FORCED
CHAPTER 12 : THE PUNISHMENT
Hanabi was sitting on her bed. She was thinking about what she had done earlier. Hanabi sighed. She knew she acted out of anger. Jealousy clouded her mind. " What was I thinking? I tried to kill Hinata, my own sister." Hanabi looked outside the window. " I even hurt Neji. I never wanted to hurt him… Why did he jumped in front of her and took half of the attack?." Hanabi was crying. " Because of Hinata. He'll never do that if it was me…," she answered her own question.
Hinata opened her eyes. She tried to remember what happened. She was trying to get up when her body hurt all over. Then she remembered everything. " You should move around Hinata….," a soft voice came from her side. She looked and saw Neji on the bed next to her. Hinata gave him a smile. " Are you ok Neji," she asked in concern. Neji stood from his bed and sat by her. " You should worry about yourself..," he said as he put his hand on hers and squeezed it gently. Hinata squeezed Neji's hand back. They looked at each other for a long time. " Why did you jumped in front of me and took the attack," Hinata broke the silence. Neji sighed. " I asked you a similar question once. Still remember? My answer is the same as yours…." Hinata looked away but she squeezed his hand tightly. " I need to do something..," Hinata told Neji as she looked at him. " 'We' need to do it," Neji corrected her and helped her to get up from her bed.
Hanabi entered the room. Inside, her father and the council was seated in front of her. She walked to the center and stopped, stood up facing the cold and expressionless faces. " Hanabi, can you explain to us what happened in South Dojo today," an elder asked her. Hanabi didn't answer directly. " I tried to kill my own sister," she answered shortly. " And why would you do that," another elder asked her. " Because I wanted to be the heiress." Hanabi knew she couldn't tell them she did it because she wanted Neji. Though using the heiress position as an excuse was despicable, it was more acceptable than telling the truth. Hiashi sighed as he heard what Hanabi said. He knew what made Hanabi wanted to kill Hinata. He knew it was because she wanted Neji.
Hinata walked slowly along the corridor. Neji's strong arm was around her waist to stop her from falling and to help her walking. They walked slowly. " I hope we can make it in time..," Hinata murmured. Neji heard her. " There is a quicker way for us to go there…," Neji told Hinata. " Really? What way?." Neji didn't answer. Instead he swooped Hinata from the ground and carried her in his arm. " Whoah… Neji? I think you better put me down. It won't be nice if people sees us like this..," Hinata's hand curled around his neck for support. " Don't worry. I'll put you down when we reached the hall. Besides, what are they going to say? We're fiancées, right," Neji stated with a smirk. Hinata nodded but she was blushing like a ripe tomato.
" We have decided the punishment for your repulsive act. In order for you regret the action you took, we decided to give you 'the seal.' Hanabi couldn't stand properly when she heard the punishment. She expected a heavy punishment from them but, the seal? It was too much. The punishment was too heavy. " But… but why?." One of the elder answered, " We cannot afford to have a family member whose planning to kill the heiress. If you received the seal, such thing will never happen…" Hanabi shook her head. " It was a mistake… I did a mistake ok? No big deal.. I won't repeat it. Ever again…," Hanabi begged. The elders shook their heads. " It's a mistake that we can't afford to happen again.. Nothing you'll say will change what the council had decided."