A/N: Set in Konoha, but the ninja academy is very selective and Hinata and her friends instead go to a normal high school. Hinata, Sakura and everyone else in their year are 16 to 17, allowing for birthdays. It isn't all straight forward, so I'll let you figure it all out.
This is AU of course, and possibly OOC, but I will try to keep that one to a minimum.
1st person, from the perspective of Hinata Hyuuga! Enjoy!
Chapter 4 – The Secret Long Forgotten
I didn't see him again all day. It made me worry that Naruto and I didn't share any classes. I really wanted to sit next to him and smell his scent – he wore cologne, but I wasn't sure which one. It made me happy. Obsessed? Maybe.
Naruto Uzumaki had started as a blonde haired mystery, complete with charm and a sweet sense of humour. He was now a blonde haired, evasive troublemaker with no intention of taking his school work seriously. At least he was still gorgeous.
He was the only person who ever commented favourably when I didn't stutter. And of course, he seemed to be the only person that made me confident enough not to always stutter. It was a conundrum.
I went to Homeroom alone, headed to my Social Studies class alone, and then went to Home Economics all by myself. It wasn't until the first lunch bell rang that Sakura and Ino showed their faces again. After that fight this morning, I didn't blame them. It was extremely embarrassing.
They stood at their respective lockers, ignoring each other, but at least they weren't playing tug-of-war with each other's hair. I wasn't sure who to speak to first, not wanting to take sides in this. I stopped short of them, trying to decide.
"Dogs loose in your kennel?" A brusque voice nearby asked.
His name was Kiba Inuzuka. He was a strange one, always making canine related jokes. If it wasn't for the strict school policy, he'd probably bring that puppy of his in every day. We weren't friends, not really. We said hello sometimes when passing each other, or if put together for class related activities, but we never went looking talk to each other or anything of the sort.
"They're n-not happy," I said, miserable.
He nodded. "Yeah, I can see that. You should tell them both to give up on Sasuke. He's not worth it."
I glanced at Kiba, remembering now that he was very anti-Sasuke. "Sasuke is my f-friend too."
"I know. Lighten up Hinata. Later on, Ino and Sakura will be best friends again, you'll see." He grinned at me much like a puppy would slobber on my shoes and moved away.
I knew Kiba was right, but I was still confused about what to do. Neither Sakura nor Ino noticed when I stepped up to my locker and I had to clear my throat a few times to get their attention.
"Oh, Hinata," Sakura said happily. "There you are."
Ino looked up at me, smiled, and then looked away when she noticed that the pinkette had noticed. I sighed. "Why can't you j-just g-get along?"
"If Ino pig would just admit that she doesn't have a chance with Sasuke," Sakura said haughtily, "then maybe."
I had decided the moment he said it, not to mention that Sasuke had asked me about Sakura yesterday. Maybe I needed to talk to him instead of his fan club. This rivalry between them had been going on for too long. But what was I supposed to do, tie them up until they agreed to give up on him? The thought of them suddenly deciding not to be friends with each other in order to pursue Sasuke terrified me.
Sometimes, when they argued like they did this morning (minus the physical aspect of the fight), that fear kept me up at night. I've never told them this, and often wondered if it would change anything.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Ino cut me off. "Hinata, I heard from a little birdie that you were snogging some blonde guy this morning. Is it true?"
Sakura grinned at me as I felt my face warm. "Really? Wow, who is this mystery man?"
I mumbled inaudibly and the pinkette rubbed my arm in a comforting way. "Sorry, didn't mean to make you turn inward."
"Come on Hinata," Ino said, ignoring Sakura. "Who is he?"
"Back off pig," Sakura raised a fist to the blonde. "She'll tell us when she's good and ready!"
"N-no, it's okay," I said, not wanting my embarrassment to cause them to argue again. "H-his name is N-Naruto Uzumaki. He started h-here today."
"Then where is he?" Ino asked, looking around. "Did he turn into wallpaper?"
I shook my head as Sakura growled at our tactless friend. "He isn't v-very school f-friendly, or s-so I've n-noticed."
Ino looked annoyed, while Sakura giggled. "Just like Sasuke-kun."
I nodded, smiling. "They're f-friends."
"Ooh! Nice!" Sakura was beside herself. "I'm so happy for you!" She winked at me. "Is this Naruto a good kisser?"
I blushed. "W-we didn't k-kiss, Sakura."
"No," Ino said in disbelief, "you just snogged in the hallway."
I shook my head. "He k-kissed my ch-cheek."
Sakura whistled. "A gentleman, here? Hinata, get a proper hold on him before someone else does."
I always told my friends when I liked a boy, but the way I answered their questions so blatantly this time was scaring me. Naruto made me feel so much more confident, so maybe just talking about him had a similar effect?
