CHAPTER 12: HAPPIER THAN EVER
One month. A month had passed ever since her father had his heart surgery, a month that he has been unconscious, a month since she was engaged and his fiance still treats her indifferently , a month since the last time her sister talked to her, a month since she found a new friend, although they had promised each other, they'd hang out soon, it still hasn't happened due to her friend's busy schedule, she understand her friend still… too much has already happened and it was only just a month, but why does it feel like a year to her?
As she watched her father peacefully in his unconscious state, she had wondered what could have happened if her mother was still alive. Would her father treat her kindly? Would she feel the same love he has given to her younger sister? Wouldn't she be in the same situation she is in right now? She shook all those thoughts away, she is now in the present, and even though she feels she's alone in this battle, she has to be strong for the people she loves.
Hinata walked out the room silently and informed his father's maid that she was leaving, and thanked her for her service.
—-
Hinata received a message from Ino asking where she was and that she was going to pick her up. Without hesitation, she replied excitedly and waited for her friend outside a little cafe a block away from the hospital, since she didn't want to tell Ino about her situation yet. Right after she picked her up, they went to the mall to buy some new clothes for Hinata. Hinata tried to decline as she really didn't want to spend the money she saved, for something unnecessary, but she wasn't going to tell her friend that, and Ino being Ino, never takes no for an answer.
"Try this one on." Ino handed Hinata a little black dress, to which she turned down. "That's too revealing, Ino." She laughed worriedly. "Oh, come on! The goal is to seduce the fiance, right?" Ino winked at her friend who was now blushing furiously. "S-s-seduce?" Hinata stuttered.
"Operation-make him fall in love with you." her friend announced a little too loud, she looked around hoping no one heard her.
"It doesn't matter whether he likes me or not and I am not expecting anything from him, we are just doing our job, I guess." she muttered under her breath.
Ino stopped pushing the dress towards her as she looked at her timid, little friend. She was not like her, she admits. She's innocent, she even looks like she could not kill a bug, and she wondered why Hinata had accepted such offer from an Uchiha, when it is well known that 'the Sasuke Uchiha' is a cold hearted, selfish, asshole, who fucks around with anything that has a vagina. That's too exaggerated, but still, Sasuke is a known fuckboy, it's either Hinata does not have any knowledge about Sasuke or there is something that she really needs from them.
"Okay, fine. We're not doing this for Sasuke but for you. You just can't let anybody keep making fun of you." She nudged Hinata to boost up her confidence.
"Do I really look that bad?" Hinata looks up at Ino with her lilac eyes.
"Hinata, believe me, other than myself" Ino flips her hair dramatically, "I've never seen a face like yours. You are literally so pretty." Hinata smiled shyly. "It's just that your clothes are a little outdated, and you're Sasuke Uchiha's fiance, anybody will try to find faults in you, and as a friend, I can't let that happen." Ino beams at Hinata
"Okay." Hinata gained a little confidence and grabbed the dress Ino was holding. She got inside the dressing room, took off her clothes and wore the little black dress. She looked at herself in the mirror and she regretted ever wearing the dress as she noticed all her insecurities becoming prominent. She hated her hips as they were a little too wide, her thighs a little too big, and she couldn't hide her cleavage with her unusually large chest that she tried so hard to conceal, afraid someone might make fun of it.
"Ino, I don't think it looks good on me." Hinata calls out from the other side of the door. "I'm going to change back to my clothes, okay?"
"Wait! Let me at least see you in it." Ino answered but Hinata was too shy to get out.
"Promise, you won't laugh?"
"Why would I-" Ino was cut off when Hinata slowly opened the door to reveal herself.
"Hinata!" Ino gasped.
"See, I told you it doesn't look-"
"If Sasuke sees you- No! If any guy sees you wearing that? It's all over for them!" Ino exclaimed. "Oh, Hinata! How I wish I had a body like yours."
"W-w-what? B-b-but… Don't you think everything is a little too big?" Hinata shyly asks.
"Are you kidding me? Your body looks like an hourglass, that's like the ideal body!" Ino then realized, Hinata really doesn't know anything about what she was talking about since she had to fend for herself.
After hours of going through different botiques, Ino had Hinata buy maybe more than 10 different outfits for different occasions, or for just casual walks.
