A/N : Oh my god, guys. SO SORRY for this DELAYED update! Life got in the way so I didn't really have time to write. I'm really sorry! But now that my life's sort of settled down, I can focus back on updating. I'll try and post a new chapter every week? No promises though. I'm scared life will go all shitty on me again and make me unable to update consistently. :( But I will try and update as fast as I can. :)

Thank you to all who faved or alerted this story! I feel so happy knowing this story's slowly getting a lot of attention. Thank you! :)

Special thanks to rainbowxpersonality, sasumiofjp, ShinjiLuver123, Rose Tiger Kataangforever2, oceanmoon and Myomi-chan! Your reviews really made my day and was actually the reason for this update. Without your support, I wouldn't be fueled enough to continue so thank you so much! :D

Here's my reply to two of the anonymous reviewers :

ShinjiLuver123 - Haha, yea. I'm not sure on what her name really means but I know there's sun somewhere in there so hopefully Naruto will be the 'sun' to her. Haha! Sorry for this late update, I hope this chapter makes up for it. Haha. Thanks for the review and please continue supporting me with them! God bless! :)

Myomi-chan - Wow, really? I feel so flattered, thank you! You just put a huge grin on my face. Haha. Thanks for the sweet review, hope this chapter is good enough for you. Please continue supporting me and my writing and this fic! God bless! :)

Alrighty, on with the chapter! :D

'Italic' - thoughts / imagination

'Bold' - notes / emphasis

'Bold Italic' - flashbacks


" … D-Drawing?"

Naruto gave her a huge grin as he slid a piece of blank paper to her, placing a thin red pencil along with it. "It's a good way to get to know each other. I learned this back in high school. C'mon, let's try."

A deep blush stained her cheeks as she awkwardly looked away, fiddling with her fingers nervously like the first time they met. Naruto couldn't help but find it disappointing that she couldn't look him in the eye bravely yet but he knew he couldn't rush things like that. After all, this was only their second time meeting. He shouldn't expect her to escape her guarded self so fast. He needed to learn patience, unfortunately.

"You don't wanna do it?" asked the blonde, mocking a hurt tone to get her attention.

She slowly looked at him, a solemn expression masking her features. " … I-I don't know... I c-can't... draw."

Naruto let out a heartily chuckle while marring his signature smirk. "No worries, Hinata. I can't draw neither. But it'll still be fun. We both can show each other our sucky drawings." Hinata still seemed unconvinced, staring at the sheet of paper long enough as though waiting for it to suddenly combust and disappear from sight. Although she was as silent as a mouse, her body language told him enough that she honestly didn't want to participate and he knew he had to try harder. She was a hard egg to crack after all.

"How bout this, I'll draw first. Then you can see how simple it is," he said, giving her a reassuring smile as he took his own pencil in hand. As the tip of the lead made contact with the paper, he paused momentarily and slowly dragged his gaze upwards to her. He silenced everything else and focused solely on the indigo beauty before him. He concentrated on how her body never seemed to be still, every single inch moving oh so slightly yet enough for him to capture it. He noticed her cheeks burning with the blush enhancing her features, giving her a soft glow that made her look less wan. But most of all, he focused on those mesmerizing eyes and it's hidden mystery. How they held a dark secret behind it's misty facade.

He shut his eyes tight and conjured up an image in his mind of her appearing as something he saw instead of her own self.

His hands slowly began moving, forming vague shapes with every flick. Hinata's eyes hesitantly turned to his direction, absorbing his diligent movements. She was a little surprised at how enthusiastic he was about this activity. Though she showed no interest whatsoever in joining him in this activity, he still pursued – determination burning in his azure eyes. W-Why is he trying so hard... it's just a w-waste of time...

He never averted his concentration elsewhere as his scribbles began forming itself into drawings. At her distance, she couldn't really figure out what Naruto was sketching but she was too engrossed in looking at the artist instead of the art. She was attracted to how his brows seemed to line in a straight manner and how he bit his lip subconsciously as he focused solely on his drawing. She was also amused at how he would pause momentarily, observing his work while ruffling his hair gently. How smooth those blonde locks looked as he drew a hand through them. It must feel so soft...

