Beloved

by trutenor

Uzumaki Naruto has finally returned to Konohagakure after three years, but what has changed? What has remained the same? Will he find what he has always been looking for all along in his quest to become Hokage?

1. Revival of Team Seven!

Greetings! How is everyone doing? Thought I had left the community? Hell no! I'm still around!

For those of you that may not have read the memo or heard the notice, this is the spiritual successor to my previous Naruto/Hinata fanfiction, Acknowledgement. So for all intents and purposes, this is chapter seven of Acknowledgement even though these two stories don't take place in the same continuity.

I'm sure many of you have several questions, but if I explained it all here, then I would have one hell of an author's note. So I'll just let you enjoy the chapter and I'll answer all your questions in the next chapter or an email or something...and yes, there will be a next chapter now that I've got my groove back!

And I think it's pretty clear that I don't own Naruto, for he is the property of a one, Masashi Kishimoto.

One quick warning though… this fic is rated Mature for a reason. Unlike my previous work which was rated mature but really felt more like a teen story, this time I intend to take full advantage of the rating.

And I think this goes without saying, but I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto is the genius that created everyone's favorite ramen eating prankster.

Enjoy!

-Uzumaki Naruto-

Man, how I've missed this place!

For the past two and a half years, I had been on the road as an official apprentice to the toad sage, Jiraiya of the Sannin. Or as I liked to call him, Ero-sennin! I'll admit that I learned a lot from him over this long timeframe, but that still didn't change the fact that Ero-sennin is a self admitted super pervert!

I forgot where I heard it from, but there is a saying that home is where the heart is. And for me, home is Konoha! Despite the fact that half of the villagers in Konoha were douche bags that cursed me for something that wasn't my fault, I still love this place! Even though my childhood could have been a lot better, I was glad to at least pick up a couple of warm memories.

"Osu! Minna! Uzumaki Naruto has returned, dattebayo!"

I shout out to the heavens as I leap on top of a pole and gaze at my city. Now that I am back, it was time to remind everyone who ran things!

Haa! Baa-chan's old mug was added to the Hokage monument, I see! That wasn't there before I left! And just when I thought that things hadn't changed…

"Yo! It's been a while, Naruto!"

"Kakashi-sensei!" I exclaim as I jump over to the adjacent rooftop to meet my old teacher, "You haven't changed a bit!"

And when I said that Kakashi-sensei hadn't changed, what I really meant was that he was still reading Ero-sennin's "literature". Once a pervert, always a pervert I guess…

"But you have, Naruto," my one eyed jounin sensei answers, pointing a finger at me, "You've grown! If it wasn't for the fact that your attire is similar to your old wardrobe, I almost wouldn't have recognized you!"

Dattebayo… Ero-sennin...why must you be so cruel? Granted, I like my new upgrade to my classic orange jumpsuit, but I wish that I could have obtained it under better circumstances! I mean, Ero-sennin was so harsh on me during a training session that he actually destroyed my old outfit! Well at least he took me to a clothing store that didn't know about my "tenant", and paid for some new gear. It was one of the few times when Ero-sennin didn't act like a lecherous novelist and actually acted his age!

My new outfit is similar to my old one, the only real difference being that all of the blue that I used to wear has been replaced with black, and that I have a mesh shirt underneath my jacket. Oh! And the metal part of my Konoha hitai-ate that Iruka-sensei gave me was moved to a longer hachimaki!

"Ero-sennin's training was so harsh that he actually shredded my old outfit," I explain as I pull out a green book from my travel bag, "Here, I got you a present!"

"This…this is…!"

"Its Icha Icha tactics," I explain as we jump back to the ground, "It's the latest in the Icha Icha series after three years. And for the record…I actually helped write some of it…"

"You did?" Kakashi-sensei asks incredulously, opening up the book, "I find that hard to believe…"

"Considering that I've been on the road for three years with a self admitted "super pervert", you really shouldn't be too surprised," I answer as we meet back up with the legendary toad sage in question. When Ero-sennin agreed to take me under his wing for three years, he told me that I would be learning more than just jutsu. Ero-sennin also said that I would have to learn how to write novels, for in the instance that something should happen to him, I would have to continue the legacy of the Icha Icha series.

What this meant was that when Ero-sennin decided to snoop on women in what he claimed was "research", I would unfortunately have to accompany him as his wingman. I called it perverted, but Ero-sennin claimed it was part of my "training". I honestly didn't want anything to do with this type of training, but Ero-sennin claimed that unless I went through with this, he wouldn't teach me anything else. Kuso…

So I did what any apprentice would do. I swallowed my pride, and went through with it. I mean, it's not every day that one of the legendary Sannin takes you under his wing, right? And considering that Kakashi-sensei often shafted my training for Sasuke, I wasn't about to turn down this offer.

I'll never admit this to anyone, but Ero-sennin's idea of training really paid off in the long run. Since the objective was to peek on naked women for as long as possible without being detected, this helped to strengthen my spying abilities. Ero-sennin explained that a true ninja must gather information without getting caught, for getting caught had severe consequences. And in the case of being found out, a true ninja also had to have enough agility to make a getaway. Considering the amount of times I've had to run away from topless women that wielded objects that could castrate me, I'll say that I made quite a breakthrough. Ero-sennin on the other hand, seemed to be working on his durability…

This style of training also had the side effect of giving me a much greater appreciation of the opposite sex. Let's not kid ourselves here, I'm a pervert. Not only did I create the "Oiroke no Jutsu" and its more powerful form the "Harem no Jutsu", but I also worked on a new version while on the road in my spare time. I guess hanging around Ero-sennin for so long has rubbed off of me.

But enough about perverted older men! Now that I'm back in town, it's time to get my priorities in order! Ichiraku ramen, here I come!

What can I say? I love the stuff! It is truly the "gift of the gods"! So what if it is almost an obsession for me? Nobody says anything about Chouji and his addiction to barbeque! And I already have a strong feeling that that crazy snake lady from the chuunin exams…Mitarashi Anko was it…? Has a fetish for dango! Why do I suspect this? Well, after she cut my cheek with her kunai and started licking my blood, my sense of smell kicked into high gear and told me that she "reeked" of the stuff! Granted, my sense of smell isn't as strong as Kiba or Kakashi-sensei's, but due to the "tenant" inside of me, my sense of smell is still stronger than the average shinobi, so I was not mistaken about what I smelt.

But I'm getting off track again. Instead of "talking" about ramen, I should be "digesting" it!

"I'll see you guys later!" I shout as I run off in the opposite direction, waving a goodbye to my mentors, "It's time for Ichiraku ramen, dattebayo!"

"Oi, Naruto!" I hear Kakashi-sensei shout back after me, "Meet me at the old training grounds in two hours!"

"Ok!"

Man…I can already taste that ramen right now…what flavor do I want to go with? Chicken? Beef? Or should I go with my all time favorite of miso with pork cutlets?

But as I turn the corner, I feel as if all time comes to a standstill. There, standing before me, was an angel about 161 cm with a short sleeved red shirt and white skirt. Around her legs she wore black shin guards. But what stood out the most about this young lady was the shade of pink her hair had.

"Sa…Sakura-chan?" I mutter, my voice finally returning to me.

"Eh? Naruto?"

Chapter 1: A heartfelt reunion! Revival of team seven!

My heart leaps as my female teammate Haruno Sakura embraces me. Sakura-chan was one of the few things that I actually missed more than ramen while I was gone on the road. Not even ramen was a substitute for a good woman.

Don't get me wrong…Ero-sennin made sure that I was well acquainted with the opposite sex on the trip. If I were to truly become Ero-sennin's successor, then I had to know what I was talking about. Part of my "curriculum" was dragging me into strip clubs and lounges to watch the strippers and prostitutes in the seedy parts of the villages that we would venture to. Ero-sennin explained that this type of exercise was two-fold. One, by studying the women, it would allow me to make my literature more…dattebayo…what was that word Ero-sennin used? Vivid? Yeah, vivid…the reason why Ero-sennin actually made a nice sum of money off of that smut of his was because he made the characters in his books come to life. From things like a g-string thong to a nipple ring pierced upon a nice supple breast, my perverted master never missed a detail. In fact, it was this type of training that allowed me to create my upgrade for the "Oiroke no Jutsu".

The other reason that Ero-sennin was so adamant about exposing me to several women was that he wanted to strengthen my resolve. Ero-sennin warned me several times during our trip about the three shinobi vices, which were money, alcohol, and women. Considering that the main purpose of a kunoichi was to seduce their targets, it was easy to see why women were the most dangerous and lethal of the three deadly vices in the shinobi world.

"Don't lose your head, over a piece of tail…" Ero-sennin would caution. While he had wanted to break me out of my shell and "make a man" out of me, Ero-sennin also didn't want me to fall prey to the common trap that befell most male ninja. Therefore, by subjecting me to the allures of women early, I would become a bit sensitized to their charms and be able to maintain my composure and stay focused. A shinobi that couldn't keep their head on the mission at hand often winded up dead. While this was good advice regardless, Ero-sennin told me that it was more vital that I pick this up quickly considering who lived inside of me.

Despite all of the exposure to women though, I still couldn't stop thinking about her…

Sakura-chan…

Even after all of these years…her hair still smelled like cherry blossoms. I had long ago memorized the brand of shampoo that Sakura-chan used…Konoha breeze…

Come to think of it, Sakura-chan never hugged me before, did she? Dattebayo, she feels so good in my arms, I don't want to let her go. Wait…if she's hugging me of her own accord, then maybe…?

Do I have a chance with Sakura-chan now that I'm all grown up? Has being away for so long made Sakura-chan long for me as I always have for her?

"How do I look?" Sakura-chan asks me as she breaks our hug, "Do I look more like a woman now?"

"You look fine!" I reply with a thumbs up, "You haven't changed a bit!"

I chuckle to myself as Sakura-chan looks pissed while Tsunade-baachan, Kakashi-sensei and Ero-sennin look at me like I'm an idiot.

I'll admit that I've never been the sharpest kunai in the holster, but I'm far from being the village idiot that everyone thinks that I am. I mean, what did you expect from someone who has grown up without parents or really anyone to help me grow and show me genuine compassion? It's surprising how far I've come along considering those odds! I'm not dumb…I just prefer a more hands on approach with things. That's just my learning style.

See, the thing is, I let people see what I want them to see. It keeps me from being hurt, and allows me to always be a step ahead. But when it comes to things like understanding emotions and human compassion, hell, I'm good at that. I was the one that pointed out to my teammates how hard "Gejimayu" trained during the chuunin exams. I was the one that noticed how much Hinata wanted to change the fate of her clan. I also realized how much Sakura-chan loved Sasuke.

