A Class Act
Notes: This is a new fan fic project I started on another website earlier this week. Basically the concept is a simple one: I wanted to make a Hinata harem, because the girl needs more love. Also, I don't like getting caught up in fandom flame wars, so my solution is, why not pair Hinata up with all eliegable males? Simple, right?
Anyway, I'm posting chapter one and two here since I already have them finished; but expect updates to be slow/infreuqent because this is just a funny cracktastic side project I'm working on when writer's block keeps me away from other fan fiction works.
Please read and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the anime/manga series Naruto. If I did, it would be changed to Hinata.
–
Act One:
The Self-Help Books Never Mentioned This
Another book was added to the growing pile in the wire wastepaper basket. Standing up, the young woman looked at her now empty bookcase. No more books by Dr. Philstein, gone where the new age meditation gurus and 'happy thoughts' experts.
Hyuuga Hinata was a new woman...um girl now, and she would no longer be shackled to seeking advice from men and women ten, twenty, or even thirty years her senior.
Nope, today Hinata wouldn't need to browse advice columns or take on the latest self-empowerment courses.
Because today, she had found her niche. Her place in life. Her...calling as it were.
Sure, she was still a little bit nervous about taking on such a huge responsibility, but Hinata knew she was up to the task.
Leaving her room spotless- more so with the vacant bookshelves- the young woman felt like she was floating on air. Everything would change today, she was going to be a confident and fearless leader, a model to her peers and...
"Hinata..."
Her steps ground to a dead halt. Shoulders hunched and tense, the girl swallowed before slowly turning to face her father.
"Y-yes sir?" she said, inwardly flinching at having broken her first rule- No more stuttering.
"You're heading back to school today," Hiashi stated while flipping through the newspaper, headless to his daughter's growing anxiety.
She nodded at first, only to realize he wasn't paying enough attention to see it.
"Yes...f-father." Hinata started, forcing herself to swallow again- hoping to take the stutter down with the frog.
Hiashi still didn't pay her any mind, his gray eyes still on the newspaper.
"Keep up your grades and...try not to do anything stupid."
Hinata shivered, never mind this was the same 'pep talk' her father gave her at the start of each semester.
Hinata wasn't a bad child, nor was she golden; so an outsider might have viewed Hiashi's words as harsh and uncaring criticism. Hinata knew the rules though: the Hyuuga name rested on her shoulders.
'Maybe it would be easier if I had been born a boy.' she wondered.
But, as Neji once said, one couldn't change fate and it would be foolish to tempt it.
Hinata shook her head, 'I'm not Neji though. I will be a better person than I was last year. I'll make sure my father notices me...'
"I will do my best father." Hinata vocalized, her resolution bleeding into usually soft and meek tone of voice.
He still didn't notice though, fingers leafing through the paper for a moment before telling Hinata to bring her things to the car parked in front.
Head bowed, beaten again- this time by a boring news article- Hinata resigned to leave home and grab her father's attention another time.
–
Seated in the back of a sleek black limo, Hinata pulled out a lilac-colored notebook, a blue pen sticking out from the top metal spiral.
Flipping the book open to the first page, she looked at the first phase of her 'plan'.
Get noticed at school.
Now while the title seemed rather vague, underneath Hinata had already mapped out several possibilities to get attention- excluding anything remotely scandalous that would reach her father's ears.
Her first idea was to join a sports team.
The young woman cringed as she recalled her misadventures in try-out hell: Spring Sports Festival
–
Track-
"How...how did I do?" she asked the track coach, breathless and sweating more than a girl should be allowed.
Large bushy black eyebrows lowered as Gai-sensei looked at her time on the stop watch. He stalled for as long as he could, before delivering the bad news.
"Ten minutes," he said shaking his head, "Sorry Hinata-chan, but your time isn't good enough."'
She was devastated for a moment, then recovered enough to ask for another try.
"Yeah coach! Let her try again!" a group of boys seated in the bleachers called out.
Gai looked like he was starting to think it over, until he saw one of the boys had a video phone and had recorded Hinata's run, mostly focused on her bouncing chest.
"Um..." the girl started, her face the color of boiled lobsters, "O-on second thought Gai-sensei, maybe I should just...go."
As she walked away, dejected and humiliated, Hinata avowed to remember one simple rule for tomorrow's tryout- Wear a sports bra.
Volleyball:
She missed every ball, but did manage to acquire a taste for the grass and sand...neither one tasted very pleasant.
Archery:
"I'm so sorry Asuma-sensei. I swear... I was aiming at the practice targets so I don't know what happened!"
Asuma managed to keep his mouth shut about his 'ass' not being as wide as those targets; he did however scream some rather interesting- and new- curse words when the school nurse had to pull the blunted arrow from between his cheeks.
–
Thankfully, Hinata spared herself the trouble of recalling the rest of the athletic disasters. With a sigh, she crossed out sports.
