(DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.)

Chapter 7

"Tell me what you came here for

'Cause I can't, I can't wait no more

I'm on the edge with no control"

Into You - Ariana Grande

The days following their impromptu night out at the tavern found Sasuke and Hinata more on edge - and awkward - than ever before.

After her slight epiphany, the Hyuuga didn't know how to act. Admitting to herself that she was jealous of Sasuke's fling had caused a million more questions to fly around her mind at lighting speed, and she wasn't sure she could handle sorting them all out.

If she was jealous, then she must have some sort of attraction to the man - but what kind?

As much as she tried to convince herself it was purely platonic, that she had just been feeling slighted because he left without a word, that the sight of his hand on that woman's waist hadn't caused a pit to fall in her stomach - she knew better.

She had only ever felt this way with one other person in her life, and she knew that hadn't been platonic in the least.

On top of that, this was even more intense than it had been with Naruto, and seemed to have come out of nowhere. Hinata hated the dark, putrid feeling that had remained coursing through her veins since that night - and the man's attitude toward her hadn't helped at all.

As if it was possible, Sasuke had been ignoring her even more than before. He no longer ran by her side, staying as far ahead as possible without actually leaving her behind. When they stopped for camp, he didn't even remain in the area throughout the night - only showing up when the sun rose and bounding off on their trek without so much as a glance in her direction. She wondered if he had even slept at all.

For her part, Hinata had given up on making any conversation. She wished she had given up before pointing out that stupid tavern. A frown planted itself on her face as she stared holes into Sasuke's back.

The man in question was seething for his own reasons.

His effort to quell the frustration growing inside of him had gone poorly, to say the least. Not that he hadn't been successful in his conquest, of course; it was a rare day that any woman turned down his advances, though it was even rarer that he made any at all.

Yet, after leaving the tavern and seeing the Hyuuga asleep outside, waiting for him, Sasuke felt even worse than before.

This made him immensely angry.

The worst part was that his frustration was only getting worse, and he found himself trying to limit his contact with the source as much as possible.

Of course, he could just leave. He had considered it many times. Hell, he had left one night. Despite himself, though, he could not stay away.

It was as if this woman had some sort of magnetic field. Every time he got away, she pulled him back without even trying. Sasuke was not used to anyone having such control over him; he did not like it. At all. Especially when that person seemed to have no idea of the reins in her hands, or was completely indifferent to it.

She had gone quiet since that fateful night, and he didn't want to admit to himself that her silence was adding to his ire. Was she tired of his presence? Was she upset that he had kept her waiting that night? Why the hell did he even care?

The most prodding thought was, did she?

His scowl deepened as his mind raced, pushing hard enough off the branch below him to snap it in half as he bound ahead of the Hyuuga.

The frustration that was boiling inside both of them laced the air as they glided through the trees. Neither quite understanding how to handle these emotions, and neither willing to voice them.

As they set up their minimalistic camp once again, tension was thick in the air. If someone had seen them, they would be sure the two were on the verge of killing each other. Coincidentally, that is exactly what the wandering red-head thought as he stumbled upon them that night.

The traveling writer had been working his way to a nearby village to visit a friend when he found the two ninja setting up their camp; and if not for their keen senses, he would have turned back immediately after feeling the heavy vibrations in the air.

"O-Oh!" Hinata had started when she spotted the man, sensing his lack of chakra and deciding he was simply a passing traveller - and most importantly, not a threat. "H-Hello there," she greeted, smiling sweetly at the blushing writer.

"Hello…"

His eyes shifted to the quiet shinobi, noting the scowl etched on his face. Someone's in a bad mood…

Hinata cut her eyes in the same direction, her irritation spiking at this man's rudeness. "We have a guest, Sasuke," she pointed out through a forced smile.

The aforementioned "guest" gulped silently. Childhood memories of his mother and father trying to hide the fact that they had just had a heated argument when he entered the room flashed in his mind; he wanted nothing more than to leave this awkward situation.

His eyes jumped back to Sasuke as he heard the tell-tale "hn" leave frowning lips. Swallowing hard once again, the man willed himself not to blush even deeper at the slight acknowledgment from the shinobi.

Hinata looked back and forth at the two men, sensing some familiarity in the red-head's gaze. "Do you two k-know each other?"

