Hi! I just want to thank everyone who reviewed my story. No matter how long or short it may be, it still makes me happy. Although, I want to focus on one particular review about this being a harem and my reasoning for Naruto's behaviour is so shallow to say the least. However, I want you to understand that it is the beauty of studying Psychology (as I am a Psych major), you can understand how important individual differences are. There are a lot of theories to explain behaviour but there is only one thing for sure, that people react to the same things, same situations in a very different manner. So, if you cannot fully accept Naruto's behaviour because it might be contradicting to your own morals, then I feel sad that you are not that understanding of a person. However, I will not take that against you, because again we are all different individuals with different backgrounds, experiences and life lessons.

Also, I want to comment on one of the reviews stating that Naruto is a bit OOC. Actually, I made that purposely, as for the reasons, you may find out real soon.

And of course, thank you guys for the awesome reviews, no matter how negative or positive it is. It spices up my boring and busy life.

Lastly, I don't own anything. All belongs to Masashi Kishimoto-sensei and his brilliant ideas. Well, except for the plot.

Enjoy reading! (8/17/2017)

Chapter 7

Hinata was wearing her white bridal gown. It is something that she has always dreamed of, but now that she is already wearing it she felt like she does not deserve to wear it. Only those who are virgin and pure can wear a white gown, not someone like her who has been already tainted even before her marriage. As she looks in the mirror, she felt nothing. She is to be wed with the man of her dreams, but she is also aware that it is bound to end anyway. She should be happy, but she just cannot.

It is almost time for her wedding. She is as nervous as a train-wreck. She is alone staring into nothing, not thinking, not moving, not living, and just breathing. This is the day. Am I ready for this?

As she looked at her hands, she saw her engagement ring. It is a white gold with the most beautiful amethyst she had seen. She had been her happiest when Naruto proposed to her on her 20th birthday. She did not expect for him to propose to her, given how complicated their situation is. But she certainly did not expect the arrival of her cousin on her party, which she guiltily considered as just nuisance on her special day.

She recalled how all their lady friends stared at the newly arrived person. She remembered how the guys stopped their movements as they watch the seen unfolding in their eyes. She reminisced how Naruto breathed her cousin's name as he slowly let go of her hands and waist. She recollected how much hurt she felt that moment that she did nothing but stare.

"Shion," Naruto whispered, a frown marking his brows, "what are you doing here?"

Shion laughed heartily as she approached Hinata beside Naruto, "I am here to greet my cousin, of course. What other reasons should I have then?" she asked Naruto as she raised her eyebrows, "Happy birthday, my dear cousin," she greeted, kissing Hinata's cheeks, "and congratulations to your engagement."

Hinata could only stand there frozen, but she managed to say "thank you" at least. She is so confused by what is happening. And what shocked her more is when Shion kissed Naruto on the side of his lips soundly in front of their parents and their friends.

Naruto backed away and pushed Shion away from him and Hinata. "Shion, we need to talk." Naruto domineeringly said.

Shion frowned, not expecting the kind of treatment she received from the person she supposed that loves her. She can only nod and mutter a single 'okay'.

Hinata, on the other hand, does not know what to feel of what is happening. Is he just backing away because our parents are here? I don't understand him anymore.

The moment Naruto pulled Shion away from the group of people; in the end, he still chose her. She wfelt her ring finger grow heavier by the moment. She took a moment to glance at it and notice how it fits her perfectly, yet she felt suffocated by the mere presence of it. This is just a lie, just like everything that happened tonight. His gift, this ring, everything is just a mistake; a lie that is bound to end. Hinata felt her knees losing its strength. Kushina swiftly approach her and whispered in her, "I really don't like your cousin, one bit."

Inasmuch as she hates to admit it to herself, she doesn't like her cousin too. Me too, Kushina-obaa, me too.

Hinata was pulled away from her trance when she heard a knock from the other side of the door. "Hinata, dear, are you all ready?"

Hinata tried to swallow and calm herself, this is it. "Yes, Kushina-obaasan" she replied as she opened the door to her soon-to-be mother-in-law. The time has come.

