Naruto 1. Prologue

**a/n: **

**Author remembered something about fanfiction telling about author's note. I'm so sorry about last night. There really was a party from the neighborhood. Such a distraction. I'm not high anymore. Also fixed some minor errors. :)  
**

Hey guys, guess who's back? XD Uka, my dog will be joining us in our journey!

Uka: ...k.

He's a mixed Finnish Spitz with some breed I don't know. You don't know how much I missed my dear readers so much! That's why I was gritting my teeth and biting my nails the past week deciding if I should publish this story or not. Well, guess what... I couldn't help myself so here it is!

This time! I have a very special partner with me who flourishes, beautifies, and proofread the chapters of this story. Give him a round of applause... **Serious Sam**-san! (He's my Beta in other words. Hihihi. I'm such a happy little girl.) I'm really glad that he agreed to work with me in this story. If you don't know him or if you still haven't stumbled on his own masterpiece "**My Precious People"**, then you should look it up right now 'coz it's freakishly awesome!

Okay then. I hope to see familiar readers in this story. And I would like to thank all of you who supported **Beyond an Heiress' Purpose**! Ahhh! I feel so loved~

Please stay with me until the end of this new story. :)

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto... yeah. I cry every time. **

* * *

**Sanctuary of the Wounded**

Kidnapping the Hyuga heiress was a success and it brought great turmoil to the clan. News traveled that the Kumogakure ninjas involved with the kidnapping were attacked as they attempted to return to their village, and no survivors were found alive…not even the heiress. However after several years, a Ninja Hero manages to find her…in an abandoned laboratory.

**Prologue**

_"Memories are bullets. Some whiz by and only spook you. Others tear you open and leave you in pieces."_

_-Richard Kadrey_

* * *

**_As long as I'm around…you will never find happiness._**

A dark, sadistic voice rang in her head again, as it had for a countless number of times before. Pale, lavender eyes shot open, struggling to see the source of the sound – knowing all too well that her efforts would be futile. Ever since that event – she refused to call it for what it was, thinking it would only make the memory stronger –this dark, cruel and sinister voice echoed through her mind whenever she had moments of lucidity and peace. When there were times she could imagine herself far from here, safe and happy.

Beads of sweat formed along her smooth skin, trailing down her beautiful pale face in rivulets as the drops grew larger. Arms weak, she struggled to sit up on her futon, reaching for the lamp beside her. She turned it on, dimly illuminating her small, confining room – which had also doubled as her prison during her time here.

Everything had been going well for the entire week.

For so many years… she never thought that she would be able to feel this way again.

To feel cared about, other than as an experiment… to feel happy, surrounded by joy…

_And to feel loved, and love in return…_

She was willing to throw away the past several years, never allowing them to haunt her or cause her fear anymore. She was willing to banish those thoughts – forget everything that made her feel weak and defenseless. She was willing to move on and start anew…a life born again, the future uncertain and full of wonder, putting the trauma of her painful past behind her.

Whatever needed to be erased, she would erase. Whatever needed to be forgotten, she would forget.

**_You will never be able to get rid of me…_**

The voice rang in her head again and a shiver ran over her flesh, giving her goosebumps from the grating tone and underlying hiss. Even though she could only hear it, she also could feel the sinister intent. She could almost see the smirk on its face, mocking her hopes and dreams, laughing at her predicament, finding pleasure in causing her fear. For two straight nights it had spoken to her, promising unknown horrors in such a way that she would quiver in fear and hug her knees… making the memories of all the suffering and pain she had gone through the last fifteen years seem fresh and new. And just as it had many times before, the horrible voice had succeeded again this very night.

She curled her knees close and buried her face in them, placing her hands on both of her ears in an attempt to block her out – but the effort was in vain. Crystal clear, it was making her remember those memories that she wished badly to forget.

_A blinding light. A maniacal chuckle. Screams. Other people's screams. Her own screams. Blood. Cursing. Explosions. Pitch black. _

And no one ever cared.

She shut her eyes tightly, breathing heavily until she was hyperventilating, her whole body trembling in fear of those memories that haunted her every waking moment.

She had always been weak.

She had always been easy to break.

All she had ever been able to do was cry and hide and plead for mercy.

**_It was a deal, my lovely dear…_**

The voice echoed in her mind once again, freezing her on the spot.

**_Hinata, you and I… forever, we are bound and you cannot do anything about it._**

She inhaled sharply when she suddenly felt an indescribable pain on her left shoulder. It was a pain new to her and far worse than any other she had suffered in that horrible place. Her weak, fragile body fell back on her futon as she writhed in agony. She could not even find her voice to scream out for help – the only thing she could do was endure the pain until darkness overtook her mind and body.

**_No one will ever be able to save you from me._**

To be continued…

* * *

**a/n:**

That's it for the first one! Tell me what you think, please.

As usual, review! Ohohoho. Sorry for the long author's note earlier. XD


	2. I Festival Night

**a/n:**

...okay, I'm sorry.

Publishing this took longer than expected. There was this super typhoon(Rammasun as known internationally) in my country weeks ago. Electricity and net were inaccessible for days.

But here's the first chapter so that means I'm still alive! Thank you for all who reviewed and favorited/followed this story! Keep them coming!

I would like to thank **Serious Sam**-san for proofreading this chapter again, and for helping me with the story. :)

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto. Enjoy my sorrow. **

* * *

**Memories are a double edged sword. They can help or harm, cause happiness or sorrow, wrap you in **

**warmth or pierce you with cold. A person may try and be selective with which ones **

**they wish to keep, but in the end it becomes an all or nothing proposition. Endure…or forget them all. **

**I. Festival Night**

The smile that spread across her innocent face was radiant; the ornamental hairpin placed expertly through her tresses giving her hairstyle a much more formal look. A small bell was attached to one end of the hairpin and it tinkled melodically as her small feet produced light taps as she walked through the hallways of her estate. She accelerated her pace, since the length of her stride was limited by the kimono she wore.

She was dressed ostentatiously for an important event in the Village of Leaf. The Kimono she wore was colored sunshine yellow with a design of Sakura flowers throughout the fabric. Around her waist was an obi colored a darker shade of pink, and embroidered on her back was the Yin Yang symbol surrounded by the eight markers, which represented the symbol of the Hyūga clan.

She looked radiant. She felt like the embodiment of Hyūga grace, elegance and perfection. And she could not wait for her mother and father to see her.

Still moving as fast as her kimono would allow she came to a brief stop, wanting to make one last check of her attire before turning the corner to the room where her parents undoubtedly awaiting her arrival. She hesitated however, as she saw two people enter the room before her – people she did not expect, nor have an inclination to see.

_The Hyūga elders._

Ever since she had been introduced to them, she had always been frightened whenever she was in their presence.

"Hiashi. Your daughter has started attending the academy this year, correct?" the lady elder asked in a stern voice. "I have witnessed your training sessions with her. She has not shown significant improvement with her skills. I can clearly remember when you were her age! She's not even one-third as skilled as you were at the time you entered the academy."

Hiashi looked stoically back at the elders. "I am properly and strictly training my daughter day by day. She will improve."

