"Wahaha! Tonight was so much fun!" said Naruto cheerfully as he and Hinata made their way back to the palace. "Too bad our candy supplies didn't last…ah, but next time we go here, I'll try all those booths!" He propped his arms behind his head. "What do you think of those hit-the-dummy games, huh, Hinata?" When he didn't get a response, he turned around. "Hinata?"

She was several distances behind, walking slowly, her eyes on the pavement. Her gloved hand was holding on to her chest.

Alarmed, he ran back to her side. "Hinata?!" His arms reached out for her just as she suddenly collapsed, gasping for breath frantically. He caught her, and they both fell down on the snowy sidewalk.

"Hinata, what's happening? Hinata!" Dread began to form in his heart when he saw that she was already trembling violently, cold bead of sweat forming on either side of her face. "Hinata!!!"

She couldn't even respond—her face was contorted in excruciating pain.

He then remembered something. His hand dug into his pockets, and then took out a packet of powder. He opened it, and then faced her. "Hinata, can you hear me? You have to take this medicine. Open your mouth and swallow this—" With a failing heart, he realized that she was powerless to even do that simple instruction. He looked down at the medicine, and then an idea formed within him. He emptied the contents into his mouth, and before determination could fail him, his lips descended down towards her.

…………………….

Chapter Twenty-Nine

This chapter is dedicated to Kakashi Rabid Fangirl…because we both love Kakashi to pieces hehe. Wouldn't the male species of this planet be improved if there were more men as dashing, cute, witty, and sexy as him? n-n

Message Time:

Himitsu Desu Staffers = Have you already logged in to the staff mailbox? Please reply to me either through my yahoo account or my clan-aoe account if you encounter problems.

Shifter-san = I hope your love potion-related question is answered here satisfactorily. As for your other questions…hehe, we'll get to that! And thanks for the greeting on my hundredth fic mark! But believe it or not, technically, I hadn't finished 100 fics…I still have 16 ongoing ones -.-;;

Joekool = lol. I thought you weren't reading the Message Time thingie! Hehe. I did mention you though…I told someone I promised you 40 regular chapters. n-n

Kyuubi88 = Thanks! I'll need all those encouragements to conclude this in 10 chapters. xD Happy reading, tomodachi!

Wormkaizer = Better prepare that colored NaruHina, my friend. You're going to get lotsa NaruHina mush in the end :p Wakekeke!

Trickmaster = My mom is allergic to cats, but she couldn't stop me from bringing home stray cats. She calls me the patron saint of alley cats. [sheepish grin] I just have this soft spot for animals…save for frogs [faints]. Hai, I'll take care of Trickie-chan! She eats like a full-grown adult cat! Yesterday, she and my other cats ganged up on me and finished my Pringles! [tear] Er…is it OK if my cat is a female and I named her after you? [hopes you're a girl so she won't get embarrassed] I christen my pets with names opposite their genders sometimes. For instance, my white and brown cat is a fully virile tom cat, and I call him Sadako {from Ringu/The Ring).

Chibihatsuharu = wakekekeke! Na-adik ako sa NejiTen, gwabeeeh! Tsaka wag ka magtaka kung nde ako nakareply pa dun sa reasons why not mo…lagi kcng 15 mins lng ako sa net kaya nde me makareply sa Y!Mail. Pero just to assure u, I received the contribution, and yes, naka-encode na cya sa site ko! Ipapaalam ko na lng sa inyo kung kelan naka-upload ang site! And about chicharon…wakekkekekeke! Abangan nyo ung fourth installment before the month ends. TFTP muna!

Refin-chan = SasuHina ficcie? Wakekekeke! I dunno…I can try a oneshot…[shakes head] Hehehe. We'll see… And I'm glad you enjoyed the NejiTen chappie n-n

Clicke = Yep! n-n

Calophi = Know what? You're the first person to actually profess love for Sasuke even with the recent turnabouts of the manga chapters XD. So he became a badass in the manga? Tsk, tsk. And I thought Naruto had influenced him into being a nice guy already…and that Sakura had softened him somewhat. Again, thank you for going through all the chapters hehe. I'm happy that you enjoyed them so!

