Definitions for the words in italic will be listed at the bottom!

From the minute Sasuke woke up, he was constantly crowded with women fixing his hair, making sure his nails were clean, and putting a thick clear cream on his face that he was told kept his skin from getting dry all day. When he was first presented with his robes a few days ago, he was pleasantly surprised that they were colors both he and Hinata sported every day.

When it came time to put on his attire, it was nearing the time to depart for the Hyuuga Compound. First, he put on his juban in private before the older women reentered the room. Next, they dressed him in a black kimono and tied a lavender obi just below his hips before dressing him in a navy blue striped hakama. They continuously cooed over how elegant he looked, no doubt wanting to earn the favor of the future Uchiha Head but Sasuke wanted nothing to do with people who had agendas such as those. After, they held up his navy blue haori as he slipped it on. The haori was his favorite piece as it had his family crest on it and he was most prideful of his lineage. Finally, it came time for the white tabi and he had to argue with them that he would put them on himself.

He felt extremely uncomfortable with the whole ordeal but more so when an older woman got on her knees in front of him and went for his feet. He backed away and insisted he would do it himself, they eventually relented and, though feeling stiff, he managed to do it just fine. Lastly, they tied a white formal knot with himo to keep his haori secured.

As he stared at himself in the mirror, his mind wandered to his brother, and wondered if he had once worn something like this. He shook the thought away when there was a knock on the door. His father slid the door open and looked pleased with what he saw.

"You look very elegant, Sasuke. It is time to go," Fugaku said. Sasuke nodded and thanked the women before following after his father. By the door, he stepped into the setta placed on the ground for him.

"You look handsome, Sasuke," his mother said from behind him. He turned around to see her dressed in similar colors to his father. He couldn't help but smile at how happy his mother looked at this moment. Yesterday, having seen her so disconnected, he was positive she wasn't going to be attending.

"You look beautiful, Mother," he replied, holding his hand out for her as she stepped into her zori to ensure she didn't fall.

"Thank you," she replied gently. For the first time in five years, they walked out together to the Hyuuga Compound…as a family. Sasuke made a mental note to get a picture of his family separately today.

Hinata's personal maid, Mitsuki, answered the door and welcomed the Uchiha family in, where they left their shoes neatly in the genkan.

"Hiashi-sama is waiting with Hinata-sama in a private room where the ceremony will be practiced," she explained before leading down the corridor, turning a few corners, and stopping in front of large shoji doors. She slid one of them open. "Hiashi-sama, the Uchiha Family has arrived.

"Thank you, Mitsuki. Please leave us until an hour before sunset," Hiashi said. Mitsuki bowed deeply before turning around and sliding the second door open for them. Once they were in the door, Sasuke heard the doors softly slide closed behind them. Looking forward, Hiashi, Hinata, and Hanabi were standing across from them. Sasuke's breath caught as he took in Hinata's appearance.

She stood wearing a navy blue furisode that had lavender-colored pine trees outlined in a gold thread littered across the silk fabric, a lavender haneri peaked out of her collar, and a black date-eri ran between her kimono and haneri. Around her waist, she wore a black fukuro obi decorated with gold-shaped Sakura flowers complete with a white obiage and a navy blue obijime that held the obidome. Peeking out from underneath her kimono was her feet in white tabi socks. Bringing his eyes back up, he noticed her skin shining much like his but her lips were lightly colored with a pink gloss and her cheeks gently brushed with a gentle rosy color. Her hair was tied up and lightly curled with Sakura flowers pinned neatly into her stands, and Sasuke was extremely pleased with what he saw.

He so often saw her in her training uniform or standard clothes that he sometimes forgot she was an heiress. While he preferred to see her get dirty and sweaty from training, he admitted that it was nice to see her dressed up.

They all bowed to one another before Hiashi offered them seats on the zabuton and they all sat. He and Hinata shared a brief smile and he felt himself grow smug when he noticed a blush on her face that was not due to any makeup.

He snapped out of his thoughts when all their eyes seemed to be on him. He immediately bowed his head in apology. "You will have to forgive me as I was enchanted by Hinata-san's beauty," he said smoothly. Mikoto giggled while Fugaku's lips twitched up.

