NdA: Still a Hyuga story, it's a true obsession for me...-- Warning: Adult Neji-Hina, violence.

The promise of April 14th

This day, the April 14th, I made a promise to myself. And I would hold it. My name is Shinu, don't forget it.

- Neji POV-

In the garden of the Hyuga family manor, the spring flowers are just opening their corollas. My cousin Hinata looks at them with her large white eyes shining with admiration. She planted them and now the flowers answer all her waitings. They are splendid. Unconscious of the events which are preparing in the corridors of the manor, Hinata selects carefully a plant and puts it in a small pot. Then she brings it to me.

Hinata: " Here, Neji Nii-san, it's for your new home. It's my gift for your installation."

I take the plant and I smile in return. In this hard and severe house, there is only Hinata who is so nice and so soft... so beautiful. I recently moved in an apartment in the town center. Since I enter in the Safety Brigade of the Village, I must be ready to intervene at every moment. But the secondary Hyuga manor is too far from the town center, I lost too much time and I ended up moving. And then I wanted some independence and freedom.

Hinata gathers the tools for gardening and want to return in the house. My heart tightens. She seems so innocent. She doesn't see that a drama will soon arrive undoubtedly, and I can do to protect her. The only thing that I can do... When she passes in front of me, I take her by the wrist and I draw her. She's now very close to me and I can whisper to her : "whatever it happens, Hinata-sama, I would always be here for you. Don't forget."

Her hair caress my cheek and her odor seizes me. But although the desire is strong, I don't allow myself to pose my lips on her white cheek. I release her quickly. She looks at me leaving, anxious by my words.

- Ext. POV-

With small quiet steps, Hinata moves towards the training room of combat where her father made her call. Through the walls, she can see that she's already here, with Hanabi and the grandmother. With her heart beating and trying to keep good figure, Hinata sit facing her father.

Hiashi: "Hinata, our family took a decision about you."

With her lowered eyes, she waits, trembling until the decision falls.

Hiashi: "You don't seem to be able to progress more, and your level is insufficient to maintain the power of our clan. Consequently, we decided to drive you out of the clan and to name Hanabi heiress. From now on, you aren't anymore a Hyuga. You must have left the manor before this evening."

The face white of incomprehension, Hinata raised the head to look at her impassive father, then Hanabi who sit proudly at his side. Without a word, too shocked to speak, Hinata rises and leaves the room. Like a sleepwalker, she goes to her room and takes a bag in a wall cupboard. She starts to put some clothing inside, then suddenly stops. The bag falls on the ground and Hinata runs outside of her room, the tears beading in her eyes. Always running, she leaves the manor definitively.

- Shinu POV-

There, the situation changed in Hyuga's family. Now, they are much more vulnerable, but they don't know it yet. I can start to move quietly.

- Neji POV-

Since one week, Hinata was driven out of Hyuga family, and I don't have any news of her. I'm anxious. She takes nothing with her when she leaved, neither clothing, nor money... but I think that she has her own bank account . She's a far-sighted girl. When I see our Hokage Tsunade in the corridor of our Headquarter, I ask her if she has news about Hinata. Anger briefly passes on her face, but she regain her composure and answers me laconically: "Hinata now has the name of Mau and she's working."

I don't question her more. Hinata Mau, it's a pretty name. But I would like to know how she feel, now that her family given her up. She must feel very alone. Does she forget what I said to her?

- Shinu POV-

Lastly, they contacted me. I'm the one who is necessary to replace one of their member, recently dead in an operation. I arrange with my new partner to organize our work. What a strange coincidence, he carries the same headband as me. In a certain manner, we feel that we will get along well. My hatred is as cold as the ice, he like this kind of feeling.

I awake in his arms in the morning and I take my turn of duty while he falls asleep, his hot body against mine. When he will wake up, I will leave for my first mission with Akatsuki.