The Hyuga compound was eerily quiet as Hinata slipped through the gates. She clutched the small paper bag containing the contraceptive pills tightly in her hand, her fingers trembling slightly as she made her way toward her room.

Once inside, she closed the door behind her and leaned back against it, exhaling deeply. Her heart pounded erratically in her chest, each beat echoing the wild thoughts racing through her mind. What if she was already pregnant? What if taking the pills now wouldn't make a difference? And worse yet—what if Sasuke's fan girls found out about what had happened?

"Oh no," she whispered hoarsely, sinking onto her futon. "What if Father finds out? He'll disown me for sure! Or worse—he'll force me to marry Sasuke-kun!" She buried her face in her hands, groaning softly at the thought. "And then Sasuke will hate me forever because everyone will think I trapped him into marriage…"

Her imagination spiraled further into absurdity. She pictured herself standing before the entire village, pointing dramatically at Sasuke while declaring, "It wasn't my fault! We were drugged!" Meanwhile, Sakura and Ino would glare daggers at her, shouting accusations like, "How dare you steal Sasuke-kun away from us!"

Hinata shuddered visibly, clutching the bag of pills even tighter. "No, no, no… That can't happen. I have to take this medicine right now."

She opened the bag hesitantly, pulling out the small container of pills and reading the instructions carefully. Her brow furrowed slightly as she tried to decipher the medical jargon, but eventually, she managed to figure out how to use them properly. With a deep breath—and a silent prayer to whatever deity might be listening—she swallowed one pill with a sip of water.

"There," she muttered, setting the container down on her bedside table. "That should do it."

But her relief was short-lived. Almost immediately, new worries began creeping into her mind. What if the pills didn't work? What if she started showing symptoms tomorrow—or worse, next week? Would people notice? Would they start whispering behind her back?

Despite her attempts to rationalize the situation, her paranoia refused to subside. She imagined running into Sakura or Ino in the village—they'd corner her, demanding answers about why Sasuke had been so protective of her earlier.

"Hinata," Ino would say smugly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why are you blushing so much? Did something happen between you and Sasuke-kun?"

And then Sakura would chime in, her emerald eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Yeah, Hinata. Spill it. Don't think we haven't noticed how weird you've been acting lately."

She imagined herself stuttering uncontrollably, her face turning bright red as she stammered, "I-I swear, it wasn't intentional! T-the village head's wife gave us spiked juice!"

Ino would gasp dramatically, covering her mouth with both hands. "Spiked juice?! Oh my gosh, Hinata, you sly fox!"

And Sakura would shake her head disapprovingly, wagging a finger at her. "Honestly, Hinata, I expected better from you. Drugging poor Sasuke-kun like that? How could you?"

By the time she finished picturing the hypothetical confrontation, Hinata was laughing softly to herself, tears streaming down her cheeks. It was all so ridiculous—so completely absurd—that she couldn't help but find humor in it.

̟ ! ̟ !

The training grounds were alive with the sounds of kunai slicing through the air, shouts of determination, and the occasional explosion from Naruto's shadow clones. Team 7 , 8 and 9 practicing together. Hinata's tried—and failed—to focus on Kakashi-sensei's instructions.

Every time Sasuke moved closer during their sparring sessions, her concentration shattered completely. Memories of that fateful night flooded her mind unbidden—the warmth of his touch, the intensity of his gaze, and yes, even the way his damp hair had clung to his forehead after his bath.

"Oh no," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head furiously as if trying to physically dislodge the thoughts. "Focus, Hinata! Focus!"

But focusing was easier said than done when Sasuke stood mere feet away, his Sharingan glowing faintly as he analyzed her movements. She stumbled mid-step, nearly tripping over her own feet as she attempted to dodge an incoming attack from Sakura. Thankfully, Neji—ever the vigilant protector—was quick to intervene, stepping between them with a protective glare.

"Sakura-san, please refrain from targeting Hinata-sama so aggressively," Neji said coolly, his Byakugan activated as he scanned the area for any further threats. "She's clearly distracted today."

Hinata flushed crimson, bowing her head in embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry, Neji-niisan… I'll try harder…"

Neji sighed softly, lowering his guard slightly as he turned to face her. His expression softened ever so slightly, though his tone remained firm. "You need to stay alert, Hinata-sama. There are too many people here who might take advantage of your vulnerability."

