{__memories// { Hinata }

[Zetsu]

The sea. Vast body of water, that had no beginning, no end. It was a cycle of water's movement, and was always moving; always alive. Even during autumn; it roared in the darkness, though people tended to shy away from the beach during this time. The water was freezing, and the wind blown in from the sea was not warm either. Lone figure on the sand didn't seem to acknowledge this unspoken rule of society, but when had he ever really cared? No, he walked his own path; though not by choice however. Forced into a one lace walk, he enjoyed walking against the stream; it was the only way he knew after all.

Watching the full moon in the sky, he buried his hands deeper into the pockets of his sweatshirt; he should have brought a warmer one. He had not expected to say out for so long, and had bought a relatively thick sweatshirt. Even now, he felt the cold creeping in on him though the fabric. Shivering slightly, he kicked the sand at his feet, a large cloud of it springing up before dropping back down to join the beach. Why was he here? Because he needed to get away, but from what? He found no reason, so he went back to kicking the sand with his foot, not caring why he was doing this.

With a sigh, Zetsu sat down on the sand, looking up at the sky. Stars twinkled in the darkness; there were no lights turned on near here. And not another person for miles around. No one came here when it was cold; only when it was warm and cheerful. This seemed to be a trend in human nature. When things got cold and tough; people left, waiting for the happiness and warmth to return. He smirked at this thought, watching the stars in the sky for a long while. He noticed shooting stars in the sky, though small, they fascinated him as they shot by in the darkness, before fading into oblivion.

He had always liked stars. For no particular reason, or maybe because they were so far away, and they still shone though the vastness of space. When he was a kid, he had always snuck out of his house, and had wandered into the forest behind their house; and had found the clearing that he lay in; watching the stars twinkle. He had had to go far into the forest; and when he parents finally caught him, they were hysteric to find how far he had wandered. But he kept doing it. Not to rebel against his parents; none of that crap the psychologist had said, no. He simply needed to be there, to see the stars in the sky. It was a simple as that. He smiled, he had never really kicked that habit even now.

[Hinata-chan]

Open air. That was all that the girl wanted right now. The air. The beach had such blissful air, too. It was salty, yet sweet. Just like a candy bar...sort of. Candy air? No. That wasn't it... It was...serene. Yes, that was the word. Serene. At her home, things were rarely ever serene. Usually, her father was saying how she wasn't good enough, or that her younger sister was better than her. It was just so tear-wrenching. She was kind of glad to be away from everyone, yet, she missed a lot of them.

Clear, pupil-less eyes gazed upon the shimmering stars. They met. What a sight! Her eyes seemed to glisten along with the stars, as if their gleaming starlight was making up for her pupils. That, she admitted inwardly, would be cool. The cool breeze of the moonlight oceanic paradise nipped softly at her cheeks. She didn't really mind. She was free, and that was all that mattered right then and there.

The soft, yet warm, sand sank between her toes. Her sandals were resting on the bench a few yards away. The twilight was fresh, the stars dazzling, the moon bright, the sand soft, the boy seemed lonely, though. Wait--boy? She hadn't noticed him yet. He looked so lonely, so solemn. She knew what it felt like to be lonely. She kept staring into the distance. He had black and white skin. How unique. She didn't let that get in the path of her sorrow for his down-cast mood.

Why couldn't she? Why couldn't she just go over and lend him a smile?

No.

She was too shy.

She couldn't, although, more than anything right then...

She wanted to.

She wanted to a lot.

But still, she couldn't bring herself to. Her heart was already pounding. It was not her fault.

She let out a sigh, kept walking. Walking. Walking. Walking....

Tripping. She tripped. This was the second time this week, one millionth plus time in...ever. She tripped so frequently, it was embarrassing. Yet, she was embarrassed by many things. She looked back to see what she had tripped over. Her face instantly turned a bright hough of red. It was the leg of the boy who was sitting so peacefully on the sand.

What a Klutz.

How stupid of her!

She had to apologize.

"I-I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed.

"I-I wasn't paying...I-I...."

It was hopeless.


She was hopeless.

Now, she lay in the sand, face down, her cheeks redder than ever, brighter than any of the stars combined. She had just, once again, made a fool out of herself. No wonder her father thought she was useless.

