“Please, just hear me out,” Naruto cried.

Hinata’s eyes widened.

“I… I love you.”

Hinata mouthed his words, breathless.

“I don’t care how you feel about Sasuke,” Naruto said shakily, “This is how I feel, and that’s never going to change. I love you, Sakura-chan.”

Sakura’s eyes dropped to the ground.

“I’m sorry, Naruto,” she said with an eerie calm that seemed to settle on the surroundings like a blanket of cold.

Hinata’s eyes narrowed at the pink-haired girl. Would she deny him yet again?

“Sakura…” Naruto whispered.

“Naruto, he’s coming back! I know he is…” Sakura broke off, tears welling up in her eyes, “he will… he will… he will…” Her sobs caught in her throat like a broken record, making her repeat those two hopeful but futile words.

Hinata sighed. She knew that Sakura would not let go of Sasuke so easily, but to hurt Naruto in the process did not seem necessary to Hinata.

“Saukra-chan…” Naruto whispered again, “he will come back. I’ll bring him home. I’ll drag him back to Konoha if it would make you happy…”

“Naruto, don’t try to,” Sakura began.

“Don’t try to what, Sakura? Sasuke doesn’t give a damn about us anymore!” Naruto paused, realizing the hurtful words he had just uttered. “S-Sakura, I didn’t mean that…”

“No… it’s okay, Naruto,” Sakura whispered, “I know you’ve never really liked Sasuke to begin with…”

“No!” Naruto grabbed Sakura’s hand abruptly, “It isn’t that… he lives the life of an avenger. He has chosen a path that does not involve love…”

Sakura ripped her hand from his grip, “Oh, what will you say next, Naruto? That he doesn’t know how to love?”

Hinata watched as Naruto’s eyes glistened moistly, “He cannot love,” he said sadly, “not as he is. And he isn’t about to change.”

Sakura had all but cried a river by this time. She stumbled forward into Naruto’s arms. He put them around her lovingly.

“Sakura… I’ll always be here for you…” he whispered.

“I know…” she sobbed, gripping him tighter.

Hinata’s eyes widened further. The sight was too much for her. Why? Why was Sakura changing her mind now? Why, when Hinata was so close? Hinata loved Naruto more than that pathetic kunoichi ever could… more than anyone ever… ever…

A hand reached up and covered her eyes, while another wrapped itself gently around her waist, pulling her away.

Hinata was too frightened to move or even speak. What if Naruto discovered that she had been eavesdropping?

What would he think of her?

“You shouldn’t have to see that,” a familiar voice sighed.

“Ne…Neji nii-san?” she whispered.

Almost as concurrence to her question, the hand was removed from her eyes and went to her cheek. Neji spun her to face him. Her face caught in the crook of his hand, he rubbed his thumb gently against her pale cheek.

Something in his eyes, his startling white eyes, caught her attention.

“Neji nii-san… are you?” she said in a tone barely more than a whisper.

Neji cleared his throat softly and blinked away the remnants of his tears. “No, Hinata-sama,” he muttered.

“N-Neji-san…” Hinata breathed as he stroked her face, from the forehead, to the cheek, to the chin, and down to the neck, “W-what are you…?”

“You’re so pale,” Neji murmured, not seeming to hear her. Without warning, he pulled her in close.

A warm embrace.

“What are you doing, Neji-san?” Hinata choked out.

“I am protecting you, Hinata-sama,” Neji whispered into her ear, “As I always have, and always will.”