[Disclaimer:] I do not own Naruto, I just own the plot.
[Author's Note:] Hello readers new and old. This will be my first time writing a Naruto story, so please try to bear with me as I adapt to a new writing style (sort of) and learn how to write characters without being too OOC. Keep in mind though that for the sake of the plot, I do have to bend their attitudes a little, but nothing too drastic I promise. I've read plenty of Naruto fics in the past, so I do have a general understanding of their personas. I appreciate all reviews, including critiques. Feedback lets me know what I'm doing right and what I need to work on, so if you want me to keep writing, I need you guys to talk to me! With that said, I really hope you guys see this story through with me and enjoy. And for the record, the chapters might seem slow in progress sometimes, but I have to do it for the sake of plot and character development... you know, the usual jazz that make a story actually good and exciting. So please try to bear with me for the first few chapters, I promise it'll be less boring once I get the foundation down. 'Kay? :)
Oh, yes. And for the record: though I do plan to include multiple (implied) pairings with Hinata (as well as side ones for other characters), this is a SasuHina fic all the way baby. You have been warned, so if you don't like the pairing, do yourself a favor and click the back button arrow now!
[Summary:] AU. Hinata Hyuuga was left to live with her uncle at the age of 6 for unclear reasons. Years pass by as she grows determined to eventually find out his true intentions for sending her away — but for now, she has to deal with being a new student at Leaf Academy for the Arts.
Where some things are clear and obvious, other things in a world of black and white fall in between shades of grey; this becomes clearer to Hinata as she adapts to a new world and meets new people — friends and rivals alike. While trying to resolve the missing parts of her past, she just might find a new side to herself as well along the way.
[Rating:] As of now, Rated T. May change and go up to M in later chapters, depending on what I want to write. I'll warn you guys ahead of time.
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FORESIGHT
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"You always were the one to show me how, back then I couldn't do the things that I can do now.
This thing is slowly taking me apart,
Grey would be the color if I had a heart."
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My cousin Neji always tells me that I'm the type of person who wears their heart on their sleeve. Whatever I was feeling, people would be able to read me like a book. I didn't think it was a bad thing, and I still don't think it is. If anything, you can always count on me to be honest in that regard. A lot of people in the world put on masks and put up fronts. So many hide what they feel, too scared to risk letting down their guard. Too cautious to let others see their other side. The colder one acts, the hotter the fire burns inside them.
My father was a good example of that.
I never understood why he left me with Uncle Hizashi, and all he says when I ask is that he'll explain to me when the time is right. I turn 16 this December, so I can only hope I'll find out soon.
For the past 10 years, I've thought a lot about what I wanted in life. Though my father acted cold and distant at times, I still loved him through his facade. The real him. Way back, during the private moments when he could afford to drop his act as the callous Hyuuga Clan Head, my father was a different person. He had a side to him that he'd only allow his family to ever see, and I was proud to be one of the two people at the time. Within these rare moments, his scowl would fade, leaving the slightest trace of a smile as the corners of his mouth would tug up. The tone of his voice wouldn't be so reprimanding, and his eyebrows would un-knit from always being furrowed together. His proud posture would loosen, and he'd relax because he was genuinely comfortable.
When he'd look at me, his gaze would be cordial and caring. He was never a man of words, so he often got his messages across through his actions. And when he'd look at my mother, something in his eyes would come alive entirely — a unique, special look that was only for her, so full of emotion. It was a look that was everything the Hyuuga were not — warm, inviting, and filled with love.
It was like sharing a secret only they knew between themselves, with their eyes.
That was one of my first understandings of what I came to place love as. And looking back on the memory now, I can say without a doubt that my father was indeed in love with my mother.
In that moment, he wasn't the listless, harsh, business tycoon that was feared by other enterprises. In that moment, he wasn't the remote Clan Leader that was always weary from putting up with the elders trying to keep the clan in its old ways.
In that moment, he was simply Hiashi Hyuuga, my father and the love of my mother's life.
In retrospect of what everyone else may believe; underneath it all, he's still human, and he's still capable of feeling even though he may not show it.
That's why regardless of the stories going around... I need to hear the words from his mouth. Deep down, I know that genuine part of him still exists even though he's tried so hard to cover it up in front of others. That side, — the side of the man where he's open and inviting; of the man who promised to protect his family always. The man who gave me everything, and then took it all away.
I need to know what happened that night that made him throw it all out...
I need to know what went wrong.