[Character Played--Hyuuga Hinata]

[Zetsu]

Staring out at the sea, he sighed quietly before folding his arms across his chest, trying to ignore the feeling of sadness in his gut. He hated to feel this depressive feeling that had threatened to overtake him as a child. He usually blocked it out; but when he was alone; which was often; it returned. He ignored it now, shoving the feeling into the corner of his mind. He refused to think about it, at least for now.

Hiding his face in his hands, he stiffened when he knew that someone was staring at him. He hadn't heard them, hadn't even see them. But he knew someone was staring at him; though it was a questioning stare, not a cold glare like he was so used to receiving. No...no one had ever looked at him like that, not even his parents. He was hallucinating, yes, that was it. The sea air was making him think a person was staring at him in a nice way. Impossible.

And then someone fell over his out stretched leg, proving that this someone existed. He flinched at the contact, though small it was, he hated to be touched. But his anger was not so...massive when it surfaced. Why wasn't he angry at her? She had tripped over his leg; and therefore had touched him...but he didn't feel a need to hit her or anything. Perhaps it was the way she had looked at him before. He watched her silently, noticing that he cheeks were flushed...why was she so embarrassed? It was an accident after all.

"...It's fine." He replied, turning back to look out over at the sea.

"Watch where you're going next time, brat." Voice came out with a much harsher tone this time, but usual anger had drained from it. He sounded...tired more then anything else. Tired. Of what?

Of all the stares, the whispers, the silent shunning that took place where ever he went. It followed him everywhere; he was probably going to go even more mad because of it. Heavy sigh came from him, before he leaned back on his elbows, staring up at the sky. He glanced down, staring at the woman. Pale eyes, dark hair. And she looked so fragile he felt as if he pushed her over, she would shatter into a million pieces. Although from the look in her eyes, someone had already done that to her.

"...Why are you here?" Question was proclaimed into silence, and he waited for an answer. He didn't know why he had asked, but it felt like he needed to say something to her. She didn't seem to have the will to speak up by herself.

[Hinata-chan]

<sub>She found her way to her knees. The first response. Fine, was it? She always felt so much more embarrassed when the person stated that they didn't care. Why? It was most likely from her environment from growing up. She looked at him once more. He wasn't too different. A man not too much older than herself. She let her lips curl into a sweet smile. She thought that he was a good person so far.

Suddenly...

Harsh. That was the one word to describe it. At last, his true feelings were revealed. Brat. That's what he called her. Her eyes grew sadder, letting a tear drip out. It was as if he were two different people. Yet, no matter how divided, odd, and offbeat he probably seemed to most others, Hinata didn't mind. The Hyuuga only minded the fact that someone who seemed so sweet could be so bitter. Was it something to do with the different tones of skin? The girl shrugged it off, letting herself fold over into a bow from her kneeling position.

She was only to get up when excused. That was the proper way to bow--as taught by her father, at least. She would not ease out of the bow until he said something telling her to get up. If it were just a standing bow, she would just bow and then stand straight. But this was a far more respectful bow. It was meant to show begging of pardon, asking of permission, and plain out respect. She remembered her father telling her all of this at one point or another.

He asked her why she was there. His voice was different from the stinging words that cracked into her soul like a whip to skin. She was fine with answering the question, too. She was about to open her mouth, but then she realized something; she didn't quite know why she was there.

Closing her eyes, she let her heart do the speaking instead of her conscious mind. "I-I came because..." she paused. Was it appropriate to tell? Was it foolish? Her heart didn't care, so it continued.

"because I feel...free. Free of the judgment of my father. Plus, the stars shimmer so brightly...it's just so...so...brilliant."

Her mouth snapped closed. She just spilled out all of her inner thoughts. Why had she even mentioned her father? What would that matter, anyway?

Hinata knew that it was bound to happen someday. Every psychology teacher she had ever had explained that people who bottle up their emotions would one day spill them as if they were a soda in a bottle, fizzing up so much that it just explodes. She made her bow deeper, though it was pretty much impossible.

She never thought it would happen, though.

She had kept her feelings so unknown and intact that she was sure that that would never happen to her. She thought that she would just go on living as she had all those years or so. She let out a sigh. She actually felt pretty good about it.

But what about him?

Hinata's cheeks grew into a rouge blush once more. If she were to unload her feelings, she was hoping it would at least be a close friend. But, no. This was a complete stranger, yet, she felt good now. Why did she feel so good? She had just told a stranger all of her inner thoughts for the moment. Her subconscious nagged at her now. Something like, 'Nice going. Why don't you tell him about Naruto-kun while you're at it?'

