The next morning, Sen woke up with a ferocious hangover. Her head pounded as she sat up in Mina's bed and rolled her neck. Her sister was still fast asleep beside her, her shoulders slowly rising and falling. As she looked over to her, Sen remembered the events of the night before. Everything felt fuzzy, and she couldn't remember if certain things had really happened or if it had all been an inebriated dream.

"I've always been so jealous of you. I want to be brave and make my own decisions. I want to be more like my little sister." Mina's voice played over in Sen's head. As a sympathetic and sad smile grew on her face, she thought, I'm so sorry I misjudged you all of these years. I never knew. How could I have known? Even now, it feels surreal that you said those things. Did you mean them, Mina? Or were you just drunk?

Quietly, Sen slipped out the door and back into her own house. She enjoyed a long hot shower and then drank a cup of coffee, trying to nurse the growing headache. Her forehead rested in her palms as she took deep breaths and quietly contemplated everything that happened over the past few months.

She had left her home to create a new life in a village of former enemy clans. She had lost her loving father, the first person to mentor and believe in her. She had met new and wonderful people who meant the world to her. She had taken a promising and loving little ninja under her wing to train and advise. Finally, these tumultuous months had given her Madara Uchiha, and for that she was eternally grateful.

Later that morning, Mina knocked on her door and asked if she wanted to go on a walk and get fresh air. Sen stifled a chuckle at how poorly the elder Hyuga sister looked. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was puffy as patches of red splashed across her cheeks. While getting a fresh cup of coffee ready for the hungover girl, Sen noted, "Now I see why you don't drink."

Mina groaned and shielded her eyes from the sun. "Mhmm..." she uttered, "I think the fresh air will do me some good though."

"It definitely won't hurt. Hashirama told me about this lovely grove of lilac trees a bit outside the village. We should check them out before they lose their leaves."

Downing her cup of coffee, Mina popped up from her seat and followed Sen out the door. They wound through the bustling village, greeting people they knew and giving kind smiles to the ones they did not. They reached the main gate and continued on the road for a mile or so through the Land of Fire.

The grove was just over a hill, sprawling across the countryside and gracing the land with fragrant blossoms. Sen breathed deeply as they strolled through the shade of the lilac trees. She closed her eyes and raised her arms before twirling in a circle as she pranced down the rows.

"Come on, Mina!" she shouted as she freely explored the area.

Her sister's shoulders relaxed and she joined her, darting between rows of trees and laughing. For the first time in many years, Mina felt weightless. Her short hair was blown about by the wind and she shivered as the cool autumn hair kissed her skin. In this moment, the perpetually vain Hyuga felt true contentment. She watched her carefree younger sister dance through the trees and she thought, Maybe I was wrong all along... Maybe I can be like you, Sen.

The girls walked alongside one another breathlessly after their burst of energy. Mina's fingers picked at the low-hanging blossoms and she asked rhetorically, "Did you know that the lilac represents the beginning of love? Did you choose this place to be ironic, Sen?"

"Ironic? What do you mean?"

"Last night you began to object that you loved Madara, but you stopped short. You didn't deny it," Mina's white eyes bore into Sen with a coy grin. "So... how do you feel about him, Sen?"

How do I feel about him? Sen thought fixedly. I don't even think I could begin to properly explain, but I guess I can try.

With measured carefulness, she began: "My mind is constantly occupied by thoughts of him and when he's near, I feel at peace. He makes me feel unlike anyone ever has before. I guess... I'm in love with him." She paused, fondly watching the blossoms flutter in the wind as she recalled a plethora of memories with him. She continued, "When I look at him, I see everything that I never knew I wanted. His smile takes my breath away and hearing my name from his lips quells any fear I may have. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life loving him and being loved by him."

Mina's was smiling; however, her eyes were filled with agony. In a small voice, she replied, "I'll never love Tobirama like that. Isn't that depressing? To already know that you'll never love your husband."

A doleful look came onto Sen's face and she tried to think of something to say to brighten Mina's spirits; however, Mina's demeanor became cheery once again she sighed before saying, "Oh Sen, don't look so crestfallen. Life has its own paths for both of us. I'm delighted that you've found happiness."

Sen responded by wrapping her arms around her tall, slender sister. Mina slowly embraced Sen as well after letting out a long breath. The girls stood there holding one another silently, thousands of unspoken words filling their minds. Sen wanted to scream that Mina didn't have to marry Tobirama, that she should reject the notion and marry for love; meanwhile, Mina's thoughts had become darker and she felt helpless as her fate barreled toward her.

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If I wrote a book of short stories/imagines/one-shots/etc of various Naruto characters, would anyone be interested? :')

Also, thank you guys so much for the reads, votes, and comments. They make my day forreal.