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"What are they doing?" Kushina questioned as she hung out Sakura's door with her, the two of them having seen the whole interaction between the three generations.
"Who knows?" Sakura said before sniffling and rubbing her eyes.
"Master Minato, there you are." Iruka was part of the way up the steps when he spotted Minato. He made his way to him and held out a medium sized black letter that was sealed using gold wax, the emblem belonging to the Hyuuga Clan.
"Oh, is it time for this already?" Minato questioned as he opened the envelope and pulled opened the invitation from inside. "'We cordially invite Namikaze Minato and Company to attend the 25th Annual Hyuuga Enterprise Charitarian Masquerade Ball,'" Minato read.
Opposites Attract: Chapter 10 – "The 25th Annual Hyuuga Enterprise Charitarian Masquerade Ball" (Part 1 of 3)
"I swear," Kushina sighed as she picked up a glass of champagne off a passing waiter's tray, "is it just me or does this party get bigger and bigger every year?" She questioned this just after she and Minato's family took a few steps into the Hyuuga Enterprise's legendary party that was already in full swing and seemed to be filled to the brim with guest in elegant dresses, priceless suits, and designer masks made especially for the party. She herself wore a crimson dress that came out slightly at the hips and swept the floor as she walked. Her hair was tied up into a messy bun and it was tied together using her crimson mask covered black lace and had a black and red plume feather extending awkward.
"Well you know how Hiashi is, the bigger the better," Minato commented as he put his hand on the small of Kushina's back before looking back at Naruto and Sakura, both of whom looked very awkward. "Relax, relax. This party isn't as intimidating as you may think it is." In his left hand was a hand carved and etched cane with a flashy crystal on the grip. He wore a Phantom of the Opera inspired outfit with a cape and mask that covered a majority of the right side of his face and his eyes.
"What makes you say that?" Sakura questioned as she took a look around at the outfits and couldn't even begin to imagine how much each of the gowns cost.
"Trust me, half the people here came to this party tipsy. They're going to start making drunken fools out of themselves in little to no time at all."
Naruto and Sakura turned and saw a young man wearing a velvet and navy blue gothic cavalier aristocratic vest over a white powdered button up. His pants were simple long, black slacks and he wore boots with a slight heel on them so when he walked, there was a slight click against the polished marble flooring. On his face, he wore a solid mask that seemed split into three unequal but harmonious parts: one part blue on the left, one part white on the right, and the center seemed to old some kind of sheet music with sixteenth notes on it and it tied in the back.
"Sasu-?" Sakura began to spoke but her mouth was quickly covered by Kushina. She looked at her with a look of confusion and saw her wave her finger while Minato chuckled. Sakura wore her own strapless dress that was a light blush, the top part covered in matching sequin and the skirt being made of waves of sheer that had hints of blue and purple throughout. She wore strappy heels, the straps covered in rhinestones and her mask representing a princess mask that extended upward and was decorated with silver and platinum accents with crystal accents.
"That's rule number one," Sasuke explained as he put one hand on his hip and wore a slightly disappointed look on his face. "Master Hiashi has rules when it comes to this party and it's important you follow them or you'll be removed from the party."
"Really?" Sakura questioned.
"That's right, this is your first time coming to this party," Kushina mentioned as she removed her hand and saw Sakura sheepishly nod.
"Don't worry, the rules are simple enough," Sasuke said with a smile and Sakura couldn't help but blush. "Rule Number One: You are not allowed to state your name, request the name of another guest, give hints to help someone figure out who you are or receive hints on who anyone else is," Sasuke began. "Of course, this is slightly flawed seeing as it is easier to point out some guest than others," he said as he eyed the bunch of them and eyed their odd hair colors that stood out amongst the crowd.
"I guess some things can't be help," Kushina said, feigning her disappoint all while flipping her signature red hair.
Sasuke chuckled then continued, "Rule Number Two: Masks must be worn from before you enter the party and be worn until the host gives the party permission to remove them. This is why you had to come out of the car you arrived in wearing your masks which adds to the anonymity of it all. And it's also why you arrived in an unmarked car because arriving to the party in a car with your clan symbol or emblem that represents your business or association is against the rules."
"But why the anonymity?" Sakura questioned.
"It makes things more interesting," Minato answered. "Plus, Hiashi throws these party in mind of getting the guest to become relaxed enough to where they'll drink and drunkenly donate hundreds of thousands of dollars. And it's also one of the few times of years where businessmen and businesswomen ae allowed to let loose and relax without attempting to make connections and encourage business with other companies."
"Plus, it's also a dick-swinging competition," Kushina muttered before taking a sip of her champagne. "Every year, the richest citizens of Konoha gather for this party and they attempt to out donate one another in order to gain the right about how rich they are. That's why this party is such a success every year because Hiashi plays on that. If there's one thing Konoha's rich love to do – especially the Northern Konoha citizens – it's spend money in ridiculously large amounts."
