Hinata found herself staring at a tall, imposing building. Large, of a beautiful pastel color, with intricate designs; the elite dorm building was placed in the middle of their campus court, surrounded by spacious parking lots and bicycle stands. With the Konoha High grounds occupying quite the vast surface of the Western part of their city, a great amount of this surface was allocated to their campus region. Plenty of dorms have been built over the years, and the living spaces were truly the best the country had to offer.

The elite dorm was a completely different matter altogether. The most notorious clans of their city have requested that the top students be given additional advantages even when it came to living spaces. But said clans did not demand this solely because a member of each clan happened to be elite. This dorm had been built for all who would someday become top students, be they from renowned clans or not. Excellence had to be thoroughly rewarded, is what they would say.

So while regular students would enjoy a beautiful room –each room housing two students- with an additional bathroom –markedly smaller- an elite would enjoy having 3 living quarters all to himself; a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen. Quite neat, wasn't it? And while the regular dorms provided only one large kitchen on each floor, the elites did not have to bother sharing their eating spaces either. This was why so many students strived to become elite. Not just to catch up to the four commendable top students, but because there were extra luxuries to enjoy. Needless to say, the elite building provided rooms far more luxurious than the regular ones. So many perks, yet it was so hard to obtain them.

And that was precisely why Hinata's nervousness grew with every step she took inside the elite dorm. She had no business being here. She was nowhere near a position to demand a room here, let alone enter the building and stroll through it as if it was the most natural thing for her to do. Yet here she was, being led by their imposing president through the silent, massive corridors. The entire walk was wrapped in a thick fog, her mind forgetting the details of just how she had complied to follow him. She could only remember that her every word of resistance had been met with silence. This only served to increase her aggravation, and she was astonished that there had been no guards to question her entering the building altogether. She had even tried turning around to leave, and ever since then he kept a tight grip on her wrist and resumed leading her to wherever it was he wanted to get to. And the fog around her mind thickened afterwards, probably because despite her apprehensiveness, she could not help but admire the interior of the building she was seeing for the first time. Her cousin rarely spoke of it and she thought it childish to ask him "What do your rooms look like?" or "Are they as beautiful as they say?". Of course, there were pictures online of them, but the building had recently been renovated. She could only assume they looked splendid.

Tall walls of matching pastel colors and tones of grey were tastefully decorated with painted pictures, portraits of notorious figures that have graced the halls of their famed institution in the past. Massive, mahogany stairs polished to perfection allowed them to ascend to higher floors, also permitting her to admire the sophisticated ornaments adorning the furniture of their spacious hall. Once they reached the first floor, she remembered another aspect of this building. Each clan owned a floor of this impressively built edifice. The first floor belonged to the Uzumaki clan. And surely enough, her eyes quickly rested on a pair of large doors with the room number and Naruto's name written on a golden insignia in elegant calligraphy. A slow blush dusted her cheeks, and she quickly looked away, willing herself to keep her emotions at bay.

The second floor belonged to the Nara clan. She had identified the Nara genius' living quarters just as quickly as she had Naruto's.

The third floor belonged to her clan, and that was precisely why they had stopped here. No doubt, the fourth floor belonged to the Uchiha's.

With quick strides, they rapidly passed her older cousin's rooms, which were placed at the far end of the corridor. The president kept leading her away, passing by other empty rooms on their hastened march until they reached the one at the opposite end of the hall, near another set of stairways that led to the upper floor. The door number read "312". With a slight furrow of her indigo brows, Hinata did a small deduction inside her mind. She had seen the room numbers that belonged to each elite. Unbeknownst to Sasuke, she had also caught a glimpse of his own electronic key on their hurried walk here. And she did not like the conclusion she had come to.

Knowing that now it was positively impossible for her to try and evade him, what with her being so fascinated by the building he currently resided in, Sasuke released her hand, wasting no time in opening the door of the empty rooms with the electronic key he was about to gift her. Grateful as he was for her quiet demeanor, he knew that now it was time to have a most memorable discussion. With a most respectful extension of his hand –a habit he had acquired courtesy of his mother- he motioned for her to step inside.

"Why do this?" he heard her murmur, not flinching from her spot.

And once again, she was met with silence. He couldn't possibly mean for her to stay here, of all places. Not to mention how far stricter the dorm guards were in comparison to those stationed at her old dorm building.

"I s-shouldn't be staying here!"

But it seemed no matter what she said, she would not evoke any kind of reaction from the aloof genius. She was left speechless. If this little display of authority was meant as some sort of punishment, she was at a complete loss. Or perhaps she had misjudged him and he was actually trying to do a good deed? That seemed…unlikely. The invitation he had wordlessly extended her to step inside the room remained unanswered.

Her constant fidgeting and repeated snap of her head from right to left, then left to right to make sure the wrong people were not witnessing where he had brought her was starting to irk him. Did she truly believe he would not have taken the necessary precautions to ensure their little stroll through the elite dorm would be allowed and not frowned upon? Well, the latter was a bit difficult to guarantee, but then again he hardly gave much consideration to who frowned upon something that would one way or another benefit him.

