Hey guys, how's it going? Please read the below, but if you are absolutely lazy, then skip it. Don't say I didn't warn you. I was gonna upload it yesterday on Christmas, but STUPID 503 SERVICE UNAVAILABLE THINGY!
MERRY CHRISTMAS! HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!
Or Happy Hanukkah, whatever holiday suits you. :D I'm not against Jewish people, Hanukkah and Jews are AWESOME!
oh, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Anyway, for this Christmas/Hanukkah (and New Year), I am back with once again another story! Yay!
I hope you guys like it, I tried my best writing this! It's a longish one! It might be a bit too long to be a one-shot...In fact, I might divide it into a two-shot for the sake of the readers. IF IT DOES BECOME A TWO-SHOT, then i'll just upload both chapters right away.
All my story ideas have been utter crap, or um, manure, right now... in my opinion.
But I finally have one! I think it isnt too bad! So I'll give my all this time! Jk, but in all seriousness, I will give it my all. Haha, :D
I had a bit of a case of writer's block, until BAM!
I was at basketball practice and the idea hit me square in the head. Literally. A basketball bounced and bonked me on the head. Ouch.
So yeah, after practice I immediately started writing, or uh, typing. :)
And, italics mean thoughts, etc.
And there might my a tiny bit of OOC...at least I think so. And sorry, I might have been a bit mean to Sakura. She's kind of a meanie in this story. And Naruto too...a little bit. And it might be modern-day/AU? ANd I might have ditched some of the background story? Of course this a NaruHina, but it may sound like a NaruSaku and SasuHina at first...
Oh, and the characters are like about eighteen and nineteen, except for Hanabi and Konohamaru (who I may or may not put in the story), who are about thirteen...
AND I'M NOT A FLOWER EXPERT! And I have not a single clue what Hinata's mother's name is. SO I'll just call her Murasaki, which means purple. Also, I'm terrible at naming people. :) And yeah, my information might not be too accurate, but I also did kinda change some of the background story of Naruto. It's pretty long-ish...And my story might be corny with a dash of cheesy and predictable. And...I might have author's notes here and there.
BUT WAIT! I tried really hard, and I think it's not that bad! I took a long time writing this!
Please rate and review! No flames, but if you must, go on ahead. Geez, some people just wanna make me cry! :(
AND, I DON'T OWN NARUTO! He belongs to the one and only Masashi Kishimoto! BELIEVE IT!
Summary: Hinata Hyuga works at a bakery with her cousin and her younger sister. Things go as usual, and nothing out of the ordinary happens. That is, until some people enter the bakery and walk into her life and make things a tad bit more interesting. A slightly lengthy tale that all started and originated from a simple question. (I'm bad at summaries XD)
CHAPTER 1:
"Otou-san! Where are we going?" A young girl with lilac eyes and dark brown hair pulled at her father's sleeve. He had long, black hair and was dressed in a kimono. (Nope, not Naruto!)
"We're going to fetch your mother some treats from the bakery, Hitomi." Hyuga Neji answered to his daughter.
"The one Aunt Hinata works at?" Hitomi asked.
"Correct!"
"Stop being so inquisitive." An older boy with brown hair and lilac eyes like Neji and Hitomi sighed.
"Why do you have to be so cold, Taro nii-san?" Hitomi pouted.
"Hmph." Taro scowled. "Free country." He's just like me...well, almost. Neji thought as he smiled.
"Taro, let your sister be curious." Neji said to his son. With that, Taro stopped talking.
Neji, Taro, and Hitomi continued walking down the street until they passed a familiar ramen stand. And at that stand was no one other that Naruto and his son Jiraiya. Jiraya was a short young boy who had blonde, straight hair (unlike his father's spiky blonde hair) and pale lavender eyes that resembled Neji's and Hitomi's and would bear the Byakugan, the kekkei-genkai of the Hyuga clan.
"Hi Jiraiya! Hi Uncle Naruto!" Hitomi yelled.
"Hitomi, not so loud," Neji warned her, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.
"HI HITOMI-CHAN! HI UNCLE NEJI! TARO-CHAN!" Jiraiya yelled back.
Taro growled, trying to hold back his anger. "Chan? Why does it have to be that suffix? Can it not be san, or kun, at least?"
"NOPE!" Jiraiya hollered, infuriating Taro even more.
Neji chuckled. "The loudmouth trait was passed on, I see."
"Neji! I heard that!" Naruto called, grinning.
"Sorry. Eating breakfast, are you?"
"Yup!"
"Believe it!" Jiraiya chimed in.
Neji and Hitomi laughed. Taro sighed, muttering about how stupid the phrase was. "Will you be going to the bakery soon?" Neji asked.
"Yeah, as soon as we finish." Naruto answered, mouth now full of ramen. He called to the kitchen. "ONE MORE BOWL, AYAME!"
"Coming right up!" Ayame said as she giggled. Just wait and see, Ayame. Ayame thought as she giggled. Once Jiraiya grows older, I'll be working even harder to feed both Naruto and him!
Neji nodded to Hitomi and Taro. "Well, we need to buy something there for Tenten-chan."
"Yeah! We're buying treats for my mom!" Hitomi said excitedly.
"Cool! See ya later! Say hi to your younger cousin later!" Naruto waved as he and his son immediately devoured their bowls of ramen. Neji and Taro and Hitomi continued their trip to the bakery. Neji glanced one last time at the father and son. Some things never change, he thought to himself.
