Chapter 5: Why?
"Oo, Oo, Hinata-chan, there's LOADS of ramen flavours to choose from! Didn't you know?!"
"A…ah…h-hai, N-Naruto-kun…" Naruto gave her a big grin at that, making her cheeks overheat. Hinata felt a little lightheaded, but felt…well, so…happy. Happiness was…was this what one called happiness, when you felt so warm inside whenever your special person smiled at you. "…a-ano…" She went back to proding her fingers nervously together, too shy to look up in his eye.
It was, rather, surprising, to say the least.
Naruto had apologized, and now, well, they were back to normal. It was as if their fight hadn't even happened in the beginning at all. Thinking of which…what had prompted her to start the fight at the beginning? Hinata bit her lip, before meeping at the sudden breath on her cheek.
"You okay, Hinata-chan? I called your name a couple of times but then you didn't answer!" He puffed up his cheeks and crossed his arms. "It's not nice when people don't listen, y'know!"
"A-ah, g-gomenasai…N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata flushed a brilliant scarlet as Naruto laughed, grinning from ear to ear.
"No biggie! Just checking to see if you're still my friend!" He dug back into his ramen, slurping down happily. Hinata smiled faintly, happy to see the boy so…so…
'…irresponsible. I'm glad…I can…enjoy something like this with Naruto-kun.'
"WOO!" Naruto heaved out a grand sigh, patting his stomach. "We're done! Eh? Hinata-chan, you haven't finished your food yet!"
"A-ano, I-I can't finish it all—"
"Oo, oo, you still have some noodles left! Can I have 'em?"
"S-sure."
Eagerly, Naruto clicked his chopsticks once, licking his lips before taking the noodles from her bowl. "Thanks, Hinata-chan! Here ya go, old man!" Naruto slapped down the required money for the bill. "Gama-chan's all fat because of the last mission!" He took out his frog wallet and waved it in her face. "Hey, hey, Hinata-chan! Doesn't Gama-chan look cute when he's all fat? He really does look cuter, y'know! I mean, just a few days ago, poor, poor, Gama-chan was all ugly, but not he's cute again!"
Hinata laughed alongside him. His carelessness and goofing off made her feel like she was…free of any constraints she had as a Hyuuga main branch clan member and the daughter of the clan head himself.
"C'mon, Hinata-chan! I'll walk you home!"
Immediately, she stuttered, turning pink, "I-it's n-not—y-you d-don't have to, N-Naruto-kun! I-I can walk b-by myself!" Hinata continued her protests up until Naruto rolled his eyes and dragged her along.
"Don'tworry, Hinata-chan! No one'll hurt you while I'm around!" He made a heroic pose that brought laughter from his companion. "Soooo, what's new? Is Neji-I've-finally-got-that-stick-outta-my-ass-because-Naruto-sama-beat-him all and well? Is he pushing you down? Remember, Hinata-chan! He does, let me know! I'll kick his ass again!"
"N-no, n-nothing…"
"That's good." Naruto laughed, before looking sharply up ahead. "Eh? Hinata-chan, izzat your adult brother or something?" Hinata turned to look at his pointing finger to the figure coming up the road they were walking on, quite close to the Hyuuga estate.
"B-but, I-I don't h-have a—" She froze at the sight of who it was, before remembering exactly how she and Naruto had gotten into a fight in the beginning. Immediately stepping away from Naruto, she didn't see the hurt and confused look on his face, her eyes looking to the ground as she bowed her head. "G-gomenasai, O-otou-sama, I-I—"
"Hinata, go to your room." Hyuuga Hiashi said stiffly, turning his cold gaze to Naruto. "He…and I need to have a talk."
"B-but—" Hinata looked trapped between obeying her father and leaving her crush to his mercy. "I-I—"
"Don't worry, Hinata-chan!" Naruto grinned at her. "It's alright! Besides, your big brother's right! It's pretty late, so you should really go to bed, y'know!"
"H-hai…" She stammered, bright red, and she stumbled into the house warily, too shocked to correct Naruto that Hyuuga Hiashi was her father. What had just happened? The moment he had said, 'Don't worry', she had felt an instant calm envelope her entire being. Now, shut off from all contact with him at the moment, she couldn't help but feel worried and so cold inside.
