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Warning: Mature content. You've been warned.

Chapter 3

One year ago…

It was her 18th birthday and Hinata was crying.

After her small birthday party with friends and family, when she was about to sleep, her sister Hanabi came to her room to tell her something she couldn't imagine. Her beloved cousin was going to a college in Suna - a city far from their home. And he would go tomorrow, without saying goodbye, without even her knowing.

When she showed up at his bedroom's doorstep with a face so red, Neji easily figured out what happened. He sighed and mumbled. "That little girl!"

"No! Don't blame Hanabi. She didn't do anything wrong." Hinata snapped, and she rarely snapped at anyone, let alone her cousin, who she adored and admired very much.

Not wanting to cause a scene and disturb Hiashi, who was working late in his office downstairs, Neji took a hold of her wrist and pulled her into his room. "Lower your voice. Uncle is working late."

Once inside his room, Hinata got a full picture of what was going on, what he had been hiding from her. His room was a little messy as he was packing for moving to Suna. Some clothes were scattered on the floor, some packed neatly inside a suitcase. Books were also taken from the shelves, and stacked into another suitcase.

"Why?" Her voice cracked as she asked him. Her pale eyes were looking at him so intensively that Neji had to look to the side, avoiding her eyes. She really couldn't understand why. Why did he have to go to Suna? Its college was not that good and he was already got accepted into the best college in Konoha. But what she wanted to know more was why he hid it from her. Weren't they cousins? Weren't they family? Had they not grown up together and shared every little thing? She should be the first person to know he was leaving for Suna, not the only one to not know anything.

"It's better if you didn't know."

Hinata couldn't believe it. It took her a few moments to process what he just said. "Better? For me? Or for you?"

For both of us.

From an early age, Neji knew Hinata was special to him. The first time he saw her, he thought she was so cute. When his father was alive, he had always been looking forward to weekends, not to go out with friends but to come to visit her at her house. He always spent his weekends with her, playing with her in the garden, sometimes helping her study, and even taking care of Hanabi together with her. Those were happy, carefree times until his father passed away.

After his father's death, Neji moved in with his uncle, Hinata's father. He got to spend even more time with her. Neji remembered nights when he cried to sleep, she would quietly sneak into his bed and comfort him. She would put her forehead against his, whispering comforting words to him, her hands holding his tightly. When he woke up in the morning after, he would find her sleeping next to him, face smeared with dried tears. Their position had changed a little but her hands never left his.

The more they grew up, the better Neji started to understand his feelings. He wanted her to be happy, to make her smile every day, to want the best for her. He didn't need any repayments, he just simply loved her.

She had grown up to be a beautiful girl. She had long hair like her mother, a fair complexion, and pale eyes that could speak words. Hinata was a shy girl. She could easily blush at the lightest tease from her friends. While she was the epitome of innocence, Neji was the worst. When she kissed his forehead or his cheek, he bit his lips to stop himself from pulling her into a passionate kiss. When she held his hand, it took all of his willpower to not guide her hand to his chest so that she could know how fast his heart was beating. He wanted to do all the dirty things to her and he hated himself for that.

When her 18th birthday was approaching, he decided he had to leave. If he was far away from her, maybe these feelings would someday go away. Maybe after 2 or 3 years, he could return and truly feel like a cousin to her again. He didn't tell her he was leaving because if she knew, she would try to spend more time with him and care for him more. He could imagine her saying. "Because you're leaving, let me care for you the last time."

Neji didn't want that because he knew if she did that, his resolve to leave wouldn't last long. So he decided she would be the only person to not know he was leaving. He made Hanabi and Hiashi promise that they wouldn't tell her a word, lying that he didn't want to make her sad. It took a lot of effort to convince them but eventually, they agreed with him. Obviously, Hanabi didn't keep her promise.

"I would never stop you if you really want to go to Suna. I always support you and your dream so why didn't you let me know you're leaving?" Tears were streaming down her face and it pained Neji to see her like that. He used to make her smile, but now she was crying because of him.