Hinata felt the weight of his glare. If she delayed her entrance any longer, things would not go well. And in all honesty, the Uchiha seemed already hard to predict and if the morning's incident was any proof of it, she was in no hurry to discover how else he reacted to being ignored. Wordlessly, she entered.

Nothing prepared her for the impact the beauty of this bedroom would have on her. While it definitely could not rival the one she owned back home, she was forced to admit that this came as a close second. Light blue walls; low, spacious bed, combining modern design with traditional Japanese style in a mesmerizing form; large desk made of dark wood completed with a goldenly lustered surface, two nightstands, a tall, spacious closet with front mirrors as large as its doors. And so many other pieces of furniture that she just couldn't take her eyes off of.

She silently took a seat in one of the chairs placed near the desk, still in complete awe of the new room. And this was just one of the rooms. But even with her eyes fixated on her surroundings, the Uchiha prodigy observed how her fidgeting refused to cease, of how tightly she held the new electronic key he had placed in her hand. No doubt, she was still succumbing to doubt and uncertainty, worrying that he was forcing to endanger her place in their campus.

He remained situated in the doorway, leaning against the side frame to stare at his worrywart of a target.

"This floor belongs to your family. And by improving your grades here and there, you'll rightfully earn a room in this dorm. You staying here is not as problematic as you think."

"I-I appreciate all this," Hinata immediately supplied. "But why not wait until I get here on my own?"

Why bring her here before she rightfully earned the place? It was every student's dream to earn a spot in the elite dorm, and she was no exception. Of course, her academic progress had not been very astounding and she was aware that she needed to cut down on extra activities and commit a little more to achieve this goal. But catching up to the school's elite students was so difficult. She was thrilled to walk these corridors, yet doing so while not having earned that right? And not having earned it on her own? Just what reason would he have for making her reside here, in this particular room? Also, the fact that it was placed in convenient proximity to his own room did not go unnoticed.

"I do not appreciate being struck in public. It was, after all, just a kiss." He said, taking delight in the reddening of her pale cheeks.

Of course he would consider it so small an incident, seeing as he found no qualms in engaging in small demonstrations of affection with so many students. But she didn't see things the way he did. Make no mistake; it is not that she had this great aversion towards displaying affection or simply kissing someone. She was a loving person and liked to make her feelings known to the people she held most dear. So no, she had no aversion towards being affectionate. She just didn't understand why she should do it if the other person involved finds the experience so completely meaningless. Instead of kissing someone meaninglessly, shouldn't she kiss someone who found it meaningful? Someone who was actually happy that she did it? Some may judge her childish, but Hinata valued doing things for a reason.

"I also helped you evade those mindless teammates of yours."

She understood where he was getting at. If he chose not to bring the incident up anymore and not blow things out of proportion, they should come to an understanding. Do not show him uncertainty, Hinata-Neji had advised her. Sasuke is willing to call a truce if his interlocutor displays more conviction and can hold their own against him. Earn his respect. Hinata let out a soft sigh. These words were the reason she was making an effort to suppress her stuttering. She was trying not to let him intimidate her, but rather make him regard her as a willing participant in this exchange, someone who was in a position to even make a few demands of her own if need be.

When she gave a small nod of acknowledgement, Sasuke regarded her attentively and declared a further demand.

"Essays."

If he were anyone else, he would find her sudden bewildered expression quite amusing.

"You need to improve, Hyuuga. There is no reason to be among the masses when you can be brilliant."

"But-"

"And you will improve under my tutelage. In return, you will revise any essay I write."

"President Uchiha, you're an elite student. S-Surely your essays are already very good."

His gaze became disinterested, as if he were dismissing her small appraisal, and without another word he sat in the chair opposite of her and handed her 5 pieces of paper clipped together. Hinata briefly scanned the first few paragraphs. Impeccable writing and grammar. Very on point and meticulous, almost as if it bore a lawyer's touch. But this was supposed to be a literature essay, focused on characterizing the protagonist of a philosophy novel. If she dared say so, perhaps the essay could use a little more….refinement around the edges? A bit of rephrasing to give it more finesse? Maybe additional phrases to portray the inner longings of the character?

And he took the time to appreciate how her attentive gaze perused the words he had typed for an essay he was assigned but yesterday; how quickly it would switch from right to left in deep contemplation as she read, sometimes her expression contorting into that of a thoughtful frown, no doubt debating the particular changes that needed to be made to better his assignment. Though he had not interacted with her very much, he had taken the time to analyze her academic strengths and weaknesses. She was truly talented when it came to writing essays. He had no qualms admitting that he had been pleasantly surprised at how beautifully she worded her thoughts on paper, how well she adapted to any kind of essay, be it literature-based or scientific. She was gifted in this particular area, whereas he, it was safe to say he was a man of few words, on or off paper. His essays were always concise, less rich, less moving, less sentimental, and possibly gruff. As luck would have it, he could actually make use of the time spent tutoring his now more pliant target.

