-Chapter Three-

Crimson

Hinata: H… hello?

Kiba: Hinata-chan!

Hinata: Kiba-kun?

Kiba: Hai, hai. Alive and well.

Hinata: How have you been? It's been a long time since we've spoken.

Kiba: I know! I miss you so much, Hinata-chan.

Hinata: I miss you as well, Kiba-kun.

Kiba: Oh, you do? Well I'm glad to hear that.

Hinata: When are you coming to visit Konoha?

Kiba: I'm already here!

Hinata: You are! We should spend time together. How long are you here for?

Kiba: I've decided to take a semester or two off.

Hinata: Really? How come?

Kiba sighs.

Hinata: Is everything okay, Kiba-kun?

Kiba: I'm sorry. I did not mean to worry you. Mom isn't doing too well.

Hinata: She isn't? I'm sorry to hear that.

Kiba: She'll be okay!

Hinata: I'm sure she will.

Kiba: I can't wait to see you, Hinata-chan.

Hinata: Can you let me know when you're available?

Kiba: I'll make sure.

Hinata: Thank you. Take care Kiba-kun. I have some studying to do.

Kiba: Yes, yes. Take care, Hinata-chan. Ja ne.

Crimson

"Suri-san, how do you feel about the latest ghoul attack?"

Hinata was sitting in the living room when her father had turned the television on. It had caught Hinata's attention. She placed her notes on the mahogany coffee table and listened to the conversation.

Suri, an employee of News 7, rolled her eyes. "Ghouls? Do you seriously believe in what the government is telling you?" she questioned. "They don't exist, Tomo-san."

Tomo was baffled. "How can you not believe in ghouls, vampires," he stared at her oddly, "all the evidence are out there. You've seen the pictures, haven't you?"

"How can she be naïve?" Hiashi, Hinata's father, mumbled.

"Seeing is believing." She shrugged. "You can't possibly believe in vampires and ghouls."

"You're so young and naïve. I should expect that from a young girl who just graduated from college." Tomo chuckled bitterly. "Tokyo, Japan, 200 calls into the local police station for ghoul activity," Tomo was looking through his paperwork, "Sanagakure (Sand Village), 20 missing children for this month alone, 5 ghouls taking in by the CCG and you sit here and say you don't believe." He spat.

"How do you know the children were missing because of ghouls." Suri replied. "This is just the government trying to put fear into their civilians-

"Kirigakure (Village Hidden by Mist), over 100 bodies found this month due to vampires." Tomo responded, slamming his papers on the table.

"You've never seen them! So how can they be real?" Suri said, flipping her short black hair.

"Because I watched as a vampire killed my wife." Tomo spoke. Suri looked at him, shocked. "I was like you. I did not believe until I had seen one for myself. I watched as my wife died and was too frightened-

Hiashi turned the television off. "Hinata-chan, I don't want you lingering late at night. It's dangerous out there." Hinata nodded her head. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing well." She said.

"The doctor said you were just weak and you need to take it easy." Hiashi told her.

"Yes sir."

"I wish your sister was more like you," he sighed. "but she's roaming the streets with the damn boyfriend of hers."

"She'll come home when she is ready, father."

"When she's ready? She's eighteen!" Hiashi shouted.

"Dear, please calm down." Hinata's mother, Harura, spoke as she entered the living room. She sat on the sofa with Hinata and placed the cup of tea on top of the mahogany table. "Hanabi-chan has always been the rebellious one, but she'll learn soon enough." Harura spoke with such confidence. "She may be rebellious, but she's still a baby who'll realize she needs her parents, regardless."

Hiashi crossed his legs. "If she thinks I'll put another dime in her bank account-," Hiashi massaged his forehead, "she just needs to come home." He spoke as he lowered his head.

"She will, dear." Harura said, comforting the man.

Hinata stood up and bowed. "I must be off to the library."

"I thought you did not have school today?" Harura questioned.

Hinata grabbed her papers off the coffee table and replied, "I do not, but I need to go. I have a meeting today for the K.U.A.C at noon, then I have to tutor a new student at 4:00."

Konoha University Ambassador Club, was a club for top students, who were carefully selected by good grades and recommendations, to represent and assist the university at community functions and in school jobs.

"Let Lee take you." Harura said.

"Hai." Hinata said as she left her parents behind.

-Crimson-

After her KUAC meeting, Hinata was patiently waiting for the student she would be tutoring in Physics. She flipped through some books as she waited in the library for him/her. She took out her phone and saw that it was almost 4:30. She sighed. Today was such a good day to go to the beach, with the sun shining and the little clouds that seemed to dance around it. She was wrap in the idea of the outside world that she didn't see when the young man had sat next to her.

