A/N Hi everyone! I know I wrote this in the middle of the finale hype. But I was so inspired! I decided to continue with my little story here. Please let me know if it's a bit confusing. I really didn't want to use lines, but I had to. I really poured my heart into making good character development. Sorry if Naruto might seem a little OOC, but then again this is from Hinata's perspective, so you don't really get a chance to see what he is thinking. Please let me know what you think!


It was hot. Unbearable so. It was a dry intense heat that seemed to grow from within me, -paralyzing my every move. I couldn't remember the last time I felt this way, or even if I had ever felt this way at all. No sense of time seemed to be present, just a nagging need for water. I could feel tendrils of liquid pouring off my body, rejecting the change from inside.

Somewhere amongst the furthest reaches of my mind, there was a voice telling me that this was needed. An unknown desire to suffer now for a greater reward. It felt like I had been running for a long time, climbing a tree that would never end. By throat parched from my excursion, forcing me to rest. I gaze above me. The top is unreachable. I contemplate staying here-here in the soft green middle. Below me a vast abyss of darkness that seems to creep ever higher. I can't decide.

The black haze has come now. Voices from distant past and present begin echoing in my ear. My body expects what's to come next, and braces or the impact.

But the words of shame and self-doubt never came.

Instead was a cooling sensation that, although didn't extinguish the heat, seemed to abate it for the time being. A sigh of relief was heard somewhere nearby. At a later time I would realize it was my own.

I could feel another source of heat on me, stronger than the one burning my insides. The comforting feeling urging me to open my eyes. Too bright. The sun shone in my eyes, as I laid there in the middle. A shadow crossed my path. The world became visible again. I saw his face first, his eyes as clear as the sky.


"Hinata…" I heard him whisper, concern evident in every syllable. Our eyes met briefly and I longed to call out his name too.

Behind him was an unfamiliar glass door allowing the sun to shine on me. Somewhere past the hazes of my mind I wondered at the time of day.

A faint knock was heard in the background. I could almost feel the hesitation in his eyes as he let go of my hand I had hardly registered he was holding. Faint mumbles were heard as I strained my ears to listen.

"…kura-chan, thanks for coming on such short notice!" He greeted joyously.

"Anything for an old friend," was the reply. The door closed and shoes were taken off. "So what's going on, it sounded really urgent on the phone, but I couldn't quite make out the whole story." More shuffling of bags followed by footsteps.

I could feel my energy getting sapped by just exerting such little energy to stay awake.

"Well, you see…the thing is…" I struggled hard to keep listening so I could understand too. I remember…meeting Naruto again…and cooking…and….


"101.3. A slight fever but nothing too serious." I heard the female say followed by an uncertain hmm… "Does she have any scratches or cuts you know about?" I heard a shuffling of clothes that I could only interpret as a head shaking no. Another hmm…well I suppose it could be…more unintelligible mumblings.

"Can't we just put her in a cold bathtub to get her fever down?" I could hear Naruto ask. It sounded like he was close by. The idea of water struck me to my core and my parched throat became persistent in a quest to be quenched. I tried swallowing but it hurt.

"What are you an idiot?" Came the sharp reply, "Even children know that would put her into shock."

There was a small pause followed by an "Oh! Of course" I could feel her presence leave. I tried opening my eyes again for a chance to get Naruto's attention. I could hear the surprise in his voice as he called out.

"Ah! Sakura-chan! She's awake again!" He loomed a bit over me then. "Hinata, can you hear me? How do you feel?" I blinked once slowly, my body unable to move. I swallowed hard, but that hot and dry feeling in my mouth was still there. I'm sure even if I spoke, it wouldn't be more than a whisper. Gathering my energy I tried moving my lips. His ear came closer to my face.

"Wa…." I said dramatically slow manner. Why did it seem like everything had slowed down? I forced myself to say the other half. I hope he understands I don't think I would be able to say it again… "ter". I breathed a sigh of relief feeling unbearably spent.

"Wa..ter?" I could almost hear the word fitting together in his head. His shadow left my face as he called across the room.

"Sakura-chan, Hinata said she wants water, do you think she wants to get in the bathtub?"

"You must be an idiot after all." Was the reply. I could feel something cold against my chest, a stethoscope maybe? The feel of its icy touch made me unconsciously shiver.

"I was just kidding," he mumbled, followed by the distinguishable sound of ice sloshing in a cup. He sighed patiently as Sakura moved around me, touching here and checking there. I really wanted something to drink. My throat was unrelenting.

"Hang in there" was whispered in my ear as I was seated up a bit. My eyes fluttered as looked around a bit aimlessly. I could finally see the person known as Sakura. Her short pink hair danced as she examined by body. I focused my eyes on Naruto whose elbow cradled my head. I don't think I have felt more embarrassed than I was right now. Upon catching my open eyes, he started talking. "Can you hear me Hinata? Blink once for yes and twice for no" I gave one deliberate blink. His smile made my heart flutter-which I'm sure Sakura heard quite clearly.

"How about moving? Can you move any part of you?" I heard Sakura ask. I gave it try. My arms, my legs, my fingers. Everything just laid still, unmoving. I almost wanted to cry at their betrayal.

"Here, do you think you would be able to drink some," My eyes refocused on Naruto and the glass of water he held tauntingly to my lips. I blinked twice and swallowed, my throat still parched. I felt the exhaustion begin to work its way up again. If I could just get rid of the burning in my throat…

"Hope you don't mind…" in a moment's breath, his lips were on mine. A refreshingly cold sensation followed as I swallowed the welcomed fluid. The cold raced down my neck as I shivered from the feeling. He pulled away and looked in my grateful eyes.

"More?" He asked as I blinked once in reply. Again I felt the water against my throat and finally, finally, the burning stopped. Dribbles of water dripped off my chin as I closed my eyes in a blissful state of content.

"What did you do to her?" Were the last words I heard as I drifted off- a coolness finally overwhelming my body.


It was my father's face that materialized from the darkness. His stern scowl ever-present on his face. And his eyes. His eyes always judging. Never approving. Never relenting. His mouth opened and I waited. Waited for the inevitable criticism that was sure to come.

But oddly it wasn't his voice that came. No, not his-but somebody's voice that stuck me to my core. A voice that brought all my insecurities to the surface. I could hear it now. Not clearly at first, but steadily gaining strength. Her words rang violently across the wide expanse of darkness. I could hear my own voice apologize in retaliation. Pieces of the events began to visualize with the sound.

