Mutual

In terms of appearance, Hinata did not stand out from the rest of the women.

Sakura was blessed with a fair face of delicate features and pale, soft skin. Ino's customers were usually the burly sailors from the nearby dock, attracted to her voluptuous, busty proportions. Tenten was the exotic attraction. Her rare, honey skin, golden brown eyes, and striking features was truly alluring to the curious aristocrats and wealthy bluebloods of the upper class

Hinata possessed none of that.

However, her customers liked to talk to her. Sometimes that was what they did for the whole night. They paid to have a conversation with her. A conversation! How bizarre! She was good at remaining quiet as she pretended to listen; which was a quality none of the rest of the girls had, and she supposed that was the reason why her customers came back to her again and again. What attracted them was what they believed to be her innocence – her chaste view of the world. They liked to think of her as a blank piece of paper, and everything they did; everything they told her, she would be interested in and believe. However, she knew, and deep inside, her customers also knew that that could never be true, or they would not be meeting in a place like this.

Her customers included all sorts of men. Most were middle class businessmen, writers, artists; emotional and spoke endlessly. A rare few came from the upper class's circle. Nevertheless, these men were all the same to her; despicably self centered.

Never once; during their long conversations; the fondling, or even during the actual coitus did the men ever ask of what she wanted.

"I had a bad day today."

"I had a great day."

"I want more tea."

"I want to touch you."

"I want to kiss you."

"I want to marry you." One drunken poet had said to her once.

"I want you to go over there."

"I want you to do this…"

It was always about them.

True, she knew and understood very well that these men paid good money to be here; the best brothel in all of Konoha; to satisfy their needs and not hers. What did she expect?

Nonetheless, she would never cease to imagine – to dream of a day when it would be different. When a man would walk in, and everything they did would be mutual.

Hinata met him for the first time one day, late in the afternoon on a Wednesday. It was a strange time for any customer to come. At first, she was struck by the intense colour of his blue eyes and his blond hair. She settled herself in the chair next to him.

"Tea?" she asked.

"Oh? Uh, yeah, ok."

They were silent as she poured out the steaming liquid for him.

"I'm Naruto." He introduced.

"Nice to meet you, Naruto."

"Eh, I'm not actually really sure how this works. I've never been in a place like this before. I kinda got forced by Sasuke teme and Neji…"

Ah, those were Sakura's and Tenten's frequent customers.

"It's my birthday you see." He continued. Inwardly, Hinata sighed in disappointment. Here he was, another one who liked to talk about nothing but himself.

"So they dragged me over. All I want is to spend my night in Ichiraku!" He scratched his head in frustration as she nodded in false agreement.

"Anyways." He continued. "Enough about me. What about you? How was your day? I never asked for your name, by the way."

And Hinata never forgot those blue eyes.

I hope this kind of ending isn't too abrupt. This is my first non NejiTen story. I've become a huge shipper of NaruHina lately, especially since *spoilers!* Hinata confessed to Naruto in 437.