AN: Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews!! No, I made up the ceremony, mixed between traditional Japanese, and a Korean one. So yeah…. Tee hee hee.. Anyway, Now that they are engaged, think of all the work they must do to get married. So much work. By the way, all my wonderful readers, I'm getting married on St. White's day, 2011. YAYIE!!
If You Love Me:
Chapter 7: You'll remember
Hinata walked around the house now, staying out of the way of the movers. Now that they were engaged, they had to share a wing. Her eyes closed, as her breath was inhaled. The Hyuga woman stood by the door to her garden. Her hidden spot, which only three people knew about, Hinata, of course, her father, and Hanabi. Neji once knew, but she was sure he hand long forgotten this place. Her garden was beautiful, only because of her mother. Her hands began to work through the dirt, making sure everything was neat and clean. Pulling weeds and water flowing from the pail. Kind hands moved carefully. Flowers thanked her with soft sighs, and dreamy smells. Her icy lilac white eyes stared at the ground for a bit. She worked hard on both her form and the garden that was trying to bloom. It was late in the summer, and they were still fighting so hard to be big and beautiful thought the beginning of the summer, they were so pretty and nice to be round, Hinata would have rather stayed here.
"Do you always come here when you're sad?" Hanabi asked softly, looking at her sister. Her head rose a little. Hanabi stayed away from the garden. Memories of a shadow woman haunted her enough. "You know…if you start to smile, you look like her."
"Really now?" she asked, cutting off a rose, and seeing a little fly crawl out of it, staring at her. He flies off, and Hinata smells the soft angel face rose. ((They're these pretty light purple roses, they are wonderful!!)) "If that's true, I guess I'll die trying to have a third child," she said softly, and Hanabi's eyes widened a little. Why would she say that? How could words of ice flow from her lips as she looked so beautiful there, staring into the rose with love? How could her sister, usually so strong, say such a horrid thing? Rushing feet stopped as arms wrapped around the engaged Hyuga as tears flowed softly down cheeks now red with worry.
"Don't say that!! Please, don't say that!! You'll be fine. You're strong and wonderful and perfect!! You are everything a woman should be. Oh onee-san, please don't say that." She cried harder and harder into her sister's back, trying to stay calm over the fact that her sister, in all her wonderful glory, thought about dying. Why? She looked as Hinata began to shake with tears as well. The thought of losing another person hurt her deep in a spot she usually hid. Though Hanabi's memories were weak of her mother, Hinata was as close to one as she had ever known. "Onee-san?"
"Oh Hanabi-chan…I don't want to die. I'm scared though. Mother was sick like me, and she…she was wonderful and kind and so loving…" Hinata said. She whispered softly a song. One that only the two knew. Hinata's voice, melodic in a normal tone, sailed smoothly. The sweet lullaby that she sang made Hanabi's fear drift away with the sound. Birds chirped with her, and as the air seemed to be calm, Hanabi felt another presence with them. One that appeared only in the darkest of hours.
"Is everything okay?" Neji's voice called out to the girls. Hinata blinked a few times, and turned her head. Neji was here? Her eyes stared at him as Hanabi bowed and left. Hinata smiled, matting the space next to her. "You sure you're alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. How did you know?" Her eyes looked to her fiancé.
"I have always known about this place. I use to watch you, from there," he pointed to the balcony way off. Though most would not see it, Hinata could with her superior Hyuga eyes. A balcony hidden by the large trees that stood around their home. "I use to watch you plant and grow things, and watch how sad you would get if something didn't make it through the first rain storm." Hinata blushed, remembering how she would cry, and whine and try so hard to bring back to life what was gone. It wasn't until she had become a full fledge kunoichi that she could grow so many plants. "You have gotten better at growing and taking care of things. But still, you have a while to go. So, why are you here this time?"
"I guess…I just missed a lot of things…" She said softly.
