EDITED

And now folks, I give you FOUR updates! Yes, FOUR new chapters. The seventh chapter is currently in the works and will be posted ASAP. I hope you can give me four times the love for this. I was on a roll yesterday unfortunately, you must have heard of the super typhoon that ravaged the Philippines yesterday. The size of the storm (comparatively) reaches from Florida to Canada. It was that big, strong, and scary. Luckily, the province I'm living in didn't get that much affected and we didn't have a black out for more than 24 hours. I was suddenly struck by inspiration and motivation yesterday and I had to write down ALL FOUR chapters by hand, on paper. I was just able to transfer it on computer this morning.

Because of my efforts, four times the love you can give, maybe? :D

Chapter 3

The Second Complication

Breaking Barriers

Hyuuga Hinata arrived too early.

She didn't wait for her twin this time. She excused herself, saying that she needed to catch up on a certain lesson but left her notebook in her locker. She practically dragged her chauffer out of his sleep just to take her to school earlier than usual. Unfortunately, her alone time was interrupted when she found Sasuke already waiting for her inside the limo.

"Why so early? Neji called," Sasuke said, looking as perfect and unruffled as ever.

"I just have to get a notebook that I left in my locker. Haven't done my homework for that subject yet," Hinata lied straight out, not looking at Sasuke.

"You should have called me," Sasuke said. "I would have lent you mine. What subject is it?"

"A-anou…" Hinata answered, looking outside the window as they drove by houses of their area. "Biology."

"Hn."

One of the usual mornings. Hinata smiled slightly to herself. It was difficult living a life like this, but she gets by. She was thankful that she was given abundantly with everything anyone might want or need. But sometimes, she had to wonder why she was given things she didn't even desire. And it was like there were consequences to getting this much. You can never be truly happy or free.

But freedom was a lie, wasn't it? It was an illusion.

Ever since she was born, she had an illusion that everyone deserved to be free. They can be free from destinies they were born with. They can be free from responsibilities and duties imposed. They can be free from what the world forcibly shoved down their throats. But of course, her ideals were all lies.

Even the very sense of freedom is a lie.

Her own twin believed that. No one could escape the fate that they were born with.

The legacy that their parents and forefathers created – the Hyuuga Empire. They sacrificed almost everything to attain the fortune and the prestige that they had today. Does it have anything to do with her? Yes, they said. Hiashi, their father, often told them that they were the inheritors of a will and a dynasty that was so ingrained in the entire history and culture of Konohagakure that it was inescapable. What they had was a gift hard earned. And they helped build the country into a paradise that provided work and opportunities for those who dared to dream.

Indirectly, their father said that the Hyuugas had to put the happiness and ambitions of others before their own. It was like their own dreams were mere casualties of a bigger picture. It was like they had no right to dream further because being a Hyuuga in itself was a dream come true. All the responsibilities and privileges that their surname entailed meant that there was no room for any other dream other than being the owner of a huge chain of companies that seemed to set the world in motion. They had to inherit the legacy to keep the machine well-oiled. Or else, nothing…

Nothing will ever go right.

Growing up, Hinata never knew anyone aside from her own family. Neji and Hanabi were her most precious treasures. Neji grew up exactly as their father wanted him to be – strong, talented, brimming with potential, ambitious, and everything that the old man was. Hanabi was the female version of Neji, with a spitfire mouth and will who knew exactly what she wanted.

Hyuuga Hinata was different. Technically, she was the eldest because she was born an hour before Neji was. But that doesn't really matter too much with twins. Especially not in the Hyuugas' case. This was a truth that was hidden even from her for years.

Because Hinata grew up exactly like their mother.

She was soft-spoken, artistic, sensitive – characteristics that do not make a fine leader of the company. In fact, almost everyone in their generation frown upon people with such delicateness and kindness. It was as if people who were born with such characteristics were destined to be inferior, reaching only the ranks of subordinates.

Hiashi often expressed his frustration about Hinata. He intended to split the company between his children, bestowing leadership upon them in different aspects of the empire. He wanted each and every one of his children to shine. But Hinata seemed reluctant to take the role.

In reality, Hinata never wanted the role.

But she had to. At least, she had to try.

It wasn't like she was stupid or that she severely lacked potential. On the contrary, she had the same genius that Neji had. Unfortunately, due to the upbringing she had under her father, she had grown up to be insecure and unsure of herself. Because of this, her potentials were often clouded by frequent bouts of stuttering and blushing.

