Hinata couldn't be more furious with her father. Apparently, Hiashi told Hanabi that he was planning on sending Hinata off abroad like Neji to run an international branch so Hanabi had a reasonable entrance as heir that wouldn't cause any public backlash, so when they announced their relationship, Hanabi thought Hinata was cowering from the job by making herself a traitor wife.
Sasuke got all this information in rage form as Hinata paced back and forth before collapsing in the grass and laying her head back to cover her face.
"So everything is okay now?" Sasuke raised his eyebrow.
"Hanabi-chan is fine, but this is ridiculous. My father never mentioned this plan to me, and he conveniently dropped it when we announced our relationship. I think he was going to show up after graduation with a plane ticket and bag."
Sasuke leaned over her face. "You know, you're cute when you're mad."
Hinata frowned at him. "I am not sure if I want to make jokes right now."
"I am not joking." Sasuke lowered his head to hover over hers. Hinata's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "You can't pretend that I am just playing it up anymore."
"I still can think you are overdoing it to tease me." Hinata's eyes betrayed her as they flickered down to his lips.
"Teasing you serves the same end goal." Sasuke hovered closer.
"What's that?" Hinata breathed.
"Making you fall for me." Sasuke lowered his lips to just graze hers, and Hinata closed her eyes and pulled him the rest of the distance, annoyed with him when she felt him smile into the kiss, knowing he baited her.
Hinata wasn't sure this was a good idea, but Ino assured her that Sakura had good intentions. By the time she met them at the bar, it looked like Sakura was already at the bottom of her first drink. At first, it was a little awkward, but by her second drink, Sakura was in full rant mode, and the awkwardness was gone.
"I have no idea how I could be so stupid!" Sakura covered her face. "He never even looked at me. All these years, I thought he just needed softening up, and he was instantly soft for you."
Ino hid a smile as she rubbed Sakura's shoulder. She had been waiting for this for years. "You deserve a man that looks at you first. A boy who is perfectly soft for you." What did that even mean?
"I do!" Sakura slapped her hand down on the table. She pointed at Hinata, who ducked her head into her glass of wine. She did not want to be pulled into this. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. You're just so sweet it's not fair."
Hinata coughed, put her glass down, and waved her hands. "It's fine."
"But l look at you and your little nose." Sakura drank the rest of her drink. "I should have been rooting for you two for all these years!" Well, that didn't make sense. Sasuke only 'revealed' it recently. "He's always been so nice to you. I should have seen it." Nice? Maybe, more like neutral. Sakura's eyes shot open. "Can I be in your wedding!?"
Ino eyes widened. "Oh boy."
Hinata whispered to her. "Is this normal?"
"She's never taken you out for drinks?" Ino asked. Hinata shook her head. "Oh, fun. Just wait."
That was ominous, and soon Hinata knew why. Apparently, when Sakura drunk ranted, she was a scatterbrained compliment machine. Hinata worried that each compliment was a little jab at herself as much as it was a compliment to the other person, but rationalizing self-image to someone already a few drinks in was senseless. Eventually, Sakura circled back to her ill-fated crush, and Hinata found that she wasn't aware of all the times Sakura tried to impress Sasuke or the times she made him gifts that he didn't take. It hit home more than Sakura knew. Hinata successfully avoided revealing any of her own embarrassing moments in her crush. She hoped there wasn't enough alcohol in the world to pry that out of her.
When Sakura was worn out by her ranting and several bouts of tears, she flopped her head into her hands and pouted. "Where do I find a good man that treats me like Sasuke treats Hinata?"
Ino rolled her eyes. "I think she has gotten to her parrot stage. She's going just keep repeating things."
"Is she okay?" Hinata asked.
"She's fine. She will text you tomorrow to tell you she had a great time. This is how she processes her issues." Ino waved her hand. "We should go dancing when she is in a good mood."
"Hey!" Lee appeared behind Sakura with a wave of his hands.
