Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto and its characters; I also don't own His Stand in Bride by Michelle Styles which is the inspiration for this story. Any events written in the story that is similar to real life events is purely coincidental. This is not Beta'd yet.
Chapter XV:
Hinata was pushing her speed to the limit on how fast she was currently running however she was halted by her sensei Kurenai who was with her daughter Mirai walking together.
"Hinata why are you running fast are you escaping from someone?" Kurenai asked with concern looking at Hinata's backpack.
"No, Sasuke san's waiting for me at the gate, we are both leaving for our honeymoon together."
Kurenai embraced her student startling her, "Neji told us about Naruto and Sakura's betrayal and I am sorry for not comforting you sooner, you should have come to me and told me what happened. I am happy you are coping with it better than I expected."
Hinata hugged her sensei back and cried, "Thanks for your concern Kurenai sensei, and I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you because it happened so sudden and the reason I am handling the situation well is because of my husband. Sasuke san had been there for me when I least expected it and I have decided to give us a chance together and move on from my love for Naruto kun."
Kurenai nodded, "Who would have thought that the former rogue ninja Uchiha Sasuke had a heart and help you Hinata chan and I am proud of you for being brave in a situation like this."
Hinata smiled and said before leaving, "I would like to talk to you more Kurenai sensei but I really have to go to Sasuke san now."
Hinata was nearly out of breath when she reached the gate of Konoha and looked around for Sasuke but was not able to see him, she activated her byakugan to have a better view and wider range but again she failed to see him. She asked people going in and out of the gate and nearby shops if they saw where Sasuke went but no one was able to answer her.
Sasuke san, where did you go? How will I be able to find you when various shinobis from different villages failed to find you before? But I will still find you even if I have to turn the world upside down to see you again so I can forgive you, give my thanks and give us a chance together.
Determined to find and see Sasuke again, Hinata left Konoha with a goal she was determined to fulfill before returning back.
A week after Naruto and Sakura left Konoha they returned and went to Ramen Ichiraku for Naruto already misses their ramen he loves so much. Although Sakura was hesitant for she has to report back to Tsunade that she's returned, she went to the ramen shop with Naruto. However Teuchi and his daughter Ayane were not taking any orders from Naruto and totally ignores him and Sakura.
"Hey old man what's the big idea why won't you take our orders I am already suffering from ramen withdrawal syndrome." Naruto whined.
Sakura playfully hit Naruto at the back of his head and said, "Really Naruto kun you have ramen withdrawal syndrome? Since when did that medical diagnosis exist?"
"Just now, anyway why won't you take our orders is there anything wrong?"
"Yes there is baka!" Ayane screamed.
However Naruto just looked dumbfounded while Sakura glared at Ayane and asked, "Why did you call Naruto kun baka didn't you and your father always adored him for being your number one customer?"
"That was is the past, when he didn't hurt poor Hinata's feelings but since the two of you hurt her we hate you now. Why don't you two do us a favor and leave my shop and find Hinata and ask for her forgiveness." Teuchi said.
"That's right and until Hinata chan forgives you we won't serve you any ramen even if you are our number one customer." Ayane warned.
Both Naruto and Sakura remained silent and left the shop.
"So everyone knows about what we did?" Naruto asked sadly.
Sakura lay a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder, "We can do this together Naruto, how about we go to Hinata's place and ask her forgiveness?"
Naruto nodded and hand in hand they walk towards Hyuuga compound.
"Kiba they have arrived." Shino said as one of his bugs told him.
"Finally I have been waiting for a week ya know, akamaru how about we beat Naruto to a pulp?"
Akamaru barked enthusiastically.
"Where are they now exactly?"
"On the way to the Hyuuga compound."
"Perfect, we can ambush him there why don't you send your bugs to our friends and tell them that Naruto returned already?"
"Already did."
"Hey, Neji asked me to tell everyone that Naruto and Sakura shouldn't be harmed." Shikamaru said who suddenly appeared behind Kiba and Shino.
"Huh? Why would he say that?" Kiba asked.
"Kakashi sensei told him so, that's why Neji will deal with Naruto alone however he also added that a punch can still be delivered as long as it's not on the face so that Kakashi sensei won't see."
"Hmpf, you are lucky to be Kakashi sensei's favorite student Naruto baka."
Shino adjusted his glasses and said, "I'm sure Neji is enough to give Naruto damage."
Naruto was greeted by Neji as he arrived with Sakura at the Hyuuga compound.
"Neji, we are looking for Hinata chan is she inside?" Naruto asked nervously for Neji was giving him a deathly glare.
"No besides she doesn't live here anymore."
"What do you mean that she doesn't live in your family's compound anymore? Was she disinherited again by her father?" Naruto asked in a slightly raised voice.
"No, she doesn't live here anymore because she's married in case you don't know." Neji returned in a mocking voice.
"Married? To whom?" Sakura asked.
"To Uchiha Sasuke, they are now on their honeymoon so you won't be seeing them anywhere here in Konoha."
"Sasuke kun married Hinata chan just how did that happen?" Sakura asked in a weak voice fearing that her tears will start to fall.
"Since Naruto left Hinata sama on the day of their supposed to be wedding to go to your arms, Sasuke offered Hinata sama a hand in marriage."