Hiashi cleared his throat. "Your compliment is most appreciated, Sasuke. I asked if you both are ready for today's announcement," he said, repeating the question he missed, though his voice held a tinge of amusement.

"Yes, Hiashi-sama. We are ready to begin our journey together," he replied. "We are looking forward to it."

Hiashi was pleased by this answer and accepted it easily. "Very well. As Fugaku-san and I told you both earlier this week, we will all arrive together and you and Hinata will stay separated until the announcement is made. During this time, you both will be greeting people and giving your thanks for their attendance."

Fugaku chimed in after this. "Yes, and I'm sure people will already be suspicious of what the announcement is but it is imperative that you do not answer their inquiries. Once the sun has set and the outside lights are turned on, the announcement will be made and you and Hinata will stand together hand-in-hand. Afterward, it will be time for refreshments and you two will eat together."

Sasuke did his best, but he was positive his face was slightly red and he didn't dare look at Hinata's. He had held her hand before, but it was in comfort and certainly not for anything romantic. He internally cursed as he thought of their best friend seeing this. It was going to be a long night.

"Since the food stands will be open, are we permitted to have anything we would like to eat?" He asked, mostly for Hinata's sake but her family wasn't aware that he wasn't particularly fond of sweets.

"For tonight, I will allow Hinata to eat as much as she would like as it is a special occasion, but her diet resumes tomorrow," Hiashi replied.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama," he replied.

"Now, we will begin practicing." With that, they all stood and ran through the preparations.

Naruto arrived at the village's main strip and was in awe at how many people were in attendance. He stood between his mother and father, who wore traditional kimonos, while he wore a brightly colored one. He loved standing out and wasn't going to let clan etiquette rule over him when he wasn't even a part of their family. Truthfully, he knew that whenever Sasuke and Hinata got there, they would immediately steal the attention. They moved so gracefully in their ninja gear and he knew it would be even better with their formal attire.

"Wow, this is so awesome!" Naruto exclaimed. "I can't wait till they get here."

Kushina put a hand on his shoulders. "They probably won't be able to talk for long when they get here," she warned him. "But I'm sure they'll be more available to talk once the food stands have been opened." She shot a glance at Minato, who shared her concern. They were both worried for their son and how he was going to take the news.

Minato looked about and greeted everyone who came up to him. As the Hokage, the crowd drifted toward him. As it was hard to get an audience with him due to his busy schedule unless there was a major problem, many civilians approached him and eagerly greeted him. He easily talked and made time for everyone and he was viewed by many as a strong and kind leader. He was very kind, but would not hesitate to go on the front lines and lead an army to victory; as a result, he had many admirers.

Naruto beamed with pride at how many happy people came to greet them, and especially beamed at how loved his father was. When his father first became Hokage and started coming home less than before, he wanted to become the Hokage to be loved. The attention he wasn't receiving from Minato, he wanted to receive from the village, but as he matured a bit more over the past few years what he realized was that he wanted to protect the village as great as his father did and earn their respect. He didn't need to be loved to protect those he cherished.

When he told this to the Hokage, not his father, he was gifted with a gentle smile and the best words he had heard in his life. "You finally understand. I am proud of you, Naruto Uzumaki." His father was recognizing him as a full-fledged shinobi instead of just his son.

"Oh, I see some of my classmates! Can I go stand with them?" He asked as he spotted Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Ino, and even Sakura standing off to the side.

"Sure, but don't cause any trouble. This is a special day for the village and your friends," Minato said sternly.

"I know, I know, Dad. I'll be over there!" Then he ran off toward his friends. "Hey, you guys look nice," he said in greeting.

Shikamaru groaned. "And you look too bright," he said, shielding his eyes.

"Yeah, it's awesome, right?" He said, proudly with his chest puffed out.

Ino poked his chest. "Don't try to steal the day from your friends, Naruto!"

"Like I would be able to do that if I wanted," he replied easily. "You've seen them!"

"Do you know what this announcement's about anyway?" Kiba asked.

"No, they've kept pretty tight-lipped about it. You know them…" Naruto trailed off.

"The perfect heirs," Shikamaru finished with a yawn. "Troublesome, but I respect it. I have a theory though."

