A/N: Okay I'm telling you kunai are free to strike me now. I don't know how long I keep you waiting for this chapter, Gomen. I'm telling you now people I don't know when will be my next update since school will resume next week. I'm going to college too next year so I have to study hard for the early entrance exams. I think I'll be taking one entrance exam this June. Sigh Mom said that I should reduce my time on my hobbies since I'm focusing too much on it than my studies. But then tell you what! I'm trying to make a Sasuhina doujinshi I'm almost done with the drawing and editing one of it now (The sasuhina part). If anyone here wants to help me finish it, you may and I'll be glad. I've just got a DA account too please visit it. See my profile.
A Total Stranger
By Janique
Chapter 21
Sake always gives the worst effect…
Hanabi continue to bloom at the sky. People in the park continue to grow in numbers. It's twelve midnight and the festival is still ongoing, despite the fact of that, Hinata, Sasuke, Yuuchi, Sakura, Naruto and Ino decided to come over to Uchiha compound in Hinata's idea. Sasuke can't refuse on the request not that it is Hinata's idea but Yuuchi and Naruto got an evil consequences in their head. He just sighed heavily.
"Hey! Wait up! Hinata! guys!" a loud call rose from the crowd.
Hinata has to stop and look back for whoever that person is. "huh? Tenten-chan?" the brown eyed girl grabbed Hinata's both arm, panting.
"Hinata! You are here too!" her usually bun hair is swaying on her back and side in a nice braid. "Glad to see you Hinata!"
"Me too Tenten-chan. Oh! Why in a hurry?"
Tenten brush her bangs to the side to have a better vision of Hinata. "Oh yeah! Nothing. By the way Neji-kun is with us. Neji! Lee come over here! Hinata is here!"
Hinata look at the direction where the weapon collector looks at. She caught a glimpse of her cousin's blush. He was pulled by Lee in sleeves to Tenten who has her hands on her waist waiting impatiently to her two teammates.
"Ah Neji! Won't you be greeting your cousin?" Tenten hook Neji's arm with her pulling him closer to Hinata. Neji got a deeper red of his blush.
"Konnichiwa Hinata-sama… er… how are you?" He felt Tenten's hand has slipped on his arm. A relief he thought.
Hinata is busy talking with her cousin right now and with his teammates. Sasuke was itching to leave now. He might be receiving death glares soon from Hinata's cousin.
"Oi! Sasuke come over here… he he hey over here Sasuke-teme" it is the dummy Naruto calling Sasuke and in a low voice which is unbelievable for Sasuke's ear.
"What are up to now dummy?" Sasuke continue the fox vessel to wherever he is going. He had his trademark grin that makes him curious what he is up to even he will be expecting it to be just a prank or some kind of his jokes whatever.
"Free taste!" he is holding a cup with some transparent liquid on it.
"You just went here for free taste?" what a cheap he is. Naruto seems to be living in free taste and treats.
"Nah, what I was saying is if this one taste good then we will have it in the party in your house." Naruto is making the liquid in the cup spin slowly by the way he move his hand.
"Party? I never said that we'll be throwing a noisy and messy party in my house. What is that anyway?" Sasuke curiously take the cup from his friend.
"Just taste it okay!" Naruto downed his slowly. Sasuke watch his friend finished his and seems like it wasn't any poison or anything so he decided to try it for his own curiousness.
The taste wasn't that bad. It wasn't sweet so it suits his taste. But feels burning in the throat. "What is this?" Sasuke looked at the older man who looks like in age of thirties.
"It's wine. Do you like it? We'll be giving it to you in a lower price since it is plum festival."
"Wha—wine?" Sasuke coughed glancing at Naruto who is taking another try to the other kind of it. "Naruto jerk! You are drinking even you are underage?" Sasuke shook Naruto's shoulder. He dropped his cup. It is plastic so there is no worry of paying it.
"Wha? It is fine you know. No one will know it. Come on Sasuke tell me you like it too, right, right?" he jab him in his ribs with his elbow with his another hand pushing him to drink the other kind of it. "Oh come on let's buy. You'll see they'll like it too."
Sasuke shrug his shoulders getting the attention of the old man. "Fine"
"Hey, Hey occhan. What else do you have there?"
'Occhan?' the man's brow twitches but then he has to be nice for the costumers so he just smiled at the yellow haired boy. "How about umeshu, plum wine. It's sweet. If ever you like those two and going to buy, I'll give those two to you in a price of one."
