Chapter 1

The bar was packed with busy young adults. The music was loud and all Hinata could see were silhouttes in front of her. Her friends Sakura Ino and Tenten had separated. Ino and Sakura where on the dance floor shaking it, while Tenten was at the bar talking up some guys. Hinata stayed pressed against the wall. She clung to her drink and kept scanning the room. She hoped someone would come and approach her. Every Saturday was "girl's night". The four of them would get dolled up and go to some overcrowded bar. Have a few drinks and have fun. It was more than hanging out with girlfriends it was also in the pursuit of love. Each one secretly wished to find a soul mate out there for them. All four of them had gone through high school, college and reached a good place in their career yet they were all still single. They have had boyfriends before but none stayed. Well except for Hinata she was the only one who hadn't ever had a boyfriend. Her friends would argue it's because she's too shy, that she needs confidence and to push herself to find him and not wait her whole life for him to find her. Yet even though Hinata knew this, she couldn't will herself off the wall. She took a sip from her drink. She watched as guys would wonder over to other girls and start a conversation. It all looked so easy and natural. This made Hinata feel queasy.

'What if there is something wrong with me? What if everyone can see it?' Hinata started getting a headache. She wanted to go outside for some air. She thought maybe she should tell one of her friends. She scanned the room again for her friends and saw them all having fun or talking to people. She didn't want to ruin their good time and she figured she only be gone for a few minutes. She slipped silently through the crowd toward the back door. When she opened the door the transition of silent cold night overwhelmed her, she sighed in relief. The winter night was brisk and made her smile. It reminded her of that old scene from a movie. A cool winter night, a couple arm and arm, everything just perfect. Hinata opened her eyes and saw where she really was. In the alleyway, behind a bar next to a dumpster. That movie scene couple was out for their romantic night walk and there she was stuck wondering how much longer it would take till she could move forward.

The smell from the dumpster was finally getting to her. She decided to return back to the club. She turned around and thought, 'I hope he finds me soon.' She then took a step towards the door when she heard;

"Hey sweetie where you going?"

Hinata turned around to see three sinister gentlemen walking her way. She could already smell the booze on them. She turned away quickly to make a dash to the door, but one of the hoodlums cut her off.

"Hey look at her eyes. There so weird."

"Doesn't ruin her pretty face though." The other one sneered.

Hinata felt terrified her legs shook she wanted to scream but nothing came out.

"Leave her alone!"

Everyone turned around to see a tall, ripped man standing by the dumpster. He wore a tight black shirt that extenuated his muscles and a crimson red scarf. His hair was blond and he had sharp blue eyes. He held a bag of trash in one hand.

The three drunkenly staggered over to him.

"What you say?" They asked trying to sound menacing but instead sounded confused.

"Leave her alone." The man said this tone calmer seeing how the foes weren't really that much of a threat.

One of the hoodlums grabbed the scarf around the tall hero neck. This took him off guard as he went forward slightly. The hoodlum then landed a sucker punch on him. The tall stranger reared back a bit and then turned to the assailants.

"You got to go."

The man grabbed one of the drunks and threw him into his friends. The three tried to ready themselves and come at blond man but he was ready. He smacked two of them with the garbage bag and then grabbed the third he dragged them to the street. The one hoodlum dropped the red scarf. Hinata who was watching from the side in pure shock, quickly snapped out of it and grabbed his scarf. She thought it was the least she could do. The man threw the bums out of the alley way and yell at them to get out of here. He then turned around and began walking back.

"Are you ok?"

Hinata nodded and lifted up his scarf.

"Nah, they tore it and it smells now. It's fine. You should probably come back inside you shouldn't be out here alone."

Hinata nodded dumbfounded again. And clenched the scarf a little tighter.

Before the man walked back into the bar Hinata surprised herself and voiced. "Wait! Whats your name?"

The man looked back at her and gave her a warm smile. "Naruto" he saluted her before going back into the bar.