Mari Makinami
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Okay, first of all, let me make a few things clear.
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Chapter 1.
It was probably going to be the best evening in her whole life. At least Hinata was sure it will be. She couldn't imagine ever feeling better. Why?
Because they won the war. Naruto was alive. Madara was destroyed. In fact, almost everyone she cared for was alive... She didn't want to think about Neji at the moment. Not now, not like this, when everybody around her was celebrating their victory and survival. She will take her time mourning her deceased brother later.
Kurenai, Kiba and Shino. Her team. They were standing there with Hinata at the central square of rebuilt Konoha. It was a huge festival, easily the most spectacular one she ever attended.
It wasn't really surprising: in fact, somehow she expected it to be even bigger and grand, because how could it be any less than this?
Their world was safe. They all were saved by her very comrades, Team Seven. Of course, they received most attention from everyone.
Except for the Uchiha.
She actually feared the man. Not that she still considered him an enemy, no. Naruto told everyone that the young man had saved their lives – everyone's, as a matter of fact – instead of leaving them all in the Infinite Tsukuyomi, or even murdering them all, like, they supposed, he originally intended. In the end, the Uchiha made his choice, and it was them he's chosen.
He's returned to Konoha.
But the village didn't exactly welcome him. They tolerated his presence at best.
He didn't seem bothered by this fact, though.
The man was standing on top of the Hokage residence, which her team was resting nearly, looking at the horizon, lost in his thoughts, not caring about what was going on around him at all. Hinata couldn't help but stare at him, not listening to her teammates' jabbering.
His features were beautiful for a man. She understood why every girl in her class chased the Uchiha, some of them even now, after so many years. Fortunately or not, looks weren't something that interested the Hyūga girl when it came to the opposite gender. However, she was able to estimate one's attractiveness.
But that wasn't what filled her thoughts whenever she looked at him, no. Ever since Sasuke's rejoined them at the battlefield, announcing his intention to protect Konoha and to become Hokage, she couldn't help but think on the enigma that Uchiha Sasuke was. To her, he was absolutely blank. Even though she could literally see everything inside of him, she was absolutely unable to read this person she was currently watching. Her only reasons to believe in his good intentions was Naruto's word: the boy she adored and loved absolutely trusted the Uchiha, that was out of the question for him. Apparently Naruto was the only one, safe for maybe Sakura and their new Hokage, Kakashi Hatake, who could say he really knew Sasuke.
And if Naruto trusted Sasuke, then she trusted the Uchiha, too. But she couldn't help the thoughts in her head: for some reason, it bothered her whenever she looked at the raven haired boy. What was he thinking, looking so distant and lonely in the middle of chaos of the celebration? Why did he look so indifferent when everyone was so happy?
On top of that, he looked scary. His hair grew wild, quite unlike what it was in his childhood, reminding her of his ancestor she was quite familiar with: Uchiha Madara. His movements were always smooth, but keen, like those of a deadly snake. His Rinnegan in the left eye that he either never bothered or, which was more likely, just couldn't deactivate, made it even worse for her.
There was too many pain in her life that associated with this dojutsu.
Even though it was considered legendary, the gods' gift, to her, it was a nightmare. Quite literally, being completely honest.
And with this eye he resembled Madara even more. Come to think of it, they appeared to be connected more than just by being of the same clan. Perhaps he was more than distantly related to the man, but was his direct heir?
She didn't know, and didn't really want to find out, either. He was frightening enough as he was right now.
He didn't notice her stares, of course. Not that it was somehow surprising to her: people rarely noticed the girl at all. And she was fine with it.
Almost.
She would like her beloved one to notice her, for once.
Turning her head, she almost instantly found him in the crowd. The blond was currently dancing with his teammate, Sakura. She liked the medic nin, but couldn't help the jealousy that overwhelmed her every time she saw how happy they seemed together.
"Oi, Hinata! Come on, you should drink this! Stop being sad, let's have some fun!" Kiba gave her a glass with something, and she, nodding distantly, deep in her thoughts, drank it.
She better didn't.
Coughing, she dropped the glass, getting up from the bench and trying to breath. What on earth was in that glass?..
"Easy, easy... Come on, softie, it can't be that bad, can it?" Inuzuka laughed, lightly slapping her back to help her regain her breath.
She never drunk alcohol before.
Her head was swirling, but somehow she felt funny now, and way more courageous. She looked at the Uchiha again.
Come on, Hinata, it can't be that bad. After all, she promised hers elf that she'd stop being a coward. She must face her fear for once in awhile!
Apologizing to her teammates, she picked up a piece of strawberry cake from the plate that rested on their bench and walked towards the Hokage residence. What was she going to say to him? Not much, but she wanted to overcome her fear and, for some weird reason, she wanted to see him smile. He deserved it, after all, didn't he? He saved them all. Her, too. A cake couldn't possibly hurt, right?
Deep in her thoughts, she walked the ladders that led to the roof, finally getting up, only to glance at the spot where the Uchiha stood just a minute ago.
Instead of him, Naruto Uzumaki was standing there, scratching the back of his head and looking at the direction of the abandoned, and, thanks to Pain, half-ruined Uchiha district. The boy looked anxiously: apparently he'd approached Sasuke and the Uchiha didn't want to share a talk.
"N-Naruto-kun?.." She silently mumbled in surprise, taking a step towards the blond jinchūriki.
He turned to face her, the smile returning to his face the instant he noticed the girl.
"Hey, Hinata-chan! What's up? Why did ya come up here?" He asked, curious, walking to her.
She stopped, unsure what to do with the cake. Should she tell him or not?
He came close enough to see her blushing terribly. But that didn't surprise him: it was just Hinata, after all. "Are you alright?" He added, giving the girl a soft smile.
"Um..." She started, feeling utterly insecure. She didn't expect to see him here at all. The plan of actions she had in her head while getting up here shattered and disappeared.
At least the alcohol helped a bit.
Before he could say something again, she raised her head, looking him in the eyes.
"Naruto-kun... I wanted to ask you..." She stopped again, not exactly sure how to present her question.
"What is it, Hinata-chan?" He smiled even widely, encouraging her to continue.
Could it be that this was it? The moment she feared and waited for so long?
"I... I wanted to ask you... If you remember what I told you back then... When you... When we fought Pain..." Her voice dropped by the ending of the question as she was unsure on how to continue this. Her face was red, she trembled, afraid to faint of the stress.
"Oh." Was all he said, suddenly his smile dropping.
Did she say something wrong?
She looked at him with a frightened expression, afraid that she could've just spoiled it all.
There was a moment of awkward silence that nobody seemed to want to break. He looked confused: apparently he didn't forget that... Accident, which she feared he would.
Finally, he opened his mouth, quietly uttering:
"Yeah. I do."
She peered at him searchingly, apparently waiting for the blond to continue.
Naruto never felt that confused and embarrassed before. Her eyes were so full of hope, and he avoided this conversation for so long... Why?
The answer was obvious.
"Hinata-chan... I understand your feelings, I truly do... But..."
She felt her heart skipping a beat.
"But see, I like someone else... Sakura-chan, y'know..."
Hinata's hands were trembling, tears filling her eyes to the point where she couldn't see a thing before her.
"I'm sorry, but I just don't feel that way about you, Hinata-chan... But... We can always be friends, right? I'll never stop being your friend, I promise you that, believe it!" He exclaimed cheerfully, but she never heard the ending of his phrase, her ears suddenly becoming deaf, not a sound breaking in.
She didn't hear her own voice as she said, surprisingly calm and distinctly:
"Sure, Naruto-kun... I'm sorry, I need to go now..." The cake fell onto the surface of the roof as she turned away from the blond that looked worried and sorry, but not daring to follow her.
