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A CUP OF CINNAMON, PLEASE!
by Esra
"The Fire country is marked by forests. It's one of the largest countries in the world, sharing borders with Grass, Rain, Waterfall, Sound, River and Tea. The Fire Country is home to many cities, including Konohagakue no Sato, Tanzaku Gai, Otafuku..."
The young woman at her early twenties listened to the student as he told the Fire Country and Leaf Village's history. She wasn't a real teacher but substituting for the teacher for the first year classes. The academy was having a meeting among teachers and the lessons were being given by the ninja charged from the administration.
Years ago she was one of the ninja candidates sitting at these desks. She graduated at twelve and was one of the nine gennin, who passed the exam. Her pearly eyes wandering around the class she wondered how many of these children could graduate and pass the exam to be a genin, the first level of the ninja world.
"Konohagakure no Sato, Village Hidden among Leaves is located in the Land of Fire. It is one of the five great villages as Hidden Sand Village, Hidden Rock Village, Hidden Cloud Village and Hidden Mist Village. It has a Kage as its leader, known as Hokage…"
The young voice of the child was died in her ears while she thought about the village. She didn't see the big war although at the early time of her genin days she witnessed an attack to Konoha to take it down by Sound and Sand villages. They couldn't success but the Third Hokage was killed in the battle.
She remembered her cousin Neji, Chouji and Naruto, other genin from rookie nine, were fatally injured and while her teammate Kiba's injury wasn't as bad as them, his dog, Akamaru wasn't very good. It could be said it was their first real fight in their first dangerous mission, which was bringing their comrade, Uchiha Sasuke, back. The sole member of Uchiha Clan went after Orochimaru, who formed Sound village, to gain power from him while the dangerous sannin wanted to have the power of the boy's powerful eye bloodline, sharingan.
In the last eleven years a lot of things changed. Some comrades died some new people joined them. The big battles, affecting their lives and the whole world, were done. Beside the pain they lived there were joys of the life too. She was once a little, shy, frightened and fragile girl. She couldn't call herself one of the bests yet but she improved. Having Naruto as her idol she worked hard and never gave up. Understanding his mistakes her father was more understanding and supporting now. After the war with Akatsuki, the crime organization which wanted to destroy the humanity, the world became a bit peaceful again. As much as it could get with all these people full of hunger and will for more power.
Her fingers grabbed the air when she wanted to brush her hair with her hand. Her hair was short. In one of the latest missions she was assignment she lost her long hair. The group, which formed by her, Kiba, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, who was back and serving to his village again, Ino and Shikamaru, was ambushed on their way back to the village after the mission. The battle was nearly over and she was doing well fighting her own share of the crowded attackers. However an enemy grabbed her hair and pulled her back. One second and she would be dead if Sasuke wouldn't interfere saving her life. But as soon as the enemy was slashed two he grabbed her long hair and cut it from the nape. She was startled and shocked to say anything. She heard Kiba and Naruto were yelling and swearing the red eyed team captain for what he did. Her violet hairs were scattered around her on the ground.
Sakura and Ino tried to comfort her. But they didn't understand. It wasn't losing her long hair what hurt her. She didn't care how her hair was. She had used it short for years anyway. She had the root of it and it would get long again if she wanted to lengthen it. Also she didn't give that much importance to how she looked like the other two kunoichi. Even if her hair was long it didn't have a special style or she wasted her time in front of the mirror taking care of it. What hurt her was she was humiliated in front of everybody.
Not even her father's calling her weak and useless as an heiress did hurt that much. Her pride was hurt. He told her to go home and cook for her husband and give birth to children, not get into way trying to play ninja. In spite of trying to look pretty and beautiful he told her to train more. He said she should worry about her attacks more than how she looked.
However beside Sakura and Ino she was nothing. Her clothes were dull, her hair was dull even if it was long before… she didn't even used to put make up. When the tears pooled at her eyes she tried hard to not let them fall down. She didn't need more insults. Walking away and trying to look like taking her bag she brushed them away secretly. The poor defending of Sakura and Ino for what Sasuke did annoyed her more. The demanding of Naruto and Kiba to Sasuke to apologize to her didn't enough to make the stoic man to do it. Even Sakura tried to talk into Sasuke to apologize. But Hinata, herself, wasn't sure if she wanted him to do.
"Take interest in your own paper Seichi-kun," she said without taking her eyes away from the window. She was holding the examination she was told to do after the lesson. She didn't need her eye bloodline to see the naughty little boy. Their reflection on the glass was giving away everything happening in the room. The boy pouted, while hushed giggles filled the classroom.
