The red-eyed monster

A series of murders against young and innocent's women put in check the police and the society. Without clues or any links to lead the police to the whereabouts of this cruel monster, can Hinata Hyuga be saved in time before her name join the list of the victims of the so call red-eyed demon?

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters don't belong to me, but Masashi Kishimoto.

Sorry for my english, it's the first time I write in english. I beg your pardon for my grammar errors.

This chapter has already revised by my beta-reader ZEKI FOR LIFE.

Chapter I

For any college student, a weekend always meant party. Whether going to night club, having a drink with friends, seeing a concert or just be outside for the pleasure of being outside were required activities for anyone who would proudly carry the title of college student. It was because of this that it was not surprising the way Jennifer, a beautiful young woman, of the typical stereotype of the American beauty, was being observed by her best friend. She was watching her as if she was crazy or as if she had some kind of mortal illness by her confession that she would prefer to be in her room that Saturday night.

"Are you really not going to Peter's concert? I can't believe it!"

Peter was her best friend's boyfriend; and although generally Jennifer would not put any objection to pleasing her friend, that night she didn't feel like to listen to the extravagant music that the man played; or pretending to be excited of the idea of being in a concert that she knew would finish in a fiasco.

"I am bit tired", Jennifer said. "On another occasion, maybe…"

"I can not believe it!" the other woman repeated. "I really want you to go with me!"

"Maybe another time…"

"Very well! But it is you who is going to miss out! I am going to take many photos, so when I show you them you will die of envy! You will regret for not going!"

Her best friend went to the room's door, opened it, but as she was going to leave she instead stayed in the doorway for a very long minute, as if she was thinking about something. Then she turned her face, so she could see her, and said:

"Are you sure you do not want to go?"

"Come on! I told you already, I am tired! You go to have fun. I am going to stay here. I will see you tomorrow; and then you are going to tell me everything about the concert, okay?"

The other woman sighed and said again:

"Well, it is you who is going to miss it."

And she went out, leaving Jennifer alone, who let out a big sigh, releasing the oxygen she did not know she had until in her lungs until now.

She stayed for another five minutes where she was, and when she was sure no one would listen to her, she ran to a sliding door, that separated the wardrobe from the rest of the room, and opened it.

"I am sorry for keeping you waiting", she said as soon as she slid the door.

"Do not worry", a man's voice answered.

Getting out of the wardrobe, standing in front of her, a tall and good looking man walked into the room, and when Jennifer saw him her eyes sparkled. She loved that man with every fiber of her being. For her, there was not another person as perfect as him. Gentle, affectionate, detail-oriented, he was to her everything that a woman could ask in a man. What fascinated Jennifer most were his breathtaking red eyes.

"Well, where were we?" the man asked with a seductive voice that made Jennifer's blush.

The real cause that she did not want to go out that night was not just because she did not want to be at Peter's concert. What her friend did not know, while she was excusing herself for not accompany her to her boyfriend's recital, was that minutes before she had arrived at her room she had received the fortunate visit of this wonderful being, who she loved so much. Now that they were alone they could continue with their kisses and caresses, and that idea made her feel excited.

The man came closer to her and Jennifer closed her eyes in an instinctive act, waiting to receive the soft lips of her lover on hers, which happened immediately. They kissed with passion; and when his hands went down her body with delicious slowness, until they rested on her hips, she felt her heart beat more quickly, waiting eagerly for what she knew that was going to come.

"Tonight I am going to make you feel something you have never have felt before", the man whispered in her ear.

If it were possible, Jennifer felt even more excited. She was ready! She was quite ready to receive everything that this man was going to offer to her! But when between their caresses she felt the cold of a knife stabbing her stomach, she realized that she was not the slightest prepare to take what the other had geared up for her.

She felt her blood leaving her from the new opened wound while the other continued stabbing her body with his deadly knife as if he expected to open the stab until reached her back.

She saw his red eyes, the same eyes that a few seconds ago spoke to her with the language of love. But now those same eyes observed her in a mocking way, showing the evident happiness that the owner of them felt by seeing her dying moment by moment. They were the eyes of a demon.

Life escaped of her. She tried to do her best to hold to what was left of her breath, but it was trickling away with terrible speed.

"Welcome to hell, my darling", the man said with sarcasm.

