Title: If

Summary: [SasuHina] "He's a traitor and a rival. He doesn't deserve you, and doesn't love you, Hinata," the head Hyuga said coldly. Sasuke clenched his fists, "Everything you said is true, except for what you said last."

Rating: T (or PG-13) Why not call it PG-13? Ask fanfiction.

Genre: Romance/Drama

Pairings: SasuHina, KibaHina, and every other guy that falls for Hinata, but fails miserably.

AN: Depending on interest level, I may/may not update immediately...though I know exactly where I'm going with this fic. hope it wins your approval heh (:

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto...owns nothing apparently.

Chapter 1: Prologue

Are your still dreaming, sleeping? Are you measuring all the tears you've shed?
Hope is a paper boat that sinks, isn't it sad?

~Epik High - One

No one in the Hyuga compound fully understood why she had chosen him. Of all the suitors, including her share of handsome, wealthy, genius, talented men across the villages, it had to be a particular man.

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Flashback:

They arrived in at the village gates with their hair flattened by rain, and shirts stained carmine from the blood; a sight that may have incited the ANBU to tear the flesh off the handsome, raven-haired man, if it was not for the woman resting angelically in his arms. The guards withdrew a handful of kunais from their chest pockets, but lowered their weapon as the Hokage approached.

"Tsunade-sama, just give me the order. My kunai is itching to slit his throat."

"I know..." the blonde, pallid elder woman exhaled deeply. It was inevitable that the whole of Konoha would wish to execute this man; the single catalyst that was the source of suffering and chaos for the past five years. But taking his life now was too late; it wouldn't have solved anything anyway. She gestured for them to retreat.

"Stay back for now."

The guards' appalled expression matched that of the crowd, but they withdrew nevertheless.

"Drop all your weapons." She commanded.

With lightening speed, the longsword from the handsome, yet deadly stranger's sheath fell with a clang at his feet. Several bystanders sighed with relief, even though they knew weapon alone would not have reduced an ell of his monstrous power. At the Hokage's command, he eased the woman off his arms and allowed the medics to surround him.

"Is she alive?"

"Her heartbeats are slow, but she's alive."

"Thank goodness...our poor Hyuga heiress."

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When the raven-haired man saw that he was no longer needed, he deactivated his bloodshot eyes, distinctive of the Uchiha clan's bloodline.

"Sasuke." The familiar voice of the wise, blonde woman broke the silence. She could barely lay her eyes on him. The one she had failed to contain in the asylum of the village.

"Tsunade," he acknowledged with a nod.

"The war's over. You've played your part, now you should leave."

"I will once I find out Hinata's condition."

"It has nothing to do with you."

"Maybe...but I'm staying until then."

She felt the heat rise to her face, but held back all impulse to crush the indignant man. No, not even worthy of that title, he was still a teen engulfed by his willful hate for Konoha.

"You think the village is a place you can destroy and come back? …A place for you to toil around?" She heard a sigh, but didn't allow him a chance to respond.

"We don't need your sympathy, and you don't need ours."

"I'm sincere. If I could repay what I did..." she looked at him intently, the Uchiha never hesitated: it simply was a word that didn't exist in his vocabulary.

"But it's too late."

Pointless. The conversation would never end on a compromising note. He knew that, Tsunade knew that, everyone knew that. He had crossed the line ages ago, and redemption was way beyond his game.

He turned on his heels to leave.

"What made you change your mind?" A voice behind him echoed.

The onyx-eyed Uchiha brushed his bangs to the side. Tsunade could've sworn she saw him give a nostalgic smile as the man replied in a whisper.

"Hinata Hyuga."

AN: This is the shortest chapter of this fic I swear, longer chaps and stronger material to come. Tell me what you guys think!