Star-Gazing

"Reminisce That Summer Night."

I don't own Naruto.

A/N: 7/13/12: I decided to mash up both Star-Gazing and Chasing Midnight together in one place, since they were basically the same story.

Ages:

Hinata: 18

Naruto: 18

Flashback Hinata: 8

Flashback Naruto: 8

Though, it's not really imperative in the story…

Hinata sighed as she climbed the hill.

She had stumbled on this hill many nights ago when she was younger, on a day when sleep refused to find her.

A night like tonight.

That was the day when her feelings for Naruto had been rekindled.

She smiled as she finally reached the top and lay down on the dew damped grass.

Hinata didn't care if her simple lavender silk night gown got wet.

Instead, she just looked up at the vast night sky and remembered of the day when she had met Naruto for a second time.

10 Years Ago.

Hinata roamed the streets.

She didn't feel sleepy at all.

It was one of those typical summer nights, warm and pleasant, not scorching heat; where the cicada's chirp lulled everyone to sleep.

She had snuck out of her bedroom and managed to go beyond the compound borders without being noticed, followed or caught.

She just turned the corner when she had bumped into somebody.

She gave a small cry as she fell backwards; flailing her arms around to try and catch her balance but failed.

Before she hit the ground, somebody caught her just in time by grabbing a hold of her outstretched hand.

At first, she flinched, thinking it was her father who caught her and was about to hit her until he spoke.

"Sorry! I'm gonna be careful next time!"

Her heart skipped a beat. She recognized that voice anywhere.

It was the one who had come to her rescue when she was being bullied by a couple of boys from her cousin's class two years ago.

"U-Uzumaki-san!" She gasped, the blush creeping her cheeks.

Naruto squinted, trying to get a look at her face in the dark. "Oi. You're that Hyuuga in my class."

"O-oh!" Hinata realized that her name escaped him. "M-my name i-is—!"

"Hi—something." Naruto grumbled, who obviously didn't hear Hinata. "Something to do with the sun."

"H-Hinata." She mumbled.

"Oh yeah!" Naruto gave a wide grin. "Hinata! Sorry, I'm not really that good at remembering names."

"That's okay, Uzumaki-san." Hinata twiddled with her thumbs. "I'm used to it."

Naruto frowned. "Used to what?"

"Not being acknowledged." Hinata shrugged her shoulders.

Hinata then grasped her mistake when she saw Naruto's expression darken.

"I-I'm s-so sorry!" Hinata stammered. "I-I-I d-didn't—!"

"That's okay." Naruto gave her a toothy grin to prove it was. "But, that's kinda shocking."

"Wh-what is?" Hinata tried to read his appearance when the smile faltered.

"Well," His gaze darted left as he rubbed the back of his head. "Just how a Hyuuga is the same as me. I-I mean, how we're kind of the same Hinata. 'Cause nobody acknowledges us. But one day, they surely will! When I become Hokage!"

Hinata's eyes widened a bit. "Th-the same as Uzumaki-san?"

Hinata then become conscious on how they really were alike. For one, they both tried to mask up their pain to not be crushed by their loneliness and anxiety that they both held.

"Oh yeah," Naruto scowled a bit. "A person in your status wouldn't be dared compared to trash like me."

"N-no that's not it." Hinata cringed. "I-it's j-just, I-I never really was c-considered as a-an equal b-by anybody before. I-I'm u-usually told h-how I c-can't e-even compare t-to my y-younger sibling or m-my cousin."

Naruto glanced at her curiously.

Not knowing what to do, Hinata averted her eyes from his stare and poked her index fingers together, furiously blushing.

She heard him give a laugh.

"I like you!"

Hinata helplessly flushed at that comment.

He grabbed her hand. "Now come on! Let's go look at stars! Today's the best day to look at 'em!"

"O-okay!" Hinata let herself be dragged by Naruto to wherever he was going.

She took this time to actually look at him and began to feel something bubbling inside of her.

At this point, she was beginning to admire everything about him.

His hair.

His eyes.

His whiskers.

His foxy grin.

His optimism, one she wished dearly to have.

She tightened her grip on Naruto's hand when she had realized that they were entering the forest.

