Chapter 40: Unresolved Bonds
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In her altered state, she had enough awareness to acknowledge she was more receptive to drawing conclusions just by using her imagination.
Hanabi's emotions simmered as they stood in the middle of her sister's room. She couldn't get over the fact that Sasuke would blatantly choose this place as a destination. It must've been a personal message or declaration, as his action wouldn't have been so negligent. She straightened herself, letting go of her sister's arm.
Jerk. You're trying to show me something I already know. Something that I've already seen before, Hanabi thought to herself as she kept her gaze fixed on the wide curtains drawn shut. The room seemed to spin as she dived straight into Hinata's bed. She rolled to the middle with poor coordination, her head missing the pillow altogether. Hanabi had already decided that this is where she'll sleep, mostly tired from all the mental gymnastics.
The portal finally closed, and Hinata snapped back into motion as she rested their personal belongings down on any surface and rushed to turn on the AC to cool them down. When she turned to Hanabi, she felt immediate relief as she latched onto the hopes that her younger sister was too drunk to realize what this location meant, as it all correlated with the way Sasuke's powers worked, which all pointed to him having been here before.
"Hanabi-chan, are you sure that's a good idea? If you lay there, you might not be able to get up again."
'Dad is going to kill me if he sees me this way.' She explained. 'I need to stay out of sight so I'm sleeping here tonight.'
Hinata sighed. "Let this be the last time. So how do you feel? Do you need anything before I leave?"
Hanabi propped herself into a more comfortable position until she was sitting up. She ignored the room spinning.
'Isn't this the part where you give me a speech and patronize me about tonight? You must really be in a good mood if you're letting this go.'
Hinata shook her head and forced a smile.
"There's plenty of time to do just that, but not tonight, not when you're this way. Goodnight."
Though she made a movement to leave, she caught Hanabi's lips moving. Hinata turned at the door, taking in her younger sister's expression, as she tried her best to hide her frustration.
'I didn't know you would be part of Senpai's calendar tonight. You didn't say anything about it this morning.' However, Hanabi could see herself going up against a pointless battle, as her sister didn't seem to react to the underlying assumptions being made.
"It was a last-minute arrangement, and he was glad to help me run some errands for your birthday."
Right. 'Then how did you end up at his place?'
"You're overlooking something, you don't get to ask me all these questions unless you're ready to address your actions tonight." Does Sakura normally escort her to Sasuke every time they need help sneaking her home? More importantly, how many times has Hanabi turned up, drunk, on Sasuke's doorstep? Her gaze was misted with worry as she wondered about all of this.
'Sorry, did I embarrass you and make you feel like a neglectful mother?' Part of Hanabi regretted acting difficult as her sister visibly stiffened at those words.
"That's not how I meant the question, and you know it…Hanabi, what's going on with you?"
Hanabi spread her arms, motioning frantically all around her. Why has he been here before?
She looked at her younger sister, quizzically, the confusion lasting only half a second before recognizing a pattern in their conversation, which led back to Sasuke. Now that she saw it, she couldn't ignore how they were both so alike, in the sense that they would always talk about the people that they love.
Hinata pressed her lips together as she approached the bed and sat down slowly, suddenly feeling a heavy burden on her shoulders as she began to suspect her sister might have feelings…
"I can tell you care deeply about him." Hanabi looked away, knowing she had instigated the subject in the first place, and that her sister had finally picked up on something. But she didn't expect to be asked such a question.
"Are you by any chance, in love with him…?"
Hanabi's shoulder went rigid, and she almost forgot to breathe.
The truth had been so easy to admit when it was Sasuke she had been confessing to. However now, it all feels wrong to even say it, and she knew exactly why. She'll end up ruining everything for them, and no matter how jealous or hurt she feels, Hanabi understood what an admission would do. She was more than aware that there, in Hinata's heart, was something reserved just for her, and no one could take her place, not even Sasuke.
Not ever.
Which is why it would be so easy to break them apart by merely bringing to light everything that happened that night.
It would be enough to end them, forever.
Hanabi shook her head, her short hair swaying side to side when she caught herself in the middle of having negative and vicious thoughts. There was something bigger at stake, and it involved the lives of the people she loves. She didn't want company in her misery.
If I say something, it'll be over. He always said that I'm her weakness.