"We do expect that to happen, however we have not experienced a situation like this before. All heirs and heiresses for several generations prior have been natural born geniuses and lately, the heiress' performance has been very low." The male elder said, and the lady elder nodded in agreement.

This time Haruka, the kind wife of the Hyūga Clan leader decided to speak. "Please, Hinata is still a child. We cannot expect too much from her right now. She's still in the process of learning."

"You say this about your own daughter; however Hyūga Neji was able to master chakra control to a far greater extent when he was her age. Hizashi's son is but a year older, yet he has never failed to surprise us with his skills. He has and continues to perform far better than your Hinata, so we expect that these improvements you are so confident about will appear sooner rather than later." The lady elder grinned maliciously at the couple. "After all… we have no use for failures within the main branch."

"She is my daughter. She knows what is expected of her." Hiashi shot back. "She will not be a failure or disgrace to either the main branch or the Hyuga Clan."

"That is good to hear, Hiashi." the male elder replied, seeming to humor the clan head while inwardly dismissing his statement of confidence. "We will take our leave now. We expect to see you later, since the Hokage has specifically requested your presence at the festivities tonight."

Hiashi and Haruka bowed respectfully as the elders turned to walk out of the room. They had intended to follow but halted as the elders stopped short once they entered the hallway, gazing sternly in a specific direction.

Wondering what caused the elders to suddenly stop; she followed their gaze and saw a small figure in yellow behind one of the wooden pillars in the hallway, feebly attempting to hide herself from the elder's presence. Haruka's motherly instincts immediately took over and she rushed forward to her daughter's side in less than a second.

With just one look, everyone knew that Hinata had overheard the entire conversation.

"Train her better, Hiashi." The lady elder said, her eyes apathetically looking down at the little girl who clung to her mother's leg in fear. With that grim statement hanging in the air, the elders turned and walked away, leaving the family to themselves.

The smile that had adorned Hinata's face as she made her way through the hallways on her way to see her mother and father had completely disappeared once she had overheard the conversation. She had never liked the Hyūga elders; however these two provided her with an additional level of fear because they were also her grandparents. Ever since the first day she met them, they had always been very abrasive and judgmental towards her. This was not the first time that she heard them talking about her – whenever they visited, they always made a point of talking about how weak and untalented she was, especially her grandmother. They never showed one bit of warmth or kindness towards her, or even acknowledged her as their granddaughter.

"Hinata, what are you doing here? You should be with Kō right now, waiting for us at the front gate." Her mother bent down to caress her daughter's cheek. She could clearly see the sadness in Hinata's face.

"I…I just wanted to let okaa-sama and otou-sama see me in my kimono before everyone else did." Hinata answered innocently to her mother, before looking over to her father who stood his ground firmly only a few yards away. His cold stare bore towards her, turning her hopeful expression grave and draining her confidence, causing her to look uncomfortably down at her feet. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

Without saying anything back to the timid heiress, Hiashi turned on his feet to leave. "We should go." He said stoically, not even bothering to address them face to face. "We cannot be late for the festival."

Haruka straightened from her bent position and gently took her daughter's hand. "Let's get going, Hinata."

When Hiashi was far enough away and had turned the corner of the hallway in front of them, Hinata pulled her mother's hand and they came to a halt. Haruka looked down at her daughter, who was staring back at her with inquisitive eyes.

"Okaa-sama…" She asked in a solemn voice. "…am I a failure?"

The question caught Haruka off-guard, albeit only slightly considering the conversation her daughter had overheard. A look of anxiousness completely occupied her beautiful face as she urgently faced the poor girl, who was striving to hold back her tears.

"Listen to me, dear. You are **not **a failure, do you understand that? Don't believe anything that you heard in there – you are our daughter, the future leader of this clan, and no matter who you are and what you are to be in the future, I will always be happy to have you as my child." She pulled her daughter into a tender hug, whispering gently into her hear, "Your father and I love you very much. Don't ever forget that, no matter what happens."

Hinata nodded weakly as her mother pulled away from her. "I understand, okaa-sama…"

Haruka smiled and landed a small peck on her forehead. "Now, we don't want to go to the festival with you looking all sad, right? And don't forget, your fifth birthday is only three days from now! You should be thinking happy thoughts about that, since you're about to meet your uncle and cousin."

Her young, childish mind quickly flitted from dwelling on her grandparent's comments to those of a much more joyous nature, the memories of the conversation slipping from her mind. Her bright smile once again lit up her face, filling her with excitement. Not only because it was her fifth birthday, but also because of her upcoming meeting with her prodigal cousin.

"That's more like it. Now, let's go. We shouldn't keep your father waiting any longer." Haruka said cheerfully, relieved that her daughter had forgotten her troubles for the moment.

Together, they made their way through the vast hallways of the estate, Hinata walking excitedly ahead of her mom while Haruka trailed behind, staring happily at her daughter. Then without any warning Haruka halted her steps, automatically covering her mouth with a white handkerchief she produced from one of her kimono sleeve pockets. She wheezed and coughed a number of times, and with every one, she felt as if the life was being pulled from her body. Her hand reached out, using the wall for support as Hinata watched the spectacle, a look of worry on her innocent face.

"Are you all right, mother?" Hinata asked concernedly.

Haruka tried to straighten herself, putting on a false smile for her daughter. "I'm fine, dear. Just…allergies. Run along to your father, and I'll catch up with you."

"You don't look fine, mother… maybe I should call for help." Hinata said.

"I'm fine, dear. Go to your father, now. Tell him I'll be there shortly." Using a more commanding voice with her daughter, she managed to drive the young girl away, though Hinata looked very hesitant to follow her mother's order.

Once the girl disappeared around the corner, the pain on Haruka's face reappeared and she clutched her chest, struggling to breathe. She looked down at the white cloth in her hands and saw it speckled with dark red spots of her own blood.

* * *

Hinata felt very small in the busy streets of her beloved Konoha. Her sparkling eyes roamed around, adoring the beautiful lamps that illuminated the village. Every stand had their own specialty, focusing the attention of various passersby. Lively music echoed throughout, accompanied by the joy and laughter of everyone Hinata saw. It gave her a soothing feeling in her chest unlike anything else she had experienced up until this point in her life. What she was witnessing right now was far different from the atmosphere at home, which to her had always been a rather gloomy and inhospitable place.

In her four years of age – soon to be five, the only person she had ever seen smiling and laughing was her own mother. No one else in the household ever smiled at her – especially her father, which was why she wondered if he was happy to have her as a daughter at all.

.

.

They had been walking through the streets for almost ten minutes now, Hiashi leading the way as Haruka walked a few yards back from him – a respectable distance a noble woman offers to her honorable husband. Following along behind her was Hinata and her bodyguard Kō, along with a couple more Hyūga guards who were tasked with watching over the Main Branch, ensuring their safety in the crowded streets.

Hinata continued to look around, wanting to stop at one of the stands that interested her, but she knew her father wouldn't let her.

All of a sudden, the attention they were receiving from the villagers grew when they heard a popping sound from somewhere behind them, followed by an angry growl and fits of laughter.