Hinata's world slowly expanded when she was five. It was then that she met the very first people who were like her.

One of them was Uchiha Sasuke.

"Hinata," her mother said, gesturing towards an intimidating man with deep grooves under his eyes and his family. He looked at Hinata with an expressionless face, making her want to melt behind her mother and just remain there. Beside him stood his wife, who was his exact opposite. She was extremely beautiful, with dark blue hair similar to hers that fell in waves behind her back. Her gaze was soft and she wore an endearing smile. On her left were three boys.

"These are the Uchihas," her mother continued. "I already introduced them to Neji and Hanabi, but you were busy with flower pressing, so I didn't call you out yet."

Hinata smiled shyly and bowed.

"What a beautiful girl," the woman said. "Hello Hinata-chan. My name is Mikoto. This is Fugaku," she pointing towards her husband, who gave a small smile that seemed to crack his hardened face. "And these are our sons…"

The three boys were very different yet at the same time, very similar. For one thing, they had a stoic look on their faces that were mirror images of their father's. They had the same onyx eyes, which made Hinata a bit scared of them. She had never seen people with eyes as black as the night. But then again, no one had pearl-like eyes such as the Hyuuga. It was like a unique trait among influential families, she realized.

However, there were a couple of glaring differences. The eldest, who seemed to be in his adolescence already, had long hair tied in a ponytail. He was the exact replica of their father.

"My name is Uchiha Itachi," the young man said with a sweeping bow. He took Hinata's hand and kissed it, earning a brilliant blush from the young woman.

"Stop being so gross, Itachi," the younger boy, who looked exactly like his mother, said. For a boy, he indeed had feminine features and unusual hairstyle. He had part of his hair falling gracefully on his face, framing it just right. However, at the back of his head, his hair sticking up in odd angles, making it look a bit like a chicken's butt.

Hinata resisted the urge to giggle at her imagination.

"Forgive my little brother," Itachi said to her, winking. It seemed that the eldest brother had a playful and mischievous side to him. "He doesn't have manners and he doesn't know how to treat ladies."

"Shut up," the other boy said, frowning at Itachi.

"Boys," Uchiha Fugaku said, enough to silence the squabbling pair. The younger boy looked embarrassed, but the older boy just grinned at her.

"And this is my second son, Sasuke," Mikoto said, ignoring the earlier banter and gesturing towards the boy with the chicken butt hair.

Before Hinata could smile, the youngest boy spoke up. From what Hinata could tell, he was probably about a year younger than her. He was plain compared to the other two boys, and while they were fair in complexion, he was pale. It was a sickly pale that made Hinata think that he must be ill often. Compared to his two brother, his hair cut was normal and was kept neat and short. Even with his apparent lack of flair and oddity, his voice rang straight and clear.

"Good morning, Lady Hyuuga," he said courteously towards Hinata, bowing.

Hinata smiled warmly, grateful at the boy's politeness and sweetness.

"I am Uchiha Sai," he continued, gesturing towards himself.

"H-hello Sai," Hinata said.

Sai smiled. Surprisingly, it was a cold and rehearsed smile that startled her a little. Such a young boy shouldn't have that kind of smile.

"Please forgive my brothers' insolence," he said. "And you don't have to hide the fact that you think Itachi-nii-sama's hair looks like a girl's and that Sasuke-nii-sama's hair looks like a chicken butt."

Hinata couldn't help herself. She laughed.

Hinata laughed at the memory, earning Sasuke's attention.

"What are you laughing about?" Sasuke asked, looking at her, his expression soft.

"I remembered the time that we met," Hinata replied. "Remember what Sai said?"

"Kuso…" Sasuke said, his original expression turning to a grimace.

"Chicken's butt," Hinata said, laughing without restraint.

Sasuke and his family were the only people in this world where she could just laugh and talk without stammering so much. She considered them as her second family.

Like the fact that she considered Sasuke like her own brother.

"Hinata, the Uchihas are here," Neji said from the other side of her door.

Hinata sniffled, wiping away the tears that flowed down her face. She quickly stood up from her bed and mustered all her strength to say, without her voice shaking, "Coming!"

"Don't take too long," Neji said and left.

Hinata was grateful that she remembered to lock the door or else Neji would see her crying again. Neji hated seeing her cry and he hated it especially when Hiashi was the one who caused her tears.

