Thank you everyone for taking the time to write your comments and reviews. I always read them to get some feedback and they encourage mo to write more. I also want to thank Mibbs0007 because your questions in the comment really helped me figure out what I could add to the story, so thank you. As for the depth of the story, I will try to add more of it from now on so the story has a tangible plot to it that you'll enjoy.

Right after meeting with Hinata's family I went home and started packing my luggage for my flight to the Land of Tea. I wanted to go there right away because I couldn't wait any longer. I had to find out about what happened to Hinata. I was worried about her.

During the past year I always imagined her happy because it was hard to imagine her any other way. Now, I only hope that I was right and that she was happy with the person she wanted to be with.

Even with that, I couldn't help but feel irritated at her for yet again causing me all this trouble. How could she be such an idiot and not realize how much her family would be worried if she didn't contact them. How much I would be worried about her absence. I couldn't believe it, but I truly was worried about her wellbeing. I didn't know when it started but now I knew that I cared enough for her to go after her.

It was weird to find out that I cared for a girl. I never really trusted any woman after the experience I had with my mother and Sakura. But somehow, Hinata had allowed herself to find a place in my mind where I didn't loathe or avoid her. It might have been her cheerful and innocent nature, or the fact that she didn't care about superficial things, but I knew that she was different than any other woman I had ever met and that made her special. She might not know it, but she helped me avoid all the stress and depression I was sure to face after all that happened to me and the Uchiha Company.

"Sasuke," called my mom as she walked into my apartment while I was packing. I had given her a spare key to my place so she could visit me. After talking to her and finding out the truth, her and me became closer than we were before. I was scared to face her when I first came back to Konoha. I don't know why, but I was afraid that she would be disappointed in me too once she found that I was fired from the Uchiha Company. That was why I visited her once I had applied and interviewed for at least some job positions.

Finding me in my room, my mom looked at me questioningly but I didn't say anything. I just kept packing.

"Sasuke, are you going somewhere?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said as I placed the last of my clothes into a suitcase. "I'll be out of town for a week."

"That's around the same time that Itachi gets out." I froze after hearing her. I completely forgot that Itachi was supposed to be let out next week. He had gone to jail for his involvement with the company's illegal activities, but since he complied and provided evidence to the police, he was given a deal for only a few months in jail. He was due to be out and I won't be here for that.

I sighed as I slouched into the couch. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to be here when my brother got out, but I had to find Hinata as well. I had only been able to talk to Itachi during visiting hours while he was in prison. I knew he didn't like the idea of me being anywhere near a prison, but I went anyway. Now, when the day I had been anticipating was finally arriving, I had to leave.

"Sasuke, what's going on? Why do you have to leave all of a sudden?" she asked worriedly.

"I have to find someone…a friend."

"Why do you have to find your friend? Did something happen to them?"

"I hope not…"

"Maybe you can go look for them after Itachi gets out."

"I wish I could, but I completely forgot about Itachi's release," I said slightly embarrassed. "I'm just worried that something might have happened to her."

"Her?" my mom asked, surprised by the pronoun I used.

"Uh, yeah," I replied with a slight blush as I avoided my mom's gaze. Why do I feel like some kind of a schoolboy who just revealed his crush. This is Hinata we're talking about. I'm just worried about her and that's all.

"Is she important, this…friend of yours?" I could distinguish the slight tone of amusement in her voice but I decided to ignore it.

"It's just that her family feels that I'm responsible for her disappearance so I have to find her."

"Why do they think that?"

"That idiot woman thought it was a good idea to run away with me in front of her family members," I grumbled.

"You ran away with her?" she asked shocked, "Did you two elope or something?"

"What? No, it's not like that mom. We didn't run away to be together. We just ran away together… Whatever. It doesn't matter because she is with another man right now…but her family hasn't seen her in almost a year, and they're worried."

"I would be too if it was my child."

"Yeah."

"You should probably see Itachi before you leave, and let him know that you won't be there for his release," I nodded at her suggestion, "Also, he might be able to help you figure out how to find your friend…I'm sure she's a very important person or else you wouldn't be so worried about her," she smiled at me while patting my hair back before she left to make dinner.

The next day, I went to visit Itachi before my flight.

"Sasuke, how have you been?" asked Itachi as he sat on the other side of the plexiglass while talking into the receiver.

"I've been good," I said then cutting straight through the small talk, I continued, "Itachi, I can't make it for your release," I spoke into the receiver on my side.

"Why not?" he frowned. I felt grief wash over me as I realized that my brother wanted me to be there.

"I…I can't. I have to look for someone. She's been missing for a year and I'm worried that something might've happened to her."

"It's a girl?" he asked surprised. Why does everyone hold on to that piece of information?

