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The next day they got up early and moved on their way. The border of the Land of Earth was not so far away but getting to the Iwagakure (Village Hidden by Rocks) would take them approximately tree days of not so intense walking. They didn't discuss the events of the day before but had no trouble going back to normal which was satisfying for both of them. There was no need for rush with this.

They crossed the border and stopped for a while of rest. Their surroundings have changed. There still were a lot of trees and other flora but air was more dry and the land lacked grass more and more. Hinata has never been in this country before so she didn't know what to expect. When they were ready to move on she sensed something and was instantly stuck. She activated Byakugan and confirmed her suspicions. When Sasuke saw her reaction he was ready to fight but she stopped him. They had to hide somewhere. It was Kiba, Shino and Akamaru. She wasn't ready to see them right now. She swallowed and run up the tree. Sasuke was bewildered but didn't follow her. After only few seconds he could hear Kibas laughter and was irritated at once. When they came close enough to see Sasuke both Kiba and Shino stopped dead in their tracks.

It was still strange for everybody to think about Sasuke as an ally after what he's been doing. Also seeing him triggered their fight-or-flight response. Most people of Konoha were relieved when he left the village, that included these two. They had to gather up the courage and started walking again. Kiba tried to smile even.

„Long time no see" he welcomed Sasuke. Shino barely nodded his head but it was probably normal for him. They didn't know if they should stop and talk. It was strange to do so to be honest. Sasuke sensed how tense they were and decided to relieve them of this pressure by nodding and going away. These two have never been his close friends so there was no weirdness for him in doing so. What did bother him was how Hinata ran from this encounter.

When he was far enough Hinata joined him. She shook her head when he looked at her questioning. She was not ready to answer this question with her heart still pounding. When she left she didn't say goodbye to anybody including her team. It would be hard seeing them now. She was sure they were mad at her for leaving. And she knew they would try and convince her to go back with them. This was just too complicated for now.

When they decided to stop for the night she checked once again if they were alone. It was the first time she met anybody from home. Well, maybe not met but seen. She was relieved that they haven't sensed her.

„I haven't said my goodbyes when I went away" she said quietly once the fire was set. He looked in her direction. That explained today.

„Why?"

„I didn't want them to try and stop me. I just wanted out." But that wasn't all. She felt shame. That's what really had stopped her from bidding everyone. He came to her and placed his hand on her knee. He understood her completely. „It's gonna be hard to come back, isn't it?"

„It is" there was no point in lying to her. Returning was one of the hardest things he did and leaving again was all he wanted from the first step he made in Konoha. To him it was easier to see people stray away from him anywhere else than in his home town and couldn't care less what anybody thought about it. He was deep in this thoughts when he felt something wet. She was crying. The only thing he could think of was to hug her and when he did her sobs only became louder. He started stroking her arm. He was nervous for he didn't know what to do in these kind of situations. And he didn't like not knowing.

„I'll help you come back" he whispered when she calmed down. „I'll go back with you when you'll feel like it" she was so grateful for these words but she knew she would never make him go back if he didn't want to. She wasn't that selfish.

At night Hinata wondered for the millionth time what had Kiba and Shino felt when she was gone. Would they ever forgive her? It was then that she decided to write a letter to her friends. First one.


A year ago. Konoha.

Kiba went to see Hinata in the Hyūga compound but she wasn't there and nobody knew where she was. It was odd for her not to tell anybody she was going out but he didn't think about it much that time. It wasn't until the next day he was really worried. Hinata didn't come home for the night and it was so unlike her. He, Akamaru and Shino searched for her all day but there was no trail left. Kiba felt anxiousness creeping up on him. Where could she be?

They both knew she was in a bad shape after coming home from the war. She stopped coming to see them and was more and more distant. Could she have done something stupid? When they didn't find her that day they decided to go to the Hokage.

