Chapter Text
The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting long shadows across Konoha’s streets. Sasuke Uchiha darted through an alleyway, his white pants catching faint glimmers of sunlight as he moved with practiced precision. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, but even that couldn’t hide the tension radiating off him. Behind him, a chorus of high-pitched squeals echoed like nails on a chalkboard.
“Sasuke-kun! Wait for me!”
“Don’t let him get away!”
“He’s so dreamy when he runs!”
He clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth together so hard it was a miracle they didn’t shatter. Fangirls. Again. Why did this happen every single day ? It wasn’t enough that he had to deal with Naruto’s idiocy and Sakura’s relentless nagging; now these brainless banshees chased him around like he was some prize to be won.
With one last burst of speed, Sasuke leaped onto a rooftop, landing silently before crouching low. He watched from above as the mob of girls skidded to a halt below, their frantic whispers filling the air.
“He disappeared again!”
“No way! How does he keep doing that?”
“It’s because he’s amazing…”
Sasuke rolled his eyes. Amazing? They didn’t know anything about him. All they cared about was his looks and strength—superficial nonsense. If they actually knew what went on inside his head, they’d run screaming. Not that he wanted them to stick around anyway. He preferred solitude, thank you very much.
Finally, after what felt like hours (but was probably only ten minutes), the fangirls dispersed, grumbling about how unfair life was. Sasuke exhaled sharply, standing up straight and brushing imaginary dust off his shirt. The coast was clear. For now.
As he jumped down from the roof and resumed walking, his thoughts drifted back to his team—or rather, the disaster that was Team 7. Kakashi-sensei was late more often than not, reading those ridiculous orange books while pretending to teach them something useful. Naruto was loud, obnoxious, and utterly insufferable. And then there was Sakura…ugh. Just thinking about her made his temples throb. Loud, weak, and completely obsessed with him. She didn’t understand him at all, nor did she seem interested in trying. Everything out of her mouth was either yelling or whining.
Why couldn’t someone quieter have been assigned to his team? Someone who didn’t feel the need to fill every silence with meaningless chatter? Someone like…Hinata Hyuga.
Sasuke’s footsteps echoed faintly against the cobblestone streets as he continued his aimless stroll through the village. His hands remained stubbornly buried in his pockets. The sun was still high, casting golden light over everything it touched, but Sasuke barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere—specifically, on a certain Hyuga girl with short indigo hair and lavender eyes that seemed to see right through him.
Why Naruto ? Of all people, why did Hinata have to crush on someone like Naruto? That loudmouthed, orange-wearing idiot who couldn’t even tie his own forehead protector properly without looking like a five-year-old had gotten into a fight with scissors. Sure, Naruto wasn’t completely useless—he had potential, Sasuke begrudgingly admitted—but he was reckless, obnoxious, and far too dense to notice when someone liked him.
Not that Sasuke cared, obviously. It wasn’t like he spent hours lying awake at night wondering what Hinata saw in Naruto. Or replaying scenes in his head where she blushed while staring at Naruto from across the training field. And it definitely wasn’t jealousy twisting his stomach into knots whenever he caught her sneaking glances at the blond knucklehead. Nope. Not jealous. Absolutely not.
But still…why? Why would someone as quiet and graceful as Hinata fall for someone so…loud? So unpredictable? So utterly incapable of shutting up for more than three seconds? Sasuke scowled, kicking a pebble out of his path with unnecessary force.
And then there was the fact that Sasuke noticed things about Hinata. Things he shouldn’t have noticed. Like how her hair always smelled faintly of lavender soap, or how her pale skin practically glowed under the sunlight. Or how her stutter made her sound vulnerable yet endearing, like she was putting herself out there despite her fears. He hated himself for noticing these details. They weren’t important. They didn’t matter. Yet here they were, lodged firmly in his brain like shuriken stuck in a tree trunk.
He sighed heavily, tilting his head back to stare at the clouds drifting lazily overhead. At least Naruto wasn’t around to ruin this moment by pointing out shapes in them. “That one looks like ramen!” he’d shout, ruining any semblance of peace. Sasuke rolled his eyes just thinking about it.
His thoughts drifted back at Academy. Sasuke hadn’t paid much attention to Hinata—or so he told himself. But now, looking back, he realized he’d been watching her longer than he cared to admit. During lectures, he’d catch glimpses of her sitting a few rows ahead, her posture perfect even as she nervously fidgeted with her sleeves. In taijutsu practice, he’d find himself analyzing her movements—not because he thought she was weak (though she clearly needed work), but because…well, okay, fine, maybe he found her determination oddly captivating.
When Iruka-sensei announced team assignments, Sasuke had secretly hoped Hinata would be placed on Team 7. Not because he wanted to spend more time with her, of course. Definitely not. It was purely strategic. Someone quiet and focused like her would’ve balanced out Naruto’s chaos and Sakura’s incessant yelling. Plus, having Byakugan user could’ve come in handy during missions. That was all. Totally logical reasoning. Nothing personal involved whatsoever.
Instead, fate decided to throw Sakura into the mix—a decision Sasuke was convinced was some cosmic punishment for sins he didn’t remember committing. And now, thanks to Kakashi-sensei’s bizarre idea of “training,” they were stuck doing ridiculous D-rank missions like catching runaway cats and mopping floors for elderly villagers. How was chasing Tora the cat supposed to prepare him for avenging his clan? It didn’t. Not even close.
As Sasuke turned another corner, the faint scent of flowers wafted past him, carried by a gentle breeze. He froze mid-step, his heart skipping a beat. Lavender. Could it be…?
No. Of course not. What were the odds? Shaking his head, Sasuke forced himself to keep walking. His imagination was getting the better of him again. Probably because he hadn’t seen Hinata in days. Between Kakashi’s endless chores and Naruto’s constant antics, Sasuke hadn’t had a chance to observe her from afar lately. Not that he missed her presence or anything. Definitely not.
Still, the thought lingered. Where was she? Was she training with her team? Had she improved since their last encounter? Did she still blush every time Naruto walked by? Ugh. There went his mood again, plummeting faster than a kunai thrown straight down.