"You should have seen yourself, mister! TAHAHAHAHA!"

The loud voice carried over the crowd. It wasn't difficult to find the source, since the boy responsible was holding from laughing so hard and pointing a finger accusingly at the rearmost Hyūga guarding them.

Hinata's eyes widened when she looked back and saw one of the Hyūga guards dripping wet. In one palm he held an irregular shaped piece of red rubber, which at one time might have taken the shape of a balloon before bursting atop someone's head.

The Hyūga heiress brought her hand to her lips in an effort to contain her laughter. Her eyes traveled back to the source of the prank, and it became harder for her to resist giggling loudly because his laughter was so infectious. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and whiskered cheeks. He somehow looked familiar to her.

Unfortunately, it seemed that only she and the blond boy found the prank funny. The Hyūga who had been the recipient of the water balloon decided to teach the kid a lesson. Before the boy could get away, the Hyūga guard caught him by his shirt and lifted him in the air like a sack of potatoes.

"OI! Let go of me, mister!" The boy protested, as he uselessly flailed about.

"You'll pay for what you've done, you little brat!" The guard snapped in his face.

The humor Hinata had been enjoying disappeared completely with the quick turn of events. She was now fraught with worry for the boy, as she watched the guard reprimand him loudly. She knew that no matter what, this would not turn out well. Suddenly, it seemed as if all the attention of the festival had turned upon them, and she heard whispers coming from the villagers surrounding them.

"That's the fox kid." One of them said.

"Yeah. He's got guts playing pranks on the Hyūga. He's dead meat." Another whispered.

The smiles Hinata had seen on the faces of the villagers had vanished, now replaced with smug looks and disgusted stares. They continued to mutter, demeaning him at every turn and Hinata felt nothing but pity for the boy trapped in the Hyūga guard's grasp.

The murmurs ceased only after the head of the Hyūga clan interrupted. His eyes stared coldly at the boy and as usual, his cold demeanor expressed no emotions…neither disgust, nor irritation – there was nothing, although if one looked closely enough it was clear he felt some apathy towards the boy.

"Let him go." Hiashi commanded firmly at the guard, narrowing his eyes at the blond child. "It is beneath us to become involved with a monster."

The guard dropped him instantly and bowed apologetically at his leader. The boy he just dropped was now sitting on the ground, rubbing his backside as he grimaced in pain. After a few seconds he stopped and glared daggers at the man standing over him; unshed tears forming at the corner of his sapphire blue eyes. He wiped them away with his sleeve.

Hiashi stared icily at the boy, showing neither pity nor mercy regarding his current state. He refused to run the risk of being associated with the vessel of the Nine Tailed Fox – especially since the boy was the same age as his daughter. He wanted to ensure that she never came near him again – whether it was in the academy or anywhere else in the village. "Leave." He said harshly to the boy, before turning away to proceed down the street.

With everyone's attention focused on him the boy took off, sprinting in the opposite direction – not looking back so he wouldn't have to see the heartless stares he was getting from the villagers.

_"Hn. The boy deserved it. He shouldn't be allowed at the festival in the first place." _

_"All he did was ruin the fun. He'll never be part of this village. Ever."_

_"He's a monster who needs to vanish for good."_

When the boy was finally out of everyone's sight, the atmosphere became lively once again and they all chose to forget about how the boy disrupted the festivities. However, unbeknownst the boy who thought all he would ever receive from the villagers were heartless glares, a Hyūga maiden stood frozen on the spot, watching him run away from the light of the festival.

Hinata's heart ached for the boy. She remembered him now – he was the monster that all of the villagers kept talking about. He was the kid who liked playing pranks on unsuspecting passersby. He was the kid who was constantly bullied by the other children in the village.

She remembered his name… _it was Uzumaki Naruto._

Her curiosity peaked, as she absently wondered why the villagers called him a monster and despised him, despite his cheerful and friendly personality.

* * *

"Don't wander off too far, understand?" Haruka reminded her daughter as she affixed the ornamental hairpin into the child's indigo hair.

Hinata nodded in understanding. They had just left the Hokage's Office right after she had been introduced to the Hokage. However, she could not stay any longer since the Sandaime had summoned her parents for an important and very private meeting. It was the very first time she had met the leader of the village and she really liked the Sandaime a lot. He seemed kind and gentle. Even as shy as she was, she felt very comfortable in the Hokage's presence.

"Please take care of her, Kō." Haruka said, addressing the bodyguard standing behind the heiress.

"I promise to watch her carefully, Haruka-sama." Kō automatically replied.

Haruka planted a kiss on Hinata's cheek and smiled. "Go have fun." And then she turned and walked back into the Hokage's office to rejoin her husband.

Hinata and Kō returned to the lively streets of the village. The young heiress was eagerly strolling along with her loyal bodyguard carefully watching her small figure. It was her first festival – which, as far as she knew celebrated the sacrifice of the First Hokage's wife for the sake of the village. Hinata didn't know the rest of the story, but apparently the whole village owed this woman a great debt.

Her steps halted when she saw a flash of yellow from the corner of her eye. It was Naruto. Her feet suddenly wanted to pull her towards his direction before she lost sight of him, but by the way her father and the guards reacted earlier, it seemed they didn't want her anywhere near him. Kō was also with her, so she might not get the chance to chase after him.

"Is there something wrong, Hinata-sama?" Kō asked, recognizing her sudden change in behavior.

Hinata wondered if she could…or even should try to escape from Kō. She may not have the chance now, but that didn't mean she couldn't try when she did.

"U-umm… the truth is… I'd like to try that…" Hinata said, pointing at a Takoyaki stand with a long line in front of it.

Nodding to his charge, they made their way over to the stand and as luck would have it, an old woman bumped into Kō and the basket full of fruits she was carrying fell to the ground. Momentarily distracted from his duty as her bodyguard, Kō bent down to help the old woman gather her fruit, providing Hinata with the chance to escape. Taking advantage of her small build, she dissolved into the crowd and immediately tried searching for the blond-haired boy who captured her attention.

Somehow, she managed to put some distance between her and Kō but with his Byakugan, five minutes was the maximum amount of time she'd have before he'd find her. The crowd seemed to swallow her, but it didn't keep her from spotting the distinct blond hair of the boy again. It was clear he was leaving the festival, and she decided to chase him down before Kō found her.

While she was following him, she accidentally bumped into someone due to her being distracted. "I'm sorry." She promptly said with a quick bow. When she lifted her head, she saw familiar eyes of a Hyūga that belonged to someone she had never met before. The boy was staring curiously back at her, but Hinata chose instead to turn away and continue chasing after Naruto before she lost sight of him.

As Hinata wove her way through the crowd, she failed to hear the words the boy muttered as he watched her leave.

"Was that…Hinata-sama?"

.

.

Naruto threw another shuriken at the trunk of the tree and as usual it missed its target, much to his dismay and joined everything else he'd thrown in a pile on the ground. With nothing left in his hands to throw, he had no choice but to pick them up and start all over again. A depressed look was pasted on his boyish face as he gravely made his way over to gather up his ninja tools.

