Ultralife

by Syn'ri

Third Oneshot: Naruto and Hinata are brought together by their love of the forest, but war comes along and rips them apart. Will they be able to make it back to each other? What will it take? And what will be lost in the process? An Epic AU Oneshot

1. You Read Me Like Your Shounen Jump

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything affiliated with Naruto, but you already knew that, right?

Note: Japanese school terms are different than in the West. They start in April, so their first break is summer break. Not winter like most American schools.

You Read Me Like Your Shounen Jump pt. 1

On the day she meets him, it is bright and clear outside. The clouds are few and far between, and the sky seems as if it is opening its arms to the world. It is your average Tuesday, and she is on her way home from school when she sees her two childhood friends, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino standing outside of the gate of her school.

"Yo, Hinata!"

Kiba yelled with a wide grin as he saluted her and gained the attention of several of her classmates. A blush crept its way to her cheeks as she approached them, hearing whisperings and giggles behind her. She felt her grip tighten slightly on her backpack as she allowed her hair to slightly shield her eyes and her blushing face.

"K-Kiba-kun…Shino-kun, w-what are you guys doing here?"

Hinata ventured to ask with some excitement and a smile despite her embarrassment as she reached them. Of course, it was Kiba who answered.

"Well, we haven't been able to hang out in a while, so Shino and I figured we'd invite you with us to the comic bookstore."

"Hn."

Shino only voiced a noise of agreement as he adjusted his shades and gave an affirmative nod.

"C-comic bookstore? B-but, I don't really read manga or anything…"

Hinata offered as she tilted her head. Not really sure what had brought upon this sudden invitation, but also silently agreeing that it had been a while since they inseparable three had spent time together.

All three of them were in their final year of school, and despite the fact that they had known each other for over ten years, they had never once attended the same school.

They had met at the tender age of five while at the park when Kiba had warded off a group of bullying older children while her mother was not looking (too engaged in her own conversation with Kiba's mother), and from then on, they had been the best of friends.

While Kiba and Shino often attended the local public schools within the area, due to her father's standing, Hinata, her sister, and her cousin have always been made to attend more private institutions.

So, while Kiba and Shino both attended Konoha High School, she attended the prestigious and all-girls Konoha Academy.

"I know! But, Shino and I go there all the time, so we decided to invite you to see if you wouldn't mind tagging along. Besides, we decided you may need a slight break from all that studying you've been doing for entrance exams."

Kiba mentioned with a shrug as he threw his arm across her shoulders. Had it been anyone other than him, Hinata probably would have melted into a blushing puddle.

"And, also, we both know that you are quite fond of reading, so it might help you to concentrate on the heavier material that you are currently covering in class if you also take a mental study break to focus on lighter fare."

Shino spoke in a soft and smooth tone as he again adjusted his shades, but neither Kiba or Hinata had trouble hearing him. So, accustomed to his light tone, they would be able to hear and recognize his voice even in the largest crowd

"Yeah, what he said!"

Hinata thought about it with her head slightly bowed for a moment as she let her two pointer fingers connect continuously. She supposed they had a point. She had wanted to spend time with them for some time, but her study schedule was making it quite difficult with the combination of her regular school work, cram school, and personal tutors.

However, it also would not help her if she were to get burned out before entrance exams even arrived. Her father would understand.

No, probably not, but, it wouldn't do much damage if she missed cram school once. Especially since she was already at least 3 chapters ahead, so if he happened to ask, if she mentioned that, he would probably let her off the hook at least this one time.

Though, he'd probably also force her to enter into a more rigorous program considering how easily she was keeping up, but, it'd be worth it to get to spend some time with her best friends.

With new found conviction, Hinata raised her head, and gave an affirmative…

"S-sure."

While it had sounded much stronger in her head, as feeble as her response was, it was enough for Kiba to howl out in delight and for a glint to appear in Shino's eyes (she assumed).

"Awesome! I knew you'd come around. There's actually this place around here that me and Shino go to all the time to read, buy manga, and just hangout."

Kiba mentioned off handedly as he let his arm slide from Hinata's shoulders while he and Shino led the way.

"A-around here?"

Hinata asked with some surprise since her school was located in a quite upscale residential area. There weren't very many shops in the area in order to reduce foot traffic.

"Hn, it's a few blocks from here. Suffice it to say, it's not very difficult to spot."

"Yup, sticks out like a sore thumb."

That was news to her since she didn't think she'd ever seen anything out of the ordinary on her way to cram school, but then again, she was usually absorbed in some kind of book or in her on thoughts during her trek to and from school.

But, Hinata figured it couldn't be that bad as she, Kiba, and Shino busied themselves on their walk by catching up. Although they spoke often enough in their group chats, speaking through a phone or computer screen always felt less personal than actually hanging out and having a conversation between friends.

Shino told her about how the entomology club he formed during his first year of school was growing and expanding despite it being his final year as club president. They finally had more than two members, and there was a second year who joined the club the year before who was just as interested and excited about the study of insects as he was. So, he was confident that the club would live on and do well even after he graduated and went to college.

While Kiba talked about how the soccer team was about to start getting ready for their participation in the tournament, and he was confident that they could finally beat their rivals Suna High School to advance to the finals. He was the star forward on the team, and pretty soon he would be so dedicated to practice that he would hardly have any time to hang out with her or Shino.

Of course, these were all things she knew and had heard about due to their daily conversations, but it made it no less entertaining.

"That's one of the reasons I wanted to try to hang out with you today. Right now, the team is only having morning practice, but next week is try-outs. So, once we have cuts, we will be having morning and afternoon practice in preparation for the fall tournament. Then, when next term comes, everyone will be focused on entrance exams, and Hinata here will disappear from the face of the Earth."

Kiba ribbed Hinata a little jokingly as he gave a light chuckle, but Hinata could only smile half-heartedly because…he was right. She never realized how much time she had let pass being buried under books in an effort to make her family proud. While Kiba and Shino had spent their high school career being fully emerged in clubs and other activities, the only thing Hinata could see when she looked back was her holding some kind of book, studying some unknown subject.

She had absolutely nothing of relevance to add to the conversation.

It wasn't that she disliked studying. Because, she didn't. She just wished she had a little more to show for her youth other than good grades.

"Hn, does this mean you've actually decided to attend university?"

Shino inquired with little to no tact, but things like that weren't needed when talking to Kiba. Hinata could see how Kiba instantly deflated at the thought of going to school for 3 or 4 more years, and she couldn't help but giggle.

"Man, it looks like I have no other choice. I mean, I personally don't feel like I need to go to school. I was born and raised in my mom's veterinary clinic. I know everything there is to know about running that place and taking care of the animals. Plus, she's already decided to make Hana the primary veterinarian! So, why do I have to go to school for it? Hana can take care of the animals, and I can take care of the clinic. I think that'd be perfect! But, my mom says she won't let me set foot in the clinic again if I don't go to school to at least get a Business degree."

Kiba sighed.

"So, I have no choice but to either get a Veterinarian degree or a Business degree, so I haven't decided yet if I should apply to colleges focusing in Business or Health Sciences. What about you Shino?"

"Hn, my father would like me to work with him in his lab once I have graduated from college, so I plan on attending a college with a good background in chemistry and biology. So, one with a good science department would be ideal. Right now, I am preparing for the entrance exam for Konoha University since it is my father's alma mater, and Konoha High School students receive privilege when it comes to admittance."

Shino finished coolly, and Kiba could only stare at him slightly slack jawed before his surprise turned into annoyance.

"Of course, boy wonder over there has everything planned out. Tch, why'd I even bother asking? Am I the only one who doesn't know what the hell I'm going to do? What about you Hinata?"

"W-well…I-I…."

For some reason, Hinata felt a slight shock from Kiba's question. She should know what she was going to do, but still she felt herself become tongue-tied. She was going to school for Business, and she was going to lead the family business, right? Right?

But, while it seemed like the right thing to say, and it was what had been drilled into her head since she was a child, she could not bring herself to say it.

Both Kiba and Shino looked at her expectantly as they walked (Shino a little more knowingly), and she felt the heat on her cheeks spread as she let the silence linger for a second too long. She opened her mouth to give a more coherent answer when Kiba spoke first.

"Uhp, there she blows! We almost walked right past her. As impossible as that seems."

