"He's such a hunk!"

… "His pale skin is not really my type but he sure is pretty."

… "It's Hinata-sama!"

… The servant girls bowed to her. It was early morning but jovial whispers of chattering servants ran along the corridors. Hinata got out of bed to get ready for breakfast but her curiosity led her past the dining room. From out the corner, the shoji door slid open. Hanabi was wearing an orange kimono with a red knitted shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She flashed a bright, amused grimace at Hinata. Her younger sister's definitely birthed by the sun itself.

... "Hinata nee-sama, do you know who's causing all the ruckus so early in the morning?" Hanabi asked, a glint flashing across her white orbs.

… "What are the servants talking about?"

… "Your white lily man," Hanabi replied with a snicker.

… "White lily man? You mean Sasuke-kun?" Hinata raised a brow, quite confused as to why would he be the hot topic of the day.

… "Come, I'll show you."

… Hanabi grabbed Hinata's hand and she led her out into the engawa. Slipping on their geta, they made a turn to the back of the main house, encountering chattering servants along the way. They crossed the stone plank steps leading to a tall bamboo fence which encloses their father's vacant lot.

… It was new spring and the scent of fresh leaves coming alive permeated the air. The koi pond was no longer frozen and Hinata stopped to look at the fishes which were put back in, astonished at their garish frock of scales and how so supple their blubbery bodies swam across the water with fluidity. Drawing her out from a trance, Hanabi pulled Hinata's arm as she pointed out to the bamboo gate which was left open. When they walked in, Hinata felt the long grasses touch her legs and feet; the melted snow sifting cool moisture on her skin. She felt the chills of the wind blowing across the mount overlooking Konoha and beyond the horizon. Thick clouds dissipating hovered over the gorgeous sunrise, granting it's golden scattering an opaque affair with fogs draping the bamboos. Grunts can be heard from not so far and Hinata felt her sister's hands pushing her back, forcing her to walk someplace else.

… As they approached an angled corner of the fence leading to a clearing, there was a man, a pale man, raven of hair, sweaty and thoroughly underdressed for the cloudy early morning weather with only his pants and boots on while working on the hard packed soil with a hoe. Hinata's eyes widened at Sasuke's figure tilling her father's parcel of land. She covered her mouth which was wide agape in surprise.

… "Why is Sasuke-kun—?"

… "Otou-sama said it was a favor he asked of white lily man in exchange for permitting him to take you out on a date—alone! With no servants or guards, or elders, or me and especially no otou-sama—a legit, true date Hinata nee-sama. White lily man sure is making efforts to please you. Maybe he really likey likey you. I blush," Hanabi said with a weird teasing, sarcastic expression on her face.

… "Hanabi-chan, stop calling him white lily man!" Hinata's brows furrowed, reprimanding her sister in her usual gentle, sweet manner. "He's going to be your brother-in-law by summer."

… "Hmmm," Hanabi teased, skidding her eyebrows at Hinata.

… "Nooo," Hinata pouted and blush ran across her face, "he only wants to marry me because—because." She looked at his white, muscular back—smudged with dirt, hunched as he toiled—and his soiled black pants and muddy boots. "Because it's convenient and the elders think so too."

She really never understood why he wanted to marry her. Not until he answered her directly during their first night together.

"What is there not to like?"

Call her a fool but Hinata took his words to heart. It's vain and presumptuous but for the first time in her life, she felt like she was wanted. She's not the strongest among women but he patiently sparred with her, teaching her how to better harness her taijutsu; he kissed her palms even when they're not the prettiest; he bought her daifuku when he had nobody to bring food before; and he trusted her to scrub his back. Only Hinata can ran her hands along his body without him feeling apprehensive… I think, she reminded herself, a bit unsure about the last one because clearly, it's just one of her vain thoughts.

But still, he scares her sometimes.

Sasuke stood frozen, looking at her with sharp, red-lit eyes. Loud thumping dominated her chest.

"S-sasuke-kun? What's the matter?"

Sasuke blinked as if regaining composure, and pressed on his temples before letting out a sigh. "It's nothing... Were you crying?"

"Oh, i-it's nothing." Her fingers fidgeted. "U-um, y-your Sharingan…"

He ceased it's glow and proceeded to the clothes bureau which was facing the left side of their bedstead.

How shameful.

Just the mere sight of her kneeling on the mattress set his mind crafting titillating imagery, portraying her so provocatively and so much of what books call—undeniably so—a vixen.

"Hinata, let's dine out tonight," he suddenly said as he rummaged on the neat pile of folded clothing. Strange. His turtleneck sweater of dark blue shade, a thing he fancies, is nowhere to be found. He is particular about it for the Uchiha crests embroidered on the sleeves.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her eyes almost iridescent with joy.

"How about kaiseki-ryori at ryotei Kogarashi? I remember you liked the view of Naka no Kawa." Sasuke rummaged further, not wanting to give up on his choice of outfit. Speaking of Naka no Kawa, Hinata will definitely see much of it near the Uchiha family training grounds. But it's not yet time. Much is still unfinished.

"Hai. Last time we went there, there was daylight. I wonder if evening lanterns will be widespread across Naka no Kawa. It will definitely be very beautiful." Hinata went inside her closet.

"Hinata, do you know where's my dark blue sweater? The one which covers half past my neck?"

Peeking out, a striking red blushed across her features, seeming as though she struggled to form words with her mouth. "I… I…" She looked at him straight in the eye, embarrassed and apologetic for reasons Sasuke cannot surmise.

He's not kissing or touching her and she's already acting like he did. It's the same face she wore when he'd kiss her hard and she finds herself moaning.

"I have it," she answered, slumping her shoulders and Sasuke followed as she walked up to the drawer beside the bed. Why would Hinata have it? His brows tipped. Did she wash it while he was away? Practically speaking, she really didn't have to.