Hitomi was fidgeting. Uncle Naruto was one of her favorite uncles, to be honest. But speaking of him, she ahd always wondered about something. About every day, Naruto had a chocolate cupcake. He'd eat one EVERY SINGLE DAY. To others, it might have been just a guilty pleasure, but to Hitomi, it was weird. She asked several people like Shino-san and Kiba-san and Tenten-san and Jiraiya-nii-san, but none of them knew. Maybe Neji knows! Hitomi tapped her father on the shoulder. "Otou-san?"
"Yes, Hitomi?"
"Why does Uncle Naruto eat chocolate cupcakes every day?"
"Really, Hitomi?" Taro grumbled.
"Yes, really," Hitomi replied, stressing the word.
Neji thought for a bit as the siblings quarreled. "You mean the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes?"
"That's what they were?" Hitomi replied, slightly disusted. Even Taro seemed taken aback. "Mou...What does that taste like?"
Neji smirked. "It may sound unappetizing, but they're not bad."
"But...you didn't answer my question! Why does Uncle eat it every day though? There must be a reason!" Hitomi pleaded. She yearned to know.
"There's a story behind it, but I'm not sure I-"
"Tell me the story, Otou-san!"
"Okay, fine, I will. It's a long story, but it goes like this..."
It was just another day in February in the village of Konoha. Somewhere in that village, there was a small, humble shop that went by the name of the "Hyuga Family Bakery." (A/N: I know the name of the shop is lofty and isn't that great and all...It does need pizzaz, but I just decided to stick with it.) And in that shop were many people, sitting at tables, ordering desserts and bread, and talking with others. Business was going great.
But anyway, there was a young woman with pale lilac eyes and long navy hair who wore a cream colored apron over her baggy lavender jacket. That woman was no one other than Hyuga Hinata. Hinata sat at the counter, working with great grace and swiftness as she decorated a large cake. She bit her lip as she applied icing and was deep in concentration. She worked continuously until she stepped back, feeling pride with her piece of work. I like it, it's actually really good! Hopefully, my customers will like it-
Suddenly, two men walked in, one of them holding a dog and grinning while the other pushed up his glasses and took off his hood. "Hey, Hinata!" The man with the dog, Inuzuka Kiba, greeted with enthusiasm. "Sorry if we're early! We'll wait for a while if the cake isn't ready yet!" Kiba and Shino were customers of the bakery who bought desserts and ate there now and then.
Yesterday, they came to order some cupcakes and a birthday cake. It didn't seem too hard, but the thing is, they didn't give Hinata a picture or idea for the cake. They only gave a few clues and tips, and then they we off. Hinata and her sister Hanabi had spent all night trying to think of idea, until their older cousin Neji had given them a great inspiration. Hinata worked tirelessly and did her best to get the job done.
"Told you we were early," The other man, Aburame Shino, stated. "Sorry about Kiba, Hinata."
"Oh, i-it's all right, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun!" Hinata said politely. "I-I'm done a-anyway!"
"Really? Sweet! Where is it?" Kiba asked, excited to see the cake.
"Kiba, be patient." Shino warned.
"Oh, sorry! I'm just excited!"
Hinata took out the cake she had finished making. It was carnation pink and was decorated with colorful petals and ribbons. On top was a small figurine of a young girl, holding a boquet of roses and smiling happily. The colors seemed to blend together beautifully and it certainly looked delicious! "I-I know it's not perfect, m-much less decent, but I tried my best," Hinata said nervously, playing with her two index fingers.
"Are you kidding me?" Kiba said in reply. "This-This is PERFECT!" He started inspecting it. "Not a single flaw! It's awesome, Hinata!"
"I am sure Kurenai will like the cake we bought for her daughter's birthday," Shino said, smiling slightly. "I'm impressed, and I have seen all sorts of desserts that you've made. Each beautifully amazing."
Hinata felt overjoyed. "Y-You guys mean t-that?"
"One hundred percent!" Kiba smiled as his dog Akamaru cheerfully barked in agreement. "Anyway, we better get going!"
"H-hold on, I'll just put it into a box..." Hinata replied as she took out a box and quickly and carefully placed the cake into it. She then tied with a pink ribbon before handing it to Shino.
"Haha, Kurenai and her daughter will love this cake! Anyway, bye Hinata!" Kiba waved.
Shino nodded his head. "Thanks so much. See you again, Hinata."
"B-Bye! Come again soon!" Hinata waved as well.
"Count on it!" Kiba grinned as they exited the shop. Hinata sighed in relief. Another successful mission! I'm so glad they liked it!
A few weeks had passed. It was March 14, and as everyone in the Hidden Leaf Village knew, it was White Day. White Day-a time for men and boys to give girls and women gifts in response in in return of gifts given to them on Valentine's day. Business at the bakery was wild and utterly hectic. Hinata, Hanabi, and Neji somehow managed to carry out orders without a single complaint or unhappy customer. Kiba and Shino even stopped by as well to buy something for a supposed sweetheart. Sai, who was still referring to a book about socializing, bought a cupcake stating that 'Girls like receiving gifts from people as a sign of love or great friendship.'
Two men, Kakashi and Gai, came into the shop and ordered some cookies and cupcakes. When they came out of the shop holding takeout from the bakery, flocks of women came, thinking that the boxes were gifts, not food for Kakashi and Gai themselves. To be more specific, Kakashi was the one being mobbed, whilst Gai tried to save his 'eternal rival from the great crowd of youthful women.' One of the teachers at the Academy, Umino Iruka even came as well, buying some treats for someone the he didn't want to name. A blonde girl soon entered the bakery.