Hinata stopped for a moment and let her eyes search for whoever Kiba was speaking about when her gaze snagged on an old building that rested right outside of the neighborhood that housed her prestigious school.

Kiba and Shino had been right. The building was impossible to miss. It was a small building that sat by itself, and the paint that looked to be at one time white was dinged with dirty spots of beige like an old piece of paper that had been left to its own devices for too long. The windows were dark and small, and the only thing keeping the building from looking too suspicious were the words "Hermit Comics" in big red letters.

"U-um, are you guys s-sure this is the right p-place?"

Hinata asked hesitantly as she took a slight step back and allowed her grip to tighten slightly on her backpack strap once again.

Shino just smirked while Kiba laughed before slinging his arm around her shoulder, gently guiding her towards the store.

"Hinata, it really isn't as bad as it looks. Do you really think we'd take you somewhere that wasn't safe?"

Kiba began as they crossed the street, and Hinata felt herself relax some.

"N-no."

"Plus, me and Shino hang out here all the time. And, the guy who manages the place is an old school senpai who gives us great deals on manga and graphic novels."

"R-really?"

"Hn."

Shino casually agreed, and Hinata felt all the tension release from her shoulders once she found out that Shino and Kiba knew the guy personally. She had known the both of them for over ten years, and they had never done anything to put her in danger or harm's way. In fact, they went out of their way to do the opposite, so if they both said they knew the guy and he was trustworthy, Hinata had no choice but to trust him too.

"O-okay, I trust you."

Hinata voiced her thoughts, and Kiba could only smile widely at how cute Hinata could be.

As they arrived at the entrance to the shop, Hinata noticed there were bins lined in front filled with old and used looking manga and graphic novels, and a sign right above them that said, "Take As Many As You Like" with a cute little face with whiskers that made Hinata smile.

'Cute.'

They walked through the glass door with the open sign attached (a small bell ringing out in the distance), and the door was surprisingly clean as if it had just been wiped down despite the appearances to the overall building. The windows were also spotless, and when they walked inside the building, Hinata was pleasantly surprised by how neat everything was.

The older manga rested in bins similar to the ones that she had seen outside, but unlike the ones outside, these seemed as if they had rarely been touched or leafed through. They were displayed under various prices, and some of them were still wrapped tightly up in plastic.

There were also newer manga and graphic novels that had just been released lined up in book shelves that reached about shoulder height, and they were organized by different genres.

Overall, while the arrangement looked slightly cluttered since there was so much material housed in one space, everything looked like it was painstakingly kept in its place. Nothing was where it should not be, and everything was where it belonged.

Except, there was no one manning the front, and the station behind the cash register was left deserted. Hinata let her eyes wonder the store in search of someone other than her and her friends, but she came up empty.

"Tch, is Naruto in the back again? What's the point of having that stupid bell if he doesn't even come out when it rings?"

"Hn, maybe he's taking a nap again?"

"A-a nap?"

Hinata questioned, slightly scandalized that someone would nap during work, and looking around the store at how thoroughly everything was cleaned and organized, Hinata doubted this Naruto person would be that irresponsible.

"Hmph, it's happened before. Hey Naruto, get your lazy ass out here you bum! You have customers, idiot!"

Hinata heard a slight yell, the sound of items tumbling to the ground, and a choice word or two from behind the front station, and she soon realized that the open entry way behind the front desk must have led to a storage or backroom of some sort.

"Yeah, yeah, keep your panties on."

Hinata blushed, and the first thing she saw emerge from the back was a bit of spiked sunshine. A tall young man walked from the back with a large grin across his face and an eye smile despite his grumblings a moment ago, and Hinata felt her throat tumble into her stomach as her heart beat began to speed up.

The young man walked out with his hand behind his head ruffling his hair, and despite the fact he was only wearing an orange t-shirt, jeans, sneakers, an apron, and a smile, Hinata still felt like she must have been staring at a Greek god.

He hadn't even opened his eyes yet, and she already knew she had a crush.

"Uh oh…oh no."

She felt herself turn from him slightly to hide herself as Kiba spoke up.

"Well, maybe if you were out here doing your damn job, I wouldn't have to yell. Like, if people other than me and Shino actually knew this place existed, you would constantly be getting robbed! See if you can sleep then when the whole neighborhood's cleaning you out!"

Naruto just scoffed before he leaned on his arms across the counter. Hinata saw the muscles in his arm flex, and she felt her hands shoot up to her face in order to cover the blush she could feel coming. Neither Kiba or Naruto seemed to notice her presence or her strange behavior, but Shino was keeping a particularly close eye on her.

She felt her stomach flip.

"Oh Kami."

Naruto opened his eyes while grinning at Kiba, and Hinata knew if she stared long enough, she would drown in their blue oceans. They were clear enough to reflect her emotions back at her, but they held enough of his own story that she knew she could gaze in them infinitely.

More appropriately, she was screwed.

"Haha, why would people steal from me when I'm literally giving it away? Plus, for your information, I was NOT napping. I just didn't hear the bell since I was in the back looking over the new inventory that just came in today."

"What, new inventory? Was the new issue of Kamen S in there?!"

"You'd better believe it! Apparently, there's supposed to be a note from the author included in the deluxe edition. I haven't read it yet, but word on the street is it might be about an anime adaption."

"What!? Really? I can't believ-"

Shino made it a point to clear his throat before Kiba and Naruto could fall into the familiar routine of going off on a tangent, and Hinata watched as Naruto's hand instinctively made its way to the back of his head again as he grinned at Shino.

"Oh, right, my bad Shino. You know how me and Kiba can get. By the way, what can I do you guys for?"

"It's no problem Naruto. We're just stopping by for the usual, and to show our friend, Hinata, around the place to see if there's anything she might be interested in."

"Friend?"

It was the then that Naruto searched around a moment before his pretty blues landed squarely on her. She watched as he suddenly stood straighter, and while his eyes softly studied her, Hinata craved his gaze at the same time of wanting to be swallowed up by the Earth so that he would not find her wanting.

She shyly allowed her gaze to meet his, and Naruto coughed out a somewhat nervous laugh. He smiled slightly forcibly at her before he spoke. But of course, only Shino noticed.

"O-oh, I'm sorry. I didn't even see you there. Haha, Kiba kind of distracted me with his loudness…and his stench. Haha, I'm Uzumaki Naruto by the way. Nice to meet you Hinata-chan."

Hinata felt her heart skip a beat at the fact he had used her first name. Her face heating up as red as a tomato from the roots of her hair to the collar of her uniform, but having been best friends with Kiba for so long, she was used to this level of instant familiarity. Plus, she was not quite as rigid as the rest of her high society family.

Naruto held out his hand to shake her own, and despite the fact she was screaming on the inside, Hinata allowed her own hand to shakily grab his. Not even noticing the strangeness of him offering his hand versus the more traditional bow. There was a spark of electricity, but neither of them let go.

"N-nice to meet you too, U-Uzumaki-san."

Naruto just stopped and stared at her for a second after she said his name before a soft smile made its way to his lips, and his other hand made its way behind his head in what she now recognized as a nervous tick.

"You can call me Naruto if you want."

Hinata wilted and bloomed all at the same time under his gaze, and it took Kiba getting both of their attentions for her hand to drop from his.

"Yo, are you going to bring out the newest Kamen S, or do I have to go back there and get it myself?"

Kiba asked impatiently as Shino glared at him from his corner. Naruto's eyes left Hinata, and he dropped her hand to walk over to Kiba to begin bickering with him. Hinata just stood there and stared at her hand even as Kiba and Naruto went to the back.

There was a missing of warmth that Hinata had not noticed until now, and she felt herself wanting…no, needing, to feel it again.

---

After Kiba and Naruto disappeared into the back, Shino wandered off into the horror and gore section of the store while Hinata felt herself browsing. Even after Naruto and Kiba had returned and dispersed to doing their own things, she had yet to find anything to read herself.

Sure, there were things that interested her. Action graphic novels about misplaced otakus, romance manga about average wallflowers falling in love with the school idol (this is where she blushes and her hand itches to pick something up), and sports manga centering around the underdog.

These were all stories that interested her, but they were also ones she had seen before. She already knew the ending, so she found herself predicting the stories even before she opened its pages. Naruto must have seen her dilemma as she surfed the aisles and read the summaries of the ones with interesting covers because it was not long before he walked over to her with a large grin on his face.

