The words had been spoken so fast, that had Naruto, not had enhanced senses he was sure he would have missed it. The blond Clan Head repressed the sigh that threatened to escape him, while he commended the girl for gathering the courage to tell him that, he had really hoped she wouldn't. perhaps it was naive thinking, but Naruto had been hoping that the girl's shy nature would keep her from confessing; at least until he had something to say that would let her down easy. Still now might be the best time to nip her feelings in the bud, after all he did not wish to lead her on with the false hope that they might get together.
"Hinata you are a very kind, beautiful and compassionate Kunoichi," Naruto said knowing that what he said next would break her heart. "However I don't have any romantic feelings for you, I'm sorry."
"What?" Hinata asked as if she had not heard him, it took a few seconds for the words to register, but when they did tears started to form at the corner of her eyes. "You mean… you don't…" she couldn't believe it; she had worked so hard to tell him, only for him not to have the same feelings for her.
"No," Naruto said in a soft voice, "I don't."
"But… but…" Hinata's mouth was unable to work properly, not that it mattered anyway as she spun around and took off.
Naruto sighed as he chased after her, knowing that if he did not reason with her, things would not end well. He doggedly followed the lavender eyed girl, who was dodging and weaving in an effort to lose him. However Naruto was far faster and more agile then she was, and soon caught up. He grabbed her arm to keep her from moving.
"Let go of me!" Hinata shouted as she yanked on her arm.
"Not until you listen to me," Naruto replied in a calm voice.
"I don't want to hear it! Let go!" realizing she would not be able to get away like this, Hinata turned around and attempted to Jukken strike Naruto. Said blond was surprised that Hinata would go this far, but thanks to his enhanced reflexes was able to avoid the strike. He quickly wrapped Hinata in a bear hug, keeping her arms pinned to her sides so she could not use them. Though the girl continued to struggle and even tried to Jukken him with her feet, however she soon began to tire. Eventually the girl sagged into him as she started to cry, sighing Naruto just let her do so until she calmed down.
"Why?" the girl asked, with her voice muffled by his Kimono, "why don't you love me? Why won't you love me?"
"Because you don't love me," Naruto stated causing Hinata's head to snap up so fast, the blond thought it would break.
"How could you say that!" Hinata asked, completely unaware that she had not stuttered. "I've always loved you! Ever since the academy! You gave me strength and courage! I-"
"Only saw what you wanted to see," Naruto interrupted her, "you saw the side of me that was loud, obnoxious and was not afraid to scream about how he would be Hokage at the top of his lungs. You were so fixated on this image of me and felt that I was something to strive for, so you put me on a pedestal. As something you would always watch from afar, but never touch, which was why you were too afraid to talk to me."
"That's not true at all!" Hinata shook her head, "I saw you as something I wanted to be! Something to strive for…"
"Which is what you do when you place someone on a pedestal," Naruto interrupted in a soft voice. "Hinata what you saw was not me, not all of me anyway. You saw the parts of me that you wanted; because that side of me was everything you were not. You felt that if you could just be near me, then maybe you would gain some of my strength. Am I right?"
Hinata gave a hesitant nod, since that was true. Ever since she had seen his loud and proud attitude, she had begun to admire the boy. She had taken to following him, because just watching the blond had given her strength to go on. He was what she felt she wanted to be, she wanted the courage he would show even when the world had tried to stomp on that courage. That never give up attitude, that's what she wanted to have for herself.
"That's exactly what I mean, that's not real love. You wanted me to be your strength, your courage, to be able to lift you up when you could not do it yourself." Naruto shook his head, "what you have to understand is that by trying to use me for your strength, you end up weakening your own."
Hinata's eyes widened as what Naruto said began to sink in, "what do you mean?"
"Hinata I can give you no more strength then a soldier pill can give you chakra, yes you may gain a temporary boost by relying on me. But in the end it's only a passing feeling and can never give you the strength you are looking for. What would happen if you were on a mission that went bad, all of your comrades were incapacitated and you were the only one capable of protecting them and completing the mission. What would you do if I wasn't there to give you that pick me up? If you had to rely on your own strength to carry on, only you had been relying so much on me that your own strength failed."
Hinata looked at Naruto with wide eyes as his words were tossed around in her head, it was painful to admit but she realized he was right. All this time she had been trying to rely on Naruto instead of herself, even when he was gone her thoughts were on the blond. It was like he had become some drug or a crutch as he said. Because truthfully all she had been trying to do was emulate the blond in front of her. It was enough to make her feel sick, "I really am weak," Hinata muttered as tears formed in her eyes again.
.
.
.
🎉The novel is available in PDF, visit us in our Ko-Fi store🎉
🎉ko-fi.com/madarasama125🎉