"Nice place you've got here!" The girl said to Hinata, surveying the treats and desserts.
"Oh! Um...thanks!" Hinata replied quietly and meekly.
"Hey, anywho, I'm Ino Yamanaka! My family owns the Yamanaka Flower Shop!"
Realization struck Hinata's face.
-Flashback-
"Mommy! Why don't we buy those tiger lilies?" A young, five-year old Hinata said to her mother, who was pregnant with Hinata's younger sister, Hanabi. They were at the Yamanka Flower Shop, browsing through the collection of beautiful flowers and herbs and plants.
"Now, now. Don't get too excited. We need to buy flowers for Neji's birthday." Murasaki replied to her excited daughter.
"But father said not to give and presents! He said just to say happy birthday to him, and that's it."
"I know," Hinata's mother said, before hesitating. "But it would be a nice gesture to your cousin, you know."
Hinata thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, you're right, mommy."
"Ok," Murasaki smiled and pointed to the forget-me-nots and the irises. "Which do you like better, Hinata?"
"The blue ones! 'Cause Neji likes blue! I think!"
"All right." Hinata helped her mother pick a couple of forget-me-nots, lilies, and sunflowers. (A/N: Bleh, I know that isn't really a good flower combination, but meh. I can't think of many flowers right now...so deal with it! :D) "Inoichi-san, I'll take these, please. Murasaki carefully handed the bouquet of flowers.
"All right! Nice arrangement, too!" Inoichi said, smiling.
"Thank you," Murasaki smiled as she placed several coins on the table.
"See you, Murasaki! And good wishes to Hinata and your child!"
"Thank you!" Murasaki and Hinata waved as they exited the store.
"Goodbye!" Hinata said, receiving a grin from Inoichi.
As the two walked outside, Hinata was bombarding her mother with questions. "Mommy, was that Inoichi-san?"
"Yes," Murasaki replied softly.
"Will Neji like the flowers?"
"I'm sure he will. And we're also going to buy him a small cake at the old bakery."
"Is the bakery far?"
"No, we're almost there."
"Why are giving Neji flowers and a cake for his birthday, mommy?"
"Like I said, it would be a nice gesture. It will make him and his father Hizashi happy. DOing so is also very courteous."
Hinata asked another question. "Mommy, what's c-co...cour...courte...courteo...courteo-"
"You mean courteous?"
"Yeah! What does c-courteous mean?"
"It means respectful and polite, Hinata."
"Oh...just like you, Mommy!" Hinata smiled as Murasaki laughed. The mother and her daughter had amde it to the bakery. "We're here."
"OK! Let's buy the cake!"
"Yes, we will." Murasaki smiled at Hinata.
"Mommy, someday I want to own a bakery someday!"
"That's very nice. If you work hard, you'll achieve your dreams, Hinata." Murasaki said, tousling her hair.
Hinata beamed in reply and giggled.
-Flashback end-
"Uh...Hello?" Ino called to Hinata, snapping her out of her reverie.
"W-What?"
"You kinda zoned out there...uh.."
"I-it's Hinata." Hinata answered, blushing in embarrassment. "G-Gomen, d-did I zone out?"
"Yeah, but it's fine." Ino winked.
Curious, Hinata asked, "By any...ch-chance...I-Is Inoichi-san you father?"
"Yeah, why?"
"N-Nothing. The name of the shop sounded familiar. It just reminded m-me of my mother."
"Reminded you of you mother?" Ino echoed.
"Y-Yes. My mother died while...g-giving birth to...my sister..." Hinata said, surprised with herself. She had never really told anyone that before.
Ino gasped. "Ohmygosh! I didn't know about that! I am so sorry!"
Hinata smiled and shrugged off the thought. "It's all right. I'm fine, don't worry." Hinata gave another reassuring smile.
"OK...um...let's get started!" Ino paused before continuing. "Well...I just came by to buy my friend Choji a cupcake. I lost a bet, and now he wants me to buy him a bunch of things-all food, mind you." Ino showed the list to Hinata. "See it?"
"Oh..wow...t-that is a lot of food..."Hinata breathed.
"Yup. And now he wants..." Ino glanced at the list. "A half a dozen red velvet cupcakes."
"I-I'll be right back! P-Please wait!" Soon enough, Hinata came out holding a box of red velvet cupcakes like Ino had said.
"Oh great! Thanks! How much will it be?"
"I'll make it half price for you, how about that? I-I mean, j-just because you have so m-much food to..to buy."
"Nah, sounds tempting, but I'll pay full!"
"Hai." Ino gave Hinata money and smiled and waved.
"Catch you later, Hinata!" She said as she walked toward the door.
"B-Bye, Ino-chan!" Hinata called out to her. Ino, having heard Hinata, gave a peace sign as she smiled and walked off.
As time passed, the number of customers began to dwindle until the trio had the chance to rest.
Hanabi wiped the sweat off of her forehead. "Whew! Who knew White Day would cause such chaos?!"
Neji sighed, sitting in one of the chairs. "You could say that again. But at least we earned a huge amount of money. Profit is a good thing."
"Y-Yes, and now that the crowd is gone, you could start cleaning up," Hinata said. "H-Hanabi can clean the t-tables and fix the chairs, and N-Neji can mop and sweep the f-floor. I-I'll be taking care of any more customers."
"Ugh, I wanted to be the person at the counter!" Hanabi frowned, but did as she was told.
"And I, a Hyuga prodigy, am being degraded to janitor," Neji sighed.
"Quit moping, Neji-kun!" Hanabi teased. "All of us are doing something!" Neji sighed again and nodded, following orders from his younger cousin.
