Hinata Hyuuga stared at her reflection in the mirror. In her eyes, this woman in front of her was different.

The woman in the mirror had eyes of white which twinkled with newfound happiness. Her long fingers tapped the side of her pale cheek with make-up, a soft blush of pink to give her face more life. There was a soft gasp that escaped her mouth. However, she found herself smiling afterwards.

Then she wondered, "Is this really me?"

An answer to her question did not arrive, for she was still in a state of disbelief of how a woman like her, seemingly empty and lifeless for the past few months, had become one who was brimming with life and happiness.

Chapter 7: Frown

She thought back to the morning before everything happened. The sun rose from the east like it always has. The birds chirped and sang their song while they danced around their nests like they always did. The maids ran around the maze-like hallways of the palace and eventually found their way to the future wife of the heir. With their head bowed, they modestly knocked at the door and excused themselves for the intrusion.

With a high-pitched voice, the maid announced that it was already morning and that the Daimyo requested for her presence in the main dining room. Soon enough, two maids, lead by the voice that called out earlier, entered the room and began assisting the future wife.

Hinata didn't need to be told that it was already morning, for she was already staring at the window welcoming the sun's rays into the room. She heaved a sigh and allowed the maids to assist her in standing up. Hyuuga Hinata braced herself for another morning ritual in the palace.

It was like that every day in that small mansion. She'll wake up. The maids would knock at her door and let themselves in the second after. They would then assist her in every way they can – to her standing up, her bathing and everything that followed it afterward. Soon enough, they'll escort her towards the main hall which consisted of many more hallways (which she still hasn't explored). In other days, she'd use the hallway on the right of the Family Head's statue. It led to the normal dining room – a less elegant version of the main one. The normal dining room was often used by the house guests and Hinata.

One might say that Hyuuga Hinata should be dining with her future husband and her future father-in-law, but it was a tradition in the Akimoto family that the future wife of the heir wouldn't be treated so highly until the marriage has been done. (It is a tradition that Hinata couldn't really understand, but she didn't bother to try and understand it). On rare days, Hinata would be invited to the main dining room by the Daimyo. Often times, these rare days happen to be festival days, parties or birthdays.

Hinata did not know what was happening that day however. Back then, she'd care and ask around about the event for certain days like this, but she had grown tired of her life as the "Hinata-sama".

And so she trudged towards the Main Dining room, the maids following behind her closely.

Later that evening, she still didn't know what the occasion was. The Daimyo and his son didn't even say a single word about it (though that was probably because of their recent father-and-son quarrel). However, the day was already very special in Hinata's heart.

While she faced the mirror, her lips curled into a smile again.

"You seem to be in a state of euphoria today, Hinata-dono." The voice broke her thoughts of a certain blonde ninja who has invaded her thoughts the whole day. A blush crept up towards her cheeks. Her heartbeat got faster while her neck seemed to have stiffened.

"K-Kazoku-san." And all so suddenly, her age old stuttering came back to life.

Kazoku was thrown in a fit of laughter, "I'm sorry. Did I catch you with your defenses down?"

"P-perhaps," Hinata slowly turned around to face Kazoku and bowed down, "I was just pondering about things."

"Ah. Can I conclude that the things you think about have made you happy?" Kazoku laughed again. That was the first time Hinata had seen the tall and handsome Heir laugh so heartily. Kazoku can be compared to Sasuke; however, Kazoku who was also a dark-haired man was softer and more open. However, when he is around his father, his smooth features would be hardened into an icy expression which spoke of no emotion. One would be led into thinking that he was a heartless person. Hinata knew otherwise. To her, Akimoto Kazoku is a better man compared to his father. Hinata was glad that she was betrothed to such a good man. But we all know she would rather prefer someone else to spend her life with.

She bowed down, her gaze falling upon the tatami of her room. Her thoughts, which Kazoku was talking and inquiring about, had sent her to paradise and then back to hell – back to her life in that empty palace. Back then, Kazoku and the villagers were the only ones who gave her purpose. Now that Naruto showed up at their doorstep, she found hope. And again, she found herself flying with the clouds.

"Yes. My thoughts have made me happy."

With that, she smiled.