The writer jumped slightly at the woman's question, having been lost in his own thoughts as he gazed at the man that unknowingly held his affections. "Um, yes, well, a little bit, I suppose…"

Sasuke merely ignored the other two, not caring about the writer's presence much in that moment - not that he particularly cared, in general. As had become the norm over the past few days, he finished his dinner as quickly as possible before disappearing among the trees.

Hinata huffed as she watched the rude shinobi bound off; she was used to such actions by now, but she felt bad for their newfound guest. Turning toward the red-faced red-head, Hinata put on as best a reassuring smile as she could manage despite her sour mood, "I a-apologize for his rudeness, t-though I guess you're used to it, too?"

The young writer smiled softly, nodding.

An awkward silence filled the area as the two anxiety-prone people tried to think of what to say next.

"W-would you-?"

"I should-!"

They both began speaking at the same time, then blushed in sync as they tried to let the other finish.

After a moment, they both began to laugh slightly - though they were still a bit on edge. Hinata was suddenly grateful for the company, despite the awkwardness, as she felt a bit of her stress shift to the back of her mind. "You're welcome to stay, i-if you'd like."

The writer was about to protest, but then realized that he would have to set up his own camp soon enough, anyway. The now-conscious woman seemed friendly enough, so he nodded, "Thank you."

Soon enough, Hinata sat by the newly-built fire as the red-head finished setting up his own area. He tended to carry around a bit more than his ninja counterparts; he had a makeshift tent, cot, and an array of notebooks scattered around his bedding. The Hyuuga slightly envied the set-up as she brought a hand to her stiff back, Mother Nature sure could use some softer ground here and there…

"S-So," Hinata began, wanting to take advantage of having someone to actually talk to for once, "May I ask your name?"

"Oh! Yes!" the man started; he wasn't used to anyone caring much about who he was these days, "My name is Taisho."

The Hyuuga smiled brightly, "What a lovely name!"

Taisho smiled back, blushing slightly at the compliment, and gave her a quick thanks, "And yours…?"

"H-Hinata," she answered, opening up a container of food as she did so.

The newly introduced writer smiled at the woman across from him, glad to finally put a name to the face he had seen back at his cottage, "It's nice to meet you, Hinata."

The two sank into a more comfortable silence as they enjoyed their nightly routines, both minds drifting to the man that had disappeared into the forest.

Habitually, Taisho found himself scribbling in one of his many notebooks; stories of love, yearning, and sorrow flowed from his heart with ease. He always had the habit of mirroring his own feelings in the stories and poetry he wrote; yet, since discovering Sasuke, the red-head couldn't find the motivation to write about anything, or anyone else.

Notebook after notebook had been filled to the brim with romanticized versions of his encounters with the rogue man, and more than enough fantasies that he had found himself falling asleep to each night. Never had he been so enamoured, and each stroke of his pen solidified those feelings.

He had written so much by this point that he was forced to store many of the books away at his cottage. He knew leaving such intimate confessions right under the shinobi's nose was foolish, but he couldn't help but hope the man would find them one day - though he would be equally mortified.

Taisho sighed to himself softly. He knew that Sasuke thought little of him, so there was a slim chance that he would ever care enough to read his thoughts, anyway. Still, a man could hope. He had always been so much better with writing than actually speaking his feelings, after all. The thought of confessing his deepest secret face-to-face with the intimidating man made him want to pass out.

So, he simply continued to write - and hope.

Hinata, meanwhile, watched Taisho thoughtfully as she munched on her meal. She was interested in the young man, mainly because of his apparent connection to her current traveling companion.

Honestly, she would be surprised to find that Sasuke had any acquaintances outside of the Leaf Village, let alone such a common and squirrely man. Hinata had to suppress a laugh at the image of the odd couple that flashed through her mind; she hoped she got to see their dynamic once morning came.

Opal eyes drifted from Taisho's face to the book he held so fiercely in his grasp, writing as if his life depended on it. She furrowed her brow, Wait a minute…

Her eyes widened as she realized the familiarity of the tattered notebook in the man's hands, it looked exactly like the ones she carried in her pack; the ones she had found in the cottage. The ones Sasuke said he had no clue about.

The familiar feeling of annoyance that accompanied most thoughts of the Uchiha returned as she put the pieces together. That lying jerk!

