Chapter 2: Heart of Darkness
The cool breeze blew through our hair softly. Our eyes not meeting so I just looked at the clear brown earth. I fiddled with my hands and thankful that my long fringe covered my very red face. It was lunch time and Naruto-kun had asked me to meet here with him through a letter. Well, here we are. He read my confession letter and he was going to answer it. I was so nervous! Will he accept?
I heard something shift and I held my head up slightly and saw that he was taking out my confession letter. Oh, did he liked the love poem I made just for him? I squeezed my eyes shut and held onto my knee-length skirt tightly. I started to sweat and my body felt hot. I almost fainted but held it so I could know what will he say. Reject or accept?
"Hinata..." Naruto-kun said softly. I looked at him with wide hopeful eyes. Accept? "I know this must have been hard for you to write, but I have to return it to you."
I was confused at first but when he said 'I have to return it to you', my mind was slowly processing that simple sentence. A few minutes, I finally knew his answer. He just does not want to say it straightforwardly. I could feel the world spinning for a little while so I took a deep breath silently and let it out. Naruto-kun held up his hand to give me the letter.
I looked at the letter on his hands and I nodded to show that I understand. I took my confession letter slowly and held it gently. How stupid of me... thinking that just because it's my birthday, I would be lucky. I shouldn't have wrote this letter. I should have just forget about my love for him when it's so obvious that he loves Sakura. I fought back the tears that threatens to come out from my eyes.
"I'm sorry..." Naruto-kun said. "I just don't think... of you that way, Hinata."
"O-oh... okay." I said lamely.
I lower my head so that I won't have to see him. "But we can still be friends... right?" he asked nervously.
"Um... s-sure..." I replied.
My first love letter... and it's 'Return to Sender'. On my 14th birthday, I, Hyuuga Hinata...
Was totally shot down.
The once quiet corridors were filled with students running back to their classes. Some were just hanging around and some decided to skip class. I walked timidly in the hallway holding my confession letter. As I walked, I saw a trash bin nearby. I took one last look at the letter before crumpling it up and throwing it away. I turned to the left and entered my class. Luckily, there're no flying tacos. As I walked toward my seat, I saw Naruto-kun talking to Kiba and Haku. I couldn't help but to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"She finally came out and ask you, huh?" Haku said. I blushed, they're talking about me. "What did you say?"
"I turned her down. I don't like her the way she likes me." Naruto-kun said.
"What!?" Kiba shouted. "Naruto, you turned Hinata down? But she's so cute..." I blushed harder when he said that. He thinks I'm cute?
"Well, she's just not my type, you know?" Naruto-kun said. "If a girl wants to go out with me, she has to be really hot! Like Sakura!"
"There he goes again." Kiba rolled his eyes.
"Naruto, you're so ruthless." Haku laughed. Why did I even bother eavesdropping their conversation? It would only break my heart even more...
"Of course I am," Naruto-kun said proudly. He glanced at a person not far from the class's entrance. "I can never give in to that jackass! I won't let him beat me!" Curious as always, I too look at who was he reffering to. As I turned my head, I noticed that the person was Sabaku no Gaara. A boy who is total opposite of Naruto-kun. He seemed to be reading a certain black book.
Gaara have bright red, messy, short hair and aquamarine eyes. He always wears this thick eyeliner. As I said, he is a total opposite of Naruto-kun. Anyway, although Gaara is an emo, he still is popular with the girls. But he shows no interest in them. I have to admit that he is kind of cute... but not as cute as Naruto-kun.
"My sworn enemy..." Naruto-kun growled. "My step-brother, Gaara!"
"You mean," Kiba sighed. "You're jealous because he's popular with the girls?"
"Well, kind of..." Naruto-kun paused. "But now, he's got an edge... five extra inches longer then mine in the-"
"Naruto!" Haku said as he blushed. What was Naruto-kun going to say? Was it something bad?
Naruto-kun ignore Haku. "I have to get ahead, and the only thing that'll put me there is..." Naruto-kun paused. "A PERFECT GIRLFRIEND!" This broke my heart so much that it puts me in depression. I stared at my hands and stopped eavesdropping them.