Uzumaki Naruto sighed to himself. He was currently stationed outside the office of Kazuo, the General who recruited him. A few minutes ago, Kazuo summoned him for something Naruto didn't know of. As Naruto waited, he could not help fidgeting in his spot. He had grown rather impatient of Kazuo. The general was still occupied with his current visitor. As Naruto heard bits of muffled voices resonating from the room, he contemplated on barging in like how usually did to Tsunade while she was in her office. As the thought of Tsunade drifted into his mind, his body suddenly stopped and his knees slightly weakened. Reality had hit him once more.

He sighed, stepped back and pressed his back against Kazuo's office door. And again, Uzumaki Naruto thought of Tsunade and all her angry (but playful) fits. A smile crept into his lips as he thought of how the old Tsunade would have been grumbling amidst all her paperwork. His thoughts ended with a question: Has she found out that he was gone?

Probably.

Neji would have already alerted her, he thought. Naruto didn't bet on Tsunade sending people after him; however, he knew very well that there were already a number of Hyuuga family members running after him – running through the fields and soaring through the sky which was as blue as the ceiling.

Ceiling.

Naruto blinked. Pain suddenly coursed through his nerves as he realized that he had already fallen unto the ground. Above him was a plump man slightly troubled by his sudden fall.

"My, my, Kazuo-dono… I wonder if this young man is all right."

Kazuo roared in laughter, "Tenshi-san, don't worry about him. He's as strong as an ox!" Kazuo laughed.

The plump man's cheeks turned red as he laughed with Kazuo. Naruto sighed but then laughed with them. His entrance was sloppy, he told himself. It was not really a good way to introduce himself to Kazuo's friend. After a second, Naruto helped himself up and looked at the general's visitor.

As said before, he was a plump man who was perhaps in his mid-thirties. His cheeks wore a shade of pink as he gleefully smiled at our mighty protagonist. With his stubby fingers, he smoothed his silken garments that softly fell over his shoulders. He appeared to be a rich man and a good friend of the general's. Naruto's assumption was proven true when the man patted Kazuo's shoulder. No one else pats Kazuo's shoulders.

"Well, I shall be going now, General. Keep in mind what we have discussed."

Once the man had completely left the hallway, Kazuo stood up from his chair and made his way towards the open sliding door which revealed a small zen garden.

"That man is Yamamoto Tenshi. He's the right hand of the feudal lord of the neighboring village. Tenshi's an old friend of mine. Because of Tenshi's medical skills, Kazoku-san was cured of a grave illness years ago. We owe a lot to Tenshi-san." Kazuo suddenly spoke, sensing Naruto's curiosity.

"Ugh… and?" Naruto urged Kazuo to continue.

"The neighboring village is extremely lacking some manpower for their guards. There has been some rogue movements beyond their boundaries. The surrounding villages have also been attacked, but our village has not been attacked yet. Because of these rogue soldiers or ninjas or whatever they may be… Tenshi's village cannot protect their village anymore. They received some information from their spies that the rogues plan to attack their village tonight. Tenshi-san has requested that I aid him tonight. And I will. That means I leave Hinata-sama under your care. You will guard her closely tonight because there's a celebration."

Naruto raised his eyebrows. The last sentence meant that he could spend more time with Hinata. His heart jumped with joy. It banged against his chest. But there was something in Kazuo's expression that Naruto can't quite put a finger on. It was a proud smile on the decorated man's tanned face. Somehow, Naruto knew that the reason behind his smile was something he wouldn't like.

"It's a celebration regarding Hinata-dono and Kazoku-sama's engagement."

His happiness was short-lived.

"Good… good," Kazoku whispered to himself as he sat down over the tatami. As he smoothed his garments, he looked at Hinata who was still smiling like there was no end to it. There was a sudden bang against his chest. Perhaps it was because of joy and even nervousness. Earlier that day, his father told him something that the young heir didn't really like. He wasn't so sure Hinata would take the news so lightly.

The young man sighed.

He didn't want to wipe that smile off Hinata's face. But he had to.

He had to.

And so he slipped his hand inside his pocket.

"You need to know something, Hinata-dono."

It was a cold morning, a cold normal morning inside the mansion. Kazoku trudged along the hallway. There was a heavy feeling against his back that made him furrow his brows and sigh heavily now and then. Rarely was he like that. Rarely did he frown his lips and burden himself with sighs. But that day… that day was different. Suddenly, he heard his father's voice calling out to him in the distance. There was a laugh and a bang of their large door closing.

Kazoku knew that the time had come.

"My son! Meet your future wife, Hyuuga Hinata. Isn't she beatiful?"