The only thing that Neji and their father disagreed about was the way Hiashi often reprimanded Hinata.

And this time, it was about Hinata being homeschooled.

Hinata wanted so much to enter a normal school like Neji but Hiashi wouldn't allow her, saying that people would only try to exploit her on a lot of things. Hinata didn't understand why her father thought that everyone had such bad intentions always. It just wasn't reasonable. They still hadn't reached a compromise and she was fairly certain that her father would get his way in the end.

She scanned her face in the mirror. Thankfully, she hadn't been crying that hard and that long. Or else, her eyes would be puffy and the Uchihas would definitely notice that something was up. She didn't want anyone teasing her.

The Uchihas had been regular visitors to their house since then. She had developed a close relationship with the brothers. Neji, in particular, idolized Itachi. Itachi was very intelligent and was considered as a genius by many. He shared a lot of things with the male Hyuuga, teaching him ways to best improve in his business acumen even at such a young age. It seemed obvious that Itachi, even with his happy-go-lucky ways, loved what he was destined for. He loved the Uchiha heritage and the way it contributes to the society.

Hanabi also developed a close relationship with the boys. She and Sai were often united in pissing off Sasuke, who was a bit grumpy. Hanabi had a sharp tongue that knew no boundaries. Sai had a polite tactlessness that was considered a very lethal and unusual combination. With the two of them together, madness was sure to ensue.

Meanwhile, the withdrawn Hinata would often find a similar wavelength with Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke was arrogant – the type of arrogant that would never admit that he was wrong. He took pride in his name in a different way. It was a way wherein he considered everything that didn't belong to their circle inferior. He resented the fact that he wasn't taken seriously enough because he was the middle child. He constantly had to prove himself better than Itachi. He constantly tried to fend off remarks from Sai. He never showed any emotion, for fear that anyone would use it against him. But every now and then, he would be nice, caring, and protective.

The only person who got to see that was Hinata.

But because of the way Sasuke treated her, the two would often be the subject of teasing. And because of that, they would often sneak away in secret parts of his manor or her manor (whoever visited whom) and just talk to each other about everything under the sun.

Hinata, after tidying herself up and dressing herself in a purple sundress, went down to meet the boys.

As usual, there were no parents around. They were probably busy conversing with each other about business. The children were already in the playroom.

Itachi was already in front of the computer and was, oddly enough, playing with Hanabi. He grinned at Hinata in greeting. Sai, who was painting, turned to Hinata and waved.

"Stop cheating, Itachi," Hanabi said in an annoyed tone, shooting a venomous glare at the oldest Uchiha.

"I'm not cheating, Hana-chan," Itachi said, laughing. Two years after their first meeting, Itachi was already a strapping young man who was well-liked by girls of his generation.

"Did onii-sama tell you about his girlfriend?" Sai, already six, said.

"You really are something, Sai," Itachi said, laughing slightly.

"ITACHI HAS A GIRLFRIEND?!" Hanabi squealed, dropping the controller and directing her undivided attention towards Itachi.

"Exactly how old are you?" Neji said, taking a very serious note. "Is it allowed for us to have relationships at that age?

"I'm already 17, Neji," Itachi said with amusement.

"And yet he still plays with kids," Sasuke said, who up until then was reading a book in a corner.

"Sasuke-kun," Hinata said in reprimand.

"You have a girlfriend too, onii-sama," Sai said. "Hinata-nee-sama."

"Urusai," Sasuke said. Hinata blushed, walking towards where Sai was painting and trying to change the subject by asking what style he was using.

"And Neji-nii-san, should you really be concerned about the age?" Hanabi said, laughing her head off. Neji aimed a kick at her which she dodged easily.

"Anyway, who is it?" Hanabi asked, not willing to get sidetracked.

"You'll meet her later," Itachi said, a soft smile playing on her face.

Hinata's eyes widened. A girl? For Itachi?

She was sure this young woman was beautiful. So that was the reason why her father was so busy preparing something. The house had been cleaned to utmost perfection, its usual pristine state amplified thrice over. Hinata never had the opportunity to ask why because of the scolding she had from her father.

"So that was what father has been stressing about," Hanabi said. "The whole girl's family is coming over?"

Itachi nodded, his eyes back to the game.