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[Flashback]
The wind lightly whipped around her, levitating her short blue locks against her cherubic face. Albeit it was late March, it was one of spring's cool and breezy days. The little girl stood trembling in front of the strange house, unbeknownst to her that it would be her new home from there on after that day.
"F-father..." she began, "w-why are we here...?"
Hiashi, who was previously staring at the house with a guarded look, turned to look at his daughter's face. "This is my brother's house. Your Uncle Hiashi lives here."
"Oh..."
Moments of silence passed by as Hiashi turned his gaze back to the house, staring at it with an expression the little girl could not read. She inwardly sighed, twiddling her fingers together and slightly shook as another light wind breezed by around the pair.
"I'm here because he's agreed to do me a favor."
The girl looked back up to her father's face, but his eyes continued to stare at the building in front of them. "A f-favor...? What kind...?"
Another gust of wind that was stronger than the last one breezed by, as the girl wrapped her arms around herself for more warmth. Her light pink kimono was doing nothing for her at the moment, it's material too thin to really do anything but look pretty. It was the first thing she spotted to put on as her father abruptly woke her up extra early that day, and told her to get ready. He kept it very broad and general as to what the occasion was about, only saying that they were going somewhere important. Being the timid, obedient girl that she was, she didn't bother to question orders and complied. From the dark shades of blues gradually lightening up the sky through her bedroom window, it was safe to assume that it was just a little after 6 when they departed the Hyuuga Estate. Knowing that many people would still be asleep at such a time, with the exception of a few house maids and servants, Hinata didn't bother to look for her mother and say goodbye.
She didn't know afterwards that she'd never get the chance to again.
Another series of silent moments passed, as it felt like a good 5 minutes before Hiashi finally responded. "He's going to take care of you."
Lavender-tinted eyes widened in surprise and confusion. Did she hear that right?
"W-what?"
"He's going to take care of you from now on, Hinata."
A powerful cold breeze blew by, causing the girl to further tremble — not from the cold this time, but from panic and anxiety. Several knots twisted in her stomach as she digested what her father just said. All the while, he still wouldn't look at his daughter as he went on.
"You're going to live with them, with your cousin and his family."
Water pooled in her pupiless orbs as he continued to talk to her like they were chatting about the weather. The worse part of it all, next to his refusal to look at her, was how casual the tone in his voice sounded. Tears silently cascaded down her rosy cheeks as she balled her hands into tight fists, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.
"It's all for the best. —"
"N-No, NO! It's not — y-you're not m-making any sense f-father..." her weak voice broke and faltered as her outburst trailed off into more broken sobs. Not hearing any verbal response from her father, Hinata continued between soft cries."I... I-I... d-dont un-under-st-stand..."
Silence continued to be her response.
'Why is he doing this? What did I do?'
Another hard gust blew by, revealing her tear-stained face as her bangs blew up and were left in a disheveled mess. Her kimino sleeve grew soaked as she wiped away her tears, only to be quickly replaced with new ones that doubled over harder than before. She was a wreck, and she knew it. She felt just as bad as she knew she probably currently looked; not like she really cared about it at the moment.
"Why are you leaving me!"
Hinata's inner frustration got the best of her at the lack of her father's action. She needed something at this point. Anything would suffice. The fact that he chose to remain silent was eating away at her shattering heart, and the doubts of his love and his promise flashed through her head. Mustering up the best glare she could from her vulnerable state, she looked into her father's eyes —
...only to be met with a face like that of her own.
Hiashi Hyuuga looked defeated, in every sense of the word.
It was the first time she's ever seen him resemble something close to crying; subtle glassy pools reflecting in his own purple-tinted orbs, though they refused to fall.
Confused by his actions, and feeling guilty with herself to even try and glare at him while he looked at her with that face — a face that mirrored hers in terms of how broken it was — Hinata did the only thing she could do at the moment. Throwing her arms around her father's leg, she cried into his clothing as tears soaked through his yukata. In turn, she was met with a strong pair of arms wrapped around her trembling body.
Despite his despairing facial expression, Hiashi maintained a calm voice as he tried to soothe his daughter by smoothing out the back of her hair. "You're a Hyuuga, Hinata. Hyuuga's don't cry."
Hinata would've laughed at the irony and of his statement if she wasn't so busy muffling her sobs.