"This…needs a little refining."

Hinata actually reveled a little in correcting something of his, even if just a little. The student in front of her was such a sharp thinker and for so many years she had heard of his accomplishments. But here she was, in a position to correct something that she seemed to do a little better.

But Sasuke remained silent, choosing instead to better familiarize himself with her presence. She was not loud and her company was not overbearing. He supposed he should consider himself already terribly lucky. If he thought about the loud Yamanaka, the rebellious Higurashi, and the overly demanding Haruno, the girl in front of him was anything but all that. Then again, like him, she had been raised in a prestigious clan, following strict protocols and being taught that manners can have greater impact than words.

"President, I can help revise your a-assignments. But I can do that from my old dorm room too. I don't see why it was…necessary to bring me here. I'd…like to go back."

Of course the girl he was assigned to tutor to become elite was the one least interested in him. Normally he wouldn't even have to make an effort to bring girls closer to him. But not her. Peachy.

"Because, Hyuuga," Sasuke began, bringing up his hand to rub his temple in slight annoyance, "you're not an easy person to come by." And that was saying a lot coming from him.

"I'm not-"

"You study independently most of the time, and you choose to do so in the private library. Convenient, since you're the librarian's assistant. But that is hardly the place to have a proper conversation, unless we resort to sign language. The rest of the school hours you spend in club activities and it is next to impossible to guess which ones you've joined since you're not registered properly. You being the mascot came as a surprise. I figured you'd join something close to the football team, but I have to commend your efforts. The mascot? The thought has never crossed my mind. Your highest grades are in anything science-related so if I had to take a guess, I'd say you're part of Nara's Science Research team. Also, seeing as you're a Hyuuga, I can safely assume you're a member of the martial arts club as well. Other than that, it will take a little more time to find out what other activities occupy your time."

How he hated long explanations. But as he observed her stunned widened eyes, her mouth opening in a small gasp and her tender hands grasping a little too tightly the sheets of paper in her hands, he knew that without proper explanations, she would be harder to coerce. She had no idea, did she? Of how diligent he could be in reconstructing a puzzle, in finding a way out of a maze, in giving answers to questions that have yet to be asked. She was a soft-spoken, small girl, standing before him with nothing but eyes that hid nothing, eyes that betrayed everything she thought and felt. And he could read her. In no time, he'd know her. All of her.

"So you see, Hyuuga, this new room ensures that the spare time you do have will be spent with me."

Her cheeks burned. This…wasn't going the way she had hoped.

"By the way," Sasuke added, the words taking on a deeper, slier tone, "You exceed the club membership rule."

Hinata froze in place. Oh no… .

His thin, porcelain lips curved into an all-knowing smirk for he could so easily tell that she was cornered and not coming up with any way to evade this current predicament.

"Also, you are not properly registered."

Oh no!

"And I can't help but notice that every club you've joined somehow favors the other elites…Shikamaru, your cousin, Naruto…but not one favors me. Why is that, Hyuuga?"

"I…it was not- I didn't…I m-mean…"

"Surely it is not because I displease you in some way, is it?"

Sasuke knew the unspoken explanation: I am not interested in you. No matter, if he tried to recall the last time a girl being in love or involved with someone else deterred him from attaining what he wanted, his muscles would atrophy from sitting down too long in thought.

"As president I have to admit, overlooking all this misconduct on your part would be….unfair towards the other students."

She gave a slight nod. Of course it would.

"I suppose you…want me to take care of other school assignments aside from essays?" She supplied in a small whisper.

Ah, smart girl. Seeming ready to atone for her mistakes, yet offering a plausible solution to avoid him suggesting one harder to comply with? She was more resilient than he first believed.

Sasuke sighed. He didn't want to push her more than she could take. He could tell by her demeanor that she was having a hard time keeping herself composed and in all actuality, he was surprised she hadn't lashed out at all. But she truly was a timid, naïve creature. If he questioned her behavior before, not knowing whether it was genuine or merely an act, he now knew that no matter the nature of the situation, be it happy or unnerving, Hinata Hyuuga embodied the very concept of demure innocence, of utmost sensitivity. All in all, she seemed the kind of person who always gave a crap about what others thought and avoided hurting their feelings. Even now, he could tell, she was being considerate enough not to lash out at him. He had trouble understanding why she bothered being so nice. Not that he minded, but it was baffling.

"When I call, you answer."

That was it? No, there had to be a catch. With a light tilt of her head, Hinata stared, her pale lavender eyes not dropping their gaze from his stern visage. It was safe to say she didn't trust in his seemingly harmless demand.

"You amuse me, Hyuuga. I do not need companionship, or anything else going through your mind. I need someone prompt who will help when others can't. Something like a backup."

That sounded…harmless enough. Also, no matter how hard she tried to find another way to turn the tables on him, her mind was drawing a blank. So she did the only thing left to do.

"Alright."

