Chapter 2: Hero
Two days passed since she met him, and already she developed a gift of her own. Hinata is in love. And her whole body knows it. You see, her gift is that she can tell when Naruto Uzumaki is nearby, from the way her body freezes up and mouth starts to babble. Half the time, she doesn't know what the hell it is that she's talking about. Stupid sentences floats out of her, while her brain takes a small vacation.
"Do you know Ino Yamanaka?" Tenten asks as they walk outside their classroom during their free period.
"Yamanaka-san?"
"Yeah she got really long blond hair, likes to swim in a purple swim suit, and has two piercing on each ear." Tenten pauses by the window to stare outside. Meanwhile Hinata plays with her long hair. She chickened out days ago and decided not to cut it.
"Um…not really. Why?" Hinata leans against the wall and stares at Tenten's head. There is a red leaf buried in there.
"I just hate her so much. She joined the Kendo club last year because a guy that she liked was on the team. I almost quit the club because of her!"
"Then why did you quit the Kendo club…?" Tenten pauses and realizes her own hypocrisy.
"I don't remember." Hinata reaches and removes the leaf her friend's hair. Tenten thanks her.
"Really you don't remember? I mean like, really? That's so-like odd." Tenten looks at her strangely.
"What the hell…Hinata why are you talking like that?" Tenten then notices Naruto Uzumaki as he disappears into his classroom, and then puts the pieces together. "Oh!"
"Ugh, what is wrong with me?"
"You're in love!" Hinata hushes her friend.
"No, I'm not in love, that can't be it! In my humble opinion, I think I'm just a little obsessed." Tenten laughs at her friend's dilemma.
"A little? Yeah keep telling yourself that. But I think you should do something about it, Hinata."
"Y-You mean like c-confess!?"
"No, but that's an even better idea. I just thought you should talk to him. Maybe you'll get over this."
"Tenten you're right! This is probably a phase. I should just-"She stops in mid-sentence after spotting a blur of blond hair from the corner of her eye. "-Like what's with trees today, I keep finding leaves your hair! Hahaha…" Hinata runs her finger through Tenten's hair causing her friend to blush, but there are actually no more no leaves in it.
Naruto notices Hinata. If she had a tail, it would be waving back and forth out of happiness.
"Oh god, you're embarrassing me Hinata." Tenten complains. She grabs Tenten by the arm and walks the opposite way. After they turn the corner Hinata lets go of her friend's arm.
"No Tenten, I'm the one dying from embarrassment! Is it possible to die from embarrassment? I think almost just died…"
"You had an opportunity to talk to him, he really did look like he wanted to say hi."
"You think so…?"
"I know so, girl!"
"Maybe I'll say hi tomorrow…"
Tomorrow comes, and Hinata decides to implement a new strategy instead. She plans to keep her mouth shut when Naruto is nearby, that way he doesn't think she's stupid. As both girls walk to school, Hinata tells Tenten about her idea, but her brown-haired friend seems to be in another world.
"Tenten?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you hear me?"
"Yeah, I did. I'm sorry I just have so much on my mind right now."
"Oh…you wanna talk about it?" Tenten sighs.
"My parents want me to join a club again. They say it makes my high school resume look good."
"Oh…" Hinata tends to forget about how important club activities were since her life is already set for her. She's the heir of the gentle fist dojo. Her uncle is looking after the dojo in the meantime. In addition, he also has an office job.
"But anyways-Yeah, you should keep your mouth shut around Uzumaki-San."
"Which club are you planning on joining?"
"I don't know, I'll think about it on our free period."
During math class, something happens to Tenten. Boys were passing notes around in class, and smiling in a weird way. She couldn't describe their smile as other than creepy. So when Kiba Inuzuka accidently drops the note that was being pass around, Tenten dives down and picks it up. She eyes every boy before opening the note, and they look away with a look of uneasiness.
