Chapter 9

I dedicate this chapter to: ProjXPsyClone -psyiNoheart "When you have been through hard times and come out the other side, look around you; the people still there are your true friends."-a message from a manga I read. That's for you my friend ^.^ thank you for being my first reviewer in my previous chapter.

Disclaimer: I am not the creator of this anime/manga.

A sound of keyboard was audible in a huge office of the president of Sharingan Industrial Company. Hinata Hyuuga was firmly standing on the corner just a few meters away from her boss.

She couldn't count how many times they've been so awkward to each other. She didn't like this. She felt intimidated whenever she was with Sasuke. His stare towards her made her feel uncomfortable especially he just confessed his feelings last night.

"Where's the document?" Sasuke asked without removing his gaze on his own laptop.

"Here," she softly answered. She moved her hand that holds the document forward.

Sasuke lifted his hand without looking at her, and their skin touched. They both electrified as they felt their skin. Sasuke abruptly looked at her almost losing his composure.

Hinata immediately pulled her hand and the document fell on the ground. Both of them bend to reach the document, and a hard bang heard as their head bumped each other.

Hinata stood and she immediately approached her boss while still massaging her head. "I'm so sorry sir!"

In a sudden gush of instinct, Sasuke grabbed the free hand of Hinata and pulled her to touch her left cheek.

"Are you hurt?" he asked her with deep concern.

Instead of responding, Hinata remained still, but her breathe was obviously unsteady. Her face was slowly flushing like a wild fire. She felt a burning sensation all over her body. She was almost faint in his gaze.

Sasuke cursed himself because of his stupidity. He didn't think wisely before pulling her. His mind was out of control when he saw a small red on her head.

By his own impulse, he unconsciously grabbed her to know if she was okay, but his sanity snatched him from his stupidity as he saw her flushed face staring at his own onyx eyes.

He gulped almost lost his tranquility, but he didn't let her go. Their gaze only focused on their tantalizing eyes as they can see their own reflection.

Even though she felt embarrassed, she couldn't help herself to move away from him. A part of her wanted to stay longer like this, but something on her inner self felt that it was all wrong; everything was amiss.

Once and for all, she wanted to clarify everything about what happened last night. Maybe he was just joking around, or maybe he pitied her and he just wanted to make her feel better. What if everything was just a toy for him, what if…

"A-about last n-night…" before she think, the words were already slip on her mouth.

Knock knock

Sasuke let go of her hand and directly focused on his own laptop. Hinata stood on where she was standing a while ago.

Naruto opened the door and brought himself inside not waiting for someone to respond.

"Hey! I need to…" Naruto stopped as soon as his gaze was shifted to the woman beside Sasuke. "H-hinata you're here."

Hinata didn't respond, but her eyes were focused on his own blue eyes.

Sasuke flickered, "Of course she's here. She's my secretary dumb ass," Sasuke glared Naruto for being irrational.

"Take this and give it to the advertising section," Sasuke lifted a file document at her direction without facing her.

Hinata took the document and leave the room without meeting the stare of Naruto as he followed her trace until she closed the door.

As soon as Hinata closed the door, Sasuke shifted his eyes at Naruto, "What do you want?"

"I just only need the whole report of the business transaction in Macao," Naruto sneered as he approached Sasuke while his both hands were on the back of his head.

Sasuke throw a flash drive at him and Naruto caught it with one hand.

Naruto sat in front of his desk while staring from nowhere.

Sasuke peeked at him and sighed, "Say it loud."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked innocently.

"If you need something say it. Don't make me wait or I'll throw your ass out of my office." He irritatingly said while glaring at his best friend.

Naruto stood and went to face the glass window just a few inches away from Sasuke. "Well, I just want to talk."

"About what?"

"About her?"

"Who's her?"

"Hinata."

Sasuke winced, but he continued his work on his laptop.

"I'm confused. I felt guilty for leaving her. There's part of me regretting everything I've done, but I love Sakura more than anything and you know that."

Sasuke kept listening to his best friend.

"I want to keep Hinata, but I don't want to leave Sakura. Damn! I don't know what to do." Naruto leaned his back in the glass window.

Sasuke shifted to faced Naruto, "That's selfishly stupid."

"I know! And you'll never understand why people do stupid things when it comes for love, not unless you; yourself experienced how it is when you fall in love," Naruto frustratingly said.

Sasuke smirked, "Believe me. I know."

"Yeah right!" Naruto sarcastically said.

"Honestly, I have no damn idea what love is. I always think it is just a pretty name, but a deceptive one which only made to cover an ugly compulsion," Sasuke said as he looked directly to Naruto.