Or rather not willing to, she thought. Why would he? She always was a burden to him, failing to help the boy every time she tried to.
Even now, with her tears streaming down her face and legs barely able to hold her, she knew it, just like she always did.
She was laughable.
Hinata didn't notice how her feet brought her to her room in seemingly empty at the moment Hyūga compound that was rebuilt shortly after the destruction caused by Pain.
Apparently she was the only Hyūga who wanted to go home this early in the evening. That only made it better to her. She wanted to stay alone, to calm down and let her mind heal itself, just like it always did when she's hurt.
Falling to her bed, she hugged the pillow and cried really loud. Why? Why was this all happening with her?.. Always with her...
The girl continued sobbing, absolutely sure that nobody could hear her.
Well, who possibly could? She was the only loser that could stay at such pathetic state today of all days. Shouldn't she be grateful that she's alive and not enslaved in the world of everlasting illusions? Shouldn't she be grateful that her clan, her village, her world didn't suffer such terrible destiny? Why was she feeling like her world was tearing apart now, and not yesterday when they were all captured in Madara's jutsu?
The girl didn't know, and she hated herself for that even more than usual. That's when she realized that she probably deserves all this. Despite all her efforts, despite everyone trying to help her grow a spine and become strong, she still was the same shy and fragile 12 years old girl who feared to talk to her superiors. Was there even a point in adding that she considered basically everyone superior to her?
Turning her head, she reached up and took the doll from her table – her birthday present to Hanabi which her sister didn't want to take. Hinata's made this doll with her own hands, and yet for some reason her sister didn't like it, saying that such toys were of no use to a mature shinobi like her.
It was a waste of time.
Hinata understood that her little sister was probably right. She was the only one in her clan stupid enough to come up with something like that. And yet, some part of Hinata, deep inside, felt really hurt and sad about that.
Even her own sister rejected her.
Was it not fair? No, it was. Because Hinata knew they had every right to treat her like this. She was a disgrace to the glorious clan. Weak, shy, soft, clumsy and stupid, what could she possible expect them to do about her? The mere fact that she, Hinata, was going to lead their clan in a few years must be ridiculous to them. What leader could she make, for god's sake?
But that wasn't what made it so bitter. The fact that she tried did. She wasted all her efforts, all her energy on trying to become better... For them. And she did, didn't she?..
Feeling another burst of tears incoming, she hugged the doll and buried her face in the pillow again.
No matter what she did, she was a disgrace to everyone. To Hanabi, to her clan... To Neji. To Naruto.
What was she going to do now? What was the point in trying it any further? Apparently all these years of training and education, they were a waste. Was she even capable of being a kunoichi, a leader, a Hyūga? A woman?
It seemed like there was no way out of this.
Her life was a joke. Some cruel joke of fate.
But she couldn't give up, could she? Until she was cornered, she'd keep trying. She still had her clan to take care for. Her family. Her village.
She couldn't simply forget about them.
And then there was a knock at her door.
Raising her head up in surprise, she brushed away the tears, getting up and sitting on the edge of her bed, she tried to make herself look decent in front of her clansmen, whoever it was behind the door. For some reason, the idea of checking it up with her Byakugan didn't cross her mind.
"E-Enter!" She squeaked, cursing herself for how it sounded.
The door slid open, a tall figure silently entering her room.
Hyuga Hiashi. Her father.
He eyed her up and down, impassive. Why did he come here now anyway? Wasn't he supposed to be dealing with some important things if he wasn't celebrating with everyone else?
Her father never wasted time on anything unworthy. Whatever reason brought him here now, it was deadly serious.
She then realized: it had something to do with her. Was she in trouble?
Hinata looked at him, not sure if she should say something first.
"Daughter."
"Father..." She nearly whispered, afraid of whatever he was going to say. It was never something good.
Hiashi waited for a few seconds, as if he was conflicted inside. That was unusual of him, Hinata thought.
"I've come to tell you something important concerning your future."
What could it possibly be? Was he going to bring some special training upon her? Was it for the purpose of her becoming a better leader in future? It had to be something like that.
"What is it, father?" She quietly asked, not really interested in the specifics at the moment, but too polite to show it.
He was silent for a moment, and that was what made her wary. It was too unlike Hiashi Hyūga to be so hesitant in general, and especially when it came to dealing with his hapless daughter.
And then he finally said it:
"The council of the clan decided that you do not suit to be the leader. Hanabi is going to take your place as the heir. Furthermore, since you've already been taught too many secrets of the Main House, you'll have to get the seal. This will occur tomorrow morning. Be prepared." He then turned away, walking of the room, leaving her alone like she was before.
So that was it.
They've decided that's she's not worthy.
Not only Naruto. Her own family, too.
There was no one in this village who wanted her here anymore.
Hours later, when the dawn was really close, she was sitting on the ground near the Memorial Stone of Konoha, hugging her knees and desperately sobbing. Suddenly the best day of her life became it's worst. Was it surprising? Barely. It could surprise anyone but her, Hinata Hyuga.
She was a loser.
No, this fact alone didn't bother her that much. She was also a very kind girl: as long as those she loved were fine, she could bare the misfortunes that happened to her here and there.
But it didn't mean she didn't feel pain.
She always tried to hide it as good as she could, and until that moment she did a great job at that. Nobody noticed her leaving the fest, nobody knew she was here. Father most likely thought she was still sitting in her room, doing nothing useful, as usual.
After her speech with Naruto, she wanted to visit her brother's grave. He was the only one who she ever trusted enough to open up a bit, telling him about things she'd never discuss with anyone else. Now that he was dead, he was even better listener as he wouldn't be worried about her no matter what she told him, staying in peace of the afterlife.
That's what she was telling herself every time she fought the urge to cry when she thought of his death.
But there wasn't even a grave for him yet. Although the ceremony of mourning the victims of war already took part earlier this day, the burial of Konoha's shinobi was going to take part tomorrow, after everyone celebrated their victory. There was just too many corpses, nobody wanted to do the job now when they so needed this celebration of life.
That's why Hinata was here, alone and broken. Nobody would come here, looking for her.
Who was she trying to fool, anyway? Didn't she expect such outcome? Didn't she know how Naruto would react? Didn't she truly realize that he doesn't love her?
Did she honestly not expect her elders to decide to seal her away?
She did, and that's what hurt her the worst. Now she was closer than ever to believing in Neji's words about fate, those he said to Naruto when they were kids, during the chunin exam.
Becuase her brother was right. She was a loser, and she was destined to be such.
Naruto, on the other hand, despite the common opinion about him, was a winner. Only completely blind people could deny it now. Sometimes it seemed as if he had some miraculous shield of fate, always protecting him from losing, always helping him win in the end, becoming even better than he was before.
They called Sasuke the winner, and Naruto the loser?
That was bullcrap, right now she realized it better than ever.
The Uchiha was probably one of the most tragic persons she ever knew.
Not that she really knew him, but still. The guy lost his parents, entire clan, his childhood, he spent his whole life chasing after his brother only to find out that he was innocent... After Sasuke already killed him with his own hands. And then he sought revenge, only to end up in the village he had every right to hate. Not to mention that there was probably a lot of stuff she didn't know about his past, too.
And this made her hate herself even more. Because even after all these terrible things that happened to Sasuke, he was not broken. He seemed a bit lost after returning to Konoha, but other than that, he still stood strong, not even remotely looking broken. He was a true shinobi, unlike her. He could endure.
And she... She was crying as if her life was over after being rejected by a boy. She was in pain after Neji's death, but there probably wasn't a single person in Konoha who didn't lose someone dear to them in this war.
She was terrified by the fact that they were going to put a seal on her, that same seal that the biggest part of her clan wore since they were born.
And yet, she didn't see them breaking like she was now.
That's right.
She is pathetic.
