Hinata didn't know what to expect. She didn't even know if Sasuke was serious or if he just had an emotional break. Maybe he was drinking. She passed up his jacket once again. She still didn't want to make a scene of giving it to him if he changed his mind.
"How are you feeling?" Kiba walked her to her first class.
"Uh… better today," Hinata mumbled.
"Really? You look a little spacey." Kiba countered.
"I'm fine. I just had an exhausting weekend." Hinata excused.
Kiba's head tilted curiously down the hall as Hinata's weekend came back to haunt her. "Does Sasuke take this class?"
"No… Uhm, I'll see you at lunch, Kiba-kun." Hinata sped up to meet Sasuke and lose Kiba.
"Hey," Sasuke moved off the wall he was leaning on. "Can I get you to meet me in the courtyard after lunch?" He adjusted his bag.
"I didn't bring your jacket," Hinata admitted.
"Don't worry about the jacket," Sasuke told her.
Hinata didn't know how to answer when people asked her what Sasuke wanted. She answered as truthfully as she could. He wanted to talk to her. She jittered through her class, wondering what Sasuke was thinking. Surely he wouldn't do something stupid like asking her to marry him again in front of everyone, right? Right?
Hinata glanced down at him at the end of the lunch table, but blond caught her eye and kept her head down. When she finished eating, she felt a nudge on her shoulder. She expected to see Shino ready to talk, but he was looking behind her, where Sasuke was standing.
Sasuke nodded his head toward the courtyard and started heading that way.
"What was that?" Shino wondered.
"Is this about earlier?" Kiba also added.
Hinata collected her things to follow him. "Uh… I'll see you guys later."
Sasuke stopped in the corner of the courtyard under a cherry tree. Hinata caught up with him before he turned to her with a small box with a bow in his hand. Hinata tried to ignore the curious eyes from the rest of the courtyard.
"Hinata. Will you go out with me?" Sasuke was going to do this publicly?
The wind blew past them, shaking a few blossoms off the tree. It made Hinata's speechlessness feel longer. What was she even supposed to say? What would even make sense? Maybe this would be easier for her if she had ever had someone confess to her before. "Why… ?"
"I'm taking the opportunity since someone else won't." Hinata's heart clenched and fluttered at the same time. Sasuke really did know her well enough to know just what she wanted to hear. "I gave him his chance. He didn't take it. Now I am not going to hide my feelings anymore."
Murmurs and gasps assaulted her back as she shakily took the box, opening it to reveal a chain with a cased pendant.
"Will you accept me?" They were really doing this. Sasuke was trying so hard to pull at her heartstrings and be the love story she always wanted. He was successful.
"Yes." Gasps rang out behind her. Sasuke took the necklace out, motioning for her to turn around and pull her hair out of the way. Hinata's cheeks burned as he fixed her hair over it. She forced her eyes to the ground to avoid his eyes.
Sasuke leaned close to her ear to whisper. "Thank you."
Hinata twiddled the necklace between her fingers, staring blankly out the window at the leaf dancing in the breeze, not helping her to get the picture of the confession out of her mind. Sasuke was out of his mind. She couldn't believe he had thought this up. She couldn't believe she agreed to it. She rolled the pendant around in her fingers. It had seams down the side. It must be a locket. It was big enough to have pictures or something else inside. She tried to open it, but it didn't budge. She was either wrong, or it was locked.
It was beautiful and simple. How had Saske found something that fit her so perfectly? Maybe they did know each other too well.
"Hinata." Hinata heard her name called.
"Hmm?" Hinata closed her hand around the pendant.
"You coming?" Kiba called from the classroom door. Oh, it was nearly time for her next class.
"Oh, sorry." Hinata jumped up to follow him.
"You seem to be the only one on campus who isn't lively today." Kiba chuckled. Shino eyed her as he fell in line to her other side. Hinata ducked her head. Kiba rambled on like usual until. "…and there is some buzz about Sasuke finally confessing to a girl."
Hinata stumbled over her own feet and cleared her throat.
"Did you hear who?" Shino raised an eyebrow at Hinata. "Did he tell you after lunch?" Cruel. He knew already.
Kiba shrugged, missing context. "I only heard it. I can't imagine who. Can you even think of a time he's been nice to a girl?"
"He's… always been nice to me," Hinata gave a pout to Shino.
"You're special, Hinata. You're hard to hate, and everyone knows who you like." That earned him a swat in the back of the head from Shino reaching behind her. "Ow!"
Shino steered the conversation back. "Yeah, you are the one girl I can think of that he's never rejected."
Hinata let her face scrunch. "Shino-kun…"
"I'm not telling him," Shino turned his head away. So cruel.
"Telling me what?" Kiba wondered. "Do you know? Wait… It's not a boy, is it?"
"No." Hinata muscled out. "Kiba-kun, the girl Sasuke-san confessed to … was me."
"Mie who." Kiba wondered.
Shino and Hinata stopped to stare at Kiba in disbelief as he took a few seconds to process, and his eyes widened. "No…"
Hinata nodded. "After lunch."
"What?!" Kiba barked.
Hinata waved her hands. "I wasn't expecting it. I just thought he just wanted his jacket back." She lied.
"His jacket?" Shino asked.
"He gave it to me last week. When I was having a bad day." Hinata didn't want to think about that day. "I got caught in the rain. That's why he bought me the immune booster."
"Well?" Shino asked.
Kiba nudged him. "Well, what? It's not like she accepted." Hinata shrank guiltily. "What?!"
