TWO HOURS LATER
Two hours had passed since they got out of the cavern. The air was cool and fresh, but everyone was very tired. To move faster, they were jumping from tree to tree through the thick forest.
There was tiredness on every face, but no one wanted to show it.
Sasuke was in front, jumping easily even with the extra weight he was carrying Mini Sasuke was on his back, his small arms around Sasuke's neck.
He rested his head on Sasuke's shoulder, his eyes closed but heavy, unable to fall asleep. Sasuke felt the extra weight but didn't show he was tired.
Behind him, Naruto was also moving, helping Sakura. She had her arm over his shoulder, her head leaning on him. Ino was right next to them, breathing hard. Further back, Karin followed and behind her also were Tenten and Hinata their steps slow and careful.
At the very back were Neji and Lee. Lee had his arm around Neji's shoulder, and Neji was leaning on Lee to walk, which was rare for him.
After a few more jumps, they had to land on the ground. The trees there were too far apart, and the branches were too thin to hold them.
They started walking slowly, their pace much slower than before. The sky was dark but filled with stars. The moonlight was weak because thick clouds were covering it.
Sasuke was still carrying Mini Sasuke. But the younger boy moved. "Hey...leave me," Mini Sasuke said quietly. "You must be tired, right? I can walk by myself now."
The whole group was walking very slowly. They were all out of energy. They hadn't eaten in over a day. No one said anything, but the quietness showed just how tired they all were.
Mini Sasuke, who was now walking behind Sasuke, started to walk even slower. He was thinking about something. Naruto, Sakura, and Ino moved ahead, leaving him behind. Soon, Mini Sasuke was walking with Hinata and Tenten.
Hinata noticed this and was surprised. 'Wasn't he way ahead of us with Sasuke-kun? What happened? Is he tired?' she thought, feeling worried. She quickly walked to him, leaving Tenten behind.
She gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Is something wrong? Are you okay?" she asked softly. "You were with your older self. How did you get so far back?"
Mini Sasuke looked up at her with a sad face. "I'm tired, Nee-san," he whispered. "I don't want to walk anymore, but... I don't want to make anyone carry me. Can you please talk to Neji-san about taking a rest?"
Hinata looked at him.
"I mean," he continued, "he was the one who said we wouldn't rest... so if you talk to him, I'm sure he'll understand."
Hinata gave him a gentle smile. "Of course, I'll try," she said. "We have been walking for a long time, so you must be tired. Everyone else is, too. I will go and ask."
Mini Sasuke's face brightened with happiness. Hinata began to walk toward Neji. Tenten had joined Neji and Lee now.
"Do you guys notice that Hinata is acting too close to Sasuke's younger self?" Tenten asked, sounding curious.
"Tenten, what are you saying?" Lee said, a little angry. "Don't try to find bad things in what a child does. He's just a kid; he probably likesHinata-san."
Neji's eyes narrowed. "What are you trying to say, Tenten?" he asked, his voice cold.
"Duhh!" Tenten said, rolling her eyes. "What I mean is, what if Sasuke told Hinata, or forced her, to look after his younger self? Or maybe... she was forced to do this?"
Just then, Hinata walked up to them. "Neji Nii-san, can we stop and rest for a while?" she asked, her voice quiet but serious. "Everyone is tired. Me, Sasuke-kun's younger self, Sakura-chan, and everyone. Would that be okay with you?"
Neji's face instantly became softer. "Of course, Hinata-sama. We can stop here," he said without thinking. "You can go tell the others we are resting."
As Hinata walked away, Lee turned to Neji. "Neji... why stop now? Didn't you tell everyone that we should try to get out of the forest before morning?"
"Of course I said that," Neji replied, watching Hinata go. "But if Hinata-sama is tired, we have to rest. Also... we have other things to talk about."
"Neji, did you hear the first name Hinata said after her own?" Tenten asked, her voice serious now. "It was Sasuke's younger self."
"What things do you have to talk about, Neji?" Lee asked, confused.
Neji looked at Tenten. "Yes, I noticed it," he said. He then looked at Lee, his eyes sharp.
"The things we need to talk about are what Sasuke did to Hinata-sama that she is acting strange by being so focused on his younger self."