It was if her insides had been turned to ice and the whole world would end.
What was her father going to talk to him about?
Hinata found herself walking up the stairs and sitting on the base of her bed, before watching the night sky out of her window. Then, she made her way to the bathroom for a quick shower before bed.
Though, she knew, that she would have trouble sleeping…The next day, in the afternoon, Naruto came back from an early mission that had started at 5 AM. Hinata hadn't had a chance to talk to him, but upon noticing him enter the library of which her father had instructed her to study in order to gain further knowledge, she felt shy and a little scared.
He yawned a big huge yawn, before settling down noisily in a chair and folding his arms on the table, resting his chin on them before his head fell down and he slept. Hinata hadn't expected this. To be honest, she had never seen him tired at all. Always, he was, always energetic and ready to face the world.
'I wonder if I should wake him up…' She thought, before remembering that she was here to study, not to ogle her crush. Blushing furiously, even though she hadn't done anything, she turned back to the huge textbook in front of her, but from time to time, her eyes strayed back over to the sleeping blond.
To be honest, Naruto wasn't doing anything really, except snoozing. It was…to say…
…kinda cute.
'Just like a fox kit…' She marveled in wonder, before jumping when a huge stack of books were dumped on the table space in front of Naruto by accident, and the librarian hissed an ear-splitting, "SHHHHH!" 'Does anything wake him up? That was…pretty loud.' Indeed it was. The ringing in her ears had yet to stop.
Several times, Hinata read a bit from her textbook before looking up at him, and before long, she spent less time on studying and more time on watching him. Then, her father's strict face came into her mind, and meeping slightly she would hurriedly turn back to study. Now, she was spending more time studying…but that didn't mean she didn't look up at Naruto's slumbering form from time to time.
It was, to say, peaceful, and evertime Hinata nervously looked to up check if he was still there, and not a dream, not a quiet and peaceful looking—if one could teasingingly call him one by looks—an angel, almost. It was…as though this was beauty and heaven and…and…
Pretty soon, the only ones in the library were he, the librarian and herself.
Hinata was content enough to watch him from afar, though looking away quickly when he moved, as though doing something forbidden. She couldn't help it. He seemed so peaceful…so…and…so…
…quiet.
She yawned herself, covering her mouth with her hand, before going back to her book.
"Miss? Hyuuga-san?" She was being shook gently awake and she awoke, the librarian beside her. "It's time to close up, Hyuuga-san."
"Oh! Gomenasai!" Hinata leapt out of her seat and bowed in apology.
"It's quite alright. Are you borrowing that book?" Hinata looked shocked.
"B-but, it's—isn't it a r-reference book?"
"Of course it is, Hyuuga-san, but for you, I may make an exception."
"N-no, it's alright. I j-just came for some studying…"
"We're closing in five minutes." The lady bowed. "Please keep that in mind, Hyuuga-san." Then, the librarian made her way back to the desk and began to turn off all the computers in the library. Hinata watched her for a couple of minutes before turning back to Naruto.
…he wasn't there.
Had he been kidnapped?! Had he been screaming and kicking but she hadn't heard?!
She was ready to freak out before common sense took over and she managed to will her beating heart still, taking good long breaths in and out. Of course, Naruto wouldn't be there! What had she expected, him to wait for her? He didn't even know she was there! In that corner of which she had been studying, she could see him through the gaps in the shelves, but he couldn't see her. At least…if he wasn't looking for her.
'He probably went home.' For some reason, this realization made her shoulders slump as she put away her notes in her bag, and exited the library to the librarian's bow. 'Now what do I do?' Hinata wondered blankly. 'The library closes at 8:30…so…whatdo I do?'
She still had an hour before her curfew. Surprisingly, this morning, her father hadn't made a comment at all about what had happened last night, her and Naruto walking home, or she breaking his rule—in fact, he barely acknowledged her at all, let alone her breaking her curfew by coming home at 10:39.
Breathing out a sigh, Hinata was slightly shocked to see vapour. 'It must be turning into winter soon…' She thought , looking up into the sky. 'Well, ithas been fall…but it has been awfully warm lately. Will it snow?'