Am I not perfect enough, Naruto-kun? Of course I'm not, I mean I kept on stuttering and I'm kind of bad in social activities. Maybe, Sakura is just right for him. But, no one's perfect... maybe, I'm just not that attractive. I mean, I'm so plain, not like Sakura. I wished I could be like her. I am so into my little World of Depression that I didn't noticed two beings in front of me.
"Yo, Hinata!" Nagahara Tenten's voice could be heard through my sorrowful ears.
"Earth to Hinata!" this time, it was Yamanaka Ino. "She's always so spacey..." Where is Sakura? Oh, probably helping the teachers for something.
"Hmm...she's been really out of it ever since lunch..." Tenten said. "Her daydreaming is up 50 percent from normal levels."
Really? I didn't know you are good in calculating. I was about to say that but I couldn't find the energy to say it. But even if I did say it, I would be stuttering so it wouldn't be funny. Back to the topic in my World of Depression. How come I'm not good enough for Naruto-kun? Why does he loves Sakura when she rejected him repeatedly? I don't understand...
"All right, this is getting boring!" Tenten said and all of a sudden I felt like I've been dragged down the floor. "C'mon, Hinata, snap out of it!"
"She's so violent..." Ino muttered to herself. I would certainly agree about that, Ino.
"Tonight's the big night! News is in the air!" Tenten said happily while I got dragged by her arm on my throat. "My reporter's nose can smell it!" Oh yes, Tenten's ambition is to be a great reporter. Her father is the head of a police department so Tenten is so lucky to get all the latest news.
"T-Tenten... I-I... I c-c-can't b-breath!" I gasped. Well, I tried to but when she said that, I became interested.
"The big night?" Ino ask puzzled.
"Yes!" Tenten shouted. My sorrowful ears... "Something's happening tonight... right at eleven! My dad tipped me off."
I'm really interested, really I am! But there's something in Tenten's eyes that I don't like. "I have to go and get ready, so finish cleaning up for me, okay?" Today must be Tenten's turn to clean the Art Room... I was right. Her eyes showed everything and things that I don't like.
"W-What?" I asked although I heard her 100 percent. Can't she see that I'm in my little World of Depression?
"C'mon, I'll get you another photo of Naruto!" Tenten said and I blush. I had a lot of Naruto-kun's photo because of her. "Here, this is for you..." Tenten said and pushed a broom to my hands.
"U-Uh..." I was about to decline and say that I no longer have feelings for Naruto-kun -which is a total lie- but she just rushed out of class laughing like a maniac.
"BWA HA HA HA HA! THANKS, HINATA!" that was what she said before rushing off. "T-Tenten! P-Please c-come b-b-back..." I tried to call after her but of course she won't come back. She didn't even hear me...
"W-W-Why i-is s-she a-a-al-ways d-doing t-that...?" I asked myself. I really wanted to cry at that moment. "Well, you're the one who keeps letting her." Ino said and lets out a big yawn. I giggled at that sight, Ino's yawn reminds me of how Nara Shikamaru yawns. Those two would be cute together...
I strode down the quiet corridor while carrying a broom. It's creepy when you could only hear the echo of your own footsteps. I stopped and turned to my right, where the door of the Art Room stands. I grabbed the card to this room in my pocket and then slide it in the identification machine.
...BEEP...BEEP...BEEP...
There was only one explanation why this machine 'BEEPed'. And that was, I have brought the wrong card. Normally, everyday brings me bad luck. But my birthday only comes once a year... couldn't I have good luck just this one day? Just once...?I guess not.
"W-Why...m-m-me?" I stuttered pathetically. My tears falling, I couldn't hold it anymore. "M-My l-l-life stinks! Why d-d-does t-this a-a-always h-happen?"
It took everything I had to give Naruto-kun that letter. I know I'm a huge klutz and I'm not really that attractive... but I thought I could change my life. At that moment, a handkerchief appeared in front of me. Okay, maybe not appeared but a handkerchief was shoved in front of my face. I looked up to see who shoved it.
"W-What? W-Who..." I tried to form words but I couldn't find my voice when I saw Uchiha Sasuke beside me, trying to open the door. He must have thought I already opened the door. Quickly, I wiped my tears away with his handkerchief and placed it inside my pocket. I've forgotten to say thank you...
