Um…I got this idea from the movie, ‘The Eye’ and from the book, ‘Dancing on the Edge’ and thought of mixing it together? xD But the plot will be completely different. Actually, I’m not even sure if there IS going to be a plot. o.o Well anyway, please review! Thanks! Enjoy this chapter, my readers!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, The Eye, or Dancing on the Edge...or the song lyrics I used on here. 8D; By Koda Kumi and Pink Floyd.

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My Caretaker

One: Ticking Away

“Shiroi iki ga fuyu wo tsugeru,
My breath turns white, as winter comes…

Kimi no machi ni wa mou yuki ga futteru.
And in your city, snow is already falling.

Tooku tooku kanjiru no wa,
I can feel you, far, far away,

Kyori nanka ja naku kokoro ga omou.
But in my heart I feel no much distance.

Futari no negai wa itsukara ka zutto
One day, our wish will be…

Watashi dake no mono ni nari…
The only thing I need…

Soredemo issho ni itai no wa kitto…
If we stay together…

Yowasa nanka ja nai yo ne.
We won’t have to be weak.”

She listened to the lyrics quietly that were coming from the radio on top of the TV. Her eyes were closed and she was lying on the couch, with a pale blue blanket over her. She was sleeping, but now she was vaguely awake, awakened by the music.

“It’s snowing again.” Her cousin’s voice interrupted her concentration of listening to the song.

She opened her eyes slightly to see nothing but just a dark, blurry figure. The figure, who was Neji, was just a few feet away from her, facing something that seemed somewhat like a window. Outside, she saw something white falling downwards. She couldn’t tell what it was, but she was positive that it was ‘snow’ that her cousin was talking about.

She saw Neji turn around to her. “Ne…Hinata-sama…you have never seen snow, isn’t that right?”

“…Mmm…” Hinata mumbled. She didn’t feel like talking. She didn’t need to answer that. Neji already knew the answer: of course she had never seen snow. She was blind ever since she was born! To even say, Hinata didn’t even know what she looked like. All she was sure of was that she had dark blue hair, but the rest, she found herself as a blur.

Neji turned back to watch the snowflakes fall slowly above the white sky. “…Have you…ever wanted to see the snow?” He asked her with another question. His reply was a soft yawn and the sound of shifting to another position. Hinata had just turned over on the couch to lay on her other side, now with her back facing Neji. He chuckled. “Fine, I’ll leave you alone for now. I can see you’re still sleepy.” And with that, he left the room, leaving Hinata to listen to the song.

“Kimi to miru kono keshiki ga,
If I could be at the place you see,

Aru naraba nanimo ira nai,
I wouldn’t need anything else,

Kimi ga inai kono keshiki wa
But you’re not here in this place and

Yuki no naka de miru tomatta sekai.
In all the snow I see how my world stops turning.”

At this part of this song, Hinata slowly sat up and hugged her knees. “Mmm…snow…” She said softly to herself. Her eyes slowly moved to the right to glance at the falling snow. She watched it snow for a minute or two, and finally decided to get up from the couch. Being used to being blind, Hinata should’ve known her ways around the house, but since she was clumsy, she would always trip or bump into something. Slowly, Hinata took one step by one, stretching out her arms to feel if anything would be in her way.

She touched something cold in front of her. In front of her was glass, and through it were the falling snowflakes. She had touched the window. The glass felt like an ice cube under her palm and fingers because of the temperature outside. From where she was standing, the snow looked a lot thicker, since she was closer now.

She sighed. “Snow…” She said once again. Outside, she saw a bunch of dark shadows moving around outside. There were kids playing outside in the snow. By seeing this, it made her feel a little sad. Hinata always wanted to play in the snow. She has before, but not anymore because the Hyuuga members are concerned if she would trip into the snow, do something ‘bad’ and get a cold or something. The Hyuuga members always had to be concerned for the eye heiress, especially if she was born out of a dead woman and was blind.

It started fifteen years ago. Her mother was just four months pregnant and a car accident occurred when it all happened. An ambulance was on its way to the scene, but it had happened to crash into Hinata’s mother. She was taken on the stretcher on the ambulance while she got hit, and then the ambulance continued onto its destination. By the time she was at the hospital, it was too late and she died. However, the baby inside was still alive. So they cut her mother’s stomach open and there Hinata went out. In the village of Konoha, it was known as a miracle birth. That’s why the Hyuuga members look after Hinata a lot and don’t want her to go out often.