"Yes, but did you hear what I said? She's been missing for year, and I have look for her…in a week."

"Oh… that'll be hard if you don't have any leads. She could've been anywhere in the past year."

"Yeah, I know. I have a place I can start from and I think she'll most likely be there."

"Has her family reported her missing? Maybe the police can investigate into this."

"I think they had hired a private investigator, but that guy didn't get far. Only that she used her phone once almost a year ago... she must've been in the Land of Tea when she did that, and that's where I'm headed first."

"Hmm," Itachi became pensive as he heard me speak, "Maybe she doesn't want to be found," he stated.

"That can't be. She's not the type to want to avoid people, especially her family."

"So you're going to go after her?"

"Yes... Itachi, I'm sorry –"

"I understand, Sasuke," Itachi smiled. "But I'll have to meet this girl once you find her. This is the first time I've seen you so worked up over a girl," he chuckled while I glared at him.

"I'm not worked up. I'm just worried. You don't understand…" Itachi just kept smiling so there was no use explaining to him.

"Take care of yourself, Sasuke. It's okay that you can't make it when I get out. It was more than enough for me to have you visit me here."

Itachi wasn't one for emotional displays and grand words, but when he spoke he would say just enough.

"Thank you, Itachi. I promise I'll be back soon."

"Also, Sasuke, if you need any help I'll always be here for you," he said before we ended our visit.

After meeting with Itachi, I took my flight to the Land of Tea. There I got myself a rental car and drove it all the way to where I had left Hinata. That was where Toneri worked, so my plan was to meet him and ask him about Hinata.

I drove to the building where Hinata said Toneri's office was. I got there faster than the last time I was here. It was probably because I was driving way too fast anticipating whether I would find Hinata or not.

Honestly, I had thought that I was never going to see her again. That was supposed to be the last time, but now I did not want to acknowledge that I was a little glad to be able to see her again.

I only knew this girl for a few days but in those days I felt like I was free. I did not have to worry about people's false expectation or deceit because Hinata was too honest to do something like that to anyone. That was one of the reasons why I thought about her often and wished that she was with me to make me forget about all the things people had been saying about the Uchiha Company.

It was a struggle to go against people who kept pushing me down and slandering my efforts whenever I tried to rebuild the company. But every time it felt too much, I always thought about Itachi's faith in me, and Hinata. I thought about how, even in her simplicity, she never let fear hold her back. She always had a carefree smile on her face, but thinking back to it, I wonder about how she was able to not worry about the uncertainty and what others said when she ran away because she knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to get it. That's what I did, and I was able to keep this company running.

I parked in the parking lot and got out of the car to walk towards the building. I had made sure that Toneri's business was still in this building before I went to meet him.

I was dressed in a grey business suit as I walked in towards Toneri's office. Even though my only purpose to come here was to find Hinata, I wanted it to seem like I was here on business.

"How can I help you, sir?" asked a secretary as she sat at the front desk.

"I'm here to meet Toneri," I replied.

"Oh, ok. Did you have an appointment with him?"

"No."

"I'm sorry, sir, but Mr. Toneri has a very busy schedule today and won't be able to meet anyone without an appointment," the woman smiled politely.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha, from the Uchiha Company. I've come a long way to meet with him. It would be a shame if I had to go back without being able to talk to him."

"O-oh, Mr. Uchiha!" she finally recognized, "I will let Mr. Toneri know of your arrival immediately."

She went on the phone to call her boss while I waited to be let in. It wasn't a surprise how I was able to get through to Toneri just by my name. Even though the Uchiha Company had gone through a scandal recently, it's name still held influence.

"Right this way Mr. Uchiha. Mr. Toneri will see you now." I was led to a small office with a beautiful view of the lake on one side, but on the other side was a desk where sat a man with silver, almost white hair, and eyes as blue as Naruto's.

"Mr. Uchiha, it is a pleasure to meet you," he stood up and extended his hand towards me. "Please, sit down," he said after we shook hands. "How may I help you?"

"Well to be honest I'm here to find a certain someone."

"Oh…is it someone from our company?"

"No. It's someone you know. She came to visit you about a year ago, but now apparently she's been missing since then."

"I'm sorry. I don't believe I know what you're talking about. I thought you wanted to talk to me about my business." This guy seriously did not know who I was talking about and on the inside I was getting worried whether Hinata actually did meet him that day or not.

"I'm talking about Hinata."

"Hinata? Why would Sasuke Uchiha be asking me about Hinata?" he was very confused when he heard her name.

"Where is she? Her family hasn't seen her in a year and I know that she came hear to see you before she disappeared."

"How do you know Hinata?"

"Answer my question first," I was getting frustrated by this guy. "Tell me where Hinata is."

