𝐊𝐎𝐊𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈 | 𝐍.𝐔𝐙𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈

[20]

Asami had always been strong, a fighter who could withstand any challenge that came her way. But the rejection she felt from Naruto had shattered her spirit, leaving her vulnerable and exposed. The one person she had thought she could rely on had turned his back on her, and the pain was too much to bear.

With no one to turn to, she felt like a ghost drifting through the village, unnoticed and unseen. She had trusted Naruto with her whole being, opened up to him in a way she never had with anyone else. But now, he was avoiding her, and the pain of his rejection cut deep. It felt like a gaping hole in her heart that nothing could fill.

Lost in her thoughts, Asami barely noticed when she bumped into someone, stumbling back a few steps. She looked up to see Jiraiya, the legendary Sannin, standing before her with a concerned expression. But even his presence couldn't alleviate the loneliness that consumed her.

"Asami, are you alright?" Jiraiya asked, noting the distress in her eyes.

Asami didn't answer, her emotions too overwhelming for words. She felt a mix of anger, hurt, and betrayal, and she didn't know how to process it all.

Seeing her state, Jiraiya gently led her to a nearby bench and sat down beside her, trying to provide some comfort. "I'm sorry," he began, his voice sincere, "I never meant to use you. I thought that you would be the anchor for Naruto to control." 

Asami interrupted him, her voice cracking with emotion, "Do you hate me, Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya looked taken aback by the question, "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Because you told Naruto about what happened during our training. About how he almost killed me," Asami explained, her voice trembling. "I thought we agreed not to tell him the truth."

Jiraiya's expression softened with understanding, " I didn't think it would affect him this way. I wanted him to know the truth so he could learn from his mistakes."

Asami let out a bitter laugh, the sound filled with pain and frustration, "Learn from his mistakes? He's avoiding me now, Jiraiya. He won't even look at me. I've lost the one person I needed the most in my life."

"You're being selfish, Asami," Jiraiya said firmly. "Keeping secrets from Naruto won't help him or you. He needs to know the truth so he can control the nine tailed fox and grow stronger."

Asami chuckled bitterly, her eyes began to hardened  "All this time... I've let people hurt me, take advantage of my trust... the only one thing that I asked is Naruto to be in my life... just so I can be happy... and I'm selfish for that?"

Jiraiya reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice gentle, "I understand that you feel that way but-."

But Asami's emotions overwhelmed her, and she stood up abruptly, pushing Jiraiya's hand away. "You don't understand anything!" she exclaimed. "You don't know what it's like to be alone, to feel like you don't matter to anyone."

Asami turned and began to walk away, her emotions overwhelming her. "I don't need anyone's pity or judgment," she called over her shoulder. "I'll deal with my loneliness on my own."

Jiraiya watched her go, his heart heavy with regret. He had wanted to help Naruto, but he hadn't considered the consequences of his actions on Asami. He knew that healing would take time, but he hoped that one day, she would find the strength to confront her loneliness and find a way to open her heart again. But for now, all he could do was watch her retreating figure and pray for her pain to ease.

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As Asami walked away from Jiraiya, her emotions continued to overwhelm her, like a relentless storm tearing at her soul. It was as if everything had shut down inside her, leaving her feeling numb and disconnected from the world. She clenched her jaw, trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to engulf her.

However, her solitude was short-lived as she heard her name being called. Turning around, she found her cousin Hinata standing before her with a gentle smile. Asami noticed that Hinata was holding onigiri, a favorite food of hers, in her hands.

"I've been looking for you," Hinata said softly, holding out the onigiri towards Asami. "Here's some onigiri for you. I know you love eating it."

But Asami's emotions were in turmoil, and she couldn't bear to accept such kindness from Hinata. Her anger and hurt were like a tempest inside her, and without thinking, she smacked the onigiri out of Hinata's hands, causing it to fall to the ground.

Hinata's smile faltered, and her heart sank. Seeing this, Eisuke and Neji, who were standing behind Hinata, stepped forward, concern etched on their faces.

"Asami!" Eisuke scolded, his voice filled with frustration. "Hinata made that for you! How could you-"

Hinata gently placed a hand on Eisuke's arm, interrupting him, "Eisuke-kun, it's okay."

"No, it's not," Eisuke insisted, his protective instincts kicking in. "Asami, Lady Hinata has been nothing but kind to you. There's no reason for you to treat her like this."

Asami's expression remained unreadable as she stared at them in a detached manner, seemingly unaffected by their scolding. She turned away from them, intending to walk away without saying anything.

But Neji's words pierced through her numbness, stopping her in her tracks. "If you keep being this way, you will be alone forever," he said, his voice holding a mixture of concern and frustration.

Asami glanced back at her older brother, her eyes filled with an odd calmness as she replied, "What are you talking about? I've always been alone."

Her words hung heavily in the air, leaving everyone stunned. Hinata's heart ached for Asami, seeing the pain and loneliness that she carried within her. She wanted to reach out and comfort her, but Asami seemed to be an impenetrable fortress.

Meanwhile, Eisuke decided to divert everyone's attention from the tense situation. He picked up the fallen onigiri from the ground and took a bite, pretending to savor the taste, despite its dirtied state. "I love it! It's delicious!" he exclaimed with a cheerful smile.

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. Despite the situation, Eisuke's playful gesture managed to evoke a soft giggle from her.

Asami observed the scene with detached interest, watching as Eisuke's act brought a small ray of light into the otherwise somber moment. But deep down, the darkness in her heart persisted, and she knew that a simple act of eating onigiri couldn't erase the pain she felt.

She turned away once again, walking away from the group, leaving them behind. The feeling of isolation was overwhelming, and Asami couldn't shake the belief that she was destined to be alone.

Hinata watched her cousin's retreating figure with a heavy heart, her feelings of empathy and concern only growing stronger. She wanted to understand Asami's pain and offer her solace, but it seemed like an insurmountable task.

Asami continued to walk through the village, her heart heavy with the weight of her emotions. She felt like an island adrift in a vast ocean, isolated and unreachable. The loneliness consumed her, leaving her feeling like there was no one in the world who truly understood or cared about her.