One by one, he picked them up. Even though he was at the training grounds, he could still hear the liveliness of the festival and the sounds depressed him more than ever.

_They kicked him out again from a celebration in his own village. _

_They loathed his presence. _

_They wanted him to vanish._

The only thing Naruto could do was to bear the brunt of what they said, even though it hurt terribly. He thought about it all the time. He wondered why people despised him like they did. Why they wanted him gone. Why couldn't he grow up normally like other kids?

_With parents…_

_With friends…_

_With people to accept him…_

_Why did everyone treat him like a monster?_

_"It is beneath us to become involved with a monster."_ The man's voice echoed in his head. In his mind, he could clearly see those apathetic eyes glaring coldly down at him. He didn't know who the man was, but it didn't matter because he could tell he was just like all the others. The man hated him and wished he was gone.

Suddenly, a teardrop rolled down his whiskered cheek… and then another one, followed by a third. Soon, he was trying his hardest to keep himself from crying uncontrollably. He just knelt there as he finished gathering his shuriken back into his pouch, the tears silently flowing down his whiskered face.

As he cried, he unexpectedly heard light footsteps and he turned to see who it was. Ignoring the tears streaming down his face, he glared at his unfamiliar visitor. Pale lavender eyes. Indigo hair. Fair skin. He noticed she has the same eyes as the man who glared coldly at him earlier, but this time instead of an icy chill, he felt nothing but warmth and concern.

"You're…you're c-crying…" Hinata said in a soft, shy voice. She blushed when his blue eyes met hers.

Naruto immediately wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve. "I-I'm not crying! Boys don't cry!" He shouted defensively.

"B-but… just now I-I saw you…" she said softly, but it was fair enough for Naruto to hear her voice.

The boy sniffed and shook his head. "I said I'm not! I just got some dust in my eyes, that's all." He glared at the girl in front of him. "Y-you shouldn't be here. You're all dressed up for the festival, so it's a waste of time for you not to be there and enjoy it."

The girl fidgeted and shyly played with her fingers, "I-I saw you earlier… you threw a water balloon at one of the Hyūga guards. M-my father said something horrible to you and I f-felt bad…"

Naruto shot her a surprised look and asked, "You felt bad…for me?" He blinked his eyes in confusion. No one in the village talked to him, not even his own classmates. The man who stared coldly at him before was this girl's father, so that explained why their eyes looked alike.

Hinata nodded her head. "You know… m-my mom told me t-that if you're sad and feel like crying… y-you can stare up the sky to watch the clouds and s-stars…" She said, following her own suggestion and looking up. "They'll comfort you… a-and they'll never hate you f-for staring at them."

"I told you I wasn't crying!" He yelled at her, tired and irritated that she kept insisting on it. Well, he really was to be honest…but he wasn't going to admit that to anyone…especially a girl. "And why are you red all of a sudden? You're stuttering too…"

Hinata ducked her head and hid her eyes beneath her thick bangs. She was never good at talking with other people, let alone to a stranger. She could barely talk with her father properly.

Somewhere deep inside Naruto, he felt happy. He never thought that anyone would talk to him like this. She wasn't disgusted by him, didn't hate him and instead, she seemed to be genuinely concerned for him. Out of everyone he'd met in the village, she was the only one who looked at him that way.

He introduced himself with a confident grin and said, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto." his sad face and feelings now gone. "Who're you?"

Hinata's throat went dry. She knew him since they went to the same class in the academy, but he did not know her at all. She never thought that introducing herself to someone could be so hard. This was the first time she'd ever talked to someone outside of her own family and the clan. She didn't know why her feet pulled her towards him at the festival, or why she followed him out here to the training grounds, or why she approached him when she saw him on his knees crying. All she knew for certain was that she felt bad for Naruto.

"…M-my na-name-" she stuttered, struggling to get out the words. It seemed harder to talk than before. Why was it so hard just to say her name?

Before she could finish, a voice interrupted her and shouted, "Hinata-sama!"

They both turned in the direction of the voice and saw a boy who appeared to be a year older than they were. He had the same eyes as Hinata.

Hinata stared at the boy in confusion he marched angrily towards them, and then watched as he suddenly pushed Naruto away from the Hyūga heiress, causing him to fall on the ground.

"Get away from her, you monster!" the boy shouted as he stood protectively in front of the girl. "What do you think are you doing with Hinata-sama?"

"Who the heck are you?" Naruto spat back at him before standing up.

"There's no reason for you to know. Our clan doesn't want to be associated with someone like you." the Hyūga said sharply, before turning around to address the girl behind him. His expression softened and he asked, "Are you hurt, Hinata-sama?"

Hinata shook her head, "Y-you got it wrong. N-Naruto-kun is not hurting me…we were just talking." She replied. She couldn't remember seeing him before, but his facial features reminded her of both her father and her uncle, Hizashi. Then realization struck and she knew who he was.

He was her cousin, Neji Hyūga.

"Let's get you back to Kō. I'm sure he's worried about you." Neji said, taking her small hand and leading her away from the fox kid. He shot Naruto one last glare and growled, "Don't come near my cousin again, monster."

The words were different from what Naruto had heard from the man earlier, but the cold and loathing tone was still there. Those eyes glared at him hard, seeing him only as a monster trying to hurt the little girl named Hinata. His newfound happiness that had been slowly creeping in his chest was cut short when those venomous words filled his ears. Naruto wanted to punch the guy in the face, but something – he didn't know what – held him back from doing so.

Naruto watched the cocky pale-eyed boy forcefully drag Hinata away. The girl seemed hesitant to leave but there was nothing she could do to get away from her cousin's grip. The only thing she could do was look back at Naruto and mutter a soft, "Good bye."

* * *

The Hyūga family did not linger at the festival as soon as the discussion with the Hokage finished. Kō confessed that he lost sight of Hinata for a brief moment but when he found her, she was already with her elder cousin, Neji. Hiashi was furious at the guard at first, but Haruka managed to calm him down since nothing bad happened to their daughter.

The children kept to themselves that Hinata was found having a conversation with the "monster kid" that everybody seemed to hate, and Hinata was relieved that her father didn't press too much in asking what really happened.

.

.

.

Hinata had already changed out of her formal kimono and back to her simple juban, intending to tuck herself into bed. But she chose instead to stay on her porch, overlooking her private garden as she stared at the cloudless night sky. The festivities outside her home still continued and she could not help but wonder what Naruto was doing at a time like this. The villagers clearly did not want him back at the festival, and it appeared the feeling was mutual, as he had no desire to return either.

She thought it must be really hard for him to deal with this kind of situation, and she wondered if he was staring up the stars seeking comfort, just like she had told him. She saw him cry – probably because of all those terrible things her father and the villagers said about him. At the academy, he was always so goofy and lively. He liked playing pranks on different people. He was always laughing, so seeing him cry made her sad.

"Dear, it's time to go to bed." Her mother said gently, as she approached Hinata who seemed lost staring at the beauty of the night sky.

Hinata tore her gaze away from the stars and looked curiously at her mother. "Okaa-sama… the boy we saw earlier. Why does everyone despise him?"

Haruka eyes widened a bit in surprise, as she was taken aback by her daughter's question.