She gazed at the cloud that was shape like a lamb. Ever since she returned home after spending two weeks in the hospital, Hinata was trying her best to remember what happened after Naruto saved her from that creep Natsuna. Her memory was foggy.

"Naruto-kun! Plea…- He silenced her. He let go of Hinata and walked up to the man. Hinata couldn't see what was going on, but Naruto stared at the man for serval seconds, before Natsuna turned on his heels to the opposite direction. Hinata stared in awe. "Naruto-kun, please don't believe him." She tried desperately to explain herself to him, whose back was still turned. "Naru- She was taken back when he gripped her. She was frightened.

She tried her hardest to remember, but to no avail. All Hinata remember was her lying in a hospital bed. She heaved a sigh.

"Seems like your enjoying yourself, huh."

Hinata, startled, nearly had a heart attack. She quickly turned on her right side and saw a red hair boy sitting beside her. His facial expression was terrifying to Hinata. He had no emotion; he just stared at her with those icy eyes.

"Um..." she tried to avoid his eyes. "Am I supposed to be tutoring you in Physics?"

The red hair boy had his arms cross and he simply nodded his head. He didn't utter a word.

'This guy is freaking me out.' She thought. "My name is Hy… Hyuga Hinata." She spoke. She felt uneasy giving her whole name to this boy. She felt a shiver ran up her spine. "Shall we get started?" she said uneasy.

-Crimson-

Hinata held her chest as she pressed herself against the wall. She had spent an hour tutoring this boy named Gaara. She saw his name written in his textbook and assumed that was the boy's name. She hadn't bother to ask him. She was glad that it was done and over with. Hinata went into her messenger bag and took out her cellphone. It was 6:00pm.

She sighed. Where was Naruto? She didn't see him for some time. She texted him once, but he didn't respond.

"Hinata-chan!"

Hinata straightened up and she smiled. "Hello, Kurenai-senpai."

"How are you feeling?" the black hair woman asked. Kurenai was Hinata's Professor for History class. Kurenai used to teach at Senju Prestige Academy when Hinata was in her second and third year. The two formed a bond and she looked up to the older woman as if she was her eldest sister. "Did you get the flowers I sent you?"

Hinata nodded her head. "I'm feeling well now. The doctors ran test on me and found out I am anemic. They gave me some pills to take." She told the oldest woman. The two were walking side by side. "The flowers you sent smelt very nice. I still have them on my dresser."

Kurenai smiled. "Well I'm glad my pupil is doing fine. You had me worried." She told her.

"I'm sorry." Hinata bowed.

Kurenai patted the girl on her head. "It's okay." The two was now standing in front of Kurenai's office. She then smacked herself on her forehead.

"Kurenai-sensei, are you okay?"

She sighed. "I forgot my attendance book on the desk in the classroom." She said shaking her head.

"Why don't you use a tablet like the other professors?" Hinata questioned.

"I prefer it like the olden days before technology came along," Kurenai told her, "but I think I'll just have to put away this old mind. This is the third time this week I forgot it."

"I… I'll get it for you, sensei." Hinata offered.

"Hinata-chan, you just got out of the hospital a week ago. I'll get it."

"It's okay. I need to do a little exercising." Hinata giggled.

Kurenai smiled. "Hai, I'll be in my office grading papers. Join me when you retrieve the book." She said before making her way into her office.

Hinata walk down the halls of the university in search of the History class. She stood in front of a door that had H-202. She pushed the door open gently, and stuck her head into the class. The class was empty. She walked over to the desk and a light breeze brushed her cheeks. She walked over to the window and stared outside. The sun was setting and the sky looked as if someone had splattered orange pink and purple over the sky. The view was magnificent. Her hair blew back and forth by the silent wind. Hinata, staring down from the second floor, saw some students walking in and other of the building. She closed the window and strolled back to the desk to grab the book.

Her hands were outstretched to grab the book until something caught her eye. It was her class attendance. She was curious. How often did Ino and Sakura miss class? She searched for their names. She was baffled. How didn't they get kicked out of class? They had more than five absences!

"Hmmm…" She looked at the name of students, one had a X on the side of their name and had WITHDRAW on the little grid boxes. It read Samuel Lu. She continued to stroll down the list of names, but she didn't find what she was looking for. Naruto name was nowhere to be seen on the list. Odd? Naruto was in Kurenai's class for a month, but why wasn't his name written in her attendance book? She flipped through the pages, maybe she had missed something? She went through each of the classes name, that Kurenai had, but no Naruto.

Hinata jumped back when something slammed against the window. She held her chest as she tried to calm her racing her heart. She took a glance at the window she had just close and noticed there was a crack in the center of the glass.

