For Tomorrow- Chapter Two

Was it wrong of her to stare at her sister?

Hanabi decided it wasn't.

Hanabi was not greedy, despite the way she was raised but she still had standards. This was why when they had first arrived she had exclaimed to her father Hiashi that 'she knew the land in London was more expensive but surely they could afford something bigger'.

Hinata was wearing a blue dress with those pig-of-mutton sleeves that seemed the necessary fashion for any well-to-do young lady. The dress was accompanied by a blue headband decorated with diamonds. No doubt a present from a recent expedition through Africa made by an emotionless man named Sai. He was insistent on Hinata's hand in marriage but Hiashi knew the boy only wanted Hinata because she could provide the much needed money for his trips. Hinata had never shown any romantic interest in him anyway. She probably never would. Hanabi's sister was currently desperately looking through a pile of unmoved furniture, for what Hanabi guessed to be her matching parasol.

Typical. Everything got lost on the first day.

Hanabi tried to muster up the hate she was supposedly supposed to have toward her sister but she couldn't. She never could. There was no doubt in her mind that she could pull the proverbial rug out from under her sister and become heiress if she wanted to. She was devious enough to know how. But why would she want to do something as drab as running a factory?

They were so alike and yet so different with only 3 years between them, Hanabi's 14 years to Hinata's 17. Hinata had their mother's hair, a deep shade of black that looked almost blue in the sunlight. Hanabi however, was stuck with the brown she had inherited from her father. They both had the Hyuuga eyes, a dominant family trait that was passed on to each generation. Not a single Hyuuga had ever been born without them in the entire of the Hyuuga's history; at least, that's what they were told.

There was another strange thing about Hinata: despite a large and full chest she was still so timid.

Lady Tsunade had always taught Hanabi that a big chest equals big confidence. Yet, Hinata kept her shyness even after... Filling out.

Lady Tsunade had been the old family doctor back in the countryside and Hanabi's father would have to pay a pretty penny if he wanted her to come all the way to London. Tsunade was the best doctor in the south, despite not having any degrees in medicine. No universities would accept a woman and many believed she shouldn't be doing the work they saw as meant for men only. Tsunade was therefore a specialist on home remedies and herbs. She had shown Hanabi how to crush some ingredients into a paste that would get rid of almost any bite or rash.

Tsunade was also a family friend, having known their free-spirited mother as a young girl. In fact, it was the soon to be Mrs Hyuuga that had helped her discover her love of medicine after a scrape in the woods.

Hanabi had never understood why her mother had married. For someone so adventurous surely such a thing was like being caged and forced to bend to society. But father had fallen for the strong willed beauty. That was one thing she admired about her father: he did not consider his children weak due to their gender and was not mad at their mother because she had not bore him a son for an heir. He was insistent on one of them inheriting the business and would not agree with the elders of the family when they suggested the husband of one of them got it instead. Although, he still had doubts as to Hinata's position because she opted to keep her caring disposition.

As far as Hanabi was concerned, Hinata's fate was set in stone. So was her own. Hanabi was to marry a rich heir to provide connections and support for her sister in the business. It wasn't just any rich boy she was to marry though; Hiashi wanted her to court and marry the heir to 'Sarutobi and Co'.

Said heir had been kept away from the public eye by his father and when Mr Sarutobi had died the company was put under his brother's control until his son was deemed ready to take the helm. No-one knew anything about him outside of his family so Hanabi was totally unprepared.

What if he was old?

What if he was an alcoholic?

What if he was moody?

What if he was all three?

Almost no-one knew.

For the first time since her mother had passed, Hanabi felt scared and unsure. She would be stuck with this man until death. It was her duty as the second daughter and she would not let her family down. She was forsaking her dreams of being a doctor like Lady Tsunade. She was being forced to submit and become a domesticated house wife. She knew her place.

"Miss Hinata, Miss Hanabi, Your father has called for you both. I believe he wishes to discuss the ball you are attending this Friday."

Ah, yes. This ball was being held by the Akamichi family, famous for their work in the food industry and holding high society gatherings. It was here she was to start making her web that would hold her family in its rightful place at the top of society.

Putting on the best fake smile she could muster, Hanabi followed her big sister down the stairs to face her fate.