Chapter Seven

She only asks for friendship.

"How is my second favorite younger cousin doing?" Shisui plops down in the available seat next to his youngest - and equally lovable - cousin, Sasuke. "Where's Itachi?"

Sasuke puffs his cheeks adorably - Shisui barely refrains from cooing - and answers, clearly annoyed, "Nii-san had to do something for our father." And then his shoulders slump. "He promised to teach me the ninja dash today."

"I'm pretty well-versed in the 'ninja dash.' How about I teach you?"

Shisui grins when Sasuke appears to consider this. "Will you be able to spend the rest of the day with me? And tomorrow?"

"Aren't you in class tomorrow?"

Sasuke scowls. "After class!"

Chuckling, Shisui ruffles his hair and grins at the squeak of anger. "Sure thing, Sasuke-chan."


When Sakura meets Hinata, she takes an instant - overprotective - liking to the young girl whose eyes, similar in color to Neji's, views the world with wide, but cautious, curiosity. She's cautious in the way that Neji is and cute in the way Ino is. Just as lovely.

"Are you alright?" Sakura helps her up while brushing leaves out of her hair gently. "Why are you by yourself?"

Hinata's face is beet red. "I-I got sep-perated f-from my fath-ther."

Sakura carefully walks Hinata over to her backpack. "I'm not going to harm you. I promise. Are you an Academy student?" She pulls out a cloth and her water bottle, tips some water onto the cloth, and uses it to clean the specs of dirt off Hinata's face. Her movements are calculated to be slow and gentle as to not frighten the girl more.

"N-No."

"Are you permitted to tell me your name?"

"I-It's, um, Hinat-ta."

Smiling kindly, Sakura gives an informal bow. "Pleased to meet you, Hinata-chan." She adds '-chan' to Hinata's name after the many times of being told not to add '-san.' "My name is Sakura. Do you know your way home?" At Hinata's shaky nod, Sakura holds out her hand. "Would you allow me to walk you home? I'm sure your family is worried about you?"

Hinata takes her offered hand hesitantly. "Th-Thank you."

Squeezing it, Sakura nods. "I need to write a note to one of my friends and then we can leave. Is that okay?" At a single nod, she makes quick work to leave a note attached, to her and her friends' self-proclaimed tree, for Shikamaru to find if she doesn't return by the time the Academy is out for the day.

Walking next to Hinata, Sakura keeps the conversation light and patiently waits for Hinata to manage her reply. The closer they reach the Hyuga compound, the more nervous Hinata becomes. People, of varying clans, stare at them with different expressions. Some seem shocked, others wary. Sakura ticks it off as people's view of the Hyuga clan. Hinata's forehead isn't covered by bandages either.

"Are you alright - "

It happens in an instant.

One moment, the two girls are walking at a leisure pace and the next? Sakura is knocking rather large pieces of wood away from Hinata and herself. There's complete and utter silence after that. Hinata, in her shock, has fallen to the ground. She's now staring up at Sakura as if she is some otherworldly creature. In that moment, Sakura realizes that the two of them were walking under a roof in the process of being repaired.

"Hinata-chan, are you alright?!" Sakura helps the other girl to her feet and checks her over for injuries.

"S-Sakura-chan's hand!" Hinata looks close to crying. "I-It's bleeding."

A dull ache claims her left hand after Hinata finishes speaking. Sakura looks down at her hands. Her right one has a cut on the side. There's a thin line of blood streaming down her pinky and dripping to the ground.

"Lady Hinata."

Sakura freezes. She's only heard the voice once but she cannot mistake it. Together with Hinata, they turn around to see Neji's father standing a few feet away from them. He addresses Hinata, but his hard stare remains on Sakura. His gaze similar to when she first encountered the man although brief.

And then a thought strikes Sakura. She looks away from the man to Hinata who, upon having her name called, is looking at the ground while twiddling her thumbs.

Lady Hinata? Sakura's eyes widen briefly. The heiress to the Hyuga clan? The books in the library, the ones that briefly discuss each of Konoha's clans, mentioned a Hyuga heiress.

She immediately turns back around and bows deeply. "Forgive me, Hyuga-sama. I was in the process of escorting Lady Hinata home." Sakura feels Hinata tense next to her.

"S-Sakura-chan..." The despair in Hinata's soft voice deeply concerns Sakura, but she keeps her eyes connected with the older Hyuga.

