Her face was so red. She now understood why, Sakura had the need to forcefully knock some sense into Naruto.
"N-Naruto-kun! Y-you just d-don't ask t-that!" Hinata said blushing.
"Well, it's cause Sakura gets extra violent when shes on it." Naruto said shivering. That was in fact true, unfortunately for Naruto.
"B-but still!" Hinata said cupping her face in hopes of lowering the temperature. Naruto, who was now pouting, couldn't help but laugh at the state that Hinata was in. And in turn, Hinata couldn't help but laugh along with him.
So with the tension gone, they ate in comfortable silence. Well as silent as Naruto can be with a bowl a ramen. Nonetheless time quickly passed and she was nearing the end of her bowl. It was time she went back home anyway. She paid for her ramen and started for her home.
"Hey come back later for sake!" Naruto said waving, stopping her at the entrance/exit.
"Eh, ano...fine." Hinata was starting to get into the bad habit of drinking sake. She was going to have to work on that. That and Sasuke and Sakura were bound to be there, it was going to be so awkward.
She had time though. She usually spent her days working in the hospital with the occasional mission. She was very dedicated so this was the first time she missed work. Perhaps she would go the Hyuuga Manor, and talk to Neji. She might as well get it over with. With that she changed direction and made her way to her ex-home.
-
It was so intimidating- it brought so many memories: good, bad, and some that were neither.
The Hyuuga Manor
Really, she thought while staring at the terribly extravagant gate, it was pointless.
The lawn was over-decorated, laden with imported flowers and designs that just gave an over all feeling of a facade. Another thing that was pointless but what wasn't for show in the Hyuuga House?
This was just the outside, the inside was something else entirely.
This was also the place that she grew up in, the place she was harshly kicked out of.
It made her pause and really think about going inside, where she'd risk facing her father. It didn't matter how much she grew – physically and emotionally – for as long as he had Hanabi to mold for power, she wasn't needed.
She decided to use her Byakugan and find Neji instead of going through the front door. It was considered disrespectful to use the Byakugan in the house, but who cared, she wasn't a Hyuuga anymore.
Neji was in his room meditating. While she felt bad that she had to disturb him, she needed confirmation.
She expertly sneaked into his room and made sure no one was around.
"Hinata-sama." Neji stated as his shoulders relaxed and his meditate state became lazy. It was some of the things she was truly proud of, not many people were able to say that they've seen Neji with his guard down.
"It must be important if you came all the way here," Neji said eying her. He knew something happened while he was on another mission. It was one of two things he hated about being an Anbu, one was when he was on missions – which was a lot – he'd miss things, and two becoming paranoid.
"First of all, just call me Hinata, we're too close to still be using suffixes and ano... I wanted to get your advice on something." Hinata said sheepishly, it sounded so suspicious when she said it out loud. She knew there were going to be rumors, especially after the whole 'fangirls attack' fiasco. She didn't want him to hear anything false and hurt somebody. Neji nodded so she continued.
"Actually, I think I'm gaining a crush on somebody." she said getting to the point.
"I swear if i's Naruto again, I'll-"
"No! I mean... no, it's not him." Hinata said shaking her head.
"Then." Neji said expectantly.
"It's... someone else." Hinata answered unsteadily. Neji seemed surprised but Hinata continued.
"I get the same fluttery feeling in my stomach whenever I'm around him but it's... different." she said.
"How so." Neji asked intrigued.
"Well when it was with Naruto, it was more of a nervous feeling but now it's a strange sense of contentment." Hinata said, confused herself.
Neji was not liking this, maybe he was being over-protective but he didn't like the fact that she was becoming 'infatuated' with anyone especially if he didn't know them. He had tolerated Naruto because he seemed capable of making Hinata-sama happy but now...
"Who is he." Neji said a little harsher than he intended.
"Wait, you haven't helped yet." Hinata said annoyed.
"Ah... fine." Neji said angrily.
"I think I'm falling in love with this person, I don't know, but he keeps giving me mixed signals, one minute everything is fine, and the next we're fighting." Hinata said, exasperated.
"I'll kill him." Neji seethed. How dare he do that to Hinata-sama.
"Wait... what I want to ask is... should I even bother?" Hinata finally asked. Neji blinked... repeatedly. He wasn't expecting that kind of question. Perhaps something along the lines of 'What should I do to get him to like me' or something like that.
"Why are you asking me that kind of question?" Neji asked baffled.
"Is he really worth chasing after?" Hinata asked. It was the sole reason she came. It was enough to ignore the feelings whenever she was around Sasuke... at least not anymore, after that kiss she went into serious thought. Obviously, Sasuke was just as confused, she learned after that kiss, and then completely walking away from her.
Neji was mad but he couldn't ignore Hinata's feelings. "Tell me what you feel when your with him." Neji asked, physically cringing at every word.
"Ano... as long as he's happy, I'm happy. Whatever he feels effects... me." Hinata said blushing like she was 12 again. It was so strange saying it out loud especially to her nii-san. Neji seemed equally uncomfortable.
"I have no choice but to advice to pursue him." Neji said his eye twitching at her every word.
"... Really?!" Hinata exclaimed. She honestly thought Neji would do everything in his power to keep them away from each other.