"I know him, mother." Hinata continued, rushing to get the words out. "He goes to the same class as I do. But why is everyone so angry at him? Father even called him a monster…" The sadness in Hinata's voice was obvious, and Haruka knew all too well that her kind, gentle daughter felt pity for the boy. Haruka felt pity for the boy as well, but he was dangerous and she couldn't risk him being near her daughter.

"I'm sorry, dear. I can't answer that question." Haruka said sadly, "Our village implemented a law that says we cannot speak about the child's identity. And you are still too young to understand matters like that." She picked the small girl up in her arms and began walking towards her bedroom.

"Why, mother? Is he a bad person?" Hinata asked insistently. "I saw him…he was crying. I felt really sad that father treated him that way."

"Your father has his own reasons, dear. Someday, you'll understand why things are the way they are."

Hinata remained silent after hearing her mother's words. She kept her own questions to herself, hoping that someday they would be answered, and everything would become clear.

As she did every night, Haruka tucked her daughter into bed and sang her a lullaby until Hinata fell asleep. But tonight, one lullaby wouldn't be enough to get Hinata to sleep because of her thoughts were about Uzumaki Naruto. She wanted to know more about him. She felt his sadness and wanted to become his friend, so that he knew someone cared about him. She too didn't have friends at school because of her shyness, and her classmates were too intimidated to interact with her because of her family's reputation in the village. It was an achievement for her that she got to talk with someone her age at all.

She couldn't wait to see him again. Both he and Hinata went to the same class at the academy, so there was a high probability that they would see each other every day. They were both in the same group so they would graduate and become genin when the time came.

Her mother was right; she would probably understand things better when they grow up. She was the heiress of the Hyūga clan after all, and she was expected to give her loyalty and devotion to her clan and village. She would have quite a bit of time training to become a kunoichi for Konoha someday.

She had a long journey before her. She vowed she would grow strong, together with Naruto and the rest of her classmates.

_Little did she know how wrong she was._

_To be continued. _

* * *

**a/n:**

So that's it. Just like in Beyond an Heiress's Purpose, the story will start from their childhood. But it wouldn't take too long, probably just 3 chapters or so.

Please, leave a review! They'll make me and Sam-san really happy! Plus... school's coming back soon. I'll have to get back to my university and suffer again so your reviews will be very much appreciated! :)

See you guys at the next update! Happy August!

**Vocabulary**

**Okaa-sama- honorable mother**

**Otou-sama- honorable father**

**Juban- simple white kimono garment**


	3. Failure's Sadness

**a/n:**

I'm so sorry for the slow updates! *deep deep deep bow*

Sam-san already returned this chapter to me two or three days ago but I wasn't able to publish this soon. You see, I had an eye surgery-sort of... Just with the eyelids, not an eye transplant. It was so freakin' painful, I tell you. The anesthesia won't work so I had to endure all the pain. For a week, I wore an eye patch on my left eye since it bled for a while and left a small scar, and it was so hard to adjust with just one eye. I felt like Nick Fury. Lol. But I'm fine now! The eyepatch is removed and I feel human again.

And it was so awkward wearing the eyepatch in the university...everyone cared for me as if I were their friend. XD When my friends asked me what happened, I just say "...I'm developing my Mangekyo Sharingan." like a boss.

So that's my excuse for taking a while.

As always! I would like to thank **Serious Sam-**san for doing the beta work for this story, and advertising my fanfic on his own story, **My Precious People. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto. If I did...the anesthesia would've worked during the eye-sort-of-surgery.  
**

* * *

**II. Failure's Sadness **

_**I could disappear from the face of the earth, and the world would go on moving without the slightest twinge. Things were tremendously complicated, to be sure, but one thing was clear: no one needed me.****  
****― Haruki Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle**_

* * *

It was Hinata's fifth birthday, and she'd been looking forward to this day ever since her mother told her that she'd be meeting Neji again. They'd first met at the festival when she chased after Naruto and from that day on, she was eager to see him once more because he'd been the first person in the clan who smiled at her aside from her mother. But instead of a normal birthday celebration, tradition demanded that the Main Family demonstrate the progress of the Hyūga heir to the head of the Branch Family.

Suffice to say, the Hyūga heiress was not performing well.

"Stand up, Hinata." Hiashi commanded firmly, his eyes cold and unyielding as he observed his daughter's crouched figure. His look was haughty, and he'd crossed his arms in front of his chest as he stared the girl down.

Hinata struggled to her feet, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead. There were numerous bruises on her exposed arms, and it was clear that she had exhausted herself from her training session prior to this. She tried her hardest to ignore the stinging pain and assume a fighting stance, but it was to no avail. Her body was shaking and she didn't have the strength to raise her head and look at her father; not that she had the want or courage to do so anyway.

No, if she stared at him she'd only see the disappointment and anger in his eyes again, as she'd seen too many times before. She couldn't count the number of times she'd wanted to change this look and see something different, something…_softer._

Unbeknownst the Hyūga princess, a pair of sympathetic eyes observed her every move. Seated at the edge of the training hall were Neji and the head of the Branch Family, Hizashi. However, unlike the icy stare of Hiashi witnessing her low performance, Neji continued to watch her in a curious, determined kind of way. There was no pity in his gaze, nor hate or criticism for her lack of performance. Only one thing was running through his mind, and it was a feeling he would never get rid of for the rest of his life.

_Hyūga Neji wished to protect her no matter what the cost._

Not only because it was his duty as part of the Branch Family, but because he cared deeply for his cousin. He didn't look at her simply as the heiress to the Hyūga clan, he looked at her as an important part of his family.

"I'll protect her with my life, otou-sama." Neji stated fervently to his father, never breaking his gaze from Hinata.

Hizashi shot him an urgent look, but the boy failed to notice this, as well as the sadness in his father's eyes. His son was a prodigy, yet his fate had already been predetermined since the age of three, when the caged bird seal was placed on his forehead. His son, who held more talent and promise than anyone else in the entire clan, could aspire to be nothing more than a servant tasked with protecting the lives of the Main Family at the cost of his own.

_The thought enraged Hizashi._

The next thing they knew Hizashi was on the ground, writhing in excruciating pain.

"Father!" Neji shouted. Fear, shock, and confusion were written on his face. "What's happening, father?!" Tears formed at the edge of his eyes, as he helplessly watched Hizashi grab his head in agony.

The bandage around his father's forehead fell, revealing the caged bird seal, which was now throbbing an angry red on his flesh. Neji's eyes widened at seeing this and he gave a pained look towards Hiashi who was standing protectively in front of his daughter, glaring at the line of seated branch members.

"That is your punishment for thinking of harming my daughter, Hizashi." He said coldly to his twin brother, who was struggling to sit up. "Know your place. If I ever see that look upon your face again, I will not hesitate to kill you." He glared arrogantly at his daughter, confident in his position of authority. "Our business is finished here. Let's go, Hinata."

The Hyūga leader began to walk proudly out of the training hall, but his daughter stayed rooted in place. It was obvious to all that she wanted to help Neji and Hizashi.

