Chapter 31

Sakura

It was Kakashi's birthday, and Hana Inuzuka had organized a splendid party.

As everyone awaited Kakashi's arrival, Sakura's nerves were fraying. The two people she dreaded encountering the most would be in the same room, and her stomach was in knots. She still hadn't found the courage to tell Kiba about the pregnancy, yet she knew it was the right thing to do.

Kakashi arrived, and the staff yelled, "Surprise!" in unison.

He smiled warmly, complimenting Hana on the splendid arrangements. "Hana-chan, you've outdone yourself. There was no need for this. You could've just given me my present alone," he winked.

"Perhaps later, Hokage-sama," Hana said suggestively, and people around them hooted.

After cutting the cake, everyone sang a jubilant birthday song. Sakura noticed Kakashi didn't look over at her even once, treating her like a backdrop amidst the sea of familiar and unfamiliar faces.

Amidst the celebration, Sakura's heart further leapt when she saw Hinata and Kiba emerging with trays laden with pastries. His presence commanded her attention. She looked around for Tamaki, hoping to avoid any awkward encounters but couldn't spot her in the crowd. Perhaps she wasn't here?

Her eyes drifted back to Kiba, who was receiving more orders from Hana, his sigh of exasperation evident. She proceeded to make her way over to him slowly, dragging her feet.

Just then, Tamaki appeared from the crowd as if summoned, putting an arm around him and laughing at something he had said. Kiba was looking at her fondly. The sight was too much for Sakura to bear.

"I need some air," she muttered to Ino, who gave her a concerned look but nodded understandingly. Sakura hurried out of the premises, feeling overwhelmed by the happiness surrounding her.

Kakashi was happily feeding cake to Hana, Tamaki was laughing with Kiba, and Ino was blissful in her own relationship, standing arm-in-arm with Shikamaru. Even though he was continuously complaining about being forced to be there, he appeared to be enjoying the company of his girlfriend as he smiled and looked at her from time to time.

It was all too much for her to take.

Hinata

It was all too much for Hinata. Everything appeared to be rushing past her, but sometimes appeared to come to a standstill.

Her earlier brush with Sasuke had really disturbed her. Every time he crossed her path, he looked at her as if he could peer into her soul, and the intensity of his gaze left her feeling vulnerable and uneasy. His presence had a way of unsettling her, making her overly conscious of every move and thought.

Thankfully, he wasn't here right now, and she wanted to keep as busy as possible to distract herself. Helping Hana around the hospital and with the party had been a perfect excuse to stay busy.

In the midst of her tasks, she found herself giggling as Kiba groaned, having been assigned yet another task by Hana. Despite being someone who usually thrived in social settings, Kiba found this particular party boring.

"Man, this is lame. I'd bail in a heartbeat if I could," he confided in Hinata, shaking his head in exasperation.

"Just endure it a bit longer," Hinata said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I think our job is almost done anyway."

Kiba rolled his eyes but managed a reluctant smile. Just as he seemed ready to sneak away, Tamaki appeared, her presence instantly brightening his mood.

"I'm actually enjoying the party," she told him, her arm wrapping around his shoulders. Kiba groaned again, but this time with a playful glint in his eyes.

"Why? I thought you didn't even like the Hokage," he pointed out, clearly puzzled.

Tamaki laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well, your sister's done a good job. I love these kinds of parties," she replied, nudging him affectionately. "There's something about well-organized formal settings which appeal to me."

Hinata giggled at their banter. Tamaki was indeed almost a polar opposite of Kiba. Kiba loved spontaneity and preferred his parties a little on the wilder side, with music blasting from the speakers, while Tamaki admitted liking more sophisticated, formal parties where you dressed up and were expected to mingle and make small talk with people.

Their dynamic was always entertaining to watch, at least when they were not at each other's throats.

As she scanned the room, Hinata's attention was suddenly drawn to Sakura, who was rushing out of the building, colliding with a few people along the way. A frown creased Hinata's brow. What was the hurry? She could sense Sakura's chakra was all over the place, chaotic and unsettled, and she wondered what could be wrong.

