Sleep didn't come easy to the Hyuuga. She shuffled under the covers. The dreaded name floating in the air. She was sure to forget about him. She knew she had. But with a single mention all the memories flooded back.
Itachi Uchiha.
He was dead. Dead. She gripped the pillow under her head harder and tried not to imagine those life-less eyes looking up at her. A bloody smile on that face, and a last gasp. He had tried to say her name. The name of his wife. But he couldn't.
She knew his cause of death. She knew the time of his death. She knew the cover story.
...
"Hinata."
The 11 year old turned around looking into the metallic eyes of her father.
"That man died of a natural heart attack. Ok?"
She gave him a confused glance.
"No he didn't, he took that bullet for me."
Suddenly the head of the Hyuuga estate bent down to his short daughter's height.
"No Princess, he died from a heart attack. And if you don't want daddy to be taken away you tell that to anyone who asks."
He pulled her close in a loving hug. She snuggled her forehead into her fathers shoulder and cried. Within sobs she pulled back.
"Daddy does this mean I will get a new fiancé?"
Hiashi gave a nod.
"Even though Itachi was a perfect fit, I promise daddy will find an even better prince for my baby girl."
"But...I..loved him"
Her father gave a laugh.
"Your only 11 honey, you were only supposed to be engaged at 18."
"Can I go to his funeral?"
He shook his head, wiping away tears from little Hinata's cheeks.
"You know we can't affiliate with the Uchiha's anymore."
Hinata sniffled a "ok" and a maid escorted her upstairs.
Laying on her bed she replayed the scene in her head. She had been invited to the Uchiha manor and Itachi had been there to sign paperwork about the arranged engagement. He had smiled sweetly and like usual picked up Hinata into a big hug. He stood taller then her and leaned over to place a kiss on her forehead.
"Princess"
"Itachi!"
They had a 7 year difference, making him 18. At the age of 25 he would be married to Hinata and finally the Uchiha and Hyuuga corporations would be merged. It was an arranged marriage, but to Hinata she had grown to love him. Maybe it was the way he just loved her back, or the fact that he seemed so genuine.
"Let's go into the garden?"
He grinned, taking her hand and leading her to the little river which streamed through the backyard. He sat her down on a swing and pushed when she asked.
"Itachi, you want to marry me right?"
"Of course I do."
"Then why can't we tell anyone?"
"Because it's confidential between our parents, even my little brother Sasuke doesn't know, he was sent to an all year boarding school so he wouldn't find out.."
"Wow, I could never keep a secret from my little sister, but she's only 3"
"I'm sure she's as cute as you"
The girl let out a giggle, but a loud noise called her attention. Men in black uniforms had surrounded the Hyuuga and her fiancé. A unfamliar crest embroiled on their backs. One had a gun in his hand and aimed it straight for the bluenette. Frightened she screamed out, the firing of the gun over coating it, shutting her eyes tight she waited for the worst.
She heard someone gasp. She heard her fathers voice. Then someones hands wrapped her into safety.
She squinted through her lashes and all she saw was Itachi. Laying in the dirt near the swing, the mystery group of men gone, and her father barking out orders.
"Itachi...?"
...
Hinata woke up gasping. The memory striking into realization. It was already been 5 years since the incident, and her father had made sure to brainwash most of it out of her head. She didn't remember fully how she came to fall in love with Itachi, all she knew was that she had been attacked and he had taken the shot. She didn't even remember who, or why the were trying to kill her. All she knew was that it was her fault Sasuke's older brother had died.
Sasuke loved his older brother. He talked about him frequently, the pain on his face when he said the word deceased. Hinata had asked him the reason for his death.
"Heart Attack."
Even in the summer, as she was sitting beside the boy she loved know she knew that, that was a lie. Of course she couldn't bring herself to tell him for all the ties with the Uchiha had been cut after that and her father was the one who told her to uphold the cover story on his death. And there was an itch in her stomach, it told her that if Sasuke found out the truth behind his brothers death, that she was the one who he gave his life for, that maybe Sasuke wouldn't act like he did towards her. He might even bring himself to hate her. The thought scared Hinata, and now when it did seem like he hated her, she still wouldn't have told him.
