Chapter 1
It is a gorgeous spring day in mid May. Fluffy white clouds are suspended in an azure sky so brilliant a master painter couldn't do its beauty justice. The sun is shining down with just the right amount of heat, so that if one were to raise their face upward the rays would warm the recipient's cheeks on contact. A refreshing breeze coming in from the north offsets the heat of the sun. The wind dances gracefully through the trees, carrying with it several leaves and bits of cherry blossom. The wind carries these items as though on a game of chase, whipping through branches, around tree trunks and eventually out of the forest and into a meadow lined with Cherry trees. It is as the end of the meadow that the wind, along with its tag along leaves, seeds, and pink blossoms are stopped short by the north wall of Konoha, and the young man leaning against that wall.
It is here the leaves settle at the feet of Uzumaki Naruto. He is leaning back against the cool stone of the north wall of the village, his arms crossed tightly across the front of his orange and black jacket. He is glaring at the ground, a deep scowl on his face, his forehead wrinkled up in obvious distress. He thinks to himself, 'I should be happy, damn it! Sasuke is home, Akutsuki is defeated, and I kept my promise to Sakura!' Just bringing Sasuke and Sakura into his thoughts at the same time is enough to send him over the edge again, for the fifth time that day.
"Damn! Damn! Damn!" he screams, and with a cry of rage pulls a kunai out the pouch on his thigh and throws it at the nearest object, a tree about fifty yards away from him. Even at such a distance the blade hits it's mark dead on with a loud 'thwack' embedding into the tree trunk three inches deep.
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The sound of metal hitting wood shakes Hyuuga Hinata from her daze. She hadn't even seen Naruto throw the kunai, it had happened so fast. She quickly darts back behind the tree trunk, squeezing her eyes shut tightly and hoping he hadn't caught her spying on him. Hinata presses her back into the tree trunk tightly, suddenly realizing that he would probably come after his kunai, and then she would surely be discovered. She wouldn't be able to take the embarrassment of him finding her here. She opens her eyes to leave only to be staring directly at the smiling face of Naruto.
"Hey Hina-" he starts only to be promptly interrupted.
"N-Naruto Kun….uh, ummm," A hot blush spreads over her cheeks as she stumbles over what to say. He is staring at her expectantly. The pressure is too much for her. Her vision starts to turn black and fuzzy around the edges and she knows she is about to pass out, it has happened to her so many times before.
Naruto catches her limp form as she's falling to the ground. 'She is so weird,' he thinks as he lays her down in the grass at the base of the tree. He plops down cross-legged in the grass next to her. He figures he might as well wait here until she wakes up, to make sure she's okay. He runs a hand through his thick blonde hair in frustration, his mind brought once again to his troubles. Naruto couldn't shake his feelings of discontent. He has been this way ever since Sasuke had voiced his intentions to go after Sakura. As much as Naruto is obsessed with Sakura, there is no way he can stand in the way of his best friend's happiness, or Sakura's. He cares too much about them both. 'If they'll be happy together,' he thinks, 'then to hell with how I feel!'
Naruto turns his attention to Hinata, wondering suddenly what she was doing out here alone, not even considering that she was out here for the sole purpose of watching him. Her breathing is slow and even, she is still out cold. He looks at her, taking note for the first time of her soft white skin and full pink lips. Her hair is almost waist length, so smooth and deeply black it looks liquid. He wonders to himself, 'When did Hinata get so beautiful?' Her eyelids flutter and pop open, revealing her enormous silver eyes. "Good morning Hinata Chan," he says, with a huge toothy white grin and just the slightest bit of a flush to his face, embarrassed to have been caught staring.
Mustering her mental strength, Hinata pulls herself to a sitting position, determined not to make a fool of herself again. Looking him directly in the eye she says, "Hello, Naruto K-kun. Sorry for passing out." She is proud of herself, a whole two sentences without blushing, or averting her eyes to the ground.
Naruto quickly pops up to his feet, offering a hand to Hinata to help her up. She nervously takes his hand, noting the roughness of it. He pulls her up quickly, holding her hand for a scant second longer than was necessary before dropping it abruptly. "Let me walk you back Hinata Chan." He says, not allowing any time for her to refuse.