"You need any help Hinata-chan?"

She jumped at his presence and the sound of his voice tickling her flesh, and a blush which had been present since he had walked out to meet them still stained her cheeks with an iridescent pink.

"U-um, I'm just having t-trouble c-choosing."

Hinata felt herself stuttering, and she could not help but shrink in embarrassment at showing her flaws. A part of her wanted to cry, even though she had long told herself she was no longer stunted by her stuttering.

When she was younger, it was something that crippled her. She spoke as little as possible around those she did not know, and some people to this day may still believe she is mute. When her speech impediment was first discovered, her father had put her through years of speech therapy to beat the weakness out of her through repetition, but what he had not understood then was that her stutter was not a physical ailment. It was a mental one, and that was one problem he could and would not pay someone to fix for her.

Naruto must have noticed her nervousness because he gave a small chuckle before he smiled at her with the same softness she had seen before. The softness that had been missing in his interactions with Shino and Kiba.

"It's alright. Take your time. I can be quite patient when I need to be. So, tell me? What are you interested in?"

Hinata looked up and found Naruto staring at her with unbound interest, and so a part of her whispered…

"You."

Thank goodness she did not voice her thoughts out loud as she watched how he gave her his undivided attention. Hinata was not used to this. Her father's attention had always been divided between herself, Hanabi, and Neji, with her always receiving the least amongst the three (at least when it came to positive attention and praise), and there were three best friends, which meant they always divided attention to each other equally.

So, it was nice to have the one person who she felt she wanted to always look solely at her do just that.

"I'm i-interested in many t-things."

Hinata started as she shyly began walking up and down the aisles.

"I enjoy m-mystery, action, adventure, r-r-romance…there is no genre that I don't like except maybe h-horror."

Naruto chuckled as he walked behind her before leaning against one of the aisles.

"You scare easily, huh? I'll keep that in mind."

While it sounded as if he was just making a note to himself, the way his eyes gleamed after he said it made her feel a little more uneasy than she already was. It was only then that she noticed the three birth marks at each side of his tan face. The marks at the same time made him seem impish as they made him seem mischievous. Reminding her of the smiley she had seen on the note outside the store

Studying his face, Hinata realized he was a handsome man. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen, and it was not strictly just his features, as striking as they were. There was a brightness to him that seemed to be lacking in the rest of the world, from her world.

She had to look away from him before she answered, so she missed the slightly disappointed look as her eyes left his.

"Y-yes. I'm a very sensitive p-person, so I'm easily affected by many t-things. I really just want to r-read something u-unpredictable. That will affect me in a p-positive w-way."

Hinata stopped to look back at Naruto to see him thinking with such concentration his tongue peaked its way outside of his mouth. Hinata found the scene extremely endearing so she could not help the small giggle that broke its way out of her throat.

Naruto must have been broken out of his concentration due to the sound because he stared at her for a moment before a smile made its way across his face and a laugh followed from his throat.

"S-sorry, I must have shown you my thinking face. My friends say it's kind of ugly, and it makes me look like an idiot. But, I can't help it really."

Naruto said with a nervous laugh and a slight blush, and Hinata spoke so fast to assure him otherwise that she almost stumbled on her words.

"N-no! I think it's…it's…"

"Cute."

Hinata couldn't finish the sentence due to embarrassment, but Naruto must have read her thoughts because his blush spread and this time he was the one forced to look away.

"Heheheh, thanks. My friends can be kind of mean, but I've known them my whole life. So, I'm kind of used to it. But, anyways, back to what you were saying about wanting something unpredictable, but positive, I think I have the perfect thing for you. Wait right here!"

Hinata watched Naruto disappear in the back for a little bit, and even from the front, she could hear him tossing things and rustling and tussling to find whatever it was he was looking for. She heard a few more choices words and a sigh or two before an…

"Ah ha! Here it is!"

He emerged with a graphic novel in his hand that he dusted off as he approached her.

"Here! Why don't you give this a read?"

Hinata took the graphic novel in her hand, and turned it to and fro to examine it. The cover was rather plain, and the novel itself was quite hefty. While it wasn't something that would catch your attention from the shelf, it felt like a substantial read. Like, one of those hidden gems.

"The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy S-Shinobi?"

"Yeah, it may not look it, but it's actually a pretty good read. I myself have read it multiple times."

"Tch, you read?"

Kiba voiced rudely as he and Shino walked up behind them. They each had several items in their hands, and Hinata guessed that it was about time to go.

"Of course, I read dog breath! I manage a comic book store in the middle of nowhere. I have to pass the time somehow."

"Whatever, just do your job and ring us up bird brain."

"Yeah, yeah, get in line."

Naruto grumbled as he snatched the items out of Kiba's hands before ringing him. Kiba made a point to complain about how he was not given a discount, and Naruto made it a point to mention how he doesn't give discounts to "dumbasses".

Shino came up to pay for his own items, and even Hinata noticed the significant difference in cost between Shino's and Kiba's despite them having fairly similar items in quantity and quality.

When Hinata walked up to pay for her own item, Naruto just grinned before slightly leaning against the counter.

"Sorry, you had to witness that Hinata-chan. That's just how me and Kiba are sometimes."

Kiba scoffed in the background before he started grumbling about "betrayal" and "decrepit old buildings not even worth the bricks they stood on", and Hinata just smiled nervously.

"N-no, it's o-okay. I know how K-Kiba-kun can be sometimes."

"Hey, not you too, Hinata!"

Naruto just laughed in the background as Hinata handed her book over to Naruto who wouldn't take it.

"Don't worry Hinata-chan. You can have it free of charge."

Naruto said, and Hinata could not help but blubber like an idiot at the gesture.

"B-b-but, I c-couldn-"

"No, it's fine. Just think of it as a welcome present for your first time shopping with us. Plus, that's actually not an item sold in store. It's my own personal copy. If you really feel guilty about it, just bring it back when you're done."

Naruto stated before winking, and Hinata could only nod shyly in her flustered state as she held the book to her chest.

Kiba and Shino were already outside waiting for her as she moved to exit the shop. On her way out, she thought she had heard Naruto say…

"I hope you're a fast reader, Hinata-chan."

But, when she looked back, he had only given her a small wave even though he did have a rather prominent blush. She figured he had just been hot, and she chalked up the whole thing to her imagination.

"What was that?! Was that jerk just flirting with Hinata? Am I going to have to give him a piece of my mind?!"

"Hn, idiot."

Even as Shino and Kiba walked her home (since her house –or mansion as some people referred to it- was not too far away), Hinata felt like she was floating on air. She had spoken with a boy…no, a man, and she had not completely embarrassed herself. Though, she felt she had been on the verge several times.

She had never held a conversation with a guy that had not been a family member, Kiba, or Shino, and not only was this a man, but she clearly had a crush on him…even she could tell despite never having had one before. And, they had just met.

Was this something special? Could he feel it too? Or was she just projecting her own feelings on to him?

She did not know, but for some reason, she felt excited and sick all at the same time.

Even as Shino and Kiba had dropped her off at the front gate of her family's massive traditional home, and one of the servants welcomed her home…

"You're home early young mistress."

"Y-yeah, I'm not f-feeling w-well today."

She could not relax until she had made it safely to her room.

She hated lying to her caretaker, but it was not completely untrue. She had not felt completely well since meeting Naruto, and she had a feeling that she never would again.

Once she entered her room, she placed the book and her backpack down before standing and replaying every moment.

She spontaneously burst into a short sprint to her bed before taking a slight leap and bouncing up after landing. She grabbed the closest pillow and held it to her chest as she grinned up at her ceiling. A feeling of fear, exhilaration, doubt, and anticipation buried deep in her chest, and a smile playing across her lips. She could not sit still.

Before she knew it, she was standing in front of her full length mirror, giving herself the once over. From her navy uniform jacket with the Konoha Academy crest, her grey and beige plaid skirt, her dark socks, and her brown loafers.

Soon, the smile that had been plastered on her face faded just a bit at the dark and drab colors of her uniform. Her hair was down in its usual hime style, and even the big and ornate beige ribbon bow of the uniform did not make her look any less plain.