But there has to be a way out. She just knew there was.
Thinking of Neji couldn't possibly help her, not now, not ever.
Naruto couldn't help her, either. He already helped her more than she could ever ask him for: he taught her to not give up.
And she wouldn't.
But what to do now? That's was a on million ryō question. She wasn't able to come up with a solution on her own.
And then a sudden realization came, the pieces of puzzle forming the picture at last.
If there was one person who could help her with the answer, it had to be that man. The fate itself drove her to him.
He was the only person she knew who overcame something much more terrible in his life, who knew how to deal with such things.
Uchiha Sasuke.
She had to find him.
Slowly getting up and flicking dust off her knees, she activated her Byakugan to search for him.
Obviously the Uchiha wasn't around.
She ran straight ahead towards the middle of Konoha, where her range of view would cover the whole village.
It was already nearly morning. She had to hurry, she needed to find him and talk before she'd get sealed.
Crossing the main road that led to the gates of the village, she suddenly stopped, noticing something.
There he was, to the left, pretty far away, but she could clearly see him. The Uchiha wore a simple black travel cloak, a new sword behind his back, his hair wild as usual. He was talking to the Sixth and to Sakura, they all stood near the exit of the village.
She hurried up, running as fast towards them as she could. She turned from the main road, trying to avoid being seen by anybody.
The three shinobi apparently ended their talk, seeing as Sasuke turned away from them, walking in the same direction she was currently running.
Away from the village.
So he's decided to leave again, after all?
Running through the massive wall that surrounded Konoha, she jumped down, walking through the trees, trying to not get far away from the road Sasuke was walking. She didn't want anyone to see them together, she wanted to talk in private.
And just when she decided it was private enough and shifted her direction a bit to get to the Uchiha, she saw him.
Naruto was standing not far away from her current position, apparently waiting for Sasuke.
She stopped, panting from running, and waited, trying to catch her breath. The two friends shared just a few words. She couldn't hear from this distance, and not that she wanted to overhear them anyway. She had her own business with Sasuke.
But looking at them with her dōjutsu, she realized that this was a goodbye. Sasuke was leaving Konoha for real, and this time Naruto didn't seem to mind.
Perhaps she should leave, too? What's there to her in the village anymore anyway? The boy who couldn't care less about her? The clan that despised her? The teammates that laughed at her? The friends that didn't even exist?
Come to think of it, there was absolutely nothing in the village now that held her there. Did she want to get the seal? Hell no, she was shy and submissive, of course, there was no denying it, but not enough to just accept something like that as if it's not a big deal. To her, it was.
Deep inside, she always feared the destiny of her brother and his fellow Branch House members.
Because she knew that she deserved it more than any of them.
And that was the deciding factor here.
She needed to leave. Now. If not now, then never. She was a coward, she knew she wouldn't find the willpower to do it in future. This was her only chance to dare.
And following the Uchiha was the best opportunity she could ever hope for. He knew everything about leaving the village.
She suddenly realized now why exactly she was so puzzled whenever her thoughts crossed this person. The fate itself brought her to him, because now he was the only one in this whole world who could help her. Who could understand her. Who could... Possibly fix her?
She was surprised by her sudden audacity. But that only made her smile, for the first time after long hours of crying. She finally took the right path.
Following Sasuke through the trees, walking along the road, she watched him carefully, not sure how to approach the man. He didn't seem to notice her: either she was good at stealth moving, or he was just too deep in his thoughts to pay attention. What was she going to ask him?
Hello, I'm Hinata Hyuga, please tell me how to stop being a wimp?
Pathetic. Her goal was so close, yet she didn't even know what to do now.
And then he suddenly stopped, looking directly at her through the big oak.
"Show yourself. I know you're there, there is no point in hiding now."
Busted. There was no way out now.
Taking a deep breath, she slowly moved out, walking towards the Uchiha. There was no danger in his voice, but it was demanding. She didn't even think of running away.
Coming out of shadows, she avoided looking in his eyes, waiting for his reaction. Would he even listen to her? Did he even remember her to begin with?..
"You?.." Came the surprised comment.
Okay, he recognized her, that meant he did, in fact, remember her. But now she already wasn't so sure if it was good for her.
"Your name is Hinata, right? What do you want with me?"
Come on, you can't embarrass yourself any further. Talk, stupid... Talk!
But she couldn't force herself to open her mouth and say a word. She didn't know how to tell him.
"Look, if you came to ask me to come back because of the idiot – I won't. Naruto is aware why I'm leaving, and..."
This is what he thought? How truly pathetic she was if the only reason he could possibly associate with her approach was Naruto?
But then again, come to think of it, she deserved it.
She hurried to shake her head in disagree, interrupting him.
Now he looked confused.
"Then what the hell do you want?! Talk already!" He was clearly losing his patience with her. Who wouldn't?
"I... Uchiha-san, I..." It was now or never. Come on, Hinata! "I want to go with you. Please, let me!"
***
First rays of morning sun lighted up the Hokage Monument towering over Konoha, marking the beginning of a new day. Morning birds were lazily showing up on the streets of the village, leaving their houses for whatever reason was up to them, be it work, training, studying or just going for a walk... But the majority of the village still rested in their sleep. It would seem as if nothing could've ever ruin the tranquility that embraced everyone in the Hidden Leaf village that morning.
And that was correct.
The greatest war shinobi world ever witnessed has ended just three days ago, but nobody seemed to be rested, nor to be over what happened. It was perfectly understandable, of course. Which is why nobody, even the deadliest criminals, didn't dare to disturb the fragile peace.
Probably that's why the 6th Hokage, Hatake Kakashi, was in his best mood despite the event he was currently taking part in being rather sad. Not just to him, but to everyone in Team Seven.
But that was it. Nobody else really cared. Not that Kakashi minded, though. Furthermore, it was probably a relief to the village that was still feeling uneasy with him being around.
"Well, I'll be honest with you. Under normal circumstances, you'd be imprisoned for life. The only reason you've been pardoned is because of your assistance in undoing the Infinite Tsukuyomi and ending this war. Try to not forget, however, that all this is thanks to Naruto. He's the hero of this war and well... I did put in a few comments as the 6th Hokage. So take it easy and don't go crazy on me again... It'll be my head they'll take this time."
Sasuke's face was calm and blank as he simply said in response:
"Yeah... Sorry." Despite his emotionless expression, somehow Kakashi knew his former student really meant it.
"...You're leaving already? Tsunade-sama's just about to complete your artificial arm with the First Hokage's cells..." muttered Sakura, lowering her eyes to the ground. She already knew that nothing could stop him once he's decided something, which was obviously the case right now. But the girl still didn't want to let him go. After her waiting for so many years, he was finally here, without any ill intent towards Team Seven or Konoha... And he was still going to leave them. Again.
"I... I need to see it for myself. How the world looks." That was an awkward reason to her, but she wasn't going to argue with him. She tried a few times in her life: it never led to any good.
But it seemed that he, for once, cared to elaborate:
"All those things I've overlooked, I have a feeling I'd be able to see them better now... And if I miss this chance... I don't think another will come. Plus, there are a few things that have been bothering me."
So that was it. For the first time in a while, she felt like she understood him.
Still unable to look at him, she nearly whispered:
"What... What if I told you... That... I'd like... To come... Too?.." She finally has found the courage to look him in the face.
He closed his eyes.
"It's my road to redemption. You have nothing to do with my sins."
She sighed, lowering her head and shoulders again.
"Nothing to do, you say..." She whispered, closing her eyes and trying to suppress her tears, she winced and looked up, feeling a light tap of his fingers on her forehead.
He smiled, looking in her green eyes.
"I'll see you soon."
She was unable to look away, hypnotized by his dark eyes that, for once, were soft and gentle.