Kiba was furious at first. How could she have left? Without saying anything to them to make things worse. He wanted to go after her but was banned by Tsunade. He had no idea what to do with himself. Team 8 was always the closest of all the teams. How could she ruin it by going away? What made him more mad was that Shino and Kurenai-sensei weren't. As soon as they got the news they stopped worrying and said they understood. Kiba couldn't understand. He was training with Akamaru when Shino came up to him one afternoon. When Kiba asked him how could he be so calm about this he said.

„It's not that I'm not angry she didn't tell us. It's just that I know she did need to do this" this was his answer. The more Kiba thought about these words the calmer he was. Maybe they were right. Hinata was so lost for the pas few weeks, he almost didn't recognize his best friend. But nothing could help how sad her decision made him feel.

When they told what happened to their friends they all were in constipation. Nobody would have seen that coming from timid and sweet Hinata. All of them felt more or less the impact of the war and most of them simply accepted the fact of her departure. One of the reactions Kiba didn't expect was the one Naruto had. If he didn't know better he would have thought that the blonde was a mature person. He was visibly sad but didn't react the way Kiba did. There was a deep understanding of this situation in his eyes. Kiba felt almost as if Naruto took it personally.

There was one other person who took it different than anybody had expected. Hinatas father. When Hokage told him about his daughters choice he seemed proud.

Now, after a year, Kiba wanted her back. How much time would it take her to come back home? He wasn't mad anymore, there was no strength left in him to be angry at her. He wondered daily where she was and what was she doing. The idea of her sitting by the sea was born by his imagination. He only hoped she wouldn't cross that deep.

Seeing Sasuke was weird. Not only because of the past but also because he seemed as if there was someone else with him. He was standing there alone but there was something else. Kiba was suddenly suspicious of his former friend. What was it that he was hiding? If he could he would follow him to find out but they had to go back and give Hokage report from their mission.


The next day she felt a lot better. There still was that pain in her chest but it wasn't overwhelming anymore. She felt lighter on her feet and was ready to see the world. When she has first begun her journey she didn't know what to do. She has been wandering aimlessly everyday. When she has come to the Village Hidden by Whirling Tides she has understood what she has wanted to do. Although it had been destroyed she could have seen how beautiful it used to be. She has known it to be the village to the Uzumaki clan and back then it has not been the best place for her but once again she owed to the name because it was this place that has given her the purpose of traveling and getting to know the world. Right now she felt this need again.

Sasuke was aware of the change in her mood. She was once again looking at the world around them as if she saw it for the first time, amazed by every little thing. She was a ninja who was still able to be curious as a child. He always has thought it to be impossible but there she was. He smiled to himself. His wish was for her to be always like that. Still he didn't believe it to come true, world wasn't something to be amazed by all the time. But he wasn't going to be the one to bring her down today.

„You know, this lands specialty when it comes to food is the „Rock Rice Cake". We can stop by in the next village and get some" he saw the way she looked at him. Happy and curious.

„I thought you don't like sweets" she smiled.

„I can try them" he winked and she laughed. He was caught off guard when she grabbed his hand. Her hands were so small compared to his but felt just in place. Hinata suddenly had an idea. She was traveling with the most skilled ninja there is, why not make something of it?

„Sasuke?" She looked at him. „Maybe we could, I mean, maybe you could train with me sometime?" She was embarrassed to ask but she did want to become stronger and this was probably the best way to do it. He pondered for a while.

„Sure" he couldn't see why not. „Why though?"

„Well, one of the reasons I'm here is to get stronger" she said simply. She was glad that he was not aware how grand it was that she was able to ask him that. She did come a long way after all. At least she hoped so.

They still had at least a day long journey ahead of them when they reached the nearest village. It wasn't particularly on their way but when they tasted the rice cakes they both agreed in silence that it was a good choice to come here. Sasuke really didn't like sweets but this one was good, he would probably eat another sometime. Since they were near the motel they decided to spend the night in the village.

Once in her room Hinata sat down and wrote the letter to Konoha. She still was not sure what she should write in ti and even while writing words seemed weird and out of place. It wasn't a long letter but she felt the need to send it. When she finished she went to the reception desk and asked for them to send it with their mail. There was no going back from it now.