She glanced back at Kiba and Tamaki. Her friend was groaning loudly but actually relented as he agreed to make small talk and mingle, causing her to raise her eyebrows. That was most unusual, she thought.

They were now seemingly enjoying themselves as they mingled through the crowd, leaving her alone. Hinata debated whether to follow them, or to follow Sakura, her concern growing. Just as she was deciding, she ran into Ino.

"Ino, have you seen Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked, her worry evident in her tone.

Ino looked taken aback for a moment before shaking her head. "No, why? Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure. She seemed really upset," Hinata explained, glancing toward the exit where Sakura had disappeared.

Ino's expression shifted from concern to wariness, as if wondering how much she should reveal to her. "She said she needed some air. Do you think we should go check on her?"

Hinata nodded. Together, they made their way towards the exit, weaving through the crowd. As they walked, Ino kept the conversation light, trying to ease Hinata's worries.

"You know, these parties can be pretty overwhelming," Ino said, glancing around at the throngs of people. "The pressure to chat, mingle, and act normal. Sometimes, it's just too much."

"Yes, they can be," Hinata agreed, her mind still on Sakura. "But I just have this feeling that something's really bothering her."

Ino squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "We'll find her and see what's going on. She's strong, but even strong people need their friends sometimes."

They finally reached the exit and stepped outside, the cool autumn air a stark contrast to the warmth inside. They bustle of the party faded behind them as they stepped into the still bright daylight.

They spotted Sakura a little ways off, sitting on the grass behind the building, her head in her hands.

"Sakura!" Ino called out, and they hurried over to her.

Sakura looked up, her eyes red-rimmed and filled with unshed tears. "Hinata, Ino," she said, her voice trembling. "I didn't want to worry anyone, but I just couldn't stay in there."

"What's wrong?" Hinata asked gently, sitting beside her and placing a comforting hand on her back.

Sakura took a shaky breath. "It's just... everything. The pressure, the expectations. I feel like I'm being pulled in a thousand different directions, and I don't know how to handle it anymore."

Ino sat on her other side, taking her hand. "You really don't have to handle it alone, you know."

Sakura nodded. "I know. I just want to sit here for a moment, if you don't mind. I'll come inside soon, I just needed to catch a breather."

Ino nodded, understanding, grabbing Hinata and tugging her away.

"You sure she'd be fine alone?" Hinata asked, and Ino nodded once more.

"She has to figure a few things out," Ino informed her. "I know when to comfort her and when she needs to be alone. When she's like that, it's better to leave her alone."

Hinata nodded. She could understand how solitude sometimes felt better. She decided to leave as well and told Ino as much. She figured she won't be missed.

She tried to look around the grounds, wondering if she could catch a glimpse of Akamaru to tell Kiba she was leaving, but couldn't spot him. Where was that dog? He had told Kiba he would wait for them outside.

"Can you let Kiba know I've left? If he even notices me gone, that is," she requested Ino.

Ino nodded, waving goodbye. She stepped back inside.

The sun was still out, casting a warm glow over the village. She took a deep breath, savoring the crisp air, and wondered what she should do with the rest of her day. Should she start prepping a meal, hoping for Neji to return as usual, or just...

Her thoughts trailed off as her eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar figure walking ahead. Squinting slightly, she saw what appeared to be Uchiha Sasuke, with a sack slung over his shoulder. Was he on a mission even today?

The sight of him stirred something inside her, making her heart beat a little faster. She debated whether to catch up to him and offer her help again. She had enjoyed their previous conversation immensely, and the way his chakra gave her static shocks had been oddly thrilling.

Coming to a decision, she started walking briskly towards him. Just as she was about to call out, a hand appeared on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. She jumped, startled by the unexpected touch. Turning around quickly, she saw...

"Neji-kun?!" she exclaimed in surprise, her eyes widening. He was back!

Neji smiled faintly, his usual stoic expression softened as always as he looked at her. "Hinata," he responded, his voice gentle yet firm. "I hope I didn't interrupt. I could see you were distracted by something. Or someone." His gaze followed the direction she had been looking.

"I... I was just..." Hinata stammered, her mind racing. She glanced back towards where she had seen Sasuke, but he was already out of sight. "It's nothing, really. I was just-just leaving the Rokudaime's party. I... I was actually thinking about you."