"Who is it? Is she one of us?" Sasuke questioned imperiously, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Don't be such an elitist, Sasuke," Itachi said, frowning at his younger brother. "I'd laugh at you if you married someone a class lower than ours."

"I would never make such a mistake," Sasuke retorted.

"Sasuke-kun, you shouldn't look at others based on their status," Hinata scolded him, picking a book from a shelf.

"But it's important," the boy threw back. "It's important to maintain the standards in the family. Even if the girl's family is rich, she's still not of the same standing as us, so that may pose a problem. She won't be used to the same pressures that are – "

"For your age, Sasuke, you seem to have thought about marriage a lot," Itachi said, chuckling.

Sasuke's cheeks were tinged in pink but he said nothing. He glared at Itachi, loathing his older brother once more.

"I have absolutely no idea who it is," Hanabi said, lounging in her seat.

Hinata couldn't help but giggle. If a stranger was listening in on them, he would think that what he was overhearing was between a bunch of adults instead of the fact that this conversation was actually between children who just learned how to read and write and one teenager.

"What's the type of man that you wish to wed, Hanabi?" Sai asked the younger girl.

"I don't know," Hanabi answered. "If I could find a man that's man enough for me."

Itachi exploded in gales of laughter. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Hanabi ignored the laughter. "Well, I always thought that I want to marry someone like you, Itachi, but I guess not."

Back then, Hinata would wince at how informally Hanabi addressed Itachi, Sasuke, and Sai. After all, they were all older than her. But in time, the brother actually welcomed Hanabi's lack of intimidation towards them and they were all endeared by her fiery attitude.

"So, you wish for a much older man?" Sai said, still painting. "Are you not worried by the fact that they may have wrinkly balls?"

The reaction was comical and instantaneous. Neji's jaw dropped. Itachi fell over his chair, laughing his head off. Hanabi groaned and slapped her head with the palm of her hand. Hinata went red as bricks. Sasuke was beside Sai in a second, whacking his head with his fist.

"What are you teaching him?!" Neji complained.

"He reads too much," Sasuke replied. "Stuff too inappropriate for his age."

"Like you," Itachi teased.

"At least I know how to filter out what I read," Sasuke retorted.

Before the brothers could argue once more, the door opened.

"Ohayou-tebbayo!"

At that moment, Hinata's life was changed forever. Looking back, it was true that her father failed in trying to homeschool her. She spent her grade school years with Sasuke and Neji while her middle school years were spent in an exclusive, all-girls' institution.

She opened her bag, taking a notebook that she had been writing on the entire night. It was her diary and all her precious thoughts were there. She discreetly took an envelope from between it and returned the notebook in her bag. She clutched onto the envelope like her life depended on it.

Unaware of Sasuke's attention on her, she finally stepped out of the limo as they finally reached the school.

As expected, there were still no students in the school. It seemed more conducive to go at this hour because if they went in with the other students, they would be hoarded by a lot of people and they would be disturbed like usual. It was a bit exasperating to fend off girls who were crazy about her friends.

"I'd be going to school at this time starting now," Sasuke said from beside her, apparently thinking the same way as her.

"It won't be a pain to wake up too early?" Hinata said, a tinkle of a laugh in her voice.

Sasuke smiled. "No. I always wake up early."

Hinata knew that deep within Sasuke he knew that all his feelings for Hinata were sisterly in nature.

Why?

It was easy to answer. Have you ever been in a comfortable situation? That place where you'll be sure to come home to and always feel safe about? That was Hinata and Sasuke.

They both were from prestigious families – the richest in Konohagakure. They were sheltered since they were born. They were eclipsed by their siblings in terms of personality and other gifts. They strove for acceptance. They wanted to belong. They wanted to be acknowledged. They worked harder than anyone else and they were both results of some sort of disturbed upbringing. However, they didn't hate their families. They just wanted to be part of them.

Hinata was shy and insecure. She had difficulty hiding her true self but was unable to grow into an improved (more confident) version of herself because of her inhibitions. Sasuke, meanwhile, was able to grow into the version of himself that he wanted to be, but was hiding his true self from everyone. He grew so good at hiding that no one really knew who he was.

They related to each other and knew each other more than anyone else. The only problem is, their traits were such a dichotomy that they were unable to improve each other from what they already knew. They were so similar that they never pushed each other out of their comfort zone. They just made that zone bigger enough to accommodate the both of them and no one more.