That concluded their meeting as far as he was concerned. With an almost imperceptible nod, he pushed himself into a sitting position and turned to walk away. Whether he meant to or not, his lips curved into a triumphant smirk the moment he reached the doorway. In the end, he had obtained everything he had set his mind to.

"Umm, President Uchiha?"

Although he had his back turned to her, she quickly took notice of the slight turn of his head, signaling for her to continue.

"What are all these boxes?"

And she probably could see the upturn of his lips, for he let his smile widen.

"Your things."

Hinata gasped and almost lost some of her balance. She never really had a choice, did she?


That night they both lay awake, each in their respective rooms, one room above the other. And while from the outside one would say how similarly immersed in thought they were, their train of thought couldn't have been more different.

With a full moon embraced by a dark, cloudless sky, and soft light protruding through the slightly parted crimson curtains, Sasuke paid little mind to how the darkness of his room was disturbed by the small rays of light. In fact, he hadn't even bothered locking the door to his quarters, his body simply engaging in an unconscious mode of autopilot, going through his routine mechanically, not giving much thought to how rapidly his body was going through the motions. Instead, once his quick shower was done, he let himself fall on his bed, the cool feel of silky sheets soothing his bare back. Today had gone unexpectedly well. A few bumps on the road; he hadn't planned on his first meeting with the girl he was to tutor to be so publicly eventful, but then again wasn't he one who prided himself with being apt at dealing with the unforeseen? And deal he had. In the end, he was quite pleased with the outcome. Did he obtain her cooperation? Yes. Did he reap additional advantages? Yes. Was he left with a throbbing headache after speaking with her? Surprisingly, no. As for the girl herself, he was a little perplexed. There was no denying that she possessed very pleasing facial features; the light lavender hue of her large, expressive eyes; dark, thick lashes to deepen the intensity of her gaze; small, harmoniously contoured nose; rosy, heart-shaped lips; indeed, a delicate beauty. But for a Hyuuga, she definitely lacked the authoritative voice, the pride in her step, the confidence in her attitude. As for the rest of her appearance, it was hard to say. Her clothing of choice never seemed to compliment her figure in any way, so he couldn't exactly express his thoughts on anything, save for her height; distinctively smaller than his.

Sasuke closed his eyes. He would be lying if he didn't admit that he found himself at least mildly intrigued. Then Neji casually mentioned her being the school mascot. While still feeling a little shocked by the small discovery, he had implied as to why she would choose this role. The Hyuuga genius had been tactful, only hinting that she simply wanted to offer her support to someone. Sasuke had connected the rest of the dots without difficulty. After all, it did not take a genius to observe who might've captured the shy girl's attention. In all honesty, he could see the reasons she would become infatuated with his ridiculously loud and clueless best friend. Naruto's personality mirrored her own in a way, albeit him being more vivacious. Both put others' needs first, both disregarded their own self-interests, both strived for the attention of people who paid them no mind. Sweet innocence attracted to unsuspecting naiveté. That's what Hinata's attraction to Naruto was. Naruto was the safe choice. Sasuke knew there was nothing about Naruto that wouldn't put her mind at ease, whereas someone like him…the corners of his lips twitched upward; he was somewhat of a dangerous bet for someone like her.

And there it was: that need for him to prove himself better. He had no reason to, he knew. Yet he was forced to face someone who considered another above himself. It was most definitely selfish, he was aware, but the desire to prove that her fascination could change, that thoughts of another man could be replaced with him was making itself known. As he suspected it would. He could blame it on a number of things, anything from his eternal amicable yet sometimes not so amicable rivalry with his best friend, to a possibly large ego.

But the fact that she seemed so eager to reject any interaction with him, that she paid so little mind to what transpired during their encounters, that she was looking forward to them lessening, all of that only seemed to fuel Sasuke on. It was not that he was so shallow to think that any girl who laid eyes on him would irrevocably fall in love with him, but complete indifference was not something he was used to. His knowing smirk widened. He would be thrilled to test that resistance of hers.

It was with those thoughts that Sasuke finally fell asleep.

Hinata, on the other hand, continued to toss and turn. Sleep seemed impossible to attain at the moment. Her mind was racing, her heart was pounding. Her school life had taken a very abrupt turn and her new room, although presenting all of her things in neat order and good taste, simply made her feel out of place, like she did not belong. She felt frustrated.

She had no intention to remain like this. She was relieved that things had not taken a more disastrous turn, but truth was they could've taken a better one too. And who's to say she should stop trying to get back to the way things were? Perseverance was key to everything.

She failed to see why their president had taken such a sudden interest in her. It was true that after today's incident she thought he would probably seek some form of retaliation but the outcome left her…she didn't even know how it left her. And she didn't know the right way to proceed. If it were someone less unpredictable, she'd be less worried. But what was the point in worrying now? It was late, she was tired. One thing she learned from her stern father was to never make decisions when in a state of exhaustion. The more tired you are, the more mistakes you make.

One thing was certain; new competitions were approaching, some against their rival school. Her football captain was training restlessly. She too needed to focus on being of as much help as she could, and she had already figured out a proper way to make herself useful aside from quietly cheering behind a mascot costume. The president would have to wait.