And that was the last thing Jennifer heard before being hugged by arms of the death.

It was always a nagging feeling to have to go to police station at first dawn, but it was even more bothersome when the motive to wake up in the middle of the night and leave the comfort of home was the murder of someone, and even more so when the victim was a young one.

As a detective, murder cases were David Craig's bread and butter, but never, not in his worst nightmare, he would have imagined being involved in so horrible an experience. Since four months ago, a ruthless murderer, cold, without heart (and if he had one, he was the most evil of the beings), had terrified the whole society, and even the police, with a series of murders committed against young women, whose only guilt was to be too innocent.

But that piece of shit did not only bothered killing them, but also he maimed them, and Craig was tired of seeing photo after photo of the different crime scenes, all of them showing the same: dissected bodies, the parts separated all over the room as if they were some kind of puzzle pieces and arranged in a sort of artwork of the most horrible taste.

David Craig had never seen something like that during his professional career. It was like Jack the Ripper had raised from his tomb, but instead of killing prostitutes he attacked young women.

He arrived to the police station quicker than he had wished. Inside, in a small office in which was a large table and a projector, his boss, as well as some of his coworkers were already there. After cold greetings and thanking someone who brought him coffee, he sat down and waited until somebody said what was needed to be said.

"Well", his boss began, bringing the attention of everyone over him, "last night another murder was committed. The modus operandi, the same. A Caucasian woman, twenty two years old, blonde, five feet six inches, thin complexion. Her name was Jennifer Wilson. She was a college student, who was studying medicine. Her body was found by, who said she was her best friend, Miss Katie Garcia. She said she had seen her before going to a concert, and when she returned she went to her room to see if she was still awake, finding her lifeless. Miss Garcia pointed out, when she was asked about it, that miss Wilson was a timid young, that preferred to be in her room instead of any other place on the campus, that she liked to read, that she was, until then, the best student of her career, and that some of her classmates used to mock her because of her shyness, which made her even more solitary. As for the body…"

He turned on the projector, and continued talking while a series of slides were shown against the white wall in front of mechanism:

"The forensic team said that she was killed by a stab wound to the stomach. Then her neck was severed in a clean and professional way", the sarcastic laugh that came after that sentence was heard in the whole place. "As ever the limps were cut off, removed all the organs removed and spread all over the room."

David Craig quivered with anger when the images of legs, arms, lungs, stomach, kidneys, intestine displayed all over the place passed in front of his eyes, as if somebody had disarmed a doll and did not bother to pick up the parts, except that they were not pieces that belonged to a doll but a human being. Another slide showed the reproductive system of the victim, which lay on the bed, along with an eyeless head, both surrounded by red rose petals, so brilliant and fresh that they seemed false. The eyes were in the nightstand. Meanwhile her jaw hung on a nail, probably intended to hold the woman's key.

"Her heart, on the other hand, was nailed to the wall above the bed with the crime weapon."

Another slide showed the true of his words.

"The same as always, we do not have a single clue. Without print, footprints or hair that helps us find the DNA of the murderer, we can do nothing. Actually, it looks as if that monster was not even there. If it was not for the body…"

Or what remained of it, Craig thought.

"Sir", suddenly a hand raised in the air, interrupting the other man. "Did our murderer sign his murder again?"

"Oh yes!" answered the boss.

He put a slide in the machine that showed two pair of eyes drawn in a wall, with verticals pupils, such as a cat. They were made with the blood of the victim, as well as these words: "The red-eyed monster was here."

"That shit!" Craig said to himself.

The boss continued:

"A mold was taken from the murderer's writing, but without any information that can help us to compare this to the correct handwriting we have our hands tied."

A deadly silent fell over the room. Everybody was thinking the same thing: until the murderer attacked again they would not have the chance to apprehend him. Someday, taken by his arrogance, he would commit a mistake, and then not the devil himself could save him.

But even knowing this did not made them feel any less remorse; and David Craig asked him the same question that all his coworkers were asking to themselves: who was going to be the next victim of the red-eyed monster?

It was seven o'clock when Hinata Hyuga opened her eyes to the world. Next to her, on the nightstand, the alarm clock was sounding with an angry tone, as if it was reprimanding her for still being in bed. The young woman slid out of the sheets and set her feet on the soft floor of her room, ready for a new day.