"What are you doing? Trying to kill the customers? Can't you tell this is burnt?" I looked closely but didn't see any obvious signs of burning. But if Hanabi said it was, it must be so. She was blessed with the family's perfect taste after all…

"I'm sorry." I said forlornly as the cake I had spent hours making was tossed into the nearest trash bin as if it was infected with a disease.

"Make it again, and this time- don't screw it up!" As she walked away, I could see her dusting her hands off against each other as if just taking out the trash. "Everybody else, get back to work. Nothing to see here. Just a worthless fool wasting our time and money." I looked at the cake, its strawberry topping sliding miserably off the once white frosting. I couldn't help but to apologize again…

…These types of visions came and went in the dark haze. They became, more powerful, more consuming. Memories of times past worming their way to the surface. My mind raged as it tried to climb out of despair.

But I couldn't move. I was trapped, forced to lay there. They were too overwhelming. It was too soon to deal with it. The embarrassment I felt. The feeling of knowing I'll never be good enough. I laid there, wishing for an escape, but there was none. I watched the event replay before my eyes. I had no choice to re-live it all over again.

"What is wrong with you?!" A cry was heard from across the kitchen. "We've already had to serve that sorry excuse for a pie you made today and now this?" I could hear my voice give rise to question her judgment, but she is unrelenting tonight.

"What do you mean you don't see anything wrong? This is the reason why you are, and always be, a failure." She paused as if collecting her thoughts and continued. "Tell me dear sister, what is the name of this particular restaurant?" I hesitated debating if this was a trick question or not.

"The..The Sixty-Four Palms"

"That's right! And why is that?" I could see the light in her eye, like a hungry tiger waiting for the deer to make a run for it.

"Because…because long ago our ancestors were so quick with their hands it appeared that they had mastered a long forgotten martial arts technique…" The other workers who had grown accustomed to these events would typically scurry away by now, not wanting to catch a taste of Hanabi's wrath, but not tonight. Tonight they were watching full on, listening intently at the point Hanabi was trying to make.

"Precisely. Our ancestors were blessed with not only the skills needed to make any dish, but to also remember every dish they have tasted. This includes everyone in our family -everyone that is- except you." She scowled at me then-her dislike evident in her eyes.

"And so, to honor this tradition, the number Sixty-Four has become the number of seats in the restaurant, the number of dishes offered, the number of cookies baked at a time" I looked in her eyes waiting for her to get to her point so I could continue doing whatever there was left to do, but it was not to be. Not tonight. "And tell me again exactly how many cookies you have here." I counted them up-once, twice, but it came out right.

"S-Sixty-Four" I mumbled unsure of my answer. Her mouth twisted into a smirk-the tiger was ready to pounce.

"Oh? And what about this one?" She pointed to a piece in the far right corner. "This particular morsel? Hmmm?" I looked at it then, expecting it to give some insight into what was wrong. Hanabi provided the answer instead.

"It's cracked". I could feel myself mouthing the words on my lips. "That's right, cracked, broken, just like a certain Hyuuga I know." I looked at her eyes, then at my co-worker, my extended family as it were. But they just looked on unmoving, their white eyes peering back at our interaction.

Had Hanabi figured out my secret? The one I had been trying desperately to hide for the past few months. That I couldn't taste anything? Her every gesture told me she did. But still, I didn't want the rest to know-I didn't want to be judged as more of a failure that I already was. Not by them, or by her, and especially, -not by father. If this got out, he would hear about it for sure. I swallowed hard and fidgeted with my fingers.

"Did you think I wouldn't know? Did you think you could hide this from me?" Again I said nothing. "We'll it's not like I'm disappointed in you-after all, one has to have expectations in the first place. But still…"

She paused again, obviously savoring her kill, "still…after what? Four years? This is the best you can do? We'll I for one -and I'm sure many here will agree- can't say that I'm shocked." She looked at me now, pleasure evident in her eyes, "And I'm sure father will agree with me, that we could all do much better with One. Less. Hyuuga…"

"…Yes, just like your cookies. It's much better to have one missing then to have one that will never be like the rest of them." I just stood there in all my shame. Not saying a word in my defense as she walked away. Just like that all my hard work was tossed away. The workers went back to doing their jobs in the usual hustle, not wanting to be the next victim in Hanabi's wrath. Everybody except me. For hours I just stood there. My face red from the embarrassment…


"…sweated cleanly through these clothes. Wet a cloth and pass it here would you." I could hear water being drained nearby. "Do you have anything that she could wear?"

"Umm…." Came the delayed reply, or at least it felt that way. "Oh! I know. Catch" A clear sound of something wet being caught was followed closely by that of a door closing. I could feel my mind trying to work out the details of what was going on.

"Here…" A soothing voice said beside me. I could feel the cold wet rag rub against my forehead. The initial shock of it caused my eyes to flutter and briefly lock with my caretaker. It was evident that she was also startled from the sight. However she recovered nicely and continued with her work. The buttons on my outfit were loosened and I was able to breathe a bit easier. The squeaking of the door was once again audible.

"Sakura-chan, I think I umm…found what she needed. Lucky her apartment is just downstairs."

"Well bring it here numbskull. I'm going to need you to help lift her." His footsteps reverberated across the wooden floor. The thought of him looking thru may cloths made me feel embarrassed, but it was soon wash away with the thought of him looking at my naked body

"Umm…I'm not sure if I told you, but we aren't in umm..in that kind of relationship…" A bag of some kind was dropped nearby. ", At least not yet." He added in a nervous laugh at the end. I could almost visualize a blush on his cheeks.

"I don't care what kind of relationship you guys are in, I just need some help." Irritation was plain in her voice. She sighed. "How about you keep your eyes closed. Here." There were sounds of cloth tightening followed by a brief 'thanks'. My body was lifted gently-first one way then another- and expertly wiped and redressed in a time that felt like forever. The minute hand of a nearby clock ticking eternally.

I want to move, to take care of myself- frustrated I try to move again. First my hand-nothing- after a while I quickly settle for just a finger-a pinky-but that too was to no avail. Instead I, end up wearing myself out more, the haze becoming stronger. I wish I knew more of what was going on with my body. Would I be this way forever? I could feel the panic set in inspite of myself.

I refocus my energy on to what was going on around my body. I'll have to remember to thank Sakura for doing such an uncomfortable job when I get better…If I get better. I heard her sigh again.

"Naruto…I can't blame you if you didn't know any better as well… but…" and here she lingered on a bit. " I wish you would have told me sooner that she was a Hyuuga."

