Chapter One: Lost Paradise
As Hinata boards a crowded train, she instantly regrets not sitting out rush hour traffic comfortably in her car, as she scans for an empty seat to no avail.
More people pile in behind her, and as she moves down the line, gently squeezing through bodies to stand in a good enough spot, she suddenly hears a disturbing snarl and catches a woman's disgusted sneer before she shoves past her, leaving behind a poisonous insult to the man she was seated next to.
A brooding young man with jet-black hair and intense onyx eyes who not only ignores the woman, but places his travel bag on the chair just as fast as she leaves, but with her own bag weighing her down, Hinata quickly takes the chance to politely say.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
He glances at her barely, his expression aloof and disinterested "No," he replies curtly, sluggishly moving over the bag but not removing it fully.
Then as she graciously takes the seat and lightly pushes her bag so it's locked in place at her feet, it rubs up against him, and he grumbles sharply.
"Are your eyes closed? Can't you watch what you're doing?"
She straightens herself "I- I'm sor-"
"Save it."
After dismissing her quickly he turns to the window, meanwhile, Hinata stares at him wide eyed with uneasiness stirring inside her, and now sensing his scalding irritability, she moves over to the edge of her seat.
"I really am sorry. I mean it," she says sweetly.
He grunts in return offering no other response, nonetheless, she reaches out a hand and softly voices.
"My name's Hinata, I'm running late too so I know you're probably-"
He glances at her with a cool stare "Judge less will you, not everyone is suffering from incompetence."
His demeanor provides a peppery jab to her sensitive nature but she again manages to evoke kindness.
"I-I-I… I like the color of your eyes, it's deep."
He huffs in response, not bothering to acknowledge the flattery, but as he begins to turn back to the window she adds calmly.
"It's polite to return a compliment, even if it's not true."
He replies firmly "So did you just lie to me?"
"N-n-no, I didn't."
"Then why are you so nervous?"
"I-I'm… I'm just trying to be nice."
He lifts a brow "Oh yeah?" he looks her over in a flash, evaluating whether she's worth his attention "Well don't be shy we can do it right here."
"Pardon?"
He leans back and begins unzipping his pants, then just as he grabs her hand and pulls it towards him, Hinata gasps loudly and instantly bats it away.
"I'm not your female dog. Is it always so straightforward for you?" she asks in a startled rasp.
He zips up casually "Usually, if I want it too."
With her compassionate resolve wavering, and now shaken by the interaction, Hinata turns her head towards the aisle, and as she does, he adds with a tone dripping with annoyance.
"Finally, silence. Try to keep it up."
Now at peace to wallow in his stress, and with only a few dwindling hundreds to his name but a world of burdensome troubles, he looks out the window and resumes pondering on a plan of action for when he arrives at his destination— considering the first person he'll meet with, but even before then, where he'll be able to afford to lodge.
As the rushing landscape begins to slow as the train approaches the station, he slightly shifts in his seat and clutches an arm of his bag, and when Hinata notices, she engages him once more.
She leans forward "Is this your stop too?"
He sighs apathetically "Why? Do you plan on stalking me? It's too late, you already blew your chance to taste it."
She picks at her fingers coyly "I'm just asking because-"
"What's your name again? Yuko? Hanako?"
Her eyes slowly downturn "No it's-"
"Can't you get the point? Are you bored or just stupid?" he interrupts harshly.
With slouching posture, she replies almost inaudibly "No…"
"Then why are you so stubborn? Are you some kind of donkey?"
"..."
Hinata squeezes the handle of her bag as she flushes with embarrassment, and with eyes still piercing through her, he adds callously.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"You seem like you're having a bad day!" she yells empathically while tearing up "I just wanted to help but, you're just so, assertive that-"
"The word you're looking for is 'hurtful'. We're strangers lady, don't pretend you care about my feelings."
She lifts her head sheepishly "Isn't kindness reserved for strangers too?"