"It's late now. My plane will take off at 6 AM so if you want to see me off, you should get some sleep first." Neji moved to open the door for her but Hinata grabbed his arm, pulling him back. She had never been this determined in her life before.

"No. I'm not going anywhere until you tell me why. Did I do something wrong? Did I make you mad?"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong. It's all my fault."

"Then tell me. Whatever your fault is that you can't let me know you're leaving just tell me. We're cousins, aren't we?"

Cousins. Oh, how he hated that word. Neji thought of how much things would have been different if they weren't cousins. He could have courted her as any man would to the woman they loved. He could have wanted to kiss her without feeling so disgusted about himself. He could have cared for her without having to disguise it as brotherly love. And he would never have to run away from the girl he loved just to protect her from being tainted by himself.

With all the depressing thoughts coming down at him all at once, he blurted out without thinking. "I wish we weren't cousins."

The air was suffocating. Hinata was completely silent. No more crying, no more sobbing, no more questioning, she just stood there, unmoving, soulless.

Her throat felt dry as she spoke. "Cousins or not, I still love you."

As if triggered by her words, his eyes nearly turned into slits as he stood tall, towering over her. "Don't say that word. Don't say what you don't mean."

"Just keep telling yourself that," Hinata said as she walked to the door, hand holding their doorknob, preparing to leave. She had said what she had to, the rest was up to him to decide. "You're a coward."

Hinata didn't know what happened, but one moment she was at the door, and the next she was on his bed with Neji towering over her. "Will you still love me if I do this to you?"

She had never known her cousin could be this big. She knew he was tall, he had put on a lot of muscles during his puberty, but only when she was under him did she realize how small she was compared to him. "Do what? What could you possibly do that could hurt me? Aside from leaving me without me even knowing?"

"I'm just trying to protect you."

"From what?" Hinata was getting frustrated. What he was saying made no sense at all.

"From myself." And with that, his lips touched hers.

It was just an innocent kiss. His lips gently touched hers and that was all. He just wanted to scare her a little, so that she knew she should stay away from him. He was risking her being disgusted by him for the rest of her life, but if that could put an end to all of this, so be it.

But why was she kissing him back? Wasn't she supposed to push him away, slap him across his face, and tell him he was the worst?

The supposedly innocent kiss quickly turned into a passionate one as she wound her arms around his neck, wouldn't want to let him go. His tongue was asking for an entrance which she shyly granted him. He slid his tongue into her mouth, looking for her shy one. He gently sucked her tongue, fitting it between his lips. His teeth sunk into her bottom lips, biting her very softly. And after some sucking and biting, he would lick her lips as if to comfort her.

Her lips were soft, shy, and a little trembling. She was the one turning this supposed innocent kiss into a hungry one but she clearly had no idea what to do. She let him take the lead, bringing her pleasure after pleasure.

"Do I look like I need or want to be protected from you?" She asked once the kiss ended.

"No. You look... beautiful." Neji whispered and she blushed shyly. He had many times told her she was cute but never beautiful.

He kissed her again, but this time not on her lips but her neck. His lips left decorative red marks on her creamy neck and she turned her head to give him more access. She felt his tongue on her skin, his teeth biting her gently. His right hand sneaked under the small of her back, pushing her closer to him and her back arched, pressing her breasts against his chest.

He trailed his kisses lower, taking time to appreciate her sweet skin. How many times had he dreamed of kissing her like this that he wanted to enjoy every second of it when it came true? When he reached her breasts, he could hear the sound of her heart beating fast and couldn't help but smile. She was shy and she was nervous.

His breath was taken away when she pulled her shirt over her head, leaving herself in just a white bra, a color that suited her very much. As much as he liked her bra, it had to come off. His hand slid under her bra, feeling the soft flesh in his hand. Their size was even bigger than his hand. Now he knew why she always wore baggy clothes, and he was thankful for that.

