GIFTED
"Huh? Soulmates?" Ino would ask. It was such an odd concept that she had to stop her task just to turn around to look at Hinata. Sakura was no different. She had a stack of files that needed to be checked and the foreign topic was interesting enough to break her focus.
Hinata sat on her chair, her expression showing a hint of confusion. She didn't think the topic would be too odd for them. Don't people talk about it often?
"Yes, soulmates. Chakra alignment. Locked souls. Do you know anything about it?" Hinata continued to press on, trying to sound as if she's merely curious. "I stumbled about it when I read a book last night."
Hinata could not shake the feeling she had towards Sasuke. She was so convinced she was in love with Naruto that seeing the guy now, after her connection with the rogue ninja, and not feeling any butterflies like she used to, really made her think. Because she had always been head over heels about Naruto.
"Oh, yeah. I used to read about it too back when I tried to get Sasuke's attention. Academy days." Sakura responded. "I'm not sure if any of it is true, though. I've never met anyone who's had that experience. I guess I was just pushing my luck."
"And what did you learn, Sakura-san?" Hinata would continue to ask.
Ino was pleased that this conversation was way more interesting than their endless paperwork. "C'mon forehead, you got some info."
"Weeeeell," Sakura said, leaning back on her chair, stretching a little bit after being in one position for hours. "I guess I can tell you a little bit about it. I remember understanding that chakra alignment actually speeds up the process of leveling up whatever it is you're trying to achieve. What would take a person 6 years to learn, will make it 6 months once you've locked souls with another person."
"Isn't that quite interesting? I wish everyone can go through that. We'd win multiple wars like it's no biggie." Ino chuckled.
"True, but you'll never know who you'll be locked with, piggie. Imagine locking souls with Shikamaru!" Sakura joked.
Ino's obvious reaction of disgust says enough. "If I can go through that with someone like Sai, it'd be nice."
Hinata couldn't help but laugh. "And so… not everyone is fated to be with someone. If a person never locks, then they will continue life according to their choices?"
"Correct. Because half of the universe' plan involves people sacrificing their preferences, and the other half takes free will. That's how history is made. Mankind, as we all know, value freedom as the highest ethic. And so to balance this, there are certain chakras people are born with, that will go on an endless pursuit of another's."
Ino jumped into the explanation, "Say, forehead, wasn't it that a fated human's chakra was actually incomplete since birth? And therefore can only come to its full potential when locked?"
Sakura nodded. "Precisely. I've also read that when souls are locked, every reason is thrown out of the window. Meaning, you can be fated with a rogue ninja and you'd still have the desire to be with the person."
Hinata had to flinch at that one. Hopefully they didn't notice.
Ino sighed, "Oh well but isn't this just a myth, though?"
"I'm not sure what to make of it because I've read accounts of those who've locked. Mostly are just really tragic stories." Sakura added.
A gasp came from Ino, and Hinata remained focused as she listened. "How tragic, forehead?!"
"You know, like, they don't get to choose who they love kind of tragic. Oh! And, also, apparently there's some sort of 'purpose' in why they are locked. Something really big or terrible would happen in their lives, and the souls would have been prepared to face it. And when that happenstance came to its finish, suddenly, they lost any memory of each other's love. This was a testimony I've read of someone who watched 2 people locked souls and go to complete strangers."
"That's…" Hinata felt a pang in her chest, as if she would be one of those victims. "Very sad."
"Pretty much. That's why I abandoned the idea that Sasuke and I would ever be soulmates. It sounds horrible. I mean look at him now. I never thought he'd turn out this way." Sakura said as she picked up another piece of paperwork.
But she loves him, Hinata had thought.
"Say, what are the symptoms of someone who has locked?" Hinata continued to ask.
Sakura lifted her eyes to gaze at the ceiling as if trying to remember an old theory. "I guess, you'd need to fact check this, but upon first glance, there's this feeling of curiosity and wanting to touch the person. And then once touched, they'd be able to feel each others' presence in a certain kilometer radius. And then once gone into sex, they'd go into chakra completion."
Hinata blushed, knowing that the first 2 symptoms were exactly what she'd gone through. Ino, being curious herself, asked, "Man. And then what happens after the sex part? Sounds like it could be a cool romance novel."
"I've read it gets really bad, though. Because it's as if they've become animals, always needing to be intimate. As if it sustains the growth of the chakra. And then every time they're apart from each other, the female can suffer through severe pain, which leads to fevers and then ultimately death… if not maintained through sexual relations." Sakura explained, while signing off papers.