Music was out of the question, she could sing okay; but instruments were way out of her league. Her academic career was nothing to write home about either, Hinata did alright for herself; but there was only room for one Hyuuga scholar- Neji.
Next to be crossed out was Hinata's failed aspirations for student council. With her list littered with 'X's and negative notes, one would think Hinata would be sorely disappointed and out of options. However, the opposite was true.
The young woman smiled as she wrote in, "Dorm Manager". A flourish followed, leaving behind a bold, big check mark.
–
Hours later, Hinata stepped out of the back of the limo, stretching her arms before walking around to the trunk to pick up her suitcases- with help from the driver.
"Hinata-san, are you sure this is the new dorm?"
She stopped for a moment, standing in front of the large old-fashioned house- it even had sliding rice paper doors! However there were holes in the wall, torn doors, missing porch planks.
The 'garden'- if one could call that tangled mess of weed and shrubs a garden- and the grass was a sickly brown-yellow color. Trash was everywhere: the path, hanging from the trees, clogging up the fish ponds.
"There must be some mistake..." Hinata whispered, almost speechless with shock.
–
"Nope, no mistake," a woman with a purple up-do replied as she nibbled on a stick of dango.
"B-but there must be! That dorm... the whole place is a mess! Please, you can't expect me to keep order there when it's not even fit for people to live in."
Brown eyes rolled as Anko slapped her clipboard down, "Look, I'm not saying the dorm building is the best, but since the newest dorm had a hole blasted into it over the summer..."
Hinata's eyes grew wide. Just what had happened while she was away on vacation?!
"It's the best we can do for you and your peers until the new dormitory is fixed."
The 'old' Hinata would have accepted that explanation, quietly walked away without another peep. The new Hinata however...
"How big was the hole?"
Anko rolled her eyes again, was it too much to ask for people to leave her to eat lunch in peace?
"Come here," she said with a crook of her finger.
At first, Hinata hesitated, but then decided not to make Anko wait- she had a reputation around school for being a hothead.
Yet Hinata regretted closing in when Anko suddenly placed her hands on either side of Hinata's head.
"Imagine the hole is your head, now times that times...ninety-six."
"...wow."
"Yeah. The admins decided it was best to tear down the wall and build it up again rather than repair it."
"How long..."
"Six months, give or take a rainy day or two."
–
Six months, living in a dilapidated building.
Shrugging off her luggage, Hinata stood in the main hall, the picture of shock and horror as she looked at the damage in all its hideous glory.
Just what she had sign herself up for? Little did she know that the old and crumbling dorm was the least of her worries, because her wards had yet to arrive.
–
A tall young man with thick hair stared at the gate leading to the Ginkgo Dormitory. A short 'Hn', followed by a motion to push his sunglass back up the bridge of his nose.
"Hey Shino! Good to see you man!" a boy with a booming voice yelled from across the street, dragging now less than three suitcases with him.
"Kiba," Shino replied with a nod.
"Whoa! What the hell is this place?!" Kiba demanded as he joined his roommate at looking at the mockery of grounds and building.
Shino pulled out a piece of paper, "According to this notice, this is our dorm for the year."
"The hell it is! I've seen better looking dog houses!" Kiba barked.
"Probably slept in a few of them too..." he grumbled while shifting one duffel bag further up his shoulder.
A rather interesting noise erupted from Kiba's jacket.
Both boys stared at Kiba's jacket.
"Kiba, your jacket is growling at me. I thought we talked about this last semester."
Kiba swallowed, "N-no! That's just my...my stomach! I'm starving. Let's see if there is any food inside."
–
Act Two
Meet Your Motley Crew
Dark eyes watched the world, his face the definition of detached apathy; however underneath the mask of boredom the young man was seething.
He had lost to his older brother...again. Sasuke glanced over his shoulder, but couldn't see the backseat of the car with the tinted glass in the way.
To Sasuke's left the driver swallowed uncomfortably. He had worked for the Uchiha family long enough to know when a storm between the two brothers was gaining steam.
'Just hope I can get out here before they go at each other again.' the chauffeur thought.
Honestly the Uchiha family didn't pay him enough to mediate between their sons petty arguments- he was a driver not a babysitter!
"Hey, you."
The driver snapped to attention, "Yes sir?"
Sasuke glared in response, "Are you asleep at the wheel or something? You're about to miss the turn into the school."
"Sorry...sir, my mistake." he apologized, but secretly was glad this long and awkwardly silent road trip was over.
–
Hinata walked up and down the dorm hallway, fretting and wringing her hands. This wasn't good. She could not run a dorm full of girls, or at least she couldn't do it in a crumbling building.
The floor boards creaked like squeaky wheels, some rooms smelled strongly of mold thanks to the leaky ceiling, some of the doors were busted or missing all together.