A beautiful woman bowed in front of him. She was dressed in a white elegant kimono. The obi made her look like a gift being offered to Kazoku. Happiness slowly crept inside Kazoku's heart. At least she wasn't an old hag or an ugly woman, he told himself. He smiled at her and bowed as well.

"Hinata-dono, it's a pleasure to meet you."

The both of them raised their heads at the same time. Kazoku made it a point to welcome her with a soft smile, but this smile… it slowly faded.

It slowly faded as he saw this lingering sadness in her eyes even if there was a smile on her face.

And he couldn't just forget that sadness.

Couldn't.

Naruto found himself trudging towards Hinata's room. Thoughts were going in and out of his mind. Their daughter rushed into his thoughts. He couldn't live up with Hime growing up without a mother when again. He then asked himself if he can afford to lose Hinata once again… when he had a choice not to. He knew that he didn't want that to happen, but he was torn between choosing something for himself or something for his old village. He stopped at one turn and just stood there thinking.

"What do I do now?"

He traced the lining of his mouth, his drying mouth. Sweat trickled down the side of his face as his mind raced. There was nothing, not even a single trace of thought that could save him – save them – from what was happening.

There was nothing in his head but a single thought.

"I can't afford not saving her."

There wasn't much Kazoku could say to her as he offered that ring to Hinata. Hinata already knew what it meant. The heavy feeling upon his slowly returned. He furrowed his brows and closed his eyes slowly. His hand was still stretched towards her. His hand was already beginning to feel cold. His joints were already trembling.

He didn't want to open his eyes.

He didn't want to see her sadness again.

Because he couldn't live up with the thought of taking away her happiness from her.

Slowly, Hinata reached out to him. She laid her soft fingers upon the skin of his palm. She felt him tremble. She saw him twitch. Hinata sighed.

There wasn't much they could do.

"Kazoku-sama, please raise your head," she said as she lifted the ring from his palm. "I don't even know why you're doing this when," Hinata paused, "when our fates have been decided long ago."

There wasn't much she could do.

There's still something I can do.

Naruto pressed his hand against the door of Hinata's room. He could feel someone there. He knew who was inside. He knew that he was a few minutes too late on telling her what Kazoku was probably telling her now.

"I'm not too late, am I? Hinata?" He said under his breath.

"Am I?"

The door opened abruptly. Kazoku's eyes immediately fell upon the sight of the blonde ninja. His lips were pursed. Exaggerated by his frown, the lines on his face and the look in his eyes reeked of disappointment. This led Naruto into hoping for good news.

However, when his eyes fell on Hinata, he saw that she was wearing the same face. Naruto felt his heart fall. Hesitantly, he led his eyes towards her hands. And there it was – the smallest thing in the world that can wound him.

Uzumaki Naruto looked at Kazoku once again. He felt anger boil inside him. His heart told him to punch Kazoku's guts out. It was what he would have done. But times are different. His clenched hand slowly relaxed.

"Uzumaki-san, may I ask why you are here?" The daimyo's heir aired his curiosity amidst his sadness and disappointment.

Naruto opened his mouth to answer, but no voice came out. He clenched his jaw and cleared his throat. "Kazuo… Ugh… The General asked me to guard… Hina- Hyuuga-dono."

Kazoku stared at him, and then turned his back. "I see. Do your best, Uzumaki." With that, he left.

For the next few seconds, there was awkward silenced which clawed into Naruto's chest as if it wanted to rip his heart out. Hinata felt the same. She felt uncomfortable wearing a ring that she was obliged to wear. She felt uncomfortable letting the man she really loves see it wrapped around her finger. The feeling made her slowly hide her hand from his view.

Even the seconds after those actions were silence. As Naruto stepped deeper into Hinata's room, there was no word uttered. Only footsteps and the sound of his clothes lightly shuffling could be heard.

"So much for having that small reunion." Naruto spoke in attempt to break the painful silence. He had his back pressed against the door. His eyes appeared sadder than usual.

Hinata did not know why she did it, but she stood up. She made her way towards the one she truly loved. Slowly, she lifted her hand (which did not have the ring). It hovered near Naruto's face.

"Don't hesitate, please," Naruto whispered. His breath got heavier as Hinata's hand hovered longer. "Please."

Hinata narrowed her eyes. Slowly, tears welled up, making her vision blurry. She could only see a vague outline of Naruto – his blonde hair, his skin, and his orange clothing. However, she could still imagine the frown on his face.

She pressed her palm against his cheek, "I'm sorry."

"I'm so sorry."