A/N: Okay, so this plot just came to me miraculously and I thought, why not? … KibaHina and bit of SasuSaku. … Plus Hinata may be a little OOC, but just in her mind. xD Don't own anything.
Chapter 1
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Stupid scarf. Stupid weather. Stupid birthday. Well actually stupid Hiashi. I'm already 18, dammit!
Well, reason #1 why I'm so angry is my stupid scarf was supposed to be protecting me from reason #2: the weather. Hanabi got me this 'designer' scarf but it's as thin as paper. I'd be happy with a cheap scarf from Walkart that can actually keep me from FREEZING TO DEATH!
Yeah, and reason #3: I don't have a flipping car. He promised me he'd get me one, and by 'he', I mean that stupid old man I call father. Sorry, but why don't you try walking out in the snow, while it's negative 50 degrees outside and see what it feels like? I'd like to see you do that…
So anyways, I'm not usually all tense and deranged like I am right now. I'm just really frustrated that instead of getting a car for my eighteenth birthday, which was last week, I got a long speech on how I have to earn my own money and make my own way to get what I want.
I didn't want this speech and I didn't even ask for a car! He told me, no, he promised me that if I got straight A's on my report card he would get me a brand new vehicle that's not second hand from Neji or something.
Flashback
"If you get straight A's on your next report card, you can get a car."
Not Flashback
Okay, so maybe he said I can get a car, but if you were in that situation you would've thought that 'you' meant 'I will get you a car' as in him, and not me.
So here I am walking down the street covered in snow, my frost bit hands are going to fall off, I swear, and kids are jumping in the slush splashing my new coat, and I'm not saying anything because my lips are chattering, and everyone in the stores are looking so warm with their hot chocolate and now I'm stomping around because I can't find a job.
If it wasn't for Hanabi who just had to jump in and suggest that I get a job, I would've been home in my room reading or sleeping or whatever, but at least it would be inside a warm bed without the thoughts of trying to talk to people about a job. In addition, it was Sunday.
I've looked everywhere for at least 2 hours and I couldn't find anything. I tried the mall, the pet store, the movie theatre, and thousands of outlets. Anyways, you have to be talkative and bubbly to get into preppy stores like that. And not to mention that I have a 20 page booklet on Astronomy that's due on Monday, and a mid term exam for Genealogy. Don't even ask me what that is. I barely know.
So back to me on the street, Hinata. Hinata Hyuuga. Yes, if you're wondering, Hyyuga? You know that huge furniture company that my family owns; 'Hyuuga Home and Goods'? Yep, that's it.
I finally get to the end of the street and stop to find that if I go any further I'll just meet a dead end. Groaning, I readjust my scratchy scarf, that's bound to give me a rash sooner or later, and turn around.
I'm hit, not literally, by a huge sign that reads 'The Food Bowl: Where Food Is a Pleasure!'
I laugh to myself at the cheesy catch phrase then enter. I mean what the heck? I already got rejected by most of Konoha, why not once more?
I enter the small restaurant and see that it's pretty packed. There are a few people who are waiting to get seated so I stand behind them.
After about 10 minutes, I get to the hostess. She has two buns sitting on her head and she's smiling at me like she hasn't in 10 years. Her name tag reads Tenten.
"Good evening! I'll be your hostess for today, my name is Tenten. How many seats?" She asks bringing up a clipboard up to her chest ready to write on.
I smiled at her friendliness. "Um, actually I'm not here for dinner or anything. I was actually wondering if there was a-any…" There goes my stuttering again, "j-jobs available?" And no, it's not because it's cold.
She looked at me with relief. "Okay, good. I am so annoyed of customers and their needs." The hostess mumbled to herself, and then gestures for me to follow her.
I do, and she leads me through all the tables. "Shika! Cover me for 5 minutes!" She calls out to a waiter who just finished delivering food. His hair looks strangely like a pineapple.
He groans. "I told you not to call me that…"
Tenten ignores him and then goes to the kitchen, where more people are. They all look about my age. She quickens her pace as I try to catch up with her.
Finally she gets to her destination and we're in what seems like the back of the restaurant. She knocks on a door with a sign that reads 'Manager'.
A low voice rises telling us to come in. We go inside, and it's pretty big, and a man is sitting at the desk with an orange book to his face. He puts it down, and I see that he's wearing a mask that's covering the lower half of his face.
"Yes, Tenten?" He says with a low, bored tone.
"This girl…." She looks at me.
I quickly realize she's asking for my name. "H-Hinata. Hinata Hyuuga."
"Hinata, is wondering whether there are any jobs left?" Tenten looks at him hopefully. He sits up in his chair and puts the book faced down on the desk. The name tag says 'Kakashi Hatake'.
"Hyuuga?"
I nod, and Tenten shoots her head towards me with an incredulous look.