Now it was time for Naruto to smirk, "You sound like a bitter one. Aren't you?"

Sasuke snored and squinted, "Asshole."

Naruto laughed and proceeded to where he was sitting a while ago.

"Why? Why did you break her heart?" Sasuke oddly asked. He knew Naruto might misunderstand this, but he just wanted to know why. Why breaking her for everything she'd done for him. He knew how Hinata truly and devotedly love Naruto, but why do he need to hurt her like that.

"I liked her, and eventually fall for her. I know she loves me so much more than I do and I appreciate it, but it's too much like she's already strangling me to the point of suffocation. I-I hate it." Naruto's voiced subsiding when he said his last sentence.

"You don't have to hate a girl because she cares too much. Be anxious once she started not to care at all."

"But I already gave up on her." Naruto defensively said.

"You've been with her for almost three years remember? You should think about the reasons why you held her for that long when you thought of giving her up."

"What if you stop loving the person whom you'd promise to love eternally?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke didn't respond. He didn't know what to say, because in the first place he never experienced it.

"Maybe saying sorry is enough. Right now, I'm happy to be with Sakura, but something is missing…" Naruto put his hand on his chin like he was in deep thought.

Sasuke sighed, "True happiness is the one missing. You'll never know it until you have truly loved. And you'll never understand what pain is until you have lost something special on you."

Naruto frowned, "How's that?"

"People end up unhappy and empty when they make a permanent decision on temporary emotions."

Naruto grinned at his best friend's statement, "Wow! You sound like a Shakespeare."

Sasuke angrily squirted and growled.

"You know. I think you should find a girlfriend now. Being a virgin bachelor is sucks. You should break the wall already and feel free to look around and marry a chick!" Naruto enthusiastically advised his best friend.

"I don't build walls just to keep people around me out of my sight, but I want to see those people who care enough to blow the walls."

"But you don't have to hide yourself behind those walls! You can still look around to know what you want to have in your life. You have to set your life free." Naruto stared directly at him.

"I don't know. When I tried it once, I failed and I regret it. I don't want to try again. Rejection is what I hated most." Sasuke frowned as he opened up his thoughts to his best friend.

That moment, he remembered the last night he confessed to Hinata. It was painful to accept that she didn't acknowledge his feelings as he felt she didn't like him at all.

Naruto stood and his hand formed into fist. His face was full of determination as he spoke, "If you don't follow what you really want, you'll never have it! If you don't ask, the answer will always be no. If you don't step forward, for sure, you'll always be in the same place; miserable."

Naruto widely smiled while his hands were on his waist. "If you're having a rough day, put your hand over your chest. Feel anything beating? That's what you called purpose, because you're alive for a reason. Don't give up."

Sasuke smirked, "Looks who's talking."

Naruto chuckled as he moved away to reach the door, "Just remember, the more you know what you really wants, the less you let the things complicates you."

Sasuke looked at Naruto while grinning, "And don't forget not to play with the feelings of others, because you might win the game, but you'll certainly loose that person for a lifetime."

Naruto was stunned about his statement, but he smirked and nodded before he closed the door in front of him.

Sasuke leaned his back on his chair and tilted his head, "What a day!" he smiled as he closed his eyes.

His hand moved to touch his chest. He felt a regular beating of his heart. "A purpose, huh?" he grinned.

Naruto left without any questions, instead he gave his best friend an advice that he knew it might break his heart, but Sasuke needed words of advice and only him can say it.

He closed the door and felt shiver on his spine. He clenched his teeth. I hate it. He never asked his best friend a while ago who he was referring when he opened up about his love life, because he was afraid to know the answer.

Hinata walked silently in the hall way to the advertising section. She was in deep thought when someone tapped her shoulder.

"Hey!" a familiar feminine voice greeted her from behind.

She turned around to see Ino, her neighborhood, smiling at her.

Her long, blonde hair was styled in a high-ponytail with bangs covering her right side of her face. She wore a white sleeveless polo shirt with a silver long necklace around her neck. Her black skinny pants were gorgeously fitted on her long legs and it was elegantly paired with a shiny black stilettos.

"I-Ino-chan hi! What are you doing here?" Hinata softly asked her friend.

"Your company hired my team to design your new advertisement," Ino grinned at her.

"Oh I see. So I guess this document belongs to your hand," Hinata smiled and her hand which was holding the document lifted to give it to Ino.

Ino reached the document and smiled back, "Yeah Thanks."

"You're welcome," Hinata turned around to leave, but Ino stopped her, "Do you want to have coffee break?"