And now I just depressed myself. Dattebayo…

"Naruto-niichan!"

I turn around to a poof of smoke, signaling the activation of a jutsu. As the smoke clears, I see a naked brunette standing in front of me with what looks like…a B cup? Heh, you've gotten better at this, Konohamaru…

"How was that?" Konohamaru asks as he dispels the technique, "That was a real drool of jutsu, wasn't it?"

Of course it was. It was great. Outstanding. Marvelous. It does my heart well to know that he has perfected one of my more infamous techniques. But I can't let Konohamaru know that…

"Konohamaru…" I speak as seriously as I can, "I'm sorry, but I'm not a kid anymore. From now on, you shouldn't use that jutsu either…"

I can see the disappointment in my young protégé's face from my comment. I never realized how much I actually meant to him.

I feel a smile come to my lips as a very perverted idea pops into my mind. Pay attention, Konohamaru, for this will be the new standard…

"That jutsu is now second rate!" I proclaim, clasping my palms together and gathering some chakra, "Behold! The latest upgrade to my line of perverted jutsu! Atarashi Oiroke no Jutsu!"

As the smoke clears, I transform into my standard older woman. However, what makes this jutsu different from the classic version is that instead of being naked, I'm wearing purple devil ears, purple gloves, panties and boots, and a purple bra that barely covers my well endowed breasts.

One thing that I learned while on the road with Ero-sennin is that it's not the nudity that warms up the blood of a man, it's the promise of nudity that does. By giving a man a sneak preview of what to expect, you make him more excited for the main attraction. See, if you unveil everything right away, then the fun is over before it has even begun. However…if you give men a piece of eye candy a little bit at a time… then you make them crave it more, and can make them do almost anything that you want.

I've actually used this improved version several times in order to make a little money on the side. Considering that I couldn't return to the village for three years, it meant that I couldn't take on any missions. And while Ero-sennin had a decent amount of money saved from his novels, he was still a stingy tight ass and cheapskate that didn't like to spend anything aside from the occasional ice cream.

So if I wanted to buy a souvenir from whatever village we were visiting at the time, I had to resort to my own means in order to make some money. And what was the quickest and most efficient way to do that? Fan service…

The thing that I found most despicable though is the fact that not only did Ero-sennin have no qualms with me going to such methods to earn ryo, but that he actually encouraged it, as it gave him an opportunity to write another chapter. If he wasn't a super pervert by now, then he definitely earned the title now…

"Naruto…" Sakura-chan speaks in the sweetest, most sugary voice that I have ever heard from her.

"Hmm?" I wonder as I break the jutsu, returning to my regular form.

"Shannaro!"

The next thing I know, I find myself knocked back several feet. I never saw it coming…with one punch, Sakura-chan sends my body flying to the pavement.

"Naruto…!" I barely register as Sakura-chan pulls me up to my knees by my collar, "I don't believe you! I haven't seen you in nearly three years, and you do something stupid like this! And to think that I thought that you had matured! I knew that I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up! Naruto no baka!"

Hey…there's my cup of ramen…oi…why won't you stay still? Oi! Tora! Not that damn cat of the daimyo's wife again! Go away! Stop chasing the ramen! That cup is mine!

"Oi, Sakura…could you wait until after the Chuunin exams before you decide to murder our teammate? I need the dobe in one piece…"

I break out of my daze from the sound of that voice and turn my head to the right. The originator of the voice was a fair skinned male about 168 cm. His attire consisted of an open short sleeved navy blue shirt with an oversized collar, a black t-shirt underneath the blue shirt, Konoha issue olive green pants, and the standard pair of blue Konoha style sandals. I also see a sword resting inside its sheath on the left leg.

There was only one person that called me "dobe" and was allowed to get away with it. He was the one that I had claimed to be my rival, the one who as a kid had enough fan girls to have his own fan club, the sole survivor of his once proud clan…

"Teme…" I cough.

"Hnn…" my male teammate Uchiha Sasuke grunts, helping me off the ground, "I shouldn't be surprised that all of this commotion was coming from you…you've barely been back in the village, and already you are causing mischief…"

"Heh…I can't let the village get soft now, can I?"

At that moment, my stomach decides to make its presence known with a growl. The trek back to the village had definitely worked up an appetite, and now it was time to answer its call.

"Heh, heh…" I chuckle, rubbing a hand behind my head, "I guess I'm kinda hungry. I was just about to go to Ichiraku before you two showed up."

"Come on…" Sasuke sighs, placing a hand behind my back, "I'll buy you a bowl."

Wow…Sasuke treating someone? Maybe I should leave the village for another three years to see what he would do…

"But only one!" Sasuke adds, "When it comes to ramen, you have the appetite of an Akimichi! And since I've mostly been doing D and C rank missions while you were gone, I don't have the funds to support your enormous appetite!"

Cheap bastard…

"You're mean, Sasuke-kun…" I pout while simultaneously batting my eyes like a fan girl, "I thought you loved me…"

"Don't make me kill you!" Sasuke shouts as he chases me down the street.

"Naruto!" I hear Sakura-chan yell behind as she also follows, "I'll kill you! Sasuke-kun! Wait for me!"

It's good to be back, Dattebayo!

-Hyuuga Hinata-

I giggle as I watch my beloved run away from his teammates as if his life depended on it.

I can't help but feel elated that Naruto-kun has returned to the village. He always did have a way of making me smile…

And yet…I also feel a sense of remorse as well…

I sigh as I deactivate my Byakugan and come from behind my hiding spot, today's choice being a garbage dumpster.

Three years…It's been three long years since Naruto-kun left and returned to Konoha, and I'm still not ready…

What have I been doing with myself all of this time?

When Naruto-kun left with Jiraiya-sama nearly three years ago, I vowed that I would get stronger and not become the "smitten teenage girl" that has corrupted a lot of women. I wanted to become strong enough to stand by Naruto-kun's side. To walk with him…talk with him…hold him…kiss him…

I place a hand to my forehead as my vision becomes slightly woozy. Calm down…get your emotions in check…

Now where was I? Oh yes…after Naruto-kun left, I told myself that I would become a better kunoichi so that when he returned, I would be worthy enough to be with him.

So I trained, far harder than I was used to. When I was not on missions, I would train vigorously from morning to evening until I felt like I would pass out. I was tired of being thought of as the Hyuuga girl that was too timid, tired of being the "black sheep" of the Hyuuga clan, but most importantly, I wanted him to notice me upon his return…

Eventually my regimen paid off when in the next Chuunin exams, I was able to prove to the proctors that I had what it took to advance to the next level, and was given the promotion. But even though I had proved to my clan and the village that I held much potential, I still felt empty inside…

At the celebration dinner with my team following the exams, I had no appetite, despite the fact that my favorite dishes of red bean soup and cinnamon rolls were on the menu.

"Oi, Hinata!" My teammate Inuzuka Kiba barked as he shoved a piece of steak into his mouth, "Why aren't you eating? This stuff is great! Yahoo!"

"Kiba…" My other teammate Aburame Shino reprimanded, "Regardless of the results of Hinata's performance, we are still in an establishment where it would not be beneficial to behave in such an uncouth manner. Control yourself."

Kiba-kun grunted as he fed a piece of beef to Akamaru, who had not grown yet.

"However…" Shino-kun continued, wiping his mouth with a napkin, "I feel that I must share the same sentiment. Hinata, your behavior tonight…feels abnormal…even for you…"

"Gomen, Shino-kun, Kiba-kun…I didn't mean to make you two worry about me. I guess I must still be tired. Even after all of that training, I guess that the Chuunin exams still took more out of me then I expected…"

It had been a half truth. The Chuunin exams really did take a lot out of me despite the fact that I had already experienced it six months prior. It might have had something to do with the fact that the exams were held in Suna that year, so as such, I was not fully prepared for the climate conditions. Still, that didn't change the fact that I had not told my teammates the entire truth. I couldn't tell them…they wouldn't understand.

"We'll be back," I remembered Kurenai-sensei saying as she stood up out of her chair. Giving me that look that said "girl talk", I also stood up from our dining table.

"Where are you two going?" Kiba-kun had asked.

"We'll be back," Kurenai-sensei glared, giving the message that she should not be questioned further.

Upon entering the sanctuary known as the "women's restroom", Kurenai-sensei sighed.

"So tell me," I remembered her asking. I loved hanging with Kurenai-sensei since she was like the older sister that I never had, "What's bothering you, Hinata? Your teammates are right. Your behavior tonight seems so unlike you…despite the fact that you were the only member of your team to make it to Chuunin this year."

It had taken all of my willpower not to break down while I had been dining in the restaurant with my teammates. However, once I had ventured into the restroom with Kurenai-sensei, the wall that I had placed around myself crumbled almost immediately.

"Despite the fact…that I managed to win…" I remembered myself choking as my eyes got watery, "It was a hollow victory…for the one person…that I wanted to watch me…the one person… that I wanted to notice me more than anything…wasn't there…!"

I immediately broke down into tears after that confession. Right after admitting what the true reason was for my lack of appetite that night, the floodgates seemed to have been opened.

"Why?" I cried into Kurenai-sensei's chest, "Why did Naruto-kun have to leave the village?"

"I cannot answer that, Hinata," I remembered Kurenai-sensei answering as she patted my back, "But why was it so imperative that Naruto be present?"

"I wanted to tell him…no…show him…how much I had changed, because of him!" I sniffed as Kurenai-sensei handed me a tissue, "Naruto-kun means so much to me that it hurts! I can't stand the fact that I won't see him again for another two years! And it hurts even more that nobody, not even Kakashi-sensei, will tell me why Naruto-kun had to leave in the first place! What's wrong with me, Kurenai-sensei? Why does my chest hurt so much whenever I think of Naruto-kun?"

From conversing with Kurenai-sensei, I had learned a lot about myself that night…

It had no longer been about mere admiration for Naruto-kun…

No, I had fallen in love with Naruto-kun…

I had also realized how angry I was at myself for not telling Naruto-kun how I felt before he left the village for two and a half years. To be fair, I never realized how deep my feelings for Naruto-kun ran until after he left.

So I told myself, that I would strengthen my resolve so that when Naruto-kun returned, I would be there to show him that someone had missed him during his absence.

And then I would tell Naruto-kun just how precious he was to me…

I had everything planned out. I was going to welcome Naruto-kun back to Konoha. Then I would go with him as he enjoyed his favorite meal of Ichiraku ramen. Then, perhaps we could go back to his apartment and…

I place a hand over my chest as my heart starts to beat like the footsteps of a thousand Konoha shinobi. Naruto-kun…how I yearn to be yours…

Unfortunately, there had been a flaw in my plan that not even my Byakugan could have foreseen. I had not anticipated Sakura-san being the first person to run into Naruto-kun upon returning, and then I saw it…Naruto-kun…still had feelings for his teammate…

Now, in addition to being known as the "timid one" of the Konoha twelve, I was also known for being the most amiable amongst us. I was selfless, and willing to listen to other people's opinions. As the heir to the Hyuuga clan, these were traits that I was more or less required to have.

