Chapter 4

"Where's Lady Tsunade?" Kiba yelled to Sakura as he and Shino ran down the hall. "In her office…but what's going-" The guys rushed past Sakura and into Tsunade's office; leaving Sakura standing there dazed and confused. "Lady Tsunade!" Kiba yelled as he burst through the door. Tsunade looked up in shock. "What's going on!?" Kiba stopped for a second to catch his breath and Shino answered the question. "Hinata's missing." "What!?" Sakura gasped from behind the door. Kiba brought himself into the conversation. "Yeah. This girl was yelling in Hinata's face about how she was worthless and Hinata took off into the forest." "Did you try looking for her?" "Yeah; not even Akamaru and Shino's bugs could track her down." "Let's wait a few days; if she doesn't turn up, then I'll take care of it." "Okay." "Just one thing though." "What is it Lady Tsunade?" "Don't let Naruto know that Hinata is missing yet. You know how hard that would be for him." "Yeah, especially since the whole Sasuke incident." "How long do you wish for us to wait Lady Tsunade?" "If she's not back in a week, come report it to me." "Right."

Hinata ran along the path using every ounce of her strength to keep running. It began pouring ran and Hinata could barely see a thing in the mist but she didn't care as long as she wasn't back there. She tripped on a tree root that was sticking out of the ground and she was covered in mud. Hinata felt tears roll down her eyes as she fought to lift herself back up. She trudged along the path covered in mud as the rain beated against her shoulders and head.

Hinata heard a rustle to the left of her and she immediately became alert. "Byakugan!" Hinata focus on her surroundings and found someone standing behind the tree across from her. "Who's there?" Hinata stood her ground in a stance that showed she was ready for a fight. A tall woman, that looked about 26 or so, came out from behind and gave Hinata a warm smile. Hinata didn't loosen her stance but gave the woman a confused look. "Who are you?" "My name is Utada Suzumiya. Might I ask who you are?" "M…My name is Hinata Hyuga." "You've had a hard life haven't you?" "How do you-" "I can tell. Would you like to forget about everything you have ever worried about? Start all over in a place where you will feel needed and cherished? I can give you that dear; you just have to come with me." Hinata thought hard about the offer she was given. "No more problems? No more being a burden to others? I can just be me without getting in the way of others?" "Yes. You just have to come with me and I will grant you all of that. Come, let me help you up." Utada took Hinata's hand and pulled her up.

Hinata thought about all of the good times she had in the leaf village. *I've had so many good times in the leaf village like becoming stronger, going on exciting missions, and…meeting Naruto.* Hinata thought of every time she could remember being with Naruto. *I was so sad when I didn't get chosen to be on Naruto's team but I spent a lot of time with him anyway. Like during the first Chunin exam, he bragged about how he wasn't going to give up.* Hinata laughed to herself. *Then I got to sit next to him during the written test part of the Chunin exam. When I fought against Neji, Naruto rooted for me when I thought it was all over. He even told me that he liked people like me. When we went on the mission to search for the Bikochu, he said I was pretty; even though he didn't exactly know it was me. When we went on the mission and met the bounty hunter, he said I would make one heck of a wife. He even praised me when I killed the iron ninja a few years ago. All of those times have been the best I have ever spent in my whole life but it hasn't been that way lately. Like what happened at Ichiraku's ramen shop a few days ago. What Naruto had said. *"I don't give a damn who sits here or not. Plus it's really none of your fucking business."* I don't think I would stand a chance with Naruto anyway. He likes Sakura, not me.*

Hinata turned to Utada with a serious look on her face. "I choose to go with you." Utada smiled at Hinata. "Come along then." Utada led Hinata down the path and led Hinata to a building in the middle of the forest in a place no one she knew could possibly find her.

"Follow me and I'll introduce you to our staff." Utada led Hinata into the building and on the inside it looked like a restaurant with a stage up front. There was a bar at the back where a thin girl, about Hinata's age, was polishing glasses and putting them away in a cupboard. "Miss Saotome; I have someone for you to meet." The girl put down the glass and turned around. "Welcome back Lady Utada. Is this a new resident of ours?" The bartender gave a welcoming smile to Hinata. "Yes. Her name is Hinata Hyuga. I need you to help her get cleaned up and settled in. Miss Hyuga this is Kazumi Saotome. She is the bartender here. She will show you to your room." "O…Okay." Hinata let Kazumi lead her down the hall to the hot springs. They both undressed and lounged in the steaming waters. "So where are you from Miss Hyuga?" "Y…You can just call me Hinata if you want. I'm from the Hidden Leaf village." "Cool. So do all the girls there have huge breasts or is that just you?" Hinata turned red. Kazumi laughed out loud. Then her face turned automatically serious. "So, why did you leave and decide to come here?" Hinata looked down. "I'm a burden to everyone. I don't think anyone even cares that I'm gone." "Damn, you've had a hard life huh?" Hinata nodded. Kazumi perked up. "Well you haven't been a burden to me and you've been here for a whole twenty minutes!" Kazumi and Hinata laughed. "I think you'll fit in great here Hinata. I can't wait to introduce you to everybody." "There are more people here?" "Hell yeah. All the girls that work here all came to get away from their horrible lives." "What happened to you?" Kazumi sighed. "I was accused of murder. Even my own parents blamed me of it. They all said I killed an elderly couple. I was accused of something I didn't even know about. So I ran away and met Lady Utada and I've never been happier. She took me in looking the same way you did; all beat up a filthy. She understands what we're going through because she has been through the same thing." Kazumi stood up and showed Hinata a large scar on her left shoulder. "That's from someone who accused me and tried to kill me. I was only twelve years old. Well better get you to your room." Hinata and Kazumi walked over to where their clothes were and Hinata began putting on her muddy clothes when Kazumi stopped her. "Like I'm gonna let you where that filthy get up." Kazumi opened a closet and pulled out a blue night gown. "Here ya go. Try that on." She tossed it to Hinata and she put it on. The night gown went down to about two inches above her knee and the bottom was rimmed with lace. The top was held on her shoulders by spaghetti straps and it was the smoothest thing Hinata had ever felt. "It's beautiful. Thank you." "No problem. Now I want to introduce you to the other girls here before you go to your room." Hinata followed Kazumi down the hall where nine girls sat and stood by the bar table. "Everyone, this is Hinata Hyuga. She is our new comer." Everyone glanced at her and smiled. Kazumi introduced each one of them. "This is Mana Yukihiro, Evangeline Hakubi, Yue and Yuki Kagurazaka, Nyamo Aizaka but we just call her "Nya" for short, Haruhi Fong, Lucia Hasegawa, Ayumi Rakuso, and Nodoka Izumi." Hinata looked at everyone and smiled. "Nice to meet you."