"N-Neji nii-san…" she spoke softly, in a voice barely above a whisper. She took a step towards them, before her father firmly called for her again.

"I said let's go, Hinata." Hiashi grabbed his daughter's wrist and dragged her forcefully out of the training room.

Hinata was hesitant to leave but she could do nothing but comply with her father's orders. With a heavy heart, she left her cousin Neji crying over the pain his father was going through.

.

.

It was late afternoon when Hinata finally found herself alone in the Hyūga compound. Her mother and father had an important meeting to attend and she saw this as a chance to look for her cousin. Her heart still ached when she remembered the scene that had played out earlier when she saw Neji cry, and she knew she'd never feel better unless she saw him smile at her again. Today was her birthday and even though she wished for her own happiness, the happiness of those she loved meant more than her own personal wishes.

She walked quietly down the hallways of the Branch Family estate and as always, those she saw shot her nothing but apathetic looks. She politely waved off any attention she gained from the servants and the guards. All she cared about right now was finding Neji.

After a few minutes of searching, she found him at the Branch Family private training ground, practicing the Gentle Fist all by himself. Fortunately, there were no other Branch Family members lurking about, giving a small amount of comfort to the heiress.

For a few moments she hid behind a pillar, watching his graceful moves and stances. Unlike her, he was effortless and flawless and she couldn't agree more with him being recognized as a true prodigy, even though as daughter of the clan head, the title was expected to belong to her. She knew all too well that her abilities were far from those of a genius and instead of making her father proud, all she had given him was disappointment and shame.

Hinata swallowed those painful feelings for now. Today, in this moment it wasn't about the relationship she had with her father, it was about Neji and Hizashi. Gathering her confidence, she stepped into the clearing and called out for her cousin.

"Neji nii-san…" she said caringly, hoping to gain his attention.

Neji stopped his katas and turned, devoting his full attention to whoever had interrupted him. His brows knit upon seeing it was the Hyūga heiress.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a slightly annoyed tone. After what had happened to his father earlier, he wasn't interested in seeing anyone from the Main Branch at the moment.

Hinata looked down at her feet and started fidgeting. "H-How's H-Hizashi ojii-sama?" she asked, loud enough for only for him to hear.

Neji narrowed his eyes at the meek girl. "My mother is taking care of Father, but he's still in some pain." His gaze hardened at reminding himself of this. "There's nothing you can do to help him, so just leave. The last thing anyone in my family needs from you is your pity."

Hinata's eyes remained fixated on the ground, and she was doing her best to prevent herself from breaking down. She may be young, but she was no fool. She knew her father was the reason why Hizashi was in the state he was. Her father was only trying to protect her from Hizashi's intentions, but there were other ways he could have gone about it, rather than causing unwanted conflict between their families. She was well aware that because of her poor abilities, she was unworthy to become the heiress, and be protected by such a prestigious clan.

After all, she was nothing but a disgrace to her family.

"I-I'm sorry, N-Neji nii-san. I-I didn't want this to h-happen to uncle…" Hinata said in a shaky voice.

"Just go back to your house. No one wants you here anyway." Neji said harshly, unwilling to acknowledge her sincere apology. "And besides, you're disrupting my training."

Hinata could feel the increasing pain in her chest. She gripped the hem of her shirt tightly, biting her lip in an attempt to prevent herself from crying, but her efforts were wasted when tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"I-I'm r-really sorry." She immediately bowed to hide her face. Her hand quickly wiped away the tears and she turned to leave.

The anger on Neji's face dissolved and was immediately replaced by guilt. He'd never intended to make her cry; he just didn't want to see anyone right now, since he knew all they would give him was pity and insincere worry about his father. His eyes trailed after her departing figure as she disappeared into the hallways of the estate, and realization over what he had done kicked his brain hard.

Hinata purposely came to see him in the branch family estate. She was the heiress of the clan, which meant she was not allowed to leave the main estate without her father, mother or personal guardian. Most clan members weren't very fond of her, mainly because of how weak she performed…she was basically all alone, forced to live in a place where most everyone despised her.

Neji broke into a sprint, chasing after the younger girl.

.

.

.

_"Spoiled brat. What's she doing here?"_

_"Her family is responsible for nothing but pain."_

_"She should leave before Hiashi shows up and harms someone else."_

Hinata tried to ignore the venomous whispers as she walked by the hallways, but it simply wasn't possible because they echoed all around her. She kept her head down and face hidden from everyone that saw her, but she was unable to hide the fact that she was crying.

_"She looks so weak and frail. She hasn't given anything for Hiashi-sama to be proud of." _

The air felt heavy and oppressive, like it was suffocating her. Their sharp words entered her ears no matter how hard she tried to ignore them. It made the pain in her chest double, and brought more tears to her eyes, which she fruitlessly tried to hide beneath her thick indigo bangs. Without her father…she was just nothing but useless. There was nothing of value she could give to her clan.

She bit her lower lip and sniffed. Their eyes were burning into her back, and she didn't know how much longer she could take their hated stares. She felt so small, so weak and instead of anger building up her chest, it was fear that conquered her.

_When will I be accepted?_ Hinata thought to herself, blinking back her tears. _Why did I have to be born a failure? Will I ever be able to change?_

Suddenly, a hand firmly gripped her wrist and dragged her away, saving her from her thoughts of misery and shame. Finding the courage to lift her head up, she saw that it was Neji who came for her. For some reason, she felt the pressure in her chest lessen at his mere presence. Ignoring the hard stares he received from the other Branch Family members, Neji protectively led her out of the Branch Family household and returned her to the Main House.

.

.

When they finally arrived back at the Main House, Neji released her hand and faced the shy girl. She was still sniffling and trying to stifle her sobs, but he could tell that once he left her alone, she'd break down once again. Her fragile look and delicate demeanor were characteristics he'd never seen portrayed by anyone else in the clan.

That difference was the main reason why he decided to protect her, from the very first time he saw her at the festival.

"I-I'm so sorry for the trouble, Neji nii-san…" Hinata sobbed, wiping away her tears, only for fresh ones to flow down her cheeks. She just couldn't stop crying.

Neji felt bad for his behavior just a few minutes earlier. He hadn't meant anything he said to her, and he appreciated that she risked her father's wrath for coming to the Branch House unattended in order to see how his father was doing after the incident this morning.

"Next time, please don't come to the Branch House on your own." Neji said with concern. "If you're caught, you'll get into serious trouble, and neither of us wants that."

"I'm s-sorry…" Hinata said.

Neji groaned inwardly. How many times does she think she has to apologize? He got the point the first time she said it, and it brought another pang of guilt every time she continued to bring it up. "Stop… apologizing." He said, flustered as he rubbed his forehead in slight annoyance. "I'm the one who should be sorry, Hinata-sama. I apologize for my behavior earlier; I didn't mean to make you cry…"

_I'm the one who should be protecting you, not the other way around,_ he thought to himself.

But Hinata, being the kindhearted person she was, didn't hesitate to accept his apology. Actually, as far as she was concerned Neji didn't have to apologize at all – it was completely understandable for him to act the way he did, considering is was **_his_** father who got hurt, and it was **_her_** father who caused it.

