"There's no calming him," Sasuke shook his head. "He's too broken up over it."
Hinata just kept her head down, trying to hide her growing fury. Tenten and Rock lee ran up to the group.
"Guys, Neji won't tell us," Tenten said in frustration. "He keeps talking about Naruto in hysterics but he won't say why. What's going on?"
Sasuke looked opposite of him at Shikamaru, who nodded to him. Sasuke sighed and rubbed the back of hid neck.
"Well, it seems over the summer Naruto found himself a steady girl," Sasuke explained. "And just last night there was a bit of a nasty break-up."
"Nasty, eh?" Rock Lee crossed his arms. "How so?"
"She confessed loud and proud that she had been cheating on Naruto," Sasuke continued. "On top of that she insulted him by talking about how no girl in her right mind would ever love a person like him because he was a clown and a failure and wasn't even worth killing, should there come a time."
Hinata wanted to speak but feared what might come out of her mouth.
"It's getting dark," Shikamaru looked up at the sky. "Uggh, what a drag. Naruto will keep himself under that tree for the rest of his life! Can't somebody do something to get him out?"
"I can't get Naruto out from under that tree," Hinata suddenly said, her voice almost as sour as Gaara's. "But I can finish what she started."
Hinata looked up with the worst expression they'd ever seen on her.
"She'll not get away with hurting Naruto," She clenched her fists. "I'll find this wretch and straighten her out!!"
Hinata suddenly flipped around and took off running. The group called to her but she didn't react.
"What is she gonna do?!" Ino mumbled to the others. "She couldn't actually kill anybody out of anger, could she? I mean, we are talking about little shy Hinata!"
"I've never seen such a look in her eye," Rock Lee replied. "Or pretty much any eye. I'm expecting the worst, Ino."
"Well, what should we do?" Tenten asked. "We probably won't be able to chase her down and catch her."
"Should we tell Naruto?" Ino looked in the direction where Naruto was hiding. "I mean, it is his issue that has Hinata by the ear."
"Don't," Sasuke put a hand on Ino's shoulder. "He's in a pinch enough."
Check this out! Ino thought excitedly. Sasuke is TOUCHING me! Sakura won't get him now!
"So then I'll see you tomorrow?" She flicked her long brown hair and walked on.
"You sure you don't walk me to walk you, Seori?" the boy asked. "It's dark, it's hard to see."
"Never mind!" Seori chuckled. "Who's waiting for me, stupid Naruto? I got rid of that nobody. I'll be fine, you'll see. See you tomorrow!"
After a short time walking, Seori turned down a dark path, surrounded on each side by trees. She heard a rustling to her left.
"Hello?" Seori yelled into the darkness. She ignored it and walked on.
"Nice evening we're having,"
Seori flipped around to find a shadowy figure right behind her. Before she could scream, a hand grabbed her neck and choked her. She could feel a blade on her neck.
Sakura and Tenten jumped down from the treetops.
"No sign?" Sasuke walked to them.
"Not a thing," Tenten wiped her forehead. "No one's even out this time of night!"
"What a drag," Shikamaru shook his head.
"What's everyone standing around for," A voice flatly said. They all looked, and there was Naruto.
"Naruto," Sakura started to go to him, Sasuke stopped her.
"What's going on?" Naruto stared at them.
They suddenly heard rustling in the bushes besides them. Naruto drew a kunai and readied himself. A muffled scream came suddenly, and that's when a figure dove out of the bushes and sailed past Naruto. The group armed themselves. The figure sat up in the light of the lamps burning around them. The figure has blood trickling from their nose and their hair was mangled, some even sliced off. Naruto lowered his weapon.
"Seori!" Naruto whispered. "Seori, what--"
Seori suddenly screamed and pointed past Naruto. He turned around to see Hinata standing there, with an expression Naruto shuddered to see. She clutched a kunai as if she'd never let go.
"And now, you worthless little slime," veins around Hinata's Byakugan pulsed violently. "you will die in front of the boy you put down!"
"Hinata, stop this!" Rock Lee called to her.
Sasuke had had enough. He charged towards Hinata, his fist in the air. Hinata punched his arm away and used the same arm to strike him in the stomach. Sasuke had only felt such a blow from his brother Itachi. He fell to the ground in pain.
"Sasuke, no!" Ino whimpered.
Seori couldn't move. Her leg was broken and her other leg could barely move either.
"You'll not get away with hurting Naruto," Hinata yelled through gritted teeth, preparing to strike Seori with her kunai.
Hinata then felt an arm wrap around her waist, then an arm wrap around her shoulders.
"Hinata, no," She heard Naruto say. "Don't! Don't do this!"
Hinata slowly lowered her kunai, and her Byakugan disappeared. Naruto's arms tightened around her.
"I didn't want this!" Naruto's voice cracked, and he dissolved back into a crying state. "You don't have to take revenge of me!"
"Naruto," Hinata mumbled. It was the first time they had heard her soft voice since the turmoil began. She turned around and hugged Naruto around the waist.
"Naruto, you didn't deserve what happened, I thought I could make her understand what she did was wrong," Hinata explained quickly.
"You don't have to, Hinata," Naruto looked down at her. "Her place has already been taken."
"It...it has?" Hinata looked up at him.
"That is, if you don't mind having such a place," Naruto smiled his usual goofy smile. Hinata's eyes lit up, and she buried her face in his jacket.
"Of course not," tears streamed down her face. "Of course not, Naruto."