A Reason to Smile
by Dark Lady

Disclaimer ::: I do not own Naruto. The only thing that is mine, is the plotline.

Summary ::: Naruto is always happy. The Konoha 12 wonder why. Hinata finally get the guts to ask him. 'How do you wake up every day with a smile on your face?' Hints of NaruHina

Konohagakure no Sato is one of the ninja world's most famous Hidden Villages. There is not a shinobi or kunoichi today that doesn't know about it. All the academy students – the ones that could actually stay awake throughout history lessons, that is – were taught of the Five Great Ninja Villages. The smaller villages spoke of how Konoha was fabled to be the best of all five, whilst the bigger, more prouder places simply spoke of it being 'almost as good' as their own village (whether it be Sunagakure, Kirigakure, Kumogakure or Iwagakure.)

But, despite what it may be to others, to the loyal populace of Konoha – both civilians and shinobi alike – it was simply 'home.' And it was at this very home that the start of our little tale begins. The sun rose up above the forests of Konoha. Day has dawned onto the lives of the citizens.

In a small, humble little stand (which proclaimed, for the world to see, 'Ichiraku Ramen') ten distinct figures sit, conversing over several noodle-filled bowls. One of the people, a dark-haired girl with lavender-tinted eyes played with the chopsticks in her hand, looked up "Um...do you think we should've waited for Naruto-kun?"

"Nah, don't worry about it Hinata," Sakura sighed, swallowing a bite of miso ramen. "He's probably slept in again. The idiot (this part was said with a trace of fondness)... Anyway, he came to visit me before my shift at the hospital was over."

TenTen looked up, curiously. Toying with her kunai, she asked, "What did he want? For Naruto to come to the hospital, he must've been pretty beaten."

"He asked for a soldier pill," Sakura explained, wiping her mouth, delicately. "I think he said something about running out of stock. And, I happen to know I restocked him a few days ago."

"Um, yeah," Kiba scratched the back of his head, sheepishly. "I might have something to do about that. You see, I was assigned another mission. There was a horde of Oto-nin coming our way, so I didn't have time to stop by the hospital. Sorry."

Sakura fixed him with a sharp looked, before dismissing it. There was a moment of silence, in which most of the ninja finished up the remains of their ramen, before Ino broke the quiet atmosphere. "So, what did Naruto-baka need the soldier pill for?"

Sai, who had been observing the conversation with a pensive look, spoke up. "I know for a fact that Hokage-hime didn't issue any missions to Naruto since..."

The dark-haired boy trailed off, and Neji eyed the bowl in front of him. "From your tone of voice, I can decipher that you are assuming the reason for Naruto-san's tardiness to be another secret training session?"

"I have one of my bugs on him at all times," Shino fiddled with his glasses, "for securities sake. (The 11 shinobi shivered as they remembered the 'Knife Incident.') They have just informed me that Naruto has been up all night, using abnormal amounts of chakra. They cannot, however, discern how he was able to waste that much."

Chouji looked up from his ramen-filled mouth, "mmmf-whaffthya mean, afnormal chafra?" (What do you mean...'abnormal chakra'?)

"Sakura," Shikamaru's eyes flickered open, lazily. "How much soldier pills did you give him?"

Confused, the bubblegum haired medic replied, duly, "About a month supply, why?"

Ino narrowed her eyes at Shikamaru, "Oi, Shika, what's going through that brain of yours?"

"Nothing, it's too troublesome anyway," he yawned. Ino shook her fist in his face, and the shadow user quickly backtracked, "Um...I meant that Naruto has probably exceeded his limits and over-exerted his capabilities."

"English (Japanese), please?" TenTen's eyes twitched. She might have Neji on her team, but even she couldn't decode whatever puzzle Shikamaru had categorized this scenario into.

Chouji agreed, and gulped down his food. "Yeah, Shikamaru. Not all of us are super-geniuses like you."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru groaned. "I was merely saying that the blonde loudmouth has probably tired himself out to exhaustion by overusing the amount of soldier pills his body can use. Normally, this would probably kill him...but, Naruto is too stubborn to give into that. Knowing him, he'll be up and jumping in no time." As he made the last statement, he smiled to himself at the thought of a furious chibi-Naruto.

