A Song For A Drifting Green Leaf

It was a beautiful day for the Hidden Village of Konoha. The sky was a clear cerulean blue, and the streets were teeming with people. Children were running around, laughing, and vendors were advertising their wares. A blustery gale blew throughout the streets, carrying with it scents of various foods, the faint remnants of voices, and green leaves. Yet no one seemed to notice the lone figure that appeared at the gate.

It was a boy; a boy with a cart, full of belongings… of nostalgia. He let go of its handles to gaze at the bustling streets. There is so much life in these streets; so many emotions... The boy then pickedup his cart and pulled it to the guard's booth. The guard looked up from his book and said, "Can I help you?"

The youth smiled and replied, "Yes. Can you tell me where my apartment is? I'm not from around here." He took out a sheet of paper and handed it to the guard. The guard took the paper, skimmed it, and looked at the kid again, analyzing him from head to toe. The boy had a lean and wiry frame, and must have been at least 15 years old. But something was different about him. He wore a pair of faded blue jeans, a white collared shirt, and a solid black tie. No one wears that kind of clothes around here. And what's with his hair? The boy had black hair, but for some reason, the tips of his hair were dyed dark green. Just who is this kid?!

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Another great breeze blew across the village, and Hinata found herself sitting on her windowsill in her room. She was still panting and sweating from training vigorously that morning, and now it was time to relax. As her gaze fell onto the streets, she saw Naruto. At that moment, she felt a sense of bliss and ardor. But such feelings shattered as she saw someone else accompany him: Sakura! The two were sharing a conversation and actually laughing! Too much, Hinata thought. This is just too much. She forced herself to look at the sky, and soon felt her dreams and fantasies overcoming her mind. She sighed as she looked up and closed her eyes. Naruto-kun…. I...

"Hey! Excuse me! Uh… you! In the windowsill!"

The voice brought Hinata back from the corners of her own world, as she looked down. Her eyes grew wide with curiosity and confusion as she sighted a strange boy with a cart full of things. He wore strange clothes, and for some reason, his hair was black and green. But his voice once again brought her back to reality.

"Um… hello. Can you help me with something?"

Hinata, who was never comfortable around strangers, made an effort to speak clearly without struggling. "Y-Yes."

"Ok! Er… would you happen to know where the Hyuuga mansion is? Because my apartment's right next to it, and I'm new in town."

"T-This is the Hyuuga complex", Hinata stuttered. She started to grip her sweatshirt in discomfort. Who is he, and why is he asking me of all people?

"Oh. Really? That's just great! Well, I guess that makes us neighbors then. Thank you!"

And with that, the boy pulled his cart towards the apartment.

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After he had received his key from the landlord, the strange looking teenager went to his door and opened it. The room wasn't exquisite, or even pleasant; it was just neutral. All the walls were white, with two windows, one across from him, the other on the right side. Instead of a stove, there was a fire pit in the room, with a small cauldron hanging off the ceiling. Well, at least it has a sink and a bathroom, he thought, as he started to empty his cart, setting up his futon. After he had gotten everything else out, the boy took out an acoustic guitar. As he held it in his arms, his thoughts couldn't help but return to the girl he saw in the window. She's so pretty. I wonder if I'll ever get to meet her again. And then he smiled and played the first note.

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That night, Hinata once again sat at her windowsill, staring at the stars. Such beauty and peace aroused an enormous sense of yearning. Yearning for the impossible to happen: for Naruto to acknowledge her love for him, and….to return it. She sighed in bliss, but just as she was about to step into her world of fantasies, her father called her down.

"Hinata!"

Hinata snapped to attention and sprinted down the stairs to the door where her father stood. A bit out of breath, she responded. "Yes? What is it?"

"It has come to my attention that we have a new neighbor in the house next door. Am I correct?"

"Y-Yes sir. He just moved in this afternoon."

"Hmmm. In that case, why don't you take this basket of fruit to him as a welcome gift? I am sure he would appreciate it."

"A-alright. I will do that."

Hinata grabbed the basket of fruit, and was about to open the door when her father said something else.

"Oh, and Hinata? Don't stutter. It makes you appear weak."

She nodded, but as she went out, she could feel a tear slide down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and continued to walk up the stairs towards her neighbor's room. Gripping the basket, she gave the door a quick rap.

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He had just finished unpacking and was starting to cook dinner, when a knock on the door caught his attention. Getting up from his fire pit, the boy walked towards the door and opened it. It was that girl again! Suddenly, the youth felt something rise up in his throat. He prayed that his face wasn't red. They just stood there for a moment, silence filling in between them. Hinata, uncomfortable with the silence, decided to speak.

"Um… H-hello. I think we met earlier today. I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. M-my name is Hyuuga Hinata."

"Oh…. Right…. I forgot to tell you my name as well. I am Takaakira, or Taka for short."

The atmosphere was once again filled with silence and both hated it. Takaakira decided to talk this time.

"Soooo… I'm taking it that that's for me," he said, pointing at the fruit basket.

"Huh? Oh! Yes. Yes it is. The Hyuuga clan sends its regards," Hinata said, handing him the fruit and trying not to look him in the eyes.

Takaakira tried to say something, but he was too busy staring at Hinata, entranced by her. Her soft lavender eyes, her long silky hair, and her shy expression; she was hauntingly beautiful. But Takaakira gathered his strength and managed to say, "Well, thank you".

Hinata nodded, and started to back away. Takaakira understood, and reluctantly swung the door shut. He then grabbed his guitar, positioned himself, hit a chord, and started to play. And as Hinata walked back, she could hear it.

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"Hey, Takaakira! Stop daydreaming, and take the customers' orders!"

Takaakira scrambled from washing dishes to get to the front of the Ichiraku Noodle Bar. Grabbing a notepad and paper, he rushed to the next customer.

"Sorry for the wait. What can I get you?"

"You're not from around here, are you?"

"Huh?", Takaakira asked, looking up from the notepad.