Jiri = Nah, you don't need knowledge on HTML or something. You will just email me ur contributions like u used to. Hontou? You're a Libran too? When is your birthday then? Oh, and about your question…hehe, of course, Sakura-chan, who else? XD I'll continue the Christmas scene for you and email you whatever I come up with.

Crystal Faerie = Hehe, another NejiTen shipper! Yaaaay!!! And you were the first person to tell me that the more chapters for TFTP, the better. Wakekeke, at least I know that even if I reach 75 chapters, there would still be people who would read. But I'd stick to my original plan nweiz n-n

Izumi-17 – Hi kay bro mo! Nakalimutan kong batiin nung huling chappie! [sweatdrop] OK ah…at least pareho kau ng hilig. Kapatid ko kc, nde maka-relate…nabubuhay sa Maroon 5 yun. Ay teka, nakaka-relate cya sa Naruto dahil sa 5ng bagay: Uchiha Itachi, Aburame Shino, Yakushi Kabuto, Orochimaru, at Shino x Hinata (parang ako wakekkekee)

On with the story!

………………………………………..

Mitarashi Anko entered the royal chambers, and found the pink-haired court lady still seated by the prince's bed, clasping his hand with hers under her chin. "Lady Haruno, your father asks you to retire to your room already," she said politely. "The Starlets and I will take care of the prince for you."

"Anko-sama, please tell the Lord Haruno that I would like to stand guard beside His Highness until the time he wakes up." She tried to smile. "I want him to see my face first thing when he wakes up."

"But Lady Haruno, your health—"

"I won't be able to rest anyway, since I would still keep thinking about Prince Sasuke." She turned her eyes back at the unconscious prince. "Please don't worry about me anymore," she said in a gentle dismissive tone.

Instead of leaving though, the senior Starlet sat down beside her, eyes on the ruler of their kingdom. "Your orders had been executed. Gai is also preparing to assemble our elite forces so you can see them yourself. I had also ordered the immediate evacuation of the townsfolk living near the woods."

"Thank you, Anko-sama." Sakura faced her, eyes shaking. "Why won't Sasuke-kun wake up yet?"

The Starlet exhaled audibly. "Only Tsunade-sama can answer that, unfortunately." She looked down on the marble floor, a grave expression on her face. "But I hope the prince wakes up sooner. The people of the kingdom are starting to panic. They need to hear it from him personally that things would turn out just fine." Her eyes returned to the court lady's face. "For years, the Uchiha Court had been revered by the people of the kingdom. The clan symbolized strength and resilience. It meant power and constancy. Even if the kingdom had been plagued by several invasion attacks and yes, the attack of the most powerful youma in the continent, Hidden Leaf remained steadfast and powerful. People always attributed this to the Uchihas. That's why it had been such a blow in the hearts of the people the night when Prince Sasuke's parents died. It didn't end there—it only started the chain of slaughter that involved all people who carried the blood of the Sharingan users. Thus, we Starlets took it upon ourselves to protect the prince, especially since he is the only one who had the blessings of the Third to continue ruling the palace. By then, he was the only Uchiha alive."

"Do you know who started all those horrible killings?" asked the court lady, eyes wide.

"At first, we thought it was Oro—the devil serpent," said the Starlet, shaking her head. "He was the only one who had qualified anger enough to wipe out one of the most powerful families in the world. After all, for centuries, he had tried again and again to come back to this world and destroy the kingdom Leaf. But then, a savior—the Hokage-- would always come and drive him away. Plus, the Hyuuga clan and the Uchihas were always there to protect the palace. Anyway, that idea was crossed out when Uzumaki Naruto surfaced and told his tale of how he unsealed the serpent."

"So if it wasn't the devil serpent, who was it?" she asked, puzzled.

"Only the prince saw the face of the murderer, but then he wouldn't speak. This began the nasty rumors that it was Prince Sasuke who exterminated the whole bloodline to get the kingdom seat for himself. The prince never bothered to defend himself though. He may not show it, but we Starlets know that of all things, that night of his parents' killing is still fresh in his mind, and everyday, he may be living through that nightmare again and again."