Hinata knew that Sasuke liked her because she was his ideal woman. They were from the same circle. Their families are equal in strength, prestige and money. They were childhood friends. He showed parts of his true self to Hinata and she knew his story. She was soft-spoken and she never forced him to be someone he didn't want to be. She was kind and considerate and she reminded him of his own mother. He wasn't comfortable letting anyone else in and that's why he was sure that she was the only one for him.

Hinata knew… she knew that they both needed people who changed them. They both needed people who turned them into the best versions of themselves.

But now, even though Hinata stammered and fainted in front of another boy, that certain someone made her want to dream… he made her want to strive to be someone so much more than who she already was. He made her stronger and better. He made her believe that there was so much more than what she was already born with. He made her see that there was life beyond the confines of what she grew up with. He made her realize that it was alright to dream and that one's future and fate was something that they make for themselves. They could change their stories however way they wish.

"You can still be whoever you want. You can inherit the Hyuuga empire, for god's sake, but don't let it define who you are. You can't own the world. You can't please the world. All you can do is be happy for yourself and do what you want as long as you don't step on others. If you think being the Hyuuga heiress is inescapable, then find the best part of it and make the most of it. You can be the CEO while pressing flowers and playing music, ne, Hinata-chan?"

She fell in love that day.

She met him.

"Who the hell are you?" Sasuke said, looking at the boy that just barged in their playroom.

The boy was blonde with startlingly blue eyes. Cerulean and swimming with joy. His hair was unruly and was up in spikes. He was tanned and he had odd whisker-shape marks on his face. His grin was huge and open – like one of the boys Hinata saw playing on the sidewalk on one of their trips around Konohagakure. If you were discriminatory, you would say that with the way this boy acted, he belonged to a very poor family. From his entrance, you could say that he had no manners in front of people he just met.

"Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto," the boy said, pride in his voice. His feet were planted apart and his arms were crossed along his chest. He was in his casual wear, like all of them but somehow, he looked rowdier in it.

"Naruto!" Itachi exclaimed, getting up and moving towards the boy.

"Namikaze-Uzumaki?" Neji repeated, clearly awed.

"What's that? Seems too long," Hanabi said, grimacing.

"You don't know?" Naruto said, guffawing. "I – "

"Now, now, Naruto," a feminine but strong voice said from behind Naruto.

Hinata noticed that her parents were there, along with the Uchihas. With them was a man with shoulder-length red hair who was holding the hand of a woman who had blue hair, adorned with a flower. With the two was another couple, a man with the same blonde hair as Naruto but was more stylish and longer. With him was the woman who called Naruto, a person with long, red hair.

There were two girls with them – one with red hair and one with blonde hair. The younger girl was about Hinata's age and she was wearing glasses. She had layered red hair that reached past her back. The older girl was about Itachi's age – beautiful and serene looking. Her hair was blonde and a bit wavy. Hinata was instantly awed by the girl's presence and it seemed that she noticed her because she sent a warm smile her way.

With the exception of the two children, the group was wearing formal Konohagakure wear, the usual kind which you saw that the royal family wore.

"Children," Hiash said. "Let me introduce you to our visitors."

"They're the Uzumaki and the Namikaze-Uzumaki clan," Hinata could hear Neji whispering furiously in Hanabi's ear. "They're Konohagakure's royal family."

Hanabi's mouth fell open. These people were more popular than they were. Yes, they had the almost the same financial standing but these people had influence way beyond theirs.

"This is Crown Prince Uzumaki Nagato," Hiashi said, gesturing towards the man with the shoulder-length red hair. Hinata noticed that he had surprisingly odd purple eyes that seemed to look into your soul. They all bowed before him and he bowed in return, surprising Hinata with his humility.

"This is Crown Princess Uzumaki Konan," at the blue-haired woman beside Nagato. The woman was beautiful, with amber eyes that spoke volumes.

"This is Namikaze Minato, the congressman here in Konohagakure," pointing at the handsome man with the same blue eyes and blonde hair as Naruto. His expression was kind and reserved. Hinata could tell at a glance that this man was very powerful and wise. His aura made her more comfortable than the Crown Prince.

"This is Princess Namikaze-Uzumaki Kushina, and she is the sister of Crown Prince Nagato," gesturing at the red-haired woman.

Instead of letting them bow like they were supposed to, Kushina brushed aside the formalities and said, "Stop doing that. Makes me feel ancient."