Sasuke was eating at Ichiraku Ramen ignoring Sakura and Ino, who were chatting animated beside him. He was back from an S-Rank mission both physically and mentally tiring and dangerous. Missing one day meal and breakfast in the morning he couldn't ignore the grumbling of his stomach asking to be filled anymore. The ninja pills were good to keep him on alert and guard but despite the energy they gave they weren't filling like a dish of hot fresh cooked meal. He has been dreaming about his favorite meals all along his journey back to the village. So he couldn't ignore the cramping hunger when he was passing by the ramen restaurant. Just as he made his order Sakura and Ino joined him. Fortunately the girls were lost in their own little world to bother him.
"The most beautiful girls of Konoha are here!" Sakura and Ino stopped talking and looked back.
"Kiba?" Sakura asked raising a pink well-shaped eyebrow.
"What do you want?" Ino asked suspicious.
"Well," Kiba grinned widely scratching the back of his head. He sighed, his shoulders falling and he looked down. "You know it's Hinata's birthday tomorrow and I couldn't find a gift for her yet," He said depressed. "I don't know what to give her," he whined. "Help Me!" he grabbed Ino's arm.
Sasuke stopped slurping his ramen for one second. The noodles were hanging from his lips. He perked up his ears without giving away he was listening.
"A stuffed animal doll?" Ino asked doubtful. Kiba shook his head.
"She is going to be twenty three. And I think I brought her every kind of animal plushy already."
"Well maybe a necklace or bracelet? It doesn't have to be expensive," Sakura said.
"Hinata doesn't use jewelry."
"Then a watch?"
"Shino already brought it for her."
"Well," Sakura sighed annoyed "What she likes then?"
"Hmmm…" Kiba crossed his arms and put his hand on his chin. "She likes to make ornaments and grow herbs… gardening. She likes cinnamon… URGH"
"Hey guys! Sakura-chan!" Naruto jumped over Kiba from behind all in a sudden. "Sasuke you are back!"
"NARUTO LET GO!"
"WHY THE HELL DID YOU HIT ME IDIOT!"
"BASTARD!"
Sakura and Ino rolled their eyes going back to their previous conversation about last fashion tips before Kiba disturbed them. Naruto and Kiba continued to hustle until they were gently kicked out by the owner of the restaurant.
Cinnamon what… Sasuke glared to the empty bowl in front of him. She loves cinnamon what? Idiot Naruto. He sighed.
Sasuke was sorry for his hard scolding to the girl. He didn't want to insult her but the words left his mouth before he could stop them. He was frightened when he saw the katana was going towards her heart. It was all her hair's fault. If it wasn't her long hair then the enemy couldn't take advantage of her and she couldn't be at the edge of the death. He acted without thinking and cut her hair with a swing of his bloody sword.
He reasoned his reaction to the incident was he didn't want to see any comrade die in a mission when he was the team captain. He would never let a teammate die in front of his eyes. Not only a teammate anybody. Under his responsibility nobody could be get killed.
On the other hand he couldn't ignore the interest he had for Hyuuga Hinata either. He didn't know what pulled him to the pearly eyed girl without pupils. She was different. She wasn't attractive like other girls around him. She had a round face, thin lips. Her violet hair was dull unlike shiny styled hair of the other girls. Her Hyuuga eyes reminded him the silver cloudy sky which was going to rain soon. The trousers were baggy on her and the long big jackets covered her body. She used clothes to cover herself unlike to show her body like Sakura and Ino or the most of the female population did.
He couldn't help but notice her loneliness among their friends. She was always by herself. Her friends acted as if they cared and maybe they truly did but they have never really given true attention to the quiet girl. She kept silent but not because she didn't have anything to say. She knew she wasn't going to be listened to so she saw no need to voice her thoughts out. Her quiet voice always died among their loud, impatient and asking for attention tones. Because of that she just kept silent and gave them the attention they wanted. She always gave and never asked anything in return. Nobody once stopped and became aware of she could need something too.
Sasuke knew she was too nice for her own good and he didn't like it. It wasn't something bad but if she wasn't careful it could be used to her disadvantage one day. Her empathy to the people around her annoyed him. For once he wanted her to be selfish. For once he wanted her to turn her back and walk away in spite of standing there and giving shy smiles to everybody.
