Naruto could barely eat his ramen. The girls, Hinata and Kohaku, kept sending glares to each other. They sat on either side, eating their ramen silently. Naruto started to sweat a bit. He could almost feel the akward. What now? He couldn't just let this happen!
"K-Kohaku-Sa-"
"Yes, Master?"
Kohaku almost jumped at him, her face bright. Naruto almost fell back into Hinata.
"I-i'm sorry, Kohaku-San, but I love Hinata-Chan..."
Hinata blushed, listening to his words. It went away when Kohaku glared at her.
"But you kissed ME!"
she exclaimed, grabbing his arms and shaking him. Naruto couldn't help but think back to that day when Sakura had shaken him, angry at his new sexy jutsu. God, that had hurt. Hinata grabbed Kohaku and pulled her away from Naruto.
"He said he loves me! It was probably an accident, right, Naruto-Kun?"
she asked, looking desperately towards Naruto. He swallowed.
"H-hai! I was!"
he said quickly. Yes, it had been an accident, but neither girl looked convinced.
"R-really!"
he said, looking from one to the other. Kohaku looked smug.
"See? I told you!"
she grinned at Hinata. Then she hugged Naruto tightly. He turned red as his head turned out to be smashed right against (between) her boobs.
"Master, I knew you loved me!"
"Kohaku-San, please, I love Hina-"
"Let's go to the dango shop!"
Kohaku dragged Naruto out before he could say another word. Ichiraku watched them leave, and looked at the now teary Hinata. She'd basically been left to pay for the ramen, adding insult to injury.
"I'll pay. Go ahead, Hinata-Sama."
he smiled. She nodded and ran out of the shop, turning red. People were silent as she left, staring, shocked at what they'd just seen. Hinata ran right into Sakura, who was going in with Sasuke.
"Hinata! Are you okay?"
Sakura asked, grabbing the girl and hugging her. Hinata cried into her shoulder.
"Th-that robot girl won't let Naruto-Kun go!"
she complained. Sasuke patted her akwardly, unsure of what to do. Sakura smiled.
"Here, we'll take you to some dan-"
"No! No dango. That's where they went..."
Hinata pulled away a bit.
"I-i'm sorry! I completely put my own feelings before-"
Sakura cut her off.
"Nonsense! I can go talk to him if you want."
she offered. Hinata silently shook her head and Sakura nodded.
"Alright. Here, i'll just make some dango at my house! I'll even put in some anko! You like anko, don't you?"
Sakura asked. Hinata nodded and Sakura smiled.
"Perfect! Come on."
she led Hinata away from the shop and to her house, Sasuke following silently. Minutes later, Hinata was at Sakura's house, sitting at her table, Sakura at the stove making dango and green tea. Hinata had offered to help, but Sakura had refused.
"You need this, Hinata!"
she had insisted. Sasuke sat across from Hinata, a bit to the left. He shifted akwardly.
"So...Hinata...how are...things...?"
he asked, looking away a bit. Hinata blinked.
"O-okay, I guess."
she bit her lip. Sakura walked to the table and served them all tea and dango.
"Well, I say not. Naruto-Kun really didn't mean to kiss her, i'm sure."
she smiled, taking a bite of dango. Hinata picked up her dango stick slowly and twirled it a little.
"Well...I want to believe him...b-but I just find it hard to believe it was an accident."
Sakura smiled.
"Well, knowing him, he tripped or something."
she laughed. Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Tch...that sounds just like him."
he rolled his eyes. Sakura elbowed him.
"Just because you're jealous of his ninja skills, doesn't mean you can down him."
she teased. Sasuke kissed her forehead lightly.
"What skills?"
"Exactly."
Sakura giggled. Hinata watched them, slightly jealously. Naruto and her used to play like that. Now Kohaku kept stealing him away from her. She sighed and took a bite of her dango, finding it suprisingly good.
"This is very nice, Sakura-Chan."
she said softly. Sakura beamed.
