A grain of truth

XIV

Men in suits crowded the large establishment of the Visual convention center in Tokyo, flashes of cameras held by excited photographers and reporters hungry for a hot scoop surrounded the area where a grand buffet was being held for Yuuhi’s sixteenth birthday with just the recent passing away of the former head of the clan Hiashi, his coming-of-age a mark of him overtaking his mother’s position in the company but putting the position of being the head of the clan in Maria’s shoulder in the prominent group as the council heads didn’t want for the name of the Inuzuka to take over the clan and also another excuse for the reporters to sneak up an interview about the latest news that had just been recently announced.

Time Magazine:

Business elite Uchiha Sasuke of the Visual group of companies adopts Hyuga Nagi as the sole heir to the immeasurable properties of the once prominent clan, exclusive inside interview with Nagi and his family together with Mr. Uchiha Sasuke.

“How’s the earring? Does it still hurt?”

Yuuhi’s eyes and his features looked a lot like Hinata’s male version except for the hair and his tall height and huge built. With pallid orbs he gazed at the conscious blonde just reaching his shoulder, his hand ghosting at the earring on Maria’s ear which made the blonde wince a little.

“Yuu it’s been years, ‘course it doesn’t hurt anymore. And stop touching already, cameras are all around.” With that the blonde teen resembling his mother in his teen years gently pushed Yuuhi’s hand away.

“Oh dear cousin, still conscious about what happened last summer? I told you…” A faint gasp escaped the blonde’s lips as Yuuhi’s breath hovered near his ear, not even giving him a chance to give a distance between them, his escape was stopped with a firm hand around his elbow. “I’d take responsibility didn’t I?” with the meaningful voice the blonde blushed a deep crimson, roughly pushing the brunette away with a deep scowl.

“Get off me! Call me senpai I’m older than you! And I told you to stop acting so cocky just because-”

The two quickly straightened themselves at the recognition of their parents’ voice from behind, Yuuhi shrugging off his mother’s scolding and Maria just bowing his head in embarrassment at being teased, yet again by his uncle Kiba. They’d been pairing Yuuhi and Maria since childhood just for fun but the blonde didn’t actually expect to end up being pursued by the brunette and for him to actually agree to a relationship.

“Yuuhi, Maria, are you two fighting again?” And then came his mother’s voice, Maria heaved a sigh as he turned to take in his concerned mother’s face while carrying a three year old girl in a frilly orange dress napping on his shoulder with her thumb plugged in her mouth.

They had another blonde in the group but they knew that when Seiran would finally open her eyes, the palest of blue would be seen, almost as if it was white but the frame of her face often made her resemble Hinata in her childhood, they were actually surprised when they found out in the ultrasound that it was a girl, maybe because they were all males that he’d expected the next one to be a boy too.

“Please behave yourselves even just for the sake of the family.” Neji followed in his elegant white suit, taking Seiran in his arms so that Naruto could rest his arms since the girl was so attached to her mother and wouldn’t want anyone to carry her but him.

“Yeah, Yuu if you don’t restrain yourself from flirting with my nephew here your front wouldn’t be all that effective.”

“Uncle-”

“Ow!” Maria’s hissed ‘uncle’ was interrupted by Kiba’s whining as a ball point pen hit him on the head this time from behind, and the brunette rolled his eyes, as if knowing what face would welcome him the moment he turns around to curse…

“Shit Shino get a life will you.”

“Excuse me, can I have another pen please?” As usual Shino who was now the youngest member of the congress along with Shikamaru was ignoring the brunette’s ranting, smirking only to acknowledge the family after finishing an interview from a reporter about the new law he had just proposed with Shika’s back up.

“It’s been a while.” Shikamaru said with a lazy smirk, he so missed the days when he would do nothing but sleep, it seemed like he was now compensating for all the days he wasted for dozing off since he got more than that –I stayed up till four a.m. last night- look.