He couldn't help but notice her sadness hidden at the dept of her blank eyes. She was also one of the people, who wanted love and attention but she had no courage to ask for it or run after to gain it. She accepted the titles given to her; daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi, who was the leader of Hyuuga clan, teammates of Kiba and Shino, student of Kurenai… a comrade ninja in Konoha Village. She wasn't anybody's precious daughter, she was never too much important for anybody. She wasn't loved by someone who was dead nuts for her.
One day if she died in a mission they would make a ceremony for her. Her comrades, friends, family members would join. Some would cry, some would feel sympathy, some would think if they would end there one day too… her name would be carved on the memorial stone and in time it would be lost among all other names. Maybe someone would stand in front of the black stone reading hers unconsciously when he read all the names one by one. And in time she would be forgotten by the people who knew her in the rush of their own lives.
Sasuke wanted to apologize to her but not being good at apologizing or saying nice things to the people he had no idea how to do it. He couldn't just go and say he was sorry. It sounded not sincere to him although he was really sorry. He knew the girl wasn't sad because of her hair. His harsh words broke her heart. He had no right to say those things. Anybody could be in her place. It could be Shikamaru or Kiba. Didn't Shikamaru take down one enemy, who was going to stab Naruto at the last second?
Maybe he could buy her a gift for her birthday and say he was sorry. However the gifts didn't look sincere to him either. They were so cold and soulless. He thought a hand made thing, which he worked on it himself would be better.
Cinnamon.
He remembered her mother doing desserts using the said season. He could make her some dessert but thanks to his idiot teammate he couldn't learn which dessert with cinnamon she liked. He stood up all in a sudden startling the two girls still wasting their times beside him. He put the cash on the counter and left the restaurant without saying anything.
Sasuke stood in front of the entrance of the former Uchiha main house. He stared to the worn out wooden a few minutes recalling the memories from his childhood. He slid open the door and stepped inside. He didn't care to take off his shoes and walked over the thick plastic covering the ground. He ignored the gloomy dim air in the house and painful remembrances while he walked towards the kitchen where he knew her mother's recipe book was.
Ignoring the forming silhouettes of his death parents around the house in his mind he reached and pushed the cover away. He opened the lid of the cabinet which he remembered he needed a stool before. He took the note book of her mother which she saved the recipes of delicious meals and her own formulas. Sitting down to the dusty floor he opened the thick leather cover. His eyelids dropped and he smiled sadly tracing his mother's hand writing. He began to turn the old pages slowly and carefully his eyes were looking for cinnamon among ingredients. There were a few recipes about cinnamon balls and some desserts which included cinnamon. In spite of writing them to somewhere else as he planned he decided to take the book with himself.
Hinata stepped out of the academy's large doors and looked at the bright blue sky. She smiled. She wanted to eat some dessert. So she thought going home and making some cinnamon balls. Her mood brightened more thinking of the delicious pieces. She jumped on one of the low branches of the closest tree and began to run towards Hyuuga Compound from over the roofs and trees.
She prepared the ingredients on the table one by one. However her good mood fell when she saw the empty container of cinnamon. Sighing she went back to her room and put on her jacket taking some money. Putting her shoes on she ran out to get the most important missing part of the dessert.
Nodding to the shop owner with a little smile she went to the stands where the seasons were put. She looked over the all kind of heavy smelling colorful powders one by one to find what she was looking for. The mixed smells of spices were burning her nose. Not finding the dark tile colored powder she began to trace the tags one by one of the shelf. Black Pepper, Cumin, Peppermint, Thyme, Ginger, Turmeric, Curry, Cardamom, Saffron… cinnamon. No cinnamon.
"Ano," she walked to the front of the shop getting attention of the shopkeeper, who was reading a newspaper. The middle aged man looked at her. "I was looking for cinnamon."
"Cinnamon." The man got up and went to check the stands where she was a while ago. "Hmm," he stroked his chin while his other hand rested on his hip. Hinata looked at the man trying to not roll her eyes. Did the man except her to not see the season with her byakugan eyes or he thought she didn't know what the cinnamon was.
"Looks like we ran out of cinnamon," the man said dropping his hand from his chin but resting it on the other side of his hip. "I think we sold the last package today. The cargo for new goods didn't come yet. In fact I can say they are late. It's unusual."
"Well," Hinata cut although she didn't like to interrupt people's speeches. "Thank you."
"Check the market. I think you can find there."
