On the day of the academy Naruko was already being bullied. It didn't really bother her that much since she was used to it. They mostly made fun of her red hair because there weren't very many redheads in the leaf village. Once again Naruko ignored them and she minded her own business. When it was time for lunch Naruko chose to sit next to Hinata.

"Oh Naruko, you're sitting next to me?" Hinata asked

"Don't get the wrong idea and assume that I'm sitting next to you because I want to. I'm only sitting next to you so bullies won't target you" Naruko said

"But aren't you the one being bullied?" Hinata asked

"Unlike you, I can handle it" Naruko said

Hinata looked down at her lap and clenched her hands. She knew that Naruko was right. She was a complete pushover because was considered weak in the Hyuuga. But she wanted to change and prove herself.

"She's right you know" A voice said

Both girls turned around and saw that it was Sasuko. Sasuko was giving them a blank stare.

"Teme!" Naruko said

"Nice to see you again, Dobe" Sasuko said

Hinata kept shifting her gaze between Sasuko and Naruko. Did they know each other?

"Are you two friends?" Hinata asked

"No way!" Naruko said

"Why would I want to be friends with someone like her" Sasuko said

"Are you saying that I'm not worthy enough to be your friend?" Naruko said

"I didn't know that you wanted to be friends with me" Sasuko said

Naruko blushed when she heard what Sasuko said.

"Why would I want to be friends with someone like you? It's not like I want to be your friend or anything" Naruko said

"Whatever" Sasuko said

Sasuko then told Hinata that her kindness is preventing her from reaching her full potential. Hinata thought that it was probably the truth but she couldn't help it since kindness was her nature.

Later that day Hinata saw that Naruko was being bullied again and the bullies making fun of her red hair again. Hinata summoned up every once courage that she possessed, which wasn't much, and defended Naruko. The bullies decided that it was a waste of time and left.

"Are you okay Naruko?" Hinata asked

"Like I told you before I can handle it" Naruko said

Hinata just stared at her but then she heard Naruko mutter something under breath.

"Thank you Hinata" Naruko muttered

Much to Naruko's dismay Hinata managed to hear what she said.

"You're welcome, Naruko" Hinata said

"W-what are saying all of a sudden?" Naruko asked

"You thanked me. Even though you muttered it under your breath I could still hear you" Hinata said

Naruko's face was starting to heat up and she tried to tell Hinata that she was just hearing things.

"You were just hearing things" Naruko said

"But I heard what you said" Hinata said

"You must've heard me wrong because there's no way I would say thank you to someone like you" Naruko said

"Why can't you be honest?" Hinata asked

"I am being honest" Naruko said

Hinata just sighed in response. Getting Naruko to open up was going to tougher than she thought it would. Hinata looked at Naruko and saw that she was looking at her hair in a nearby window. She frowned at her hair.

"I should dye my hair a different color" Naruko said

"Why would you do that?" Hinata asked

"Because I'm tired of hearing all the comments on my hair" Naruko said

"I think its fine the way it is" Hinata said

"You're really mean that?" Naruko asked

"Of course, I like your red hair, I think it's very pretty" Hinata said

Naruko blushed a little. Hinata was the first person to complement her hair.

"You're the first person to complement my hair" Naruko said

"I bet that makes you happy" Hinata said

Naruko was actually happy that someone complemented her hair. But she tried to deny the fact that she was happy that Hinata liked her hair.

"W-w-why would I be happy about something like that?" Naruko said

"It did make you happy didn't it?" Hinata said

Naruko wanted to say that it made very happy but what she said was different from what thought.

"It made me a little happy" Naruko said

"I'm glad that I was able to make you happy" Hinata said

"Don't get ahead of yourself" Naruko said

"Sorry. I'm just glad that I was able to make you happy. A cute girl like you should always be happy" Hinata said

"C-c-c-c-cute?! Who are you calling cute?" Naruko asked

"I'm calling you cute" Hinata said

"I-I-I'm not cute! What gave you that idea?" Naruko said

"But you are cute and I'm telling you what I think of you and I think you're cute" Hinata said

Hinata didn't know it but she just made Naruko even happier but Naruko refused to show that side of herself to Hinata.

