Chapter 3: I SEE YOU HINATA

Contrary to popular belief, I had actually tried my luck in the dating world. Two times actually. Both very short and unfulfilling. I never really grew to enjoy these men past their charisma.

The first one was a guy from my second year in uni. He was cute, charming and had been on my case for the entire first year until I finally gave in. He treated me well, too well even, so much that I felt bad that while this very smart engineering student from a great family with the healthiest amount of attention for his then girlfriend was giving his hundred percent to the relationship - I went home and daily checked on the daily mail for articles about my old high school crush.

So of course it didn't last long. We separated on friendly terms though he was convinced he'd win me back one day. Thank God he forgot about that and was now dating one of his very close friends, because I would've never went back to him. I would've never changed. He deserved better.

The second was a man I had met in a restaurant I was working for. He'd tipped me an insane amount and we had debated about me refusing that crazy amount for an hour before he took it back.

He was handsome, like very handsome. Older, so more experienced and he'd tought me a lot about life and especially sexually. I was never really a fiend for sex like that until I met this man. That's probably why we continued dealing with each other even after our break up. He didn't like sharing so he'd seduce me to lay with him instead of other men even though we weren't together, and I didn't want to go through the emotional turmoil of a relationship again so we had settled for only sex. But that ended badly when I realized later on that he'd met another woman when we were off but was still dealing with me. Ultimately making me the other woman. So of course I cut him off, it also helped that I was moving back to Konoha 3 months later. I'd never heard from him again.

And now here I was, in Naruto's house finally. After years of crushing over him.

It was now 4AM and he had given me a room to sleep in. The snow fall had gone too crazy for him to be able to drop me back home so we settled on me sleeping over.

I hadn't been able to find sleep after our very sexual tension filled conversation from earlier. The man definitely noticed me tonight, if he hadn't in all those years and I didn't know how to handle that.

- You up? She texted Sakura

And of course the pink haired goth was up.

- Of course, what's up? How did it go ?

- I'm scared, I'm very certain he noticed me tonight and I don't know how to deal.

The 3 dots went active for a few seconds before her response lit up.

- You're fine Hinata, just be careful. It's always great to try new things but Naruto is who you've always wanted so I don't want to tell you to rush yourself with hype and feelings, don't.

- I know... I mean I'm still doubting he cares as much as I do, but it's definitely noticeable that he sees me now.

- And that's great! I'm happy for you, but I beg you play hard to get.

She rolled her eyes. Hinata was never a fan of dating games like playing hard to get, pushing and pulling. That stuff was absolutely a waste of time and interest for her but Sakura always lived by it. And it worked wonders for her. However Hinata didn't have Sakura's patience.

- And why on earth would I do that?

This time Sakura sent a voice note.

"Girl you know why, anybody with eyes knew you were absolutely in love with this man. I know Naruto is dumb and oblivious but I promise you the boys teased him about it too many times for him not to at least suspect that the jokes had some truths in it. So yes ! You've gotta play hard to get. You don't wanna be that girl I promise you!"

She laughed before texting back.

- Alright cap ! Why are you still awake though?

- It's Christmas Eve girly, it's the perfect time to be romantic with your significant other so that's what we were doing.

- Spare me the details.

Sakura was known for being the most sexually liberated in their group of friends. She didn't care, fun was fun to her. Most girls hated her in uni because of it, guys loved her for it. She'd had an amazing success in uni with guys, so she dated rounds and rounds.

Hinata knew however that all this was a facade. When Sakura got drunk enough, she would cry about how her heart only belonged to one person. And only those really close to her knew it was Sasuke. The girl loved that man with her soul. But when he started touching drugs during his racing days he pushed her away, along with everybody. And she never recovered.

He was obviously clean now, and managed his family's Uchiha company along with his brother. But it had never been the same between them again. She'd never tried to go back to him. Ignored her feelings entirely and never looked back.

Their relationship was now non-existent, apart from basic and polite hi's and bye's.

As she thought of all that, she heard rattling by her door. Earlier she had seen Naruto's Shiba-Inu sleeping far away from them. She could tell he had no interest in interacting with strangers. So she was surprised when she saw him sitting in front of her door, looking at her with curiosity.

- Hey buddy. She said before bending down to pet him.

He swiftly avoided her petting hand and continued staring.

She giggled. Shiba-Inu's we're known to not be much fans of affectionate people, and Hinata ? She had lots of love to give!

As she was looking for the name of his collar, a figure in the darkness behind him came out of the shadows and she stumbled backwards surprised.

- Gosh you scared me !

Naruto laughed as he walked towards them.

- Sorry bout that, you okay ? He asked as he helped her up on her feet.

- Yeah yeah, she chuckled again

- I got a visitor earlier so was just trying to say hi, he's not really friendly to me though.

Naruto looked down at the dog who was now facing him, all animated.

- Yeah sorry about that. This one is a curious one. He hates physical contact tho. Still training him.

Following his stare over at the dog she nodded.

- That's fine.

At that moment it got quiet for a few seconds before he turned to look at her again.

- You're not sleeping. He said, as if just noticing.

She nodded before brushing her arms, the heater was okay but she could still feel the cold from the snow fall pouring outside.

- Yeah, I was waiting to catch Santa Claus I guess.

He smiled quietly before staring for a few quiet seconds. After a while of staring back, she noticed him getting a small box out of his hand, it was wrapped in a colorful wrapping. Her eyes went wide.

- Okay not fair, you never told me we were doing that.

He smiled again.

- Don't worry, I had mine earlier.

- I didn't give you anything?

He stared again.

- Yes, you did.

