That day was a very different day than usual.

Hinata reported to her 1-A classroom as she did every other day, seated in her desk politely as the other teens murmured and socialized. Hinata didn't really have anyone to talk to in her homeroom class – the only ones she knew from junior high were Sakura and Ino who were both in 1-B. Then again, she didn't really fit in with the gossiping glamor girls, preferring to merely keep her silence and listen. Talking was far from her strong suit.

But when her homeroom teacher Hatake Kakashi entered in, he didn't begin his usual lesson. Instead, he informed them that the entire school would be taking a field trip.

"The construction and preparation of the new aquarium has been completed," the masked man told them. "And as a special treat, the first week has been scheduled for tours for the local high school and junior high school students. Today happens to be our day! So, each class will have a bus to themselves, and they will meet at the aquarium gates. Once there, you will be expected to show respect and cordiality to our hosts. You may take the tour with any other students once we arrive, but the buses have strict rules about class assignment to and from the aquarium. Understood?"

A chorus of, "Hai!" rang out through the room, and excited chatter broke out amongst the students. Hinata blinked, a bit taken aback. It had been quite some time since she had been on a field trip. Their city was fairly large, with many places to visit, but most of her adventures with her class had taken place in junior high. Though she was still only in year ten, the year was half over and this was the first outing she had had with her current class. How exciting! she thought to herself, smiling a bit. The smile died, however, when she realized she had no one to walk with. I...I'm sure Sakura chan and Ino chan will walk together, but... Glancing around her class, she saw that no one had turned to ask her to walk with them. She looked down at her phone, considering texting them before sighing.

But...I am alone...

Class by class the students were filed onto buses, a fleet preparing to take the entire high school of nearly 250 students across town to the new attraction. Hinata took a seat by herself toward the front, watching out the window eagerly as they pulled away from the curb. She had never been to an aquarium before – it was the first the city had built in her lifetime. Once the vehicles arrived, the students were left in a milling mass outside, more or less enclosed by a few teachers forming a tentative ring. Almost immediately, the idea of class and year was forgotten as friends, siblings and couples attempted to find one another for the tour.

"Attention!" the principal called, standing at the front upon a small rise in the concrete. Looking over her students, Tsunade went on. "The aquarium can only take a certain number of students at one time! Therefore, we shall stagger groups of twenty every few minutes to ensure that there is no overcrowding or pushing – if you come upon the next group early, we ask that you attempt to wait to prevent the groups from running together! Is that clear?"

A murmur of assent traveled through the crowd, and the sorting process began.

Left behind toward the back, Hinata merely resigned herself to a random group of students. I-it's fine, she told herself. There won't be any distractions, and I can see things better on my own, anyway...and if we're the l-last group, we can take our time!

"Ah, excuse me..."

Taken aback, Hinata gasped lightly as someone attempted to join her group and stand more amongst them. Turning, she saw an older male student by her side. "O-of course! S-sorry I was in the way..."

He glanced at her with a small, polite smile. "It is no trouble, Hyuuga san. I hope you do not mind my intrusion."

"N-not at all!" Hinata offered quickly. He...knows who I am?

As though sensing her confusion the boy chuckled softly behind his hand. "Forgive my forwardness, Hyuuga san. I am an acquaintance of your cousin, Hyuuga Neji. He and I are in the chess club together, and I recognized your eyes. They are quite distinctive."

Hinata blushed, unsure what to say. He was...looking at my eyes...?

"Anyway, I hope you do not mind me joining your group – I am, ah...a bit of a loner myself, so I tend to hang back in events such as these." He glanced out over the crowd. "My younger brother is a bit more forward, but I do not share the sentiment. Perhaps you know of him – Uchiha Sasuke?"

Recognition made Hinata gasp. "Ah, yes – he is in my class! He is indeed quite the popular one..." Fading out, Hinata added, "V-very much unlike myself...so...I do not know any more of him than that."

"I am not surprised. Sasuke keeps to himself, despite the attempts of many to reach him. I believe he only seeks the company of one Uzumaki Naruto, a fellow classmate as well. Despite their differences, they seem to get along quite well." The boy paused, blinking. Sounding a bit surprised, he added, "I am sorry, Hyuuga san...I have forgotten to introduce myself! I am Uchiha Itachi – senior of class 1-A. I hope you can forgive my lapse in etiquette."

"It is n-no trouble, Uchiha san," Hinata replied, smiling. "You had other things to speak of. M-my name is Hyuuga Hinata – I'm v-very glad to meet you!"

The pair exchanged smiles before Itachi replied, "The same to you, Hyuuga san." Glancing ahead and seeing that they still had some time before entering, he added, "I hope this trip is enjoyable. I must admit I know little about marine creatures, but seeing anything of the world so close up should be interesting nonetheless."

"I-I don't either," Hinata admitted. "But fish are so pretty, with all of their c-colors and designs. Like flowers of the ocean that m-move!" She giggled behind her hand.

