Hello all of you wonderful readers! Hope you're all doing well. And I'm glad I was able to update this story before I went out of town!

This chapter is from Hinata's point of view, and will feature another flashback. Actually, each chapter will have a flashback, telling the story of Naruto and Hinata's past and how they got to where they are now. It'll be interesting!

On to chapter 2!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters (Unfortunately). Naruto is owned by M. Kishimoto.

The rays of the morning sun streak through my window, disturbing my restless sleep. I groan and turn over to face the opposite wall, not wanting to deal with the day ahead. I rub the sleep from my eyes, and then the previous night's memories flood back into my exhausted brain.

Naruto.

I remember looking into those pools of cerulean and becoming lost in them, just like I used to so long ago. My heart pounded wildly in my chest, and my lungs had forgotten how to take in oxygen.

I can't believe he's here, back in my life. I'm not ready for all of this. Leaving him when I did was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. I'm not prepared to face him. I know I broke his heart, even though it was already broken to begin with. Then again, so was mine.

I was a coward. Hell, I guess I still am. I'm always running from my emotions, afraid to confront the full force of them. Neither one of us ever really dealt with what happened, and I ended up leaving everything behind. I tried to pretend none of it was real, but who was I kidding? I'll never move on.

I rub my face again, knowing that today is going to be difficult. I hope Naruto doesn't try to come over to talk to me. As badly as I want to see him, to hear his voice, I just can't. It hurts.

I curse myself every day for feeling this way. Naruto is most amazing guy in the entire world, and he didn't deserve for me to walk out. I've always known that, and yet I did it anyway. I don't know if I would do it differently if I could do it over, but I know one thing for sure: Naruto Uzumaki deserves so much more than me. I'm damaged goods, plain and simple.

There was once a time that we were truly perfect together. I still remember how we snuck out of gym class in high school to go behind the bleachers and make out, how his beautiful blue eyes shone with love and desire when we made love for the first time, and how he always stood up for me against both bullies and my own family. Naruto is an incredible man.

There's no doubt that I'm still in love with him. I haven't seen him in four years, but when his eyes met mine last night, I knew. But what else I knew is that seeing him brought back all the pain and anguish I felt on that day. It always does. That's why I left. I couldn't take the heartache any longer. It's not his fault. I'm sure when he figured it out, it really destroyed him. I remember the last few days before I left, seeing the hurt and longing in his eyes. It made things so much worse. I make things so much worse.

I get up to throw a pair of pajama pants on and walk into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. I sit at the kitchen table as I wait, just thinking.

"Mmm, I smell the wonderful aroma of coffee!" I hear behind me. I turn my head to see Sakura, dressed in pink pajamas and a bathrobe.

"Good morning Sakura."

She takes a seat next to me, and I can tell she's going to bring it up.

"Good morning. Are… are you alright?" She asks me.

I look down at my hands clasped together in my lap, "Yeah, I'm sorry I freaked out like that. I guess I ruined dinner huh?"

She waves it off and smiles, "Don't worry about it, Naruto did the exact same thing."

My head snaps up to her, "He did?!"

"Yeah, he wouldn't speak for a minute, I tried to ask him what was wrong, but nothing. Then he started breathing all hard and took off in a dead sprint out of the house. It was crazy." She explained.

Guilt threatens to consume me. He panicked and ran out because of me. That's unlike him. At least, that's unlike the Naruto I know. But I haven't seen him in four years. Maybe he's changed. I know I have.

The old Naruto would have chased me down the hall, held my face in his hands and calmed me with those loving words of his. But I shouldn't be surprised that he didn't do that. If I'm being honest, he probably hates me now. I left him behind to suffer all alone. At least he had Jiraiya. That thought helps me a bit.

"I'm sorry." She says.

"Why are you sorry?" I wonder aloud.

She frowns and folds her hands on the table, "I should have told you my friend's name was Naruto and my boyfriend's name was Sasuke. I just kept referring to them as 'my friend and my boyfriend'. It was dumb, and Naruto and Sasuke weren't prepared either."

"So… I take it Sasuke told you everything?" I ask her.

She nods, "Yeah… and I'm sorry. Look, I won't ask you to talk about it, or question you about leaving Naruto. We don't know each other that well yet, but Naruto is my best friend, so I feel like I need to be there for you. So just know, if you need someone to talk to… I'm here."