"S-Sasuke-kun…" The court lady turned to the prince, face ashen. "Why won't he tell us all who he saw?" she whispered.

"He has his reasons. He would tell them all in his own good time." Anko shrugged. "I only told you this because I think you deserve to know."

Doushite? Her emerald eyes asked her silently.
"I thought it might help you understand him more. The prince is a very complex young man, and loving him may be too complicated for you, a young girl that for all her courtly sophistication, still doesn't know the first thing about love." Anko smiled sadly. "It's not going to be easy, Lady Haruno. He is a broken man, and sometimes, even love is not enough to heal him. I should know—I tried once, and I failed." A distant memory of the only man she had given her heart to flashed in her mind, but she quickly pushed it away. "No matter. Do not think that I am belittling you and your feelings for His Highness, because my eyes saw how enduring you are…that no matter how hard he tries to push you away, you still keep on reaching out to him. You love him, but if this is not enough, then you must go beyond love."

"W-What do you want me to do?"

"Let him go."

Her heart sank. "Anko-sama…"

"He will only be miserable if you keep on protecting him and chaining him. Sometimes, love is not the best expression of how much you care for the person." She laughed hollowly. "Like they say, if he comes back, then he's meant to be yours."

"I'm not going to stop loving him! It's like stopping myself from breathing!" she hissed. "All my life, it was only him, Anko-sama! And there are times that I feel he's warming up to me! And if I try hard enough, he may reciprocate even a fraction of what I feel." She looked down at her beloved. "I know he will…"

"Letting go doesn't mean you'll stop loving him. You'll just give him a choice…a chance to find what he really wants."

Her eyes widened, and she remembered Shikamaru's words.

"…but I couldn't take her…could never bring myself to do it… even if all I had to do was to reach out. Just because I know I cannot make her happy the way I wanted her to be."

"Think you feelings over, Lady Haruno. Do you love him enough to give him a shot at peace of mind?"

Her face crumpled slightly. "It's going to hurt badly…" In her entire life, she was not made to suffer pains—it was a privilege of a court lady. The only time she cried was when her father scolded her for trying to run away from the palace. She hated that memory, and she was afraid to face another one like that again. She was not equipped to deal with it.

"I know…and I'm sorry I had to open a conversation like this." Anko got up and bowed. The door closed, and yet, the court lady remained petrified in indecision.

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Rock Lee straightened the Chinese collar of her only formal dress in the closet. "There! If only I don't seriously crush on Lady Haruno, I would have gladly asked you to marry me when I turn eighteen."

"That's practically incest," Tenten said, masking her nervousness with a smile.

"Yah, and that too." Lee punched her shoulder. "Best of luck, Onee-san! I hope your plan goes well!" He looked at the rice cakes that she made and powdered with her calming potion…just in case Hyuuga Neji thinks of getting homicidal after her confession.

She shakily took the tray of cakes and walked apprehensively towards the master bedroom of the Hyuuga wing.

At last, she arrived in front of the room of the Earl of the Hyuuga court. Though trembling, her knuckles managed to rap audibly against the varnished wooden door.

It swung open, and Neji's face appeared in the doorway.

She nearly dropped her tray. The boy was naked waist up, his hands on the towel he was using to dry on his hair. She could feel the escaping fog from his bathroom, and smell as well the fresh scent of virile maleness courtesy of his body wash. His long raven hair was disheveled, yet she only found it sexier.

"H-Hi!" she squeaked, cursing herself when her knees buckled. He was every inch intimidating—his face was even and formal, lips set in a tight, grim line. She had this sinking feeling that the potion's effect had really worn off now.

"Come in," he said, opening the door wider. She shyly went inside and sat down on a chair by the window after placing the rice cakes on the table.

"A-Ah…I caught you in a bad time, eh?" she began, eyes on the floor.

"I finished my bath." He sat down on the bed across her seat, not bothering to cover his naked torso. She was forced to look up at the ceiling, trying her hardest not to blush and kiss the last of her composure away.

"There won't be lizards coming out tonight, witch," he said after a while.

