Kaith: Hey there. It's a double update! Hinata's Heart and A Tale of True Love are now both updated! Sorry about the long wait for this one, you should know why though if you read my note. Anyway, now it's time for the second chapter!
NarutoNineTaleFox: Hmm haven't given their age much of a thought. I did say they were out of college so that would make them 23-25 or so.
hinatasgreatestfan: glad you like it, wasn't really my intention to make it a funny opening but oh well.
Crazylilic: Thanks for your idea! I didn't actually use it but it helped me come up with the next idea!
And yeah you all probably noticed that I changed this story to a romantic/tragedy so the age thingy kind of goes up too. I'm going to leave it as T but if you can't stand watching shows like CSI, than this story probably won't be for you.
Chapter 2: Freedom?
Naruto lay on the bed, board out of his mind. He had never been keen on sitting in one place for a long time. The first rays of sunlight slipped through the window and Naruto decided to sit up. I wonder if Hinata's still here… Naruto decided to test his theory and deliberately feel to the floor, groaning loudly. There was a jump from the other room and the sound of feet racing to the door. The door swung open with Hinata standing in it.
"Naruto! Are you alright?" Her voice was full of worry as she rushed over and helped him up.
"Yeah." Naruto mumbled, "Hinata…" But Naruto couldn't say anything now; his breath had been taken away by the angel that now stood before him. The sunlight illuminated Hinata's pale skin, giving her skin a sort of glow to it. She was wearing thin and loose fitting clothes – which was a culture shock to Naruto who had only seen her in thick clothing before – which showed off exactly how curvy her body was. But what he couldn't take his eyes off of was her face. A few strands of hair were still sticking to her face and her pupilless eyes held his in a trance. He had never really understood how beautiful Hinata, was until now that is.
Hinata tilted her head slightly and blinked, breaking Naruto's trance. "What is it?"
Naruto reformed his thoughts but couldn't bring himself to say anything. His stomach answered for him, growling like a starved tiger that had just found dinner.
Hinata smiled, "I'll make you something to eat." Hinata stood and turned to walk into the next room when Naruto opened his mouth.
"Hinata wait, can you do something about my restraints first?"
Hinata looked at Naruto then at the floor, "I'm sorry, but not until you hear what I have to say."
Naruto watched the doorway for a few minutes even after Hinata left before he finally stood up. He made his way to the kitchen and sat down at the table where some bacon, toast, and orange juice were waiting for him. Hinata sat down in the chair opposite and Naruto finally asked. "Why?"
Hinata looked away. "I told you, Sakura doesn't truly love you."
"Why do you say that? Of course she does. She was going to marry me-"
"For your money." Hinata said blankly.
Naruto was stunned. When his godfather, Jiraiya, had died, he had been left a large sum money; however, he never told a single one of his friends. Hinata was the only exception; she was the only one there to comfort him at the time of Jiraiya's death.
"How did she-"
"Everyone knows Naruto; you're horrible at keeping a secret."
"But-"
Hinata stood up and walked over to the bookcase where she kept her books; the collection had grown a bit. Hinata pulled a file from in-between two of the books. She walked up to Naruto, a bit hesitant when she handed it to Naruto. She unbound Naruto's hands and walked away to the door, almost like she still didn't trust him, and looked away.
Naruto opened the file; it was filled with photos and papers. The papers all looked like they were written by different hands; the photos were all of Sakura, in the arms of different man each photograph. Naruto was shocked, unable to even look at the written reports.
"I walked into Sakura and someone else a few weeks ago and I confronted her about it." Hinata said quietly. Naruto looked over at her, his eyes wide. "She told me it was a stupid mistake and she was never going to do it again. A week later I hired a P.I. and he took those photos and notes." Hinata was starting to cry a bit.
"I wanted to show you but…" Hinata was sobbing now, "Naruto, you're one of my closest friends a-and I just couldn't bring myself to show you…When y-you told everyone about your engagement, you…you just looked so…happy." Hinata dropped the ground and started sobbing into her knees.
Naruto was still sitting at the table, taking it all in. Only now was he realizing the difference between Sakura and Hinata. Hinata had been there when Jiraiya died, a shoulder to cry on. Sakura was off to who-knows-where doing who-knows-what. Sakura was around whenever he was busy; she always trying to get him to do things that she wanted to do, always going on and on about herself. Hinata was quiet, nice, funny, always willing to listen but not afraid to voice her own option.
Naruto looked away from the photos of his finance and at Hinata. Now that he thought about it, when he announced his engagement to Sakura, Hinata looked devastated. Naruto stood up, all thoughts of Sakura now gone from his mind. Hinata was the one who was always there for him; she was the one for him.
