"...has been spotted near the Sand village. Now I want you to be careful, Naruto-kun...Naruto-kun?...BAKA-NARUTO-KUN!"
Naruto jerked out of his daydream at the sound of Tsunade's screech. He blinking wonderingly.
"W-what?" he asked in a daze.
Sakura smacked her forehead. Tsunade sighed.
"Did you hear anything I just said?" she asked, annoyed.
Naruto thought and tried desprately to remember. He smiled sheepishly.
"Eheh, what were you saying Tsunade-hime?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.
Tsunade growled and put her hand on her forehead.
"Naruto-kun, this is important. Can you stop daydreaming for five seconds?"
Naruto nodded.
"Sorry, Tsunade-sama." he said
Tsunade sighed exasperatedly.
"As I was saying, a member of the Akatsuki has been spotted near the Sand village. Naruto-kun, you should be very careful. Keep in mind that they're still after the Jinjuriki." she repeated.
Naruto clenched his fists.
'Don't worry, tsunade-hime, you can count on me." he said seriously.
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"Just stay calm and focused. That's all I ask." she said.
Tsunade looked at Kakashi.
"Any requests for the third member of your squad?" she asked.
Kakashi looked at Naruto and sighed. "HInata-sama, perhasp?" he suggested hesitantly.
Tsunadae, Naruto, and Sakura looked at Kakashi shocked. Tsuande blinked.
"Interesting choice." she muttered.
So, the rumors about naruto-kun and Hinata-sama must be true. she thought. She looked over her papers.
"Sorry, but Hinata-sama just reccently had a stress siezure. It was nothing serious but, with her heart the way it is. You understand?" she explained.
Kakashi nodded.
'Yes, of course."
Naruto looked at Tsunade in shock.
"S-Stress seizure?" he asked in awe.
Tunade looked at him.
"Because of the injuries she sustained during the chinnin exams, Hinata-sama has a weak heart that that tends to act up if she's put under a lot of stress in a short amount of time. Her body starts to go into shock and she has we like to call these "stress seizures". Like I said, it's nothing big, but she needs to stay well rested and have as little stress as possible for a few days after in order for her heart to recouperate." Tsunade explained.
Naruto was tightly grabbing the seat of his chair and leanign forward ever so slightly. His eyes were intense and filled with pain. ...Stress seizure...tends to act up if she's put under a lot of stress in a short amount of time... Naruto's closed his eyes. The news of the engagement. He had nearly forgotten all about that. The way he acted when she told him. Images of Hinata's pale, scared face flshed in his mind. He felt as though someone had punched him in the chest.
"I didn't know." he said in a hur tone.
Sakura looked at Naruto sympathetically. Poor Naruto-kun. He must be beating himself up about what happened yesterday. She put a comforting hand on Naruto's knee. Tsunade looked at Naruto, pityingly. Then she sat up in her chair and lookd at Kakashi.
"How about Kiba-san?" she suggested.
Kakashi smiled. Good idea, Tsunade-sama. Naruto-san has a lot of fun with Kiba-san. It's just the tihing to cheer him up.
"That sounds fine." he replied.
Naruto stood up and walked out of the room, lifelessly. Tsunade, Sakura and Kakashi looked after him until he was out the door. Then Tsunade sighed and rubbed her temples.
"Damn, I shouldn't have brought that up." she mumbled.
Sakura stood, still looking at the door. Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed.
"I'll talk with him. But back to the mission for a bit. Did your source happen to know which Akatsuki member we're dealing wiht here?"
Tsunade pulled a file out of a stack on her desk and read over it.
"He was able to describe the man. White hair, a large pendant around the neck, Hidden Rain headband with a mark through it and a large red sythe with three blades." she read off.
Kakashi thought.
"Hmm, doesn't sound like any we've faced yet. Well, we'll keep an eye out for him. And I'll be sure to keep Naruto-kun in check." he replied.
Tsunade nodded and looked at Sakura.
"Sakura-chan."
Sakura jumped and turned to face Tsunade.
"Yes, tsunade-sama?"
Tsunade smiled.
'He'll be fine." she reassured her.
Sakura blushed a bit and looked back at the door.
"Yeah I know."
Kiba gulped down the last of his ramen and gasped. He put his hands up in the air, victoriously.
"Yeah! A whole bowl in one minute and thirty-eight seconds!" he cheered.
Shino looked at his watch.
"I have 1:42." hesaid bluntly.
Kiba slumped a little. Then he perked up a bit.
'Well, it doesn't matter, that's still pretty fast right, Hinata-chan?"
Hinata giggled.
"Yes, Kiba-kun, I think I'd get a stomach ache if I tried to eat that fast." she replied.
Kiba grinned a goofy grin. Then his stomach grumbled loudly. He clutched it painfully.
"Unnnn~" he groaned.
Hinata laughed.
"Oops, guess I spoke to soon."
Kiba grinned and Akamaru came up and licked him on the cheek. Hinata put her chopsticks neatly on her plate and shoved it aside. She moved to get u.
"Thank-you very much for lunch, Kiba-kun and Shino-kun. It was fun spending time with you again." she said happily.
She started to walk away but Kiba stopped her.
"Hey, Hinata-chan." he said seriously.
Hinata lookd at him, confused.
"Yes, Kiba-kun."
Kiba smiled fondly.
"Be carefully, okay? Naruto-kun is a good guy ubt he's got a temper. If he ever gives you any trouble, let me know, okay?"
Hinata smiled.
"Thank-you, Kiba-kun. I will." she said gratefully.
She walked away and Kiba looked after her.
"She sure has come a long way, huh Shino-kun?" Kiba said.
"It took a while but, yes, she has grown in many ways." Shino observed.
Hinata walked to Kurenai's house. She wanted to tell her the good news. When she was still a ways aways, she spotted Naruto walking around with a meloncholy look on his face. She went up to him and grabbed his arm. He looked at her, surprised.
'N-Naruto-kun, what's wrong? Is someone hu-"
Naruto embraced her tightly, much to her surprise.
"N-Naruto-kun?"
Naruto squeezed her gently.
"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan." he said in a gravelly voice.
HInata was confused, but she just la her head on his shoulder.
"I forgive you, Naruto-kun. Always."