"Wow," Ino looked at Shikamaru as if he had grown a third eye, "since when have you started sounding so...medic-cy."

Hinata giggled, "Maybe you just haven't noticed it, Ino-chan."

"YOSH! Naruto's burning passion for the youthfulness of life has prevailed yet again!" shouted a certain spandex-wearing boy.

Ino's jaw dropped, "WHEN DID YOUR GAG FALL OFF?"

"Now, now, Ino-san! It isn't youthful to tie someone up like that-" Lee was cut off by a large, green cloth covering his mouth. Behind him, TenTen stood, with an evil gleam in her eye, completely ignoring Kiba and Akamaru, who were cheering rather loudly. Hinata, Neji and Sai sweat-dropped at the scene, while Shino watched with an idle curiosity. Meanwhile, Sakura's thoughts were elsewhere.

"'Up and jumping,'" Sakura looked up with an odd expression. Instantly, all their eyes fell back to the Haruno. "Naruto's always like that, isn't he? So...happy. Every day, he's always bright and cheerful, like the world is his own fantasy land! I...How does he do it?"

Hinata looked at one of her best friends, worried, "What are you talking about, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura looked up, her caramel eyes oozing with hidden sadness, "I mean...what keeps him going? In a war like this, what makes him wake up with a smile on his face, and say 'this will be a great day'...why is he so...happy?"

Blonde locks fell from Ino's eyes, and she voiced out exactly what the entire 'gang' (well the sane ones, at least) was thinking. "I...I don't know."

Naruto-kun...what keeps you from breaking down? What makes you so happy?

Hinata looked down at the hem of her dress, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes. Her cousin caught sight of her expression, and Neji put a calming hand on her shoulder. "Hinata-sama, do not worry yourself with such trivial matters. Naruto-san will be okay."

"Of course, Neji-kun," she said, softly. Hinata put some money on the table before she turned away, and stood up, quietly. "It's getting late. I'm going to take a walk."

Neji watched her, warily. Hinata-sama, what is troubling you so?

Sakura wached her quietly, before she too, pushed her chair back and stood up. She sighed. "Hinata is right. I have to get back to the hospital soon."

The rest of the group quickly took this as a sign for them all to leave, and after graciously thanking Ayame and Teuchi, they paid the bill, and parted, each going their own ways. The conversation about their resident Jinchuuriki had left their minds entirely, and their thoughts were clouded with work anxiety.

The Hyuuga Hieress, though, was still immersed in her own Naruto world, Sakura's words ringing through her head. Above, the clouds gathered and a light drizzle of rain pattered onto the pavement. Hinata looked in the direction of her crush's apartment, and she silently made a promise to herself.

That she, Hyuuga Hinata, would find out what made Naruto-kun smile...and, maybe, just maybe, she would be able to find in herself, the same confidence that made Naruto-kun so bright.

"N-Naruto-kun?"

The blonde boy looked up, startled. Almost losing his balance, he managed to get a good grip onto the stone that he was lying on, and he straightened his back, turning around to identify the source of the voice. His eyes landed on the fumbling form of Hyuuga Hinata, and he smiled, in both relief and happiness.

"Oh, Hinata-chan! It's you!" Naruto laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "For a second, I got really scared!"

"Naruto's always like that, isn't he? So...happy."

"Ano...Naruto-kun..." Hinata looked up, worried. "Shouldn't you be at home? Shikamaru-kun said that you wouldn't be able to..."

Naruto frowned slightly, before a huge grin split across his face. "Ah! 'nata-chan, don't worry about me! Super-awesome ninjas like me don't need to be strapped to some stupid bed! Believe it!"

"Every day, he's always bright and cheerful, like the world is his own fantasy land! I...How does he do it?"

