A/N: Yeah, a lot of people definitely did not like the ending to the previous chapter. They want Hinata to stick to Shikamaru-kun.
sniffle I'm in tears. I LURVE Naruto-kun…oh well…
I guess I did kind of make him the insensitive one here. But still…I wuvs him.
Okay, onto the chapter.
P.S. Sasuke fans, your fave character will seem really OC here. Just thought I should warn you. Oh, and this is a song chapter (is that allowed?) so just note that the italicized words in between paragraphs are the song lyrics themselves.
I don't know the title of the song or what band song it, but it was the theme song in Treasure Planet. And it's not gonna be complete…
Chapter 6: I Want a Moment…The pale moonlight wrapped him in soft, white light. He tried to ignore the melodramatic setting, especially since it was matching his mood exactly like some cheesy Greek opera of sorts.
Tomorrow would be the second Chuunin exams. The Genins who didn't make it the first time would have another go at it.
Among them would be Hinata, and she, of course, would be getting his full support.
But…he thought sadly, will she still accept it?
He sighed. He hated hurting her. But it just seems to come naturally to him. She deserved happiness.
No wonder he didn't deserve her.
Dammit! He thought, burying his face in his hands. Why was he so complex? Why couldn't his heart just spit out what he really felt so that everyone could get on with their lives?
It's just the way things are, he thought glumly, and I guess I can't do anything about it.Maybe…if Hinata was willing to forgive him…
Forget it! He thought, shaking his head. You had your chance with her, and you blew it. Then, you confuse her so much, you nearly shove her off the edge of certainty. She'd have to be inhumanely kind to forgive you.
He sat in silence for who-knew-how-many minutes, chasing down answers that didn't even exist to questions he didn't even know.
"Dammit!" he yelled suddenly, "what's wrong with me?"
"Nothing much."
Naruto's whole body stiffened. He knew that voice. He whipped around; half-hoping it wasn't who he thought it was.
His hopes were in vain.
"Sasuke," he said, his cerulean eyes wide in shock. Then, they narrowed.
"What are you doing back here, traitor?" he asked, his voice low with rage.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. After years of being sarcastic with Naruto, it was almost second nature to him. "Please. Can't a guy go back to his own village without having to pick a fight with his best friend?"
"This isn't your village anymore!" Naruto snapped, his eyes blazing.
A few moments of silence, then…
"And I'm not your best friend," he said more softly, "not anymore."
The words stung Sasuke, but he didn't show it. Instead, he let out a deep sigh. "Look, Naruto, I know you must be pretty angry at me…"
"Not angry." Naruto cut in, still glaring. "Furious."
"Naruto, please," Sasuke said, clenching his fist. "Just listen to me."
"Shut up, traitor." Naruto growled. "Listening and believing you was my first mistake. I'm not going to listen. Not anymore."
For the words are just whispersAnd lies I will never believe!
Sasuke ignored the painful feeling in his chest. He had to explain before he left. Never mind the villagers. The people closest to him had to know the truth.
It would hurt too much if he lived the rest of his life knowing that they didn't.
I want a momentTo be real,
"I swear, this is important. I need to tell you," Sasuke said, desperately searching those cerulean eyes for a sign of friendship. Acknowledgement.
He tried to hold on to the fact that, perhaps, Naruto hadn't forgotten their friendship.
Want to touch things I don't feel.
Want to hold on…
He saw nothing. Nothing except the icy indifference and resentment Naruto felt for him. He could see it in his eyes. And he knew.
He was alone.
And feel I belong…"Please…" he said softly. Naruto didn't seem to hear him. Didn't seem to care.
'Coz I've got a question, I can't say… You won't listen, anyway"Go away, traitor," Naruto growled, "you don't belong here. Not after what you did. What you tried to do."
Sasuke looked at him, desperation in his eyes. The emotions threatened to flood him.
You don't know me,
But I'm still here!"Don't ignore me!" Sasuke yelled, punching him straight in the gut. Why wouldn't they believe him anymore? Why couldn't they trust him?
How come they no longer remembered him?
Sasuke stopped, realizing what he had just done. Oops, he thought, mentally kicking himself for losing his temper.
Naruto was in front of him before he knew it. Eyes blazing, Naruto slammed his fist upwards, hitting Sasuke's jaw. He managed to summersault in mid-air and landed gracefully on his feet.
"Dammmit, would you get outta my life?" Naruto yelled.
"Naruto, I'm sorry!" Sasuke said hurriedly, "I just…when you…just try to understand!" he said, getting exasperated. "How do you think I-DAMN!" he managed to jump away just in time before Naruto could shove his kunai into his throat.
"I'm not going to listen to anything you say, so don't waste your breath!" Naruto yelled, flinging the kunai at him. Sasuke expertly dodged it.
Naruto ran forward and tried to hit him, his fists flying everywhere. Sasuke tried to pacify him.
"I'm sorry, okay!" I just lost control!" Sasuke yelled, trying his best to avoid those hands.