"But why would Sasuke kun marry her it's impossible, Sasuke kun will never show any feelings to anyone even to me and suddenly he offers Hinata chan a hand in marriage just because he pities her?" Sakura said crying.
"Sakura stop it. I thought you have gotten over Sasuke that's why you told me that you love me and I the fool I am who blindly loves you believed what you said and left Hinata chan who truly loves me. Damn it Sakura, I hurt Hinata chan and now she will never forgive me and we can never mend our relationship all because of you and your selfishness." Naruto said angrily and left Sakura and Neji alone.
"Naruto kun… I'm sorry."
"Well played there Sakura, you lost a friend the man you love and the man who loves you all because of your selfishness." Neji said and left Sakura to cry alone outside Hyuuga compound's gate.
Naruto went to Konoha river angrily punching the tree.
How could I be a fool and let my feelings get the best out of me? How could I hurt someone like Hinata chan? Damn it, I will never be forgiven for my sin.
"Hey there Naruto baka why are you punching an innocent tree?" Ko asked who was stealthily following Naruto ever since he returned in Konoha.
"Ko…I…I didn't mean what I did to Hinata chan."
"Really? Anyway I am not here to hurt you or anything I was just giving you this invitation."
"Invitation to what?"
"A duel rematch between you and Neji san." Ko said tossing a scroll to Naruto and left.
Naruto opened and read the scroll.
Naruto,
Konoha training grounds tomorrow at 7 am. Be there unless you want all of rookie 9 to punish you for what you did to Hinata sama.
Neji.
The following morning all of rookie 9 and their senseis including Kakashi and Tsunade are present at the training grounds.
"I will be the referee for this match between Naruto and Neji, in order to prevent heavy damages and possible death the match will only use taijutsu. If both of you are ready you can start." Kakashi announced.
"Hey Neji in case you are tired already you can sub to any of us." Kiba barked.
Neji activated his byakugan and attacked Naruto first but Naruto didn't block or tried to evade Neji's punch that collided with his face, dropping Naruto to the ground.
"Why didn't you evade or tried to hit me back Naruto baka?!"
"I will not fight you because I deserve this, Kiba if you so badly want to hit then do so!" Naruto said.
"What did you say?" Kakashi asked.
"You heard me perfectly Kakashi sensei, I said I deserve whatever punishment you give me for hurting Hinata chan."
Kiba growled and pounded on Naruto giving him nasty blows to the head after pounding him to the ground. Naruto was bleeding so badly in the face when Kiba stopped.
"I think you have enough beating now, but remember this I will never forgive you." Kiba warned as he panted after his attack on Naruto.
Tsunade approached Naruto, "Why did you hurt Hinata and why didn't you protect yourself?"
Naruto grinned and fainted in Tsunade's arms.
"I'll bring him to the medical center, Ino why don't you look for Sakura and tell her what happened and will you please refrain from injuring her."
"Hai Tsunade sama but I can't promise you to not hurt her." Ino said and left hurriedly.
"Choji, help me and carry Naruto back to the medical center."
Choji nodded and followed Tsunade's orders.
"I'm sorry if I beat Naruto for ya, but ya just recovered from your injuries and I can't let ya reinjure yourself or else Hinata chan will be mad at me."
"I wonder how Hinata sama will react after she knows that Naruto and Sakura returned and for what we did to him."
"How troublesome we still have a few weeks to wait before we know the answer to your question." Shikamaru said and left.
Sakura was a mess when Ino saw her in her home.
"Hey Sakura your boyfriend is injured and at the medical center!"
Sakura didn't react she continued to stare at the window.
Ino approached Sakura and turned her around to see her eyes red from too much crying.
"Just what happened to you?" Ino asked with concern, although she wanted to hurt Sakura so much but seeing her in a depressed state prevented her from doing so.
"I hurt a lot of people Ino chan all because of my selfishness and desire to get back on Sasuke kun so he can realize that I am the one for him." Sakura said sadly.
"Can you repeat what you just said?"
"I said I hurt a lot of people because of my-"
Before Sakura can finish her sentence Ino's fist collided with her face.
"That's for hurting Hinata chan, how can you hurt her Sakura and after all these years you are still obsessed with Sasuke? Why can't you get over him?"
"Because I love him." Sakura said crying not minding the pain of Ino's punch to her face.
Somewhere in a gambling den far from Konoha
Hinata opened the door of gambling den which is full of various suspicious and dangerous looking male shinobis and civilians.
Hesitantly Hinata asked, "Did anyone of you see my husband?"
A large man with a bearded face carrying an axe stood along with his 2 companions approached Hinata and said, "I think you are lost young lady, this is not a lost and found place this is an illegal gambling den and you are threading on dangerous territory here."
"I know but I really need to find my husband."
The large man laughed and was about to strike Hinata with his axe but dropped to the ground with a kunai impaled on his neck bleeding profusely.
"Who did that show yourself?!" One of the companions asked.
A hooded man with stubble who was at the dice table said, "The husband of that young lady"
The hooded man removed his hood and throws his 2 kunais hitting the large man's companions.
"Sasuke san?"
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, follows, favorites. Kindly leave a review on what you can say about what happened in this chapter and what you would like to happen to Sasuke and Hinata on their reunion.