"I-I-It's not like I'm happy that you called me cute or anything! I was just caught off guard that's all" Naruko said

"So I made you even happier?" Hinata said

"Only slightly! It's not like I enjoy hanging out with you or anything! I'm only hanging out with you because you need to be protection from the bullies" Naruko said

"Thanks Naruko" Hinata said

"I thought I told you not to get the wrong idea!" Naruko said

Naruko looked at Hinata and saw that she was a really cute girl. She looked like a doll and that made her even cuter.

"Hinata is really cute. Wait! What am I thinking?! Why am I thinking that?! I don't like her like that!" Naruko thought

"Naruko?" Hinata asked

Naruko snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Hinata. She saw that her friend was looking at her with a worried expression on her face.

"W-what is it?" Naruko said

"You've been quiet for a while now and I noticed that your face was getting super red. Are you okay?" Hinata asked

"I-I-I'm f-f-fine" Naruko stuttered

"Why are you stuttering?" Hinata asked

"It's just cold" Naruko said

"I guess it is a little chilly" Hinata said

"I was just thinking of something that's all" Naruko said

"What were you thinking about?" Hinata said

"T-that's none of your business!" Naruko said

"Why are you mad?" Hinata asked

"I'm not mad!" Naruko said

"Then why are you yelling?" Hinata asked

"That's just how I express myself" Naruko said

"Really?" Hinata asked

Well it's how I express myself sometimes" Naruko said

"Well you started yelling when I interrupted your thinking" Hinata said

"I-It's nothing that you have to worry about" Naruko said

"Were thinking about wanting more friends or something?" Hinata asked

"Why would I think something like that?" Naruko asked

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking" Hinata said

"Well, I'll have you know that I wasn't thinking that at all" Naruko said

"Really?" Hinata asked

"Yes, really" Naruko said

The next day Hinata brought some lunch for Naruko. She could tell that her friend was really happy that she made lunch for her but Naruko denied it and told her that she was only grateful that a lunch was made for her. The two girls knew that they were going to be together for a long time.

"First you share your lunch with me and then you make me lunch. You don't have to do that" Naruko said

"But I want to do this and I'm doing it because I care about you. I care about you because we're friends" Hinata said

"Hinata" Naruko said

Naruko blushed when she saw another reason why she likes being with Hinata so much.

"You look really happy right now Naruko" Hinata said

"W-why do you say that?" Naruko asked

"Because you had a big smile on your face. That must mean that your happy" Hinata said

"I-I-I'm not happy! It's not like I'm happy because your my friend or anything! Baka!"

Both girls knew that they were going to be friends for a long time.

Sasuko saw that Naruko was being bullied and she overheard that the bullies were making fun of her red hair. Naruko just ignored them. The bullies eventually went away.

Naruko then noticed that Sasuko was there and wondered what she was doing there.

"What are you doing here, Sasuko?" Naruko asked

Sasuko ignored her question and asked Naruko something that's been bothering her for a while.

"Why do you let them treat you like that?" Sasuko asked

"Huh?" Naruko asked

"You let people walk all over you and all you do is ignore them. You should be releasing all your hatred on those who mistreat you. The more hatred that you have, the stronger you get" Sasuko said

"Of course I hate them but doing that to them won't make the treatment go away so I'm holding in my hate" Naruko said

Sasuko couldn't believe that Naruko was holding in her hatred.

"Naruko, hatred makes you stronger. You realize that don't you?" Sasuko asked

"Even if it did make me stronger, I don't want the villagers to have any more reasons to hate me" Naruko said

Sasuko then pointed out something to Naruko.

"To be fair, you stand out because of your red hair" Sasuko said

"Look who's talking! You stand out just as much with your blue hair!" Naruko said

Sasuko had a feeling that they were going to be together for a long time. Whether they liked it or not.