Changes of the Heart

Naruto's eyes fluttered open.

He blushed when he saw Hinata's sleeping face.

He jerked up when he realized he was laying on her lap.

"What the-," Naruto's eyes widened when he saw a huge wound on her stomach.

"…rasengan…?" he recognized the attack and gasped.

"H…Hinata!" Naruto shook her gently.

"…Mmm…ah…Naruto…?" Hinata slowly opened her eyes.

"What happened to your stomach?!" Naruto asked worriedly.

"Eh? Oh, you're finally awake…and this?" she looked down at her wound.

"Oh…when I mentioned…um…him…you kind of turned into your nine-tailed fox form…and I guess you were trying to kill me. Well…you attacked me with your rasengan and I flew back and hit this tree…and then you came charging towards me like you were going to finish me off, but then I hit all your pressure points in time…so…you just fell asleep until now," Hinata smiled at him.

Naruto's eyes widened. "I…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-,"

"It's ok," Hinata sighed.

"You're really strong, Naruto," she smiled warmly at him.

Naruto blushed faintly and looked away.

"Um…so…how did you even survive all my attacks…I mean…I've fought a lot of strong people and all of them really can't dodge my attacks…because I'm so fast and all that…." Naruto scratched his head.

"I dodged all of them," Hinata smiled.

"EH?! All of my attacks??? In my nine tailed fox form?!?!!" Naruto exclaimed.

Hinata nodded.

"…b…but how?! I mean you're…not as strong as the other enemies I fought and…and you're always so fragile…and you couldn't even defeat Neji, and you would always faint from time to time, so-OW!!!" Hinata pinched his cheeks.

She glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you calling me some kind of weak object or something?!"

Naruto gulped. "I…I…don't mean that…but…it's just surprising…you know, how you could avoid all my attacks like that…" he murmured.

Hinata sighed and let go of his cheeks.

Naruto rubbed it gently and sighed in relief.

"I told you many times…" She looked at him straight in the eyes.

"…Naruto…I've changed…" Hinata whispered.

Naruto's eyes widened.

"I'm stronger…way stronger than I was before…and…I don't know how to control myself sometimes…" she smiled at him.

"…but…I'm happy…because you helped me to get stronger," Hinata replied.

"Eh? Me? But…I don't remember doing anything…" Naruto scratched his head.

"Well…it's because I liked you," Hinata smiled.

Naruto blushed.

"…I…I really, really liked you back then. I would always admire you from afar…and I always tell myself that one day I will become like you…and because you gave me that strength, I am now satisfied with who I am now. Thank you, Naruto," she bowed her head slightly.

Naruto blushed more. "D…do you…still like me?" he asked quietly.

Hinata stayed quiet for a while.

Then she began to laugh.

"For now, that's a secret," she put her finger to her lips and smiled elegantly.

Her smile seemed so pure and innocent that anyone would fall in love that instant.

Naruto turned red and looked away.

'Damn…when did she become so cute?!'

"Since your apartment is nearby, I'll walk home by myself," Hinata replied.

"Eh? Well…can I walk you home? Because…it is kind of dangerous out in the night," Naruto murmured.

"Don't worry…I'm strong enough to take care of myself," Hinata shot out her fist and smiled.

Naruto blinked at her.

"Um…ok…" he said slowly.

Hinata chuckled.

"Goodnight," she replied softly.

"Hey, how's the date with Naruto?" Neji smirked.

Hinata smiled.

"Well, I wouldn't call it a date…we were training…and you know, I saw Naruto in his nine tailed fox form…and he used the rasengan against me…see this?" she lifted up her shirt a bit.

Neji's eyes widened at the big scar on her stomach.

"What the hell?!" he glared at her.

Hinata grinned innocently.

"Don't worry, don't worry…this is nothing…and you do know how strong I am, Neji ni-san," she smirked.

Neji sighed and shook his head.

"Yea, I know…" he smiled slightly. 'You've grown really, really strong, Hinata sama…' Neji stared at her proudly.

Naruto sighed and laid down on his bed.

He stared at the ceiling.

"I never noticed…she liked me???" he blinked.

Naruto blushed faintly. "…but…I also never noticed…how cute she is…since when did she become so attractive like that?" he scratched his head.

"Now I'm curious…she said that it's secret…so…does she still like me or not???"

Hinata sighed and laid down on her bed.

She stared at the ceiling.

"Do I…still like you?" Hinata laughed softly.

"What a strange question, Naruto…" her eyes saddened.

"…you asked…such a strange question, indeed…so…so very strange…" Hinata grabbed a nearby pillow and sighed.

Tears glistened in her eyes. Hinata closed her eyes to prevent them from falling.

She smirked. "This is….the first time I've ever cried like this," she wiped her tears away quickly.

"My feelings…who I am, what I am, what I do, who I was, what I was, what I did…they've all changed…my heart has changed…everything about me, I've changed it…" her fists clenched tightly.

"Naruto…why'd you ask such a weird question? That I still like you?" Hinata smiled and giggled.

"…how you act…you're still the same old, clumsy Naruto I once knew…" she sighed.

"I wonder…if I'm stronger than Naruto, now…it'll be a miracle if I was," her smile disappeared quickly.

She scratched her head and narrowed her eyes. "Wow, I'm weird…I was just crying…and now I feel all fine again," Hinata laughed softly.

"Hm…since he asked me that question…I'm sure he is still very clueless about things…I wonder if his intelligence has grown…hm…and I wonder, if he can find the answer to that question he asked me…" Hinata smiled.

"Do I still like you? Naruto…let's see if you can figure it out and act first…if you can't, I guess you'll never know how I feel about you right now…if you can't…then…it'll be a secret forever…" Hinata shrugged.

AAAAWWW....she finally admits that she USED TO like him! Don't worry though...her love won't be completely gone!!! Next chapter is my personal favorite!!! So read and REVIEW!!!