I do not own Naruto and its characters. This story is just a product of my playful imagination.

--

115 days before the incident

I hadn't even realized that our school's basketball team had won their first game of the season—Sasuke hadn't mentioned it. The atmosphere at school feels different today, charged with something electric. The hallways are lined with congratulatory banners, and everywhere I look, students are admiring the team as they jog through the school grounds. The pep squad is there too, chanting and screaming, their energy infectious.

The team is basking in the attention, smiles lighting up their faces as they wave at the students cheering them on. Every player, except one - Sasuke. While his teammates glow with pride, he stands apart, his expression distant, almost indifferent.

He jogged along with the rest of them, his strides long and steady, but he didn't seem like he was part of the celebration. While everyone else beamed with that undeniable joy of victory, his face was... different. It wasn't sad or angry, it was just—neutral. The same way he always looked. Detached, almost like he was in a world of his own, just doing what he needed to do.

I often find myself wondering why Sasuke chose to let me into his world, why he gave me a place so close to him, as if I hold some unspoken privilege. Sometimes, it feels like I might be the closest woman to him, aside from his mother, of course. But in the quiet moments, a creeping doubt gnaws at me—what if this friendship, this bond we share, is nothing more than a fleeting distraction for him? A mere escape from the monotony of his life. The fear consumes me, a cold, biting fear that one day he might grow bored, disenchanted, and slip away. What if I am just a temporary chapter in his life, one that he will someday close without a second thought? The thought alone makes my heart ache, as if I'm already losing him.

He briefly glanced my way, and for a moment, I wanted to smile at him, to silently congratulate him for whatever triumph he had achieved. But then, I saw the girls cheering, the pep squad erupting in unrestrained excitement as they screamed his name. Suddenly, I felt insignificant—like I was a shadow in a room full of light. My heart sank, the warmth of my intended smile faltering.

I wish, more than anything, that he'd come to the book club this afternoon, or maybe invite me over, just the two of us. But I know that won't happen. Not with Naruto announcing his party. Everyone is invited, after all.

Naruto's house parties had always been the stuff of legend. I'd heard my classmates talk about them endlessly—how fun they were, how everyone always had the best time. But I'd never once thought about joining in. The loud crowds, the clinking of drinks, the chaos—it all made me uncomfortable. And I knew no one there wanted me. To them, I was just the weird girl, the freak they whispered about when they thought I wasn't listening. But today was different. Naruto had actually invited me.

"Hey Hinata, since it's Friday and if you have free time, please come. I'd really be glad if you do."Naruto's voice cut through my thoughts, and I froze. His words were kind, but they felt like a bomb had just dropped in the middle of my world. I looked up, and suddenly, all eyes were on me.

I could feel my face burn with the heat of a thousand stares. My throat went dry, and I couldn't seem to find the words. I was aware of Sasuke's gaze on me too, across the room, his eyes sharp and unreadable. I swallowed hard, unable to think clearly.

So I did the only thing I could think to do—I nodded, slowly. It wasn't even a real "yes," just a weak, automatic gesture. I didn't want to go, but I didn't know how to say no either.

"That's great! See you later tonight!" Naruto's smile was wide and genuine as he turned back to his friends, and the moment passed as quickly as it had come. But the damage was already done. The whispers began immediately.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ino shot me a glance so sharp I almost flinched.

The whispers grew louder, full of speculation, full of scorn. I felt the weight of their curiosity pressing down on me. Why would Naruto invite me?

I tried to tell myself it was just a friendly gesture, that he was being kind. But it was hard to ignore the growing sense that this was something they'd never let me live down. If they were reacting like this just because of a simple invitation from Naruto, I could only imagine what would happen if they knew the truth—that I was close friends with Sasuke.That would definitely make their heads spin.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of Sasuke. His expression is curious, surprised that I'll be joining the party. In the back of my mind, there's a quiet sense of relief—Sasuke will likely be there too. Even though we won't be able to talk, just having a familiar face around gives me some comfort.

Maybe that party won't be so bad after all. Or so I thought.

When I got home, I immediately sent Sasuke a message, eager to congratulate him. It took him a few minutes to reply.

"Hey! This might be late, but congratulations!" I typed, feeling a bit awkward.

"Yeah, really late," came his short response.

I hesitated for a moment before typing again, "I'm really sorry. I didn't know how to congratulate you at school."

"Fair point," he replied after a few minutes.

"Are you going to Naruto's party?" I asked.

"No," he answered, blunt as ever.

"Why?" I pushed.

"I have something else to do."

"Are you really serious about going there?"

"No, I just said that so he wouldn't feel bad," I admitted. "Besides, I won't have anyone to talk to there."

"It may not be that bad," he replied, with a hint of dry humor. "You already know how to drink."

"Yeah, you taught me well," I replied, trying to keep things light. But Sasuke didn't respond, leaving the conversation hanging in silence.

A few minutes later, my phone rang, jolting me from my thoughts. I figured it might be him, maybe a late reply. But when I saw the unfamiliar number on the screen, my heart skipped a beat.

I answered, and Naruto's cheerful voice immediately came through the speaker.

"Hey, Naruto here! Sorry, I kinda forced our class rep to give me your number. Just making sure you'll come later."

"Oh, ye-yes," I stammered, trying to keep the conversation short.

"Don't worry, you'll have fun. It's a clean party, I swear. My mom won't let me sneak anything illegal in. Just some light drinks and food."

"Yeah, sure. I'll be there," I said, my voice quieter than I intended.

"Awesome, thanks!" he replied, and before I could say anything else, he hung up.

