- 9 Days -

"This is my fifth Vlog. Wow, this past week has flown by so fast. But why is it this week of the many weeks in my life that people start noticing? Why now? Is it because things in my relationship with Hidan have gotten a lot more... I don't even know what to call it... Anyways, Sakura has been trying to get on my case. I don't blame her, I love her for worrying about me. But sometimes I just don't want them to care too much about me. Oh, and Naruto? He's..."

Hinata paused, then sighed, "I can't do this."

She glanced at her clock, and it was already midnight. She thought back to the day before at the store with Sakura.

I'm warning you now. If you don't say anything now...

"As long as no one knows... As long as no one finds out." Hinata pursed her lips as she slid under the comfort and safety of her blanket. She closed her eyes, but she could only see images of everyone. Hidan, Sakura, and worst of all, Naruto. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, knowing she wasn't getting to sleep anytime soon.

"Just..." Hinata breathed, "forget it all... Forget..."

______________________

"You like him?"

"Uh-huh."

"Pfft. He's just a tiny pipsqueak. What's there to like about him?!"

"He's..." Hinata shrugged, "he's cute."

"He's a freak. A monster. And he hangs out with that fangirl and that emo kid. Not to mention your dog-boy ex."

Hinata turned around, "you can't say that about him!"

"Oh? But he did tell me something." Hidan pulled out his phone and played off a recording, "why don't you listen?"

Hinata bit her lip when she heard the sound of Naruto's voice, "So, Hinata? She's really something. She's creepy, sloppy, and her eyes are ugly. I mean, white? She's probably a demon. No doubt about it. She can also be kind of rude, you know? I mean, with that attitude she can definitely attract a few warthogs here and there. If she's lucky, a dog."

"This is a fake!" Hinata shouted in Hidan's face, "This is a lie! He would never say that!"

"Oh, but he did." Hidan sighed, "he could never love you."

"That's..." Hinata's voice trailed off as she watched Naruto laughing as he slapped Sasuke on the back. Sakura laughed along and shook her head.

"It's true." Hidan shook his head, "So leave them. You've got us."

Hinata turned to look at everyone else there with him. Kakuzu, Konan, Yahiko, Nagato, Deidara, and Sasori.

She set her jaw and nodded, "okay."

____________________________________

"Naruto."

"Hm?" Naruto watched as Sasuke ran up to him at gym class the next morning, "Hey, Sasuke. What's up?"

"You won't believe who's in the hospital again."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "is it Lee?"

Sasuke cleared his throat, 'Not... Exactly."

- Thirty minutes ago -

"Hey, Hyuga!"

Neji froze at the shrill of that voice, "Hidan. What do you want?"

"Where's Hinata?"

"I'm not obligated to tell you that." Neji crossed his arms as Hidan approached him.

"Yes you are. As her brother. And I'm her boyfriend."

Neji cringed, "and?"

Hidan felt a  vein popping out of his forehead, "are you a bitch? Just tell me where she is."

"I've been getting some bad news about you two. And as her brother, as you had told me, I don't think you two should be seeing each other anymore."

"Are you shitting me? You have no right to do that!" Hidan clenched his fists, "Hinata probably loves me more than she loves you!"

"Oh is that so?" Neji scoffed, "I don't care if she'd kill me to be with you. She's my sister, and I love her. Maybe if you loved her, you'd stay far away from her."

"You wanna test me to find out?"

Neji cracked his knuckles, "sure. I could do this all day."

Before anyone knew it, they were throwing punches at each other and taking their hatred for the other out on their opponent.

- Present -

"Neji's got a broken nose, Hidan's ear was somehow torn off." Sasuke chuckled.

"I need to go see him."

"Who?"

"Neji. Why would he suddenly attack Hidan? Is there something that he knows about Hinata and Hidan that we don't know about?"

"Don't know. That's very likely. Unless us going to talk to Neji sort of tipped either of them off." Sasuke considered, "did you hear from Sakura?"

"She said she never got anything from Hinata." Naruto shook his head, "you want to come with me after school?"

"No..." Sasuke fiddled with his water bottle as his gaze shifted from the rubber of the track to the clouds overhead.

"Oh. You taking Karin out tonight?"

"What? Of course not! Why would I do that? I'd rather pick gum off the bottom of the desks..." Sasuke coughed.

"Then why the heck are you still with her?" Naruto chuckled, "you're probably having just as many problems as Hinata."

"I don't know... Family businesses? Some sort of crap like that." Sasuke shook his head, "but no. That's not what I'm doing. I'm meeting with someone else."

"Hm." Naruto nodded in understanding, "anyways, I think I'd better get going, I'm about five laps behind..."

"You're slow, you loser. I only need two more." Sasuke snickered, "so enough talk if you want to ge-- oof! What the hell?!" Someone had ran into Sasuke and shoved him to the side.

"Sorry, Sasuke! But I'm on my last lap!" Sakura laughed loudly as she kept running, "you two better catch up, slowpokes!"

"You're so annoying..." Sasuke shook his head, chuckled, and smiled to himself as he ran after her, Naruto following close behind.

______________________________

"Neji?"

"Who...." Neji muttered groggily as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Neji, you really are an idiot, aren't you?"

"T... Tenten?"

The bubbly brunette was now held a more worried look on her face as she looked at him, "are you okay? I heard what happened and rushed right over."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm feeling better. It wasn't that critical." Neji yawned, "after that nap."

"So what were you doing?"

"Oh, I was just minding my own business, until that gray-headed freak came by and ruined--"

The door slammed open, "NEJI! I HEARD THE NEWS, IS IT TRUE THAT HIDAN--"

"Lee!" Tenten yelled, "he doesn't need this right now!"

"I am sorry." Rock Lee calmed himself down and smiled, "are you feeling better?"

"Yes, Lee, I'm fine." Neji nodded, "I was just standing up for Hinata. Something needs to be done about those two."

"It's clearly not abusive in any way, so there's no need to bother with them." Tenten considered, "they should be fine."

"Well, for now, at least." Neji sighed, "but I swear, if I miss my chance, I'll never forgive myself."

Tenten and Lee looked at each other, pursing their lips at the cold tone in their friend's voice, "who gave you the idea anyways?"

Neji gripped the sheets of his hospital bed, "it was Naruto."

"Naruto." Tenten muttered, "and you believe it?"

"Of course." Neji sighed, "he and I have a history that just tells me this is something that needs to be addressed."

"Well, we can't trust him completely, you know." Lee shrugged, "he is the one that... You know..."

"Yes, I know what he did. And he denies it. But Hinata was heartbroken when that happened, so it's a little iffy." Neji agreed.

"Hm." Tenten crossed her arms, "I was just talking to Ino about this... I think he was in love with her at one point, which is why he broke up with Sakura in the first place..."

"What?!" Lee shouted, "Sakura Haruno is now single?!"

"Oh brother, Lee..." Neji rubbed his forehead.

"I will take my chance! Grab this open opportunity, while we are still young!" Lee pumped his fist in the air.

"Lee, we're worried about Neji right now!" Tenten groaned, "listen, this whole situation is confusing as shit... There's nothing we can do without proof. And since there's no proof, then nothing can be done."

Neji sighed in frustration, "you may be right, Tenten..."