She gulped inwardly. His old attitude was re-surfacing. If in the past, she would have readily reacted, now she was helpless. She did have sinned against him, giving her no right to be snappy. She was here to apologize and accept his punishment with all the grace and humility of a woman.

And while at it, try to make him fall for her again too, and as Lee said, this time, using her OWN charms.

Upon remembering her mission, she mustered all her guts and then smiled at him. She crossed her legs elegantly, fully aware that the small, subtle slit at the hem of her gown would make any man…well…curious of her. She certainly hoped that the Hyuuga earl would be no exception.

He cocked an eyebrow. "Since when did you learn to crossdress, witch? Or are you going to attend a Halloween party on Christmas?"

She felt her cheeks turn warm. "I didn't do my laundry. All my clothes were dirty," she decided to say as an alibi.

"What about the make-up on your face? Are you going to be the main attraction of a children's birthday party?" he asked.

She fought for her composure. He had every right to shame her—what she did, manipulating him, was not exactly delightful anyway. "Actually, it's good to be open-minded towards other alternative careers, which includes being a birthday clown," she replied, careful not to reveal her annoyance and embarrassment.

"I see." He stared at her some more, making her cheeks turn even warmer. She knew he was doing this on purpose—he wanted to humiliate her.

But if there was one thing she was proud of, it was her fighting spirit. No one was born yet to crush her spirit!

"And the rice cakes?"

"I made them for you." She pasted a saccharine smile on her face. "Peace offering."

"Oh?" He smiled sardonically. "I hope these hadn't been violated by your potions already, witch."

Her heart skipped a beat. "P-Pardon me?"

"No love potions, I hope." He took a forkful of the sweets and bit on it, chewing slowly…or was he relishing the shocked look on her face? Either way, he looked satisfied. He placed his fork down and faced her again. "Or was my warning too late?"

A vein popped in her head. "Hyuuga Neji, I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Well I hope this one helps you." He took his hairbrush and showed it to her. "You took some strands from here."

She blinked, and then forced herself to laugh carelessly. "W-What gave you that idea, Earl Hyuuga Neji? D-Do you have a counter of some sort for your hair?"

"Actually, I have a better question to ask you." In one swift movement, he had stood up in front of her, and it was too late to move away without looking stupid. She decided to just meet his gaze and pray that he wouldn't take so much notice of her very obvious flushed cheeks.

One second later, she realized that it would have been better to look stupid and move away. The towering figure in front of her stooped down low towards her, his arms on both sides of her chair, taking the weight of his bent frame. She gasped audibly—his male cologne was far more lethal up close! His hair, slick and wet still, curtained both sides of her face, and she had no choice but to look up—up at the handsome face of the earl.

"N-Neji…" she whispered, unable to fight off the tremor of her voice anymore. She was scared—but she was excited, tensed, happy, and swoony at the same time.

"Why did you use a love potion on me, witch?" he asked huskily.

She moved back slightly. "A-Ah…" She pushed the chair back, but it was unmovable, lodged against the wall and the window. "C-Can we talk in a normal position?" she asked, smiling uncertainly.

"I want us to talk like this…and you can't do anything about it." He smirked. "This is my territory, witch."

"O-OK…I-if you say so…" She swallowed nervously. "A-Ah about your question…um…well, see…remember when you were bragging…ah…speaking with much pride about…ah…the fact that you conquered me through my lips?"

"Yes?" he said, his gaze unwavering at her face.

She laughed shakily. "G-Good. W-Well, I kept on…ah…hating your arro—I-I mean, your impossible inflated ego…I-I mean…aah…your male pride…y-yeah, male pride, that's it."

"Hmm?" he murmured, impatient.

"A-And well…I wanted to get back at you. S-So w-what better way than to make you crush on your worst nightmare a.k.a. me?" she asked, smiling sheepishly. "A-And it worked…"

"You want to make fun of me?" he asked.

"Well, it was you who made fun of me at first!" she asked, her eyes wide. "Just because I kissed you back doesn't mean I had succumbed to you!"

"Then why did you kiss me back?" he asked, eyes intent on her.