"I-It's fine, Neji nii-san. You have nothing to apologize for. I-I understand."

Trying to avoid looking at her innocent face – mainly so he didn't have to deal with a fresh round of guilt, Neji dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out an elaborately wrapped small box. "Because of…circumstances, I wasn't able to give this to you earlier. I-It's a birthday present." Wait, did he just stutter?

Hinata took the box he offered and undid the bow that was wrapped around it. She opened the box and gasped before pulling out an intricately carved golden hair ornament. As her fingers traced over the aesthetic design of the Azalea and Nadeshiko flowers carved into the top, the sadness left her eyes and she smiled brightly.

"Thank you so much for the present…" she said earnestly, embracing her cousin warmly despite her shy demeanor. The hug lasted for a few seconds, but when she pulled away from her cousin, Neji couldn't hide the blush of embarrassment on his cheeks or the shock on his face.

Before Neji continued to make a fool out of himself in front of the Hyūga princess, he bowed quickly. "If you'll please excuse me, Hinata-sama."

And then he turned to leave, and was gone in a flash.

He still found it hard to believe that he had such an innocent, caring cousin despite how cold and rigid the rest of his clan acted. She truly was a diamond in the rough.

* * *

**_***Three days later***_**

Hinata was more depressed than ever. Once again, she'd failed a chakra control test at the academy and once again, everyone made negative comments about her, comparing her to the genius prodigy of her clan Neji, who once again topped his class with high grades in both the written and physical exams. Hinata scored high in her written exams, but of course that wasn't enough to live up to the expectations of her clan, especially those of her father. She needed to develop her strength and skills in addition to her intelligence. Anything less was unacceptable for a Hyūga, especially the heir.

And as her father reminded her on a constant basis, there had never been a weak Hyūga. But if there had been, they wouldn't have been a Hyūga for very long. And based on her performance, both at the academy and during her private training sessions, she'd never done anything to merit the title of heir to the Hyūga clan.

_Because as she'd done so many times before, she'd failed. And failure was not an option to those who would judge her worthiness as both a princess, and a Hyūga._

Lost in her thoughts of self-depreciation, Hinata plodded along the hallways of the academy on her way to the front gate where her guardian Kō would be waiting for her. However, just before she exited the academy she saw a flash of blond hair that she knew distinctly belonged to the one person who'd become her source of strength for quite some time now. Not hesitating for a moment, she decided to follow the boy to wherever he was headed, staying a safe distance away so she wouldn't be spotted.

Naruto reached the back of the academy, oblivious to the presence of the lavender-eyed princess following him. Hinata stayed what she felt was an acceptable distance behind him, hiding secretly behind a wall when he made it to his destination in order to watch what he was up to. She knew that Naruto failed the test as well – actually, he'd failed both the written and the physical tests, which is why everyone called him the 'dead last'. Still, she was amazed at the determination in Naruto's eyes, and every afternoon she would see him sneak off and train in order to improve his abilities.

"I'll show them! I'll show everyone that I can be a strong ninja!"

Naruto started with his shuriken training, trying to hit both moving and stationary targets. Hinata could see that he was making progress compared to the first time she'd seen him sneak away and train, because he could now hit a few targets rather than none, but his precision and accuracy were still far below the class average.

Hinata pressed her body against the wall in an effort to remain unnoticed, so that she could continue to watch him. He was the main reason He was the main reason why she started doing better in her training sessions. Whenever she was on the verge of giving up; when she felt like she'd reached her limit and couldn't go on, she remembered his determination and perseverance, and it gave her the strength and confidence to do better. She would work hard, just like him and become the strong, confident leader of her clan someday.

"There you are, Hinata-sama."

She jumped at the sudden voice behind her. She spun around and saw that it was her bodyguard, Kō.

"K-Kō-san! How long have you been there?" Hinata grew an even lighter shade of pale at the thought of her bodyguard catching her watching Naruto again, when she had been specifically forbidden to do so.

"You've been watching him again, Hinata-sama." Kō said in a slightly reprimanding tone, "Your father would be furious if he knew of this. You shouldn't be interacting with him outside of your academy classes, and it would be best if we left now." He reached for the small girl's hand to lead her away.

"But why, Kō-san? Why does everyone avoid Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked curiously. "H-He's a good friend to me, and he's so much fun to be around…"

Kō looked at her sympathetically, thinking it would be nice if she had a true friend. It's too bad she had to take an interest in the one boy who could never be seen as anything but a monster. "You're still too young to understand, Hinata-sama. But I reiterate that for your own good, you should refrain from socializing with him outside of class." He pulled her away from the training grounds. "Now, let's go. Hiashi-sama expects you back at the house as soon as possible. The elders would like to see how far you've progressed in your training, and they've requested that you spar with Neji-sama."

Hinata panicked, her face overcome with fear. This day could only end badly. The only thing left to be determined was just how bad it would be.

.

.

.

"That is enough for today." Hiashi stated firmly, as he stood up from the zabuton beside the Hyūga elders. His face an impassive mask, he looked at Neji and declared, "You've done well, Neji. Your progress with the Gentle Fist is nothing short of impressive. You are dismissed."

Despite what had happened between Hiashi and his father just days earlier, he took his uncle's words to heart. "Thank you, Hiashi-sama." Neji said, bowing deeply.

Hiashi then turned to his daughter, who was kneeling on the ground panting with exhaustion. The look of disgust on his face was readily apparent. "Get out of my sight." He coldly spat at her, "I don't want to see your face."

Hinata had feared this would happen. The fight against her cousin had been one-sided right from the start. Her footwork was sloppy, her stance was poor and ungraceful, she was slow with her attacks and her defense was full of holes. Any attempt she'd made at fighting had been utterly useless and once again, she'd brought nothing but shame and disappointment to her father, and the Hyūga name.

The elders, who were basically her own grandparents, stared at her like she was a piece of trash that should be discarded at the earliest opportunity. They stood, glaring icily down at her as she made a half-hearted attempt to stand.

"You're a pathetic failure, as both the heiress and a Hyūga." Her grandmother said before heading out of the training room. Her grandfather stood and followed behind her, not bothering to say anything or spare her another glance.

Unlike the elders, Hiashi spared his daughter one final glance before following them out of the room. His apathetic look further weakened her already low self-esteem, causing tears to immediately build up in her eyes. Her tiny hands balled into fists, clenching the edge of her shirt in an attempt to suppress those feelings but the effort was clearly in vain as the tears began to drop steadily on the wooden floor. Her body trembled under the weight of her emotions, the pain too much to bear.

As far back as she could remember, her father had only looked at her with derision and disappointment. His manner towards her had always been cold and strict, as if he was somehow unable to show caring of love for her. He'd never praised her, appreciated any effort she made for him or even smiled at her. _Not once. _

"Hinata-sama…"

She was so focused on the hurtful words that had been said, as well as the gamut of painful emotions permeating her heart that she failed to notice the concerned voice of her opponent. Worried about his cousin, Neji had stayed behind to make sure she was fine, but it shocked him to see Hinata in such a state, unable to hold back her tears.