"...Thank you."
Her cheeks reddened, she wanted to say something in return, but he already turned from her and slowly walked away from the gates of Konoha.
From them.
From her.
But he will definitely return soon, will he?
After walking down the road for a few minutes, Sasuke suddenly stopped, turning his head to the left.
"Huh... I didn't think you'd come..."
Naruto, leaning against a tree, looked at him thoughtfully for a while, without saying anything. And then the blond suddenly handed him something.
"Here... I'm returning this," he finaly said.
Sasuke took his old, scratched forehead protector, carefully hiding it in a pocket of his black cloak.
"I'll keep this... Until we really settle things between us."
They stood like that for a minute, and then both of them smiled, turning away from each other and walking the opposite directions. Neither turned around to see another's back for the last time.
Moving forward alongside love and hatred, they took their paths with ease, knowing that they will eventually cross again, sooner or later.
Deep in his thoughts, Uchiha turned to the path that lead to the west. He already knew where he was heading to, but he wasn't in any hurry. He had plenty of time, after all.
And then he heard something to his right. Without stopping, he squinted, checking the dark between the trees. Someone was obviously following him, and the Uchiha was able to notice it only now, since his head was filled with thoughts and he wasn't really paying attention. There was no one who he could remotely consider a threat to himself in this world anyway. However, he didn't like being stalked.
Walking another hundred yards ahead, he focused on the sounds nearby, only to hear another twig breaking under someone's feet.
He then finally stopped, frowning. Who the hell was stupid enough to track him down anyway? Someone from Konoha? He wasn't too far away yet: in fact, he could still see the upper parts of the great wall surrounding the village. But he already said his goodbyes to those few who still cared for him in that village. Who the heck, then?
"Show yourself. I know you're there, there is no point in hiding now." He said calmly, eying the trees, not even caring to activate his Sharingan.
A few seconds passed, and only then he saw the movement in the dark.
His eyes widened in surprise. He expected to see anyone, literally anyone but the person that slowly stepped out of shadows with nervous, yet somewhat determined face.
"You?.." Was all he was able to mutter, not understanding what on earth was she thinking, following him like this. The girl, however, didn't say anything, peering at his boots, not daring to speak in front of him.
Yes, that was one hell of a surprise. Seeing the girl he had never shared a word with through his whole life, the girl that obviously wanted something from him.
Collecting his thoughts together, he stepped towards her, only to see her eyes shooting up to his face, the nervous and shy expression of her face turning into frightened.
She feared him.
Not that it was surprising. Many people did, especially in Konoha. He didn't really mind it: in fact, he preferred them to fear and stay away from him instead of being around, molesting and annoying.
But this one here was just ridiculous. She has followed him all the way from the gates, and for what? What on earth did the girl want with him, behaving like that in front of him?
He wasn't able to hold a smirk. He finally remembered her. She was that fangirl of Naruto, his former classmate in the academy, the Hyūga girl.
That explained a lot.
"Your name is Hinata, right?" He asked, looking at her with slight despise. He hated fangirls. After the fateful fight with Naruto, his paradigm has significantly shifted. But some of his views just couldn't be changed. "What do you want with me?"
The girl pursed lips, eying him searchingly, as if she wasn't sure what to do, or rather not sure if she should say what she wanted to say or not. After what seemed like a minute of grave silence, he frowned, taking another step closer to her. This time the girl didn't back off: she clenched her fists and took a deep breath to say something, but he beat her to it:
"Look, if you came to ask me to come back because of the idiot – I won't. Naruto is aware why I'm leaving, and..." He stopped as the kunoichi shook her head. Confused, he frowned even deeper. He was starting to lose his patience with this
silly girl. " Then what the hell do you want?! Talk already."
"I... Uchiha-san, I..." She's finally started talking, to his relief. At last, damn it. "I want to go with you. Please, let me!" She blurted vigorously, looking in his cold eyes, one of them looking exactly like the eyes that haunted her in her nightmares: the same eyes that destroyed her village, that almost took her own life and that killed her brother.
His expression was blank as he was stunned by her ridiculous request.
Taking her with him? Really?
He barely managed to not laugh. Was the girl completely out of her mind?
He eyed her carefully. This had to be some prank, probably set up by Naruto. Only that idiot could come up with something this stupid. Right?
But she looked dead serious. It obviously took her all the willpower she had to not look away. There has to be something he missed, otherwise he was probably hallucinating. Yes, that had to be it. It wasn't her who was losing her mind – it was him.
"Why?" He asked bluntly, not going to confuse himself with thinking any further on the matter.
It seemed she expected this question, because the answer followed almost immediately:
"I... I can't stay in... In the village... Anymore." Was all she said, finally giving up and lowering her eyes to the ground, not able to stand his piercing gaze any longer.
"Oh?.." Was all he came up with at the moment, surprised by her answer. So she was going to become a nukenin, just like he did in the past? Was that what she thought he was going to do now, again?
And what on earth could make that spineless girl that adored his idiot of a friend since their childhood, not really being famous for anything else as far as he knew, want to leave the village?
Were her pillows not soft enough or something?..
He suddenly felt the urge to outrage right away. Who was this little shit thinking she was? Why on earth was he even comparing her to himself when it came to leaving the village anyway?!
She was nothing like him. She was just a spoiled little princess that had everything he always dreamed of: clan, family, friends, home.
But then a sudden realization hit him. Something was off with her, one doesn't simply leave everything like this without a very serious reason. He wasn't stupid, he actually learned his lessons from his past mistakes of misjudgement on people, starting with Itachi and finishing with himself.
No, not himself. With the girl that stood before him right now. He won't make the same mistake ever again.
"What happened?" He asked after a long thought. She winced again, embracing herself as if it was too cold around.
"It doesn't matter at all, Uchiha-san..." Has she just sniffled? "Please, just let me follow you. I'll be of use."
He noticed that her white eyes that he always found rather creepy and weird were filling with tears.
He hated it when girls were crying.
"Yes, it does. I don't need you around. If you wanna follow, you better convince me for good."
She sighed, and so did he. He clearly saw that she's not going to tell him much more. Fortunately he had a way to find out everything he wanted with that left eye of his, even though he hasn't pretty much mastered it yet.
He took his final step to her, and, before she was able to react, he grabbed her wrist.
Ningendō...
Last thing she saw before the memories of the last few days flooded her head, was that dreadful purple eye. His Rinnegan.
This is my first fanfic. I never tried writing before.
English is not my native language, and not even my second. There can be many mistakes and typos, please, let me know if you find some, I'll fix them
There won't be any character bashing, at least on purpose. If something like that happens, there will be a very good and well explained reason to it, based on plot, not on my personal preferences. But I doubt it will.
There won't be "perfect" characters that do not have any flaws.
The pairings I have in my mind won't be like "oh, they've seen each other, now they are in love, and next chapter they already wanna marry each other". They will get long, logical development, I wanna make them believable.
I want them to make sense.
And the last thing for now. There are a few reasons why I even started writing this.
The main reason is because I hate the ending of Naruto manga which Kishi gave us. To me, there was just too many rushed, illogical things, obviously ass-pulled. This is just my opinion, I'm not trying to convince anyone, just saying.
The second reason was the lack of development of every female character in this manga, the pinnacle of this misfortune being, in my humble opinion, Hinata. I've decided that she must get the development and attention she deserves. So the story will mainly focus on her and Sasuke, who is my favourite character of the series.
That's why I decided to make this. Basically, this story is "how the manga should've ended, or rather continued, in my opinion."
Please, let me know if you liked it or not. There will be feedback to those who're interested in reading this story. I also welcome healthy and unbiased criticism!
