"I remember some of my coma."
"You do?" He seemed genuinely surprised.
"I remember hearing voices. I remember hearing my father's voice, shouting probably at some poor nurse to get me a better doctor."
"No, actually. He was shouting at the nurse to stop flirting with me. I was very grateful, she was very persistent and I was on brink of losing my temper."
There was a pause.
"Was she pretty?" She asked with a hint of jealousy in her voice.
"Hinata," he said reassuringly, sliding open hand under her cheek which was resting on the pillow they both shared. He took the time to graze her cheek with his thumb affectionately, his eyes gazing at her intensely, "you were the only one I couldn't take my eyes off of."
Hinata's thoughts lingered back to her conversation with Gaara as she leaned her head on the window to her left, which was warmed by the sun's hot rays. The rhythmic sounds of the train lulled her to sleep a couple of hours ago and now she was just starting to wake. The journey to Kiri was a long one and being alone in her own booth didn't make it go any faster. Especially since Hanabi wasn't travelling with her and going later with Mangetsu instead (something about having to finish off a project). However, she was grateful for the lack of company - it allowed her to rest before entering was what surely going to be the most unpredictable summer vacation of her life, especially if that picture Suigetsu sent her was anything to go by.
Oh, God the picture.
Just thinking about it made her laugh. She eyed the image on the screen of her phone once again. Suigetsu posed in a selfie - wearing a devious smile with his sunglasses slid down to the tip of his nose. He looked very manly, well, except for the fact he was wearing a pink coconut bra, of course. Hinata had to admit, he pulled the look off quite well.
Though she was concerned over the fact that the coconut bras looked like they were in her size. But, for the moment she decided to overlook it.
A lot had happened recently, but Hinata had a feeling that a hell of a lot more had yet to come.
"What is this?" Naruto only asked because there was a small part of him that wanted this to be some very very bad dream, for his eyes to be deceiving him- to be deceiving them all.
"It can't be." Sakura clutched Naruto's arm in fear. The whole group found it hard to keep their composure, or their tears to themselves as they registered exactly what they were seeing.
Hinata's car in an ashen, broken mess laying in the garage. With Hinata having been gone for the whole week, they obviously assumed the worst had happened. The memories they've had with her erupted to the surface of their consciousness. All she ever did was love them unconditionally and do everything in her will power to keep them safe and happy.
And what did they do in return?
Betray her. They took all she had ever done for them and threw it right back in her face. And now she was dead. Her lifeless corpse in the ground, not even able to be told a final farewell or even given an apology. She'll never how much she really meant to them. And what was it all for? For fame, for popularity, for the sake of fitting in.
It wasn't worth it. Not for this. Not for the sake of another human life. She deserved-
"She's not dead you dimwits."
Hanabi called out as she was texting someone, not bothering to look up from her phone.
"She's alive?" Kiba asked relieved, "thank God!"
They all sighed in relief.
"She was in a coma for a while but then woke up from it yesterday. Luckily, there was a handsome stranger at the scene who saw the whole thing and decided to carry her away from harm. However, if he wasn't there," now she looked at them straight in the eye with a dark stare that sent a shiver down their spines, "my sister would have been burnt alive with only you all to thank. I advise you to be very weary of what you do from here on out. You haven't messed with just anyone, you've messed with the Hozuki, and trust me when I say we will not take your behaviour lightly."
"Hozuki? As in Hozuki Suigetsu?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah, he's my cousin. Why?" Hanabi returned to her texting.
"When I was...travelling."
"You mean when you were being a douchebag and decided to abandon all of your friends and family for the dark side." Hanabi corrected.
"Yes," he admitted awkwardly, "that. One of the guys I was travelling with was Suigetsu. That guy's nuts. He told me he was going take over the world with a spoon one night, and then beat up a whole criminal gang with one thirty minutes later...and then he bought this coconut bra." Sasuke looked into the distance, seemingly bewildered by his own memorise, "that was a very weird pub crawl."
"Was it pink?"
"No, it was blue."
"Oh. Then we're not thinking of the same coconut bra."
"You see this is why you both should stay as far away the Hozuki's as possible. They're a bad influence. It's obviously in their blood."
"Then it's in my blood." Neji took a step back, surprised. Hanabi was staring at him, their faces only inches apart.
When the hell did she get so close?
"You may disagree with the way we conduct ourselves, but no Hozuki would ever betray, abandon or bitch about those we apparently care about, and certainly not to such a degree that that person looses control on the road because our actions. You should have more respect towards us Neji, especially with everything we've done for you."
"Everything you've done for me?"
"Another story for another time Neji, but I do promise it's a good one." She said with a sly smile.
"Hanabi." Naruto said, stepping forward.
"Ah, and the blonde dickhead finally gives us one of his big heroic speaches. Go on then."
"Hanabi, you have every right to be mad. We have been acting unforgivably to your sister. Especially Sakura and I, we broke her trust in the worst possible way and then tried to deflect our fustration on her. However, Hinata has a right to know that we all regret our past actions and wish to correct our future ones. She has a right to know that she is the cause of this change. She also deserves an apology, and not one over the phone or by email, but one face to face."
The whole gang looked at him, impressed and touched by his care.
"I agree a hundred percent, and I'm sure you'll agree that she also deserves for you to make an effort. So, I'm going to leave you to find her yourself."
"Do we at least get a clue?"
"Of course! Hin-nee-chan is spending the summer with Sui-nee-chan."
"What the hell do you mean she's going to spend the Summer with Suigetsu?!"
"Exactly what I said. I took away your hair, Neji, not your hearing."
"B-but, does-"
"Tou-San knows and he was fine with it...eventually."
"Well then," Sasuke took it all in, "I guess we're going to Kiri."
"Kiri?! But it so far away!"
"And so dangerous!"
"Is there any good food there?"
"We can do this! Believe it!"
"I'll book the hotels."
"I'll try and rent us a van."
"I'll bring the first-aid kit."
"Anything for the youthfull flower!"
"This is so troublesome, but I guess it'll be worth it."
"Who knows, Lady Luck may be on your side and may even give you a second chance."
They left after that, making plans on how to track her and organising train tickets. Hanabi watched them leave. When they had just reached the compound gates, she made a phonecall.
"Sui-Nii-chan? It's Hanabi. They took the bait. They've just left the compound. It's just as you've predicted - they're going after Hinata."