The forest became completely quiet after those words. The only sound was the wind moving through the leaves. Everyone began to get ready to sleep, with a new tension in the air.
The forest was dense and dark. Tall, thin trees reached up to the night sky, their branches swaying gently in the quiet wind. A small pond in a clearing reflected the dim starlight. The group had spread out to rest, each person finding their own quiet corner.
Naruto and Sakura were in one area, sitting close to each other. In another spot, Mini Sasuke was sleeping soundly, curled up on the soft ground. A few feet away, Karin was laying. In a different corner, Lee, Neji, and Tenten were talking in low voices.
Hinata, having decided where she wanted to sleep, was walking towards Mini Sasuke. She was about to settle down when a voice called out to her from the shadows of a large tree.
"Hinata."
Hinata stopped and looked over. "Ino-chan?" she said, her voice soft.
She walked over to where Ino was standing, a little surprised to see her awake. "What's the matter, Ino-chan? Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Ino sighed, looking at the broad night sky. "Oh, I want to," she said. "But first, I need to tell you something so my heart and brain can feel a little lighter." Ino turned to face Hinata, her eyes serious.
"Hinata... I think you should stay away from Sasuke-kun."
Hinata's eyes widened a little in surprise. "What do you mean, Ino-chan?" she asked.
"I'm not saying this for me," Ino continued, her voice gentle but firm.
"I'm saying this for Sakura's sake. I care for just like a relationship sister. She loves Sasuke-kun more than anything, and she has for a long time. Even after he left the village, she hasn't had a single day where she didn't think about him. Her feelings are very real, and it hurts her a lot when Sasuke-kun doesn't care about her."
Hinata tried to speak. "But... I wasn't—"
"I know it's not like Sasuke-kun would just come and talk to you on his own," Ino cut her off, not unkindly. "You must have done or said something for him to be thankful to you. That's why he keeps coming back and talking to you."
Hinata's face fell, and her eyes looked down. She tried to explain again. "That's not it at all, Ino-chan. He was—"
"Just please, don't interact with Sasuke-kun or his younger self," Ino said, her voice becoming a little more urgent. "That way, Sakura won't get hurt. Don't try to do something good to make him like you. LetSakura do that."
Ino's last words were like a final blow. Hinata's eyes filled with tears, which then spilled over and rolled down her cheeks. Her voice was shaky and heartbroken as she finally spoke.
"You think I am helping Sasuke-kun take care of his younger self just because I want him to have a good image of me?" she cried. "Did you always think of me like that?"
Hinata didn't wait for an answer. She turned and ran away very fast, the sound of her sobs fading into the night.
Hinata kept running. Her feet pounded against the forest floor, a soft, frantic rhythm. She didn't know where she was going, she just knew she had to get away.
The tears streaming from her eyes blurred the world into a mix of dark colors and faint lights. Her chest felt so tight it was hard to breathe, and each gasp of air felt like a painful cut.
She stumbled to a stop at the edge of the pond. She couldn't run anymore. Her legs gave out, and she fell to her knees in the soft grass. Her hands gripped the ground, her body shaking from the sobs that she was trying to hold in.
"I didn't... I didn't want anyone to misunderstand," she whispered, her voice trembling.
The tears flowed down her cheeks, hot and fast. Her voice cracked again. "I wasn't trying to take him from her... I wasn't...!"
But the words didn't matter. There was no one around to hear her. She hugged herself tight, trying to hold herself together. She pressed her forehead against her arms.
She cried softly, but the sadness felt heavy and deep. The crying came in short, sharp bursts—half-breaths and small, aching sounds. Each sob felt like it was being pulled from a deep, broken place inside her.
She didn't know how long she will stay there. She only knew that the pain was terrible. And she couldn't stop crying.
As Hinata was crying, holding her knees, she suddenly heard the sound of voices. Not just voices, but happy voices.
She looked up, her tear-filled eyes searching in the dark. She saw two figures, bright as ever, talking and laughing. It was Naruto and Sakura. They were so full of life, joking and laughing without a care in the world.
Hinata quickly got up and moved behind a thick tree trunk, hiding herself so they wouldn't see her. She stood there, with one hand on the rough bark, her body half-hidden in the shadows.