See you next chapter, guys
English is not my native language, and not even my second. There can be many mistakes and typos, please, let me know if you find some, I'll fix them
There won't be any character bashing, at least on purpose. If something like that happens, there will be a very good and well explained reason to it, based on plot, not on my personal preferences. But I doubt it will.
There won't be "perfect" characters that do not have any flaws.
The pairings I have in my mind won't be like "oh, they've seen each other, now they are in love, and next chapter they already wanna marry each other". They will get long, logical development, I wanna make them believable.
I want them to make sense.
And the last thing for now. There are a few reasons why I even started writing this.
The main reason is because I hate the ending of Naruto manga which Kishi gave us. To me, there was just too many rushed, illogical things, obviously ass-pulled. This is just my opinion, I'm not trying to convince anyone, just saying.
The second reason was the lack of development of every female character in this manga, the pinnacle of this misfortune being, in my humble opinion, Hinata. I've decided that she must get the development and attention she deserves. So the story will mainly focus on her and Sasuke, who is my favourite character of the series.
That's why I decided to make this. Basically, this story is "how the manga should've ended, or rather continued, in my opinion."
Please, let me know if you liked it or not. There will be feedback to those who're interested in reading this story. I also welcome healthy and unbiased criticism!
See you next chapter, guys
List of chapters:
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You must be registered for see links
______________________________
Chapter 1.
It was probably going to be the best evening in her whole life. At least Hinata was sure it will be. She couldn't imagine ever feeling better. Why?
Because they won the war. Naruto was alive. Madara was destroyed. In fact, almost everyone she cared for was alive... She didn't want to think about Neji at the moment. Not now, not like this, when everybody around her was celebrating their victory and survival. She will take her time mourning her deceased brother later.
Kurenai, Kiba and Shino. Her team. They were standing there with Hinata at the central square of rebuilt Konoha. It was a huge festival, easily the most spectacular one she ever attended.
It wasn't really surprising: in fact, somehow she expected it to be even bigger and grand, because how could it be any less than this?
Their world was safe. They all were saved by her very comrades, Team Seven. Of course, they received most attention from everyone.
Except for the Uchiha.
She actually feared the man. Not that she still considered him an enemy, no. Naruto told everyone that the young man had saved their lives – everyone's, as a matter of fact – instead of leaving them all in the Infinite Tsukuyomi, or even murdering them all, like, they supposed, he originally intended. In the end, the Uchiha made his choice, and it was them he's chosen.
He's returned to Konoha.
But the village didn't exactly welcome him. They tolerated his presence at best.
He didn't seem bothered by this fact, though.
The man was standing on top of the Hokage residence, which her team was resting nearly, looking at the horizon, lost in his thoughts, not caring about what was going on around him at all. Hinata couldn't help but stare at him, not listening to her teammates' jabbering.
His features were beautiful for a man. She understood why every girl in her class chased the Uchiha, some of them even now, after so many years. Fortunately or not, looks weren't something that interested the Hyūga girl when it came to the opposite gender. However, she was able to estimate one's attractiveness.
But that wasn't what filled her thoughts whenever she looked at him, no. Ever since Sasuke's rejoined them at the battlefield, announcing his intention to protect Konoha and to become Hokage, she couldn't help but think on the enigma that Uchiha Sasuke was. To her, he was absolutely blank. Even though she could literally see everything inside of him, she was absolutely unable to read this person she was currently watching. Her only reasons to believe in his good intentions was Naruto's word: the boy she adored and loved absolutely trusted the Uchiha, that was out of the question for him. Apparently Naruto was the only one, safe for maybe Sakura and their new Hokage, Kakashi Hatake, who could say he really knew Sasuke.
And if Naruto trusted Sasuke, then she trusted the Uchiha, too. But she couldn't help the thoughts in her head: for some reason, it bothered her whenever she looked at the raven haired boy. What was he thinking, looking so distant and lonely in the middle of chaos of the celebration? Why did he look so indifferent when everyone was so happy?
On top of that, he looked scary. His hair grew wild, quite unlike what it was in his childhood, reminding her of his ancestor she was quite familiar with: Uchiha Madara. His movements were always smooth, but keen, like those of a deadly snake. His Rinnegan in the left eye that he either never bothered or, which was more likely, just couldn't deactivate, made it even worse for her.
There was too many pain in her life that associated with this dojutsu.
Even though it was considered legendary, the gods' gift, to her, it was a nightmare. Quite literally, being completely honest.
And with this eye he resembled Madara even more. Come to think of it, they appeared to be connected more than just by being of the same clan. Perhaps he was more than distantly related to the man, but was his direct heir?
She didn't know, and didn't really want to find out, either. He was frightening enough as he was right now.
He didn't notice her stares, of course. Not that it was somehow surprising to her: people rarely noticed the girl at all. And she was fine with it.
Almost.
She would like her beloved one to notice her, for once.
Turning her head, she almost instantly found him in the crowd. The blond was currently dancing with his teammate, Sakura. She liked the medic nin, but couldn't help the jealousy that overwhelmed her every time she saw how happy they seemed together.
"Oi, Hinata! Come on, you should drink this! Stop being sad, let's have some fun!" Kiba gave her a glass with something, and she, nodding distantly, deep in her thoughts, drank it.
She better didn't.
Coughing, she dropped the glass, getting up from the bench and trying to breath. What on earth was in that glass?..
"Easy, easy... Come on, softie, it can't be that bad, can it?" Inuzuka laughed, lightly slapping her back to help her regain her breath.
She never drunk alcohol before.
Her head was swirling, but somehow she felt funny now, and way more courageous. She looked at the Uchiha again.
Come on, Hinata, it can't be that bad. After all, she promised hers elf that she'd stop being a coward. She must face her fear for once in awhile!
Apologizing to her teammates, she picked up a piece of strawberry cake from the plate that rested on their bench and walked towards the Hokage residence. What was she going to say to him? Not much, but she wanted to overcome her fear and, for some weird reason, she wanted to see him smile. He deserved it, after all, didn't he? He saved them all. Her, too. A cake couldn't possibly hurt, right?
Deep in her thoughts, she walked the ladders that led to the roof, finally getting up, only to glance at the spot where the Uchiha stood just a minute ago.
Instead of him, Naruto Uzumaki was standing there, scratching the back of his head and looking at the direction of the abandoned, and, thanks to Pain, half-ruined Uchiha district. The boy looked anxiously: apparently he'd approached Sasuke and the Uchiha didn't want to share a talk.
"N-Naruto-kun?.." She silently mumbled in surprise, taking a step towards the blond jinchūriki.
He turned to face her, the smile returning to his face the instant he noticed the girl.
"Hey, Hinata-chan! What's up? Why did ya come up here?" He asked, curious, walking to her.
She stopped, unsure what to do with the cake. Should she tell him or not?
He came close enough to see her blushing terribly. But that didn't surprise him: it was just Hinata, after all. "Are you alright?" He added, giving the girl a soft smile.
"Um..." She started, feeling utterly insecure. She didn't expect to see him here at all. The plan of actions she had in her head while getting up here shattered and disappeared.
At least the alcohol helped a bit.
Before he could say something again, she raised her head, looking him in the eyes.
"Naruto-kun... I wanted to ask you..." She stopped again, not exactly sure how to present her question.
"What is it, Hinata-chan?" He smiled even widely, encouraging her to continue.
Could it be that this was it? The moment she feared and waited for so long?
"I... I wanted to ask you... If you remember what I told you back then... When you... When we fought Pain..." Her voice dropped by the ending of the question as she was unsure on how to continue this. Her face was red, she trembled, afraid to faint of the stress.
"Oh." Was all he said, suddenly his smile dropping.
Did she say something wrong?
She looked at him with a frightened expression, afraid that she could've just spoiled it all.
There was a moment of awkward silence that nobody seemed to want to break. He looked confused: apparently he didn't forget that... Accident, which she feared he would.
