Forever Mine

Chapter 36

[Uzumaki Residence]

"Is she still locked up in the guest room?"

Hinata lifted her gaze at her husband's question before rounding the banister and approaching him down the hall. He stood with his arms crossed as he leaned against the kitchen's entrance, a displeased look on his face while he waited for a response.

The moment the two teammates arrived inside the village, Sakura had taken off without reporting in to the Hokage. Naruto hadn't stopped her, as he'd assumed she ran off to see her husband.

But she hadn't.

Instead, she went straight to his home where she'd shut herself inside one of his guest rooms and hadn't come out once since early in the morning when they arrived.

"What would you like for dinner?" Hinata asked to change the subject.

Naruto followed her inside the kitchen, not happy with the way she was so calm about everything he told her. She hadn't even seemed the slightest bit surprised whenever he mentioned Sakura staying in the same village as Sasuke this entire time.

It made an unwanted feeling spread through his chest every time he recalled her expression.

It was as if she knew.

Hinata cooked silently while he leaned on the edge of the kitchen table and watched her. His eyes caught every single move she made. The way she stirred the pot, the way she chopped the vegetables, the way she moved around in effortless elegance.

God, she was beautiful.

Just watching her doing the simplest of things made his heart race.

He wanted to go over there and wrap his arms around her waist and leave small trails of kisses down her neck and shoulders. But he couldn't get the nagging feeling inside him to disappear.

Once she finished, he helped her set the table and then took a seat across from her on the kitchen table.

They ate silently, as she knew he was still upset about their visitor in the room upstairs.

Sakura needed to face her husband. Kai needed her. And Naruto couldn't believe Sakura would betray someone she vowed to love forever. It made his stomach churn.

She'll never betray me, would she?

The pinkette, alongside his wife, were the two main people he knew would never hurt him intentionally. Sure, he felt the same about Konoha 12, though the feeling was stronger when it came to the two of them.

Though he knew Sasuke wouldn't either, he already had once before.

Sakura never had, never would.

Of course, she wouldn't.

Not her, not Hinata.

Then he lifted his gaze up to his wife. The same unpleasant feeling swirled inside him. He watched her dab the corner of her mouth with a napkin, then he patiently waited for their eyes to lock before speaking his mind.

"Why weren't you surprised?"

Hinata blinked. "About?"

"About Sakura being with Sasuke."

"Oh..." she hesitated, causing the unpleasant feeling in his chest to increase.

"Did you know?" Naruto accused. "Did you know she was there even while listening to me talk about Sasuke and how I hoped he'd moved on by now?"

The look of hurt on Hinata's face immediately made his chest twist. He wanted to take back his words and apologize, but part of him was still doubtful. She did keep Sasuke's confession to herself. And when it came to the raven's screw-ups, she was always trying to find a way to defend him.