Sitting next to her, her partner just helped pull weeds and he helped her tend to the garden. His hands were kind and gentle, weaving through the plants, and keeping them safe from harm. The way he helped care for the plants made the young woman think back to a time when those hands were kind to her. Bright white eyes looked up, and watched as two love birds flew by, playing together. Looking down at the one who now was also watching them; her eyes shone a little, with hope. Love could bloom from the two of them. It really could. It would take a few seasons, and few truly great moments, and a life time of care, but it could work. Her children could have parents that loved each other. Her wish for the future could come true. So far, she had more than she could have hoped for just five years ago. Taking in a deep breath, her chest rose as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Neji-kun, I think…I'm ready now…"
He raised his brow to what she had said. He wasn't 'kun' but if it made her happy, he would take it in. "What, Hinata-chan?"
"I can be real, and not have to fake it." Her voice, usually melodic, now struck hard and yet gentle, like a true Hyuga. "I can give this a chance."
Neji, who was normally unreadable, gave her a look. A look that said 'Thank you'. He leaned over, his forehead touching hers, like when they were little. She giggled a little, and stood up, dusting off her pants. Holding in her own secret thoughts, she grinned a little. Her lips moved in an almost pout. She wasn't going to start kissing him or anything, but she held out her hand to his, just as though they were still little, and they were playing. Neji took it, for a moment, then let go. When Hinata gave him a look, Neji gave a swift glare that Hinata backed down from. Hard, cruel Hyuga eyes stared at her. Ones that made people wince in fear. Though she was use to it, it was still frightening. What did she do?
His eyes turned slowly, his hair, free, flowed slowly and his eyes began to harden even more. Standing in their sacred area was an unwelcome guest. An elder stood. The white robe draped across the still strong muscles. Their grandfather. Hinata bowed swiftly and Neji made a small notions. He just stood there, eyeing the two of them before he stepped into the garden, making a small growl escape Neji's throat.
"G-Grandfather, why are you here?" the angelic voice of his granddaughter reached the old ears. He kept the usual Hyuga's stoic face. But, Hinata felt the air that wrapped around him was calmer, and softer. The air, as Hinata called it, was a powerful thing. This feeling that calms down even Hinata. Though not often does one feel the kind air of a Hyuga, when it happens, no one ever takes it for granted. Hinata moved closer to the old man. The years were kind to him, as to most Hyuga. His hair was like salt and pepper, a beautiful combination of white and black.
"I wanted to see where my wife once stood. And my sons, and now my grandchild," he said, grinning. "This garden is a special place, one that only the head of the house is supposed to know. I brought my wife here, on our wedding day, right before the ceremony. And she came here often when she had her children. I watched from the shadows as Hiashi presented it to his wife, Nadeshiko…and when she brought you here," he eyed Hinata kindly.
"I watched in secret as you brought Neji here, and played. I knew, as soon as you two laughed together, I had to keep the two of you together."
Neji's eyes darkened. "You are the one who is forcing us together?!" He hissed strongly. Hyuga eyes dared the other to continue, to give reason for death. The older man's eyes were just the same, emotionless, with no anger. Hinata stood between the two, her words, pleading her fiancé to stop reaching closed minds. No matter the plea, the begging, Neji stood; his keke genkai ready to destroy the man.
"There is no forcing." Hinata turned, now begging the man to silence, but the lips of the older man kept going, retelling a tale that Neji forgotten and Hinata's heart kept secret to itself. Neji's eyes closed, reseeding the small children to chased each other around, and laughed. Children whose first kiss was given to the other.
Soon, a small Hinata peeked around the tree, holding onto red string. A younger Neji was building something in the garden of rocks, and their grandfather helped. Turning around, Neji ran, taking Hinata's hand. They stopped before the grandfather who took out a white cloth, and placed it on the little girl's head. With cheeks flushed brightly, they tried to wrap the red string around the other's finger. After a few tries, there were two red strings turned into rings around each ring finger on the left hand. After repeating the words, they kissed again, now Hinata a bright red and Neji's cheek flushed as well. They ran around, cheering right before the elders appeared to claim Hinata, taking her, leaving Neji wanting to know what was wrong. Then the branch servants took him away, saying that the Head wife was giving birth. Soon, after that day everything went wrong.