Finally, he opened his mouth, quietly uttering:
"Yeah. I do."
She peered at him searchingly, apparently waiting for the blond to continue.
Naruto never felt that confused and embarrassed before. Her eyes were so full of hope, and he avoided this conversation for so long... Why?
The answer was obvious.
"Hinata-chan... I understand your feelings, I truly do... But..."
She felt her heart skipping a beat.
"But see, I like someone else... Sakura-chan, y'know..."
Hinata's hands were trembling, tears filling her eyes to the point where she couldn't see a thing before her.
"I'm sorry, but I just don't feel that way about you, Hinata-chan... But... We can always be friends, right? I'll never stop being your friend, I promise you that, believe it!" He exclaimed cheerfully, but she never heard the ending of his phrase, her ears suddenly becoming deaf, not a sound breaking in.
She didn't hear her own voice as she said, surprisingly calm and distinctly:
"Sure, Naruto-kun... I'm sorry, I need to go now..." The cake fell onto the surface of the roof as she turned away from the blond that looked worried and sorry, but not daring to follow her.
Or rather not willing to, she thought. Why would he? She always was a burden to him, failing to help the boy every time she tried to.
Even now, with her tears streaming down her face and legs barely able to hold her, she knew it, just like she always did.
She was laughable.
Hinata didn't notice how her feet brought her to her room in seemingly empty at the moment Hyūga compound that was rebuilt shortly after the destruction caused by Pain.
Apparently she was the only Hyūga who wanted to go home this early in the evening. That only made it better to her. She wanted to stay alone, to calm down and let her mind heal itself, just like it always did when she's hurt.
Falling to her bed, she hugged the pillow and cried really loud. Why? Why was this all happening with her?.. Always with her...
The girl continued sobbing, absolutely sure that nobody could hear her.
Well, who possibly could? She was the only loser that could stay at such pathetic state today of all days. Shouldn't she be grateful that she's alive and not enslaved in the world of everlasting illusions? Shouldn't she be grateful that her clan, her village, her world didn't suffer such terrible destiny? Why was she feeling like her world was tearing apart now, and not yesterday when they were all captured in Madara's jutsu?
The girl didn't know, and she hated herself for that even more than usual. That's when she realized that she probably deserves all this. Despite all her efforts, despite everyone trying to help her grow a spine and become strong, she still was the same shy and fragile 12 years old girl who feared to talk to her superiors. Was there even a point in adding that she considered basically everyone superior to her?
Turning her head, she reached up and took the doll from her table – her birthday present to Hanabi which her sister didn't want to take. Hinata's made this doll with her own hands, and yet for some reason her sister didn't like it, saying that such toys were of no use to a mature shinobi like her.
It was a waste of time.
Hinata understood that her little sister was probably right. She was the only one in her clan stupid enough to come up with something like that. And yet, some part of Hinata, deep inside, felt really hurt and sad about that.
Even her own sister rejected her.
Was it not fair? No, it was. Because Hinata knew they had every right to treat her like this. She was a disgrace to the glorious clan. Weak, shy, soft, clumsy and stupid, what could she possible expect them to do about her? The mere fact that she, Hinata, was going to lead their clan in a few years must be ridiculous to them. What leader could she make, for god's sake?
But that wasn't what made it so bitter. The fact that she tried did. She wasted all her efforts, all her energy on trying to become better... For them. And she did, didn't she?..
Feeling another burst of tears incoming, she hugged the doll and buried her face in the pillow again.
No matter what she did, she was a disgrace to everyone. To Hanabi, to her clan... To Neji. To Naruto.
What was she going to do now? What was the point in trying it any further? Apparently all these years of training and education, they were a waste. Was she even capable of being a kunoichi, a leader, a Hyūga? A woman?
It seemed like there was no way out of this.
Her life was a joke. Some cruel joke of fate.
But she couldn't give up, could she? Until she was cornered, she'd keep trying. She still had her clan to take care for. Her family. Her village.
She couldn't simply forget about them.
And then there was a knock at her door.
Raising her head up in surprise, she brushed away the tears, getting up and sitting on the edge of her bed, she tried to make herself look decent in front of her clansmen, whoever it was behind the door. For some reason, the idea of checking it up with her Byakugan didn't cross her mind.
"E-Enter!" She squeaked, cursing herself for how it sounded.
The door slid open, a tall figure silently entering her room.
Hyuga Hiashi. Her father.
He eyed her up and down, impassive. Why did he come here now anyway? Wasn't he supposed to be dealing with some important things if he wasn't celebrating with everyone else?
Her father never wasted time on anything unworthy. Whatever reason brought him here now, it was deadly serious.
She then realized: it had something to do with her. Was she in trouble?
Hinata looked at him, not sure if she should say something first.
"Daughter."
"Father..." She nearly whispered, afraid of whatever he was going to say. It was never something good.
Hiashi waited for a few seconds, as if he was conflicted inside. That was unusual of him, Hinata thought.
"I've come to tell you something important concerning your future."
What could it possibly be? Was he going to bring some special training upon her? Was it for the purpose of her becoming a better leader in future? It had to be something like that.
"What is it, father?" She quietly asked, not really interested in the specifics at the moment, but too polite to show it.
He was silent for a moment, and that was what made her wary. It was too unlike Hiashi Hyūga to be so hesitant in general, and especially when it came to dealing with his hapless daughter.
And then he finally said it:
"The council of the clan decided that you do not suit to be the leader. Hanabi is going to take your place as the heir. Furthermore, since you've already been taught too many secrets of the Main House, you'll have to get the seal. This will occur tomorrow morning. Be prepared." He then turned away, walking of the room, leaving her alone like she was before.
So that was it.
They've decided that's she's not worthy.
Not only Naruto. Her own family, too.
There was no one in this village who wanted her here anymore.
Hours later, when the dawn was really close, she was sitting on the ground near the Memorial Stone of Konoha, hugging her knees and desperately sobbing. Suddenly the best day of her life became it's worst. Was it surprising? Barely. It could surprise anyone but her, Hinata Hyuga.
She was a loser.
No, this fact alone didn't bother her that much. She was also a very kind girl: as long as those she loved were fine, she could bare the misfortunes that happened to her here and there.
But it didn't mean she didn't feel pain.
She always tried to hide it as good as she could, and until that moment she did a great job at that. Nobody noticed her leaving the fest, nobody knew she was here. Father most likely thought she was still sitting in her room, doing nothing useful, as usual.
After her speech with Naruto, she wanted to visit her brother's grave. He was the only one who she ever trusted enough to open up a bit, telling him about things she'd never discuss with anyone else. Now that he was dead, he was even better listener as he wouldn't be worried about her no matter what she told him, staying in peace of the afterlife.
That's what she was telling herself every time she fought the urge to cry when she thought of his death.
But there wasn't even a grave for him yet. Although the ceremony of mourning the victims of war already took part earlier this day, the burial of Konoha's shinobi was going to take part tomorrow, after everyone celebrated their victory. There was just too many corpses, nobody wanted to do the job now when they so needed this celebration of life.
That's why Hinata was here, alone and broken. Nobody would come here, looking for her.
Who was she trying to fool, anyway? Didn't she expect such outcome? Didn't she know how Naruto would react? Didn't she truly realize that he doesn't love her?
Did she honestly not expect her elders to decide to seal her away?
She did, and that's what hurt her the worst. Now she was closer than ever to believing in Neji's words about fate, those he said to Naruto when they were kids, during the chunin exam.
Becuase her brother was right. She was a loser, and she was destined to be such.
Naruto, on the other hand, despite the common opinion about him, was a winner. Only completely blind people could deny it now. Sometimes it seemed as if he had some miraculous shield of fate, always protecting him from losing, always helping him win in the end, becoming even better than he was before.
