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Chapter 36
The day after the ceremony Kakashi was being briefed by the Ombu Black Ops and the intelligence unit on the different perspectives of major crisis over the last few years. Most of those Kakashi had seen firsthand, such as Orochimaru and the Akatski, and lastly the events that led up to the Ninja Alliance.
It had been a long day of listening, studying, being advised and Kakashi was tired. Lady Tsunade warned him that he probably wouldn't sleep well for the first year due to all the info he would need to remember, he had scoffed when she told him this, but he could see now that this was no joke. The villagers were good about giving him space while he settled in, but at the first sign that he did settle he knew there would be plenty of requests.
He had just resigned to leave for the night when there was a knock on the office door. A Black Ops member opened the door and announced that he had a visitor. Puzzled, Kakashi stood up.
"Hinata Hyuga," announced the guard, Kakashi was even more surprised. What could she need that was so urgent that she would come tonight?
"Hi Hinata, I hope Naruto is doing alright?" Kakashi stated.
"Um, he probably is," She stammered "I wouldn't really know."
He realized he might have misjudged the reason for her visit. "What can I do for you?" he asked.
"I came here to tell you that I need to leave the village. I know that I need permission in order to do that…" she finished.
"Leave the village…I think I'm missing something here…" he paused "Can you tell me why you need to leave?" he questioned
"I'm sorry, I'd rather not," she responded, hoping that Kakashi wouldn't take her lack of explanation as rudeness.
"I see," he added "Trouble with Naruto?" he asked as she blushed and looked downward. Her response told him everything. "Have you tried talking to him," he asked as she turned crimson.
"I've let him know how I feel…in a few different ways. He…" she broke off, feeling a little mortified to spill her guts to Naruto's sensi, burdening the Hokage with her feelings. "He doesn't see us as more than friends, I can't just be his friend anymore. I need to leave until I can get over him, and when that happens I will come back home."
Kakashi understood more than she realized. Hadn't he just felt similarly about Kurenai, what would he want to do if she decided not to marry him and then her face served as a reminder of her rejection on a daily basis, he couldn't blame her for wanting to leave. "Hinata, I am guessing you want to leave alone?" he asked.
"Yes" she answered curtly "tonight."
"Does your father know you plan to leave?" he asked, afraid he knew the answer.
"No," she replied as she continued to look at Kakashi, her resolve unchanged.
"If you do go," he started "I will need to send you to a place where I can assure your safety, do not forget that you are the heiress to the Hyuga clan."
He decided he would let her go. "I will accept your request to leave, but there are conditions. You must tell your father before you go. Also, if you go to the Sand Village you will be safe. I will write a scroll for you to deliver to Gaara when you arrive. If he refuses to consent to your stay then you must return, agreed?"
"Thank you Hokage," she offered, a look of relief on her face.
He began quickly writing out a scroll and when he finished he handed it to Hinata. "Have a safe trip, and be careful." He finished.
She nodded her head at him before leaving.
She ran back to her house, now that she had the permission she felt there was nothing keeping her in the leaf except for her feelings for Naruto, feelings that she also wanted to run from.
When she reached her house she was wondering what she was going to tell her father, she wondered if he would let her go so easily. He did want her to have some distance from Naruto, she was just taking his advice after all. She wondered how to tell her father, would he look at her different if she told the truth? She wasn't much of a liar and decided against being dishonest even if he did look at her like she was weak.
She came into the house and her father was making dinner for her and her sister. She sat down at the table and he noticed the scroll in her hand.
"What's that?" he asked her
"It's a scroll," she replied, absentmindedly, still debating on what to say.
"Really Hinata, I can see that for myself," he pushed.
"Oh, yes, well, I'm delivering it to the Kazekage," she squirmed in her chair.
"You have a mission from the Hokage already?" he asked, sounding proud.
"No," she started, "I decided to take your advice father and put some distance between myself and Naruto."
Her father smiled "I'm glad to hear that Hinata, you're young, there's plenty of time for relationships, this is a good time for you to learn about who you are and what you want. What does this have to do with the scroll?" he asked.
"I've asked to leave the village for the time being. The Hokage has asked the Kazekage if I can stay in the Sand village until I'm ready to come home." She finished.
"I see," he replied looking down at his daughter. She looked up at him and his look wasn't as severe as she thought it would be. He didn't even look angry.
"I'm glad that you don't look angry," she offered
"I'm not angry. I'm actually very proud of you Hinata." This surprised Hinata and she raised her eyebrows, her father didn't usually talk to her this way.
"Don't look so surprised," he laughed lightly. "I think this is a mature decision, and shows some wisdom. You obviously have the support of the Hokage…" he finished.
She got up from her chair and hugged her father, he patted his hand on her shoulders, "I will put this in a container" he said, pointing to their dinner.
"Thanks," she added as she left to go get ready for her journey.
On her way out of the house she took a last walk through her garden. She sat down on a bench and smelled her favorite flowers that she so often picked for Naruto. Hinata thought about how she would miss her garden as she picked one flower before leaving.