“Says the man who made me his subject for the new amendment of the laws.” Naruto grinned, getting glasses of champagne from the roaming waiter’s tray to toast with them.

“Hey, what can I do, it’s our job.” Shino shrugged, turning to Neji with a smirk as he sipped on his glass, nearly two decades and still he couldn’t get rid of the damn dark lenses.

“It’s important that we state the obvious needs for new rights to take their place in the constitution, it gives people like my wife protection and the freedom to come out and ask for help when needed.”

The group seemed to have forgotten Yuuhi and Maria’s presence as they conversed in the lives of each other, giving Yuuhi a new chance to molest his sweetheart the moment he found an excuse to drag the blonde inside one of the many comfort rooms.

“You pervert, think of the T.P.O. first before you go undressing me!” Maria hissed under his breath as he squirmed away from Yuuhi’s hold from behind him, already removing the shirt from being tucked and unbuttoning the black coat as he nibbled the lobe of his lover’s ear.

“Can’t help it, my hands are created solely for praising your skin.”

“You and your stinking words-hey your hands-where do you think you’re touching!? Someone might come!” The blushing Maria quickly went to pry Yuuhi’s hands away from his crotch.

“Nah they’re all busy chatting, besides, won’t I be marrying you when we get in the right age? And besides… no one would be coming here but the two of us.”

“Who says so!?”

“The law says so. You haven’t been watching the news lately have you.”

“That’s not-hey!”

“Yuuhi… Hyuga… Inuzuka…”

The two nearly jumped up the sink the moment they heard that familiar creepy voice along with the loud banging of the door of one of the cubicles in the bathroom, felt goosebumps crawl over them and they gulped in dread as the evil aura seething with rage in an intent to kill surrounded Hikari Hyuga’s form as audible cracks echoed inside the comfort room, sounds made from his knuckles being straightened and curled as a nerve throbbed dangerously at the vein on his temple, brow twitching as the raven struggled to not lose the half-assed smile on his face.

A perfect imitation of a well pissed off Sasuke in his teen years complete with the weird hair style.

“Hi-Hi-Hi-Hikari-ni-ni-ni-nii-san…” Yuuhi stuttered as his hands went unconsciously to clench on Maria’s arm.

“I wonder what I should do so that you will keep those friggin’ hands of yours away from my brother… maybe dislocate a few bones, on the jaw or on the wrist perhaps?” A crisp step forward made the two recoil.

“I-I can explain um… ni-nii-san…”

“And you dear brother.”

“Y-yes!” Maria answered in a high pitched voice out of nervousness.

“What did you say about keeping your VIRGINITY before marriage? We don’t want any little Yuuhi’s running around now do we?”

“Uh-w-we…”

“Forget it Hikari.” The two jumped to the side, nearly tripping down the floor as they took in the calm form of Nagi leaning against the wall beside the door, arms folded with glasses adorning his face giving him a mature intelligent look.

“You do know what your actions may cause Maria.”

“I… I know…”

“Did you use a condom nii-san? ‘Coz if you do then we’ve got no problem. When did you do it anyway? Did it hurt? How was the first time? Are you going to get pregnant too?”

“Baka, I’m sure being the virgins that they were they used the practical, easier method.” The twins emerged from one of the cubicles with a little snow white puppy in Hakuto’s arms. “That’s without saying that they didn’t use any condom, and had to do with the makeshift lube…”

Yuuhi gulped as an evil smile graced Hakuto’s lips while wiping the drool on the puppy’s mouth with a tissue.

“Can you please stop with this already, you didn’t have to go into detail!” Maria was already embarrassed as he already was, and how did Nagi suddenly pop out of nowhere, with the rest of the damn group!? It looked as if they were waiting for them!

“That’s it! We’re in love and no one’s going to take as apart from each other! I know that we’re cousins and I know that you may disagree but I won’t leave him if that’s what you want!”

“Yu-Yuuhi…” Maria was quite taken aback, quickly forgetting his embarrassment at hearing Yuuhi’s words with the man’s arms wrapped tightly around him.