Despite all this, however, there was one thing that I refused to concede, and that was the right to be Naruto-kun's lady…

Yes…it was a very selfish desire of mine…but I had long stopped caring. I was willing to give up everything else of value that I owned, including my right to be heir to my clan, but I would never sacrifice my love for Naruto-kun to another woman! Especially not to Haruno Sakura!

I admit…I was jealous of his teammate. Even before we had become genin, I loathed the fact that Naruto-kun only had eyes for her. What made it even worse was the fact that out of all of the girls that disrespected Naruto-kun in the academy, Sakura-san had been the worst of them all. Had I had more courage back then, I would have intervened for her treatment of my beloved. If that wasn't bad enough, the two of them were then placed on the same team together. My only saving grace was the fact that Sasuke-san had also been placed on the team, and it had been a well known fact that his biggest admirer was Sakura-san herself.

Yet despite the fact that she doesn't seem to reciprocate his feelings, Sakura-san still seems to hold some sort of enchantment over my Naruto-kun.

But there is hope. Sasuke-san said that there would be a…reunion of sorts for the Konoha Twelve at the Uchiha manor tonight. Tonight will be my opportunity to win Naruto-kun over, once and for all. While normally I tended to be very modest about my abilities, I was secretly happy that out of all of the kunoichi in the Konoha Twelve, I was the one with the biggest bust. Guys liked girls with big breasts, right?

Yes, that is a very perverted thought of mine, but then again, the object of my affection is a pervert.

Naruto-kun…I'll let you catch up on old times with your teammates…but tonight, you will be mine…

-Uzumaki Naruto-

"It's good to see all three of you together again!" Kakashi-sensei exclaims as we stand at our old training grounds.

I couldn't agree with Kakashi-sensei more. It truly did feel good to be reunited with my team. It also felt good to finally remind my stomach what the greatness that is called "Ichiraku" was. Fortunately for Sasuke, he didn't have to pay for a bowl for upon seeing me, old man Teuchi said that my entire meal was on the house as a welcome back present. I was happy to see him and Ayame again. Aside from Iruka-sensei and the Sandaime, those two were the only ones that treated me with true kindness before I became a genin.

I'm also glad that Sasuke's attempt at leaving the village had failed. Who knows what things would be like had he succeeded in going to Orochimaru?

I had found out what happened to Sasuke after I left the village. From what he told me himself, Sasuke had been put on trial after his wounds healed up a bit. Half of the council had wanted him dead, for treason was treason, regardless of clan nobility. The other half felt that the teme was "too valuable an asset" to Konoha to be killed off. More importantly, if Sasuke were executed, then the Sharingan would be lost to the shinobi world forever.

Things had looked bad, until that crazy snake lady from the Chuunin exams had come to speak on his behalf. It turned out that Orochimaru had given her a curse seal as well! Who knew? I sure as hell didn't…

Anyway, she had explained that the curse seal gave the owner crazy thoughts and had a mild form of mind control. That made sense. Sasuke did start to act a bit more power hungry after the Chuunin exams. This information was what had literally saved Sasuke's life. Yes, Orochimaru had literally kept Sasuke alive because of the curse seal! Oh the irony…

So Sasuke had been let off the hook…but not without suffering the consequences first…

After his rehabilitation period had ended, Sasuke had been suspended from active duty for six months, then banned from participating in the chuunin exams for three years or until I returned to the village, and finally relegated to D rank missions for another six months. Ouch…glad it wasn't me!

"Now, it's time to get down to business. You three will assist me on team related missions. It's no longer student and pupil. Starting today, we are all equal shinobi's. But before we get to that…"

I look on in shock as Kakashi-sensei takes out two silver bells from his vest pocket.

"I want to do a little…reevaluation…" Kakashi-sensei continued, "You three already understand that the true purpose of this test is your teamwork, but I'm just curious how good it is now after two and a half years."

"Heh," Sasuke smirked as my teammates and I locked eyes with one another, "We're not kids anymore, Kakashi-sensei."

"That's right!" Sakura-chan agreed, "You don't stand a chance against our teamwork!"

"I've trained hard during these past two and a half years," I add, flexing a muscle, "And I've gotten a lot stronger and learned tons of new jutsu! And I know that Sasuke and Sakura-chan have as well, dattebayo!"

"That's the spirit!" Kakashi-sensei says, lifting his ninja headband up from his left eye to reveal the infamous Sharingan eye.

"You're not going to read while you face us?" I wondered.

"I'd rather save that enjoyment for later…" Kakashi-sensei grins, putting his book away, "Besides…something tells me that this will not be as easy as before. The rules are the same as last time…if you don't come at me with intent to kill, none of you will be able to get a bell. You have until sunrise tomorrow."

I look at Sasuke and Sakura-chan. I notice that we all have a smile upon our face. Though none of us say a word, we all seem to have the same mindset.

We nod in unison, before I start things off by throwing some shuriken at Kakashi-sensei. Already on the defensive, Kakashi-sensei dodges out of the way while countering with some shuriken of his own. Sasuke does a cartwheel to the left, while Sakura-chan does a ground roll to the right. As for me, I duck and cover straight down onto the grass in order to avoid the incoming shuriken.

As soon as the attack passes, I get back up, and along with Sasuke and Sakura-chan, the three of us rush Kakashi-sensei. During our first bell test, Kakashi-sensei had told us that we might have succeeded the first time had we come at him together. Unfortunately, because we were all so young and full of egos back then, none of us realized this until it was nearly too late. However, it's amazing what three years of experience can do for you. Not only were we stronger, but we were wiser. This time, Kakashi-sensei wouldn't stand a chance against our teamwork.

Apparently Kakashi-sensei realized this as well, for just as we were about to close in, he uses a smoke bomb.

Kakashi-sensei wasn't kidding when he said that he was going to go all out on us this time. Fortunately, I don't let something like this get to me, as I am already performing hand signs. Upon finishing the fifth and final seal of my jutsu, I clasp my fingers together in a triangle formation.

"Fuuton: Tatsumaki!"

Immediately a gust of wind pours out from the space left in my hands. As the wind continues to pour, it starts to spiral clockwise before forming into a mini twister that eliminates the smoke present in the air.

"That was amazing, Naruto!" Sakura-chan praises as my little trick starts to die down, "Where did you learn how to do something like that?"

"I must admit," Sasuke agrees, "That was quite impressive."

"Ero-sennin taught it to me after discovering that my element type was wind," I answer, crossing my middle and index fingers together, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

"Naruto, I don't think that will work on Kakashi-sensei since he knows that it is your signature move," Sakura-chan protests.

"Oh, I'm not using it for offense, Sakura-chan…" I grin, "I'm using it as a tactical advantage!"

"Nani?" Both Sasuke and Sakura-chan wonder.

"While I was on the road," I explain as we hide behind a tree, "Ero-sennin told me an interesting side effect of Kage Bunshin. Whenever my clones are dispelled, whatever experience they have earned or knowledge that they have gained, is passed on to me, like I was there in the first place."

"So that means…" Sakura-chan ponders.

"Yep! If Kakashi-sensei destroys one of my clones, then I'll learn things like his current location, or what weapons he used!"

"Hnn…" Sasuke snorts, "When did you grow a brain?"

"Around the same time you grew some balls," I retort back.

Sasuke and I then glare at each other…before bursting into laughter.

"As much as I enjoy how well you two are getting along," Sakura-chan snides, "We need to figure out our next move."

"You're right…" I agree, "Even with all of my training, my Kage Bunshin clones will serve as nothing more than a distraction. We need a plan."

"Agreed," Sasuke adds, "We should use this time to update each other on our new techniques. I think you both already know that I have elemental affinities in fire and lightning."

"I have an elemental affinity for earth," Sakura-chan brings up, "With a secondary affinity in fire."

"I've got a secondary affinity in water," I answer.

"Since you know your element," Sasuke says as he grips his right wrist, "You are already familiar with nature manipulation. But how are you with shape manipulation?"

"You mean can I make things out of my element?"

"Precisely," Sasuke says as his right hand now has an aura of blue electricity around it, "Like this."

I watch in awe as the electricity around Sasuke's hand now starts to lengthen and form what looks like a sword.

"Heh, you've really kept up your training!" I laugh, "Yeah, I can do shape manipulation, but I'm probably not as good as you are."

"So what's the plan?" Sasuke asks, canceling his technique, "We can't just charge in on Kakashi-sensei."

Kuso…I had almost forgotten how formidable Kakashi-sensei is! He is smart like Shikamaru…has good tracking skills like Kiba…speed like Gejimayu…the sharingan like Sasuke…and the Kage Bunshin like me… Even with our teamwork, this would not be easy. For as long as I've known Kakashi-sensei, he has never been known to have any severe weaknesses or quirks that anyone could capitalize on. Other than being two hours late to team meetings and using the excuse that he got lost on the road of life. Or the fact that…

"Wait…!" I snap my fingers as a sudden burst of inspiration comes to my head, "What is Kakashi-sensei's weakness?"

"He doesn't really have one," Sakura-chan says as she slips on a pair of white gloves that go up to her elbows, "Except those perverted books that he is always reading,"

"Exactly!" I smirk, feeling some of that vintage prankster spirit returning to me, "Here's the plan…"

Sasuke and Sakura-chan nod their heads in agreement as I explain my idea to them. How could we not have seen it before? Kakashi-sensei's weakness was that he was a pervert!

"Ok, this plan works," Sasuke agrees, "But we can't do anything until we know Kakashi-sensei's location first."

"Hold on," I hold up a hand as I close my eyes. Apparently, one of my Kage Bunshin clones just got destroyed.

Let's see…impaled by a kunai…from the direction of…

"I've got it!" I exclaim, opening my eyes, "Kakashi-sensei is located on the west side of the training grounds! Let's go!"

Sasuke and Sakura-chan follow me as I lead them to the location of Kakashi-sensei. As we near the vicinity of his whereabouts, I stop moving.

"Hold up…" I caution, holding a hand out, "Another one of my clones got taken out around here. I think Kakashi-sensei might have booby-trapped this area."

"Let me see if there is a genjutsu in place," Sakura-chan says, clasping her hands together, "Kai!"

Almost immediately, the "safe" vision that had been in front of us dispels and is replaced with the true vision of the place, a couple of pitfalls along with two traps that released kunai when stepped upon.