The royal family laughed and so did the rest of them.

"See? My mom's super cool," Naruto piped in, surprising the adults.

"You have quite the rambunctious child, haven't you?" Hiashi said, his smile not quite disguising the subtle jab behind the words.

"Raised normally, in fact," Kushina said, her grin nasty.

Hinata was taken aback. Never in her life did she see anyone speak up against her father. Hiashi wouldn't have the guts to retort because he was up against royalty.

"If I may, Hyuuga-sama," Nagato said, eyeing Kushina. But there was no mistaking the amused glint in the Prince's eyes.

"This is my daughter, Princess Uzumaki Karin," Nagato introduced the little girl with glasses.

"Ohayou gozaimasu," Karin said, smiling widely at them.

"And this is my daughter, Princess Namikaze-Uzumaki Haruko," Minato spoke up, pertaining towards the blonde young woman.

Hinata didn't have to understand who she was. It was apparent by the way Itachi smiled that she was the one – she was Itachi's girl.

"And this is my son, Prince Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto," Minato continued.

"Now, children, introduce yourselves," Uchiha Mikoto said.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke said, going first and bowing slightly.

"My name is Uchiha Sai," Sai said, doing the same.

"My name is Hyuuga Neji," Neji said.

"My name is Hyuuga Hinata," Hinata said shyly, thankful that she didn't stammer.

"My name is Hyuuga Hanabi," Hanabi said.

"And of course we all know who Itachi is," Kushina said, smiling broadly.

"You kids will join us for afternoon tea. We have an important announcement," Fugaku said.

They obediently followed. Hinata found herself walking beside the boy named Naruto. Sasuke was quick to appear on her left, as if trying to shield her from whatever it was this boy was going to say.

"Hi," Naruto said, smiling widely once more. "My name's Naruto."

"We know, you already said so," Sasuke said.

"I wasn't talking to you," Naruto spat. "You're Hinata, right?"

"H-hai," Hinata said, blushing furiously. It wasn't because of what he said. It was because his face was so close to her that she wondered if he was even taught the words 'personal boundaries'.

He didn't have the usual courtesy you would expect from people who were royalty.

"And this teme is Sasuke," he said out of nowhere, smirking at Sasuke.

"What did you say, idiot?!" Sasuke said loudly, effectively earning the disapproving glare of Mikoto who was walking ahead of the kids.

"Boys," Uzumaki Karin suddenly interrupted them. "Naruto, don't dirty yourself with this scum."

Hinata was flabbergasted. Karin seemed kind at first glance, but it seemed that she was mistaken.

"I won't stand for anyone who's unkind to my cousin," Karin said. "I am her onee-san."

"Only for three months!" Naruto said, frowning. "You're not that older than me."

"Fine," Karin said, grinning. "But still, I have to protect you. You are second-in-line to the throne."

"How come this dobe is?" Sasuke said, ignoring what Karin said to him. He looked her straight in the eye and Hinata could see a tinge of pink staining the Princess' cheeks.

"The line is passed down to male heirs only," Karin explained, adjusting her glasses to hide her eyes. "I am female, and until my parents have a male baby, then Naruto is next-in-line after my father. He is the only male in our generation."

"Then Konohagakure is ruined," Sasuke quipped, returning Naruto's smirk.

"If I become Emperor, I'll be the best one there is!" Naruto exclaimed, pounding his fists in the air.

"All you do is talk. You're just a kid."

"And what are you, an old man? You're not much older than me!"

"I will inherit the Uchiha fortune someday, so watch your mouth!"

"As far as I know, Itachi will. He's far cooler than you are!"

"I'll surpass him one day!"

"You're one to say that I'm all talk when you want something similar to what I want," Naruto suddenly said, leaving Hinata, Karin, and Sasuke.

"You shouldn't talk to him like that," Karin scolded Sasuke with fierce authority. "He's serious about this stuff. And I see that you are too. He's just trying to be friends with everyone."

With that, the Princess left too.

When they finally settled down with the adults, Fugaku stood up.

"This is a truly wonderful day for all of us," he said. "Because of the good news of love that has reached all of us."

The children listened in rapt silence, some understanding, some not really willing to listen to all these mushy stuff.

"My son, Itachi, is now promised to the Princess Haruko," Fugaku proclaimed, gesturing towards the young man and woman.