And his eyes, holding such determination, she felt as though she should give him a gold star for effort if not for his masterpiece. Though this was such a measly task, he took it seriously and even made a high effort in making sure he had it spot on. Hinata was left befuddled... but surprisingly grateful as well.

"Done," remarked Naruto, grinning widely as he rubbed his cheek in a flustered way. "Ano, it's not that good. Like I said, I ain't no artist. But I did give it my best shot."

Hinata remained silent as she blushed hotly at his words, finding it hard to utter a response of gratitude to him. W-Why is he doing this? I-I didn't ask him to do it... why is he t-troubling himself so...

"You wanna see it?" asked Naruto with a warm tone, sliding the paper to her with the drawing facing the wooden table. Hinata bit her lip in thought, feeling the curiosity creeping up her body and leaving goosebumps along its trail. She never bothered to mull over how people saw her, she was taught to not even care. But no human could resist wondering once in awhile how they appeared in another person's eyes. What made her even more curious was that Naruto was considered a stranger to her, someone that didn't know her enough to forge a lie. Not to mention the way the blonde seemed so engrossed in the activity, Hinata knew his drawing would prove to be his sincere and honest opinion.

Hinata couldn't help it, she was genuinely interested to know how Naruto saw her and she wanted to find out.

Her fingers slowly moved towards the paper as she delicately pulled it towards her. She had no idea why her body seemed to be trembling and her grasp was as shaky as a leaf on a windy day. Her mind began toying with her, forging up images of horrifying possibilities to what could be drawn on the paper. Her throat felt extremely dry and her heartbeat began hammering wildly against her fragile chest. D-Don't get your hopes up, Hinata. U-Uzumaki-san must've drawn something sad and lonely, just like you. He must've drawn a lifeless witch, just like you. He must've d-drawn a heartless monster...

Just like you.

As she turned the paper around, her heart made a small leap of surprise. She didn't know what to make of what she was seeing.

The drawing seemed to be in abstract form as it gave two different images at the same time. One half was a sun shining brightly above what appeared to be a field of flowers. The rays of light seemed to have given life and beauty to the flowers as Naruto drew them healthy and vibrant. He even added a few butterflies to add to the serene scenery. But what confused her was the sun seemed to be hidden by a few clouds, causing only half of the flowers in the field to bloom its fullest. The other half seemed wan and... broken. The florals were dried and dull - no light could be seen. The field seemed to be divided because of this, one side was filled with beauty and joy while the other was hollow and solemn.

Was this how Naruto saw her?

"Haha, gomen Hinata. I know my drawing's not good, I warned you it would suck." Naruto lightly laughed away at his own sloppy art but Hinata begged to differ. She couldn't stop looking at it, every single detail whether big or small was embedded in her mind already. The image, the meaning it portrayed, the way it seemed so false yet so true. It all took her into a scatterbrained frenzy. She didn't know what to make of it. She didn't know which emotion that was right at that moment. Her fingers gripped the paper until creases began to appear, giving Naruto the wrong impression.

"A-Ano, if you don't like it, it's okay. It's just a drawing."

" … I-Iie..."

Naruto raised an curious eyebrow to her short yet firm response. "Huh?"

Hinata looked into his blue irises dearly as she held the piece of paper closer to her heart. "I-It's... perfect." Naruto swore he could see her stiff lips trying to curve its way into a small smile. He smirked inwardly. His plan sort of managed to work out in the end. He rubbed the back of his head cheekily, feeling a little flushed by her compliment. "R-Really? It's not that great. I've done better … sort of." The indigo-haired girl kept quiet, hugging the drawing as though her life depended on it. I guess she really likes it... means I got the picture spot on...