"I… I don't know." Now I was getting angry.

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't seen her in a year."

"What?" this didn't seem right. "Didn't she come here?"

"Well yeah… but then she left and I haven't seen her after that." This didn't make sense. She couldn't have just disappeared after meeting the guy she gave up everything for.

"What happened? You two were supposed to get married." he had an incredulous expression after I said that.

"What nonsense! Did she tell you that?" Toneri shook his head. "She's crazy. I made her one promise and she held onto that like a lifeline. I wasn't serious about that. I couldn't be. Did she honestly think we could get married?"

"What do you mean? Didn't you love her?" I frowned. Was this guy being serious. You don't make promises like that, especially to someone like Hinata who would give up anything for him.

"Yeah, I did, in college. But that was it though. It wasn't supposed to go more than that. I just recently got divorced and I'm not going to tie myself down again, especially to such a foolish girl," he huffed like it was the most ridiculous thing.

"So you just kicked her to the curb after she came all that way to see you?"

"Hey, what did you expect me to do? She kept coming in to my office and to my home, telling me that she loved me, begging me to listen to her. So I just told her that I could never be with a girl like her." My fists clenched as I heard Toneri but I didn't show my distress.

I was furious at this, but scared for Hinata. When I had been going through a terrible time in my life, unknowingly she had been there to get me through it. But when this guy that she put all her faith in rejected her, she was all alone, without her family, without me. I started to panic as I remembered how delirious I was when I first met her. In the train, I was so lost in thought that it almost caused me to throw away my life. I hope she didn't do something like that. But then how come no one has heard from her in the past year?

I got up to leave without saying anything to Toneri, but he still followed me out the door. When I was about to get out, I abruptly turned to punch him in the face. I held back because I was still representing the Uchiha Company but it was satisfying to give him a black eye.

He stumbled back and let out some curses. He tried to punch me back but I easily dodged it and shoved him into the wall.

"You disgust me," I snarled at him before I walked back to my car.

This place was the place I had started at to look for Hinata because it was the only place I knew she had been to. But now, after finding out what Toneri did to her, I didn't know where she could be. Was she still in the Land of Tea? Or had she left this place?

It was hard to imagine Hinata without her smile, but I knew that after going through this, she must have been devastated, and my heart ached at the thought of her being like that.

I had to find her. I had promised her family that I would bring her back in a week, but how do I find her? This place itself was too big for me to look through it in a week but she might not even be here. I needed help but didn't know who to ask. Itachi wasn't going to be out for another three days and my mom didn't have the resources to help me look for her. Maybe Naruto…

I drove to the hotel I had booked in the Land of Tea and went to my room to think of a new plan. I had to figure out how I would search for her and where, but I knew I needed help. I was reluctant to ask Naruto, but he was the best option because he was a police officer after all. He might be able to use the resources he had at the police station to help me find her.

I finally made my decision and called him hoping that it would work out.

"Hello, Sasuke," Naruto answered immediately after the first ring. He probably was surprised to find me calling him after all this time.

"Naruto," he took in a breath when he heard me talk.

"It's really you…how…ah, what…uh, how are –"

"Naruto, I need your help," I cut him off as I tried getting straight to the point because I didn't have time. I know it had been a long time and things weren't the same as they used to be between us but somehow I always knew that Naruto would have my back. It was just in the bitterness of what happened back then that I pushed him away but now I needed his help, and I just hope that he would.

"What is it? Are you okay? Where are you?" Naruto asked immediately as I smirked. He was just the same as ever.

"I'm fine, Naruto. But I need your help finding someone."

"How long have they been missing?" he asked as if he was at the police station.

"A year."

"A year! Why are you telling me this now?!"

"I didn't know she was missing!"

"Okay… Where was the last place you saw her?"

"In the Land of Tea. That's where I am right now."

"I see. What do you want me to do?" I didn't say it, but I was grateful that Naruto was willing to help.

"I want you to find out any information you can about her. Start with Konoha. Find out about her friends, coworkers, anyone who might know where she went."

"Okay. I have to go right now, but I'll call again to get more information…Sasuke, I'm glad you called. I know things haven't been the same but you can always count on me." I could tell that he was smiling even though I couldn't see his face.

"I know Naruto… Thank you." With that I ended the call.

It was already late now and I was too tired. I just had to figure out where to start looking for her tomorrow.

Before going to bed, I emailed Neji to send me a photo of Hinata and the record of the phone call the private investigator found. We had been in contact since they visited me in Konoha. Even though he didn't trust me, he was willing to help me as much as possible to find her. He was worried about her just as much and I could tell that he cared for her a lot.

Now, I just hoped that Naruto would be able to find something about her in the morning that'll help me find her.