It was soon replaced with shame as she reminded herself of the many pages she had read without the young man's knowledge - his deeply personal thoughts and feelings. And desires.

Hinata's face flushed despite herself. All the annoyance she had previously felt for Sasuke was now directed at herself.

She had to tell him, of course. Morally, she was obligated. But…

Her face reddened even more as she recalled the many pages of his most intimate desires. How could she possibly face him, knowing she had read such things?

The kunoichi chanced another glance at the writer; he was still lost in his own world of words. She deflated a bit, remembering how much of his writing had hit her to the core. Hinata looked at Taisho with silent respect, and understanding.

Sighing to herself, the red-faced woman knew she had no choice. After fumbling around in her pack for a moment, Hinata held three notebooks in her hand - her favorites, that she had decided to bring along with her. To steal, she reminded herself shamefully.

Shoulders sagging, Hinata turned to the red-head.

"U-Um…"

Taisho jumped slightly as he looked up, startled out of his trance when he heard the quiet girl approach him. "Oh, um, yes?"

He watched her with slight confusion as she hesitated to speak, stumbling over her words and blushing profusely; she was clutching something to her chest tightly, but he was unable to see what it was.

"W-Well, you s-see," she began for the third time, trying to calm herself. "B-Back at the cottage, I w-was - well, I-I…"

"Are you alright?" Taisho asked, suddenly concerned as the girl continued to stammer in front of him.

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut, annoyed with her speech impediment in that moment, but mainly her own cowardice. Deciding it was best to just get it over with, the red-faced woman suddenly shoved her hands out, her head bowing as she presented her shame to the man sitting in front of her.

The man in question blinked twice before he noticed the books that were now in front of his face. His eyebrows furrowed slightly for a moment, before shooting up to his hairline. With a gasp, Taisho grabbed the books from her outstretched hands. He flipped through the first for a second and groaned as he scanned the pages; his face soon took on the same deep blush of Hinata's as he read his own words.

He did the same with the second, and the third - his groans growing more and more strangled with each flipped page. His head fell into the notebook in his hands, and he silently cursed himself for being so foolish, for leaving such things for anyone to find.

Hinata watched the display with a pained expression, wishing she could sink into the ground with every sound of mortification that came from the man. She felt absolutely terrible.

"I-I apologize," she muttered, though she wasn't sure if he heard. "I-I didn't know they b-belonged to someone, u-uh, but I guess that w-was foolish...since everything belongs t-to...s-someone, right…?"

She deflated once again when he didn't respond to her babbling, "I'm so s-sorry…"

An awkward silence filled the air for a moment as neither moved from their respective place in embarrassment.

"He doesn't know."

Hinata looked up in surprise when Taisho spoke, but the words that left his mouth felt like ice in her veins.

"I wish he knew, but he doesn't," he continued, head lifting slightly to reveal the true heartbreak that lay beyond his kind eyes. "I want to tell him, but…"

She understood without him saying anything further. She understood more than he knew. So, she told him so. "I understand," she breathed out. "I-I...have gone through the same."

The red-head considered her words for a moment, "Did you tell your person?"

Hinata smiled, though it only made her look sadder, "Yes...Eventually."

He didn't ask what had happened, he could see it in her eyes. Sighing, he looked down again.

"If only I had your courage," he muttered, almost to himself.

Hinata was surprised at those words most of all. Her, being the courageous one? She was sure she had never heard those words in all her life - not directed at her, at least.

Then, she felt her heart warm for the lovesick man in front of her. She stepped closer to Taisho, slowly lowering herself to sit beside him.

He felt her hand on his shoulder and jumped despite the soft touch, looking up at her with wide, tear-filled eyes.

Hinata wanted to say many things, wanted to tell him the relief she felt after finally letting her feelings be known. The heartbreak at being rejected, ignored. The numbness that followed, consuming her for longer than she even knew. Most of all, the freedom that came with accepting that a chapter of her life was closed for good; that she could do anything, be with anyone, and be anyone she wanted.

Unfortunately, she wasn't always very good with her words - a trait she and Taisho unknowingly shared.

So, instead of telling the man her story, she simply smiled at him with tears of her own. A look of pure understanding, comfort, and support.

Taisho took a deep breath as he looked at the interesting woman that was consoling him, and found himself returning her sad smile.