Hinata wondered where she was going.
Her feet were moving for her, and she gave no fight.
After all, it wasn't like she had anything to do.
'Wait…I think I know this route…'
A few more blocks confirmed that.
'…this…this is the way to N-Naruto-kun's house!'
She cringed in immediate realization that…that…she was either becoming quite desperate for his company or…maybe she was worried. But then again, one day without a word from him wasn't the end of the world. Perhaps he was busy.
Hinata forced her feet to stop a few metres away from the corner where you just had to turn and then a few metres more, there was the apartment building Naruto lived in. Looking up onto the topmost story, her eyes gazing from one window to another. Some lights were on, but the majority of the ones in the apartment building were off. After all, not everyone would be home this early of the night, especially as it was a weekend.
She wasn't surprised to see Naruto's light off.
'He must be eating ramen at Ichiraku…'
Hinata began to turn around, before she stopped abruptly, closing a hand over her chest, at the rapid thumping and her nervous breathing all of a sudden, slumping back against the wall. Her cheeks were bright pink, but that might've been because of the cold. She was glad she was wearing a jacket, but her calves were freezing with tingles. They could have been like jelly, but Naruto-kun was nowhere near, so-!
'I'd better go home…' The way home was taken in silence. 'Even though, Otou-sama expects me home by at least nine because he wants me to study…I don't think he knows the library schedule…'
But why?
Her eyebrows furrowed as she realized that, on the way to Naruto-kun's house, she had felt…well, like she was…
She stopped after traveling halfway back to her house, staring up ahead, clouds of vapour drifting from her mouth as the wind's ice cold breeze attacked her from behind. Hinata hugged her jacket close to her, teeth chattering slightly.
'It's cold. I should probably hurry.' Nodding to herself, she ran, with the wind attacking her back. It did not let up until she arrived near the gate that signified the Hyuuga property. Looking confused at where she had came, Hinata shrugged to herself, not giving it a second thought before entering the estate.
The next day, Hinata started to grow worried. Why was she getting worried? It wasn't as though, if Naruto hadn't talked to her for a whole day, that, it was the end of the world. He had a life too, she knew, but…she couldn't help but feel worried when she didn't see him eating at Ichiraku when she walked by it in the morning to get to her team meeting place. On the way, she bumped into Kiba.
"G-good morning, K-Kiba-kun…" She bowed. Today, Kiba had his hood off, but his jacket was still on.
"Oh, hey, Hinata!" Kiba grinned, before scratching Akamaru behind the ears in his jacket that had been zipped up to a certain height to accommodate. "We're going to the pet shop to try out that new dog food."
"I-I see…" Hinata's voice trailed off as Kiba frowned suddenly. "W-what's wrong…?"
"I dunno." He shrugged. "I guess it's cause that ass of a dead last usually comes bursting into the conversation like, 'I never thought you'd eat dog food, Kiba! Proves you're just as much as a dog as your mutt!' Y'know, teasing like that." Heaving a huge sigh, he shook his head, scratching it before continuing to walk. "I'm depending too much on his interference. I hate it, but you get used to expecting his idiotic loudness, don't you, Akamaru?"
Akamaru barked in reply and Kiba nodded.
"Yeah, you get used to that. Hey, speaking of which…" He turned back to Hinata, hands in his pockets. "Hinata, have you seen him?"
"N-no, not t-today." She shook her head. "W-why?"
"Mm-mm." Kiba shrugged. "I guess it's because he's always near you, I guess. He's pretty close. Okay, see you next week, Hinata."
"W-wait! Where a-are you going?"
He looked at her confused. "What? Didn't you hear? All the D and C-rank missions have declined in supply, because somehow, they all got finished by someone." He shrugged. "Damn it, I wanted to try out one of our new jutsu on a thief or something, eh, boy?"
Akamaru barked in acknowledgement.
"Yeah." Kiba laughed. "Anyway, remember Hinata, in case you forget, this whole week, Kurenai-sensei's off on a mission, and you know we can't take any without our sensei. They say she'll come back next week, so, yeah. Later."
