CYPHER ~ Naruhina

Chapter - 14

~Few days later~

"So, has there been any progress?" Erika asked her violet-headed companion eagerly, during their break time.

"N-No... " She said, her voice stained with a bit of worry. It's gotten a little worse. I am unable to converse properly with Uzumaki-kun because I grow nervous. She was also dejected due to the fact that Naruto was becoming more and more hesitant to approach her. He used to touch her so casually earlier, but lately, it seemed like he was being cautious. She really missed it, but was too shy to admit it. 

She then noticed her supervisor walking towards the counter she and Erika were working at.

"Ms. Hyuga, your salary was deposited into your bank account." The supervisor informer. "And so has yours, Ms. Misono." She said, turning to Erika.

"Thank you." Hinata bowed politely. I can finally pay off the rent.

"That's so cool! Today's my lucky day!"

"Anything special, Erika-chan?"

"Yeah!" She then paused, as if she was thinking of something. However, she immediately seemed to dismiss the thought that was stagnating her sentence. "You see, me and Naru-senpai, we had a bet, and I won! So now, he's sponsoring an all-expenses paid blind date for me in a four-star restaurant!"

"Wow! That's awesome! Who's the guy?"

"Dunno! Apparently it's one of his friends. Well, it's tonight, and he even arranged a limo to pick me up."

"Some expensive bet that is," Hinata chuckled. "Wonder what made him l-lose so b-badly."

"That's... a secret." Erika's eyes twinkled with mischief. "You'll find out some day!" Little did Hinata know that Naruto was just paying Erika back for helping Hinata that day. What a lucky girl. He loves you so much.

.

.

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That day, she returned home in shallow thought, ignoring the ominous darkness of the streets that seemed to chase her. It was almost a week since the strange man on the train had disappeared. She never really knew who that man was; she had never seen his face. All she could recognise about him was that odious, nauseating touch, one that would make her skin crawl. It was the same kind of touch she had felt when the two players had locked her in the room.

Hinata couldn't remember when this had all started, but the man would somehow make his way to stand behind her everyday religiously, and feel her up. Initially, when she felt like throwing up, she did indeed consider drawing attention to his unscrupulous behaviour. But then all the humiliation she felt that night while being excommunicated from her household, resurfaced and strangled her throat, deeming her incapable of speaking. She was surely not ready to face sexual harassment everyday, but she was even moreso afraid of drawing those cold stares of disdain upon herself. Nobody would believe what she said anyway. They would just eye her as if she was the dirtiest existence alive, and their disgust-filled gazes would burn her spirit. Her tears wouldn't be valued, nor would her screams for help; it would all just be a futile cry from the pits of misfortune, hearing which the world around her would snub her, or even worse, blame the victim herself. 
There had been times where the people around her would notice the man's wrongdoings, but had easily turned a blind-eye to it. That had been the last straw for Hinata. As she had desperately looked up to people for help unable to cry out, all she had been met with, were glances full of dismissals, and scorn, even. Even if she had asked for help, no one would have extended their hand. She knew it all too well. The world was indeed, a cruel place.

It was infuriating, but Hinata had no choice. She was all alone in the world. No one to trust, no one to rely on, just a broken soul trying to wade through the flood of humiliation with no support in sight. So she would bite her tongue and endure it. No matter how many times it happened, Hinata could never get used to the repulsive touch. Each time would feel equally repugnant, and the occasional ragged breathing and sniggers that creeped near her ear just made it worse.