The two felt a bridge between them in that moment, knowing they could relate on a level that was so very deep for them both. They fell into a pleasant conversation after some time, spending the evening sharing stories of their travels and sending jabs at the missing Uchiha.

Neither were aware that the extent of their shared feelings ran even deeper than they realized.

Eventually, the hour grew late and they bid each other goodnight - each falling asleep to the thought of a certain ninja gliding through the trees.

The ninja that graced Hinata and Taisho's dreams, in reality, was not feeling quite so dreamy that night.

Despite his usual routine as of late, which was composed of finding the farthest tree he could find without actually leaving camp so that he could sleep peacefully, Sasuke had felt compelled to stay close by. He supposed it was because of their unexpected guest, though he didn't suspect the man was much of a threat.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to stray out of earshot as he left the camp that night.

God, he wished he had.

He had been enjoying the silence, almost asleep, when he heard the Hyuuga shuffling around. She sounded like a crazy person, honestly. He had a hard time hearing what exactly she was saying to the writer - Taisho was his name, apparently - so he had moved to a spot with a better view.

The Uchiha kept his presence concealed tightly, not wanting Hinata to know he was still around. He was grateful for the tense conversation, for it no doubt distracted her from sensing him among the trees.

He watched their interaction, eventually figuring out what was going on and smirked to himself. He hadn't meant for something like this to happen when he kept his knowledge of the "mysterious" notebooks to himself, but he was glad he did.

Sasuke actually had to stop himself from laughing at the blatant embarrassment lacing the air between the two below him. He was suddenly glad he had stayed around to see it.

That feeling soon dissipated as Hinata and Taisho continued their conversation, however. He didn't care about the man's relationship issues; no, it was the kunoichi's silent confession that brought a scowl to his face.

Naruto. She was talking about Naruto.

Sasuke continued to watch them for another moment, not hearing the words they spoke anymore as his blood simmered beneath his skin.

No longer able to look at her face as her eyes fill with tears - tears for his best friend - Sasuke swiftly leapt away from the camp.

The feelings that had been plaguing him the past several days were nothing compared to the rage that swelled within him as he ran through the darkness. His eyes were swirling red, his legs carrying him faster than he had gone in weeks - maybe months.

He knew, logically, that his reaction was irrational and dramatic. He knew, had known, that Hinata was in love with Naruto. He knew, despite the pulsing ache in his chest, that her words had implied that nothing came of her confession to the blonde bastard. He knew, and yet he seethed.

No wonder she had stopped trying to fill the void of silence between them with idle chatter. She had only been trying to distract herself from thoughts of him.

He skidded to a stop as his mind raced, jumping to jealousy-fueled conclusions.

That was why she had left the Leaf Village. Sasuke laughed without mirth, angry at himself for not putting the pieces together sooner.

And to think, I believed she was spying on me, he sneered to himself.

She had never cared about him; she had made that abundantly clear from the beginning. Hinata hadn't wanted to be anywhere near him, let alone follow him around the forest for months on end.

She was simply running away from her problems, from her failed love, from Naruto.

He wanted to direct his anger at her, to blame everything on her own cowardice and inability to get over a childhood crush. Yet, he only blamed himself.

She had made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him, after all. It was he that followed her, that goaded her on, that put his own pettiness in front of her needs and ultimately had to pay the price for it.

And now? He was the one who stayed with her, for no reason other than his own stupidity - his own loneliness.

Sasuke's fists clenched harder than necessary, not relenting even as blood dripped from nails breaking skin.

As he stood there, simmering in his own anger and jealousy, the Uchiha made a decision. No longer would he allow Hinata Hyuuga to control his actions, or his feelings. He would go where he pleased, act how he pleased, and it was her own decision to follow him, or not.

He would not be a distraction for her own broken heart, nor would he follow her around like a lost puppy as he had been. It was her turn to follow him.

Sasuke's red eyes shifted to a light in the distance, a group of bandits moving through the night. No doubt they were searching for a camp to ransack. He grinned devilishly, bounding off silently in pursuit.

Might as well let off some steam.

The next morning was a pleasant change of routine for the ex-heiress. She awoke to the smell of breakfast being made by Tiasho, who was a self-proclaimed "early-bird." The two shared a pleasant morning meal together, effortlessly conversing as they cleaned up their small camp.