Her eyes blazed. "H-Heeey, that's off the record—"

He moved down towards her face and kissed her hard suddenly. As if an automatic response, she kissed him back. He drew back just as abruptly, eyes expectant. "Now tell me why you did that," he ordered.

She looked away defiantly. "No way, Jose! I know it wasn't right when I did the love potion trick, Mister, but isn't that too much?"

"Don't make me repeat myself, witch. This is my terrain, and you won't want to mess around while in it."

"N-Neji…please…" And her voice broke. "Oh god, no…" she sighed in defeat when she felt that her defenses had crumbled already. She looked up at him, this time, beggingly. "N-Neji, p-please let me walk out of this room already. I-I'm sorry…it was a mistake to cross your path. Y-You're not Hyuuga Neji for nothing, b-but….I-I promise not to bother you again."

"No."

"N-Neji, p-please let me leave." Her last word barely escaped her lips. "Please…"

"Not until you tell me why you kiss me back every time."

She sighed. "A-Alright." It was better to get this over with now. "I…I want you to know that I feel for you…" She laughed hollowly. "I-I mean…you know, romantically."

"Romantically…" he murmured.

"Y-Yeah. As a matter of fact, I like how you kiss me…with so much possession and passion and…well…" She hugged herself. "I-I'm babbling." She looked up at him pleadingly. "Can I get out of the hot seat now?"

"How old are you, Tenten?" he asked all of a sudden.

She blinked. If there was such thing as random insanity, then Hyuuga Neji certainly fits the bill. "Fourteen."

His hand took hers and from the pocket of his pants, he fished out something.

Her eyes widened when he carefully placed it in her ring finger. He looked back at her and smiled, making her heart race.

"N-Neji…I don't have money to buy this ring…" she said out of having nothing to say.

"Good, because I'm giving this to you." His smile widened even more when he saw how proudly the glittering jewelry shone against her skin. "After four years, I'm going to give you my name. Within those four years, this ring will serve as my assurance that you won't go away…" His voice softened. "In a nutshell…you're stuck with me."

She couldn't dare hope, but this was too much for her. "S-Sort of…an engagement, Hyuuga Neji?"

"Something in that terms, Lady Hyuuga." He lowered his lips towards her. "And don't fight me, this time…"

"Because this is your territory?" she asked.

"Because I can't afford to lose you. I think I'm going to have you for keeps, witch," he murmured.

"Y-You love me?" she whispered.

He chuckled. "That took you long enough to understand. I thought I had to kill Rock Lee first…good thing he came to my good side and told me about your prank."

She gaped at him. "Rock Lee…as in…he betrayed me?!"

"He had no choice. I was ready to kill him when he said he likes you…only it turned out he was just measuring how much I care for you. In the end, he agreed to keep his mouth shut and let you come out in the open eventually." He laughed quietly. "Mage Tenten, I had always been fond of you ever since childhood, mainly because you were the only person to not treat me differently. You didn't pity me…in fact you were always ready to stand up to me. My mother would have approved of you had she been alive. You are the embodiment of an ideal Hyuuga woman. More than that, you are real." His arms wrapped around her tightly, and she thought her heart was going to burst with so much emotion.

"Will you have me, Tenten?" he whispered, almost a trace of fear and uncertainty in his voice.

She laughed, tearful and joyful at the same time. "I'm wearing your ring already so…"

"We can take it off—"

"Don't you DARE!" She held him tightly too. "Yes, Earl Hyuuga Neji. Yes, I'll have you. Yes, yes, and YES!" She could hardly contain her happiness…and yes, she had to thank Rock Lee also. Maybe having him as the Best Man for her four-years-in-the-making wedding would suffice.

She the remembered something.

"Er, Neji, don't get mad but ah…don't you think you're going to get sick, with you not wearing anything at all amidst winter season?" Her eyes roved around his naked chest.

She thought she heard a 'Hehe' sound from him. "Just a contingency plan in case you make things difficult for us."

"Ah…you're…going to seduce me, Earl Hyuuga Neji?"

"Hell yeah."

"Can you show me a sample of your planned seduction moves?"

