The Hyuga compound was as lively as ever. Clansmen and maids were busy in their daily routines as they strode past the former heiress. No one paid any attention to her as she made her way through the courtyard.

"Hello, Lady Hinata."

Hinata turned and looked at the source of the voice. A young Hyuga maid was bowing her head.

"Hello."

"Lord Hiashi has summoned you in his office," she said as she stood straight. Hinata's brows furrowed as she wondered why her father wanted to see her.

She nodded and walked towards her father's office. When she reached the doors, the gaurds let her in. Her father was sitting on his chair and when he saw Hinata comimg, he gestured her to sit down. But Hinata ignored it and kept standing. She just wanted to listen what her father had to say and be gone.

"Father." She greeted her with a slight bow.

Hiashi nodded at her and started talking, "In a few days Hanabi will be sixteen and will take over my position as the head."

He paused to let it settle down and Hinata nodded. "I am well aware of that, father."

Hiashi clenched his jaw tightly but it went unnoticed by Hinata as she was looking at the table in front of her.

Hiashi continued, "You know our traditions and customs well. When one child of the main family becomes the head, the other have to become the part of the branch family and take the seal as well."

Hinata closed her eyes and took a deep breathe but remained silent.

"I am asking you one more time, Hinata," he paused but before he could continue, Hinata interrupted him and said quietly.

"No matter how many times you ask, father. My answer will be the same." She finished and looked her father in the eye. Her father's eyes were hard and unwavering as usual. Cold and distinct.

She didn't like it at all, she wanted to look into the soft eyes that her father had when she was a young girl. When he used to look at her with love and pride. But Hinata knew clearly that her father who possessed the feeling of love had died along with her mother. After her death, he just wasn't the same.

"It is your duty, Hinata!" Hiashi said in a loud and firm voice. Hinata slightly flinched at that but did her best not to show it. She said nothing, she just stood there and kept her mouth shut. He stood up and gave her a disappointed look.

"I am disappointed in you."

When Hinata said nothing, he sighed and turned away from Hinata with his back facing her. He was a horrible father but he have to do it. So he took a deep breathe and said in a firm tone and an authoritive voice.

"You have made your choice. You will get the caged bird seal a day before Hanabi becomes the head," he then looked over his shoulder and said, "Understood?"

"Yes, Father," Hinata said, her voice was calm and steady. Her face held a blank expression but her eyes refused to meet her father's. Hiashi then turned his head away and dismissed her. She bowed and left her father alone in the room.

She made her way to her room, greeting the maids with a gentle smile as they smiled at her and bowed in respect. She finally reached her room and slid the door open and stepped in. She closed the door behind as she took in the silence of the room that seem to scream at her. She stood there as a lone tear slid down her cheek. Soon after, she broke into sobs and slid down the door as she covered her face with her hands to muffle the sound of her crying.

She wasn't crying because of what will happen to her in a few days but because of the promise she made four years ago at her cousin's grave. She couldn't keep her promise, she failed. She always failed, she was a failure.

There was only one way to keep her promise but she refused to that. She couldn't take Hanabi's place as the heiress and let her little sister's freedom be sealed with her eyes. Hanabi didn't deserve that. She knew that Hanabi was the one who can change the cruel and old ways of the Hyuga clan. The only thing Hinata had to do was to keep quiet and let the elders do their work.

She'd do anything to protect her sister, at any cost. She wipped her tears away from her eyes and cheeks as she calmed herself down. She then stood up and went to her bathroom to take a shower and get into some clean cloths. She stepped into the shower and the warm water slid down her body, first soaking her hair and face. She closed her eyes and let the warm water calm her heart and mind. She let out a shaky breathe.

After showering and getting into her cloths, she brushed her hair and went to grab some food from the kitchen. After eating, she then went outside for a walk. It was late afternoon, the sky was mostly covered with clouds but the sun still seem to peek down on Konoha from the heavy white curtains of the clouds.

As she was walking down the street, she realized that she was missing something, like something was always with her as she walked the roads or streets. She looked around and found herself in front of the Uchiha's apartmemt building.