"Hinata...," Naruto began, the syllables of her name rolling swiftly off his tongue. "Do you know why I drew that?"

She looked at him bashfully and bit her lip in thought, her deep dark locks falling gracefully over her shoulders. To be honest, she did somehow understand it but at the same time, she wanted to hear it from his own mouth. She wanted to hear it verbally said to her so that it would remain concrete in her mind. She wanted to hear him say she was a sad little girl that doesn't know how precious life can be. Maybe then she could forget hoping easier.

So she shook her head curtly, awaiting to hear what he would reply with.

"I see two sides in you, Hinata," replied Naruto with a serious tone. "At first glance, I see someone... miserable. Broken, empty... sad. I don't know what to say to this girl because I'm scared she's gonna break or something. She just looks so fragile..." Hinata turned her eyes away, feeling ashamed of what he was telling her. She knew it, she knew he would see her as this stupid doll that only knew how to be depressed all the time. People everywhere have been telling her the same thing, another person wasn't going to change anything. He was just like them after all. Hinata couldn't help but feel... disappointed.

W-What? I shouldn't feel disappointed. He's just a stranger, his opinion shouldn't affect me. S-So what if he's like the rest, you shouldn't have expected anything else. You are miserable Hinata. A useless pathetic person...

"But there's also the other side," continued Naruto, his voice breaking her train of thought. "Beneath that broken girl, I see a lively one. I see a girl whose laugh is contagious to everyone around her. I see a girl whose smile is brighter than any other, including me. I see a girl who can achieve anything she wants if she really put her heart into it. I see happiness... I see life."

Hinata's heart was beating uncontrollably by the time Naruto ended his little speech. No one had ever uttered such sweet words to her like how he did. She was caught in the middle of deciding whether she should believe him or not. His words seemed so foreign to her. Lively? Happy? How long has it been since she had heard those words or anything of that sort? What happened to his more accurate version of her being a fragile piece of china? She was a depressed fool, that was already planted in her mind and soul. So why did this blonde mystery man appear and make her all confused with his fancy words? Why?

She then felt someone attempting to touch her hand. She gasped in shock as Naruto shyly took her fingers in between his warm palms, keeping his hold loose for her to retract if she felt uncomfortable. She was too surprised at how sudden he always was (and how he managed to come to her so fast until she didn't even realize it) Her eyes faced his sincere ones with awe and dumbstruck. He was bold, daring, funny, good-looking and friendly. Everything she wasn't. Why was he doing this to her? Why was he trying so hard to enter her brain and try to figure her out? She couldn't comprehend a rational answer at all. Uzumaki Naruto befuddled her.

"Hinata, I know that happy, vibrant, cheerful girl is locked somewhere in you. But something inside you is keeping her from coming out. A-And I think I know what it is," He paused momentarily, a sadder tone crossing his features. "Your depression."

At that word, Hinata inwardly hissed and stiffened immediately, her hand began reacting by trying to tug it away from his hold but he fought her by holding her firmly – he mentally scolded himself for liking her touch too much. Naruto tenderly glanced at her, showing off that smile she was so envious of. It was so genuine, so genial, so... beautiful. "I don't think I can ever understand how someone going through depression can feel. I can't even try. It's too... hard. But I know you weren't always like this. Your old happy self is somewhere deep inside you, waiting for you to let her out. Like that sun in the picture, it's warmth couldn't reach all of the flowers in the field because a dark cloud is shielding it from shining brightly. You need to get rid of that dark cloud, Hinata. You need to shine again."

The dark-haired girl was appalled with his words, finding it unbelievable that they had just met last week. It felt like they had known each other for years, like their past lives were related somehow. He managed to see through her misery and still find that small piece of hope she made sure she locked away years ago. She never wanted to hope ever again. She never wanted to believe she could get better. She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve to be happy. Not after what she did to her own mother.

" … Y-You don't know me..." muttered Hinata, pulling her hand away from him and trying to create as much distance as she could. "Y-You don't know how I was... I-I don't want to shine again... I don't even deserve to. Just l-leave me be... Onegai shimasu."