"Alright, Sakura-chan!" I exclaim, taking out a kunai from my pouch, "I knew you could do it!"

I toss a kunai onto one of the spots that trigger the kunai. Right away, the trap activates and releases about five kunai in unison. Fortunately, the three of us had stood back, so we were unaffected by the trap. After seeing how this trap works, I grab another kunai from my pouch and toss it to the right, triggering the other kunai trap.

"We should be good now…" I say after the second trap falls apart after completion, "Let's keep moving!"

"Not so fast," Sasuke warns, pulling me back, "Knowing Kakashi-sensei, he probably put double layers of traps out. Let me double check the area first."

Sasuke steps forward as a confident smirk appears on his lips. Sakura-chan and I had already used our skills so far, now it was Sasuke's turn to take center stage.

"Sharingan!" Sasuke shouts as his normally black eyes turn blood red, "Hmm…just as I thought! Electric wire that would shock us if we so much as brush it! Along with another hidden pitfall and a snare. However, it's nothing that I can't take care of…"

Sasuke then does a couple of hand seals, with the last two signs being horse and tiger. I've fought against and alongside Sasuke enough times to know what he is about to do…

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" Sasuke shouts, releasing a giant fireball from his lips that decimates the remaining traps, "Now, let's go after Kakashi-sensei!"

I create a quick clone to remain on the ground with my teammates while I take to the trees. Our goal was to lure Kakashi-sensei up into the trees where I would act out the next stage of our plan. If everything went according to plan, than Kakashi-sensei wouldn't know what hit him!

I leap from branch to branch until I'm in position. Then, I make about 50 clones and have them camouflage themselves in the leaves of the adjacent trees. From my position, I can see all of the action on the ground.

Heh! Sasuke used his Chidori blade to slice the rock that Kakashi-sensei was hiding behind in two! Now Kakashi-sensei is trying to dodge being cut up and…

What the hell?! Sakura-chan just smashed the ground below Kakashi-sensei into a crater! When did she pick up Baa-chan's super strength? She's a monster! Note to self…try not to get on Sakura-chan's bad side anymore…

Kakashi-sensei just managed to avoid that blow…and Sasuke was almost able to slice the bells…wait! Now Kakashi-sensei is heading up here…and my clone got dispelled...it's my turn now!

"Whew…! Sasuke and Sakura have certainly gotten more dangerous since the last time we did this exercise. Wait a minute, where's Naruto?"

"Oi! Kakashi-sensei!" I shout out from the branch above, "Looking for me? Don't worry, I've just been hanging around! Oh! While on the road, Ero-sennin taught me about the importance of never neglecting your jutsu! It's not always about making newer and stronger ones, sometimes the old ones work just as well! So I'm going to give you a classic that I haven't used in a while!"

At that moment, my concealed clones reveal themselves from their hiding spots. I can see Kakashi-sensei start to sweat as we all take out a kunai. This particular favorite was something that I had used against Gaara during the Chuunin exams. The Kage Bunshin was notable for not only cloning the user, but also any items that they might have been holding at the time. So if twenty of my copies each take out one kunai that the original was wielding….yeah, it's a hell of a lot of pain!

"Naruto Ninpocho!" I shout as my clones and I all throw our weapons at Kakashi-sensei, "Shihou Hapou! Shuriken no Maki!"

Kakashi-sensei does a kawarimi at the last moment to avoid becoming a kabob. Instead, all of my kunai skewer a log. Kakashi-sensei had indeed gotten away. However, in his haste to escape, Kakashi-sensei didn't realize the object that he left behind. To the victor go the spoils…

I grin mischievously as I pick up my prize. It would only be a matter of time before things really got interesting.

"Naruto!" I hear Sakura-chan yell from below, "How did it go on your end?"

"It worked like a charm!" I return as I rejoin my teammates on the ground, "Kakashi-sensei never realized what happened!"

"Hnn…" Sasuke smirks as I give him the item, "Then let's wrap this little game up…"

Wait for it…wait for it…

"Noooo!"

Ha! By the sound of Kakashi-sensei's scream, it looks like he has just realized what sort of position he is in!

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei!" I shout out over the training grounds, "By any chance, you wouldn't happen to be missing anything, would you?"

Seconds later, I see our sensei come out into the open, with a look of panic unbefitting for someone as experienced as him. It was definitely safe to say that the tables had turned.

"You know, Kakashi-sensei…" Sasuke smirks, holding up a familiar green book, "I've been so focused on developing new raiton techniques over the years that I've been neglecting my katon ones. I think it's time that I make up for lost time and practice a couple of them, for old time sake. What do you think?"

"And if we are going to be here all night…" Sakura-chan chimes in, "Then we might need some good burning material to make a fire…"

"If you think your bluffs will scare me, they won't work," Kakashi-sensei responds, "If you burn the book, I'll just buy another copy."

Oh how I've missed being a prankster while on the road…nothing personal Kakashi-sensei…but I need to practice to make sure that my skills don't get rusty…and you are my first victim…

"Oh, I forgot to mention, Kakashi-sensei…" I smirk, "…that the copy I gave you earlier is a special edition. The official release for Icha Icha Tactics won't be for another 3 months."

"No!" Kakashi-sensei panics, "Three months is too long to go without knowing what happens to Himeko!"

"But not to worry, Kakashi-sensei…" I continue, "Did you forget that I already read and helped write the book? I can tell you what happens to Himeko right now! You see, in the end, she…"

If there is anything any reader hates, its spoilers. It serves as the ultimate death coffin. Now while the average person could just cover their ears to avoid someone's voice, it was different when you had a Sharingan that could read lips. So in an effort to avoid his adventure being ruined before it had even truly started, Kakashi-sensei covers his ears and closes his eyes, leaving himself wide open.

"But I wouldn't do that to you, Kakashi-sensei…" I say as Sakura-chan and I each hold up a bell, "Being a bully is not part of my nindo."

The look on Kakashi-sensei's face is priceless! Even Sasuke smiles as Sakura-chan delivers a victory sign! As Shikamaru might say after another successful round of Shougi, this is checkmate!

"Since we've already won," Sasuke says as he tosses the green book back to Kakashi, "You can have this back."

Heh…I've still got it…

"Not bad, you three…!" Kakashi-sensei smiles, returning his book to his vest pocket, "You three are a lot better than I would have imagined! Well, I've got to turn in the results of this exercise to the Hokage. I'll see you all later."

And with that, Kakashi-sensei disappears in a flurry of leaves.

"That was a blast!" I laugh as the three of us leave the training grounds, "I missed doing stuff like that!"

"Hell yeah!" Sakura-chan shouts, throwing her fists in the air, "Team Seven rules!"

"Hnn…"

"Oh come on!" I nudge, "Don't tell me that you didn't enjoy that as well, Sasuke!"

"Hnn…" my egotistical teammate snorts again, "Fine, I admit…that was…enjoyable…"

"Like you could deny the fun!" I continue, "You're a member of Team Seven!"

"Anyway," Sasuke says, changing the subject "Naruto, tonight, at nine pm, come to the Uchiha Manor. It is where I am living now."

"The Uchiha Manor? But, didn't you say that you haven't lived there…since…you know…"

"I have made peace with my past, so that I can have a brighter future," Sasuke answers, "Just come tonight at nine, and wear something nice, like a suit."

"Sasuke," I protest. I had remembered seeing the compounds of the place when I was a kid. One needed a map to get around, "The Uchiha manor is huge! I don't even know what building you would be in! As for clothes, I don't really have anything! And-"

"Just go home first," Sakura-chan adds in, nudging herself closer to Sasuke, "All your questions will be answered then."

"Well," Sasuke says, wrapping his arms around Sakura-chan's back, "See you then."

-Hyuuga Hinata-

I've often had some people ask me what it's like to be from one of the shinobi clans with "enhanced" abilities. To tell you the truth, it's both a blessing and a curse at the same time…

While my Byakugan has benefitted me greatly on my stalking and spying of Naruto-kun, there was also the fact that members of my clan often used the same tactic on me as well. In addition, when you came from a clan that was renowned for certain talents, it changed things. For one, you no longer represented just yourself…you represented your clan as well. One of the reasons that I had been so drawn to Naruto-kun so much was that he was not tied down to one such obligation.

Neji-niisan and I had of course represented the Hyuuga clan. My teammates Kiba-kun and Shino-kun represented the Inuzuka and Aburame clans respectively. Ino-san, Shikamaru-san, and Chouji-san from Asuma-sensei's team had all come from the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans, the same three clans that their famed fathers had come from. In fact, those three clans had a tendency to work together the most. And while he might have been the only member left, Sasuke-san still represented the Uchiha clan.

But Naruto-kun…because he did not come from a prestigious clan like the most of us, he was free to do as he pleased. He did not have to worry about displeasing his family, since he didn't have one. I had envied him for this at first, until I realized that he had been given the short end of the stick. For the freedom that Naruto-kun had been granted, had come at a price. Sure, he could do whatever he wanted without someone worrying about him, but that was just the thing. He didn't have anyone to worry about him…

My heart broke into pieces when Naruto-kun had failed the genin exam for the third time in a row, or so I thought at first. I wanted to run over to Naruto-kun so badly and hold him, but due to the fact that he was considered the "bad seed" of Konoha and I was representing the Hyuuga clan, such an action would have been unwise on my part.

But I digress…when you came from one of the clans known for special techniques… it made…certain aspects of life…difficult…

I feel that out of all of the clans, my team had suffered the worst from it. Due to coming from a clan that excelled in their sense of smell, Kiba-kun had problems…relieving himself…without his mother and sister smelling his essence. It was a very embarrassing issue for Kiba-kun since he claimed it was a way of life. I had to admit…whenever Kiba-kun hadn't taken his medicine…he tended to be more irritable then usual…

Shino-kun also suffered a similar problem, but not to the same degree that Kiba-kun did. Shino-kun's main issue was the fact that the kikaichu bugs that were stored in his body could pass information on to any other Aburame clan member. While normally this wouldn't be a bad thing as it was very suitable for transmitting messages, the kikaichu bugs apparently didn't have a filter on what information they were supposed to pass along. As such, whenever another Aburame member came into contact with one of the bugs, they immediately knew about all of the activities that Shino-kun had done within the past 24 hours.