He hisses while rolling his eyes from her, and as soon as the train stops, Hinata quickly grabs her bag then enters the aisle, wiping her eyes while remarking softly.
"It takes effort to be this cold, so whatever you're going through, I sincerely hope it gets better from here… But if this is the way you treat people, it probably won't so please try to do better."
Even amid his relentless hostility, she offers him cordial benevolence, and as his eyes languidly meet her gaze filled with ethereal sincerity, she smiles warmly and his skin suddenly prickles with a sting of compunction, exterminating his anger in a way he's never experienced till now.
A surge of conscious emotion rushes forth, pacifying his perturbed mind, and as he processes it all, he keeps his eyes on her, watching her closely as she moves to the door and exits the train.
Shortly after, the announcement of the next stop puts an abrupt end to his rejuvenated thinking, and as the doors beep signaling their impending closure, he quickly rushes to his feet, racing out between them before it leaves with him.
And as he lands on the platform, he spots her walking away briskly a few steps ahead.
"Hey… Hey!" he calls out in her direction.
Although she hears his voice, Hinata continues on, determined to leave his presence, but as he watches her ignore him, he picks up his pace.
He approaches close beside her, his voice softening to a tranquil breeze.
"Wait up a sec."
"Why should I?"
"Because I need your help."
She lets out a hard breath while slowing to a halt "…What do you want?"
He clears his throat while ogling all her features "I uh… do you know your way around here?"
"Maybe," she says laxly.
"Could you point me to any apartments at least?"
She points indiscriminately "That way."
Now certain of her indifference he grins teasingly "Cool, as helpful as that was-"
She heedlessly walks off, no longer willing to entertain, and as she moves further away he quickly catches up and stops her once again.
"Okay wait... Could you just show me on here?"
He takes out his phone then places it in her hand, and after punching in the location on his map, she hangs it off the ends of her fingers.
"I don't know if they're still available but you can check out these two spots."
He nods while nudging the phone back fully into her hand "While you're at it-"
"Is 'thank you' not a part of your vernacular?"
He gulps, taken aback by the pitch of her tone "…Thank you."
"See, that wasn't so hard was it?" she asks pleasantly.
He catches a glimpse of her strength and as their eyes connect, he becomes caught in a deep gaze, recognizing his affinity for what he sees, and finding himself strangely affected by her.
Despite this, Hinata wiggles his phone, urging him to take it back, but now captivated by his view, he rubs the back of his neck and asks.
"Could you put your number in? You know, just in case I get lost."
Her head juts back "Don't worry it's only a couple blocks away, and if you intend to move here you should try to get to know your way around."
She drops the phone in his hand and just when she's about to walk off, he suddenly asks.
"Are you single?"
"And if I'm not?"
"Then… Can't we be friends?"
He looks her up and down with smoldering eyes, and as she watches the tip of his tongue slowly slide across his lips, her brows knot and her nose shrivels.
"I doubt it."
As she walks off unconcerned, Sasuke sighs, his ego now provoked.
"Can't you take mine? What if you get worried?"
"Trust me I won't, we're strangers remember."
He lets out a low, guttural groan, as his mind fills with thoughts of the intense sensations she's arousing within him.
Then after observing her unyielding movement, never once glancing back at him, he reluctantly submits, expressing his remorse quietly.
"...I'm sorry alright. I'm sorry for being mean to you," Hinata stops but doesn't face him, and he releases a relieved sigh, adding "Let me make it up to you, I can take you out for dinner."
"Do I look hungry to you?"
He replies with a nervous quiver "N- no, that's not-"
"So you're just trying to kidnap me then?"
"What?! No I'm really-"
She turns around with an air of nonchalance "Do you see what it's like?"
He replies with artless eyes as his hardened façade begins to crack "Yeah, I get it now... So, what do you say?"
"No," she asserts instantly.