As she tried to quell her cries, they only became stronger as Hiashi proceeded on. Too busy with her tears, she failed to notice how strained her father sounded as he spoke. The casualty in his voice that was previously there was all gone, and something between a mix of frustration and sadness was evident in the most subtle way as he talked on. "...I have never been a man of words. I've always preferred action. I promised you and your mother that I'd always protect you... Try to understand that I need you to have faith in me, and be strong. I need you here because it's better this way, Hinata. Can you do that for me?"
Hinata wrapped her arms tighter around her father, afraid that if she didn't hold on he'd disappear into thin air right in front of her. By the way he was talking, he might as well have. Hiashi loosened her tight grip slightly as he pulled back just enough to look his daughter in the eyes.
"Promise me, Hinata."
Looking into his eyes, they radiated of the same special look he gave her and his mother. Full of warmth and love... regardless of how broken Hinata felt, there was a stronger feeling deep inside her that told her to trust her father. If this meant letting him go as the best thing to do, she'd accept it. She'd be strong for him.
Numbly nodding her head, she cleared her throat and swallowed several times before speaking in a soft, strained voice. "...I-I p-p-promise..."
With the familiar tug of his lips, Hiashi did something uncharacteristic as he beamed a genuine smile at his daughter — who managed to form a small smile of her own back, albeit still crying. For the longest time, Hinata stayed hugging her father tightly, enjoying the rare affection he almost never showed. Confused with the situation and what was happening, Hinata didn't have it in her to pry him for more information; for why it had to be this way. She doubted her voice would let her talk anymore than it already had. A million thoughts were running through her head as she contemplated on how sudden this all was, and how she didn't even get to see her mother one last time...
She only sobbed harder.
After what seemed like hours to the pair, the presence behind them who had been watching the scene all the while chose to make himself known with a slight cough.
Hiashi lifted his head from atop Hinata's, looking at the familiar face of his brother who was warmly staring back.
"Hello, brother."
Hinata followed her father's gaze to the man intruding on their moment, and was surprised to see the spitting image of him.
"It's been a while, Hizashi."
Hizashi strode over towards the two as Hiashi slowly let go of his daughter to regain his composure. Forming his face to that of his usual calm and collected one, he nodded back to the younger twin. "Yes, it has indeed."
Turning his gaze to his niece, Hinata quickly wiped away the few remaining tears on her face as she looked up at her uncle timidly.
"Hello, Hinata. I haven't seen you since your infant days. You've grown up beautifully, the spitting image of Hikari."
Hinata automatically blushed at the comparison to her mother and nodded mutely, as Hiashi cleared his throat to gain back his brother's attention.
"I trust you to take care of her, Hizashi."
The younger twin smiled one of reassurance. "Do not trouble yourself, Hiashi. I shall treat her as if she were my own. Neji will help take care of her as well, and Haruka's more than happy to welcome her in."
Hinata, who was still glued to her father's side, peered at a small figure behind her uncle who was just now heading towards them. A boy, about her age — maybe a year or so older, stood by Hizashi's side as he stared at her with eyes like that of her own. His hair was long and a rich coffee in color, cascading down his back and bound at the bottom with a loose hair tie. His yukata was simple, much like her kimono — black and trimmed with white accents. It seemed like minutes under his stare, as if he was calculating something. Self-conscious, Hinata stepped back to hide behind her father, unsure of what else to do. Finally, the boy spoke up as he looked at her uncle.
"Father, who is she?"
Hizashi smiled warmly at his son, a curious look expressed on his small face. "Her name is Hinata, Neji. She's your cousin."
His gaze turning back to the hers, Hinata unconsciously tightened her grip on her father's robes, trembling slightly from nervousness. As his curious look morphed into that of a mildly amused one, the boy smiled.
"She's cute!"
At hearing his words, Hinata blushed a deep red as she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding; a small breath of relief that the sad tension and anxiety that was present just moments before was slowly lifting from the appearance of this boy. For Neji, his smile was genuine, simply happy to meet someone else that was close to his age. He knew he had a cousin, but he never thought he'd get to meet her anytime soon! And she was adorable at that. Leaving his father's side to walk towards the girl, he stopped about one foot away before extending his hand out in front of her face.
"Do you want to play with me?" he inquired politely, though the excitement was not missed from his tone.
Still trying to recover from her blushing, Hinata looked at his hand with slight uncertainty as she looked back up into Neji's eyes. Friendly, warm, and inviting — it was a familiar look that she trusted. As if reading her thoughts, her father reflected the same look in his eyes as she peered up at him, to verify that it was okay. He confirmed that it was with a curt nod. The nervous butterflies in her stomach quelled down as Hinata looked back to Neji, smiling.
