Chapter 10

Sakura

Sakura kicked the door open. Her intention was not to break it, but it were only the lightning reflexes of the Hokage which spared him from getting knocked over as the door flew and crashed against his desk on the far side of the room. He looked up in surprise. His face exuded calm even on the face of attempted assault.

"Sakura-chan," he said cautiously.

Sakura's anger stemmed from her hurt. She had spent the night tossing and turning in another man's arms, unable to sleep even in his warm embrace.

"Sakura-chan," he had whispered in her ear, holding her even closer. "I'm here."

He thought she was just having a bad dream, and she almost cried at his ignorance and the unconditional love he showed her. She had spent the night at Kiba's home, and locked together in his bed, they had not made love tonight, as Kiba had somehow sensed she was not in the mood. But he held her close, showering her in kisses she did not deserve.

She knew she would have to let their love go. It made breaking up with him all the more harder, but she knew she would have to eventually, regardless of her feelings for Kakashi. Kiba's feelings for her only appeared to grow stronger day by day. She remembered feeling something akin to love for him, back when they had made promises to each other and the secrets they had shared, before realizing her affections lay for Kakashi. The man himself hadn't made her job easier. He had continued to lead her on. He was not entirely innocent.

And she had finally decided to go up to him and demand that he set things straight.

And that's what she demanded in the present.

She swayed slightly from the recoil of her explosive kick as she entered in.

"Tell me, tell me what the fuck was yesterday all about, if you are in a relationship with HANA INUZUKA?"

Kakashi didn't flinch, nor did he deny the accusation. Instead, he sighed as he let her approach him. Much like Tsunade-sama, it was best not to excite her too much when she was in her condition.

"A little early in the day to be drinking, neh, Sakura-chan?"

"Cut the crap," she yelled, not caring if the entire world was listening as Kakashi tried to get her to lower her voice.

"Sakura-"

"DON'T YOU SAKURA-CHAN ME," she yelled, wagging her finger at him. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself, she lowered her volume. "Why did you fuck me when you're already fucking Inuzuka?"

"Didn't you do exactly the same?" Kakashi replied calmly.

She raised her hand to slap him, but he caught it in mid-air.

"Sakura-chan, I only did what I did because your affections for me were starting to become apparent, not only to me but everyone around you. It's dangerous. After all, I am the Hokage, and you're my former student. I do not want false accusations to paint themselves when our past was clean, nor do I want any more nasty rumors to be floating around about either of us."

Tears stung her eyes. "Why did you sleep with me then?"

"Sakura," he says, lowering her hand, but still holding on to it. "I was sure that what you were feeling was what you kids nowadays call "horny". No one need ever know what happened between us. I thought that by giving you what you wanted, you'd go back to being your own rational self, and back into that Inuzuka boy's arms, who, as apparent to everyone in the village, loves you with every fibre of his being."

Her tears continued to fall, and she was beginning to feel ridiculous.

"Don't you?" she asked stupidly.

He looked at her with an almost pitying expression on his face.

"I think it's best that you sleep over it, Sakura," he said, dead serious. "Your feelings for me... They're not real. Every student at some point thinks that they are in love with their teacher, when they're actually not. It's just lust guiding you and you'll soon learn to know the difference. You belong with Kiba, a boy of your age, who will gladly give you everything I will never be able to."

"Didn't you-" she hiccupped. "Didn't you feel a little... Didn't you even... Was it all another lesson to me from you, as my teacher?"

He sighed deeply. "Sakura, it doesn't matter how I feel for you. The time I spent yesterday was certainly... Pleasurable... But between us, it will never work out. You... You'll always be my student, even if you've surpassed me in certain levels."

"But... I'm not your student any longer!"

"Yes, but I'm the Hokage as well as your teacher," he said patiently, like teaching a new student basic principles. "A teacher is supposed to be like a parent, guiding you, taking care of you, being a role model. And as a Hokage, my life will always be governed by the examples I set Sakura-chan, and so will my respect. And I do not want everyone thinking that their students are available to them in that nature. The purpose would simply be lost. I have a duty to my village."

"And what of your duty to your heart?" she demanded to know. "Kakashi, you're allowed to feel! Tell me, tell me how you really feel towards me Kakashi, as a man, and not as my teacher. Have you never thought of me as more than just your student?"

Kakashi sighed. "I already explained it to you Sakura-chan, my feelings in this don't matter."

He prayed she would not ask what he feared, but she did it anyway.

"And what are your feelings? Don't you... Don't you love me, Kakashi?" she asked, her voice a little more than a whimper.

He looked straight into her eyes, filled with tears and longing, and felt a stab of hurt at what he was about to do.

"No Sakura-chan, I do not love you. Not any more than a favourite student."

This time, he let her slap him. He deserved it, and he hoped his mask would conceal the bruise which would inevitably form beneath it. And the stinging pain would at least quell and mask his own bruised and hurting heart for how he had hurt her. But it was for the best. he had already made one mistake, allowing himself to be swayed by her vivacious nature when they ended up making love in this very office. Hopefully, the betrayal that she felt would be enough to make her hate him and nip it all in the bud, and never consider injuring their hearts again.

Neji

Neji had steeled himself and practiced his speech numerous times before approaching the Main Compound. He bowed on the tatami mat as he entered the work station of the Head of the Hyuga, one knee and hand touching the floor.

"You wished to speak to me, Hiashi-sama?"

Hiashi looked up from the newspaper he was reading, putting it away and taking off his glasses.

"Ah yes, please come in, and close the door behind you," he said.