It was with those thoughts that Hinata finally succumbed to sleep.


"Why do you like me?"

It was still early morning, but instead of spending it in his warm bed, Shikamaru had been dragged out of it. First it was because of that damn alarm clock. He could testify that the blasted thing was broken. He never remembered setting it to wake him up this early, but every morning the cursed object seemed to wake him up even earlier. Then he tried shutting it off. No, that's a lie. He was considering shutting it off. He was also considering leaving it like that and going back to sleep. But he figured he probably wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, and not because he couldn't take the noise but because it was nagging at him that the thing would eventually go off again. In the end, he reached out to turn it off. But the button was broken. The infernal buzzing alarm kept ringing in his ears.

Then his phone went off. Who would call him at this hour? Rubbing his eyes, he scanned the phone screen and cringed when it read "Lover". Say what? He had no- what the hell, she even changed her name in his phone? Only Ino Yamanaka would have the audacity to do that. So with the hellish alarm clock buzzing in the background and with the phone ringing loudly because of a so-called lover/secret stalker/potential future obsessed murderer, Shikamaru groaned and answered his phone; a decision he thoroughly regretted.

Shikamaru did not wish people to think he despised the blonde Yamanaka. In truth, they had been neighbors for as long as he could remember. He did not despise her or hate her. He did not even dislike her. He didn't even think it had anything to do with her, really. He was just a very disinterested person. Disinterested in everyone, not just her. And she knew that, he was certain of it. They had grown up together and in all honesty, Ino had seen him mature and had noticed the changes in his temperament. He was at ease around her. The only inconvenience was that he preferred the quiet, and she was anything but. He didn't even want to address the fact that she liked her gossips. Still, despite his indifferent nature towards anything romantic, she still held such unrelenting feelings for him. He supposed there was room to appreciate her devotion. And perhaps he did, deep down. Very deep.

All that aside, he regretted answering the phone all the same. But among the usual declaration of love and adoration, he heard Ino mention that their principal had granted the elites the day off. Unusually nice of her. The safest conclusion was that she made this decision as a way of expressing her gratitude for their efforts these past few weeks. He was actually relieved, this small reprieve was most welcome. He shut the phone off. He couldn't actually remember if he said a goodbye to his 'lover' caller, but he was still half-asleep, mind you. With a diabolical alarm clock buzzing in the background. But if they had the day off, he knew exactly how it would go: on their days off, the elites met at the dojo. It was a sort of tradition, he supposed.

What happened afterwards was somewhat of a blur. He did remember somehow descending the steps of their luxurious dorm to reach the floor below his, alarm clock going off loudly in his right hand. He also vaguely recalled stopping in front of the only occupied rooms on this floor and entering without giving much thought to proper manners and the fact that he should've knocked. Naruto never locked his doors anyway. By now Shikamaru's jaw was clenched with suppressed frustration and annoyance, the sounds of his alarm and his previously ringing phone still penetrating his brain. Because everything rubbed him the wrong way this morning. And all the other ones too. And his friend here never had a care in the world. He slept like a baby. Fuck that.

He threw the buzzing clock at the pillow Naruto had conveniently brought in front of his face, his tanned arms hugging it to his chest. And the sports genius shot his torso upright, fists in front of him.

"What the hell, Nara?"

"We have the day off."

And Shikamaru left. It was still a blur, but he remembered feeling content. If his alarm clock refused to shut up, might as well use it to wake up someone else too. Besides, Naruto had it coming. This was payback for giving Ino his new number.

Now one might say he had been rude to his friend. But this was just how they got along. If Shikamaru were to be honest, the blonde athlete was the one who kept their elite group together. The rest of them were all reclusive, and talked very little, but Naruto had helped them bond and their friendship had solidified because of that. The Uzumaki had pointed out their strengths, how easy they were to tease and get on each other's nerves and he had actually made their small get-togethers fun. Now, even in his absence, Shikamaru knew that they kind of owed Naruto for being the way he was. They wouldn't have him any other way and he undoubtedly knew that Naruto himself wouldn't change anything about them either. This was just how they functioned.

But his mind was digressing. Here he was, only two hours after the alarm clock incident, standing at the entrance of their massive training dojo. Although he hadn't asked for it, Ino had arrived early, holding his clean training kimono in hand, offering to help him get ready. Even now, as he pliantly raised his arms to aid her in tying his black belt around his waist, she was humming happily to herself and not even acknowledging that he had asked her a question.

"Why do you like me?" Shikamaru repeated.

"What do you mean?"

She offered him a bright smile, her look clearly relaying that his question didn't quite register as a question. It was so normal for her to like him, it was so fitting for him to be the one she was doting on that she failed to comprehend why he had trouble grasping the concept. He, on the other hand, wasn't exactly sure whether she was doing this on purpose or not.

"You seem to really like me."

"Mhm, what's your question?"

"My question is why?"

Her smile brightening, Ino gave one last tug to the neat knot she had made to tie his belt.