But that day was not a normal one, at least for the woman. That day meant to her a journey of adolescence to adulthood, to leave behind the childhood years and enter in the world of being an adult. That day marked Hinata's beginning at university, and she could not be more excited with the idea of beginning this new adventure.

She moved quickly to the bathroom to prepare herself. While she waited for the bathtub to fill of water she took a moment to see herself in the mirror, and the image that it gave back was that of a very pretty young woman, with long dark hair, white skin and two pair of big pearl eyes. Those could be weird for anyone who did not know about her heritage, because those were a hereditary trait that all of the members of the Hyuga family had.

After taking her bath she returned to her room wrapped in a bathrobe, while her hair was firmly pressed by a towel. She went to her wardrobe to look for something to wear.

That day did not only mark a new phase in her life, but also a new Hinata. Ever since she could remember she was always being mocked for her shyness, and Hinata had made the things worse for her by wearing baggy clothes, which made her look dowdy and bigger than she was. For this reason she had made a resolution, in this new stage of her life, and it was of dress in an appropriate way for her body, or at least try it with small and comfortable steps.

So she opted for a pair of jeans, which ended at the level of her ankles, a shirt that covered her just the necessary, without hugging her body in an uncomfortable way, and a jacket to complete the outfit. Regarding her shoes, well… Hinata thought about them. She had settled her eyes in a pair of heeled shoes, but she had never worn that type of footwear in her life, and imagining herself doing it frightened her a little.

"It is going to be better if I wear the sandals", she said to herself at last.

And she did so.

Meanwhile she was thinking of wearing makeup or not, her smartphone began to ring, telling her that she had received a new message. She quickly grabbed the phone and saw that what she had got was a video. When she opened it, the screen showed a woman's face with pink hair and light green eyes, together with another woman, this time blonde with blue eyes; and soon their voices filled the room:

"Hina-chan!" the woman with pink hair cried out. "I hope you are getting ready to go to college! Or I swear that I am going to come to your home to drag you with us!"

"And do not forget to be beautiful for you-know-who", the blonde exclaimed, winking an eye in her direction.

"We will see you at the university!" the first one said. "Until then!"

The video ended there. Hinata was happy. Receiving a video of her two best, and maybe only, friends, Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka, was certainly something to celebrate. But also she was blushing. "Do not forget to be beautiful for you-know-who", Ino had told her.

As if a spring made her move, she went to her bureau. She opened the right side drawer and picked up a photo that was very special to her from the inside. In the picture were two young children, a boy and a girl. The girl was her. As for her companion, his name was Naruto Uzumaki, and he was the love of her life since she had known him.

Naruto and she had been friends for a long time, but Hinata always had felt something more than friendship for him. During their years in the high school, her feelings for the Uzumaki had gotten stronger; and she would have confessed her love for him if not of her shyness.

Certainly, the Hinata Hyuga of the photo, with her baggy clothes, her shy face and her hair up in two ponytails in each side of her face, would not have an opportunity with the guy. But the Hinata of now… She saw her face in the bureau mirror and then the photograph, the blue sky eyes of the young man and his brilliant smile, and an immediate resolution was built inside her. She took the makeup kit that Sakura had given her and she put some on. She did not do anything exaggerated, leaving her face in a very natural way, but the result was evident, and she ended liking what she saw in the mirror. This time she would have the courage to tell Naruto what she felt for him. Now she was a different kind of Hinata.

A knock in the room's door snapped her out of her musings. Hinata was quick to open the door, finding on the other side of it the face of one of the chambermaid of the Hyuga household.

"Miss", she said, "I would like to know if your luggage is ready."

"Yes", she said, and opened the door even more, pointing out with her finger in the direction of a pair of baggage lying on the floor, next to her bureau.

The maid motioned to a person behind her and then she and another woman entered her room, picking up the luggage.

"Breakfast is ready, miss", the chambermaid said before leaving the room.

Quickly Hinata arranged some of her belongings in a big purse, which she intended to bring with her when she left, and went out of her room, taking the staircase that would connect her to the dining room.

She was in a really good mood, and she felt like nothing could make her change that, but when she entered the dining room and found the cold face of her father, all the security that she had accumulated inside her weakened.

