The Language of Flowers
Genre: One-shot, romance
Rating: T
Sasuhina Month 2020 Theme: Day 12 (The Language of Flowers)
A/N: Wow it's been a long time lol. Goal is to finish my one-shot series by the end of this year (that I started for Sasuhina month 2020) and hopefully at least make some progress in my other mutli-chapter fics that I had started from a long time ago lol. Planning to make a post soon with links to all the chapters. Will post to FF/AO3 once this series is finished (might post it in chronological order based on the timeline in the story or just go by theme days idk yet). Anyways enjoy!
Hanakotoba: The Japanese version of the language of flowers.
-----
“ Mother, what does this flower mean?” She asked.
Hinata pointed at the sunflower in front of them in curiosity. She really liked the bright, yellow petals because it reminded her of the sun.
“ It means respect, Hinata-chan,” Her mother smiled.
Though her mother was a Hyuga, she always held a gentle smile. Hinata loved her smile. It made her look beautiful. She could never understand why the others didn’t smile like her. Holding a stone-cold face all day felt exhausting. She could never do it, which always seemed to cause her instructors to scold her. Hinata didn’t mind though because her mother would always be there afterwards. Seeing her mother happy was enough for her.
Hinata pointed at another flower.
“ What about this one?”
“ That’s a white lily. It’s similar to your name.”
She gave her mother a confused look.
“ My name?”
Her mother gave her another smile.
“ Yes, your name. Although it means ‘towards the sun’, like the sunflower, I also name you after this white lily.”
She looked at the flower again. It had six symmetrical petals that held no color. Its green stem was thin with large leaves that branched out, making it look simple. Though the flower looked pretty, it felt plain compared to the other flowers in the garden.
“ Why did you name me after this flower?”
Her mother looked at the flower and held it with her hand. Though it was subtle, she noticed the gentleness within her mother’s eyes. It was a gentleness that was different from when her mother would look at her.
“ It’s a secret.” She giggled.
It was the same look she would give to her father.
“ Why did you send me this, Sasuke-kun?” She whispered to herself.
She looked at the hairpin now sitting on her desk.
It was a traditional hairpin with white lilies made of some sort of crystal at the end of the stick. The stick itself was carved from wood. At the very bottom was a hand carved symbol of a Japanese fan, a symbol that belonged to the Uchihas. The way it felt in the palm of her hands indicated that it had been homemade. Though there were some rough spots, Hinata could tell that it had been made with care. It was simple, but it looked beautiful when the light reflected itself onto the hairpin.
Hinata stared at the envelope sitting next to the hairpin.
It had been almost six months since she had written to him. To say she was shocked when he had finally responded was an understatement. She had read his letter many times throughout the week, wondering what the meaning behind the gift and letter he had written to her. She was not angry or upset that he had never responded back after all this time, but rather she was surprised that he had even bothered to send her a response at all.
Hinata,
I hope you have been doing well.
I apologize for not responding to you sooner. The letters you have sent me, I’ve read all of them. This may not mean much to you, but know that I believe in you. Though the two of us are different in many ways, we are also similar in others. Perhaps if we had known each other earlier, things would have turned out different. So rather than saying good-bye permanently, this is only a temporary farewell. Whether now or in the future, I hope that someday our paths will cross again. I wish you the best.
- Sasuke
Hinata looked at the hairpin again.
She delicately placed the hairpin into her hair to create a half updo. Looking at herself in the mirror, she found the hairpin to fit her perfectly. The color of the lily flowers matched with her eyes. It was as if Sasuke had purposely chosen the flower just for her.
It only made her more confused.
She had initially written letters to him because of Neji. Her cousin’s death had greatly affected her to the point where she had desperately sought out Sasuke for comfort. To her surprise, he seemed to have understood her feelings at the time. Although they were merely strangers, he spoke words of comfort that gave her a sense of relief. They were words that weren’t out of pity but rather from a place of empathy. And through unexpected coincidences that allowed them to meet once more after he had left Konoha, they were able to continue this strange relationship that had developed.
But as time passed and Hinata continued to move forward in her life, she eventually found herself not needing to seek his comfort anymore. Though Neji’s death still pained her greatly, she found herself being able to cope with it better after a year of writing to Sasuke and focusing on her own goals to fulfill her cousin’s wish. However, if she did not need his comfort any longer then what was left of their relationship? They were not friends, lovers, nor comrades. They were merely two strangers who understood the pain of losing a loved one. That was why after a year had passed, Hinata had decided to say her good-bye.
But seeing his reply had made her feel strange. She was content with ending their relationship and closing that chapter of her life, but his reply had made her question it. It was the only response she had ever received from the man, yet the letter had somehow stirred her heart.
She sighed.
Tucking her thoughts away, Hinata decided to head outside.
The gentle breeze felt cool to her skin despite the sun looming over the sky. It felt good to be outside again after spending months and months training in her home. Hinata didn’t mind the rigorous schedule she had built for herself in order to become stronger, but today was a special day.
Today was the day she was finally going to visit Neji.
-----
Seeing the tombstone with his carved name gave Hinata an indescribable feeling. It was a mixture of grief, guilt, anger, and longing, yet it did not feel quite as strong as it had been a year ago. Although this was her first time visiting ever since his funeral, she could tell the grave had been well kept. There were no moss nor stray rocks that grew around it. The stone itself had been cleaned thoroughly, perhaps by Hanabi or her father. Whoever it was, she was glad his grave had been well taken care of.
