"T o g e t h e r , y o u a n d I„ ｜✔️

①

Together, You and Me

Today was the best day of Hinata's life.

She was getting married to the man who she's had a crush on ever since childhood. She was going to spend the rest of her life with this person, who she's admired and looked up to for so long. She was getting betrothed to this man, who she's loved all her life.

Naruto Uzumaki.

It was an arranged marriage, conducted and planned by the head elders of the village. The last step for Naruto to finally become Hokage, was that he must choose a bride from one of the prestige clans of Konoha. It was a shock, really, to both of them.

Being the oldest in her family, she was the only candidate from the Hyuuga clan lined up alongside with many other women from recognizable clans.

He chose her.

It was a moment she would never forget.

But she also knew that he chose her because she was the only one out of those 50 women that he knew. They grew up together, fought many battles alongside each other, they went on countless missions together, and so it was only logical that she'd be the one that he picked.

When he did choose her, he apologized to her over and over again. He knew that if he chose her, that meant her future was bound to him. She kept reassuring him that it was ok, that she knew the reason why he'd choose her over the others, but he just kept looking at her with those regretful eyes.

Even now, when they stood next to each other in front of the whole village, he still looked at her like that.

"Sorry, Hinata..." He muttered quietly so that only she could hear.

She made a faint smile at him and just slightly shook her head. Why couldn't he see that she was so beyond happy right now? That this was all she's ever wanted?

Her heart was pounding like crazy and she was proud that she's gotten over her habit of fainting and blushing excessively whenever she got nervous. When she stared at his blue eyes that captivated her every moment, she felt breathless and lightheaded.

People in the village were whistling and shouting happy comments; most of them were from their friends, of course. Before she was on the platform, Sakura, Ino, Tenten, and the other girls were swooning over her, congratulating her on finally getting Naruto after all these years.

This would have been a perfect moment.

It would have been.

...but it wasn't, because she knew for a fact, that he did not feel the same as her. The whole time, his expression was regretful and he didn't seem at all happy. He'd flash a couple of smiles here and there to fake it, but she knew that he has never once saw her romantically or even looked at her as a woman who was capable of being by his side.

It was always Sakura.

Even now, when she followed his eyes to where he was gazing at in the crowd, it fell right upon Sakura...who was evidently standing by Sasuke. Sasuke had returned momentarily to witness this ceremony before he resumed his journey of self-redemption.

Hinata refused to let that ruin this moment. Though she knew reality wasn't as perfect as she wanted it to be, for this moment right now, she was willing to lie to herself.

"Naruto Uzumaki, I pronounce you, the 7th Hokage of Konohagakure, head of this village and all affairs. Hinata Hyuuga, I pronounce you the wife of the 7th Hokage, that you may share all responsibilities alongside him. The people of this village entrust our lives in both of your leadership for years to come." Kakashi announced as he slowly turned the two towards the village.