Everyone moved a little closer, even Shino. "Well, are you gonna share with the class?" Sakura huffed.

"Nope," he said, giving no explanation. Truth was, he didn't want to say it aloud and accidentally end up hurting Naruto and himself. He suspected it was to announce an engagement, but on the slight chance that it wasn't, well, he didn't want to hurt anyone. He was mostly protecting himself. Ino was about to shake him to get the information out when out stepped the Hyuuga and Uchiha head families.

Everyone in the crowd gasped in awe as they took in the elegance and gracefulness of the six people standing in the very front of the crowd. Naruto's eyes widened as he took in Hinata's appearance. He loved how she looked in her training gear, but didn't mind seeing her like this either. Looking to the other side, he saw Sasuke standing proudly beside his father and couldn't help but share in the pride. His best friends were incredible people.

"Hinata looks really pretty!" Kiba whispered loudly as he grabbed Shino's arm.

"Definitely, but look at Sasuke!" Ino sighed dreamily.

"So handsome," Sakura added to that.

Naruto looked over to Shikamaru and was genuinely surprised to see his face that red. He nudged his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

The Nara cleared his throat and managed to tear his eyes away from the Hyuuga Heiress. "Yeah, I'm fine. They all look really nice," he replied.

After another brief moment, their families branched off and went opposite ways to greet everyone. Sasuke and Hinata firmly kept their eyes on the people they were meeting and not once looked away to find their friends.

"We better get back to our parents," Shikamaru sighed. "It's proper for the family to be together as they're greeted." With that, he was off, but Naruto caught his gaze on Hinata. His eyes narrowed and he took Shikamaru to be a rival, just as he felt Sasuke was but for different reasons. Shikamaru in love, and Sasuke as a shinobi. He didn't have to worry about Sasuke being with Hinata as he had told him before that she was promised to another. He didn't know who that person was but he was determined to make a name for himself that would be just as good as marrying another noble, if not better.

The greeting went by quickly and when they each got to the Uzumaki family, neither Sasuke nor Hinata broke their bearings when greeting him. Naruto felt a little flustered by the whole ordeal but managed to keep his calm. Once the families made it back to the front, Naruto and his friends gathered in the same spot as earlier to hear the announcement. His mother, strangely, was reluctant in letting him go, but eventually did.

"We thank you all for coming out to celebrate this joyous occasion with our families," Hiashi said, effectively quieting down the crowd. Naruto's eyes stayed on Hinata for a long while before switching to Sasuke who already seemed to be looking at him. Though surprised, Naruto managed a large grin to show his friend how proud he was. Sasuke's eyes squinted just a bit and seemed to be clouded with sadness and guilt. This confused the blonde, but he assumed the Uchiha was just nervous.

"Today, we celebrate the future union of the Uchiha and Hyuuga Clans through the marriage of my son, the Uchiha Heir, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hyuuga Heiress Hinata Hyuuga," Fugaku continued. Cheers erupted from the crowd but all Naruto could hear was the ringing in his ears. Sasuke's eyes never left his until a moment later when he and Hinata met in the middle and joined hands together as they bowed to the villagers. They moved in such perfect sync that Naruto felt they had practiced it as much as they trained. The thought made his stomach churn.

"Shikamaru," he said to the man beside him. Though the people were loud, his own voice felt amplified in his ears. "Was this your theory?" His eyes never left their clasped hands, even when his vision seemed to blur with unshed tears.

"...Yeah," Shikamaru replied. There was a pat on his shoulder that he was sure came from the Nara, but he couldn't be sure anymore. Things seemed tilted and upside down.

"The food stands are now open and the music will begin shortly! Please continue to join us in celebrating," Hiashi announced. The crowd dispersed to make their way to get refreshments but all their friends stayed rooted into place. Ino and Sakura were barely holding their tears and anger back, Naruto felt disconnected, Shikamaru's once bored expression now held a hint of sadness while Choji, Kiba, and Shino seemed to be in shock and indifferent respectively.

Minato went up to Hiashi and Fugaku to thank them for their generous donations to the village and for sparing no expense for this celebration. He moved over to congratulate his pupils on their engagement.