They called Sasuke the winner, and Naruto the loser?
That was bullcrap, right now she realized it better than ever.
The Uchiha was probably one of the most tragic persons she ever knew.
Not that she really knew him, but still. The guy lost his parents, entire clan, his childhood, he spent his whole life chasing after his brother only to find out that he was innocent... After Sasuke already killed him with his own hands. And then he sought revenge, only to end up in the village he had every right to hate. Not to mention that there was probably a lot of stuff she didn't know about his past, too.
And this made her hate herself even more. Because even after all these terrible things that happened to Sasuke, he was not broken. He seemed a bit lost after returning to Konoha, but other than that, he still stood strong, not even remotely looking broken. He was a true shinobi, unlike her. He could endure.
And she... She was crying as if her life was over after being rejected by a boy. She was in pain after Neji's death, but there probably wasn't a single person in Konoha who didn't lose someone dear to them in this war.
She was terrified by the fact that they were going to put a seal on her, that same seal that the biggest part of her clan wore since they were born.
And yet, she didn't see them breaking like she was now.
That's right.
She is pathetic.
But there has to be a way out. She just knew there was.
Thinking of Neji couldn't possibly help her, not now, not ever.
Naruto couldn't help her, either. He already helped her more than she could ever ask him for: he taught her to not give up.
And she wouldn't.
But what to do now? That's was a on million ryō question. She wasn't able to come up with a solution on her own.
And then a sudden realization came, the pieces of puzzle forming the picture at last.
If there was one person who could help her with the answer, it had to be that man. The fate itself drove her to him.
He was the only person she knew who overcame something much more terrible in his life, who knew how to deal with such things.
Uchiha Sasuke.
She had to find him.
Slowly getting up and flicking dust off her knees, she activated her Byakugan to search for him.
Obviously the Uchiha wasn't around.
She ran straight ahead towards the middle of Konoha, where her range of view would cover the whole village.
It was already nearly morning. She had to hurry, she needed to find him and talk before she'd get sealed.
Crossing the main road that led to the gates of the village, she suddenly stopped, noticing something.
There he was, to the left, pretty far away, but she could clearly see him. The Uchiha wore a simple black travel cloak, a new sword behind his back, his hair wild as usual. He was talking to the Sixth and to Sakura, they all stood near the exit of the village.
She hurried up, running as fast towards them as she could. She turned from the main road, trying to avoid being seen by anybody.
The three shinobi apparently ended their talk, seeing as Sasuke turned away from them, walking in the same direction she was currently running.
Away from the village.
So he's decided to leave again, after all?
Running through the massive wall that surrounded Konoha, she jumped down, walking through the trees, trying to not get far away from the road Sasuke was walking. She didn't want anyone to see them together, she wanted to talk in private.
And just when she decided it was private enough and shifted her direction a bit to get to the Uchiha, she saw him.
Naruto was standing not far away from her current position, apparently waiting for Sasuke.
She stopped, panting from running, and waited, trying to catch her breath. The two friends shared just a few words. She couldn't hear from this distance, and not that she wanted to overhear them anyway. She had her own business with Sasuke.
But looking at them with her dōjutsu, she realized that this was a goodbye. Sasuke was leaving Konoha for real, and this time Naruto didn't seem to mind.
Perhaps she should leave, too? What's there to her in the village anymore anyway? The boy who couldn't care less about her? The clan that despised her? The teammates that laughed at her? The friends that didn't even exist?
Come to think of it, there was absolutely nothing in the village now that held her there. Did she want to get the seal? Hell no, she was shy and submissive, of course, there was no denying it, but not enough to just accept something like that as if it's not a big deal. To her, it was.
Deep inside, she always feared the destiny of her brother and his fellow Branch House members.
Because she knew that she deserved it more than any of them.
And that was the deciding factor here.
She needed to leave. Now. If not now, then never. She was a coward, she knew she wouldn't find the willpower to do it in future. This was her only chance to dare.
And following the Uchiha was the best opportunity she could ever hope for. He knew everything about leaving the village.
She suddenly realized now why exactly she was so puzzled whenever her thoughts crossed this person. The fate itself brought her to him, because now he was the only one in this whole world who could help her. Who could understand her. Who could... Possibly fix her?
She was surprised by her sudden audacity. But that only made her smile, for the first time after long hours of crying. She finally took the right path.
Following Sasuke through the trees, walking along the road, she watched him carefully, not sure how to approach the man. He didn't seem to notice her: either she was good at stealth moving, or he was just too deep in his thoughts to pay attention. What was she going to ask him?
Hello, I'm Hinata Hyuga, please tell me how to stop being a wimp?
Pathetic. Her goal was so close, yet she didn't even know what to do now.
And then he suddenly stopped, looking directly at her through the big oak.
"Show yourself. I know you're there, there is no point in hiding now."
Busted. There was no way out now.
Taking a deep breath, she slowly moved out, walking towards the Uchiha. There was no danger in his voice, but it was demanding. She didn't even think of running away.
Coming out of shadows, she avoided looking in his eyes, waiting for his reaction. Would he even listen to her? Did he even remember her to begin with?..
"You?.." Came the surprised comment.
Okay, he recognized her, that meant he did, in fact, remember her. But now she already wasn't so sure if it was good for her.
"Your name is Hinata, right? What do you want with me?"
Come on, you can't embarrass yourself any further. Talk, stupid... Talk!
But she couldn't force herself to open her mouth and say a word. She didn't know how to tell him.
"Look, if you came to ask me to come back because of the idiot – I won't. Naruto is aware why I'm leaving, and..."
This is what he thought? How truly pathetic she was if the only reason he could possibly associate with her approach was Naruto?
But then again, come to think of it, she deserved it.
She hurried to shake her head in disagree, interrupting him.
Now he looked confused.
"Then what the hell do you want?! Talk already!" He was clearly losing his patience with her. Who wouldn't?
"I... Uchiha-san, I..." It was now or never. Come on, Hinata! "I want to go with you. Please, let me!"
***
First rays of morning sun lighted up the Hokage Monument towering over Konoha, marking the beginning of a new day. Morning birds were lazily showing up on the streets of the village, leaving their houses for whatever reason was up to them, be it work, training, studying or just going for a walk... But the majority of the village still rested in their sleep. It would seem as if nothing could've ever ruin the tranquility that embraced everyone in the Hidden Leaf village that morning.
And that was correct.
The greatest war shinobi world ever witnessed has ended just three days ago, but nobody seemed to be rested, nor to be over what happened. It was perfectly understandable, of course. Which is why nobody, even the deadliest criminals, didn't dare to disturb the fragile peace.
Probably that's why the 6th Hokage, Hatake Kakashi, was in his best mood despite the event he was currently taking part in being rather sad. Not just to him, but to everyone in Team Seven.
But that was it. Nobody else really cared. Not that Kakashi minded, though. Furthermore, it was probably a relief to the village that was still feeling uneasy with him being around.
"Well, I'll be honest with you. Under normal circumstances, you'd be imprisoned for life. The only reason you've been pardoned is because of your assistance in undoing the Infinite Tsukuyomi and ending this war. Try to not forget, however, that all this is thanks to Naruto. He's the hero of this war and well... I did put in a few comments as the 6th Hokage. So take it easy and don't go crazy on me again... It'll be my head they'll take this time."
Sasuke's face was calm and blank as he simply said in response:
"Yeah... Sorry." Despite his emotionless expression, somehow Kakashi knew his former student really meant it.
"...You're leaving already? Tsunade-sama's just about to complete your artificial arm with the First Hokage's cells..." muttered Sakura, lowering her eyes to the ground. She already knew that nothing could stop him once he's decided something, which was obviously the case right now. But the girl still didn't want to let him go. After her waiting for so many years, he was finally here, without any ill intent towards Team Seven or Konoha... And he was still going to leave them. Again.