She pulled and twisted and turned her hair in different styles to give herself a little sparkle. She even rolled the thought of make-up and jewelry in her mind, but her school didn't allow it. She could put it on after she left school property, but she knew Kiba and Shino would probably look at her strangely.

She stared into her big and bright lavender eyes, the only thing that made her special, and she still saw herself as lacking. Her sharp eyes missing not a single flaw.

Hinata sighed as she walked away from the mirror thoroughly depressed and defeated. She allowed herself to fall back on her bed.

She had never been so concerned about her appearance before now, and she did not know how to come to terms with anything. She felt more insecure now than she had ever felt even in front of her father's disapproving gaze. If this was what it was like to have a crush, maybe she was better off without one.

However, that thought did not last long as she looked towards her desk where she had set her backpack and the book Naruto had given her. She stood up once more before walking towards her desk and giving the book another once over.

She sat back on her bed, leaning against the head board of her lavender canopy bed before cracking the book open and beginning to read.

Before she had even finished the first chapter, she had already sent a group message to Kiba and Shino letting them know she would be tagging along the next time they decided to take a trip down to "Hermit Comics".

It would be another two weeks before she would get a chance to see Naruto again.

---

Hinata had spent those two weeks devouring The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi. Partly because she was eager to head back to the comic book store in order to see Naruto, but mostly because she genuinely found the book to be an interesting read much like what Naruto had said.

It was a tale of adventure, betrayal, and perseverance, and Hinata found herself to be utterly engrossed by it. She had never herself taken much interest in shinobi or ninja (as they were referred to today) despite the fact that they seemed to be really popular topics of interest in contemporary Japanese media, but she found the plot interesting nonetheless.

She could not wait to see Naruto and talk about the book…among other things.

And, she was pleasantly surprised while reading when she realized that the main character so happened to be named after her current crush. If she could not get him out of her head before, it became near impossible once she began reading and imagining the blond performing all of the main character's outstanding feats.

More than once while reading the book during her commute to and from school, cram school, and home Hinata had to suppress her unexplained need to fan-girl when the main character would do something cool or say something inspirational. Even though she clearly understood that the character and her Naruto were not one in the same, she could not help but imagine one as the other.

Usually, Hinata was a quick read, but since the graphic novel was over 300 pages, and she could only read it during breaks and between classes due to her large expanse of homework and study materials, it took her much longer than she had originally anticipated.

So, by the time she had finished, after sending Kiba and Shino a group message to hang out, she found herself a little disheartened and heart broken when realizing both her friends were going to be busy.

"S-sorry Hinata, p-practice…"

Even as Hinata read it while slowly walking out of her school gates, she felt her spirits damper and her pace slow. Before she'd even received Kiba's message, Shino had already said that he would be busy with club activities. She herself was supposed to be heading to cram school, but she didn't think it would hurt if she missed another day. She was still ahead despite her distractions, and she was lucky enough that her regular school and cram school currently happened to be going over the same material.

Hinata sighed dejectedly as her cell phone screen went black and she saw her reflection within it. She had actually gone through the trouble of clipping her hair back behind her ear on her right side with a beaded sun hairpin that reminded her of Naruto and also wearing two gemmed baby blue stud earrings.

Her cousin and sister had given her curious looks in the morning during breakfast with a few joking comments and giggles (mostly from Hanabi), and she had gotten a couple of compliments from her classmates as well on her hair pin, which she had accepted with a blush.

The night before, she had tested out hairstyle after hairstyle to try to enhance her plain appearance somewhat before seeing Naruto again. She could not do anything too outrageous due to the pedigree and procedures set by her school (though she'd probably be too embarrassed to do so anyways), so she had toyed with up do's, the idea of curls, and different formations of her bangs. None of which seemed to be her at all.

It wasn't until she noticed a hair pin her mother had given her as a little girl amongst her jewelry box of unused accessories that she found something that didn't make her flush in embarrassment.

She was still insecure about the change, and throughout the day, she found herself reaching to put nonexistent hair strands behind her ear out of a nervous habit.

But, she had gone through a lot of effort physically and mentally to meet with Naruto, and it would be a shame to waste her excitement.

Plus, she has been semi-stalking Hermit Comics for two weeks. Walking by to see if she could catch a glimpse of Naruto outside of the store or possibly through the window. However, the dark tint of the windows made it nearly impossible. That, and she was usually hiding behind a tree, catching the curious gazes of a few passing strangers along the way,

She had walked by so much she could find her way back to the store even with her eyes closed. She just hoped that Naruto hadn't noticed. That would be mortifying to say the least, but she really couldn't help herself. Whenever she was on her way to and from school, she found herself strolling by.

Sometimes she would look up from reading the graphic novel, and see that her feet had magically taken her there, subconsciously. Much like now.

She had been so lost in thought about seeing Naruto again that she had not even noticed that she had lead herself right to him. By the time she realized, she was panicking. As excited as she was to see him again, she was just as nervous.

She went back and forth between staying or just going ahead to cram school. Last time she had seen Naruto, she was with Shino and Kiba. Both of whom he knew and was familiar with. She, however, had only met him once for not that long, and she wondered if it would seem weird for her to be back so soon…and by herself.

He had invited her to come back himself, but now, she wondered if he was just being nice. Was she being too forward? Was she assuming too much coming here by herself? What if he didn't like her when she wasn't around Kiba or Shino? She wasn't a very interesting person individually. What could she offer to keep Naruto interested?

She knew she was probably overthinking things, but she still hesitated as her foot almost refused to leave the sidewalk. It wasn't until she clutched the novel closer to her chest in nervousness that she gained the courage to walk towards the store. Even if Naruto didn't want to see her, he would surely want his novel back. It was his personal copy, and no matter how insecure she may feel about seeing him again, she had to return it to him.

She nervously moved her hand to tuck a nonexistent hair behind her right ear before realizing there was nothing there and breathing out shakily. She reached forward to grab the glass door pulling it open uncertainly, but instead of being met with the sound of the small bell as she expected, she heard the tinkling laugh of a woman.

Hinata felt herself halt. Noticing like last time, Naruto was not at the front of the store, but hearing voices coming from the back. The laughing stopped before the same female voice all of a sudden became more forceful.

"Naruto! Why weren't you in class today?"

She heard a male groan that she could only assume was Naruto.

"Eh, come on Sakura-chan! I just missed one class. It's so hard to go all the way to Konoha U. on a Thursday. I only have one class, and it's so early in the morning!"

"Naruto! Eleven o'clock is not early in the morning. Besides, you can't afford to miss classes. Haven't I told you that-"

"Your first year of university is very crucial. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've heard that a million times! If I hear it anymore, I'll be dreaming about it. Ouch! What was that for?!"

"That's for being a smart aleck! I only nag you because I'm worried about you. You know that."

The female voice got softer at the end, and she heard Naruto sigh at the tone.

"Yeah, I know. I know."

"I stayed up for like 3 months straight trying to help you get ready for entrance exams. The least you could do is be grateful!"

"And I am grateful!..."

Hinata felt as if she was eavesdropping on a lovers' quarrel as their voices trailed in and out, and she felt even more out of place than she did waiting outside. Her heart had leaped into her throat, and she suddenly felt like throwing up. Why had she been so stupid? Of course Naruto had someone. It would be weird if someone as handsome and sweet as him did not.

She wanted to leave and run away. She couldn't face him now after all her fantasizing. She was too embarrassed, but her feet wouldn't let her move. She was in a daze until she heard laughing coming closer. She was too slow. She saw a shock of blonde and pink hair emerge from the back, and the feeling of panic left her frozen in place.

"Haha, sure, Naruto. You have been acting weird. Why do you keep checking the front? Last week when I came by you jumped every time someone walked through the door. I've seen you sleep through shifts before. You've never been this attentive to the shop. What's going on?"

"N-nothing! What do you mean!? I'm not being weird! It's my job-"

"Oh, h-hi, welcome to Hermit Comics! May we help you?"

Naruto stopped midsentence, a large box in his arms, when he saw Sakura suddenly staring straight ahead.

Hinata felt like a dear in headlights.

"U-ummmm, ummm…I-I-I…"

"H-Hinata-chan!"

Naruto said in surprise and was that…excitement? Nervousness?

She was reading into things again.

"You know her, Naruto?"