"You're so silly, senpai. Now go and kick some butt!"

It was safe to say that with that, Shikamaru had given up on having a more profound conversation for the day.

The large dojo was empty. Goldenly wooden floors were covered with training matts and the heavy white walls, tall and thick, proudly covered with trophies, diplomas and certificates of achievement, allowed every small sound to resonate through the illustrious training area. This was a dojo built by the Hyuuga's in a desire to offer the school a better way to acquaint its students with traditional martial arts. After all, since ancient times, the Japanese have devoted their time to perfecting the art of combining the diverse techniques of defense and offence into one. Such traditions needed to be enforced, not lost, and the Hyuuga clan was notorious for its Aikido courses.

Nothing disturbed the dojo's silence, save for the steady footsteps of the four top students. Adorned with beautiful, hand woven kimonos, each elite secretly delighted in the rare times they were allowed to spar. While it was true that the Hyuuga successor had a clear advantage, what with him coming from a long line of well-known martial artists and being the head of the martial arts club, the others were no strangers to the art of combat. Each of them came from a respected clan, it was only to be expected that none of them would be allowed to grow up without being properly trained in each clan's specific combat style. And so, the Aikido master let his eyes roam over his other three adversaries; the Uzumaki, a Judo master; the Nara, a Shotokan Karate master; The Uchiha…he was the trickiest: a Jeet Kune Do fighter. Why was he the trickiest? Because Jeet Kune Do was an eclectic and hybrid martial art style. Unlike more traditional martial arts, Jeet Kune Do is not fixed or patterned, and is a philosophy with guiding thoughts. It embodies the concept of interception or attacking while one's opponent is about to attack. Jeet Kune Do practitioners believe in minimal movements with maximum effects and extreme speed.

Neji found himself groaning. And if Sasuke was the only problematic one, things would be manageable. But their spars have become even more intense because of their blue-eyed Uzumaki companion who, in light of his eternal rivalry with the Uchiha, had underwent intense training in the basics of Jeet Kune Do as well….and possibly some form of Eskrima combat. That way, he would provide a fitting challenge both for him and for Sasuke.

This was bound to be a match to remember.


Could it be possible to train the entire day? Could it be possible to work through bruises, burning muscles strained from exertion, pulled tendons, without much sustenance?

Yes. He knew this to be true better than anyone else. His father, always a monument of discipline and strength, had made sure that his training had been this effective and dynamic from the tender age of five.

But could it be possible to train for so many hours with little to no reprieve?

Apparently yes.

How else would him taking a shower at the training compound so late at night be explained? Their free day had gone by far quicker than any of them had anticipated. But one had to take into consideration that for over a month, all of them had been working overtime. National competitions were fast approaching, clan gatherings would soon be upon them, final examinations required intensive study hours and they still needed to tutor four girls to become elite. So many weeks had gone by without them taking a few hours to themselves. It was no surprise that when a free day finally made itself known, they had engaged in a most desired activity and had conveniently lost track of time. He had had every intention to train for the better part of the morning, and spend the rest of his time resuming his more tedious work, both in regards to his own studies and in regards to finally falling into a certain rhythm with his target.

However, as the hot spray of water hit his sore muscles, body relaxing under the warm temperature and rising steam, the privileged, aristocratic Uchiha closed his eyes. This was one of the feelings he enjoyed most; the feeling of his body succumbing to the feverish sensation the hot water was instilling him with, the feeling of weariness being driven away, the water both reanimating him, and lulling him into a slight trance. He had no regrets for the day. He deserved to have a day to himself. He would catch up with his work come tomorrow.

But why were his thoughts so swiftly drifting to someone else? Better yet, why hadn't he seen her today? Yes, he hadn't left the dojo, but neither had the man she was infatuated with. He judged that today would not be completely lost since the Hyuuga was bound to show up one way or another. She had two very good reasons to do so today: one, Naruto was training here as well; two, his essay. For one of these two reasons she should've made an appearance, but he had yet to spot any timid indigo-haired bookworm scurrying about the dojo. He scoffed. She expected Naruto to take notice of her with her being so absent?

But it all came down to her, didn't it? It came down to how quickly their interaction would bring about a fruitful outcome. And one might say he was possibly obsessing a little, but he was not. His increasing thoughts of her were attributed to the fact that he was behind his comrades in terms of tutoring his student. The fact that she was pleasing to the eye, that she did not evoke repulsion through her physical appearance or irritation through her personality was a bonus. A quite big one, if he were honest. He could admit to himself –and only himself- that he had never had the pleasure of pursuing someone of her stature and upbringing. Who was he trying to fool? He had hardly ever done the pursuing. And a side of him, usually dormant in its ferocity, had most delightfully awoken for the silent challenge she presented.

Sasuke heard the shower curtains being pulled to the side, and still he remained motionless. His breathing came out evenly, not even bothering to acknowledge the presence of the woman now standing behind him. His body resembled that of a marble statue, unmoving as pale arms came around to embrace his torso and nimble fingers traced soothing patterns on his glistening pectorals. He was perfectly aware of who would be this daring, and strangely enough, today he simply had no desire to turn his relaxing shower into something more heated. Or perhaps he simply had no desire for her company.

