles have issued an attack on this village. It seems that...people of our village have been suspected of trespassing and murder on their grounds. The other elders and I have pleaded with them, hoping to make amends, but...they would only accept it on one condition."
I gritted my teeth together, the muscles in my body tightening. "And you decide to involve an innocent girl?"
"The condition," he began "was that a member from a noble and ancient clan of our village commit seppuku to repent for the murders of the Matsuzaki clan."
I jerked myself away from the men, signaling to them that I was calm. "But you said the people of our village were only suspected, right? If so, then shouldn't they search for other suspects as well rather than focusing on us?"
The old man shook his head. "Evidence has already been proven on the grounds that it was the doing of our village. The kimonos we supply to the local town and travelers are specifically recognized from the patterning and fabric material. No other village produces the clothing as we do."
"But how can they limit us as the only suspects? Our village's kimonos are sold everywhere, it could've been anyone!"
He again shook his head and heaved a sigh. "My dear boy, there is nothing we can do about it. As nobles, they outrank us. It is the natural order to follow and obey the strongest ones in this age of Japan."
I clenched my fists tightly at my sides, the nails digging into the palm of my hands.
"Then, at least let me take her place!"
"The Hyuga clan has been around much longer than the Uchiha clan. The Uchiha's are merely descendants of the Hyuga's. She willingly volunteered to be the sacrifice herself," he said, the tone of his voice sad and remorseful. "Although it pains me, what she is doing will save this village. Her sacrifice will not be in vain."
Slamming my fist against the walls of the small and dark hut, I ran out, my mind in complete chaos.
I didn't have the guts to face her yet.
After an hour of walking around without any sense of direction as to where I was going, I came upon a childhood friend of mine, fishing at the pond with his specially designed spear.
He thrust it powerfully into the water and pulled it out with a large fish caught at the end.
Once he saw me, he waved his arms, beckoning me to come over.
We sat on the grassy hill overlooking the pond, underneath a tree that provided us shade.
The blond retrieved an item from his bag and pulled out a cloth, drying his face and hair with it.
"So, what's new with you?"
I didn't answer him, the pain in my chest increasing.
He sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "I...heard about it," he confessed. "It's not true, is it?"
Still, I didn't answer him. I never knew that speaking could be so hard.
Naruto let out a frustrated cry and banged his fist against the tree. "What the hell? You've got to be kidding me," he said, the pitch in his voice rising. "Of all the-and we can't do anything about it?!"
It felt like my voice was gone. I couldn't say anything.
I met up with Sakura that afternoon. She held a baby in her arms. Hers and Naruto's that is.
"Ah, Sasuke-kun!" she jumped, nearly startled at my approaching her. "What brings you here? If you're looking for Naruto, he ran inside the hut just now. I would go check on him, but as you can see, I already have my hands full," she grinned sheepishly.
"No, I'm not-"
"Do you think you could her for a second?" she asked.
Before waiting for a reply, she stood up, placing the baby in my arms and entered her home.
I stared down at the child, her eyes closed in a peaceful slumber. She had her father's blond hair, but I wasn't so sure about the eyes.
Small...
I held her as gently as I could.
Half an hour later, Sakura came out from the hut, her eyes glazed over. Without a word, she took the baby from my arms and placed her in a straw-woven basket that held a cushion of blankets. She walked over and put her head on my shoulder, not meeting my eyes.
"I...don't understand."
I let her be, knowing how hard she found it too. The two were good friends as much as Naruto and I were. She gripped tightly onto the front of my kimono, her hands shaking.
"She never...told me anything. I saw her just this morning and...she smiled like she did everyday."
Pulling me down, she looked up at me, tears streaming down her face.
"Why?! Why aren't you doing anything about this?!" she screamed in between sobs. "Don't you care?! If it's you, you should be the one crying now, right?!"
Naruto came out from the hut and held onto Sakura. She collapsed and fell to her knees, sobbing into her hands.
"It's not fair, she didn't even do anything wrong," she breathed. "None of us did."
The feeling of loving someone is something indescribable. Knowing that the person is right beside you, you also keep in mind that one day they'll leave and disappear right from your life.
Knowing that, can you still love that person?
The sun was setting and the sky grew darker. Above were the faint glow of stars that remained hidden until evening approached.
I made my way through the branches of the tree, approaching the small hut that she stayed in.
Pushing back the cloth that hung at the entrance, I went in, silently.
There she sat in the far corner, a single candle lit on the wooden table she used to scribble onto something.
Sensing my presence, she shoved the item underneath a pile of clothing and quickly stood up making her way towards me.
"Ah, hi Sasuke!" she said cheerily, giving me her trademark smile. "It's so late, what are you doing here at this time of night?"
"Hinata."
"Yes?" she answered, blinking up at me. "Is something wrong?"
In one swift movement, I grabbed her by both her wrists, slamming her down onto the futon that lay open in the center of the room, with me on top of her.
"S-S-Sasuke?" she squeaked.
"Why...Why are you doing this?"
She stared at me, her beautiful eyes taking on a sad look. She let out a sigh. "So...they told you, huh? And after I asked them not to."
I snapped then.
"Why?! Why didn't you want me to know?! Don't I have the right to?!"
My insides twisted in pain. I was ready to let everything out. My anger, my sadness, everything.
"Were you just gonna commit suicide and not let me know about it until the next day?!" I screamed, my throat on fire. "Are you trying to make it even more painful for me?!"
She remained silent.
"Why is it that you want to die?! Huh?! Are you sick of me? Did I do something wrong?!"
"No, you didn't, that's not why-!"
"Don't you understand? Once you die, that's it! There's nothing left of you! All the villagers, you're going to leave everyone burdened with sadness! Naruto, Sakura, Neji and everyone else, don't you care about them?!"
Her eyes glistened. They were the most beautiful pair of eyes I'd ever seen. She was beautiful, everything about her.
"Sasuke...I-"
"If you're going to die then at least take my memories away with you!"
Silence filled the hut; the candle in the corner of the room gave off a small flicker of light, almost burning out.
She was pinned underneath me. I gripped onto her wrists tightly. Her wrists were so thin; it felt like I could break her.
She drew in a deep breath and began. "Sasuke, I'm sorry," she apologized, her voice sincere. "I didn't want to tell you because..."
"Because what?" I asked.
"Because you...are the one person I don't ever want to see crying," she smiled gently. "I love you so much."
"But why? Why did you volunteer then? There were other members in your family who could've taken your place," I said, struggling to keep my voice under control.
"That's not true. Hanabi's too young and Neji nii-san isn't a member of the main branch. What the Matsuzaki clan want is the first-born heir. Even though I can't do anything about it, I'd rather it be me than those who are important to me. Besides, after my father died he left the village in my hands as well. It's my responsibility that I protect everyone."
"Why...?"
Why does it have to be you?
I loosened my grip on her. She held the side of my face with her free hand and brought me down, our foreheads touching.
"Sasuke-"
"Enough. Don't say anything. Let's just not speak."
I felt her tremble beneath me. She wrapped her arms around my back.
In the dark, I watched her mouth the words "I love you."
We spent our last night together in silence, holding each other.