Itachi was smiling along with Haruko, who had a small blush on her face.

"Promised? What's promised?" Hanabi said abruptly.

"Hanabi…" Hiashi said, but Hinata knew that he wasn't really angry at his favorite daughter.

"Promised means that they will be engaged someday," Kushina explained patiently.

"Engaged? Then they'll be married?" Sai added.

"Yes," Mikoto answered, smiling at her youngest son.

"Eew," Sai and Hanabi said in unison.

"There's nothing gross about that," Neji said. "It's a political union that will ensure the enrichment of their lines."

The Uzumakis laughed. "What a smart child," Nagato commented. "Your view is that of an adult!"

"It's like a small you, Hiashi," Kushina said in amusement.

"Indeed," Hiashi said proudly. "At least he has the real view on things. I won't be surprised if our Hinata will tell you that marriage is based on love."

Hinata was taken aback. She said nothing but looked down at the food laid down in front of him.

Naruto was staring at her with an unreadable expression before he said, "Well, it's true. My parents married for love. Itachi and Haruko are promised because of love. I certainly would want to marry for love. It just so happened that they were from the same circles. Why shouldn't anyone else?"

"Now that is mature," Kushina said proudly, ruffling her son's hair. Minato was glowing with pride too, winking at Naruto.

Hinata was surprised. No stranger ever stood up for her. Even Sasuke didn't defend her from Hiashi's jabs. Neji rarely did so in public, but he resisted whenever no one was around. Even Hanabi was like that and she seldom got involved because she was still young. But this person… this… Naruto…

Hinata stole a look at him and found him grinning at her, as if comforting her. She blushed once more and looked down.

Unbeknownst to her, Haruko had seen the exchange and smiled to herself. She whispered something to Itachi's ear, causing the young man's eyes to go as wide as saucers as he stared at the two children.

"Well, you have to get used to what Neji said because someday, you kids will undergo marriage interviews and you will be promised to marry someone by Itachi's age," Hiashi explained. "And it will be alright because you are friends with each other and – "

"I can't imagine myself marrying Hanabi," Sai said with finality, causing the other adults to laugh.

"No one is deciding anything yet, Sai," Fugaku said, suppressing a grin which seemed to annoy Hiashi.

Nothing is decided yet, but it seemed that the optimism of that statement a long time ago was lost. On her 16th birthday, Hinata was promised to Sasuke. There was no talk between her and her parents. She only found out the day of her birthday. Apparently, Sasuke already knew about this because his parents had the decency to inform him. Hinata's mother would have, if she weren't compelled by her husband not to.

And it seemed that Sasuke felt that this match was more than fine with him.

But she wanted someone else. If only they knew, they would have set it up. There were no restrictions against it – her wanting to marry Naruto. In fact, it could have been a match made in heaven. She was a Hyuuga – rich and noble by her own right. Naruto was the same. They were on equal footing. However, it was just that Hiashi never warmed up to Naruto. He considered Naruto too unconventional and not fit for his position. He even stated in the privacy of their home that he wanted Nagato and Konan to have another child, just so Konohagakure could have a more decent heir.

However, it seemed that Nagato and Konan couldn't have any more children. That much Karin hinted to them.

Hinata never wanted the prestige that came along with marrying Naruto. She just wanted him. She simply loved him.

And after so many years, she was about to tell him.

In a way…

"Why are you crying?" Naruto asked, finding her behind an oak tree in the Uzumaki grounds.

Hinata squeaked in surprise. "N-nothing. I-I'm fine, Naruto-kun."

"No, you're not. I heard what your father was saying back there," he said. "You don't have to believe everything that he says, you know."

Hinata stared at her incredulously. "W-what do…?"

"I mean, you have a mind of your own," Naruto said. "No one forced me to be a prince because I was born as one. The duty was thrust upon me too, you know. But I choose to make the best of it and I won't let it define me. I'm gonna be my own prince. And I'm gonna be my own emperor."

"Th-that's great, Naruto-kun," she said in admiration. "But it's not that easy."

"I didn't say it was," he said amusedly. "Nothing is achieved without effort. Sasuke lets you believe that everything's easy but it's not. You're special, Hinata-chan. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise."

Hinata blushed. She knew from that day forward that she would always look at Naruto in a special way.

And now she loved him more than anything and anyone else in the world.

