Chapter 44: Hinata [1]

Kael told her to meet at the park in the morning and spent the next few hours trying not to think too hard about what he was doing. He did not want to hurt Hinata. The idea still sat wrong in his chest. But the System’s timer kept ticking, and permanent death was a very real possibility if he failed. Between those two choices, survival won.

He arrived at the park early and waited near the entrance. The place was quiet in the late afternoon—mostly empty swings, a slide that had seen better days, a few benches under the trees. When Hinata finally appeared at the gate she walked with small, careful steps, hands clasped in front of her.

"H-hi, Naruto..." she said, voice soft and shy.

Kael smiled. "You came. I thought maybe you wouldn’t."

Hinata’s cheeks colored. "I... I said I would. Um... what are we going to do today?"

Instead of answering right away he reached out and gently took her arm, guiding her into the park. Hinata stiffened at the contact.

"N-Naruto...?"

He did not let go. "You know, I always wanted to come to a park like this."

The words came out quieter than he expected. For a moment the present faded and the old memories surfaced. In his previous life his mother had been Japanese and his father American. They had lived in Japan. His lighter skin and mixed features had made him an easy target. At school the other children either ignored him or made sure he knew he did not belong. Parks had never been fun. Other kids occupied the swings and slides in tight groups. When he tried to join they moved away or called him names until he stopped trying. He had grown up watching other children play from a distance and eventually stopped going altogether.

Walking through this park now with someone who did not look at him like an outsider felt strangely important.

He kept his hold on her arm and led her toward the swings. Hinata still looked embarrassed by the contact, but she did not pull away.

"Do you... want to sit?" she asked carefully.

Kael sat on one of the swings. After a small hesitation Hinata moved behind him and gave a gentle push. The chains creaked. He swung higher with the next push, then the next. For a few minutes they said almost nothing. The simple motion and the quiet presence of someone willing to push him felt better than it should have.

When he slowed he stood and gestured for her to sit. Hinata settled onto the swing with her usual careful posture. Kael pushed her the same way she had pushed him—steady, not too hard. A tiny, almost invisible smile appeared on her face each time she went forward. After a while she even let out a soft, surprised laugh when he pushed a little higher than expected.

They moved to the slide next. It was a bit small for two adults, which only made the whole thing more ridiculous. Kael went first and landed with an undignified thump at the bottom. Hinata covered her mouth, clearly trying not to smile too openly. When it was her turn she hesitated at the top until he called up that it was fine. She slid down, landed softly, and immediately looked around as if someone might have seen her doing something childish.

They tried the old merry-go-round after that. It squeaked loudly the entire time. Kael pushed it while Hinata sat, then they switched. At one point the thing spun a little too fast and Hinata grabbed the bars with both hands, eyes wide, but she did not ask to stop. When they finally climbed off both of them were slightly out of breath and Hinata’s hair had come a little loose from its usual neat style.

By the time the light began to soften into early evening they had wandered across most of the small park. They ended up on a bench under a tree near the edge of the clearing. The air had grown cooler. Distant sounds of the village drifted up the hill.

Kael leaned back and looked at her. "Thanks for today."

Hinata glanced down at her hands. "I... I also enjoyed this. It was... nice."

Their eyes met and held a little too long. Hinata’s face colored and she quickly looked away toward the trees.

Kael reached out, gently turned her face back toward him with his fingers, and kissed her.

Hinata went completely still. Her eyes stayed open for a second in pure shock. When he pulled back just enough to breathe she found her voice.

"B-but... Ino..."

"I just want you for now," Kael said quietly.

He kissed her again, slower this time. Hinata’s hands hovered in the air as if she did not know where to put them. He moved from her lips to her cheek, then lower. When his mouth brushed the side of her neck she made a small, startled sound.

"N-Naruto... we shouldn’t... do this here..." Her voice was soft and shaky, the same hesitant tone she always used when something overwhelmed her. "And... you have Ino. You can’t... cheat on her like this..."

Kael pulled back just far enough to look at her face. "Do you want me to stop?"

Hinata’s lips parted. The answer clearly fought its way up her throat and then refused to come out. She could not say no. The silence itself became the reply.

Kael leaned in and kissed her lips again.

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Give me power!!!