From her hiding spot, she heard Sakura's voice. "You know, I really mean it. I really owe you a big thank you."
Naruto's loud, happy laugh rang out. "Oh my... I think my ears are ringing! Sakura-chan giving me her thanks...this is too much, dattebayo!"
They both laughed together, a sound that should have been comforting but only made Hinata's heart ache more. She watched them, a tear rolling down her cheek.
Her face was full of pain, her lips trembling. She tried to wipe the tears away with the back of her hand, but more just came. Her body was slumped against the tree, and she just couldn't move.
Slowly and quietly, she began to walk away. She left them to their happiness and moved deeper into the shadows. As she walked, a new thought, a more lonely one came to her mind.
'Sakura-chan, you told Ino-chan that it breaks your heart when I talk with Sasuke-kun, but doesn't my heart ache when you talk with Naruto-kun?' she thought.
'Don't I have the right to be angry and jealous?'
She walked to the other side of the pond and found a big rock. She sat down, her body tired and heavy with sadness.
Hinata covered her face with her hands and began to cry once again, her heart now hurting for a different reason.
Hinata sat on the big rock, her face buried in her hands, her body shaking with silent sobs. The quiet sobs were the only sound she made. The pond water was still, reflecting the dark, moonless sky.
Then, she heard it.
The soft crunch of footsteps on the grass, getting closer.
Her crying stopped instantly. She lifted her head, her mind racing. Someone was coming. She couldn't let anyone see her like this. She quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, trying to clear away the tears and hide her sad face.
She took a few shaky breaths to calm herself, her heart pounding in her chest. Then, a voice, low and familiar, cut through the quiet night.
"Oi."
Hinata's breath hitched. She slowly turned her head, her eyes wide with shock. She looked at the figure standing there in the gloom.
It was him. She whispered his name to herself, the sound barely audible.
'Sasuke...kun...'
Sasuke walked over to Hinata and stood beside her. He didn't say anything at first, just looked at the water. Hinata was still trying to hide the redness in her eyes.
"So, what are you doing over here?" Sasuke finally said, his voice flat. "Just staring at the water?"
Hinata looked up at him, then quickly back at the pond. "Yeah... kind of," she whispered.
Sasuke walked to the very edge of the pond. He bent down, dipping his fingers into the dark water, then quickly pulled his hand back out.
He came back to stand next to Hinata, who hadn't moved her eyes from the water.
"Don't tell me you're thinking of jumping in or something," he said, his voice calm but serious.
It took Hinata a few seconds to understand what he meant. Her eyes widened, and her cheeks turned a light pink. "No... no, no, no, no! Of course not!" she said, a little too loudly.
Sasuke gave a small, almost unseen shrug. "Good. You shouldn't, anyway. The moment you will do, you would pass out. Not from drowning, but because the cold water would put your body in shock."
Hinata shook her head quickly. "Of course not... I can't pass out just from contact with cold water!"
Sasuke turned to her fully, his dark eyes looking her over from head to toe. As he did, Hinata felt her face get reddish and more reddish. She looked down at the ground, unable to meet his gaze.
"But," Sasuke said, his voice sounding like he was just stating a fact, "judging by your actions, you're the type of person who is very sensitive. So...you would."
Hinata let out a big breath, a soft sigh of tiredness. She looked up at Sasuke, who was still standing beside her
.
"So, Sasuke-kun," she said softly, "why aren't you asleep yet?"
Sasuke, who had been looking up at the endless stars, lowered his gaze to her face. "Since I was the only one who wasn't feeling sleepy," he said simply, "I was given the job of guarding the area."
Hinata gave him a small, warm smile. "Ahh... I see. But... if you want, I can guard the area for you, and you could rest. What do you say?"
Sasuke didn't wait even a second. "Of course not. I cannot trust you."
Hinata's smile vanished. Her face fell, and a wave of hurt washed over her. 'Does he mean that he can't trust me because I am weak?' she thought, her heart sinking.
Sasuke seemed to see the sadness on her face and continued, his voice still blunt but with a different tone.
"You would hold back on using your Byakugan if you were on guard. I don't want you to end up like Neji. We might need your Byakugan for more serious circumstances later on."