"Thank you, Hinata-Chan! When you're finished, you'll feel better, and maybe even be able to talk to Naruto-Kun."
she smiled. Hinata nodded.
"Maybe..."
she sighed softly, taking a sip of tea.
Naruto yelped as Kohaku glomped him again. He turned a little red and tried to push her off.
"K-kohaku-San, please! What if I-"
"Master, let's go for a walk!"
she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the gate. The guards looked confused as they past, used to seeing Naruto with Hinata, but Naruto had no time to explain. After a few more minutes of talking, Naruto finally lost it.
"STOP IT!"
he yelled suddenly, jerking his hand from her. Kohaku skidded to a stop and looked back, confused.
"Eh? What's wrong, Mas-"
"Stop it! I am NOT your master! I just happened to accidentally kiss you! I don't even know you! Seriously, you're just some random weird girl I met in my dad's old research facility!"
he took a deep breath, finally getting it out of him. Kohaku blinked back tears, hurt.
"W-well fine then."
she turned and ran, disappearing into the forest. Naruto watched her leave, a sinking feeling entering the pit of his stomach. He hadn't meant to explode like that. It had just happened. But now he felt the urge to go after her...he had to. He ran in that direction.
"Kohaku-Chan! Kohaku-Chan, wait up!"
he stopped, looking around. He couldn't tell where she'd gone. After a few moments of searching, he noticed a few displaced plants and went in that direction. He quickly found her, sitting on a log, crying. Guilt clouded poor Naruto's brain.
"Kohaku...Chan?"
he walked over and crouched beside her, just behind the log. Kohaku looked over slightly.
"Go away."
she muttered. Naruto blinked.
"But Kohaku-Chan, i'm just trying to hel-"
he was cut off suddenly as she stood and glared at him.
"No, go away. Y-you're just like everybody else! Back when I was made, not even my creator liked me. He told me I was a prototype, and the others thought I was inferior. I thought I might find something different in you, but you're just another me-"
At this point, it was Naruto's turn to interrupt. Well, he didn't actually interrupt. She stopped, watching him. His eyes were hard, and he looked angry.
"You have no room to talk! You're another annoying little girl who thinks only of herself! I love Hinata! You don't care, though, you just want me for yourself!"
he growled. Kohaku got up close to him.
"Annoying? What about blondie? You hang out with her!"
"Ino-Chan is a friend of mine, no matter how she acts!"
he said finally. He sighed. He was letting his Bijuu get to him.
"Look...Kohaku-Chan..."
"No! No, I don't want to listen to you anymore!"
she yelled. Naruto tried to speak again, but she continued.
"You told me I only think of myself, but you're just trying to make things easier for you!"
she took a deep breath and tried to continue but Naruto grabbed her.
"Kohaku, SHUT UP!"
he yelled. Kohaku immidiately shut her mouth and Naruto sighed. Slowly, he brought her into a hug.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you, and said those things. But I hate people who wallow in self-pity. It disgusts me, and it should disgust them too."
he told her. Kohaku stayed silent, so Naruto continued.
"Kohaku-Chan, you're a nice girl, and you seem like you could be a really good friend, okay?"
he tried. He flinched as he saw her face. Anguish.
"Here, how about this. I'll buy you ramen later, just you and me, how does that sound?"
he asked. Kohaku smiled.
"That sounds great, Master."
"Eh...s-stop calling me Master, please."
he sighed. Kohaku frowned.
"What do I call you than, Master?"
she asked. Naruto facepalmed.
"Just Naruto."
"Naruto? Okay! Master Naruto!"
"Ye- Wait, no, jus-"
Naruto was cut off as Kohaku grabbed him and dragged him to the ramen shop. Again. He stopped.
"H-hey, let's go get ramen somewhere else."
he said quickly. Ichiraku would be furious at him for what he did to Hinata, he knew. Kohaku blinked.
"Oh, alright."
she shrugged. Naruto led them away, to a different shop, and they ate there. Afterwords, they walked through the city, talking and laughing. And for once, Hinata wasn't on his mind.