"U-Uzumaki-san, why are we—?" She nervously scanned the trees, for anything.

"This is not the place." He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. "We're almost there! Why? Are you scared?"

Ashamed, Hinata slowly nodded her head. "Y-yes."

"Don't be! I'll keep you safe!" He quickened their pace. "Believe it!"

Hinata smiled shyly. She muttered softly so only she could hear. "I believe you, Naruto."

"Well!" Naruto let go of her hand and stretched his arms out wide. "We're here!"

Inside, Hinata protested on him letting go of her hand.

She blinked. Right in front of her was a hill.

"Come on!" Naruto was energetic even at a late hour. "I'll race ya!"

Even before Hinata could voice her answer, Naruto was already sprinting to the top.

Hinata gave a giggle as she inserted chakra into her feet, trying to see if she could catch up with Naruto.

At last they had reached the top.

It was a tie.

"No fair!" Naruto panted. "You used chakra!"

Hinata was also short of breath. Though she was good at conserving and controlling her chakra, she had so very little to begin with.

"I-I'm s-sorry, Uzumaki-san." Hinata gave a sideways smile. "You're much too fast for me."

"Stop calling me that." Naruto lied down on the grass.

"Wh-what?" Hinata was perplexed. She raised a brow like she had seen her teachers in the Academy do so many times.

"Calling me, 'Uzumaki-san'!" Naruto frowned. "It's too stiff; too formal! Call me Naruto."

"O-okay Uzu—N-Naruto-san." Hinata caught herself.

"'-kun'," Naruto cleared his throat, looking the opposite direction.

"H-huh?" Hinata sat down nearby him, her knees raised and her arms around them.

"Call me, 'Naruto-kun'." Naruto turned back and faced her, looking her straight in the eye. "Okay, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata blinked rapidly. "'-ch-chan'?"

Just then, the pitch black sky looked as if it were raining stars; or as if the world's biggest diamond cracked and its shrapnel were scattered in the night sky.

Hinata's breath was caught in her throat, though she managed to squeak out, "Beautiful!"

Naruto gave a triumphant smile at the little girl beside him. "Told you today was the best day to look at 'em!"

Without thinking, Hinata whispered, "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto's eyes widened a bit.

He cleared his throat and began to point at the sky. "Look over there, it's Vega. And just there is Deneb. Just about there is Altair."

(A/N: Vega, Deneb, and Altair are stars in the sky. When connected, they make a triangle.)

Hinata peeked at Naruto. He just pointed out the summer triangle. He seemed hypnotized, happy even, as he pointed out the stars he knew. She smiled.

"Ah!" Naruto stopped naming the balls of light in the sky. "I'm sorry, I was boring you out, right?"

Hinata shook her head swiftly. "N-no. It a-amazes m-me how N-Naruto-kun knows so much about stars!"

Naruto looked away. "I come here a lot when I have a lot of things in my mind. One day, there was this old man that taught me the stars. It helped with the thinking out the things."

"Oh," Hinata gazed back up to the sky. "My favorites are Orihime-sama and Hikoboshi-sama."

(A/N: Orihime and Hikoboshi are 'people' from a Japanese 'folk' story that is like Romeo and Juliet, but they don't die and the families are not in a fued. Except, they are represented by stars, where Hikiboshi is chasing after Orihime and once in a blue moon or so they get together. Or something like that.)

Naruto blinked and smirked. "Mine too!"

Hinata giggled.

Naruto frowned, his cheeks flushed. "Wh-what?"

"Oh nothing." Hinata tilted her head back up to the sky. "Oh, I found Orihime-sama. But where's Hikoboshi-sama? Th-that's just lonely."

Naruto followed her gaze and started laughing. "That's not them! They're respectively represented by Vega and Altair, just over there."

Hinata reddened.

She then forgot all about her worries that lingered at the back of her head as she laughed along with Naruto.

Hinata ears perked when she heard a few leaves rustling and a twig snap.

She was ready to activate her Byakugan, but she sensed the chakra was familiar and felt more at ease.

She waited patiently for him to reach the top as she continued to stare at the stars.

