When you’ve been on patrol for quite long, you observe patterns.

Then, you record these patterns and recognize the smallest details again even just after a week on the job.

If you’ve memorized them and found even just the tiniest bit of difference, then you know that you’ve been doing an effective job of being part of the night’s watch.

Noticing these differences can mean improving the safety of Konoha.

My entire life, I have dedicated myself to showing Konoha that they can depend on Naruto Uzumaki because he’s strong. I mean, I’ve mastered Kurama’s powers, and I’ve defeated Pain. That has shown everyone.

And yeah, life is boring as a patrol ninja. You sometimes dread the evening before it’s your turn to do the watch. However, when you’re there and the adrenaline has kicked in, your instincts just snap into gear.

This is why it’s difficult for me to fathom what I’ve witnessed in the last few months. It was something I never really expected.

***

It all started a year after Pain attacked Konoha. Life being a father was amazing. In fact, I’m glad I have reciprocated Hinata’s love. Now, I have a family; now I can learn and become a parent to my wonderful children so they won’t have to go through how I was.

I honestly learned how to become a good person. I understood the faithfulness required to become a husband. Hinata loves my naiveté and dedication all the same.

However, with her recent actions, I’m not sure if she completely loves me. Maybe there’s a kind of love beyond being an exclusive husband-and-wife. And later events proved that indeed, these do exist.

To prevent anyone from jumping Konoha, I have helped in reinforcing the numbers of ninjas required to patrol the village. I told Hinata about it and she said it would be best I did because it was for her and the kids’ sakes.

Maybe that choice made us both happy at first. I had something to do. Hinata can have her time with the kids and for herself as well. Worse comes to worst, she can still fight against anyone we in the early patrol spot upon short notice. But hopefully, it doesn’t come to that.

***

In my first few weeks, I see nothing unusual. Rock Lee just gets a little dizzy from the tavern. Meanwhile, you see the paths the ninjas you relieve use to get home.

It was in the first month that I saw Hinata walking alone at night. Because I’m doing the watch, I can’t drop by to see her. She approached the house of Sakura and Sasuke. The two smiled together and she was welcomed in.

I didn’t think anything about it at all. It was just it was strange. Maybe Hinata needed to talk to someone. Maybe Sakura had a problem. After all, we were childhood friends; we can almost tell each other anything.

***

More weeks pass and Hinata’s journey to Sakura’s house became regular. I haven’t asked her about it yet in the morning, mainly because I’m sleeping in until the afternoon. Even if you’re the Seventh Hokage, you still need to restore your strength through sleeping.

But when I do catch Hinata waking up near-evening, I always see she has a different bloom. It’s like she’s beautiful with a glow, something I had never seen in the past. It was even better than how she looked like when I confessed to her.

“Good morning.”

“It’s afternoon.” She smiled. “Food?”

Her cooking is always amazingly delicious. How have I lived so long without her?

“So, how was the night?”

“Terrible honestly. I have nothing to do except to stare outside and watch people.”

She fell silent for a bit. I didn’t want to bring up what I’ve seen in the evenings.

So I went out again into the night and later that evening, I’ve seen Hinata go outside once again into Sakura’s house. This time, she had a different kind of smile.

It was a smile that indicated a vile intent. It had a certain purpose, which meant it was a liberation of some sort of forbidden thing.

I know how it looks like; I’ve made that look countless times. I’ve done some pretty unspeakable things in my life as well. However, I’m not sure what to make of it still. Hinata will still be okay, I mean it’s Sakura. Maybe they’re playing a board game or something, and she found a great rival in my dear wife.

Yeah Naruto, you retard. You’re just overthinking things. There’s no way Sakura can be an evil person. What she can be is competitive. Now that’s a more realistic thing to think about.

***

As soon as I got home, I checked on Hinata to make sure she’s okay. And yes, she is. She is asleep alone, in our bedroom. In an hour she’ll be up to check on the kids and prepare them for training.

I locked my arms around my sleeping wife. I heard her murmur a small word.