'Onee-chan, are you drunk or out of your mind?' Her feigned indifference only earned her scrutiny, as pearly lavender eyes seemed to examine every micro-expression she made. She could tell Hinata was not about to dismiss her easily.
"Do you?" She pressed.
'I'm just worried Senpai might get the wrong idea if you start spending time with him. He likes you a lot. But I'm sure you already knew that.'
Hinata's eyes fell to her lap. "Hanabi, let me get you some medicine and water,"
Restlessness took over, as Hanabi lay awake waiting for her sister to return. When she closed her eyes, guilt immediately settled in, as she wasn't able to understand these strong feelings of anguish. She knew those two would eventually be drawn together again, but didn't anticipate it would be this soon when she hadn't even had a chance to emotionally prepare.
Upon her return, Hinata sighed when she saw her sister had fallen asleep. She left the water and medicine right next to the nightstand and sat quietly at the edge of the bed. She then rolled right next to Hanabi, and remained awake for most of the night, thinking. Since Hanabi was little, she was gifted with the stoic ability to mask her thoughts and feelings, never giving something away unless she wanted to. And tonight, she wasn't sure what to think when Hanabi's mask stayed intact, even while sleeping, whether she knew this herself or not.
Hinata pushed herself up, and glanced at the clock, before slipping out of bed.
She walked down the stairs and entered the living room, nesting on the couch while drawing her knees in. She chastised her mind for having created such thoughts that crossed over so close to paranoia as part of her believes that her little sister might like the same person that had been a constant in their life.
"Perhaps I'm making this all up, so that I don't have to think about other things." Then, she glanced at the phone and thought about Shikamaru. These last couple of months had been an exhausting battle, of trying to feel worthy again, worthy of love and happiness, but in the end, he was the one that still held her back. "What am I doing? I need to take back the power Shikamaru has over me."
She reached out to the phone next to her, and dialed his number, knowing he would be awake just by remembering his sleeping habits from the times they lived together.
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In waking moments, Shikamaru found himself regurgitating polite words to those who sought to understand why he had let her go. Family members and friends remained curious spectators, outright asking what went wrong. Nevertheless, they picked up on something. Whatever the reason, it must've been important enough to warren such a decision on both sides.
And so his life continued this way, as he had been living day by day, until the incremental weeks turned into months. Within that time, Shikamaru recognized the switch right away in the faces of friendly strangers who seemed to pity him as if his decision hadn't been made by him. It was truly in the aftermath that Shikamaru finally understood something that had always been there.
This village had a problem with how they lifted someone on a pedestal and publicly celebrated a public figure. Uzumaki had become a hero a few years ago, and his ex-fiance recently became something else. It crossed the boundaries of being a role model, due to the way sympathetic opinions mostly swayed her way, as she was perceived as a victim caught in the middle of messy politics as there was no way she could do any wrong. The most admirable freedom fighter.
And soon enough, months in, he would never be left alone. It was disgusting, really, to bear witness to the brewing obsession around his life and hers, speculation chipping away at his agency of just being a person. His eyes misted as he thought about the cruel reality of such misconception, which stung his esteem.
Even so, part of him still missed her. Most times Shikamaru forgot that he had been the one to end it since grief made him think otherwise.
That part of him might've had something to do with why Shikamaru kept the portrait he had commissioned of her, which hung inside the guest room she once occupied. Everything was encapsulated inside a room that still held her essence in every item she left behind. Indeed, he needed that image of her for what it represented as he had vowed to never sin over another.
Shikamaru began to make preparations, to make certain he would not make the same mistakes again. So he reviewed high-profile photos of foreigners that came flocking once news made it clear he had been single for some time. This time, he would make the right calls and the right decision, now that he had a sense of autonomy, as her spell had finally lifted.
He chuckled.
"You won't find me getting caught in someone else's gaze again," Shikamaru proclaimed. They had been sitting inside his office, as Ino watched over his shoulder, not noticing he was skipping through the photos of the women that were on the more attractive side.
"Huh?!" Ino seemed to disagree as she gave Shikamaru a funny look, insisting love was everything, asking him if it would be so bad to make amends with his ex. His frightening thoughts circled close to some form of retaliation, against the person responsible for his ongoing pain. But that kind of darkness dissolved when underneath Ino's watchful eyes, before she could sense his intent.
