Blue Rose
"Calling from the Past"
Chapter 3

"It's time to return to where you should have been a year ago"

"Uhn…"

Hinata let out a soft grumble as she rubbed sleep from her eyes. The morning sunlight has been peeking out from the white curtains stubbornly as the whole room is partially washed with the same light. The birds chirped rather noisily that competed with the soft music that Kurenai has been listening to every morning downstairs.

And yet, sitting up have been a hard thing to do, considering the throbbing pain in her head, the day before but now, Hinata relished the feeling of being better. And all of that because of a rare herb she drank as tea. Of course, Kurenai didn't know that it came from her favorite stranger.

Wait, he's not her favorite stranger. She didn't even like his mysteriousness!

The door partially opened and Hinata's eyes went across the room to her door. Kurenai went inside and sat beside Hinata's bed with a package in her hands.

"O-ohayou, K-kurenai-san…" Hinata greeted her and gave her a small smile. Kurenai returned her a warm smile and placed the package at the side of the bed.

"Ohayou. Are you feeling well?"

"H-hai."

"That's good," Kurenai nodded as Hinata's eyes went towards the package at her side. Her face took on a confused expression. "Shino came by a while ago and gave you this."

"O-oh. I-is there a-anything he s-said?"

"No. I told him you were sleeping so he just left and left this," Kurenai noticed that Hinata's eyes are still on the package. She sighed. "You can open it now."

"H-hai. A-arigatou."

She placed the package on her lap and opened. There, along with the white hard paper, sat a jar of honey in her lap. Hinata let out a small gasp and he eyes slightly watered. Yes, she's so glad that even Shino got worried for her.

"I'm going prepare some honey treatment for you, kay? So you could thank Shino and let me do my thing." Kurenai said and accepted the honey jar Hinata offered. Hinata thanked her and Kurenai exited the room.

Hinata, after Kurenai left, checked her surroundings and sniffled. It's a good thing that she didn't have any colds that's why her sense of smell didn't change.

The funny thing is, the scent of those white roses still remained in her room. And Kurenai didn't even notice it.

The news just ended and the next TV show would be Kiba's favorite. He lay sprawled on his couch stuffed with throw pillows, a bag of popcorn on his lap and Akamaru on his side. He was munching on the popcorn and was grabbing to have another batch when the cordless phone at his left rang.

His free hand grabbed the phone and placed the receiver near his mouth.

"Hey. Kiba and Akamaru here."

A bark was heard.

"Hey." Kiba realized who it was and propped himself with his two hands.

"Whatssup? Why'd ya call?"

"I'm going to visit Hinata. Bother to come along?" Shino suggested as he tied his shoelace into place. He rose to his feet and dusted away some invisible dirt on his jacket.

Kiba looked at his favorite show and frowned. He remembered that Hinata's been sick and they didn't get the chance to visit her yesterday or even call her for she's always asleep, save the one when they have an overnight. As much as he wanted to watch his favorite show and get lazy all day…there's Hinata. After all, there's youtube.

"Yeah, I'll be right over." The other line went dead and Kiba pushed the 'end' button. He whistled for Akamaru to come and went straight towards the entrance to sit at the low steps to fix his shoes.

After all, he's been missing her stutter and blushes already.

The soft alternative music filled the whole room when Hinata rose from her seat and fixed the dirty dishes to be placed on the sink. Kurenai refused to let out of the bed but Hinata said otherwise. She just wanted to help. So instead of getting her dinner in bed, she decided to eat in the dinning table, as usual. Though Kurenai said otherwise, Hinata said she's okay.

She made her way towards the kitchen and placed the dirty dishes in the sink. Then she filled the tub with lukewarm water and some cleaning detergent. Satisfied, Hinata started washing the dishes.

Kurenai has been doing her job in her small office room located just between Hinata's and her room. Though she wanted to let Hinata rest, she have a job. And she didn't want to do it early in the morning. At least she's glad that Hinata didn't mind.

Hinata's was humming along the rhythm of the music that's currently playing when the doorbell rang. Her head shot up and then she went towards the table to clean her hands with a towel. Satisfied, she went towards the front porch to greet the random visitor when she heard a loud bark. With an enthusiastic smile, she opened the door and sure enough, there was Shino, Kiba and Akamaru.

"Hey, Hinata-chan!" Kiba's greeting is followed by a loud bark. Shino raised his hand as a greeting.