Hinata checked her watch to see the time, "Well maybe a coffee break will do. So yes," she answered with a smile.

Ino was happy to hear it since she didn't have any new friends here, except her own employees and Hinata, "Yay! That's great. You know it's so depressing here because people around are so serious," Ino grabbed Hinata's shoulder and proceeded to the vending machine near the hall way.

The two sat comfortably in the bench, where employees usually take a break.

Ino sipped her coffee and spoke, "Temari told me you went to her last time."

Hinata nodded.

"Are you okay now?" Ino asked with concern.

Hinata shrugged, "Maybe. I guess I still love him that it seems I can't ever be all right."

Ino sighed and turned to look at her, "Love?" she chuckled, "How much do you love him?"

Hinata pondered, "I-I never loved anyone more than him."

"Even yourself?"

Hinata snapped and her grip to her cup tightened, "I-I…"

"Yes you do," Ino grinned finishing the statement for her.

Hinata lowered her head feeling guilty.

"Hina-chan…" Hinata faced Ino who was now looking at her with sympathy, "Loving someone isn't a crime, but too much love can brutally kill your heart. Loving yourself more than anyone is the best overdose, since you have a lifetime to live with yourself."

Hinata beamed, "But every time I see him, I can't help myself to feel the pain and, and I always keep asking myself why? Why it didn't work? Is it because I gave too much love?" her eyes were now starting to blur. She fought the urge to cry as she tilted her head hoping the tears won't fall from her face.

Ino placed her hand on Hinata's shoulder for comfort, "Don't look for the reasons why it didn't work, but believe the only reason why it will. You have to be stronger from the pain, and don't let it destroy you."

"B-but there's n-nothing left for me t-to believe that it will still w-work, h-he told me he was sorry and h-he can't leave S-Sakura." Hinata mumbled and sniffed while wiping the tears at the corner of her eyes.

"Guys often say that whenever they feel tired of us," Ino calmly said and sipped her coffee.

"Say like what?" Hinata puzzlingly asked as her eyes focused to Ino.

"Like 'I'm sorry but I love her', 'I'm sick and tired in this relationship', or 'there's nothing wrong with you. It's me. I have to find myself first', then after a few days you'll find them holding hands with another bitchy." Ino's voice lowered as she imitated her voice to a masculine one.

Hinata vaguely chuckled. "Yeah and you almost sounds like them," and she deeply sighed, "I guess I have to give up now, but I just care too much."

Ino touched her hand, "Look, giving up doesn't mean you don't care anymore, but because they simply don't."

Hinata shuddered. Her tears were almost pouring down, "I'm scared. I'm scared to fall again. What if I can't find my true love? What if I there's no true love at all?"

Ino sincerely smiled and her free hand lifted to touch the cheek of Hinata, "Don't search for love, let love do the work. That's why it's called falling in love, because you don't force yourself to fall… just fall."

Hinata bit her lower lip and nodded.

"No man even Naruto is worth your tears, but once you find the true one, he won't make you cry." Ino said with comfort.

Hinata smiled.

Ino released her hand and leaned her back on the wall, "Someday… someone will enter your life and that person will make you realize why it never worked out with your previous man."

Hinata didn't nod. She just looked away and simply stared at her cup before sipping her coffee.

"Speaking of someone, who's the guy with you the other night?" Ino suddenly asked with interest.

"Who? Naruto?" Hinata answered in a question manner.

"No, I'm referring the one with a gorgeous car. I guess I saw his car a while ago, so maybe he's an employee here."

Hinata suddenly blushed as she realized who she was talking to, "I-I actually… H-he is the p-president of this c-company."

Ino was shocked. Her eyes widened and slowly turning her neck to face Hinata while her lips were slowly forming into curve almost reaching her ears, "S-seriously? What a mother of holy freaking sky!"

Hinata felt heat on her nape feeling very uncomfortable with a new topic.

"So are you with…"

"Geez.. . Ino he's my boss! We're not into that kind of… you know," her blush didn't fade away as she was slowly getting nervous of what she was thinking.

Ino laughed, "You're so defensive!" she moved closer to Hinata and whispered, "Did something happened?"

Hinata squeaked and gulped.

"I knew it!" Ino stood and she pointed a finger to her.

She pulled Ino to sit beside her.

"Tell me," Ino's voice now lowered, but her face was obviously excited to know everything.

Hinata closed her eyes and sighed. Tenten supposedly will be the one who'll know this, but Ino is one of my trusted friends so…

"Fine, but promise me not to share this to your co-workers." Hinata said while frowning at her.

"Of course honey! I won't let you down." She smirked.