"You're new in town, aren't you? Your clothes are weird, and so is your hair," the customer replied.

Takaakira stared at the customer. Not just because of the blunt comment, but because the customer himself looked different. He must have been the first person with blonde hair and blue eyes. But Takaakira's thoughts turned back to his job, forcing him to say, "Ok, so it is. You still haven't told me what you want to eat."

The blonde-haired shinobi flinched from Takaakira's comment and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

Takaakira grinned, glad that the shinobi had some courtesy. He said, "Listen.. umm…. What's your name?"

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"Right! Naruto-kun, I'm not mad or anything, alright? It's just that I have had a busy day, and there are several people behind you. If you want to talk, I'd be happy to when my break comes, but right now, what are you going to have?"

"Oh. Hmmm… I'll take a tonkatsu ramen."

"Great. It'll be out in two minutes!"

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"So, why do you work at the Ichiraku Ramen bar again?"

Naruto was trying to balance on the fence as Takaakira walked alongside him.

Takaakira looked up at the sky, shrugged nonchalantly, and said, "Well, I gotta pay the landlord somehow. I had some other plans to earn money, but I guess I have to settle for this."

"Hey. Are you a shinobi? I don't see your Hitai-ate."

Takaakira felt his stomach drop and his face screw up. He clenched his fists tightly until his nails dug into his hand.

"Takaakira, are you ok? You look like you're in pain."

"Huh? Oh… It's nothing. Truth is, no. I'm not a shinobi, but I do know a bit of ninjutsu and taijutsu."

"Really? Do you ever fight or go on missions?"

Takaakira once again clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"S-sometimes I'll fight. As for missions… sigh… It's been a long time since I went on a mission."

"Ok, cool! Well my house is right here, so… Nice to meet you! See ya around!"

Takaakira nodded and waved. But as soon as he turned around, his face turned dark.

I never, EVER, want to remember what had happened again! I wish someone would just erase my memory.

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That night, Takaakira was tormented by his past. He wanted to escape it, to make it go away. He tossed and turned, vainly trying to obtain sleep, even if it was for a couple minutes. Insomnia hovered over him like a dark cloud, tormenting his eyes, his mind. Finally, Takaakira got up from bed and grabbed his guitar. After stepping out the door, he took a deep breath of the cool night air. Tired yet happy, he staggered towards the bench, under the tree. When he sat down, he cradled the guitar in his arms, strummed it, and began to play.

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The stars lit the beach and the water was a deep blue. The moon was full and pale, its light shining on the sand, making it glow. And amidst the sand were two figures. Hinata laid on her back, gazing at the dark sky. She wanted to get up and reach for the stars, to touch them. But she knew she couldn't. Lying on her stomach was Naruto, asleep and peaceful. His breathing was steady and soft as he gripped one of Hinata's hands, holding it limply. At that point, Hinata smiled and stroked his hair, amazed at how warm he was. She felt his breathing fluctuate as he muttered her name softly, gripping her hand harder. The warmth lulled her to sleep as she closed her eyes and sighed in bliss. "Naruto-kun….". And then she heard it.

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It was quiet at first, yet distinctive. The notes from Takaakira's song pulled Hinata from her dreams. She sat up at first, rubbing her eyes. What is that? Where is it coming from? She walked over to her window, trying to find where that noise was coming from. Now that she was more awake, she noticed that the music came from an electric guitar. The song was sad, but beautiful, nonetheless. The notes seemed to paint a landscape in her mind. Although it was slow, nostalgia burst from it, overtaking Hinata's mind. She looked out to see Takaakira, sitting under a tree, playing a guitar. She was about to think about something, but she felt her eyelids droop. As her consciousness faded, she heard Takaakira whisper, "Goodnight, Hinata-chan". And with that, her dreams captured her, taking her not to the star-lit beach, but to the land of her memories and past.

Part 2: Valentines Day: Attention and Rescue

Takaakira woke up and hurried to get dressed. As he quickly scarfed breakfast down, he looked at his calendar. Wow. Is it really Valentine's Day already? Hmmm. Should I get a card for Hinata? …. Maybe I shouldn't. I hardly even know her.

Sighing, he took his coat and went to work his shift.

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Alright, today's the day, Hinata thought. Today's the day that I can truly express my feelings for Naruto-Kun. She knew he came to the Ichiraku Noodle Bar everyday for lunch. And now, she was planning to eat lunch there herself and start a conversation. As she arrived early, she sat down. As she did, she heard a familiar voice saying, "Hello, can I help you?"

"Takaakira-kun?"

Takaakira looked up from the notepad and gasped with a surprised expression on his face. "Hinata-chan? What brings you here? I've never seen you here before."

Hinata brought her fingers together, poking and twisting them nervously. She managed to say, "I-I'm waiting for s-someone."

"Oh… ok. For Valentine's Day?" asked Takaakira.

Hinata gasped as her face turned bright red and she looked down, her fingers twisting faster and faster.

Takaakira noticed this and said, "Never-mind. It's none of my business anyways. Well…. Can I get you something?"

The girl was still slightly red, but she felt a huge weight taken off her shoulders. She looked up at him, smiled weakly and stammered, "Y-y-yes. Cou-could I have a pork ramen?"

"Right. Unfortunately you're going to have to wait a while. The old man's working on a big carry-out order, so it'll be ten minutes."

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After waiting eight minutes, Hinata finally heard Naruto's voice in the background. She turned around in her chair smiling, until she was Sakura with Naruto. When they came to sit down, Naruto noticed Hinata and said, "Hinata! Wow! Nice to see you here!"

Although disappointment caused something in her chest to ache, Hinata couldn't help but blush and stutter, "He-hello, Naruto-kun."

Takaakira appeared from the back with a customer's ramen. After he set it down, he saw Naruto, and hollered, "Hey, Naruto-kun! What took you so long? You're late!"

