Waiting and Feeling (Naruto X Hinata)
Chapter 10: The Definition

Ting... Ting.... Ting...

The sound of clashing metal echoed, drowning out the sounds of the night beetle.

The wind blew slowly, shaking the low grass in the field. The very late night did not make the place pitch-black, for the full moon had risen and the light of thousands of stars shaded over them.

"Get your arm, Hanabi!" The girl was even panting but Konohamaru was still not satisfied with her attack.

Ting... Ting.... Ting... Ting...

Hanabi still continued to swing her sword, desperately trying to defend the attack and wishing this man off guard

"Hey...! Why is your movement so bad? Watch your step, Hanabi"

"Just....!" The increasingly upset Hanabi increased his speed. His sword swung and continued to hit Konohamaru's sword until the man stepped back.

Feeling that nothing looks good from this exercise, Konohamaru decided to end it immediately.

With one powerful slash, he was able to drop the Hanabi sword.

"Do you see that Miss Hyuga?. Your emotions will only make things worse."

Hanabi grunted. He picked up his sword and said, "We try again."

Konohamaru glared, that's enough. Her body was already unable to handle this girl.

"See yourself! Your nature that always doesn't want to lose is very troublesome."

"Just once."

The man nodded in disbelief. "Look, I'm so tired. We just got home from a mission and what do we have to die for - practicing this midnight sword in the woods?"

"You're really chatty." Flat talk.

"Huf... Never mind. Let's just continue tomorrow. I want to go home."

"I can't. Tomorrow morning I have to study some medicine with Shizune Sensei."

"Hanabi, isn't that why you should rest now?"

"I'm not tired, really."

Konohamaru. He looked at Hanabi's face that was already tangled with sweat.

Today they got a mission to deliver documents to Suna Gakure. Konohamaru himself did not know clearly what the contents of the scroll he brought, but he knew that it was a password that must be broken by Team Gaara.

Everything went very well. There is nothing that hinders them.

But the demands to move quickly from Konoha to Suna and from Suna to Konoha left the man a little exhausted. They even took a short break this afternoon for lunch.

Was the girl really not tired at all?

"Hanabi-chan," Konohamaru took a step forward. His left hand raised, stroking Hanabi's right cheek. "I know you're in trouble, but don't torture yourself like this. You can get sick."

"I'm fine, just not wanting to be home."

Konohamaru laughed, he pulled his hand and stuffed it in his pants pocket, making Hanabi frown in wonder.

"If that's what you don't have to say." Konohamaru perfectly understood why this girl was insistent on wanting to practice midnight.

These days Hanabi always spends her time outdoors. To the training field, to the library, to the hospital. He spent all his time learning new things.

In addition, these few days he also always hopes to get a long-term mission. There was clearly disappointment on his face when they were on a short mission this morning.

Hanabi lowered her head, quickly dropping her body into Konohamaru's arms.

"Thank you for your understanding."

Replying to that hug, Konohamaru simply smiled. He kissed Hanabi on the forehead and gently stroked the back of his teammate and lover.

***

Konohamaru stopped his steps, making Hanabi who was behind him forced to stop as well.

The man neither spoke nor looked at him, so he decided to peek behind his sturdy back.

It's no longer dark out there. Hanabi began to see points of light white and yellow lights from the village house.

They had almost reached the place where the Hokage statue was in the chisel on that hill. Clean roads, neatly planted trees, Hokage hill has been a beautiful garden since the reign of Naruto.

"Hinata-nee?." Hanabi furrowed her brows to see her brother sitting alone under the largest sakura tree. There is a wooden pallet that has been arranged in such a way, forming a bench that surrounds the tree.

Hinata looked alone. He sat hugging his legs and leaning his head on his knees. His left hand stretched out pouring sake into a porcelain glass patterned the same as the bottle.

Hinata scrunched her forehead. He shook the bottle a few times. His sake was gone even though the glass had not been fully filled.

The bottle was placed and he held his seat. Now that his arms are resting on his knees with his eyes looking forward, the village of Konoha looks like a sea of stars below.

Her tears melted, and the longer the sobbing she might have endured long ago finally came off.

Hanabi became restless. Since childhood he was used to seeing Hinata cry. Hinata used to cry in silence or a small sob.

But at this moment, Hinata was crying loudly.Her tears were rushing down. The sadness that is not held up like this at all, only one time Hanabi had seen it. 7 years ago, when Hinata saw herself in pain due to Juinjutsu that had just been implanted in her forehead.

Hanabi took a step ahead of her man, but the step was restrained as the man's hand clasped his wrist.

"I have to see him" he said softly.

Konohamaru shook his head. His gaze returned to Hinata who began to drink her pocket in one gulp.

"Hanabi, take a detour. I'm sorry I couldn't drive you."

Hanabi understood, Konohamaru wants to handle her brother.

"He wouldn't be comfortable if it was you. Let me just."

"I or you, no one will make him comfortable for now."

Hanabi remained silent. True what Konohamaru said, his older brother obviously wanted to be alone.

"Go, you need to rest. Let me take care of Hinata-nee from here."

Again he turned towards Hinata. It is a lie that he was not tired at all. What's more tomorrow there's a lot to learn about Shizune. Hanabi would be embarrassed if tomorrow she would only spend Shizune's time for free. And again this man in front of her, Hanabi was already lazy to argue with her.

"Alright, I leave this responsibility to you. Take good care of my brother. You'll lose your life if something bad happens to her."

Konohamaru nodded and smiled faintly. "Don't worry, I'll keep my life for your sake."

Hanabi threw away her face. A little bit he blushed also with those words.

"Take good care of yourself, Hanabi-chan" Konohamaru said as Hanabi began to take steps to leave them.