"I... I need to see it for myself. How the world looks." That was an awkward reason to her, but she wasn't going to argue with him. She tried a few times in her life: it never led to any good.
But it seemed that he, for once, cared to elaborate:
"All those things I've overlooked, I have a feeling I'd be able to see them better now... And if I miss this chance... I don't think another will come. Plus, there are a few things that have been bothering me."
So that was it. For the first time in a while, she felt like she understood him.
Still unable to look at him, she nearly whispered:
"What... What if I told you... That... I'd like... To come... Too?.." She finally has found the courage to look him in the face.
He closed his eyes.
"It's my road to redemption. You have nothing to do with my sins."
She sighed, lowering her head and shoulders again.
"Nothing to do, you say..." She whispered, closing her eyes and trying to suppress her tears, she winced and looked up, feeling a light tap of his fingers on her forehead.
He smiled, looking in her green eyes.
"I'll see you soon."
She was unable to look away, hypnotized by his dark eyes that, for once, were soft and gentle.
"...Thank you."
Her cheeks reddened, she wanted to say something in return, but he already turned from her and slowly walked away from the gates of Konoha.
From them.
From her.
But he will definitely return soon, will he?
After walking down the road for a few minutes, Sasuke suddenly stopped, turning his head to the left.
"Huh... I didn't think you'd come..."
Naruto, leaning against a tree, looked at him thoughtfully for a while, without saying anything. And then the blond suddenly handed him something.
"Here... I'm returning this," he finaly said.
Sasuke took his old, scratched forehead protector, carefully hiding it in a pocket of his black cloak.
"I'll keep this... Until we really settle things between us."
They stood like that for a minute, and then both of them smiled, turning away from each other and walking the opposite directions. Neither turned around to see another's back for the last time.
Moving forward alongside love and hatred, they took their paths with ease, knowing that they will eventually cross again, sooner or later.
Deep in his thoughts, Uchiha turned to the path that lead to the west. He already knew where he was heading to, but he wasn't in any hurry. He had plenty of time, after all.
And then he heard something to his right. Without stopping, he squinted, checking the dark between the trees. Someone was obviously following him, and the Uchiha was able to notice it only now, since his head was filled with thoughts and he wasn't really paying attention. There was no one who he could remotely consider a threat to himself in this world anyway. However, he didn't like being stalked.
Walking another hundred yards ahead, he focused on the sounds nearby, only to hear another twig breaking under someone's feet.
He then finally stopped, frowning. Who the hell was stupid enough to track him down anyway? Someone from Konoha? He wasn't too far away yet: in fact, he could still see the upper parts of the great wall surrounding the village. But he already said his goodbyes to those few who still cared for him in that village. Who the heck, then?
"Show yourself. I know you're there, there is no point in hiding now." He said calmly, eying the trees, not even caring to activate his Sharingan.
A few seconds passed, and only then he saw the movement in the dark.
His eyes widened in surprise. He expected to see anyone, literally anyone but the person that slowly stepped out of shadows with nervous, yet somewhat determined face.
"You?.." Was all he was able to mutter, not understanding what on earth was she thinking, following him like this. The girl, however, didn't say anything, peering at his boots, not daring to speak in front of him.
Yes, that was one hell of a surprise. Seeing the girl he had never shared a word with through his whole life, the girl that obviously wanted something from him.
Collecting his thoughts together, he stepped towards her, only to see her eyes shooting up to his face, the nervous and shy expression of her face turning into frightened.
She feared him.
Not that it was surprising. Many people did, especially in Konoha. He didn't really mind it: in fact, he preferred them to fear and stay away from him instead of being around, molesting and annoying.
But this one here was just ridiculous. She has followed him all the way from the gates, and for what? What on earth did the girl want with him, behaving like that in front of him?
He wasn't able to hold a smirk. He finally remembered her. She was that fangirl of Naruto, his former classmate in the academy, the Hyūga girl.
That explained a lot.
"Your name is Hinata, right?" He asked, looking at her with slight despise. He hated fangirls. After the fateful fight with Naruto, his paradigm has significantly shifted. But some of his views just couldn't be changed. "What do you want with me?"
The girl pursed lips, eying him searchingly, as if she wasn't sure what to do, or rather not sure if she should say what she wanted to say or not. After what seemed like a minute of grave silence, he frowned, taking another step closer to her. This time the girl didn't back off: she clenched her fists and took a deep breath to say something, but he beat her to it:
"Look, if you came to ask me to come back because of the idiot – I won't. Naruto is aware why I'm leaving, and..." He stopped as the kunoichi shook her head. Confused, he frowned even deeper. He was starting to lose his patience with this
silly girl. " Then what the hell do you want?! Talk already."
"I... Uchiha-san, I..." She's finally started talking, to his relief. At last, damn it. "I want to go with you. Please, let me!" She blurted vigorously, looking in his cold eyes, one of them looking exactly like the eyes that haunted her in her nightmares: the same eyes that destroyed her village, that almost took her own life and that killed her brother.
His expression was blank as he was stunned by her ridiculous request.
Taking her with him? Really?
He barely managed to not laugh. Was the girl completely out of her mind?
He eyed her carefully. This had to be some prank, probably set up by Naruto. Only that idiot could come up with something this stupid. Right?
But she looked dead serious. It obviously took her all the willpower she had to not look away. There has to be something he missed, otherwise he was probably hallucinating. Yes, that had to be it. It wasn't her who was losing her mind – it was him.
"Why?" He asked bluntly, not going to confuse himself with thinking any further on the matter.
It seemed she expected this question, because the answer followed almost immediately:
"I... I can't stay in... In the village... Anymore." Was all she said, finally giving up and lowering her eyes to the ground, not able to stand his piercing gaze any longer.
"Oh?.." Was all he came up with at the moment, surprised by her answer. So she was going to become a nukenin, just like he did in the past? Was that what she thought he was going to do now, again?
And what on earth could make that spineless girl that adored his idiot of a friend since their childhood, not really being famous for anything else as far as he knew, want to leave the village?
Were her pillows not soft enough or something?..
He suddenly felt the urge to outrage right away. Who was this little shit thinking she was? Why on earth was he even comparing her to himself when it came to leaving the village anyway?!
She was nothing like him. She was just a spoiled little princess that had everything he always dreamed of: clan, family, friends, home.
But then a sudden realization hit him. Something was off with her, one doesn't simply leave everything like this without a very serious reason. He wasn't stupid, he actually learned his lessons from his past mistakes of misjudgement on people, starting with Itachi and finishing with himself.
No, not himself. With the girl that stood before him right now. He won't make the same mistake ever again.
"What happened?" He asked after a long thought. She winced again, embracing herself as if it was too cold around.
"It doesn't matter at all, Uchiha-san..." Has she just sniffled? "Please, just let me follow you. I'll be of use."
He noticed that her white eyes that he always found rather creepy and weird were filling with tears.
He hated it when girls were crying.
"Yes, it does. I don't need you around. If you wanna follow, you better convince me for good."
She sighed, and so did he. He clearly saw that she's not going to tell him much more. Fortunately he had a way to find out everything he wanted with that left eye of his, even though he hasn't pretty much mastered it yet.
He took his final step to her, and, before she was able to react, he grabbed her wrist.
Ningendō...
Last thing she saw before the memories of the last few days flooded her head, was that dreadful purple eye. His Rinnegan.
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Now putting that aside, I loved the extreme detailing you put in here about the aftermath of the Fourth Shinobi World War (I hope Kishi makes a short story on this). Lord Sasuke shines the most ( I would say to put some detail on his right eye too 