"Oh wow! That's great! We'll take them!" Naruto got his frog pouch counting his money. "Ah… he he Sa-sasuke, do you have an extra?"
Oh great! Now he's making me pay it all. "Clumsy idiot… You should pay me soon."
"Oh! There they are! Sasuke! Naruto! Where did you two go off to?" Sakura flick her hair.
Naruto almost drools over Sakura's cuteness and sexiness. On the other hand Sasuke who is beside Naruto, cock his head to see Hinata still talking with her cousin:
"Ano Neji-niisan, Tenten-chan, Lee-san, if you want to you could come with us. Sakura-chan and the others will be staying there for a while."
Tenten grab Hinata's hand. "Oh… we are glad to come over but Neji-kun's going to treat us tonight, right Neji-kun?" Tenten laughed at the blushing Neji. He had reasons to be embarrassed of.
"Okay! We'll play Gai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei's jakenpon kind of battle!" Tenten stands up in the chair. Lee clapped at Tenten while Neji keep his bored face on telling her that it wasn't a good idea.
"Come on Neji! It is fun okay! Just for past time." Lee said with fire in his eyes.
"It isn't and pointless." Neji crossed his arms and was about to leave.
Tenten smiled at Lee evily and Lee flashed a smile to Tenten with a thumb up. "Neji! Tell you what." Neji stop to hear his female teammate's justification.
"I think you are scared! You don't want to lose to a lame game, didn't you?" Tenten hit Neji's pride.
"Fine"
"Yeah! Neji agreed! Okay, I'm going to give the conditions. Whoever loses will treat the team for tonight. If you got a draw I'll be treating you two. Is that okay?"
"Hai!" the two agrees.
------Okay!------jakenpon-------twitch twitch-------laughs-------cries-------Neji loses!----
"Yatta! Gai-sensei! I finally did it! I'd defeated Neji once!" sunset appears…with tears of joys and clenching fist. Youth rejoice!
Neji glance at Sasuke then back to Hinata. "We'll be visiting you early in the morning instead okay."
"Hai!" His heiress said happily. Sasuke got a dismissal nod from Neji before they leave.
The kitchen got the clattering sounds and snorts and laughs filled the living room. The three kunoichi is in the kitchen making something good for their growling tummies. Sakura and Ino's eyes wonder around the clean kitchen. They never have been there before. At first they all thought the house would have a really big kitchen for all they know Sasuke is once in a wealthy family. The kind of house he/ they were living is just as big as a normal house for a small family of four. Nothing is impressive really but there is a lot of difference in that house from their respective places.
It is colorless, dull, lifeless and quite.
As if no one lives there. There is no decorations either except for the clan's symbol that can be seen everywhere. But this place is somewhat good for relaxation. The house is far from civilization since this is the only place in the compound that people lived at. The other houses where no longer can be called home. There is a lot of silence and horror and emptiness.
Sakura and Ino had left the kitchen for a while to check the others. Hinata continue with the chopping and did not mind looking at the door when it clicks. It is either she's busy doing it or she knows who came in.
A sound of bottle hitting the table softly echoed shortly. The humming fridge opened then bottles entering it. Hinata can visualize what he is doing, by the sounds, with her back facing him.
He spoke quietly with his hand meeting cotton soft kimono. "Nee, you think it is fine to drink sake?"
Now Hinata look back to answer the question. "Sake? How did you get any?"
Sasuke's hand digs in his hair before brushing it back. He's doing this recently. "The dope pushed me to buy those. So what do you think?"
Hinata bit her lower lip thinking. She's actually chewing it. If she keeps on doing that her delicate lip's skin will be rip and will only make those lips dry. Sasuke brushed her lips with his thumb to prevent her from doing it.
"Uh… Sa-sasuke? Uh I don't know." She said, quickly turning her body back to the counter, redoing the ribbons of her apron.
Her lips are always smooth. Heck! What am I thinking? "I don't know what to do with it either but it taste nice though. Should I take it out and let them drink it?" he asked grabbing a piece of apple she's cutting.
"Please don't do that." she's talking about the apple he ate. "I think… if you're not going to drink a lot, it is okay. As long as it won't go to your head." Hinata smiled.
"It won't just make Sakura look over Naruto." Hinata laughs, thinking of Sakura dragging Naruto out of the house and shaking him violently to pull himself together. That's one violent scene should be expecting if ever Naruto got drunk.