Kushina entered her room and gave her a once-over, then she felt rather than see her smile. "You look so wonderful, dear." The woman in front of her muttered as she wiped her tears, "I am so happy that you will finally be my daughter-in-law. My son would finally be happy."

Hinata did not understand what the red-haired told her. She frowned and Kushina may have noticed this for she added as she touched her hands, "I know that my son is so in love—or so he thought—with your cousin. I am fully aware of his infatuation to the lady, but I know that she will never be the one he needs. She will never make her happy." The blue-haired bride heard her sigh, "I know that he was broken because of us. That instead of completing him, of building him, that we ruined him. Minato and I know how hard it is for him to entrust his heart to anybody, ever again, because of our inability to be good parents."

Hinata felt numb, they are aware but why let him be like this? She doesn't know what to say or do that she just let Kushina continue what she was saying, "I know how hard this decision that you have made. You might say that I am just using you so that the responsibility of loving and taking care of my son would be lift from Minato and mine's shoulders, but you have to understand how I am aware of how broken you are also. With your mom passing away at a very young age, how you need to be the mother and sister that Hanabi needs, how you have to be so outstanding in everything you do to make your father proud, and how you are still fighting to live perfectly no matter how imperfect your life may be. But Hinata, I love you like my own child, and inasmuch that I want my son to be happy, I also want you to be. Surely, this is a very big leap for your life, but I know how much you love my son; and that my son feels the same way for you."

That was when Hinata gasped, widen her eyes, and said, "Obaasan, you must be mistaken. Naruto-kun will never ever love a person like me. He loves my cousin, and it is enough for me to see him happy." She sighed and looked down, "please don't make this any harder for me. I have already decided to set aside my own feelings to help Naruto-kun be happy. This marriage is just a means to an end. It is true that I love your son, but please stop giving me false hopes that he might love me back, because I know that he will never. And my heart can no longer take any more expectations only to be disappointed in the future." She looked back at her, seeing as to how Kushina started crying wholeheartedly, "I am so sorry Kushina-obaasan, I hope you will understand soon. Besides, I will never stop loving Naruto-kun, because he is my anchor of strength. I loved him even before everything we've had, I love him now even if he does not feel the same way for me, and I will always love him even until my heart stops beating."

"Thank you, Hinata." Kushina smiled at her which she sincerely returned, "And please call me mom."

Hinata felt her cheeks burn as her heart felt warm by the acceptance, "Thank you, mom," and she hugged her, laying her head on her fiancée's mother.

Hinata stood outside the church doors. She cannot contain her feelings. She felt like anytime now she'll collapse because of nervousness. It has been a week since the last time that she saw him. The last time was on the New Year's Eve, where their whole group of friends celebrated Konoha U's victory against Suna. Even Gaara and Kankuro, whom they've been close friends with, also attended with their sister Temari who was with her boyfriend, Shikamaru.

Although feeling like this, she also feels excited that finally she'll get married to the man she loves for so long. Well, 16 years is really long. As she waited for her signal to walk inside the aisle, she reminisce their journey together, how she fell in love, and how they managed to get here, somehow.

Hinata was with her mom visiting Suna. They were to attend the Otsutsuki reunion which was this year hosted here in Sunagakure. They were currently wandering on the streets of Suna Park when Hinata collapsed out of exhaustion and fatigue. She was immediately confined in the Konoha General Hospital which is just beside the orphanage. There they learned that Hinata was also suffering from a heart condition which her mom also has, cardiomyopathy.

It has already been a week since she was confined. Her father and uncle with her cousin already visited her. She still cannot go back to Konoha since she still has to complete her antibiotic shot for pneumonia before she can fly back home.

Her everyday routine consists only of reading and watching television; something that both bored her and made her stay enjoyable. However, that one morning, her whole life changed. She was reading one of her favourite children's books when someone suddenly entered her room. It was a big and bulky guy. She was confused but she just sat there and waited for the guy to leave the room if he somehow realized that he is in the wrong place. But she was wrong; the guy never left the room, well not until she was grabbed and forced to leave the room with the mystery man.

