"The White Nights describes the few weeks around the summer solstice during which sunsets are late, sunrises are early and darkness is never complete. The sun does not set until late at night, and twilight lasts much longer."

"If we had it our way, we'd have you locked up forever in disgrace—stupid girl, stupid cunt!"

Haruno Sakura averted her eyes defiantly as the witch of an elder ranted in front of her. For once her face was bare of makeup, and her hair messy. Her knees were scabbed for having kneeled down so much, and for the first time in her life, her healing skills were useless since they weren't going to let her use them.

She found brief relief in thinking Sasuke had been in the same situation as her—a bit of an odd pleasure, but one that made perfect sense in her head because it felt like they were suffering for some higher cause; for example, each other maybe.

"…sis? "

Lee crept into the room, his already pallid face drained of color at her unruly sight. Sakura gave him a disheartening sneer and tightly crossed her arms.

"What."

He crouched down in front of her and laid hands on her knees, his face screwed up in faint concentration. Sakura rolled her eyes. She'd always been the gifted one when it came to healing. Lee was more of a…squirrelly, run-away-before-I-get-hurt kinda type; the kind who never really needed healing because he never was in action. When he removed his hands, faint traces of the scab still remained.

"…they won't let me use my skills. I bet they're going to get you for doing that."

She muttered. Coward or not, he was her brother, and also the unnamed accomplice in most of her schemes.

"…d'you think they're going to let you off easy sis? I mean, the elders seem preoccupied with that Hinata girl. "

"Shut up—of course you had to go and mention 'her.' "

Sakura glowered and measured up Lee's agitation. He might've resented her for all that mattered, but he wasn't going to let it show.

"…sis, you worry about yourself now. Not anything else."

Although it was a touching thing to say, she couldn't give a fuck. She could not bear the fact that she was so far from action, so secluded and isolated—shut away. It was fine—no, even preferable when Sasuke was tucked away. That way, she could be sure where he was. And who was anyone to judge her anyways, she did what she had to do, she stuck up for the boy she meant to be with didn't she? Even if he didn't always return the favor.

A frustrated tear dropped on the musty floor, and as Lee averted his eyes, Sakura seethed. She slapped her thighs with the palm of her hand.

"I want out."

Kiba you fucking hypocrite.

White Nights: Summer Solstice

Chapter 5- Beauty of Oblivion

(Session#2– Youth/Bliss )

(Konoha High-neutral sector)

When the bell rang, Hinata realized she absolutely had no idea what the teacher was preaching about. All she was doing was plainly staring at Iruka sensei's face, wondering what role he played in this intricate mess that was Konoha, and did he even give a damn about biological magnification and productivity in food chains? It might've been a tad bit more 'useful' if the teachers taught….say, how to flit? Or how to sense danger when it's nearby, or how to metamorphose or whatever the non-naivetes do when their eyes lit up.

As if to sense her distress, Iruka sensei avoided her somewhat desperate glance and let the class out a bit early.

Rushing pass her classmates, she nearly ran to the spot she been before, and was disappointed to see only a gaggle of girls huddled around, gossiping. She sat next to the water fountain, hoping the girls passing by would ignore her presence. Was it so foolish to think Sasuke would have been here? Of course, it wasn't like he was a landmark of some sort—of course he'd have moved. But yet—she still just thought.

"Likewise—we definitely need to catch the game. It's a must. "

"He's fine to watch. Obviously. But that other guy's a bit of a douche, it's just—"

Hinata unintentionally scrunched up, her chin almost colliding with her collar bone.

Tenten brushed pass her, her face hidden under her bangs, and pretended not to see. The numerous footsteps literally hurt her ears, knowing in her heart that she had no friend among those who just passed by. After that it was unbearable to just sit and wait, so she bounded up and headed for her lockers. She arrived and yet again, suppressed a disappointed sigh when she saw her books piled up neatly in front of her locker. Sasuke must've left them there after he realized he'd taken it.