“No one’s telling you to break up.” Nagi said nonchalantly, removing himself from leaning on the wall and putting both hands deep in his pockets.

“We’re just reminding you to set the limitations, at least wait for the rumors about us to subside before you go creating another headache for the clan.” Hikari followed with a hot sigh as he massaged the bridge of his nose, following Nagi who was already leaving the comfort room.

“Oh, and if you plan on continuing, make sure you lock the door? It saves the reporters from witnessing such unsightly acts.” Hakuto smirked yet again and followed the two older men, since when had that child turned so lecherous!? Two years ago he was so adorable and now he seemed to have a penchant for emotionally torturing others, tsk, tsk, sadistic kid.

“Ne, ne, Haku, will Riki poop again? Do we have to wash him again? He ate bread for breakfast so why does his poop look like mustard?”

“Nozomi, wipe your hands, it’s wet and unsanitary to look at.”

And the two were left alone in the comfort room.

“Yuuhi.”

“Yes?”

“You are NOT, I repeat, YOU ARE NOT to put your hands near me for a week you understand?”

“What!? But-” Without any further ado the blonde released himself from Yuuhi’s hold, already marching towards the door when he was stopped by a hand around his wrist which he dangerously glared at.

“Should I make Hikari’s threat a warning?”

“Hey Mari, what’s the matter all of a sudden?”

“You know I told you how we should be discreet about our relationship. And now my brothers all know, god I don’t even know since when they’d found out about us. And with that chatterbox Nozomi, I advice you brace yourself from my father’s wrath and I’d better practice chanting my prayers before I get quartered and guillotined by the council heads!” The blonde roughly pulled his hand from the brunette’s hold, quickly going out of the comfort room to join the others in conversation, something akin to remorse settling in the pit of his stomach as he tried to smile.

He didn’t want to say that to Yuuhi, lord knows how deeply he was in love with his cousin but what Hikari and Nagi said was true, for the sake of the clan he had to be discreet about their relationship, pretty soon he would be paired up by some random woman to marry now that the agreement between the two clans cannot be done anymore, he couldn’t possibly marry his own brother could he?

Although it had been done with the previous heads of both group in the earlier history, it’s the computer age now! Marrying Nagi would be just absurd!

So many expressions were showing in Maria’s face one after another that Naruto couldn’t help but just notice.

“Maria? What is it?” The younger blonde just put up a sheepish smile towards his mother from behind, the two of them left out from the political conversation his husband and friends, including two of his sons were having.

“It’s nothing mom…”

“Did you fight with Yuuhi?” The knowing voice further increased Maria’s sadness, he so wanted to ask his mother for advice, but he didn’t know what reaction he’d make when he finally knows about the two of them, he was afraid of what his mother could say.

“You two… You’ve grown, time really goes by so fast, look at you now. Seeing you I feel like watching my own self in my teen years.”

“Yeah…” The cheerfulness in Maria’s voice were no longer there as he lowered his head in thought, he should tell his mother before he found out from another person’s mouth, it’s better that way.

“Mom?-”

“Maria,”

“Eh?”

“I… didn’t want you to burden yourself with this kind of responsibility. Twenty years ago, I wouldn’t have expected to see myself in this position. But, when the time comes that you should like someone, you should love him with all your heart and not hold back any feelings for that person.”

“Be truthful, it would save you a lot from feeling the worst heartaches. Even though the smallest grain truth may hurt you or that person, it’s better than getting lied to right?” The younger blonde nodded at his mother’s advice.

“Mom, why are you saying this all of a sudden? It’s not like I’m going to get married already.”

“Just some worthy piece of advice, if I don’t say it now, I might forget it again. Oh and…” Maria bent down a little to lean his ear next to Naruto’s mouth.

“Yuuhi’s a good guy, just put up with his libido and you’d be good to go. He may be a dog breath but-”

“Mom not you too!” Maria put both his hands on the ear where his mother just whispered and fought with all his might to suppress the blood rushing up to his head.