"I don't see how that would make any difference. Is it that big of a deal?"

"It might not be to you…but I…I could get in some serious trouble if anyone finds out that I'm doing this…"Her uneasiness about the situation she was in became evident in her hurried tone as she continued. " The Hyuuga…which I'm sure you know… have long been known for their sense of taste –or to clarify- the memory thereof."

"Meaning…?" Naruto cut in.

"I'm getting to it Mr. Impatient. Geez. It means that they have the unique ability to recall any taste that they've had before. A perfect sense of taste if you will. It's characterized by their unique eye color and it is highly guarded. So much so, they have a contract signed at Konoha Hospital to only by seen by specialized doctors. One of which I am not." The last button snapped cleanly on my fresh outfit. "There. You can let her down now." I could feel my body return to its resting place on the couch.

"I don't think it's that serious. I mean, the only people who know that you are here are the three of us. And you know I won't tell anyone." Some sort of gestures must have occurred between Sakura and Naruto because he quickly added as if a bit offended "And there's no way Hinata would tell on you either. If anything she's probably grateful for the help. It'll be alright. You'll see."

She 'hmmed' in reply before threatening not too seriously. "For your sake it better be."

He gave a soft chuckle that turned into a quite stillness "Do you…think she'll be alright? I mean…I know she's a strong person and all. The type to always try to work things out on her own you know? Another soft laugh as if recalling a memory. But I mean do you think she'll recover?"

"Well…it depends on what's wrong. I sent some labs earlier and if nobody looks too hard at where the blood came from- and with some luck, we'll see if there's anything going on."

"What do you think is going on?" Naruto asked in a concerned manner, rubbing his fingers thru my bangs. I could almost 'hmm' in contentment. I couldn't help but to wonder if he really meant those things he said about me. Did he really see me as strong?

"Well, from my experience, and from what you told me, I would say it's an extreme case of shock. It sounds like- and this is just a guess- the shock of getting her sense of taste back – And there are probably some other things that are creating the situation you see here. And as I said before- I'm no expert on Hyuuga blood so who know how that could play into all of this."

There was a soft pause as it seemed these things were mulled over. I could feel myself dozing off again. What Sakura said made quite a bit of sense. After a while, Naruto began speaking in a soft tone and I strained to listen.

"Well since you're doing me favors Sakura, I have one more to add." I waited for Naruto to continue "I really need you to look after her tonight. I don't have anyone to cover for me on such a short notice."

"Well…" she said a bit hesitantly.

" It'll only be for a short while. Just until midnight. I promise I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I guess I do have some paperwork to catch up on."

"Alright!" He replied a bit too excitedly.

"Keep it down you idiot. And it's only until midnight. I'm off for the rest of the day but I'll be on call tomorrow. But just know Naruto Uzumaki, you owe me one" I could hear her standing up and walking around a bit

"Go ahead and get ready for work. I'll take care of things here. My body still felt warm from the fever but I was beginning to feel a lot more comfortable. The darkness once again settling around me. I began to panic again wondering what kind of nightmare I'll have this time.

"I'll be back before you know it." Naruto called out, his jacket zipper ringing across the room

"Alright…I'll try to find out more information if I can." Sakura replied as a cold compress was once again placed on my forehead. A short while later, after Naruto had left and Sakura started scratching away on some paper, I could feel myself dozing off again...


...I remembered then, somewhere in the dark cloud of memories, the first time Neji and I met. I was all of ten and he a year or so older. The brightness of that hot summer day clears out the darkness to the edges of my mind. My mind goes over the scenes over and over.

The small red bag I held in my hands held all of my belonging of my life with mother. He looked me over, a smirk plastered on his face. I stood there in my splendor of filth, as he glared at me, no doubt thinking I was a homeless brat. He was right in that regard. I waited for the person -who was from then on- to be my father, was informed of my sudden arrival.

I looked towards the ground, embarrassed by his intense stare. After he grew tired of looking me over, he turned to leave. His voice rang clear across the empty expanse of the house. "Don't go around thinking you're something special, just because you think you are Hiashi's daughter." He left with those words, his back straight, filled with a sense of pride I could only envy.

We didn't really talk much after that, if at all. It wasn't long afterwards that it was discovered I didn't have the trademark "perfect taste" as it were. Neji really didn't care for me after that and our relationship became strained with this weird type of tension. As if he was jealous of me.

Things stayed like that for a long, long while. That was of course until Naruto came along. I don't know what was said between those two during the final competition, and Neji would never tell. But we started speaking to each other again after that. I felt so humbled when he approached me afterwards. His voice was apologetic, a side to him I didn't think I would ever see.

It was one night back in the cooking academy. I was working in a spare kitchen, fiddling with the dough, making different shapes and sizes. I saw him come in but we didn't say anything as usual. When our eyes did meet, I remember him being embarrassed, as if he had never been so before.

"Hinata-sama…I wanted to apologize for my actions….I realized that…I was wrong in assuming you had no potential. I see that now. It seems in my years of living with your family, I had forgotten what it was like to start your life over in a new household." He paused and gave way to a great sigh. It was then I felt the tears prickle my eyes.

"Can you forgive me?" All those years wasted, all those times I was left alone. It was this moment that it didn't seem to matter anymore. The tears fell freely as I could only nod my head, afraid my voice would crack from saying anything.

We stood there a long while. Me with my dough and tears and Neji just looking on at a loss of what to do for once. It was like that until he made a gruff cough. "Enough of that now. I'm sure your recipe didn't have tears listed in the ingredients. And now you've messed up the shape. Do it again."

It was encouraging to have Neji on my side when no one else in my family was. From then on, he was my mentor, always pushing me to my limits. We would spend hours cooking various things. His patients would at times seem to run out but he would never let it outwardly show. He was my closest friend, always there to listen to my problems.

When it finally came time to working at our main restaurant, he helped convince father to let me do what I wanted. Even if it was typically a job reserved for the branch family. He would instead take the position of Sous-chef-a rare opportunity indeed. How he excelled at it. Surely he would've gone far…

...Father had called me into his office one night, something that wasn't quite too unusual, but was typically only reserved for serious discussions. With a heavy heart, I entered. It was twilight outside, the sun setting visible through a tall window in his office. Dark clouds rumbled in the distance, giving off a foreboding feeling. I sat down in front of his desk, my head automatically folding in my laps. As usual he got right down to business.

