Listen
By: Ximena-chan
"Please…tell me. I don't understand what's happening right now." Naruto pleaded to Sakura.
Sakura stood there by the master bedroom's door. And he was leaning at the wall opposite the door.
Silence fell.
Naruto looked away and then he walked to the corner, crushing the shattered pieces of the vase Sakura threw a while ago more. He looked at her again. "Sakura…is this because of Sasuke?"
Sakura's eyes widened for a second and she looked away from him.
Naruto laughed at himself. "I knew it…" He covered half of his face and muttered, "Damn it…I knew it…" He laughed again, this time he sounded like he was going mad.
"Naruto…I don't love you anymore…" Sakura said.
Naruto stared at her and he smiled as if to mock her. "Yeah, I know. In fact you never did love me. I was a fool to marry you…" He turned around and walked towards the stairs.
He stopped when he took a step down. "I should have known that you will never love me for who I am. You just turned to me because he wasn't here…you married me because you wanted someone that could fill the void that he left." He went down.
"I'm so stupid…" He placed the bottles of beer at the ground. He downed one beer and he sat down at the couch. He looked at the ceiling and then he closed his eyes.
Sakura…
He gripped the neck of the bottle in his hand and he broke it; he heard the bottle break into more pieces when it hit the cold floor. He got cut in the process but he didn't mind the stinging feeling of his wounds.
Sasuke…
"Damn it…" He whispered. "And they had the nerve to do it when I'm not facing them!" Some muffled curses filled the dark living room.
He opened his eyes when he heard some shuffles. He looked at the opening in the living room that leads to the exit of the house. He saw Sakura standing there with a couple of bags in hand. She looked straight at his eyes.
And then she left him without saying a word.
Silence fell again.
"Hinata-sama…" Hinata turned her head to face the helper that was calling her. She smiled at the old helper and the helper smiled at her. "Phone call…"
She bowed her head to say her appreciation and the helper gestured a "no need for that."
"Hello?" She shyly spoke through the mouthpiece. She felt as if she was speaking to someone because she heard no reply.
She waited for a reply for minutes and then someone spoke, "Hinata…I need you…" She could hear a couple of sobs.
She looked worried all of a sudden; she knew who she was speaking with. "Naruto-kun…"
"Hinata…please…I need…"
"Hinata-nee, father wants to see you!" The voice of her younger sister disturbed their conversation.
"Wait, Naruto-kun…" She whispered and she looked at her younger sister. "He needs to see me?"
Hanabi nodded. Hinata shooed her away. When she picked up the phone again, she heard that he had already hung up.
She put the phone down and she went to her father.
Naruto hung up on her and drank down yet another bottle. "What am I thinking?" He sat back at the couch and dropped the phone at the ground. He covered his eyes. "She won't come here. She won't come and help me, the man who threw away her love."
He recalled his memories again. With a heavy feeling in his heart, he reminded himself that he left Hinata for Sakura. Hyuuga Hinata was his first girlfriend but then… he just let go of her. He bit his lower lip, "Stupid…" He clenched his cut hand and he winced a little.
He sighed.
It was raining outside and it was pretty late. Hinata picked up one of the umbrellas in the mansion.
Hiashi saw her. "Hinata, where are you going at this hour?"
She looked at her father shyly. "Ah, I'm j-just gonna buy something…" She looked away.
"Why don't you just ask someone to get it?" Hiashi raised an eyebrow.
Hinata smiled shyly. "You see father. What I'm going to buy is a delicate material. Hmmm…it's better if I'm the one who gets it because the helpers might buy the wrong one."
There was silence and Hiashi stared at her. She felt uneasy because she lied. And she lied because she knew her father wouldn't let her visit Naruto. Hiashi knew what happened between Naruto and Hinata…how Naruto made her hope there was really love to how Naruto threw away her love. She looked down.
Hiashi turned around, "I see. Don't come home late. If ever the rain gets heavier, seek shelter in one of your friend's house and call me."