"U-Uchiha-s-san... I-I-I'm s-s-sorry! I-I b-brought t-t-the wrong c-c-card, s-so t-t-t-t-the d-door's l-l-locked..." I stuttered. This was so embarrassing! I pushed him slightly away from the door. "H-Here, l-l-let m-me o-open it f-f-for y-y-you."
"Open it...?" Sasuke said but I wasn't listening to him and I didn't catch his expression because then, I was busy fumbling with the identification machine. I did told you that father taught me how to break the military code. So this is nothing to me. It's like playing a puzzle that has only 10 pieces.
"Hmm... let's see... this lock is... s-so then..." I mumbled to myself. "This is all I need to do..."
...BEEP...BEEP...PASSWORD?
Just one more...
...BEEP...BEEP...BEEP...CHINK
There! I did it... I slid the door open and stood at the side to let him through. "T-There y-you g-g-go," I said gladly. "Oh! But... w-w-what a-are y-you d-d-doing h-here, U-Uchiha-san?"
I looked at him with a smile that was soon became a crooked one as I saw staring right at me as if I were a criminal. "I'm on cleaning duty today." he finally answered.
"Oh... I s-see," I scratched my head nervously and looked down at my feet. Uchiha Sasuke... even though we're in the same class, I've never really talked to him. He's not a snob or anything... he's just so hard to talk to. Even Naruto-kun was having troubles getting him to talk into a conversation.
We both walked into the Art Room. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me again. "Hey...Hyuuga Hinata, right?" Sasuke said.
I jumped a little. "Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes?"
"How'd you unlock the door?" Sasuke asked.
Uh oh. "H-H-How-d I-I w-what?" my voice sounded nervous. Of course I'm nervous! A normal kid couldn't do that! Unlock that door, I mean. Father always tells me not to do that stuff in public.
"U-Uh, w-w-we-ell, I-I..." What am I suppose to say? I'm not that good in lieing... I'm not even good in lieing! "I-I-It's t-t-the s-sa-same k-k-kind... I-I-I h-have a-a-at h-home!"
Okay. That was lame. "S-S-So... I'm j-j-just, y-you k-k-k-know... u-u-used t-t-to i-it...u-um..."
"Really?" Sasuke checked the lock. "It's a pretty unusual lock. A DebacZ1GII. You have one at home?"
"I-I... ah, y-y-yeah... u-um... ah..." Next time I would have to think before doing something private. What a mess!
"Ugh... what a day..." I grunted as I opened the gate to my house. My house isn't that big but it has a really nice view if you look through the balcony. I opened the door and enter. "Hello! I'm ho-"
Half of the floor in the living room which I stood had opened -I know, weird- and I was about to fall into this dark who-knows-what's-under-the-living-room-floor room. But, I'm used to this kind of thing. Luckily, there was a remaining floor in front of the door for me to hold onto. I caught it just as I was about to be swallowed up by this... erm... room. Nevermind.
I did a back flip and look across the living room. Lasers. The door then closed and I stood up, carefully watching my balance. This must be another training that father gives me. I thought. I folded my sleeves up and frowned.
"I can never just come home and walk in the door... like a normal kid." I muttered. I positioned myself and without any hesitation, I jumped over the the opened-floor to land on the other side... which had lasers everywhere. I ran and purposely let my foot brushed over one of the lasers.
"Hmm.. .first one's a dummy." I looked from side to side as I run. "The second, third... and the right-hand lasers are dummies too." I quickened my pace. So this is what you want...
All of a sudden, I was being chased by weird toys. I didn't even know how they could run and chased me. Must be Grandpa... he must have got this puppets from Akasuna no Sasori, an old friend. Whatever, I lost it now after running and hiding. Right now, I was standing in front of a door that leads to a REAL living room. The one back there was just a training room, disguising as a living room.
I was about to grab the doorknob but something in head head told me to check it first. I bend down to untie my shoe and let it touch the doorknob. When I did that, electrics were everywhere and then it 'BOOMed'. A small one... but, he actually electrified it.
"Father?" I called, knowing that he was inside with Grandpa. "I'm home..."
"Welcome home, sweetie!" father hugged me tight. "You did everything perfect today! I'm so proud of you!" He's always so emotional... when it comes to success.
"F-Father..." I said again and patted his back when he began to sob. I look over his shoulder and saw Grandpa sitting on a couch drinking tea. He took a sip before looking at me straight in the eye.