She reached for them limply, when an impatient voice rang from behind.

"Class has been out for 10 minutes. What were you doing?"

She flinched and swept around, her feet tangling in the process.

Sasuke was sitting on the floor, his back to the rows of lockers opposite hers, his left ear shrouded in a headset and his hand toying with his cell phone. He obviously had been waiting for some time.

Scooping the small pile of books to her chest, she gasped.

"Were…were you watching over these?"

"I didn't want to break the damn lock."

Realizing there were naivetes nearby, he purposely made the comment sound ironic, but Hinata now knew; obviously if he had been in a more impatient mood, he'd have broken the metal lock. She hesitantly approached him, wondering if he'd done this out of spite of some sort, but looking at his face she realized—he wanted an excuse to come back and talk to her. He wanted the company for some reason. If he hadn't, he'd have just left the books on the floor and left, not even bothering with the lock. It wasn't just her—he also wanted her company.

It was with some satisfaction Hinata managed to say:

"Thank you. "

The bell rang again, which meant she was to run downstairs to attend math with Ebisu sensei, but Sasuke made no sign of moving and so did she. Dumping her armload of books in her locker, she awkwardly stood in front of him, wondering if she should sit down or attempt conversation or just anything. He seemed equally at loss for words at first, but looked decisively resolute.

"…have you ever seen my locker?"

"…locker?"

It was an odd thing to ask. And somewhat disappointing, although she wasn't sure what she'd been expecting.

"Follow me, I'll show you something. "

(Konoha High, neutral sector)

Funny. Everything was in its place. It did not seem like another White Nights had gone and passed.

Shikamaru swept his hand across the dusty surface of the table. Dust gathered and stuck together, forming a rather compact orb within the flexing shadows he commanded. No wonder the place was so dirty. No one had been bothered with school shit for the last couple of weeks. He considered playing around with the ball of dust for a moment, even pausing to twirl it a little.

He was supposedly on a sick leave, and had been granted free period, yet he wasn't at the nurse's office. Instead, he was at the conference room he used for the mock student council meetings. He only had to wait a few moments for their wavelengths to collide until Temari caught the drift and shimmied down the empty hallways. The door opened just a slit and she slipped in. He rose from his seat to greet her, and she walked on until she was standing barely inches from him. She brushed her palm against his forehead.

She still looked like she couldn't believe he'd gotten away from death.

"Sometimes I wish I was taller. "

"Why's that. "

She shrugged.

"I get sick of having to make you bend down. "

To prove her point, she stepped forwards without lifting her feet. Her hair tickled the base of his chin as her lips made contact with his neck. He was all lazy smiles before finding she had properly buttoned up his shirt and fixed his school tie while she kissed. Her hands deftly straightened up the cuffs of his jacket, and she'd have tucked in his shirt in for him had he not jerked 'her' shirttails out in response.

"Cut that out—you're the head boy. It's your unofficial first day back. You have to look the part for it. You don't have to flaunt your normal self."

"True. But do you?"

He jokingly raised his eyebrow and clasped both hands while his shadow popped open the two top buttons of her shirt. She grimaced at him and pushed him down—gently, just in case—onto the table, shaking off his hands. She buttoned up her shirt. Shikamaru waited silently, his head inclined towards the open window.

She looked up to see the image of the boy she'd fallen in love with, and almost lost. He was definitely a bit hollowed out in his cheeks. He was a little too serene. She couldn't shake the feeling that what he really wanted to do, was to have never woken up, to be done with this all.

"Shika, I—"

"It's worth to be back. "

She was struck dumb, because it was uncanny how he always knew what she was thinking.

"Do you think Sasuke's going to remain the selected? "

"…probably. "

"What about Hinata? What's her place in all this? "

"A wonderful hefty bargain. Bait. The elders will eat her alive, like they did with Kakashi and Gaara and…"

He did not add his name.