His jaws break apart, surprised to still be in the chase of his life, and as she once again strides away with carefree confidence, nearing the corner about to disappear from his sight, his voice rings out to her with dulcet charm
"Hinata... My name is Sasuke… and I like your eyes too, they're beautiful."
Her lips curve into a broad beaming smile, appreciating his words, and now receptive to hear him out, she pivots to face him with eyes aglow with welcoming radiance.
"Well that's curious, so you do know how compliments work."
He nods "I can do kindness too, caring even."
She giggles softly "No way, I'll have to see it to believe it."
He narrows the gap between them with a warm genuine smile "Will you please have dinner with me Hinata…? Please?"
She crosses her arms as she contemplates his invite, but when he softens considerably— leaning forward, bouncing on his toes with beckoning brows, it elicits another laugh from her that makes her reach for his phone.
She responds while saving her number "It's short notice so I can't today but you can have this Sasuke, just in case you decide to get lost."
Years later
Hinata sits at her radiology practice looking out the window, in a state of bliss as she thinks about how good her life is. She's eagerly awaiting the return of her two greatest friends Ino and Ten Ten, but more importantly, she can't wait to head home with her impressively successful husband who has recently agreed to start trying for a baby.
She gleams at the setting sun as she thinks of the one who adores her, and just as head over heels for him, she spins around in her swivel chair feeling like the luckiest woman on earth.
However, unfortunately for Hinata in a few moments, her perfect world is about to come crashing down and send her on the ride of her life.
As the work day draws to a close, Hinata begins to pack up the files that she wants to review at home, and as she does she thinks to herself.
'I wonder if he'll be as romantic as last time,'
The thought makes her blush from picturing herself making sweet love to Sasuke, hoping to get pregnant in the process.
Suddenly, her office phone buzzes "Mrs. Uchiha your husband is on his way up."
Like normal, Hinata hurriedly fixes her hair and attire, wanting to look flawless for her husband's gaze.
However, when he opens the door her uplifted lips fall instantly with worry.
"Sasu, what's wrong? Why do you look so upset?" She asks in a deeply concerned tone.
Sasuke glares at her with intense fury as if he's ready to rip her apart but voices with restraint "Remind me Hina, when you left home early a few weeks ago, what did you say happened?"
Her brows twist with confusion "What do you mean? Nothing happened," she says softly.
"Nothing at all?"
"No... Nothing."
He flings his phone at her "Then what the fuck is this?"
Though he says it quietly, Hinata can clearly hear the burdening discontent in his voice and when she looks at his phone her heart drops into a bottomless pit.
While still leering at his timeline Hinata's eyes widen and she gasps from shock to see a picture of her wrapped in her friend's arms with her lips braced against his, Kiba Inazuka.
After mentally preparing her words, she closes the app. Then as she timidly looks at Sasuke, she licks her drying lips and swallows as her throat burns fearing that things are about to escalate.
"Sasu I can explain," she says sweetly as she approaches her husband.
Although he sneers at her Hinata smiles warmly, it really isn't much of a big deal in her head though she's aware of the trouble it brings, and when she reaches him, she lifts her hand to hold his cheek and then says calmly.
"It's just a simple misunderstanding, I wa-" she shudders when Sasuke catches her hand before it touches his face.
He pulls it down and slowly steps backward to gain some literal distance "Go on explain," he says as he leans himself in the doorway.
Then when she looks at him dazed and scared his anger sets off.
"I said explain it to me… Explain HOW THE FUCK YOU'RE KISSING SOMEONE ELSE!" he yells,
His tone throws him off just as much as it does her, as he swears at the love of his life for the first time since they met. Despite this, the pain in his chest quakes and it's so immense that he quickly shakes off the repentance, now feeling as though he should burn his wife to ashes.
Hinata stands with nervous eyes, trembling in silence when her focus shifts to the movement behind him. Seeing that staff are beginning to gather and look into her office while making soft remarks, she quickly composes herself.