"So am I."

That voice. My head snaps back towards the living room, and I'm greeted by the sight of none other than Sasuke Uchiha. He's wearing a long sleeve black shirt and a pair of dark wash jeans and sneakers. He looks the same to me, except his hair has grown longer and covers his left eye.

"S-Sasuke."

"Hello Hinata. Long time no see." I can detect a hint of anger in his voice. I don't blame him at all. Sasuke was my best friend, so when I left I abandoned him as well. And he and Naruto are like brothers, I'm sure he harbors a lot of hostility for me.

"Yeah… sorry…" I mutter. It sounds like nothing more than a lame half-assed apology. He walks towards me and leans his hand on the chair I'm sitting in.

"Sakura, do you mind letting Hinata and I talk alone for a few minutes? It's kind of important."

Sakura nods and turns to leave, walking down the hallway and shutting the door to her bedroom behind her.

Sasuke takes a seat across from me, and the tension in the room is palpable. It's making it almost hard to breathe. I just hope I can get through this.

"Hinata, I'm not here to yell at you or vilify you. I just want to talk." He explains, sensing my nervousness.

"About what?" I ask him, even though I already know the answer.

"What do you think? About Naruto, of course."

I avert my gaze, "I see."

"Hinata, I'm not always the best when it comes to emotions or love, but Sakura has been a huge help to me in that department. So I think I can speak about this with more confidence on the subject than I used to be able to. It's obvious that you two still have strong feelings for each other, but there's so much pain and heartbreak marring all of that."

"There's no way Naruto still cares for me." I state bluntly.

Sasuke scoffs, "Believe me, the guy is my best friend and has been my roommate now for four years. I know he's still madly in love with you."

My head snaps up, my mouth agape. He still loves me? He shouldn't.

"He's become cold Hinata, detached from everyone. He's not the same person. It's like he just goes through the motions of life, not really participating. The only time I can get emotion out of him is when I mention your name. I think he feels like his life already ended a long time ago, and he's just carrying on because he doesn't know what else to do." He explains.

My heart drops upon hearing that, because I understand it completely. So, he's changed too. I hate it more for him though, because I did it to him. It's my fault.

"Sasuke, I'm not sure what to do. I want to help him… but…" But I can't see him. I can't be with him. It hurts me too much to see his face.

As if hearing my thoughts, Sasuke gives me a solution, "There are other ways to communicate with someone other than seeing them in person. Hinata, I hate to ask things of you right now, but I know that you're the only one who can help him. You're the only one who can bring out emotions in him again, make him feel. Please, I want my best friend back."

I think hard on his words, communicating without seeing him huh? That gives me an idea.

My lips curve into a smile, "Thanks Sasuke. Thanks a lot." I say as I stand up to go back to my bedroom. As I make it to the hallway, I turn back to him one last time.

"Sasuke?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry that I hurt you. Thank you for still being there for me."

He smirks, "Anytime."

I continue back to my bedroom and shut the door. I have an idea, and I think it's a pretty good one. I scramble over to my desk and open up my laptop. This is a great plan. Naruto and I had pet names for each other in high school. It's how I had him saved in my cell phone. I open up my gmail and type in his old email address into the bar. I just hope he still checks this email account. If not, I'll have to ask Sakura for his current one.

I type out the message I want to say, smiling softly as I reminisce for a bit. I take a deep breath, steeling my nerves, and hit send.

Whiskers,

I'm sorry about last night. I just wasn't prepared. I hope you're not too upset that I'm back in your life now. I'm not upset about it. Surprised, shocked, and nervous, but not upset. I hope you'll write back to me.

- Lavender

Whiskers and Lavender. They were nicknames that we gave each other. They pointed out our unique flaws, and turned them into a positive thing. Those weren't the only names we had for each other. Sometimes I called him Naru, or my fox, and he would occasionally call me Hina, Hina-chan, or his bunny. We were pretty nauseating now that I think about it. But I loved it.

PING!

I hear a sound from my computer and my heart skips a beat. I bring my eyes back to my email and see that he has replied. I take another deep breath. Come on Hinata, you can do this.

I hesitantly open the email, preparing myself for anything.

Lavender,

I know seeing me last night was a crazy feeling, I felt it too. When you left I told myself I would leave you alone because I knew it was what you wanted. If that's still what you want, that's fine. You don't have to see me, but maybe we can talk like this? I was happy to see your email. Please. I need to keeping hearing from you. Let me know what you think.