Naruto grinned and shouted back, "C'mon, cut me some slack, Taka. I had to bring someone with me today."

"Alright, whatever. I'll be with you in just a second!"

As Takaakira brought some dishes back, Hinata felt sick to her stomach. It's Valentine's Day… I… I should have known Naruto-kun would bring Sakura with him. I-it's obvious that he likes her, and it's even obvious that she… she likes him. It's hopeless.

Hinata looked at the customer's ramen with distaste. She couldn't eat anything now. She felt like she was just about to run away, bursting with tears, when she heard Takaakira say, "Naruto-kun! Who's this? Is she your girlfriend or something?"

A sly look appeared on his face as he snickered, "Yes. She certainly is!"

Sakura smacked the back of Naruto's head, causing him to lose balance and fall off the chair. She then said, "No, he's not my boyfriend. We're just friends."

"Geez, Sakura-chan, can't you take a joke? " said Naruto, getting off the ground and rubbing his head. "I thought we could actually fool him!"

Sakura turned on him again and smacked him again. "Naruto, even if it is Valentine's Day, everyone in the village knows that we're only friends and nothing more! The only person who doesn't know is… what's his name? Taka?"

Takaakira allowed himself to smile before telling them, "Ok, Ok! I get the picture! Just tell me what you guys want."

Naruto thought a minute and said, "How about two pork ramens?"

Takaakira wrote it down and said, " Ok! Be back in a minute."

While they were waiting, Naruto turned to Hinata, asking her, "Hinata, it's been a long time since I last spoke to you. Last time I saw you, I was about to say something, but you fainted. How are you?"

The shy shinobi felt the blood rising to her face, but was relieved. She still had a chance. She said in a quiet voice, "I-I've been fine. I have been training with Neji really hard to master the Art of Gentle Fist. Other than that, no-nothing else, really."

Naruto was about to say something when Takaakira came back with Hinata's Ramen, telling Naruto, "Sorry, Naruto-kun. If you'd have gotten here sooner, you could've eaten, but now, we've run out of ingredients."

Sakura looked fine and said, "That's alright, I wasn't really hungry anyways." But Naruto looked heart-broken.

Hinata looked down at her own Ramen, when an idea hit her like a shuriken. With trembling arms, she lifted the bowl and handed it to Naruto.

Joy and confusion were in his eyes. He was about to reach for chopsticks when he said, "Hinata, why? Why are you giving this to me? Aren't you hungry?"

The girl smiled shyly, reassuring him. "It's alright, Na-Naruto-kun. I've got to train hard today, so I shouldn't eat so much. I-I also had a big breakfast". As she spoke, Hinata felt something like an electric current running throughout her body. She didn't know if it was because she was happy, or because she was so nervous, but she knew for a fact that she enjoyed the feeling.

Naruto smiled, and said, "In that case, Itadakimasu!" Grabbing some chopsticks and splitting them, he took the first mouthful of noodles, sighing in ecstasy. He then waved his chopsticks in the air and said, "Hinata's the best!" And with that, Hinata got up and left, trying to make sure that no one saw how scarlet her face had become. Takaakira smiled and thought, So that's why she came.

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Back at home, Hinata felt sweat dripping down her face as she struggled to keep her fighting stance. Neji still used the Byakuyan as he dashed towards her, readying his palm for a strike. Hinata, who also used the Byakuyan, knew she couldn't dodge the strike, so she gathered her chakra into her palm, brought it back, and started to thrust her arm forward.

"Jyuuken!" they both shouted.

As their hands met, Hinata felt Neji's chakra travel up her arm, making it feel as if her arm was on fire. But she knew that if she flinched, his palm would reach her. Biting back the pain, the shinobi pushed forward harder. The chakra given off by the Chuunin and the Jounin combined and swirled together. For a split second, the ball of chakra shrunk, then exploded, throwing both shinobi back. As Neji regained his footing, he said, "Enough! That's all for today."

Hinata was still panting for breath when she said, "Are you sure, Nee-san?"

"Yes, I'm sure. You did great today, but try to move around more. You can't do much if you're just like a sitting- target."

"Ok, thank-you, Nee-san."

"Hinata, don't call me that. Call me by me name, alright?"

Hinata nodded as Neji went up to his room. She staggered to a chair, and sat down, exhausted and extremely hungry. Truth is, she didn't even eat breakfast, since she was so excited for today. She smiled as she remembered what Naruto said to her. She was just about to enter her own world, when a knock on the door came. She sighed, got up, and opened it.

It was Takaakira. At first, the shy girl didn't know what to do or say. Takaakira broke the silence by saying, "Hi. Um… I just wanted to say that what you did back there was very…. oh… you know!"

"Huh?" Hinata had a puzzled look on her face.

"Look, what you did back there at the noodle bar really took guts and compassion. So I'm here to give you this," replied Takaakira, brandishing a big plastic cup with ramen, a can of juice, and chopsticks.

Hinata had to admit that she was hungry, but something was strange about Takaakira. Why do I keep running into him? There's something weird going on. With that in mind, she said, "Thank you, Takaakira-kun, but I'm not hungry."

As the words left her lips, she heard her stomach growl loudly. Takaakira gave her an amused yet puzzled look. "Rrriiight," he said, handing her the food. And then, as abruptly as he came, he left, leaving a dumbfounded Hinata wondering What just happened? He actually acknowledged me? No one's done that before. Yet he's still a mystery to the village, an outsider. He reminds me of…. Naruto-kun.

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Takaakira sighed as he washed the dishes at the ramen bar. So… she likes someone already, huh? Well… so much for that idea. As he took orders and brought dirty dishes back, he wanted to believe that it wasn't true. But it is true, he thought. I saw the look on her eyes, and I definitely saw how she blushed when she was around Naruto-kun. He scrubbed the dirty dishes harder than ever, and then it hit him: If I can't be her boyfriend, I guess I could still be her friend. Yeah! Just like Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan!

