Yes! After a long delay, and writer's block, PetitePois is back on track!

xX Occhio Bianco Xx

Chapter 3

Hinata couldn't grasp when she had fainted, nor what happened before she did. It was always like this, whenever she was distressed, in emotional turmoil, or in a sudden shock, she would always faint. Unlike most people, however, she would wake up only for after a few moments, then fall back into darkness again. But to Hinata, it was a part of her everyday life. Not knowing about how it felt to be…alive; to feel the sunlight, to see the blue sky or to feel the green grass brushing against your toes does have an advantage. In her case, especially. Ever since birth, she has been succumbed to this illness. I wonder if anyone would visit today? Kiba? Naruto? Hinata smiled in the darkness, and without opening her eyes, fell into a sleep again.

Sakura, you can do this. Of course, it's just a normal mission. Get in, charm bad guy ,kill bad guy, save person, get the pay and then run away. At least until the money runs out, then get assigned to another mission, etc. etc. Now where is that woman?

Sakura flicked a curl of strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes and stared at the door for the umpteenth time. Kakashi had already briefed her on her part of the mission, which included getting herself a job as a secretary in the Uchiha and Co. (Karin's "disappearance, she had to admit, was advantageous) and protecting Uchiha Sasuke (a multi-millionaire, good-looking, hot bachelor) , a suspected next victim in the current killing spree. It was simple, straight-forward and clear. She started to feel the adrenaline again. Apparently her deferment to the paperwork department hadn't been the most enjoyable of jobs, but with more holidays and flexible hours, she could finally get to rest. But…this opportunity seemed too yummy to resist. Hey, hot-looking guy and everything seemed to fit her image of a good time. Her biggest concern was about how she would be able to protect him. After all, these killers had left almost no traces when they commited the act, and assuming the Occhio Bianco was behind this didn't seem rational. Not rational at all. There's so little evidence, after all, about how they could pinpoint all their sources to a little bar. There are many bars in Konoha, so why that one? Sakura wrinkled her eyebrows and drummed her fingers on the armrest of her seat. More interestingly was how they decided to leave the more dangerous work to the newbie, and not to her. It was supposed to be a half-half mission, as one person couldn't be at two places at once to retrieve information. She was half expecting to be the person to infiltrate into the bar and to find out anything which may help with the investigation, or even heroically thwarting their plans, but nooo, they had to choose a nearly out-of-date agent out of a pack of newbies that graduated last year. Most agents were on the field at the age of 14, and Sakura herself was 12 when she had her first mission. A prodigy and a beauty, they used to say. Not to mention deadly, her inner added. Sakura grinned to herself, cleared her throat and said:

"Kakashi-san, if there isn't anything else to add to my mission details, then I would like to leave. I'm not going to waste my time waiting for this newbie to get here when I could be somewhere else".

Yes. Sakura herself knew that she was professional, too professional, sometimes, but if it got in the way from completing her mission, she was willing to discard her Inner Sakura (the fun, flighty, innocent girl). She had a strong drive that way.

"If" she continued, "there is any need for the newbie to contact me, then just leave her my number. I suppose you understand do you? Please send my greetings to her, and give her my number." With a turn, Sakura placed a pair of sunglasses over her eyes and calmly walked out of the room.

Kakashi sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair. Sakura, he could tell, was in one of her disconcerting moods. He knew that she would be unpleased about her seemingly less dangerous task in this mission, and how she was upturned by a newbie, but this? This was ridiculous. So much for unprofessionalism and writing in pink.

Tenten…where the hell are you?

Creak.

"Kakashi-sensei! Gomen nasai!!! I bumped into someone and…"

Kakashi smiled, held up a hand and said: "Your partner just walked out of the door, but no matter, let's get to business."

Oh. My. Gawd.

Tenten couldn't believe this. She couldn't do this, for all the world. Get a job from the same bar in which the handsome stranger worked at? Hijen? WOW. For all she knew, fate was smiling at her. Yes. She shook her head and poured over the details again. It just seemed too good to be tru- ….

Crap.

What was she going to say in the job interview? Or if there IS going to be a job interview? She looked at the sign on the green door, Occhio Bianco. Um….White Eyes? Ok, that's a start. Know your company's name.

(==) LAME.

Tenten thought for a long while, and began to gather her thoughts. OK, she thought. Occhio Bianco is White eyes in Italian, and it also belongs to the Hyuuga family, in which I'm supposed to keep tabs on. It is a bar, which means that there will be a lot of wine. Apparently, they brew their own wine and refuse to go and supply their wines anywhere else. They are high-graded wines, as said by critics alike. But how am I suppose to work at a winery, or at a bar, if I don't drink much wine myself? It's too bitter, and tastes like the antiseptic they put on your grazes. How can something sweet like grapes turn to something that bitter? Wait. Wine is fermented right? That means it has been in a barrel and left there to rot for months, years, even decades at end…

Ew.

"Miss, can I help you?"

Tenten forces herself back into reality and looks at the stranger. And looks again. Jesus Christ. Who wears that shade of green anymore?

Hinata stared at the clock with bright anticipation. It was always this time of the day, when the long hand strikes at 12 and the short hand strikes at 9 in which she would get a visitor. She smiled again, and couldn't help but wish she could have the strength to dance around the room. Sometimes she would go for walks, or strolls with the visitor, or she would be able to have some long conversations with them. She always asked them what the outside world looked like, but they always gazed sadly at her, or changed the topic. Hinata guessed it was because of awkwardness or something.

