Forbidden Attraction

Chapter 16: Unclaimed Sentiments

Hinata gazed down at the two jackets that belonged to Sasuke, her heart heavy with memories of their brief encounter during the bug incident. She had planned to return them to him, but he had left in such a rush that she didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. As if that wasn't challenging enough, her cat Mochi had taken a liking to one of the jackets and had claimed it as her own. The feisty feline would hiss and curl up in it whenever Hinata tried to take it away.

"Mochi, come on. I have to give them back," Hinata pleaded, kneeling down to gently coax the cat out of the jacket. But Mochi just stared at her with unyielding determination, refusing to budge from her cozy spot.

"Mochi!" Hinata sighed, her frustration evident. "You're acting like Uchiha-san is your owner!" she whined, trying to sound stern but couldn't help but chuckle at her cat's stubbornness.

Hinata knew she had to find a way to retrieve the jackets without upsetting Mochi too much. She tried enticing her with treats, and toys, but Mochi remained firmly entrenched in her position, determined to keep the jacket.

After some time, Hinata finally came up with a clever plan. She grabbed Mochi's favorite toy mouse and dangled it in front of her, leading her away from the jacket with slow, deliberate movements. As Mochi chased after the toy, Hinata quickly snatched the jacket and retreated, careful not to disturb the feline's newfound playtime.

"Phew, success!" Hinata exclaimed, holding the jacket tightly in her hands. She couldn't help but smile as she looked down at it, feeling a mix of relief and amusement at the whole ordeal.

Armed with the jackets, Hinata resolved to visit Sasuke's place and return them at last. It was an opportunity not just to give him back his belongings but to have one more glimpse of him, a chance to confront her lingering feelings and bid him the farewell she had inadvertently skipped earlier. As she walked out the door, Mochi sauntered up to her, looking slightly disappointed but ultimately unfazed by the loss of her claimed territory.

"Sorry, Mochi," Hinata said, scratching the cat's head gently. "But these jackets belong to someone else." Mochi simply purred in response, seemingly content with the attention.

Hinata briskly walked out of her apartment, clutching Sasuke's jackets tightly in her hand. Stepping into the elevator, she pressed the button for the fourth floor and anxiously watched the numbers descend. As the doors opened, she scanned the nameplates by the door numbers until she found Sasuke's - 407, Uchiha Sasuke.

Taking a deep breath, Hinata knocked on the door, waiting for a response. Sakura opened the door, looking surprised to see Hinata. "Hinata? What are you doing here?" Sakura asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"Oh, hi Sakura," Hinata stammered, feeling a bit nervous. "I just wanted to give these back to Uchiha-san and thank him again for helping me get that bug out of my apartment." She held out the jackets towards

Sasuke, appeared behind Sakura, his onyx eyes meeting Hinata's lavender ones with an intensity that made her blush. "Hn," Sasuke grunted, reaching out to take the jackets from Hinata's hand. "Stay there." He disappeared momentarily, only to return with a box in his hand.

Hinata blushed deeper as he handed her the box. "Th-thank you," she stammered, taking the box from him, feeling a flutter in her chest... "W-well, I'll be on my w-way. Thank you again." She turned to leave, holding the box tightly to her chest, her heart beating faster.

Sakura furrowed her brows as she faced Sasuke, who had just closed the door. "Why did you give her a box of tampons?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Sasuke looked at Sakura with his typical stoic expression. "We happened to bump into each other at the grocery store. It was accidentally put in my bag," he explained in his usual monotone voice.

Sakura nodded, understanding dawning on her face. "Ah, that makes sense," she said, realizing that it was just a coincidence and not some deliberate gesture on Sasuke's part.

Sasuke simply nodded in response, not bothering to elaborate further. He was never one for unnecessary explanations or small talk.

"Well, it's good to know that it was just a misunderstanding," Sakura said with a smile, letting go of any lingering suspicions. She trusted Sasuke and knew that he was not the type to be involved in any unnecessary drama.

Sasuke simply ignored her and hung up his jackets. He couldn't help but notice that it now carried the faint scent of Hinata and was covered in cat hair from Mochi, her feline companion. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lip as he realized this. At that moment, he found himself oddly amused by the reminder of Hinata's presence and couldn't suppress the subtle upward twitch of his lip.

𝌀☯𝌀

"Ugh, Mochi!" Hinata exclaimed, plopping down on the bed next to her animal companion, the box of tampons falling onto the floor. "Life hates me, huh?" Mochi meowed in response, laying her head back down to rest. Just then, a ring sounded at the door, interrupting their conversation.

Slowly, Hinata got up and approached the intercom by the door. "Hello?" she asked cautiously.

"Hey Hinata! Are you ready for our date?" Kiba's voice came through the intercom, catching Hinata off guard.

"D-date?" she questioned, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Nah, I'm just messing with yah. Open the door so I can come up," Kiba said playfully.

Hinata clicked a button on the intercom, making a buzzing sound, and Mochi walked out of her room, jumping on the couch before lying down. She watched as Hinata paced in front of the door, anxiously waiting, until finally opening it to let the dog-human in.

As soon as the door opened, Mochi sprang into action, running up to Kiba and pouncing on his legs, her sharp claws giving him a surprise attack. "Ouch! Mochi, no!" Kiba yelped, trying to shake her off.

Hinata's heart raced as she tried to free Kiba from Mochi's attack. With a determined pull, she accidentally brought Kiba's leg up, causing him to fall onto his back. Mochi finally let go and scurried off into another room.

"O-Oh Kiba, are you okay?" Hinata asked with genuine concern, kneeling down beside him. Kiba pulled her down on top of him, earning a little yelp from her. They locked eyes for a moment. But as Kiba leaned in for a kiss and their lips met, Hinata realized something was missing. It didn't feel right. There was no spark, no connection.

As Kiba deepened the kiss, Hinata's mind wandered. She couldn't help but compare it to the kisses she had shared with Sasuke. With a sinking feeling in her chest, she pulled away, putting on a fake smile to hide her disappointment. The spark she had felt with Sasuke just wasn't there with Kiba. She tried to ignore the nagging feeling inside her.