It must be me. She’s half awake and she recognized me. Hinata’s always been sweet.

As I was slowly drifting to sleep, I heard her say something in a weak manner.

It was loud enough for me to hear,

“Sakura.”

***

About a month has passed in my patrol and nothing’s changed. Even Hinata’s trips at night bothered me less. But whenever I see Sakura open the door, I keep on thinking why would Hinata mutter her name even in sleep?

Regarding that incident, it had happened multiple times. It continued to puzzle me.

Things get even worse when you’re on night duty; you tend to think of things to pass the time.

And this particular topic is something I can’t take off my head.

What exactly are those two doing at night? I’m pretty sure it’s not just drinks. And it’s every single night.

Does Sakura have a problem with Sasuke? Is it just everyday lady talk?

This patrol is making me think too much. If this goes on, then I won’t be able to hold myself back any longer; I’ll need to go and make sense of what is happening.

***

A month and two weeks. I couldn’t stop thinking about what they’re doing at night every day. It’s not that I’m jealous of Hinata spending time with Sakura, but this has never happened in the past. It only happened after I joined the watch.

Maybe Hinata is feeling lonely and wants to talk to a friend. Every day. I can’t blame her. But maybe Sakura too. I have heard that Sasuke is on a long expedition for some special task.

But I really have to know what’s happening to the two of them.

The next night shift, I took my very first leave after a month and three weeks. However, I never told Hinata about it. All she knows is I’m going to the watch that night.

It’s not that hard for a powerful ninja to stalk anyone silently. It’s something you’ve been trained since you were a child. Following Hinata during the night wasn’t that difficult. Seeing that Sakura had opened the door for her, Hinata stepped inside quickly, as if sensing someone was following her.

It’s about time I found out what was going on.

As the door closed, I caught it just before it caught the latch. I opened it slowly and remained hidden in the shadows. Sakura did not bother to light anything. It made things easy, and strange.

Why would Hinata and Sakura spend time together in the dark.

It was when I was thinking of all the possibilities of anything happening when I missed the mark after hearing what sounded like a purr. I don’t think Sakura had a cat, ever. Or Sasuke.

I heard heavy breathing. I heard the sound of something I can’t believe.

I opened the door just enough for me to see what was happening. Reflected in the mirror was a weak light. And two writhing shadows hidden under the bedsheets.

That bedsheet revealed Sakura’s head, faced back to me, in between Hinata’s legs. My wife’s eyes were closed; she had an expression that only I have seen. It was that expression that only the two of us shared. Sakura kept bobbing up and down as Hinata’s body shivered.

I don’t know what to make of this. I have never known Sakura or Hinata having a boyish side at all. I never even thought that both of them would ever find other women attractive.

Now, it was Hinata’s turn to get in between Sakura’s legs. My wife bobbed up and down, fondled the pure white chest of Sakura, who visibly shook with every passing of her head.

I can’t take my eyes off or even take a break from the things happening. My heart rate was rising. I wasn’t even jealous of the act. I’m not aroused either.

Big questions were in my head: when did this attraction start? Why is it happening? Is it just love or lust?

Sakura threw my wife on the bed. She ran her soft red lips on Hinata’s neck. She kept writhing with every passing. Sakura feasted on my wife’s visibly aroused nipples, one of her hands arousing her womanhood.

Upon looking at both of them, it became clearer and clearer that there was passion involved. My wife visibly latched her womanhood in between Sakura’s legs to arouse her. Their kisses exploded in aggressive, powerful emotions that you can feel a certain weight upon looking at it.

For someone who shouldn’t be here, feeling these things made everything confusing.

As a master ninja, stalking in the dark for hours is an easy task. It took them hours until they finished driving each other to pleasure.

It was then the dialogues began and things somewhat made sense.

“Does Naruto suspect you of anything?”

“I don’t think he does.”

There was a pause.

“I think that’s good.”

Another long pause.

“I don’t know if Konoha will ever accept us being like this, Sakura.”

“I know.” She said. “But I don’t know how I can live without you, Hinata.”