"I am not in the mood," he muttered.

That struck her as odd, but Sakura was not a woman easily intimidated. This wouldn't be the first time he tried to deny her, but a few caresses, a few more firm strokes, and he would not need more coercing. From an outsider's point of view, Sakura was certain she seemed conceited, probably a little too self-assured, and too egotistic. She hasn't always been like that. But life had not been gentle with her, her circumstances had forced her to harden her personality and at one point she had decided that she was done not obtaining what she wanted. So, adopting a more determined attitude, she made it a point to be as challenging and resourceful as possible. And her new behavior did have the desired outcome in the majority of cases. The man she was currently embracing represented one of the exceptions. But her determination was renewed with his every denial. And so, it was she who propositioned this little arrangement. She wanted him and everything he had to give, even if just a physical bond for the time being. With time, things could change.

"When I want to be left alone," he breathed in a deceitfully calm tone, "I expect to be left alone."

Tonight, it seemed, things wouldn't change. Sakura narrowed her eyes, retracting her arms with haste. She was aware she should not be feeling this way since she was the one who had initiated this…agreement between them, but she could not help the feeling of indignation from stirring behind her angered stare. However, when it came to this point she knew better than to push him. And so without another word, she left him alone, encased in the hot steam.

Sasuke opened his eyes then. He could not deny that his disinterest in Sakura was growing. He could not understand why though. She was an attractive woman who has yet to request anything more from him. He had not even heard her complain of his distant attitude whenever they met in a more cordial environment. Perhaps his renewed interest in his target was to blame for the sudden shift in his desires.

Speaking of which, where was the damn Hyuuga?

He had texted her 40 minutes ago, asking her to bring him a change of clothes from his room.

Sasuke clicked his tongue in slight annoyance. He knew she was probably fussing over what to bring, over entering rooms that did not belong to her, over being seen by someone else doing something so inappropriate and out of character.

But he was left with no choice. Sparring with his friends had dragged on, and his more fanatic admirers have decided to profit from it. They even had the nerve to steal his clothes and probably keep them as their personal trophies. This was beyond ridiculous. So, of course, he was left with one course of action. Wear his dirty kimono until he reached his dorm and properly changed clothes. That, however, proved impossible to do as well since during his shower his kimono had disappeared too. And his friends had already left. He could've called them, yes. But why not make use of the little deal he made with the Hyuuga girl? "When I call, you answer."

But 40 minutes have passed, and she was still absent. Was she doing this on purpose?

"P-President Uchiha."

Her hesitant voice sounded muffled, he had barely heard her. He turned around and slightly pulled the shower curtains aside to see that the door to the shower room was only slightly ajar. Of course she didn't dare approach him. He took quick notice of the neatly folded stack of clean clothes placed on the small bench next to the door.

"Finally," he groaned.


"Why the delay, Hyuuga?"

But Hinata didn't reply. She quietly sat in a cream colored armchair placed beside a small tea table. The waiting corridor outside the shower room and locker room was designed to look very homely. It was here the families would come to encourage their athletes to do their best before a game, so it was a comfy and welcoming space despite how now, so late at night, it was covered in shadows. Her snowy orbs watched how the door that led to their spacious shower stalls opened soundlessly, and their president stepped outside, dressed in a simple dark shirt that bore the proud Uchiha crest on its back, and a pair of black pants. Even clad in the simplest clothing articles, he managed to appear so striking. She found herself looking away the moment he made a move to gaze in her direction, wanting to avoid meeting his eyes.

"Why did you make my dorm key work for both our rooms?"

Her whisper was unsure, but did he detect an underlying accusation in her question?

"It's convenient."

That's it? Convenient for whom, exactly? Him, no doubt, if the current situation was any indication. But she did not feel at ease with this. If anybody found out that she could do this…she'd rather not think of the consequences. If someone actually found out and got a hold of her key, then-

"Your worries are misplaced. If getting inside the elite dorm were that easy, we'd be missing more than just clothes, wouldn't you agree?"

The demure Hyuuga heiress stared at him. She could not deny his words but his statement had made her raise her head, leaving her eyes to do exactly what she had been meaning to avoid. It unnerved her how against her wishes, she took notice of the soft glow of his fair skin in the highlights cast by the small light coming from a light bulb further down the corridor; his damp hair, it's heavy strands moving to frame the elegant contour of his face; his eyes, his lips, his body, all basking in a dark allure, only heightened by the night. He was captivating her and she was allowing it to happen against her better judgment. But not for long. She lightly shook her head, more to rid herself of the unwanted thoughts of appreciation than to deny what he had said.

And just like that, another sound came from the other end of the corridor.

No, no, this was not happening. Not again. Why did every time she was left alone with the president she ended up being in the wrong place, at the wrong time? They shouldn't be here. They weren't allowed, it was too late and the campus guards were doing their nightly rounds. Hinata felt like pinching herself. She should've urged him to leave faster and leave any unasked questions for a more convenient time.

