Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Enjoy!
Chapter 14
Mitsu and Kurai Part 1
Obsidian eyes was welcomed by the morning sunlight. It was the day he and his team were going to fight their scroll. And it was apparently the day of the Chunnin Exams, too. Kakashi won't be there because he had to guard the exams from any possible threat similar to Yoroi.
The Uchiha heard a grunt coming from the petite figure on his bed. "Go to sleep." He said while putting his shoes on and standing from the bed.
"S-Sasuke... Wait..." She manged to catch his hand before he could go any further. She felt nostalgia rush through her from his soft hand. Something... she had missed.
"You done?" She tiredly looked at the Uchiha and smiled, letting go and cuddling deeper into the bed sheets. "You're weird."
She watched as Sasuke went out the door. For a second, she thought that she saw a flash of the person who found her yesterday.
Her hand reached out to the person's hand and smiled before she passed out.
Kurai-kun...
Hinata got herself out of the bed and prepared another day on unlocking her Armor. She heard the door click and smiled to herself, giggling by the thought of Sasuke possibly forgetting something.
"D-Did you forget s-something?"
As she saw the figure by the door and the item he was holding, she quickly covered her nose and attempted to escape through the balcony, but her knees gave in too soon and she collapsed on the floor, losing consciousness.
"I actually like girls with long hair."
"Y-You l-l-like g-girls with long hair?" Mitsu shyly touched her bangs, sliding her hand through her boy-like hair.
"Ne, Mitsu?" Kurai picked a rock and threw it into the water.
"Hm?"
Her friend stood still for a while before shaking his head. "Nothing."
Mitsu hid her tomato face behind her bangs as Kurai looked at her straight in the eyes. She wanted to grow her hair out, as long as her mother's. Long, soft, and shiny...
"Mitsu?"
...
...
...
Hinata played with her bangs as she waited for Nana to pick her up as always. Usually, she wasted her time looking at how her fellow classmates walked each other home. But last night had her fiddling with her hair all day, in hopes that it would magically grow.
I actually like girls with long hair.
Does that mean that you don't like girls with short hair?...
The young heiress heard a group of girls gossiping about this guy that they always surrounded in class. Even though they attended same class, it was hard to get a look at his face. His hair style is similar to Kurai's, but... I haven't payed much attention to the class myself...
"Did you know that Sasuke-kun loves girls with long hair?"
Again with the long hair...
"Eh?! Really?"
"My hair isn't that long..."
Hinata's cheeks felt warm by the sight of Naruto, who went up to a pink-haired girl. "I love girls with short hair, Sakura-chan!"
The Hyuga felt delighted to know that he, out of all people, didn't have a type, but a huge part of her also wished to be Sakura right now.
"Go away, Naruto! You aren't Sasuke-kun!"
I wonder what the fascination with Uchiha-san is.
She heard the voice of her guardian and skipped her way to her, leaving all the gossip and chatter. Her guardian was new, but she had a close bond with her already. Her name was Nana.
"How was your day at school, Hinata-sama?"
"It was..."
"I love girls with short hair, Sakura-chan!"
Hinata touched her side-bangs and cheerfully smiled. "It was fantastic."
Her and Nana shared their day all the way home. It walk was shorter than usual, though. Hinata walked into the living room where her mom was sewing a dress. She used her favorite color: lavender.
"I'm home, okaa-san." She hopped onto the sofa and leaned on her moms baby bump. "She has grown a lot."
Her mother chuckled, lay her dress aside and caressed her daughters cheek. Hinata felt strings of hair on her cheeks, she rubbed a couple of them. "Is something wrong, Hinata?"
"Okaa-san's hair is so soft and beautiful and..."
"I actually like girls with long hair."
"And?"
"Long..."
"And so? Beauty isn't defined by the length of your hair," She went her hand down Hinata's hair, "it's what you have inside."
"Okaa-san... Otou-san has long hair too. Neji-nii-san, too. I'm..."
"Hinata, you're my daughter. I will never care how long you hair is. I'll always love you. Always." Hinata raised her head from her mother's bump and looked at her.
"And you won't leave me?" Her mother shook her head. Hinata smiled and hugged her.
"Never."
...
...
...
Hinata struggled through the branches as always, but managed to reach the river in one piece. She was the only one that was there. For now. She sat on the ground, watching the moon's reflection on the river.