"Hinata, I know you enjoy your line of work as a…" he paused as if struggling to say the words, " …patissier, but, there have been some changes in regards to staffing." I waited patiently for him to continue. " Neji, has requested some time off due to some personal reasons." He have a deep sigh after this before saying " as such, someone has to take up the position of Sous-chef at the Sixty-Four Palms." He looked at me then, daring me to turn down the position. I thought seriously considered doing just so for a moment.

'I loved making desserts and I loved my position. I really didn't want to give it up, but it would only be temporary. I'm sure Neji has his reasons for taking some time off. If I can help out by taking over for a bit, I'm sure he would appreciate it. After all he's done for me, it's the least I could do' I rationalized.

"What about Hanabi?" I asked. She would probably be the better choice in this situation, as she excelled in all aspects of the kitchen.

"She's still a bit green behind the ears. You, at least, know how everything is run." I nodded at this comment and agreed to take on the position. "Good," he said with a stern face. Thunder once again boomed in the distance. He looked over at the clock that hung nearby. "Now that that's settled I must be off to my meeting." I stood up, bowed, and wished him a safe trip before retiring to my room.

It was hot and stuffy that night, the moisture from the summer storm seeped through the thin walls of the traditional household. I had retired early thinking that I would be busy the next day going over all the main responsibilities of Sous-chef. I woke up from a dreamless sleep sweating in all the uncomfortable places. My phone was ringing nearby which was unusual for the time. I looked at the caller id but didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?" I answered a bit unsteady, my mouth dry from sleep.

"Yes, hello. Is this Hinata Hyuuga?" The voice asked.

"Yes, it is. May I ask whose calling?" A nagging feeling rolled in the pit of my stomach. Phone calls this late at night never ended well. The person proceeded to give me their name and who they were, but I wasn't paying too much attention at this point. The gnawing feeling kept growing.

"We need you to come down to the Hospital. There's been an accident." I could feel the panic grow inside me. What kind of accident? Was it father? Did he ever return from his meeting? It was raining pretty hard outside. I didn't always get along with him but I didn't want him to die. There were so many things that I wanted to prove to him…

Racing down the hall, I barely managed to put my shoes on before rushing outside in the full storm. The car wasn't back yet. The fear grew stronger inside me. I ran down the cobblestone driveway that I had walked up so many years ago. I didn't want to lose another parent. Not again. I tried to determine the quickest way to the hospital. The bus would take too long. I could take a cab, but soon after I flagged one down I realized I left my wallet in the house.

On foot I raced down the street, the rain pelting against my skin. Words from the phone call racing in my mind. My breath came in heaps as I finally made it to the entrance of the hospital.

My body shivered from the coldness of the place as I walked along the corridors trying to find the right place. I vaguely remembered the area of the hospital that was reserved for the Hyuuga. Someone escorted me to room where a young pregnant lady stood, visibly shaken from whatever happened. I braced myself as I opened the door and found, not the face of my father as I had expected. But instead that of Neji. His pale eyes looking, but not seeing.

My body froze, the coldness from the hospital replaced by something much stronger. If felt as if the very blood in my veins stopped flowing. The typical color of my pale face must have turned a new shade of white as the person who showed me in asked if I was alright. I called out to Neji then, approached his body, shaking him. The white sheets that were once covering his body scattered across the ground.

My body broke down then, the tears began falling much like that had a long, long ago. Much like with mother. At some point I kept babbling about how it wasn't supposed to be this way. About how he was supposed to take over the restaurant from father. About how he had so much left to do. I closed his eyes one last time as the sobs forcefully racked my body.

At some point, as I stood outside the door, I realized the pregnant lady who was there before. Some cops were now next to her and began asking what happened. I listen in as she recanted the tale of his last hours. The image of his lifeless body stayed with me then. His piercing eyes that once scowled at me, -that once fought for me, -that once looked after me,- would no longer look upon the world...


I could feel the bitter bile rise in the back of my throat. I struggled to suppress the urges that came naturally. But it wasn't any use. My body without me processing it, contorting itself over the side of the couch were a water filled basin was luckily nearby. I emptied the contents of my belly in a very ungraceful like way, as if physically rejecting the thoughts that plagued my mind.

"Hinata!" I heard a concerned Sakura say nearby as she patted me gently on my back followed by some soothing words of comfort. The retching soon turning into chocking sobs as I recalled the images in my head with all too much clarity. My heart pounding from the disturbing thoughts that I didn't want to admit were true.

Words of apology slipped from my mouth before I knew what I was saying. To whom? I wasn't even sure anymore. I just cried and apologized to Neji, to Sakura, and to myself. I felt so helpless and embarrassed at being unable to do anything but be a burden on everyone. I couldn't understand why I just couldn't get it together.

"There, there, Hinata," Sakura cooed gently as she pulled me in a small hug. " You've been through a lot, I know. But you'll get through this, you'll see." My sobbing increased as their force shook my body to its core.

I'm not sure how long I sat there crying. At some point Sakura cleaned out the basin and took my temperature. She gave an unreadable expression

"Hmm..Your temperature is better but…your color still looks off. Do you think you'll be able to keep anything down?"

I shook my head no, reveling in the ability to move my body again. The thought of food at this moment was enough to make me sick again.

"How about the bathroom then? I don't think you've been in a while." At the mention of it I could feel the nagging pressure from down below. I shook my head yes, afraid of opening my mouth and allowing more contents to fall out.

"Alright then, do you think you can stand?" I contemplated her question for a while. I could move my head yes, and my arms too, although a bit more sluggishly. Everything was still kind of numb from the waist down through. Slowly I moved one arm over to the arm of the couch for balance. I tried once, twice to get up, but to no avail. I could feel my eyes beginning to betray me again at my own failures.

" It's okay Hinata, here, " she bent down to my level and faced her back towards me. "Try holding on to my neck." I grabbed on as best I could as I was hoisted off the couch piggyback style with no more than a simple heave-ho.

I was amazed at Sakura's strength as she carried me thru the hall and into the restroom. In the back of my mind I was surprised at how it was much cleaner than expected. She placed me gently on the toilet and began pulling my pants down. I stopped her before she could get too far.

" Wait, Sakura-san! I can-I can do this myself. Thank you." She stood up then as if too leave.

"Alright then, I'll be right outside the door if you need me." I nodded as she left leaving me to my business.

