CHAPTER 10: EASY ON ME
A distressed blue haired-girl was pacing back and forth around their kitchen, trying to get rid of her anxiety after reading the article about her engagement. She was not actually worried about anything but her little sister's reaction. Did the news already reach her? She probably would stay mad at her longer, they have not spoken to each other yet and the news of her engagement might prolong it.
She continued walking around the kitchen, thinking of something that might get rid of her predicament. Maybe she should bake? Hanabi always liked anything that her older sister baked, her favorite is her cinnamon rolls, yes, she should probably make one.
As Hinata searches for the ingredients, a loud door slamming stops her from her quest. She knew right away who it was by the sound of their footsteps.
Hanabi.
"What else are you hiding from us?" Hinata slowly turns around to look at her little sister who had a tear stained face, her hands curled up on her side. It broke her heart to see her sister like this, she must be very scared and confused with everything that is going on, and as a big sister, she's not helping at all.
"Hanabi…" Hinata mumbled.
"What?" Hanabi snapped. "Are you hiding a child too? Or maybe, this is your third marriage. Wait, are you just trying to pretend to be innocent in front of everybody, when in reality you're a slut?" Hinata could not believe her little sister would say these words against her, she could not hold back her own tears.
"Hanabi, how could you?" Hinata sobbed, walking past her sister and running to her room.
This isn't what Hinata desired, she wanted to help her father, their business… make her little sister's life better, with the only thing she can offer. She won't be able to handle her father's business since she doesn't have any experience and playing the piano wasn't enough to pay their bills, so when the opportunity knocked on her door, although it may sound stupid, she had to take the risk, for her father… for Hanabi. She had promised Fugaku not to tell a soul about the reason for her sudden engagement, and she always kept a promise… but would her little sister be an exception?
—-
"How is she, Ko-san?" Hinata softly asks as Ko watches Hinata tend to her little garden.
"Hanabi-sama has not spoken to any of us. I tried to make small talks with her when I sent her to school, but she never answered back." Ko remarked.
"Are you mad at me too, Ko-san?" Hinata quaked, she knew everyone felt the same way as Hanabi, with her sudden news.
"Just a little surprised, Hinata-sama. It's unlikely for you to be engaged this young, when I remembered you saying you'd always put family first before yourself." Hinata couldn't stop them from thinking that way. It may sound like she was doing this for herself, when she's actually doing all of this for them.
"I apologize, Ko-san." Hinata turned back to Ko and bowed at him. Ko quickly held Hinata upright to stop her from bowing. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Hinata-sama." He smiled sadly at the once little girl in front of him, who was going to get married before him, he had never thought that day would come.
—-
"Yamanaka Sai is holding an art exhibit tomorrow and has invited you, yes?" Fugaku, without warning, entered Sasuke's office.
"Good morning, Uchiha-sama." Shikamaru greeted, casually.
"What about it?" Sasuke snapped.
"Bring Hinata with you." Fugaku suggested, which earned a groan from Sasuke and Shikamaru snickering behind them.
"Father, these people are my friends, not your business partners." He whined.
"And your friends will soon ask about your fiance. Why not make it a little sooner? Don't make me say it again, Sasuke." And with that, Fugaku left the room.
"Tell your father to stop reading those novels. It's slowly getting into his head." Shikamaru scorned.
"I bet this was her idea." Sasuke muttered to himself.
—-
Hinata was awakened by the sound of her phone ringing on the bedside table. She looked at the caller ID, and it was Shiho, Fugaku's secretary, only to tell her that she was going to an art exhibit with Sasuke, and that she should be ready by 6 PM. Hinata jolted out from her bed, panicking, as this was her first ever public appearance as Uchiha Sasuke's fiance. What should she wear? She doesn't even have that much clothes, and she doesn't like going shopping. What should she do? It's only 7 in the morning, she still has plenty of time to prepare.
Hinata waited for Hanabi to leave for school before she got out of her room. She doesn't want her to start her day in a bad mood, she probably already is, but if she sees Hinata, she might make it worse.
Hinata approached Natsu, who was cleaning up the kitchen. 'I'm sure she's got knowledge on dressing up." Hinata thought.
"Good morning, Natsu-san." Hinata greeted. "Hinata-sama!" She bowed at Hinata. "Is there something you want to eat?" Hinata shook her head and stepped closer to Natsu. "I need your help." Hinata whispered as she fiddled her fingers together.
—
"I am not good at dressing up, Hinata-sama. But I remembered how I have always adored your mother's clothing, maybe there is something for you to wear here." Natsu stated, as she unlocked a room with all of Hyuga Hitomi's belongings "You're smaller than your mother, but I can sew it for you." Hinata smiled brightly upon hearing Natsu's idea.
Hinata and Natsu spent the whole morning trying on Hitomi's old clothes, with Hinata crying in between their search, as the clothes still smelled like her mother.
Both of the girls had settled into two dresses that Natsu had yet to sew to fit into Hinata's figure. One was a green shift dress, and the other a pink midi dress that has puffy sleeves, both dresses fall below her knees, since Hitomi was way taller than her oldest daughter.
"Hinata-sama, I personally think the pink one suits you more." Natsu smiled excitedly.
"I think so too, Natsu-san." She giggled.
Hinata had already slipped the dress on, and now Natsu was tying her hair in a low bun, leaving her bangs as is. Hinata added a little color on her face by wearing pink lipstick that was gifted to her by her Piano teacher, and she hasn't used it since. She then slipped on a white low heeled shoes, and wore a pearl earring.
She looked at herself in the mirror one more time and felt so happy with how she looked.
"Oohh, Hinata-sama! I bet everyone is going to look at you at the party." Natsu squeaked and Hinata laughed with her. At least there's one person who is happy for her, that's all Hinata really needs to keep going.
—-
"What the hell is she wearing?" Shikamaru spat his drink as he saw Hinata get out from their gates. Sasuke looked at the direction Shikamaru was looking. "For someone as pretty as her, she has the ugliest taste in clothes." Shikamaru commented, but Sasuke remained silent. He just looked at the woman outside of his car.
He doesn't know what to say. He was so used to seeing girls barely clothed throwing themselves at him that seeing the way Hinata dresses was a breath of fresh air for him. 'What am I thinking?' He mentally slapped himself.
"Hello, Hinata-hime. Will you be fine sitting at the back?" Shikamaru sarcastically spoke as he rolled down the passenger's seat's window. Hinata forced a smile at him and nodded. She carefully opened the door and greeted both of them, with only Shikamaru greeting back.
On their way to the party, Hinata was silent the whole ride, looking only at the view outside of the car, not really caring what the guys in front of her were talking about. What she didn't realize was that Sasuke was stealing glances at her through the rear view mirror.
He can't seem to read Hinata and it's driving him insane. But Sasuke won't give up until he figures her out.