No. Not even her subconscious was that rude.</sub>

[Character Played--Hyuuga Hinata]

[Zetsu]

Her secrets. She was spilling her inner workings to him; him, of all people. Smirk appeared on his face as he silently listened, remaining still as he stared up at the sky. He father didn't approve of her apparently; he suspected he was the one who had already broken her. Society...it was always a game of who could resist the longest, who broke last. The weakest were targeted first, and it was social norm that they be taunted and teased, till they broke or they shut down. What a screwed up world this was.

'Yes, the stars are...brilliant." Why was he taking to her? She was a stranger, someone he had never seen, nor did she look to be too sturdy. He had seen her reaction at his darker sides words, he was only slightly surprised. Most people usually brushed it off, but she seemed to have taken deep offense at the words. It was obvious that her home enviroment was not the most cheerful.

"People are going to be mean to you. You have to get used to it." Darker voice was more soft then before, but harsh tone remained the same. He glanced at her, staring at her. She was blushing again, it looked like she was easily flustered. She had told him her thoughts, shouldn't he return the favor? No, he looked back out at the sea. He didn't need to tell anyone, didn't need anyone.

Ever.

But then why was he tolerating her? Was he drunk? He placed a hand close to his face, he didn't detect any alcohol on his breath. That kind of substance didn't agree with him very well. Maybe he did need someone? He frowned at the crashing waves, pulling his arms closer to him. No, no, no! He couldn't trust anyone anyway. They would tear out his heart like last time.

"No one was ever kind to us. People will be cruel; you can't change tha-." He bit down hard on his tongue to silence himself, the metallic taste of blood filling his mouth. He silently cursed himself, what was he doing? Saying that to this women?! He swallowed, the metallic taste following his action. His hands found the red rock again, and he rolled it in his hands, staring on it. Trying to think of anything else other then his little slip up.

[Hinata-chan]

<sub>In agreement, the boy commented on the stars. Still in her bowing position, she lifted her head. The stars danced along in the twilight. They seemed hopeful. As if they each carried someone's destiny. Someone's silver lining.

The harsh tone was back. She put her head back down. He was absolutely correct, though. She was used to it. The only thing was that she could never get over the sting that she felt from harsh words. Yet, she always forgave the person.

Her father was a very good example. He always lashed words out at her, yet, she loved and respected him. However, she was very happy to be away from him and the rest of her clan.

She looked towards him once more. She couldn't look away this time. His face was so sullen, yet so familiar. He reminded the young heiress a bit of herself--just seeking to be accepted. Just to be approved. That was all she wanted, really. To be approved, and noticed.

Why had she allowed herself to fade away? No one would notice her if not for the fact that she was from a highly-known and highly-respectable clan. She was just there--the girl to fetch him tea. The girl to one day rule the clan. The girl that was his by mere chance. That's all she was to her father, most likely. She was never good enough.

The one person she longed to be accepted by even more than her father was Naruto-kun. Tears filled her eyes, her cheeks grew a pale shade of pink. Just the thought of the blond that she loved so much, yet was never noticed by. A classmate. That was all she was to him. A shy classmate.

Yet, the boy in front of her shared something with her. Maybe they could have a better friendship than the one between herself and her father. Better than herself and Naruto. She sighed lightly. She didn't think so. He hardly knew her. She kept her eyes focused on him, though. Just focusing in, full of understanding. She understood. She could recognize her pain in him. Sort of.

He spoke. He...he was telling her about them. Wait...them? He referred to himself as 'us'. It was obvious to her now. He had two personalities. She didn't mind, though. She had already put up with worse.

She kept smiling gently at him. "I-I know what you mean..." she said, tilting her head a bit downwards, her smile depleting. She then realized that she, too bore a lot of pain. Yet, she would probably die before she showed it.</sub>

[Character Played--Hyuuga Hinata]

[Zetsu]

Suspision; it nagged at him from the back of his mind. Why was she being so kind to him? People had done that in the past, pretending to be his friends, before they backstabbed him for a laugh. His fingers tightened around the rock in his hand, and he bit down on his tonuge again, this time turning his head away and spitting the crimson substance onto the sand. He didn't look at it; perhaps if he didn't draw attention to it, she may not notice. He forced his hand to relax, depositing the pebble on the sand.