"How are you two feeling?" He asked.

"Relieved now that everyone knows," Hinata said honestly. "It never came up much, but it was difficult when it had." Sasuke gripped her hand tighter in comfort. "Where is Naruto?"

Minato smiled gently but it held some sorrow in it. "He's still near your old classmates, but I'm sure he'll be around soon. He probably wants to let you two breathe for a minute." When Minato looked into Sasuke's eyes, he understood the boy knew what had just happened with Naruto.

"I see. We'll talk with him then," Sasuke said easily.

"Actually, Minato-sensei, may I speak with you privately?" Hinata asked. Now that she had the Hokage in front of her, she couldn't let this chance slip by. She needed to talk with him now, or it may be months before another opportunity came.

"Of course."

She turned to Sasuke. "I'll be right back. I just need his input on something," she explained when Sasuke raised his brow. He nodded and let her go, turning away to give them privacy. "Please, follow me." She led Minato to the other side of the building to a place she knew to be secluded and safe thanks to her doujutsu.

"Is everything okay, Hinata-chan?" Minato asked. She turned to him, with her byakugan still activated, and stretched her sight as far as it could go before nodding to herself.

"Are we truly alone, sensei? I'm afraid this matter is rather private…"

"Yes, I only ever have guards nearby if I have to leave the village," he assured her.

"I have…sensitive material to disclose," she said, stepping closer. "Please, what I'm about to say, no one must know that I am the one who revealed it or my family will be in danger."

Now serious, though confused, Minato took her hand and gently squeezed it. "You have my word."

The first thing Sasuke did was make his way to Naruto as swiftly as he could, but it always seemed like the blonde was just out of reach.

Then he was stopped by Hiashi Hyuuga. "Sasuke, I'd like a moment of your time," he said. It sounded as though he could decline but the tone of his voice told him that this was about an important matter.

"Of course, Hiashi-sama." Hiashi took him to the side. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"After everything that happened with Itachi, the Hyuuga Elders expressed their objections to a union with the Uchiha. However, I assured them that you would not be like your brother," he said. Sasuke straightened his back just a bit. "I ask that you do not make me a liar. Should you do anything to hurt my daughter, I assure you that it will be personally taken. I do not forgive lightly when it comes to my clan or my daughters. Do I make myself clear?"

Sasuke bowed his head. "I will never purposely hurt Hinata-san," he said. "I am nothing like my brother. I thank you for having faith in me and I give you my word that I will not let you or her down."

Hiashi stared him down for a moment—Sasuke never broke eye contact—before nodding to himself. "Very well. I will hold you to that. Please, enjoy the rest of your night when Hinata returns."

Sasuke bowed. "Thank you, Hiashi-sama." The Hyuuga Head nodded and turned away to return to his youngest daughter's side. Sasuke looked around and found Naruto quickly and immediately went after him. Like before, he stayed just out of his reach but Sasuke continued to follow.

He knew Naruto was leading him somewhere when he began getting further and further away from the crowd. When they could only hear the music in the distance, Sasuke took the opportunity to speak.

"Naruto…"

In a flash, Naruto had him pinned up against the fence behind them after having turned a corner. "You lied to me!" Naruto said. For a brief moment, his eyes appeared to be red rather than blue and Sasuke froze. He felt a menacing aura in the air that was choking him in a way Naruto wasn't. It felt like…evil. But then his eyes were blue again and Sasuke was left wondering just what he had seen. He wondered if he had imagined the whole thing, but the aura that was still in the air convinced him otherwise.

"I never lied to you," he said as calmly as possible.

"You said it wasn't you! How is that not lying?!"

"Because it was true at the time."

Naruto pressed against him harder, making it difficult for Sasuke to breathe properly. "Don't give me that bullshit!"

"It's true!" Sasuke gritted his teeth. How was he supposed to tell Naruto that a different man was supposed to be standing beside Hinata and holding her hand, that she had never been meant for him? "I never lied!"

Naruto pulled him in and pushed him back against the fence roughly, the wood creaking with the pressure. "You lied!" Naruto repeated. "You watched! You watched me and knew how I felt about her and you still didn't have the decency to tell me!"