The bra soon joined her shirt on the floor. Her two globes were perfect, soft and ripe with pink nipples. Her nipple was hard in his mouth. He fondled it with his tongue, sucked at it with his lips, and bit it very gently because he knew the nipples were sensitive. He cupped her other breast in his left hand, rubbing the nipple between his fingers.

Still sucking at her nipple, he looked up to watch her and wasn't disappointed at all. Her face was red and flustered, her eyes were closed tightly as if she was too shy to watch him devour her breasts. But when her curiosity got the better of her, she opened her eyes just a little to look down, just the same time he looked up and met her eyes. Wanting to tease her, he opened his mouth, letting her see her red nipple between his teeth, on his wet tongue, covered in his saliva before slowly closing his mouth for a gentle bite.

"You want to tease me, don't you?" She asked between moaning. Instead of answering her, he switched to her other breast, giving it the same treatment as its twin.

He let out a grunt when she slid her fingers into his long hair, gently stroking his head as if encouraging him to continue. And continue he did.

When he was done with her breasts, he trailed his lips lower and lower, putting lingering kisses on her flat stomach until he reached her most private part. He helped her take off her panties, throwing it onto the floor. Without wasting any second, he nestled his head between her thighs, appreciating how wet she was.

"W-What are you doing?" Hinata squeaked when his head was suddenly between her thighs.

"I'll make you feel good."

She was confused, but most of all, she was embarrassed. He was having his face so close to her most private part, looking so calm while she was a trembling mess. She didn't know what she was supposed to do and it made her even more nervous.

She nearly screamed when he suddenly licked her there. His tongue pressed flat against her folds, making gentle strokes inside her. Just like with her breasts, he sucked and licked, slow strokes turning into rapid probings. He dragged his tongue along her slit, pushing it inside her, arresting her nub between his teeth.

Hinata was trembling so badly. Her back arched when his tongue thrust inside her. Her thighs attempted to rub against each other, squeezing his face between them but Neji's hands kept them spread wide for him. It was embarrassing but she couldn't help but see the scene herself. Propping her upper body on her arms, she looked down to see his brown-haired head nestle between her thighs, slightly moving as he pleasured her with his tongue. Her moans filled the room and it was music to his ears.

She was getting wetter as her liquid started to leak out. He saw her pink muscles contract and knew she was near. It took just a few more probings and she came onto his face. Rising from his position between her thighs, he kissed her again, letting her taste herself. His lips were wet with her juice and she took all of that into her mouth.

The first time she saw his member, she knew he was big. It stood strong and proud and throbbing. She could even feel the heat coming from it.

"I'll be gentle." He assured her as he prepared for her. He put one finger in, testing her entrance, and had to bite back a groan because she was tight. Her walls squeezed his finger immediately, didn't want to let it go. He put in another finger, loosening her a little more. She winced at the intruding digits. It didn't feel like his tongue and it even hurt a little.

After some preparation, Neji decided it was time. He had his member positioned at her entrance but he made no move to thrust in. He was hesitant because this would hurt her. This was the girl he loved, but also his cousin. Was this the right thing to do?

He was pulled out of his thoughts when her hand cupped his face. She pulled him down for a light kiss and whispered. "You could never hurt me."

"Hinata..." He whispered her name, putting his forehead against her. He breathed in her lilac smell.

"Make love to me, nii-san."

That was all he needed. All retrains gone, he spread her legs wide, and slowly went into her. Inch by inch, his members disappeared into her.

Her inside was warm, soft, and felt incredibly good. The pink flesh was throbbing, contracting around his member, making him groan loudly. His fingers spread her folds a little bit wider so he could go in deeper. Hinata winced, biting her lips as tears pricked her eyes, but she made no move to stop him. She trusted him.

He remained unmoving for a few moments, letting her take in some air and relax. Hinata couldn't understand why something could hurt and feel incredibly good at the same time. He interlaced his fingers with hers, bending down to kiss her lightly on the lips before starting to move, slowly at first then faster and faster. Every time he entered her, her walls squeezed him a little more tightly as if didn't want to let him go.