"Ah, you enjoy flowers?" Itachi asked, seeming interested to learn more about her.

"I...I do! Ikebana is one of my favorite pastimes," Hinata murmured shyly. "I w-wish there was a club dedicated to it, but...sadly there is not. But, I still do lots of flower arranging at home!"

"I am glad to hear it," Itachi replied.

It was then that the group began to move inside, students pressing together eagerly to see what awaited them. At the back of the group, Itachi and Hinata kept their distance. "It is far from polite to crowd," Itachi murmured, frowning lightly.

Hinata giggled. "I-it is..."

The first exhibits were fairly basic – large tanks filled with colorful fish of many shapes and sizes. Glad to be at the back and therefore not rushed, Hinata gazed with wide eyes at the shifting rainbows of scales and sea plants that drifted lazily in artificial currents. Pulling out her mobile, she took a few pictures to show to Hanabi, who was still in junior high. The elder sister knew that the younger students would see the exhibits eventually, but she still wished to share them with her sibling first.

Next were turtles, large glass panes allowing views as they paddled back and forth. "I've n-never seen a turtle before!" Hinata observed, hands itching to press against the glass. She refrained, however, as she thought of the hand prints she would leave.

"They are interesting creatures," Itachi noted. "I've heard that they can live for a hundred years or more."

"R-really?" Hinata glanced at him curiously. "I t-thought you didn't know anything about fish?"

Grinning a bit, Itachi replied, "A turtle is not a fish. But, I really do know very little about marine life...but that is one fact I have managed to retain."

Coloring a bit at Itachi's teasing, Hinata snapped another picture before moving on.

At last they had come to the open aquariums, within which small sharks and barracudas swam in circles and loops.

"S-sharks?" Hinata gasped, stepping back from the edge as she spied what lay within.

"Very misunderstood creatures, from what I've gathered," Itachi offered. Putting his hands on the railing, he glanced over with a calm expression. "Yet another animal man paints as a beast before himself."

Blinking at the boy's cryptic analogy, Hinata crept forward to take another picture. But as she did so, a slim shark made a sudden turn, splashing slightly and scaring the poor girl. Her grip fumbled, and with a small plop her phone dropped into the water. Gasping, she leaned forward to reach only to feel Itachi's arms around her waist.

"Probably not a wise choice, Hyuuga san," he grunted, pulling her back as she struggled slightly. "Another phone is simple to find, but fingers are not so easily replaced."

Recovering from her instinct to hunt for her phone, Hinata gasped again. "I...I a-almost put my hand in there!" she squealed, stumbling back more into Itachi's grip in an attempt to further herself from the sharks. "I'm so s-s-stupid!"

"It was a natural reaction," Itachi reasoned softly. "But I am glad I managed to stop you."

The pair was silent as they stared at the drowning device before Hinata realized that Itachi still had his arms around her waist, and that her back was pressed quite snugly to his chest.

Her cheeks exploded into color. "Ah, I-Itachi san...w-we should, um...we should go..."

Taken aback as he too made the realization, the Uchiha removed his grip and coughed slightly in embarrassment. "S-sorry," he mumbled. "I...was lost in thought."

"I-it's okay," Hinata replied, giving him a shaky smile, still a bit wary of what had nearly happened. She had to admit to herself, however, that being removed from Itachi's embrace left her feeling quite...alone again. Shaking her head to clear it, she scolded herself. Itachi san was j-just being polite! She paused, realizing that she had called him as such out loud. A-ah! He must think me so r-rude! Spinning around, she bowed quickly and mumbled, "I-I'm sorry, Uchiha san...I...I didn't mean to, u-um..."

Itachi blinked. "Did not mean to what?"

Still bowed over, Hinata bit her lip. "I...c-called you by name without your permission...I'm sorry..."

Understanding flooded Itachi, and he smiled. "Ah, there was no offense, Hyuuga san. You may call me Itachi if you'd like."

Tentatively, Hinata stood upright once more. "R-really?" Blinking, she smiled shyly in return. "T-thank you, Itachi san...y-you may call me Hinata too, i-if you'd like."

"I would...Hinata san."

Smiling at one another, it took the teens several seconds to notice something. Glancing around, Hinata squeaked as she was the first to realize it. "Ah, I-Itachi san – we've been l-left behind!"

Itachi too took a look and saw that they were quite alone – the rest of the group was gone! "They...they could not have gone far!" he offered. "Here – they must have gone this way."

"W-what about my phone?" Hinata asked. "I k-know we can't get it, but...s-shouldn't we tell someone?"

"If we find an employee, we shall alert them to the matter," Itachi replied. "But we should really get going before we fall any farther behind!" Without pausing, the boy took her wrist in his hand and began leading her forward.

Blushing, Hinata complied.

The pair passed several more tanks and pools, thankful that the path seemed somewhat obvious. Fish and aquatic flora watched as they searched for their group before they reached one of the main attractions.