"We'll talk about it at home, just give me five minutes," she says in a faint voice.
He nods his head condescendingly as he walks out "I'll be in the car."
As soon as he moves off, she rushes to grab the remaining paperwork and hurries to meet up with him downstairs.
While carpooling home they sit in complete and dreadful silence, and though she wants to say something, every time she glances at her husband, the face she sees makes her tempted to crawl into a snake filled hole and die.
After thirty minutes they arrive home though it feels like the ride lasted an eternity for them both, and when Sasuke gets out of the car the first thing he does is sigh then aggressively slams his door, meanwhile, Hinata charily takes out her briefcase.
She then follows him inside and as soon as she closes the door behind her Sasuke throws his keys on the entrance table, undoes his tie, and turns around to face her.
"Now… You were saying?"
He says it in a much more relaxed tone but with a blank look on his face, and it brings her some assurance as she drops her briefcase to explain.
"I don't know what else to say, but it's not what it looks like," she says in a fairly confident voice.
He scoffs "Ohh really, sorry for my misinterpretation of my wife with another man's TONGUE DOWN HER THROAT!"
"Stop yelling at me it's not what it looks like I wasn't-."
As her tone heightens Sasuke stops her speech by pressing a finger against her lip, not wanting to be spoken to with hostility at the moment.
With his finger still in position, his jaw tightens as he looks down at her, and Hinata swallows the lump that starts to knot in her throat when he moves his hand.
"Okay," She walks past him slowly then adds"I'll tell you everything and this is the truth."
Sasuke turns to her and nods his head with unconvinced eyes and she starts off slowly.
"I left early because I got a call from a lady who said she needed to see me urgently about her results."
~Flashback~
Hinata was walking up to her practice as usual when Kiba came out of nowhere, and though it was strange she greeted her good friend courteously.
"Hinata, how are you?" He replied in an exhausted tone
"What are you doing here? And at this hour Kiba?"
"I-uh well I wanted to see you, I really needed to see you again," he said as he walked closer to her.
"Okay... So what's up?" She asked casually while looking for her office keys
Kiba looked over towards the bushes on his right and then suddenly embraced her, quickly putting one arm around her hip and one on her face then rushed to smother himself on her lips.
Though frozen in shock, Hinata takes less than ten seconds to give him the coldest slap of his life, intended to knock out his eardrum.
"What on earth are you doing Kiba?!" She shouted as she charged away from him to open the door to her practice.
Then caught off guard by her reaction Kiba grips his hair, she was normally timid and approachable and after feeling that they shared the same connection recently, this outcome was not the one he was expecting from his admired friend.
Without hesitating, he tried to plead with her.
"Hinata I-I I'm so sorry please forgive me I just wanted to see if you still had any feelings for me," he said with a terrified look in his eyes.
"Feelings?! Are you insane?! I'm married now Kiba, why would I feel anything for you romantically?" She yelled while opening the door then quickly added "As a matter of fact consider this friendship over. Goodbye!"
Kiba sighed as his frown grew deeper and as he slapped himself Hinata slammed the door in his face.
"How could I be so stupid?" he thought to himself, right after having ruined his friendship all because someone urged him to reveal what he was feeling.
~End of Flashback~
With hate in his heart, Sasuke continues to listen to her relive the morning in question but as he struggles to find correctness from her self assured tone, his mind gets flooded by his own inferences from her story.
'What else has she ever lied to me about?'
'Has she been with anyone else?'
'Was she ever going to tell me?'
'How could she stand there and lie to me when she knows I saw the photo?'
While still in thought, he looks down at his phone and when he glances at the comments ridiculing his wife, mocking her leaked infidelity and his inability to please her, Sasuke walks over to the bar to grab himself a drink, feeling that his ears were just about ready to fall off as his eyes burn with dejection.
Though he appears to not be listening, Hinata continues talking about the incident with little remorse in her speech but watches her husband closely.