Sakura asked curiously. Looking between Naruto and Hinata, and it gave Hinata just enough time to study her. She was tall with a slim build and delicate features. Her hair a bright pink color and cut short, just below her ears. She didn't need a shield to hide behind.

Her eyes were round and sparkling, a sea green. She reminded Hinata of a stylish and mature fairy with her autumn multi-colored striped three quarter sleeved sweater that had material sewn in that sparkled just as much as her eyes as it clung to her petite upper body, her burnt orange bell bottom pants that hugged her slim thighs before flaring out to show off her dark brown heeled clogs, and long and thin silver earrings that made her features glitter.

She was gorgeous. The kind of girl who would always stand out. She was everything Hinata wasn't. Needless to say, Hinata felt inadequate in her school uniform and a childish hair clip she had gotten as a little girl.

"Ummm, yeah. T-this is H-Hinata-chan."

Sakura gave Naruto a strange look as he placed down the box on the front counter before his hand found its way behind his head, again. A large grin on his face.

"She's a friend of Kiba and Shino."

A look of recognition came across her face before she smiled at Hinata in acknowledgment.

"Ah! I think I've heard them talk about you when we were in school. You go to Konoha Academy right?"

Naruto seemed shocked at the information.

"Konoha Academy?!"

Hinata jumped at being addressed. Her two fingers instinctively coming together in a nervous fidgeting habit she had developed as a child and had yet to shed.

"Y-yes. I-I've gone there all my life."

She was blushing again.

"Isn't that like a really good school!?

"Naruto, it's more than a good school. It's one of the best schools in Konoha, maybe even Japan, along with Konoha Tech. I actually wanted to go there, remember?"

"R-really?"

Hinata was so shocked that she spoke without thinking. Regretting it almost instantly. Most girls she knew who went there hated it, having been forced by their parents to attend. They wanted to go to the more traditional Konoha High School. It was more relaxed and co-ed.

Sakura seemed to smile sheepishly, but the moment of insecurity seemed more endearing rather than frail.

"Y-yeah, I applied, and I actually got in. I was one of three students chosen for a scholarship to attend, but in the end, I decided not to go since all of my friends were going to Konoha High School. Stupid, right?"

Truly everything she wasn't.

"N-no, I don't think it's s-stupid. S-sometimes I wish I could have g-gone to Konoha High School."

Hinata spoke truthfully and found herself looking at Naruto who responded almost right after.

"That would have been great! Then, we could have hung out all day with Kiba, Shino, and everybody else. Right, Sakura-chan?"

"Sure, you seem pretty awesome already, and we just met. I'm sure it would have been a lot of fun hanging with someone who wasn't an idiot."

"Hey!"

"T-thank you."

It came out as a squeak, but Naruto was not deterred.

"If you had gone to Konoha High, we could have met earlier, and I'm sure we would have been friends or you know…whatever."

"Y-yeah."

Hinata felt herself looking down at her brown loafers. Hiding her blush and being unable to look Naruto in the eyes as her mind added hidden meaning to his words. He was watching her closely, and Sakura was watching them both with intent. Still trying to figure out what she was seeing.

In the end, she decided that if what she was seeing was what she thought, she might need to make her exit.

"Right. Sorry to run out on you guys, but I have a late class in about an hour. So, I need to catch the subway to Konoha U. Hinata, it was nice meeting you. You should come hang out sometime, okay?"

"U-ummm, s-sure. I…I'd like that."

Sakura smiled softly at her.

"Good. Oh, and Naruto. No more skipping class. If I hear about you skipping class again, I'm sending Sasuke. And, you know how he hates being bothered."

"Sasuke?! That teme? Reall-"

"Naruto…promise me."

Sakura asked. This time sweetly with a pleading in her eyes. Something that Naruto couldn't seem to dismiss. He sighed and looked back at her tenderly.

"Alright, Sakura-chan. I promise. But, don't tell Sasuke-teme!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Echoing Naruto's previous dismissive sentiment, Sakura grabbed her jacket and backpack from behind the counter. Bending over and making her shirt slightly rise up to show off the tanned skin of a toned stomach. Not even bothering to pull it down as she gathered her things and headed for the door.

Hinata looked at Naruto as she adjusted her uniform self-consciously. Naruto did not seem to notice any of it.

"Bye guys!"

"Bye Sakura-chan!"

Waving enthusiastically as she left, Naruto smiled as Hinata shifted from one foot to the other. All of a sudden missing Sakura's unexpected presence. She seemed to fill the room. Her and Naruto with their big personalities. Now, Hinata was alone with him. By herself.

How could Hinata live up to that?

"Well, well, so, Hinata-chan, what brings you here today?"

Naruto asked all grins and energy, buzzing like a bee. A blush played across her cheeks prettily, and despite her insecurities and the shock of seeing Sakura, she found his energy to be a vitamin pill. All of her bad and negative thoughts were gone, and all she could feel was happiness at his smile.

"I j-just dropped b-by to b-bring this back."

Hinata stuttered out nervously, thrusting the book she had been clinging to her chest forcibly at a slightly startled Naruto. Seeing his eyes slightly widen, she tried to calm her thundering heart.

"I f-finally finished reading it last night, and since you said it was your personal copy, I…I wanted to bring it back since I'm sure you've been missing it."

Just reading through the book, Hinata could tell that Naruto took good care of it. Despite the fading of the cover, the notes littered throughout, and the dog eared pages, there was not a tear or stain in sight even though the novel itself seemed quite old.

Despite his large grin, a blush creeped across his cheeks as he gave a nervous laugh. His hand ruffling his hair as usual.

"Well, I guess, but I was more excited to see you."

Hinata's head shot up instantly as Naruto fumbled to amend his words.

"I-I mean I was e-excited to hear what you thought about the n-n-novel. Y-you k-know, to get your opinion."

It was funny how her own stutter continued to be a bane to her existence and an embarrassment, but hearing it from Naruto only made her smile and shyly play with her hands as she rocked slightly with one foot.

"Oh."

Watching Hinata's cute reaction, Naruto couldn't help but smile. Even despite his verbal blunders.

He grabbed a letter opener to rip open the tape on the box he had brought out earlier before digging into its contents. Proffering his hand towards Hinata with five or so manga in it. Allowing Hinata to silently appreciate its size. Her own hand flexing at the thought of being in his own.

"How about you help me put away some of this stuff, and we can talk about how you liked the book?"

Hinata felt a rare grin mare her face, and she was so excited about being asked to spend time with Naruto she did not even notice how Naruto gave pause to study her face as she grabbed the manga from his hand.

"O-okay Naruto-san. W-where should I start?"

Seeing how giddy Hinata seemed to be at talking about a book he recommended and also loved made Naruto feel a swell of pride and accomplishment well up in his chest. He grinned back just as enthusiastically without even realizing.

"Where ever you want! I have all night."

And so they spent the rest of the night gabbing about the novel, and it seemed like they couldn't run out of things to say even as Hinata wandered around the store trying to figure out what went where.

Naruto was surprised at Hinata's different character analyses, and he found himself noticing things about the novel he had never even thought about despite having read the novel what felt like a thousand times.

Hinata was just happy to be able to talk with someone who actually seemed to value her opinion. Not once had Naruto made her feel inadequate or less than during their conversation, and talking to him actually made her feel important. Like she had something of worth to actually offer someone. It was the little things.

Hinata was also surprised to learn that despite how good the graphic novel was it had not sold very well since it was published just before what could be known as the "Ninja Craze". Apparently, there were only three hundred copies sold before it went out of print, and even though it had ended on a cliffhanger (suggesting the writer had attended on making more), a second novel was never made.

She found it all to be kind of sad, and Naruto himself seemed to have some kind of vendetta against the author. Going on a bit of a rant midway through. Though, she could sense it was because he was just as disappointed in the turn of events as she was.

Before any one of them knew it, the sun seemed to be setting, and Hinata found it was time for her to be heading home.

"O-oh, i-it's gotten a little late. I-I think it m-might be t-time for me to g-go. I-I'm s-sorry to have t-taken up so much of y-your time Naruto-san."

Despite feeling some disappointment at the thought of Hinata leaving, Naruto managed to cheerfully respond even though it seemed lackluster even to himself.

"No worries. I…I enjoyed talking with you. It was nice having a conversation with someone without arguing or having them insult me."

