Neji Hyuga Love Story: Into the Dark

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Neji walked back home in the dark of the night, confused as he tried to comprehend what was going on; he just couldn't explain it. He looked up at the moon. He had never felt that way about seeing someone upset, felt that he needed, to make it stop. He couldn't bear to sit and watch as that girl cried, as Hanae cried. He had felt something deep in his chest drop when he saw her sitting beneath that tree, tears streaming down her face. That is when he decided what he did was logical, he grabbed her hand simply to make that feeling go away. But why was it there to begin with? He became frustrated with the question, not knowing any real way of answering it, as he reached the front door of the Hyūga manner.

He walked in and went straight to his room, tired from the mental storm going on inside of him. There were all sorts of thoughts swirling in his head as he took off his usual shinobi attire and laid down on his bed. Thoughts and pieces of the day. Seeing Hanae for the first time sitting in the classroom, watching as she contently listened to the debrief, the way she looked at him with those big, green eyes, how she always blushed when he would talk to her, holding her hand during night watch, sneaking a look at her just to see her long, dirty blonde hair swaying as they walked. Neji smiled at the thought. But the smile faded, when he came to a realization. This was not important, they had completed their mission successfully, and that was all the mattered. He fell asleep with this thought.

"Knock-knock-knock!" Hinata woke up from the noise. No one else had seemed to hear it, so she went to the door to answer it. She was shocked when she opened the front door and saw Hanae, standing on her door step, eyes swollen and she looked as though she had been crying. "Hanae?" Exclaimed Hinata, "What's wrong? It's so late... Why are you here?"

"My apartment... It was... Someone broke into it while I was gone..." Hanae had trouble saying the words without beginning to cry again, and she held back her tears. "They stole everything I had, and, everything was broken and damaged." Hanae explained. She looked at Hinata pleadingly, and Hinata invited her in. "C-can I stay with you for a little Hinata? I don't know where else to go..."

"Sure, Hanae," Hinata replied sweetly.

The door opening and closing had awoken Neji, and he ran out of his room thinking it might have been an intruder. Shirtless, clad in his plain pajama pants, and missing his shinobi forehead protector. He slid to a stop in bare feet, and saw Hanae with Hinata at the door, both of them wearing the same expression of surprise, their mouths open in an 'O' shape. Hanae looked down at her feet and her cheeks turned red. Neji realized his appearance then, and felt an invisible blush on his cheeks as well. "Hanae, what are you doing here?" Asked Neji as he stood up straight.

"S-she didn't have any place to go... Her apartment was broken into." Hinata answered for her. That is when Hiashi came out of his room, to find out what was going on, Hanabe, Hinata's little sister, close behind her father. "Father," Hinata started to say when Hiashi replied,

"I heard the situation. You can stay with us Hanae, as you are one of Hinata's close classmates." Hanae looked up at Hiashi from hearing her name.

"T-thank you, Master Hiashi.." Hanae tried her hardest not to stutter, and bowed. The moonlight from the court yard was the only thing illuminating everyone in the hall way.

"You can stay in Neji's room. He will sleep in the living room for now." Hiashi said in all seriousness.

"Oh, I couldn't do that, I wouldn't want anyone to have to-" Hanae started to say but was cut off by Neji.

"It's alright Hanae. It's my duty to serve Hiashi. Right now, that means keeping Hinata's close friend safe." Neji said flatly.

Neji showed her to his room, While she hesitantly looked back at Hinata, but all she did was wave and smile at her. "You can ask Hinata or me if you need anything," Neji said, as they reached the doorway, "Goodnight."