Neji's father pulls something - a handkerchief? - from his inner robe, steps forward a couple of feet, and holds it out to Sakura. Nothing about his expression changes. "For your hand." Accepting it cautiously causes the man's lips to quirk upwards just a bit. "Lady Hinata," he turns to address Hinata once again, "you've caused quite the uproar. I am to bring you to your father immediately." Sakura sees Hinata's shoulders slump and feels anger bubble in her chest. But what can she do about it - "And I suggest you follow us, young miss. Lady Hinata's father will want to speak with you."

Without hesitating, Sakura presses her injured hand, with the cloth covering it, to her chest and offers her other hand to Hinata who, upon seeing it, takes it at once. A man, who shows up and stutters an apology, is effectively ignored by Neji's father but Sakura pauses to reassure him that she is fine while ignoring the way pale eyes pierce into the back of her head.

Under the silent gaze of Neji's father, the two girls continue for the Hyuga compound.


Unlike the Akimichi compound, the Hyuga compound is massive in size with large, off-white walls and building after building seen in the distance. There are guards outside of the walls near the gate and they, upon seeing the trio, step forward and bow formally - not to Sakura nor Neji's father - to Hinata, addressing her as "Lady."

And then multiple sets of pale eyes flickering between Sakura's face and where her fingers are entwined with Hinata's. One guard addresses Neji's father - "Hiashi-sama is located in the eastern wing." - and they soon carry on their way. All this time, Hinata maintains an iron grip on Sakura's hand, nails biting into her skin.

Sakura doesn't mind.

While the outside of the Hyuga compound gives off an intimidating aura, the inside is the complete opposite. The walls are cream in color, there's far more space than expected, and different members of the Hyuga move swiftly around them. Calm. Collected. Seemingly at ease. Several of them have bandage-covered foreheads. There's an almost relaxed aura around them despite the way they regard her and Hinata.

A few nod towards Neji's father, but no words are exchanged.

When Hinata's father comes into view, Sakura has to stop herself from turning around to analyze the face of Neji's father. It probably doesn't matter much given how similar - My goodness, they're twins. - the two men look. Sakura remains calm in the presence of the Hyuga clan's leader when he greets them stiffly.

"Unhand her, Hinata." Sakura feels Hinata's grip on her hand loosen before fading away. "And you are?" It's said in more of a demand than a polite inquiry.

Sakura bows formally. "Haruno Sakura, Hyuga-sama. Pleased to meet you."

Hinata's father hums before turning his gaze to Neji's father, eyebrow cocked. "And why have you brought her here, Hizashi?"

"She protected your daughter from possible serious injury."

"Is that so?" Hinata's father returns his gaze to Sakura. "What, exactly, did you do to protect my daughter?"

Not intimated by the older man's hard stare - Is this common among the older members? - Sakura replies calmly, "I knocked away wooden planks that would have hit both of us. Though," Sakura pauses, brows furling, "I placed her in danger in the first place by allowing us to walk under a building's whose roof is currently being repaired. I'm deeply sorry for that." But Sakura doesn't say this to the older Hyuga. No. She turns to a fiercely blushing Hinata and bows to her instead. "Forgive me, Lady Hinata."

It can almost, if not fully, be considered an act of pettiness or defiance, but Sakura doesn't feel an ounce of fear.

"S-Sakura-chan." The despair returns with a vengeance.

"I see. And did you injure your hand in the process?"

Sakura blinks. She had completely forgotten about her hand. "Oh."

"We will have our healer inspect your hand." Hinata's father turns his back to all of them. "You have a son to pick up, I believe." There is no reply. Only the faded footsteps of Neji's father.


"What do you want in return for keeping my daughter safe?"

Sakura is sitting in a room with a fantastic view of one of the many pounds - she comes to learn - on the property. Tea, served barely five minutes previous, is still piping hot. She allows it to cool while gathering her thoughts on the situation. It's similar to Kiramaru and the Inuzuka clan's need to repay her.

"I want to be friends with Lady Hinata," she replies immediately. Hinata was led away without allowing for the chance for either girl to say 'good-bye' and it leaves a bad taste in Sakura's mouth.

"As heiress to the Hyuga clan, I'm sure you are aware that she must perform her duties first."