Hiashi Hyuga was a cold man, and for the most of his rivals a heartless person, who reigned with his coldness for everyone in equal measure, even his two daughters, Hinata and her little sister Hanabi, but Hinata the most. Since she was a little girl she had always been a failure for her father, and even though she had tried to be a better person for him, he had never seen her in another way. Hinata loved her father, and she knew that, deep down at least, Hiashi loved her, but that did not inhibit her to be nervous in his presence.

"Father", she saluted with courtesy and the most tranquility she could gather.

"As always, you arrived late to breakfast", that was the way Hiashi welcomed her. "Let's see if the university changes these bad habits of yours."

Hinata bit her lip to avoid saying something inadequate.

"Medicine, is not it?" her father asked, bringing her attention over him.

"Yes", she answered trying to control her trembling voice, which so many times had caused her father's anger.

Hiashi let out an angry snort.

"Well, I knew you never have had the qualities to take the family business. That was why I put Neji in charge of them."

Neji Hyuga was Hinata's cousin.

"But I suppose you would have made to your mother happy", Hiashi continued.

Hinata's eyes sparkled. That was until then the most touching thing her father had said to her. To talk about her mother was something really special for her; and even though she was dead, Hinata kept her memory with love.

"By the way", the head of the Hyuga family said, "you look… different."

Hinata blushed.

"I hope no man have anything to do with your change."

"No, father! I am doing this for myself."

"Very well", Hiashi looked her dryly. "Because if you stain the Hyuga name with an unwanted pregnancy I am going to…", he shook his fist in the air, showing Hinata very well what was going to happen to her if she had the baby of a man unworthy in her father's eyes. "But you look… beautiful. Yes, beautiful. Every day you look more and more like your mother."

Hinata could not believe her luck. Two gratifications from her father in one day!

"What are you waiting for? Sit down to breakfast!" Hiashi said, interrupting her moment of glory.

Hinata did not make her father wait and took a seat at the table, to the right of the man. While she was serving herself some tea, the fleeting shadow of a teenager with brown hair came to them running. It was her little sister, who saw her father and her sister while she was red-faced and tiredly breathing, as if she had just arrived from a marathon.

"Hanabi, what have I told you about running in the house?" the man scolded her.

"I am sorry! I felt asleep!" the young one excused herself.

Their father indicated with soft patters the seat on his left side, saying to Hanabi to sit down, and she did so. The three Hyuga sat down at the table and took their breakfast silently. Outside the sun was up in the sky, projecting the shadows of every life being under its rays. Hinata was amazed by the morning colors when a groan of her father called her attention.

"What happened?" she asked.

"That monster!" Hiashi muttered, waving the newspaper he had in his hands.

And then he passed her the paper, which Hinata took. Her eyes fell immediately on the report that surely had irritated her father.

THE RED-EYED DEMON STRIKES AGAIN

Saturday night a young woman named Jenifer Wilson was found murdered in her college residence, which joins the long list of, for now, five victims of the so called red-eyed demon. In the same manner as the other murders, the victim was maimed and exposed in a grim game, for the only joy of the murderer. The police, who until now have not found any trace that could take them to the whereabouts of this demon, said that they are doing all that they can do to finish these senseless slaughters.

It is impossible for us to publish the crime scene photos, but if our readers want to know more, you can see them in our web page, although we warn that they are of a very graphic material.

Meanwhile the only thing what we can do is to ask ourselves who is going to be the next victim of the red-eyed demon, and if the police will find him in time to save her life, and in this way many life of more young women.

Hinata felt her mouth dry and she had to gulp to pass the bad news she had just read.

"I hope the police catch him soon", her father muttered.

"Me too", she said.

"To catch who?" Hanabi interrupted, seeing them with a confused look.

Hiashi and Hinata exchanged a glance, and she was sure that her father and she had thought the same thing: Hanabi could not know; she was still too young and innocent to be subjected to the horrors of the world.

"A bad guy, who deserves all the punishment of the world", Hiashi said at last, ruffling the hair of his younger daughter in a playful way.

Hanabi tried to look as if she was angry, even as she moved her head to get away of the playful hand of her father, but she could not, and Hinata, seeing her smiling and her father in that joyful behavior, felt very happy.

They finished taking breakfast, and Hinata went to her room to pick up her purse. In the entrance of the luxurious Hyuga mansion, the automobile that was going to drive her to the university was waiting for her arrival.

