Chapter 1: Autumn
So it's been about two month since Hinata started her new life in the small town known as Konoha, located in the fire country. It's the season of autumn, and the maple leaves were transitioning to red.
"Onee-chan, I'm done with the bathroom!"
"Thanks Hanabi!" Hinata tucks in her white blouse and rushes to the bathroom and brushes her teeth. She loves the winter uniform. It consists of thick stockings and a navy sailor jacket. She hears the front door open and her uncle yelling that he's leaving.
"Have a safe trip uncle!"
They are originally from Konoha, but her father moved to the city after her mother had died giving birth to her younger sister. Hinata and her little sister, Hanabi, moved back to live with their uncle and their older cousin, Neji. Meanwhile her father was outside the country due to his demanding job.
"Bye onee-chan!" Hanabi buttons up her jacket and runs out of the house.
"Bye Hanabi!" Hinata mirrors her sister's actions.
Their morning is usually like this. The uncle would make breakfast for the girls and leave for work. Neji, however, is usually already at school. He holds a lot of responsibilities and so he begins his day an hour early.
Hinata smiles and takes in the vibrant color of red leaves falling. On her way to school she meets up with Tenten. The routine started about three weeks ago.
"Good morning Tenten-chan!"
"Hinata-chan, hi! Are you looking forward to another day?"
"Mhm!" Her answer feels insincere in her own head. The truth is that she is having a hard time making actual friends. Tenten was like the only female friend she had. Her classmates didn't count.
"Me too!"
High school is like an arena of conflict. Hinata transferred during the second term. By then people already formed their group of friends. Or joined clubs, or sports team. Maybe none of this would be a problem, if it wasn't for the fact that Hinata feels differently about things she didn't care about. It is getting to her, like the way teachers are. They expect her to be perfect forever; all because she was valedictorian in her last school. She feels like she is forced to maintain the same image because it just makes things easier for everyone. So she has to be the good girl.
And then there is the gender of the opposite sex. Although tired, she pretends that she doesn't notice them watching her. So that morning when her friend Tenten walks to school with her- she suggests Hinata should cut her hair because that is probably one of the reason boys started calling her princess. Hinata thought about doing that before, so when Tenten suggested it, it has to be true. She listens, because this conversation is important; it's about her life.
As always, fourth period is like a jungle. Students gets up and move their desks to eat together. And the level of noise and chatter increases by the minute. But this is normal for it is lunch time. Hinata sits across Tenten eating her bento. Today she made rice, fish and vegetables.
"Oh my god, Hinata-chan, I think Kurenai-sensei likes Asuma-sensei!" Hinata laughs and couldn't believe it.
"No way Tenten, teachers don't…date."
"What? You're seriously naïve Hinata-chan." Hinata ignores this comment.
"I mean, how can you tell?" It is hard to picture that teachers could ever be something else other than teachers.
"I just can, it's like a gift or something."
"Really? Then… tell me who I like!" Tenten burst out laughing.
"Hinata-chan, you don't like anyone." Hinata is amazed by Tenten's perception.
"Wow you're amazing Tenten!"
"Actually that wasn't me using my gift. You keep telling me how boys are so stupid. All they do is cause so much trouble."
"Yeah I know..." Hinata plays with her food and looks outside the window. She spots two girls, one with blond hair, and another with pink hair, running around the track field.
The school day was over, and the two walk to the lockers to retrieve their shoes and jacket. An envelope falls out of Hinata's locker and Tenten picks it up.
"Ohhh! You got another one!" Hinata snatches the envelope from Tenten and opens it. "Come on! Read it!"
"No! I'm not reading it out loud…"
"Oh please, give me that!" Tenten snatches the letter and reads it. "Dear Hyuga, you have captured my heart. I am filled with joy when I pass by your classroom. Please see me behind the school at 3:40PM and give me your answer. With love, Matoko Ogawa." Tenten teases her friend and quotes certain part of the letter. Hinata rolls her eyes and wonders what the boy is like.
"Ogawa-san…? I don't even know the guy."
"I do! He's like the worst. He gets really bad grade. And I hear he sometimes cuts class!"
"I see…um, I guess I have to turn down another stranger."
"Don't feel too bad, Hinata-chan. I'll just wait here."
"Okay, thanks." It's sad, really. She's growing numb to these confession. It was no longer something amazing. But turning them down is never easy for her. Boys are, after all, human beings. Just like her teachers.
Matoko Ogawa was there, waiting for her behind the school just like he said he would. Hinata steps on a branch and the noise gets his attention. Matoko turns around and there was an aura of confident around him as red leaves falls behind him.
"Hyuga-hime!" It is clear to her that Matoko is one of her fans since he refers to her by that stupid nickname. "Please go out with me!"
"Ogawa-san, I-I am flattered. But…I don't like you." Matoko turns around and runs away. "I'm sorry!" Hinata yells as he disappears around the corner.
"I would hate to be that guy, believe it." Hinata tries to figure out where the voice came from. Eventually she looks up, and on the 3rd floor is a boy. His arms hang from the window as he rests his elbow on the window sill.
"Ah-um-I'm sorry that you had to see that!" She yells at the boy. He laughs. Seeing him leaning there with his head poking out of the window was like the most amazing view she had ever seen. The sun made him glow like a God. The feature she is attracted to the most is his smile. But also, his blond hair and blue eyes makes this boy perfect in her eyes
"Don't worry, I see it all the time!" It's true, since the back of the school is the place were guys would confess to girls. It is like a tradition. And his classroom is the perfect place to witness these confession.
"Oh…"
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, by the way, from class 2-E!"
"M-My name is Hinata Hyuga! I'm in class 2-A! Nice to meet you!"
"Yeah, likewise. Anyways, I gotta go! Bye!"
Hinata walks home with Tenten and she talks about what happened. When Tenten hears the way she spoke of Naruto, she begs her not to get involved with him because this Naruto is just like Matoko Ogawa. But what was the difference between liking Ogawa-san and liking Uzumaki-san? Well, Uzumaki-san was hot.
"Am I shallow Tenten?" Hinata reflects on her duplicity.
"No Hinata, of course you're not. We don't choose who we like or the moment when we're going to like them. But I was waiting for you, so I can finally tell you who it is that I like."
"You…like me?" They stare at one another with a blank look on their face, and then burst out laughing.
"Come on Hinata-Chan! I'm like so serious right here!"
"I'm sorry for not taking this seriously. So um…who is your crush?" She hopes it wasn't Naruto.
"Your cousin Neji."
"Wow…I would have never guessed. You have such a…you conceal your feelings really well."
"Yeah I know!" The subject changes after Tenten remembers the conversation that happened earlier this morning. "So like, giving people haircuts happen to be one of my other gifts. Do you want me to come over?"
"Um..." Hinata feels like she couldn't back down at this point. She doesn't want to disappoint her friend by being fickle. "Yeah…sure."
"Awesome! I'm going to make you look so badass! No one is going to call you a princess anymore!" Hinata laughs.
"If that happens, I'll be in your debt!" Hinata jumps on Tenten's back and gives her a hug, they nearly fall.
"AHH! You're going to kill us!" They laugh.
Autumn is here, and suddenly the season becomes one of Hinata's favorite one.