Naruto merely smiled and stood up from his kneeling position, crossing his arms with a stubborn smirk marring his lips. "Everyone deserves to be happy, Hinata. Including you. You just need to break free from this disease. And I'm gonna help you. I'm gonna make sure you smile and laugh all day after this. You'll see. But can you promise me something?"

She hesitantly nodded, her fingers fidgeting wildly - wondering what his request may be. "Promise me you'll help me help you. At least try. I can't do this alone, Hinata. This has to be a two way thing. I know it won't be easy for you to let me in. But we're friends right? Friends trust each other. So trust me. I sincerely want to help." Hinata nervously looked into his eyes closely, seeing no hints of despair or lies hidden beneath it's radiating beauty. She blushed as she found herself admiring his irises again and turned away, wishing her heart would stop beating like a bullet train.

F-Friends? … We're f-friends? Trust... should I? He looks sincere enough. Should I give him a chance? Should I...O-Okaasan?

Her fingers crept to her necklace and gripped the pendant tightly, shutting her eyes and praying her mother could give her a hint on what she should do. Images of a beautiful and graceful woman entered her mind, filling her whole with the gentle warmth she was emanating. She turned around and gave a soft smile, giving a curt nod. Hinata opened her eyes abruptly, the woman immediately vanished from view. She darted her gaze towards the blonde man who was giving her a curious look – awaiting her reply tensely. I-I trust you... Okaasan.

" … H-Hai, Uzumaki-san," Hinata stammered, her cheeks bearing a red tint. "I'-I'll try my best..."

"Arigatou Hinata. Trust me, I'll have you smiling again in no time. I promise," declared Naruto proudly, giving her a confident thumbs up to emphasize. Hinata curled her lips into a small smile, hoping dearly she made the right decision. "Oh, and Hinata? Since we are friends, you can call me Naruto, ne?"

Her blush deepened so much until she swore she could feel the heat emanated by her cheeks. She bit her lip, feeling hesitant in saying his name but she did say she would try. This was her first task. If she couldn't even say his first name, she wouldn't be able to fully let him in at all. She let out a nervous cough and shyly averted her gaze to the floor. C'mon Hinata, you can do it. You trust him... right?

She mustered up what little courage she had and looked Naruto directly in his eyes, feeling her nervousness melt away at the gentle gaze he was giving. Y-Yes... I do trust him...

" … H-Hai... N-Naruto-kun..."


After his session with Hinata (and after managing to persuade her into drawing a picture of him in return of his and showing it to him on their next session) Naruto went to the room specially reserved for the hospital's 'friends'. He promised Sakura he would meet her there because she mentioned she wanted to introduce him to a few special people. I hope it's not that Uchiha dude. I ain't ready to meet no bipolar patient just yet.

He opened the door to the room, the smell of caffeine and medicine filling his nostrils immediately. The room itself wasn't that spacious, enough for a few desks, chairs, lockers and a coffee machine. The walls were barely decorated except for a large photo of Tsunade hanging at the top of one of them. Pfft, what a narcissistic granny. The room was also currently occupied with a few people, most of them unknown to him thanks to his new arrival there. Most of them probably have been volunteering her for a decade or something.

Naruto scanned the room briefly to find Sakura until he felt a hand clasp around his shoulder. He turned around sharply, startled at the person's sudden contact and breathed a sigh of relief when he met a pair of familiar emerald orbs. "Wow, a little jumpy today, ne Naruto? Did Hinata scare you or something?" joked the pink-haired girl, handing him a steaming cup of coffee. He took it with a pout, downing the beverage in one gulp. He obviously forgot it was a HOT cup of coffee which resulted in him jumping around due to his scorched tongue. Sakura burst into a fit of giggles at his antics, sipping her own drink coolly. "Thanks a lot, Sakura-chan," mumbled Naruto, cooling his tongue off with his hand.