“What’s wrong?” Neji had already left from the conversation seeing his two beloved blondes absorbed in a secret conversation, he couldn’t help but feel suspicious of the two.

“Oh nothing, just a word of advice. Our ‘daughter’s’ pretty good looking you know, takes up a lot from you-know-who. Where’s Sei?” His wife asked as the blonde latched himself on Neji’s arm with a bright smile.

“She’s with Hakuto and Nozomi playing with Riki in the artificial garden at the back.”

“How’s Uchiha Nagi doing so far?” Few years back, Neji would’ve been enraged at Naruto’s liking for pissing him off, but he knew the youngest raven in the family had chosen his path well and he’s confident in his son’s decision, he takes pride in having raised Nagi to be a well mannered young man capable of being chosen the heir of an intelligent and successful businessman like Sasuke.

“Switching from French to Latin in a matter of seconds… I’d say he’s still got much to learn.”

“He learns from the best of the best. I knew you’d say that.” And with a peck on the older man’s cheek, Maria bid the couple farewell as his parents bid goodbye earlier than expected from the party, he was sure they were probably going to fool around on one of the hotels surrounding the vicinity… those two seem to never lose the excitement between them.

Maria was soon surrounded by reporters which he dared not to answer, before he knew it Yuuhi was soon dragged on along the scene getting asked questions about their difficult position as separate clan head and head of the company since it’s traditionally played both by only one person.

The smallest grain of truth may hurt but it’s better than getting lied to, right?

If his mother was only brave enough to return and explain to Sasuke what the truth was in the beginning, he wondered what could have happened afterwards, but soon he dismissed the thought, whatever happened back then was no longer important, if those things didn’t happen then he wouldn’t have Hakuto, Nozomi and Seiran as siblings, would have met Yuuhi in a different situation, would have never learned the importance of honesty and trust in a relationship like in his parents…

“Hey, Mari, let’s leave after this, let’s talk please?” Yuuhi’s pleading voice in a mere whisper snapped Maria out of his musings while in the midst of the camera flashes and mics nearly being shoved into their faces.

A grain of truth…

It may hurt…

But it’s better…

Than getting lied to or deceived.

Then right there in the middle of the hundreds of guest, cameras and reporters, he held Yuuhi’s head both with his hands and moved to face the other with a look that seemed to tell ‘fuck off’ almost scaring the shit out of Yuuhi but what happened afterwards he couldn’t remember.

Amidst the flashes and the surprised screams and gasps of the crowds, Maria kissed him.

“Will you marry me?” Yuuhi could only stutter a single yes as he stared deep into blue orbs.

“Good, I wouldn’t have accepted any kind of answer other than that.” Before the blonde dragged him away from the crowd that followed them even as they jogged down the stairs.

Passing the twins, Seiran and a panting Riki in the garden.

Passing Nagi being pinned by Hikari at the stairwell halfway making out. (He knew there was something suspicious about those two.)

Passing Shino and Kiba doing a morbid imitation of slapstick comedy at the ground floor. (Tsk, tsk… some things never change.)

Passing Shikamaru conversing with an eating Chouji on the lounge seat. (Ah what a great meeting.)

Before they called to the nearest taxi and scurried off to god-knows-where.

+++

Even now that Maria was sitting on his parents’ graveyard with his family he could still remember those words very well.

Just like those old times in the park behind the Lady of Fatima church, Yuuhi set up a roof tent on the family graveyard belonging solely to the lineage of Hyuga Neji and Uchiha Sasuke, it was newly built, where the building of the Uchiha clan once stood before it collapsed after the Japan Railway crashed against it.

Hikari and Nagi brought the food, Hakuto who was now the inheritor for Kiba’s animal clinic brought the candles, Nozomi who received great prestige with different kinds of medias in his field of arts sat quietly separate from them as his hands stroke with the pencil against the sketchpad on his lap, a drawing of a familiar blonde and his husband emerging amidst the intercepting of lines, while Seiran held in her arms three bouquets of white roses.

