Sitting at the table with a blank look on her face, Hinata ate the breakfast she had originally gotten ready for her male companion in complete silence. Gone were the creaking wooden floors at every step, and the ruffling of his yukata as he tossed and turned in his bed. Even as the hours ticked by, she did not get up to do what she planned for that morning.
They were supposed to venture out further into the forest. She had promised him of such adventures after he bothered her so much; though she soon realized that it was a simple distraction for her sake.
Did he honestly think that it was fair to leave her in the dark until the day of his departure?
A knock on the cabin door made her look up momentarily before she muttered a quiet 'come in'. Yuriko opened the door and peeked inside, the smile on her face immediately being replaced with a look of worry at seeing Hinata's sagging shoulders.
"Is something the matter?" She closed the door behind her. "I came to get you since Sakura was waiting for you to join her in the library." She sat down on the floor and pulled her knees to her chest.
"I'm alright, Yuriko." She mumbled, but her heart ached in a way she couldn't comprehend. Why did she feel so empty?
"It's okay to not be. Are you feeling overwhelmed again?" She wanted to ask if she felt like crying. Yuriko had only seen Hinata get freakishly quiet and depressed when she was emotionally vulnerable and close to breaking down. The look on her face made her worry.
Hinata shook her head. "I'm not quite sure."
"I can provide some advice if you tell me what's wrong." She offered, "or we can just sit here while you think about it."
So they sat in silence and listened as it slowly started to rain outside. The sky mirrored her feelings; dark grey clouds rolled over the vibrant forest, drenching the soil with ease. He would have liked the sound of the rain.
"I lost someone." Hinata spoke up.
Yuriko nodded.
"I did not realize that I considered them as a friend until they left."
"You regret not letting them know." She hummed.
"I'm sure they've realized that I support them in whatever decision they make, but I do not think this is a mutual camaraderie."
"Why?"
"I've spent most of the time we shared together reminding them that I do not care for them the way that other people do."
"I'm sure they didn't see it that way. The way you talk about them, it is evident to me that you've showcased your worry whether you're aware or not. When you say you don't care, Lady Hinata, you obviously do, and I'm confident when I say that they noticed."
"Then why'd he leave?"
"Some people just aren't destined to stay in your life forever." She mused.
Hinata glanced down at the woman at her side, relishing in the fact that her words sounded a lot like her cousin's. Oh how she missed her family. "I didn't get to say goodbye."
"Is that why you're upset?"
"We've always fought—"
"You've been fighting? That's very dangerous, what if he hurt you? Fighting isn't very healthy for friendships, Hinata." Yuriko attempted to scold her but only received a laugh in return.
"It was the best way to communicate. None of us got hurt, if that's your concern. We would know when to stop once the situation was resolved. It wasn't the safest but it allowed us to get a glimpse at what it is that was bothering us."
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日向導 - A Hyūga's Guide
Fanfiction« She's gotten used to it; she craved it from time to time. Never would she have thought that she would get to the point where Sasuke's proximity did not cause annoyance or anger to arise. How far have they come that warmth and affection bubbled in...