- Whiskers

I hold back the the overwhelming urge to squeal like I'm a fifteen year old girl again. No matter what's happened, or how long it's been, Naruto still gives me butterflies.

I eagerly type out my next message and hit send, excited to see what he'll say in response.

Whiskers,

I understand. I can talk to you like this, it's not as painful. And it's easier to actually say what I want to say. I was hoping for us to continue to communicate like this. Since I'm the one who ran, you can ask me whatever you want and I'll answer honestly. You deserve that.

- Lavender

I feel like he's going to ask me why I ran, but I hope not. In all honesty, he probably already knows the answer.

PING!

Lavender,

Okay, I'll agree to that. I know what you're thinking, but I'm not going to ask why you left. I already know why. What I want to know is how you ended up here in the city. I'm really curious as to where you went. Please tell me.

- Whiskers

Whew, that's a relief. I'm glad he didn't ask me that. How I got here huh? Kind of a long story, but I don't mind explaining it to him. It's the least I can do, after all.

Whiskers,

It's a long story. After I left, I still couldn't go back to Father, so I found a women's shelter who agreed to take me in. I lived there for a year, working in a diner and saving up as much money as I could. Once I had enough, I got my own apartment and eventually got a car too. But I still kept working at the diner. Eventually I realized I was in a rut, so I decided to figure out what I wanted to do in life. I decided that I wanted to go into social work, and that was because of you actually. I want to help children who go through what you went through. That's why I moved out here. I'm starting school next week. I put off college for a long time, but now I'm finally going. What about you? What are you doing now?

- Lavender

I know I should be heading to the shower and getting ready for the day. I have to go to campus to register for classes and buy some school supplies from the bookstore. But, I can't rip my eyes away from the screen just yet. Just one more email.

PING!

Lavender,

That's really amazing ya know? I'm proud of you. A few months after you left, I also questioned myself about what I wanted to do with my life. Actually Sasuke questioned me. He was really there for me. Anyway I decided to become a lawyer to defend kids in the system. I want to help them get justice and find a happy family. I finished undergrad last spring and now I'm about to start law school. I'm really excited, ya know? Sasuke graduated with a Criminal Justice degree and now he has a new job as a detective here in the city. We met Sakura in college and her and Sasuke have been together for two years. Sakura is starting medical school, although as her roommate I'm sure you know that. You're in good hands with her, she's a great person. She's been a good friend to me.

- Whiskers

I giggle. He still says "ya know". It's like a catch phrase of his that just won't die. So many people used to tell him it was annoying, but I love it. It's just so… Naruto. I glance at the clock.

9:30.

I sigh, I guess I need to start getting ready now. I'm bummed, because if I had my way I would just continue to talk to Naruto all day. It's a great feeling, even if I can't hear his voice.

Whiskers,

So we both want to help kids in the system… we are quite a pair huh? Well I only wish I hadn't waited so long to start college, but at least I'm doing it. For a while I thought I would work at that diner forever. Anyway, I have to head to campus now to get some things and register for classes. I'll email you again when I get back this evening.

I'll talk to you you then,

- Lavender

I twist my lips together in my irritation, I really don't want to leave, but I need to be responsible. I don't even fully rise from my seat before I hear it.

PING!

I should ignore it and get ready. I can read it later. But my body is refusing to listen, as if it can sense my true feelings. I lean over the desk and open the email.

Lavender,

I understand. Stay on top of everything and be prepared.

I look forward to hearing from you, bunny :)

- Whiskers

I feel my cheeks heat up and I know my face has to be beet red. I never blush like this anymore, but Naruto has always brought that out in me.

Bunny. He called me bunny. I miss that. I don't want to miss it, but I do.

I don't know where this little email chatting is leading to, but I don't want it to stop. Maybe talking to him at all is a mistake on my part, but Sasuke said I was the only one who could help him. And the more I talk to him, the more I realize he's helping me too.

Okay, now I really have to start getting ready. I jump up from my seat and quickly set off for the shower, stripping my pajamas as I walk. I turn on the hot water and grab a towel to use before stepping in and letting the water hit my face and breasts.