Naruto said good naturedly though it still made Hinata wonder about the company he kept. Sakura seemed to be nice enough, and they gave off the impression of being close. She wondered how close. Though she ignored that feeling to revel in the fact that Naruto astoundedly seemed to actually enjoy her company.

"O-oh, it was ummm…it was n-nice talking to y-you too. I just hope I didn't scare all your customers away."

Not one person had dropped in while they were talking.

"Uhhhh, well Thursdays are kind of slow."

He didn't mention the fact that he usually closed early on Thursdays to grab some Ichiraku with Sasuke after his classes. Figuring Hinata was the type of person to feel bad about that sort of thing.

"Oh."

There was a moment of awkward silence that hung between them as Hinata dawdled at the front desk. Neither wanting to leave, but having nothing else to say. Hinata made a slight motion to begin speaking to say her goodbyes when Naruto interrupted.

"Ummm, you should stop by again some time! Y-you know, to talk more about the n-novel! We still haven't talked about the part with the toad king."

Naruto mentioned suddenly when he felt Hinata getting prepared to leave. Hinata, herself, felt a little caught off guard. She was too scared to say it herself, and she had resigned herself to stalking the place until Kiba or Shino finally muscled up time to go in with her. Having very little confidence to just stroll in there by herself. It was a blessing in disguise that Naruto spoke what was already in her heart.

"S-sure! I-I'd love to."

She finished shyly before walking towards the door. Naruto feeling a huge boulder lifting from his chest once he realized he wasn't about to be rejected.

"B-bye Naruto-s-san."

She bowed cutely and scurried out the door as Naruto called after her.

"Bye Hinata-chan! And don't forget to practice calling me Naruto-kun, and…she's gone."

Even as the door swung shut, Naruto couldn't keep in his well of emotions. He had been waiting for two weeks for Hinata to pop back up, and he had started to doubt she would even come until he saw her standing in the middle of his shop today.

When he had first been introduced to her, he had only felt like a guy trying to get close to a really cute girl, but after having had a conversation, he couldn't help but feel the want to get closer to her. This felt different from his usual flirting. Not including the fact she had actually responded well to his attempts. The whole week she had plagued his mind.

Sometimes he would even look out the store window and swear he could see the shape of her vaguely standing on the other side. Not to mention seeing her in his dreams. Sakura hadn't been wrong about him being distracted.

Then, she had manifested herself today. He couldn't help but be excited at the thought of what was obviously a crush. He wasn't the type to really over think things, so he had known as soon as he saw her again how he truly felt.

It was a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Yosh! Guess I'll lock up. Don't want that old pervert to accuse me of not inviting him to some late night party in the shop again."

With a pep in his step, Naruto went about cleaning up the shop before locking up and heading home.

As he walked towards the subway station, he looked at his phone and saw one or two rather rude messages in his inbox from a pissed Sasuke, who had been trying to contact him before he had obviously gotten annoyed at Naruto's lack of response.

"Tch, teme. I didn't even say we were meeting today."

But even Sasuke's foul mouth and personality couldn't wipe the smile off his face at the prospect of what was to come.

After that, it became sort of a tradition for Hinata to stop by the shop maybe once, or on the rarity, twice a week after school. Most of the time it was on a Thursday since she had come to notice that on that day fewer people stopped by, and Naruto would occasionally lock up early, and they would just spend time talking in the middle of the store with some bean bag chairs he'd drag in from the back.

It had taken Hinata awhile to get comfortable enough not to blush and fall apart at every little smile, joke, tease, or stare.

The final straw had been when she had walked in to a pitch black store one day only for Naruto to jump out wearing a wig and holding a flashlight before Hinata screamed and punched him in the nose. She had been mortified, and after Naruto blocked her from running away, changing her name, and moving to a different country, she was able to apologize and relax around him and his purple bandaged nose that took at least a month to heal.

Customers had gotten used to seeing her around. Some even thought she worked there since she would help out not to feel like she was in the way even though Naruto tried to convince her otherwise. He'd even offered to pay her at some point, but she'd refused. Finding his company enough. It's not like she needed the money anyway.

She had even met some of Naruto's, Shino's, and Kiba's other friends from Konoha High such as Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, and Sasuke. The latter of which she had been surprised to meet after an awkward conversation she had with Naruto.

Flashback

"Hinata-chan, can you help me with some of this inventory?"

Naruto called from the back room as Hinata browsed the new arrivals section of the store. She and Naruto had spent the greater part of her first 3 visits talking about The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi when Naruto had mentioned that the graphic novel had inspired him to become a writer himself.

It had helped somehow redirect the conversation to more personal matters, which was causing their relationship to slowly deepen. Though, she'd admit he was the one who shared the most. He talked to her about how he was studying Literature at Konoha U, though he found most of his non-literature classes to be boring and unnecessary, which is why he often skipped. Earning the ire of Sakura.

Sakura, Hinata found herself not wanting to linger on that thought for long.

"S-sure Naruto-kun."

Despite the fact they were growing closer and more comfortable with each other each visit, Hinata still could not bring up the topic of Naruto's relationship with Sakura. The one or two times she had stumbled upon them interacting they seemed to be nothing more than friends, but then Sakura would say something and Naruto would give her a look that suggested more. Something deeper than a mere friendship.

Hinata had a hard time wrapping her head around it. She didn't want to lead herself on by continuing to pine after a man in love with someone else, but she found it difficult not to be around Naruto now that he had wiggled himself into her daily life. They even texted. Something she rarely did with anyone but family, Kiba, and Shino before.

When she stepped into the back room behind the register, she saw Naruto fretting as he counted five boxes of unopened material. It wasn't an unusual amount, so she wasn't sure why he was so anxious.

"Thank you Hinata-chan! I have to update the inventory report today, but I'm actually supposed to be leaving in like 30 mins. Actually, I'm technically already late, but hehe, it doesn't really matter now."

This was news to her. He hadn't mentioned it last week.

"Y-you're leaving e-early today?"

Naruto seemed to stop ruffling in a box as if he'd seemed to realize something.

"Oh, yeah. Hehe, forgot to mention that! Sorry. It was kind of last minute. I'm supposed to be meeting Sakura-chan at Ichiraku today. Something about catching up and how she hardly sees me anymore. I don't know what she means since we see each other on campus all the time."

Naruto said shrugging as he passed a clipboard to Hinata to take note as he counted off. Hinata took it lifelessly as she tried to swallow away a lump in her throat. Well, it's not like she didn't already know.

"O-oh, y-you two…y-you t-two are going on a d-date?"

It was hard to get out, and felt worse when Naruto laughed.

"Yeah, I guess something like that. Sakura's just nosy and bossy. She's been that way since we were kids."

Even though the words would have seemed negative on paper, Naruto said it with a fondness she had begun to recognize. She felt like crying. Like leaving and never coming back. Anywhere. Anywhere but here.

But, she didn't want Naruto to feel bad. Especially about something she'd done to herself, so she begged herself to act like a normal person even if she felt like dying a little.

"I-I guess I can u-understand w-where she's coming f-from. W-who wouldn't w-w-want to s-see their b-b-boyfriend? She probably j-just misses you."

Something she said made Naruto snap his head towards her, and she wish he hadn't because she was already doing everything in her power to keep her eyes from watering. Her vision hadn't blurred yet and the upper part of her face didn't feel hot, so she reckoned she was doing a good job.

"What!? Boyfriend? What do you mean Hinata-chan? Sakura-chan and I aren't dating."

"B-but you just said d-date…"

"No, I said something like that. Sakura-chan and I are just friends. You know. Like you and I."

Naruto seemed to notice instantly that he had said something wrong as Hinata looked away trying to avoid eye contact. Well, this was getting bad and fast.

"I mean, what I mean is that Sakura-chan has no interest in me! N-not that I have any i-interest in her either! I mean, I did when we were kids, but that was a LONG time ago!"

He was not helping his case as Hinata continued to let her hair cover her face. Trying to hide herself in a way he was not used to.

"Back then, I had no idea what it meant to like someone. I thought her hair was a pretty color since it's so bright and flashy, so I thought that I meant I liked her. Though dark hair can be really pretty too! These days I actually prefer it. Anyways, I d-don't like Sakura, and she doesn't like me. Ever since we were kids, she's preferred that teme Sasuke. N-not that I care since I don't like her anymore. Since like forever!"