"Takaakira! TAKAAKIRA!", shouted Ayame, the waitress.

Takaakira shook his head, and asked, "Hm? Sorry, I was…zoning out."

Ayame sighed and said, "Well see if you can stay alert for a little longer. Listen, I have a favor to ask: There's going to be a music performance tonight, so I was wondering if you could work the late shift for me."

Takaakira cocked his head in confusion. "Performance? You mean like a concert or something?"

"What's a concert?"

"Never mind. Sure, I'll take your shift. Who's playing?"

"Konoha Spirits! They're awesome! Anyways, thanks for the favor. I owe you", said Ayame, as she took off her apron.

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Perfect, Hinata thought. Just perfect! She had just finished wrapping her valentine's gift for Naruto. She also stuck a note on the wrapping paper, saying, "Happy Valentine's Day, Naruto-kun! Love Hinata." She wanted to say more, that she loved him, that he was the only one for her, and that to her, out of thousands of other boys, he stood out, shining like the sun. But she couldn't. She just couldn't. She was too scared to tell him her feelings. But enough with that! Her heart pounded in her ears as she carefully gripped the present and snuck out the door.

As she came to his apartment, she felt her heart drop to her stomach, her feet, walking on air. As she walked up the stairs, her hands started shaking. Ten steps… five steps… three steps… t-two steps….one st-step! And there she was, in front of her dream boy's door. She gathered all the strength she had as she knocked on his door, adrenaline rushing through her veins.

The door opened, and then she saw him. There, Naruto stood, only with a pair of shorts on and a puzzled look on his face. Hinata gasped, but for a split second, she gazed at him. H-he's gotten so strong! He's so handsome! But then, shock and embarrassment jerked her back to reality, forcing her to turn away. It took all of her strength to stop her from shaking uncontrollably and fainting. "I-I-I'm s-sorry, Na-Naruto-kun! Do y-you want me to come back later?"

Naruto, oblivious to why she was shaking, simply said, "Um. No. Sorry about this. I was in the shower when I heard you knock. Wait one second."

Naruto closed the door for a second, and opened it again, with his black shirt on.

"Now, what's up, Hinata?"

Hinata was still trying to get her arms to move. She felt blood rush to her head as never before as she handed him her gift. "H-here you go, Na-Naruto-kun. Ha-happy Valentine's day!" she stuttered, giving him a weak smile.

"Wow! Thanks, Hinata! You really are the best! No one's given me a gift before!" But as he said that, Naruto frowned, looked at Hinata, and said, "But Hinata, I didn't buy you a gift."

Hinata was flattered as she started to tremble again. She closed her eyes, fully aware that she was still blushing, and said, "N-no. Th-that's alright!". And then, she ran off, leaving Naruto confused. What's up with her?

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Yes, yes, YES!!!, Hinata screamed in her mind. She had finally done it! She had finally expressed her feelings to the person she loved the most. She wanted to jump for joy, shout out to the whole world that she had done what she had wanted to do for the past 10 years. She still felt the bliss melting within her, remembering when she saw him. Her face was still red, but she didn't care. It was late, and no one could see her.

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After Hinata wandered aimlessly with delight, she realized how late it was and started to walk home. She decided to take a short cut by going through a long ally. At first, she was too happy to realize what a dark, sinister place she entered, but she kept on going, heading for the streetlight on the other side. Then she walked past a man who was staggering. She paid no attention to him until he said, "Hey there, cutie." She felt a shiver run down her spine as she continued to walk, but he then grabbed her by the shoulder…. Hard. Her fear heightened, but she managed to say, "Please let go. Whatever you want, you won't get it from me."

The man smiled in the darkness, breathing deeply. Hinata could smell the liquor on his foul breath. "Who says you have to go? Don't you want to get to know me?" Before Hinata could say something, the drunk shoved a cloth on her face. She struggle to hold her breath and get the rag away from her face, but the man's arm was like steel. Chloroform, she thought as her world started to black out.

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Takaakira whistled as he walked back from his late-night shift. What a day! he thought. I wonder if Hinata-chan has acknowledged me yet? Since he was tired, Takaakira decided to take the short cut back through the long alley. As he continued to walk, he heard some struggling; it sounded as if someone was trying to scream. As he lit the lighter he took out of his pocket, he gasped at what he saw: Someone was attacking Hinata! Time seemed to stand still for an instant.

Hinata saw Takaakira and seemed to plead with him through her eyes, Please.. help… me. And then her eyes closed and she collapsed. Takaakira shook with rage as he spoke in a deadly whisper, "What the hell did you do to her?"

"Why should you care, punk? Go mind your own business. This girl and I were meant for one another. Go on, get out of here!" said the drunk as he caressed Hinata's face.

Takaakira shook his head and clenched his fists, filled with disgust and rage."You… get away her. You'd better run while you still can walk!"

The man's cloudy eyes went berserk as he pulled out a katana, screaming, "You bastard! Don't tell me what to do! I'll cut your head clear off you son of a-"

But Takaakira wouldn't let him finish. He dashed forward and delivered a stunning blow to his adversary's shoulder, making him drop the deadly sword. He then kicked out at the man's legs, making him crumple to the ground. Takaakira then turned around to pick up the unconscious Hinata and started to walk away. He got about five steps before he heard a scuffling noise. Takaakira was about to turn around when the drunk took the katana and brought the hilt down on the back of Takaakira's head. Thousands of colored stars burst into Takaakira's vision. He dropped Hinata and stumbled, struggling to fend off the black veil that entered his eyes. He then heard the katana clang on the ground and felt the man's arms wrap around his neck, determined to squeeze the life out of him. Revived by the pain, Takaakira regained his footing and brought his elbow back with all of his strength, connecting with the man's stomach. With the grip around his neck loosened, Takaakira twisted out of the man's headlock. With his hands around the man's forearm, Takaakira pulled him in closer, and kicked at the man's knee, producing a sickening crunch. The man screamed, but the enraged boy wasn't finished yet. He then swung his arm and punched the man in the throat, cutting off the drunk's scream, replacing it with a gurgling noise. In an effort, the man pulled out a kunai and slashed Takaakira across the arm. Takaakira winced, but banished the pain from his conscious as he gripped the man by his shoulders, and slammed him into the wall. Before the man could stab him, the teenager pulled his arm back, straightened his had like a knife and struck his opponent with all of his might, just at the base of the neck. All struggling ceased as the man blacked out.