And how do I know all this? Well…there's a reason why our team is extremely close. We shared our stories with one another…

As for me…just like my teammates, the one thing that makes me stand out was also the one thing that came to bite me in the ass at times…

My Byakugan has a nearly 360 degree view, except for one small area behind the neck. But that's not the problem. The main issue with my kekkei genkai is that it also has the ability to see through solid objects…

During a mission, this unique trait of our eyes is invaluable. However, during our more private moments, it is bothersome…

At first, I had no issues with this whatsoever. However, as my desire for Naruto-kun had grown, I quickly realized that I needed to do something about this matter before I lost my mind. I couldn't speak to Kurenai-sensei or any of the other female members of the Konoha Twelve about this. I was too embarrassed. And I also couldn't talk to any of the other women in the village, as I felt that I did not know them well enough to keep a secret.

Fortunately, a solution would be presented to me. About a couple of months after I had made chuunin, one of the missions I had gone on was to infiltrate a whorehouse. Since I had been the only female out of the four of us that had made chuunin at the time, the assignment was given to me alone. Upon completing the mission, I had conversed with one of the prostitutes about my problems. Her answer was to simply "handle the matter" yourself, and she had taken me to a private room to demonstrate.

Needless to say, my entire body was as red as a tomato, and it had taken all of my strength not to faint. But I willed myself to stay focused and pay attention, as I knew this technique would come in handy someday. When the prostitute had offered to demonstrate on me, I politely declined, and made my leave. It would not be for another three months before I revisited the techniques that the prostitute had shown me that day…

But as I was saying, coming from a prestigious clan had its share of ups and downs…

Due to my infatuation with Naruto-kun, I had quickly taken upon the techniques that I had been taught by that prostitute. The problem was where could one go in order to do so?

The Hyuuga estate did not sit well with me, due to the "secondary trait" of our eyes. Unfortunately, despite the danger that it presented, my home also happened to be the safest place that I could go in order to "take care of myself…"

Sure, I could go to a hotel, but then the question would come up as to why the heir to the Hyuuga clan was by herself in a hotel? If I went to a love hotel instead, then there would be no question about my intentions, but the news and possible scandal that would spread in the Konoha times would light up the village like a flame. When you not only came from arguably the most prestigious clan in the village, but were also the heir to such clan, you had to be very mindful of what you were caught in public doing.

So I had been left with no such choice but to retreat to my quarters. My quarters were separate from the rest of the clan, but that still didn't mean that they couldn't pass by on occasion. I basically had to use my Byakugan first to make sure that there was nobody passing by, or activate the seals that made the Byakugan incapable of penetrating through the walls. It was a bother having to activate the seals nearly every time, since a lot of the clan members had slowly been getting suspicious of my activities. However, if I were to retain my sanity, then I was left with no other alternative.

The engagement at Sasuke-san's estate was not for another four hours, so I had time before I have to get ready. Unfortunately, my mind couldn't stop thinking about him ever since he got back…

Naruto-kun…

Sigh…it was no use. I was going to have to relieve myself again. At least, I had time to do so without rushing…

I sit up from my bed and start to perform a couple of hand signs. Upon reaching the third and final seal in the sequence, I clasp my hands together and gather the sufficient amount of chakra.

"Byakugan!" I shout, activating my family doujutsu. While my seals had been turned on, I had to double check just to make sure.

Looking around the room, I find that I cannot see through my bedroom walls outside. Good, the seals are in place.

Yes…this seal works both ways. Nobody can look out or in.

Now satisfied that my seal has been activated, I turn off my Byakugan as I unzip my lavender and cream colored jacket. My navy blue pants come next, as they soon join my jacket onto the floor. Now left in nothing more than my black fishnet shirt and lavender panties, I lie back on my bed.

Naruto-kun…how I wish to be yours…this body…only belongs to you…

I moan slightly as I start to touch my left breast…

Sigh…this shirt isn't helping…

After removing the shirt and bra, I lay my head back on my pillow and resume my caressing. Without my shirt interfering, I find myself more successful in my endeavors…

Mmm…Naruto-kun…

I allow my fingers to rotate around my areola in a clockwise motion, while I slowly slide my left hand into my moist panties…

Mmm…yes…that's more like it…

My body starts to pulse as my fingers begin to traverse towards the apex of my breast…my nipple…

I bite my lower lip, feeling the pleasure start to build from within…

Then, just as soon as I have begun my activity, I stop. I needed something else to finish myself off.

I stand up and remove my panties completely. Now completely nude, I go towards my drawer and pull open the fourth door, which also happened to be the bottom.

While the other three doors held my clothing, the fourth door was special in that only one item was stored there.

Inside this fourth drawer is a dildo. But this wasn't just any ordinary dildo, this one was special, for on the other end, was a mini figurine of Naruto-kun…

You can imagine how difficult it had been to have this customized…

Konoha was definitely out of the question, as was Suna, as it seemed that Naruto-kun was becoming somewhat of a hero over there. Iwa was just as bad, due to their grudge against the Yondaime, and the fact that Naruto-kun had a slight resemblance to him. And considering what I had gone through at the age of three, there was no way in hell that I would venture over to Kumo. Said incident with Kumo had cost Neji-niisan his father. Although he doesn't say it, I sometimes got the feeling that Oto-san blames me for the death of his twin brother.

Imagine my surprise though, when I would go on a mission that was in Wave country…

Not only was my beloved Naruto-kun already a renowned hero there, but the bridge that I had crossed to get there was even named after him! The Great Naruto Bridge…it had a nice ring to it, and I agreed completely. Naruto was definitely great, in more ways than one…

So when I had made a request at one of the adult stores in the village, the owner not only did it for me in ten minutes, but gave me such a discount that I barely paid anything at all.

I kiss the tip of my dildo as my face starts to redden. This was what had gotten me through those harsh two and a half years without Naruto-kun…

Closing the drawer door back, I lie back down on my bed. Spreading my legs open, I slowly insert the tip of "Naruto-kun" into my wet pussy.

"Naruto-kun…" I moan, pushing more of him inside me.

After successfully swallowing half of the length of my toy, I tighten my grip on the handle. Then, I slowly start to thrust my darling into my wetness, reveling in the feeling that flows throughout me.

"Naruto-kun…"

My free hand clinches the bed sheets as I increase my tempo. Closing my eyes, my mouth starts to drool as all thoughts turn immediately to him…

Naruto-kun…

Whenever I would use my special "kunai", my images of my darling would always be of his past self. But now that he had returned, I was in for a treat…

Naruto-kun had been about 147 centimeters when he had left with Jiraiya-sama that day. Upon returning however, Naruto-kun looked to be about 166 centimeters in height.

I had always found it adorable how Naruto-kun was dwarfed by all of us in the Konoha Twelve with me being the exception. But now…puberty had given Naruto-kun his much needed growth spurt. And boy, did he grow, in all of the right places…

His chubby and cute cheeks had hardened into a chiseled and refined jaw… his body fat had become rock solid abs. While they were nowhere as hard as Lee-san, they were still the next best thing, and they belonged to my darling. And his length…oh my…there were not enough words to describe that special place…

Naruto-kun was not a boy…no…he was a man…

A manly man…

A man that I yearned to claim as my own…

"Naruto-kun…!" I shudder, feeling myself come closer to my peak.

Almost there…just a little bit more…

Naruto-kun…how I love your smile that screams passion and adventure…

But what I think I love most about you are your baby blue eyes that flow like the ocean…

Take me…take me now…accept me…my body is for your use only…my eternal gift…to you…

"NARUTO-KUN…!"

The dam breaks.

I collapse onto the bed as a wave of emotion explodes over my entire body. Panting slightly, I lick my lips as I observe my "essence" flowing from my lower body.

Pulling my dildo out from inside me, I quickly go to the bathroom and rinse it off. After cleaning it off, I put it back in my drawer.

I take my now soiled clothes and bed sheets and throw them into the hamper by my door. After making sure that most of my evidence is cleared away, I set my alarm clock by my bedside to wake me up at seven, one hour from now.

I crawl into my bed as I deactivate the seal placed around my room. Pulling the unsoiled bed sheet over my body, I rest my head on my pillow and close my eyes.

Naruto-kun…I can't wait to see you tonight…

-Uzumaki Naruto-

"Achoo!"

Dattebayo…must be the dust around here…

After Sakura-chan and Sasuke had departed, I had suddenly found myself with nothing to do. I had three hours to kill until nine.

Even though I had worked up an appetite again, I had already gone to Ichiraku earlier today and didn't want to spoil my appetite. Sakura-chan had told me before she left that there would be food tonight, so I should hold out until then.

So I decided to go home and figure out what to do next. Upon reaching my apartment however, I had found that there was a note on the front door.

"Uzumaki Naruto…Report to the Hokage's office upon reading this summons…"

Sigh…So much for resting…

Grabbing the note, I turn around and head for the Hokage tower. As soon as I arrive however, I see Shizune standing outside Baa-chan's office with an envelope in her hand.

"Tsunade-sama is currently in a meeting, but she said to give this to you when you showed up."

I shrug as I accept the envelope. I am then baffled as I find a key inside. Pocketing the key, I read the note that had accompanied it…

"Naruto…

If you are reading this, then you must be wondering just what happened to your apartment while you were gone. Well you see, I couldn't have one of my most dedicated and trustworthy shinobi living in states of such disarray, now could I? And seeing that the apartment adjacent to yours was abandoned, I took it upon myself to give it to you so that you could have a slightly better quality of living. You have done so much for this village, so I felt that this was the least I could do. Your new apartment is in the building to the right of where you used to live. It has double the space of your previous home, and none of the problems that plagued your old apartment such as faulty lighting or backed up pipes. And not to worry, you will not suffer a rent increase due to these…slight modifications."

Senju Tsunade, Godaime.

I honestly did not know what to say to this. This had been one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for me.

Leaving the Hokage tower, I go to where my new apartment is located. But as I arrive to the building, I find that there is only one door outside. Considering this to be the case, I assume that my new home is merely one of the apartments inside this building. But as I use my new key to unlock the door, I find that I am mistaken.

While from the outside this building looked like an apartment, that couldn't have been further from the truth. In actuality, I was living inside a small house!

The first thing I noticed upon entering is that I had stairs. Last time I checked, most apartments didn't have stairs. After pinching my cheek to confirm that this was not a dream, I drop my travelling bag down onto one of the pieces of my new furniture set.

Dattebayo, I was going to need a map just to find my way around this place…

Walking straight, I end up in the dining room area, that has a vase with lilacs that smell of lavender, and behind that is the doorway that leads to the kitchen. This was new…my old apartment had my kitchen and bedroom built in together, with only one other room that served as the bathroom. Baa-chan wasn't kidding when she said that I would have more space.

Inside the kitchen, I open up the refrigerator to find several bottles of the sports drink Konoha sweat. Besides the sports drinks, it was clear that I would need to go grocery shopping.

