Champion | A NaruHina Story |

Chapter 18

Her mind was spinning, her hands felt cold as ice, her throat was dry, and her vision was losing focus. She couldn't understand, she couldn't comprehend anything. Why did he do it? Why?

"No...no...why...?" her voice stammered, she shook her head in disbelief. Her hands trembled even more causing her to drop the lantern causing the room to go pitch black.

The silence was his response.

It took her a bit for her eyes to adjust, she could make out his silhouette where he sat against the marbled cold walls. She couldn't make out his expression, let alone what he was thinking, which drove her crazy.

"Naruto! Please...answer me...why did you do it? I don't understand..." She started to cry softly, and her knees gave out. She slowly collapsed to the ground holding her hands in her face to somehow muffle her cries.

Naruto remained still and silent, he heard the cries inside the chamber, along with the echoes that filled the room.

After a few minutes, Naruto finally spoke,

"What time do they plan on executing me?"

Her head sprung up at the sound of his voice, she gasped and tried to take in air to gain her composure. She tried to get her words out the best she could.

"T-This evening..."

"...I see..." he replied in a solemn tone.

"Why...?"

"..."

"Naruto...answer me...at least explain yourself..." she countered, her tears resuming.

"..."

She was met with silence, her heart shattered, she didn't understand why he was being like this. In her heart, Naruto was still her kind-hearted teacher, he taught her many things, he took her to great lengths, and she was eternally grateful to him. And all she wanted to do was somehow pay it back. To give him comfort that even if everyone hated him, she would be there.

She simply loved him.

"Naruto...don't leave me in the dark...this might be the last time we will ever speak...and there is so much we never got to talk about..." her tears began to freely fall.

"You have taught me so many things, you taught me how to fight, how to camp, how to survive, how to behave, you taught me so much in the ways of a shinobi...and now the thought of you not being here anymore..." her words were caught in her voice as she fought hard to get them out.

"I don't want to live in a world like that! I-I..I..."

Naruto finally looked up and watched the lavender-haired girl. His eyes could barely make out her pale ones, but he saw them. Glistening with her tears, he could see she meant every word, everything she said was coming straight from her heart.

"I-I'm in love with you! There, I said it!"

There was silence inside the chambers, her crying was halted and Naruto froze where he sat. He finally looked up, his cerulean eyes piercing in the darkness. He then stood up from the ground and slowly walked toward the bars that separated them. He placed his hands on them to brace himself, he winced at the discomfort and looked down at Hinata.

She stopped her cries and looked up to meet his gaze with her own. Her heart ached and fluttered at seeing such a familiar sight. She stood up off the ground and met his face across the bars. She reached her hand out in hopes for him to reach back, but he didn't. His eyes remained locked with hers.

Her eyes were desperate, a million things ran through her head,

"P-Perhaps you can be forgiven! Yes! I can ask them. I can beg them, I'll gladly give up anything!"