"I don't think this will fly with everyone. Sasuke's too friendly with Hinata. It just reminds everyone too much of…"

It seemed dangerous to mention the name here at school with so many open ears, when technically, only the neutrals should know. Of course, she did not count Kakashi and Iruka and Kurenai, and all of those old timers. The past generation needn't more reminders. One Madara was enough.

It was odd to think, close as they were that she and he would marry and have kids and themselves become elders. Before wondering if their child would be boy and girl, she bet he'd worry—would the kid carry the gene? Would the kid have to unwillingly follow in their footsteps?

He'd hate that, she knew.

"It's bound for a change. "

Shikamaru shrugged and buried his head in Temari's neck as her wind fanned out the plastic blinds. They 'will' get back to their duties soon; just a few minutes as oblivious teenagers won't hurt.

(Konoha High- Sophomore Building Level 3)

It was just a locker, like anybody else's.

It was sickly green with chipped paint peeling slightly at the sides, the number 129 faded on its gold mounted plaque. The only difference was the lock. Instead of the standardized lock the school handed out and Hinata used, it was an odd old fashioned type of lock.

"…the key! "

She was a little embarrassed to flick it out at once from her pocket. It would seem like she'd been obsessing over it, carrying around and wondering of its origins. But that was the truth. Sasuke himself did not seem too interested in the key though.

"I'm guessing no one bothered to tell you about the crowl. Who would?—compared to all the bigger details, it's something hardly of importance anyways."

He took the key from her and flung open his locker. Inside, there were a few books, a few notebooks and stacked CDs. Nothing that seemed out of place. Nothing more than an ordinary locker. She turned her head from the open locker to his face and back again, quizzically.

"…it doesn't seem like much, but this is something. "

Sasuke patted the metal frame.

"There was a law passed only two decades ago. Selecteds are granted small patches of space that can be accessed by only its owner, and few others with allowed entrance. There isn't an official name for it, but people had been jokingly referring it to as 'crow's haul'—or abbreviated, 'crowl'. "

"…oh. "

Apparently there were so much more that Hinata had yet to know.

Sasuke continued:

"You have to see, that in Konoha, it's hard to keep even a thought to yourself. People are constantly crashing wavelengths and detecting presence—you're never alone. Especially if you're a selected. There's someone at your tail every other second. "

Sasuke almost ceremoniously placed his hand inside his locker.

"This is all I have. No one's allowed to break in, not even the elders. Not even Itachi. It's a sacred rule. No one dares."

"…and…you're giving me the key? "

He simply nodded, his impassive face refusing to part with any more information.

"The lock is from outside of town, and there is but one key. No one can duplicate the key unless they wrench it from me, and that's not going to happen. "

"Wouldn't…your, I mean, the people at your line—wouldn't they be mad that you're…giving me access to your…well, crowl?"

He began with a pause, seemingly embarrassed—or as embarrassed as he could be.

"I want to get to know you. "

She went red. Seeing her face he rushed ahead.

"We were spied on at our mansion, and everyone took note of us at school. There's not a moment in which we spent completely alone and away. But from what I know, I don't…dislike you, and I need a friend. And it looks like you need one too. "

He put it bleakly but it still put a smile on Hinata's face. She waited happily while Sasuke nonchalantly handed the key back to her, one that would allow access of his crowl. She wondered what they would do next (as friends?) as there was a good half hour left before class was out. She thought to initiate conversation, but Sasuke suddenly straightened and his head whipped to the direction of the stairways.

"Shit."

He snarled and slammed close his locker.

It was the odd pair, the semi pariahs. Ryuha and Amano, obviously having cut class themselves, waved with overbearing smiles. They were standing quite motionless, and possibly had heard a good portion of the conversation.

"Don't you worry your head Hinata. We'll pretend we didn't hear that."

Good-naturedly, Ryuha inclined his head towards the two, and Amano ironically raised a peace sign. It was at this moment that Hinata fully realized the impossible yet balanced bond of their relationship. She'd never given it much thought before. Ryuha was just the odd cousin brother, who 'fraternized with the enemy'—but that sounded like child's play. Cross that line and you're 'it'.