Naruto’s name was placed in between Neji and Sasuke’s own, even in death Sasuke had wanted to be together with Naruto even if he knew Neji wouldn’t permit it, it was his last will as he died of old age.

Even with the council’s protests the marriage still happened with of course both their parents’ permission, the surname Hyuga was swallowed by the Inuzuka soon after which proved to be expected since Yuuhi’s fast and cruel way of climbing to the top had most of the people at his feet crumbling.

The council not wanting for their clan to dissipate had arranged Hikari and Nagi’s marriage soon after Maria and Yuuhi’s took place, incest wasn’t an issue to them because it had been one of the rarest tradition inside the clan that only took place whenever the clan was in danger of deteriorating which, even if Neji refused profusely with his wife’s pursuing, had finally complied, something which Sasuke had predicted all along, he already knew that it was the Uchiha clan’s turn to be forgotten in the history, their mark had already been made, and even if the surname disappeared his bloodline would still continue through his children.

Neji’s passing had been very quiet, in the old age of seventy he had suddenly stopped breathing while staring off outside the window of their old house in Kobe, as if waiting for his children to come from school like they used to.

His wife, who looked so calm as he placed his palm over the unmoving man’s face to close tired looking eyes devoid of life, looked as if he had known of his husband’s silent departing all along that he was inside the kitchen waiting for the water to boil for Neji’s coffee.

Nozomi Hyuga dominated the modern arts using different mediums like photography, mosaic making, painting and even modeled for a fellow rival photographer which he ended up dating, curious of what it would feel like in front of the view finder while Hikari continued Neji’s legacy of being the ruthless balance between the innocent and the guilty.

Maria even being one of the most awarded detective in his age had retired in just two years because of pregnancy as he prepared to take on a more serious role of heading the clan with their decisions together with Yuuhi.

In the two months since Neji had passed away they never saw Naruto cry, rather they would always find him staring off into space, as if he was waiting for something in the same chair that Neji had passed away he would quietly sit there all day and eventually sleep halfway and Hakuto would carry him to his bed.

And just like that, Hyuga Naruto suddenly vanished.

The only witness having seen the Hyuga widow was in the ruins of an old apartment complex, a piece of pascali littered on the dusty and moldy crib of what used to be a nursery based from the paints on the cracked walls which the siblings were sure that was once held by a wrinkled hand that once belonged to a certain blonde who had once lived there.

Maria had dismissed the case of finding their mother after a year of searching. Certain that wherever his mother was he wouldn’t feel lonely, because he knew that Neji was already with him.

Wherever they were he wished them happiness. But sometimes Maria would see a wisp of a person possessing shoulder length blonde hair and two blurred figures behind it with the pair of pallid lilac eyes and a pair of dark black ones the only thing clear from his view being carried in the wind like a fleeting mirage from the opened window beside his sleeping Asahi’s bed.

The end.

-pants raggedly- Oh kami… oh kamiiii… oh kaaaamiiiiii noooooooo! Noooooo!




Oh kaaaaamiiiii noooooo noshiiiikaaageeeee! It’s finished? Uh. It’s actually finished? Hurry up and keep your end of the bargain and update! I am so itching for more Family portrait! And Kurai should to! Haa I should edit that recommended reading and put it formally. I wish someone would put my name on their recommended reading… hey it’s free to dream right? Hahahaha!

So…. How was it? Was it a good ending? Uhm… uh… alright, I’ll leave it to you guys. And since you’ve all been good kids this epilogue is my otoshidama for you…

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

HAPPY NEWYEAR!

HAPPY KWANZAA!

HAPPY HANUKKAH!

MALIGAYANG PASKO!

KONG XI FA CAI! (KUNG HEI FAT CHOI)

… please look forward to my next work, CIAO!