Neji, Hanabi, and Hinata continued to work, cleaning and patiently waiting for another person to pass through the doors.
A blonde young man was walking around the street of the village. He had bright cerulean and sapphire blue eyes, and on each cheek were three stripes that resembled whiskers. He was dressed in orange-all over. You could totally see that orange was his least favorite color (sarcasm). He knew that today was White Day, and even though he hadn't been given a gift from his crush on Valentine's Day, he thought he could win her heart with a gift. That man was Uzumaki Naruto.
He walked down the streets, window shopping, passing jewelry stores, stands, souvenir shops, book stores, restaurants, and a bakery? Huh. Naruto thought to himself. I never knew there was a bakery. He read the sign on the small shop- "Hyuga Family Bakery." He scratched the back of his head, contemplating for a brief moment before snapping his fingers. Sakura-chan rejected me when I bought her a bouquet of flowers, rejected me when I made her a card, rejected me when I told her a poem I wrote about my love for her, punched me when I played my ukulele and tried to ask her on a date, and smiled and shook her head when I gave her chocolates! What the heck! Why does she always reject me?! Maybe...this time I can win her heart, dattebayo! Suddenly, a light bulb formed above him. "Ah ha!" People glanced at him, noticing that he really wasn't talking to anyone in particular. They shrugged and went back to what they were doing. "I could give Sakura a gift from the bakery! It'll be perfect!" Naruto nodded, approving of his idea and entered the store.
He was surprised that no one was there, except for three people-a girl wiping the tables with a cloth, seemingly bored, a man with long hair sweeping the floors, muttering about how he felt like a commoner, and a young woman standing by the counter, drumming her fingers on the countertop in a rhythmic tune. The woman noticed Naruto and quickly straightened up, smiling as she greeted him. "H-Hello, welcome t-to the Hyuga F-Family Bakery! C-Can we help you?" Naruto simply looked around, admiring the beautiful desserts, cakes, and treats. They all looked delicious!
Hinata was standing at the counter, soon catching herself staring at the blonde boy. He stood, looking around, probably admiring the cakes and things. In her opinion, she thought that the guy was handsome. She quickly shook her head, snapping out of her gaze and rubbed her eyes. I should be focused on business, Hinata! Keep it together! The man still hadn't moved. Hinata cleared her throat, and tried her best not to stutter at her newfound crus. "Ano...Sir? May w-we help y-you?" The blonde noticed and clasped his hands behind his head.
"Oh! Sorry! But it's my first time here, and well, everything looks delicious! Did you make these?"
"Ano...y-yes. My sister, my c-cousin and I...W-we made all of t-this."
"Awesome! Anyway, my name's Naruto Uzumaki! What's yours?" Hinata face heated up. Naruto? He just talked to me! And asked what my name was! Hinata could hear Neji mutter, 'Are you here to socialize, or buy something?' Luckily, Naruto hadn't seemed to hear him.
"M-my name is...H-Hinata. Hinata Hyuga. N-Nice to meet you, N-Naruto-San." She wouldn't look at him straight in the eye, and she began her habit of twiddling her index fingers.
"Hinata...Pretty name! I like you! You seem cool!" He grinned, and Hinata immediately concluded that she was in love with Naruto. "But, there's no need for the honorifics! Just call me Naruto, but if you need a suffix, I guess...Naruto-kun? Or, Naruto-chan? Whatever suits you."
"H-Hai, N-Naruto-kun." Hinata blushed, surprised at the fact that Naruto said he liked her...okay, maybe not in that way, but she could dream, right? He also acted like they were good friends and he wanted her to call him Naruto-kun, not Naruto-san.
"That's better, Hinata-chan!" Hinata gasped a bit. He called her Hinata-chan! She blushed, interested in this strange man. He was surely different from the typical customers.
"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, noticing Hinata's crimson face.
"Y-Yeah. I-I'm fine!"
"OK? Anyway, I need to order a cupcake."
"I-Is it for W-White Day?"
"Yeah," Naruto grinned sheepishly.
"I t-thought so...Earlier we h-had so many customers b-because of that."
"And it was horrible," Hanabi muttered as Neji said the same. Naruto laughed.
"I seriously like you guys! You're all really cool!"
"But, sorry to burst your bubble, but are you gonna buy something or what?" Hanabi asked.
"Oh yeah! So anyway, I want to give this girl-Sakura-a gift for White Day. She really really really pretty, and I've liked her for a long time, but she's always rejecting me. But, I think this time, she'll actually accept me! Believe it!" Naruto showed Hinata a photo and sighed as he smiled. Hinata nodded, but she had to admit, she was jealous of that Sakura. But judging her upon her picture, she was pretty, and she looked pretty confident as well-unlike her. Hinata knew she had always been a bit shy and timid, but sometimes she wished that she wasn't. Naruto laughed. "So...what would you recommend? What should I buy?"
Hinata took out a platter full of assorted cupcakes that were specifically made for White Day. "T-this...These cupcakes are actually for W-White Day..."
Naruto eyed them carefully, scratching his left temple until he smiled and snapped his fingers. "Aha! I want that one!" He pointed to a pink cupcake that was simple, yet so intricate and detailed. On top was a simple, round cherry.
"T-That's nice, i-it has been quite popular lately," Hinata smiled with a nod.
"Cool! I'll get it!" Naruto turned to the cupcakes that were sitting behind a glass panel. He pointed to a cupcake-the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough cupcake. It was also popular with the customers as well. "And that one, too! I'll buy it for myself! It looks good!"
