FORCED
CHAPTER 9: WHY?
Hinata decided she should wear something special since this was the first time she went out with Sakura. She wore a knee-length purple sleeveless dress. Ourside, she wore a cream shawl wrapped around her. She looked in the mirror and put a purple flower hair clip to avoid her front hair from covering her temple. Satisfied with how she looked she got out of her room. To her surprise, Hanabi was standing in front of her room. " Going out," Hanabi asked curtly. Hinata nodded and started to walk away. " With Neji?." Hinata paused. She turned to see Hanabi smiling mischievously. " No, I'm going out with Sakura." Hanabi nodded. " Ooo….." And she turned to leave. " Have a nice date with 'Sakura'," Hanabi said, stressing Sakura's name. Hinata looked her leave. She shook her head and continued her way. She walk slowly. There was still a lot of time before 8 o'clock. She decided to prepare early so that Sakura didn't have to wait for her.
" Going out with Sakura eh? As if I'm going to believe it…," Hanabi talked to herself. She saw Neji came towards her direction. " And where are you going," Hanabi asked from afar. " Out," Neji answered shortly. He didn't really like Hanabi. Hanabi is the opposite of Hinata. She is a proud and rude person compared to the humble and polite Hinata. " Let me guess. With Lee," Hanabi asked sarcastically. " Yes," Neji answered and walked outside. " Right….," Hanabi nodded. She was about to say something to Neji but he was already gone. " How dare he ignored me," she fumed. Then her angry face changed. " How dare him… Hinata over me?...," she whispered slowly and a drop of tear fell.
Hinata reached the restaurant. She was about to enter when Sakura called her from behind. Hinta looked and Sakura was running with a smile on her face. Hinata smiled back and bow a little. Sakura grabbed her hand and they went inside together. The waiter was asking for their reservation when they heard a familiar voice called their names. Sakura and Hinata looked at the direction. Lee was waving at them. Sakura waved back. Hinata noticed that Lee wasn't alone. He was with Neji and he too was looking at their direction.
When the girls reached the table, Lee spoke, " What a coincidence… Join us will you?." Lee noticed Neji was glaring at him but he ignored it. Sakura nodded and quickly sat next to Neji, facing Lee. Hinata sat next to Lee. She didn't dare to look up sine Neji was sitting in front of her. Neji didn't took his eyes off Hinata. ' She look prettier tonight. I like what she had done to her hair. She should do it more often.' Lee asked Neji, " You don't mind them joining us right Neji?." Neji nodded. " We can go to another table if we're interrupting you," Hinata suggested as she looked at Neji. Neji shook his head. " It's ok. You can join us," Neji gave a small smile. Hinata blushed when he said that but she managed to smile back. Lee and Sakura saw that and they exchanged approving glance.
They laughed and talked about lots of things. Sometimes Lee made a stupid joke and Sakura would hit him. Hinata chuckled when she saw how Sakura and Lee reacted to each other. Neji still wore his calm expression but he smiled most of the time and that made Hinata felt very happy. Lastly, Sakura suggested they went back. All of them agreed. " I'll send Sakura back. You guys live at the same place so I guess you're going back together," Lee asked Hinata and Neji as they got out from the restaurant. Hinata didn't answered. She didn't know what to say. " Yeah, we'll go back together," Neji answered and waved goobye. They walked the opposite road. After a few steps, Sakura turned around to look. " You think they'll be ok?." Lee nodded. " Don't worry. They'll be just fine."
Hinata and Neji walked in silence like they usually do. " I don't know why but I have this feeling that Sakura and Lee planned that we meet and the same place and have dinner together..," Neji uttered. Hinata looked at him. " Maybe…. But who knows? Are you mad," Hinata asked quite sadly. " No. In fact I'm very happy they did that. If they didn't, we would never had dinner together." Hinata blushed, " Me too." Neji looked at her and smiled.
" Hinata…." Hinata looked up. " That day at the hospital. Why did you cried when you thought I had died?." Hinata stopped. Neji stopped a few steps in front of her. He turned around to face her. Hinata was looking down, she was squeezing the end of her shawal. " Why do you a think a girl cry when a guy dies," Hinata asked him back. Neji shook his head. " Because she have feelings for him." Neji was taken aback. " Why does a girl cry when her fiancée dies?." Neji stood there waiting for her to answer. " Because she can't bear living without him or event thinking about it." Hinata lifted her head slowly. Neji was puzzled to see her face.
Tears fell from the white pearly eyes. " Why did I cried when I thought you died? You should know the answer by now." Hinata fell to her knees and cried. Neji walked towards her and knelt in front of her. He reached for Hinata and embraced her in his arm. " I'm sorry I asked such a stupid question. I already know the answer….," he whispered to her ear. " And I would do the same….." Hinata hugged him back. " Don't you ever do that again. You scared me to death!." She cried in his arm. They spent sometimes there in each other's arm before heading back to the Hyuuga mansion, holding each other's hand.