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Chapter 3

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Sasuke turned to the presence she knew had been hovering about behind her in the garden for at least half an hour. Immediately taking it as an acknowledgement and permission to approach, Hinata stepped out from behind the large stone urn and shuffled beside her.

"S-s-Sasuke-chan."

"…"

"S-Sasuke-chan…?"

Though they were in the same class, she'd never spoken to Hinata before. Now, as she stood listening to the girl calling her name, she had no idea what to say. The pale-eyed girl's shyness slightly irritated her, but despite her obvious nervousness she had had the courage to try and talk to her. Sasuke looked on towards the trees on her left, wondering if the girl would go away if she said nothing. She did not feel like talking. She wanted to be alone, because an emptiness within her had her in some kind of hold that made her want to go to somewhere quiet and far away without anyone finding her.

"L-l-let's p-play, Sasuke-chan."

Play?

Finally, she turned her empty gaze towards the other's eager one. Did Hinata really wanted to play with her? What did she want to play? Why did she want to play with her?

Frozen with so many questions, arrested by an uncertainty on how to react, and unknowingly haunted by a darkness she had yet to identify or understand, she chose to do the only thing she knew that would end this episode.

Sasuke walked away.

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Two months since she moved into her new residence, Hiashi-sama had her summoned. Hinata was the one who led her through the long, quiet hallways and into a sitting room she'd been in only once before. The difference between then and now was that currently the other end of the room was open to the outside hallway and the view of a miniature garden. The evening breeze blew into her face as she entered, and as she did one of the two occupants of the room stood and approached.

Hands behind his back, Sandaime Hokage smiled down at her and at the girl behind her. She found surprise in his presence but supposed that it wasn't strange for the Konoha's leader to visit one of the most prominent clans of the village.

"Have you two been getting along well," he asked them.

"y-y-yes, Sandaime-s-sama," Hinata squeaked in immediately.

Sasuke said nothing. In truth they weren't speaking at all, or at least Sasuke hadn't been responding to Hinata's attempts at conversation. But they weren't not getting along. In the corner of her eye she watched the gentle Hinata who would stubbornly haunt her around the house and at school. She had recently decided that it didn't matter if the girl sat beside her in class. She wondered for the first time if she was warming up to her, wondered if this was what being friends was all about while knowing that they weren't friends at all.

"And how are you, Sasuke?" The old man's dark eyes looked straight down at her. There was so much kindness in those eyes, and she began to recall that this was how this man has always been. Like family, he treated her, and she entertained the thought that maybe she felt the same for him, if she could feel anything right now besides the ever-present emptiness that kept her awake at night.

Glancing behind the crouching Sandaime, Hiashi-sama sat in silence, merely observing. She met his eyes. Similar to her father he was, always stern, silent, and strict. In contrast, Sandaime was gentle and inviting. His hand on her head was warm. Beside her Hinata giggled as he ruffled her hair. The old man grinned, urging on more shy laughter as he rubbed her like he would a pet.

The happiness was starting to become infectious. Sasuke's face softened slightly, then cringed as she tried to fight the unfamiliar lightness in her chest. Noticing the change in her, Sandaime shared a smile with the young Hyuuga before using both hands to ruffle the other dark haired girl. At first Sasuke made an irritated sound but before long she began leaning into the touch before she could stop herself. Embarrassed, she hid her face with her bangs.

This was familial warmth, Sasuke thought as she went to bed. That night, she slept without nightmares for the first time.

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"Sa… Sa-Sasuke-chan."

"…"

The dark-eyed girl heard footsteps leave. Hinata had finally given up trying to talk to her for the day. Strangely early, too, she thought. Maybe she'd finally given up all together.

"…"

Going back to the scroll she was reading, Sasuke stifled her disappointment. Just when she thought of finally yielding to the attempts and start doing something together with Hinata the girl gives up. Or at least that's what she has told herself every time. Tomorrow her constant shadow would probably be nowhere to be seen. Just as a sigh of either relief or regret escaped her lips a dull crash sounded in the hallway outside her room followed by other quieter falling noise. Curiously, she popped her head out the doorway and saw Hinata sprawled on the floor with a large fallen basket spilling with tomatoes.

There was no need for Sasuke to ask. While she didn't know how Hinata knew, the delectable looking tomatoes were definitely for her. This girl really wanted to spend time with her, she realized. It didn't matter why. She didn't know how to respond to such honest and sincere feelings, wasn't even sure she was allowed to. Everyone in this large household seemed to compel or demand a distance from her, and she assumed Hinata wanted that, too, despite her persistent attempts for some sort of interaction with her. But Hinata was different and she should have realized that from the start.

"Hinata…" she called shyly, not looking at her.

As if she sensed a change, the other girl stood quickly, stance eager. "Yes, Sasuke-chan," she urged, without stuttering.

"Let's… go play together."

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Hello, after one year without any updates.