And just like the last time they were in an unwanted situation, the perceptive president moved with feline-like skill, efficiently reaching her before she could even alert him of her disquiet. Perhaps because of their dark surroundings and her attention being on the guard on the far end of the hall, she didn't quite register how he had managed to raise her so quickly from her armchair and proficiently press her against the wall, right behind an ornamental Ficus tree.

They both listened, intent on keeping track of the guard's advancement but to her great relief, he did not seem in the mood to inspect the entire corridor. One look with the flashlight pointed here and there was enough for the tired guard and he left immediately afterwards, far too happy to go grab a cup of coffee instead of lingering around the training compound.

Hinata let out a small sigh of relief, gently prying away the large hand her "protector" had placed on her mouth to keep her from giving away their position.

"I think he-"

But she didn't get to finish. His lips crashed against hers, moving feverishly against her plump lips, and giving her no time to react, his arms effectively holding her wrists pinned to the wall behind them. He relished in the way she trembled, she was so petite and honest in her response, and it encouraged him to reap more. His body pressed tighter against her, lifting her slightly, the thin layer of her white shirt permitting him to feel for the first time the true size of her breasts. He could feel a groan vibrating through him. The more he prolonged the contact, the more pliant she became. He could almost smirk against the silky softness of her coral lips.

For a brief moment he parted but a few millimeters, judging her at the end of breath. She could no longer take it. Aware as he was that the moment her gasp of breath ended she'd try to renew her struggle, he refused to stop. His hand released her wrist and quickly grabbed her chin and pressed against it with his thumb to keep her mouth open while he delved in again, letting his tongue taste her for the first time. She tried to move, probably in an attempt to speak, but in doing so she only succeeded in rubbing her lips against his even more. He didn't care what she was trying to do. The friction was delicious. In a deceivingly gentle manner, his other hand moved to caress her neck as he bit her lip. He wanted to take the resistance away from her. His movements were hypnotic, lulling her into timid desire.

Hinata could swear she had never felt her heart pound so hard and she was positive he was aware of the loud beating noise as well, lushly pressed against her as he was. How could he garner such reactions from her with just his lips? He made it impossible for her to think. A full make-out session was hardly something she could've predicted. And it was beyond her expectations. Was it supposed to make you feel this heated? Was it supposed to make your skin burn? Or was it he, the prodigious Uchiha, the one desired by so many, who expertly manipulated her body to respond to his forceful advances?

She had no idea that his train of thought took a similar path against his better judgment. It had not been his intention for things to escalate at such a quick rate either. And yet, as it became his habit, the moment he had hid her behind the Ficus tree, he surveyed her quickly, everything from the white shirt she wore –notably not as loose as the rest of the clothes he had seen her wear- to the shorts that revealed a pair of toned legs of a milky white. Neither could he predict how soft she would feel against him, her small body pressing so delectably against his larger, harder one. Such a perfect fit she was.

"You know," he whispered against her reddened lips, still only a breath away from her tender, gasping mouth. "I am the one who seems to end up doing you favors."

Her wide eyes pinned his half-lidded onyx ones, understanding dawning upon her. Her breath coming out in harsh pants, she supposed one could see it that way: the evasion of her teammates, overlooking her breaking the rules, hiding her from a security guard.

"So," his deep voice vibrated, "l have a different proposition."

She could feel his lips leaning in, brushing their smooth surface against her glistening one and for a moment she believed he would try to kiss her again. But he merely lingered there, tempting her. He wanted his next words to sink into her and remain an implacable memento of what tonight had brought.

"Whenever I do something for you, you will reward me."


…:::About this chapter:::…

My sweet and darling readers! How I've missed you! Like last time, I am so terribly sorry for making you wait this long. It's not my intention to update so slowly, but life has taken so many turns and university has finally come to an end; I graduated last month. Thank you for your encouragement, it has helped so much. For the most part, this chapter had been written for a long time, but it needed several fragments added and my muse refused to help. I'm sorry if the story seems a little rushed in a few places, but I was so anxious to finally post it that I thought I should just give it a go.

I truly hope I have not disappointed you.

!IMPORTANT!

I have edited the first chapter and have made a few changes to the story. I hope they will be to your liking, that chapter had been written long ago and it needed a bit of revising.

I want to apologize, I know there is a great deal of narration in this chapter, but it was needed so the rest of the story can unfold the way I have planned it to.

Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial art form created by Bruce Lee. I encourage whoever is interested to google it. It's fascinating.

I am not a native English speaker so if there are any mistakes, please feel free to point them out. I do my best to spell-check every chapter, but seeing as I do not have a beta, the chapters are posted after my brief and lacking evaluation.

Thank you very very much for each review, I smiled the entire time I read them. Your reviews fuel my inspiration, I sincerely hope to hear more from you.

I also hope that your interest in this story has been renewed by this chapter.

Thank you again! Take care.