She pulled the upper compartment and retrieved a knotted cotton fabric wrap and with her slender digits, undid the knots to reveal Sasuke's dark blue sweater rolled inside.

Biting on her lip, she murmured almost inaudibly, "I hug it to sleep sometimes…"

Fireworks burst inside his guts at what she said. It may be autumn but spring flowed through his veins, loud taiko drums and chants of "wasshoi!" celebrated the flower festival inside his mind. He felt himself gawking like an idiot and so, faking a cough, he responded to break the silence.

"Why did you wrap it?"

Hinata blushed several degrees darker. "S-so that when I hug it like this," motioning her arms to envelope the space between her breasts, "I-it would feel like it's your… a-arm."

His synapses froze and Sasuke found himself unable to respond to anything at the moment.

It was a habit she developed overtime so that she's alerted to switches in Sasuke's breathing patterns. But of course, only when she thinks he's fully asleep. Hinata could never grab onto his arm so daringly like that. At least, not when he's awake.

What would Sasuke think?

How embarrassing. Prying open and revealing one's hidden feelings actually hurt, and it's not her first time knowing that.

Hinata sat lightly on the bed and placed the pre-loved clothing on the surface. It's probably the fourth Sasuke clothing she had used to comfort her loneliness. Sometimes she'd secretly wear his coat because it's definitely warmer. She had also dressed up his pillow as dummy for his presence but she had to wash it, dishearteningly, after the second week because his scent had already worn off. The bed was too cold without Sasuke's scent lingering there—it had felt like that.

She felt her husband sit beside her and pick his sweater. Without ado, he slid his head and limbs inside the garment, wrapped his arms around Hinata, his nose buried into her hair. She hugged him back and propped her bosom close and tight against his taut chest, soothing the ache with the balm of his breath and vibrating life force.

Is this love coming to him? He finds himself asking once again.

Sasuke felt he doesn't deserve such merit. He didn't grow such love; someone like him couldn't possibly.

In "Hana no Tamashi", a guide to cultivating flowers, the late Inoichi Yamanaka wrote, "… Growing beautiful flowers is like growing love."

The Yamanaka tended to their flowers with great care. They own the most abundant floral gardens in all of Konoha. According to Inoichi, flowers show the most beautiful if you nourish the soil properly after a thorough weeding and also taking into account soil amendments and even mulch, which could vary on a case to case basis. Making soil amendments and mulch require the most "hard work", in Sasuke's olfactory opinion, since it's accordingly better with compost and manure—not just any manure but composted manure—the one which requires days before it's alright to use. In addition, Inoichi also noted that there is also virtue in watering flowers gently and making sure they're exposed to just the right amount of sunlight because some species are particular about shade and moisture. There must be patience and dedication through every step of growing them.

Inoichi's daughter, Ino, had told him that you need to sing for the flowers to be happy but her husband, Sai, sported a dreaded face from one so lacking in emotion—though Sasuke can't speak differently for himself—at such declarations. One old lady from Iwa in the Earth Country had told him that growing flowers is like waging war; different terrains call for different strategies. Different flowers bloom the brightest to varying climates and specific times of the year; some flowers even grow in the harshest wintry lands.

Sasuke had once ruled it out that flowers, especially delicate ones, become sterile and vain under his charge. A hand that wields the sword is the ultimate folly at horticulture; the hands that have ever only known how to kill and inflict pain upon others will ultimately have no part in a world where tender beauty calm exists.

Yet, held in his arms is the sprite of his heart's spring; the honeyed sedimentation of spring dawn on a snowy rock mountain where climbers had dared and succumbed to death along its dark, cold ridges. That she would miss him beside her—Sasuke wouldn't have thought of anything so close to the notion. How does one accord themselves when granted with such a disarming, debilitating novelty? A man can only count on the dictates of his passion.

He ran his fingers along her chin to plant a languid, supplicating kiss on her lips. She moved her hands along his back, and he moved to deepen the kiss. Hinata moaned at his tongue's caress. They both parted for air, looking into each other's eyes imbued with polarity possessing immense electric attraction.

"Sasuke-kun… date," she said, breathless as she uttered the terse words.

He didn't want to get his hands off her but he decided he'll take her out tonight.

"After you're completely dressed, wait for me at the gate. I have to go somewhere first." He kissed her cheek and disengaged from her cottony embrace. How he had wanted to take that robe off of her!

"Hai."

Sasuke brushed his fingers along perfect locks of her hair, savoring the sight of her innocuous face with cheeks in full bloom.

つづく

Daifuku Mochiin Corner! 田

Here's an early update. Thank you for the reviews:') They tickle my DM heart.

Some vocabulary:

Engawa - an outer corridor around a Japanese house

Geta - Japanese wooden sandals with an elevated base. (yes, the cool looking one.)

Kaiseki-ryori - traditional Japanese multi-course cuisine based on seasonal ingredients

Ryotei - high-class traditional Japanese restaurant

Kogarashi - the cold wind that lets people know the arrival of winter

Hana no Tamashi - Soul/Spirit of Flowers

Sasuke's sharingan in the manga can actually see through skin, muscle and blood vessels. For the purpose of this story, the sharingan is presumed to be unable to see through clothes.

For the next chapter, just to make the imagery clear, I would like to emphasize (if not yet known or 'googled') that the obi or the belt of the kimono Hinata wore has four visible components: the thick obi itself, the obi-age which is a long fabric tied above the thick obi to make the form of the waist look firmer, then the obi-jime which is the thin cord tied around the obi, and the obi-dome which is a brooch used as an acessory on the obi-jime cord. Daifuku Mochiin is just a poser so I will try hard to make it sound a bit authentic at least. Thank you for bearing with me. lols (・ﻌ・)