To her it's nothing too serious, she's never cheated on him because she adores all that he is. Though she knows that he has a good reason to be upset, to her the kiss was far too insignificant to be worthy of mentioning when she didn't think of it even a single second after. As a result, in her mind, Hinata is certain he'll see truth since there was never an affair.
'It was just a simple misunderstanding, a dumb little kiss that someone unfortunately managed to witness', she reasons with herself.
Sasuke however finds her misjudgment extremely disrespectful after years of cautioning and as he takes a sip of his liquor, he looks at his wife with nothing short of hurt in his eyes and sorrow in his heart.
He truly can't believe what is happening, his Hina, the love of his life, and the only thing that ever mattered to him in this world is lying straight to his face about her intentions.
As his damaged heart aches, Sasuke blinks away his tears angrily, now convinced that the lack of remorse in her tone is a clear indication that her action was purely intentional as he pieces it together in his head.
'She never left for work so early before'
'If Kiba had kissed her as some misunderstanding why would she keep something like that a secret.'
Drowning her out as his thinking wraps up, Sasuke lets out a loathsome sigh when he finishes his drink. He then glares at her and when Hinata focuses on him he suddenly slams his glass into the sink causing her to jump in place.
"Enough! Just shut up I've heard enough," he says while rubbing his temples.
"S-so do you see? it was all a misunderstanding Sasu... I love you it was nothing" Hinata submissively replies.
Then as she moves closer to hold him, Sasuke stares her down bitterly, stopping her on the spot.
"I don't believe a word you said…" he replies in a tone meant to be severely harsh.
Now ready to air her out totally, he leans over the counter and smirks.
"So tell me, how many times exactly has someone fallen on your lips while we've been married?"
Then angered by his question, she stomps up to him burning with enmity and slaps him hard, rocking his head to the right powerfully.
"How dare you ask me that! I've never kissed anyone else!"
Suddenly, Sasuke's rage completely engulfs him, and without a second to spare, he snaps his face back to her. Then with eyes piercing like soul crushing lasers his hands grip her tight and firm as he shakes her forcefully, releasing as much anger as he can with his hold.
"How dare I? How DARE I? HOW DARE YOU!" he shouts with all the air in his lungs.
"Why would you lie if you had nothing to hide Hinata?! You promised me" his voice cracks at the end, and as he continues to shake her, his tears start to flow freely.
As she raises her head frightfully, Hinata's brows furrow when she sees the severe pain her supposed infidelity has brought him. He hasn't said her name like that in years, and seeing him so distraught dismantles her confidence and leads her to panic.
"I-It wasn't... I'm sorry I-I didn't know someone was there."
He inhales a trembling breath "So that's what you're sorry about...? BEING CAUGHT?"
"Well I didn't-"
He aggressively rubs a finger on her lips "Shhhh"
Sasuke looks at her venomously, and now falling just short of popping a blood vessel, he's had enough, and shoves her away to get as much distance as possible, fearing what he might do to her if he stays any longer.
As he storms through the door wobbling, she tries to use her words to calm him down, but as the anger radiates inside him it's no use, and he slams the door behind him as he leaves her.
She's never seen him this vicious before and it scares her to think how much this would impact them, and now needing to get advice, she takes out her phone to call her friends.
However, when she turns it on she quickly becomes aware of how much contention she's caused not only to her marriage but to her life in general as her phone blows up with messages and missed calls from equally concerned friends and family about her encounter with Kiba.
When she opens her social media and sees that she's now the talking point of everyone's conversations, she drops on the couch and throws her phone across the room, now in total confusion about what to do next.
As she thinks about her predicament, she soon realizes that the one person she could always count on has just walked out on her while the world spits at her, and as it burrows into her mind, Hinata brings her knees up to her chest and bows her head into them.
While softly sobbing in her empty home she whispers "Why is this happening to me?"