"Well, that's interesting. How old are you?"
"I just turned 18." I mumble, ignoring their stares.
"Hmm." He stroked his chin thinking hard.
"I'm just looking for a part time job! That's it, and it's okay, if you think…." I started to shout, afraid he'd think I look too young. I mean I'm 18 and look like a 16 year old, plus I have a baby-ish voice. "I'd need an interview of course…"
"Can you start tomorrow?" He interrupts my rambling.
I look at him as does Tenten, surprised.
"Yes! Of course! No problem!" I answer eagerly. What? I was desperate.
He smiles and Tenten leads me out of the room.
"Starting at 5pm sharp!"He shouts out.
Okay: now I guess I have fewer problems. No need to find a job, and I didn't even need an interview! So I guess you can imagine my happy dancing… but something this good cannot come alone. Great, I just jinxed myself.
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"I got a job."
Hiashi turned his head towards me. "Good." I think that was a smile?
All four of us had been sitting at the dinner table eating quietly as usual. Yes, four of us; Hinata, Hiashi, Hanabi, and Neji. Way to ruin the pattern, Neji.
"Cool! What are you doing?" Hanabi asked stuffing a rice ball into her mouth.
"I'm working at a restaurant down town." I answered. Neji looked up at me with a curious, but dangerous look. I think he hates me.
Hiashi nodded forking his chicken leg. I giggled quietly.
"How much are you getting paid?" Hanabi asked.
I shrugged.
"What's it called?" She said helping herself to more beans.
I swallowed. "The Food Bowl."
All of a sudden a choking noise was heard. Across the table Neji had got something caught in his throat. "Ack!"
Hiashi patted his back as if it was nothing. "Don't eat so fast."
Neji 'hn-ed' then wiped his mouth. Kami, does he hate me that much?
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The next day I woke up a little jittery. So what if I was a little excited? It was my first job.
I decided that instead of walking straight to the restaurant from Leaf University, I'd take the bus instead. I wasn't walking 5 miles in the snow again!
I came inside shrugging off the extra snow on my jacket and found Shika sitting at the hostess stand. He looked up at me, and I could tell he remembered me from yesterday.
"Hi. I'm here for—"
"Yeah, I know. Go to the back and talk to the manager." He uttered lazily.
"Um, okay." I walked past him.
"And my name is Shikamaru. Not Shika, no matter what Tenten told you." He said putting his hand out.
I smiled and then shook it.
When I got through the kitchen I found Tenten waiting with Kakashi. She was holding a uniform with a bright smile on her face.
"Hey Hinata! Glad to see you!" Tenten said gratefully.
"Hi Tenten…..sir." I smiled as she handed me the outfit.
"Call me Kakashi." I nodded. "So from now on Tenten will be your advisor so ask her anything. Your schedule is given to you every Friday, and your pay, every 2 weeks on Monday. Good luck." He bowed slightly then left, bringing the orange book back up to his face as he left into his office.
"Okay, so put this on and here's your name tag." She leaded me to the washroom. "When you're done, come into the kitchen and I'll introduce you to everyone."
I nodded again, and then changed in one of the tiny stalls. After I came out, the smell of cooking and people coming in from the cold hit me.
Tenten was where she said she would be.
"Ready!" I said trying to perk up. I hated getting introduced to people. I found it kind of intimidating.
"Okay first, we're going to start in the back where all the cooks are." She pushed through two doors with circle windows, the kind you see in movies that says 'in' and 'out', and a group of people were huddling around stoves, and tables cutting up vegetables and all those types of things that chef's do on 'Hell's Kitchen' except with 18 year-olds.
Two particular people were gathered towards a huge pot full of a liquid that was bubbling like crazy. The big guy with long brown hair was tasting the soup from a tiny spoon while a pretty blonde stared at him waiting for a response who also was wearing a tall white hat.
"Well, how is it?" She asked.
He smacked his lips. "Needs more salt."
They saw the two of us coming towards them and smiled.
"Hey Tenten! What's up?" The blonde turned to us, and wow was she more pretty than I expected. She had two sky blue eyes that sparkled from the kitchen lights, I know right, and she had an hour glass figure. The kind of girl you'd figure to be on Seventeen Magazine, rather than in this place.
"This is Hinata Hyuuga. She's our new employee." She turned to me. "Hinata, this is Ino and Chouji. They're the head cooks."
I smiled wondering what to say. Chouji then looked at me hopefully and shoved a spoon in front of my face. "Taste this."
I shrugged then took the spoon and put it into my mouth. Other than it being so hot, it was delicious.
"Wow. That's amazing…" I said giving him back the spoon. He muttered a 'thanks' then went back to the pot.
"Well, see you guys later." Tenten grinned then turned to leave.
"Nice meeting you Hinata." Ino waved and Chouji raised his hand.