"hn. What if it was me instead of Naruto?"
"eh?"
"What will you do to me if ever?"
Long pause…
"I might be pushed to involve chakra. Putting you to sleep will do."
"Pretty clever"
The fun continued when the sake was out of the fridge and was put down in the table. They all stare at the bottle and it was Sakura who first recognize the bottle and the first one to speak. "Why is a bottle of sake there?"
"Sake?" Ino trail Sakura's word.
Naruto open the cork of it letting its scent float in the air. "Ah, Sasuke and I bought this. I thought it is a good idea."
Sakura smacked Naruto's head. "Bonehead! If I try to drink it or even just a little sip I'll be going like Tsunade shisou! I don't want to look like a drunken old woman you know." Sakura got the cork in her hand to close the bottle.
"W-wait." Hinata shyly squeak, stopping the pinky from doing so.
"Hinata, d-don't tell me y-you drink too?" Ino and Sakura's eyes twitch for a while before heaving a disappointed sigh together.
The brunette tucked her hair behind her ear with a nervous smile. "Am I not. It is just I was thinking that it will go on waste if not drunken."
Yuuchi agreed at Hinata and so Sasuke and Naruto. The two sat down calmly and retreat to their original expression from a jaw dropped one.
Hinata did the filling to their cups. Sakura and Ino swallowed the lump on their throats before taking down the liquid to their throats. "ACK!" both girls coughed. "It's horrible."
Yuuchi downed his slowly. "It wasn't if you drink it slowly."
"Yuuchi-kun you're drinking?" Ino asked arching her eyebrows.
"Iie, Iie it was my first time to drink any of this and it do taste nice."
Hinata took the small bottle, facing Sasuke. "May I?"
Sasuke quickly empty his cup and let Hinata pour in his cup. It is the Japanese custom. "Domo arigatou" he said quietly glancing at her cup. "You haven't drunk yours."
Hinata's old habits are coming back, she fidgets. "Ano… how does it taste like?" Sasuke tip his cup in his lips looking at Hinata in the corner of his eyes.
"Taste it if you want to know." He reaches for her own cup, this time he won't be mistaking to use his to her, and tip it to her lips suddenly.
"Ah! Sa… ka" She had gulp down the burning liquid and feels horrible as what Ino and Sakura had said.
"It will taste better later." Sasuke empty his cup, slipping out of the table and proceeding to the door. "I'll make tea."
The time is nothing to these happy people. It's almost three in the morning but time seems to be unnoticed since they were having so much time. They all got used to the alcoholic beverage and the bottle has gotten half. This makes Hinata keep an eye to everyone every now and then. It worries her since the smell of sake is in everyone's mouth. She had drink trice of it and that was because of Sasuke who pour her twice and Yuuchi once and was pushed by the two to drink it. As what Sasuke told her it does taste better now after drinking three cups of it.
In case, Tea is ready and hot.
Sakura suddenly stands up running at the door with hand in her mouth. Looks like she'll be throwing up. "Sakura-chan, bathroom at the left." She nods at me quickly disappearing to the corridors.
Naruto and Ino keep on laughing at each other. Both blonde rolling and clutching stomach from the hilarious joke of Naruto. Subsequently Naruto stood up creating another show for his one and only audience, Ino.
Yuuchi seems to be ignored the whole night that he keep on sticking with Hinata, most of the time poking Hinata's cheeks which makes Sasuke glare at him. Yuuchi keeps on doing this to Hinata as long as she's laughing at what he is doing to her and as long as Sasuke is getting piss of him.
To make it fair, Sasuke stop the glaring and looking at them. He completely ignores him and keeps on drinking his sake. Hinata keeps on filling his cup without thinking that she'll make him drunk. Yuuchi should be piss too. Competing and acting like that will only make him like a kid in age twelve and less cool. Albeit, he never think of his cool. It is just normal for him to act like that.
The door open, Sakura was back from the bathroom. "Ah it's late already! I think we should get going now."
Hinata nod at her, looking at the window. Full moon is bright. "I think so. Your folks might be scolding you once you got back, Sakura-chan and Ino-chan." The boys won't understand how bad the two will be getting from their folks. It won't be as easy as just sitting on one's long sermon.
"Oi! Naruto, Ino-pig, come on now let's go home." She pull Ino's sleeves in place, it will get lose soon.
"I'll lead you to the door." Hinata stood up from her seat.