Takaakira leaned against the wall for some time, panting, and gasping for air. He then stood up and put Hinata on his back, since his arm was injured. It's too late to go back to her house now… Maybe I should take her to my house. And he did just that.

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As he staggered in, Takaakira set Hinata gently down on his futon. He then rushed to the sink with a washcloth. After soaking it with cold water and squeezing it, he put it on Hinata's forehead, and then, he gazed at her. Despite what had happened, Hinata's face was peaceful and serene. He lifted his hand up as if to touch her, but he hesitated. He wanted to caress her beautiful face so badly. He yearned to run his fingers through her long, silky hair. But he couldn't. He wouldn't. Takaakira then got up and tended to the wound on his arm. At least the cut's not deep, he thought. He looked at his clock: 11:30. He was grateful that tomorrow was his day off. He sighed and leaned against the wall. The last thing he saw was Hinata's peaceful face as sleep overcame him.

Part Three: Three Members, Three friends

It was still dark when Hinata woke up. She had a headache and her eyelids were still heavy. Then she realized that she had no idea where she was. She tried to move, tried to get up, but she couldn't. It was as if all the energy had been drained from her body. As she tried to move her arm, she hit something, making it fall to the ground with a loud clank. She then heard some scuttling and decided to use her Byakugan to see. When she did, her sight pierced the darkness, she saw Takaakira, moving towards her, picking up the thing she knocked over. It was his guitar. As he came closer to her, she tried to get up, but fell back down in exhaustion.

"Whoa, take it easy, Hinata-chan! The drug hasn't worn off completely.", said Takaakira, gently pushing her back down onto the futon.

"Takaakira-kun? What happened? Where am I?" Hinata asked, scared and confused.

"Don't worry, you're in my room. Apparently, some drunk wanted to… to violate you."

Hinata thought for a second, and said, "That's right… I was on my way back from giving Naruto-kun his present. And then someone tried to… tried to-". By that time, tears were streaming down her face. She felt so scared, so weak. After being exposed to true evil and perverseness, Hinata curled into a ball, wanting to go into her own world and stay in it forever. Takaakira didn't know exactly how to comfort her, so he slowly wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Desperate to hug anyone, Hinata threw her arms around him and buried her head into his chest, trying hard not to sob. Surprised, Takaakira wrapped his other arm around her, rubbing her back to calm her down. After a few minutes, Hinata's trembling stopped. Takaakira let go of her, quietly got up, and made her some tea.

"Drink this. It'll help you calm down", he said, handing the small mug towards her. She gratefully accepted it and took several sips. She then took a deep breath.

"I-I'm sorry, Takaakira-kun. I didn't mean to cry. It just-"

Takaakira held his hand up and said "Don't be sorry about crying. Everyone has to cry at some point."

"B-But crying makes you seem so- so weak", Hinata protested, lowering her head in shame.

Takaakira gently took his hand and lifted her chin so that he could see her face, "Hinata, crying never means you're weak. If you cry, you have something in you that's so strong, you have to let it out. If you don't cry, that something will stay within you and eat away at your very mind. Even if people around you think you're weak, just because they think so, does that make it true? No!"

Hinata smiled weakly at him, stuttering, "Th-thank you, Takaakira-kun."

Takaakira smiled back, and said, "Don't worry about it, Hinata-chan. That's what friends do for each other, right?"

"Y-yes. Does this make us… friends?"

"It sure does", he said with a grin.

He then got up and said, "Now then, it's around 4:00. Let's get you back before anyone finds out you're missing." And with that, he gently picked her up and took her to the Hyuuga compound.

"Ta-Takaakira-kun… the door's locked."

"I know. We'll take the short-cut", he replied as he ran to her window.

Molding chakra in his feet, Takaakira managed to walk up the wall into her room.

He then set her on the bed, gently. Before he left, Hinata called out to him.

"Takaakira-kun. I… I can't sleep. Wou-would you please play a song for me? It would help me fall asleep."

Takaakira then jumped out of the window and ran back to his apartment. After a while, Hinata started to hear another tune. The notes seemed to caress her ears, lulling her to sleep. She started to feel a sense of nostalgia again as she closed her eyes. Takaakira-kun… thank you.

After he had finished the song, Takaakira smiled and went back to his room. I might not have won her heart over, but I gained her trust… and her friendship, he thought, as he collapsed on his futon. As he started to drift into a deep slumber, he noticed one thing: Hinata's warmth still lingered.

----------------

The sun was high up in the sky before Hinata awoke. As she got up, her head still hurt, but she was pleased to find that she could move. But before she got out of bed she thought about what had happened the night before. So much had happened last night. I was able to express my feelings for Naruto-kun, but at the same time, Takaakira-kun rescued me… Does he like me? I… I hope he doesn't. Because if he did, I have a feeling that I would start to like him…very much. I have to tell him… tell him we can't… we can't be together.