She was panting, moaning, and throbbing down there. The pain gradually faded as the pleasure started to build. Her legs wrapped around his waist, pushing him deeper into her warmth. His moves were calculated, rubbing his flesh against hers for more pleasure before pulling out and entering her again. Just when she thought it couldn't feel better, he squeezed his hand between their bodies, long fingers found her little nub, rubbing her rapidly.

"N-Neji... Ah..." She moaned his name, gasping at his sudden tactic. When the pleasure was too much to bear, she wound her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hungry kiss. This time her tongue slid into his mouth, biting and licking him. She vaguely registered that her hips was moving uncontrollably to meet his thrusts, rubbing her folds against his flesh.

Neji was feeling as much as she did. How did they come to this point? Wasn't he supposed to stay away from her? Instead, he was being inside her, kissing her, tainting her. It's not a one-time incident because he knew once he got to try her taste, he would be insatiable. He looked down at her, she was all red and flustered but still managed to look so beautiful. Her breasts bounced with each of his thrusts, her mouth letting out moans, and her eyes never left his. He never thought there would be one day he got to see her like this.

He would make love to her again and again. He would make her happy, make her smile, and always be there for her. It was his promise when he climaxed, spurting his milky substance inside her. Immediately, he pulled her into a hug, letting her bury her face in his chest. She was trembling uncontrollably down there, twitching and clenching around him.

He stayed inside her for a few moments, making sure he was completely empty before pulling out. Milky liquid leaked out of her, dripping down her slit and the sight made his member twitch, bringing it to life again. Not wanting to exhaust her more, he carefully hid his hard member between his legs and cupped her face between his hands so that she wouldn't notice. He kissed her gently, whispering words he had never said before. "I love you."

"I love you." Hinata would never know the power these words hold over him. From that moment, Neji had decided she was his and his alone. He used to be a coward who was afraid of his own feelings but from now on, he would fight for them.

"I'm sorry." Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts and when he looked at her with a questioning gaze, she quickly explained. "Your plane will take off at 6 AM and I didn't let you sleep. You didn't even finish packing your belongings"

"I'm not going anywhere."

"You stay?" Her eyes widened in surprise. Without any thinking, she pulled him into another kiss, though she couldn't count how many times they had kissed tonight. "Thank you... O-Oh..."

Hinata squeaked when she felt something hot and hard touching her thigh. Looking down, she noticed his member had shown some signs of life again.

"Sorry." Neji quickly said, throwing a blanket over them so she wouldn't see anything. "It's okay. Go to sleep."

"B-But I... y-your..." She stuttered, face blushing brightly.

"I don't want to exhaust you more. It's probably going to calm down soon… H-Hinata!" He groaned when she suddenly dove under the blanket, straddling him. Her thighs gripped his hips as she fit his hard member between her folds but not quite having him inside her yet.

"I w-want to." She was clearly nervous but tried to act boldly.

"You need some sleep," Neji said, suddenly feeling like a hypocrite because his hands were gripping her hips as he slowly lowered her down, groaning as her folds once again clamped around him.

"Uhm… Nii-san…" She gulped as she started to ride him, seemingly wanting to tell him something.

"What is this, Hinata?" He asked against her breasts, catching a hard nipple inside his mouth. He couldn't resist when they bounced in front of him like that.

"It's not 0 AM yet so technically, I'm still 17." She said, breathlessly.

Neji froze. He looked up at her with wide eyes, mouth agape. "Uncle is going to kill me."

But Hiashi didn't need to know. He would know someday, but not now.

Hinata looked down at him and couldn't help but smile. She loved him and it was good to know he loved her too. She bent down to kiss him one more time, feeling his smile against her lips. A feeling of fullness that no words could describe filled her. She felt whole, happy, and loved.

Present

When Hinata opened her eyes, she was met with a gray ceiling.

She sat up, feeling a headache coming. It was suddenly worse than usual. Maybe it was because she had had a weird dream. She couldn't remember what she dreamed about exactly but it felt intimate. When she tried to remember it, her head would protest and the headache would turn terrible. So she decided not to think about it.