"Ino, just drop it. I don't need to know what went on, but he's living proof that she really messed him up." Choji commented as he respected Shikamaru's resolve to never have his rationality ever questioned.
Ino sighed. "When do you plan to give a reply to these girls?"
"As soon as possible. Summer is one of the best seasons to court,"
Ino nodded in agreement. Their village looked so beautiful during the summer, living up to its name, with all its lush greenery-
"I totally agree. Sometimes the heat has the power to reveal a person's true nature." Choji added from his side, earning a dejected sigh from Ino upon seeing Shikamaru agree with this.
Ino moved away and returned to sit by Choji as Shikamaru read another name, along with their bio. They all agreed that the candidates presented to him were from families who wanted to marry off their daughters, likely for money, land, and access to his lineage.
His mother seemed to know this, and he could sense a distaste for the lack of information given to her about his private conflict with Hinata, which he refused to share because it was one of those situations in which he had no one to tell. His mother had left the conversation some time ago, to head to her new home.
Shikamaru flipped through another photo, his eyes dead as he read another introduction in front of his friends. Over time, he concurred that he could do fine without certain joys in life. There were other things aside from love he could derive delight from, such as leading his clan with a clear goal and focus.
"She sounds amazing," Choji replied with a smile, as the woman's bio mentioned she was a foodie.
Then, Shikamaru held up the photo of the person, his tone almost monotonous when he asked about their votes. By no means did Shikamaru consider his options attractive after being with probably the most beautiful woman in the world. But that's just what he needed, someone who wasn't too beautiful, just a decent human to help him with the future of his clan.
"Helping you pick a bride just feels wrong. Shika, this is your life, you have to decide on your own, I'm out!" Ino burst out, knowing when to call it quits, while trying to drag Choji along with her.
Their bigger friend eventually caved in.
"Sorry bro, it is getting kinda late. Best of luck with finding a match." He said while rubbing the back of his head apologetically, mostly taking his leave because he could not leave Ino to walk alone by herself, as he had taken on the task to protect her, as they all lived in fear. Her psycho ex was still out there.
Shikamaru escorted his friends to the exit, waving before returning inside.
He casually walked up to the phone when it rang.
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Sasuke blinked, still hung up on Naruto's previous statement.
He didn't think he ever had to address that day he had buried. But now that he had to, how could he possibly express that when he sees Hanabi, all he could think about was his massive lapse in judgment that night?
Procrastinating a response, Sasuke cleared off the table, grabbing the glasses of wine that remained untouched.
"I was sparing her feelings by putting a distance between us," Sasuke said over his shoulder as he placed the leftovers inside the fridge next. Though, the expression Sakura made next let him know that this conversation wasn't going so well.
"How is that sparing anyone's feelings?" Sakura glared accusingly at him.
"She knows who occupies my thoughts." Sasuke retorted, trying to hold onto anything, only to realize no amount of words could defend his actions. His eyes flicker briefly over to Naruto, who now looked surprisingly level-headed for someone claiming to know the truth.
"Hold on, just level with me, because I don't think I'm getting it. Did this confession happen before our trip, or after?"
"Why does it matter?" Sasuke asked.
"If she thought her sister was getting married, you can't really blame Hanabi for thinking there was nothing to lose by confessing. Apologize tomorrow."
Though his friends claimed to know everything, minutes in, Sasuke understood that was unlikely the case. Their reactions had been a teller, as it had been tamed.
Hanabi hadn't told them the whole truth.
Hn, so that's how it is.
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The phone continued to ring.
It was way past business hours, which narrowed the probability of who it could be on the other side of the line. Shikamaru answered, guessing it may be his mother.
When Shikamaru heard the sound of Hinata's voice, he could immediately feel everything unraveling. His eyes widened, and his hand unconsciously rested over his heart. The apathy and numbness had lifted, and now, he just felt angry.
The gaping chasm in his heart filled up with reasons to hate her more, because he'll never forget, that he too had taken part in the collective obsession surrounding her, undone by the same passion and desire to have her in her entirety, only to find that love was not enough and that he was not enough. It was no wonder he finds himself feeling stupid and lost.
"...I'm sorry to call this late. Were you asleep?"
He hummed. "Then why are you calling at this time?"
"I didn't get around to it, until now."
"What is it?" What did she want?