I take a bottle out of the fridge as I close the door. Heading over to the drawers, I see what else I had. Opening up a drawer, I find that I have a new kitchen set. In addition to the regular utensils and silverware, I found that I also owned a pair of Santoku knives. Too bad I didn't really know how to cook anything aside from toast and instant ramen, so the new stove would go to waste.

Closing this drawer, I decide to go for the cupboards over my new microwave next. The cupboards to the right hold my plates and cups. But as I close the door, nothing can prepare me for what I find in the cupboards to my left. Inside, was about a month's worth, of instant cup ramen…

Dattebayo…

There was also some canned fruits and vegetables as well. Obviously, whoever had gotten this food had wanted to make sure that I ate more than ramen, but who was it? I hated fresh vegatables!

It was probably Baa-chan or Sakura-chan…they would probably do something like this to spite me…

Deciding this matter irrelevant at the moment, I finish off my sports drink. Tossing the empty bottle into the trash, I leave the kitchen and return to the living room.

Upon returning to the main area of my home, I decide to take a closer look. I find that my new furniture set consists of two sofas (one of them being a sofa bed), and two lounge chairs. In the center of all of this furniture is a coffee table with a candy dish. West of the front entrance I notice that I have a new 46 inch plasma television on the wall, while east of the entrance I notice that I have a fireplace.

I sweat drop. These are supposed to be "slight" modifications? And Hokage or not, where in the hell did Baa-chan get all the money for this? She's a lousy gambler, and it's not like Ero-sennin loaned her any money from the profits of his Icha Icha series! That cheap bastard still owes me money! Something doesn't add up here. I may not have been a genius like Shikamaru was, but I wasn't stupid. Hell, even Kiba would realize that something wasn't right with all this!

Disregarding all of this, I find that there is a basement next to the wall that my television rests against. Going down the stairs, I find that there is a washer and a dryer at the bottom. Returning back to the top, I notice that there is a bathroom by the stairway. Speaking of the stairs, let's go up them now…

Upon reaching the top, I find that there is another bathroom, a linen closet, and four bedrooms. And this is supposed to be an apartment…?

The first three bedrooms that I check are completely empty. I'll find a use for them later. But the fourth room that is also the furthest from the bathroom and the largest is where I find all of my missing stuff. I recognize my old futon with the orange sheets, along with my nightstand and dresser. Walking over to my dresser, I recognize the photos sitting on top of it. The first one to the far left was of Team Seven, shortly after we had become a team. To the far right was a picture of Iruka-sensei and I.

A wave of nostalgia washes over me however as I notice a pair of green goggles in between the two pictures.

Heh…

I remember wearing these things before I became a genin…

These goggles were special to me because it was one of the few times that I received a birthday present. Considering…the circumstances of my birth…I had found it safer to remain inside on the tenth of October.

However, on my twelfth birthday, I remembered hearing a knock on my front door.

When I went to open the door, there was nobody there. All that was present was a gift in orange wrapping paper, and a yellow cupcake with orange frosting.

Before any of the crazy citizens could get to me, I quickly brought both items into the apartment.

Setting the cupcake down, I read the tag on the present which simply said "Naruto-kun".

Opening the gift up, I found a pair of goggles inside along with a coupon for a free bowl at Ichiraku's.

There was also a note inside which read…

"I know not why the citizens of Konoha treat you with such disdain,

But know that to me, you are very special to me.

May this day give you a reason to smile, for I am grateful that you were born today,

Happy Birthday, Naruto-kun…

I smirk as I set the goggles back down on the dresser. I don't remember how long I cried on my birthday that day, but afterwards I felt a lot better. That cupcake was good too…

After closer inspection, I find that I also have a third bathroom inside my main bedroom. To the right of my bed I see a storage closet. Opening up the doors, I see that I have several different articles of clothing ranging from basic stuff to fancy stuff like dress shirts and suits! So this is why Sakura-chan told me not to worry about tonight…

Dattebayo…I could get used to this…

Now that I have checked out my entire new home, I go back downstairs to the living room. Grabbing my travel bag from the sofa, I go back upstairs to my bedroom. Unzipping my travel bag, I pull out several items from my trip. Things such as new scrolls, ninja tools, and souvenirs…

After I finish unpacking, my alarm clock shows that it is finally seven in the evening. Kuso! I still had so much time left! Then again, I was a bit tired after all of that traveling. Maybe I should take a nap first before I get ready for tonight?

Setting my alarm clock for eight, I lie down on my bed and let darkness take me…

BUZZ! BUZZ!

Moan…Dattebayo…Ero-sennin…why must you be such a bastard…?

I open my eyes up to the blaring sound of my alarm clock. Yawn…eight already?

Well that little nap did help me out. I feel a lot better now.

Removing my orange jumpsuit, I head into my private bathroom where there is already an orange towel and wash cloth, and scrubbing brush waiting for me. Upon stepping into the shower, I am pleased to find that I don't have to wait about two minutes before the hot water fully activates. I am able to enjoy a nice shower immediately.

About fifteen minutes later, I step out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around my body, I reenter my bedroom. Now, what to wear…?

Opening up the storage closet, I glance through the articles of clothing that my closet held. My eyes stop upon a long sleeved orange dress shirt with blue buttons in the shape of spirals, and I grab it immediately.

So what if I have a fascination with orange? Orange is one of the most underrated colors there is! Besides, red and blue are overrated! Why else do you think that my jumpsuit is now orange and black instead of orange and blue?

Laying my shirt on the bed, I go back to the closet and pull out a black dress jacket with matching black slacks. Satisfied with my pickings, I now go over to my dresser. The top drawer contained my socks, the second my boxer shorts, and the third my t-shirts.

It is then brought to my attention that I didn't have these nice clothes before I left the village. Also, something else that baffles me...I was gone for nearly three years. While it would probably be easy to assume that orange would be my color of choice, how were my new measurements taken into account? The only person that had access to my new measurements was Ero-sennin when he bought me a new uniform! Unless...Ero-sennin sent a messenger frog to Konoha to let Baa-chan know and then she probably had a tailor design them for me.

A grin forms on my face as I gather toiletries such as deodorant and cologne. Ero-sennin had said that it took more than guts to be a five star ninja. You also had to be able to figure things out, even if there are barely any clues lying around. This was the true meaning of looking "underneath the underneath". Nothing is what it really seems.

I was happy that I was finally on the path to becoming a great ninja, but I couldn't allow myself to get distracted! I had somewhere I needed to be tonight!

Letting my towel fall to the ground, I grab my clothes and begin to dress myself.

"Not bad…" I muse, looking myself over in the bedroom mirror. It was amazing how decent I could look when I made an effort out of it. I had neglected to wear a tie, because I honestly just couldn't stand them. They cut off all circulation to your neck! How could people put up with them?

Now feeling satisfied with how I looked, I grab my keys and head out the door, on to the Uchiha compound. Unlike Sasuke's old apartment, the Uchiha Manor was located near the edge of the village, so it took me a little bit longer to arrive. Unfortunately, since I had been away from the village for three years, I was not aware of the modifications to this part of town, not to mention the fact that I had never really come to this part of the village since there was never really any reason to.

In short, it took me a little bit longer than I expected to arrive.

I'll have to remember to take a tour of the village to reacquaint myself after Sasuke and I finish our Chuunin exam training tomorrow, because there were a lot of things in Konoha that I didn't remember being here before! But I can worry about that later.

"Took you long enough to get here, dobe…" Sasuke snorts, opening up the door to his home.

"Teme! Do you know how huge your estate is? You try finding this place when you've been away from the village for three years!"

"Hnn…excuses…" Sasuke smirks, cocking his head to the side, "Just hurry up and bring your ass in here. You are the sole reason why we are gathered tonight!"

A mischievous smirk crosses my lips as a devilish idea forms in my head. Rather than try and give Sasuke payback tonight, I could do it when we are training tomorrow morning!

"Whatever you say…" I answer, stepping into the large home, "Sasuke-chan!"

Sasuke glares at me as he shuts the door. We were definitely like brothers. We fought with one another, but we had a bond that was unbreakable. Even our dress attire was similar. While I had on a black suit with an orange shirt, Sasuke had on a white suit with a blue shirt that had red buttons in the shape of fans. Whoever customized our clothes really did a good job, even making sure to pay attention to small details that were significant about us.

"Naruto!" Sakura-chan exclaims, pulling me into a hug, "I never knew you could look so handsome!"

Kuso…that dress that Sakura-chan has on…is making my blood boil… Who knew she could look so hot?

Sakura-chan has on a silk red dress that was very similar in length to what she wore when we were kids. She is also wearing white gloves that go up to her elbows and red high heels. Words cannot describe just how hot she looks right now!

But despite all of the training that Ero-sennin had put me through, Sakura-chan could always catch my attention even when she wasn't trying.

My attention is then brought to a growing bulge down in my lower body. Go figure…when I was on the road, looking at several topless women with Ero-sennin, he knew how to behave. Come back three years later and see Sakura-chan again? Wide awake!

Heh, at least he has good taste! However, this is not the time for such a scene, so I've got to do something about it before I start to bring the wrong kind of attention to myself.

Kuso! Go back to sleep!

Fortunately for me, Sakura-chan releases her hold on me before my little friend can fully awaken.

"Hey?" I wonder after reuniting with everyone, "Where's Hinata? She is the only one that I haven't seen yet!"

"I think she's in the bathroom," Sakura-chan answers, "I'll go tell her that you are here."

Sasuke's home was triple the size of my home. And considering my new living arrangements, that was saying something.

The setup for that night had three round tables set up. The table closest to the door was surrounded by the girls of our group. The second table in the middle was inhabited by Sasuke, Neji, Shikamaru, and Shino. By coincidence, they were known as the "smart guys" of our group.

This left me, Kiba, Chouji, and Gejimayu at the table close to the kitchen. We were known as the "dumbasses" of the Konoha Twelve. Of course, I resented this remark. Well, Kiba and I did anyway.

Shikamaru then said that if Chouji were swapped for Ino, that we would be known as the "four loudmouths" of the Konoha Twelve.

"That's why I say women are troublesome…" Shikamaru sighs, rubbing his head from where Ino had hit him, "You can't say anything about them…"

"I concur," Neji agrees, sipping his cold beer, "There is also the matter of the incessant nagging, and their less then admirable qualities about the slight gain in body fat."

Did Neji just say that he was tired of hearing women bitch and complain about gaining weight? Dattebayo, we need to get him drunk more! He actually has a personality when under the influence! I also found it amusing when Tenten over at the other table gave Neji a scowl that could break an Anbu! Heh! It's so obvious that Tenten has the hots for Neji! She needs to just fess up!