She tried to push the man away, kicking and scratching the man; but being as small as three years old really has disadvantages. The grip of the man on her body was way too hard that all her struggles and effort to escape was to no avail. As they passed the hallways of the hospital, everyone—the nurses, patients, doctors, and visitors alike—became so wary. Some even tried to approach the man holding her, but the attempts stop when the man pulled out a gun and shot the ceiling. Everyone was so panicked that they did not know what to do, until they rode the empty elevators.

They were already in the parking lot, when they both heard the signal from the hospital building. They must have called the police. They were about to enter one of the cars, as Hinata still struggle away from the man and now already crying from all the stress, when they heard a sound.

"Hey! Old man! I don't think that the kid wants to go with you!" said a small yet firm voice. Hinata stopped struggling, the same moment the man stopped unlocking his car door. They both looked around and saw a blond boy with a hand on his hips and the other pointing at their direction. "Let go of her!" At their estimation, the kid must be the same age as Hinata. It has blue eyes and yellow hair that stood out. They still stood there motionless as they both hear the kid shout again, "I said let go of her or I will call the nuns and hit your hand! The nuns said that it is not good to force people into doing things they do not like! Aren't you old enough to know that?"

Hinata was so still, just listening to the brave kid, who she figured was just the same age as her. She can never be that strong-willed. How can that kid be so tough and not be afraid of this person? Hinata took that opportunity to bit the hand that was holding her. The big burly man screamed in pain and let go of her, "Fuck you Hyuuga!"

Hinata took that opportunity to run towards the direction of the blonde kid. The kid held her hand and swiftly ran away from the man now holding her gun in their direction. As they run as fast as they could back to the hospital, they heard a gunshot which made Hinata stop in her tracks. But the kid just drag her harder, "Don't ever look back," Hinata heard the boy saying, "Keep moving forward."

And they just did it, until they are back to the safety of the hospital. The moment they entered and were approached by the staff of the hospital, and that was when they realized that the boy's hand was bleeding. He was shot! And just like that he collapsed.

The man was captured by the police; just a minute after Hinata and the boy was back to the safety of the hospital. Hinata's father filed a case of attempted murder and kidnapping to the man. They learned that the man was named Jugo Taka, one of Orochimaru's henchmen. Orochimaru owned the rival company of the Hyuuga Media Enterprise, the Akatsuki Network. The old man really is a dirty player in everything he does, but no one can deny how genius he is; the downfall is just he uses his brain to ruin other people's lives. And one of his biggest mistakes was hiring Jugo, because he was exposed of his wrongdoings because of Jugo's temper and inability to control the situation. Both Orochimaru and Jugo were sentenced to twenty years of imprisonment for what they both planned and did.

Hinata was back to the hospital, but now not as the patient but as the visitor. She entered the room holding sunflowers. She saw the kid who took the bullet for her sitting and eating ramen.

"Hi. Uhmmm, i-is t-that e-even healthy f-for y-you?" she stuttered.

Blue eyes stared at her for a full minute, the noodles stopped midway to his mouth, and then maybe realizing who she is, he suddenly placed the chopsticks down and pointed in her direction. He does really love to point fingers. As if realizing what she was thinking, the boy grinned and placed his hand behind his head "Hi! Of course! This is the best food, ever!" he laughs, before offering her some, "do you like to try?"

She felt her face reddens at the familiarity from his side that she just shook her head and politely said no, "I-I am j-just h-here to s-say thank you for s-saving me and s-sorry for p-putting y-you in t-that situation." Hinata muttered, looking down as she felt guilt crept to her. She was so ashamed, what if the boy died saving her? How will she explain herself to his parents? Hinata was so nervous and afraid of what he might say that he shocked her when he suddenly laughed.

"No worries! You look so helpless that time that I just can't help myself from barging in." he laughs again, but now more silently, "besides, I love how I am treated special here in the hospital. I get to eat good food like ramen, I get to talk to many people in white, I get to watch Ranma ½ in television without other kids changing the channel, I get to be visited by your parents and you." He chuckled, "So, yeah, I love it here."

