A/N:
Okay, so sorry for the wait you guys. I know I said that I would try to prioritize on "Tainted Love" from now on, but it's been a little hectic with school, work and also the writing of my Christmas Story - be sure to check it out, okay? It's gonna be published a new chapter EVERY SINGLE DAY from December 1st to the 24th. So yeah, check it out, okay? It's my Christmas present for you.

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Disclaimer:
«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself the main character and to the idea.»
Thanks a lot to Fanwoman for all her help and to Lightning Bee for betaing on this story.

Chapter 7 - Lollipop

The two ninjas left the café, and Kiba led the way. For a few minutes they walked, taking a road that led them out of the main parts of the town, and then the Inuzuka boy stopped. Hinata looked around her and realized with confusion where they were.

"I thought you were going to show me something first?" She asked, unsure.

"Yeah, no worries. I haven't forgotten." He grinned. Then, to Hinata's surprise, he bowed in front of her and reached out a hand. "My lady."

"Huh?" Hinata had no idea what was happening, but after only a second of thought, she gave him her hand. The grip on her hand tightened a bit as she did, and she couldn't help but smile a little. "What are you doing?"

The boy didn't answer her with anything but a smile. It wasn't one of his normal confident grins, but something warmer that only a few people got to see. Kiba straightened up and led her towards the set of swings, helping her over to the closest one before seating himself on the other one. They sat there in silence, gently swaying back and forth.

"Do you remember this place?"

"Huh?" Hinata felt as if he'd caught her off guard. "It's close to my home, so I used to play here a lot."

"Yeah..." the boy said, his voice unusually thoughtful. "I don't know if you remember, but we used to play together back then." A smile appeared on his face as his eyes went distant with memories. "I can understand if you don't remember it. I mean, it was a long time ago, and I didn't come here for that long..."

"Kiba?"

"Half a year maybe? No… Five months? I remember it 'cause my mom was taking Hana to this other kid's house to work on their taijutsu. Back then I was mostly in the way, so Mom didn't want me around when she visited that other girl's family. I think they were some rich guys — I'm not sure really." The boy continued, seemingly without noticing that she'd spoken. "Anyway, one day we passed by this park, and Mom noticed some boys playing. I guess she saw it as a win-win situation to leave me with those kids to play for a while." Kiba let out a little laugh and tilted his head up to look at the sky. "Those guys were really stupid, you know. They were all acting like they were hot-shots and all, but when we got down and started fighting, I beat them all — and I was the youngest one!"

"You did?" Hinata asked. This was a story she'd never heard before. Sure, Kiba wasn't one to be modest when retelling his victories, but he didn't really point them out just to do so. Most of the time he did it to prove a point or to boost himself before an encounter.

"Yeah, I sure did!" The boy's mind seemed to be in the present again, and he sent her one of his usual, big grins. "Not only that, but I think one of them wet himself when I did!" He broke out in a laugh so hard that Hinata couldn't help but to worry. "Ah," the laugh stopped as sudden as it had begun. "Anyway, that wasn't what I wanted to tell you… You see, the second time my mom dropped me off, when she walked around the corner, the other kids disappeared too. For a minute I was happy they'd left. I mean, they were idiots and I probably would have a better time playing by myself, but then it started to feel lonely…" The Inuzuka boy looked up and at Hinata. "And that's when you came."

Hinata didn't know what to say. She had no memories of it whatsoever. He'd told her that it was okay if she couldn't remember it, but still… She had always thought fondly of when she'd first met the boy and that, at only one glance, she could tell that he was a good person. If what he said was true — and Hinata couldn't see why he would lie about it, which meant that her perspective of their history as friends was wrong.

"You don't remember..." He asked, a touch of sadness in his voice. "I can see it on your face, you know. Not that it's a surprise really. I mean, it was a long time ago..."

"Tell me," The girl blurted out, surprising Kiba with the determination in her voice. "Tell me about that time. Maybe I'll remember."

"Um, I'm not sure," Kiba hesitated, a blush staining his cheeks.

"Please, Kiba. I want to know. So please."

"Ah, fine" He let out a sigh. "I never could say no to you..." before kicking at the ground, gaining some more movement to his swing. Opening his mouth, he began to tell his story of their first encounter.

- Flashback -

"Um, excuse me."

The young Inuzuka boy turned his head to see a little, black-haired girl standing to his right.

"Yeah?" Kiba replied. He didn't know this girl. Surely he would have remembered those pale eyes of hers. He'd never seen anything like them. "What is it?"

"I-I wondered if there was a possibility for me to-"

"You speak funny," the boy commented, cutting her off in the middle of the sentence.

"I-I do?" she replied nervously "In what way?"

"Like that," Kiba said, a teasing smile on his lips. "You sound like a grown up!" He let his eyes run up and down her, looking for a clue as to what her age might be. "You don't look like an adult. How old are you?"

"Uh, I... Four… I'm four years old."

"Four?" Kiba jumped off his swing and walked up to her. "Me too! Are you starting at the academy next year too?"