"So…you…"Neji was frustrated, now remembering everything, even secret memories that he held with Hinata. He eyed his grandfather, and then looked at Hinata. His fiancée looked sad. The usually sunny-natured girl's presence was cold, and almost like a rainy day. Her head was bent down, and she looked far too sad. He went to her side, asking what was wrong. Her eyes, they were filled with tears. She was far too sad too often for him.
As a Hyuga, Hinata was a sad version, with too honest of eyes, and a face far too angelic. But, with her soft lavender eyes, and honest soul, even Neji couldn't help but love her. He stroked her cheek, wiping away any tears that dared to fall. Hinata just held tightly to his shirt, her eyes now closed at deep, wonderful memories that always brought her to tears, and helped her to sleep on the nights far from home. Looking up, she whispered an olde endearment, which made Neji turn a bit pink with embarrassment. Their grandfather laughed softly, as Hinata kissed his cheek. "My crowned knight…" she whispered again, and Neji grinned, remembering how he got that nickname.
"Ahhh!!" Hinata screamed softly, running around, scared of the bugs that began to chase her. All she wanted was to climb up the tree. She didn't mean to break their home. As tears flew and the four year old Hinata ran, Neji had been walking by. He saw his little princess running around, and he ran to save her. With his know-how, and powerful attacks, he chased the bugs away. But with all the hard work, his band fell off, showing his sealed park. Severally embarrassed, he tried to hurriedly put it back into place. As he began to curse for not being able to get it on, he felt the soft, cool hands of his princess brushing over the seal. He looked up, and Hinata gently kissed the mark. "It looks like a crown…" she said softly. "my crowned knight.." she said softly, and began to call him that whenever he rescued her, which was often. As children, they were close.
Looking at her now, Neji sighed inwardly. How could he have hurt her so much in the past? He looked, eyes searching, but now they were alone. "Hinata-chan please….No more tears."
But they didn't stop. Tear after tear rolled down her face, and Hinata kept holding tight, fighting back memories that made her want to cling tighter unto the man who was stroking her hair, whispering soft kind words. What was happening, she wondered. Was this the feeling of childhood love? Or...was she just trying to find an excuse to cling to him? Hinata felt the most precious of memories flow, and made her close her eyes tighter, as the little Hinata promised to Neji that one day, she would be his bride. That the little girl, with eyes that shone with more love than the world had known. As the black kimono she wore for her uncle got dirty from the rain. She promised to save her crowned knight, and always love him.
The darken sky, the rain drops pounded over and over. The little boy who cursed his cousin, and everything. The tiny girl who pleaded with him to go inside, and stayed beside him as he hit her, and pushed her to go away. The most precious, and the darkest of memories as the little boy tried to beat her into leaving his side. Where did this memory hide? The older Hinata asked, watching as the tiny girl began to cough, and Neji yelled at her to go inside.
"I think...it hid…because I didn't want to keep a promise if you hated me…"she whispered softly. The tears had stopped as the little girl finally gave up, going inside. White, lilac eyes stared up into the sky, as a tiny bird flew by, and puppy clouds blacked the sun. Dark memories are best forgotten, she told herself.
AN: I hope you all enjoyed tidbits of info from my mind. I know that as memories float, and bloom, we hope with everything that some of them aren't true. But they will get closer, and it will be better for them. Remember, it will be happy.
But from here out until about the end, there will be more memories that flow from their now time, into their past. The bonds that broke and are reborn are the best of all. And Hinata and Neji have a long way to go before they have the bond that the little kids did.
Well, Please R and R!! I want to know what you thought!!