"Ok…" She opened the door.
It was very dark and he was barely sober. He was getting tipsy and his body felt very hot because of the amount of alcohol he drank.
Someone was knocking but he felt very sleepy.
Before he totally succumbed to the calling of sleep, he saw the door open.
Hinata managed to avoid getting wet. She huffed while she knocked at the door. She stopped and peered through the window. It was dark inside his house. She got more worried.
She then tried to twist the knob. It was fortunately unlocked.
She pushed the door open. She winced because of the stench of alcohol. "Naruto-kun…" She whispered while she groped for the switch of the light.
She sighed in relief when she found the switch and she turned the lights on. She then stared at the living room with wide eyes.
Naruto was there; his right hand was bleeding; his cheeks were tainted with tears; and he was sleeping.
She was startled when he started cursing while he was asleep. She approached him and picked up the bottles of beer. She also noticed the broken pieces on the ground as well as the spilt beer.
He smelt heavily of alcohol
She was more worried now. She got up with the bottles in her hand.
It happened three years ago. I was really stupid. I…I…
"Yo, Sakura-chan…!" I grinned at Sakura who was sitting by the tree. Sakura tried to put on a smile. I put on a stupid face and sat down next to her. "So…why did you want to meet with me?" I said while I drew circles on the ground like a child.
Sakura hugged her knees tighter. I sighed.
"So… I guess…this is about him again…" I turned my head to face her. I had my eyes closed and I had an arrogant look on his face. "That jerk would come back soon-!"
Sakura's tender lips met with mine.
She broke away a second later.
"Naruto…I…" Sakura was cut off by me. I kissed her.
We both heard a plastic bag hit the ground.
That was really stupid of me…
She looked around the room after she had cleaned up. She was holding a small basin of water.
She bit her lip.
'Why am I doing this?' She gripped the basin tighter. She looked at Naruto and then at the clock; it was getting late.
I was casually strolling at the road that led to the training grounds. I had a smile on my face while playing with the plastic bag full of instant ramen packs. I came by his apartment earlier but he was not there. And then I thought, maybe he went there so I came there because I wanted to give these instant ramen packs to him by myself.
I never did think that I would see something like that because…he was after all…my boyfriend. I trusted him…
Their lips were locked with one another's. My heart was broken into delicate pieces the moment I saw that. The next thing I knew I dropped the bag in the ground and they saw me.
"Hinata…" He called out my name while he was staring at me with his startled expression.
I felt tears burn my eyes. My vision got blurry and my tears fell.
"Hinata…" Sakura called out my name too.
I clenched my fist. "There's no need to explain…" I stared at the ground and saw the little circles my tears drew at the dirt. "I...I saw it all…"
I ran away.
Hinata laid the basin of water atop the center table and she pulled out a clean piece of cloth from her pocket and dipped it.
She then placed the cloth by the basin first. She gently put Naruto's body into a comfortable position.
"There…when you wake up, you'll just have to deal with your hang-over." She whispered as she started wiping his face with a damp cloth.
'What's this?' Naruto thought as he felt the gentle strokes of cloth against his face. 'So gentle…could this be…? Has she come back? No…no…this isn't Sakura…she wasn't this gentle to me…' He stopped thinking for a second. 'Could it be…?'
He moved his hand to catch the hand of his mysterious caretaker.
Hinata was startled by his sudden movement. She tried to avoid his hands but he was still too fast. He caught her.
"Hinata…?" He called out her name and he opened his eyes at the same moment. Hinata twisted her wrists free of his grip and she moved away from him. He sat up slowly while he shielded his eyes from the light. "I thought…you…wouldn't come…"
Hinata looked at him and then her eyes wandered off. "I…I was worried…"
Naruto's eyes adjusted to the light in the room. He looked around. "You cleaned up…" He raised his right hand and saw bandages. "…and you took care of my wound…"
Hinata didn't speak.
"You always take care of me too much…" He smiled weakly at her.