_Why was I born weak?_ Hinata thought, sniffling as more tears stained her cheeks, ending up on the floor with the rest. Her innocent face was flushed, her lower lip trembled. _Will I ever make father proud?_

But then his voice echoed through her head, reinforcing her painful feelings. _'Get out of my sight. I don't want to see your face.'_

Hinata wearily stood up and ran out of the training room as fast as her body would allow. This place was suffocating her; the coldness of the walls, the presence of the elders lingering far beyond their departure from the room. Living in this house was a constant reminder of her failures, and she needed to get away from it all.

"Hinata-sama!" Neji shouted. It was no use – Hinata hadn't heard his concerned voice, and she was gone before he could make a move towards her in an effort to comfort her.

Hinata ran without direction or purpose, not caring where she ended up – just so long as it wasn't this place.

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki was without a doubt exhausted right now. He'd trained the entire afternoon at the training grounds behind the academy, working extra hard in order to make up for his failed tests. It was a constant sore spot with him that he was the dead last in his class, but even though he'd failed so far it didn't mean he couldn't ace those tests in the future. He knew he had the potential to be a great ninja, but those paper tests and the little bit of physical stuff they made him do really didn't show off too much of his abilities. He promised himself that in the next exam, everyone would see what he was capable of – especially that Uchiha with the hair shaped like a duckbutt. Just because he came from a noble clan, had talent and all the girls swooned all over him didn't make Sasuke better than anyone else.

_The next time we do sparring matches, I'm totally beating the crap out of that guy!_ Naruto thought angrily.

He was heading towards Ichiraku Ramen, like he did every day hoping to convince old man Teuchi to give him a free meal, but at the last minute he decided against it, since the sun was about to set and he wanted to get some more training in. The training grounds at the academy were only available for use until about five o'clock, so unfortunately Iruka-sensei had to send him home in order to lock the doors for the night. He'd hoped that Iruka-sensei could go with him to Ichiraku's, but that didn't happen either because the Hokage needed to meet with him.

As he came upon his usual training spot, he was surprised to see that somebody else was already there. Naruto frowned; feeling both upset and annoyed. This was the only place where no one bothered him. He wasn't welcome or even allowed in quite a few places in the village, so why was someone taking the one spot where he didn't have to worry about anything? Why couldn't he have a single moment of peace and solitude?

He balled his hands into fists and stomped towards the person intruding on what he decided was his personal space. He could see him leaning against one of the posts, curled up and hugging his knees. The boy was shaking, and after a moment Naruto could hear soft sobs escaping as he cried into his chest.

Naruto suddenly realized from the tone of her sobs that the person in front of him wasn't a boy. He knew who it was, and the irritation and anger he felt disappeared in an instant, only to be replaced with worry and concern.

"Hinata?" he asked tentatively.

He heard her gasp in surprise as her head jerked up to meet his gaze. Her eyes were red and swollen, and the sight clenched Naruto's heart in a way he found hard to explain. She'd been the first person to talk to him without hatred, ridicule or scorn. She saw him and a friend and fellow shinobi, not as an inconvenience or academy dead-last. He honestly considered the girl as someone important and precious to him because of the kind, gentle words she'd said to him that night of the festival. Those words meant a lot to him, and he swore to himself he'd never forget them, or her.

Hinata blushed in embarrassment and shame upon seeing him. Using her sleeve, she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I-I'm sorry," she muttered softly before starting to rise. She had to get away from Naruto's concerned eyes and penetrating gaze. She couldn't burden someone else with her problems.

Sensing that she would escape, Naruto moved quickly and gripped her shoulders, preventing her from doing so. He wasn't going to let her get away as easy as that without telling him why she was so upset.

"Why are you crying?" Naruto asked concerned. For some unknown reason, he felt rage building up inside of him.

Hinata shook her head, "I-It's nothing…"

"Don't lie to me, Hinata! I'm not that big of an idiot – something happened to make you cry like this. What was it?" Naruto insisted. He moved his hands from her shoulders to grip her arms and she flinched. It was then that he noticed the bruises dotting her arms and the scars lacing her palms. Her lower lip was even split a little.

"Who did this to you?" he asked firmly, frowning at the myriad amount of injuries.

Hinata lowered her head, hiding her eyes behind her bangs. "…I-It's from… training… that's all…"

Naruto didn't believe that for a minute, but he let it slide for now. "But that's not the reason why you're crying, right?" Naruto pressed her for an answer. "Would you tell me why?"

Her body shook as a fresh round of tears fell from her eyes and she raised her hands, trying to wipe them away. "M-m-my f-f-fath-th-ther…" she sobbed, "…h-h-he ha-hates m-me… bec-because I'm w-weak…" Another sob. "E-every-one in m-m-my family… h-h-hates m-me because I-I'm a f-failure…"

Naruto could feel the trembling in her body getting worse beneath his grasp. He couldn't believe what he just heard. Hinata's family hated her. They hated this sweet, kind, gentle and shy person for being…_human_, and caring about other people. She was the kind of person Naruto didn't think existed in this world but then that night of the festival, she appeared next to him and talked to him with kindness and warmth like he wasn't hated by everyone, like he was…normal. It was a moment beyond his imagining.

"We'll prove them all wrong, Hinata." He said fervently, causing her to look straight into his eyes. "You and me – someday, both of us will be so strong that we'll make them realize we're not the failures they think we are. Starting today, we're both gonna train extra hard, and we're gonna make them eat those hateful words they said to you!"

Hinata could only stare at him with wide eyes, unable to reply because she was stunned speechless.

"So don't you dare give up, got that? I'm your friend and I'm gonna help you get through this. That's what friends do, right? They help each other out if they need it, and that's exactly what I'm going to do!" As he stared ardently into her eyes to show her how serious he was, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful her own eyes were. And was she smiling at him right now?

Before she could say anything, he pulled her into a tight hug. "I promise you, I'm going to be strong someday and when I do, I'll become Hokage so that everyone in the village will finally notice me, look up to me and respect me…" he hugged her even tighter and finished, "…and I'll do it especially so that I can protect you, and make sure nobody ever makes you cry again."

"N…Naruto-kun…" Hinata said, awed and somewhat breathless that he would go so far and make such a bold statement – especially for someone like her.

"It's my promise of a lifetime, Hinata. And my nindō is that I never break a promise, and never go back on my word. Believe it!"

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity her arms rose and she returned his embrace, burying her head in his shoulder and hugging him fiercely. And as he felt her tremble and cry against him he suddenly realized that he didn't want to let her go.

Because he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that if he did, she would disappear…

…_but unbeknownst to them both, soon enough, she would. _

_To be continued._

* * *

**a/n:**

See that there? PROGRESSION. xD a NejiHina moment and NaruHina moment in one chapter!

Ok, I ship NejiHina. BUT NO NOT THE INCEST THING. I only love their relationship as cousins and no more than that!

Thank you always for the reviews, favorites, and follows! They make the world go round! :) Keep it coming, people! And I'm excited to write the chapter where Gaara would make his first appearance... fufufufu.

So that's it! Watch out for the next chapter!

See you soon!


End file.