"Exactly," Sasuke said. "And lastly, don't break rules number one or two or you'll be removed from the party and banned from attending another ball for a minimum of three years."
Sakura tilted her head to the side. "Why would getting ban from the party be such a bad thing?"
"Because this is the biggest party of the year and if Northern Konoha citizens absolutely hate one thing, it's missing a party," Sasuke explained and Kushina nodded in agreement. "And that's all you need to know if you want to last here. Simple, right?"
"I guess," Sakura muttered and watched as Sasuke walked over to her and took ahold of her hand. Before she could say anything, Sasuke was beginning to lead her away from the rest of them. "Where are you taking me?"
"What do you mean? We're going to dance," Sasuke said in a nonchalant tone while Sakura turned bright red.
"Well there she goes," Minato said before looking at Naruto. "Are you going to be alright? I know it's been a while since you've been to one of these."
"I'm sure I'll be fine," Naruto shrugged as he rubbed the back of his neck and looked around the room. He wore a black gothic cavalier vest with Victorian tapestry decorating it in a hue of gold. He wore a pair of black slacks and pair of boots with a slight heel on them as well. His mask covered a majority of the left side of his face and one side was black while the other was orange and they blended together in the middle. For the design, the orange side was decorated with black glitter and the right was decorated with orange glitter to balance the contrast.
"Try not to get in any trouble, okay?" Kushina advised and saw Naruto nod. She gave him a sweet smile before being escorted away by Minato.
Naruto let out a heavy sigh and began to stroll with no particular destination in mind. The last time he had attended a Hyuuga Masquerade Ball was the Halloween before he was kicked out of Konoha City Academy four years ago. Since then, he was disinvited but over the years, people talked more and more about the "absence of a particular blonde boy" and so he was sure Hiashi felt pressured into allowing Minato to bring Naruto along once again. He looked around again, not at the people but at the venue itself. He remembered running through the place when he was just a child and playing games with the other children who were brought along by their parents.
He wandered out of the vestibule were plenty of men and women were gathered and gossiping about one another and into the lounge area. Immediately upon his entry, he felt the room shift and heard those who spotted him whisper about "a particular blonde boy." He paid no attention to it and continued to wander and take in the familiar setting. As he looked up at the chandelier that hung in the room, he spotted her on the balcony.
Her hair was pinned by fell in waves over her right shoulder and she wore a solid black mask that jetted outward on the left side consisting of the mask itself and feathers. Her dress was long and left a bit of a train behind her and some of her midnight blue skirt was connected to a ring on her right hand. The upper part was made of navy and black lace that exposed her skin beneath the sheer fabric but a solid part of fabric wrapped around her chest and back so it gave her a bit of an elegant yet sexy look. It hugged her waist but not enough to appear uncomfortable or too much. It was as close to perfect as the dress could be for her.
He made slowly made his way up the steps and didn't take his eyes off her for a second. It wasn't until he made it to the second floor that he noticed that she was talking to a young man with white hair and white skin. He didn't care. He approached and cleared his throat. As she turned to face him, he put on an innocent smile and placed one hand over his chest while put the other behind his back.
"I apologize for the interruption but I couldn't stop myself from coming up here and telling you how beautiful you look," he stated with a slight bow towards her.
She blushed at his compliment having recognized the blonde hair and blue eyes. She was surprised to see the lack of whisper marks but at a closer look, she noticed the bit of make-up used to keep them covered. "Thank you for the compliment," she spoke quietly as she looked down in embarrassment and fidgeted with her fingers.
"If you don't mind, I'd love the opportunity to share a dance or two with you?" he stood upright and kept a straight back which made him taller than the pale man who was now seething behind her.
She looked at him, Naruto's behavior becoming almost too much for her heart to handle but she managed a nod. She watched as he took her place before her and offered his arm which she gladly took ahold of. It wasn't until they were halfway down the steps that she had forgotten to address Outsutsuki Toneri.
"My father is going to kill me," Hinata muttered quietly as they walked through the crowd who watched in stun silence. It was no mystery who Hinata was just like it was no mystery who Naruto was.
"I'm sure Outsutsuki-san will be just fine," Naruto said as he attempted to stifle a grin but a smile still broke. "And to be honest, I'm quite surprised that you agreed to the dance despite how your father feels about me."
Hinata was the one to wear a smile now. "I doubt we're breaking any rules by sharing a dance. After all, I don't know exactly who you are."
Naruto chuckled. When they made their way into the ballroom, the top layer was filled with guest who drank and spoke with one another while the bottom floor, the ballroom floor, was filled with guest who danced around the room in perfect harmony while the band played. He led her towards the steps and helped her down the grand staircase, the couple garnering stares from a clear majority of the guest.