I let the sense of relief overwhelm me as took care of the nagging urges. Weakly Icalled Sakura back in when I was done and she picked me up like before. Instead of bringing me to the couch as before, she brought me to Naruto's bed instead. I could feel by body slowly shaking in at the though at being in a man's bed. She sat me softly on the bed and helped tuck the covers around me.

"I think you need a break from the couch, and I'm sure this bed is more comfortable." She began as a way of small talk. My mind however was on other things. The paralysis, the fever, the black haze, the nightmares-I tried to wrap my mind around everything and get a better understand of what was going on. I couldn't come up with anything. As if reading my mind Sakura spoke up.

"Hinata," the sound of my name brought me back from my wonderings, "Do you know what's going on with you?" She asked in a serious but caring tone. I shook my head solemnly wondering how much longer and what other trials I would have to endure.

She continued on, " I managed to get a hold of a colleague who has more knowledge in the specialized field of your family, and… I think that he might have been on the right track. What you're experiencing, is quite normal in your family. Although many apparently experience it much younger and not so…vocally."

'Vocally?' I wondered. Had I been saying things out loud? I wondered a bit about what I could have been saying. Nothing too positive I'm sure. Sakura cleared her throat to get me back on track. " Apparently, it's a kind of change within you, sort of like puberty in a way, but much more. A one of a kind metamorphosis."

A metamorphosis? I had never heard of it within the clan, but there weren't that many children these days either. The youngest was Hanabi and she was already five when we met. It did sound very interesting, though. I thought about her words some more. After a while, I decided that I felt well enough to talk.

"Sakura-san. Thank you so much for taking care of me during this difficult phase. I know it probably wasn't the most pleasant task, but I wanted to extend my gratitude to you." I took a quick breath, before continuing, "Please don't worry about any others finding out, if any questions are asked I will be sure to take care of it. Do not hesitate to ask if you ever need anything." A gave a small-somewhat bow- as I sincerely thanked her.

"No problem, Hinata. And please, just call me Sakura. I'm glad I was able to help." She gave a sweet smile as we both heard a door slam in the distance. "I guess that knucklehead is back. I'll go greet him and head out okay?" I nodded my head, "Get some rest, I hope you feel better!" I waved her a thanks as she closed the door, leaving me behind to my thoughts. Unconsciously, I could feel my body begin to shake a bit in anticipation.

I heard some soft mumblings in the distance before hearing the front door close once again. Before long I could hear footsteps as Naruto approached and opened the door to his room.

"Hinata!" He said enthusiastically, causing me to smile in return. "I'm so glad to see you up! I worried about you all day!" I could feel myself blush at the thought of being on his mind.

"I'm sorry to have caused you so much worry." I couldn't help to notice his cheeks were reddened, although from the strong wind I heard blowing outside or for other reasons I wasn't able to tell.

"It's alright" he replied, hanging his jacket on a nearby hook, "Are you feeling better? Sakura said your temperature went down" He pulled up a chair nearby and sat next to me.

"Yes, a little…" I reflected a bit on the nightmare I had. I shook my head to try to get rid of the thoughts. There was nothing I could do now and nothing I could have done. I had to let it go. I gripped my quivering hands together as I focused instead on Naruto. "Thank you for taking care of me. I really don't know what I would have done if you weren't here."

He gave me a thousand watt smile. "No problem, Hinata! Anytime." I gave a soft smile in return.

"Really, Naruto-kun. Thank you." I said a bit more softly. His joking manner turned a bit more serious.

"Hinata….I…" He stopped mid-sentence letting whatever he was going to say hang in the air. A few moments passed, as if he was collecting his thoughts, before he spoke again, " I got you some chicken broth. Did you feel like having some?"

I didn't feel as sick as I did before but I didn't really have an appetite either. I shook my head no. "Thank you for the offer. I'm not really hungry right now."

"Ah. Ok." He said a bit more downtrodden than I think he intended.

"Maybe in the morning, okay?" I added, not particularly enjoying seeing his mood dampened.

"Sure thing." He gave a quick smile before standing up. "I'm going to take a quick shower, do you need anything?" I shook my head no as he walked to some drawers and took out some clothes. "I'll be back in a bit, are you sure you'll be okay by yourself for a little while?"

My heart felt warm from his concern and I could feel myself giving a small smile. "I'll be alright Naruto-kun. Go enjoy your shower okay?" He nodded before heading out the door. I could hear the water running in the nearby distance.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there staring off at a fixed point. Ten minutes? Maybe more. I couldn't help but to keep returning to those thoughts in my head. And those things Sakura said. A change within me. I couldn't fathom at what that meant and I couldn't help but feel a bit scared at the thought.

What if I became a whole different person? What if I felt like this for longer than was anticipated. If this was something that happened in younger people, what about me? I am already in my twenties after all. What am I supposed to do?

Trembles began consuming my body as I tried to hug myself in mock reassurance. This whole situation just seemed a bit absurd. I wish there was somebody I could talk to about this. But with what happened with Hanabi last night and father being away on business, nobody really came to mind. I'm not sure either one of them would understand anyways. I could feel a sense of panic slowly crawl throughout my body. If only Neji was still around…

I closed my eyes at the images forming and gripped myself tighter. The black haze becoming stronger, more suffocating. I didn't want to see them anymore. I wanted to let him rest, to let him be in peace. He deserved that, at least. Not some quivering girl who just couldn't let him go.

"Hinata!" A warm hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back to my senses. I turned to see Naruto's concerned face looking at me. His wet hair dripping all over the bed "You're trembling!"

I looked down at my hands as they shook back in forth in in fine tremors uncontrollably. My breathing was uneven. I had been giving off shaky breaths this whole time and hadn't even realized it. I held my hands together once again to try to steady themselves, but it was no use. "Maybe I should go back and get Sakura." He stood up to leave but I grabbed his wrist before he could go.

"W-W-Wait," I said a bit unevenly, stuttering in a way that I hadn't in a long time. "It…t should go-o away. See-ee?" I held up my hand to show the tremors slowly occurring in intervals. His eyes flashed back between my hands and my eyes. He sat back down in the chair, putting my hands in between both of his. I took a deep breath to steady my quivering chest and smiled at his patients. He looked a bit tired and I wondered how long he had been up.

"I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better. I'm sorry." He apologized suddenly. I was shocked at what he said. It wasn't his fault I was having this problem, so he had nothing to apologize for. I was about to tell him so when my teeth began chattering as if I was cold. The small tremors began picking up again in various parts of my body.