"Hai," Hinata said as she took both cupcakes and wrapped them in individual boxes with speed and ease. She placed them in a paper bag. "H-Here you go, N-Naruto-kun." She handed him the bag.
"Thanks! How much will it be?"
Hinata hesitated then shook her head. "I-It's your first time here, and y-you're really nice. And, since it i-is W-White Day, it'll be on the house."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Really? Come one, I'm fine with paying for it!"
"N-No, I-I-I insist!" Naruto pursed his lips and gave in.
"Fine, but I'm paying next time!"
"O-Okay."
Naruto gave a thumbs up and winked. He turned to the door and waved goodbye. "Bye Hinata-chan! See you and your sister and your cousin! I'll be back some day!"
And he was gone, leaving a confused Neji, a puzzled and curious Hanabi, and a blushing and smiling Hinata Hyuga.
The young man known as Naruto Uzumaki came back the very next day. "HEY HINATA-CHAN!" He yelled, receiving glances and glares from people at the bakery. Hinata smiled and waved, her heart fluttering and her stomach doing flip-flops almost instantly at him calling her name. "H-Hi, N-Naruto-kun!"
"Anyway, I need to tell you something-"
"Hey, Naruto, if you're just gonna jabber away, then don't be holding up the line!" Hanabi called. Suddenly, an idea struck her like lightning. "And, Hinata, your time at the counter is almost over. You'll have your break and then I'll take your job." Hinata raised an eyebrow.
"I-I thought...Isn't my shift supposed to end a bit later?"
"No," Hanabi laughed nervously. Oh shoot. Is she gonna find out...?! "Time flies, I guess. Go on and have fun on your break!"
"Ano...O-OK." Hanabi let out a sigh of relief, glad Hinata didn't question her anymore.
Naruto laughed and scratched his head. "Oh! Sorry! Um...how about...oh! I know! That chocolate chip cookie cupcake was AWESOME! It was amazing! And a close second on my favorite food list...following ramen! I'll buy one! And I'm paying this time! Oh! And make it for here!"
Hinata smiled sweetly at the eccentric blonde-haired Naruto. "O-OK," she said, grabbing one of the cupcakes and placing it neatly on a small plate. "A-Are you sure you want to pay? It'll be free again, i-if you want-"
"No, I'll pay! Believe it! Besides, I've got this!" Naruto suddenly pulled out a green frog-shaped wallet. "It's Gama-chan! I got it a long time ago! Cool, huh?"
"Y-Yes, i-it is really cool." Naruto smiled broadly and pulled out a couple of bills. Hinata noticed that it was over the actual price by quite a bit and she was about to return some of the money until Naruto put his hand on top of hers. Hinata blushed slightly and took a deep breath. Don't faint, Hinata! Don't do it! Don't go embarrass yourself! Be strong and keep it together! She regained her composure and stuttered, "B-But, y-you gave me too m-much money, N-Naruto-kun. I-It's...it's not that expensive."
"No! Take it. Keep the change...I guess it'll be my payment from yesterday."
"O-OK, i-if you insist."
Hanabi smiled and giggled. She was in charge of keeping track of the shifts between Hinata, Neji, and herself at the counter. Hinata wasn't supposed to end her shift this early, but, being a person who loves playing matchmaker, she decided to have a little fun with Naruto and Hinata. "Ta-ta!" Hanabi waved, motioning for Hinata to go on her 'break'.
"Oh, Hinata! are you on lunch break now?" Naruto asked as he took the cupcake from the counter.
"I-I...I guess so..." Hinata stuttered.
"Hey, I was really hungry and was headed toward the awesome ramen stand called Ichiraku's until I stopped by today hi! Since you're shifts over, wanna come?"
Hinata couldn't believe what she had heard. She was invited to go with Naruto for lunch! She was overjoyed and delighted. "YES!" Both she and Naruto were surprised by her sudden outburst. She blushed madly. "I-I mean...I-I-I'd love to." Hinata tried to contain her excitement.
"All right! Let's go, dattebayo!" Naruto grinned as he and Hinata walked to the ramen stand, side by side. She had even forgotten to take her apron off.
"Hey Naruto! Come to order lunch?" Old man Teuchi greeted as he and Hinata approached the stand.
"You bet!" Naruto said, smiling broadly.
"One miso ramen coming-" Teuchi began to call out to Ayame.
"Make it two, for Hinata-chan!" Naruto interrupted.
"Oh, dear, my apologies!" He turned to the kitchen. "Make it two!"
"Okay, father!" Naruto laughed and then sat at a stool. Hinata followed and did the same.
"So...uh...Hinata, was it?" Teuchi said.
"Y-Yes?"
"Seeing your apron and with my memory, don't you work at a bakery?"
"Yes..." Hinata said nervously.
Teuchi laughed and smiled. "Cool! My daughter Ayame stopped by your bakery one day and ordered these cinnamon buns. Man, we both thought they were delicious!"
"T-Thank you."
"Haha, no problem! One day, I think I'll ask you to make a cake for Ayame, how's that sound?" Teuchi winked.
Hinata smiled and nodded. "I-I'd be happy to do that!"
Soon after, Ayame came in with two large bowls of ramen, both steaming hot. "Here you go!" She said, handing both to Naruto. "Two at a time, huh?"
"No, actually." Naruto replied. "The other's for Hinata-chan!" He jerked his thumb toward Hinata.
"Oh gosh! I'm sorry! I didn't see you!" Ayame took one bowl and handed it to Hinata.
"Haha, i-it's fine, really!"