“I wish I could see what snow really looks like…” She spoke to herself. In her vision, she could only see the snow like cotton balls, not able to see the designs in the snowflakes. She spoke to her father about if she could get an eye transplant, because glasses don’t seem to work on her eyes, but Hiashi didn’t allow it…after all, her eyes held the traits of the Byakugan.

Cautiously, Hinata looked behind her and activated the Byakugan to see if there was someone in the room, or someone coming into the room. Though she could not see, even with the Byakugan, she was able to see a little more clearly, and sense the flow of someone’s chakra. To her senses, no one was near.

She turned back to the window, grabbed the bottom of the window, and pulled it up. As she did, cold air blew onto her face with her midnight-blue hair flying back. As first, when the cold air, came in, she shivered. She wasn’t really used to it, but then, she found the coldness comfortable. The breeze was cold, yet its coldness relaxed her, made her feel refreshed.

As said, the Hyuuga members never let her play in the snow…or play outside when it is too hot. They wanted the Hyuuga heiress to be fine, in a perfect state. Can’t play outside when it is too cold, and can’t play outside when it is too hot. It had to be the right temperature. Hinata…never really felt what coldness and what hotness felt.

“So…refreshing…” She breathed out. She closed her eyes as the wind kept blowing against her face. She liked the cold now that she’s felt it. Felt something else than ‘medium’.

“Onee-chan,” Hinata quickly shut the window closed. It was the voice of her younger step-sister, Hanabi, heading towards the living room, in other words, the room that Hinata was currently in. Her sister called again, and her voice was a little louder. At this time, Hanabi’s footsteps were heard. Hinata quickly rushed back, almost tripped twice as she was running blindly, and managed to get back on the couch and cover herself with her pale blue blanket and close her eyes.

“Onee-chan,” Hanabi’s voice was real close now. She was in the room already. When she had entered the room, it was silent for a minute or two, and then she started walking again. Hinata heard Hanabi walking towards her, and then it suddenly stopped. Hanabi was standing right in front of Hinata, with Hinata’s back facing her. She felt her step-sister’s white eyes on her back.

Hinata and Hanabi never really got along and spoke to each other, nor did they even fight or act mean to each other. It was like a silent sisterly relationship between them, or in other words, they were like strangers to each other. It was awkward.

It was silent for a minute. That was when Hanabi’s started to walk away from Hinata, and exit the room; her presence slowly fading away.

With that, Hinata just stayed there, now trying to fall back asleep. As she was slowly falling back asleep, she listened to the last lyrics of the song.

“Aitai yo aitai kimi ni,
I want to be with you, with you oh baby,

Korekara mo wasurerare nai.
I’ll never forget you.

Kono yuki totomo ni chitta,
As the snow keeps on falling,

Hakanai omoi wo mune ni daite.
I embrace our moments in my heart.”

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The door quickly opened, and was soon slammed shut. He had cuts and scratches on his face and his arms and legs were covered in bandages; he was exhausted. He took off all his weapons and gear off him and put it on the table and made his way to his room.

As he passed the kitchen, a soft voice spoke. “Neji-nii-san…you’re back from your mission so soon? In that case, would you like some tea?”

Hinata was making green tea. Even though she could not see, she’s able to cook and make tea. It was a little awkward for a blind person to able to make something. Yet, it was a skill; it was unique.

“Hn.” He walked towards the kitchen table and sat down. As Hinata was setting up the tea still, there was silence between them. Hinata decided to break the silence.

“So…how was the mission?”

“…” He didn’t bother to answer. Neji didn’t know how to describe how his mission was. “Irksome.” He answered her.

“Ah.” Hinata stirred the hot liquid in circles over and over until the tea turned green. When it turned into a dull green color, Hinata stopped mixing, put the cups on a tray, and carried it to the table, and held out cup out to Neji. Neji took it from her gentle hands as she sat down and took the other cup for her and sipped on it.

Neji didn’t even drink his tea. All he did was stared down into the pool of green. Hinata had quickly noticed this. Hinata always had good instincts, being blind and all. “N-Neji-nii-san…you’re…not drinking your tea.” He made no reaction to her words. “Is…Is there something wrong with it?” Still no reaction from him. Neji always drank her tea. He always liked to drink it. He was acting a bit weird, making Hinata feel as if there was something wrong. “Ano…I won’t force you to drink it or anything…” She paused, “Is…there something you need to say to me?”