"Damn what a weird way to say they become horny ass people." Ino blurted, glancing at a whole mountain of paperwork, gagging as she saw how much she has to work through.
Hinata however, couldn't believe what she just heard. Something within her was already longing to see Sasuke. She wouldn't go a night without dreaming about him and waking up desiring for him to at least touch her shoulder.
"A-Ano, sorry but one more question," Hinata began, "when the so-called 'purpose' is finished, will both of them forget everything? Or will it only be one of them?"
Sakura looked up at the Hyūga heiress. "Good question. I can't remember that one, sadly. It would be more suffering if only one forgets. I refuse to believe the universe is that cruel than it already is."
"What if they never engage in s-sex?" Hinata went straight to what's obvious.
"Hm…" Sakura tried to think, putting her pen and paper down, "I don't have an answer to that either. I guess more symptoms will occur, logically speaking, even before sex. Because the whole fate of soulmates is forcing two people to become one against their will. But again, I'm merely guessing on this one."
Ino chuckled, "You starting to sound like a love doctor, forehead. But I think our lovely princess here might have been locked with someone."
Hinata felt like her heart was stuck in her throat. "W-What, no! Not at all!"
Ino peered into Hinata's face, "You suuuuuuuuure? Because if it's Naruto, you know we're all rooting for 'ya!"
… It's definitely not Naruto.
Sakura had to laugh at Ino's teasing. "Or maybe it's Kiba? He's got the longest crush on you since we were kids!"
"N-N-N-No not Kiba!" Hinata managed to say.
"I'd be super sorry for you if it would be Gaara. Dude can't even smile." Ino said.
"Or maybe it's Neji?" Sakura asked.
Ino gagged, "Ew, Sakura, you're into that?"
Sakura shrugged, "Cousins aren't direct siblings."
Hinata jumped in to make a statement, "I'm telling you, it's not happening to me."
It wasn't like she wanted to be locked with any soul. It was more that she was afraid that she's locked with Sasuke. Nothing good will come out of that situation. And the worst part is, she's starting to believe that it happened to the both of them.
A sharp pain in her head could be felt, and it made Hinata wince. She's been having really bad migraines for the past 6 months now, and she realized that if she stayed outside, she could pass out in public; which was something Hinata hated the most. "T-Thank you for the detailed explanation. I think I'm going to have to head back now. I'm not feeling so good." She said.
The other girls nodded, understanding her current situation. "What did the doctor say the last time you paid a visit?" Sakura asked.
Hinata could only shrug because she didn't have an answer.
"Hm... I really hope that's sorted soon. Kind of worried about you."
With a small smile, Hinata responded, "No need to worry about me! I just need to pop a pill and head to bed. It's 5 PM now, and we can clock out. Just leave the rest of the paperwork on my desk. I'll get to it first thing on Monday morning." After saying her goodbyes, Hinata left the office building to head home.
Ino watched Hinata walk away while saying, "I'm still worried, forehead."
"Same." Sakura added.
Hinata was well aware that the paperwork she had left Sakura and Ino to deal with was a part of her job desk, too. However, she just couldn't find herself to focus any longer. Her migraines have been getting worse and she had been going back and forth to the doctor to find out why it was severe.
The whole journey walking back to her home was filled with a million thoughts running across her brain. And she couldn't help but wonder where the rogue Uchiha was. She desperately wanted to speak to him, to share what she's learned both from reading, and from Sakura's explanations. She wanted badly to sit next to him and just lean against him as the frustration left her body. Because she could have sworn that when he touched her, her migraine disappeared. Her tiredness left. And she felt revitalized.
Maybe she was being selfish. Maybe desiring him was just an illusion. Maybe she was in a genjutsu. Maybe she's being weird and foolish and crazy.
Upon exiting the building, he heard Naruto laughing with another male as they too seemed to be ready to leave work. For someone like Naruto, after-mission paperworks were his nightmare. He looked like he was excited to leave the building to go get some ramen.
Hinata stood outside the doors just to observe the Uzumaki for a moment. Not too long ago, she would hide, fear of being noticed because she wouldn't know what to do. Her heart would beat uncontrollably, and her face would change color to a deep read, and she'd have the worst time recollecting her thoughts to be able to have a decent conversation with the man. She was absolutely crushing on Naruto.
But as she watched him with her newfound perspective, she felt... nothing. Very casually she looked away from the man who never noticed her, and walked back home like seeing him never really mattered.