"Here," He said wrapping me up in his bed sheets as if I was a cocoon. He got in the bed behind me and wrapped his arm around the blankets. "I hope you don't mind." I shook my head 'no' and leaned into his embrace. After a short while, my body finally calmed down and I was able to speak again without much difficulty.

"D-Did Sakura tell you what was going on with me?" I asked a bit hesitant.

"A little. She mostly just told me you were going through a tough time right now and to give her a call in the morning if you weren't doing better." I sighed a small breath of relief that I had a time limit of how much longer this would last. I still couldn't move my legs. We sat in silence for a bit. Me wrapped up in sheets and blankets and Naruto just holding me like that. He turned off the lamp nearby.

"Why don't you try getting some sleep?" I asked after hearing him stifle a yawn.

"I'm alright." He said giving another small yawn. "You?" I shook my head again.

"I've been sleeping all day…besides…I…I really don't want to have those dreams anymore." He gave a soft hmm and I could feel him nodding his head in understanding. The comfortable silence once again took over. My mind began wondering all over the place as we sat there. I tried to think of some way to stop it before it got too far. "Naruto-kun?" I asked not sure if he was still awake.

"Hmm?" He asked a bit sleepily. I continued on anyways, "Would you mind telling me more about yourself? I feel like I should know more about you than I do.

"Me?" He asked a bit surprised as if never being asked this question before. "Umm…what do you want to know?"

"How about your family? Or why you wanted to become a chef?" I could hear him thinking about this for a while. He pulled me closer to him as another series of the shakes came on.

"My family, huh?" The sound of sleep was no longer heard in his voice. Instead a more somber tone was heard. "I guess, to put it simply, I don't have one. Well…at least not anymore."

"Oh" I could hear myself saying remorsefully. Maybe it was a painful subject for him to talk about.

"My mom, she was a feisty one, or at least that's what dad always said. She died soon after giving birth to me apparently, so I never really got to meet her." He let that hang in the air a bit as if thinking about her.

"As for dad, he, well, he was a quiet guy with a good heart. Well, no, not his actual heart. That heart was a bit weak from a sickness he got as a kid. But he was always kind to those around him and went out of the way to help someone if he could. I know he did his best to raise me." He went quite again and I could feel his arms wrap tight around me even though my tremors had let up.

"One day I got mad at him for something and I ended up storming out of the house." He gave a curt laugh, "I don't even remember what I was anymore…When I finally came back home that night I thought maybe he just got called into work or something. It wasn't until later that I found out he had been found passed out on the side of the road. I guess while he was out looking for me, his heart finally gave out…" I could feel his pain as he talked about his father and could relate to his feeling of loss.

"I'm sorry," was all I could mutter.

"It's alright," he replied wistfully, "My time with him might have been short, but he gave me a wonderful dream. Because mom wasn't around, I ended up being in charge of cooking when dad was busy working. Even if my food didn't always look the best, dad never once complained. He always would encourage me to keep it up and tell me I could become the best chef in the world if I wanted." He gave a soft sigh that gave off the impression he missed those times. He seemed happy to be able to remember his dad through cooking. To be able to talk about those memories in such a positive manner, it created a longing within me to feel the same about Neji.

The shaking started up again, but not as violent as before. I could feel Naruto's arms hold me a bit closer to him. Instead of trying to talk, I just laid there and listed to Naruto's breathing. Its' even rhythm calming me down and allowing me to relax.

Naruto talking about his family allowed me to think of mine. Living with father and within the Hyuuga family hasn't always been the easiest. There were plenty of days where I had a difficult time fitting in and finding my place. There is a part of me that enjoys who I have become, but there's another part, that wishes I could have continued to grow up in the countryside with mother.

Mother…I haven't thought about her as much in the past few years. When I first arrived to the Hyuuga compound, I thought about her all the time. But lately, with working so hard at the Sixty-Four Palms and trying to find my way in life, I didn't really have the time to think about her.

Now, it seemed like I had all the time in the world. I could feel all those emotions from then rising to the surface. Her image, bringing a smile to my face. The suffocating darkness that has been control of me began to resurface on the edges of my mind. No more nightmares! I chided myself. Think about mother! Think about all that she shared with you. Think about how happy she would have wanted you to be…

…Mother…


"Hinata," my mother gently called out to me, her voice singing throughout the house.

"Yes, Oka-san?" I remember asking quietly.

"Happy 5th Birthday my little one." She placed a plate on the table as I sat there expectantly, the smells filling the room. "Here, you go." I could feel myself light up at the thought of having the cinnamon roll that was placed in front of me. It was typically the only dessert we could afford back then. I reveled in the luxury of it.

"Thank you, Oka-san!" I practically shouted. I gave a quick Itadakimasu before devouring the roll. The sticky icing clinging to my chin. Mother took a rag from nearby and wet it down before cleaning off the sticky mess. Although she was gentle, she was through in getting all the sweet stuff off me. I remember her looking in my eyes then, her expression serious.

"I'm sorry, Hinata." I remember asking her about what she was apologizing for, but she never replied. Her arms wrapped around me then and I could feel her love envelop me.

"It's okay Oka-san. I'm happy" My voice instinctively replied. The familiar tendrils of water rolled across my shoulder. She put on a happy smile before asking if I wanted another piece. I could only give an excited reply of yes, confused at my mother's change in emotion…

…"Hinata, you have to make sure you stand the stalks up nice and straight or else they won't grow. Like this." She showed me an example of how to properly place the rice stalk.

"Like this?" I clarified. And she agreed as I demonstrated the technique. It was a hot summer day then. A day when the wind wasn't blowing and the sun was beating on our backs.

I didn't mind helping out in the rice field, after all, back then, all I wanted to do was show Grandpa that I wasn't a burden. He was always nitpicking at me for some reason or another and always getting upset a mother for making "bad decisions." If I could prove to him that I could help out on the field, I'm sure he would like me more too.

"You're such a good girl Hinata," mother praised me and I gave a secret smile under my straw hat. We kept up the work until the day was done. I looked across the field that was now half filled with rice stalks. The sun setting somewhere over the horizon cooling off the day.

"Are we going to do some more tomorrow? I could see her gaze cast over the water paddies, her long dark hair swirling around her. She shook her head no.

"These are the last seedlings that survived the drought last year. These seedlings have to be strong so they can keep living on next year too." I gave a small encouragement to the seedlings that were resting in the still water. I had to be strong like them and keep learning more and more so I could take over one day. "Come along Hinata," She said standing up, "Let's get you washed up and fed," We held hands as we walked along the dirt road.