"Hey, don't thank me. It was all you." chortled Sakura, trying hard to stop her laughter as much as she could. Naruto was about to retort a so called smart response when two guys suddenly approached them. "Sakura-chan! Konnichiwa!"

Sakura turned to them and waved brightly back. "Ah, Lee-san. Shino-san. Konnichiwa." Naruto eyed the two gentlemen carefully as they came closer. These were probably the people Sakura wanted to introduce him to. Naruto was a little surprised considereing they were rather... odd-looking. One of them had a haircut shaped like a bowl with eyebrows that were thicker than an average person. Not to mention his eyes were a little beady and doll-like. The other one seemed to be more conservative but that actually made him even more suspicious. He wore a hoodie that managed to cover up until his mouth, with dark sunglasses shielding his irises from being seen. His brown locks were spiked up in a neat manner but what creeped Naruto out was although his eyes couldn't be viewed, it was as though he could feel the man seeing right through him for some reason.

Naruto shivered at the thought of this man being able to do that. Especially since he's a dude.

"Ah, you must be Uzumaki-san. I've heard about you from Shizune-san. Welcome to the 'Friends' society," greeted the bowl-haired man, flashing Naruto a huge grin with an added thumbs up. The blonde replied with his own signature smile, giving a mock salute in return. "My name's Lee. Rock Lee. It is a great pleasure to be working with you. It fills my heart with glee knowing that more kind people are joining us in helping these poor patients get their youth back! Let us aid each other in completing our goal!"

Naruto stared at him with a bemused expression, finding his enthusiasm bizarre yet amusing. He admired the fact that someone as energetic as this was working in a facility that was filled with despair and insanity. "If you're wondering, yes, Lee-san's always like this," claimed Sakura, rolling her emerald orbs at Lee's usual antics. She then inclined her head to the other man who stood silently the whole time. "This is Aburame Shino. He doesn't really talk much so don't take his silence to heart."

Naruto gave Shino a long stare, finding himself being curious as to how this man's eyes looked like. Maybe they're bloodshot red with small dots in the center? Or maybe they're fully black with no white at all? Or maybe... he doesn't have eyes? Wicked...

"You find my sunglasses that interesting, Naruto-san?"

Naruto jumped out of his train of thought and laughed lightly, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Ah, gomen. I didn't realize I was staring. It's just, not many wear sunglasses in the afternoon, ne?" Shino remained silent and for a second, Naruto was worried he offended the poor guy with his remark. He was just about to voice an apology when Shino pushed the middle of his glasses across the bridge of his nose firmly. "I prefer to wear them no matter the time. Does it bother you in anyway?"

"Oh, iie, iie! I-It's fine. In fact, it l-looks kinda cool." Though he couldn't see it, Naruto definitely heard the tone hidden between Shino's words. It practically screamed 'Don't diss the glasses or you'll regret it.' and Naruto definitely didn't want to find out what would happen if he actually did insult the guy's sense in fashion. "So, uh, how long have you guys been 'friends'?"

"Shino-kun here has been a 'friend' since last year while I have been providing my services for a good two years," said Lee with a proud grin. "And we shall continue being good patrons to these unlucky souls and make sure they come out like a beautiful butterfly – all ready to see what the world beholds!"

Okay, is it just me or did someone here take his daily dosage of sugar a little too much? This guy's sucking all the life out of this place.

"How's Tenten-san?" asked Sakura, taking a long sip of her dark coffee.

Lee fisted the air with a triumphant gleam in his bold eyes. "Ah, she's doing great! She has now stopped carrying around knives and throwing them randomly. I am positive in a few more weeks, she'll be able to hold her dangerous urges to harm innocent civilians and lead a peaceful life – just like how I am teaching her."

Sakura turned to Naruto and saw the shocked look he held, making her giggle softly. "Tenten has a sadistic personality unfortunately. So far, Lee's the only one that can calm her down and make sure she doesn't hurt anyone or herself."

