There were only two classes left.

At this point in their academic carreers, it wouldn't be surprising it there was only one class remaining, but apparently there were still enough students to make out two. This also meant Hinata had a fifty percent chance of ending with Naruto this year as well.

She didn't. Sakura was also in a different class.

But Sasuke was still her classmate.

In the end, it seemed like they were going to be classmates for the entirety of their academy years, if next year there was only one class remaining, as it was normal. Hinata was disappointed, of course. Just when it looked like things with Sakura were getting better…

They talked, that day she went to visit her on her compound. At first it was awkward, but soon enough; the two of them fell into comfortable conversation once they managed to completely clarify things between them.

Hinata was happy that their friendship looked as if it was going to survive. To lose the only female friend she ever made over a boy… even if she didn't like Sasuke that way, it seemed inevitable things would go awry whenever he was involved.

…not that it meant he was at fault or anything! Hinata knew firsthand how annoying it was for him having so many girls in love with him. It wasn't something he chose, and the actions those girls took in response to their infatuations were completely outside his control.

She sighed, playing with the bookmark stacked between the pages of her notebook, the same bookmark he had gifted her for her birthday. She was serious when she told him she would always use it. Hinata naturally appreciated everything that was given to her by her loved ones, be it big or small, but there was just something about the bookmark… about Sasuke specifically taking the time to pick out a flower that reminded him of her and pressing it…

Her eyes wandered around the classroom again, watching all of her new classmates talk and have fun as they waited for their teacher to arrive. That was when she caught a pair of narrowed blue eyes looking at her. Hinata closed her mouth tightly before a squeak could scape, and rapidly glanced away.

That's right. Ino was in the same class as her this year.

It wasn't necessarily bad, but Hinata couldn't forget the last, and only, interaction she ever had with the charismatic blond girl last year, where she implied Sakura was forcing her to be her friend. Hinata wasn't a resentful person by nature, but the encounter had left a bad aftertaste that she couldn't quite get rid off until now.

She hoped she didn't have to engage Ino again, at least, not under those circumstances.

Of course, with her luck, that didn't happen.

"So, Sakura and you are in different classes now" she said as soon as the bell indicating recess rang. Hinata was barely putting away her stuff, getting ready to get up and stretch her legs for a bit, so she wasn't prepared for Ino to come talk to her so suddenly. Regardless, she did her best to appear unaffected.

"Y-Yes…" she answered, her stutter returning after a long while in the presence of someone she wasn't used to.

Ino hummed, looking at her inquisitively. Hinata fidgeted, before slowly standing up and glancing elsewhere in an attempt to diffuse the awkwardness suffusing the air around them. She opened her mouth to ask if she needed something else, but Ino beat her to it.

"Are you going to keep being friends? Now that you won't be seeing each other so much, I imagine it will be difficult to keep contact…"

She ended the sentence in an open way, as if she herself wasn't so sure of the fact. Hinata stared at her, surprised about the question. Why would she ask something like that? What was she looking for?

What exactly was she implying, once again?

At the last thought, Hinata frowned, unable to keep down the feelings of annoyance that were starting to bubble up in her chest. Why was Ino here to begin with? Why…?

"Why wouldn't we be f-friends anymore?" she answered with a question of her own. Ino frowned too, crossing her arms and glancing away.

"It's just… Sakura is the type of person to have her attention quickly drawn elsewhere… and we're approaching our last year at the academy. There won't be a lot of time to hang out and have fun when we're supposed to be preparing for our inminent graduation" she explained shortly, the fingers of one hand drumming rhythmically against the opposite arm.

Hinata tilted her head, pondering her words. She hadn't thought of it that way; that they would have less time now that their graduation was slowly, but surely, approaching. However, she still couldn't accept it. Because friendship was defined by more than just the amount of time one spent with the other person, or how much fun they had together.

She wanted to say that to Ino. Instead, what she said was; "Sakura-chan isn't as fickle as Ino-san b-believes."

Ino blinked, staring at Hinata again. Her brows quickly furrowed, anger marrying her features in a way Hinata couldn't understand. She wasn't the one that implied anything, so why was she angry?

"Of course" the other girl murmured, tone low but harsh. "Since you know Sakura so much better."

"I know what Sakura-chan has showed me for the last year" Hinata didn't back away, although Ino's voice and face were a bit scary. She swallowed, steeling herself. "I believe in my friendship with Sakura-chan."

Even if you couldn't believe in your own friendship enough, was what she thought, but didn't say. Till this day, Hinata wasn't sure of the details of what had really transpired between the two girls, but after seeing Sakura's resolve and determination to make things right the day after her birthday, to mend their friendship and recover the trust that had been lost because of the same boy that seemed to have destroyed Ino and Sakura's relationship, she couldn't believe in what the blond girl was saying. She couldn't believe that Sakura would abandon her like Ino seemed so adamant to make her believe.

They stared at each other for uncountable seconds. Although Hinata was trembling, she didn't relent. Then, finally, Ino snorted, uncrossing her arms and turning around with a flick of her now long ponytail.

"Whatever. Don't come crying to me when the inevitable happens" she threw over her shoulder, stomping down the aisle and disappearing through the classroom door.

It was only when she was out of sight that Hinata finally allowed herself to relax. She placed a hand on her chest, letting out a breath of relief, before shaking her head in order to clear her thoughts.

She deeply hoped that was the last of her interactions with Ino. It was just too stressful, if the only thing she had to say every time she talked to her was something or other against Sakura.

Making her way to the courtyard, she noticed there was no one else around. It made sense, considering how long Ino had retained her. Not that it mattered that much to Hinata. Even if they had less time, she knew Sakura wouldn't mind.

She definitely wouldn't.