Another chapter? What?
I have a bit of downtime and this story is fresh in my mind, so trying to update when my ideas are easily flowing onto paper.
Shorter chapter. Thought it would be best to post on its own rather than split the povs in the next chapter.
"Nee-san, you're home!" Hanabi hugs her sister, but her gaze is fixed on the car backing up in their driveway. "Is that Sasuke?"
Hinata pulls away from the hug and steps into their home, "Yes, he gave me a ride."
"Why?" Hanabi shuts the front door, her curiosity piqued, and follows her sister up the staircase to her bedroom.
"It's a long story," Hinata avoids eye contact with Hanabi, a clear indicator that she's withholding something.
"I'm all ears. Not like I have anything better to do," Hanabi sits at the edge of the bed, waiting patiently for an explanation.
"It's Friday night. No plans tonight?" Hinata asks.
"Konohamaru is busy, and I'm tired" Hinata is the only person in their family that Hanabi has confided to about her love life. She knows Neji and her father would object to the casual relationship since there are no clear intentions for commitment from both sides, and likely not one in the near future. She is young and doesn't want to be tied down but enjoys Konohamaru's attention and affection. That is all there was to it at the moment.
"Want to have a movie night?" Hinata suggests, arranging her laptop on the desk and bringing out a few textbooks from her backpack.
"Yeah. But you're avoiding my question. Why did Sasuke drop you home?"
Hinata sighs softly, "Because he invited me to his parents' anniversary party."
Hanabi had suspected Sasuke was interested in Hinata, but hadn't thought anything would have materialized from it. "Are you two dating? How could you not tell me? And like how?"
"It's a long story, Hanabi," Hinata replies wearily.
"Okay, and we've got all night." Noticing Hinata's reluctance, she adds, "At least give me the short version."
"We're not together. He just wants me there to get his mom off his back about his romantic life."
Amusement spins in Hanabi's pale eyes, "Ohh, I love it."
"You do?"
"Yeah, I mean Sasuke could grow some balls and actually ask you out. But I suppose he'll eventually get there."
"What? No? He doesn't like me like that. I'm just a convenient option."
Hanabi rolls her eyes at her sister's naivety, "You're so blind sometimes. But besides that, this will really fuck with Naruto and that pink bitch."
"No, no no," Hinata objects, "this has nothing to do with them. I'm not trying to fuc- hurt anyone."
"But you will. Well I don't know about Naruto, but Sakura will definitely be up in her feelings about it." Hanabi didn't have many interactions with Sakura when Hinata was in high school. But she and likely everyone else in the school knew of the woman's obsession with Sasuke. It was embarrassing and a prime example of a gold digger. Hanabi hates women like that, especially when they act like they are above others. Sakura was in desperate need of being put in her place.
"I don't intend to broadcast this fake relationship."
"That's dumb. You should."
Hinata glances down at her hands, her fingers fiddling with the laptop cord, "Am I that pitiful, that I would be happy to be in a fake relationship with Sasuke?"
Sometimes Hanabi just wanted to shake Hinata's low self esteem right out of her.
"No, you dummy." Hanbi shakes her head in disbelief. " Use it to get chichiue off your back. Speaking of the old man, he called earlier asking if I heard from you. What do you think he wants?"
Hinata's eyes dart to the opened bag. She rushes to it to retrieve her cell, "Oh no, I forgot to unmute my phone."
Hinata returns her father's call as soon as the phone is unlocked. She sounds nervous while addressing their father, "Otou-san, I'm sorry I missed your call. I was at the library and I forgot my phone was on silent. Yes. I'll be more mindful in the future."
Hanabi leaves her seat on the mattress to crouch down next to Hinata to listen in on the conversation. Hinata pushes her away and mouths for her to go back on the bed. Hanabi instead rests her hip on the side of the desk and tries to decipher the conversation.
"I'm not in the city. I just arrived home. In Konoha. No, I don't think Neji is here."
Hanabi wonders what her cousin is up to, since he's always stuck up under her father's behind.
"Yes, I can take the train back," Hinata looks disappointed but reserved to do their father's bidding.
Hanabi whispers, "Tell him no. You have plans." Hinata swivels away from Hanabi, "Yes, Otou-san. I'll be on time tomorrow evening. Yes. It will be my pleasure to accompany you and Toneri-san."
Hanabi grabs the phone at the mention of Casper the unfriendly ghost, "Chichiue, Hinata actually has plans tomorrow night.
"Hanabi, why are you interrupting an important conversation?" Hanabi ignores her father's serious tone, she puts the call on speaker mode. "If your sister has prior plans she can use her own mouth to tell me this."