Sakura nods. "Time management is a necessary life skill and should be integrated at a young age. Lady Hinata is not attending the Academy and neither do I. Managing her duties and, assumed, free time will benefit her later in her life. If given permission, I can be here every morning until it's time for me to head to the Academy to greet my other friends. If given permission, I can escort her there and train with her, she can spend time with me and my friends, and I can escort her home when we part for the day. If not, she can walk home with her cousin," she puts it lightly, "and her uncle. I merely ask for a few hours a day." Her word choice is careful.

For a brief moment, she sees something akin to respect in the man's eyes.

"Every morning?" Hinata's father repeats.

"Yes, sir."

The silence that follows stretches across them, but Sakura ignores it while picking up her dainty teacup and sipping politely. There's a distinct taste of lemon in it.

"I will allow you and my daughter to be friends."

"Thank you, sir."

I doubt it's truly this easy.


What would the Hyuga want with a civilian girl?

Shisui remains hidden in the large tree shadowing the path the young girl - Sakura, he corrects mentally - is taking towards the Academy. There's a small skip in her step that causes him to smile a little. A few days back, he was suddenly hit with a wave of guilt out of nowhere. And he thinks it has something to do with this little girl.

"Why are you stalking little girls, Shisui?"

Startled, Shisui nearly trips out of his hiding spot. "I hate when you do that, Itachi!"

Itachi blinks, unimpressed by Shisui's reaction, and saddles closer to his annoying - but favorite, not that he'll ever admit it - cousin and glances down at the young girl he saw for the first time almost two months ago. She seems more at ease. He wonders how her training regimen is coming along.

"You should have sensed me," Itachi finally replies. "I'm not concealing my chakra." His eyes remain on the young girl who pauses and turns toward their direction.

"Why'd she stop - "

Little Sakura continues to look in their direction and, after a moment of just staring, she lifts her hand in a small wave. Itachi flares his chakra in acknowledgment and Sakura carries on her way, a smile gracing her face.

"Um, no kid her age should be able to sense chakra. That's not even taught in the Academy for clan children until the age of 7." Shisui crosses his arms. "What do you know?!"

"She's exceptionally skilled," Itachi smirks. "She can tree walk."

"I don't believe you." Immediate refusal of accepting that a child knows how to do something genin don't learn until they graduate from the Academy and are placed on three-man squads headed by a jounin instructor.

No way in hell a little kid from the civilian district can tree walk!

Itachi hums before dropping down. "You promised to meet with Sasuke? Don't keep my little brother waiting, Shisui."

"Whatever!"

How skilled is she? He watches Sakura fade into the distance. Sasuke should make a new friend.


The moonlight casts a shadow over Hizashi's face as he tends to the burning fever of his son. A bug is being passed around at the Academy and he's aware that the heir to the Akimichi clan fell to it along with the heiress of the Yamanaka clan. Neji made it halfway home before collapsing in a dead faint.

"Father," Neji mumbles in his sleep yet Hizashi only soothes his furled brows.

He doesn't consider himself a cruel or heartless man. No. He worries. "Attachments are only a distraction. They never stay," he states quietly to his ill son. He worries for his only child. He worries that Neji will only ever remain in the iron grasp of their clan. To fulfill the duties predetermined for him.

A predetermined life is not an enjoyable one. His son will be forced to follow clan regulations, 'making' decisions only with the approval of the clan and never out of his own free will. Following after his cousin like a guard dog. Never to be his own man. Obeying orders the moment they reach his ears.

Yet, an unknown child - one clearly of civilian status - interests you enough that you would consider going against me? He pats the sweat away. Though, after today's events, it's clear she had some training but by who? Who would go out of their way to train a civilian child?

"Peculiar child," he murmurs under his breath.

If Hiashi is willing to allow Hinata to form a friendship with this unknown girl, perhaps...you may still experience happiness, Neji.

A crow cries in the distance. Neji shifts, a whimper escapes his mouth. Hizashi pulls the blanket up until it's under his chin and runs the tips of his fingers through his son's hair. It's the same shade of his own, longer than his own when he was as a child. The seal upon his forehead sticks out horribly against the frightening paleness of his skin.

I want you to escape your fate, Neji.

A second crow cries out and the night carries on.


Chapter Word Count - 2,603

Targeted Word Count - 2,500

Total Word Count - 18392

You will learn about how Hinata got separated from her father in the next chapter. And, under Shisui's gentle nudging, you guys know what's coming next. I'm surprised no one has asked about Naruto yet, but maybe you guys like this somewhat different approach to how Sakura meets her friends? If you have the time, please review.

~i-just-really-like-sakura