Naruto choked a little on his coffee, his throat burning at the sudden contact. S-Sadistic? This place just keeps getting crazier. "S-So she's alright now right? I mean, she doesn't rampage around or anything right?"

Lee bellowed a laugh, placing his hands at his hips in an animated fashion. "Daijoubu Naruto-kun. As long as I'm her friend, Tenten won't even harm a fly. I guarantee it."

For the sake of everyone here, I hope you're right. "That's good to know. So Shino, who's your 'friend'?"

"His name is Gaara."

"Gaara eh? So what's he like?"

"He's a psychopath."

Wow... this place just keeps getting better. "P-Psychopath? … I-I see. So, uh, you okay with him?" Shino kept silent for awhile before rolling up his long sleeves and revealing a long scar that went straight from his wrist to the outer part of the elbow. Naruto shivered slightly at the gruesome sight, biting his lip in remorse. Guess that was the wrong question to ask. Thank God I got Hinata. "This isn't his worst action, Gaara is capable of much more frightening things. But I am doing my best to aid him in his recovery period."

Lee pumped his fist with determination blazing in his dark irises. "Yosh! That's the spirit Shino-kun! Your enthusiasm burns my own! Come, let us both ensure our 'friends' that they will soon be able to join the normality of the world!"

Naruto gave the young energized man a blank stare, wondering where on earth the random bursts of spirit came from. He was about to retort a reply when Shino suddenly faced him, sending the blonde a chill running through his body. "However, I believe everyone agrees that Naruto-san is the one bestowed with the heaviest responsibility."

Said man raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Shino cleared his throat and crossed his arms nonchalantly. "You were assigned to Hyuuga Hinata. The only patient here who has made three 'friends' resign from their duties." Naruto spat some of his coffee out, finding Shino's words unbelievable. "W-What? Are you serious?"

"Hinata-san's not exactly everyone's cup of tea," interjected Sakura, holding a serious expression. "She may be fragile and weak but her barriers are strong. Not many people have the patience to wait for her to break out of her comfort zone. So far, no one has gone more than a month with her. Poor girl..."

Naruto glanced down at his beverage solemnly, feeling a mixture of emotions engulf him all at once. He felt proud that Tsunade-baachan actually thought he could help Hinata, it showed that the old hag believed he had the patience and determination to handle the dark-haired girl. However, he was also consumed by fear. Fear that he wasn't up to par to what everyone set for him. What if he couldn't help Hinata? What if she shuns him like how she did the others? What if he lost his cool and blew up at her because he was impatient? What if... he wasn't good enough?

A warm hand landed on his shoulder, patting his nerves away. "Daijoubu Naruto," chirped Sakura, beaming brightly. "I'm sure you're different. I bet you're the one that'll help Hinata-san. You just need to have faith in yourself and her. You can do it. Just keep trying, alright?"

Naruto thought back on how Hinata agreed to help him help her during their session before, the promise they made. He remembered her eyes and how bright they would look if filled with happiness. A small smile crept to his lips and soon enough, he was grinning. "You're right, Sakura-chan. Besides, I am known to be persistent when I want to. Hinata doesn't stand a chance."

Sakura nodded in agreement, a giggle escaping her lips while Lee strongly smacked Naruto's back, chuckling loudly himself. Shino stared at the blonde awhile more before smirking to himself. Maybe he is the one that can actually change this place for the good... finally.


Everything in this world has a limit. Even Hinata.

She inwardly groaned as she fiddled blatantly with her necklace, her eyes keeping a routine of checking the time every ten seconds. Her bottom was a little sore from her stiff position and her back was beginning to ache from maintaining the constant proper posture she was taught. She moved around in her round chair, adjusting to a more comfortable position before resuming her gaze at the face of the grandfather clock perched opposite her. Time seemed to be playing a sick game on her as she felt as though it were passing at a snail's pace... or worse, slower.

Her therapist was rarely late so when two hours had passed since their scheduled appointment and the woman was nowhere to be seen, Hinata was getting agitated.

