A/N: Written for NaruHina 2020 using the prompt "toward the future/vision."

Word count: 606

Hinata stared at the woman in front of her, unable to believe it was herself. Her wedding kimono was more elaborate than anything she'd worn before. She had helped Hanabi pick it out despite being able to marry in the plainest kimono available without any complaints.

Her heart stuttered in her chest as she remembered what she was about to do.

Her mind had been fluctuating between the past and present throughout the day never able to focus on one thing for long. The night before had been spent lost in the past to the extent that she'd hardly slept.

She could still see the young blond boy she'd met all those years ago. Each detail of his determined expression as he'd fought off the bullies was archived in her mind, never to be forgotten.

The sting she'd felt for him when he was ridiculed at the Academy stuck with her in a way she hoped it hadn't stuck with him.

Those years had been spent hoping that she could stay with Naruto for life in some capacity. Then, it had been in whatever way he would allow. She had dreamed of marriage, but she hadn't wanted to get carried away. She'd have to admit her feelings before anything more happened between them, and for a long time, that had been impossible.

But it hadn't been. In the end, Naruto had done it first, and that had made it easier. He had a way of doing that. Hinata would get it in her head that something was too hard to do, but then Naruto would be there with his endless optimism, forcing her to look at the situation in a different light. Perhaps it was hard, but that didn't mean it should stop them.

Her years at the Academy had been spent underestimating herself even as she remained determined to be as dedicated as Naruto. She'd spent countless hours dreaming of the future. Envisioning the day when Naruto would shatter everyone's expectations, and if she was lucky, the day when Naruto would finally notice her.

Both of those things had happened, yet still she'd focused only on the future as they planned the wedding. Everyone—from her family to random Konoha citizens—had demands as they worked out each minute detail of the ceremony.

With the day finally arrived, Hinata had to take a steadying breath to keep from being overwhelmed. She smiled at herself in the mirror. Her family had done such a wonderful job dressing her that, at first, she hadn't felt like herself, but as she looked at herself again, she saw herself easily. It was in the smile on her lips as she thought about marrying Naruto. It was in her white eyes that she'd grown to think of as a strength and not just a source of shame when she couldn't measure up to her clan's expectations. It was in the determined set of her shoulders that carried a confidence she'd only had in her dreams as a child.

When she looked in the mirror, she didn't see the Hinata of the past, but she undoubtedly saw herself.

Too much time had been spent dwelling on the future. When she'd been a lonely child, that had been her only way of making it through.

Things changed. The future would come, and she would face it with Naruto as it did. But for the first time since she'd met him all those years ago, Hinata wanted only to live in the present.

As a knock sounded on her door, she gave herself one last smile.

The present was too good to miss.