Unfortunately the spices shelf in the market didn't include any cinnamon either. When she asked the cashier about it the girl checked the storage records and found out they also ran out of cinnamon. Hinata couldn't believe her luck. First she was assigned as fill in teacher in academy at her free day and she couldn't find a package of cinnamon in the stores in the village. The girl told her their cargo for new supplies had an accident on the way and new party couldn't be there for another three days.
Seeing the fallen face of Hinata the girl felt sad. "Maybe you can ask some from the person, who brought the last package." She suggested. Hinata looked at her curious.
"Would they?" she asked hopefully.
"Why not?" The girl shrugged accepting the packages of the person in the line. "Asking wouldn't hurt."
"C-can I learn who was she?"
The girl stopped passing the things from the tax stamp machine. She thought a bit "He," she said. "I remember he was Uchiha Sasuke. Because I thought it was strange for him to buy it."
"Oh," Hinata's hopeful face fell once more. "Thank you."
She dropped her body onto one of the benches in the park. Why would it had to be Uchiha Sasuke, who bought the last package all in of people. Remembering the store she stood up and went to there again. Maybe she could ask some from the person, who bought the last package from the little store.
The man thought a while making Hinata fidget standing in front of the desk. "I don't remember who he was," he starched his breadless face. "He was a ninja I think. Had hita-ate. There was a sword hanging on his back," he said tapping his cheek with his index finger. "I think he had a symbol on the back of his shirt…"
"What kind of symbol?" Hinata prayed inside her mind the person wasn't the one she was guessing.
"Fan."
"Fan." Hinata murmured. The man nodded. Saying her thanks she left the store and went back to the park. Okay not eating cinnamon balls for a few days wouldn't kill. But she was craving for the said dessert like a pregnant woman craving strawberries or lemon or fig…or whatever the over emotional and over weighted woman craved for… she had nothing against mothers but at that time she was really in a bad mood to care about anybody.
Dragging her feet she went back home and put away the goods she took out to cook cinnamon balls. She tried to surpass her hunger for the dessert eating other things but it didn't help. She helplessly breathed the smell of the cinnamon from the empty container.
Sasuke looked at his kitchenette. The burnt milk, black and brown, was covering the white surface of the oven. A bit of mix of cake dough, which he lost by toppling the bowl, was dripping from counter to the tilled floor. He has no idea how to clean the burnt chocolate from the pan so he just decided to threw it to the dustbin altogether. The counter was dirtied by syrups, milk, cream filling, egg whites, flour, and chocolate spots. The papers of used boxes of vanillin, flour, butter, sugar and dried fruits were dispersed around the kitchen. The house was filled with different smells but especially cinnamon.
He hissed and sucked his hurt finger when it grazed to the sharp edges of the grater after the apple piece in his hand finished. Two apples he grated. Walnut. But this time he didn't forget to get them into the pieces. Enough sugar. Enough sugar? What that mean he didn't know. Last time the mix got very sweet so this time he put less. Two tablespoon. He added cinnamon again by inspection. Sighing he put some thinking it was enough. After mixing all he tasted it. He nodded himself after he got the taste his mother always succeeded. He prepared small balls and lined them into a fancy large dish. He took another deep pan and poured the milk in it. This time he waited in front of the oven his eyes fixed on the white liquid in it. He never got why the milk refused to boil when you waited it but always boiled over dirtying the oven if you left it even for a second. When the milk was ready he took it away from the heat and poured the chocolate powder in it. He beat the mix until it was stiff enough. Getting the chocolate of the proper consistency he began to drop it spoonful over the apple balls. Finishing his job he didn't miss fingering the remaining chocolate from the pan and licking it from his finger like he did when he was a child.
Throwing the pan into the sink, which was already full of dirty pans and utensils he sighed tiredly. He had two dish of chocolate covered cinnamon and walnut flowered apple balls, three different kinds of cinnamon rolls on different three trays. Six bowls of rice pudding dusted with cinnamon.
He noticed how dim the room became and turned on the lights. The sky was painted with yellow and red strips. He couldn't believe cooking was that much hard and took up time. He only cooked simple dishes when he was hungry and didn't feel like going out.
Hinata sat on her bed. After a second she got up again. She paced in her room up and down. What would Sasuke do if she asked a cup of cinnamon… he wouldn't kill her would he? Would he try to shave her to bald? She traced her short locks. No. she mussed. He wouldn't do that… would he? Just a cup of cinnamon. She held the little porcelain coffee cup in her hand tightly. She stopped. She was going to ask. While getting out of the house she wondered if they would write her name on the memorial if she couldn't come back from her honorable mission alive. Maybe she should have said farewell to her family before she left.