"Well they're certainly bold, aren't they?" Tenten commented as she leaned against the railing of the second floor and looked down at the dancers before who cleared a path for the two of them. "What do you think your uncle is going to do?"
Neji sighed as he leaned against the railing and looked on himself. He was silent for a moment and when he heard the band begin to play a waltz and watched as Hinata placed her hand in Naruto's, he smiled. "There's not much Uncle can do during the party. The rules are clear and there are also clear loopholes. Hinata can make the argument that she was sure she was dancing with Namikaze Minato and not Uzumaki Naruto. And, she can also make the argument that he didn't know who she was because all of the Hyuuga Clan is here and it's not easy to point out Hinata in a crowd full of women who have the same eyes and hair."
Tenten nodded in approval as Naruto and Hinata began their waltz. "Very impressive."
"Calm yourself Hiashi," Hiyori warned as she placed a gentle hand on Hiashi's shoulder as he gripped the railing so tight his knuckles turned white. "You don't want to make a scene in front of your guest. If this is something you want to discuss with our daughter, do it after tonight but I will not have you ruin her evening."
"You expect me to stand by and let her dance with that damn delinquent?" Hiashi spoke through gritted teeth as he unintentionally glared at his wife. When he saw the look she gave him, he relaxed his face and straightened his back. He cleared his throat and looked back at Hinata and Naruto. "I don't know why I let you talk me into letting Minato bring him back this year."
"You brought him back because people were beginning to talk," Hiyori reminded him. "Yes, it's public knowledge that you don't necessarily like Uzumaki Naruto but when it comes to your relationship with Namikaze Minato, you were putting a strain on it by excluding his son from our events. So yes, you had to keep people from talking and spreading unnecessary rumors by allowing Naruto back into the circle no matter how much you detest the decision."
"Hinata knows better," Hiashi said calmly but it was clear he was agitated and annoyed. "What does she think she's doing by dancing with him?"
"Showing solidarity between you and Hiashi?" Hiyori mentioned and saw Hiashi look at him. "Don't question what your daughter does this evening. As you know, she's always working with the betterment of the company in mind. Uzumaki Naruto is destined to take over The Sannin Group and they're going to need investors in the future I'm sure when they start to introduce new projects and ideas for their extensive hotel, resort, and casino chain."
Hiashi pursed his lips together and let out a heavy sigh. He stepped away from the railing and made his way out of the room without saying a word to his wife. Hiyori let out a sigh of relief before grabbing ahold of a glass of champagne off the tray of a waiter who offered. She downed it in three gulps before grabbing another and waving the waiter away. She looked down at the two of them dancing and put a smile on her face. "I'm sure that'll keep him at bay for at least a little while longer."
"Can I ask you a question?" Hinata questioned as she continued to be led around the dancefloor by Naruto, neither of them missing a step.
"What is it?" Naruto questioned.
"How did you know it was me?" she questioned. "I mean, a majority of my clan is here and there are at least twenty other girls here who you could've easily mistaken me for because of my hair or something."
Naruto tilted his head to the side. "I don't know what you mean?"
"Did I say it weird?" Hinata sounded slightly concerned.
"I knew you were you the minute I saw you," Naruto explained. "You're you after all and if I ever mistook you for someone else, what kind of boyfriend would I be? Plus, the minute I saw you, I got the same feeling I always get when I see you."
"What feeling?" Hinata questioned.
Naruto thought for a moment. Hinata could feel his grip tighten on her hand and feel him pull her body into him a little more, their dance becoming seemingly more intimate with their movements.
"Every time I see you it's like I'm seeing you for the first time all over again," Naruto explained. "My chest starts to hurt and my palms sweat a bit. And I start to think that I'll never have the courage to talk to you because you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. My legs feel one hundred times heavier and just taking a single step towards you feels impossible but I force myself to make my way to you because I can't help but feel like I must know what your voice sounds like. And then you say my name and all is right with the world. I remember that you're a woman I've had to honor of letting me be her boyfriend and be by her side. And that I'm the luckiest guy in the world because you love me."
And the song ended. Naruto stepped away from Hinata and bowed towards the crowd while extending a hand outward towards Hinata. She stood there flustered but managed to bow towards the crowd that cheered for them. Once the next song started and the crowd retook the dance floor, Hinata quickly grabbed ahold of Naruto's hand and led him off the dancefloor and through a door near where the band played.
"Well they were certainly impressive," Sasuke said as he sat with Sakura at one of the clothed table that were littered around the dancefloor. He looked to her and saw the distant look in her eyes as she stared somewhere across the room. "Hey."
"Huh?" Sakura looked at him, some life returning to her eyes. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"
"Are you okay?" he questioned as he moved seats so that he was sitting right beside her.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sakura answered just before looking back through the crowd. "I just thought I recognized someone?"
To Be Continued…