He held her tightly. "Hmm…I asked Sir Gai and Lee…they suggested the Green Spandex of Youth body suit."

"On second thought, I love you already even without the seduction part."

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.

.

A tear streaked down her cheek, and she wiped it away quietly. She bent down towards Sasuke's face and smiled at him with much difficulty. "I love you, Sasuke-kun. The first time I ever saw your face, I had given you my heart…even if you won't take it," she told the sleeping boy lovingly. "And for the boy I love the most, for you, Sasuke-kun, I would do anything to see you at peace with your soul."

She now finally understood what her mother meant when she was telling her and her father how depressed she was when she was born.

"I carried my cherry blossom in my womb for nine whole months, and she was so safe and protected there. When the doctor told me that she now had to leave the safety of my body, I felt so scared. When she comes out, she would be so vulnerable, and I wouldn't have the same power I had to protect her back when she was still inside me. But life is too wonderful for her to miss it, so I gave my all in helping her arrive in the world gloriously."

Sakura grinned. "With pain comes loving, and vice-versa. I love you, Sasuke-kun." It would be hard to let go, but she would learn sooner or later.

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.

.

Her eyes widened when she saw the fallen body in front of her. The primal instinct of fear surged through her young body, but when she saw his face, she forgot her earlier desire to flee. The almost snake-like skin that scared her lost its initial effect when she saw the handsome face hidden beneath the long raven mane.

"Water…" he moaned. And she obliged readily. Carrying a basin of water fresh from the spring, she took her towel and used it to moisten the man's face.

"I-I'll get you a glass of water," she stammered, but his hand stopped her. He then guided her own to the water and immersed it there. She nearly screamed in fright when he pulled it down towards his face and nipped gently on her skin, taking in the fluid. His tongue rubbed against her pale hand, and then retreated. She pulled back, panting in shock.

He looked up and gave her a weak smile of amusement, and then drifted off to sleep.

She didn't know what came over her, but she found herself pulling the man into her hut and nursing him back to health. That afternoon, the man regained his consciousness.

"Good girl," he murmured. "I'm grateful that you took me in."

She looked away, blushing. "W-Why were you in front of my house?"

He laughed quietly. "Pretty high-spirited for a child like you, eh?" He looked around. "Where are your parents?"

"They're dead." She stared down at him. "You didn't answer my question. Why were you lying down in front of my hut?"

"Some people tried to kill me…and they failed." He looked around. "Have you cooked already? I'm starving."

Her eyes widened. "I'm not obliged to feed you!" She turned her back on him, but to her horror, she could still hear his entertained laughter even in the backyard.

But she found herself making dinner good for two that night. She decided not to look his way and receive his knowing gaze when she placed the food tray on the bedside table.

"You look familiar," he said after a while. "You work for the Hidden Leaf main palace?"

"I'm a member of the Hidden Leaf Starlets." She sat down by the bed, arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Heh. The Starlets…then you must be quite skilled. Your face belies it."

"W-What's wrong with my face?" she snapped.

"Too youthful…or is that a jutsu?"

"I'm legally fifteen years old!" she yelled.

"Fifteen?" He smiled languidly. "Just a child…"

She took that as an insult. "Why you—"

"I was just surprised, that's all," he said, almost sounding conciliatory.

"Where are you from?" she decided to ask, shifting the topic away from her. "Why are there people after you? Are you a criminal?"

"If you must know, I am from the Leaf kingdom too."

"T-Then how come I don't know you?" she asked, puzzled.

"People never really spoke much of my name."

"What IS your name then?"

He chewed his food delicately before replying. "Orochimaru."

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.

.

"Anko-sama!"

The woman blinked, snapping out of her daze. She looked at Asuma. "What is it?"

He paused, and then smiled sheepishly. "I have one little thing to request from you."

"Request?" Her eyebrow raised.

"Er…it's about our assignments…"

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.

.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Naruto-kun," said Hinata softly, breaking the silence. He was taking her back to the palace, carrying her body on his back. His winter coat was sprawled on her back to protect her from the chill.