"What am I going to do?" Hinata asked herself, leaning against the wall, tapping the back of her head against the wooden panels.
If she had one of her books handy, Hinata could have flipped to a number of chapters that said self-confidence started by creating a clear and achievable goal.
Well, she had the goal on her mind; but before the plan was even in motion Hinata was faced with a enormous challenge; something much bigger than herself.
"I don't think I can handle this. Why did I even bother signing up? I can't do this...I can't..."
In the middle of her pity-party, Hinata remembered something. The 'old' Hinata thought like that. The old her talked herself out of taking on challenges, trying new things, defeating herself before even trying.
The new Hinata took charge, no matter the obstacle in her path.
Forcing herself to stand upright, Hinata nodded, "I'll do this. I have to. I will..."
"Do you always talk to yourself?"
Hinata gasped, turned on her heel and nearly collided with a boy.
–
"This is the place," Temari said, opening the door as her brothers stepped out. While Kankuro went around back to get his and Gaara's stuff, Temari took a moment to look at the dorm.
Despite herself, she laughed, "Oh. They must have known you two were coming, Kankuro. Take a look at Hotel Animal House."
Her brother frowned in response, brown eyes narrowed, "What the hell? This must be some kind of joke!"
"If it is, it's a pretty good one." Temari cackled as she got back in the car, "Have fun you two, call me if the roof caves in."
Kankuro snarled, too bad he wasn't given enough time to create a scathing come back. He looked to Gaara, who glared in response.
With a roll of his eyes, Kankuro threw Gaara's bags at his sibling, "Carry your own crap."
–
"Stop looking so smug."
"Who? Me?"
"Yes you! Because of your stupid ass stunt, we don't have a place to stay!"
"Hey now! Who's to say it was me, un? Could have been anyone."
"Yeah anyone who carries several sticks of dynamite in their pants! Don't screw with me..."
"Both of you, shut up," an exasperated voice returned.
"Screw you!"
The blond nodded in response, "Go play with your 'dolls' Sasori."
The once mellow red-head suddenly looked murderous, "They're puppets. Not dolls! How many times do I have you explain it?"
–
"No, don't even think about it."
"What? You don't like my posters?"
"Hn, pictures of naked girls plastered along the walls. What's not to like?"
Kakashi grinned in response, "Knew you'd see things my way," he said turning back to the task of tacking the posters of beach babes up.
"Kakashi! I was being sarcastic."
"Yeah and I don't care. This is my side of the room, I'll decorate the way I want to."
Iruka rolled his eyes. This was going to be another long semester.
"Why did I agree to be your roommate again?"
"Because you love me." Kakashi said with a grin, before having to dodge a pillow aimed at his roster-comb silver hair.
–
"I don't talk to myself...or at least not often..." Hinata replied, feeling her face starting to turn red. Why did she have to see him again, right when she was teetering between meltdown and empowering pep talk?
"Don't worry," he returned, "it was kind of cute."
"R-really?" Hinata asked, her hopes soaring.
"Yeah...in a creepy I-hear-voices-and-they-don't-like-you, kind of way."
"...oh..." suddenly his compliment was less...effective.
"Hey, don't look at me like that! Some guys I know are into chicks who talk to themselves."
'You're not one of them,' Hinata thought, her frown deepening.
"So, what are you doing here?"
Pale lavender eyes blinked, "I was about to ask you the same thing. This is a girl's dormitory, so you know that boys aren't allowed. As the dorm manager, I'll have to ask you to leave...what? What's wrong?"
Naruto returned her confused stare, "They didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, "This is the new boys dorm."
–
Neji was not happy. At first, he had come to accept the Administration denying his request to become Dorm Manager; but as he approached his new home, bitterness started to sink in.
He was not 'taking on too many extracurricular activities' as the Headmaster had politely put it.
It wouldn't have been too much trouble for him to take on this extra responsibility. He suspected Hiashi had something to do with it. His uncle wanted nothing to do with him ten years ago, now all of sudden he started acting like a concern parent.
'It's none of his business, I'm not his son.' Neji thought, silently fuming as he put his clothes away. Coming to a broken down dorm was just icing on the cake.
'As much money as the Hyuuga family pours into this school, they could have given me a better place to live.'
"Hello roommy!"
Neji gritted his teeth, he was stuck with this joker again!
Did Kami hate him?
Maybe he had a truckload of bad karma somewhere?
"Good morning Lee," Neji replied curtly.
Obvious to his roommate's testy behavior, Lee immediately claimed the 'good bed' before Neji was the wiser.
"Have you seen the new Dorm Manager yet?"
Neji frowned, seeing this as rubbing salt into his wounded pride, "No."
'Whoever it is, if he think he'll be in charge...' Neji thought already planning on how he could take control of the house right underneath the dorm manager's nose.