Hinata couldn't deny her admiration for him. She smiled back at what she heard. He is just so strong, so tough, so admirable, so endearing that she cannot help herself from seeing him differently. Hinata felt her heart skip a beat; some unknown warmth spread through her.

I like him. She thought, innocently.

She was pulled from her stupor when she heard him say, "I am Naruto Uzumaki, and I want to be your friend."

She felt herself blush once again, and timidly she replied, "I-I am H-Hinata H-Hyuuga and I w-want t-to b-be y-your friend t-too." And from the smile they shared that time, they became fast friends.

Hinata always visited him at the hospital until the time that he is to be sent back to the orphanage. They played together mostly, after Hinata had her check-up and Naruto's medicine. A week passed and it is time for both of them to say goodbye.

With their age, they never really had the chance to exchange e-mails or anything else; they only have their promise to still be friends, visit each other if they have the chance and to never forget each other.

But in Hinata's case, it was never easy for her to keep her promise, no matter how hard she tried. The year after that, when she was four, her mom got pregnant with her sister making her heart condition worsen. When she turned five, she had her first heart attack and on the same year, her mom died from giving birth.

It was already when she was six years old when she saw him again. He had changed; sure he is still as bright as the morning sun, his eyes were happier now, but what bothered her was his whisker marks on both his cheeks. She also noticed that he was no longer an orphan and this only made him easier to be friends with the others. They became classmates in the Academy from first grade until they graduated, but she realized that he must have forgotten her, because never once did he even show any recognition from him nor did he ever approached her. But despite all of this, she continued to admire him. All the things he does, even the smallest act of kindness towards other people make her heart leapt for him even more. Sure, his appearance changed, but he is still the same Naruto-kun that saved her. What even brought her even closer to him, not literally anyway, was his will to never give up. He was not really on top of their class. He even has difficulty to grasp the lessons sometimes, but she can always see him studying when no one is watching. And on top of that, even if he was always reprimanded by the principal for always making a scene, she knows that he only does that when he sees other people being bullied. He wasn't afraid to stand on his ground and take responsibility of his actions, as long as it is in his morals. And she admired him more and more for that.

Not only until they were to apply and take the same entrance exam in middle school that he saw her again, really saw her as her. Hinata thought that it was her chance to befriend him again when she realized that it was her he saved years ago. But, suddenly he was gone again. She had just heard that he was back in Suna.

The moment she realized he was gone, that was also the time that she realized how much she loves him. But middle school passed and he never came back, not even once. They have already graduated in high school and she still cannot forget about him. Every passing moment she thinks about him and the possibility of them meeting once again.

Everything in her perfect life shifted once again when she saw him on the same school with her. And in Shion's party, she just took the opportunity to finally be with him.

When Hinata drunk that glass of vodka handed to her by her cousin, it was an accident. It was her instinct kicking in when she saw Shion kissed Naruto, but happened next was her choice.

She was sitting in one of the lounge chairs when Naruto sat beside her, "Hey Hinata! Never thought you'd be here!" he chuckled, slinking his arms on her shoulders. Hinata can smell the alcohol from his mouth from how close their faces are.

She felt her face redden, but she moved closer anyway to him, loving the heat from his body. "I also never thought you would be here, Naruto-kun." Hinata whispered, her stuttering evidently ceasing to appear.

"Oh! Come on! This is the first party of the college! We can never miss this!" He replied loudly, making the others from hearing range shout in approval. His one hand holding a bottle of beer, while the other drawing Hinata closer to his chest.

Hinata, consumed by alcohol, wrapped her arms on his waist putting her hand inside his jean pocket. Naruto, realizing this, faced Hinata and smirked, "What now Hinata, are you flirting with me?"

Hinata coyly giggled, and in a seductive tone, she answered, "maybe, depends on you."

Naruto widened his eyes first before chuckling, "Oh, okay." And he suddenly kissed her.