-----------------

Takaakira stirred in his sleep. His arm still hurt from the wound, but the pain had dulled down. His alarm clock started to beep, and using his injured arm, Takaakira slammed his fist down on it. The pain forced him to open his eyes and he looked at the clock. 10:30. He wanted to go back to sleep, but he knew he couldn't fall back asleep, so he forced himself to get up. Yawning, he washed his face and started to change his clothes. Groggily, he staggered to one corner of the room where a flat, box-like machine lay. He took a slim, cardboard case from a pile, pulled out a black looking disk, and put it on the machine. He then flipped the On-Switch, and the disk started to spin. As it did, he took the needle of the machine and lowered it onto the disk. Suddenly, sounds of harpsichord, strings, brass, and wind instruments erupted in the room, giving Takaakira energy he needed. Humming with the tune, he made his bed, folded his clothes, and started to boil some tea for breakfast. Just as he poured some tea into his mug, he heard a knock on the door. When he opened, he saw Hinata, who shyly looked up at him and was about to say something when she heard the music. At first, the music started to fade, but the strings and the horns started to crescendo, sending walls of sound into Hinata's ears. Her shy expression was replaced by one of confusion. "What's this?", she asked.

"Oh. Sorry. This is "Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 con "Fate"- Allegro con Brio. In other words it's a song by Beethoven," replied Takaakira.

"I-I see. Who's Beethoven, and where's the noise coming from?"

"I'll tell you, but first, why don't you come in?"

Hinata nodded as she stepped in and took off her sandals. The music now had gone from dark and violent to light and cheery. She couldn't help but smile at the sound of it all. Takaakira pointed to the machine in the corner. "All the sound's coming from there: it's a record player."

"What's that pile of thin cases next to it?", Hinata asked.

"Oh. Those are records. They hold different songs on them. So if I wanted to hear a different song, I'd change the record."

"So they're like cassette tapes then."

"I guess, but the sound quality is a lot better with records. Anyways, I'm sure you came here for another reason, not just to hear me go on and on with my music," replied Takaakira.

"Huh? Oh… right. Umm… Ta-Takaakira-kun, I w-wanted to tell you that… I admire you as a friend, but nothing more. I-in that c-case…. Don't… don't… sigh… you know," Hinata said as she lowered her head and felt blood rushing to her face.

Takaakira, who already knew this, felt disappointment, but was still relieved that she didn't hate him. He replied by saying, "Yeah… I know, Hinata-chan. I know that I could never… you know… be more than a friend to you. I know that it would be pointless because you already like someone else."

At that, Hinata's head shot up as she looked at him with a sense of fear and embarrassment. "Y-y-you know, then?"

Takaakira nodded. Hinata felt silence coming between them again, but Takaakira fended off that tension by saying, "Nevertheless, I hope that doesn't stop us from being friends. Even if we don't care for each other deeply, we're still friends, right?"

Hinata felt relief fill her heart as a smile played on her lips. "Y-yes, Takaakira-kun, we are."

"Good", he said. While they stood there, the song on the record player ended, so Takaakira got up to turn the record player off. He then turned back to her and said, "Do you know if there's anything to do around here? I have the day off, so I was wondering if there's anything fun to do."

Hinata took what he said into mind and said, "Actually, no. If you're not a shinobi, there's not a lot you can do around here. Except training, really."

"Alright, training it is!"

Hinata looked at him with confusion. "Takaakira-kun, you fight?"

"Just what is that supposed to mean, Hinata-chan? Just because I'm not a shinobi doesn't mean I'm helpless. In fact, to prove it, I'll spar with you."

"A-alright", she said. "Let me just get my equipment and I'll meet you at the bench under the tree".

"Sounds great! See ya then."

As Hinata ran to get her stuff, she couldn't help but giggle to herself. How does someone fight if they're not a shinobi?

------------------

By the time Hinata had gathered her shuriken and kunais, she saw Takaakira sitting on the bench with two items: a guitar and a bokkuto. She gave him a puzzled look and said, "Takaakira-kun, why do you always bring your guitar with you?"

Takaakira nonchalantly replied, "I take my guitar with me because I always like to play songs." He put the guitar strap to his shoulder and said, "Let's go."

------------------

As they walked, Takaakira notice the long wire of shuriken and kunais Hinata carried and whistled. "Jeez, Hinata-chan. Don't cut someone with those."

"Hey, I'm not as helpless as someone who's not a shinobi, Takaakira-kun. Besides, I'm a Chuunin."

Takaakira grinned and said, "Ok, just for that, I'm not holding anything back; I'll fight at full force!"

Hinata also felt a smile playing on her lips and said, "What difference does it make?"

Takaakira was just about to explode at her, when he walked into a telephone pole. He felt like he was about to lose his balance when Hinata came up from behind him and pushed to keep him from falling. His face screwed up in pain as he managed to squeak, "Hinata-chan?"

"Yes, Takaakira-kun?"

"Your shuriken are digging into my back."

"Oh! Sorry," she said as she dropped her shuriken and pushed him up. While Takaakira rubbed his back and forehead, he looked at the telephone pole. On it, was an ad, which read, "Musicians Wanted for Performance at the Sendagaya's Bar next month, from 8-9 PM. Payment will be discussed at the Bar.

Something clicked in Takaakira's mind. A band! I should start a band!

"Takaakira-kun, is something wrong?", asked Hinata in a worried tone.

"Yes… I mean….sigh… I'll tell you while we spar."

-------------

Both Hinata and Takaakira were breathing heavily and sweating from their sparring. Although Takaakira refused to use his bokkuto, he still put up quite a fight.

"Takaakira-kun, what's a band?"

"Well, it like a group of musicians like… Konoha Spirits"

Hinata's eyes went wide with surprise and fear. "Takaakira-kun! Are-Are you saying that you want to-want to be like Konoha Spirits?! Th-there's no way! They're too good!"

Takaakira sighed as he sat against one of the poles, "Well, Hinata-chan, I'm not going to do it alone! I was wondering if you'd like to join."

Hinata gasped and felt herself shaking. "Tak-Takaakira-kun! Are you listening to yourself? It's-it's crazy! And you want me to play? I can't play anything!"

Takaakira went up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her from trembling. "Take it easy, Hinata-chan! I'm not saying that we're going to go head-on against Konoha Spirits, but don't you think it would be fun? Besides, if you play, maybe..." Takaakira said with a grin, "Maybe Naruto-kun will see your impressive skills.