–
"Hey! Quit hogging the chips Chouji!" Kiba ordered as he attempted to wrestle a bag from the other boy.
"No, these are mine! I saw them first."
"Didn't anyone teach you how to share?"
Shino and Shikamaru watched the wrestling match for the chips, Shikamaru was obviously bored, yet paid enough attention to know when to intervene. Chouji was a nice guy and a bit of a pushover most of the time; but he was very possessive over food and sensitive about his weight.
So all it would take was one careless remark from Kiba- which he was know to do, it would take all Shikamaru had to keep Chouji from attacking him.
Currently, both were just arguing and tugging the chip bag back and forth.
"Think maybe we should tell them there are other chip bags inside the cabinets?" Shino asked.
"Nah, so long as they're not hurting each other..."
Kiba stopped pulling when his jacket started to growl again.
With all eyes on him, Kiba released the chip bag- causing it to pop open and fling several potato wafers in the process.
"I've got to...go change," he excused, not that anyone was buying it.
The kitchen became silent for a moment or two before Chouji said around a mouthful of chips, "Ten bucks...says he's going to get caught with that dog within a week."
"I'll give a day, Kiba isn't great at keeping secrets," Shikamaru replied, leaning back in his chair.
"Two weeks..."
Chouji and Shikamaru looked at Shino, who shrugged in return, "That's how long it took for the previous Dorm Manager to discover Akamaru."
"Yeah well Ebisu was about as sharp as a butter knife, not that Kiba is any better; but I'd like to think they've gotten a better manager this time."
"Perhaps."
"Hey, does anyone know who the new manager is?" Chouji asked.
"I heard Neji applied."
Shikamaru groaned, "Great, that's the last thing we need. He already bosses everyone around like he owns this school."
–
"W-what?" Hinata breathed, her resolve starting to crumble again.
At Konoha Academy boys and girls lived on opposite ends of campus. Classes and extracurricular activities were divided by gender to the point boys and girls only met each other at campus-wide functions and student council meetings.
"That's impossible! Why would they let me be dorm manager over a b-boys dormitory?"
Naruto shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine."
"This isn't happening," Hinata muttered, head bowed, "I tried so hard..." she started. Closing her eyes, Hinata tried to force herself not to cry.
It would be stupid and childish for her to cry over a silly little setback; but she just felt so frustrated. She was trying, honestly trying to better herself. Yet she kept coming up against road block after road block.
"Hey...are you okay?" Naruto asked, leaning over to look at Hinata's face.
"N-no...no I'm not okay."
"Um...you know maybe this isn't so bad."
Hinata's head snapped up, quickly wiping tears off her face, "How?"
–
The common room of the dorm gradually filled up as the residents found a seat and waited for their dorm manager to show up.
Minutes slowly ticked by, restless fingers drummed on kneecaps, people sighed, rolled their eyes and looked at the clock.
Twenty minutes into the meeting, people started looking around, getting up out of their chairs.
–
Hinata swallowed, trying desperately to keep her heart inside its ribcage.
"I'm not sure if I can..."
"Come on, don't talk like that!" Naruto said, giving Hinata a light slap to her back. The girl 'eep'ed' in response, jumping a little at the rough contact.
"Sorry, didn't realize I was so rough."
Hinata cracked open the door, looking at the restless residents, then quickly closing it again before someone saw her.
"I can't... I can't..." she said shaking her head.
"Hey," Naruto began.
Hinata ignored him at first, but she could no longer ignore Naruto when he suddenly placed his hands on the side of her head.
Blinking, Hinata looked into his blue eyes.
"You're going to do great out there. These guys might be a pain sometimes..okay all the time. But they're all good guys. I think they'll like having you as our manager."
"B-but..." Hinata started to protest.
Now it was Naruto's turn to shake his head, "No more excuses, now...get out there!" he said, his hands off Hinata to open the door wide.
–
Heads turned when the doors opened. At first all anyone could see was Naruto.
"Naruto, you're late!" Iruka snapped.
Naruto grinned, "Sorry, I was just getting our manager."
A pause.
"Well, where is he?"
Naruto grinned as he slowly pulled Hinata up front, "Guys, meet Hinata, She's our new dorm manager."
Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Hinata felt her heart rate speed up, her mouth was dry. She just wanted to run away, to get away from all the watchful eyes looking at her expectantly...waiting.
Waiting for what?
Oh that's right, she had make a speech and go over the dormitory rules...
Where was her notebook? The rulebook? She was completely unprepared!
"Are you serious?"
"Naruto, this isn't one of your pranks is it?"
"Why is her face turning blue?"
Eyelids fluttering, Hinata tried to clam herself- deep breathing, oh god, she forgot how to breath!-
"Whoa, she's falling!"
"Someone catch her!"
The world suddenly dipped into a tilt. Lightheaded and overtaken by anxiety, Hinata fainted.
–