The gates of Konoha loomed ahead, their familiar wooden archway a welcome sight after the long journey back making Hinata feel like she was finally home.
But as they approached the main road leading into the village, an all-too-familiar scene unfolded before them. Naruto Uzumaki stood in the middle of the street, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly while Sakura Haruno scolded him loudly, her fists clenched at her sides. Her voice echoed sharply through the area, drawing curious glances from nearby villagers.
"Naruto, you idiot!" Sakura snapped, her emerald eyes blazing with irritation. "How many times do I have to tell you not to eat ramen for every single meal?! You're going to turn into a noodle!"
"But Sakura-chan, it's so good!" Naruto protested, grinning widely despite the scolding. "Besides, Ichiraku makes the best ramen in the world! You should try it sometime!"
Sakura rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yeah, right. Like I'd waste my time on something as unhealthy as that."
Hinata froze mid-step, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of Naruto-kun. For years, just seeing him would send her spiraling into a fit of nervousness—her cheeks flushing red, her words tumbling out in stutters, and sometimes even causing her to faint. But today… something felt different.
She blinked slowly, tilting her head slightly as if observing the scene from a distance. Naruto-kun was still as loud and energetic as ever, his bright blue eyes sparkling with mischief. And Sakura-chan… well, she looked absolutely radiant, as always. Yet, for some reason, Hinata didn't feel the usual pang of longing or envy she typically associated with them.
Instead, her mind drifted back to Sasuke, who walked silently beside her. Images of the previous night flashed unbidden in her thoughts—the warmth of his touch.
"Hey, Hinata!" Naruto called out suddenly, snapping her out of her reverie. He jogged toward her, his grin widening as he waved enthusiastically. "Welcome back! How was your mission?"
Hinata blinked again, startled by his sudden appearance. Normally, this would be the moment where her nerves got the better of her—her face turning crimson, her voice faltering, and possibly even collapsing into a heap on the ground. But instead, she simply smiled softly and replied, "It went well, thank you, Naruto-kun."
Her calm response surprised everyone—including herself. Even Sasuke raised an eyebrow slightly, though he quickly masked it with his usual stoic expression.
Sakura, who had been watching the exchange with mild interest, suddenly perked up upon noticing Sasuke standing quietly behind Hinata. Her cheeks flushed pink, and she immediately straightened her posture, smoothing down her skirt and tucking a strand of pink hair behind her ear.
"Oh, Sasuke-kun!" sakura exclaimed, her voice noticeably sweeter than before. "I didn't see you there! Welcome back! How was your mission?"
Sasuke glanced at her briefly, his expression indifferent. "Fine."
Sakura giggled nervously, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger. "That's great! Um… if you ever need someone to train with—or, y'know, hang out—I'm totally free!"
Naruto frowned, scratching his head in confusion. "Wait, why are you being all flirty with Sasuke? What about me?"
"Because unlike you , Sasuke-kun actually knows how to act mature," Sakura retorted.
Naruto Uzumaki stood in the middle of the street, his bright blue eyes narrowing suspiciously as he watched Hinata. Something about her behavior felt… off. She hadn't stuttered, fainted, or even blushed when he spoke to her. It was like she'd been replaced by a completely different person.
"Hey, wait a second!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at Hinata. "You're acting weird! Did something happen on your mission? Are you hiding something?"
Before Hinata could respond—or worse, start panicking—Sasuke stepped forward calmly, grabbing Naruto's wrist mid-point before it could reach her. His grip was firm but not aggressive, halting Naruto's advance instantly.
"She's tired," Sasuke said flatly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Let her go home and rest."
Naruto blinked in confusion, glancing between Sasuke and Hinata. "Tired? From what? Carrying scrolls doesn't sound that exhausting!"
"It's none of your business," Sasuke replied curtly, releasing Naruto's hand. He turned to Hinata, his dark eyes softening ever so slightly. "Go back to your compound. You need to rest."
Hinata nodded quickly, grateful for the excuse to escape. "Y-yes, Sasuke-kun. Thank you."
She bowed politely to both Naruto and Sakura before hurrying off down the street, her lavender jacket fluttering softly behind her. Her heart raced—not because of Naruto this time, but because of Sasuke's intervention. He'd saved her from yet another awkward situation, and she couldn't help but feel a strange mix of gratitude and embarrassment.
As she disappeared around the corner, Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, pouting like a child. "What's up with him? Why is he acting all protective of Hinata all of a sudden?"
Sakura rolled her eyes, grabbing Naruto by the ear and dragging him away. "Stop being such a baby, Naruto! You're ruining Sasuke-kun's mood!"
"Ow, ow, ow! Let go of me, Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined, struggling against her grip. "I just wanna know what's going on!"
"You're hopeless," Sakura muttered under her breath, ignoring his protests as she pulled him further down the street.
Meanwhile, Hinata had barely made it halfway to her compound when Sasuke caught up to her. His footsteps were quiet, almost imperceptible, but she recognized his presence immediately. Her cheeks flushed red as she turned to face him, clutching the hem of her jacket nervously.
"S-Sasuke?" she stammered, her voice trembling slightly. "Is something wrong?"
He stopped a few feet away, his expression unreadable as always. For a moment, he simply stared at her, his dark eyes scanning her face intently. Then, without warning, he reached out and grabbed her wrist gently, pulling her closer.
Her breath hitched in her throat as he leaned down slightly, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "We didn't use any contraceptive jutsu last night."
Hinata's eyes widened in shock, her face turning an alarming shade of crimson. "W-what?!"
"You heard me," Sasuke continued, his tone calm but firm. "If you don't want to risk having a child anytime soon, you should take something to prevent it."
Her mind went blank, overwhelmed by the implications of his words. She opened her mouth to respond, but no coherent sentence came out. Instead, she could only nod frantically, her head bobbing up and down like a broken spring.
"R-right! I-I'll do that!" she managed to squeak, her voice barely audible. "Thank you for reminding me…"
Sasuke released her wrist, stepping back slightly. His expression remained stoic, though there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes—a rare sight that made her heart skip a beat.
"Good," he said simply, turning to leave. "Don't forget."
"I won't!" Hinata called after him, her voice tinged with desperation. "I promise!"
As he walked away, disappearing into the crowd, Hinata slumped against a nearby wall, clutching her chest dramatically
"Oh my goodness," she groaned, burying her face in her hands. "This keeps getting worse and worse! First, I force myself on him, then I find out we might have accidentally created life together, and now he's giving me parenting advice?! What is happening to me?!"
"Okay, Hinata," she muttered to herself, pointing a finger determinedly at her reflection in a nearby puddle. "You can handle this. Just go to the pharmacy. No big deal."
She marched toward the nearest medical shop. But as she entered the store and approached the counter, her confidence faltered once again.
"Um… excuse me," she began hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-I need something… um… to prevent… uh…"
The pharmacist raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her flustered demeanor. "To prevent pregnancy?"
"Yes!" Hinata blurted out, her face turning red again. "But please don't tell anyone! It's very embarrassing…"
The pharmacist chuckled softly, nodding reassuringly. "Don't worry, miss. Your secret's safe with me."
By the time Hinata left the shop, clutching a small bag tightly to her chest, she felt like she'd aged ten years in the span of a single day