"Okay, father, we should be working on the new recipe like you said." Ayame said to Teuchi.
"What recipe?"
"You know, the recipe?" Ayame raised an eyebrow and winked inconspicuously. Teuchi was still baffled by his daughter's strange behavior. What is she trying to say? He thought to himself.
Seeing that her father still didn't get it, Ayame came up to Teuchi and whispered. "We should leave the young couple to themselves..." Teuchi raised an eyebrow and thought for a bit, and then nodded his head.
"Oh yeah...That recipe!" Teuchi exclaimed as he snapped his fingers. He then turned to Naruto and Hinata. "Well, see ya! I got to go into the kitchen! Enjoy your meal! Why don't it just be on the house, okay?" And they were gone.
"Hm. Old man Teuchi has a new recipe? Cool!" Naruto said, completely oblivious of what they actually meant and intented to do. "But, Hinata-chan, enough of that, the ramen's getting cold! Eat up, ramen's delicious!"
"O-Okay." Hinata began eating along with Naruto. And Naruto was right-the miso ramen was actually pretty good.
"And plus, I have news!"
"Hm?" Hinata turned to him, mouth full. She swallowed and said, "W-What is it, N-Naruto-kun?
"I finally got Sakura-chan to be my girlfriend!"
It was kind of odd for a girl, take Hinata for example, to fall in love with someone in a day. But love at first sight was so true. After hearing the "big news", Hinata was saddened.
Naruto, being as oblivious as he was, took her expression as one of confusion, and he explained a bit further. "Yeah, so Sakura-chan actually said 'Yes' when I asked her to be my girlfriend! SHE SAID YES! I am so happy, dattebayo! We're going on a date tonight! Believe it!" Naruto's face glowed with triumph and happiness.
Hinata, on the other hand, could've sworn she heard her heart shatter into a million pieces.
"A million pieces? How metaphorical! Otou-san, I never knew you were a great storyteller!" Hitomi said, jumping up and down.
"Stop it, obviously it is a stupid hyperbole." Taro waved dismissively. "Let father continue."
"STOP BEING SMART! EVERYTHING IS STUPID TO YOU!" Hitomi snapped. (OOOOOOH! BURNNNNNNN!)
"Yes. That includes you!"
"I'm not stupid! I'll be the best kunoichi! You'll see!" Hmm...She is just like Tenten. Neji smiled as he thought.
"Hn. If you can ever live up to my standards once you enter the academy."
"I WILL!" Electricity sparked between Hitomi and Taro.
Neji knew things were going to get very messy. He decided to break it up. "Due to the fact you stopped me, I'm guessing you're done hearing the story?" Neji said questioningly and calmly.
"Honestly...No." Taro said, embarrassed.
"No! No! Otou-san! I want to hear the rest!" She paused. "I feel bad for Aunt Hinata. I never knew that she met Uncle like that."
"Well, she did have a crush on him for a long time."
"Really? Why didn't she tell him right away?"
"You know your Aunt Hinata. She wouldn't do that. Besides, she had just met him, and Naruto liked someone else."
"NANI?! HE DID? I thought Aunt Hinata was the only one..."
"Didn't i just say Naruto got a girl named Sakura to be his girlfriend?"
"Sakura? You mean Sakura Haruno? Who is married to-"
"Yes."
"Oh...Continue the story, Otou-san!"
"I think I should skip the story a bit and get to the reason why Naruto likes the chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes." Neji sighed.
Hitomi was tugging at her father's sleeve. "Please! No! I want to know it all! Finish the story, please!"
Neji smiled and shook his head. "Ok, but don't be so reckless!"
Hitomi grinned. "This is gonna be juicy!" Taro smirked, pulling off a Sasuke.
Neji chuckled. You've been spending too much with your uncle and Jiraiya. And Taro has been hanging around Sasuke's son quite a bit as well. He thought as he continued the story.
You could say love is a funny thing. You could say it is the best feeling ever. You could also say it's the worst. Love can be a feeling of joy when you meet a certain someone or be with them. Love can be sorrow and sadness when you know they won't love you back. Love is a feeling that takes you up high in the clouds whenever they help you, talk to you, cry with you, or laugh with you. Love is anxiety and fear when you wish you could just blurt it out, but you're scared of what'll happen. Love is the tingling of your skin-the rush of butterflies in your stomach when they call or walk over to you and say your name. Love can be a pain when you see that one person you love loves someone else.
For Hinata Hyuga, love was all of those things. To her, love was a lot like a backache; it didn't show up on x-rays, but she knew it was there. And it made her happy sometimes. Other times, it pulled at her delicate heart.
The blonde-haired and blue-eyed ramen lover visited her frequently. Each time he'd greet her. And each time he'd buy a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake. And each time, Hinata would already have it ready for him. And each time her heart would flutter and swell at the sight of him.
Hinata was happy that Naruto still came everyday, giving her a hearty and happy greeting. And everyday, Naruto would talk to her. Sometimes it was about his teachers, while other times it was about his friends. He would also tell stories about people and the pranks he did, and Hinata would always listen to him, frequently nodding and seldom asking questions and replying. She had to admit-she was happy with that. But every time he came to visit, order a cupcake, and talk to her, he would go on and on and on about his "precious and beautiful and beloved Sakura-chan."
Hinata tried to hate Sakura, but she couldn't bring herself to hate her despite her jealousy. First of all, it wasn't part of her nature to hate or even dislike someone. Second, Sakura was surely better than her-she was prettier, smarter, stronger, kinder, funnier, and she had more charm-everything about Sakura was better that everything about her. Yet, Hinata would simply listen to Naruto drone on about Sakura, her hopes and her heart deteriorating little by little.