While her belongings were being put in the trunk, Hanabi came closer to her:

"You are going already", she said with sadness. "I am going to miss you."

"Me too, Hanabi", Hinata answered, smiling to her.

"By the way", the youngest of them murmured, "you look pretty today. Who is the lucky guy?"

Hinata's cheek turned red, and she cursed her stutter for returning just then:

"Wha-wha-what are you trying to say…?"

"Come on, sister, I know you have a boyfriend", Hanabi said with mischievous expression.

"Me… no… no… Do you have a boyfriend?" Hinata asked finally to leave the quagmire she was in.

"Maybe."

"Hanabi!"

"Shhh, be quiet! If dad finds out…"

Hinata sighed, but she said nothing.

When the chauffeur made a gesture that everything was ready, she hugged her little sister, promised her to send as many message as possible and made her promise that she would take care of herself.

She was about to climb in the car when a hand in her shoulder made her stopped.

"Hinata, be careful", Hiashi said.

Hinata saw him, barely containing her tears. It had been so long since she had felt but the harsh gaze of his father on her, receiving neither flattery nor advice. Now the same man showed his preoccupation for her. She felt more loved than ever.

"I will", she said.

And she climbed in the car, saying goodbye to her family from de car window, which she was letting behind.

Five hours later she arrived to the college. Hinata had never imagined anything like that. The campus was gorgeous with its huge green areas and its tall trees, but what impressed her most were all the people gathered there. People everywhere, a mix of professors, students and parents, a whole fan of different kind of personalities. Hinata could not stop her surprise when she felt, most at all, the curious looks of some guys on her. She did not know whether to feel uncomfortable or excited. She had been waiting for that kind of reception all her life, to be see not as a freak but as a young woman with feelings, but now that she was in that situation she did not know what to do.

"Well, it will be better if you get use to this", she said to herself.

But suddenly all the people were overshadowed by the loud voice of her friend:

"Hinata!"

Sakura's pink hair approached her, getting unruly by the run of its owner. Behind her, almost dragged, followed her side a young man with aristocrats factions, black hair and some disdainful expression in his black eyes. His name was Sasuke Uchiha.

"We have been waiting until you got here", Sakura complained when she was by her side. "But look at you. You look beautiful!"

"Thank you, Sakura", Hinata answered. "You look very gorgeous, too. Hello, Sasuke", she said in the man's direction.

Sasuke was a kind of cousin to Hinata. The Uchiha and Hyuga families were related by economic and familial bonds, and it was because of them that the young woman always treated the man with some respect. She was used to the cold stares of the Uchiha, that was not only intended to her but for everyone, so she get surprise when she felt the young man's eyes on her seeing her with interest.

"Hinata", Sasuke murmured. "You look good…"

Hinata blushed, feeling strange.

"Thank you", she said in low voice.

An awkward silence was built between the three.

"I have to say goodbye to my parents", Sasuke said suddenly with an uncomfortable voice, and as soon as he said that he left.

When they were alone Hinata realized the strange way Sakura was looking at her, who with her brows down saw her with a dismissive glare.

"Are you trying to stealing my boyfriend?" she asked.

"No!" Hinata exclaimed as quickly as she could, moving the hands in front of her.

Minutes passed while a sepulchral silent positioned over their heads. Suddenly Sakura winked an eye to her and stuck out her tongue.

"I am kidding with you, you silly! I know you are incapable of doing something like that to me."

Sakura linked her arm with her.

"But Sasuke is right", she continued, "you look very good, and you know that special guy who is going to appreciate it!"

Hinata blushed again. Naruto.

"Is he here?" she asked, nervous.

"No, no yet", Sakura answered. "You know that he is the last person to arrive and the first one to leave."

She was almost going to say to Sakura to not speak in such terms of Naruto, but the other woman continued, leaving not time to her to say anything:

"But do not worry, I am sure he will notice you, and if you do not confess that you love him, I am going to say it!"

"Sakura!" she complained, blushing.

"I was thinking with Ino", the pink-haired continued, "that the best scenario for both of you to see each other again is a party. After all we are seeing each other again after high school, so is the perfect excuse to have one. Ino is preparing everything. Meanwhile we will go to buy you a new dress. Without complaint!" Sakura warned her. "You should look amazing. That is the best way to be sure that the stupid of Naruto will see you."