"R-right."

Even though Naruto had said all of that, and she had obviously heard him. It was obvious to Naruto that she hadn't been convinced.

She refused to look at him in the eye the whole time, and he had felt like an idiot once she had left. His ramen had tasted a little dull later that evening, and he had spent the rest of the next week snapping at everyone due to nerves and texting Hinata to make sure she hadn't written him off.

End Flashback

The next Thursday, despite having not returned any of his messages, Hinata showed up to Hermit Comics and was surprised to see a nervous Naruto, welcoming Sakura, and scowling Sasuke as she entered. The latter clearly did not want to be there.

They didn't stay long, but Hinata had to admit that seeing them all together clearly put things into perspective.

While Sakura seemed to treat Naruto like an overprotective big sister, she treated Sasuke almost as if he could walk on water.

It wasn't that Sakura had been overly obvious. On the contrary, she was very subtle. However, being observant as most Hyuugas were, and recognizing the symptoms in herself, Hinata could totally see that Sakura was in love with Sasuke. And, he hadn't seemed totally adverse to it himself.

Judging by what little she had seen of his personality then and how he had allowed Sakura to grab his arm to lead him out of the shop. He didn't seem like a person who much appreciated being touched.

It was around this time that Hinata had begun to occasionally drop by on Tuesdays as well if she was feeling adventurous (meaning she had gotten ahead on a few assignments), but today she had decided to make the journey on a Friday since today was the start of her final summer break of high school.

Which meant, she would have more time to drop by and visit Hermit Comics since she would only have to attend cram school and a few tutoring sessions. This was the first time in a while Hinata was actually excited for a break!

Walking in to Hermit Comics, Hinata was surprised to see Naruto actually at the front desk, but her surprise soon fell into a pile of giggles since she noticed he was actually dozing off. His head leaning across his hand, threatening to slip off.

The sound of her voice seemed to jolt him as he shot upward.

"H-hinata-chan! What are you doing here? Don't you have cram school? We don't want your family worried if you miss too many days."

Hinata smiled at his concern as she placed her bag behind the front desk before grabbing an apron to wrap around her waist.

"I-it's o-okay Naruto-kun. Since today is the s-start of summer b-break, we don't have c-class."

"Ahhh, really! That's awesome. I was actually just thinking of you."

Naruto mentioned shyly.

"M-me?"

He began rubbing the back of his head, which made Hinata curious since he hadn't done that much since she'd punched him in the nose.

"Y-yeah…ummm, actually, I w-wondered if you could ummm…do me a favor?"

"A favor? F-from me? What i-is it Naruto-kun?"

At that, Naruto leaned back on his heels before he stepped in the back room to return a second later with his school bag. Reaching in, he pulled out a large envelope. His grip tight and his hand shaking.

"I was w-wondering if y-you could read s-some of my w-w-work once it's done. I haven't quite finished it yet, b-but I'd r-really v-value your opinion."

"R-really? You want m-me to read it? Isn't that kind of p-personal?"

"I mean, yeah. That's why I…that's why I want you to read it."

In that moment, Naruto got a little more intense than what Hinata was used to. He had been doing that a lot lately. She had been dropping by for almost four months now, and within the last month or so, she would occasionally catch Naruto looking at her with an intense look in his eye.

One part of her found it uncomfortable while the other wished he would look at her like that all the time. It was exhilarating. It made her heart race.

"O-okay."

As Hinata reached for it though, Naruto felt his own hand drawing back.

"Ummmm, i-i-it's not ummm…it's not quite f-finished yet! As soon as it's done, I'll…I'll let you know."

Seeing how nervous Naruto seemed, Hinata let her hand drop.

"Ummm, okay. Has umm….will…will anyone else get to read it? Y-you know like…Sasuke-san or…S-sakura-chan?"

She asked as she played with the tassels at the front of her apron. Naruto didn't wait long to answer.

"No. I haven't really let anyone read my work yet. Just you."

Hinata looked up at Naruto. This time holding his intense gaze. Hinata finally felt like after these months of visiting Naruto every week and talking to him almost every day there was a shift happening in their relationship. It was slow yet deliberate. As if both of them were giving it a little push in that direction from the beginning.

Hinata, as always, was the first to break eye contact. Her stereotypical blush flushing across her cheeks.

"Oh…okay, Naruto-kun. When…whenever you're ready."

Hinata spoke without looking at him. Shuffling off to the back to survey the inventory. Realizing quickly that Naruto wasn't great at doing that part of the job. Often times making mistakes since he would wait till the last minute before rushing through.

Watching her leave his sight, Naruto felt a sigh leave his lungs as he draped himself over the register counter whimpering. In truth, the work he wanted to show Hinata was already done. It had been for weeks. He just wasn't ready to show her yet. Too scared of what her reaction would be.

"Next time. Definitely next time! Plus, I have all summer."

Said Naruto to himself not realizing how wrong he was. Unbeknownst to him and Hinata both, their little flirtation was about to come to an abrupt end.

That evening as Hinata walked home she was not alone.

---

Summer break was coming to an end in a week or two, and Hinata had been having the time of her life. Though she had spent over fifty percent of her break at cram school and with her private tutor, she was actually able to spend the other fifty with her friends.

She attended one or two of Kiba's practice matches. Surprised at how long it had been since she had actually seen him play. Suddenly, she had felt like a bad friend. Realizing how much time she had let slip away while buried in a book, so after the first practice match, she promised she would go to the second one as well as attending the kick-off game to his final tournament during winter break. A promise that would become hard to fulfill.

She even got to spend time with Shino and his entomology club. Apparently during the break, the Tokyo Botanic Gardens had a new butterfly exhibit, and knowing of Hinata's love for botany, Shino had invited her. She had agreed immediately. Not expecting to meet up with Shino and his juniors, but in the end, it had been nice. Stepping into Shino's world, and seeing how much his peers admired him and his work.

She could say she truly well enjoyed herself.

That was not even including the time she had spent with Naruto at his shop. He had even invited her out with him and his friends for karaoke one night, but fearing her father's reaction to her not returning home before nine, she had politely declined. Filled to the brim already with happiness to having had one of the best summer breaks of her life.

A break where she got to hang out with friends, meet new people, and…and spend time with a crush. Sure, she wasn't taking overnight trips to hot springs and beach towns like some of her classmates, but those weren't things Hinata wanted or valued anyway.

She was content with the small taste of freedom she'd gotten in the end.

Not knowing how it was about to be wrenched away from her once again.

Here she was, giddily strolling home in the early evening. Thinking of the promise Naruto had finally given her to let her read his work tomorrow. She had pestered him in her own little way to try and get at least an idea of what the story was about. As eager as she was to read it, but in the end, Naruto would always get nervous and change the subject.

Except today, today he had actually agreed to let her read his work….tomorrow. Sure, he had put it off for another day, but at least this time, he had told her when instead of avoiding.

She was excited. Finally, Naruto was giving her some semblance of hope that maybe her feelings weren't one-sided. Maybe she wasn't reading into things. Maybe, he actually felt the same.

Too lost in her own head space, Hinata did not even acknowledge she had made it home until greeted by a servant of the Hyuuga manor with a bow at the door per usual.

"Welcome back mistress. I trust you had a pleasant journey home."

Himeko-san, the head of the Hyuuga's domestic affairs, greeted as Hinata stepped through the door. The woman already reaching for her bag.

"May I take your bag mistress?"

"N-no, I'm fine H-himeko-san."

Hinata responded automatically as she reached down to begin taking off her white canvas shoes. Bending her knees slightly to accommodate her simple knee-length strappy lavender dress that laid comfortably over a white tee shirt used for modesty.

Himeko-san stood expectantly even as Hinata pointedly ignored her while putting on her slippers to begin the trek to her room.

"I will take those for you mistress."

"N-no, H-Himeko-san. It is quite a-alright."

"It is best I do mistress. Your father awaits your arrival in his study."

Hinata paused mid-step to stare at Himeko, whose head was slightly bowed. No matter how accommodating Hinata was to the workers of the house, they still remained distant. Scared to get too comfortable and mistakenly slip up in front of Hiashi, Hinata's father and the CEO of the Hyuuga conglomerate.