"G-goodbye…" She waved, before watching him disappear into the crowd. Now she stood wordlessly, staring ahead into space. Now, what was she supposed to do? She had nothing really, and Hinata wasn't really keen on studying. Yes, she knew the advantages but… 'Otou-sama didn't really say I had to study in the mornings. He just said to study after my missions.' At least, she tried to convince herself that.
Hinata still felt guilty, though.
'I-I guess I'll go to the library—'
"Did you hear? Someone's in emergency!" She perked an ear at that. Hinata didn't want to eavesdrop, but…this sounded…well, she wanted to know what it was about. Who was in emergency? She hoped it wasn't anything serious. But then again, if it was emergency…
"Yeah? So?"
"You idiot! It's that brat!"
"Uzumaki, eh? Good riddance. Hey, these potatoes are overpriced!"
"Are you crazy? This is a good deal!"
"You're blind, you fat pig!"
"I am not! And if anyone's fat, it's your mother!"
"How's she fat?!"
"Her oversized arse, that's how!"
She felt cold all over as the two people arguing left to go grocery shopping, squabbling over what kind of price potatoes should be really be and throwing insults at each other. Hinata didn't know what to do. No, she wasn't bursting out in tears even though that was the exact thing she wanted to do at this moment in worry. She just felt…alone, not, wait, she, she just felt insecure…and, well…really…empty.
"A-ano…is Uzumaki…Naruto okay?"
The receptionist looked up to loudly state something rude in the person's face before faltering. It was a Hyuuga. He could tell from her eyes. "N-no—I mean, y-yes, Hyuuga-san—I mean, I really don't know." Best not state that he really couldn't care less if the buffoon died or not, after all, if a Hyuuga asked about him, perhaps this one was 'friends' with the boy. Friends. Pfft, yeah right. But better to not risk it.
"I-I see…" Hinata was quiet. "I-is it—is he still in emergency? I-is it serious?"
"Hyuuga-san, I'm sorry," NOT. "But unfortunately, I'm uninformed about the status of any patient except for when they come in and when they sign out. And, this is quite rare, but if a doctor tells me that the patient is…well, whatever status, I am to phone the family."
The phone rang then, and the receptionist picked it up.
Hinata listened to the snippets of conversation on his side.
"Yes? Oh, who? Oh, yes, the brat Uzumaki—err," He looked warily at her out of the corner of his eye. "—san. Yes, but there's…well…think 'eyes', think hard and you'll get my drift. Yes, you understand. Okay, so how's—oh, he's out of emergency? H-hai, I understand." With a shoulder holding the phone to his ear, he clicked out a pen and flipped the pages of the clipboard. "Uzumaki…just let me find his name—here!" Then, he scribbled something on it, before flipping the pages back and reporting, "Yes, I've done it. What? Yeah, she's still here… What? Do what? Oh, okay. Understood. Alright." Then, he hung up.
"Uhm…not to b-be rude, but w-what was that conversation a-about?"
"Confiential, I'm sorry to say," NOT. "I'm afraid I can't tell you," NOT. "if you're not a member of his family."
"I…I see." She quieted down. "Erm, m-may I visit him?"
"Sorry," NOT. "But no." Afterthought. "Hyuuga-san."
"Oh." Hinata frowned, and he immediately panicked, flipping through the pages of his clipboard.
"B-but, uhm, I was sure he was—ah yes! Here! Hyuuga Neji was currently admitted an hour ago. You may go visit him, and if you happen to bump into a doctor, you can ask about that Uzumaki—san there."
"Arigatou," She bowed. "Thank you. What room?"
Relieved that Hinata wasn't pressing him about Naruto, he spoke clearly, "203." The relief in his voice was apparent, and Hinata noticed that, before nodding quietly and opening one of the hospital doors and entering the hall, before climbing up a flight of stairs on her left.
It wasn't really hard, really, to not feel guilty about not going to Neji-nii-san's room. Neji-nii-san probably didn't want her company, anyway. He had to 'train', like always. Hinata found her way to Naruto's room quite easily. Just follow the people who scowled about 'brat' and 'loudmouth' and 'prankster'. Go in the direction they just came from.