When she reads it, she immediately realizes this was a poll. They rated the girls in their class based on their beauty and their body. Her friend Hinata Hyuga is the first one on the list with the most votes. What disgusts her is that the boys were also trying to figure out what her bra size was. Tenten knows the answer of course. She crumbles the paper in anger. But she doesn't realize she's mad at the fact that she wasn't even on the list. Hinata looks at her friend from across the room and wonders if everything was okay since Tenten looks disturb.
Her friend raises her hand, and all the boys in the class get nervous.
"Sensei!"
"Yes Tamura-san?"
"I picked up this note that Inuzuka-san dropped. I think you should take a look at it!"
"Ah Kurenai-sensei, please don't look at the note! Just punish us!"
"Us? Alright, I think I got a solution that can meet your demand. Tamura-san will think of a reasonable punishment for you boys."
"EHHHHHHH?" The responses from the boys made Kurenai smile.
Kiba stands up from his chair to plead his case.
"Kurenai-sensei, that's not fair!" Kurenai shrugs her shoulder and walks to her desk and sits. Tenten gets up with a smirk on her face and faces kiba.
"I got an idea! Boys are going to do all the chores for the next month." Tenten says.
"Not bad. Alright, listen boys, you're going to do classroom chores for the next two weeks. If I find that you're passing around the same type of notes again, I'll extend the punishment."
Its lunch time, and Tenten is both the hero and the villain of the class. But that's okay, that's what they get for getting Hinata involved. Tenten gets up and tells Hinata she's going to use the vending machine. She runs down the stairs and sees Sasuke Uchiha. He's kicking the vending machine repeatedly and Tenten stands next to him and crosses her arms.
"What? Did the machine take your money?"
"No." They both smirk.
"Step aside rich boy, I need coffee." Sasuke moves away and waits for Tenten to insert her money before pressing the button for her. He gets tomato juice. "AH! Thief!" He smirks.
"Then you shouldn't go around addressing other people by the social status and their gender."
"You mean rich-boy? I meant it as a joke."
"Then it's not funny."
"Yes it is. You're trying to rebel against your social status by being, I don't know, a thief? And now you owe me!" The truth is that when they were younger they used to hang out. But Tenten's parents decided to not renew a contract with the Uchiha Corporation. Soon after that, the Uchihas put a stop to their interactions.
"Sure. whatever. Thanks for the juice." Sasuke walks away and waves at her.
"Wait!" He turns around.
"You're friends with Naruto Uzumaki, right?" Everyone knew the answer to this. It's like the two should have been born joined at the hips or something.
"What do you want Tenten?"
"Since you owe me for the juice, I'm cashing in big time. I need you to do me a favor." Oh no, it seems Tenten is still the same person he knew from five years ago. He should have turn and run the other way. "Tomorrow, fourth period. Come have lunch with me and bring your friend Uzumaki-san."
"Am I supposed to believe I'm having lunch with just you?"
"And my friend!"
"Who's your friend? And why do we have to have lunch with her?" He walks back to Tenten and waits for her answer. She leans close to his ear and whispers something. He drops the tomato juice and for it moment it was as though the clouds parted just so that the sun can shine through. "Are you serious? Are you sure she likes Naruto?"
"Mhm! So it's like important that you come, okay!" He smirks.
"I must see this for myself."
Tenten walks back to the classroom feeling proud of herself.
"Tenten, your smile is creeping me out." Tenten throws her arms around Hinata and hugs her.
"You're going thank me later Hinata-Chan!"
"Oh no, what did you do?"
"I'll tell you tomorrow, because if I tell you now you might not even show up for school."
"O-okay…"
They finish eating their lunch in silence as Hinata daydreams about a certain blond boy. Meanwhile, Tenten is just stressed from thinking of a club to join.
Author's Note: I don't know Tenten's last name. So I borrowed the last name of the Japanese voice actress that voices Tenten's character in Naruto.