Hinata sighs in defeat in the background and brings her hand to her head as if she was massaging a migraine away.
"You know how she is sometimes, so forgetful," More like spineless when it came to her father and his enforced obligations.
"Put your sister back on the phone," Hiashi's voice leaves no room for objection. Hanabi hands the phone to Hinata.
"Hinata, what plans do you have tomorrow evening?" Hinata looks at Hanabi as if she has sent her to the slaughterhouse.
Hanabi mouths, "tell him."
"I made plans with Sasuke-san."
"Who is Sasuke?" Their father asks.
"Sasuke-Uchiha," Hinata clarifies. A few seconds pass, before Hinata adds, "Our neighbor who is Fugaku-san's son."
Hanabi can't believe how unintentionally dismissive her father's memory has become.
"Ahh, the youngest Uchiha son. Why are you making plans with him? I wasn't informed that you two were acquainted."
Their father's obtuseness was rather baffling at times. Sasuke and Hinata had grown up together, attended the same schools - of course they were acquainted.
"We have become friends, Otou-san."
Hanabi knows exactly where this conversation is leading. Hinata isn't going to reveal that she has a date. Fake or not, their father should respect his daughter's decision.
Hanabi snatches the phone away from Hinata, "Sasuke asked her out on a date."
Hinata instinctively tenses in anticipation of an enraged response. However, their father's response is genuinely confused, "Why?"
Why else would a young man make plans with a woman? It was as if Hinata was off limits to everyone but who Hiashi chose, and the entire world was supposed to be aware of this exclusion.
"Because he thinks she's hot. I mean who wouldn't. You should get it, she looks just like Kaa-san."
"Hanabi, this conversation doesn't involve you and I don't need to be informed of my daughter's attractiveness." Hanabi drops the phone on the table, rolling her eyes, but remains at the desk.
"Is this true, Hinata? Do you have a date with our neighbor?" Hiashi's regard of Sasuke was minimal to the point where he refused to say the young man's name.
"Yes, it's true."
"Is it serious?"
"No, it's our first date."
"Cancel it."
"I will," Hinata agrees.
"What the hell, that's unfair," Hanabi intervenes.
"Language, isn't your concern."
"I'm not a child and neither is Hinata. It is my concern." Because he could enforce the same rules on her in the future. "Didn't you promise our mother that you would allow us to choose who we want to be with?"
Their father and clan remained steadfast in archaic traditions, but Hanabi would try with all her might to defy it, and she had no reservations in bringing up their deceased mother to argue her point.
Her father remains silent on the phone.
"That doesn't mean I can't introduce my daughter - daughters to prospects that I deem eligible," Hiashi counters. A reminder that this will one day be Hinabi's future under discussion.
"Yes, but we should also be allowed to explore our selected options."
"Fine. Hinata you don't need to cancel your appointment with the young man. But next week, you'll join me and Toneri-san for dinner."
"Thank you. Yes, it will be my honour."
"Must you be so duty-bound?" Hanabi asks when the phone call ends.
"Must you be so meddlesome?" Hinata quips right back, visibly agitated by the conversation. "You're ruffling his feathers for no reason. I'm sure Sasuke would have understood if I canceled."
"This has nothing to do with Sasuke. You need to grow a spine, before he marries you off to someone you barely know."
"If that's what's expected of me, then I will honour my duty."
"Oh, shush. Stop playing the martyr. We are not in the Edo period. Because one dumb blonde broke your heart, doesn't mean you have to give up on happiness and love."
"And you think I'm going to get all that my heart's desire by going out with Sasuke to a family get together?"
Hanabi knows her sister isn't expecting a response. Hinata grabs a towel from the closet and exits the bedroom. Hanabi follows close behind, "No, but it's a step in the right direction. You can actually go on a date with a guy. Have you ever been on a date, Nee-san."
Hinata shakes her head.
Hinabi frowns, "It's fun and exciting. You should at least try it before giving in to chichiue."
"But that's not what's happening with Sasuke," Hinata tries to reason. "I'm doing him a favour. He doesn't see me that way."
"I think you're wrong there. But we'll see."
As her sister begins to shed the layers of baggy clothing on the bathroom floor, Hanabi reminds herself that she will need to make some time tomorrow to take her shopping for an outfit and to get her hair done.
Before Hanabi shuts the bathroom door, Hinata peeks out from behind the shower glass to ask, "Movie in ten minutes?"
Hanabi smiles and nods her head in agreement.