Confused she just stared at the box with curiosity. What could he mean ? She had not given him anything at all. She would remember it.

- Merry Christmas, he said. Before handing her the small wrapping.

She looked up again at him before taking the package. Her curiosity ignited.

- You really didn't have to.

She unboxed it, and as she opened the box, her eyes went wide. It was simply a bracelet. Nothing more nothing less. Not worth a lot. Hell not even 1 yen. She hadn't spent a penny on this back then. But the fact that this man had it. All those years he had it and probably remembered the day she'd lost it said a lot. No, it said too much.

Unconsciously, she dropped the box as tears ran down her face.

- You knew ? She whispered.

And as she looked up at him, she realized he was right in her face now. He had stepped again a little too close to her, to her heart.

- I always knew. His voice was monotone, he wasn't lying.

- That's- You would've said something. She was now crying.

Which he stopped as he grabbed her face within his hands and pulled it up to look straight in his eyes. To look at his face as he was admiring her beautiful face in tears.

- I knew, I saw you that night, I saw how you called help for me and I saw how you asked these two men to save my life and drag me to the hospital.

- Stop it.. she pushed his hands away as she couldn't handle this.

- You don't have to run Hinata, I'm right here, I know it was you, I know you saved me. I know I owe you my life.

- Stop it! She pushed him harder this time before running back into her room, he simply followed behind her as she broke down. The memories too painful for her. Nobody knew but him and her. Nobody knew what she had done for him.

He went up to her again and pulled her into his arms before hugging her tightly as her cries went louder every breath she took.

- You looked so beautiful that night. I saw you that night, I saw you loud and clear. He whispered and she cried even harder.

KONOHA 1997 RACING TRAGEDY

Not a lot of people knew why their group of friends went into a spiral after 1997. Sasuke had started taking hard drugs right about that period of the time. Naruto had isolated from socializing. Sakura had turned her studious student with the good girl image into a punk and goth with anger issues one knew before.

Their car racing tendencies were very active and yet quiet. Not many people knew there were actual car races going on in Konoha until the sad tragedy that took place in the outskirts of the city.

The race had taken a dark turn when one of the racers pulled up to the track drunk and hid it from everyone, lost control of the car and had hit Naruto's rented car.

The impact while at fast speed unfortunately led to Naruto's car crashing into a nearby tree and lighting on fire. That day Naruto had went alone to the track on a 2000 bet as the opponent was salty about losing previously. Everybody had told Naruto not to go, and of course he had lied and said that he wouldn't.

The only person who knew he would was Hinata so she followed him quietly to the track till the incident took place. Of course the opponent immediately ran away with his gang of friends he had brought to the track. Leaving him alone there, in a burning car, to probably die.

She had rushed to the car to save him with the last breath she had. She had followed him around on her bike so she got there almost as the fire was beginning to spread to the front seat where Naruto was unconscious.

Rushing to his side she had removed his seatbelt and quickly dragged him far far away from the far. But as they were far she remembered he had a purse in the car that had some belongings that, if found would connect him to the incident so she stupidly ran back to the car as the fire was still spreading and picked up the burning leather back.

It's probably then, the bracelet slipped away.

Hinata had been able to get the bag back and rushed back to his side. Making sure he was breathing. But then a loud explosion was heard, and not from the actual burning car by the tree. No, apparently a little further away, the same drunk driver had crashed again. But this time it was fatal to him. He died on impact. They discovered that the next day as they read the papers unfortunately.

Hinata had asked the son of the butcher close to her house to help her drag Naruto to his house and he did, worrying about his state too.

He had cleaned him along with her and she'd left him with less worries. He had been removed from the car before the fire spread so he didn't have a burn anywhere.

The only damage was a scratch on his left arm which happened when she dropped him in the bushes before running back to the car to retrieve his stuff.

She'd stared at him for a long 30 minutes before running back to her house before her absence was noticed. But Naruto never woke. Even in the car he hadn't opened his eyes not once, so how did he know it was her ?

The accident later on was put on the reckless drunk driver who passed away with 2 of his friends in the back seat. It was concluded they had crashed the first one after one of them raced as well and then all fled the scene, where they would meet their untimely death. Nobody linked the first car to Naruto ever. Only his group of friends knew, as one of the dead passengers was a good friend of Sasuke. And it marked the friendship forever.

- You looked so beautiful, like an angel... he whispered, and this time he was caressing her face as her cries stopped.

- You never said anything all these years... she whimpered.

- I didn't know how to bring it up, I was sure it was something you wanted to forget. But since that day I noticed you anywhere you went. Anywhere.

She pushed away gently before picking up her bag.

- I have to go.

He rushed to her and took her hand in his.

- Is that why you're scared Hinata ?

She looked up, his face determined.

She nodded.

- I am terrified.

He nodded as well, understanding. After a few seconds he asked again

- Of me ? Or of what you did for me ? Do you regret it ?

- Of course not, I just want to forget about that day Naruto.

He nodded again.

- I understand...

After a few minutes of silence she rushed out before hearing his voice again.

- I'm not scared Hinata

She stopped to look at him in awe. He kept saying that but what did he mean.

- I'm not scared of anything anymore like you said. It took me a fucking minute to realize it but, I do care about you, I wanna know you, I want to be around you, I want to pay you back for my life and I don't like owing shit to anyone.

- You don't owe me shit, she whimpered as he got closer, all in her face.

- Yes I fucking do, I owe you everything. And on that note he grabbed her face, ready to kiss her, but then his phone rang.

He paused a second before looking at Hinata who used that moment of hesitation to run away.

- Hinata

- I'll see you around Naruto.

And she walked out.

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Jawrell