Sasuke was trying to clean the mess he made when his door was knocked. He thought to ignore it but his lights were on and if the person was Naruto or Sakura or Kakashi they wouldn't leave until he answered it. Annoyed he dropped the cleaning cloth to the counter and washed his hands.
Hinata blinked to the black eye looking at her from the ajar of the door.
"Yes?" Sasuke's hard monotone voice heard behind the thick wood.
"Ano…" all in a sudden she lost all her courage to ask what she came for. It took her minutes to knock the door. "I…"
When the eye got lost and the light coming from the door got thinner she held it with her hand from closing completely. "I…" the eye came back looking more annoyed than curious now. "I-I heard you had the last packages of the cinnamon," she said in a breath. "C-can I have some?" she extended the cup to the door bowing slightly. She looked up confused when the door closed. She blinked a few times straightening.
She dropped her hands down and sighed in disappointment.
"Hinata-chan?" Naruto called her sounding surprised. Hinata held her head and looked at him. Naruto was climbing the stairs with Sakura beside him.
"What are you doing here Hinata-chan?" Sakura asked curiously and concerned seeing the down expression of the white eyed girl.
"I. I heard Sasuke-kun had the last package o-of cinnamon and I came to ask if I could g-get some," she said sadly looking at her empty cup. "I would pay too…"
"What?" Naruto and Sakura looked at each other. "He didn't give you any."
"Uhuh." Hinata brushed the back of her hand over her eye. Not because she was crying or her eyes were teary. It was just a habit she did whenever she was nervous.
"Come."
"Eh?" Hinata was startled when all in a sudden her arm pulled by the hyper blond towards to the door which was closed to her face a few minutes ago.
"SASUKE!" he pounded on the door. "Open the door bastard. I know you are there!"
"Naruto be quiet!" Sakura scolded. "You are disturbing the neighbors."
"As if he had any." Naruto snorted kicking the door. "Open or I'll crush your door down!"
"Idiot." Sasuke mumbled from the other side of the door. It hurt. Okay he didn't care if he had any neighbors but the last one just moved away last week after seeing him coming home covered in blood from head to toe. He was a ninja damn it. Not a red blooded killer like his elder brother.
"What do you want idiot?" he asked not opening the door and yelped when his door came over him flying.
"Naruto! I am going to kill you!" he got his door fixed a few days ago. He hated the smirk on the face of the repair whenever he saw the man. When he got out of under the broken wood he found his frozen teammates and Hinata staring at his kitchenette.
Finding Hinata in front of his door he was panicked. The girl shouldn't have seen what he did until tomorrow. He was going to package all the desserts and give them to her and apologize. On the other hand he was out of the cinnamon already. He wasted some of it trying to succeed cooking while the rest was used on all those desserts lined on his counter.
"Sa-Sasuke what is this?" Naruto asked shakily.
"What does it look like idiot?"
"Are you doing a part time job?" Naruto rolled his blue eyes. "What are you going to do with all these desserts? DAMMIT! You hate sweets"
Sakura nodded also wanting to learn if Sasuke wasted all his afternoon cooking those. He was supposed to meet them for a light training, or it could be called just a coming together thing. When he wasn't seen at the training grounds at the said time they thought he overslept being tired after his mission. So they decided to check him before they went to their own houses.
Hinata stood between the team seven's two members drooling to the heavenly sight in front of her. The cup slid from her hand and dropped to the wooden floor with a rotund sound. Her nostrils were gotten larger breathing the exotic smell of the cinnamon.
"Don't touch them!" she was startled out of her dreamland hearing the hard smack. She nodded to Sasuke, who was trying to keep away Naruto from the trays and bowls of cinnamon desserts. 'Don't touch them.' She thought. "They are for Hinata!"
Everybody froze again. Sasuke kicked himself mentally.
'For me?'
"Eh?" Sakura looked at Sasuke shocked. "Why for her?" Naruto asked.
"It's for her birthday."
"Birthday?" Sakura asked. "But Sasuke-kun you have never done anything for my birthday!"
"Yeah, neither for mine." Naruto nodded.
"When was your birthday again?" Sasuke asked to Sakura bored before he went beside Hinata. "Hinata, I wanted to apologize for my behavior last month. I am sorry."
Hinata nodded her starry eyes fixed on the desserts, her hands clasped over her chest. "Apology accepted."
As they say the way to the heart passes by the stomach.
END
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