"Lee-san? What are you doing here?" Hinata wondered. Lee didn't drink. What was he doing at a bar?
Lee pointed down at Sakura. "When Sakura-chan starts texting me this late at night, I know she needs a ride home."
Ino waved and finished her drink. "I'll help you get her out." Was this normal?
"Ready to go?" Lee offered his hand.
Sakura lit up. "Lee! You should have a drink. Did you know Hinata and Sasuke are dating? Aren't they cute!? He picked her up every single day."
Lee pulled her up. "That's wonderful." Sakura hung on him as he pulled her out of the bar.
"Don't worry. He knows what he's doing." Ino put her arm around Hinata and followed them out.
"We should dance." Sakura pulled on Lee.
Lee shook his head. "You're going home. Give me your phone."
Sakura pouted, holding it out. "Aw, am I?"
Lee tapped a few buttons, put it in her purse, and pushed her into a cab, prying her arms off him before telling the cab where to go, closing the door, and sighing as it drove away.
"You're too sweet, coming when she's like this." Ino patted his shoulder.
"I just wish I could make sure she got into the house, but she's tried to undress me one too many times, and I really don't want her doing that while she is this drunk," Lee explained. Really?
Ino pouted. "Don't you wish she liked you that much sober?"
"I may never know. I delete all her drunk texts from her phone so she doesn't feel embarrassed in the morning." A bright smile spread across his face. "I do think they are super cute, though."
Ow. That hurt her heart. Hinata knew that Lee had a crush on her for a long time. He made it no secret. He was just happy to be thought of.
"And there is Sasuke for you." Ino pointed.
"I didn't call him." Hinata blinked at Sasuke getting out of a cab.
"I did." Ino pushed her toward him and waved. "Night."
Hinata stumbled and blinked back as Ino took the next cab that stopped.
"You have fun?" Sasuke asked with a smile at her stumbled.
"I didn't drink that much," Hinata told him.
"I know you're 'not allowed.'" Sasuke quoted.
Hinata made a face at him. "I mean, you didn't need to come."
"Too late," Sasuke told her, pulling her toward his cab.
"Where's your bike?" Hinata wondered as she ducked into the cab.
"I had a few drinks too." Sasuke got in behind her and closed the door. "I'll pick it up tomorrow."
Hinata got closer and sniffed. "Ugh, sake."
"You smell like wine." Sasuke's arm extended over, and her heart shot into her throat until she realized he was reaching past her and putting on her seat belt. "Let's get you home."
Hinata blinked and flushed. Maybe she was drunker than she thought.
Hinata flinched back as Naruto reached over her for a notebook on the other side of her. Nothing. She looked at him as her eyes widened. Naruto didn't make her heart flutter anymore.
"Sorry, did you need this?" Naruto asked, holding it up.
"Ugh… no." Hinata blinked.
When did that happen? She wasn't really paying attention to him on purpose, but she didn't expect to feel nothing.
"Are you two almost done yet?" Sasuke grumbled, bending over her to look at the laptop on her knees with his hands in his pockets and a plastic bag hanging from his wrist.
Hinata felt her face flush. Did this mean her feelings changed? Hinata had been questioning how much of it was just her reaction to what he was doing and not him, but this was innocent enough, right?
Hinata looked up at him, and Sasuke titled an eyebrow at her. She leaned up to kiss him. Sasuke accepted the kiss but was understandably confused as he backed up. "Miss me?" He grinned.
Hinata nodded. She could lie for something like that.
"You guys are cute." Naruto teased.
"Stop saying that." Sasuke shoved him, putting the bag in front of her.
"Is that snacks?" Naruto tried to peak.
"Not for you." Sasuke blocked him. Hinata giggled, pulling out one, opening it, and handing some to Naruto. "Hey." Hinata held another piece up to him. Sasuke accepted it from her hand and chewed while giving Naruto a look to say nothing.
To be fair, Sasuke was cute.