One day, Naruto hadn't come by to eat at the bakery. He must be on a date with Sakura-chan. Hinata thought sadly. The bakery was empty since lunch hour had just ended, and the last few people finished their meal and left. Hinata sighed and leaned against the counter. Suddenly, the soft creak of the door open has heard. Hinata straightened up as a man with jet-black hair and onyx eyes dashed inside, flipping the "Come in, we're open" sign to "Sorry, we're closed." As soon as the door shut behind him, a mob of girls with hearts in their eyes ran past the bakery. Shouts could be heard. (Guess who?)
"Where is he?!" A girl squealed.
"Oh my gosh, he is so hot!" Another said.
"I know, but he's mine!" A third shouted.
"No! He's mine!"
"I bet you don't even know his name! I do, and that's why he is MINE!"
"Ok, then. What is his name?"
"Hanate!" (Nigahiga reference, sorry. XD)
"NO! What the heck?! Where'd you get that name?"
"Sasuke-kun is going to be my husband!" (If you had guessed Sasuke, you're a genius! You get a cookie!)
"No, he's mine!"
A few quarrelsome moments passed, and the mob soon dispersed, looking for their beloved Sasuke-kun. Hinata cleared her throat.
"Um...uh..e-excuse me. W-Welcome to the Hyuga Family Bakery? How may I help you?"
The man, who was presumably named Sasuke stared at her in shock. "You..."
"Yes?"
"You aren't going to tackle me to the ground and come after my like those fangirls?" Sasuke blurted.
Hinata shook her head. "W-Why would I?"
Sasuke sighed in relief and walked over to the counter. "Hn. Finally some freedom. You sell tomatoes?"
Hinata raised an eyebrow at his strange request. "S-Sadly, we don't. It is a bakery..."
Sasuke nodded and closed his eyes. "As much as I hate sweets, I'll order a cupcake since I think I'll be staying here for a while."
"O-OK," Hinata said, still a bit flustered by the turn of events. "What...can I g-get for you...Sasuke?"
"I'll take the Peanut Butter cupcake, uh...Hyuga...?"
Hinata smiled. Things weren't too awkward, luckily. "Hinata. I'm Hyuga Hinata. Nice to meet you."
Sasuke smirked. "Hn. Uchiha Sasuke, at your service. Sorry, I'm not doing any honorifics or bowing." Hinata giggled.
"I-I haven't seen you before. Are y-you new to Konoha?"
"Yeah, and I've gotten a pretty nice welcome." Sasuke said scornfully. "My first day, and I think I've lost ten pounds from my running and hiding."
Hinata couldn't help but giggle at this uncontrollably. "Aw...h-hope you had fun so far!" Hinata was surprised. She never teased anyone. I guess Sasuke-kun helped me get out of my shell a tiny bit...She thought.
Sasuke faked a scowl. "What's so funny?" He tried to sound serious, but failed as he soon broke into laughter along with Hinata. Sasuke sighed and smirked. "You are really something, Hinata. I wish all those fangirls were more like you." Hinata blushed a tiny bit, but quickly reassured herself. Naruto. I like Naruto-kun. He took a bite out of the cupcake that Hinata soon handed to him.
"W-Were the only people after you fangirls?"
Sasuke hesitated before answering. "Well, there was this one annoying dobe..."
"A dobe?"
"Yeah, he was an idiot." Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"What was he like?" Hinata wasn't stuttering so much anymore. Inside, she was dancing around, happy that she wasn't stammering.
"Blonde dobe, with odd blue eyes. And he wears a hideous shade of orange. He was a loudmouth and really arrogant too. The only good quality that he portrayed confidence. And he has guts as well. He called me a teme. Baka. I swear that there's a demon in him." Sasuke muttered, directing the insult at the person he was talking about.
Hinata realized who he was describing. "N-Naruto-kun?!" Hinata whispered. It was very soft, but it was audible enough for Sasuke to hear her.
"You know him?"
"Y-Yes..." Hinata stuttered once more and began her habit of playing with her index fingers nervously.
Sasuke studied her for a brief moment, making Hinata feel slightly uneasy. He shook his head and then smirked. "You fancy him, don't you? Sorry for insulting him."
Hinata was flustered as her stuttered came back for revenge. "I-I don't l-like...I-I-I d-don't...Wha-what are y-you talking about? I-I don't really even k-know him! I-I mean, I see him now and then and he's still breathtakingly handsome-" Hinata quickly slapped her hand over her mouth. Sasuke laughed.
"Liar," he teased. Out of frustration, Hinata sighed and whined. Sasuke smiled smugly, then raised an eyebrow. "How come you aren't together?"
"Well..." Hinata hung her head in defeat. "I-I can't."
"Hm?"
"Ano...I-I've only known N-Naruto-kun for a few w-weeks."
"Why? Is love at first sight not true?"
"It's not that...It's...it's...it's..."
"It's what?"
"It's because he's in love with someone else!" Hinata blurted, tears taunting her, threatening to fall any moment. She held them back and looked down at her hands, which were on her lap. "N-Naruto-kun is dating another girl."
All playfulness that danced across Sasuke's face disappeared. "Is that so?"
"Hai." Sasuke hesitated and took a bite from his cupcake. He looked at the clock on the wall. "Well, I can't help you there. But if you like him that much, just go ahead and tell him. He may be a blockhead, but he'll come around and listen. I'm sure he doesn't treat you badly at all." Sasuke slapped some cash on the table and stood up. "It's getting late. I gotta go before a mob gets to me again. Keep the change." He opened the door. "Hn. See you, and good luck!" Sasuke smirked, winked, and departed.