Hinata looked at him with wide, awe-struck eyes. Suddenly, Naruto's hyperactive words faded into a softer, almost mournful tone. "Besides...I'm the only one that can bring Sasuke-teme back to Konoha...I won't let anyone hurt my precious people ever again."

"I mean...what keeps him going? In a war like this, what makes him wake up with a smile on his face, and say 'this will be a great day'..."

A comfortable silence drifted across the clearing, and the two Konoha shinobi watched as small ripples spread through the lake. The lake was a shade that could only be described as the bluest of blue. Water drizzled down, droplets splashing across her pale skin. As the calm waters lapped at the edges, softly, Hinata found herself repeating Sakura's words in her mind.

"Why is he so...happy?"

Hinata's fingers clenched around the hem of her light blue kimono, and she turned to Naruto. Trembling slightly, she voiced the words that had been gnawing at her mind the whole day. "Naruto-kun!"

"Huh?" Naruto looked up, piercing blue eyes watching her, questioningly. "What's up, Hinata-chan?"

"I...ano...Naruto-kun, I was wondering," Hinata stumbled. Taking a deep breath, she blurted out her question. "What makes you happy?"

"Happy? Me? Um...I dunno. I guess...ramen? Yeah! Ramen!" Naruto gave her a huge grin, "And Hinata-chan is awesome too!"

Hinata blushed, but quickly stopped herself from fainting at his words. Forcing the words out of her mouth, she managed to say, "...Not that, ano...Naruto-kun. What I meant was...how do you stay happy? I-I mean..."

"...with the war going on?" Naruto finished the question off for her, his voice dropping to an uncharacteristic quietness. His gaze drifted to the stormy clouds, and rain poured down onto his face. "I...I don't know myself, either. I guess...I keep telling myself that being depressed will get me nowhere, and that I should treasure everyday like it's my last."

He sighed, "Sometimes I look out my window, and I just feel the urge to run away, to break things, to sulk, to cry...but when I was a child, I swore to myself, that I would never give up. I would never stop trying my hardest. That I would fight for what I believed in, until the very end. And then I remember Jiji, and his last words to me. 'Good luck Naruto, I know you'll make me proud.' That I'm not alone. I have my precious people. And I think, 'No, I'm not alone.'"

Naruto looked at Hinata with a fiery determination. "Every time I fall, every time I fail at something, I never give up! I will get stronger, to protect Konoha and everyone in it! I will keep my promises! And...when I die, I want to be able to say, completely honestly, that I have no regrets! That I have done everything I can!"

"Because, Hinata-chan," Naruto said, his eyes glowing an eeire blue, in the grey of the rain. "I have something to fight for, and that alone is a reason to smile!"

"Na...ru...to...kun..." Hinata breathed out, dazed.

Naruto's lips formed a content smile, "It's probably not one of the most inspirational things ever. Actually it's kinda cheesy. But...it's the truth."

And as soon as he had fallen into it, Naruto snapped out of his reverie. He turned to Hinata, and beamed, holding out his hand, "So! What're we here sulking about? Let's go get some ramen!"

As Hinata slipped her hand into Naruto's, she couldn't help but smile at the energetic boy she had admired for so long. Naruto-kun, you truly are an amazing person.

"I have something to fight for, and that alone is a reason to smile!"

End

A/N: As you've probably noticed, I ran out of synonyms to use for 'smile.' *Sniff*...It's not my fault Naruto is so exuberant! TT^TT Anyway, my first Naruto oneshot ever! So, cheers for me! At first I wasn't sure what to do, because I didn't want to stick to the clichés. (Which are okay, when it comes to smaller fandoms, as all you need to have is your own unique twist to it, but when it comes to the large fangirling Naruto fics on FF...)

Anyway, the reason I used Hinata in this (for you Hinata haters) is because she's probably the only one, that I can write, that could maintain this sort of serene conversation with Naruto. So, if it comes off as NaruHina, my apologises, because I did not intend for this to be a romance fic. Hm, that's about it, I think.

Thanks for reading. Reviews are very much appreciated!

– Dark Lady