My friends started talking about the new boy and I smiled. They were talking to each other normally now. Their argument this morning seemingly forgotten, they debated the best way to get me off my buttocks and ask Naruto out. When the lunch was over, Ino left us and Sakura accompanied me to our Crafts classroom. We spent the next two lessons (the second was Mathematics), passing notes to each other.
Sakura mentioned to me that she had an art project to finish in the lunch break, and when the bell rang, Ino was nowhere to be found. I sighed. I decided, since I had nothing better to do, to use the second lunch to keep my promise to my mother, and drop off those papers to my father in the Primary Building.
X X X
The Primary Building was not a welcomed sight. Two receptionists in the lobby looked up at me as I entered. The one on the left was civilian; the right one was a ninja. The civilian smiled at me, her eyes as red as her hair colour. She wore brown glasses and the lavender version of the uniforms for the civilian employees here. She was very pretty.
The ninja receptionist had a bored expression on his face. His hair was spiky and dark blue, his eyes dark, and was sporting a small goatee. And okay, he was kind of cute. I didn't know either of their names, and they wore no identification.
I walked up to the civilian receptionist, noting that her smile was forced, but not insincere. "My name is Hinata Hyuuga," I said, "and I'm supposed to bring some papers to my father."
She nodded. "Oh yes, I remember you now. Of course, hang on a moment."
She picked up the phone on her desk and spoke into it. "Hinata Hyuuga, here to see Director Hiashi Hyuuga."
It was all so formal. The Directors of each department within the civilian government were the clan leaders. The members on the main council were made up of old people who had long retired from "active duty" and only came together in session for the more important aspects. Things were otherwise handled by the Hokage Lady Tsunade (the military leader of our village), and Lord Homura our civilian leader – the prefix Jōshi often added honourably to his name.
Technically, the directors were a council in and of their own right.
I waited patiently, but my father did not come out. The female receptionist went to run an errand and, glancing at the ninja to make sure he didn't care what I did, I walked through the double doors that led to the civilian area.
I didn't have time to wait around for my father to remember I was there. It occurred to me that maybe I should've left the papers with the receptionist, but my feet carried me up the long hallway toward the councillor office before I could stop them. I would just be popping my head in for a moment anyway.
I treaded lightly, not sure why a knot was forming in my stomach. Maybe my father would be angry, like the last time I came to this building. Or maybe I was just overreacting, and he would be happy to see me.
'Not likely.'
Despite his treatment of his heiress, I loved my father. I just wanted him to be proud of me, even when Neji ran with me the reasons I should hate him. Neji would never tell me to hate him, just why I should. He was my cousin, but like Sasuke, treated me more like a sister. Funny how their personalities were so similar; well except for the fact that Neji was punctual, never did drugs and had a girlfriend, letting his fan club know that stalking him was never going to win him over. Sasuke's indolence when it came to his admirers bugged me.
I sighed inwardly, having reached the door to the council chambers. There were raised voices inside and I hesitated to disturb them. I turned to leave, annoyed with myself that I had not just left the papers with the receptionist. One word stopped me – one magical word.
"Naruto."
That was my father's voice. I fought my desire to listen in. Whatever was happening, it was none of my business. But if Naruto was in there (why, oh why would he be visiting my father?), then maybe I could listen in, and possibly overhear what it was he was keeping from me.
Sometimes I wondered if Sakura was the only one who argued with herself. She had admitted to me once (and denied it heatedly afterwards) that she often talked with herself, inside her head.
"Naruto, stop acting like a child!"
My father's voice drew me back to the door and I peeked, pushing on the swinging doors slightly – enough to look through without drawing attention to myself. I could see Hiashi Hyuuga, looking livid, one of his aides standing nearby, but no Naruto. Was he just talking on the phone? No, my father was looking across the room, half turned away from the door.
"You're the one who lied to the Hokage."
That wasNaruto? It was his voice, but I'd never heard anyone speak to my father this way, let alone someone half his age.
"Of course I lied to the Hokage," my father said. "Do you understand what the ninja's would do to you if they found out?"
Was that concern in his voice?
Naruto chuckled. "Yes, in fact I do. Don't you remember what happened that night old man? The night I left Konoha?"
My father looked torn. That expression on his face, even only barely visible from my position, was pain and frustration. Was he really so concerned over Naruto? Why would he be this worried for someone who wasn't even a Hyuuga? He didn't even wear that expression for me.
"Are you expecting a repeat?" He asked. His voice was softer, his face unreadable.
Naruto took a little longer to answer. "No."
"Then why do you look so worried?"
"Because I'm worried what she'll think of me."
"Who?"
"You know who."
The Hokage? My father had admitted lying to her, and it sounded like he'd done this for Naruto's sake. What the hell was going on?
My father shifted uncomfortably. "Do you really think it's wise to tell her what happened?"
