A/N: Hey everyone who stumbles upon my story, I hope you enjoy reading it and of course please leave reviews! Currently I have writersblock for my other fanfic (Rooftops) but it will return! I may re-release it (mostly due to some inconsistencies). But I will try to upload this at least once a week. (cross your fingers!) Now enough of me blabbing, please enjoy! R&R!

PS: Don't own...obviously


Naruto Uzumaki was walking the streets of Konoha with his best friend Shikamaru. They were talking about everything, ranging from class, to the future.

"Wanna grab something to eat?" Naruto asked.

"I would, but I have to go see Temarai," he sighed, "She wants to go see some new movie." Shikamaru took a drag of his cigarette. Naruto just laughed.

"You're a dog on a leash." Shikamaru made a face and mumbled about something being troublesome.

"Have fun with your chick flick," Naruto said as he waved to Shikamaru, making his way to Ichiraku.

"Hey Naruto!" Teuchi called out as soon as Naruto stepped into the place. It was small but cozy. There was a small bar and plenty of seating everywhere else. However, Naruto's favorite place was to sit at the bar. Teuchi had already started making Naruto's usual.

"No company tonight?"

"Nah, he had to go see his girlfriend tonight."

He put the food in front of him and Naruto simply grinned from ear to ear. Teuchi laughed at his expression but smiled all the same. He was talking with him for a while in between bites of ramen. In the middle of talking he overhears someone come into the shop and seats themselves at the counter a few seats down from him. He looks over and sees that it was a young woman about his age. She had placed her stuff in the seat next to her and placed her head on the counter. Teuchi looked at her and had a sad smile on his face as he went over to the woman.

"The usual Miss?" he asked her. She simply nodded her head.

"What's up with her?" Naruto asked.

"She's one of my usual's. She works at the Hyuga Company I think and is usually pretty stressed. She doesn't really like to talk about it too much though." Naruto nodded and looked back at her. Teuchi finished her food and brought it over to her, then proceeded to take out a bottle of sake.

"How was your day?" he asked her as he was getting out glasses. Her responses was her simply putting up three fingers. "That bad huh?" he then proceeded to pour three shots of sake. She lifted her head from the table and picked up a glass and chugged it all.

"It was a shit day," she said while holding her head. She then proceeded to pick at her food. Naruto was mesmerized by her, despite the obvious bad mood she was in. Her indigo like hair was disheveled, her lavender eyes had bags and looked tired.

"Why don't you go talk to her?" Teuchi suggested while he took away Naruto's empty ramen bowl. "I'm sure she would appreciate the company, you know." Naruto knew the feeling, he nodded his head and got up and walked towards her.

"This seat taken?" he asked her. She turned to face him and he felt stunned for a moment. She was beautiful.

"Huh? Oh, no. You can sit," she said while giving a small smile. A small blush began forming on her cheeks and it only added to her beauty in this moment. Part of him was curious as to why she was blushing but chalked it up to the sake that she just had.

"My name is Naruto by the way," he said as he took the seat.

"Hinata. I'm sorry, I'm probably not the best company for tonight."

"It's okay. Bad day?" he asked, even though he already knew what the answer was.

"It's up there on the list of being one of the worse days," she said while resting her forehead on the counter.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I shouldn't even be complaining," she said as she reached for her second cup of sake. She took a sip and then sighed, "I work in a family business and I hate it. I wish I didn't have to work there."

"Can't quit?"

"Not exactly. I'm an artistic kind of person and this business doesn't need it." She finished her food then pulled out a sketch book.

"What is it you wanna do?"

"It sounds silly but I want to do game design or manga artist. I know everyone's in those fields but I feel like I could do a lot of pretty cool things there."

"You're right about everyone in the field. It's very competitive," he said with a chuckle.

"I think at this point I would rather do anything but this job," she said as she started sketching. Naruto's curiosity got the better of him and he started to lean over to get a better view of her drawing.

"Is that – is that a manga?"

"Eh?!" she started furiously blushing and attempted to cover her work. Naruto laughed a bit.

"I'm sorry I just really wanted to see."

"I'm not drunk enough yet." Naruto gave her a questioning look. "To show one's art in general is a very intimate thing."

"When can I see it then?" he asked with a smirk.

"If it ever gets published or turned into something," she said. She giggled and smiled. Then she picked up her last cup of sake and stared into it then looked at Naruto.

"You know, I think we should share this last one Naruto. I'm not exactly in the mood to drink it by myself anymore. Do - do you mind?" she asked while offering him her cup. Naruto was taken aback for a moment. Then he smiled. He took the cup and drank a little more than half. It had been a while since he drank so the initial burn caught him off guard. Which caused him to make faces which caused Hinata to giggle. She took the cup and downed the rest of it.

"It's been a while," Naruto stated in his defense . But he couldn't help but smile.

"It was nice meeting you Naruto but I have to go now. It's getting late, and I do have to be up early for tomorrow."

"Already?" he asked with a playful pout. She giggled some more, then she paid for her bill.

"I'm sorry but I do have to. I know!" she said as she looked in her bag. She pulled out a pen then grabbed the napkin and started writing things down. "It was nice meeting you and I hope I get to see you again!" she said with a light blush gracing her face as well as a smile just before she rushed out.

Naruto looked down at the napkin and was puzzled. It looked like it was a schedule. Teuchi came by him after she left and let a loud laugh.

"Good job! I haven't seen her like that in a while."

"What is this?" Naruto asked as he showed the man the napkin. He simply smirked.

"It's when she's here. I did say she's a regular. You made a good impression on her. Looks like she made one on you," Teuchi said as he left a very blushing Naruto.

Naruto looked back down to the napkin and the pieces were slowly putting themselves together. The schedule was for when she would be at the restaurant. She wanted to see him again. And at this, he found himself uncontrollably smiling. Then Teuchi's comment just now floated into his brain. He wanted to see her again, and at this he blushed, but he also somehow managed to smile even more.