People don't really pay attention to them, as almost most of the students there were already making out. Even Hinata's friends were already gone somewhere maybe getting laid, but she doesn't care anyway. All that matters now is Naruto's lips on her mouth; the feeling of giddiness in her; the toe-curling sensation; the butterflies creating havoc in her stomach; the taste of beer and vodka mixed together fuelling their kiss.

Moments later, Naruto pulled back, breathing heavily. Hinata was confused for a moment, until he explained, "this is my first time kissing a girl. I like Shion, and I was thinking it was her, and I cannot control myself anymore. It would be difficult for us to continue this because we might both regret it."

Hinata was disappointed and most especially hurt. He was thinking of Shion while making out with me?! How dare he?! But on the other hand, she realized what he had said; this is his first time kissing someone? Maybe, it was just her selfishness for him that time. Maybe her hormones kicking out. Maybe her lust for him. Or maybe it is just her plain greediness towards him but she said, "I want you" and kissed him again.

He pulled back once again, "Are you sure about this Hinata?"

Hinata doesn't want him to have second thoughts anymore so she just said, "I need you Naruto-kun, and I think it would be best to go back to your apartment now."

"Okay, I'll take your word for that Hinata. Do not go back on your words." And as if he was nervous, he rubbed the back of his head as he awkwardly smiled and said, "Besides I need you too."

Hinata smiled as she remembered how all of those things led her back to where she is standing right now; on her wedding gown, to walk in an aisle of flowers, to be taken by the man she has loved for years now.

'And I'd say 'I do' for the rest of my life, with all that I have, I do.

And I will, when the sky is falling, I promise you I'm all in, no turning back.

Every day, every moment, every breath you take, I choose you.' (I Choose You by Ryann Darling)

That was her cue. Slowly the church doors open up wide. She pushed all her thoughts away and just focused on the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle.

Naruto-kun, finally, even just in my dreams, I will pretend that you want to marry me, too. I will pretend that you want me, too. I will pretend that I belong to you, too. I will pretend that you love me, too.

Hinata finally looked up; seeing all the white irises surrounding the aisle of the church. Her heart leapt from her chest seeing how everything was how she envisioned it to be as a child. People she loves are here to witness her union with the man she loves. No matter how unrequited it may be what matters most is that she is walking to the man she had always loved since forever. She could see her family and friends looking at her in awe, and some were even wiping their tears. He also felt crying from happiness. That finally, no matter how surreal everything may be, at the end of the day, she would still marry him.

She slowly walked her way to the awaiting hand of her father in the middle of the arc. Hiashi, the man who everyone sees as stoic and heartless father, is now shedding some tear for her princess. "Hiinata, I am so glad that I convinced Kushina and Minato to their son marry my beautiful princess." This confuses Hinata, but there were no further discussion of the topic when her father slowly linked her arms on his own. Hinata take note to ask her father what he meant by that later.

She felt her nerves eat her more the closer they got to Naruto. She saw standing with his best friend and best man, Sasuke Uchiha. He was wearing a black pair of tuxedo. He looks so dashing with his usual unruly hair and even bluer eyes that she can see reflects the same emotions she is currently feeling.

"Naruto, I may not be the best father to Hinata, but try hurting her and you'll forever regret even existing." Hinata widen her eyes by what her father told her future husband.

She was about to say something to reprimand her father, but she heard Naruto speak, "I promise I will never hurt her, Hiashi-san. And I never go back on my words, so it's a promise of a lifetime."

Hinata can only smile softly by what she heard. He may be really considering starting anew with their relationship. She just hopes that this union would make them both happy.

"Call me, Father, Naruto. And take care of my princess." Hiashi asked once more, now finally handing her hand to her fiancée.

Before she could place her hand on top of him, he looked at her and asked, "Are you willing to put up with all of me, forever, Hime?"

He is giving me a chance to back out. But Hinata doesn't also go back on her words, she had already decided the moment she said yes to his proposal last Christmas that she would marry him, no matter what. So, she answered the only logical thing she could, "I am, Naruto-kun."

And he took her hand, smiling his smile that is only reserved for her, before kissing her palm, "Let's face forever now, then, Hime."

Hinata smiled, loving the promise behind his words. Forever is such a long time, but forever it is.