Now, I felt like I didn't really have a choice. Maybe I'd just drop by for a bit and leave quickly. Naruto would surely understand.

I parked my car at the Uzumaki mansion, a large, impressive building with the faint hum of music leaking from the inside. The place was alive with energy—students from school, both familiar and new faces, mingling together. I stepped out of my car, trying to blend in, hoping to spot Naruto without drawing attention to myself.

But luck was on my side. As soon as my eyes scanned the crowd, his familiar grin appeared across the room. Naruto's face lit up the moment he saw me, and he made his way toward me with an eager smile. It was hard not to smile back. There was something about the way he looked at me that made me feel glad I had come.

"Hinata, I'm so glad you made it!" Naruto exclaimed as he reached me, his grin widening. He placed a hand on my shoulder, guiding me towards a table where his friends were sitting.

"Yeah, but I can't stay long. I've got cram school tomorrow," I said, feeling a little guilty for not being able to hang out longer.

"Aww, that's too bad," he sighed. "Sasuke and Sakura couldn't make it either."

I raised an eyebrow. "They couldn't come?"

He nodded. "Yeah, Sasuke said something came up as for Sakura she does not say why."

That explained his earlier text. But whatever was going on with him and Sakura was none of my business.

Naruto led me to the table, where his friends were gathered. Kiba, already a bit tipsy, waved at me with a goofy smile. Shikamaru, was slouched in his seat, eyes glued to his phone like he was trying to escape the party without leaving. Choji was holding food in both hands, but he managed to shout a cheerful "Hey!" as I sat down. Two other girls, who didn't look familiar, were chatting happily at the table, their faces flushed with excitement trying to catch Shino's attention.

I barely had a chance to get settled when Naruto returned, drinks in hand. But this time, there was someone else walking beside him—Ino, who looked less than pleased to see me.

"Hey Hinata, here's your drink," Naruto said, handing me a can. He flashed a warm smile. "I hope you're feeling comfortable here."

Before I could respond, Ino spoke up, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oooh, what made you come here?"

I felt a sudden tension rise between us. I didn't know her well, but the bitterness in her tone was hard to miss.

"Ino, don't start," Naruto said quickly, shooting her a look. "It's good Hinata is here, especially since Sakura and Sasuke are missing."

Ino smirked but didn't press the issue. "Haha, unlucky for Sakura. She thought Sasuke would give her a ride here, but now he's not even showing up. She's stuck without a way to get here."

Naruto glanced at me. "I could pick her up if she needs a ride."

"Yeah, call her. She's been blowing up my phone. Sometimes I wonder if I should just buy her a car so she can drive herself around," Ino said, taking a seat beside Shikamaru.

"Hey, Hinata."Naruto said, turning to me. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna go pick Sakura up. I'll be right back."

"No problem," I said, already feeling a little out of place. "I'll just take a walk around."

"Alright, see you in a bit," he said, flashing me one last smile before turning to leave.

"Wait, wait! Let's take a picture first," he added, pulling out his phone. He slipped an arm around my shoulder, smiling brightly as he pointed the camera at us. "Smile!"

I gave a half-smile, a little unsure of the situation.

"I'm sending this to Sasuke so he knows what he's missing," Naruto teased. "Everyone's here except his killjoy ass."

I smiled and let him snap the photo before he headed out.

Alone now, I wandered around the mansion, feeling oddly detached from the festivities. It was quieter here, but still filled with an air of wealth and extravagance. I passed through the hallways, admiring the sleek decor, though nothing felt as impressive as the house where his mom had thrown that big birthday party for his dad. That place had been grand, every inch meticulously designed. This mansion, though beautiful, had a more relaxed atmosphere.

Eventually, I found my way outside to the pool area, where a few people were lounging, but it was peaceful enough for me to enjoy some quiet. I took a moment to snap a picture of the view—peaceful, the water reflecting the lights above. The serenity here made me wonder where Mr. and Mrs. Uzumaki were. Had they really just let Naruto throw this party at their house? It was hard to imagine my father ever allowing something like this, especially with the drinking that was clearly going on.

I was lost in my thoughts when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a message from Sasuke.

"So you really came to the party?" it read.

"Yeah, but I'm planning to leave soon," I typed back.

"Where's the idiot?"

"Picking up Sakura."

"Okay."

And that was it. Typical Sasuke, always leaving the conversation hanging. I couldn't help but smile a little. It was just like him to be so... blunt.

I was about to text back when I felt someone shove me from behind. Before I could even react, I was falling into the cold water. Panic shot through me as I splashed around, struggling to keep my head above water. I could hear voices shouting from the poolside—some were laughing, others yelling—but none of them seemed to be making any move to help me.

I kicked harder, trying to stay afloat, but it was hard to focus with the water crashing around me. Then, suddenly, I felt a strong pair of arms pull me from the pool and drag me to the side. I gasped for air, shivering as I was pulled up onto solid ground.

When my vision cleared, I saw Naruto standing over me, fury in his eyes. Beside him was Ino, who looked far too pleased with herself.

"Your joke's not funny, Ino!" Naruto shouted, his face red with anger. "Hinata could've drowned!"

Ino crossed her arms, her lips curling into a smug smile. "Well, she didn't. No need to freak out."

I shivered, still trying to process what had just happened. Naruto turned to me, his expression softening.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern flashing across his face.

"I—yeah, I'm fine," I muttered, still shaken.

Naruto shot a glare at Ino before helping me to my feet. I was drenched, shivering from the cold, and still a little dazed by the unexpected plunge into the pool. But it wasn't the water that left me feeling uneasy—it was the tension that now hung in the air between Naruto , Ino and me.