And the seeds did grow that year. And many years after. During the spring we would create the seedling. During the summer we would plant them and watch them grown. During the fall we would harvest them. And during the winter we would let them rest. Sometimes we had profitable years, and sometimes we would struggle a bit more. But every day I was happy.

In the summer time when no work needed to be done, I would lay out in mother's garden. The sunflower patch growing so tall and smiling at me. Watching over me. Their sweet scent enveloping me, and enticing me to stay forever. It wasn't a big patch, not enough to get lost in at least. But in those days, I felt like they were meant just for me, my secret hiding place. On sunny days I would read stories about the great warriors of the past. Sometimes I would bring other flowers to come and play. And like the rice stalks, I would talk to them and encourage them to grow even bigger. Big enough to keep me safe from the world. It was a weird bond we had the sunflowers and I.

But everything changed in the summer of my 10th year

It had been a late summer day, almost near harvesting time. The weather outside was unusually windy for this time a year. Faint sounds of thunder could be heard in the background. I remember that I was in my room pressing flowers into a book. The flowers had been plucked a few days earlier and left to dry upside down in my window, giving my room a very earthy smell. I wanted to make it into a birthday present for mom even though the flowers were from her garden.

"You can't be serious, Otou-san?!" I heard my mother scream throughout the house. It was very unusual because she wasn't typically a very loud person.

"I'm dead serious, Sui. I'm going to stay here." I peeped my head outside my door to see both mother and grandfather in a heated discussion.

"They say it's the worst one we've had in a while. Everyone has to evacuate! We can't possibly stay here, it's suicide!" Vaguely I could make out mom images of mom packing up a bag.

"Sui, don't you understand? This is the land I grew up on,- that I helped cultivate with my bare hands. To leave now would be the same as death for me."

"And what about me? What about Hinata?" I could hear my mother's voice cracking from holding back her tears.

"You? We wouldn't even be in this mess if you hadn't gone behind my back! You fell head over heels for some smooth talker and signed away half my fields. That Hyuuga fellow who disgraces the land that our ancestors -fought and died over- with his machines."

"Otou-san, I really don't want to talk about this now. It's neither here nor there." But grandfather was unrelenting.

"Hmph. As if selling the land wasn't enough, you had to go and have a child with him too!"

"Enough" Mom slammed the bag she had been packing. I could hear her feet pacing towards my room. I could only sit there and clutch my book close to me. She opened the door and started gathering thing from my room. "Hinata. Get some things that you want to keep. Only your most precious. We might not be able to come back for a while okay?" She told me in a gentle manner, a direct contrast to the way her and grandpa spoke.

"Yes, Oka-san," I mumbled, gathering all my precious belonging. My book filled with flowers. My favorite book on the warriors. A few bags of rice seeds from my first harvest. Mom packed all my other things, my clothes and other necessities in a red bag. She handed it to me and I quickly stuffed my precious things away.

"Nakata-san, the truck is here if you are going to the shelter," A voice called out from the entrance

"Yes, I'll be right there." Mom replied. "Hinata come along." I held my bag close to me, frightened a bit at what was going on. Mom and Grandpa looked at each other then, some unspoken communication between them. "Say goodbye to your grandfather. He's going to watch over the house. "

"Goodbye Ojii-san. Please take care of the house." I gave a stiff bow before being ushered off by mother. I could see her grab her bag and follow me out to the truck. As I sat in the back of the truck, I remember watching the house and field grow smaller as it became further away. I never saw Grandpa, or the house, or the rice field ever again. And I never got to say goodbye to the Sunflowers. Because soon after we made it to the shelter, a Typhoon hit and washed everything away.

With nowhere else to go, mom and I stayed at the shelter for a few days, waiting for things to pick up. It was a crowded place filled with more people then I had ever been around. Most of the days were spent with mom trying to find a job. Odds and ends jobs to raise up enough money for us to get a place.

We had enough to get by for the moment, but I'm sure mom knew it wasn't enough to last. At night, we would rest in the cot at the shelter and she would always hold me close and hum a song. Sometimes happy ones, and sometimes sad ones. I recognized some from when she would cook or clean or plant the rice or water the garden. I tried to engrain them all inside me.

But when she woke up with a small cough, things were never the same.. It started off with her drinking more water. Then she would get this cough, every now and then, like she was trying to clear her throat. Eventually it progressed to a barking cough where she had a hard time just breathing. After three days the doctors finally were able to make it past the flooding to take a look at her. As, the doctors left the room, their heads shook from side to side and they sad made a 'tut-tuting noise. When I was finally able to enter, mom was looking so pale. Her voice so weak and unlike her the strong person I knew her to be.

"Here Hinata…" she handed me two envelopes, her breath unsteady, her eyes unfocused. "Use the money to take the train to go to Konoha…when the roads clear up." She paused and gave a long, long string coughs. "Find a policeman to help you find Hiashi Hyuuga. Hand him that letter." She vaguely pointed to one of the envelopes she handed me. I could feel my eyes tearing up, as if instinctively knowing what was happening.

"You-you'll be coming with me right?" She gave me a weak smile.

"I'll always be with you Hinata. Everywhere you want me to be." I could see her eyes tearing up as well, "Do you remember those rice stalks you planted? And how strong they stood even when the wind blew hard?" I gave a nod. "Well you'll have to be just like them from now on." I could see her breath slowing down to an unnatural rate. "You've always been such a good girl. I'll always love you, my daughter."

"I love you too, Oka-a-san," The tears pouring down my face. My voice closing up at the thought of what was about to happen. "I don't want to go away. I want to be with you and Ojii-san on our field. I-I want to harvest the rice and lay in the sun under the sunflowers. I don't want to be without you. I don't want to be alone.

She held out her hand then, a soft smile on her face. It was evident then, as she gently caressed my cheek, she was using all the strength she could muster. She spoke her last words to me.

"Be strong, Hinata."

I could hear those words resonating within my heart. It's sound echoing throughout my body. The intense emotion pushing its way forward, making the black haze disappear once and for all. The top of the tree looked so close now, as if it had been right there this whole time.

I will be strong mother. I will be strong. I'll keep standing up and pushing through no matter how many times the wind blows me over. Thank you, mom. Thank you. I will be strong.


My eyes fluttered open then, taking in the filtered sunlight from the window. I could feel my hair matted and plastered all over my face, no doubt a mess from my recent state of being. Was it all just a dream? It felt a bit unreal. All of it. The dreams, the imagery. None of it seemed tangible, and yet, it was. I felt lighter, stronger, renewed, in a way I had never felt before. I took a deep breath, my lungs filling up in a refreshing, fulfilling way.