"Oh? And why would that be?" Naruto sneered sarcastically, kneeing him hard in the gut. Sasuke gasped in shock and pain. "Oh, wait. Don't answer. It's not like it'll matter!" he yelled, jumping up and kicking Sasuke on the jaw. Sasuke groaned as he slammed against the roof tiles.
Naruto wasn't done. He ran forward and tried to continue his tide of punches, but Sasuke immediately jumped to his feet and started blocking all attempted attacks.
"Naruto, for once in your life, would you just listen?"
"Shut up!"
"This is pointless," Sasuke said. "I mean, how did you expect me to feel?"
"When?" Naruto asked, his fist connecting with Sasuke's cheek. "When you decided to rebel against the village? Decided to kill Kakashi-sensei? Or when you decided to hurt the girl closest to me, just so you could hurt me as well! When!"
"When you treated me like nothing!" Sasuke yelled back, grabbing Naruto's wrists and forcing him to stop. Forcing his cerulean gaze to meet his jet-black eyes. "When you decided to ignore the fact that we were ever friends," he said, breathing hard, "when you decided to ignore me like I was worth nothing. HOW DID YOU EXPECT ME TO FEEL!"
"Exactly like I did!" Naruto yelled, his hands gripping Sasuke's arms, nails digging into his flesh.
Sasuke froze, those deep blue eyes penetrating his. Naruto glared at him, breathing hard.
"What you may have felt," he said softly, "only moments ago, is exactly how I felt when I learned that you were plotting against me. When I saw you fighting her, trying to kill her. You knew how much she meant to me, yet you attacked her like she was nothing. Nothing but a mere object that was annoying you."
"The pain you may have felt is as painful as what I felt when I realized I was nothing to you," he continued, his gaze still penetrating, "nothing but a simple obstacle that you had to clear in order to become stronger. More powerful."
Silence.
"Is it worth it, Sasuke?" Naruto asked softly. His eyes looked tired.
Defeated.
"You've gained strength and power in the exchange of a friend, who probably never meant that much to you. Is it worth the trade?
And they stood that way for several seconds. Maybe minutes. Perhaps hours. Who knew? Time lost all meaning to them.
Finally, Sasuke broke the silence. "Our friendship," he said softly, "means everything to me. That's why I did that. I did what I had to do."
Naruto said nothing, but Sasuke knew he had to explain.
"In my heart, I knew I could never defeat you. I knew that, no matter how hard I'd try, you'd emerge the victor. It was pointless to try."
"But I knew he could defeat you." Sasuke continued, "Uchiha Itachi. I knew he possessed abilities far beyond those of normal ninjas. And…I knew he was after you. After my best friend."
Sasuke's eyes seemed to be pleading him to understand. "Don't you see it now? I had to stop him. I wanted to. There was no way I was going to let him hurt you. But, I had to be as powerful as him if I wanted even a slight hope of defeating him. I thought, if I could survive even a battle against you…if I could even just fatally injure you…it would be enough. It would mean that I was strong enough. But I could never kill you."
"You're my best friend."
This time, it was Naruto's eyes that seemed to widen in shock. It was Sasuke's eyes that looked defeated. The truth had to be known.
"I…I don't want him to kill you," Sasuke said after a while, his voice cracking. "So…so…it's all right. I turned my back to this village, at the same time opening the possibility that I may never be welcomed again, because I had to. I knew I would feel the same empty feeling of loneliness again, but it's all right with me. I don't care, as long as it means…"
Naruto looked at him, seeing him in a new light. It was perfectly clear.
"…I can protect…"
They could never go back.
"…my best friend."
Because they had never left.
Naruto closed his eyes. He felt like the lowest of the low. His best friend had suffered, and all he had done was add to the burden.
When he opened them, he looked deep into Sasuke's onyx eyes.
He didn't need to say anything.
His eyes said it all.
Finally, Sasuke let go of him. "I came back so I could tell all this to you. I may always be an S-rank criminal in the bingo book, but it doesn't matter, as long as I'm not one in your eyes."
Naruto nodded. Then, he softly said, "It wasn't you who killed Kakashi-sensei, was it?"
Sasuke shook his head no.
Naruto nodded again, unable to speak. He had judged his friend so harshly. He had hardly trusted him. He had been so wrong all along.
"Oh," Sasuke said suddenly, "do me a favor and tell all this to Sakura, okay? I want her to know the truth."
Naruto smiled. "Sure. Anything to stop the waterworks."
Sasuke laughed, but it quickly died down. His face serious, he turned away.
He had to go now.
He didn't belong here.
"I'll see around, someday," Sasuke said. "We'll meet again, and maybe-just maybe-we can go back, Back to the days of laughter and good-natured insults and friendly competitions."
Naruto nodded, his demeanor serious. "I'd like that, but is it even possible?"
He looked at the moon. Like so many things, it had a dark side to it. "With all the problems we'll face, all the trials we'll probably go through, is it even possible to go back and laugh as carefree as before, like nothing ever happened?"
Sasuke was silent for a few moments. Suddenly, he burst out laughing. Naruto looked at him, alarmed.