Not that she was complaining much, to say she enjoyed her therapy sessions was an understatement. The dark-haired girl huffed childishly as her eyes began wandering aimlessly around her room before stopping at a particular picture. It was the scribbled doodle Naruto drew during their session last week. The more she looked at it, the more her heart did this inordinate leap that bothered her endlessly. The strong words of Naruto flowed across her mind, his promise replaying over and over until she found herself deeply flushed. Merely thinking of the boy with hair like sunshine and eyes like the sea made her all riled up in a good way... sort of.

Uzumaki-san... no, N-Naruto-kun... my friend...

That word sounded so foreign coming from her mouth. All her life, Hinata barely had any friends. Due to her family's reputation, she was always confided to a life of solitude. She had chaperons constantly sticking around her and they would prevent her from making any contact with anyone that seemed suspicious – and to the Hyuugas, that meant everyone. She had never gotten permission to go to a park or the lake to enjoy with herself with and her father never bothered himself to engage in any family activities with her. That included her younger sister who only saw her as a nuisance.

Hinata practically grew up alone, no one trying to approach her in fear of her family's name. The Hyuugas were one of the leading families in the business world, their influence ensured them the top spot in every big economical deal possible. The president, Hyuuga Hiashi, was known to be a man of stern discipline, relentless hard work and zero tolerance to useless matters. Due to her father's fearsome appearance and notoriety, the other children automatically deemed Hinata the same. They assumed she was just like him. Whenever she even tried to make an effort to mingle with her peers, they shut her out and left her all alone. Her childhood would have been a total miserable phase if it wasn't for the one person who managed to shed happiness and love into it.

Her mother.

Her mother was her world, her idol, her everything. Hinata wanted to be just like her, dubbing her as her role model for when she grew up – and with reason too. Her mother showed her how happiness can turn something bleak into something beautiful. Her mother taught her that a smile goes a long way and can make anyone's sorrow go away because whenever young Hinata had a rough day in school, running into her mother's open arms and seeing that beautiful smile would always make her feel better. Her mother made her childhood worthwhile until Hinata couldn't wait for school to finish so that she could run home and engage in fun activities with her beloved guardian.

But it all disappeared when she did too.

"Hinata! Run!"

"O-Okaa-san!"

"Hinata! Listen to me!"

"D-Don't leave me!"

BANG BANG BANG

"... No ..."

"What have you DONE!"

"This is all because of YOU!"

"You're a disgrace, I don't ever want to see you again."

"You don't deserve to live."

"Just go and drop DEAD."

A tear trailed slowly down her cheek as she held her necklace tightly, wishing for the dreadful memories to be erased forever. But her mind couldn't stop itself from replaying those horrid scenes, those terrible images, those pieces of her life that she always hoped she could forget and let go. More tears began to follow as she saw flashes of blood red, pale white and deep indigo. Her heart began to throb painfully with every memory she remembered. She clutched her chest tightly, her face completely bathed in her salty tears.

O-Okaa-san... w-why... why did you leave me? She couldn't take it anymore. Her body racked slightly as she found herself bawling. Images of her mother smiling, laughing, crying began swarming her sight before the sound of her screaming her daughter's name echoed frighteningly in Hinata's mind. It sounded so clear, so haunting, so loud until Hinata thought it was actually happening right in front of her.

Why... why am I still alive? How can I still be breathing when she isn't? I don't even deserve to live for what I did... O-Okaa-san...

"Hinata... don't say that."

Hinata was shocked out from her trauma state as she glanced up and was eye to eye with those warm blue orbs she was beginning to grow fond of. The surroundings began to fade and both were left in a place of pure white. Hinata knew this was all in her imagination and that Naruto wasn't really in front of her but just by seeing him there in the figment of her mind, she felt lighter. Like a burden was carried away by him. "You do deserve to live."

N-No... No, I don't. I did something unforgivable. I should be punished for it...