I sat up then and took a look around my surrounding. No it defiantly wasn't a dream. I was in an unfamiliar room, the sun casting light across the wooden walls, creating a playful feel to everything. It was almost a direct contrast to my room which stays dark during most of the day. Not just the lighting but the color pallet was different.

His orange sheets that had kept me warm and secure all night were scattered unceremoniously across the bed. The beige walls with the orange little swirls in the corners made the house very endearing. Very Naruto-like.

I looked down at the boy next to me. No, the man lying there unaffected by the bright light in the room. He gave off a slight snore, indicating the he was in a deep sleep. I could feel myself becoming self-conscious at watching him lay there beside me. Even though we didn't do anything last night, I couldn't help but to feel embarrassed at the thought. 'Maybe now would be a good time to go' I ushered myself, placing one foot on the floor. My body shivered a bit from the coldness of it but I reveled in the idea of having control of my body once again.

A hand touch my hand, and I felt myself jump a bit at the suddenness of it.

"Hinata?" Naruto asked quietly, his voice thick with sleep.

"Yes, Naruto-kun?" I asked ever conscious of his close proximity to me. He sat up, grabbing a better grip of my hand. For a moment, and it was just that, the way the sun hit his face and reflected off of him, I was reminded of the sunflowers against the sky. And of a happier time.

"Are you alright? He asked, concern filling his eyes.

"Ah! Yes. Thank you very much for taking care me. I am feeling much better now." I have his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Then why…are you crying?" I was confused for a moment at his question. My free hand automatically went to touch my eyes and sure enough tears had formed and were flowing freely.

"Sorry about that," I apologized, as I pulled my hand away from his to wipe the tears away. But his hands beat met to it. They were rough, strong hands from years of cooking. Calloused from holding pot handles and hot pans. And yet, his touch was very gentle and light like the wind. I couldn't help but notice faint burn marks lined his arms in a similar way to mine, but not quite as many.

"Don't be," He whispered. I could feel my head resting against his hand, comforted by the warmth. "It's okay to cry, we all do it sometimes." I nodded my head. "Tell me, what were you thinking about?"

"I was…thinking about my hometown. And about my old home." I closed my eyes to reminiscence.

"You're hometown? Where are you from?" He asked a bit surprised at the thought of me, like most Hyuugas, was born and raised here.

" Originally I'm from a place called Gohan, a small country that lies past the southern mountain. It was once famous for its rice. Especially the kind we grew on our land. "

"Somehow that's really fitting for you, Hinata." A smile covered his face that was hard not to return. "I guess that explains the rice stalk hanging up in your living room.

"You..You saw that?" I asked a bit embarrassed at the notion being caught in such an old fashioned habit.

"Of, course!" He did go into my house several times now. I was kind of hoping he wouldn't notice.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about." He continued on.

Now that I think about it, he also had to go through my clothes too! My face began flushing red against my wishes. I looked down at the clothes I was wearing, finally registering everything embarrassing that happened yesterday. I gazed over my button up flannel pajamas and sighed in relief that it wasn't revealing. However the apparent lack of underwear was pressing on my mind as I sat there self-conscious for a short while.

"I should…uh…probably get going," I managed to say hoping my embarrassment wasn't too evident. I felt like my face made it too hard to hide that fact though.

"Are you sure?" You can stay." It was odd watching his cheeks change a similar color to mine. "I mean, well um- if you like, you know- you can stay- if you want to-just until you get better and all." I couldn't help but to give a short laugh at the way his sentence rambled together. He scratched the back of his head nervously.

"I'm feeling much better, Naruto-kun, thank you." A soft smile crossed my face, "Much better than I have in a long, long while." He returned my smile and stroked the back of my hand with his finger. I felt a bit cowed by his ability to be upfront with his affections. Somewhere in the back of my head I couldn't help but to wonder about how experienced he might be in that regard…

"Here, let me help you get your things." He said a bit suddenly. I gave him a quick thanks and stood up to gather my belonging. I felt grateful to be able to stand once again. Luckily Sakura had kept my clothes from yesterday in a bag so I didn't have to worry about them being scattered about the house.

"Make sure you take this broth with you. Eat some if you can," He handed me the contents in a clear bowl.

"I will, thank you," I felt humbled by his caring nature.

"And work starts at 5pm. You don't have to come today if you don't feel up for it. But stop by later this week and I'll show you the ropes. Although I know you know how to make ramen, but I'll show you the way it's made-Uzumaki style!" He made a small thumbs up pose with his hands that I couldn't help but to smile at.

I stood there for a moment holding my things trying to think of a way to approach our level of relationship. I kept wondering if I should bring it up. Were we just friends? Or co-workers? Or was there something more?

"Hinata." His voice became a more serious tone, causing me to look into his eyes. "I know, I wasn't there for you before, but I'm here for you now. If you ever need to talk about anything, anything at all, I'm here, okay?" A shy blush crossed my cheeks. I wanted to express my thanks to him, but the words weren't coming out.

"Oh yeah! Before I forget." He raced thru the halls back to his room, leaving me standing there curious as to as to what it was that he forgot. A quick 'Ah-ha' was heard throughout the apartment as he came back to me a bit out of breath.

"Here." He placed my keys in my hands. "You can't go home without them." I looked at them briefly noticing the extra key added on. There was no doubt that it belonged to his place.

I'm sure he meant that I couldn't get to my place without my keys but I couldn't help but to take it in a different way. That maybe with this key, he was offering more than just a way into his place. Maybe was boldly declaring that he could be my home to go back to.

"No, I guess I can't, can I?" Plucking up my courage I gave him a small kiss on the lips.

"Thank you, Naruto." I whispered, my breath still a little shaky from my boldness. As I headed down the stairs to my apartment, I could feel his eyes linger over me, as he stood there shocked.

But there was something within me that had changed. Like a butterfly gaining it's wings and about to take flight for the first time. This feeling was so light, so free. So different from before.

And I never wanted to go back.


A/N: So if this chapter was a bit confusing, refer back to the title of it. I like to think maybe I'm a bit of a deep writer, but maybe not. I know the pacing is different from the first one, but this was an idea I was fiddling with when I first made this story. I do love character development. Also the Sunflower bit came out before I saw any spoilers! I have more plans for this story so stay tuned. ~Zee-chan~