"They're both really good cooks. Plus they both eat a lot. You don't want to see them eat a buffet, especially Ino." Tenten laughed to herself.
"Ino?"
"Yep." They both reached the other side of the kitchen where another guy was preparing food. He was wearing round sunglasses. Inside. Sunglasses?
"Shino?" Tenten called. He looked up to her, then to me. Then back to her.
"Tenten. What is it?"
"Yeah. This is Hinata. She's the new employee."
"Ah. Nice to meet you." I smiled.
"He's one of the smaller cooks. He just does like appetizers and desserts and stuff like that." She turned to him again. "Where's Sasuke and Kankurro?"
"Kankurro is home sick, and Sasuke is off somewhere fighting with Sakura." He answered.
Tenten groaned. "Not again. I thought they just got back together a few days ago…"
Shino shrugged then returned to his work.
"Well, I guess there's only 3 people working on the food for the whole restaurant." She muttered angrily. "Thanks Shino."
He nodded not looking up.
"Okay Hinata. C'mon." We both went into another part of the kitchen, again, where a tall boy was mixing salad with two huge forks on a small cart.
"Naruto!" Tenten shouted. The boy looked towards us.
WHOA. I think my heart just stopped….
"Sup?" He asked. Naruto looked at me and smiled, and wow, did he smile.
"Where's Sasuke? He's supposed to be seasoning a chicken?" Tenten said sarcastically.
"He is? I thought today was Rib Thursday…." The blonde crossed his arms.
Tenten nudged him. "Naruto, today's Monday…. But anyways, where is he?"
Suddenly a girl burst through the double doors looking as if she could kill. She had bright pink hair and even brighter green eyes and her hands were balled into fists.
"AHH! That bastard! Thinks he's all that…." She mumbled to herself.
"Aw, what's wrong Sakura?" Naruto said in a comforting voice.
"It's Sasuke! He's being such an ass!" She turned even redder, if that were possible.
"Isn't he always…" Tenten muttered.
Sakura then looked at me realizing she didn't know me. "Oh! I'm sorry for bursting out like that. I'm Sakura: head waitress."
I smiled awkwardly. "I'm Hinata."
"She's our new employee." Tenten repeated.
Naruto piped up. "Really? Where are you going to work? You should work at the salad bar with me. I really need help." He smiled and took my hand, trying to pull me toward the salad cart.
"Oh please. You don't have a bar; just a cart." Tenten said snatching my hand back. Man, that didn't last long."And plus, she's hanging out with me for the day, so maybe later."
"Well, see you later Hinata." Sakura said then left. Naruto slouched then went back to his cart.
We then headed out of the kitchen and found it was really busy. The place was practically filled with people. Waiters were rushing in and out of the 'in and out' doors like crazy.
"Okay so you know Sakura. She's a waitress. Over there with the bowl cut hairstyle is Lee." She pointed to a tall boy carrying about 5 plates and 3 glasses in his arms.
"I will deliver this food even if it's the last thing I do! YOSH!" He saluted us and sailed to all the tables in lightening speed.
"Excited as usual." She grinned as Shikamaru walked passed us with 2 plates on a platter. "And you know Shika. "
"Shikamaru!" He corrected.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She patted him on the back as he left, and then sighed. "I think that's it."
The double doors then opened loudly revealing someone carrying a bunch of plates on his arms; more than Lee's.
"Okay people! People! Don't be alarmed, I got this covered." A voice boomed out into the room. "You're looking at a pro here…"
"Oi! Kiba! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tenten ran up to him.
"Tenten, I got this." He said; face still covered by all the plates.
Tenten glared at him then smiled at the staring customers. "Don't worry everybody. I'll get this lunatic out of here." She said, teeth grinding.
And just as an annoyed Tenten predicted, he lost his balance. Uh huh, go figure.
"WAHHHH!" He yelled throwing all the plates into the air. People screamed and got out of their seats after all the food fell onto the ground covering half of the place. The shattered glass effect was deafening, causing babies to cry, women to scream, husbands to laugh, and planes to crash…. Actually not that last one, but you get it. It was a catastrophe in epic proportions.
After everyone had settled down, about 20 minutes, there was that silence. You know the one where everyone just looks at the person who created the disaster? Yep, that one.
I looked at Tenten, who was more likely to tear off someone's head than help the guy, and then to my surprise got down and pulled him to his feet.
He had spaghetti and soup and pasta and rice all over him. He wiped his face with his arm and with the look on his face, it seemed like he just noticed everyone was looking at him.
Kakashi then ran into the hall and stopped to look at the mess. And by the look on his face, you didn't need to hear him say anything, considering you could only see his eyes.
Everyone stared at the terrified and fuming manager.
The guy just looked at me and smiled, holding out his sushi covered hand. "I'm Kiba."
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