After a long walk, Hinata could finally lay on her bed where she had the space to figure things out in her head. She placed her heart on her chest and forced herself to recall her moments with Naruto before she had the connection with the Uchiha. Normally, her heart would start to race. But…
Hinata lifted her hand to look at it.
I feel absolutely nothing.
Then she diverted her focus to the Uchiha, and her mind mysteriously got so detailed. She remembered his dark hair, all messy and perfect. She recalled his smirk, so devious and inviting. Then she recollected her memory of his eyes. His gaze on her. Filled with hatred and desire.
Her heart began to pound at the thought of him, and she could feel her nether regions coming to a resolve. What if he touched her more? Caressed her skin? The way he grabbed her hair… What if he did that again? What if he forced himself on her? What if she gave in and fully submits to him? A sharp pain ran across her head, enough to make Hinata flinch. The migraine has been going on since the last 6 months, and it has been bothering her to a higher degree. Must it occur during a nice recollection of Sasuke?
Sitting up on her bed, she ran her fingers through her hair. She was beginning to feel frustrated that her headache didn't lessen, even after the pills. It was so bad that she couldn't find herself opening her eyes while there was still light. Hinata reached over her nightstand to switch off the lamp next to her. The moment she was in complete darkness, with only the moonlight illuminating her room, she rested back onto her bed.
It still hurts.
She tossed and turned, hugging another pillow, praying that the pain would subside. Hinata remembered what Sakura had said,
"I guess more symptoms will occur, logically speaking, even before sex. Because the whole fate of soulmates is forcing two people to become one against their will."
A welling up of sadness began to stir within Hinata's heart, and she couldn't help but cry. Life has been unfair, and yet it continues to be so. She remembered vividly how all she could think of at night was Naruto. And yet, ever since Sasuke began mysteriously appearing in her dreams a year ago, she could feel a shift in her being. When that first encounter happened, that was when she realized how fixed she was in keeping her eyes on the Uchiha, constantly wondering where he was. Endlessly wishing he'd appear in her room again.
Hinata sat up again due to the pain still ringing in her head. She was beginning to feel frustrated, alone, and empty. How can anyone endure something like this? She could feel the insides of her head vibrating. Both her hands were holding her head in place, as if it was about to explode.
"P-Please, make it stop. Make it stop–"
It would be fair to say that the pain made it feel like she was suffering for a thousand years. But when a certain someone entered the room, things were about to change.
"Hinata." said a voice that could cure everything she's feeling.
The heiress looked up to see where it came from, already knowing who it was. Last time she could last 3 months, now even 24 hours were too much for her to bear.
"Are you okay?"
She could see red orbs glowing in the dimly moonlit room of hers. The outline of his face is all too familiar for herself. If she was going to test this out, to see if this Locked Souls thing is true, she'd better be honest of how she was feeling.
"No…" she said, sounding almost as if she whimpered. "I'm not okay." Hinata crawled to the other end of the bed, towards where he was standing. If this fated soulmate thing was real, then upon a touch, her migraine will have to go. She swore to the universe to prove itself wrong… or right. Whichever it was, Hinata was desperate to know why.
She reached out a hand to touch Sasuke's rough fingers, and instantly she felt relief wash over her. To further prove whether it was real, she intertwined her fingers with his, which he complied. And the pain felt lighter.
"My head hurts." She said, gripping his hand tighter. Sasuke moved to sit next to her on the bed, without detaching her hand from his. "How can I help?"
Odd. His tone was still the same old cold Uchiha, and yet, she could hear his concern in the midst of his facade. "Just… stay there." Hinata sat closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. Within an instant, her migraine left her. With eyes closed, Hinata spoke in a soft tone, clearly too tired to be shocked, "There's no way…"
She began to look as if she was half asleep.
"Hm?" Sasuke responded.
A soft sigh of relief escaped her lips. "My headache is gone. This is such a gift."
Sasuke did not say anything to that statement. He stayed still, watching her drift to sleep. And before she fell into an abyss of dreams, the heiress yawned. "I think I can stay like this for a long time."
And indeed it was. Hinata couldn't remember how long she stayed sitting with her head resting on his shoulder. All she realized was when she woke up the next morning, he wasn't in her room anymore, and that she had been moved to lay on her bed, with a blanket over her. Hinata had the best sleep ever after 6 long months.
The heiress was beginning to fear that the myth might be true.