"But... who is he?" Neji had to know or else he wouldn't be able to make his threats. He made some to Naruto too but the idiot thought he was challenging him to spar.
"A-ano... Uchiha Sasuke." Hinata said her blush coming back with full force.
"What!" Neji screamed. The Konoha Traitor, The Last Uchiha, the only guy that surpassed him in coldness (if that makes sense), seduced his Hinata-sama!
"W-why, how?!" Neji exclaimed.
"What you mean why! I...i-it... it just did." Hinata said blushing, as her voice became a whisper. She guessed it started when they were at her house. Granted that was today but she wasn't naïve enough to deny the feeling she got when he acted... relaxed with her. It made her feel special. So when she wanted to have more moments like that with him, she knew she was falling in love.
"Theres nothing I can do." Neji said calming down. He collected himself before going back to his meditating.
"Thanks, Neji-nii." Hinata said smiling as she gave him a small hug and soundlessly made it out of his room.
-
The more she thought back on their conversation the better she felt. She was practically glowing. She was so happy that she wasn't paying attention to where she was going. Thus she ended up bumping into someone.
Maybe I should pay more attention, and I call myself a ninja "Ack! Gomen, I wasn't looking where I was-"
"Hinata."
Hinata froze and slowly looked up to the person she bumped into.
Sakura
Hinata face became blank and she slowly got up from her spot. Sakura seemed unable to say anything and was prepared to be yelled at.
"Gomen, Sakura-san. If I may pass." Hinata said going around her with a fake smile. Sakura visibly flinched at her solemn tone. But gained her resolve and grabbed Hinata's arm.
"Hina... I know I really hurt you", Sakura tried looking at Hinata's face but it was obscured in a shadow ,"demo, I don't really mean any of the things I said to you. It was just... having Sasuke-kun back was something I've dreamed of for years. So having him here made me have hope. And now... I'm not even sure what I was hoping for. Perhaps for him to look my way and finally see how much I love him but no matter how much I try, he never sees me more than a friend. M-maybe his best friend but nothing more." Sakura said crying as she said every word.
"S-sakura..." Hinata didn't know what to say. She always thought Sakura had the utmost confidence but seeing her crumble right in front of her, she didn't know what to think.
"I knew for a while but I pretended not to know and kept that fake hope as the only thing tying me to him. I really did love him."
"I-I, h-he-"
"It doesn't matter though because your friendship means so much more to me than my love for him. I noticed that he cares for you... even if it was as small as to see if you got home last night. I've been watching him for years and that was the first time I've seen him do that for anybody besides Naruto. The point is I'm... sorry. So so sorry, I'll do whatever it takes for you to stay friends with me." Sakura said begging.
" ... "
"I-it... it really hurt... w-what you said to me." Hinata finally stated. Unshed tears collected in the corner of Sakura's eyes.
"Demo... your my best friend, I can't just let something like this get in the way of our friendship." Hinata said turning around and surprising Sakura into a hug. They stood there for a while before letting go.
"Thanks... I really needed that." Sakura said, wiping away her tears.
"Does this mean your giving up on Sasuke?" Hinata asked, amazed.
"Depends."
"Depends on what?" Hinata asked curious.
"Depends on how you feel about him." Sakura said with a small smile.
"I-I... I think... I'm starting to l-love him." Hinata said looking down.
"I figured, you guys seemed pretty close when you were fighting." Sakura said looking to the side.
"S-sakura..."
"Don't worry. You mind telling me how all this happened." Sakura said looking back at her.
Thus Hinata went back to a couple weeks ago. Sakura would nod every so often and became surprised when she heard that she was in fact the target of the Uchiha-Fan club. She knew that Hinata did something to them. She had been looking for Hinata in the hospital and instead saw the Fan-club together awaiting treatment. Sakura had hid herself so she wouldn't have to heal them but heard that it was a Hyuuga who did it to them. She saw Hinata's guilty look though and new how to cheer her up.
"You went to easy on them, I would have put them in the hospital for days not a few measly hours." Sakura said huffing.
"Sakura-chan..." Hinata said in a warning voice.
"Yeah, yeah. But now that I've heard all of this, I know that Sasuke-kun is being stupid." Sakura said punching her hand. Hinata tried to keep a straight face but ended up giggling. Suddenly Sakura small smile became an evil grin and Hinata's giggles stopped and she became wary.
"I have the greatest idea!" Sakura yelled as she pumped her fist in the air.
"A-and what would that be, S-sakura-chan?" Hinata asked.
"Your going to seduced Sasuke-kun."
-
The stupid line thingies aren't working! Anyway...
I'm back! Yes I am so sorry for taking so long to get this thing up but it was hard to get back into the flow things. Hopefully you guys don't hate me! Reviews now would be great!
Disclaimer: In the while that I have not updated I haven't been able to bribe Kishi into selling Naruto to me for 50 cents and a pack of gum. So... no I don't own Naruto.
I already have next chapter planned out so hopefully it will be out in a week, the most two. On a side note all my stories including this one, will previews in the forum Fanfiction Sharing. It's a forum for story ideas that you need help with and constructive criticism. So if you feel like telling me I suck or something that's where you need to go!
On a side note thanks so much Bullwinkle's Lady, Sphyma, and show.me.the.stars for you help on this chapter!
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