Author's Commentary: All right, I don't plan to interrupt very much during the course of this story

Author's Commentary: All right, I don't plan to interrupt very much during the course of this story. Also, very little Japanese will be used…I think that it's just too troublesome. The reason Hinata uses suffixes is because she doesn't sound like Hinata without them. This is my incredibly random story that I am allowed to write. I haven't decided what the main pairing should be as of yet. If you like this story, please review and tell me who you think Naruto should be paired with (and why, if you have the time.) This would be helpful—otherwise, I'll just do whatever I feel like. Enjoy the story!

The Affairs of Naruto Uzumaki

Chapter One

It happened to occur on one of the cooler days in Konoha; dark clouds swirled in the sky and the sun beat weakly against the colorful rooftops of the houses and buildings. During Konoha's summers, it was still rarely cold, and it rained even more rarely still. However, the summer was quickly transitioning into fall and the leaves on the trees were already beginning to turn into a medley of colors: red, yellow, orange and brown. People were already up and about, bundling into raincoats and lugging their cumbersome umbrellas from the depths of their closets. In fact, all of the people were up and about, except for one person, who happened to be deep asleep under his covers.

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP—BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP—BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEEEEEP—

Naruto Uzumaki tossed and turned under the covers, still deeply embedded in his profound dream concerning a scantily clad female and a pair of enemy ninja.

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP—BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP—BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEEEEP—

His hand suddenly shot out from the comfort of the blankets, and he fumbled around on his nightstand blindly. After a few minutes of searching, he finally found his alarm clock and he slammed his hand down on the top. When it began to beep again after five minutes, he picked it up and, in a half asleep state, threw it against the wall. Afterwards he continued his peaceful sleeping.

When he awoke again it was already noon. He groggily sat up and surveyed his surroundings. There was a large dent in the wall, and beneath it was a badly broken alarm clock. Naruto sighed; he had been rather fond of that particular alarm clock. He got out of bed, dropped the alarm clock in the trash, and began to boil the water for his cup ramen.

While the water boiled, Naruto grabbed the mailbox key from his kitchen table and went outside. Walking down the stairs, he went over to his mailbox and inserted the key. Rubbing his eyes, he turned it. There was an envelope inside.

Naruto yawned and picked it up. On the outside was "To Naruto Uzumaki." He hesitated, and then opened it up. Inside was a piece of paper folded too many times to count. Unfolding it, he began to read. The text was heavily erased, and in the end there were only a few sentences.

Dear Naruto Uzumaki,

I am an admirer of yours. I think that you are a very good person. I can't tell you my feelings right now, but I really like you.

Anonymous

After he finished reading, the letter floated down gently to rest at Naruto's feet. On his face was an expression of extreme confusion.

What the hell…?

It just so happened that after he finished reading, it began to drizzle.

"Hey, Sakura."

"What is it, Ino?" Sakura settled the book she was reading on her lap. She reached over Ino and picked a cookie from the box on the table. The rain made a soft pitter-patter sound outside.

"What do you want your love to be like?" Ino grinned at her. She indicated the magazine she was reading. The page that she was turned to was some article about a love affair between two famous people.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Sakura bit into the cookie, savoring its sweet taste.

"I mean, I'd want to have a flaming hot, passionate love with a handsome stranger…he'd be really hot, and we'd walk on the beach in the moonlight together." Ino sighed and closed her eyes, imagining it. "Our love would overcome all obstacles! We'd run away and elope together…wouldn't that be so romantic?"

"I guess." Sakura licked her fingers. "But isn't that sort of unrealistic? I mean, 'hot' love usually goes and dies down after a while and you guys would eventually separate?"

"Don't ruin my dreams."

"I didn't mean to," Sakura protested. "I'm just stating the facts. By the way, where would you find a guy like that, anyway?"

"Hmph." Ino sat back and sighed. "You have no imagination. Anyway, you haven't answered my question yet. What do you want your love to be like?"

Sakura thought about it for a moment, flicking the pages of the book on her lap. "I suppose I'd want something that's tender and precious…the guy wouldn't have to be really handsome, just someone I liked and would want to be with. He'd be kind and empathetic, and we'd spend a lot of time together and take it slowly…I guess," Sakura added, after realizing what she'd said.

Ino looked at her curiously. "When did your taste in guys change?" she asked. "You used to like Sasuke a whole lot, remember?"

Sakura looked at her friend sadly. "It was probably when I realized that I could never be the one for him," she said softly.

The air was cold, and Tenten shivered in her jacket, burying her nose deeper in her scarf. She looked up and, seeing a familiar face, immediately walked up to her younger friend.

"Hey Hinata, how did it go? Did you write it?"

"Oh, T-Tenten-san." Hinata jumped in surprise. She relaxed after a bit. "Um, I did. You were right—writing a letter is much better than actually saying it."

"Did it go well?" Tenten's eyes lit up in expectation. "Was he surprised?"

"Er, I didn't give it to him in person."

"You dropped it in his mailbox?" Tenten sighed. "Did he go see you afterwards?"

"Um…no."

"It was an anonymous letter, wasn't it?"

"Um…yes…"

"Hinata!" Tenten took the younger girl by the shoulders and shook her lightly. Tenten's green umbrella fell and settled against her shoulder. "You can't keep putting this off! You know that, right?"

"I know…"

Tenten let go and sighed again, picking up her umbrella again. "I don't see how you can keep up this unrequited love of yours. I mean, you have two perfectly nice guys on your team, right? They seem pretty protective of you." She started to walk again.

Hinata rushed to keep up with her. "I think that it's harder to fall in love with one of your teammates." She fiddled with her gloves. Her boots splashed through the muddy puddles that had formed.

"Why do you think that?" Tenten shook the rain droplets from her umbrella.

"Well, that's because…teammates have a connection that's different from love…" Hinata blushed and looked to her feet.

"Like trust? Yeah, I know what you mean."

"How are you doing? With the person that…you l-like…" Hinata focused completely on her feet. "Is the question too…personal?"

"Not at all." Tenten patted her shoulder. "After all, you guys are so close. Anyway, I don't think it's ever going to get anywhere. We're just…too different."

"…I see."

The rest of the walk continued in silence.

"Gaara, tell me…if you were a woman, what type of man would you like?"

Gaara stared at his older sister. "Are you trying to imply something?"

Temari leaned on his desk, looking positively bored. "No. I'm just in need of female companionship. Kankurou isn't very cooperative."

"Go look somewhere else." Gaara returned to his paperwork.

"It's not like I'm home very often." Temari began to sulk. However, because Gaara seemed to still be present in the room, she continued to talk. "Anyway, I just realized that it's about time to get myself a man."

Gaara ignored her. He signed a piece of paper that looked thoroughly boring with very small print.

"Well, everyone else my age has already got a boyfriend or something. I think it would be a good experience." Temari nodded to herself. "So I was just wondering what kind of person I should fall for. I think he should definitely be cool…but I was thinking he should also be a little submissive, because I like being in charge."

Gaara signed a piece of paper with even smaller print.

"He should be mysterious…I also want him to be good-looking. He should also be taller than me…he should probably wear dark colors, but he's really cool and doesn't get dusty when he's in the desert. He should also be a really powerful ninja…but less powerful than me. And everyone would be really impressed with him. What do you think, Gaara?"

"Temari, be quiet or get out of my office."

END OF CHAPTER ONE