Hinata was shocked by his words. A wave of shame washed over her for what she had been thinking. 'What are you thinking, Hinata?' she scolded herself. 'Sasuke-kun never called me useless, and I am thinking that. What is wrong with me?'
She quickly spoke, her voice full of understanding. "Ohhh... I see. Thank you for thinking so much about this."
Sasuke just gave her a simple nod.
Behind the clearing where Sasuke and Hinata stood, the jungle was dense with tall trees. A soft rustling emerged from the darkness, and Lee appeared, making his way toward the pond.
He was stretching his arms high overhead, his eyes still closed, a weary but content smile on his face.
"Finally," he said to himself, "all that talking is over. I'll just get some water and then I can finally get some sleep."
He opened his eyes. The smile on his face froze. He saw them: Sasuke and Hinata, standing close to one another by the pond, engaged in conversation.
Lee's eyes widened in shock. He quickly crouched behind the thick trunk of a nearby tree, trying to conceal himself from their sight. He peered from the side of the trunk, hoping to overhear their conversation.
Hinata and Sasuke were now alone by the pond. Hinata was still sitting on the rock, and Sasuke stood beside her.
"So, umm, basically why I came over here," Sasuke started, his voice a little unsure, which was very rare for him. "I wanted to tell you..." He paused, looking at her.
"Thank you."
When Sasuke said, "Thank you," Lee, who was still hiding behind the tree, his ears straining to hear their conversation, thought to himself.
'Wait... did I just hear Sasuke-kun thank Hinata-san? Hmm... a 'thankyou' can mean different things.'
Suddenly, Lee's mind conjured up an image. In his imagination, he was standing on a grassy field, the sun shining brightly behind him. Might Guy, his beloved sensei, stood before him.
Lee, his eyes full of youthful determination, threw his arms around Guy in a tight hug. "Sensei!" he exclaimed in his mind, "Thank you for letting me continue in this wonderful journey of youth!"
Lee felt a surge of pure gratitude for his mentor's unwavering belief in him.
Then, his thoughts shifted, and another scene played out in his head. In this scenario, Lee saw Sakura standing before him, a gentle smile on her face.
He looked at her, his own heart feeling warm. "Thank you... Sakura-san..." he thought. In response, Sakura stepped forward and hugged him warmly.
"What need is there to say thank you," she said softly in his imagination, "when you could just say... I love you?" In this fleeting dream, Lee felt a different kind of warmth, a feeling that made his cheeks flush even in the darkness of the forest.
Lee blinked, his thoughts returning to the present. He was still hidden behind the tree, his mind buzzing with these imagined scenarios.
He wondered what kind of "thank you" Sasuke had meant for Hinata.
Hinata looked up at him, surprised.
"Thank you for looking after my..."
'Oh no, he is going to thank me for taking care of his younger self... I have to change the topic!' she thought in a panic.
Hinata quickly cut his words. "So, Sasuke-kun, back at the cave, you were about to tell me something, right? What was..."
Sasuke's expression changed completely. He looked at her, his eyes serious. "The same thing," he said flatly.
Hinata's heart sank. 'Oh no, what have I done? Why am I so dumb? Couldn't I have found another topic? But the truth is, we never had a conversation before that... What would he think of me?' she thought, feeling a wave of embarrassment.
Sasuke, meanwhile, was having his own internal struggle. 'Curse it!' he thought. 'After putting in so much effort to think of the perfect words... remembering them and finally getting the courage to say it, she had to stop me in the middle. Okay, Sasuke, calm down. Show your good side to good people and your bad side to bad people.'
He let out a long, deep breath to calm himself down.
"Umm... I... I'm so sorry," Hinata said, her voice small. "I never meant to stop you."
Sasuke looked at her and then spoke calmly. "What I meant to say was... thank you for taking care of my younger self."
Hinata stood up from the rock. "That's not it," she said, shaking her head. Sasuke looked at her, confused. "I am not doing anything special. I mean, everyone is helping. They are all helping to take care of Mini Sasuke-kun, and I am just one of them."
"No, not everyone," Sasuke corrected her. "I only noticed that you and Naruto are the ones looking after him." He looked into her eyes, and a small, rare smile touched his lips. "And I really appreciate that."
'Wow... it's the first time I saw Sasuke-kun smile,' Hinata thought, her heart fluttering. She gave him a warm smile in return.
