Chapter Six: Fragile


Hinata gazed up at the sky. It was getting darker and she needed to get back.


"Not even Kiyuri knows about this." Kasumi said. "Trust me Naruto I won't say a word to anybody after all it was an accident."

"I never meant to kill her father." Naruto looked distant. "I was just trying to protect her."

"Neji and the others, including me swore that we shall never tell a soul about it. We know your intentions were pure and I saw that in your eyes." Kasumi took a glance at Naruto who was a gloomier than usual.

"I want to tell her the truth…. But I don't want to see her get hurt again. She got into a coma because of me and telling her the truth about the death of her father would just crush her. I don't want that to happen." Naruto clenched his fists. "But –"

"Everything went great for the last three years for you. No one suspects you, not even Hanabi or any Hyuuga. We helped you cover up what you did. And it is for her best after all. Even if you tell it to her she wouldn't understand. Hinata is a very fragile girl she can be broken easily…. She's emotionally weak and always tends to blame herself. Don't get me wrong but I said all those with due respect to her. Imagine if you told her the truth she would blame herself and it would do a great deal of damage not only for you but for the people involved in that particular accident."

Naruto agreed with her.


Hinata ran towards the guest room were she stayed.

She heard it all. She heard the truth. The door was slightly ajar and she could hear their voices.

Hinata heard them.

Naruto killed her father.

And Kasumi was involved.

And even Neji, too that shared the same blood as her.

How could they…?

With pure intentions…?

Trying to protect her…?

This was for her best….?

Nonsense.

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

She curled her body into her bed and held her pillow tight.

She found it hard to breathe. Every breath was a struggle and every tear coming from her eyes stung.

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

She's breaking again. She was broken before and she managed to sew and fix those little pieces all back together. She fixed it with the help of his smile, his words and his promise of coming back. It was Naruto. Yes, the very same blue-eyed ninja, with hair which color was like that of the radiant sun, flashing his smile at her telling her, reassuring her, keeping her hopes up. But it was also Naruto with the crimson soul and the crimson eyes that now broke her.

Kasumi was right. She was too fragile… too fragile like… like that of a snowflake. Touch it and it melts.

Her view slowly fades into a white nothingness and she thought that she was in the dead forest covered in snow. At least there she could cry, she could try to hide herself, and she could be one with the coldness.


"Hinata-neesan! Hinata-neesan!" Kiyuri slide the door open. She neared to where Hinata was sleeping and kneeled down. She shook her gently and said, "Kasumi got it! She figure it out.. Isn't it just great!"

Hinata moaned.

"Hinata?" Kiyuri then became quiet and touched her forehead. Hinata's temperature has gone up. "Oh no… You're sick… I told you." Kiyuri stood up. "I'll get the thermometer and call my sister." She then left but only for a few minutes.

"Kasumi-neesan…. Hinata-neesan is really sick…" Kiyuri told her sister.

"It's just a fever but it's really high." Kasumi placed a wet towel on her forehead.

"Oi what happened here?" Naruto came in the room.

"Hinata-neesan's sick." Kiyuri told him.

"Shouldn't we go get a medic-nin or something?" Naruto suggested.

Kasumi raised an eyebrow. "I'm a medic-nin." She then shifted in her seat. "I guess it'll just be the two of you who'll get the remaining ingredients."

Kiyuri stuck her tongue out. "Can't he just go alone? I don't like to go without Hinata."

"First of all, Kiyuri, Naruto's not familiar with the topography of the island. The mission would go so much smoother if you would come with him." Kasumi stated.

"Yeah your sister's right, Kiyuri. You should listen to those senior to you. Like me." He grinned at her as if to mock her.

Kiyuri sighed. "You do have a point…"

"Okay so maybe you two could leave and I'll tend to my patient." Kasumi said. "And Kiyuri I suggest you cook now, lunch is nearing."

"Fine." Kiyuri nodded. "But Naruto will do the dishes, okay?"

"That's okay with me as long as you serve us ramen." Naruto said.

Kiyuri slightly glared at him. "I don't know how to cook that. I'm not Ichiraku you know."

"Shush you two." Kasumi ordered the two but it was too late Hinata already woke up.

The two loud-mouthed ninjas apologized and left, leaving Kasumi and Hinata in the room.

"I'm sorry about that. Kiyuri can be such a brat. But of course you know that right?" Kasumi said as she neared her about to check her temperature. "About the mission, their leaving after lunch I'm sorry but you can't come. You're sick and you need to rest right here."

Kasumi was about to touch her forehead but Hinata avoided it and covered her head with a blanket.