It was early in the morning and the sun hadn't even risen. Outside was still somewhat dark but she knew she wouldn't be able to return to sleep. Sasuke was probably still sleeping right now. She turned to look at him, sleeping on the bed opposite hers and confirming that her assumption was correct.

Sasuke's apartment was small but he managed to fit in another bed. Only Naruto showed up to help Sasuke move in some stuff for her stay. Hinata had not seen Sakura since that day in the hospital.

After a while, her headache started to disappear. It was relieving and she let out a long sigh. Hinata wondered if this would continue for the rest of her life.

Hinata wondered what she should be doing now. It was impossible to return to sleep after a headache, it was also too early in the morning to start making breakfast, and just sitting here and doing nothing was boring. After some thought, she decided to take a walk outside. The doctor said a little exercise in the morning would be good for her health.

After changing into a shirt and sweatpants, she left the apartment, being as quiet as possible because she didn't want to wake Sasuke up. Once outside, she took a deep breath, appreciating the fresh air. She could even taste the salt in the air as this was a coastal town. Guess nearly drowning in the sea didn't make her scared of it at all.

Hinata didn't have a clear destination in mind. She just walked and walked, taking time watching the roads, hearing the birds sing, and feeling the soft light on her skin. It was peaceful.

She kept walking until her legs took her to the beach where she almost drowned to death. Her feet were buried in the sand as she took careful steps forward and stopped when she started to feel the waters splash against her legs. Closing her eyes, she tried to remember that day. The waves were strong, the wind was howling, the water was cold, and it was hard to breathe, but not even a clue of who she was. How come she almost drown in the sea? Why did she even come to this town in the first place?

The headache was approaching, it always did when she tried to remember her past. Her ears were ringing, and the back of her head started throbbing but she didn't stop. There was someone, maybe a man, looking at her with soft eyes.

"I know I will find you here."

Startled, she opened her eyes and turned around. Sasuke, still in his pajamas, was looking at her. His dark eyes were soft as he walked to her. "You're crying."

She flinched, hand lifting to touch her face. She definitely was crying and she didn't even notice. Her tears just fell on their own and she couldn't control them. Even now, they continued to fall, wetting her cheeks despite her telling herself to stop because she didn't want Sasuke to see her like this.

"S-Sorry." She said, wiping the tears with the back of her hands. "I don't know why. I just... I'm sorry."

"Trying to remember your past?" He asked.

"It's silly, isn't it?" She faked a nervous smile, avoiding his eyes. "Thinking that I could somehow magically get my memories back. I mean, even the doctors can't do anything about it."

Hinata was good at hiding her wants. She had told him she wanted her memories back but it was because he asked her, not because she wanted to tell him. If she hadn't told him, he would have assumed she didn't care much about her past, which he used to.

Seeing the sea must have triggered something in her. Maybe it was her near-death experience, maybe she had started to remember something before being interrupted by him. This wasn't the first time he wondered how she ended up in the sea. Why did she come to this little town in the first place? This town had no tourist attraction, where she nearly drowned wasn't even a beach.

"If we could get you to the big hospital in the city, there might be a chance for you to get your memories back." He suggested.

"The city?" She asked, a little confused.

"Konoha. It's the biggest city in the country. I heard that Konoha's hospital is the best. Sakura has always dreamed of working there."

"It sounds... expensive." She hesitated but then quickly became determined. "I'll work for it, even if it will take me a lifetime."

Sasuke noticed she wasn't crying anymore. The tears were dried on her pale cheeks and his hand was itching to wipe them away. Instead, to suppress that strange urge, he turned away and began to leave, pleased to hear her light footsteps following him.

Sasuke was glad she didn't point out that he was still in his pajamas. It's because when he woke up and found her bed empty, he was so frantic to look for her that he left his apartment without changing.

Looking over his shoulders, he noticed the determined look on her face that he hadn't seen before. Although he was the one suggesting Konoha hospital, he wasn't sure himself if they could help her. There was only one way to know and they would have to work for it.