Sasuke sat down on the rock looking up at the stars. "You know," he started, his voice quiet. "I was never good with kids. Even though I know he is my younger self, I am not able to take care of him at all."
"It's not like I don't want to, but it's just that I am too busy with myself and the things around me that I can't focus on him. Even if I try to get along with him, I fail every time because I can't find the right words or the right things to do."
'Is he expressing his feelings to me?' Hinata thought, surprised. She turned to face him, listening closely.
"No, Sasuke-kun, try to understand," she said gently. "You are him, and he is you. You both are the same person."
"No... you see, he and I are completely different," Sasuke said, still looking at the stars. "Looking at him, sometimes I think, 'what have I made of myself?' But then sometimes I also feel, 'how can I be like this inthepast?'" He let out a sigh.
"And I am glad he is comfortable with someone."
'What is he trying to say?' Hinata wondered, feeling confused.
"Sasuke-kun," she said, a little hesitantly. "If you want, I can stay away from your younger self... I am totally fine with it."
"Of course not!" Sasuke said, his voice firm. "I never meant it like that. He hardly talks to me, and if you also go away, then he would be all alone."
Hinata's mind went back to Ino's words. "Sure, I can look after your younger self," she offered again, "so that you have more time to spend with Sakura-chan, rather than wasting your time with someone like me."
Sasuke's face went blank. "No... Sakura should stay with Naruto," he said, his voice cold. "I am too busy, so I can't stay with her. And besides, I don't like staying with her, either."
He then looked at Hinata, his expression full of confusion.
"But you tell me this... how did Sakura come into the middle of a talk about me and my younger self?"
----
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Chapter 20 - "Words in the Dark" 🤫💔
What a chapter! 🤯 After the physical chaos of the last chapter, this one was a deep dive into the emotional turmoil and tangled feelings simmering beneath the surface. 🔥
The forest at night became a stage for some truly difficult, heartbreaking confessions.
The tension started early with the growing suspicion amongst Neji, Lee, and Tenten, but it was Ino's confrontation with Hinata that really hit hard. 😭
We saw Hinata's deepest insecurities brought to light, and her heartbreak was palpable. It's a reminder that even when the enemies are gone, the scars of the heart remain. ❤️🩹
But amidst the pain, we got a rare and unexpected glimpse of honesty from Sasuke. 😳 The conversation he had with Hinata by the pond—his surprising smile and his confession about not knowing how to connect with his younger self—was a monumental moment for his character.
And what about Lee, hiding in the shadows? 🕵️♂️ What did he hear, and what conclusions will he jump to? What does this new, strange dynamic mean for the group's relationships?
🤔 So many feelings were exposed in the dark, and Sasuke's complete confusion when Hinata brought up Sakura was priceless, showcasing just how oblivious he is to the emotional web around him. ✨
And now, with the morning approaching, these secrets will have to face the light. 🌅
📜 TEASER FOR NEXT CHAPTER:
Words unspoken still divide the team, 💔
A silent chasm in a dawning dream. 🌅
When circling shadows close in from all sides, 🤫
And every path to safety now subsides, 😵
Can inner strength unite a broken trust? 💪
Or will this be a battle lost to dust? 🌪️
TALK TO ME! 🤯
Alright, shinobi! Chapter 20 was an emotional gauntlet, wasn't it?! 💔 From the emotional turmoil to all the words spoken in the dark... my heart's doing more jutsu than a Shadow Clone Jutsu right now! 🤯
We saw some serious drama unfold! What do you think about Ino's conversation with Hinata? Was she right to protect Sakura's heart, or did she cross a line? 😬
And that heart-to-heart between Sasuke and Hinata was wild, wasn't it? Who would've thought Sasuke could be so vulnerable? 😳
Tell me in the comments: what was the most surprising moment for you—the tearful confrontation, Sasuke's confession, or Lee's sneaky eavesdropping? 👇
I'm all ears for your theories! ✨
SNEAK PEEK LINES 💬
"I just saw that he got a big scolding and two three hands from his older self"
"Am i the only one noticing it or Hinata is avoiding us"
"Nii-san my foot!!"
—With love, one forehead poke away from collapse,
Sakura Shinomiya 💫
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