Neji obediently slid the shoji shut as he trudged in, head bowed. His bangs fell over his face. He feared that Hiashi had found out what had happened between Hinata and was about to expel him. Did he find out that Hinata had spent the past two nights in his room? Hiashi was very resourceful, and his eyes and ears were all around Konoha, especially the Hyuga Compound.

"Hyuga Neji, I have a proposal to make of you," Hiashi said, his face rigid. "It is about my daughter. Besides the matter of familial and political duties which you have been bestowing, I along with everyone else have witnessed and seen with our own eyes the bond between the two of you and the care invested in it. We have also noticed how it has progressed, and it is with these things in my mind that I have decided to approach you."

Neji stayed silent, allowing him to continue.

"I wish to settle this matter once and for all," Hiashi said sternly. "It is my intention to..."

"Before you do, I need you to hear me out," Neji declared, looking up and facing him directly. Hiashi was shocked; Neji had never interrupted him before. He nodded, however, and allowed him to continue.

"Hiashi-sama, I swear to you... I have made mistakes. After all, I'm just a man, like you, and you have made mistakes just as well, like any human being. That is not to say that you have not done a splendid duty to try and have them excused and forgiven, making up for them all, but I, no, I do not apologize for the mistake I may have made in your eyes, because I do not consider it as such. It was not a mistake, I will never consider it as a mistake. It was all but a matter of the heart."

Hiashi raised his hand to silence him, but Neji barrelled on. He knew he'd lose his nerve otherwise.

"I say it with absolute conviction, sincerity, surety, and with all my heart that I..." He took a deep breath, getting up, eye twitching in nervousness at what might go wrong if his next words were not chosen carefully.

"I love Hinata-sama with every fibre of my being..." he declared fiercely, eyes flashing. "Hell might freeze over and the stars will stop shining before I ever stop loving her, and neither can you nor anyone attempt to stop me from doing so. You do not control my feelings, and neither do you control Hinata-sama's. I don't know what you may have heard about us, but I will definitely not confirm nor deny it. I hereby declare that I will never, ever abandon your daughter and nor will I ever leave her side. And neither can anyone make me!"

Hiashi gaped at him, his jaw having dropped slightly, face clearly revealing the shock he had received at this revelation. There was a scuffle and a yelp in the closet - which was to their side - and they both turned to look, only to find Hanabi tumbling out, with the same expression of shock on her face as her father's.

A familiar pressure made Neji reach up to the sides of his eyes and feel the stretched veins which had erupted when he was confessing without him even realizing. He tried to look at Hanabi apologetically, but his embarrassment and shock took the lead first.

There was another moment of shock when the three just stared at each other.

"It-it suddenly got very hot in there," Hanabi broke the silence sheepishly, looking accusingly at Neji. But he noticed, that apart from the accusation, he saw something else entirely, something he had never seen on his little cousin's face for him ever since he had hurt her sister in the chunin exams. Something she had still not bothered to give him after he had awakened the Tenseigan.

Admiration, and grudging respect.

It was again her who spoke first.

"Neji-niisan, did you think that Father had found out about..."

Neji's eye flashed in warning again as he realized his mistake. Apparently, so did Hanabi, as she backtracked at once.

"... About your love for my sister?" she said instead.

He did not know what Hanabi had meant previously, but judging by the naughty smile she was giving him, he did not put it past her to have a little idea at least. Why else might she be hiding in the closet, attempting to eavesdrop on their conversation? Speaking of which...

Neji looked at Hiashi as a burning flush took over his face and he fell down on his knee again, head bowed deeply.

"What-what was it you wished to speak to me about, Hiashi-sama?" he managed to choke out.

Hiashi's shut his fallen mouth and coughed, putting both hands on his desk and getting up, walking around it to stand in front of him. Neji kept his head bowed, expecting, that any second, Hiashi might lash out.

"It is my intention to repair the Hyuga and unite both the houses in our clan," Hiashi continued mechanically, like the interruption had not happened. "Not only that, I am also looking for a suitable match for my eldest, as she possesses our clan's revered kekke genkai and there are many who seek to possess it only for their own selfish needs, not because they wish to see my daughter happy. You, on the other hand, might know how. Other than that, I had also intended to honour my late brother's wish and to see you lead our clan in the future."

Neji looked up, wide-eyed. His blue eye glowed in response. Was Hiashi saying what he thought he was saying?

"W-what?" he asked stupidly.

"What he means to say, dummy, that he'd like to see you and my sister uniting our clan," Hanabi said, her voice dancing in mischievousness.

"Hyuga Neji," Hiashi's voice boomed with each word. "I would like to offer you my daughter's hand in marriage. I have already asked her and she has accepted you. Now, do you accept my daughter, Hyuga Hinata, as your lawfully wedded wife? Or... do you need time to think about it?" Hiashi said, controlling the tug of his lips.

Neji looked at Hiashi and for a full minute there was silence as both men looked at each other; Hiashi recomposing his face with a stern expression and Neji with a blank one, his flashing eye giving him away. He tried to comprehend what Hiashi was asking him, and he was pretty sure that he did not know what had happened the previous night.

The slight tug of his lips had also not escaped the Hyuga prodigee, and if he didn't know any better, Hiashi might have been making fun of him with that last sentence.

After what had happened, Neji did not have a single doubt who he wanted to marry and would have approached him for her hand himself. That much he knew.

Neji bowed once more.

"It would be my honor, Hiashi-sama," Neji said, choking up once more.

A/N: Hi you all! As you can see, I've finally updated despite my laziness, but the chapter is long ^_^ Good news is, things will finally be picking up from next chapter as now I have finished setting up the premise! As always, please review and let me know what you think!