He stiffened; she thought she knew? She knew nothing if what it ment to be different, no idea at all. She could never know the hurt it caused when they had laughed at him; shunned him. The memories. They flooded back from deep reaches of his mind; he shoved them aside without thought. He didn't want to remember anymore.

He didn't want to open old wounds. To feel the pain from so many years ago. He never wanted that again.

Zetsu remembered that the women was still sitting nearby, and pulled his composer back on, he only hoped nothing had shown on his face. He scowled silently before glancing at her, tempted to make a snide remark...but he didn't.She seemed so...innocent, like she had never said a harsh word to another person. Unlike himself. He stared at her for a moment longer, eyes narrowed as he studided her. He saw no physical difference, but he sensed the weariness she carried, that he himself carried. Yes, they shared something in common. They're sadness.

Your...father," he paused, considering his words, "Doesn't think highly of you...?[ He was going on assumuntion completely, and he didn't expect a response. Onceaain, he was prying into other people's business, though this women didn't seem to mind, or she didn't show of if she did. But why did he care? Questions began to buzz though his head, but they were dismissed quickly.

"You think you know what we've been though, you can never know. But we're sure that you've gone though your fair share of pain."

His hands found the stone again, and he stared at for a moment before drooping it gently on the sand between the two of them. Folding his hands on his lap, he turned to her, noticing for the first time how small she seemed. Perhaps it was due to her posture; she looked as if she was trying to hide from the world, and have as little interaction with it as possible. He frowned, but didn't make a comment. Instead, he introduced himself.

"We are Zetsu. And you?"

[Hinata-chan]

<sub>He addressed her. Asking of her father in the form he did was sort of like a rhetorical question, yet, it needed an answer. She shook her head. "No," she said in the lowest tone she had spoken in that day. Why did the boy even care? It wasn't his fault that she wasn't perfect. She wasn't strong enough--He definitely was. Unlike her, in his case, he became stronger when people mocked him. When her father would say harsh words to her, she'd feel herself shrivel away. She would feel a lot of depression, yet, she couldn't show it. She would just have to bow and say something along the lines of, 'yes sir.'

She was still bowing. Was she really that polite? By now she could very well tell that the boy had no idea about the rules of bowing manners. He would not find it one bit disrespectful if she stood, yet, her training, if that's what you will call it, prevented her from showing a manner other than 'polite'. She had not been dismissed, therefore, she could not get up. It was as plain and simple as that.

He addressed her once more. His words were absolutely true. She probably didn't know. Then, he tacked on a phrase about how she must have gone through her own problems. What was she thinking when she said she knew? That was a foolish answer. It was so foolish that it was embarrassing! How could she know? He could have been shunned all of his life. He could have been excluded from every crowd. When she figured this, she was drawn to a blush. Why a blush? This was no time! Then she realized something: he was just like...just like...
"Naruto-kun..." she whispered.

The words had just escaped her mind and ran through her lips. She bit her lip, bowing down once more. She had just said his name. Why? Was she really that obsessed? She let out a small inner sigh. Yes. She really was that obsessed with him.

It was an old habit of hers. Whenever she thought about Naruto, she blushed. Apparently, whenever she blushed for too long, she thought about Naruto--especially since the man was so much like him. They had gone through so much, that it nearly made her tear up to think of how foolish she had been to think they were equals.

"We are Zetsu. And you?"

The words caught her ear by surprise. They were very welcome, of course, but still totally not expected. Firstly, he gave her his name--Zetsu. Secondly, he asked her for her name. That was probably the biggest surprise there. He wanted to know? This made her feel good inside, yet, not ego-inflated. She knew that he was just being kind, most likely.

"I-I'm Hinata."

At first she didn't want to say her last name. Maybe he would have heard of the Hyuuga clan? After a decent pause, she finally added,

"Hyuuga Hinata."

She let out an embarrassed blush and a sweet smile. No matter how unfit she was to them, that was her name--Hyuuga. Hyuuga. No matter how she changed it, that name would probably stay with her for the rest of her life. Well, until she got married. But then she'd be (family name of husband) Hyuuga Hinata. Still a Hyuuga. That would always be. She guessed that she was supposed to tell him. It would be there for the rest of her life. Why was it any different whether or not it was there now?</sub>

[Zetsu]

His harsh exterior was only one part of him. Only one layer of masks that he wore to disguise the pain inside. Yes, he was stronger in one aspect, but in another, he was a broken child like before. Which seemed to have become more defined by his two personalities; which seemed to only draw more attention to him. Eyes closed for a moment, and he leaned forward, sighing loudly as he tried to collect his thoughts. He refused to let these things topple him over, but all he could do so far was hold them back. And he knew that eventually the gates would break, and everything would come flooding out.