Her eyes widened as she realized that she was actually missing Sasuke. For the past two weeks, everyday, Sasuke was always beside her, giving her safety and warmth. She didn't even realize that how much she got use to it, in only two weeks.

Sasuke was so much like her yet so much different. He had friends who cared about him but still he felt alone. Like some part of him was missing, just like how she felt. She had people who cared for but she still felt so lonely sometimes.

But when she was with Sasuke, she forgot that she ever felt that way. They had become close when they were returning to the village. They talked, they laughed and joked. It was so unusual for them to talk at all but when they talked with each other, Hinata realized that they had quite a few things in common.

She smiled as she remembered the time during their journey but her smiled dropped when she remembered his behaviour in the Hokage's office this morning. Again the questions popped up in her mind as to why he behaved like that? Was it because of her? Should she go and apologise to him?

She shook her head at the last question and dropped it as she started to walk away from the building. Now she was heading towards the market where she was sure that she will definetly find Kiba and Shino at the Ichiraku at this hour.

When she reached the infamous restuarent, she entered and the loud voice of Naruto Uzumaki reached her ears. She looked his way and found him, Sakura and Sasuke sitting on the stools at the counter bar. Naruto was slurping his noddles while talking with his mouth full. Sakura was telling him to first eat and then talk as her face was red with anger. Sasuke only stared at the both of them with an amusing expression on his face.

But then his head turned this way and their eyes met. His black orbs widened slightly but then he turned away from her as he rested his chin on his hand and leaned on the counter with his elbow. That way, Hinata couldn't see his face anymore.

She felt her chest hurt at that move. Was he ignoring her? Did she do something wrong? She groaned inwardly as she willed herself to look away from the raven-haired man and looked around to find Kiba and Shino. They were nowhere to be seen.

Sakura noticed that Sasuke suddenly stiffened and hid his face with his hand, she could see his ears turning red. She then turned around and saw Hinata standing at the doorway, thinking something. She smirked at Sasuke which he noticed and glared at her as if telling her to shut up. But Sakura wasn't afraid of the Uchiha, her smirked turned into a smile as she called out to Hinata and waved.

Hinata waved back with a smile.

"Come, Hinata. Eat with us," Saukra said as she smiled at her. Hinata shook her head but Sakura stood up and grabbed her hand as she dragged her to where they were sitting. She made Hinata sit beside Sasuke as he threw a glare at Sakura. She only shrugged. Hinata sat timidly beside Sasuke as he leaned forward and whispered to Sakura.

"What are you doing?" he hissed at her but that didn't seem to faze the pink haired kunoichi.

"Making your ship sail," she whispered back with a smirk and a wink. Sasuke's brows furrowed.

"What does that even mean?"

"You won't understand," Sakura giggled as she turned to Naruto and again started lecturing him on how to eat properly. He sighed at them but he turned his head towards the woman beside him as she cleared her throat to grab his attention.

He faced Hinata as she stared at her fidgeting fingers in her lap. She lifted her eyes to meet his but only for a moment. She whispered, "Sasuke-kun?"

He hummed as if telling her to continue. She said, "I am sorry."

He looked at her in confusion, "What for?" He asked, confused.

"Um... T-today... In the morning, in Hokage's office. Something made you angry so I... I think it was because of me. So I wanted to apologise," she said nervously as her eyes were casted downwards, at her lap.

Sasuke was surprised to hear that. He didn't realise that it made Hinata think that it was beacuse of her. Well indirectly, it was because of her but it wasn't her fault that Sasuke became jealous just by seeing her with another man. His eyes widened at the realization that he was actually jealous. Did he really fell...

Shit. He closed his eyes as he cursed inwardly.

"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered as she looked at him with those beautiful and soft lavender eyes.

"No. It wasn't because of you. You did nothing wrong, Hinata," he said softly as he offered her a small smile. She blushed when she heard him say her name. She thought it was the first time he called her by her name. She found herself smiling at him.