Slowing to a stop, Itachi actually opened his mouth slightly in awe. "Wow..."

Before them was a mobile path, over which a glass tube was domed. Within were hundreds and hundreds of gallons of water, but it was far from empty. Sharks of great size swam easily above them, their bellies shown as they drifted over the roof of the tunnel.

Forgetting everything else, Hinata felt her knees lock. "D-do we have to go t-through there?" she mumbled, bringing her free hand to her lips nervously.

"I think we do..." Itachi replied, grip still soft and yet unyielding around her wrist. "Don't worry, Hinata san...they can't hurt you." Glancing back at her with a smile, he gently coaxed her onto the moving pathway.

Hesitating, Hinata eventually followed.

The tunnel was dark, light barely filtering in from above and leaving most of the sharks as mere silhouettes above them. Gaze caught mostly upward, Hinata jumped as one swam right past her at eye-level. "Eee!" Eyes shutting in terror, she stumbled into Itachi as fright overtook her.

"It's all right, Hinata san..." the boy murmured, wrapping solid arms around her gently. "I won't let them hurt you..."

Too frightened to move, Hinata kept her face buried in Itachi's chest as the platform took them forward nonetheless. But she did risk the occasional glance, wide eyes looking curiously from the safety of Itachi's shirt and jacket of his uniform. Before they knew it, the ride was over, and the tunnel left behind them.

Stepping off, Itachi kept his grip on Hinata's wrist to ensure she didn't stumble leaving the path. "There...see?" he asked, smiling. "We're fine, Hinata san."

Looking close to tears, Hinata forced herself to exhale a large, steadying breath. "Y-yes..." she murmured, still a bit shook up. "I...I don't know if I'd e-ever like to come back here, though..."

"Well...let's find the exit, shall we?" Eyes soft, Itachi moved his grip to Hinata's hand, interlocking their fingers in a reassuring grip. In exchange, she clung softly to his arm, glancing around with a slightly wary gaze.

The exit was nearly upon them when they finally found their group. The students were mingling, waiting for the doors to clear so that they could be released and sorted for the return trip. Sighing in relief, Hinata felt her shoulders droop a bit. "I'm g-glad that's over," she admitted.

"I'm sorry that things did not turn out as pleasantly as they could have, Hinata san," Itachi replied, looking genuinely regretful. "I hope that you enjoyed yourself somewhat, at least."

"W-well, the first part w-wasn't so bad," she allowed. "And...the t-tunnel was pretty cool, even if it was pretty scary." Glancing away with a blush, she felt Itachi's lingering hold on her hand. And...

But before she could find the confidence to speak further, the group had finally shuffled outside, and teachers were calling forth their students.

"Ah..." Itachi murmured. "I suppose this is where we must part ways, Hinata san."

Gasping a bit, Hinata looked up at him. "B-but..."

"Don't worry," he gently cut in. Smiling, he added, "I'm sure we will find time to speak again, Hinata san. In fact...I would like that very much, if...you would not mind my company again."

Mouth in a small o, Hinata's cheeks dusted a light pink before she nodded slowly. "I...I-I would...l-like that too..."

"Hyuuga san!" Kakashi called, waving at her with his clipboard, upon which the roll was printed. "Don't dawdle, now – we have a schedule to keep!"

Embarrassed, Hinata called, "C-coming!" But as she moved to join her class, Itachi's continued grip held her fast. She glanced back. "Itachi san?"

"Is it a promise?" His eyes were bright.

"W-what?"

"Do you...promise that we will see each other again?"

Blushing darker, Hinata nodded. "I p-promise, Itachi san..."

"Hyuuga san!"

Glancing at Kakashi with worry on her face, Hinata murmured, "I...I have to go!"

Nodding, Itachi released her, watching her run to her class as the bus began to load. Smiling to himself, he too made his way to his classmates as the trip came to an end.

Hey lovelies! I've finally finished another quick fic for a challenge entry, and I thought it was TOO CUTE. I adored writing this, and I hope you liked reading it. There is a VERY big chance that I will at least write a sequel chapter to this - I have an idea! But, either way, it's going to have to wait until after the holidays, as I'll be fairly pressed for time beyond completing my entries, so I hope you can have some patience with me ^^; I also still have plans for some other continuations, so again I hope I am worthy of your patience. I have a lot on my plate as of late, but believe me, I want to get these projects done and posted so you can read and (hopefully X3) enjoy!

Also, this was posted outside the drabble collection because I had specific plans to add on to it, and also given its length and ability to, in my eyes, stand alone as its own project. But there will likely be more drabbles to come as well!

Anyway, I guess that's all for now, dearies - I shall talk to you again soon. Be on the lookout for another chapter here within a week or two if time allows! Love you all n_n And remember, reviews make me smile - hope to hear from you soon!

~BlackRoseDragon13