But laying in her dorm, she peeked at Sakura, who slept soundly.
How in the world had she found out about Itachi?
Itachi was a dirty secret, Hinata had wanted to keep it that way.
...
Sasuke woke up to the sound of his alarm, and a sight that annoyed him.
His roommate, Naruto Uzumaki was up and awake talking to a already perky and energetic Sakura. Shikamaru Nara, who slept to the side of Sasuke was still in bed, but seemed to be murmuring something into his cellphone.
"SASUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
"TEMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Jesus Christ, this was double the kill. Two annoying people in the morning. How nice this day was turning out to be.
The pinkette flung her hands around his neck and Sasuke automatically reacted to the smell of flowers and sweets that sickened him. Retracting himself from her hug, he got out of bed and made way for the shower. Sakura called after him, but he gingerly nodded to whatever she was saying and shut the door.
Safely in the bathroom he took a look in the mirror, the tattoo was as vibrant as ever, the ink was dark blue like Hinata's hair and glowed on his pale skin. He sunk down against the shower wall and pressed his head into his palms.
"Itachi, what would you have done?"
...
School was becoming a hassle for Hinata, the thought of Itachi, Sakura, Sasuke, and the promise lingered in her brain for most the time. Even the talkative Ino couldn't pull her from the depths of her mind. That is until she ran up to her in the hallway after 6th period Math and let out her character's squeal of delight.
"Ohhhmahhhhhgoddddd! Hina-chan you will not believe this!"
She clutched her books to her chest and bounced up and down in her hyper overdrive.
"Yes?"
Hinata slumped against her locker and the blonde began to ramble.
"Sooooo I was walking to the bathroom with Ten-ten when we hear some noise, so we peek around the corner and what do we see? Sauke-fucking-Uchiha shirtless! And he has this badass tattoo on his shoulder and we are dyinggggg! But that isn't even the worst part! He's in a fight with Neji, and..."
"Hold up. A fight with who?'
"Neji."
The mention of her cousins name sparked a reaction to go and see what could be the problem. Pulling the Yamanaka behind her she came to the scene of the rumble and pushed through the crowd. So far she saw Neji, his backpack was discarded and he had a smug look to his features, Sasuke, who's hands were held behind his back by Kiba, had his shirt torn off and was looking at the Hyuuga's cousin with rage.
"Oh Uchiha, it was dumb to pick a fight with me. A Hyuuga, after all you do have a certain weakness with us don't you?"
Neji's clear eyes darted to the drawing on Sasuke's skin.
"That tattoo looks awfully familiar."
Hinata strained her sight onto the boy's shoulder. She stepped closer to him, and suddenly Sasuke let out a cry of pain. She wondered if Kiba had done something to him, and again came closer to see. She could see the agony that the Uchiha was in, and it seemed to get worse as she advanced closer. The tattoo was more clear now that she was only about 8 feet away and she could make out the kanji symbol for Rejection.
The tattoo, how Neji had said did seem oddly familiar. Until finally she knew exactly what it was.
"Neji!"
Her voice echoed through the hallways.
Both boys turned to see her small figure in the large crowd.
"Hinata"
"Princess"
She dropped her binder, and looked down to the floor, pointing her finger at the tattoo.
"W..why...is he..w..wearing the..Rejection Seal?"
...
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Stay with us for Chapter 4 :)
A/N - Ok so yes, HINATA AND ITACHI WERE ENGAGED. It was an arranged marriage, and don't worry I'll reveal who tried to shot Hina and why later :D The promise, hope you guys didn't forget, is still to be revealed. I'll give you a hint. It has to do with Hinata. LOL don't kill me XD But yep now she knows Sasuke has a rejection seal, but she doesn't know why. We shall see what happens :O