"We…d-definitely can…" Sasuke gasped out, in between suppressed chortles, "th-that is…if you c-continue…to sound…like some cheesy narrator for some sappy Greek drama!"
Naruto's face broke into a grin. Looking back, he really did sound so crappy back then. Pretty soon, he was laughing as hard as Sasuke was.
The two laughed for what seemed like hours, and neither cared if someone mistook them for a couple of hyenas that had somehow ended up on a roof. It felt great to laugh.
Finally, they quieted down. Sasuke looked at him with a sad, small smile as he prepared to leave.
"Sasuke!"
Sasuke whirled around to face him. Naruto knelt down, wiped some of the blood off the tiles, and then held up his outstretched arm to Sasuke, blood dripping from his fist.
"Know this: when the time comes that you have to face Itachi, you will not be alone."
Sasuke smiled, then nodded. "You don't have to tell me that, Naruto."
"I already know."
oOo
"Stop worrying, Hinata-nee-san," Hanabi said, gripping her sister's wrists and bringing her arms down to stop her from twiddling her fingers. "You'll do fine."
Next to Hanabi, Hiashi nodded. "It's true. I've been watching you train, after all. You're definitely ready."
Hinata smiled, thankful for their support. Then, she hugged both of them good-bye and ran off towards the building. All the others who had failed the first time would be there, and she ran over the list of who she'd possibly be paired against.
She met a certain dark-haired nin at the entrance to the building.
"Ohayou, Shikamaru-kun." She said, flashing him a smile. He smiled in return. "Haven't you ever heard of coming early?"
"I'm not that late," she said reproachfully, "besides, these things never star in time."
"True," he said thoughtfully, leading her into the arena and up the steps.
Hinata smiled, and then she looked at the people waiting at the top. Almost everyone was there. Then, she saw Naruto looking at her, and the smile vanished. It was replaced by a look of surprise. She hadn't expected him to come.
He saw her looking at him as well. Immediately, embarrassment colored his face, and he looked away.
She sighed. What else was new? He had always been like that.
oOo
She closed her eyes as she watched TenTen grab her (already) bloody opponent by the neck and slam him into the wall.
There was a scream of pain, then all was silent.
The referee came close and examined him. Then, he stood up and pointed his hand to TenTen.
"Winner."
The medic team came in, bringing a collapsible stretcher. TenTen smiled apologetically as the medic nin's lifted him up and placed him gently on the stretcher. There was a certain amount of cheering in the sidelines as she made her way up the steps. Lee met her halfway in order to congratulate her.
Hinata's attention, however, was drawn to the mechanical screen on the wall. It had just flashed her name, and now it was running through a list of the remaining participants. Then, it stopped.
Inuzuka Kiba.
She sucked in her breath. True, Kiba was a very determined kind of guy, and he and his dog, Akamaru, made a nearly unstoppable pair, but that wasn't the only thing bothering her.
Kiba had done something to her, not to long ago, and the result had made both feel extremely uncomfortable in each other's presence.
(darkwaterreflection: for details, kindly go back to chapter 3 or 4 (I forgot) of SorrowFilled Eyes. Thank you, and have a nice day. XP)
Slowly, she made her way down into the arena. Kiba was waiting for her, and he looked as uncomfortable as she did.
There was silence for a few minutes as both pointedly refused to look at each other. Then, Kiba broke it.
"Hinata-chan," he said loudly, causing her to look up. "I know I should have said this earlier, but I guess I just couldn't find the right way to say it. I'm sorry for what I did in the past. Please know that, no matter what I feel for you, I won't let it get in the way of our friendship."
Hinata smiled. "Arigato, Kiba-kun."
Kiba smiled. "Let's do our best, Hinata-chan."
She nodded, then immediately moved into her fighting stance.
Kiba grinned as Akamaru jumped off his head and stood beside him, teeth bared.
The referee looked at each of them, then nodded. "Hajime!"
"Akamaru!" Kiba yelled, placing his hands together to form a seal. "Now!"
With an excited yip, Akamaru began to transform. Kiba bent forward, as if he was about to attack, then…
Everything stopped. Kiba was looking at Hinata with wide eyes that looked completely shocked. He didn't move; didn't say anything. He just stood there for what seemed an eternity.
"K-kiba-kun?" Hinata said tentatively. "A-are you a-alright?"
Suddenly
He fell face forward, hitting the floor with a soft thump. Hinata gave a small squeak of surprise and jumped back.
A kunai was embedded in his neck. Her pale gaze traveled from the blade of that deadly weapon, to the eyes of the murderer, who was standing behind his victim.
Her silver eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
"N-neji-nii-san…"
A/N: I really don't know if you guys were expecting that, but if you were, sorry I made it so obvious.
And let's give a round of applause to Sasuke. NOW you know why he did it in the first place. At least we know they've got unrivaled friendship…
sigh I really wanted to kill him off, but nee-san might kill me, so…
Three more chapters and this is done!
Next chapter will be short. Just thought I ought to warn you…
Bye!
PostScript: 'Hajime' means 'Begin'. But if you already knew that…