"I couldn't! It was—"

"Don't say it was Clan Matters! You're just hiding behind that excuse now," Naruto growled. "You just didn't have the balls to tell me!" He shoved Sasuke into the fence hard, the wood now splintering. Sasuke hissed softly in pain.

"That's not how it was," Sasuke sighed.

"Then tell me!"

Sasuke shut his eyes tightly. "Because she was supposed to marry Itachi!" He yelled, panting with anger. "She was never meant for me or you, idiot! She was supposed to be standing up there with my stupid brother, but now I'm just his replacement." At this, Naruto seemed to calm down and he finally stepped away. That menacing air wasn't as strong but it was still there.

"Then…"

"Yeah. Seven years ago, when you asked me, she had already been promised to Itachi. She had been promised to him up until the moment he left. When I became the heir, the contract was passed down to me," he explained. "I wasn't the first person in mind, even from the start, okay? Because this contract was written after she was born. It was always Itachi."

Naruto huffed, turning away. "Don't act like you're not happy about it. How you are with her, it completely makes sense now."

"You think I'm happy about being the second choice?! How I feel about her, it wouldn't have mattered in the long run. Either she would have married my brother or she would have married me, and both options hurt."

"How could marrying her possibly hurt?! She's…She's amazing, Sasuke, and you didn't even have to try to get her," Naruto said, his voice cracking.

"That's the point! I didn't earn the right to be with her," Sasuke yelled. "It was handed to me because my brother deserted us, deserted her! And had I turned it down, she would've been married off to some other noble and the Hyuuga and Uchiha would've been at odds once more. Understand that this isn't just about us, it's about the future of the village. We need this unity, Naruto! And you, of all people, should understand that."

"I get what you're saying," Naruto said. "But it still hurts here." He gripped his chest and looked at Sasuke with the most tortured expression he had ever seen on his usually happy friend. And he hated that he was the one that put it there.

"Because of this marriage, a lot of lives are going to be saved. She and I will lead our clans together and bring about change within our families and within the village," Sasuke said. "I'm truly sorry, but I have to do what is best for this village even at the cost of hurting someone I care about."

"Even if you had to hurt her?" Naruto asked, tears once again blurring his vision.

"If it came to that, yes. I am a shinobi and the heir to the Uchiha clan. The village and those responsibilities come first. It is the same for Hinata. And it will eventually be the same for you once you become Hokage."

"No. I would never," Naruto said.

"You'll understand what I mean in time. Sacrifices have to be made and sometimes it is you and other times it is your best friends," Sasuke countered. After having spent the last five years as an heir, he came to understand this all too well. Having said what he needed to, Sasuke turned away and began his walk back to the main strip, leaving Naruto standing there alone.

"I'm not going to be like that," Naruto whispered to himself. A promise.

"Sensei, you know a man by the name of Danzo Shimura?" Hinata asked quietly. Minato nodded. "He is not a good man. He needs—he needs to be destroyed." Her voice shook as she thought back to his arm, but the conviction behind those words remained the same.

"Danzo is not very active within the counsel anymore as Lord Third had him demoted before leaving office."

"Did you ever ask him why?"

He shook his head. "It was not my business to pry at that time," he explained.

She looked up at him with wide eyes, pleading. "You have to make it your business now. Ask Lord Third about it and he will tell you why. He will tell you why Itachi Uchiha truly left and about his true mission."

Minato got down on his knee. "Hinata, how do you know this?" He asked, his voice stern with her for the very first time. She shook her head. "Tell me, now."

"I have my sources. I ask that you trust in me, your pupil," was all she could reply. If Minato got confirmation that it was Itachi who gave her this information, he would send guards to her residency and have her watched at all times. Itachi would have no way to get to her and the mission would be a failure. "You need to reveal Danzo Shimura's secrets, sensei. He has many disgusting ones, some closer than you may think."

That arm. Those eyes in that arm. It did not come for free and she shivered with fear at the thought of what he had to do to get them, of what he had to do to Uchiha members to get them. Yesterday, she had a brief meeting with her father in which she inquired about the hunt for Itachi. He was regrettable when he stated Itachi was murdering his fellow clansmen. She knew for a fact that, despite all, Itachi would never take the lives of any Uchiha members if he could help it. Though, she would have to ask Itachi when he came back.