"I trust her."
"You hardly know her."
"Hiashi," Naruto's voice sounded sad, almost like he was pleading.
I heard him shuffling and all of a sudden, I could see him. It was a blurred outline of him as he moved toward the other side of the room. There was a window there, and I spotted the blonde haired boy who always made my heart leap at the sight of him. My father's face was rigid.
Naruto stared out the window as he continued. "Hiashi, it doesn't matter. I have to tell Hinata."
I almost fell over. They were talking about me! I clamped a hand to my mouth to keep from calling out. My heart started to pound and the fear that I might be discovered at any moment never felt more real. But something kept me still, and it was my father's next words that truly shocked me to my core.
"Do you really believe she'll forgive you Naruto? You came back to Konoha again after that night to get answers but ended up causing more problems. Hinata won't understand," he took a deep breath. "After all, you did kill her."
X X X
In a daze, I ransacked my wardrobe for something to wear to the Theatre. I dressed in a dark blue ensemble; my favourite blue/grey hooded jacket, a knee high crepe skirt, and black lace up boots. With only light makeup on to match, I left the Hyuuga compound as planned.
My father had not known I was in the wrong room, overhearing that disturbing conversation. He had however, been glad for the papers I'd left on the receptionist's desk on my hurried exit, and in an unusually good mood, he'd agreed to let me go out. I just had to be back before midnight. Neji was also coming, so this was why I was allowed to play Cinderella.
He of course, had smartened up his attire and decided to go to the Theatre because of Tenten, his high school girlfriend. I knew my cousin well enough to know he was intending on giving her his Sekínin Yubíwà* – a ring handed down in Hyuuga tradition for intended nuptials. I silently hoped she accepted it. Those two belonged together.
I forced myself to remain calm as Neji and I approached the Theatre. I had gone over the conversation I'd eavesdropped on in my head like a hundred times before school had even broken out. No way had Naruto killed me. That was ridiculous! I was still here, alive and well. The way my father had spoken to Naruto and the disrespect with which the blonde had spoken back was unnerving enough. This was not happening!
"Are you okay Hinata-chan?" Neji asked, in that smooth, nonchalant voice of his.
I nodded. "J-just nervous."
"Oh, is Naruto going to be here?"
"Y-yes, Neji-kun, h-he is."
Neji smiled at me. "Just be careful Cinderella."
We separated at the entrance, and while Neji went looking for Tenten, my eyes searched half heartedly for Naruto. A part of me was hoping he didn't turn up, but it wasn't the stronger half. Firstly, I spotted Ino in the crowd. She was on the prowl, searching the crowd by pushing through with her hands and feet. It was really a funny sight.
She noticed me and waved me over. I managed to get through the crowd without being stepped on or shoved and as soon as she was in reach, Ino grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward her.
"Have you seen Sasuke?" She asked.
I shook my head. "I j-just got h-here." And hopefully he wasn't coming. "Maybe y-you should search for Sakura instead."
Ino rolled her eyes. "I'm not making out with her."
I giggled. "N-no. But y-you know, Sasuke –"
She didn't seem to hear me, interrupting me instead. "Well, you and I can dance until he gets here!"
It was still early. Naruto had seemed excited at the prospect of visiting this night club – he was coming, right? I sighed, and decided to let go and have a little fun as Ino spun me around. The look on her face brought a smile to mine. She was enjoying herself too.
The song ended and Ino moved away – she had spotted Sasuke, who was just then entering the club. Just behind him, a certain blonde had also arrived. Naruto looked amazing, and I was certain he would smell good too. He smiled back at me and I felt my face warm at his attention.
The conversation I had overheard flitted about in my head, but I pushed it away. I wanted to dance with him before he confessed to me. The idea of telling him what I'd overheard was better than hearing it all over again. He'd forgive me if I forgave me, right? After all, this event he and my father had talked about did not sound remotely familiar to me. Maybe they had mistaken me for someone else, back then.
Convincing myself of this weak lie, I let Naruto lead me onto the dance floor. He seemed excited to see me, and did indeed smell very nice. I glanced at Sasuke, who narrowed his eyes at Naruto for a moment before pointedly ignoring the both of us.
I was swept up in the moment, not caring about that disturbing conversation, worried only that maybe I wanted to stay out past midnight, just to spend more time alone with this handsome man.
"You look amazing," Naruto whispered to me and I smiled back at him.
It was when his mouth locked onto mine, and his right hand gently stroked the side of my face that I wondered if I had not just made a huge mistake.
X X X
A/N: Okay, a little intense, but worth it, right? Things will start to head to the M rated end of the story soon, so please bear with me!
Hope you like it. Review, please! I love reviews, and you do too! :]
Sekínin Yubíwà* – literally means "commitment ring" in Japanese.