They were coming out of room 207. How ironic Neji-nii-san's room was so close to Naruto-kun's. A few doors away, she heard a voice.
"Are you sure, Uzumaki?" That was definitely Neji-nii-san's room. Why was he out of his room? Perhaps his injuries hadn't been that serious…?
"…yeah, I guess." Answered Naruto's voice, drained of all potential happy life. She cringed at the anger and resentment hid behind it. "I mean, I don't…I really don't care anymore."
"What about Hinata-sama?"
Her ears perked up at the mention of her name. How funny for Neji-nii-san to mention her name right about now…
"…I really don't care anymore. She can just go…do whatever."
"And, pray tell, why?"
"Because I'm damn tired of it. I never want to see her face again!"
Hinata couldn't take it anymore. She turned heel and ran down the hall. She didn't care if she was loud or not, or why Neji had shouted, "Hinata-sama!" at noticing her departing back, or what Naruto's reaction had been to it. Hinata just ran.
She ran for, she didn't know how long, but she did know a few minutes ago, she had left the block of the hospital. Finally, she stopped somewhere. She was right in front of the memorial stone. The memorial stone in training ground-! This was where Naruto-kun became a Genin-!
It was all too much.
She fell to her knees and gave a strangled sob before bursting into tears.
And, truth be told, Hinata knew she wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon. All she knew other than that, was, just one word. One heart wrenching, strangled word that seemed to kill her off each time she thought it.
'Why…?'"So now, what are you planning on doing, Uzumaki?" Neji asked as he came back into the room.
Naruto glared from his seating position on his bed. "I TOLD you, I don't care about her anymore!"
"Tell me…Is this the Uzumaki Naruto that fought so hard to prove me wrong when I 'wronged' Hinata-sama?" Neji's voice was cold and sharp. Naruto didn't flinch, but his hands clenched into fists into the covers on his lap. "You disappoint me." He turned and left, closing the door behind him with a snap.
It was heavily quiet in this room, and Naruto scratched at his shoulder, where the bandages began, trying hard not to go looking down at his chest where they had wrapped tightly down up to his waist. Not that it was hard. They were pulled on so tightly, that he could scarcely breath without moving, let alone move his neck down. These were injuries that he had suffered on a C-rank mission because he had been thinking too much about Hinata. Damn it, he had to stop for BOTH of them. They…they couldn't keep on getting hurt. Hinata couldn't keep on getting hurt on him. He didn't want that.
"Tell me…" Naruto asked to himself, or, more or less asked Sandaime…oji-san… "…is this the life I signed up for, Oji-san? When I told you I'd be a shinobi?! Was this the life that you wanted me to live, old man?! Tell me, isn't this life EXACTLY what I would've had if I hadn't been a shinobi at all?!"
Muffled laughing from behind the door answered Neji's previously asked question, but the Hyuuga was in no range to hear it. He had already left the floor and was signing out.
But, if Neji HAD been able to hear it, he would be able to tell quite easily, without a doubt, that Naruto's laughter…was forced andchoked.
"Damn it…" Naruto muttered, holding his head in his hands and cradeling it. "What have I donenow? I just wanted some space, then Neji comes around and pressures me like an asshole and now Hinata-chan's mad at me! What did I do?!" He shouted at the wall, which turned a venomously dangerous yellow.
If someone had just walked in, they would've noticed that Naruto's face was strangely wrapped, especially heavily around the eyes.
His eyes.
Something was wrong with his body.
And possibly his mind.
Author's Note: So, at first, my sis was all like, "You're watching too much TV". And I was like, "No, I don't!", in a cheesy, swiss accent before she threatened to tell about everything that happened starting from when I was 6...yeek.
I took this as a chance to decide to at least update one of my fics, and decided this one. Gaara's proving far too stubborn with a bad mouth... Anyway, I was typing up chapter 5 and was all like, this totally doesn't do justice. When I went to save it, I was like, Oo, what be this other chapter I know of not?
And, surprise, surprise! It was this chapter--UNFINISHED-! I liked this one better, so I decided to type and, well, yaa...ya got this product. And my fonts are back because I'm using Wordpad now. :3 Thanks for supporting me even though I don't update, guys!