"Um, I have some personal belongings in your place. I would've sent someone to collect them, but I never liked anyone else handling my things." He took comfort in hearing her voice almost breaking. So she was having a hard time too. "C-Can I stop by tomorrow?"
"Ah," If hearing just her voice made him feel like this, then what would seeing her in person do to him? She was the reason he almost lost a precious person in his life. He let out a breath as the walls around his office closed in, knowing it wouldn't be a good idea to meet up, as he could not get the vivid image of Ino's still body in his arms.
However, with the strength to make the difficult sound quite easy, he replied. "I have many errands to run later on in the afternoon. Come by in the morning, if you can."
"Then I'll see you early in the morning." She replied.
After hanging up, wounds reopened seemingly deeper than the first time, as there was now this longing to return to simpler times when most of his concern revolved around the mundane choices he had taken for granted. During those simple times, the clouds he used to watch while on the rooftop of the Hokage tower would provide meditation. Playing Shoji was a form of expression, meditation and entertainment, back when critical thinking guided his way of life.
He could sense that this Sunday morning was going to be a drag.
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Sasuke didn't think it was his imagination.
He felt like he was being watched while on his way towards his destination, as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop.
He merged into the busier side of town, where he saw small groups of Inuzuka and Aburame descend, standing in front of local businesses or street vendors talking amongst each other. Sasuke heard his name being spoken in passing, and he had to wonder if it had anything to do with the Uchiha memorial park opening up soon.
When he dropped down from the sky, he was approached by familiar faces of Chunin coworkers in their junior years wearing casual clothes on their day off. They grinned his way and waved, their chatting stopping.
"Congrats Sasuke-senpai!"
"I see you had fun last night!"
This comment made him pause. Sasuke spun around and watched them disappear into the crowd. He intuitively got the sense there was nothing impertinent about the situation. Why was he being cheered over something that had to do with last night?
His eyes narrowed, as he finally noticed many people were congregated by a newsstand. The crowd parted as he approached the small business stand, and then his eyes widened.
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Over breakfast, Hiashi had adopted a new routine. He kept up with the Shinobi world news, a publication that uses sources that were fact-checked and relevant to his life.
He flipped through the pages, pausing in a spark of interest at what he had come across. His clan had invested in the telephone company, and apparently, there would be a seminar soon. He wouldn't mind sending Hanabi on his behalf to follow up on the company's development, since she was closer to the ongoing project.
Hiashi placed down the political news when a maid entered and handed him another tabloid while avoiding his gaze. The clan leader never had any interest in reading a gossip tabloid written by a company belonging to civilians, until it was called to his attention that he should do so. His eyes widened the moment he read the headlines, which called into question his daughters' behaviors. Both of his daughters had been missing from breakfast that morning, and now he knew why.
Hanabi had made it on the cover; she had been captured with her arm wrapped around Sakura, both presumably wasted. The story was speculative in nature, as they posed the question if Sakura Haruno was not the best role model to her students, perhaps following in Lady Tsunade's footsteps.
On another panel, his oldest daughter and the Hokage's advisor had been spotted at 5th avenue, their body language hinting at some sort of intimacy, as the photographer captured Hinata in proximity to Sasuke, her face obstructed from the angle from which the picture had been taken. It was still easy to identify Hinata, since he could recognize his daughter from miles away, not just because of her distinguished hair color.
Hiashi continued reading the story with a frown as the author pushed several theories of the nature of his daughter's relationship with the ex-avenger; going as far as connecting Sasuke as a possible trigger that ended Hinata's wedding, for the two had previously been spotted dancing together at the Inuzuka bonfire event. Recalling the night of the bonfire, he vividly remembers it had been Kakashi that had essentially tasked the Uchiha to keep an eye on his mischievous daughter.
The maid remained silent, head bowed, as Hiashi set the newspaper down.
Though he felt furious with how his daughters were handling themselves in public, he also felt the same energy building up toward the president of the civilian gossip tabloid. He had to remind himself this was all speculation and probably not factual. Hiashi gracefully placed the newspaper down and wiped the corner of his mouth. He tossed the cloth napkin down, wordlessly leaving the dining room.
Hiashi passed one of his sleepy daughters while walking down the halls. Hanabi had been rubbing her eye while on her way to eat some breakfast. She tossed him a curious look and paused.
"Good, you're awake. Make yourself look presentable while I gather the elders for a meeting. Tell your sister to phone Uchiha-san. His presence is required."