Hinata shushed him, pushing them both to start walking again. "We… are going to give it a try."
"But what about Naruto?" Kiba sliced her heart. "Hinata, that was just last week."
"I think she knows." Shino scolded.
"It's just… I know what it's like having a crush that long," Hinata explained. "And I can't hold on to someone who's rejected me."
"So he just waited until you got rejected to ask you?" Shino asked.
"He said he was giving Naruto-kun a chance." Hinata corrected.
"I don't know. Hinata, this feels too quick after you got your heart broken." Kiba voiced.
"He knows… and I think he is going to be patient with me," Hinata reassured him. "I'm fine. I am happy someone likes me." Hinata gave them a smile. It was only a little forced.
Sasuke leaned against the wall next to her classroom door as it emptied. Hinata walked right past him. He broke into a smile. Oblivious.
Sasuke caught her wrist before she got far. Hinata squeaked before she recognized him. "Oh." Sasuke slid his hand down to take hers. She puffed out her cheeks. "Sasuke-san…" She was so easily embarrassed.
"What? I can't hold my girlfriend's hand?" Sasuke grinned.
Hinata hung her head, trying to hide her red face. "Don't tease me."
"I'm not." Sasuke chuckled. "But your reaction is cute." Hinata whimpered. Okay, that was teasing. "Come on, let's go."
"What? Where?" Hinata stumbled behind him.
"Our first date," Sasuke told her.
"You're taking this very seriously," Hinata grumbled.
"Of course." Sasuke pulled her. "I will be the boyfriend you always wanted."
Hinata's heart pounded. She could feel blood rush to her ears. Sasuke was taking this too seriously! He didn't need to make her head rush! Sasuke tugged her towards his motorbike. "Wait." Hinata squeaked. "I've never ridden a motorcycle before."
"Don't worry, I have," Sasuke told her smugly, handing her a helmet. Hinata hesitated, so he placed it on her head, latching it for her. "I won't go fast. I know you're not a thrill-seeker."
Hinata huffed as he flipped down the visor.
Ino took a picture and wondered what she should do. Should she send it to Sakura? Sakura skipped classes for an interview. It would be a nasty surprise tomorrow morning, but she would find out either way. The whole campus knew by now that Sasuke confessed to a girl. But Hinata Hyuga? The one girl who was never interested? Sakura would be livid.
Ino held the phone to her chest. She had never seen Sasuke smile like that before. It was like they had been together for ages, not a few hours. He must really like her. A small tear in her heart made itself known, she let go of her old crush, but she knew someone who hadn't.
Her finger hovered over the send button but passed it up for delete.
Maybe Naruto would have his chance now.
Sasuke held out her caramel cream latte. Hinata took a sip. Would it be more or less interesting to be in a relationship with some when you knew everything about them already? Not like he knew what a normal relationship felt like.
"How has your brother been?" Hinata asked.
Sasuke rested back and sighed. "I honestly couldn't tell you. He doesn't want to talk about it."
"I'm not surprised. I'm sure he doesn't want you to dwell on it." Hinata mumbled into her cup.
"How do you feel?" Sasuke waved his hand between them. "About this." Hinata's face told all. It melted in a range of emotions, mainly discomfort, and embarrassment. Sasuke chuckled. "Don't worry. Only the confession had to be public."
"I just…" Hinata lowered her face into her coffee. "It just feels… weird."
"I think we will get used to it. All relationships have an awkward phase." Sasuke sipped his coffee.
"Most people go through a honeymoon phase at the same time." Hinata countered.
"Just wait." Sasuke earned himself a look. "How have you been feeling about everything else?"
Hinata shrugged. "I haven't thought about it. Father's been ignoring me, and I forgot my confession last week until Kiba-kun mentioned it. There's just too much going on."
"That's good," Sasuke concluded. "Wouldn't want my girlfriend thinking about other boys." Hinata flushed. Sasuke was going to have too much fun with this. "Do I get a -kun?" Hinata frowned at him. "Naruto did." Sasuke defended. "You know what? That makes it undesirable."
Hinata giggled, then her face fell in thought. "Does he know yet?"
Sasuke shrugged. "If he does, he didn't mention it to me. Knowing him, he will be the last to know." Her face fell. "Sorry, bad wording."
"No, I need to move on from it. It's not fair to you." Hinata mumbled.
Hinata got off the bike and handed Sasuke back his helmet. "You know I can pick you up in the morning."
Hinata shook her head. "I think I should tell my father before you show up when he's leaving for work."
Sasuke reached forward, detangling her bangs that suffered from the helmet. "No better way to tell him than show up."
Hinata frowned at him. "You're going to show up even if I tell you not to, aren't you?"
"No. I'll let you decide." Hinata felt her heart rate pick up. "We are in this together. I'm not making this uncomfortable for you if it's not what you want to do."
Hinata thought for a moment, though her heart pounding was distracting. "Show up early tomorrow, I'll tell him tonight, and then we won't be late when he wants to make it a problem in the morning."
Sasuke smiled. "That's why you're the smart one. I'm just pretty." Hinata giggled. "I'll get going then." Sasuke looked to the side, opening one arm.
Hinata was confused by the pose. Oh, a hug. Hinata hesitantly wrapped her arms around his waist inside his open jacket. It was warm and felt too intimate. Sasuke tucked his arm around her and held it for a moment. Hinata could feel her blood rushing too quickly. She backed up and bowed her head, rushing inside.
On the other side of the door, Hinata shook her head to get rid of the dizziness. She was not going to faint over a hug from Sasuke Uchiha.