“Without me? I’m just in the same village as you.”

A brief pause.

“Remember that time when we realized we were growing into adolescents? We accidentally found out how to pleasure ourselves in the showers.”

I could feel Hinata smile and be nostalgic.

“Yes. Yes, I remember. “

“I didn’t know that it could develop into feeling like this.”

“Oh, Sakura.”

“But no one in Konoha knows that these kinds of bonds can exist between women.

“Therefore, we can expect them to reject us at any minute once they find out about us.”

Hinata sighed.

“Maybe one day. Maybe never. We both have roles to fulfill. But at least the men are always busy, and now, we can have this.”

That was something to really feel jealous about. So, Hinata, did you ever really love me? I could accept that Sakura played me to help you fit into adult society so you can both have this.

“But you do know Hinata,” Sakura said. “I do love Sasuke. I do love him as much as I do love you.”

“And I do love and I am faithful to Naruto, too.” Hinata said. “He’s always been the one for me.

“But I have never felt that what we have, ever since we shared that moment of growth, as a mistake or something shameful.”

A pause. I can guess Sakura smiled Hinata’ statement.

“I will never be shameful about us. But I won’t put you in danger too. Which is why I believe it’s safer that we keep this just between us.”

***

I left just before they started again.

Is it possible for just husband-and-wife to just be the ones sharing their love together?

Was it unfair to me that Hinata chose me and Sakura at the same time?

If given the chance, would Hinata have gone off with Sakura if this village accepted them for who they are?

Maybe this is just something that I should accept about Hinata.

I was in bed that afternoon when Hinata herself has not risen up. Her sweet smell still filled my bed.

I held her tight.

“Good morning.” She said, weakly.

“You mean good afternoon,” I said.

I felt her smiling on the other side.

Then that particular aura faded in a few seconds.

“I know that you know.” She said.

I stared blankly and felt a little chill.

“Know what?”

“About Sakura and I.” She said.

There was a short silence.

“It happened years ago. Whenever we had a chance away from everyone and the battles, we would steal away and be together. “

I was still silent.

“Naruto. Are you upset?”

I still didn’t answer. I couldn’t think of anything to say. I just looked back to the day when Hinata told me she loved me. There was fire in her eyes. There was a beautiful aura about her. It was something that told me I did the right thing. Now, I’m not sure about it; it was that moment that made me realize how much I don’t know about love and relationships.

There was only one thing to know before everything else.

“Hinata.” I said quietly. “Did you really love me?”

She turned to face me slowly. She held my hand. Looked at me. She had the same beautiful aura and those fires in her eyes that I saw after I admitted my feelings to her in the hospital.

“I have always loved you Naruto. And I always will.

“It’s just that this is different. It was a moment between Sakura and I that I cannot turn away from. It is a different sort of love. I cannot explain it. But know this: my feelings for you will never, ever change. “

That’s all I needed to hear. I guess.

Konoha’s rules on genders aren’t really existent. But of course, it is wise that Sakura and Hinata have hidden it so as never to attract attention.

I held her tight in my arms.

“I don’t understand.” I said. “But I will accept it because it is you, Hinata. I have dedicated my life for you, and I want you to be happy. I just want you to be with me and our children, even if you do have something you share with Sakura.”

Hinata smiled.

“You just keep getting better and better every single day, Naruto.”

My turn to smile.

“I think I’m luckier that you’re there for someone brainless as me.”

***

When I returned to my night’s watch duty. I still see Hinata going to Sakura’s house. Maybe she’ll tell Sakura that I know and somehow accept it.

But I do accept that they have something they share together. It is funny that I never felt jealousy, not even in the slightest. I think I should be jealous. But that’s not the case at all.

Maybe it’s because I understand that love is something universal, or at least that is my concept. That you can never complete someone’s life entirely. But as long as you both agree on the idea, then you can accept almost any trait someone else has.

I saw the lights go out in their house. In there, I know Hinata is happy. And in our own home, I know Hinata is happiest. Nothing has changed even months afterwards. I guess indeed, love is a strange thing.