Hiashi was a stern and cold man. Not mean or cruel, but strict and expectant. Expectant of everything. Absolutely everything.

"Yes, I…I g-guess so. Thank you H-Himeko-san."

Hinata responded as Himeko gave a slight combination of a nod and bow before grabbing Hinata's shoes and bag. Heading in the direction Hinata had been not a second before.

Hinata herself began to head in the opposite direction. On the other side of the large manor where he father kept his study in the central part of the manor.

It was not strange for her father to ask for her suddenly. He did it every so often to either ask Hinata about her studies (as if he didn't already know) or to remind her of her place in the Hyuuga family. She was the heiress, and yet the least talented of the lot.

While Neji and Hanabi were the top of their classes and enjoyed numerous extracurricular courses such as student council, matheletes, judo, and flower arrangement just to a name a few, Hinata had no time for such things because she needed a bevy of private tutors and extra courses to maintain her position.

While Hinata had yet to decide which university entrance exams to sit for, Neji was so smart and accomplished, he was allowed to sit for some exams a year early due to extreme demand and competition for his attendance. Not only had he been accepted to all of the most prestigious schools, he had done so a year early with multiple scholarships (that he did not need of course) before currently attending the university with the most renowned and prestigious Business course in the whole country.

Hanabi was well on her way to following his footsteps since she was already receiving invitations to tour different universities all over the country and abroad despite having yet to enter high school.

So, this conversation could really be about anything honestly. From upcoming entrance exams to even possible arranged marriages. She would not put anything past him. Hinata would have no idea until she faced her father.

Passing through the gardens and courtyard in front of her father's study, Hinata took a moment to admire its quiet tranquility before steeling herself and rapping on the finely made shoji door.

"Enter."

It was curt and frank as if her father had known the moment she returned home and made her way to see him. He probably did. They didn't call him the "All Seeing Eye" for nothing.

Hinata opened the shoji door and bowed before sitting seiza before her father, her head bowed. He was in the midst of reading a traditional Japanese book that Hinata briefly thought Naruto would have liked, and Hinata sat there for what felt like fifteen minutes as he finished his chapter. One of many psychological tactics she had become accustomed to. Still reading even as as he finally addressed her.

"How long were you planning on deceiving me child?"

He asked so nonchalantly that Hinata briefly wondered if he had actually spoken or if it were her conscience. He continued reading his book, which made her even more unsure.

"Hmmmm, after all those wasted years of speech therapy and now you cannot even speak."

Hinata finally realized that this was not a drill. This was actually happening. She had a pretty good idea about what this meeting was about now, but she wanted to be sure before panic set in.

Too late.

"I…I d-don't understand what you m-mean Otou-s-sama. I h-have n-not d-deceive.."

"Oh, nonsense. Hundreds of millions of yen spent on your private tutors and now you act simple too. Please do not insult me."

Her father turned the page, and Hinata wondered if he were actually reading and how he learned to multitask so well if so. Scolding her must be second nature at this point.

"I…I d-don't know what y-you m-mean O-otou-s-sam…"

"The boy, Hinata. The boy."

His eyes finally left the book to stare Hinata down, and despite the fact her head remained bowed, she could still feel his cold eyes washing over her. Calculating, ripping her apart piece by piece. Studying, scrutinizing, and putting her back together to form the mess for which he saw.

The scoff was implied.

"Months you have been running around. Fraternizing with some lowly store clerk. For what? A job, something you'll never need. A companion. Do not be stupid. Kami knows you have showed yourself to be lacking enough."

Hinata didn't think it'd do her well to respond. She didn't think she could.

"Did you think I did not know? Missing classes that I paid for. That you obviously need, or you would have noticed long ago that I have been having you followed since before the summer began. But, no, you were too busy skipping through the park in some malignant fantasy. A Hyuuga has never been so blind."

"B-but Otou-s-sama, it w-wasn't l-like tha…"

"Oh, so now you finally acknowledge you have been lying? Acting as if you had been doing your due diligence, when it clearly is not so?"

The book had been laid down and forgotten as he stood. His sole focus on beating her down. She could cry now. She wanted to, but it would do no good but to make him more angry. Was he even angry? She could not tell. His voice had been reserved and cutting the whole time. Inflections not needed to show his distaste. She felt them in full

"Come now, Hinata. You cannot say I have not given you purchase. I allowed you to run around and befriend those of lower class than you. The Inuzuka and Aburame boys. I respected your late mother's will and her friendship with those families to allow you to continue associating with them, but you ask too much."

By now, his back was to her, and he was staring at an ancient painting gifted to her ancestors by one of the first shogun. It was probably worth more money than the entire neighborhood surrounding their manor.

"It must end."

No. No. Anything b-but…

"You are never to see that boy or go to that gutted pit again. Not for me, but for your future. You have no time for dalliances. In five months' time, you will be taking your entrance exams. They are the key to your place and future in the Hyuuga clan. You must not be distracted."

"Otou-s-sama, p-please. D-don't m-make me do this. P-please. I-I p-promise, I won't m-miss a-anymore classes. I-I'll stay t-top of my c-class. I-I'll s-stay c-completely f-focused. I-I w-won't see N-Naruto-k-kun again in t-the next f-five months. B-but I…c-can't n-not see him a-again."

The tears were here now. Lingering on her lashes as she fought to keep them at bay. Her face was hot, and her throat felt raw and stuffy even though she'd spoken few words. Her head was still bowed because even she knew it was futile. She was merely talking to herself now. Her father would not hear her.

She had been careless. Thinking that because her father said nothing it meant he knew nothing. When he had known. For how long? She was not sure. Maybe he had known all along.

Maybe he was just testing to see how far Hinata would go to hide it from him. Obviously, she did not go far enough.

"End it Hinata. For good. I do not want you to speak to or speak of that boy henceforth. All contact with him must cease immediately. If I hear of any contact commencing between you two from this moment on, do not be surprised at the lengths I will go."

He had spoken, and the threat was clear. Things could be much worse.

They would be much worse if she continued to protest.

So even though it hurt her soul. Even though it ripped at her naivety. What else was she to say?

"Y-yes Otou-s-sama."

She felt the words catch in her throat, but she truly felt as if there was nothing else she could do. How could she go against her own father? Her own blood? She could not. Raised that her clan meant more than herself. More than her happiness.

"Good. You are dismissed."

She nodded though his back was to her. Her legs boneless even as she gracefully raised herself to stumble back to her room.

"Oh, and Hinata…."

A pause.

"Never beg. It is beneath you."

Were the words even as she nodded and closed the shoji door behind her.

She did not want anyone to see her even as she forced her body to keep moving. Lifeless but still with some pride. She took every shortcut imaginable to avoid being seen, but if there was one thing Hyuuga were good at, it was knowing when to make themselves scarce. Luckily for her, the only two people willing to question her were gone.

Hanabi was away at a training camp for judo, and Neji was staying late at the university to work on a group project.

Hinata was alone.

Even as she made it to her room to see her bag and shoes neatly put away, she had not cried. She had been on the verge the whole way, but had settled for sniffling. Cradling her broken heart to her chest. Despite everything, she managed not to let a single tear fall. Even through the verbal abuse.

It wasn't until she dug through her backpack to see a message from Naruto on her phone that she finally let go.

She finally let the facet run as she burst into tears. Sobbing uncontrollably into her pillow to smother the sounds. She had learned to cry in silence. But not tonight.

The message read:

"Did you get home safe? *grinning cat emoji*"

Even if she had responded, it would have been a lie.

---

Author's Note: Well that's the end of part one. I struggled with whether to leave it here since I know what two scenes come next, and I wanted to keep this as a two shot versus the three shot it looks like it's going to end up being. I wrote too much. Like always. How do writers manage to fit SO much in less than 5,000 words? I can't relate. Took me like two years to write this cause I kept stopping, and I lost the flow.

I'm more satisfied with the first half of this rather than the second half. I tried to spend this part building the relationship/history, and in the end, I don't think I did a good job of expressing how each of them were feeling. It feels shallow, but oh well, I guess I'll keep practicing. Next one-shot will not be part 2. It will be a whole different one-shot/universe, and part 2 will hopefully come after that. Part one was definitely more from Hinata's POV with some Naruto thrown in there. Part 2, we will see how Naruto feels about everything that's happening. Well, what he knows of at least. :')