Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Now and Then : Here and There ❯ "Children" ( Prologue )

Now and Then : Here and There

By: Emina13

Prolouge - "Children"

It was a night just like any other night I've come to grow familiar with.

I was sitting on my usual place on the veranda of my room. I know that sooner or later he would show up to pay me one his usual nightly visits where in the two of us would spend a good long time looking at stars whilst enjoying each other's company. We sometimes talk to each other during our special time, other times we just gaze at the night sky in comfortable silence. It's been like this since we were both six years old, and now that he's 12 and I'm on my final moths of being 11 things still haven't changed. This is the way I like it. I don't want us drifting apart as we grow up.

I remember when we first met. It was during a gathering of both our families which was held on the Hyuuga main house. We were still small children back then. We were introduced to each other. The expression he had on his face that day seemed to me that he would rather be anywhere except at the boring adult party we were both forced to attend. I don't exactly remember how we got along. At first I was scared to talk to him because he seemed too grumpy, but as time passed I came to know the real him. He was actually very sweet and kind, there was this time when I was crying because I lost the necklace my grandmother gave me and he looked for it that night and returned it to me the morning after. I could tell that he was out all night looking for it because he still wore the same clothes and he was blemished with dirt and scratches. Ever since that occurrence, I've came to know that he is indeed a nice and warm person, but others see him as a cold person which obviously isn't true. I may be the only one that knows the real him and I'm proud of myself for that. I just wish the others will also see the real him…

My brief reminiscing of our earlier memories was interrupted by a rustle that I heard from the direction of the tree beside my room's balcony.

I looked at the source of the sound and found out that it was caused by my regular visitor. He and I looked at each other for a brief moment. During that time I was able to look at him and his dashing form, I liked his onyx eyes that contrasted mine. Whenever I look at them I see determination, seriousness, sweetness, and mystery at the same time. Anyone would be lost if they look into his enchanting eyes directly.

“Hey…” it was his usual greeting. He would always say that before he joins me in sitting and gazing at the stars. I smiled a little back at him and said “H-hello…”

Ever since I was little, I've had a habit of not speaking straight of stuttering as others put it. But Sasuke-chan never said anything about it, although almost everybody complained about how I speak. Though as I relax and start to get comfortable with the person I'm talking to, my words star to form wholly and so it allows me to speak normally.

Not long later, we were already looking up at the night sky while sitting side by side. By the first 5 minutes we spend together, I already know that something is wrong with my nightly companion. Don't ask me how, I can't quite explain it, I just know `cause I feel something inside… I couldn't resist, I asked him what was wrong.

“Sasuke-chan, what's the matter?”

We were on the first name basis. Because we were so close to each other that is.

“Why do you ask that, Hina-chan? Does it seem like I have a problem?” he answers back without taking his eyes away from the night sky.

Typical Sasuke, he won't answer you straightly because he doesn't like being questioned. Instead of an answer he'll throw you a question of his own. That's just how he is. That's also one of the reasons why many people avoid talking to him, most people don't like the way he answers question.

I gave him a loud sigh and answered “Sasuke-chan, I know you well enough to tell when you are uncomfortable or bothered about something, and I would really like to help you, but how can I help you if I don't know what your problem is?”

“It's nothing…Don't worry about it…” he said still looking up at the stars.

“Nothing wouldn't make you worry, but you are certainly not ok with something, so it couldn't be nothing.” I said to him “Besides, you're not even looking at me when you say those things so how can I trust them? Come on, please tell me what's wrong.”

He has always helped me out in every problem I came across with and I want a chance to help him back. After all, he is special to me. I can't just sit and do nothing if he has a problem. I need to help and support him, like how he always did for me.

I see him breathe a deep sigh and turns to face me. Finally, I thought he wouldn't tell me anything.

“You see Hina-chan, aniki was supposed to come home this earlier this day from his mission, but still he haven't showed up. I'm, well… I'm starting to worry a bit about him”

Oh, so this is what it's about. Another little known fact about Sasuke-chan is that he is very fond of his family. He loves them very much even though he doesn't show it, that's how he is. He keeps everything inside and tries to act as if he doesn't care, but those who really know him believe the same as I do.

“Sasuke-chan, you said it yourself to me once.” I started to answer him “That your brother is a strong shinobi right? So I don't think you need to worry that much about Itachi-san.” and reassured him with a smile.

He looks at me for a moment and the expression on his face lightens to a small smile.

“You're right Hina-chan.” He said as he looked up at the sky again. He let his gaze linger up to the stars a bit before facing me again and saying.

“Thank you, and sorry for making you worry….”

I blink twice at him. Sasuke-chan really is such a nice person. He's thanking me for making him feel better when he's done that favor for me countless times before, and he's apologizing for making me worry about him when I know that he's always worried about me. He's silly but I like that about him.

“No problem, you can always count on me Sasuke-chan.” And I smiled at him again.

He stood up and said “It's getting pretty late. You better get some sleep now… I'll be heading back too.”

He assisted me back to my feet and waved a quick bye. I trace him with my eyes until his form is no longer in sight. After that I went to bed.

If only I had known that that night would be the last of the nights we will spend star gazing together, I would've told him back then and there how I really felt about him.

~~~~~xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx~~~~~

“Hinata!” knock, knock… “Hinata!!! Wake up!” KNOCK KNOCK! “Wake up Hinata!” BAM, BAM, BAM!!!

The sleeping girl awoke because of the noise from the other side of her bedroom door. `I wonder what's wrong?' thought the now awake girl to herself. She gets up and notice that the sun is barely up in the horizon which meant it was still pretty early.

The girl gets to her door and opens her banging door. Whose banging, gets louder every second. Behind the door stood her cousin who had long black hair and the same white eyes as her. The boy looked like he just ran from a far away distance because he was breathing pretty hard, but what really bothered her was the look of panic on his usually calm cousin's face.

“What's the matter Neji-nisan? You look troubled…” she said worried about her cousin and what the cause of the alarmed look on his face might be.

Neji suddenly grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her once. That panicked look never leaving his features. Hinata was startled by her cousin's sudden harsh action. She'd never seen him act this way before.

“Hinata! T-the…” Neji started to say with his voice just as alarmed as his looks. He was still holding onto Hinata's shoulders

“The what, niisan?” she asked as she was starting to fret about her cousin's behavior.

Neji took one breathe in to steady himself and stop his stuttering in order to deliver the information he has, properly to his cousin.

“The Uchihas… They're------”

Hinata's couldn't believe her ears. After what Neji said she just stood there, unmoving, even her eyes refused to move. She was obviously in shock. Either her mind was not working, or it was working so fast for her to notice what it was doing. Never the less, after the realization sunk in, she tore away from her cousin's hold and sprinted out of the house.

Author's Note: I'll leave it there for now. I will have you all know that I'm a bigger SasuHina fan that a SasuSaku. So this'll probabbly end up with Sasuke and Hinata getting together, but sometimes I like SasuSaku too, so there's also that possibility. (am I a confusing bitch or what?) I'll include Sakura in the next one so stay tuned. Onegai, leave a review ne?

Love lots~ Emi-chan