(A/N): Here's the next chapter… Probably one more and this fic is done. I want to thank those for reviewing. I have to admit though, this story is not one of my best works… I can do better but I was lazy and I'm writing more than just this fanfiction…
Disclaimer: I wonder how ironic it would be to see Masashi Kishimoto typing fanfics on some cute laptop…
Genre: Angst/ Romance/ Drama
Rating: T, for use of language.
…Enjoy…
Chapter 7
"Watching the wall crumble"
Hinata's POV
I said it! I actually said it! I feel like… a real free bird right now. I know I'm being a bit too happy seeing that he had not answered me yet, but still… I don't see it in Naruto to turn anyone down.
I smile at myself through the mirror and nod happily, quite satisfied with my outlook. Today was the day he said he was going to go for that mission. I want to say 'take care' to him before he leaves, and I was also getting my hopes up if he was going to return my feelings. Confidence is a rare trait seen in me, but today… I feel like I'm full of it. Surely everything's going to turn alright…
But it's strange, something inside me is telling me that I forgot something, and that something feels important. But I push the thought away and continue my way down the stairs, nodding and smiling kindly at my older cousin.
"Ohio, Neji-nii-san."
His usual calm and defensive expression drops when he sees me and his face immediately turns soft,
"Ohio, Hinata-sama."
I smile once again, keeping myself in one spot for awhile since I knew that my cousin was going to ask me a question or two.
"Taking that daily walk, Hinata-sama?"
I nod, smiling gently at the brotherly figure before me,
"Hai, and I am planning to see Naruto-kun off to his mission today… I'll see you later, Neji-nii-san!" And with that, I run off happily, missing the questionable expression on my calm and silent cousin.
And much to my dismay, I also missed his confused whisper…
"Naruto? I thought he left a week ago…"
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Out of POV
In Konoha, seldom will you see disappointing weather, in which case, this day came to back up such a saying. The sun was proudly emitting its rays of heat throughout the hidden village, shadows seen clearly through the streets. Sometimes, a small breeze would pass by, cooling those who did not like such warm and sunny weather. And the Uchiha survivor was definitely from them.
He had planned to… do nothing. After a night of no sleep and no rest, he came up with the solution of letting things just happen. He did not care about how that Hyuuga girl would feel later on, and neither did he care about how confused his rival would be when he comes back from the mission. As a matter of fact, he even stopped blaming himself for the recent incidents. He blamed Tsunade for not letting him go on the mission as well, he blamed her for letting him stay and get so bored to the extent where he would actually change into his rival's body. Yes, Sasuke blames the Hokage for his and the Hyuuga's troubles.
He sighs into the morning air and closes his eyes, not realizing the running feminine figure that had just passed him, heading towards Konoha's gates. He had nothing to do that day, so he decided to just walk around, see how much chaos he really brought along… especially to that Hyuuga heiress. In fact, he was somewhat excited. Maybe he would be able to witness her walls crumble, her defense disappearing. He DID want to do that from the first anyways, but then it hit him… didn't he want to do something AFTER he watched the fake happiness fly away? But he ignored that feeling and walked on, again missing the gates of Konoha opening, welcoming 3 people he knew oh too well.
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Hinata's POV
I wait patiently, my small body waiting a few meters from the village's gates. I had no idea when he would be leaving for the mission, so I came in the morning, knowing that sooner or later, he would arrive… that same confident grin on his cute face.
I ignored the sound of the gates opening, the sound of the guards saying their 'hellos' to whoever was just entering Konoha, he would be coming from inside, no bother turning around to face the outside of my hometown… All I wanted was to see HIM.
"WE'RE BACK!!!! YEAH!!!!" I heard an all too familiar voice, the loudness of it making my heart jump with anxiousness. But why was it coming from behind me? Why is it that I couldn't see the owner for the voice in front of me?
"Huh? OH! Hinata-chan!!! HEY!!" The voice came again, closer than before but still behind me, then came another familiar voice, the voice belonging to my secret rival,
"Keep it down Naruto no baka! She'll get deaf!" Oh my… it really was her. I turn around quickly, my hands clasping each other again in front of my now rapidly rising chest.
"N-Naruto-kun?" I asked timidly, why? Why was I feeling scared? Where had all my confidence gone?
"Hey, Hinata-chan! Miss me?" ……. Maybe that was why… The one question I wanted to ask, why did he just come from outside of Konoha with Sakura and Kakashi beside him? Weren't they supposed to be on the mission and Naruto will catch up to them? What's going on?
"Hey there, Hinata." The pink haired girl beside him said kindly, smiling at me with the smile I loathed for so long. I didn't hate her; she was and still is a nice person. I just… I liked Naruto so much and she was the one he liked.
"Hello, Sakura-san, Naruto-kun, and Kakashi-sensei."