Naruto kneeled down, level with Hinata. "Hinata…" Hinata looked up at Naruto, her eyes red from crying. Naruto grabbed her in a giant bear hug, causing her to squeak with surprise. "Thank you."
Hinata looked at Naruto when he lessened his grip. "I still don't understand it all; I mean…I thought I loved Sakura. But now that you've told me…" Naruto broke off and his eyes began to water. "I gave her three years of my life, and she repays me like this…" Naruto stood up and grabbed a piece of toast and downed the orange juice in one gulp. Hinata got up and walked over to the table.
"Naruto?" She asked.
Naruto took a giant bite out of the toast and looked at his friend. "I'm going to need my strength if I'm going back to town. I need to straighten out my kidnapping and settle things with Sakura." Naruto finished the piece of toast he was holding and headed out the door followed by Hinata. "You should probably stay up here for a day or two. I don't want you to get arrested."
"B-But Naruto-"Hinata broke off as Naruto leaned closer to her; a shiver of joy went down her spine as Naruto placed a kiss upon her cheek.
"I have to go. But when I get back, how about we go get something to eat?" Hinata stared and after a few moments, realized she had yet to say anything.
"Y-Yeah!" Naruto smiled and walked off, unable to keep the grin off of his face.
Naruto walked out of the police office, Kiba following him out. "Wow, that's some heck of a story."
"Yeah," Naruto said. "Thanks in advance for giving me a ride to Sakura's place."
"Don't mention it." Kiba pulled out his keys and pushed the 'unlock' button. The lights on a police car went off. Kiba got in and started the car up. "Do you want me to be there, just in case Sakura doesn't take the news well?" Kiba joked.
"No, I'm sure I can handle it." Naruto said.
Twenty minutes later, Kiba pulled up to the apartment building Sakura lived in.
"Thanks again, Kiba." Naruto said as he got out.
"Don't mention it, and good luck." Naruto watched Kiba dive off and then turned to the building. He sighed and walked into the building, traveling along the first floor, turning corner after corner, before reaching door number 199. Naruto pulled his keys out of his pocket and inserted Sakura's key into the lock. Here goes nothing. Naruto thought as he turned the key.
Naruto pushed open the door and walked into the apartment. He immediately noticed the shoes; Sakura's were sitting neatly by the door, next to another pair. Naruto didn't know whose they were but they looked like another man's and he could tell what he might find.
Walking into the kitchen, Naruto saw Sakura was standing over the counter, cutting up lettuce and other vegetables for a salad. Sakura looked up and her eyes lit up the moment she saw Naruto. "Naruto!" She yelled and ran over the hug him, burying her head into his chest.
Naruto let his arms hang at his side. Part of him wanted to hug her back but what Hinata had told him was still fresh in his mind. Sakura lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. Was that look of love always in her eyes?
Sakura moved in to kiss Naruto, but Naruto raised his hand and stopped her lips from touching his. Sakura gave him a quizzical look. "Sakura, we have to talk."
"About what? Is it about Hinata? We can get a restraining order on that kidnapping bitch."
Naruto was hit by her comment. He had never heard Sakura talk bad about one of their friends, much less swear about one of them. "No, she did the right thing. She told me about your affairs."
Sakura's eyes widened and she hugged herself, "It was a one-time, stupid mistake. I'm not perfect, you know that."
"Sakura, I said affairs, as in more than one. The extra pair of shoes by your door belongs to another man, don't they?" Sakura looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry Sakura, but I need someone who loves me for who I am. Not for what I have."
Naruto said nothing and just watched Sakura, trying to judge her actions. She just stood there silently, still holding the knife she used for the salad.
Naruto turned to leave and as he did, a sharp pain shot through Naruto's back. He cried out and crumpled up on the floor, his breathing ragged. Naruto looked up at Sakura; it was a difficult task, his eyelids were refusing to stay open. Sakura looked down on him, her eyes cold, expressionless, vacant of feelings. Naruto, his mind half fogged, noticed the knife Sakura was using to make dinner a few minutes ago was missing; he could tell where it had gone. Naruto's eyes closed his breathing almost gone; he knew he would never see Hinata again. All the times the two had spent together flashed before his eyes.
"If I can't have you and your money," Sakura said, "No one can."
With his last breath, Naruto uttered the one name that meant the wholeworld to him, "H-Hinata…" Naruto's body gave one final shudder and lay still.
0.0 Who would have thought that I would kill Naruto? What lies in wait for future chapters? What will the effect Naruto's murder have on Hinata, will Sakura get caught, who will be the next to die, and who ate all my poptarts? Find out all these questions in the next chapter of…Hinata's Heart.