Empty Eyes: Book 1

Chapter 29

The four of us traveled for two days in search of Otogakure since Karin was only able to provide a vague description of its location, stopping only when needed. Hinata and Sasuke took turns driving because Naruto and I never had the chance to learn.

In the late afternoon of the second day of traveling, we called it quits in an incredibly small village hidden so deeply behind the trees that we almost didn't notice it.

There was only one hotel, which tripled as a bar and hot spring, in the entire village and every single one of the nervous citizens we encountered quickly admitted to not often having visitors. The entire hotel only had two rooms, so Hinata and I opted to share one, which left the boys having to share the other. Naruto and Hinata have never slept in the same bed and the Hyuga girl admitted to me in private that she was still much too nervous, so we were left with no choice.

Once we were settled in and had eaten dinner, Hinata and I decided to visit the hot spring. We were the only women in the entire spring, so I felt much more comfortable dropping my towel and slipping into the steaming water, letting out a sigh as the heat helped relax the muscles that were tense from being in a vehicle the past few days.

I glanced over to see Hinata nervously trying to convince herself to get in. I put a hand over my eyes, "I won't look."

"Thank you."

Ino and I used to share a bath all the time, so I'm incredibly used to bathing with another, but Hinata's family is wealthy enough to afford separate baths and expensive utilities so it's likely this was the first time the heiress was experiencing something like this.

I heard her slip under the water and waited a few more moments before peeking through my fingers to make sure it was alright to relax. She was safely underwater, face bright red as she kept her arms crossed in front of her.

I let out a relieved sigh as I sank as low as possible in the hot water, "It's been so long since I've been in a spring."

My companion still seemed uncomfortable so I tried to distract her, "I don't know much about your sister, Hinata. What's she like?" My eyes slid closed easily as I tried to keep my thoughts from straying to my own sister or even my missing mother.

"Hanabi is five years younger than me. She is...much more outgoing than me."

I opened my mouth to respond, only for both of us to jump slightly at a loud outburst from the other side of the stone wall that separated the men's side of the spring from the women's.

It was obviously Naruto's voice bellowing above the sound of the running water, "What the fuck is that!"

We could hear Sasuke's deeper voice respond with something in an annoyed tone, but couldn't make out the words before Naruto's panicked voice came again, "That's not normal, man! You should see a doctor!"

My face heated into a bright red blush as I realized what the blonde must be freaking out about. I glanced over to see Hinata looking at me and the moment she understood what I was blushing about, her face matched mine in hue. The two quieted down to the point where we couldn't make out their words after that, leaving us to enjoy one another's company once more.

"W-What's it like?"

My eyes crept open and I glanced at the Hyuga girl with a curious expression, "What's what like?"

She sank lower in the water and averted her pearly gaze with a still-reddening face, "Sex. W-What's it like? Is it painful?" Her voice was so soft that for a moment I thought I'd misheard her, but the bashful look on her face confirmed her inquiry.

My face heated in response, but I also felt a bit happy.

All my life, I've never had a female friend other than my sister and I've definitely never been someone that others come to for advice. Having someone as elegant and beautiful as Hinata come to me with questions made me so proud that I could cry.