Hinata was grateful for the new addition to her and Sasuke's makeshift "team;" so much so, that she hadn't even noticed that said teammate was nowhere to be found.

"Does he usually sleep late?"

Pursing her lips, Hinata shrugged slightly, "I'm not s-sure, but he's usually b-back by now."

Before Taisho could entertain too many paranoid thoughts, Sasuke was in front of them.

"Let's go," he demanded, not sparing them a glance as he bound off once again.

As the red-head tried to keep himself from swooning at the sudden entrance, Hinata didn't contain her eye-roll.

She was about to follow him, when she noticed the spell-bound man standing next to her. Then she realized, "Oh!"

During their breakfast, Hinata had invited the young man to accompany them to the next village - since he was heading that direction anyway. Sasuke hadn't even given her a chance to let him know with his speedy entrance, then exit. Huffing to herself in annoyance at the shinobi's persistent rudeness, she put her hands on her hips before taking a deep breath and yelling after him, "Sasuke!"

Taisho jumped at her sudden shout, unable to believe such a quiet woman had been able to sound so...intimidating.

Not a moment later, the rogue ninja was back in front of them looking even grumpier than he had before. "What," he seethed.

Hinata looked at him squarely for a moment, as if deciding whether or not she wanted to address his attitude. Apparently, she decided not to, as she forced a smile onto her face, "Taisho is going to join us."

"No."

The Hyuuga's smile dropped immediately at the instant refusal. She could feel her anger rising to the surface, but reminded herself of their guest right behind her. With a deep breath, Hinata smiled again, "Why not?"

"Because I said no."

With that, Sasuke turned on his heel and headed back the way he came. Well, he tried.

"Well," Hinata began, her voice sickeningly sweet as she tried to hold back her growing anger, "I invited him to join us, so I will be walking with him."

Sasuke's eye twitched as he listened to the woman behind him, the woman who was supposed to follow him.

"You can do as you please," she stated finally, sounding every bit like the noble she was. Sasuke hated that tone.

He stayed planted to his spot as he listened to them begin walking, and didn't move when they passed him.

Taisho eyed the man as they walked by him, feeling a bit nervous at his obvious displeasure. Even so, he thought warily as his eyes shifted to the woman walking next to him, she's even scarier.

Hinata, meanwhile, made a point to ignore the Uchiha as she walked past him. She wasn't one to goad, or annoy, or tease - but if there was one thing she knew, it was how to get to Sasuke.

And although she would never admit it, she enjoyed defying him. She enjoyed the annoyed look on his face, and his angry resignation as he followed along anyway.

After all, how else do you teach a spoiled child that he can't always get his way?

Hinata held back her laughter as she heard him begrudgingly follow behind them - and he noticed.

Oh, he noticed. And his temper was slipping with each step they took.

How did this woman always get her way? How did she always manage to best him?

He thought he hated it most when she was unaware of her control, but now that she seemed to be using it against him willingly, he realized how much worse it really was.

The superior look in her eye, the slightly raised head, the distinct lack of her speech impediment - it all made him want to break something. Or someone.

Even after taking out that group of bandits the night before, he was losing his grip. Of course, they weren't much of a challenge anyway. Sasuke huffed, what's a guy gotta do to let off some steam around here?

His eyes drifted back to the irritating woman walking ahead of him. She was chatting happily with Taisho, whose own eyes kept shifting back to the angry man behind them.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the smiling woman. How was she so casual, while he was so miserable? It was not only unfair, but unacceptable.

Suddenly, an idea struck him, and a smirk replaced his scowl.

Hinata wasn't the only one who knew how to be an annoyance, after all.

Without so much as a thought, Sasuke caught up to the chatting couple. "So," he interrupted from his sudden place right behind them, causing both to jump at the sudden proximity.

Before Hinata could scold him for his interjection, Sasuke got right to it, "Been getting any good reading done lately, Hyuuga?"

If he wasn't so serious about the task at hand, the Uchiha would have laughed at the synchronized blush that painted both of their faces at his inquiry. Instead, he simply smirked as Hinata's wide eyes found his.

As soon as she saw his face, she knew he was being a jerk. Her own features immediately sobered as she glared at him. "Not really," she forced out, hoping her glare was enough to keep his mouth shut.

Of course not.