"Ah no need Hinata-chan. You better taking care of those two instead. We know the exit." Sakura winked at the Hyuga.
The blonde kunoichi waved at her pulling the other blonde's collar to stop staring blankly. "Konbanwa! Thanks for the fun!" the three nods at them.
The room went silent…
Without any words Yuuchi advanced to the door, smirk a little. As if he is letting have time with Hinata tonight since he took that time from him at the festival. Before the door slid open, the heiress glance at him in attempt to help him go to his room but then Yuuchi smiled at her telling her that he'll be fine. The Hyuga whispered goodnight while the Uchiha had grant him a lifted hand and a smile.
Hinata shifted on the mat to stretch her aching leg for sitting too long. While doing so she caught a glimpse of the sharingan user, taking another sip into his cup. Sasuke's quite and it made her think of what's on his mind. "You're quite." She said in her curiosity but with her words that almost sounds like a whisper. She make sure of it because she would not want to disturb him.
"Am I?" he said as if it was unnoticed to him and cocks his head leveling to her. Seeing that she nods, Sasuke stare down to his cup again.
The emptied cup of his was refilled again with burning liquor that was soon gulped down to his throat. He spoke at her giving her a quick look in the corner of his eyes. "Itachi…"
"What about your niisan? Are you… going to… chase him again?" Her faint blush was unknown due to the lack of light in the room but her weak voice was clear to him. Something in her throat seems to be stuck somewhat like a thorn; Chest ache a bit and rather hot. Hinata knows that formed tears will start to pour sometime.
She look forwards to that day (since she has nothing to do to stop him when that day comes but to watch his back) when he'll be leaving the village again and will be back soon after fulfilling his task with blood covered chest and hands, exhaust body and ripped clothes, slashes and deep cuts from metallic weapons and maybe will even have deeper wounds that no medicines can cure, indicating his victory. She just knows that she could mend those deep cuts and purify the weak soul with her pure heart. She will put him back together no matter what but then what makes her heart ache is the big question… will he live?
It's been lingering her mind since that day, when she first encountered Itachi and when every time she's gazing at Sasuke. It worries her a lot, most of the time. She had cared for him so long and that care grew into something.
Something that will put her into contentment every time he's around, every time she saw his face and his latent smile. Every single thing from him or even just his presence will make her day.
She loves him…
Silence…
Heat rushed in Hinata's face. After the long silence and uneasiness of it he had pulled her closer to her, making her torso lean on his as he hugged her closer. Making Hinata soak in his plain scent mixed with the smell of sake he's been drinking and feeling his warm chest and his hand on her head.
"You're quite."
Hinata's surprised face hadn't melted down so she faced him with it. "Sa-sasuke…" Sasuke says nothing that she just buries her face in his shirt. The feeling between his arms is too good to react furiously. "T-that was my l-line."
Sasuke laugh at it light-hearted before burying his nose to her neck, smelling the new shampoo. This one smells nice too. "Then should I say instead… you're staring?" his breath made her shiver a bit.
Hinata blushed. It would be better if I'll just close my eyes… "May I ask what you are thinking?"
No answer. "Hinata?"
She fell asleep.
It was early morning when someone knocked on the Uchiha's door. The most expected person to come this early in the morning, Neji. A black haired man in an apron appears in the open door, welcoming them to come in.
Neji's brow twitches at the looks of him in apron. Lee will probably sweat drop but then he held no emotion and wait for the others to come in first, especially Tenten. Youth must be a gentleman. Unlike the two, Tenten want to squeal. She would wish to see Neji wear something like that someday.
"Where's Hinata and Sasuke-kun?" Lee asked first before Neji.
Asleep "Hmm… I'll check them upstairs." He lied.
Before he could open the door, the door was opened by Sasuke… carrying Hinata. It was a coincidence that Neji's team was facing that door.
Crap! Why are they here so early?
"What t—Uchiha?" Neji half stand on his seat in surprise. Why in the hell is he carrying Hinata-sama and asleep?
Great! Sasuke raise his right brow acting like innocent then glancing to Hinata. "She fell asleep at the living room. I'm taking her to her room." If I did not fell asleep with her in the living room then I probably not in this mess. But then… Sasuke smirks.
"I'll take her to her room." Neji said making Sasuke nod. It is better to let him do it. He was sure that he won't find any good excuse anymore.
I'm so sorry if this is too short and takes me too long to update it.