Hinata waved back in reply and then frowned. "If it was only that easy..." she said, a hint of scorn present in her soft voice.
Sasuke hadn't returned at all over the following months. Other than that, the routine went the same as always. Naruto visited and ordered a cupcake while other customers came as well. Each day, Hinata would fall deeper and deeper in love with him. Nothing really changed-Naruto was still dating Sakura, which meant that Hinata was nothing more than a friend. If only she had the courage to tell him! Yet, Hinata was okay with that. Her big crush was happy with Sakura, and that made her happy.
Time passed once more and things were still the same once again. Kiba and Shino came more often, and Sai would sometimes stop by and admire the artwork on the cakes and pastries. He had grown to like the red velvet cupcakes quite a bit. Hinata worked with Neji and Hanabi most of time, and she was happy through and through.
However, Naruto's visits began to dwindle. He would only come once or twice a week-sometimes never. But nonetheless, Hinata would always have a chocolate chip cookie dough cupcake ready for the blonde knucklehead. However, because of how rarely he visited, Hinata would usually end up eating it herself. Soon, it became the "new" routine. Work. Wait. Clean. Eat. Work. Wait. Clean. Eat.
And it stayed that way for a while.
Hinata picked up the mop and the broom and carefully placed them into the storage room. Hanabi and Neji went on an outing with Hiashi-sama, her father, and she had decided to stay and take care of the shop. She walked over to the front counter and waited patiently. She looked at the clock on the wall. 7:00 P.M. Naruto, her long-time crush, hadn't come yet. And she was closing in half an hour. Suddenly, the door to the bakery opened. It was Sakura and Ino.
"Hey, Billboard-Brow, how was your date with silly ol' Naruto?" Ino asked, placing the shopping bags she held at a table and sitting down along with Sakura.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "It was fine."
Ino nodded and called Hinata over. "Hey, Hinata-chan! I'll take two red velvet cupcakes and two ham and cheese croissants!"
"Hai!" Hinata nodded and strode off. Ino and Sakura continued talking until Hinata arrived with their orders.
"Thanks, Hinata-chan!" Ino smiled sweetly.
"Yeah, uh, Hinata, thanks!" Sakura chimed in.
"Y-You're welcome!" Hinata went back to the counter and took out a rag. She began to clean the unoccupied tables. Hinata worked as she overheard the conversation. She wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but Ino-chan and Sakura-chan were quite loud people.
"Oh my gosh!" Ino squealed. Hinata winced slightly at the volume, but shrugged it off and continued wiping the surfaces.
"What, Ino-pig? See another cute guy?" Sakura asked, rubbing her ear due to the deafening sound.
"Not just any cute guy!"
"Wait...you don't mean-"
"Yup!"
"That guy?" (Time to play another game of Guess Who! If you win, you get a cookie!)
"Yes!"
"The guy with the onyx eyes?"
"Mm-hm!"
"And the black hair that is all spiky and stuff?"
"Yeah!"
"The guy...with the cool and calm attitude unlike Naruto-kun?"
"YES! OH MY GOSH! HE'S NOT JUST CUTE! HE'S HOT! HE'S-"
"SASUKE-KUN?!" The two girls yelled. (Here's a cookie for guessing Sasuke! if you didn't, get a cookie anyway!)
Hinata's eyes widened at the name. I guess Sasuke-kun was right with the whole 'fan girl' thing. She thought to herself.
"Yes!" Ino and Sakura exclaimed. They continued talking about "the hottest guy alive" as Hinata quietly listened. The two girls soon finished their meal and they paid for the food. Both said goodbye and began walking out the door, still talking about Sasuke. Hinata could hear Sakura's last comment.
"Yeah, Ino...I think I'll break up with Naruto soon...Sasuke is the guy I want to be with!"
"Haha, if you get him first!"
"I will! I'll just tell Naruto my decision tomorrow. He'll be fine!"
Ino and Sakura were gone and out the door. But the last few lines echoed in Hinata's head. I-I can't believe it! Sakura-chan's going to break up with N-Naruto-kun! She thought. And she thinks Naruto will be fine with that? If Hinata never found a reason to dislike Sakura, she just found one giant reason. Naruto gave everything he could to her, and he loved her with all his heart. And now, Sakura was going to leave him like that? Just because of Sasuke? That was completely heartless! And she even thinks Naruto will be perfectly fine and will fully understand. Hinata chuckled, once again with slight pity and scorn. Yeah right. Naruto would be crushed. Though she really didn't want to tell Naruto because Sakura probably wouldn't like that, she just had to...But then again, she just met Sakura and she seemed really sweet and she could be one of her closest friends in the future...But, no! She's gonna break Naruto's heart! But...it's not in her business and authority to tell Naruto...Though it was so tempting...And it was for the greater good, right?
Hinata knew what to do. She had to tell Naruto the news before his heart would be broken.
So there you have it! That is the first chapter of the story!
After I finished, I decided it would be a two-shot.
So, the second chapter will be uploaded right away! Believe it!
I hope the story isn't too bad so far...I took forever writing this!
Thanks for reading chapter one, if you did! Please review, rate, fav, follow-whatever you want.
Please refrain yourself from posting flames, but if you must, fire away. (Pun not intended)
NEWS FLASH: My story may even be a three-shot, if those exist...It depends.
SO here's a cookie! Ja ne!