"Sasuke-kun, I have to go to the girls' bathroom," Hinata said.

"Okay, I'll head to the classroom now," Sasuke said.

Hinata left, not knowing that she dropped a white envelope as she ran.

Sasuke picked up the envelope, making a mental note to himself that he'll give the letter to Hinata later.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. Hinata was happy – happier than she ever had been in years. She just made friends with two girls – Ino and Sakura. It was true that she was a bit insecure of Haruno Sakura. It was clear to her and to everyone that Naruto fancied the pinkette. However, it seemed that Sakura didn't like Naruto back.

Hinata wished that she could be as assertive as Sakura. It also seemed like she was a kind soul, having welcomed Hinata to lunch. She was nice, friendly and also extremely pretty.

The entire time that she was inside the clinic, Naruto stayed with her, albeit forcibly. Sometimes, she wanted to stop her brother and Sasuke from bullying Naruto too much when it came to her. She knew that they meant well, but still, she didn't want Naruto to be forced to be with her just because someone said so.

He only left when the nurse told her that she was good to go. He explained that he had to have a word with Anko-sensei.

The only damper in her mood was that Sasuke wasn't his usual self. He was a bit withdrawn and his smiles towards her were forced.

She sighed and made her way to the back of the gym. Her classmate, Kizuna, told her that Kurenai-sensei wanted her to fetch Asuma-sensei, who was just finishing up a basketball session at the gym. She couldn't find him, so she started looking around.

"Asuma-sensei!" she called out. The sun was already dipping low on the horizon and its orange glow was hurting her eyes.

"You're pretty stupid for an heiress," a mocking voice said from behind her.

Hinata turned around and was almost knocked out when a wooden stick slapped her across the face. She dropped on all fours, feeling her mouth filling up with blood because of a busted inner cheek.

"Wow, you're a lot more resilient than I thought."

Hinata looked up. She couldn't recognize any one of those girls. They had masks covering up their faces and their eyes and hair were the only things that stood out. But they were from Konoha Gakuen, that was for sure.

"I hate girls like you. You have everything and it seems that you want more," a girl with black hair arranged in ponytails said, spitting at her. "Now what did you do to Sasuke-sama? He looked so lonely today."

"It's obvious isn't it? Did you see the way she drools at Prince Naruto?" another girl joined in.

Hinata's head spun as a kick was aimed at her head. They know… they know… does Sasuke-kun know?

She would have told Sasuke. She had every intention to. But she never had the opportunity… never had the courage…

"So, you fancy Naruto-ouji-sama," a girl with shaggy silver hair said. "I fancy him too, you know. But he's always hanging around that Haruno bitch. How does it feel? To be a hime but not getting your ouji? Even people like you have problems, ne? But you still get gold even without Naruto-ouji-sama. You have Sasuke-sama."

"And they all want to protect little Hinata-chan."

"So disgusting." Another blow.

"And so weak." Another one. She fell down, the dust rising momentarily around her.

But Hinata did not pass out. It was as if there was a strange, almost cruel strength within her that wasn't allowing her to give in. It was like it was taunting her aggressors to beat the crap out of her even more.

"You just won't give up huh? You want more?"

"OI!"

Hinata couldn't muster the strength to look up. Through the haze and through the hair that fell in disarray across her, she saw a flash of long, blonde hair.

Ino-san?!

"Ooohh! Another bitch!"

SMACK!

"What the hell?!"

"Don't underestimate a Yamanaka," Ino said. "You picked the wrong day to piss me off. I'm already so upset that I want to pummel all of you within an inch of your life!"

Hinata wove in and out of consciousness, barely able to understand the people around her as Ino and the girls exchanged more insults at each other.

"Upset because Kiba-sama turned you down again?" a girl taunted.

"None of your business, you – !" Ino screamed, punctuating her statement with a kick.

Hinata could barely see anything and she couldn't move an inch. She resented herself for being helpless once more. This happened again and it seemed that this time, Ino was the casualty. What would she give to have a normal life?

"HINATA!"

Naruto-kun?

She mustered the last of her strength to angle her head, looking at Naruto's stunned and livid face. Behind him was Sakura, who rushed over to where Ino was. With her was Sasuke, who looked angry.

And Sasuke was holding a white envelope which was obviously already opened.

Her white envelope.

My confession… to Naruto-kun…

For the second time that day, she fainted.

There. ;)