Her brows furrowed. What business did her father have with Sasuke, on a weekend?
'Is there an emergency?'
"I'm afraid both of your dubious behaviors have led us here. Go wake your sister up and give her the same instructions. It's imperative we addressed this as soon as possible."
What was he talking about? Either way, Hanabi frowned.
'Onee-chan left home a moment ago.'
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Sasuke picked up the piece of media, not reacting when Kakashi approached his side. He handed over some payment to the small business stand while also purchasing a copy of the troubling story that had been circulating the office.
Every day, Kakashi dreaded this moment. But then he had to remind himself, he can't stop Sasuke from pursuing whatever it is that he wants. He just hopes his feelings for her won't blind him to the point he'll forget her faults. He thought it redundant to remind him just that, as Sasuke was also there to witness things firsthand. They both knew very well what she's capable of.
"Why the hell are they publishing this kind of content?" Sasuke asked, with tamed anger.
"A messy business strategy on their end. This was the same publishing company that brought in the biggest sales recently. You can guess which story got them that financial performance." Kakashi said from his side.
The wedding.
Sasuke felt disgusted, unable to peel his eyes away from the headlines, his heart sinking for now, realizing Hinata must've gone through a lot in those few months he was away. He should've been by her side. He never should've left.
"I didn't know anything. She always looked like she was doing fine."
"By the time you had come back from vacation, the news had already blown over."
"Why are they targeting Sakura?"
"Sakura is not the subject of focus. Rather, it seems the head of this company has started playing a dangerous game, deploying the same tactic by following up on Hinata's life in order to generate previous success. Both sisters have always been perceived differently, as their actions are held to a higher standard than the rest due to their princesses' status. In the public's eyes, they are not allowed to partake in certain behaviors or actions. That is why their names are at the front of the tabloid. I already gave Sakura some guidance and asked her to lie low and stay away from bars and places like that until all of this blows over. As for Hanabi-chan, I imagine Hiashi will handle that similarly."
"Is Naruto with her?"
"Ah, he is." Kakashi affirmed.
"What do you think her clan plans to do about this?" Sasuke asked.
Kakashi lolled his head, his mask unable to hide the frown beneath.
"So you're finally catching on. Before we proceed with brainstorming options to stop this from spinning out of control, tell me, is there any truth to these allegations? You and her-"
"I'm pretty sure no one cares about the truth, not even you," Sasuke rolled the newspaper and tucked it inside his vest. He hid his expression as he turned to look back at the Hokage tower standing tall at a distance. It was as though Kakashi could sense his thoughts.
"Sasuke, this isn't a good look for either of you. It seems the speculation surrounding the wedding and their breakup had never stopped. Now this publishing company saw a reason to connect random dots because it's only been four months, and now she's seeing you."
"They're going to have to get over it." Sasuke immediately replied.
"Right. But Hinata has a career mentoring impressionable kids. Dozens of parents are going to be angry that their children's teacher does not appear to be their idealized role model. Those angry parents are going to care."
"Then the only thing left to do is to formally introduce myself to her father."
"Hold on, that's not where I was going with this. I was going to suggest you should just avoid being seen together until this all blows over. The public is not the only thing you have to worry about." Kakashi said with a serious look.
Sasuke was well aware that he would soon be facing her family and friends.
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Sakura lingered in front of the temple after ringing the bell, clapping her hands a few times before vowing. The sound the bell made, nullified her thoughts and cleared her mind. However brief the peace seemed, it did not remove her from feeling apprehension about having both her parents and Naruto there. She could sense their worries from nearby as her parents stood together clinging to each other. They believed she had fallen into depression. Her emotions, perhaps latent, imploding lately through constant drinking years after the war.
Once Sakura had offered her prayers and wishes to the well, she descended the steps. After joining them, her mother spread her arm, throwing it over her shoulder. Naruto followed close by as they walked in silence, approaching the red gates, and nearing the exit.
The edginess of her heart wouldn't stop, thumping and thumping, as she feared going back to work the next day with the kind of news circulating around. She should've listened to Naruto, as he had warned her to stop going to bars and those kinds of places, but Hanabi had always been readily available as they worked together.
I'm sorry, Hanabi, for dragging you along with me.
Sakura felt her mother pause, as a figure emerged up the moss-covered stone steps with small hands holding a parasol.