Hinata nodded quickly, avoiding eye contact with anyone else in the group. She could feel Naruto's curious gaze lingering on her, along with Kiba's teasing smirk and Tenten's knowing glance. Even Lee seemed unusually observant today, pumping his fist enthusiastically as he shouted something about the power of youth.

"Alright, everyone!" Kakashi called out lazily, flipping a page in his beloved orange book. "That's enough for now. Let's grab some ramen before Naruto eats all the stock in Ichiraku."

Naruto grinned widely, already sprinting toward the village gates. "Finally! I'm starving!"

As the two teams made their way to Ichiraku Ramen, they ran into Team 10 along the way. Ino waved excitedly upon spotting them, dragging Choji and Shikamaru over to join the growing group.

"Hey, Hinata!" Ino chirped brightly, looping an arm around her shoulders. "You've been awfully quiet today. What's going on?"

"Y-yeah, Hinata-chan!" Tenten added, grinning mischievously. "You're usually so cheerful. Did something happen on your mission with Sasuke-kun?"

Hinata froze mid-step, her heart skipping a beat at the mention of Sasuke's name. "W-what? N-nothing happened!"

Her panicked response only fueled Ino's curiosity. The blonde leaned closer, her teal eyes sparkling with intrigue. "Oh really? Then why are you blushing so much?"

"I-I'm not blushing!" Hinata protested weakly, covering her face with both hands. "It's just… um… hot outside!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, muttering something about "troublesome women" under his breath. Meanwhile, Neji stepped forward protectively, placing himself between Hinata and the rest of the group.

"That's enough," he said sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Leave Hinata-sama alone. She doesn't need to answer to anyone."

Ino pouted dramatically, crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine, fine. No need to get so defensive, Neji. We're just teasing her."

"Teasing can easily turn into harassment," Neji countered, his pale eyes narrowing slightly. "And I won't tolerate anyone making Hinata-sama uncomfortable."

Hinata smiled faintly, grateful for Neji's unwavering loyalty. Still, she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for putting him in such a position. If only she could explain everything—but how could she possibly confess without causing chaos?

As they finally reached Ichiraku Ramen, the group settled into their seats, filling the small stand with laughter and conversation. Naruto immediately ordered three bowls of miso ramen, while Choji devoured his food with impressive speed. Sakura sat beside Sasuke, chatting animatedly about their latest mission, though he barely acknowledged her presence.

Hinata chose a seat near the edge of the counter, hoping to blend into the background. But her plan backfired when Sasuke unexpectedly slid onto the stool next to hers, ordering a simple bowl of pork ramen.

"Um…" Hinata stammered, clutching her chopsticks tightly. "S-Sasuke-san, shouldn't you sit somewhere else? There's plenty of space…"

He glanced at her briefly, raising an eyebrow. "Why? Are you uncomfortable?"

"N-no! Of course not!" she replied hastily, her voice rising an octave higher than intended. "I just thought you'd want to sit with Sakura-san or someone…"

Before Sasuke could respond, Ino leaned across the counter, her grin widening mischievously. "Oh my gosh, Hinata! Look at you two sitting together! How cute!"

Hinata's face turned bright red, and she nearly dropped her chopsticks in shock. "I-Ino-san, it's not like that!"

"Yeah, yeah," Ino teased, winking playfully. "Whatever you say."

Neji, who had been watching silently from a nearby stool, finally snapped. He slammed his hand down on the counter, startling everyone—including Ayame, the ramen chef's daughter.

"That's enough," Neji growled, his voice low and dangerous. "If anyone has a problem with Hinata-sama, they can take it up with me."

The entire group fell silent, staring at Neji in stunned disbelief. Even Sasuke raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the sudden display of protectiveness.

"Whoa, Neji," Kiba remarked, breaking the tension with a laugh. "Calm down, man. We're just messing around."

Neji didn't relax, his gaze sweeping over the group like a hawk surveying its prey. "Messing around is one thing. Crossing boundaries is another."

Hinata sank lower in her seat, wishing the ground would swallow her whole. This was exactly what she'd feared—awkwardness, misunderstandings, and Neji's overprotective tendencies spiraling out of control.

After a few moments of tense silence, Tenten cleared her throat, attempting to lighten the mood. "Well, this got intense fast. Anyone else hungry?"

Slowly, the conversation resumed, though Hinata remained quiet for the rest of the meal. As she sipped her miso soup, she couldn't help but chuckle softly to herself. Life certainly had a funny way of surprising her—and not always in the best ways.