A shade of red appeared in the girl's cheeks and she gave a shy nod.

"Awesome! I'm Kiba from the Inuzuka clan." He reached his hand towards her.

For a moment she just looked at it, unsure of what to do, but then she carefully accepted his grip and they shook hands.

"My name is Hinata. Hinata of the Hyuuga clan."

"Cool! So, what did you wanna ask me, Hinata?"

"I-" The Hyuuga heir started, but then her face flamed up in a color that resembled tomatoes. "Wh-wha-at?"

"Are you alright, Hinata?"

"I-I-" The world was spinning for the young girl. At home she was referred to by many different names. Her parents simply called her by her first name, while most of the servants and lower members of the family always made sure to show their respect by adding her noble title as 'Lady' to her name. But this boy, he'd done neither. He'd talked to her as an equal, as a friend. In her heart, the young girl knew the reasons behind it were probably that the boy had no idea of her nobility — if he had, he probably would act like the other kids in her clan. No, Hinata didn't want that. She didn't know why, but for some reason she liked the friendly way he addressed her.

"Hinata?" The boy was standing over her, and she noticed that she unconsciously had curled up and sat herself down.

"I-I think so." She hurried to get back on her feet and brushed some imaginary dirt off her cloths. "I'm sorry. I'm not sure what came over me."

"Oh, okay. You sure you're okay?" His eyes had a worried expression in them, and the young girl felt her heart warm up a bit. The boy actually cared for her feelings, and this made her smile. Relieved the boy smiled back at her, scratching the back of his head with one hand. "Great, so… You wanna play on the swings with me?"

"Yes," the girl answered him. There was no doubt in her mind. "I'd love to."

- End flashback -

As Kiba told her the story, the young Hyuuga sat still, patiently listening with her ears and mind open. She really wanted to remember, and as her friend drew the images in her mind, she started to remember small bits of the story.

For a while he went on talking, telling her how, after that day, they had spent many hours playing in the afternoon. It surprised Hinata that she'd forgotten all these memories. Even as she listened to her friend, she was unable to recall the events. She could remember having a playmate and that he was a boy, but for some reason she just couldn't see that boy as Kiba. How could that be?

"You've known this all along?" She asked. If he'd known, why hadn't he told her back then, reminded her of it when they'd met again later? Was it because he was shy? No, Kiba wasn't shy. Uncomfortable sometimes, but that wasn't often.

"No, not like that…" He said thoughtful. "I didn't have a clue about it myself back then, and to be honest I just remembered it when I was sitting here the other day. I have no idea how it happened, but I was just thinking of you and then, slowly, I started remembering — piece by piece."

His answer surprised Hinata. To think that it all had come back to him like that. What was the chance of that happening? If his memories had been gone for such a long time, why would they suddenly reappear, why now of all times? And why wasn't she able to remember?

"I'm sorry, Kiba. I remember bits of it, but I'm afraid it's just so little. Are you sure you're not mistaken?" As soon as the words left her lips, she regretted it. Hinata had known Kiba for a long time and knew that, even though it didn't seem like it to many, he had a really weak point when it seemed like others doubted him. She could see it in his eyes as the words hurt him. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"

"It's okay," His voice was sad, but she could hear that he tried to hide it. "I mean, I'd probably refuse to believe it myself if someone had told me something like that."

"Still..." Hinata avoided his eyes, looking down on the ground moving underneath her.

"No, really, relax. It's nothing." The boy insisted.

She could hear a thumping sound followed by the sound of rattling chains, but didn't bother lifting her gaze. Kiba was probably just gaining more momentum.

"Here..."

The girl looked up from the ground and blinked in surprise as she found her friend standing in front of her swing. She let down her legs and stopped the swing's movement, before leaning closer to study the object he was holding out to her.

"Remember this?"

In his hand she could see...

"A lollipop?"

"Yeah, a lollipop" He confirmed. "I guess this means that you don't remember this either…" A sadness glinted in his eyes, and he let out a sigh. "Oh well. You want it?"

Hinata looked at the candy and decided to take it. She reached out her hand to accept it, and as her fingers touched his, a shivering went through her body. Then she remembered.

A red lollipop, an old doll, messy, brown hair, a set of swings, a bright white flower.

"A flower..." Hinata mumbled to her self, bewildered by the what she'd just recalled.

"What?"

"A flower," she repeated. "I remember a bright white flower of some kind…"

"So you do remember." A smile appeared on Kiba's face as he let go of her hand, letting her have the candy. "For a second there I thought I'd imagined the whole thing." Before Hinata knew what was happening, he bent towards her and gave her a quick peck on her cheek.

The Hyuuga's heart stopped for a second, before setting off at a rate close to her cousin's palm strikes. What had just happened? Had Kiba? No, he hadn't... or had he? She felt the world spinning.

Straightening up again, the boy turned away from her. "I guess I have to leave. I'm already late." Then he ran off, leaving Hinata in a question-filled daze.

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