Blossom

Chapter Fourteen: My Home

She pulled her coat closed as a gust of wind brushed her hair to the side. The weather was getting colder and colder by the second, and part of her regretted getting out of her bed so early in the morning, but she didn't have much of a choice seeing as she wanted to catch the train early.

Where was she heading?

She didn't quite know yet, she just needed to get out of the city for a little bit. So, a week ago, she made up her mind to do just that. Hinata had wracked her brain trying to figure out where she was going but ultimately left it up to her impulses.

Putting her suitcase away, she sat beside the window and stared outside with a longing look in her eyes. The snow covered the ground, and the trees swayed in the harsh winds. Everything looked surreal, and it made her feel like she didn't quite fit in.

"Is someone sitting here?" A man asked as he motioned to the seats across from her.

Fixing her posture, she shook her head and offered a small smile instead of her words. She watched as he gave her a nod and then ushered a young boy to sit down at the window whilst he took the aisle seat. She blinked rapidly once she realized that she was staring.

Hinata put her headphones on and closed her eyes as she let the music play and drown out the commotion that will soon be happening during her ride. She wasn't set to get off for another four hours.

Every few minutes that she opened her eyes, she wanted so desperately to frown. The little boy in front of her reminded her of the Uchiha child she once took care of. It's been about a month and a half since she's seen her, and although she's been trying to convince herself that she was okay and so is the Uchiha family, she couldn't ignore the quietness that greeted her every morning.

Perhaps it would have been filled with the sounds of a baby crying, some clamouring in the kitchen, and a squeal from an excited little girl who just realized that her caretaker was finally awake.

"How old is he?" She couldn't help but ask, pausing her music for the first time in an hour.

"Six." The man answered. "Do you have kids of your own?" He looked up from the book he was reading.

"...I don't." She responded, ignoring the pain in her chest at the mentions of her having a child.

She had two. That's what she wanted to say. Two babies who were taken away from her and now she was running away from the very city that reminded her of them.

"He must be a good kid." She watched the little boy draw on the clouded window. "I used to take care of someone's child."

"How was that?"

Hinata shrugged, "she was a sweetheart. Interested in art, the colour blue and blueberry pancakes were her favourite thing to eat no matter the time of day."

"She sounds lovely...Koji seems to be the opposite." He laughed, "he does like art though."

"I can see that." She added her own drawing to the little boy's painting.

"I'm Kiba." He held his hand out for her to shake.

She returned the gesture with a smile, "I'm Hinata."

"Pleasure to meet you, you're a very lovely travel partner." He winked and resumed going through his book.

Hinata gave him one last look before unpausing her music and continued watching Koji draw on the window.

Chapter Fourteen: My Home

Hinata waved goodbye as the train departed from the station. She waited there for a moment, taking in her surroundings. It was so familiar yet so foreign to her. How long has it been? Pulling up the handle to her suitcase, she began her long trek to the main road where she would later catch the bus.