Pale lavender eyes seemingly recognized Sakura's parents. She bowed slightly their way, politely. Sakura had to wonder if this had been a coincidence or if Hinata had tracked them down with her byakugan.
"Hinata." Naruto greeted as he walked up ahead, giving her a strained smile.
"Mom, dad, I'll see you at home. I would like to catch up with Hinata-san." Sakura said, hiding the worried look in her eyes.
Hinata kept her gaze locked ahead as her parents passed her, as they murmured something about youthful recklessness. When they were alone, Hinata turned away and sat down on the very same steps she had walked upon on her wedding day. She closed her parasol and set it to the side as Naruto joined her side, on the steps.
"Hey, did you track Sakura-chan here?" Naruto asked, unsure of whether this meeting would be amicable or not, since Hinata looked like she had a lot she wanted to say.
"I only came because I have a few questions." She replied, before tossing a look over her shoulder as she gave Sakura a forced smile. "I'm jealous of how your parents are level-headed."
"Jealous? Who do you think I got my powerful fist from? I'm lucky my mom is not a shinobi. Otherwise, you would've seen all the purple bruises on me after she beat me up. She even made me promise, right here," She paused, pointing to the wishing bell, "To be sober for life."
Hinata laughed, however Sakura could see a tear escaping her eyes. She brought her wrist up, immediately wiping it away.
"So what questions did you come to ask us?" Naruto asked, slightly patting her back. "Come on, tell us."
"Last night, Hanabi wasn't making any sense to me. I just wanted to know if she's okay. She's acting like she's been hurt recently."
They both exchanged a look. Naruto pursed his lips, stopping himself from replying.
"Well, there's a lot that's going on around us right now. I was just telling Naruto, the other night, that it feels like I only have Hanabi to talk to."
"How come? Normally people are bouncing at the opportunity to spend time with you." Hinata commented.
"Ever since Sai did what he did, lately, I feel as though I can't really talk to my other friends the same way I used to because there are just so many secrets surrounding my team. It's hard for me to connect with Ino and the rest while knowing all the things I'm hiding. I can't even get shitfaced or wasted around them, over the fear I might just spill some secrets. Frankly, it's annoying and frustrating." Sakura confessed.
"But it's not like I don't understand why Kakashi-sensei had to do what he did. But all these secrets, how do you guys do it? How do you deal with them? Or do you not feel guilty anymore?" Sakura's voice wavered, as she started strong but ended in soft whispers.
Hinata frowned, and she looked away. Causing a rift between Sakura and her friends hadn't been her intention when she had gotten Sasuke or Sai involved.
"Sakura, I'm sorry. You were never meant to be dragged into this."
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The tips of Hanabi's fingers felt cold.
The condensation of the iced drink in her hand reminded her she should finish the beverage fast before the ice melts as she stood out in the middle of the garden, contemplating the pending clan meeting while she waited for the Anbus to retrieve her sister, who seemed to have left home to pray at the shrine.
She winced, as she felt a sting from a mosquito. It had escaped her palm as she tried to get it off her skin, her drink spilling, narrowly avoiding her summer dress.
"Hn, you guys are normally known for your excessive hospitality. Where's the warm welcoming committee?"
Hanabi spun around, her short hair swaying as a familiar figure walked out, into the porch, prompting her to stop dead in her tracks. When the maid left them alone, he joined her in the garden, slipping his feet inside an extra pair of slippers that had been spared.
"How have you been?" Sasuke asked.
Hanabi regarded him with suspicion as she crossed her arms, silently asking why he even cared.
"You didn't tell them everything."
'Clearly. Otherwise, they would've ruffled you up, and left you with bruises and scars.'
"I'm a scum that deserved that. I shouldn't have betrayed your trust like that. I didn't think that my actions would lead to this."
She shook her head, realizing something just then. What hurt her the most was that he had decided to push her out of his life.
'You got it wrong. I don't want your apology. It's just…ignoring and avoiding someone close to you over something like that…you need to understand those kinds of things are hurtful and traumatizing and can especially make a person insecure for the rest of their life. But I miss my friend. I don't like being ignored. This rollercoaster is tiring, you know.'
He leaned down and turned his cheek to her.
"Sometimes violence makes a person feel better."