Minato kept his eyes solely on hers for another few minutes but gave up when she didn't budge. She grew up being constantly analyzed by her Elders and he knew his look was nothing in comparison. "I will look into it. But the second you feel you're in any danger from your source or anyone else, don't hesitate to reach out to me. I will protect you."

Hinata bowed deeply. "Thank you, sensei," she gasped, willing her tears of relief to go away. When she looked up at him, her eyes were full of gratefulness and relief.

"Let's return to the party."

"You promise you will not even mention my name to Lord Third?" She asked. She did not want to take any chances on anyone other than her old sensei knowing of her knowledge.

"I promise. Don't worry. I'll make sure you're safe," he assured her. Minato walked back with her to the crowd and was silently trying to connect the dots in his head. He had always been suspicious of Itachi's desertion and the part he supposedly played in Shisui's death, but Hiruzen had always skirted around the topic and he never pushed any further. He was thankful for Hinata giving him that extra push to get to the bottom of it.

He was going to talk to Hiruzen as soon as possible.

Hinata returned to Sasuke's side while Minato went back to his family. "Sasuke," she said. "I'm sorry for being gone so long."

"No worries. Are you ready to get some food?" He asked. She nodded and they excused themselves from their families before moving to the food stands. As they walked, people congratulated them and cleared the way. Hinata's kimono was almost just touching the ground but due to her zori, it was perfectly her size and she was calm as she walked hand in hand with her best friend.

"Have you seen Naruto?" She asked, looking around the crowd to locate their friend.

"We managed to talk for a little bit," Sasuke replied. "He's a bit…upset."

"Because we didn't tell him?" She asked worriedly. "I'll talk to him soon, okay? We're still going to be the best team anyone has ever seen."

Sasuke smiled at her gently and could only nod because he wasn't sure about that anymore.

Naruto walked aimlessly around the area of the celebration. He didn't want to be near anyone at the moment but knew it would cause problems if he left. He sighed and took a seat on the side of the road on a low fence and watched as the tip of his setta dug into the dirt underneath him.

He couldn't find it in himself to look up when his mom's feet came into view. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," she said softly.

"Did you know?" He asked, his eyes never once leaving the ground.

"No, but I put the pieces together," she answered.

"Am I just…stupid?"

"No! You're not stupid, not at all. Why would you think that?"

He laughed bitterly. "I think I would've put the pieces together if Sasuke hadn't told me that he wasn't the one who was going to marry her, but I trusted his word." He looked up at her with such sad eyes that Kushina's heart broke for her son. "And I don't blame him. He was put into this position—they both were—and I'd rather him be the one to marry her than some random noble in another village. I'm just, you know, I—I…" he trailed off. He hadn't said how he felt about Hinata aloud and he was too scared to voice it now. It would make it real and hurt his heart all the more.

Kushina put her hand on Naruto's head and gently ran her fingers through his hair. "I know, sweetheart," she said quickly. She couldn't shield him from this pain, but she could be by his side when he needed it. "I know."

Naruto's smile went wider though it still held sadness. "Thanks, mama."

"Why don't we go get some food? Ichiraku's is open, too, you know," she said, hoping to help his mood.

"Yeah, let's go eat some ramen," he said, subdued.

She pulled him up and put her arm around his shoulder as they walked back into the crowd and maneuvered their way to his favorite ramen stand. Naruto, feeling a bit better, smiled up at his mother and moved closer to her side. These past few years, while he had been her rock, she had also been his. Those rough nights when he couldn't hold his feelings at bay anymore and she doted on him more than usual warmed his heart. She never tried to pry or talk to him about things he didn't want to speak about until he was ready. It was those moments that made it clear how perfect his parents were for one another.

"Naruto!" He froze on the spot at the sound of Hinata's voice reaching his ears.

Kushina squeezed his shoulder. "You can't ignore her, honey. Go talk to her for a bit," she said.

Naruto smiled up at her nervously before turning around with a forced smile. "Hey, Hinata!" He said, waving.