"Naruto-kun..." Name was spoken so quietly that he almost didn't even hear it. Who was that? And why has she spoken that name now? Eyes narrowed for a moment, and question bubbled forth before he could bite it back.

"Who is Naruto?" He was curious about why she had thought of this person when they were talking; if you could call it talking. Hinata seemed t small and frail that he speech was more mumbling and nodding then talking. Small frown crossed his face as he glanced back out at the sea, pulling his sweatshirt closer to him; god, he was freezing. Trying to ignore the coldness, his gaze dropped from the sky down to the shoreline, watching the water crash onto the sand. Eyes turned back to her.

"...You don't have to bow." His voice was so...gentle; it surprised him more then it did her. His anger had simply disappeared back under layers of mask he wore, which was lucky for her. When she gave him her name, he nodded at her, deciding that the name was important enough to commit to memory. "...Hyuuga? He paused for a moment, before smiling at her. Not a smug smile, not a cruel one.

No. A simple smile.

"You're part of the Hyuuga clan? We find that hard to believe... You're much to kind to be part of that family." As he actually complimenting someone? Yes, he was. Words came from his mouth before he fell silent, looking over at her. He had only meet one other Hyuuga, Neji. No blows had been exchanged, but Zetsu did see that Neji was not a kind person. The man was selfish, and almost the exact opposite of Hinata. They couldn't be from the same family.

[Hinata-chan]

<sub>She blushed furiously. Who is Naruto. That was the question. She didn't know the answer. Could she consider him her friend, or not... She finally said,

"He's my...friend."

This was all she could say about that. She wanted to change the subject and quickly. She didn't want to discuss him. She'd end the conversation on him simply by saying,

"In a way...You remind me of him. But not in a lot of ways."

She giggled so slightly at the thought of comparing the two. Zetsu was quiet, conservative, and a loner. Naruto was loud, oblivious to his surroundings, and outspoken. Now that she thought about it, she kind of liked the fact that Zetsu was quieter.

Ah! He dismissed her! She smiled, happy to be able to get off her knees. She then sat up straight. She moved a little bit closer to Zetsu, but not too close. She didn't want either of them to feel uncomfortable. Yet, for some reason, she wouldn't have minded sitting right next to him... That was a first. She was usually so shy that even at that distance, she'd be blushing like mad. But no. Was she more mature now? She had grown quite a bit since Konoha High...

She leaned back, supporting herself with her arms. She looked up at the stars. They were still as glamorous as ever. She was even able to spot the little dipper. She traced the patterns of stars with her eyes. It was so serene. She was actually enjoying herself.

She looked back at Zetsu. He smiled at her. It made her blush a little. She smiled back. She didn't see that coming, but it still made her feel...confident? No...that wasn't the word.

While she wracked her brain to try to find the right word to describe how she was feeling, Zetsu spoke. Her blush increased a bit, but then faded. What he had said was so sweet. She wondered which member of his family she knew...

"I'm not like them..." she began, "That's why my father has doubts in me being the clan heiress and all... He likes my cousin, Neji, better, I believe. They always talk together..." She sighed. It was true. Neji was much more cherished than she was, right? That's how it seemed to her, anyway. Her father always looked down upon her. Why was she so different?

She cleared herself of the hurt that had nearly entered her voice. "But I don't mind..." she added. She didn't want to make it seem as if she prayed every night for her father to talk to her. No... That wasn't the case... She was just, as Zetsu had said, different. She was glad to hear that it was a good thing to be different from the rest of them. She supposed that they could be cold at times. Even to her. Neji had shunned her for so long! Only since her father became his 'best friend' did the two Hyuuga cousins begin to get along. She never minded, though. Neji had no father, so, she decided that it was only fair to share hers.

She tucked a fallen strand of hair behind her ear, letting the cool air sweep past her. The starlit abyss was so breath-taking. This was, in her opinion, the perfect evening. Of course, she wouldn't mention that now. She would wait a bit before saying anything like that.

