Chapter 20: My Family and Friends Pt. I
"What happened?" The two girls chorused.
Hinata wiped her tears away, "That bastard."
Neji scowled at the thought, "That weakling."
Flashback
The Hyuuga clan leader waited, with his eldest daughter, for her cousin.
Hinata fidgeted with her feet, "Uh, O-Otoosan? W-Why are we w-waiting for N-Neji-niisan? What did you n-need to tell me?"
"It involves him as well, now be patient," Hiashi answered.
Hinata just nodded then looked down, Why do I get a bad feeling about this?
And right after the thought, Neji entered the room.
"Now I am sure you both want to know why I summoned you here."
... For some reason the two didn't want to know why.
"After the preliminary match between each other, I have noticed that it is time."
"T-Time?" Hinata asked, "F-For what?"
"Well, at first I wanted to choose what would be better, but I'll let you two do it instead. Your first option: Neji, you would have to personally train Hinata, until she too is up to your level."
The two paled at the statement.
"The other:..." Even Hinata could see in his eyes that he was filled with confidence, yet still wasn't so sure, "You two will switch."
"What?" The two said.
"Hinata will receive the curse seal and be... moved to the branch family, and Neji's curse seal will be removed and he will not only join the main family, but he will be heir. No need to worry, I will be giving you ample time to answer. I will leave you now to discuss among yourselves."
Then he left the room.
The two were just silent for a long period of time.
They couldn't do a proper spar without Neji trying to lash out his anger at the girl.
And the next... Neji-niisan might like it... but, Hinata shivered, A branch family member? That would mean I would have to obey the main family... and that would mean I might not be able to join the others...
She looked up at him, "H-Have you come to a d-decision?"
"You expect me to answer Hinata-sama? You are the one is in a higher rank than I," Was his formal response.
"B-But would you like i-it if you were in the h-higher rank?"
His eyes widened just for a moment, "You wish to choose the second one?"
"... That i-is up to you. I-I am fine with both, i-it is you I am w-worried about."
"The first one... would take too long. And I am not sure if I could even accomplish it."
Ouch.
"The second..." He faced her, "Would you like to be a member of the branch family?"
She let out a small smile, "It's f-fine."
"Fine?"
"... If I-I do join the b-branch family, I won't g-go around h-hating you for it," Hinata answered, "If t-that is what you're w-worried about."
Little did she know, she hit a sore spot.
"And why would I be worried about that?" He asked in an icy tone.
"U-Uh... I-Its like why y-you hate me. And I-I don't like the thought of f-family hating me-"
"But would your hate be enough to make anyone worry?"
That was tougher than the first.
"U-Um... n-no... it..."
He just sighed, "Hinata-sama. You have to learn that life isn't that easy."
Tch. I know that. With Higure chasing after-
"I meant when it comes to family," he said noticing her indifference at the first statement.
... Oh.
"You can't go around caring about them when they don't you-"
She raised an eyebrow, "Y-You may not care about anyone in the main f-family. But I care about e-everyone in the c-clan. Whether they h-hate me or n-not. I may be w-weak, but I would t-try my best to p-protect everyone in the f-family. But you, on the o-other hand, we both k-know you're strong, but w-what do you use it f-for? You use it to m-make sure you d-defeat us.
"And if you had to become a main family member just to realize that I was right, I'll be glad to have become a member of the branch family."
He glared at her, "You were the reason why my father died. You call that caring-"
"And t-that is the r-reason why w-whenever I see you I l-look away. I see you, I see him. And I feel g-guilty."
"Guilty?"
She glared at him, "U-Unlike you I have a c-conscience! And a heart!"
Now it was him getting hurt.
"What did you just say?"
"I said. You. Don't. Have. A. Heart. Was that slow enough for you?"
Now wasn't exactly the best of times to go to the talk-back Hinata.
"And what? You have a large one? If you do, so what? You care for people, but you are too weak to protect them-"
"I am not weak!"
"You may grow up to be a great ninja, but you still don't know how to fight back to people like me."
"You?"
"I'm your family. But even though, I am still against you. And you just can't defeat family without a second thought."
He had a point.
"And sometimes, Hinata-sama, even if you become Hokage, you are still weak."
Tears became to fall down.
"B-But at least, I tried to be s-strong, and use it for g-good. Instead of b-being strong and u-using it in the wort way p-possible. Sometimes N-Neji-niisan... Y-You are just like S-Sasuke-san.
"A cold hearted bastard!" Then she ran away.
End Flashback
Sakura whistled, "I understand how you feel, but Neji-san?... I think you hurt him big time too."
Hinata nodded, "I know."
"I mean giving him another sermon and calling him a cold hearted bastard..." Sakura sighed, "I would be mad at you as well. I mean, he technically is like you."
"Me?"
"You both have a bad past or present, bringing it up would hurt big time, right? But... unlike you, it was the first time he was told that. You're family always calls you weak, so you must have already know what it felt like, but him... The first time hurts the most."
She sniffed, "I know..."
Sakura inwardly laughed, I am glad my parents only fight instead of something as big as that happening in our family.
