"That's because I have no trouble keeping him in line if I so have to. Naruto-kun knows his place when he's around me," Hanabi replied confidently, though she knew what she said was an outright lie.
Hinata teased, "You make it sound as if he's your boyfriend."
"Nonsense!" Hanabi retorted defensively, though a little louder than her normal tone.
"If I recall after…o-our graduation to Genin, he had you humbled after he told you something that you don't wish to share with any of us even now," Hinata added.
"Neesan," Hanabi replied, feeling her annoyance rising, "you're no different either. Even now you hide things about Naruto-kun that you refuse to share with me."
Both sisters looked at each other as though they were locked in a stalemate. An awkward silence flowed through the dojo as both Hanabi and Hinata were waiting for the other to crack the silence. Neji then opened the door to the dojo and found both sisters looking straight at each other while failing to notice his presence.
"Hinata-sama, Hanabi-sama? Is there something here that I'm interrupting," Neji inquired. Both girls snapped out of their trance and turned to look at their older cousin.
"No Neji-niisan, we were just finishing our spar practice for today. Neesan didn't win again," Hanabi said with a firm tone while seeing the look on Hinata's face. Hinata was about to give her reply to Hanabi's words when…
"That's not surprising. Hinata hasn't won a match against anyone within our clan," Neji sneered.
"Still, she made some improvements that even Father was pleased to see. But despite her best efforts, they still were not enough to topple me," Hanabi added.
"Whatever progress she or anyone else believes she made, it won't change the path fate had already decided for her. Fighting fate only leads to more pain and anguish, and she's better off accepting her unchangeable fate as a failure," Neji stated coldly as he eyed Hinata with a hardened expression. The Hyuuga heiress exhaled while choosing to ignore Neji instead of giving him a retort, no matter how subtle.
If they only knew, Hinata thought. Hanabi sighed to herself and turned to leave the dojo. She got only a couple of feet away when…
"Hanabi," Hinata said with a form of innocence. "A few months ago, you told S-Sasuke that if he's so interested in finding out things about me, that he ought to go and asked me his questions himself. Perhaps, for a ch-change, you ought to take your own advice. You r-refused to answer his questions about me, as I r-refused to answer your questions about Naruto-kun. I'm sure you see the pattern here."
Hanabi blushed and growled lowly after being hit with Hinata's logical jab. The younger girl recollected herself and walked out of the dojo and walked past Neji. Hanabi never felt so much anger, both at herself and Hinata. Her older sister saw right through her and verbally knocked her down several notches.
Hanabi's walking pace became faster as her anger started to bother her. Turning the corner, she stopped to take a breath to calm herself down. As she did, she gathered her thoughts together to clear her mind of the frustration and anger Hinata triggered in her.
"Hanabi-sama," Neji said as he appeared next to her.
The young female Hyuuga looked up at Neji and asked, "Yes? Am I being summoned by Father at this time?"
"No. I followed you after I saw that Hinata-sama's last words to you left you…distraught. And the topic centered on Naruto," Neji said.
"So it did," Hanabi responded straightforwardly.
Neji continued, "I fail to see your unsound interest in Naruto. Someone of his infamous reputation and status within our community shouldn't even catch your attention."
"I've observed Naruto-kun for some time now, and he has a way of surprising people about himself. I recently found that from all of my findings about him that I don't know Naruto-kun as well as I thought. He strikes me as an enigma, one I have difficulty solving, and I don't like being denied truths I seek to obtain. Neesan refuses to answer my questions about him, and just moments ago I was embarrassingly humbled by her when she used my own words against me. I couldn't stand being in her sight after that," Hanabi explained.
"Hanabi-sama, I had always thought of you as a more level-headed and mature person than most people I know despite your age. But your unwavering interest in this village's clown is troubling to me. Is there more to this interest than you're saying?" Neji inquired.
Hanabi shot Neji a hardened look and said, "Naruto-kun is Neesan's boyfriend, not mine. Do not imply anything I did not say."
Neji didn't allow Hanabi's tone and expression deter him. He continued, "Regardless, Hanabi-sama, it's obvious that you have such a strong interest and attachment to Naruto. Lately, you've been following Hinata-sama's disgraceful path in pursuing that orange clad failure and such a folly will only lead to-"
"I've heard enough!" Hanabi interjected sharply. "You don't know Naruto-kun. You know nothing about him, and I will not stand for you insulting me and making judgments of him with no proof of your own. Be gone from my sight!"
Neji's expression didn't change at all. He knew when not to press a matter further.
"As you wish, Hanabi-sama," Neji said with a short bow before leaving in the opposite direction. Hanabi turned and walked off in the other direction. Her conversation with Neji left her even angrier than she was with Hinata.
"I need a cold drink," Hanabi muttered lowly while trying to calm herself down, again.
(Back in Nami no Kuni, the Following Day, at Tazuna's House)
Sasuke was given medical treatment for his injuries, though none of his wounds were serious, unlike Haku's, which included two arrows in the back. However, it was Naruto's Fūton: Rasengan that did the most damage. But thanks to Honoka's efforts, both Sasuke and Haku were going to make a full recovery.
The Uchiha was told in detail what transpired at the bridge after he lost consciousness. He found what he heard hard to swallow, considering how he and Naruto had a hard time against Haku while inside her dome of ice mirrors.
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