She moved a bit closer to Zetsu once more. Now only about five inches separated them. She hoped that she wasn't being too pushy. Tonight, she was being a bit bold. She could also see the friendship blossoming between the two. It was a beautiful flower, indeed.</sub>

[Zetsu]

Zetsu remained silent as she spoke, watching the sky above. So this Naruto was a friend of hers? He seemed to mean a bit more then just a friend from Hinats's blushing, but it was not his place to question her relations. It was only how you interpreted your relations that counted anyway, and if other thoughts about you matched their thoughts on you. Everything was how you percieved it. Zetsu had very few ties to others; they could easily be used against him like they had in the past.

Like him? He doubted their was another person on this hell hole called Earth that knew exactly what he had gone though. But maybe this Naruri of hers had gone though a rough childhood like his own. She was probably just saying that to make him feel better, but he was glad that she made the effort. He did feel a little lighter then before, though the underlying sadness still lingered.

He stiffened when Hinata moved closer to him, silent alarms filling his head. Damn; the floodgates opened up and a torrent of memories flooded out. Little voice in his head screamed at him, 'She's going to hurt you like everyone else! Get away from her now!' He silenced the voice, the memories slowly fading back into the dark. His fears were not founded in reality.

She had done nothing unkind to him, not a hint of malice toward anyone she had mentioned. Then why didn't the hollow feeling in his stomach go away...?

He looked up at the stars, listening quietly as she spoke of her father and cousin. Perhaps Neji was her cousin that she seemed to speak so kindly of. How could she speak like that about the arrogant Hyuuga and her father, who didn't appear to be much if a saint either? He would have never spoken kindly of someone he disliked, but he was not her after all
And them she moved closer again. He found himself leaning away without even thinking about it. He attempted to mask his discomfort, this eyes tracing Orion's Belt on the horizon. She didn't know that he hated his personal space to be invaded, and he couldn't bring himself to tell her to back off. He sat there, trying not to lean away any futher.

What was wrong with him?!

[/size]

[Hinata-chan]

<sub>Dead silence. Discomfort. That was all she could sense. The Hyuuga heiress closed her lavender-tinted optics--listening to the sounds of the eve. In the silence of twilight, she could hear even her heart beat. She could have sworn she heard the blood circulating through her body as well. She would have guessed by the silence that Zetsu had gone, but his breath gave away his hidden presence.

Re-opening her eyes, she turned her attention back to the stars once more. She gazed at the night sky for some time, observing that the twilit abyss was not full of sorrow-filled darkness or shadow. The crisp Autumn eve was rich and creamy, like the enjoyable middle of the hard piece of candy that we call life. The stars reflected off the ocean in front of them. The soft, rolling waves smelled of salt, and that in itself was refreshing to the usually tense heiress. Hinata smiled softly, taking in what little heat the night had to offer her.

She reached down to her side after a long stare at the half of the moon that shone in the starry night sky, picking up a bit of sand in her cupped hands. Clenching the hand into a loose fist, she allowed the soft grains to run freely from her fingers, back to the ground where she had found it laying in the first place. She sifted through much more sand than that, a bit bored, yet, a bit obsessed with the gentle texture it gave off. It was also warm. It was as if the heat that the daytime hours had to offer were now trapped inside the off-white grains. After she picked up her sixth handful and began to allow the sand to sift through once more, she felt a sharp pain between her fingers.

She saw some sand, even though it wasn't too many of the cream-colored grains, take on a vibrant red tint. She opened her clenched fist, letting the sand and unknown object fall quickly to the ground of the beach. She examined her hand, which still hurt her. Blood, but not a lot. She picked carefully through the pile of sand, pulling out a shimmering object. It was a shard of glass. How could people leave something as unnatural as that and in turn, pollute the nature of such a beautiful environment? Didn't their subconscious torture them until they picked it up? If she had done that ,she would never sleep.

She put the shard in her pocket, then clasped her bloody cut with her other hand. She closed her eyes once more. She could feel the throbbing of her blood rushing to the open wound, trying to clot. She moved her hand away, looking at the wound. Who knew that such a little cut could produce so much blood? Praying inwardly that Zetsu hadn't seen, Hinata tried to be as inconspicuous about things as she could. She just forced a smile, trying to mask the sharp pain she now felt.</sub>