Hinata had half-a-mind to strike her new friend with the Jyuuken, but after thinking about it, she couldn't help but smile. "Alright, Takaakira-kun, I'll-I'll join you. But what can I play?"

Takaakira pondered a bit and said, "Well, in a band, there are usually three instruments: a guitar, a bass guitar, and drums. Seeing that drums might be too harsh for you, I guess you can play bass. Wait a sec." Takaakira ran over to grab his guitar and handed it to Hinata. Hinata looked at it. It was a blue electric guitar, simple, yet beautiful. "Go on, see if you can play it."

Hinata took the pick in her hand and plucked the string. A faint note fluttered in the air. "Takaakira-kun, why-why doesn't it sound like when you play it? In fact, how did you play an electric guitar without electricity?"

Takaakira smiled and said, "Only those who truly care about music don't use amps or microphones for guitar. Now watch closely." He gently took the guitar from her and started to play. It gave off that familiar sound again. Hinata, completely confused, looked at Takaakira's hands as he played and gasped. His fingertips were glowing blue. Chakra?! He uses chakra to play? As if Takaakira read her mind, he said, "Yes, I use chakra to make the guitar sound as it does. Now, since you're a Hyuuga, it must be easy to generate chakra into your hand. What I want you to do is to focus a little bit of chakra into your fingers and this time, play the guitar by plucking it with your fingers."

Hinata tried to focus chakra into her fingertips as she plucked the string. A deep, muted sound came out from the guitar. She smiled. Maybe this wasn't so hard after all.

---------------

After several hours of learning and practicing, Hinata started to feel drowsy. It was easy to control her chakra, but to maintain it for several hours! She felt as if she was going to pass out! But it gave her such pleasure to move her fingers along the fingerboard and pluck the strings. The bass sound reminded her of herself: quiet and inconspicuous, yet essential. After rubbing her fingertips, she asked Takaakira, "But Takaakira-kun, how will I play if you have the guitar? And who is going to play the drums?"

"Well, we'll see if you can buy a bass guitar at a music shop around here. As for drums… do you know anyone who's strong in taijutsu?"

Hinata thought about it and muttered ,"Rock Lee!"

"Come again, Hinata-chan?"

"Oh. Rock Lee. He's at the other end of the training ground."

---------------

As Takaakira and Hinata made their way to the other end, they heard something. Someone was following them. Takaakira grabbed one of Hinata's shuriken and hurled it at the treetops behind him. They heard a branch crack and something hit the ground with an "oof". Takaakira drew his bokkuto and spun around, only to see Naruto getting up from the ground.

Hinata started to blush again and called out to him, "Na-Naruto-kun! Are-Are you alright?"

Naruto stood there, rubbing his calf as he shouted, "Jeez, Taka, what was that for?!"

"Sorry, Naruto-kun! I didn't know." Takaakira said, trying to keep a straight face. "Anyways, why are you here?"

"Um, I wanted to talk to Hinata."

At that moment, Hinata felt adrenaline rush through her body again. Naruto-kun…Naruto-kun… wants to talk to me? Hinata slowly turned to Takaakira who nodded and said, "Don't worry, Hinata-chan. I'll meet you back at your house." And then, he took off.

-------------

Takaakira kept running. He knew he could never be with Hinata, not the way he wanted. But he still felt envy. It shrouded his sense of thought as he kept running faster and faster trying to outrun the feeling that clung to him. He ran and ran until he bumped into someone. Both Takaakira and the figure fell to the ground roughly. Takaakira looked up and saw someone else, rubbing his arm.

"Um… sorry about that", Takaakira said.

"Ow, what just happened?", said the kid, wincing.

"I was running, but I guess I didn't see you. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright… hey… you're that new guy, aren't you? The person who just moved into the village,"

Takaakira looked up from his guitar, thankful that it wasn't damaged. "Yeah, that's me. Who are you?"

The kid flashed a toothy grin and gave Takaakira a thumbs up. "I'm Konoha's beautiful blue beast, Rock Lee!"

Takaakira gave him a funny look and said, "As cool as that just was, you're green, so… yeah. Anyways, I was just looking for you. I have a favor to ask you…."

---------------

"S-so what is it you wanted to say, Nar-Naruto-kun?"

Naruto and Hinata walked along one of the paths towards the village. With every step, Hinata felt her heart pound in her ears and felt as if she were walking in air. She savored every second she spent with Naruto, blushing and lost in bliss. "Hinata, I wanted to thank you for what you did yesterday", said Naruto. "I really liked the picture you gave me, and the ramen was just great."

"Y-you're welcome. I'm glad that-that you enjoyed it"

Naruto smiled at her, making her feel her heart melting blissfully. "Listen, is Taka your boyfriend or something?"

The question caught Hinata off guard and brought her back to reality, "N-No. We're just really good friends."

"Oh… ok. Sakura-chan thought so, but I didn't believe her. She can really say some weird things you know? Like yesterday, she kept telling me that you're deeply in love with me or something. I mean come on, how crazy is that?"

Hinata felt her heart throb painfully as it dropped into her stomach. So… he doesn't know yet… Why, Naruto-kun… WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND?! Tears started forming in her eyes as she turned away from Naruto, confusing him again.

"Hinata? Is something wrong?"

Desperate to hide her feelings, Hinata attempted a fake laugh and said, "You're right, Naruto-kun. That's re-really crazy." For Hinata, saying those words was like chewing on a rock. Every single word cut into heart.

Naruto, oblivious to what had happened, then said, "Now don't get me wrong, alright? You're the best ever! Better than Sakura-chan, sometimes. But I know someone like you would never fall for someone like me. I wouldn't deserve it. And that's why I can't see it happening. Or… uh… Look, just forget everything I said, alright?"

Hinata turned around to see him right in front of her. He smiled at her and said, "What I meant to say was, I didn't have a lot of money to buy you a present, so…" And then, he bent over and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.