"OHAIYOOOO GOZAIMASUUUUUUU HINATA CHANNNNNNNNN!!!!!!" yelled a young man with blonde hair as he burst open the door with full rigour, his orange doctor's coat fluttering behind him.

"Naruto-s-san! H-Hello! W-Why are you here? W-Where's Kiba-Kun?" (A/N: for the rest of the chapter and onwards, I'm just going to stick to her not stuttering. It saves time.:D)

Naruto couldn't help but flinch at this. Instead, he put on a smile, and reached a hand out to ruffle the girl's purple hair. "He's going to come later, Akamaru has some sort of appointment to go to, you see".

"I suppose so…." Hinata muttered, her eyes downcast, "But he'll come soon right? Just as you said?" Hinata said with a smile.

Who couldn't smile at her? Especially when she did this? Naruto gazed at her tenderly and whispered, "Yes. Someday". Hinata, being the shy girl she was (she was stuck in a hospital room, bedridden for her whole life, after all) only stared at her fingers with a crimson face, playing with them in embarrassment.

Naruto, seemingly noticing this, cleared his throat and proceeded to check her medical records. Yes, being at the age of 21, he was already a doctor. jHe was no prodigy, after all, but he did start at a young age. Why his father drilled him on and on about the anatomy since he could walk was surprising to him. He guessed his father's being a famous and revered doctor had something to do about it.

"Ne, Hinata-chan, I got something from you on the way here. I think you'll like it." Naruto produced a package from his pocket. "Take it as a late birthday present, late Christmas present or whatever."

"For me?" Hinata inquired. "Thank you, Naruto-san". With careful fingers, Hinata separated the tape from the colourful (yet hastily wrapped) wrapping paper and gasped in delight. It was a book. A book filled with words, and pictures! Oh, how she longed for one, ever since she had seen Neji-nii-san take one and looked over it in his hands during one of his visits. Yes, she has learnt words, although a little shaky, she could read quite well. Around the World in 80 Days."What is it about?" She inquired.

"It's all about these amazing places and adventures, and a race to travel all around the world, and see everything the world has to offer" Naruto said with delight. "But I suppose you have to look at them a bit later…It's about time you need to sleep".

"Naruto-san…do I have to?...I guess so…But when can I see Kiba again, and Akamaru? Can you bring them along next visit?"

Naruto stared at Hinata for a while and looked at her with that same empathetic smile. " We'll see. We'll see…" Noticing Hinata's downcast lavender eyes, he added "When you become better, we'll go and travel the world for 80 days, just like they do in the book alright? Just me and you ok?"

Hinata stuttered softly in response: "Promise?"

"Promise".

Unbeknowst to Hinata, it was a promise made to be broken.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hijen couldn't believe this. Around the world in 80 days? Pure rubbish. Why the hell would that dumb-mouthed Naruto be so foolish as to go and rouse her hopes? She was bed-ridden, and was going to be bed-ridden for her entire life, for goodness' sakes! It was fate! He closed his eyes and reminisced about his current assignment. Apparently, the girl he had "bumped" into today (twentytwenty? Thirtythirty? Somehting like that) was an undercover agent from the police. Unlike all the other cases however, Hijen had been advised to aid her into getting ajob and to somehow try to get information from her about what they knew about the case. Yes. It was the Hyuuga's doing, but what do they know about what murders?

Breaking out of his thoughts, he couldn't help but remember something from his dreams. It had been recurring for a couple of nights, and he couldn't help but feel that it was an omen. It always featured him running, slashing around with a knife, and then killing a man and a woman. And then seeing her. Her. With eyes deep in fright, and her scream echoing in his mind. Tiredly, he removed his brown contacts, letting his pale, grey, pupiless eyes close. True, he was banished from the Hyuuga clan, stripped away from the title of a branch member, but somehow, they still needed him. He was a tool. Nothing but a screw. His long hair once marked his proud lineage of being a member of the Hyuuga clan, but it was now nothing but a (neat) bundle of loose hairs. He had once considered cutting it short, but the foolish wanting of getting back into the clan prevented him from doing this.

Ah, that door was opening. HHijen almost burst out of laughter, seeing Naruto with a soft smile as he closed the door softly.

"You know, you have to stop acting all soft around her." Hijen exclaimed.

"And you guys, in this dump here, act too cold." Naruto retorted.

"Only because it is necessary."

"It doesn't have to be. Hinata is like any other human being. A girl, with a 17 year old body and a mind of her own. She doesn't need to be treated this way."

"You are the one treating her the wrong way. She's nearing the end of her life, and you still have to be so close to her. It's just going to be more difficult for her to leave, idiot. If you are in love with her, I advise you to start seeing someone else."

Naruto's cheeks reddened at this. "If you have truly loved someone, you wouldn't be saying this."

"So you admit you are in love with her?"

"…Yes."

"But all she keeps doing is repeating that bastard's name. The same bastard who-"

"SHUT IT. IT'S NOT HIS FAULT! "

Hijen quietened at this, and glared at Naruto. "One day, this secret is going to come out. She is going to know about how she is kept alive on a day to day basis, and about Inuzuka's whereabouts. You know you cannot save her then. Remember. She is fragile."

"I know that! But…that day would never happen! Not as long as I'm by her side, unlike you…Neji." Naruto smiled victoriously at this.

Hijen only glared, smiled and turned away, making his way to the bar he worked.

And the plot thickens.