"But what would you choose? The first or the second option?"
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Tenten leaned on the tree, "Wow. What a... scene. To think Hinata would have the guts to say that." To you.
"Aa."
"I know it must hurt big time for you, but you should have seen it coming. I mean, did you expect Hinata to shut up forever? She had to grow a backbone sooner or later. And you should have been ready to get hit by those words."
"... I know."
Guess Hinata was wrong, the boy had a conscience.
"Though, what option would you choose?"
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"Hiashi-sama!"
He looked up from the scroll he was studying, "What do you want?"
The Hyuuga family member bowed, "I am sorry if I am interrupting you, but the two children are not in the main room anymore."
"Well look for them! I need to know their answer right away!" Hiashi ordered. The man nodded then left the room.
Hiashi just sighed and looked the scroll again, They better hurry up, I only need to make a few more preparations.
The scroll was to tell the user on how to put and remove the curse seal.
Did the two really have a choice in the matter?
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"Neither," The two Hyuugas chorused.
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Hanabi looked around, she was at a lake.
The place where her older sister always went when she needed a good cry. How she knew?... She still was her sister.
And then she saw it, a pink haired girl and a blue haired one.
"Hinata-oneechan!!"
The two faced the source of the voice, Hanabi ran to them, "Otoosan is calling for you! You must hurry!"
Sakura looked at Hinata, and Hinata looked at her too.
They both nodded.
Hinata faced her younger sister again, "Lets go, don't want to keep Otoosan waiting."
Then the two were out of sight.
Sakura just sighed, Yeah sure. Leave me alone why don't you? Then she started heading home.
After a moments time, she arrived in front of the door, and opened it. Her eyes widened, Why is it unlocked? She entered the house, but no one. It was silent. She walked to the kitchen, then to the dining area, then to the living room.
No one.
Sakura walked up to her parents' room, she was about to knock until she heard sobbing. She put her ear against the door.
Sobbing. Crying. But no shouting or yelling.
She opened the door, and was only met with her mom wiping her tears away.
"Okaasan? Did Otoosan leave again?"
Laiya nodded, but then she looked down, "But this time... Sakura. This time is different."
Sakura walked over to her and saw it. Karma was biting her in the ass for laughing at Hinata's family problem.
Divorce papers.
"This time he won't be coming back."
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Temari's eyes widened.
She quickly got her fan out and swung it. The sand let go of the old man. He blinked once, twice, then shrugged and left.
She sweat dropped, Must have been to old to realize that his life was in danger.
But then her spine shivered, that only meant one thing. She turned around and was met with her younger brother.
Gaara glared at her, "What did you think you were doing?"
She gulped, Stay calm Temari. Stay clam. So what if this was the first time you stopped your brother from killing someone... using a fan instead of words... and succeeding... So what?
Temari inwardly groaned at her stupidity, I'm dead, that's what.
"Do you want to take his place instead?"
Her eyes widened, "N-No!"
He continued glaring at her.
She gulped, Come on! Think of something! I don't want to die just yet! "Uh... well..." What am I supposed to say? "What you're doing is wrong."
...
Not exactly the best words she could have given.
He raised his hand up in its usual position, one that could be the last one she'll ever see.
But he really wouldn't kill his sister would he?
...
Neji almost killed Hinata, and he does not have a demon inside him.
Temari gulped as sand started coming towards her, "S-Stop Gaara. Think about what you're doing... Would you really kill your own sister?"
"I have no real family."
Temari's face paled.
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Ino sat on one of the many rocks near a river... What the hell...
She looked up, Did I just have an epiphany or something? She saw the clouds and rolled her eyes, but then there was a light tint on her cheeks ... Maybe.
But then she heard someone sit beside her, her eyes widened when she saw him, "What are you doing here?!"
Shikamaru just shrugged, "Its too troublesome to go to my usual place where I watch clouds."
Ino scoffed, "Whatever."
...
"... What do you want?" She asked getting uncomfortable with having someone laying down beside her.
...
...
...
She faced him, he just shrugged, "Too troublesome to explain." Lazy bum.But then she turned around and saw Chouji munching on some chips walking towards them, he waved at them, "Hey!"
Ino rolled her eyes again but then waved, "Come on over!" Then he, too, joined them putting his chips down.
...
The blonde groaned, she hated silence, "What exactly are you two doing here? Don't you have anything better to do?"
Chouji shrugged, "Shikamaru said to meet here a few minutes ago."
She faced him, "Mind telling me why you disturbed my peace?"
"..."
"Or is it too troublesome to explain?"
"Aa."
Ino scowled, "Lazy bum..." But then she lay back down, "But really, why did you two come here?"
"It looked like you needed the company," Chouji said.
Shikamaru agreed, "And it would be too troublesome to force Sasuke to come here."
She blinked.
...
"Thanks... I think."
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vry sry to all neji fans there, its just that he... really is like at the BEGINNING. but he changed after the whole naruto incident
but don't wry! he'll be good after a few more chaps... even here. with wat sak and ten said, i was trying to prove that both of them were correct... and yea
... REVIEW!!... pls?