Hinata blushed once more, but she had not stopped feeling excited. For some time Sakura had taken up the cause of making Naruto and Hinata a couple, and she had done all she could for the Uzumaki to realize he was in love with Hinata or give the Hyuga the courage to confess to him her feelings, but until then without success. But now Hinata was a new woman, more decisive, stronger, and this time she would not doubt tell Naruto the truth.

The next they did when the campus was free of parents was going to their rooms. Hinata and Sakura shared the same place, and it was an extensive site, with everything the two women could wish for. Separate rooms, a bathroom for each one, a kitchen, a huge living room and, for Hinata's joy, a comfortable study room.

After leaving their belongings in their new place, and Hinata taken a moment to say goodbye to the chauffeur who had brought her to the university, Sakura dragged her to a known fashion shop, which had its branch not far from the campus.

One of the salesperson approached them with a helpful disposition, and Sakura said to her:

"I need a dress for my friend", she said, pointing out to Hinata. "I want her to look amazing for the man who she has been in love all her life, so he can realize he love her too. Maybe an adequate dress, that fit her but does not make her look like a whore."

"Sakura…" Hinata mumbled, feeling horrible by the way her friend talked.

"She has big boops", Sakura continued like she did not hear her, "that can be a problem, but also a blessing."

And after saying that, she went behind her back, stretching the fabric of her shirt, so the saleswoman could see how big her breasts were. Hinata wanted to die.

"Do you have something suitable to our needs?" the pink-haired finished.

"Of course!" the saleswoman said. "Follow me!"

Then Hinata was subjected to wearing all type of dresses, but most of them were frankly ugly. No, that one was skin-tight. Red? Please, no! Could that even be called a dress?

At last the saleswoman brought them a blue dress.

"I am sure this is the one for you", she said to Hinata.

Hinata, distrustful, put on the dress and when she left the dressing room, she could have sworn that the saleswoman and Sakura's mouth were going to end up on the floor by the way they hung open.

"You look… gorgeous…" Sakura said breathless.

The saleswoman confirmed what Sakura had said with an eloquent nod.

Hinata saw herself in the mirror and she had to recognize that she did look beautiful. The dress was simple, navy color, which fitted her body snuggly but not in uncomfortable way. It ended at the knees; and when the saleswoman brought her a pair of heels of the same color of the dress and put around her neck a silver necklace, Hinata felt like she was a princess.

"We take it!" Sakura exclaimed.

They paid for the dress and returned to their shared room. During the hours that remained till the beginning of the party, Sakura practiced all kind of hairstyles on her, finally deciding to let it down in its natural form. Later she put makeup on her; and left her side so she could prepare for the event herself.

Hinata put on the dress, wore a silver necklace, inheritance from her mother, around the neck, and dressed matching heels. When she looked herself in the mirror , she was speechless. Now the woman that saw her had blue eye shadow, mascara, some blush and light pink lips. And she had to admit how pretty she was.

She was about to leave the room when she heard voices:

"Even Sasuke said she looks good. Imagine it! Sasuke! Sometimes I have to force him to give a compliment to me!"

"Impressive, really impressive!"

"I swear to you, Ino, that if Naruto does not pay attention to her at the party, I am going to kill him! Ah, Hinata, there you are…"

Caught in flagrante delicto, Hinata stepped forward, letting Sakura and Ino see her. Both friends looked at her amazed.

"You look wonderful, Hinata!" Ino said, smiling to her.

"Thank you, Ino. You too."

Hinata took a look of what the other women were wearing. Ino, with her long blonde hair waving loose behind her back, was wearing a violet dress that left little to the imagination. Sakura was wearing a short, one-shoulder dress, black in color, accompanying the garment with a headband of the same color of her dress.

"Are you ready to go?" Sakura asked, stretching a hand in her direction.

The three friends left the apartment. Sasuke and Ino's boyfriend, a guy named Sai, were waiting for them. Hinata said good evening to them and the five young began their walk to the location the party would take place. The cold wind typical of the late summer nights made her shiver, but when she was lamenting not bringing something to protect her skin from the weather, they had arrived to the place where the blonde had prepared everything to enjoy the night.