"Well done, Hinata," he said sternly. "Today is your 14th birthday... and your final lesson. You've done well, Hinata. We have nothing left to teach you."
I'm so tired that I couldn't bring myself to listen to Grandpa's long, boring lectures about life and survival. I let go of father -he stopped crying- gently and grabbed my shoe which got burnt. I'm going to have to buy a new one... I wondered... did I have enough savings to buy a new one? Oh well, as I walked up the stairs so I could just rest in my room, Grandpa shouted.
"Hey, Hinata! Come back here, I'm not finished!"
I turned to look back at him. "Sorry, Grandpa," I said. "I'm just not in the mood right now."
When I opened the door to my room, I could hear them talking. "Hmm... Well, it looks like we have time for a few last touches." father said. What did that mean? Were they going to give me a birthday party?
"Yup. Hinata is ready to inherit her birthright as a member of the Hyuuga family." Grandpa said. I could hear a tinge of sadness in his voice. Birthright? What were they talking about? Maybe it's just another crap... ugh... I felt so... tired.
"Uh-huh..." father's footsteps could be heard below. "Now, let's get ready." My instincts might be right, they were planning me a birthday party. Oh no... I groaned... the last time they did, it was a burnt cake made by Grandpa. He said that it was the Hyuuga's traditional recipe that had been going on for thousands of years. And it doesn't taste right... I think he mention that the main ingredient is a...lizard's tail...or was it a scorpion? Whatever it is, it lead me to a hospital bed. Not a good memory...
I was about to faint on my bed out of dizziness but the sound of the television being on had woke me up. I sighed. Well, I still have some homework to finish. Unconsciously, my ears were listening to the sound of the television below.
This afternoon, at the Esviel Art Museum in the Konoha neighborhood of Tokyo...a message was found attached to the famous "Saint of Tears" statue. Currently, the museum is exhibiting part of it's large and extremely valuable collection of modern art.
I tapped my pencil at the tip of my nose, looking at my homework on my bed. Hmm... Major developments in space exploration occurred after... um... was it on 1969 or ...1957? I might as well ask Grandpa about that, he would be happy to explain stuff like this. I skipped to the next question.
Here is a look at the note that was found...police are posting guards throughout the museum.
While I was writing the answer for the next question, something slightly heavy landed on my head. I gently grabbed it's body from my head and set it on my bed. I smiled softly... I'm so tired...
"Hey, Stas," I said. "Sorry I couldn't take you to school today. I had something important to do... but I'm done with all that."
"Kyuu!" Stas replied. Stas is our pet, and also our family. It looks like a small little puppy with floppy ears and it has two long fluffy tails. His fur is white in color. Grandpa says that Stas has been living with the Hyuuga family for generations. I'm kind of surprise that Stas is still alive, oh, and it's a male. I nuzzled his nose, making him sneeze. How adorable...
As I let go of him, he jumped away from the bed and head downstairs; probably for food. Stas likes to eat almost anything that will make him full. I let out a stressful sigh before walking over to my desk. I opened the drawer and took out a picture of Naruto-kun. I look at it with sad eyes. Why, Naruto-kun? Why did you love Sakura? What exactly did you see in her? What does she have that I don't? Those questions... would probably go unanswered.
"I sure don't need this anymore..." I said to no one in particular as I stared at the picture before tearing it away. It felt as if I'm tearing my love from him. But his words tore my heart to shreds when he... when he... I should just forget about him and move on. But...
Hinata...
W-What?...Naruto-kun? Images of his cheerful face running through my head. All of a sudden, my body became hot. I dropped down to my knees and clutched myself and I was sweating like mad. What's happening to me?
I'm sorry, Hinata...
I felt... like I'm on fire! What's happening? What's going on with my body? I can't breath... father, Grandpa! Naruto-kun, help!
I love you, Hinata...
Love?...My body... it's a little cold now...
"Who loves...?"
I love...
"Love who?!"
...I love him...
This voice... it's coming from inside me. Is there another me... in my blood... in my DNA?
Another...
Erm...so yeah, that's it for this chapter. I want to thank you to those who reviewed my story and also answering my questions. I'm kind of happy right now...haha...um...anyway, please, er, review? Is that how you say it? Nevermind...