Despite all of the shenanigans though, all twelve of us were having a blast tonight, even though we were wasted off our rocker. Except for me of course, due to Kyuubi killing off any buzz I might get, and Gejimayu, who wasn't allowed to have any. But there was still a question that was in the back of my mind. Was Hinata alright? She had been in the bathroom ever since I arrived! Come to think of it, Sakura-chan hasn't come back either… What the hell? Why do women spend an awfully long time in the bathroom? There was nothing special about the bathroom! You go in, do your business, and come back out, right?

Of course, I wasn't stupid enough to ask that question out loud. Even though there were currently eight guys to two girls, I would still lose if I said the wrong thing. Ehh, must be one of those girl things that I'll never understand since I'm a guy. Oh well, back to ramen!

I don't even remember how the conversation had started, but the guys at my table were busy arguing about what was the best kind of food.

"Beef and Steak are the best!" Kiba barked, "It is truly the food of champions!"

"Screw that! Ichiraku ramen is the best!" I argued, "You can add so many different flavors and toppings to it!"

"No, Yakiniku barbeque is best!" Chouji counters, "You can grill it to your own personal preference and each piece just melts in your mouth!"

"Curry rice is the best!" Gejimayu adds, "It burns with the springtime of youth!"

This conversation had not been helped by the fact that all of our favorite dishes had been present that night. Kiba had his beef jerky, Chouji his barbeque, Gejimayu his curry, and though it wasn't from Ichiraku, I had my ramen with me. I have to give Sasuke credit where it is due. How he pulled this off, I'll never know.

"Hey guys," Kiba gulps, finishing off his steak, "I've got to go to the bathroom! I'll be right back."

"Oh! I just remembered," Gejimayu says, "Sasuke-kun wanted some help with a special dish. Chouji-kun, would you assist me?"

"Of course, Lee!" Chouji agreed, "I would be more than happy to help out!'

"Do you want me to help as well?"

"There is no need," Gejimayu says as he and Chouji stand up, "Chouji-kun will be more than enough assistance. Besides, you just returned to Konoha today. You deserve to rest. This dish will not take long…"

I shrug as they disappear into the kitchen. Picking up my glass, I finish off the rest of my liquid, feeling the slight burn of the alcohol attack the back of my throat before going away. I wonder though, what sort of "dish" would Gejimayu make that would require Chouji's help? And why haven't Sakura-chan or Hinata come back out yet?

Wait, scratch that. Sakura-chan is returning right now. But what's up with her face? Has she been…crying?

Before I can ask her anything, Sakura-chan talks to Ino. I see Ino nod her head, before leaving the room.

Ok, would someone please tell me what the hell is going on tonight! I haven't see Hinata at all, Sakura-chan is gone for a long time, and now Ino is gone? Ero-sennin is right…women are a pain to figure out…

Come to think of it…Kiba has been gone an awfully long time…did he drink some bad milk or something? Unfortunately for me, I have a history with bad milk. Bad milk is what ruined my first kiss with Sakura-chan…

Granted, she thought that I was Sasuke at the time, but it's the principle that counts, right?

But can you blame a guy for trying? Especially when you were trying to forget that your first kiss was officially with another guy? Kuso! Why can't I get wasted enough to forget that horrible memory?

Simple…because you can't get wasted at all…

And speaking of being wasted…

"Niku-dan Sensha!" A wasted Chouji slurs, zigzagging his way out of the kitchen. It's about time that I saw someone else! Things have been too mysterious tonight!

"Oi! Chouji! Is the dish ready?"

"Heh, heh…*hic*…dish…"

"Oi! Chouji!" I shout as I run over to him, "Wake up!"

"...zzz…"

Dattebayo…

Heh! Isn't this just ironic! Chouji, who comes from the Akimichi clan, a clan that is renowned for a fighting style that can stretch their limbs, a style that more or less is justified to eat a large amount of food…

…can't hold his liquor…

Baa-chan would fall out of her chair if she found this out! But I'm not a bastard to do something like this to Chouji, so I decide to help him.

"Minna!" I turn around, in an effort to get help. Maybe Shikamaru can help or something. However, as I turn around, I see another interesting scene. Ino still hasn't come back yet, nor has Hinata, Kiba, or Gejimayu, but everyone else outside of Sasuke and Sakura-chan are passed out.

I sweat drop. Kyuubi would probably be laughing his ass off at the scene in front of me! That sadistic bastard always did have a twisted sense of humor…

As for my two teammates, it was their actions that disturb me the most…

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura-chan slurred, brushing a finger against Sasuke's cheek, "I love you…"

No…don't tell me…

Please don't tell me…that I was too late?

I thought…I had time!

Before I can do anything or question anything else, my teammates have successfully locked lips with one another. This scene was just like something out of one of Ero-sennin's novels!

However, unlike one of Ero-sennin's books, this wasn't a happy ending! At least, not for me!

With a heavy heart, I step outside into the cool night air.

Kuso…!

I grit my teeth as I pound my fist into Sasuke's doorstep.

Sigh…I was too late…

To be fair, I already knew how strong Sakura-chan's feelings for Sasuke ran. And as much as I tried to deny it, I already knew that it was only a matter of time before they got together. But while I tried to keep telling my head that I would never have her, my heart was just too stubborn to let go…

Sakura-chan…

Naruto, you baka!

Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka!

Why in the hell would you think that you still had a chance with Sakura-chan? It was clear as day that she only had eyes for Sasuke! By bringing him back to the village for her, you only put in the final nail in your coffin!

There's no explanation for this, you're just a dumbass that is too stubborn to know when to accept defeat! Even Kiba wouldn't do something this stupid!

Sigh…my nindo…has always been to never back down…to never run away…and to always keep my word…and look where it got me…

Dattebayo…I really need a drink right about now…even though it won't do a thing to me…

I remember now…back to when I brought Baa-chan to the village…she had started healing people left and right! She was really something!

But then she healed Sasuke of the crap that Itachi had did. And what happened next?

Sakura-chan…she held Sasuke close…and cried into his chest! She didn't even notice I was there!

That should have been my first sign right there that I was out of the running for Sakura-chan's heart. But I've never been one to back down from any challenge, so I pursued on…

Then…Sasuke tried to leave the village…and Sakura-chan cried…and wanted me to bring back Sasuke…

So I did…Neji and Chouji nearly died, and Kiba needed stitching afterwards, but I did it. I kept my promise to Sakura-chan, and brought Sasuke back home.

And as I watched Sakura-chan tend to Sasuke, I asked myself, why? Why do I go through so much for her?

Because I loved Sakura-chan…I loved Sakura-chan so much, that I would do anything for her, even die, if it would mean that I could see her beautiful smile.

But now…

…now…what do I do?

She doesn't love me! Sakura-chan doesn't love me! Even though I still love her!

"It hurts, doesn't it?"

I slowly twist my head to the right at the sound of that voice. Sitting next to me was a goddess that looked to be about 160 cm in height. Her fair white skin was a nice contrast to her long raven hair that seemed to just blend in with the night sky. And her eyes were a pure white that seemed to glow like a set of pearls.

The strapless lavender dress that this lady wore was no joke either. Nor were the lavender open toed shoes that were upon her beautiful feet. The general theme that I kept getting from this angel in the darkness was lavender…

And then it hit me…

Just as I had compared Sakura-chan to cherry blossoms, there was another girl that I had known that I had compared to lilacs and lavender. In fact, there was only one person that I could think of that used "Midnight Lavender" shampoo…

"Hinata…?"

I still couldn't believe that this was Hinata! Hyuuga Hinata, that shy girl that always seemed to turn red whenever she was around me! Dattebayo, Sakura-chan has some competition! Ero-sennin would pass out from the nosebleed alone!

But…none of that matters. I admit that Hinata is quite attractive, but considering how I feel right now, it doesn't matter…

"It hurts, doesn't it…?" Hinata repeats, taking my hands into hers. Why was she doing this anyway? Why did she care that I had just had my heart ripped into shreds? "It hurts to know that the one you love has feelings for another, right?"

Tell me about it! It hurts like hell! I'd rather take on that snake bastard Orochimaru then go through this pain!

"Yeah…" I sigh, looking straight ahead into the night sky, "I can't put into words how much it hurts though…"

"I know that feeling…" Hinata chants, as she twists her body around and rests the back of her head against my chest. Why was she being this close anyway? Maybe she was cold? "I know what it's like to feel that way. For I also have someone that I'm in love with who hasn't noticed my feelings…and it hurts waiting for him to see them…but I wait…for I feel that he is worth waiting for…"

Hinata has someone that she likes? And he won't return her feelings? What kind of baka would do something like that?

I didn't really appreciate and understand it when I was younger, but I always did think that Hyuuga Hinata was kind of cute. She was also sweet, and gentle. I actually liked girls like her. Of course, she couldn't compare to Sakura-chan! Or at least…that's what I thought until now…

But that's not the point. How could a guy be so clueless and dumb as to not notice that Hinata likes him? He would have to be asexual to not realize it!

"I'll talk to Kiba about it…"

"I wasn't referring to Kiba-kun…"

It's not Kiba? Dattebayo…I always thought that the two of them had a thing for each other…well then if it's not Kiba, then who?

"When I find out who the guy is, I'll chew him out! How could a guy not notice how sweet and beautiful you are?"

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," Hinata smiles warmly, "But that won't be necessary. It's ok…"

"No it isn't! It's not ok for an angel such as yourself to not have your feelings returned!

Thanks to maturity and a bit of Ero-sennin's influence, I could see how beautiful Hinata had become during my absence. If I hadn't been so hung up over Sakura-chan, I might have given her a chance.

"Don't hurt yourself trying to find out who the guy is," Hinata giggles as she places a hand over her mouth, "You may not like the answer…"

Dattebayo…what kind of baka would not see that Hinata has the hots for him?

I mean, Hinata is so sweet and gentle! Like the time that she offered to let me cheat off of her test during the first part of the Chuunin exams! Or when she gave me some medicine to heal my wounds after I kicked Kiba's ass in the second part of the exams! Or when she gave me some good advice right before I continued the ass whupping with her cousin Neji!

Come to think of it…why did she give me that medicine? Kiba was her teammate, right? And considering that Kiba was the one who lost, shouldn't he have been given the medicine instead? Didn't he need it more? I mean sure, I've got the Kyuubi and everything, but Hinata didn't know that! In fact, nobody outside of the adults and Gaara know the truth about me!

There just isn't any way to explain logic like that! I'm not Shikamaru, but even I know something doesn't seem right…

A person would have to be crazy to do what she did…

Crazy…or…

No…no, no, no, no, no…this can't be right…

Don't tell me…

"Hinata…" I barely manage to speak. I have an assumption that I need cleared up. I'm probably wrong, but I still need to check anyway, "That…guy that you like…I probably drank too much alcohol tonight, and might be going crazy, but the guy that you like…he wouldn't…happen to be me would he?"