"H-hey. C-come in." She showed her two bestfriends inside her and Kurenai's place.

The two left their shoes the front steps as Akamaru leaped to his master's shoulders. The visitors were showed inside a medium-sized room. The room is designed as plain modern yet with an air of Japanese style. The tatami mats on the floor and Japanese sceneries and calligraphy paintings on the walls gave the air of a traditional Japanese home while the usual television, stereo, ceiling fans and the couches gave the western look. The two sat on the couches as Hinata remained standing.

"Make yourselves comfortable," Hinata said. "I'll be right back."

Hinata went to the kitchen to fetch some tea while the two remained on the couch. After a few minutes, Hinata came back with a pot of tea and two sake cups. She placed each in front of them as she poured tea.

"Really, Hinata…we don't mind." Kiba said anxiously as Hinata finished her job. She sat at one of the solo couches opposite to them as the two took a sip in their tea politely.

"N-no. T-that's how v-visitors s-should be g-greeted." She explained as she's having a hard time pondering on how to ask them why they are here without sounding rude. Shino, realizing her dilemma, spoke up.

"We wanted to check up on you."

"O-oh."

"Yeah! Are you okay now?"

"H-hai."

Yeah, Hinata is not a good conversationalist as she realized that she just ended the conversation with a single 'yes'. It's a good thing they didn't notice as Kurenai went down.

"Hinata? Is there any visi--" Kurenai turned to the living room and saw them.

"Oh." She went towards their place as her crimson eyes fell on the tea cups. She sighed.

"Really, Hinata. Tea is somewhat so traditional to give them," She shook her head. "Sometimes, I wonder if ever she's raised as a hime of what."

When Kurenai said the 'hime' word, Hinata felt a tingling sensation inside her that cannot be left unnoticed.

"Yeah, she can be a hime anytime soon." Kiba agreed to be polite as Hinata blushed at that.

"Right. I just went down to check who it was. I'm going back up. Hinata, take care of things here. Bye, kids." Kurenai raised a hand as Hinata nodded in agreement and turned to walked up to her room. Though the three are old enough to be considered as kids, they didn't mind.

"So…" Kiba trailed off.

"…what now?"

Dark clouds loomed over the serene village of the Leaf. From one of the tallest buildings in the place, he looked down to the city where his hime had gone to live a normal life for a year. The cool breeze swept past the town promising a storm is on its way as papers and trash scattered along the wind. People hurried to their own place, some clutched their coats or jackets closer to their body as the draft past them, some even bother to gaze up the same dark sky yet never even noticed the dark silhouette with the shadows. Not even one had notice that this dark silhouette had black wings in its back that closed over its body.

His gaze moved from the town below him to place where the dark clouds met the hazy grey hills. In the horizon, his blood red eyes can see the things that not even one normal eye can see. The unmistakable yet almost invisible glimmer of whitish azure light sprouted at the horizon, almost like a water fountain that sprang from its water hole.

The sinister grey rain clouds moved towards the city and in an instant, the town is washed with rain as the place looked gloomy and depressed, almost like as if the whole village mourned for something that they lost.

To everybody in the village, they consider that this dark rainy day is like any other. But to this red-eyed protector, this day is what he's been waiting for…what the other beings like him has waited for so long.

It's time.

The dark silhouette vanished.

Hinata went outside their house to say farewell to her friends. It's already raining so she let the two borrow some umbrellas. The drizzle is not expected to be this light for the whole village has been covered with rain clouds. But there is only a light rain yet heavy wind, which is unlikely in the village.

"Bye, Hinata-chan! Thank you so much!" Kiba's usual loud voice said. She gave him a small smile as Akamaru once again barked.

"B-bye." And as usual, Shino only raised his right hand. She slightly waved at them when the group went away and vanished where the streetlight's light didn't reach them.

She was about to go back into her house when the lights in the houses and the streetlights flickered and turned off. She let out a small groan as darkness surrounded her yet something in this event made her nervous. Again, the feeling of being watched gave her the creeps.

The moon has been shadowed by the rain clouds as the soft patterned sounds the rain made in the pathway are making her more nervous. She gripped her umbrella tighter as she made her way to her house. She shivered when a cold draft passed her and yet she continued making small careful steps in the dark.

Just then the lights went on and something…or somebody is already in front of her with pale face and red eyes. She almost let out a shriek when his cold hand closed her mouth.