'I'm not like them.' She motioned, eventually pushing his face away from her when he got too close as if warning him not to tempt her because she just might take on the offer and slap him. But by then, she was already smiling widely, momentarily forgetting about the kind of things that were floating around the news.
Hiashi cleared his throat from afar, as he folded his hands behind his back, surrounded by elders.
The smile left Hanabi's eyes. That's right, the meeting.
"Where's Hinata-sama?" An elder asked, as he had noticed her presence missing from the moment he stepped inside.
"I sent a few Anbus to retrieve her from the shrine. She'll join us shortly." Hiashi said as he led the way to the conference room.
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Hinata waved back at them, her hand lacking in spirit, as Sakura and Naruto parted hand in hand, with Naruto encouraging her to stay strong against any allegations. He sent a peace sign her way while grinning confidently.
She stopped waving when they were out of sight, and gripped the parasol when thinking about this morning's turn of events. With the kind of news circulating around, she didn't think she could ever attempt to reach out to Shikamaru ever again. Hinata dug into her purse, feeling the engagement ring inside as if confirming it was still there, as she thought of just donating it to the shrine.
Was it okay to leave things like this unresolved?
Time heals things, she knew this first hand.
When she began to walk past the red gates, a few Anbus dropped from the sky, one by one. The unfamiliar masks were unable to hide certain characteristics, as she stood surrounded by blond and brunette strangers.
Hinata turned, presumingly towards the leader, with questions in her eyes. Her heart began palpitating. They were Naras and Yamanakas. But why?
"Hyuga-sama," A blond man said as he held his hands up, showing he had no weapons in his hands, as if he didn't have something more threatening instead. "Don't look so alarmed, we mean you no harm. I see that a different group has also been dispatched. When they get here, would you kindly tell your man to stand down? It's important we deliver Shikamaru-san's message."
"Sure." She motioned them on. "What's the message?"
"Shikamaru-san has reason to believe that-" The speaker was interrupted by a clicking sound coming from the trees, as a hidden camera seemed to go off, the flickering white flash of light giving the hidden person away.
A Nara grunted a complain as he sent his investigative shadow, which snaked into the unknown, trapping and retrieving a civilian journalist who had a camera hanging around his neck.
"Take his camera." The Nara Anbu grunted.
"Wait-hold on-I'm only doing my job!"
"Are you aligned with that problematic news company?" A Yamanaka Anbu asked.
He didn't attempt to defend himself, as the Yamanaka padded him down, finding his ID right away. The journalist sighed at the inconvenience, as they confiscated the camera to destroy the memory film.
"It's him. Detain him."
Hinata moved in front of the powerless man, closing the parasol while standing protectively in front of him.
"Wait, what are you doing?" She asked, her intrusion forcing a Nara to release the stranger's shadow as the journalist stayed cowardly close behind Hinata.
"Step away from that man. He's the one that we've been after all day." The Yamanaka warned her, tossing the camera to the floor and destroying it.
"What's wrong with you guys!?" The man burst out. "Isn't this a little excessive?! I didn't do anything illegal! Wait until the union hears about this! You agree with me, right, Hime-sama?"
She felt goosebumps rising. The only person who ever called her that was-no it couldn't be.
Hinata slowly turned around, meeting the empty eyes of a shell of a person. When he blinked, she instinctively ducked as he pushed her head low to the ground, until she was standing on one knee, while he deflected all the weapons aimed their way. After reaching for a weapon from the floor, she stood up and parried as she finally activated her Byakugan.
It was hard to tell at this point if she had also been the target, as they had previously announced it had been Shikamaru to have sent them. And her ex knew about her previous affiliation with the artist.
Then soon enough, the Anbus her father had dispatched stepped into the chaotic scene. Though all they could see was the presumed intent to hurt their princess.
"Are you both alright?" Yami asked them, as he had joined the fray..
"Yes!" The imposter replied.
"No!" Hinata contradicted.
"What's the situation then?" Yami said, trying to understand what was going on.
"They're saying he's the target!" Hinata yelled amongst the battle, going back to keeping low to the ground as she no longer wanted to raise her weapon against any Nara or Yamanakas, since help had arrived.
"But who is he?" Yami asked, while leaping in the air, spinning around to deflect more knives.
The imposter didn't give her a chance to answer as he threw down a smoke bomb while making a single-hand sign through the blinding chaos. She had no choice than to tag along when she felt the knife against her back, as she was instructed to jump.
