Running Away

Naruto stood in silence with one hand on his cheek. The moon was shining brightly and he could see Hinata's blue hair shinning in the moonlight, as she went back inside. He could see nothing expect her. The cold breeze hit him; his face broke into a huge smile.

What just happened?

It was as his brain was completely shut down after he asked her to the ball.

The ball! She said… she said… yes! And… she!

He pressed on his cheek again, and relived the moment. Her intoxicating fragrance engulfed him as she pressed her lips on his cheek, she had to tip toe to reach him and due to that her hand was lightly pressed on his chest. He found that incredibly heart-warming. That small peck meant everything to him, his face was glowing in the moonlight now. He could not believe this was happening. For the first time in his life, he was looking forward to something. With one hand still on his cheek and a lingering smile he went back inside the mansion straight to his room.

#

Hinata jumped on her bed as she practically ran away from the situation. She could not believe what she just did. A small peck. That's all it took for her to lose her goddamm mind.

I kissed him! Well, technically it was just a peck? She buried her face in her pillow. Even if it was only a "peck" it meant so much to her. It carried so many emotions, and she only hoped they reached Naruto. Naruto, whom she has grown to admire so much in a few weeks. However, it is more than admiration now. She wanted him to know that but was not sure if her emotions reached him. For the time being, she tried not to think about it.

A ball… I wonder what that's like?

And a million other questions popped into her head, as she tried not to think about anything related the boy she just pecked. But everything ended up being about Naruto.

I wonder what he will wear? Wait! WHAT WILL I WEAR?!

She said yes, without thinking, a ball must need big, heavy, embroidered, and made with silk gowns but all she had were a few old cotton frocks. And now she was worrying about dresses.

She decided it's futile to think about it right now. She will go to Lady Tsunade tomorrow and ask her for help. She went to sleep with these happy thoughts, in a long time after being "imprisoned" in this mansion she felt free.

#

"Lady Tsunade?" Hinata called as she entered the kitchen. The sun was barely up, the sky had an amazing yellowish red colour with birds singing outside. Hinata loved to wake up at this hour and look at the mixed yellow and red aka orange sky, but today she was up because her dreams were getting very explicit and she knew if she dreamt any more, she won't ever be able to face Naruto.

She started outside the window for a few minutes, looking at the orange sky always calms her.

"Lady Tsunade?" She called again.

"Hinata?" Said a voice. She was trying to avoid this morning. How is he even up at this hour? How did I not notice him sitting?!

"Naruto-kun!" She waved at him, "good morning!" She said blushing.

"Is it good? I barely got any sleep last night." He sighed.

Hinata smiled a little. It turns out she can actually face him after having those perverted dreams.

Naruto was just making himself a drink; he did not expect to see Hinata be up so early. Then again, he is never up this early maybe it's normal for her to be up this early. Just as he heard her voice he froze, all the things he was thinking last night came down crashing onto him.

Don't be like Jiraiya!

He scolded himself. As Hinata was looking outside the window, Naruto was staring at her. He could not believe someone could be this important to him, maybe in some other lifetime when shinobis were present in the world, they would have been in school together, maybe even go to the same class and be best friends. And more.

He called her as she was looking for Lady Tsunade.

And invited Hinata to sit besides him.

They sat and had a drink together.

"Do you always get up so early?" Naruto asked.

"Yes. It's just a habit that my mom…" Hinata paused, thinking about her mom always makes her sad. "My mom, she made it sure that I wake up early and now I just follow it."

"You must really miss her"

"Yes"

"Hinata, do you… do you ever feel like running away?"

Hinata was surprised and turned to Naruto who was not looking at her. Something about his drink was making him highly interested in it.

"Like you know, if you were not here all of the problems everyone faces will go away?"

He never said these things to anyone. He never thought anyone would understand. He does not think she will either.

"Sometimes" Hinata replied, "yes, sometimes I just want to be invisible."

He was taken back and did not care about his drink anymore and looked at Hinata, wide-eyed. She does understand. He was clear from her face and a sad smile that lingered on her face. He felt the sudden need to take away her sadness, and without thinking he said, "Do you want to run away?" he asked.

Hinata was surprised.

"What? What do you mean by run away?"

"Want to see the outside world?"

Is this a trick question? She thought.