"Ah---"

Her widened and scared white eyes went across his features as her blood went cold of fear. His cold hand remained on top of her lips preventing her to speak any further. Then that's when she realized that he is her dreaded…

Stranger.

"Shush." He said briefly as he balanced her in his arms with his still cold hands on top of her mouth, keeping her silent. But still, she doubt that she would scream if he would removed his hand for she's completely paralyze with fear. What in bloody hell is this guy doing, she did not know.

Then she felt him leaped into the trees nearby and leaped until her house is far from sight. They were going in a place where she didn't even know where. There is no such place in the Leaf like this cold and dark. But then, it must have been the rain. Both of them are drenched with water as she shivered from the cold. He didn't seem to mind though as he clutched her tighter to his chest. The weird thing is, even if his hand are cold as hell, his chest is warm. Which made her wonder…

Her thoughts were cut short when he stopped abruptly in the clearing between some trees yet it's still dark. The rain already ceased yet a very slight drizzle can be felt. The cool draft is still there, raising goosebumps in her skin. Yet she knew that the draft is not the only reason why she's feeling this cold. Slowly, she felt his hand letting go of her mouth.

"N-n-n-nani…?" She stammered. Her nervousness and the cold are not helping her at all. The dark-haired stranger remained stoic as he slowly let go of her. She stood up yet her knees felt weak and his gaze on her didn't help at all.

To her astonishment, he slowly went down on his knees and bowed in front of her, with his head bowed as well. Her eyes widened at the sight.

"N-n-nan d-desu ka?"

"It's time, hime."

"H-huh?"

"The past is claiming its lost piece," He bowed his head submissively. "It's time to return to where you should have been a year ago, hime."

"W-what do y-you m-mean?"

"Unleash," He slowly raised his head to gaze at her. The dark onyx eyes are gone but replaced with glowing blood red ones. She shivered at the sight. "…the hidden you."

Kurenai paced at the living room while waiting for the other end of the line to accept the call. Her shaking hands raked her dark hair as she looked outside the window anxiously. The soft music in the living room long gone but only to be replaced with an eerie silence that resonated in the whole house.

"Hello?" A tired yet all the same loud voice in the other end asked.

"This is Kurenai, Hinata's mother," She said as she took a breath to calm her nerves. "Is this Kiba-san?"

"Hai. What is it, ma'am?" His eyes went towards the clock that said that it's already 11:45pm. He was about to sleep when he heard the phone ringing.

"When Hinata went with you a few minutes ago, did you see her go back here?" She asked anxiously.

"No…shit," Kiba uttered as he realized that something wrong happened at Hinata. "I'll call Shino. I'll inform you later, ma'am." At that, he pushed the end button to call Shino. Hopefully, he hoped he's still awake.

She heard the soft click on the other end of the phone as she sighed. When she was about to put down the receiver, the news in the open yet forgotten television caught her ears.

"…and the bodies of two high school girls were found at the north of the village of the Leaf. Relatives have claimed the bodies as science said that the blood in the victims have been sucked out of their bodies. There---"

She just knew that something is terribly wrong.

Hinata might be in danger.

A/N: I'm running around with fever and stacks of quizzes and stuff. Ugh, I just hate life.

Anyway, I would like to thank all of you.

Emerald-Mistress -- Thank you! I'm glad that somehow, it managed to interest you. Haha, thank you!!

Bitter-Blood-Sacrifice -- Why, thank you!I hope I won't disappoint you.

moonlightdemondancer -- Teehee, thanks! I just hope the mystery and all those cliffies are worthy.

Danimals21 -- Well, he saw her again in this chapter and I believe that...well...I won't tell any spoilers now, will I? Eheheh...and how her memories will come back, I cannot tell. Geez...I'm a loser. Anyway, thanks a lot! I hope it interested you so far!

unbeatablehinata -- Yep! I updated, finally! Thanks for reviewing my stuff!

Oturan -- Here is the chapter you can't wait for. Thanks! I hope you like it so far.

Thien Minh -- Haha, so you're a filipino too? Cool! I hope you speak tagalog too! .--;; Anyway, thankies so much for even liking it! Thanks!

purplesweet91 -- Thanks for reviewing not only this story but the others too! Thank you!

A/A/N: Yeah, so...do you have a guess what will happen to those two? Or...what will those two be fighting? Haha, I know you have even one! I left a good enough clue already! Teehee...

I'm so evil.

Kindly press that button with a submit review, ne? Thanks!