As I rinse the shampoo from my hair and the soapy suds trail down my back and thighs, I can't help but start to daydream about the past. The happiest times of my life were when I was always with Naruto and Sasuke. Before Naruto was my boyfriend, he was my best friend. All three of us used to be inseparable.

I knew from the moment I met Naruto that I liked him as more than a friend, however. I remember when he said he liked my eyes. My heart skipped a beat when he said it. No one had ever said that before, everyone always used to say they were ugly, or that I must be a monster or demon. But Naruto didn't. He knew what it was like to be bullied for something you can't help. I remember hearing our classmates tease him for his whiskers. When we got older, people teased him for his background. But not only did he take it all in stride, he lifted me up with him. After that day, I never let the bullies bother me again. Because I knew Naruto didn't let them get to him, so why should I? He became my inspiration.

Flashback

I skip cheerfully on way to school this morning, more excited to get to school than I ever have been. Why am I so eager to get there? Because I finally have a friend! Yesterday, I met this really sweet boy named Naruto Uzumaki. He stood up for me against those bullies. And he said he liked my eyes! When he said that, I got a fuzzy feeling in my tummy. I can't wait to play with him at recess today. Maybe we can eat lunch together too! How exciting!

"Big sister! Stop going so fast! I can't keep up!" I hear behind me. I pause my skipping, almost forgetting I have company.

"Sorry Hanabi. I'm just really excited for school today!" I say, giggling. My sweet little sister finally catches up to me. She resembles me a lot, except her skin is a tad darker, and her hair is a dark brown. Her eyes are the same as mine, just the same as nearly everyone in our family. Most people in my family have white-silvery eyes. However, Hanabi, myself, and my mother's are a bit different. Our eyes are more of a pale lavender. Either way, they look strange and the pupil isn't visible. We get picked on a lot for it, but Hanabi is tough. She always pushes back, and people usually back off. Not me, though. I wish I wasn't so sensitive. I wish I was more like her. It's kind of depressing considering she's four years younger than me. She's only five!

"I noticed! What's got you so happy big sis?" She asks me as we walk along, her big pale eyes looking up at me.

I can't help the smile and blush that works its way onto my cheeks. Ever since yesterday, my cheeks keep getting hot.

"Well… I met a boy yesterday…"

She lights up, "Oooh Hinata! Do you loooove him?"

My whole face feels hot and I'm sure I look like a big tomato, "W-what! N-no! No way! I just met him!" I shout in a panicky voice.

She puts her hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh, "Yeah, sure. You totally love him!"

At this point I'm surprised there isn't steam coming out of my ears, "Shut your mouth! You're too young to speak of such things!"

I'm totally embarrassed that my five year old little sister can fluster me so easily, but she has such a dominant personality. She's nothing like me.

Good for her.

I make my way down the hall and drop Hanabi off at her classroom. Finally, I can go to class and see Naruto again! Just the thought makes my chest feel warm. What is this weird feeling I have when I'm around him or think of him?

I practically sprint down the hall to Ms. Mitarashi's room. I step inside, and I see him. He hasn't noticed me yet. He's sitting at his desk, drawing on a blank piece of paper. I put my purple backpack in the cubby and make my way over to him. As I shuffle over to the desk next to his, I can't help but notice that my cheeks are warm again and my legs feel like jelly. Why am I so nervous?!

He finally spots me when I'm a few feet from his desk, and ocean blue meets pale lavender. It's as if his eyes put me in a sort of trance, they look so magical. I can't believe how amazing his eyes are. They take my breath away.

We stare at each other for a moment before he blinks rapidly, as if working to break through the trance, then he grins at me, "Hey Hinata! What's up?"

I avert my gaze to the floor, my face getting hotter, "H-hi N-Naruto-kun. N-nothing much. H-how are you?" I ask him, silently cursing my stuttering.

His smile widens and I can practically see all of his teeth, his cute whiskers stretching across his cheeks. I really do love his whiskers.

"I'm great! Hey! Check this out!" He says as he thrusts the paper he was drawing on into my hands. I glance down at it, seeing that it's a drawing of a boy and a girl. Upon closer inspection, I notice the boy has whiskers.

"Is this you?" I question him.

He chuckles, "Yeah! Me and you! See, look at the girl's eyes!"

I look back down to the drawing and scan over the face of the girl. She has no pupils, just like me. I smile.

"Th-this is s-so nice N-Naruto-kun!"

