Naruto lay on his back, staring at his ceiling. Ichiraku? Closed. Bookstore? Closed. Training grounds? Closed. He rolled over onto his side, sighing. Is this really the extent of my life? Naruto moaned inwardly. Shinobi missions, eating ramen and reading pervy magazines? He smiled. It wasn't a bad life. But now, lying alone on his bed on Friday night in the middle of summer, Naruto got the feeling his life was pretty empty. He rolled onto his back, not wanting to look at his messy apartment. I need a girlfriend. He sighed to himself. Sakura wasn't interested and he really didn't know any other girls except for Hinata who, well -

Naruto sat up. "There's no way I'm spending my Saturday night this way. I may be an honorary Konoha shinobi, but I'm still a teenager!" He jumped off his bed. "YEAH!" After his outburst, his apartment seemed deathly quiet in comparison. He sighed, hunching his shoulders. "I guess I'll go hit the hot springs..."

:::

"...And he just gained it all back!" Ino cried. Sakura burst out laughing.

"Really?" Ino nodded.

"I'm not lying! I swear!" The blonde held up her right hand in a mock-oath. Sakura snorted.

"I can't believe I got dragged into this..." Tenten muttered under her breath. Hinata was too flushed to say anything. It was Friday night and she was finally out and about in the busy Konoha streets. Sakura and Ino's energy was infectious. All she wanted to do was run screaming up and down the streets. Sakura punched Tenten in the shoulder.

"Oh come on! You've been wanted to do this for weeks! I can't imagine you getting much girl time, what with Neji and Lee on your team." Tenten blushed and looked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I get plenty of 'girl time.'" Tenten muttered. Sakura nodded, exchanging a knowing look with Ino.

"Right." Sakura laughed.

"Sure." Ino smiled, patting Tenten's shoulder. Tenten glared at the ground but couldn't contain her smile. "Come on guys!" Ino called, running ahead. "The hot springs is going to close by the time you slow-pokes get there!" Sakura grinned.

"Is that a challenge, Ino-pig?" She snarled. Ino's eyebrow twitched.

"Sure it is, Billboard Brow!" Ino sneered. Sakura sprinted ahead and Ino hurried to catch up. Tenten glanced back at Hinata, a giant smile on her face.

"Come on!" She grabbed Hinata's wrist and pulled her through the crowd.

The noises, textures and scents rushed by Hinata in a blur of light and color. Her senses were so bombarded, she barely realized that she had stopped running. Hinata followed Tenten to the locker room and stripped slowly.

Naruto watched the dwindling line of women going into the hot springs. Grinning, he ducked behind the building. "This calls for my speciality!" There was plume of smoke and a sound like muffled explosion. Where Naruto Uzumaki once stood, there was now a blond teenage girl with an orange jacket and short orange skirt. Naruto ran his fingers through Naruko's pigtails grinning. Perfect...

He slid into the small stream of customers headed for the women's locker rooms and began undressing. I can't believe how long its been since I did this! He grinned. It's worth it too - look at all these hot chicks! Success! He opened an empty locker and stored his clothes inside it, leaving his shoes in front of the door. Naruto looked around and saw none other than Hinata standing only a foot away from him. She was looking around like she was lost. Naruto opened his mouth to say greet her but when she began unzipping her jacket he suddenly remembered where he was. Crap! He ducked down and pretended to be busy storing Naruko's clothes in the locker. Did she see me? Worse, did she recognize me? Crap, crap, CRAP!

But Hinata turned and left without saying a word. He looked at her as she left and blushed furiously. This is awesome!

:::

All the girls had already made themselves comfortable in the steaming water by the time she had finished undressing. Sakura waved to her. Ino was sitting underwater and Tenten had laid a hot wet cloth on her face, cutting herself off from the rest of the world.

"Come in! Grab some rock!" Sakura cried. The bath was filled with other women, most of whom were simply relaxing. Candles lined the pool, close enough to cast their homely light on the bathers but distant enough to not get wet. Hinata stepped into the water cautiously, wincing as it nearly burned her foot. She put off her towel and smiled at her friends.

"This is nice." She whispered. It was the first thing she had said all night. Sakura smiled, slipping farther into the water.

"Mmm-hmm." She mumbled in agreement. Hinata looked at the door, anxious to see who would be joining them. The hot water made her relaxed and tired.

I could sleep here. She thought, yawning slightly. A new customer stepped through the door without a towel on. Hinata raised an eyebrow, to tired to be embarrassed for her. The woman had long blond hair that pooled at her feet when she wasn't walking. Her bright blue blue cut through the steam. Hinata smiled. She's very pretty...She thought, her head nodding back and forth as she lingered on the verge of sleep. Really familiar too...Hinata raised a hand and waved, thinking that if the woman recognized her she would wave back. The woman seemed more frightened than glad to see her. Hinata shrugged it off. It was hard to worry sitting amongst the warm waters, a natural current gently massaging you as the candlelight flickered across the gentle waves and ripples. Hinata smiled. So nice...

The woman took a seat in one of the most crowded parts of the springs. It was where the heated water poured in and everyone who came early crowded around it. The woman let herself be jostled by the other restless customers. Hinata shook her head, sliding her bangs away from her eyes. "Some people..." She sighed. Sakura tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hinata let's go. We're going to hit the shops and we have to leave now if we want to spend a little more time in the hot springs again." Hinata stepped out of the water. The summer air was frigid in comparison to the hot liquids and it shocked her back into her usual self, if not a little more relaxed. Hinata glanced back at the woman who seemed to have gotten quite comfortable.

"Hey Sakura - doesn't that girl looked familiar?" She asked. Sakura peered at her through the smoke

"Yeah sort of...Come on. Let's go." Hinata glanced back at the blonde. She seemed so familiar...where could they have met?

:::

Naruto climbed out of the hot spring almost slipping on the rocks, his face bright red. "What a crowd!" He grinned, releasing his jutsu once he'd gone out of sight of the hot springs. Ero-sennin would be proud...He joked inwardly. Naruto stopped suddenly, sensing someone near him. He looked up to find Hinata inches away from him. "S-sorry!" He mumbled, trying to keep his eyes on her face. Hinata nodded. She looked exhausted. "Hinata-chan? Are you okay?" She didn't look sick just tired. "Come on. I'll take you to the Hyuga compound." Hinata was too out of it to realize what she was doing before she climbed on Naruto's back.

"N-Naruto-kun..." She mumbled pulling on the front of his jacket. Naruto readjusted his grip on her.

"Hinata-chan? You're awake?"

"Mmm." She replied. "Naruto-kun, will you go out with me?"

Naruto stopped walking for a second. He shook Hinata gently. "Hey. Hey Hinata-chan are you really awake?"

"Mmm." She murmured. Naruto smiled.

"Sure." He sighed. Naruto set her down outside the Hyuga gates and pressed the buzzer. "Hey Hinata." He whispered.

"Mmm?" She mumbled.

"Hello? Who is this?" A voice asked from the speaker.

"Hyuga Hinata." Hinata mumbled.

"Hyuga-san! My apologies! I'll let you in right away!" The iron gates opened and Naruto lead her to the front door, slipping away before anyone came.