"Hinata, now that we're besties, I want you to meet someone very dear to me." Ino said excitedly as they drove through the streets.
They then arrived into a beautiful two-story home and they were welcomed with two maids as they entered.
"This is where Sai and I live." Ino stated.
Hinata then heard a laugh echo through the room and a little thing ran towards Ino. Ino picked her up carefully, as the little person showered Ino with kisses all over her face. Hinata admired the scene before her and thought how Ino must really love her little brother, she remembered Hanabi… No, she can't let Ino see her sadness, she's not ready to tell her about her life yet. She looks back at Ino and her brother and she notices how he had the same blonde hair as Ino, and eyes, the color of the sky.
"Mama!" the little person giggled as Ino tickled him with kisses. Mama? Hinata looked at them confused, she remembered Ino telling her she's just 4 months older than Hinata making them both 21, how come she already has a child… he must be adopted, but he looks like an exact copy of Ino.
"I know you want answers." Ino laughed looking at a confused Hinata, "but this is my son, Inojin, he's 1 year old." Ino proudly introduces the little guy. Hinata pinched his cheeks lightly as she introduced herself to the little guy.
"Nata. Pwetty." Inojin points at Hinata which sends warmth to Hinata's heart.
—-
"I know you think I'm a little too young to be a mother." Ino says as she sips her cup of coffee. They are now both sitting outside Ino's little yard drinking tea and coffee.
"It's a little surprising, but you have the most beautiful little boy." Hinata admitted.
"Inojin wasn't planned." Ino started, "I even thought of taking him out just to spite my not real parents." Hinata looked at Ino perplexed as she noticed the sadness in her eyes. She wanted to ask Ino what she meant, but she wasn't the one to pry on someone's personal life.
"Hinata, remember when I told you we are in a kinda similar situation?" Ino nervously laughed. "I was 18 when I was introduced to Sai, who at that time, was just announced as the new head of the National Security Agency of Konoha. Both my parents forced me to seduce Sai, so they could still keep their underground business from running. I was very much against it, but there's nothing I can't do but agree. I had given Sai my first, in hopes he would believe my intentions were pure. We never really agreed on being in a relationship, but we still sleep together, most of the time." Ino blushed just by thinking about it. "It has been going on for 3 years, and for the first time, I felt appreciated by my parents, something I have longed for most of my life. In those three years, my parents' business had blossomed, and seeing them happy made me happy. They became happier when they found out I was pregnant. To them, it felt like they secured a lifetime of security from anyone who tries to disclose them." Ino was now looking up at the sky that was starting to turn into a darker shade. "But I didn't expect Sai to find out about my family's motive that soon. He felt disgusted by me, he felt used, he was so angry at me that he never wanted to see me ever again. What he felt was valid though, I didn't stop him." Hinata looked at Ino worriedly as tears formed in her friend's eyes. "When my mother found out, she slapped me so hard I almost passed out. She told me to keep the baby, as it would probably make Sai change his mind. But I was done being a puppet, after that, I decided to take… myself... and my child… out." Ino choked in her words. "What stopped me from doing so was when I got a call from my real father." She smiled, "I didn't know Sai had traced my real family, it was just recently I found out that I was kidnapped when I was 2 years old for personal gain. My real parents took me in, even though I was pregnant, even making me the heiress of the clan. And Sai… he married me when my baby bump was still unnoticeable, just so no one would disrespect me, I still didn't love him at that time since I would remember the people who used me when I looked at him, but after I agreed to marry him, we tried to actually get to know each other, until we finally found love in each other." Ino giggled, hiding her blush as she lifted her cup to her face.
"So I'm sure you and Sasuke will come around and develop feelings for each other." Hinata coughed as soon as she heard Ino say those words. "I don't think I'm the kind of girl Sasuke is interested in." Hinata opposed.
"We'll see…" Ino teased.
The day ended quickly and Ino suggested driving Hinata back to her place. For the first time, Hinata felt like there was someone she could talk to about what she feels. Ino could be an angel in disguise, sent to her by her mother, and she was so happy just thinking about it.
"Hinata! Don't forget about my birthday on the 23rd. I expect yours and Sasuke's presence." Ino called by before driving away.
Thank you so much for keeping up with me. Your comments warms my heart so much!