"I'm just glad you're alright," he said, somewhat distractedly. "Hinata, you never told me about your health condition…"

"It's not very important…"

"IT IS!" he barked, making her blink. He sighed, and then lowered his voice. "I mean, it is. Hinata, we're friends, remember? I care about things that concern you, which includes your health."

"B-But Naruto-kun…"

"You could have died there and I wouldn't have been able to do ANYTHING about it!" he scolded.

"I'm sorry…" She leaned her face on his back sadly. "I-It's my first time…to see someone worry about me…I…I don't know how to react."

"I felt that way too before," he said absent-mindedly, his mind recalling the first act of kindness he got from a virtual stranger—a girl picking him up, unhesitant about his frog form, and telling him that his eyes had character. From there, he immediately warmed up to her, even if he didn't know her name. He felt the insistent urge to see her again.

"Not too long ago, I met someone who sees things most other people don't," he said softly. "She barely knew who I am, and yet as time passed, I felt that she knew me more than anyone else in the world did. She could feel at once my thoughts and emotions, and she would give to me without asking for anything in return." He remembered this time how she saved him in the Sound kingdom. "There were many times I wanted to thank her, but I didn't know how to start. Like I said, I didn't know what I should say and how I should act." He smiled slowly. "When her life was endangered one time, I realized there was only one thing I could do to repay her compassion." He turned to her, grinning. "I want to protect her! Yeah! I want to devote my life to taking care of her, because at times, she could be so vulnerable. But of all people, I should know how powerful her true strength is."

Hinata fell silent.

"I then found a purpose in life. I'm going to live because I feel I'm needed. I'm going to live because I want someone strong enough to look after her and be her defender. I will live because I want her to feel that she is not alone, the same way she was with me before." He chuckled. "Someday, I'll have the guts to tell her that personally."

She barely managed to choke out her words. "Y-You care for that person so much, d-don't you, Naruto-kun?"

His eyes softened. "Hell yeah."

"I…I would like to meet her someday," she said quietly.

"Why do you look so sad?" he wanted to know.

"A-Ah…" She shook her head and then looked up at the skies. "I-It's snowing again!"

"Wooow!" he gushed, looking up too. They stood in the middle of the sidewalk, enjoying the shower of snowflakes around them.

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"GAAAK!" The last of the Leaf soldiers dropped down on the ground, lifeless.

"Gaara, you shouldn't have wasted your time on those insects," complained Temari, sighing. "We could have entered the Leaf kingdom with no problem."

"They were in my way," said the red-headed boy simply.

"Our mission here is to enter the palace without much hoobah-loobah," said Kankuro. "We have orders from the Kazekage-sama to accomplish this as subtly as we could."

"They're dead. Why argue?" he said, voice devoid of emotion.

"Well don't do it again!" snapped the black-clad boy. "We came here for the Hyuuga princess and the Kyuubi, not to litter corpses around."

"The Kyuubi is my target." Gaara's eyes turned grim. "Alone."

"I think I'll drop by and visit the records office of the palace." Temari tipped her chin. "And while at it, I'll interrogate a Leaf character or two."

Kankuro sighed. "And I'm in charge of dispatching of those antsy soldiers? Not a fair division of labor, if I may say so."

"Live with it," said Temari, crinkling her nose. "If someone as low-level as Iruka managed to escape you…"

"Heh. Give the man some credit. He really wanted to escape when he learned that we have special plans for that Kyuubi guy." The boy with the painted face shrugged. "So we're off then?"

Gaara crossed his arms. "Snow buries my weapons. After I hunt the nine-tails down, I'm going back. This place is loathsome."

.

.

.

Haku tucked Zabuza in the bed and looked outside the snowy forest. Whether he would admit it or not, he was grateful that Hatake Kakashi allowed the Mist court lord to escape. But the palace was still his target undeniably. He was going to make the dreams of Zabusa come true. Even if he had to give his life, his blood, his everything, he would do so with much, much willingness.

And then he remembered the boy that shattered his mask.

Yes, he wanted to see him again too. Somehow, even if their first meeting was not too pleasant, he found a peculiar emotion almost like fondness for the boy, as if they both shared something in common.

He prepared for his departure.

…………………….

To be continued