Hinata's head tilted a bit as she walked over to him with a takeout bowl, Sasuke trailing behind her. "I've been looking for you everywhere," she said with a bright but nervous smile. "We got you some ramen, would you like to eat with us?" Then she spotted Kushina behind him and bowed with a bright blush. "I apologize, sensei! I didn't see you."

Naruto couldn't help but genuinely smile at how happy and relieved she looked to see him and at her kindness in thinking about him on such an important day. Hinata was Hinata and he cherished that about her. He made eye contact with Sasuke and held it for a moment before nodding to himself and looking back at Hinata. Whatever he had told Sasuke with that, he seemed to get it and the corner of the Uchiha's lips curled up.

He wasn't completely fine and maybe that was because it really hadn't quite sunk in yet, but he was okay for now and the present was what mattered.

Kushina smiled in return. "That's okay, Hinata-chan."

"Would you both like to join us?" She asked.

Kushina looked at her son. "It's up to you, sweetheart."

"I'll eat with them and meet up with you and Dad later," he told her, giving her a reassuring smile. She said goodbye to them and left in search of Minato. Naruto turned to her and bowed deeply. "Congratulations on your engagement."

Hinata shook her head. "No, I…" She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, for not telling you. You're our best friend and it hurt to keep something so important from you. I hope you can forgive me, forgive us."

Naruto reached out for her hand but stopped just short of it. Not only would it be inappropriate to do this in public, there's no way he could do that around Sasuke either. He looked up at her in realization, eyes slightly widened to discover that things were always going to be different between all of them now.

Hinata reached out and closed the distance, grasping his hand tightly and comfortingly. "You don't have to worry about formalities with us, okay? You're our family," she said. "Even though Sasuke and I are now formally betrothed, nothing will change between any of us."

Naruto couldn't stop the teary laugh from escaping him as he gripped her hand tightly and nodded his head. She always seemed to know just what to say. "Promise?"

She gave him such a loving smile that pieces of his heart seemed to mend. "I promise." She pulled Naruto closer by the hand. "Let's all go for a walk together."

Despite the awkward air between her two teammates, her presence completely dissipated that and they walked together closely through the food stances. Even though she was an heiress and could not act as such, she still took turns in feeding them different foods and they returned the favor. From over her shoulder, Naruto and Sasuke would occasionally meet eyes, stare for a moment, and then turn away.

Trailing just a bit near them, an unsuspecting boy followed the trio through the crowd and easily stayed unknown to his target who was comfortably walking between her two teammates…

*Juban: An undergarment worn under the kimono

*Kimono: Formal wear. Long, loose robe with wide sleeves and tied with a sash

*Obi: Broad sash worn around the waist of a kimono

*Hakama: Loose trousers with pleats

*Haori: Coat that extends to the knee (worn formally and informally for men; informally for women)

*Tabi: Thick-soled socks with a separate section for the big toe

*Setta: Traditional footwear for men

*Genkan: Entryway to a Japanese home

*Himo: Woven cords that are used to secure a haori

*Furisode: Kimono for young, unmarried women; long sleeves that reach down to the calf or ankle

*Haneri: Neckpiece on a kimono sewed onto the juban

*Obijime: A thin rope attached to the obi

*Obi-dome: An accessory attached to the obijime

*Obiage: scarf-like length of cloth worn above the obi; functions as decoration but also keeps the upper part of the obi knot in place

*Date-eri: An accessory that is sewn or fixed onto a kimono by a few pins and peeks out between the kimono and haneri

*Furuko obi: Decorated strip of fabric with a plain lining

*Zabuton: a large, flat cushion for sitting or kneeling on the floor

*Zori: Japanese sandal made of from straw, cloth, leather, rubber, or lacquered wood

I did a whole lot of research into the kimono for this chapter specifically, so I hope everyone can picture their outfits decently! I apologize for getting anything incorrect. We hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. Let us know what you think about Naruto and Sasuke's argument, Hinata and Minato's conversation, Naruto and Kushina's, etc! There will only be one more chapter until the small hiatus we'll be taking, and then we'll be getting into the Land of Waves arc. I'm getting further along into the Konoha Crush arc, so hopefully I can finish part one before we start posting again. Thank you for the birthday wishes!

-hina

NEXT UPDATE: 07/22/23