If I look back to the start now
I know, I see everything true
There's still a fire in my heart, my darling
But I'm not burning for you
We started it wrong
And I think you know
We waited too long
Now I have to go
I don't know why, I don't know why
We need to break so hard
I don't know why we break so hard
Who says, who says?
Who says truth is beauty after all?
And who says love should break us when we fall?
But if we're strong enough
To let it in
We're strong enough
To let it go
Rhodes ft Birdy "Let it All Go".
7. Attachments.
Winter days is coming to an end when Hinata and Sakura realize their work schedules finally intersect again. The captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13 are visiting the Academy to see the progress of the students as they do every year. That morning, the 4th, 5th, 6th and 10th divisions coincide in the academy. Sakura isn't a lieutenant, but Koketsu-fukutaichou is busy elsewhere and her captain appointed Sakura to accompany her.
Look at the students training is usually very interesting. Who are the promising figures who will have the chance to be shinigamis?
Of course, both Hinata and Sakura already know one of them, because what else could the Hyuga prodigy become but an excellent Shinigami?
Even Kuchiki Byakuya sees it so, as he tells Hinata that Neji might join the 6th Division once he's finished with his training.
"Of course, there's still a long way before he's ready."
"Neji-niisan has always been much more capable than me."
Byakuya looks at his lieutenant and sighs. He doesn't like this kind of words, especially since he was the one to recognize Hinata's talents, how can she so easily put herself down? He expects her to act accordingly to her position and hold her head high.
"It seems that you underestimate yourself."
"I'm sorry, taichou. I didn't mean that."
"Even if you can't cut your bonds from your previous life, you have to realize that's all behind."
Hinata is about to apologize again, but that's not what he wants to hear.
"I know."
"Hinata!" Sakura greets her friend with an enthusiastic smile, but turns more serious when facing the great Lord Kuchiki "Kuchiki-taichou."
"Hitsugaya-taichou." Byakuya acknowledges the 10th Division captain, who is also arriving at the time.
"Good morning. Kuchiki-taichou, Hyuga-fukutaichou. Haruno… where's Koketsu-taichou?"
"She had an emergency surgery, but she'll arrive in half an hour at most."
"I think it's time to go take a look to the training grounds first." Captain Hirako is the last to arrive.
Most students gazes are directed to Captain Kuchiki and Captain Hitsugaya. Who wouldn't want to join their divisions? However, it's not easy to be accepted in any of them, especially the 6th Division.
"So, these ones are the best ones about to graduate." Hirako-taichou says, as they observe the two men and the young woman who are one step forward in the line. "Then let's test your abilities. Haruno!"
Some of the students don't even conceal their laughter. Haruno Sakura is a member of the 4th Division, which specializes in healing and treating injuries. Not only the 4th Division shinigamis are the less skilled in martial arts, but this Haruno isn't even a Lieutenant. What kind of test would this be?
"These kids are still too silly." Toshiro smirks. Hinata is standing close to him, so she just smiles and nods to this statement.
As expected, Sakura doesn't even need to unleash Chikyū Jishin to take the three of them down, but as the generous soul she is, she still gives them a demonstration of her Shikai.
"Shake the Earth, Chikyū Jishin."
Sakura earns more respect for her division that day, and Hinata is sure many will try to join the 4th Division after they graduate.
Therefore, they are in a good mood when they are finishing their visit. Except for Captain Kuchiki, who intends to return to his office immediately, the rest of them head outside to have a nice lunch in a restaurant nearby. It's because of this that they cross the gates of the academy and encounter the long line of people waiting to hand in their recruitment forms.
It wouldn't have been something remarkable, if not for the sudden yellow lightning that appears in front of them.
"Sakura-chan! Hinata!"
Both girls are too surprised to see him there.
"Naruto-kun? What are you doing here?" Hinata is the first to ask.
Naruto's hand runs over his hair.
"Well, the teme and I had a fight at the end of the war. We used too much of our strength." Naruto looks at Sakura "I guess it's also because our Team 7 wasn't complete."
And whose fault was that?
The responsible one is walking towards them in that moment.
"Sakura."
Sa-ku-ra.
She still can't manage to say something, and Hinata is quick to hold her by her elbow just in case…
Rangiku and Toshiro know some parts of the story, but like the rest, they only remain spectators of the scene displaying before them.
"You fought? The two of you died fighting against each other?" Sakura asks, repeating what she just heard.
"Hehe… but don't worry. Everything is settled now."
Even Hinata's heart sinks in that moment.
"YOU IDIOTS! YOU ARE TELLING ME YOU JUST GAVE UP YOUR LIVES IN A SILLY FIGHT, WHEN HINATA DIED TO KEEP YOU ALIVE, WHEN NEJI DIED TO KEEP YOU ALIVE. IDIOT!" Sakura punches Naruto with all her might. "And you…"
She finally looks at Sasuke.
"I know. I'm sorry, Sakura. For everything."
"Sorry? You are sorry?" She laughs, and looks at Hinata. "Did you just hear what he said?"
"Sakura, this isn't good for you."
She ignores her friend.
"You better be sorry, asshole." She punches him even harder on the stomach. "That one is for my heart." The one she had given him for years, and the one he took from her chest. "I don't want to see either of you in this lifetime, understand?"
She mutter again something about ungrateful bastards.
Hinata just gives Naruto a disappointed look. Yes, this is another lifetime, not everything ends when they die as ninjas, but after all the effort they put to keep Naruto alive, it does feel as if he didn't appreciate any of it.
It doesn't matter. As Kuchiki-taichou said before, let the past lifetime behind.
"Good luck" She tells them, both Naruto and Sasuke, and walks by Sakura's side and together with the rest of their group.
No one says a thing about this matter, but the mood isn't the same anymore.
"At least he apologized." Sakura says later, as she drinks her sorrows away. "It doesn't change a thing, though." The void in her heart was still there, right where he'd taken it from her.
"I know." Hinata pats Sakura's back, and fights to take the bottle of wine from her hands. "But this isn't any good for you, Sakura. You've drunk enough. Let's go home."
Neji is taking care of Haruki, but she is not sure for how long he will able to handle her baby.
"Let me! If I don't have that bottle, I'll go to kill them with my own hands!"
"Sakura…"
"Don't worry, Hyuga. I'll make sure she gets safely to her quarters."
Hinata is surprised to see Hitusugaya-taichou there.
"But taichou…"
"I have experience handling people like this."
Hinata preferred to take care of Sakura on her own, but this Hitsugaya-taichou was a very kind person. He also seemed to particularly get along well with Sakura, maybe the pink-haired Shinigami would listen to him.
"Ok. Thank you very much, Hitsugaya-taichou. I entrust Sakura to you."
Toshiro just nods, and then takes the seat next to Sakura's.
"So it's a stupid boy everything one needs to break you down?"
"It's not a stupid boy, you're a stupid boy…"
He sighed.
"You've really had too much this time."
She looks at him with watery eyes and pouts.
Sakura hasn't been so openly childish in all the time they've known each other.
"But Hitsugaya-kun, if he tries to take my heart again, I promise I'll be faster."
He gives out a smirk. "You better be."