You're delusional, Uzumaki Naruto! Like you would be the guy that Hinata has wanted for so long! Maybe I ate too much ramen tonight! Ha, ha ha!

But as Hinata lifts her head from my chest, and turns around to face me, I can see that she kinda has a cute smile on her face that…is getting wider…? And wait a second? Are her cheeks getting brighter?

Oh god…

Please tell me that this is some kind of joke…

Apparently it isn't, as Hinata's grip on our hands tightens, and her head nods at a pace that required the Sharingan to keep track of.

Then what this means is…

…the baka that was too clueless…

…the idiot that was too naïve…

…the dumbass who couldn't see underneath the underneath…

…was me…?

The guy that had been oblivious to the feelings of Hyuuga Hinata, was me? Uzumaki Naruto? The guy that likes to pull pranks and eat Ichiraku ramen like it's going out of style? Me?

"Hinata…" I sigh. Knowing this new information did nothing to raise my spirits. In fact, I think it has the opposite effect instead, "I…I don't deserve you…you know how I feel about Sakura-chan…"

"I do…" Hinata says, breaking contact with my hands before embracing me, "And I don't care! But, you know as well as I do, that you can't win her over anymore. You're not doing yourself any good by fighting a war that you cannot win! Let her go, Naruto-kun! It's what's best! For you… and for her…"

I close my eyes as I listen to Hinata's words. She was right. Sakura-chan was long out of my hands. I needed to let her go, and move on with my life. Unfortunately, things are a lot easier said than done. One doesn't just let someone go. I've loved Sakura-chan for as long as I can remember. How in the hell was I supposed to deal with this?

"Besides…" Hinata continues, placing her head in my neck, "I've been paying close attention all of these years! Sakura-san always took you for granted! I won't make that same mistake! So look at me! Pay attention to me, Naruto-kun! And I'll give you…the love and affection…that she never could…but you rightfully deserved…!"

I can feel my body start to quiver as Hinata presses her lips right under my chin. My nose also picks up the strong sense of lavender from her hair…dattebayo…that aroma is so intoxicating. I thought that Sakura-chan was the only woman whose fragrance could get to me…but it looks like…I found another…

But I can't give in! I have to be strong! Ero-sennin, you perverted bastard! Wherever you are, how do I get out of a situation like this?

It is then that I remember that Ero-sennin would be the last person that I should want at my side. Ero-sennin's assistance would consist of him sitting down and taking out a pen to write. I suddenly have an urge to hit Ero-sennin as hard as I can next time I see him…

"I'll never take you for granted…I'll always be by your side…I'll always appreciate what you do for me…!"

…and that urge to harm my perverted master is thrown out the window, as I feel Hinata's lips plant gentle kisses all over my neck. What in the hell had gotten into Hinata? It's like she is possessed by a demon! And why couldn't it be Sakura-chan doing this?

"Naruto-kun…Sakura-san doesn't love you…she doesn't truly appreciate what you sacrifice for her…not like I do…"

Yeah, I know… If I didn't know by now that Sakura-chan doesn't want me, and that you do, then I don't deserve to be with anybody!

But now you have someone in front of you that actually cares for you, a girl that wants to be with you, an angel of moonlight who thinks about your well being. Sakura-chan never did any of that. At least she would never do it for me, but Sasuke? Yeah, she would go over the top for him, and do any and everything that she could to make him notice her. I was just so goddamn tired of competing, tired of working twice as hard but still coming up short! I wanted to be happy too!

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata is definitely serious about me. I truly understood that now. I don't think I've ever seen her act like this. I've always been used to the shy and timid girl that always seemed to pass out in my presence. At first I wondered why this always kept happening, like if she had some kind of disease or something. But now that maturity has found its way upon me, I understand completely. This girl in front of me is completely crazy about me, and has no problems showing it!

I feel a growl emanate from my throat as Hinata lowers my head, until we are looking each other directly in the eye, then finishes the movement off by wrapping her arms around my neck. I already know what's about to happen…

One didn't spend nearly three years on the road as the apprentice to a perverted novelist and not pick up a few things. The hunger that I saw in Hinata's eyes, the luminescent blush around her cheeks, that aching desire that her lips just seemed to scream…

"It's ok…" Hinata chants, letting her fingers slide into my hair, "You don't have to worry about a thing, just…let me love you…"

There was no longer any doubt about what was about to happen now. Hinata has given her answer to me, and awaits my response. And as I notice her eyelids start to fall, it is then that I realize how I should answer the princess of the Hyuuga clan…

I'm going to be selfish for once in my life…

Sakura-chan never gave me this chance…hell…Sakura-chan never even looked in my direction!

But Hinata…She was always looking, even when I didn't realize it, even when I was too stupid to slow down and look at what was in front of me all this time. Not only is Hinata giving me this chance, but she isn't saying no…

No wait…it isn't so much that she isn't saying no…but that Hinata wants this, as much as I do…maybe more…

Sliding my arms around her petite waist, I hear a purr murmur out of Hinata's lips. Apparently that was the correct answer that she was looking for, as Hinata's eyes close completely now, and her lips open slightly, signifying that she is ready.

Hinata…I'm going to make us both happy tonight…and get that kiss that I've wanted for so long…

As I lean in, I can feel Hinata's breath brush upon my nose. The aroma that hits me smells like cinnamon. I find it appropriate, considering how sweet and sugary this goddess in front of me is…

As I feel us about to connect, I wonder, how could I have missed this? How could I have been so oblivious?

Well no longer. After this kiss, I won't be lonely anymore, after this kiss, I'll be happy, after this kiss, I could forget about Sakura-chan…

This was it…no more words…no more heartache…it was time to let my actions speak for me…

No…I can't do this…!

At the last possible second, just moments before our lips make contact…I jerk my head to the left. Unaware of my change in plans, Hinata had kept going forward, and met my cheek instead.

I chickened out. At the last second, I pulled out.

I just couldn't do this. Not like this!

"Naruto-kun…?" Hinata wonders, opening her eyes, "Did I…do something wrong…?"

"No…you've done nothing wrong. It's just that…I can't do this to you…"

Hinata was so sweet and delicate. She deserved someone that would treat her right. She deserved someone that wouldn't look at her as a trophy. She deserved someone that didn't look at her as sloppy seconds. Not me. I don't know who, but not me.

"Why?" Hinata asks, as her eyes get watery, "What did I do? Tell me, and I'll fix it!"

"There is nothing that you can do for me, Hinata…" I hated telling her this. I really did. But I wasn't going to live a lie. I would rather be an honest fool instead of a dishonest genius. "I'm sorry, but I just can't force myself to love you the way that you want me to...! Sakura-chan showed me that tonight!"

"I see…" Hinata mutters as her body seems to shrink, "I understand…"

It tears my heart up to see Hinata like this. This girl had gone out of her way to try and cheer me up, and this is how I return her kindness? Kyuubi isn't the monster, I am…!

But what the hell am I supposed to do? Kuso! I refuse to give her a relationship full of lies and deception! In the battlefield, this trait is what will bring us home safely, but once we are home, we should be honest with our fellow neighbors! I know that Hinata loves me, but she deserves to be happy with a guy that truly loves her! Sigh…

Well, there is one other option. If Hinata is game, then we'll see where this goes…

"However…" I begin, getting an immediate response out of Hinata who slowly lifts her head back up. Good! That's a start! "That doesn't mean that I can't give you a chance. I really need to forget about Sakura-chan, but my heart hurts so much! Can you help me, Hinata? Can you help heal the pain that is inside my heart?"

"I can't promise you that I can heal it all," Hinata says as a warm smile forms on her lips once more, "But I'm willing to try…"

Sigh…why must love be so damn complicated? I feel like I'm being torn in several different directions! I love Sakura-chan, but she loves Sasuke! Meanwhile, Hinata loves me, but I don't love her!

…But if Hinata is willing to accept me despite my faults…

…If Hinata is willing to look underneath the underneath to get to me…

…Then I guess, I can try and meet her halfway…

"Ok…" I sigh, feeling myself smile as well, "I just got back into Konoha today after three years. A lot of things have changed, and this isn't the same place it was before I left…I'm still trying to remember where everything is…"

Dattebayo...I still can't believe that I'm doing this! I had always thought that it would be Sakura-chan that I would be asking out!

But I just have to accept that I can't have Sakura-chan. Life is unfair, always has been, always will be. Nobody has control over what cards they are dealt...

However, standing before me, is a woman who wants to be with me! Not just any woman, mind you, but the heir to the Hyuuga clan! That is almost the same as being a princess!

I don't believe in fate! I don't believe in destiny! And anyone who does is a fool! I believe that if you want something to happen, then you have to make it happen, with your own two hands! The fact that Hinata has come to me tonight and confessed her love shows me how much she wants to make something happen! And I would be the biggest baka in all of the elemental countries if I were to turn her down now!

I also want to make something happen! I want to be Hokage! But if I want that to happen, then I have to make it happen, with hard work and guts! I also want someone that I can call my own! Someone that can accept me for who I am! I thought that Sakura-chan would be that person, but I guess I was wrong!

However, I was given a second chance. Standing before me is one who is willing to defy all the odds just to be in my presence! And if I let her get away without at least trying, I would never forgive myself!

"Tomorrow morning, Sasuke and I are going to train for the Chuunin exams. We are the only ones of the Konoha Twelve that haven't advanced to Chuunin yet, so we are going to get in a lot of practice so that we don't fall behind all of you! But after that…"

I can feel my heart pulse as Hinata looks at me expectedly, waiting for the rest of my offer. It takes me about half a minute before I can figure out just what to say.

"…after the training…would you possibly…like to show me around the village so that I can get used to it again?"

There. That was it. That's my offer.

Hinata's smile seems to glimmer under the moonlight at my request. I was really starting to enjoy looking at that smile of hers. It felt…refreshing…

"I would love to…" Hinata replies with a kiss upon my left cheek, "It would be an honor…"

"Well…" I yawn. It had been a long day, and I really needed to get some sleep if I wanted to train with Sasuke in the morning. "I suppose I should be heading back home. I haven't really gotten any rest ever since I came back to the village, and it feels like my body has reached its limit. Would you like me to walk you home?"

"Please…" Hinata says, clinging onto my right arm, "Let's go…"

"Meet me at training ground number seven about noon tomorrow." I tell Hinata as we walk through the streets of Konoha. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. "And then you can show me around."

"Of course…" Hinata replies, "It's a date…"

Date…? Is that what Hinata thinks this is?

Heh, why not?

For the first time that night, I feel a real smile form upon my lips. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all…

"Yeah…it's a date…"