"S-sure!"
Almost instantaneously, the eager Neji grabbed Hinata's hand in his own as he pulled her in the direction of the house, leaving the two Hyuuga adults behind; one chuckling heartily, and the other — for the second time that day, actually smiling ever so faintly at the sight.
"Looks like they're going to get along well. Neji wasted no time in getting her to play with him."
"Aa. Too busy with making a new friend, he barely spared me a glance."
Hizashi chuckled lightly yet again. "He's been dying for someone to play with; unlike us, he doesn't have the luxury of having another sibling to turn to. They're going to both benefit from each other through this."
Hiashi nodded slowly, "Neji seems to have grown promisingly, and will only continue to do so. No doubt with his influence, he will help support Hinata in being strong through this."
"Yes. If anyone, Neji can be counted on to protect her."
There was a moment of silence before Hiashi spoke up again.
"She'll need it," he sighed. "...regardless of what the clan says, being a father comes first."
Striding down similar to the way Neji walked over to Hinata, Hizashi moved until he was arms reach in front of his brother, putting a firm hand on his shoulder.
"She will understand, brother. In time."
"Aa."
Glancing at his wrist watch and narrowing his eyes to indicate his way of expressing exasperation, Hiashi moved to walk back to the car with Hizashi following behind him. Opening the trunk of the black Ferrari Enzo, both men hulled out a couple of luggages and placed them to the side of the driveway; Hizashi struggling with an oddly-shaped one that was stuffed all the way in the back. Pulling it out, he examined the bag.
"Hinata plays the guitar?"
"Yes, since she was 5." Hiashi cracked an amused grin on his face, surprising his brother further. "She sings too."
"Hn. So it's not just Hikari's looks she acquired."
Hiashi's grin faltered slightly at the sound of his wife's name, but regained his usual expression as quickly as it changed. However, the slip did not go unnoticed.
"You're doing the right thing, brother. Go ahead and head back now, she needs you as does the company."
Hiashi smirked a little at his brother's attempt to console him. What he'd give to go back to the old days. The simpler days.
"I have a lot to deal with when I get back."
"Mm. It's partly why I don't resent you for being the eldest. You have a lot of responsibility."
"It's a duty I can't refuse."
"I know. You're good at what you do; I'm just glad you're making a choice for yourself this time instead of one for the business."
"I just want what's best for her. You would have done the same for Neji in my shoes."
"True indeed; and that is why you shouldn't resent this. Believe me, she'll gain from this more than she will be hurt. If she stays with you, she'll just end up hurt and that's that. You know as well as I do how relentless the clan is in their ways, and with Hikari's complication, it only makes sense that Hinata stay here, away from the scenic bullshit about to unfold."
Before Hiashi could respond, a loud *vrrrrrrr* sounded from the side pocket of his robes. Taking the device out to inspect, a soft curse escaped the Clan Leader's lips as he looked back to his brother, wearing a serious expression once more.
"I must leave now. But before I go," Hiashi moved to open the driver's seat, getting in and shifting through a compartment — only to pull out a crisp, royal blue envelope. Rolling the window down as he turned the engine on, he extended his arm out - "take this. It'll explain everything that I wasn't able to tell you face to face, and how to handle the situation."
Wordlessly taking the envelope from his twin's hand, he nodded in a sympathetic manner.
"I'll take care of everything."
A warm, knowing gaze briefly leaked through the Hyuuga Head's cold mask as he looked back at Hizashi — his brother, — who imitated a similar look with his own eyes.
They both understood.
Driving off in a hurry to head back to the Hyuuga Estate, Hiashi Hyuuga was barely able to catch his brother's last words that would echo through his mind the rest of the drive back home.
"Good luck, brother."
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[Author's Note:] Let me know what you guys thought of my spin on the characters, hopefully they weren't too bad for you.
To clarify for those of you who weren't able to follow, the beginning was in Hinata's POV from the present, and then the rest was obviously the flashback when she was 6. Oh, and as you might've noticed, Hiashi's not the usual dick he is like in the anime. All will be explained more until next time, and by then I think I'll have her in school and what not. Or maybe I'll write a segment on her childhood life through a flashback. Who knows. I'm still working out how to actually break down the plot and what not as I go, heh. You can expect me to be a... spontaneous writer, because of that. xD Hopefully I didn't do too bad for my first time!
With that said, do me a biggg favor and give me some needed feedback in a review, thanks for reading!