"Hinata?" Kasumi said her name with concern. "I know you want to join them. I understand how you are worried about your cousin and the others but please stay here. You're sick and we can't let you go out there."

"P-please just l-leave me alone…" Hinata murmured.

Kasumi was slightly stunned. She never saw Hinata like this. "O-Okay if that's what you want. I'll bring you your lunch later, okay?"

Hinata squirmed a little and Kasumi then left.


Lunch was over and it was time for Naruto and Kiyuri to leave.

"Don't forget the things that I've said. Get the roots of the nightshroom plant. And the crystille flower is usually seen in mountains or high places." Kasumi reminded Kiyuri who was tying her shoe.

"Yes… Okay." Kiyuri then stood up and faced her sister. "Take care of Hinata-neesan, okay Oneesan?" She smiled at her sister.

"Of course I will."

Naruto then called Kiyuri's name, impatiently.

"I'm coming!" Kiyuri yelled out. She then opened the back door revealing an impatient Naruto sitting at a tree stump in their backyard.

"Oi what was taking you so long!" He asked.

"I did my chores, okay? I'm always doing chores and stuff." Kiyuri answered slightly pouting after she spoke. "Anyway where should we go first?" Naruto asked.

"We'll be heading to the west of the forest then to the mountains to find the crystille flower."

"I think we should get the other one first, it seems a lot easier."

"Whatever you say." Kiyuri said, trying to be more cooperative.

They started walking.

"You know there are a lot more crystille flowers in Konoha." Kiyuri told Naruto, but he wasn't listening. "But the crystille flowers here are a lot more beautiful."

"Come on let's go faster." Naruto began to jump to tree branch. It was weak and he fell.

"That's the exact reason why we walk." Kiyuri said looking down at him. "Most trees here are dead."

"I see." Naruto said, rubbing his butt. "That didn't hurt much, though." He was lying.

Then it started to snow. "I really don't like it here." Naruto stood up. Kiyuri just ignored him.

They continued to walk.


Kasumi went over to Hinata's room to bring her lunch.

She was carrying a tray of porridge and some hot cocoa.

As she opened the door, she saw the window opened. She closed it and said, "It's snowing outside so don't –"

Kasumi's eyes widened. She gasped as she noticed that the bed was neatly fixed and that Hinata was gone.

She searched the house.

"She followed them." Kasumi thought out loud as she searched the last room.


Breathe in. Breathe out. She found it hard to breathe as she was following Kiyuri and Naruto. And the snow was taking a toll in her.

She doesn't know what to do. They were speeding. Awhile ago they were arguing about who was faster and Kiyuri dared Naruto that they have a race. Naruto, being the cocky shinobi he is, agreed.

Kiyuri was now in the lead. Leaving Naruto behind. And Hinata further behind.

Then Kiyuri stopped. "See I told you I'm faster than you!"

Naruto stopped, too. "You were cheating."

"No I wasn't and you know it, right Hinata-neesan?" Kiyuri said.

Naruto looked at her puzzled. "Hinata? But she's still sick and we left her in your house."

"She's right there." Kiyuri pointed on the tree. "She's there. Come out now Hinata-neesan."

And she did after for awhile. They caught her.

"Hey!" Naruto ran to her. "You shouldn't be here."

Hinata was grasping for air. "I c-can't let you –" She stopped and nearly collapsed.

Naruto caught her in his arms. Once in his arms she tried to escape. She sat there in the snow. Kiyuri ran to her.

"Hinata…" Naruto's was worried.

"Let me help you…" Hinata said without looking at both of them. "I need to help you…"

"We can't let you do that." Naruto said. "I understand how much you want to help us but we can't let you go with us in that condition."

"I'm fine." Hinata lied as she tried to stand up. Kiyuri helped her.

"No you're not fine…" Kiyuri said.

"Believe me." Hinata straightened herself. "I am."

"O-Okay if that's what you want." Kiyuri said.

"No!" Naruto protested. "You can't."

"This task isn't so hard. It's just a nightshroom roots and crystille flowers." Kiyuri said. "Maybe we could let her –"

Hinata then handed them out stone-like plants with the roots colored in green.

"Yes that's it! Where did you find it?" Kiyuri examined the plant.

"I found it growing near a tree stump, when I was hiding from you when you two were arguing." Hinata answered.

Hinata and Kiyuri began to walk deeper into the forest.

"Hey! You two! Kiyuri what about getting Hinata back to your house!" Naruto shouted at them. "Hinata!" Naruto then started to run but the snow on the ground was slowing his pace. But he still managed to catch up with the two girls.

Naruto thought that he couldn't do anything about this so he just kept walking.


A/N: Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by Kishimoto.

Thanks for reading.