“ It’s been a while hasn’t it?” She softly asked.
Only the wind answered her.
“ I’m sorry for not visiting sooner.” She whispered.
Of course there was no reply, though it wasn’t as if Hinata was expecting one.
She gently laid the white carnations in front of his grave and sat to face the stone tablet. Then as if Neji had never left in the first place, Hinata began to tell him all that had happened since he was gone. She didn’t care that there was no reply, she just wanted to let him know about everyone. From the letters she had sent to Sasuke to all the training she had done to become stronger to even the experiences that her other friends had faced, she wanted to make sure Neji knew all of them.
By the time she was done, the sun was already about to set. She could feel the cool air sending slight goosebumps to her skin. It was then that she knew it was time to head back. Yet, for some reason, as she continued to walk towards the dirt road, Hinata did not feel like going home just yet. She still felt some uneasiness in her heart. It was an uneasiness that wasn’t from visiting Neji.
No, it was different.
A sudden gust startled Hinata causing something to fall from her hair. Quickly as it fell, she caught the item in her hand.
It was the hairpin Sasuke had given her.
The crystal petals and hand carved wood were still held intact despite having been blown by the wind. It was surprisingly sturdy despite how fragile it looked. She held it up towards the setting sun in curiosity, unsure of her own reasoning for it. The crystal petals gleamed and glowed in a way that reminded her of a star.
It truly was a beautiful gift.
" But why did you give me this?" She whispered.
" Because it reminded me of you."
Although they had not seen each other for months, she could still recognize his voice from the night they had met. His voice was clear and deep, almost like still water in a lake. However, despite recognizing his voice, Hinata still felt surprised by his presence. When her eyes met his dark ones, an indescribable feeling welled up within her. Here stood the man himself, the one who she had written letters for all these months. His dark hair had grown longer since she had last remembered. He now wore a brown poncho with a black long sleeve shirt underneath along with a pair of dark pants rather than his old white and dark blue outfit. He even seemed to have grown a bit taller during his absence in the village.
“ Sasuke-kun,”
Merely a whisper again, yet that was all Hinata could manage to say towards the man. She was simply too stunned at his presence to say anything else.
Just as Hinata was stunned, Sasuke seemed a bit startled at hearing her call out his name. Though his expression was silent, she could see that the words had caused his dark pupils to slightly widen. It seemed he too was surprised at seeing her.
For the longest time, neither of them said anything else as they stared at each other. The only sounds that could be heard were the leaves blowing through the wind. Yet, the silence between them did not feel uncomfortable. Rather, there seemed to be a mix of emotions that hung in the air that neither of the two could put into words. A mix of emotions that seemed to have quietly surfaced within the hidden chambers of their hearts. It was a desire that could only be told through the depths of their eyes.
Silver pearls full of longing met with obsidian orbs filled with yearning.
“ Do you like it?”
Sasuke looked at Hinata and then slowly glanced at the hairpin in her hands, waiting for her answer. Hinata also allowed her eyes to follow his as she gave a soft smile at the accessory in her hand.
“ I do,”
“ Then I hope you take care of it.”
Hinata could hear his footsteps as Sasuke began to leave. She could smell the faint scent of lightning as he brushed past her and onto the road. Without thinking, Hinata grabbed the hem of his sleeve, surprising both Sasuke and herself. Now merely a couple centimeters apart, Hinata could feel the heat radiating off his body. She could feel a blush creeping onto her face, but suppressed it as she lifted her gaze up to meet his.
“ Why did you carve a white lily onto this hairpin and give it to me?”
She could feel a small tension form between the two of them as he intently stared at her. Locked gazes with no intention of breaking eye contact made the tension between them even stronger. By now, Hinata could feel her cheeks faintly blush pink as Sasuke continued to quietly look at her. Whatever he was thinking at the moment, she could not tell under his blank expression. Inwardly regretting her question, Hinata decided to look down at their feet. However, just as she was beginning to back away from him, a sudden hand grabbed the hairpin out of her own. Before she could say anything, Hinata could feel his hand gently brush the strands of her hair out to the side, freezing her in place. Her breathing stopped when she felt the heat of his hand as he delicately placed the hairpin in the place where he had just fixed her hair. Once he was done, Hinata could feel his dark eyes look at hers once again before he finally spoke.
“ Because it reminded me of your eyes. It reminded me of you.”
As soon as he had answered her question, Sasuke vanished into the distance towards the direction of the village. Noticing that she was now left alone, the faint blush on her cheeks became redden with heat. Covering her face with slightly trembling hands, Hinata finally let out a long awaited breath. Whether it was out of relief or something else, she wasn’t sure. However, it was at this moment Hinata began to remember the conversation that she had with her mother all those years ago in their little garden. Hinata had finally realized what her mother’s secret was and why her mother’s expression was so gentle that day.
It was the same expression Sasuke had worn earlier.
Touching the hairpin he had placed on her earlier, Hinata blushed even more as she continued to cover her face with her other hand. Sighing to herself, she stood on the road for a long time before heading back home. Confusion, regret, yearning, desire, and more all fought themselves within her mind and heart even as she went to bed with a blush still on her face. Tossing and turning all night, Hinata could not fall asleep until the next morning when exhaustion had finally overpowered her.
She should have just welcomed him home.