Neji raised an eyebrow, curious. "Thinking about me? In what way?"

Hinata's cheeks flushed slightly as she bit her lip. The letter he had sent her, detailing what he'd do to her when he returned, came to her mind and her blush deepened.

"I was wondering if you would be coming home soon," she stammered. "I thought I might start preparing a meal for us. I've been doing that everyday."

Neji's expression softened even further, a rare sight that made Hinata's heart swell with affection. "That sounds nice," he said. "I always do love your cooking. But you've been working hard lately. You deserve some time to relax."

Hinata smiled, feeling the weight of his words and the warmth of the moment. "Thank you, Neji-kun. I appreciate that. But what about you? How have you been? How was your mission?"

"I've been well," Neji replied, his tone even. "Speaking of the mission, I just returned for a short break. I was heading home when I saw you."

Hinata's smile widened, forgetting all about Sasuke. "Then let's go home together. We can prepare that meal I was thinking about."

Neji nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I'd like that," he said, offering her his arm.

Sakura

Sakura took deep breaths of the fresh air behind the building. She wiped the sweat from her brow, trying to calm her racing heart. She sat down, burying her head in her hands once more. A few minutes passed by, and she steadied herself.

She looked up, gazing in the distance, lost in her own thoughts.

Just then, she noticed Akamaru trotting sneakily and frowned. He looked like he was trying to make an escape. She called out to him, and he winced, caught in the act. She gestured for him to come to her, and he slowly obeyed, looking reluctant. Akamaru always brought her comfort, and he could never say no to her.

When he reached her, she threw her arms around him in a hug, letting loose her pent up emotions. Her tears fell on his fur. Akamaru whined softly, as if protesting her crying and trying to placate her, his large head nuzzling against her in a comforting gesture. The warmth of his fur and his presence provided a small measure of solace in her tumultuous state.

As she cried into his fur, Sakura whispered, "What am I going to do, Akamaru?"

She felt the weight of her situation pressing down on her. The pregnancy, her feelings for Kiba, and the fear of disrupting so many lives made her feel trapped and helpless.

Akamaru responded with a gentle bark, as if to reassure her that she wasn't alone. He nuzzled her again, wiping her tears with his fur.

Sakura pulled back slightly to look into his kind eyes. "Thank you, Akamaru," she whispered. "I needed this."

Taking a deep breath, she tried drying her eyes, composing herself. She knew she couldn't avoid the truth forever. She had to tell Kiba about the pregnancy, no matter how scared she was of his reaction. Fresh tears formed in her eyes. She had to tell someone.

"Can you keep a secret, boy?" she asked, her voice trembling. He nuzzled her comfortingly once more.

"You can't tell Kiba," she added, touching her forehead to his, his snout snuggling against her face. Akamaru whined in response, clearly uncomfortable with the restriction.

"It's breaking my heart to see them so happy," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Kakashi, Kiba... everyone. I know it's selfish, but I..." she swallowed. "I think I made a mistake letting Kiba go. I was so dumb. And now, I'm pregnant and alone, and I still haven't decided what to do or how to talk to him. Time is running out."

There was a sudden poof of white smoke in front of her. She blinked as it slowly cleared, startled to find herself sitting face to face with... Kiba.

He was squatted in front of her, his eyes wide with shock and his hair in disarray. Her fingers were still resting on his cheeks, where previously she had been holding Akamaru's. Their foreheads and noses were still touching in the same manner.

Both of them were frozen in place, the bombshell revelation she had just dropped sinking in.

She thought she had been speaking to Akamaru, not realizing it was Kiba himself. The tumult of emotions was evident in both of their expressions.

A few seconds passed, the shock still paralyzing them.

Then, as reality began to sink in, Sakura stumbled backward. The sudden movement almost caused Kiba to fall over her, but he caught her just in time. He protected her head with one hand while his other hand grazed the grass to prevent himself from collapsing on top of her and crushing her.

"What in the...? Kiba?!" Sakura whispered in shock, her eyes still widened.

"You're pregnant?" Kiba asked, his voice filled with confusion and disbelief.