She meekly countered.

"I… I just can't believe you two are friends despite this all."

Amano locked eyes with Ryuha, and they both nodded in good humor.

"We're both thinkers not doers. And as bad as that sounds, I feel like there are too many non thinking doers in this town. And we're both sort of odd balls of our bunch, so obviously it was easier to seek out each other."

"Kinda like what's happening here."

Sasuke sourly eyed the two and hinted towards himself and Hinata. He visibly bristled though at the implication that he resembled the other two outcasts. Ryuha grinned.

"Boy, you must be the ultimate pariah, kid. It ain't a bad thing, so get rid of that scowl. But not the best thing in the world, innit? "

Sasuke merely turned his head. He daren't shake his head and admit this was what was going on. Ryuha nodded sagely.

"That kid, the one that damn near killed me. He used to be your best friend, didn't he? The one that goes around with the bunch of his kin like a pack."

"My brother. "

Amano added drily.

"You don't hang around with him much anymore. Nor do I see that Haruno girl prancing around you all the time. Funny thing—I see Hinata with you all the time. Ain't that odd."

Hinata flinched softly. A part of her felt guilty, the kind of guilt you feel when you're young and you know you're caught doing something you're mustn't do. Yet another part of her felt the guilty pleasure, the one you acquire as your adult self pushes through puberty. Sasuke however, considered this a veiled warning.

"…are you threatening me? Is this some subtle Hyuuga way of telling me to fuck off from Hinata—cuz I already had enough of that from your cousin brother."

Sasuke spat out and stood as if to bound pass them, or stay and engage in something more aggressive. Hinata sensed—she could sense him—Sasuke's eyes dilating, and flashing up red.

She'd come to realize that sometimes, he did not even mean to. It just lit up on its own accord when he was ticked off. Ryuha raised his hand, his lips drawn thin. .

"Simmer down—no wonder you were friends with Kiba. You both have very short tempers, no?"

He flung his hand sideways, indicating he meant something completely different.

"What we wanted to tell you, is to lay low. Like us. You keep going on like this, it's not going to look great, especially with Uchiha boy here being the head selected."

"…Itachi's been asking about you Sasuke. He's not happy. "

Amano added gruffly, his mellow eyes averting Sasuke's blood red ones. Sasuke smiled scathingly.

"He's never happy—that's doesn't qualify as news. "

Amano sighed and met the boy's eyes. No lime hued light reflected from his irises—his eyes remained mellow. Sasuke again ruefully noted the similarities in Amano's features and Kiba's.

"Nevertheless, we're not saying this to tick you off. There's so much that they took away from you when you were made main selected, but you know that you were given license to things you couldn't, hadn't dared before. If the elders believe that you'd switch alliances somewhat, they can take away so much more. "

Ryuha's eyes flicked to the closed locker then pointedly locked themselves at Sasuke's neck. Amano, having said what he meant to say, merely tugged Ryuha's collar indicating they should leave. Hinata uneasily watched Ryuha smile apologetically at her, and watched the two gangly boys walk away. As they were about to make a left turn leading to the cafeteria, Amano stepped back and beckoned casually. When pair's attentions were caught, he blithely offered this sentiment:

"No matter what they say you know, you two would make a very cute couple. "

Ryuha guffawed and whooped at that, and they both slinked away, convulsing as if they'd made a very good joke. Hinata vaguely sensed their presence fading from proximity, and bent her head furiously, afraid her face might explode. She was never the violent one, but she could kill Amano for that.

And the awkward silence grew, like Shikamaru's shadow, billowing and encasing them.

"Hey."

It was he who made the first move though, bringing his face in without an ounce of hesitation.

His index and thumb barely grazed her chin as his lips met hers and she was surprised—not by the kiss itself—but at the fact that it was so gentle and mild when she expected everything to be angry and forceful. Not that she disliked the anger; it was a definite part of him, one that allowed him to remain the cocky fighter long after his supporters bailed out.

