Sasuke didn't return for the rest of the school period. The kids in the class heard from Iruka-sensei that Sasuke had just lost his family and needed time to recover before coming back. Everyone felt for the boy, but most of all, Hinata was sure it was Naruto, the warm ball of sunshine that illuminated her lonely days, who felt it the most.
"Sasuke's family… is dead? He is… alone?" he asked with the softest voice she had ever heard from him. No one really paid attention to him, more preoccupied with themselves. The girls, particularly, were already making plans to visit him with get better gifts until Iruka discouraged that notion claiming he needed to be alone for now, but Hinata saw it all. Saw the light leaving Naruto's eyes. Saw as he lowered his head, looking lost at his desk, and saw, and heard and felt, how, for the rest of the class, Naruto stayed silent for the first time ever.
Hinata knew the reason for Naruto's behavior. If anyone knew what it was like to be completely alone in the world, it was her crush. He was probably empathizing with Sasuke, and Hinata could only hope this would bring them closer and that they could be each other's anchor from then on. It would surely do the two of them a world of good.
When Hinata went back home, still dispirited from everything that happened, she found her father was already waiting for her in his office. She gulped, afraid and wondering what she did wrong this time, but when she entered his office she was not greeted by her father's perpetual impassive face. In its place, he looked lost, his eyes fixed on the wood of his low table as if deep in thought. What thoughts, Hinata could not tell, but she realized this was the first time ever since her mother's passing that she had ever seen her father looked so… sad.
When he heard her enter though, that expression quickly left his face, making Hinata wonder if it really was there at all. She bowed deeply to her father, before taking her usual place, kneeling in front of him.
"Did you call f-father?" she asked, wincing at the end for her stutter. Her father, miraculously, did not admonish her, but instead he turned to one end of the table, and Hinata followed his gaze. There was a bento box wrapped in a light blue handkerchief. Hinata could smell the alluring contents from within.
"As you know, it's been almost two weeks since… that incident" Hiashi started, and he didn't need to elaborate. Hinata knew about what incident he was talking about. "That boy… he left the hospital three days ago. I visited him a few times, and he was unresponsive."
This was news, more definitely. Hinata had no idea her father had been visiting Sasuke. She wondered why for a moment, but quickly dismissed the thought. Most likely, it was his responsibility as clan leader what pushed her father to visit him, as Hinata never knew him to be close to the Uchihas.
Hiashi sighed, gaining his daughter's attention again. "The Hokage decided to grant him an apartment on the other side of the village, away from where his family's district used to be. He hopes that, like this, he will be able to heal quicker. But I must object. A child who has passed through everything he did needs emotional containment. Being alone in no way would help him. But it's not my place to complain" he said, his hands reaching for the bento box and dragging it until it was in front of him.
"I've sent some of my men to assess the boy's condition, and it is just as expected. However, I cannot meddle more than this if I don't want the Hokage, the Konoha council, and our own council against me and the clan" he pushed the bento in Hinata's direction, and she looked at it, still not understanding why her father called her here.
She understood only seconds later. "You are his classmate, Hinata. Therefore, I would like you to bring this to him in his new home, and if possible, try to get close to him and offer him comfort."