"Sure?" she didn't even have the time to finish her drink as Naruto grabbed her hand and dragged her to her favorite place in the whole mansion.

#

The library? She stood there as she followed Naruto around. Mostly because he was not letting go of her hand. Which did not bother Hinata. At all.

He finally let go of Hinata's hand, much to her dismay, and reached out to bring a surprisingly clean box. Inside the box, there was a turtle, and a book. He took the book out.

"Now, this is magic" he said more to himself, "this book projects any part of the world around you. You can smell the different smells, you can hear the people talk, laugh, eat but you cannot interact with them."

Hinata brushed the book with her hand, it looked big and heavy but it only had one page on with a map. It's the map of the world!

She has only seen that map once in her library and was eager to find out how the lands and seas looks like however, she ended up in this mansion before she had a chance.

"So, where do you wanna go?" Naruto asked, placing the book on top of the nearest table.

Hinata thought about it. There were so many places she wanted to go… so many new things she wanted to explore but there was one place she wanted to go back again.

Just one more time.

"Wait first tell me how does this work?" She asked.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you about that part, so all you need to do is say the name of that place and put… put your hand on my hand and have to… we have to keep are hands locked the whole time because… well because it only works with me." Naruto lied. Hinata's face started to burn but she managed to conceal it.

"Oh, and the best part is – if you have already been to the said place, it can project your memories!" he said, "I know this feels impossible, but trust me it's amazing. I don't have memories of any place except the mansion, and well the stories here are just depressing. So, we can go to a place you have visited and see how you viewed it!" He basically squealed.

Hinata was in deep thought.

Do I really want to see that again? I need to find out what happened! But it was so long ago… I am with him… maybe this is the time I face the truth… she fought with herself.

Naruto grabbed her hand and smiled brightly.

I can do this, she thought. And thought of her hometown, her favorite sweet shop, the small lilies that grew on the roadside, the hills, the river all of this leading to her house. To her mom.

As the library faded from the view, Naruto was super excited where Hinata was taking him. He looked around and saw beautiful hills emerge, a river flowing between them, then came land and the shops. So, many people buying different stuff, selling hundreds of items. He was curious. He has been to a lot of places, but never has he seen it from a point of view of someone else, he was too proud to ask anyone around him. But as a blue butterfly flew past him, he was just enjoying the view and the girl he was holding hands with. But then suddenly the scenery changed again, he saw what he feared might be true the first time he saw Hinata.

"HINATA!" someone screamed.

#

"Where are those two off to today?" Jiraiya asked.

"I am not sure" Tsunade replied in a yawn, "I saw them leave in a hurry towards the library."

"What work would they have in the library this early?" Jiraiya asked again.

Something was not right. He could sense it, both Naruto and Hinata were nowhere to be seen. However, the others seemed to be okay about this.

"Why do you want to know about their every move?" Kakashi asked.

"I don't" Jiraiya replied, pouting, "it's just, I think somethings' wrong. I just can't put my finger on it."

"Master Jiraiya, you worry a lot" Yamato said, "they are fine and might be hanging out somewhere."

"I hope you are right" Jiraiya said. But still the feeling did not go away. He wanted to inspect what this was all about but he did not know where to start from. As if on que, they all heard a terrifying scream, from the library. A scream all of them knew as if it was their own voice, a scream they have not heard since Obito died, a scream they knew meant Naruto was sad, angry but most of all he could lose control anytime.

A scream they all wished they would never hear again.

In an instant they got up and ran. They ran as fast as their legs would go.

When they reached, they saw a horrifying sight. Hinata was barely conscious and Naruto's eyes were blood red with his fox features highlighted.

I knew something was not right! Jiraiya thought.

"Naruto?" Jiraiya said in the softest voice possible. Naruto looked at him, his eyes filled with malice. In an instant, he was near Jiraiya, leaving a crack in the floor where he stood.

He held Jiraiya by his collars and Jiraiya thought he was going to get another scar like the one on his chest, but to his utter surprise, Naruto did not attack. And only now did everyone noticed, the turtle and the book on laid on the table.

He knows, everyone thought, as Hinata collapsed on the ground.

"Hinata!" Tsunade screamed and ran towards her.

Naruto looked at Hinata and suddenly every single part of his body was aching.

He looked back at Jiraiya.

With tears streaming down his face, Naruto asked, "why did you not tell me?"