They sure haven't changed. Hinata sighed.

"Hinata?"

I take it back; they have changed. Hinata thought bitterly as she longed for him to call her '-chan' once more. Just once more.

She moved her head to look at him. Looming over her was Naruto. "Hey."

He sheepishly smiled as he laid down besides her. "I guess you have a lot on your mind."

She mutely nodded. She closed her eyes and fought back the tears.

It's no use. Don't cry.

She felt the awkward silence fall between them.

Hinata faced Naruto's direction, only to lock eyes with him before he quickly looked away.

Since when, Hinata bit her lip, trying to prevent the tears from spilling. Have I been chasing you?

She gulped and willed her stutter to stay put and not come out. Please, don't be surprised and listen to these feelings of mine. "U-um, Naruto-kun—?"

"Hmmn?" He turned to her, his cool blue eyes staring straight to her lavender ones.

"I-I-I—." Hinata closed her eyes and sighed, cursing herself inwardly. "W-wanted to know why you're here."

"Well, it's this girl." Naruto scratched his head. "But, I want to know why Hinata's here because you were here before me."

"O-oh. Is that so?" Hinata muttered. They would never reach you, will they? These feelings of mine? "I just couldn't sleep."

She heard Naruto shuffle around a bit.

"U-uh," Hinata looked at her shoes. It's okay. Being beside you is enough already. "It's pretty late, I must be going."

"See you around." Naruto's overly cheerful voice rang in her ears as she slid down the hill and blindly ran into the forest, her tears blurring her vision.

Naruto sighed and pounded his fist on the earth. "Idiot!"

He shot a hand up to the sky, the direction of the summer triangle and balled it into a fist. "I envy you guys. At least Orihime-sama's father gave her permission."

He let his hand slowly fall to his side. He ran a hand through his hair.

'And I still wonder why she loves you.' The Kyuubi sneered inside of him.

Shut up, you stupid fox. Naruto barred his teeth.

'Just saying.' The Kyuubi said in mock defeat.

Naruto decided to ignore him.

He gazed towards the direction Hinata ran in.

Hinata, I'm sorry.

Honestly, I already realized my feelings for you a while back.

Naruto covered his eyes with a hand and clenched at the cloth just above his beating heart.

"These feelings are fake. It's just because you guys got to be close friends, that's why you care so much about her."

That's what I told myself.

He clenched his jaw. I'm so stupid.

Why I bluffed in my faint-heartedness; I don't know.

Maybe because of the fear that I would get laughed at, or worse, rejected but you.

I acted like I had no interest in you, but I know that the pricking pain in our chest only grew.

Naruto opened his eyes and looked back at the summer night sky. His nails dug into the earth and uprooted a few blades of grass.

'Falling in love is like that.' The Kyuubi snorted. 'Get used to it kit. Reality is harsh.'

Once again, Naruto ignored the beast as he pushed himself up to his feet. He knew that Hinata was probably still in the forest, crying with her back leaned against the trunk of a tree.

He knew her well enough.

Naruto weaved a few hand signs and disappeared into smoke.

I didn't say it.

Hinata sniffled, her breath shuddering.

I couldn't say it.

She furiously wiped, with her clenched fist, the tears that easily streamed down her face.

I'll never get another chance.

She hit the back of her head repeatedly against the trunk of the tree, angry at herself for being so weak.

Those sparkling stars. Even now, I still remember that laughing face. Even the angry face.

I really loved them.

You would think it strange, right Naruto?

Even though I know that, is it foolish to continue on with these feelings?

You didn't know the secret only I knew.

She heard rustling nearby, but dismissed it as just the wind blowing around the leaves. She felt chilled to the bone as she shivered. Closing her eyes shut tightly.

That night long ago, in a distant memory, when you pointed at the sky and with an innocent voice, you spoke—.

"There you are Hinata-chan."

Hinata's eyes fluttered open as she slowly turned her head in the direction of the voice.

"N-Naruto-kun!"

END.

I assume most of you will certainly detest the ending~!

But I still hope you liked it!

Thanks for reading~!

Leave any comments/constructive criticism~!

:D

7/13/12: The sequel is just in the next chapter.