"Okay, it was all started on my first day after the week I took my leave and…"

Hinata narrated everything to Ino like her past with Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura. She also mentioned when Naruto asked her not to fall in love with his best friend, even the strange behavior of Sasuke towards her until the night when her he confessed to her.

Ino was only nodding and smiling while listening to her friend. Everything was completely absorbed as she gathered the whole story into a piece.

"Oh my golly! Hinata you're so lucky." She squealed while embracing her friend.

"What do you mean?" Hinata puzzlingly asked.

Ino slightly pushed her, "The president of the Sharingan Industrial Company is actually in love with you!"

Hinata stood from her sit. She walked across the hallway and leaned her back at the glass window. Ino followed and stood beside her.

"He's not, okay? He's the best friend of Naruto, and maybe he just said it because he pitied me." Hinata said while staring at her cup.

"Then why Naruto asked you not to fall to your boss?" Ino asked as she crossed her hands on her chest.

"B-because he's just concern, o-or maybe he just really don't like to see his best friend hooking up with her ex?" Hinata's statement was more likely a question than an answer.

"It's because Naruto is a selfish bastard! And he sees his own best friend as a threat. You know why?"

Hinata shook her head.

"Because he sensed that his best friend is actually falling with his ex girlfriend. Trust me he sensed it," Ino was slowly explaining her conclusion to Hinata.

Hinata looked at her in disbelieve. She wasn't sure, but she didn't want to accept what Ino was telling to her.

"Hey Hinata!" Ino called her.

Hinata snapped from her deep thought.

"What I'm trying to say…" Ino said while her brows rose like trying to get the attention of her listener, "You always keep chasing the person who totally doesn't care about you. Why don't you just stop, turn around and see who's chasing you behind?"

"I-I…" Hinata was searching a right word to respond, but failed to do so. She sighed, "Hurting Sasuke-kun's heart is beyond my heartbreaking. I-I can't…"

"Hey! I'm not asking you to break his heart." Ino defensively said. "I just want you to open your heart to those people who is willing to take a risk to make you fall again."

"What I mean, what if I accept to date him? What will the others say about us? What if they'll think I'm just using Sasuke to get over with his own best friend? What if he misunderstood everything?" Hinata anxiously asked.

"So you're admitting that you also like him?" Ino grinned.

Hinata blushed, "Huh? No! I mean, not totally no, but not yes…"

"Alright, okay I get it. You're still confused, but Hinata you don't have to please people about your own life. Who cares if you fall with your own boss? Who cares if you fall to the best friend of your ex? All you have to do is to be true to yourself, because that's what will make you happy."

Hinata looked at her and smiled, "Yeah you're right, but it's hard to do."

"Right now maybe yes, because I don't want to rush you about this. Take your time and think all over about your true feelings towards your boss and Naruto," Ino smiled back at her.

"Ms. Hyuuga." A familiar husky voice called her name.

"Speaking of the devil," Ino smirked and turned around to see Uchiha Sasuke was standing a few meters away from them.

Hinata moved forward to approach her boss.

"Good Morning Mr. President. I'm Ino Yamanaka your fashion designer in your new advertisement and the friend of your secretary." Ino gracefully introduced herself, but didn't have the urge to shake his hand. Just by looking at his appearance, he was not a kind of guy who wants to shake hands at anyone.

"I heard so much about you Mr. President," Ino said while smiling widely.

Hinata blushed and faced Ino in embarrassment. Sasuke turned to face Hinata, but she tried herself not to meet his gaze.

"In magazine sir and to your employees," Ino added. She was obviously teasing Hinata and Sasuke seemed to notice this and smirked.

"Hn."

Hinata turned her face in sideways just to avoid their teasing look.

"Coffee break is over. Let's go. The meeting will start in five minutes," Sasuke said as he moved away from them.

Hinata stared at her cup realizing that maybe her boss already knew she took her coffee break without permission since she left almost an hour.

She immediately followed him, but turned around to face Ino and slight bowed her head, "I'm sorry. I have to go now."

Ino smiled and nodded. She knew that this might be the start of something new with her friend and hopefully she was right. She was happy for her since it seemed that Hinata was slowly learning to move on, thanks to Mr. President.

She turned and walked in the opposite way while grinning.

*End of chapter 9*

Early update for you guys!

I just received your reviews telling that the last chapter was sad so I made this chapter as early as possible to make you both a little bit relieve ^o^

Thank you so much for your reviews and starting next chapter I'll always mention those first reviewer to my next chapter.

The more reviews I received the more you motivate me to update early.

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Thank you and God Bless ^^