Like a paper plane, she felt weightless when they lifted off into the air. Sai released his disguise, saluting Yami, who had stopped fighting, to glare up at him. Pretty soon, both sides caught on to the fact that this had been a preemptive hostage situation all along.
Sai withdrew the knife away from her back, and immediately threw down a scroll, summing several vicious beasts to help put a distance between them and their persuiters. When his worries were no longer very imminent, he finally turned to her and settled down, watching as her long hair breeze all around her while she adjusted herself from the awkward position of being on both her hands and knees. She drew a knife from her side, aiming it his way.
He tossed her a curious look. "Hime, why aren't you sending out a SOS pulse? I'm curious to see just who will come. But then again, Nara-san might already be on his way."
She could see, surprisingly, that he was.
"Sai, you have 10 seconds to explain yourself before I kill you." Hinata said, her voice cutting clearly through the loud wind. His eyes trailed thoughtfully to her weapon.
"One, I couldn't help myself. Two, you all make it so easy for me. Three, especially you right now. Four, seemingly going along with the act of, five, behaving like a damsel in distress when you, six, could just as easily, seven, defend yourself yet, eight, you refuse to fight me. Nine, I ask myself why, ten, you won't finish me right now," He tilted his head and threw her a devious grin, keeping his attention on both her form and her weapon. Sai rocked to the left, using that moment of hesitation to maneuver his flying mount, just to throw her off balance. The knife flew off her hand as she held onto the mount for support.
She glared at him as she got her bearings. "So this is all basically just another game for you…" Just like that night at the bonfire when he manipulated Yami-san. Or the day at her wedding, when he instilled hatred inside Shika's heart.
"Don't look so disappointed, I only learned from the best, by watching you act, and witnessing how everyone else reacts."
"You ruined many lives, you know. Including mine."
"I would never deliberately harm you. If you're talking about that one time, I was simply bringing awareness during your wedding. Nara-san was among them, as he chose to believe another truth, as opposed to yours. If anything, I exposed you to the harsh reality of where you always stood, as he chose Ino over you."
"I can't believe I didn't see it before. You're a monster, aren't you?"
"The very same kind that bothers to learn the names of my targets." The way he said it, without even looking at her, as if he always had those words stored and ready, locked and loaded. Sai then gave her a blank look as he proceeded to share something else, sort of like a little trivia. "Hiro-san had a wife and kid. But of course you never knew that, as you always tried to keep your own consciousness, as well as your hands clean. And that's what I've always found interesting about you and my team. You're all bundles wrapped in contradictions."
He looked away, as something he had been waiting for finally happened. Several SOS pulses were sent out by the Anbus following behind, no doubt hoping to earn the attention of any clansman who would come.
Sai leaned forward, and slowly pushed himself up. A few strands of his inky dark hair escaped towards the side of his face, slightly sticking to the corner of his lips. His smile never reached his eyes when he sensed the new chakras that had joined in the pursuit. Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji quickly closed in, while Kakashi, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura glided through the trees with ease. Shino and Kiba could also be seen, with Akamaru running alongside them.
"Pity, it seems I can't get away at this point." Sai lamented.
Hinata's eyes widened, as she finally understood that Sai wanted to be caught all along, for he had enough intel to easily start a clan war.
"Sai, don't." She warned him, as her eyes seemed to plead and urge him to just get away. "I-I can create a diversion-"
"Oi! We're here! But we can't attack if you're right next to him!" Naruto yelled frantically.
"Naruto's right! So be ready to jump!" Sasuke agreed as he ran along Naruto's side.
"Hinata-sensei!" Why was Kakashi calling her by her title at such a time…?
The lord Hokage proceeded to mouth something with an eerie dead-stare.
'Don't let him land back down alive...That's an order, sensei.'
Her eyes widened, and her breath hitched in morbid anticipation, as she faced one of the most heart-wrecking seconds in her life as Sai stared at her expectantly, as if daring her to do something.
In a way, Sai had been wrong about her.
But none of that mattered, as he was now the only thing standing in between her, and her path.
With him gone, her loved ones wouldn't have to live in fear of a war breaking out.
Friends might finally be able to come together again, like they once used to.
With his demise, she'll be able to protect Sasuke's place by her side.
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Don't mind me, just editing.