I swear for second I see his cheeks flush, and he proceeds to rub the back of his head, "Thanks, ya know! I wanted to give it to you since we're best friends now!" He exclaims, flashing me that wonderful smile of his.

My stomach feels all fuzzy again, Naruto makes me feel so strange sometimes. I take the picture and place it in my notebook. I'll have to put it in my desk in my bedroom when I get home.

"Thank you so much Naruto-kun." I'm practically throwing a party in my mind because I got through a sentence without stuttering.

I take my seat next to him as everyone files into the class, including Ms. Mitarashi. I try really hard to pay attention to what she's telling us, taking notes in my notebook. But I'm only half focused. I'm so aware of Naruto sitting so close to me. It's really distracting, but I don't mind. Even though it's hard to focus, I'm just so happy that I finally have a friend who wants to be around me.

Recess comes, and once again the bullies descend, but Naruto steps in before they even get close to me. He's amazing, always sticking up for me. I'm starting to feel bad though. He took a punch to the gut before those boys walked away. I need to start sticking up for myself.

I lean over him, patting his back while he holds his stomach, "I'm s-sorry Naruto-kun."

He looks up to me, a confused expression on his face, "Sorry? Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything."

I shift my gaze to the ground, "Exactly. N-Naruto-kun… because I couldn't stick up for m-myself, you got hurt again. It's all my fault. I-I need to be more confident."

He chuckles and rises up, "Don't worry about it Hinata. It's not so easy for everyone to deal with bullies. Besides, I… well…" He's rubbing the back of his head again. Is he nervous or something?

"I know this sounds weird but, I kind of like the idea of coming to your rescue." He admits, a light blush dusting his cheeks.

There it is again, that fuzzy feeling. What in the world is this strange sensation?

I place my hand on his shoulder, "Thanks Naruto-kun. B-but… still… I need to become a s-stronger p-person. I r-really appreciate y-you being there for m-me though."

He smiles warmly, and when his gaze meets mine I'm lost in those beautiful cerulean orbs once again.

Lunch time comes, and to my delight Naruto wants to eat lunch with me. This is the best day ever!

We sit at a round table, all by ourselves. It's pretty obvious that we're the outcasts of the class, but I don't care anymore. We have each other.

"Hey, who's that kid over there?" Naruto asks me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I follow his line of sight and see he is staring at a boy with raven hair and pale skin. His eyes are onyx and he's wearing a blue shirt with white shorts and sneakers. He's eating his tray full of food all by himself.

"Th-that's S-Sasuke Uchiha. H-his dad is the sh-sheriff of th-the police force." I explain.

Naruto looks troubled. He's stopped eating his sandwich and continues to stare at Sasuke.

"W-what's wrong N-Naruto-kun?"

His brows furrow, "Hinata, let's go sit with him."

My brows shoot up in surprise, "Huh? Why?"

"Well, we didn't have any friends before yesterday, and it looks like he doesn't have any friends either. Everyone should have a friend. I want to try to be his friend." He explains.

I look on in awe. Naruto is such a sweetheart.

"O-okay."

We pick up our lunch boxes and rise from our seats, making our way over to the lonesome Uchiha. As we approach him, he takes notice of us, but then returns to eating as if he doesn't want to acknowledge us.

Naruto takes a seat right next to Sasuke, and I sit across from them, bumping my fingers together nervously. Everyone knows that Sasuke is a loner. Most girls in the class really like him, but he shows no interest and tells people to leave him alone. He's a bit intimidating to me, but I follow Naruto's lead.

"Hey there!" Naruto greets him cheerfully. Sasuke doesn't look at him.

"Hey." He says in response with no emotion.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and this is Hinata Hyuga."

"I know." He replies as he takes a bite of an apple. I can't help but feel awkward, but Naruto isn't deterred.

"And you're Sasuke right? Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Yep."

"Is it okay if we join you for lunch Sasuke?"

"Hn."

This is how the conversation continues all throughout lunch. Naruto speaks animatedly to Sasuke, and Sasuke responds with one word every time, no emotion or inflection in his tone.

Anyone else would think that this was a disaster, but it wasn't. From what I know of Sasuke, if he doesn't like you he just walks away or tells you to go away. He doesn't do that to Naruto or me. He's actually tolerating Naruto's pressing questions and expressive stories. I almost can't believe it.