This time, Hinata didn’t dare to speak any further. But yet, there was no response from Neji. Hinata heard Neji shift a bit before saying, “Iie. There’s nothing to say; there’s nothing to discuss.” She heard him stood up from his chair. “I’ll be in my room…if you need me.” Neji took the cup of green tea, took a sip from it, and walked past Hinata. As he did, he patted her head.

And then, she was alone in the kitchen. She just sat there for a few moments, spacing out in thoughts…with nothing in her mind, and with her hands holding the cup of tea on the table.

She sighed, and just when she was about to stand up, Hanabi had walked into the room. “Onee-chan.” She said her name.

Hinata turned her head to the direction of where Hanabi’s voice was. “Hmm?” She heard Hanabi’s footsteps walk towards her and stop in front of her. Hinata could feel the coldness emitting from Hanabi. It was ice cold. Had she been outside in the cold, in the snow?

There was then the sound of bags being put down on the floor as Hanabi put her bare hand on Hinata’s shoulder. Her hand was freezing cold. She could feel it through the fabric of her shirt. “Sakura-san told me to tell you to meet her at the park while I was out getting the groceries at one.”

“What time is it now?”

“Eleven.”

“Ah. So…you’ll have to tell me when it’s time.”

“Of course. So…where’s Neji-nii-san? Is…he back from his mission?”

“Yes. He’s in his room.”

“Ah. Arigatou.” Hanabi then walked off after that. Hinata felt a little awkward after speaking with her. Whenever they talk, it’s either they don’t even talk at all, or it’s just a few-second conversation. That was it just between them. Now all that was left was the ticking of the clock in the kitchen.

Not before long, Hinata decided to stand up from her seat and hang out in the living room, where there was a picture of her mother with two candles on each side of it. Hinata kneeled down in front of her mother’s picture and examined her mother’s face, but all she could see was a blur. But she had been told of what her mother looked like from Hiashi. He had said she was very pretty; she had short black hair with frontal bangs, parted on the left. She had white eyes with a tint of lavender, of course, since she was a Hyuuga. She sounded like a beautiful woman. Even if Hinata couldn’t see her mother’s face, she could imagine the beauty of her. She was also told her name was Hyuuga Hisame. A lovely name matching with a beautiful woman. Fine beauty indeed.

Hinata smiled to herself. “Okaa-san…” Hinata spoke softly. She reached out and touched the photo, touching the blur. “Where are you, Okaa-san? Are you in heaven? What’s it like up there? Are you happy? Do you know who I am? Do you know what I look like? To be honest, I don’t even know what I look like. Because of that, I don’t even know if I’m real; if anything’s real at all. But I think you are real, even if I’ve never met you. I think people should believe in the things that they think are real. I think you’re real. Tell me, Okaa-san…do you think I’m real?”

She always asked these questions to the portrait of her mother everyday, waiting for an answer. She would always wait for at least five minutes before speaking again; saying, “I won’t…stop calling your name…until I…hear an answer from you. Okaa-san…please tell me…can you hear me?” And then, she would wait for another five minutes, before sighing, bump into a few obstacles, plop down on the couch and close her eyes.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick…

Hinata opened her eyes and glanced at her right on the drawer, where the clock always sat, which was right next to the couch. A new clock? In Hinata’s point of view, it looked new. It was more blacker, yet, not black. The new ticking sound was pretty new. It was different from the old clock that was in the living room. The old ticking sound went ‘Tick……tock……tick……tock……’ it was faster now. The old clock always skipped a ‘tick’ or ‘tock’ before making another sound. The new ticking sound was weird to her. Since the drawer was near the armrest of the couch (which Hinata’s head was lying on), it was softer, and fainter. Oh well, she would have to deal with it now.

She closed her eyes again, listening to the ticking sound. It reminded her of lyrics of a song she had heard before on the radio. She couldn’t remember the tune, but she certainly remembered the lyrics.

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say

Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
And when I come home cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire

Far away across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spells.

Letting the lyrics replay in her head, the ticking sound slowly faded away…

Slowly…ticking away.

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Uhh…this is the prologue…I guess… 8D; Yes, a very weird entrance. The song thing and the clock thing were totally random, but I just felt like it. But then again, this story might have no plot, so there might be very random things here. xD; However, the encounter with Neji was part of the storyline. :3 So uh…stay tuned, my readers!

Oh and I will promise that the next chapter will be longer. X3; On microsoft document, I originally wanted it to be 8 pages, but I got lazy and it ended up as 5 pages...that's why the intro's a little weird. But please review! Thanks!