Hinata felt hours pass, and there was still no sign of Kurai. She stood up and decided to head home. Weird...
The Hyuga woke up and repeated the same routine, this time hoping that Kurai was there. But... he wasn't. Meanwhile, this Sasuke had gotten more and more attention. Her crush and him had even become some form of rivals.
Kurai-kun... Wherever you are... Please come back...
Besides Kurai's sudden disappearance, her mother had given birth. She was now a big sister to a girl named Hanabi. But, her mother hadn't been feeling well ever since. Her mother hadn't been around, either. She would usually say that she had errands to take care of.
She used to be out in the garden, planting or harvesting herbs. And if she wasn't there, she would be training elsewhere. Hinata only got to see her train once, and that time was unforgettable. It looked like a dance, but with the chakra barrier surrounding her and the water following her hand movements. It was magic. One day, she hoped that her mother would teach her that dance or jutsu. It was so elegant. Something the Hyugas were known for.
Okaa-san...
Hinata was holding Nana's hand as always while they were on their way home. A strong scent of tomato caught her nostrils which made her turn her head to the person she just past. The only thing she got was the emblem of a fan and a hairstyle similar to Sasuke's and... Kurai-kun...?
She just wanted to stop and call out for him but- "Kurai-kun!"
"Hinata-sama?"
Hinata didn't get to see the reaction from the figure as it became too crowded. She could barely see him. But she hoped that he had stopped for a moment, at least before continuing his walk to whatever place he had to be.
"Hinata-sama, what's wrong?" The petite girl didn't answer, rather she took Nana's hand and continued walking with her head faced down.
The young heiress sloppily hopped on her bed. There was something she didn't get. And the loneliness could give a guess as to what. The hair... Even his clothes... But that emblem... Is Kurai-kun an Uchiha?...
She threw her face in the pillow. Kurai-kun... Where are you?...
She heard her door crack open, and the one who opened the door. "Ara, you're here this time." The sweet sound of her mother lightened her mood.
"Huh?"
She felt her mother's weight on her bed. "Don't play dumb. I know you have been sneaking out every night."
The young heiress raised her head in shock, she was too speechless to even utter a breath. Good thing she didn't keep a diary.
"So, instead of explaining it all. Why don't you tell me what happened?"
Hinata told her mother everything, and also about this feeling she can't put words on.
"Hinata, you two are growing up. And things happen while growing up which makes you unable to communicate with your friends. It isn't you, it's just hard for Kurai-kun right now, maybe. And he doesn't want to worry you. But you are only 6, you don't have to worry about anything."
"B-But... K-Kurai-k-kun t-tells me everything..." She felt her mother's gentle hand on her bangs, rubbing them. "Please don't tell otou-sama."
"Don't worry. I bet Kurai-kun loves you. But Mama loves you more, Hinata."
Hinata giggled by how childish her mother sounded. "I love you."
"I love you, too. Always."
"Pl-Please, d-d-don't l-leave me al-lone..."
Hinata's mother pulled her into a tight hug. "I won't."
...
...
...
I actually like girls with long hair.
Y-You l-l-like g-girls with long hair?"
Mhm. Ne, Mitsu?
Hm?
Nothing.
...
...
...
"Where is okaa-san?" Hinata hadn't seen her mother for weeks, and she was starting to worry. Her health wasn't at its best, either.
Hiashi looked at his daughter with a mixture of anger and disappointment. Though Hinata had gotten used to them, these seemed more aggressive. As if she had done something that crossed the line. Her sister was sitting in the living room as if mother never disappeared.
"Ne, otou-sama," the little girl tugged on her father's kimono as he hadn't given her any respond. "Otou-sama..."
"What were you thinking? Associating with the likes of an Uchiha?"
The young heiress nervously let go of her father. "U-U-Uchiha?..."
"Because of what you did, your mother is dead!"
...
...
...
Hinata prayed that Kurai would be there this time. He was the only one she had left, the only one who actually cared for her. If he did have problems, she wanted to help. Just like he helped her with her loneliness. Even if he doesn't know...
"Kurai Uchiha..." She stopped and shook her head. Don't assume things like that. You don't even know if that was Kurai-kun or Uchiha-san.
She continued and saw where the moon was at it's brightest. She saw the back of a figure and increased in speed. Kurai-kun!
