Distant Echoes

45 - Starting

Hinata needed everything for the journey. She also had to take new clothes, she had nothing suitable, she had not been on a mission for years. The trips with Sasuke had been more fun, certainly not similar to the adventure that awaited her. She needed more hoodies, more pants with pockets. She had to put in his backpack two glasses of straw, bought several years earlier, to hide his eyes. Hanabi entered his residence.

- Are you sure you want to go? - asked her sister.

Hinata lost a beat listening to Hanabi's words.

- If you want I can ask the Hokage to accompany you - continues to say her convinced sister.

The thought made Hinata shudder, Hanabi must not have known what was behind that assigned mission.

- No Hanabi - she answered. - Don't worry. You know, he's strong, he was an Anbu before. -

- You treat me like a child, but before I heard everything Hokage said - said Hanabi, Hinata opened her lips amazed. - Did you really come back to talk about what he did to you? -

Hinata nodded.

- Then I was right - said Hanabi. - A week ago I defended Uchiha before our father. -

- Why? - Hinata stunned.

- Because I have seen you improve at this time - Hanabi answered. - It is not that Uchiha has a good reputation, but no harm done while he was here - I will guess. - I'll work on our father during your absence. You're with the most handsome guy in the village, congratulations - she laughed.

Hinata chuckled at her sister's sentence, then looked at her. She wasn't just in love with Sasuke's looks, she knew how beautiful he was, and she was very physically attracted to him, but her feelings really went beyond that, she liked his depth, she liked who was behind that wall where he always hid.

- Come with me to the shops, Hanabi, I need many things. -

The younger sister nodded and spent the day shopping with her. Hinata had a lot of money accumulated from her work in the library. As they left the store, Sakura stopped to talk to someone.

Were you right about the way you approached Sasuke? You deceived him for his own ends.

His metal gaze shattered into Sakura's green one.

Your clan will not accept it, and we can already see the consequences.

Her words had hurt her, and if on the one hand Hinata felt anger, on the other hand she felt so much pain for Sakura, perhaps she did not grow, perhaps because she clung to that sick obsession. She had been really selfish, and there was that thrill that came to her, when she thought that in the past, her beloved cousin had lost his life because of his ancient obsession. She was wrong too. As she lingered over Sakura, she began to doubt that she could have a peaceful relationship with her again, and she did not like the poison that ran through her for those immature feelings that Sakura felt, those childish feelings that made her pull out that selfish side, when for Hinata, Sakura had all the cards to be a really beautiful person.

I love so much, Sasuke.

It wasn't true, Sakura didn't even know what love was, she didn't even know Sasuke well, she knew almost nothing about him. Frowning passed her by, ignoring her.

- Why didn't you greet her, Hinata? - Hanabi asked, looking again at Sakura.

- Who? - asked sly Hinata.

- Sakura. -

- I didn't see her - she just answered.

She couldn't tell her the truth. Hanabi would have said some awkward words to Sakura if she knew what he had done to her, and she didn't want to have another fight with Sakura, so it was better to keep quiet. Their relationship was closed maybe forever. When they returned home, Hinata began to pack her backpack. You should also have brought a shoulder strap to keep always at hand wallets, tissues and water bottle. Under his cloak and in his pants he would hide his weapons. The katana had left to Sai, it was not the case to take her home, it would be risky, too many questions, too many prying eyes. She took some medicine, and she did not fail to put her headache pills in her backpack, Sasuke suffered from it sometimes and she was sure that she was not treating herself well. He added linen and clothes, tampons, toothbrush, toothpaste, towels.