She had tried so hard to get over him. Hinata had been in love with Naruto her whole life but before she'd summoned the courage to confess her feelings, her cousin had made Naruto his. She didn't blame Neji, Naruto was an incredible person and of course she wasn't going to be the only one to fall in love with him. Still, it hurt, and after meeting Naruto's child, witnessing him build a family without her, it hurt more than she'd ever imagined it could. She knew now that she was still in love with him, and didn't think it was something she would ever not feel, even though she knew it was hopeless.
Lee was a different person than Naruto, but he did have that same unyielding determination. When she had joined Team Guy and he had asked her out, she couldn't think of a good reason to say no, not when Naruto was wholly committed to a life with Neji. She had thought too, as selfish as it was, that dating someone else might be a way to force herself to move on and stop longing for something she could never have. But she knew now that it had been wishful thinking, she couldn't manipulate her heart like that, and so she just needed to accept that this was how her life would be. What she didn't have to accept though, was dragging Lee down with her. Despite the fact that she liked Lee and got along with him quite well, she had treated him poorly and it was time to end it. It was time to let Lee go so that he had a chance at finding someone who could love him the way he deserved. They had only been together for a few months, so she hoped that his heart wouldn't be too broken.
It was early morning, so she knew she would find him at the training ground. He was a very dedicated shinobi, something she admired about him.
"Lee?"
"One moment, Hinata. Four-hundred and ninety-nine, five-hundred!"
He finished his drill and jogged over to her.
"What is it, Hinata?" he smiled, always positive and cheerful. I don't want to hurt him, but this is for the best. One day he'll understand that.
"I can't date you anymore."
"No, Hinata, do not say that! I like being your boyfriend."
Of course she knew he wouldn't simply accept it, he was a fighter, and besides that he deserved a proper explanation.
"It's not you, Lee," she said, hating how cliché it sounded, but it was true. "I… I'm in love with someone else. I have been for a very long time."
She expected him to get a little angry over that, obviously she had gone into this relationship with those feelings, but he surprised her.
"You mean Naruto."
"W- What?"
"I know how you feel about him, Hinata. It is alright. You are a very kind person. I think you have enough room in your heart for both of us."
She didn't know what to say, he was too good to her, and she burst into tears. She thought she'd been suffering alone all this time, but she hadn't.
"Do not cry, Hinata," he said, wrapping her up in a hug to comfort her. "I really do not mind. I love you enough to let you be who you are."
She cried even harder, and held onto him too. Somehow, she had lucked upon the only man that she thought would ever accept this part of her.
"Lee…" she sobbed.
"Shh, it is alright. There is no need for you to be so sad anymore."
When her tears had run their course, she looked up at him through watery eyes.
"Thank you…"
He touched her wet cheek.
"I hope you feel a bit better now."
She actually did feel like she had purged some of her heartache, certainly the weight of her guilt had eased.
"Yes…"
Lee gave her a smile.
"I know you do not love me the way you love him, but I think you care about me. Naruto has chosen a path for himself now. You might not have the life you dreamed of, Hinata, but that does not mean you cannot ever be happy, or maybe even dream a new dream one day."
She didn't know if that was possible, but she did feel grateful to him for saying it. For now, maybe he could dream for them both.
"I don't want to break up," she told him.
"That is good," he said. "Because I do not want to either."