After the bell rings to end lunch, the three of us pack up and head back to class, except Sasuke isn't in our class. As we begin to separate, Naruto shouts back at Sasuke.

"Hey! Sasuke! Wanna eat lunch together tomorrow too?" He asks him, grinning that adorable Naruto grin.

Sasuke pauses, his hand on the doorknob of the classroom. He doesn't turn to face us, but he responds nonetheless.

"Yeah."

After the final bell rings, I make sure to meet up with Naruto before I have to leave with Hanabi. I don't know where Naruto lives, but I'm hoping maybe he'll want to walk home with us.

"Naruto-kun!" I shout at him. He turns his head to me and flashes a smile.

"Hinata! About to head home?"

"Y-yes… I was w-wondering…" I start, bumping my fingers together anxiously.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I-I was wondering i-if you would like to walk home with me." I say, averting my gaze from his blue eyes again.

He chuckles and rubs the back of his head again. I'm beginning to find that tendency of his to be really charming.

"I would love to Hinata, but my godfather is actually picking me up from school. I have to wait for him here."

Godfather?

"Naruto-kun, you live with your godfather?" I question him. I'm really curious now.

"Mhm! He adopted me not too long ago. And I'm sure glad! Being in foster care is no fun!" He states as if it's completely normal. Naruto was in foster care? What happened to his parents? I'm starting to feel a little sad.

"Naruto-kun… why were you in foster care?" I ask him, my stuttering gone. My concern is enough to overcome my intense shyness.

He looks off into the distance, multiple emotions playing on his face, as if recalling a memory, "Well, my parents died a long time ago, ya know?"

Instantly my chest feels tight and uncomfortable. My heart gives a harsh squeeze.

"Oh… Naruto-kun I'm sorry."

He switches his expression back to jovial without missing a beat, "Don't be sorry Hinata! They're watching over me! I'm sure if they were here they would really like you!"

Yep. There it is again. My stomach feels funny again.

"Oh! Th-thank you N-Naruto-kun!"

Suddenly, I hear a deep voice from behind us.

"Hey kid! Ready to hit the road?"

Naruto and I turn around to face the voice. What I see is a large man, incredibly stocky. He has long white spiky hair and tanned skin. He wears a pale green shirt, a red vest and a pair of blue jeans and sandals. He looks odd to me, but for some reason his presence feels warm and friendly.

"Yeah! Hey, pervy old man! This is Hinata! The girl I told you about who's my friend!" He shouts.

Pervy old man? What the-

"Kid! I told you not to call me that! Hmph!" He scolds, crossing his arms. Then, his mouth turns up into a smile, "So, this is little Hinata-chan, eh? She's pretty Naruto."

I blush, and Naruto's face turns red as well. I assume it's from a mixture of anger and embarrassment, "S-shutup old man! Sheesh! You're embarrassing me, ya know?"

I giggle, looking back up to the man. He extends his large hand out to me, "Well Hinata-chan, it's nice to meet you. My name is Jiraiya, and I'm Naruto's godfather. He's told me a lot about you."

"R-really?" I ask. To know that Naruto talks about me makes me really happy.

I glance over to Naruto and want to crack up at his appearance. His entire face is a deep crimson, and he's wearing a pout with his arms crossed.

"Can we go please?!"

"Yeah, yeah, alright kid. I'm done embarrassing you for today. Let's go home. Hinata-chan, it was nice to meet you."

Naruto waves to me as he and Jiraiya walk to a parked red car, "Bye Hinata! See ya tomorrow!"

I wave shyly back to him, "Bye, Naruto-kun."

I continue to stand in the same spot even after they leave, a goofy grin plastered to my face.

"You totally love him!"

"EH? H-Hanabi!"

Author's Note!

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. What is it that happened to Hinata and Naruto that was so bad? Hmm? You'll just have to wait and see!

Each chapter will switch back and forth between Naruto and Hinata's point of view. So next chapter, back to Naruto!

This chapter was a bit lighthearted compared to the rest of the story, and the next few chapters probably will be too. Don't forget about my prior warning, if any of those themes bother you, it's probably best to back out now.

I'll be out of town from Dec. 22- Jan. 5, I won't have very good internet during that period so I may not be able to update until I get back. Sorry! But I'll continue to write and hopefully I'll be able to update in bulk when I get back.

See you all next chapter!