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Sasuke's POV
I watched amusingly from one of the high trees beside the gates, my mouth never ceasing to fall from its smirk. She was getting confused alright. Maybe all the Naruto henges and trouble with the Hyuuga really paid off. I was watching the heiress lose it, watching her eyes flutter from inside from the confusion and shock, and she had yet to know the full story… this was going to be good.
I anticipated that the Hyuuga was about to say something when my sensei looked up from his perverted book and sighed out,
"We have to go report to Tsunade-sama… Let's go."
My two team mates nodded approvingly and Sakura followed the white haired jounin while Naruto grinned at the heiress, I wonder why he looked much happier then usual. What the hell happened on the mission?
"Well then, nice to see you again, Hinata-chan! Ja!" He shouted out while running towards the Hokage's building.
I smirked once again from the tree I was watching from and returned my gaze to the confused girl still standing in front of the gates. She looked… shocked? Baffled? I guess there was more… but I sensed it, sooner or later she would feel more than that… the feelings I want her to show… I would finally get to see it…
I jumped down from the tree, landing somewhere where she would not spot me and made my way to the streets of Konoha, making sure that my back was visible to the Hyuuga heiress. I was planning to confuse her even more…
"S-Sasuke-san?" Heh, she even forgot to use the suffix the usually used in front of me.
I turn around, changing my evil smirk to that of blank and coldness.
"Hn?" I require rudely, waiting for her shivering body to stand before me.
"Y-You saw Naruto-kun y-yesterday right?"
Her voice was shaking, she was feeling nervous.
I nod my head giving her a positive answer, making her even more puzzled.
"Then, d-do you kn-know why h-he just entered th-the gates with S-Sakura-san and K-Kakashi-sensei?" She was still grasping her hands in front of her, a sign that she was desperately in need of confidence at this time.
I shake my head and smirk, waving quite harshly at the girl in front of me then walk away, trying to get away from her as soon as possible. Why? Something had just hit me, something which made me feel uneasy… I needed to rest, I needed to just stop thinking and let things happen. It's not my fault anyways, right?
I glance back at the girl behind me and something more powerful hit me, it was falling, her fake happiness was beginning to disappear. She looked so confused that it was about to turn to sadness… was this what I wanted?
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Out of POV
She looked around desperately, her body trembling with unknown emotions. She ran, ran towards her home, hoping to find her brotherly figure there somewhere, ready to calm her down and listen to her dilemma. It had been already half an hour since she spotted the love of her life enter Konoha then walk to the Hokage's office, for the purpose of 'reporting to Tsunade-sama'. But why? How could they report when Naruto hadn't even left for the mission? How?
As she made her way through the many people in the streets, she passed the same ramen stand her crush would always be. And is there at this time too.
"N-Naruto-kun?" Her voice trembled again, hoping, just hoping that everything was fine and that she was merely jumping to conclusions.
He slurped up a noodle and grinned at the midnight haired girl a few steps away from him.
"Hehe… Hi, Hinata-chan! I just had to come here as soon as I finished reporting." The Hyuuga smiled inwardly at his comment, of course… this WAS Naruto after all, the ramen king. But the 'reporting' part still nagged her.
"Where were you, Naruto-kun? I mean, where did you come from when you came inside the gates?" She managed to say without stuttering, knowing that it'd be easier for both of them if she asked the past question human like.
He raised a questionable brow and shrugged innocently,
"Where else would I be? I just came back from a mission… I've been gone for a week, Hinata-chan, didn't you notice?" His teasing voice made Hinata scream from inside, what was happening?
Just when she was about to say something else, she noticed Naruto's face glimmer with something new, she turned around and saw the pink haired kunoichi walk towards them.
"Naruto! There you are! I knew it! The minute we return you go eat ramen!"
Hinata realized that her tone was different, she was going to say 'hi' to the green eyed girl but was stopped when a flash of orange and black blurred her vision, she blinked quickly and faced the place where her secret rival was walking awhile ago…
No… he… Naruto… He's hands… they were on the pink haired girl's waist… and he was twirling her around… affectionately. The Hyuuga thought that the emerald eyed ninja would have bonked him on the head, but she was wrong… instead, she heard one last sentence from the girl before she disappeared, tears threatening to gush out,
"People can see… Naruto-koi."
Although the Uchiha survivor was unable to witness it, her wall of fake happiness which covered her real feelings, which were sadness, pain, sorrow, and agony… had suddenly vanished…
Now that his wish had happened, and when he does witness it, what will the avenger do?
(A/N): That's sad... I was about to cry. I mean, try putting yourselves in Hinata's position, how would you feel? Anyways, sorry about making Sasuke look slightly evil in here… I just thought it'd make him more unOOC. Things will change in the last chapter though… I'm thinking… should I make it one or two more? Hmm…
Once again, the idea was popped out of my own insane head; I did not intend to steal anyone's ideas if my plot is similar to anyone's out there.
Reviews are appreciated.
Take care