As she got closer and got a better look of the Clan symbol, the smile fell. The Uchiha symbol? She pushed through the branches, scratching her kimono while doing so.
"K-Kurai-kun!" Hinata got to see the full display of the back of his shirt with the help of the moon before he turned around. It was the Uchiha symbol. Kurai-kun... The heiress could feel tears building up.
Time seemed to have taken a break, leaving the two shinobis to stare into a reflection that mirrored their current emotion: miserable.
The two shinobis were almost one with each other as the lip-biting and hiding the tears behind their bangs were concurrent. They uttered the start of their sentence together.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
They raised their teary face. "It wasn't on purpose!"
"Mitsu, you liar!"
"Kurai, you liar!"
Hinata's cries turned into a combination of hiccups and hyperventilation. She wished that the symbol on the back of his shirt was fake. Uchiha Kurai ... Why was he the reason okaa-san died?...
She broke her quiet whimpering, releasing her gut-wrenching sobs. Her knees couldn't hold the pressure from her violent screeching and gave in.
Kurai turned his back to her. Mitsu struggled to form words and ended up stuttering heavily. "I-I-I-Is t-th-t-this a-a-a-a g-g-goo-od-b-bye?" Kurai bit his lip from her shaky breathing.
"This isn't a goodbye, this is a 'we'll never see each other again'." The last part sounded forced, but Hinata was too distracted as Kurai leaped off.
Kurai-kun, baka!
With her mind calling him all kinds of names, her body spoke for itself, her voice cracked. "KURAI-KUN! Onegai! Matte! Onegai! Don't leave me!" Her feet found the energy to stand up and pursuit him.
"Please..." Her body quickly gave in from the countless branches attacking her face, causing scratches and rifts on her and her attire. "Kurai-kun. Kurai-kun.. Kurai-kun..."
...
He was gone.
She squealed his name again. Crying the remaining large tears on her palms. She was lost. There was nothing left, was there?
"Kurai-kun... Okaa-san... Iya..."
...
...
...
K-Kurai-kun. A-arigato!
O-Onegai, don't leave me again.
Mitsu, I never said goodbye.
Kurai-kun, wait please.
KURAI-KUN!
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...
...
"Hinata-sama, it's time for you to sleep."
"B-But, I'm n-n-not t-t-tired."
Nana brought a new set of bandage and sat Hinata on her lap. "Your eyes needs rest. The doctor said that your eyes suffered severe strain and are too sensitive to even the slightest light."
"But, I-I-I-I-m u-u-used to o-otou-sama b-being this r-r-rough."
Nana let a heavy sigh escape her lips. "Ne, Hinata-sama. What really happened that night? Were you attacked?"
Hinata closed her eyes as Nana removed the used up bandage. "I-I-I w-w-was s-s-sav-v-ed..."
"By who?"
The young heiress didn't answer. Nana nodded to herself and wrapped the new bandage around Hinata's eyes. She kissed her forehead and wished her a good night before locking the door.
Hinata lay on her bed, staring into nothingness. For her, it was quite soothing as it reflected her life at the moment.
I wonder how Kurai-kun's life is.
"What did you say?"
Huh?
"It happened last night. The only survivor was Uchiha Sasuke. The Hokage has yet to decide what he will do with him."
Survivor?
The kunoichi climbed out of her bed and pressed her ear against the wooden door. She heard Nana ask for a further explanation.
"Nobody knows. People call it the 'The Uchiha Massacre'. The night every Uchiha was murdered in cold blood expect for one."
"T-T-The U-U-Uchi-ha-ha's a-a-a-are de-ead?" She whispered to herself.
Hinata thought her eyes would pop out from realizing who lived among the Uchiha's. "Kurai-kun..."
Her knees wiggled from the dizziness Hinata was feeling. Everything started to spin around her as the distress in her chest grew stronger. The words she wanted to utter kept juggling in her mouth.
"Poor Uchiha-san. I hope he will be alright."
"Na... Ku-Ku-Ku..." She knew her unsteady breathing could be heard through the door as the handle was moving violently.
"Hinata-sama, are you alright? Hinata-sama!"
The young heiress broke down on the floor, hearing the squeal in her voice growing higher. "Ku... Ku-Ku-Ku...
KURAI-KUN!
Damn! That was hard to write. Seriously... Phew =_=; But I hope you all enjoyed it ^^ Thank you for reading as always. And continue a nice day :)