"Why would you think like that? Did it bothered you that I was angry?" he asked with smirk.

"Yeah, a bit," she answered, she felt really nervous around him.

"Why?"

"Because your friendship is important to me." She blushed at her own words. It kinda slipped out.

"Oh?" Sasuke smirked but it turned into a smile as Hinata nodded her head, he could see that her face was completely red.

"I'm happy to hear that," he muttered softly. Hinata couldn't help but smile as she stared at her hands. Her heart was beating very fast, she could hear it pounding against her ribcage.

"I could eat this delicious ramen the whole day, you know!" Naruto said loudly, grabbing Sasuke's and Hinata's attention.

"Naruto! How many times do I have to tell you not yell like that in my ear!?" Sakura yelled as she huffed in anger. Hinata noticed that Sakura didn't hit him like she used to.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan," he said sheepishly. Sakura sighed and smiled at him as she shook her head at his childish behaviour. After paying their bills, they all exited the restuarent.

The sun was setting now as the sky was illuminated with different colors of orange, yellow and purple. Naruto's eyes landed on Hinata and he started chatting with her. Hinata smiled at him as she talked.

Sasuke and Sakura were trailing behind as they both stared their backs. Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets and clicked his tongue in annoyance. He then turned to Sakura and said, "Did you tell dobe about your feelings?"

His tone indicated that he was irritated. Sakura seemed to notice it so she frowned and said, "I didn't get any chance to tell him."

He sighed, "Tell him, now."

Sakura's head snapped toward him as she said, "What?" He nodded.

"But what about Hinata?" she said as she looked at her friend with concerned eyes. He followed her gaze to the woman infront of them and said in a soft tone.

"I'm sure Hinata will understand. She'll feel horrible if she finds out that you couldn't confess because of her. She'll only blame herself."

Sakura looked down and seem to understand what he just said. So she nodded and smiled at him and said, "Thanks, Sasuke-kun."

"Hn." He smiled. "Now go."

Sakura called out to Naruto and they both halted to look back at them. Sakura asked Naruto to talk to her alone as Sasuke came and took Hinata by her hand as he dragged her back to give them some privacy.

Hinata blushed at their sudden contact but then she looked back at her two friends as they talked.

"W-what's going on, Sasuke-kun?"

He halted and let go of her as he looked dead in her eyes. "Do you still have feelings for Naruto?"

Hinata looked shocked at his question as she blushed, "W-why are you asking m-me that?"

"Because I want to know." She looked at him with a surprised look on her face but remained quiet. He sighed as he continued.

"Sakura has feelings for him and I don't want anyone to come between them." He said firmly, he sounded very rude but in real, he didn't want Naruto to come betweem them. But Hinata didn't need to know that, atleast not yet.

Hinata looked sad as her eyes averted to the blonde and Sasuke's heartbeat quickened at the possibility that she might still have feelings for Naruto.

He turned his head to look at his two teammates as they exchanged words but Sakura was the one who did the talking as her cheeks flushed and her eyes were casted downwards. And as for Naruto, he could only look at Sakura with awe. His eyes sparkled as a faint blush could be seen on his cheeks too.

He felt happy for them but when he looked at Hinata, he actually felt scared. She still hadn't answered him whether she still loved Naruto or not.

Hinata looked at them sadly but not as sad as she should be, she had her doubts about Sakura's feelings but now it was confirmed. She was actually sad because unintentionally, she was standing between Naruto and Sakura, and she didn't even realize that. But she was happy for them. Maybe it was for the best. They both deserved each other. Hinata was just not lucky. She wasn't the one to force someone to love her, she believed that there was always someone out their for her and now she have to believe that Naruto wasn't that certain someone.

She smiled and turned to Sasuke to give him her answer. But before she could answer, a loud explosion was heard and the world around her spun as she went flying back by the force of the shockwave. She landed with a thud and the breathe was knocked out of her lungs at the impact. Her ears rung as she felt a warm liquid slid down her face. Her vision was blurry and all she could see and hear was the blurry images of people running and a faint voice calling her name.