"Oh, really?" he furrowed his eyebrows in mock confusion, laying the innocent act on as thickly as was possible for him. "I could've sworn you've been getting into some of those notebooks you took from the cabin."

Hinata was ready to strangle him at any moment, but she still had a string of will-power left.

"You know what notebooks I'm talking about," he continued, ignoring the glaring woman to his right. "Brown, tattered, full of scandalous love stories that you can't get enough of?"

She really was proud of herself; even with the myriad of images filling her mind with ways to murder this man right then and there, her hands remained by her side faithfully. Albeit, in very tight fists.

"Oh come on, Hyuuga," Sasuke goaded, getting carried away. He hadn't enjoyed himself this much in quite some time.

"You've been practically salivating over them for weeks, don't you-?"

"Okay!"

Sasuke and Hinata's heads snapped to their left, startled at the sudden outburst from the man next to them. The man who now looked like he was on the verge of exploding.

Eyes downcast and face the brightest shade of red known to man, Taisho was backing away from them with increasing persistence, "I'mmm just - I'm gonna go!"

"Oh, no, Taisho, please - just ignore-" Hinata tried to salvage her newfound companion, but he was past the point of no return.

"No, no, it's alright!" he assured, though no one believed him. Even himself. "I just - need to go! Bye!"

With that, the thoroughly mortified man scurried off into the woods as fast as he could.

Sasuke blinked as he watched Taisho make his exit, not quite sure what his problem was. After all, he was only trying to get to Hinata, not him. Not that he very much cared, either way.

Whatever, he thought with a light shrug, not like we needed him slowing us down, anyway.

He turned his head back to the woman next to him, only to immediately regret it.

Now that they were alone, Hinata didn't try to hide her anger as she glared daggers at Sasuke. The Uchiha had stared death itself in the face many times and lived to tell the tale - but this time, he wasn't quite sure if that would be the case.

However, he was Sasuke Uchiha, and he would never back down. Especially not to her.

So, he stared back, careful to remain impassive.

The two stood like that for several moments - Hinata glaring, Sasuke staring.

As the minutes passed, Hinata tried her best to control herself. She wanted to scream, to fight, to run, to cry, to do anything to get rid of this growing fire inside of her. Yet as she watched the subject of her ire stare at her as if she was the most unimpressive thing he had ever seen, Hinata's anger only deepened.

Finally, Sasuke decided their staring contest was over. With a sigh, as if he was bored, black eyes left opal, "Well, let's get going."

He had only walked a couple steps when he was forced to stop, blinking in surprise as Hinata suddenly stood in front of him. If he had been paying attention, he would have seen her move, he was sure. Still, he was unsettled at her ability to surprise him.

"You are mean."

And there she went surprising him again. Sasuke let out a chuckle at her choice of words, "Mean?"

"Yes!" she shouted immediately, "Mean!"

He knew such a childish insult had no reason to get to him, and yet he felt her words grate against him harshly. "I am not mean, I just-"

"No, you're mean!" she interrupted, stepping closer to him as her anger finally rose to the surface, "You t-think that you can say and do whatever you want, no matter how it affects other people!"

Sasuke took an involuntary step back as she continued to approach him, "I do not-"

"You do! And you think you're better than everyone! You're selfish, rude, arrogant," she was close enough that she had to raise her head in order to meet his eyes, but he didn't let himself retreat anymore as she continued to step forward with each insult, "and mean!"

"I-"

"And worst of all," she interrupted again, poking a finger into his chest with each point she made, "you know it! You know you're mean and you," poke "just," poke "don't," poke "care!"

Hinata gasped when Sasuke grabbed her hand roughly and pulled her against his chest. Their faces were inches apart, but neither would relent their harsh glares - even as two hearts pounded against one another.

"Are you done?" he asked calmly.

She gulped, brows still furrowed and a bit out of breath from her outburst, "I-I guess."

"Good."

They stayed like that for another moment, stuck in that moment as they glared at each other; but eventually, Sasuke let go of her hand and the two jumped apart quickly.

Anger was soon replaced by awkwardness as the silence settled around them - back to Square One.

Sasuke cleared his throat softly, causing Hinata to acknowledge him, hesitantly.

"Let's go," he said, once again heading off on their path.

This time, Hinata didn't protest as she followed him.