But this, this was different, something she hadn't expected, something she'd just found out, and it was with acute delight that she convulse and accepted the kiss—her first kiss as it happened to be—because Sasuke had parted with another secret of his that he didn't know he was keeping. And if he trusted her enough to flash her this, not really vulnerable but completely different side, then maybe she knew him enough now to know: he's really just a guy, he's really just a boy too, and he's really, just human.

(Konoha High Freshmen Building Level 3)

The door flew open with a massive crash and Kiba strolled out, his face set. An edgy Touru followed in his wake, opening and closing his mouth with no words falling out of it for once. They could hear Kazu swearing and the rest standing tensely by.

"Jesus Kiba—what is wrong with—"

"I've been thinking. "

"Huh? "

Kiba halted abruptly, causing Touru to almost crash into his back. He turned around with a tight smile.

"It might be fine to be a Haruno for once and run off like some measly coward. Or be a Tamura and live it up as boring as an inchworm. Being an Inuzuka sucks."

Touru scrunched up his face in effort to pinpoint the underlying meaning within this ridiculous diatribe. The timing was amazingly bad. He shook his head and swiped at his neck roughly with the side of his palm, wishing the Inuzuka selected would cut it out—he was making them look bad. Anyone who was around who wasn't a naiveté could hear in on this.

"I don't know what's gotten into you Kiba ever since the last White Nights, but listen—"

Touru whispered furiously, anxiously:

"This time it's not just us playing around. We're not merely joking—we really thought this through an awful lot! We wouldn't have told you if we thought it all was bogus, some bullshit. There's no reason to fly off the handle and say all that shit that we're crap and that you'd rather be with a bunch of losers. "

Kiba kicked off in a sprint, not even acknowledging Touru's comeback. He was too angry to recall he had to watch himself in school, lest a naiveté saw it flit. He was in half motion when he noticed an unusual presence nearby, and screeched to a stop near the cafeteria, his eyes widening. He turned back and jogged down the hall where it met the entrance doors.

"…what the hell are you doing here…?"

The wind had swept the boy's rusty hair back, and for once, his icy blue eyes were revealed for the world to see. He was balanced on his crutches but seemed so in place and at ease; Kiba did not even register them at first. He almost took a step back at the sight of the dome keeper.

"I thought you weren't allowed to flit in school grounds unless it was after six. Or have the rules changed since I was here? "

Kiba was so thrown off he immediately forgot why he had stormed downstairs in a mad rush. Gaara eyed him in cold silence, shifting weight on his crutches, eyeing the Inuzuka selected to seemed to have clammed up.

"Did you know? I've decided to come back to school. "

It was such an unexpected word out of an unexpected appearance that Kiba merely shrugged, indicating he did not know. He bet no one would have guessed. A lot of people had forgotten about the dome keeper ever since the accident. Even during White Nights, Gaara was barely noticed, for he was always outside the action.

"Why… come back now? "

He knew it was a bogus question. There might be a million reasons for why Gaara wanted to come back, but was it likely he'd tell an Inuzuka about it? An Inuzuka who was related to the idiots who had mauled his legs? As if he'd read Kiba's mind, Gaara returned the shrug and made an elusive comeback.

"A few people's gone missing. Tied up in…other matters I bet. I decided to fill the empty spots somewhat. "

He dragged one of his crutches against the floor as if in jest, offering the baffled Inuzuka selected not a smile but a poker face.

"It's good to be back. "

(bloodiedsugs30's words on WNSS-

I'm sorry this was so late, and thank you whoever's been patient enough to wait =)

I've been swamped, and I almost forgot this story, so thank you for prodding me with messages and such!

I realize this isn't a perfect chapter, I wish I'd done a better job on it…but really, I just wanted to upload something after having gone through a loooong period of time of just, nothing. My god. I really suck at organizing. lol.

Hopefully it will get better.

I haven't abandoned this, and I'm sorry for having made you think I did.

Bear with me.