------------

After hearing Takaakira's explanation, Lee started to get up and stretch. "Alright, I like the sound of it. I don't know what a drum set's like, but I'll give it a shot. However, before I join your… um… "band", I'd like you to do me a favor"

Takaakira then got up and started gather his stuff. "Ok, what is it?"

Lee back-flipped and raised his arms into a fighting stance. "Fight me!"

"Huh?! Why?"

"Well, if I'm going to join your group as a follower, I need to know that I am weaker than my leader."

Takaakira sighed. "Lee! This isn't a dictatorship, alright?! If you join the band, you get to have a say in things too!"

"Oh", said Lee, lowering his stance. But he then said, "Either way, it's almost spring, so the lotus flower of Konoha must prepare to bloom!"

"Huh? What the heck does that mean?"

"In other words, Konoha's blue beast, Rock Lee, is about to enter the spring-time of youth, so he must prepare for it!"

"….You just want to fight me anyways, right?"

"Yes."

"Ok, but on three conditions: One, We both get to use a weapon. Two, we get to use three jutsus. And three, you can't take your weights off."

Lee gawked at him. "How did you know about my weights?"

Takaakira gave him a painful grin. "I stubbed my toes on something hard on your ankle when I ran into you."

"Oh.. right. Well, let's get started."

------------

Hinata's world stood still as she felt the warm lips of her dream boy touch her cheek. She then looked up at him, scared, yet happy. He smiled at her and said, "Thank you, Hinata. You really are a great friend after all." He held out his hand and she hesitantly slipped hers in his. He shook it vigorously and said "Well, I gotta eat dinner now, so bye!" And with that, he was off. But Hinata still stood there, trying to comprehend what just happened.

--------------

Takaakira drew his bokkuto as Lee brandished a kunai. They took their stance and waited. Digging his foot into the ground, Takaakira charged. As he came closer and closer to Lee, he saw his green opponent take a step back and then saw him jump over him. Takaakira heard a rustle behind him, so he quickly rolled to his side and swung his wooden katana. He heard a clang and saw some sparks fly out of the corner of his eye. He then put one foot under him, pushed out, and jumped clear of his adversary.

Lee stared at Takaakira's bokkuto and said, "That's made out of wood, right? Then why does it sound like it's of metal?"

Takaakira ran his finger along the polished wooden blade, revealing a thin sliver of metal. "Many bokkutos are made purely of wood, but mine is made of a dull blade with wood surrounding it. Also, my bokkuto is made from a special type of wood, the hardest type. "

"Fascinating", muttered Lee. He then twirled his kunai and charged for Takaakira. At the last second, he threw it. Takaakira could barely see the deadly knife as it cut through the air, right at him. Takaakira decided it was time to use his first jutsu. He wound his arms back and swung with all of his might, shouting, "Fuuton-Giri no-jutsu!" As he swung, a sickle-like shockwave flew forward, knocking away the kunai. Lee had no time to stop, since he was running head-on into the shockwave. The collision sent him flying back.

"How in the world did you do that?"

"Well, it's taijutsu, so no seals are needed."

As soon the words left his lips, he saw Lee appear right in front of him. "Konoha Hurricane!" Before he knew it, Takaakira felt several kicks connect with his torso and jaw, sending him high into the air towards the tree. Takaakira tried to regain the grip of his bokkuto when he heard Lee say, "Shadow Leaf Dance!" Takaakira didn't know what he meant, but he knew that he had to fend Lee off while he was in the air. He needed to push off something. His eyes frantically searched for something in reach. A branch! There was a branch a couple feet away! Extending his arm, Takaakira gripped his bokkuto tightly and hacked down on the branch as hard as he could. Using all of his strength, he used the momentum from the strike to twist himself around in midair to face Lee. And then they hit the ground.

Struggling to get up, Takaakira charged at his opponent, who was still stunned, and swung his fist towards Lee's face. It connected. Then he tossed his bokkuto in the air and performed a series of seals. He was about to bite his thumb for blood, but he hesitated and decided not to. As he caught the sword, Takaakira shouted, "Fuuton –Katarengi no-jutsu!" Lee, who managed to bring his arms up, saw Takaakira spinning insanely fast, producing a huge maelstrom-like windstorm. It was as if the wind was a giant who grabbed Lee and picked him up and spun him around. Leaves were stripped off branches and trees bent, threatening to snap. And then it was all over. Lee and Takaakira both managed to stand panting heavily and they both said, "Truce."

--------------

As Lee and Takaakira walked to the Hyuuga compound, Takaakira explained to Lee how to amplify the drums using chakra. "Wood acts as a great medium for chakra, so if you focus the chakra into your hands, you can basically control the volume of your drums."

Just as he finished, they both realized they had come to the Hyuuga mansion. There was Hinata, standing by the door. She was poking her fingers and she had a smile fixed on her scarlet face. Takaakira came up to her and waved his hand in front of her face. But her eyes were closed. Sighing, Takaakira took his guitar and asked Lee for a kunai. Focusing chakra into the kunai, he ran the dulled edge against the metal strings, creating a distorted shredding noise. That brought Hinata back to reality.

"Huh?" she asked, still blushing from before.

"Lee and I are going to my place to start planning. Want to come?"

She nodded and followed them. After Takaakira made some tea for all of them, he said, "Now, are you sure that you all want to do this? I don't want to force you."

Lee took a sip and said, "Even though you didn't force us to join, why should we? What's so important about playing music?"

"Well, when you play music, it helps take your mind off things. It's like a therapy; if you have something bottled up within you, playing music helps bring it out."

"Just like crying," Hinata said.

"Yeah," said Takaakira with a chuckle. "Just like crying."

"Ok, sounds good. Now how are we all going to get instruments?"

"Well, tomorrow my shift at the Ichiraku Noodle Bar ends at 3:00, so how about we all meet then?"

"Great! My mission should be done by then, anyways."

Hinata nodded too.

"Alright," Takaakira said. "It's settled. Three members, three friends!"