Again

Chapter 12

Sasuke

"You're going to marry the first daughter of Hiashi Hyuuga."

"Pardon?"

"You heard it, so don't make me repeat."

I was told to marry Hinata when i was six years old. I was so young that time, and i didn't get the reason why i have to marry her. Even now, if im told to marry someone, i will strongly disagree, even if my father decrease or cancel my inheritance.

Hiashi Hyuuga is a hell of a business man, so my father wanted an alliance between us and the Hyuuga. I was supposed to be her fiance at six, but that was hindered by the Otsutsuki, Aburame, and Inuzuka family chain of business.

I later found out that those three big names are also after Hiashi's first daughter. Hiashi decided to give them a chance, a chance to get his daughter's attention and make her fall.

Even me myself, I felt the competition, so in the day I met Shino, Kiba and Toneri, I showed them my game-on face. Im not really into marriage thing, but I hate to lose! I hate to embarrass the Uchiha name.

"What do we have here?" the feisty Kiba said as he walk towards me. He have his hands on his waist as he get his face closer to mine. "A rival huh."

"Another rival you said?" someone said from behind. It's Shino.

Im not interested in facing my rivals so I stepped back and walk to the adults but another kid blocked me.

His eyes are so mesmerizing and he stood up with grace.

"You must be the second son of the Uchiha." He smiled at me. I stepped back once again but the two kids are already behind me.

"Welcome to the club, jerk!" Kiba said swinging his arm at me. "Let's have a healthy competition, shall we?"

I shoved his arms away and glared at him. "I don't need people like you." I coldly said as I walked out.

In competition, there's no use being friendly to others. Because in the end, one fact will remain, and that is you want the same goal, and you can't ride a small boat at once. It's either you have to push them, or they push you.

Once I get attached to them, I will apparently develop bond that'll hinder a great decision one day.

So no! Im not hanging out with those kids.

I remained cold and silent the whole event and the three of them hanged out well like their families weren't rivals.

We went to the same school, and there we met Hinata.

"So she's Hinata Hyuuga!" Kiba throw his arms at me, jeez they won't leave me alone.

"Doesn't look like a Business inheritor to me. She's more of a princess?" Shino said, unsure.

"Yeah. Uhm, she looks gentle, unlike their clan." Toneri barged.

I shoved Kiba's arm away as I walk away from the three of them. I wanted to talk to Hinata Hyuuga but Urgh! She look so fragile like she'd collapse if ever I talk to her. It's like a a wrong word would make her go away!

"Im Naruto Uzumaki, and you?"

Naruto introduced himself the moment he saw me. We are classmates along with Kiba, Shino, Toneri, and Hinata. Naruto is friendly, kind, and nicd to me. But as usual, I don't show any emotion to him.

Naruto is a brilliant kid. He gain quite friends and even get close to my three rivals. Anyways, despite his amiable personality, he didn't get a chance to talk or even notice Hinata.

3 months after that, Hinata transfered school, I heard it's because her father wanted her to be always near him, and he is going to the states to widen his business, so he brought her and her sister with him.

I thought the rivalry is over since Hinata is away but Hiashi will still watch over the four family business, and the most successful one will get to marry his daughter.

"Hey Sasuke come on! Let's eat!"

The four of us studied together, and now we are in 5th grade. Still, I act cold towards them but they kept pestering me until they convince me to hang out with them.

Naruto became close with Kiba first, but when he hanged out with us, he became close with everyone.

"Oh, so the four of you met because you want to marry the same girl?!" Naruto asked in surprise.

"Ah it's not like we really want to. But . . . oh well, it's business thingies." Toneri explained.

"Did you met the girl?"

"Yes. She is so pretty. But it's been years since we last saw her." Shino shrugged.

"Oh, too bad. I wanted to meet her too."

"Actually you were classmates with her for three months. In Pre school." I said.

"Eh??? Whoo???"

The four of us looked at each other. "Secret!!"

Knowing Naruto, he was so eager to know who the girl is but none of us gave in. Eventually, he stopped pestering us about her but he swear that when their paths meet he will steal the girl from us.

He got it right.

"This is Hinata Hyuuga, you're new classmate." We're 15 that time when Hinata came into our life, again.

But somehow, we don't want to compete anymore. We just let it be and let Hiashi decide who to marry is daughter.

The four of us made a promise, that we will never involve ourselves with her for a fair competition, for her not to have a favor and let everything to Hiashi's hand.

And months after that, we are doing good. Despite being in the same class with her, we acted like we don't know her and that she don't exist. It sounded mean but, that's a promise we have to keep up.

But one day, Naruto just said, that he liked Hinata and that they talked.

Despite having Naruto as a friend and Hinata as his crush, and eventually became his girlfriend, we still didn't get ourselves involved with her. We avoided her.

We are doing good in our promise and seeing how Naruto and Hinata are happy with each other, we backed out and convinced our parents to cancel the arranged marriage. The four lf us tried so hard just to convince them, for Hinata and Naruto and we succeeded.

until one day,

We saw Naruto running in the hallway. Gloom was evident in his face as his eyes became clouded with tears. Kiba asked him what's wrong but he ignored and continue running.

We went to the place where he came from, and there we saw Hinata, crying.

We couldn't talk to her because, I don't know! We're reluctant! Embarrassed! We don't know what to do!

Days had passed, and the rumor that the two of them had broken up. That time, I was so mad at Naruto without any solid reason! I despised him for hurting her! He even transferred school!

"I can't stand seeing Hinata sad like that." Kiba said.

"I want to hug her." Toneri.

"Maybe we should comfort her?" Shino.

The four of us decided to do it and interact with her, since the competition for the marriage is already over— or should I say, We made it over— our promise is already over too.

"We're here... from now on, you can rely on us.".