She still didn't say anything.
"Giving me the silent treatment huh?" He whispered and slouched back at the couch.
He was about to call out her name again but she spoke, "I must go. It's late. Father will be worried." She laid the cloth on the table.
Close the door
Naruto stopped her by grabbing her wrist. He looked at her with his eyes begging completely for something. "Please stay…"
He looked straight at his eyes. "I…can't…"
He furrowed his brows with sadness. "Please…Hinata…" He pulled her closer and Hinata felt completely weak against his touch this time.
I feel the breeze hold me please
"Na-Naruto-kun…" She whispered.
"Stay…" He repeated. She was standing inches from him and he rested his forehead against her belly. "You know I don't want to be alone…" He added.
I hate to be alone.
"I…" She tried to step away but Naruto stopped her. "Naruto-kun…please…let go…"
"Hinata…" He lifted his head from her belly. He looked up at her. She looked away. He stood up while holding her hand. He shook a little.
It's a cold night,
Turn off the light
Take my hand and...
"Please stay…" This time he rested his forehead against hers.
"Naruto-kun…" She sounded cold to make him understand that they cannot do this. "This…is wrong…" But still…a part of her still screamed his name.
Naruto didn't know what he exactly was doing. He wrapped his arms around her.
He started feeling this warmth that he didn't feel when he was with Sakura. He started hugging her tighter. He breathed in the smell of her mild perfume.
"Naruto-kun…" She wanted to push him away but never found the strength to do so.
She still loved him.
And it seems… he still loved her…
"I was so stupid…" He whispered against her ear.
Listen,
To these things i have to say
Please understand, she
Left me all alone again...
There was silence. Hinata felt that this was so wrong but at the same time…it felt so right. She felt so stupid and confused. She told herself that she shouldn't have come by his house.
He really felt so stupid. "I'm so sorry…" He said softly.
Hinata shut her eyes and she rested her head against his chest.
Clear the room of every memory
I don't want our song back on
It's an endless maze
Take away this haze
Mend my heart and...
She grabbed hisshirt and pushed him away. She looked at his eyes. Tears were freely flowing down their cheeks. "This is wrong…" She repeated.
Naruto kissed her forehead. "What I did was wrong…"
"That…was the past…" She said. "I don't want to commit the same mistake…" She looked away from him.
Turn away, don't want you to see me cry
I just want things the way they were
Why is it so hard to say goodbye?
Wipe my tears and...
"Hinata…I…" He pulled her back into his arms. He buried his face at her neck. "…so sorry…for what I did…that was stupid of me…" Hinata felt his tears against her skin.
Listen,
To these things I have to say
Please understand, she
Left me all alone again...
Hinata felt the urge to comfort him. She didn't fight the feeling and she wrapped her arms around him. She stroked his back gently. "It's ok Naruto-kun. I…already forgave you…"
"But…Hinata…" Naruto's knees weakened because he felt sleepy again. Hinata sat him down. He still held her hands. "Please stay…"
So this I ask of you
Please stay with me
Until she comes back
Until she comes
Until she comes back
Until she comes
Please listen and stay
Until she comes
Until she comes back
Until she comes back...
Hinata sat down beside him. Naruto lied down and he rested his head on her lap. He closed his eyed.
"Stay…" He pleaded and the sandman called him again.
Hinata stroked his forehead. "I will…"
The door lightly creaked and Hinata looked up. She saw a figure of a female who was wearing a raincoat. As the figure walked closer, she saw who it was.
"Sakura-san…" She whispered. She tired to remove Naruto's head from her lap.
Sakura shook her head. Hinata looked at her in a puzzled way. Sakura then pulled out pieces of paper from her raincoat.
Hinata watched Sakura as laid the document in the center table. Sakura smiled at her, "Take care of him…"
Owari
The ones that were centered, italicized and underlined are lyrics from the song "listen" by stonefree. It's a local band here. Really sad song...
Edited. I have corrected some typos.