"Throwing away your life isn't the way."

... How do you know? You don't even know what I did wrong.

The imaginary Naruto grinned softly. "True but that's because you haven't given me the chance to." He started getting closer to her and Hinata found herself feeling lighter than before as her stomach seemed to be filled with butterflies. He knelt down to her level and grinned warmly, taking her hand in his. "Hinata, whatever you did, I'll help you get through it. Life's about moving on, about letting go of the pain and looking into a brighter future."

... But what if I can't move on? What if the past is still haunting me, no matter how hard I try to forget it?

"Then that means we have to create a future that can outshine the past."

"... H-How?"

Naruto gave a reassuring smile as he let go of her hand, much to her dismay surprisingly. She had gotten so used to his warmth, she could memorize it and instill it into her thoughts. "You'll have to trust me."

… T-Trust?

Hinata then realized he was beginning to fade away slowly, the surroundings starting to blur as well. She focused on nothing else but the blonde, watching him slowly disappearing. What did he mean by creating a new future? What did he mean by trusting him? How was he going to help her end her mental torment? She inwardly begged for him to give her the answer to end her misery. To end the endless torture of dreadful memories that never seemed to leave her. The last thing she saw of him was his trademark grin and just like that, he vanished and she found herself back into reality – her room in the rehab.

Hinata blinked multiple times, ensuring herself it was just a short dream and that it wasn't was real. But that didn't calm her beating heart as well as her body. She turned her palm to face her and gripped it tightly – turning it into a small fist. She swore she could still feel his warmth engulfing her hand. It felt so... bizarre. So true. So real. Her eyes went back to the painting Naruto drew of her and the corners of her lips raised to a stiff smile.

"I promise you Hyuuga Hinata, I'll be the best friend you'll ever have."

His promise was etched deeply into her brain until she could even remember the tone of his voice when he said it. Though they had only met, he had already affected her so much until it left her wondering why. How was it that people before him tried for months to crack her but they barely made a dent and then this blonde man comes and breaks her first barrier so easily without even putting a tough fight. Maybe it was how his hair reminded her of how a sunny day is like, so golden and vibrant. Or maybe it was how his eyes seemed to be a vast sea of endless warmth ready to melt any coldness it met. Or maybe it was how his smile was like a single star shining brightly on a clear blanket of black.

Or maybe it was how his spirit reminded her of the dawn of a day, how it bordered between the differences of two different views. How it seemed to be the sign of something new and limitless. How the sun broke through the darkness of the night and turning it into a brand new day – ready for any possibilities.

Hinata gasped softly as her mind seemed to click on something. She frantically ran to her desk and rummaged around, scrambling through what little items they allowed her to have. When she finally found what she was looking for, she ran back to her chair and began her task at hand. Her fingers gripped loosely around her thin pencil as her wrist gracefully controlled her drawing. Her milky orbs were sheer with focus as her vision of Naruto was now clear. The reason she didn't draw Naruto during their session last week was because she had no idea what resembled him. She couldn't seem to find anything suitable to describe what he looked like to her. But a few seconds ago, it was crystal clear.

Naruto was her dawn.

For the first time, Hinata was glad her therapist was late for an appointment.


Japanese words I used :-

arigatou – thank you
hai – yes
iie – no
konnichiwa – good afternoon / hello
gomen – sorry
daijoubu – it's alright / don't worry


In all honesty, I don't really like this chapter. Firstly, it's shorter than I wanted and the flow is all choppy. Still, I hope this update doesn't disappoint any of you and that you still enjoy it! I promise the next chapter will be much more eventful. :) Also, some of Hinata's past is sort of revealed so we can expect more drama and angst coming up! With NaruHina fluff of course. ;)

So you guys know the drill. Review to give me your opinions/thoughts/criticism and all that jazz. Reviews do motivate me to write faster, longer and better so make my day and write me a review ne? :p

Thank you for reading guys and God bless!

xoxo

estrellaz