AnimeCrasherz: I tried to make this one longer.

Chapter 3, The Truth Will Hurt

Following him proved easier than I thought... was it because he was so out of it? Or maybe he had seen me. Either way, I stuck to the shadows and slinked my way through the darkening streets. Staying a safe distance behind him, I followed until he got to his tiny apartment. From a secluded and hidden spot I saw him enter his apartment and shut the door behind him slowly.

I jumped to a place where I could see inside of his open bedroom window (I guess he forgot to close it?) and listen pretty good to what was going on. There was a clear view of everything but his bed.

What did I expect to see, anyways? I didn't know. But if there was any way I could see what was going on, then that would make me feel better every time he answered my questions with an absent "y-yea..."

I did feel bad about spying... as if it would leave me tainted. But I would turn away if he changed clothes or something.

There turned out to be no need for that. No... he didn't change. What happened was something that I hadn't expected, but deep inside I knew it could definitely be a possibility.

Naruto entered the room with the same blank expression and slumped shoulders that he carried around all day. He looked up at something, something... talking to him? It was... it couldn't be...

Sakura.

Sakura got up from the bed, just as Naruto entered the room.

She walked up to him, barely clothed in anything, and-

I ran home, sped past my family members with the quickest greeting I could muster, and tried my hardest not to slam my door.

How could he do this to me? I leaned back on the bedpost and pulled my knees up to my chin. Rocking myself back and forth, I bit my lip in order to stop the tears that were threatening to spill. But, it was really hard to ignore the feeling of my heart sinking down to the pit of my stomach, being torn into little pieces. My shoulders began to shake and I couldn't take it anymore. I lay down on my bed and muffled my cries in my pillow, letting everything out in torrents of tears. My sobs racked my body until I was practically exhausted.

Why would he do this?

It's because I'm useless.

How long has this been going on...?

Those were my final thoughts before I drifted into a restless sleep.

(Such an emo moment for poor, poor Hinata. Let us all pray and sing for her. Kumbayaaaaaaaaaaaaa my lord... kumbaaaaayaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... okay enough)
In the morning I woke up, feeling hungover...

The memories from the night before came back to me like a frickin tsunami. I couldn't get away from them no matter how hard I tried.

"Oooh..." I looked at the clock and covered my head with my pillow, still moist from before. It was almost time to get up. I closed my eyes, determined to squeeze just a few more minutes of sleep in, but it was no use. My alarm clock went off then, time to go to training. I didn't know if I could... but I would have to.

The mundane everyday morning activities passed painfully slow. Nothing felt the same anymore. When I arrived at training, it passed just as excruciating. I tried my hardest to make it seem as if nothing was different, but even Shino noticed something was wrong. How could I tell my own teammates what had happened to me? They wouldn't understand.

On my way home though, I saw him again. The sight of him made my stomach churn as if I'd had one burrito too many...

Naruto was standing at my mailbox, looking more depressed than yesterday. He was putting in some mail... or taking it out. I couldn't tell.

But when I saw the sorrowful and pitying look on his face, I couldn't take it. My anger was killing me. What right did he have to look so depressed? Who the hell did he think he frickin was!

"NARUTO!"

"Eh?" he turned to me, and forced another one of his winning fake smiles. "Hinata, good afternoon, what's up?"

"Stop with the innocent act Naruto!" the expression on his face would have been priceless, had I not been blinded by my fury. "I know what you've been doing!"

"Hinata- I- when did you- how-" he was asking too many questions at the same time. "I- I can explain!" He'd never expected for me to find out, and that made me all the more angry. He took a few cautious steps back, like he didn't like the look on my face just then...

"You... you..." I couldn't find a horrible enough word to describe him... or what he did... A stray tear rolled down my cheek, a tear that somehow hadn't found it's way out last night when I cried.

His hand reached out, aiming to brush the tear off of my face.

SLAP!

Letting him touch me now would be the last thing I'd ever do.

"Hinata, don't-"

SLAP!

I backhanded his face, and I swore I could see his eyes pop out in shock.

"Never." I forced myself to look at him. "Never come back here again, never look for me again. I don't ever want to speak with you, I never want to see your face as long as I live!"

Still in my blinded rage, I pushed the gate open and slammed it behind me. Sinking down against the wall inside, I made it look like I ran into the house. (Let's just say the Hyuuga manor has a wall around... if it does hurray for me.) I could feel him so close to me, standing on the other side of the gate. I could hear him shout my name so close it rang in my ears, intensifying the headache I already had. Squeezing my eyes shut, I waited until he finally just gave up.

Footfall after footfall... his footsteps faded away as he walked away -I hoped- for the last time, for me never to see him again.

After he left, I crept to the mailbox, confirming that the coast was clear. With a shaking hand I pulled out a small letter folded in thirds.

Hinata,

As I write I feel sorry for ever saying that I loved you when I'd have to do this in the end.

We can't continue being a couple. How can I say this... it just wouldn't work out.

I know it would have been better if I could say this to you face to face, but it's easier this way... I wouldn't be able to get it out in words.

I'm sorry,

Naruto

p.s. Enclosed is the little necklace you gave me on my birthday for good luck.

I have the crappiest luck in the world...

I could tell the letter was written in a haste. He probably had better things to do...

My anger simmered down, and melted into a puddle of sorrow and pity. My pitiful, meaningless life...

I remembered what I had seen before, the sight at the window.

I ran inside to the bathroom and almost threw up. When I came out, one of the servants was waiting.

"Hinata-sama?" he seemed distraught. There was nervousness etched on his features. I searched his face... but I could tell nothing more.

"Yes?"

"Your... your father... he..."

"He? He wh-what?"

"He is dying."

AnimeCrasherz: Wasn't it in the first chapter of Kyuubi festival that Naruto said he was the luckiest guy on earth? Oh, well... who believes in luck?

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