Inside she could hear the sound of voices, the loudness of the music and noises of people while drinking and eating. Hinata could not walk two steps without meeting one of her old friends from high school, whom, like Sakura, were impressed by her change. Hinata's egos was growing higher and higher, and moreover when the same people who used to mock her during her teenagers' years saw her with apprehension, and were even in the obligation to confess how good she looked.

But even though Hinata did not stop searching she could not find any trace of Naruto. Where was he? Maybe had he not been admitted in college? Had he decided to not come to the party?

She was getting nervous when suddenly she saw the face of the love of her life. Naruto looked different. His hair was still blonde, his skin tanned and the eyes of the same blue sky tone that Hinata loved so much. But he was taller than she remembered, his hair was shorter and his features were no longer of those of a child but of a grown adult.

When their eyes met, and Naruto smiled to her, with that marvelous smile she loved, Hinata felt like she was going to faint. Where was the talk of the morning, her words of encouragement? She was now a new Hinata and now she behaved like the old one!

"I have to pull myself together! I have to pull myself together!" she said to herself.

"Hinata, long time no see you!" Naruto exclaimed when he got closer to her.

Hinata was too excited to remind to him that they had stopped seeing each other only during the summer, which meant only three months.

"Naruto…"

She did not realize until it was too late the moment when the blond had taken her hands between his, and Hinata had to barely contain the urge to faint because of the happiness.

"You look really pretty", the Uzumaki said.

Hinata blushed.

"Do you really think so?" she asked.

Naruto nodded, smiling.

"You too… you too… you look handsome, Naruto."

He released one of her hands to scratch his neck, a gesture that Hinata knew he did when he was nervous. She realized he was blushing.

"Hinata", Naruto continued, "I want to introduce you to someone, if you do not mind."

"Of course not!" the young woman said.

The blonde motioned to someone in the salon. After some minutes a beautiful woman approached them, and Hinata could not stop asking herself what was going on.

"This is Hinata", Naruto said to the other woman. "She is one of my best friends. Hina-chan, this is my girlfriend..."

And Hinata did not hear more.

Naruto had a girlfriend… he had a girlfriend… and it was not she! She began to feel sick.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Hinata. Naruto has spoken a lot about you", the woman said, shaking Hinata's hand.

"The pleasure is all mine", Hinata said, faking the best she could the happiness she felt for the couple. "If you do not mind…" she continued, making a move to retire.

The couple did not seem especially upset for her retiring, and Hinata left their side feeling betrayed, tired, but most of all stupid.

When she told Sakura what had happened she could not believe it.

"Naruto has a girlfriend?!"

The people who were near them saw her with angry expressions for having raised the voice so high, but Sakura ignored them.

"So it seems", Hinata said.

"I can not believe it. I can not believe it! Me, who has been his friend since we were four, and he did not tell me!"

"Well, he told me", Sasuke intervened.

"And did you not tell me?!" Sakura scolded.

"I thought he had told you", her boyfriend apologized, somewhat embarrassed by her cries.

"No!"

If sometime during the night Hinata had experienced any eagerness for attending the party it had already vanished. She wanted to go to her room and sleep, sleep and sleep until what had happened was nothing more than an ugly nightmare.

She apologized to her friend, saying:

"I am sorry, Sakura, but I believe it will be better for me to go to my room. I am tired."

Sakura looked at her with pity.

"I am very sorry, Hinata", she said.

She shook her head.

"It is not your fault. Please, have fun. I am going to sleep."

"Fine", Sakura said despite her. "Have a good sleep."

Hinata nodded and left. When she had been out her room and had gone to that place she had felt like the road was short, but now it was like she must walk through a desert to get to her destiny.

She began to walk. It was cold, so she tried her best to hug herself against the coldness.

"I must look stupid", she thought, mocking of herself and her bad luck.

"Can I know what a beautiful woman such as you is doing walking alone on a lovely night like this?"

Hinata froze. Someone was talking to her?

She searched with her eyes the source of the voice until she saw a person sitting down on a tree trunk some meters above her. Besides its legs, which hung in the air, the rest of the body was in shadows, save a pair of big red eyes.

Hello everyone! I hope you like the fic, and if that so please take some time to leave me a review, I will appreciate it very much. Until the next chapter!