"Sensei," Hinata spoke as she took her seat in front of Kurenai, "I believe a bird flew into the window. It left a crack in the glass." She told her. She placed the book on her desk.

Kurenai tilted her head to the left. "Strange. That has never happened." She put her hair into a ponytail and drank some bottle water she had sitting on the table. "Do you want some water?" she offered.

Hinata shook her head and replied, "No thank you."

"Hinata-chan, have you met any cute boys?" Kurenai was curious. The two had spent some time with one another, in school and sometimes out when Hinata's parent would let her. The parents were very fond of Kurenai. She was smart, intelligent, everything Hiashi felt that a young woman should be. Harura was very pleased with Kurenai herself. They were saddened to know that Kurenai would be leaving Senju. They wanted her to teach Hanabi as well, they felt she would be a very good role model for the younger sister.

"Well…."

Kurenai was enlightened that she even leaned closer.

'If I tell her maybe she can explain why he isn't on the class attendance list.' She thought.

Hinata cleared her throat. "Well, there is a boy I am interested in-

"Wait, is it Kiba?" Kurenai questioned. Hinata face went red. "What!" Kurenai fell back in her chair. "Hinata-chan, I thought you had good taste in men."

"No!" Hinata blurted out. "I… it's not Kiba-kun!"

"Are you sure?" Kurenai questioned her. "You don't sound too truthful right about now." She smirked.

"I'm sure." She said, the tone in voice squeaky.

"So, who is it?"

"He has blond hair… blue eyes, sun kissed skin." Hinata said describing the man.

Kurenai stared at her. "He sounds good-looking."

-Crimson-

Hinata sat in the backseat of the car as Lee, the driver, drove her home. She was in deep thought as she remembered the conversation with Kurenai.

Hinata stared at the woman strangely. "Doesn't he sound familiar?" Kurenai tilted her head in confusion. "Tall? He sits in the back of our class, Kurenai-sensei." She reminded the woman. The woman stared at her in a blank state. Besides Ino, Naruto was the only blond in class. It was hard to miss him. Hinata was second guessing herself now. Could Naruto be a fragment of her imagination? She shook her head. 'Don't be silly Hinata,' she told herself, 'Ino and Sakura had laid eyes on him.' Maybe Kurenai was letting this work get to her. "His name is Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Naruto?" She questioned. In her mind, she imagined the little food called Naruto that was place in ramen. "What a unique name." she said in awe.

"Sensei, he's in your class. He sits in the back of Sakura, Ino and I." Hinata told her. Was Kurenai playing a joke on her? She was getting annoyed.

"I don't know anyone by that name or description, Hinata-chan."

Hinata took out her cellphone and texted Sakura. She was still upset that Sakura left her with the jerk, but she had to know. Was Naruto real or not?

Hinata: Hello. Sakura-chan, are you available?

Hinata waited for serval seconds before Sakura replied.

Sakura: Hinata-chan! smiley face I am. What's up?

Hinata: Do you remember the blond boy who sat in the back of our class? The one Ino practically eye rape?

Hinata: The one we stalk in the park some nights ago?

Sakura: Yes. Isn't his name Naruto? He sits in the back of us in class.

Hinata eyes widened. She knew she wasn't imagining him. Naruto was real. She sighed in relief. She wasn't going crazy. She was worried about Kurenai now. Kurenai wasn't really a humorous person, but why would she go to such lengths to discard Naruto?

-Crimson-

Hinata held onto her bedsheets as she kicked and trash on her bed. Little sweat beads formed on her forehead, as she gripped onto the sheet tightly.

She was running, running through this long narrow tunnel. She smiled as she saw the light at the end of the tunnel. She ran as fast as she could with her arms outstretched to the light. As she was about to make it out of the dark tunnel, something wrapped around her ankle, causing her to fall to the ground. She sunk her nails into the ground, as she screamed for help. Whatever wrapped itself around her was now pulling her deeper and deeper into the tunnel.

She screamed. Hinata found herself on the other side of the tunnel. She held her head and stared at the gloomy place. It was dark outside and there seemed to be only the moon and stars giving light. The grass she laid on was dead and crunchy and even the flowers seemed down.

"Hello." Her voice echoed. "Is anyone there?"

Hinata stared in horror as the red hair boy climbed on top of her. His eyes were red and they screamed murder. She was lost for words. He had pinned her down and there was no escape. She had lost all hope and became voiceless, no matter how much she screamed. He had a bloodthirsty look on his face and he opened his mouth to eat her.

Hinata jumped up, frightened.

-Crimson-

"Hinata-chan, you look very tired?" Ino told the girl who had taken a seat next to them. It was now time for history class.

"I couldn't sleep." Hinata mumbled.

"Are you still upset about the whole Natsuna thing?" Sakura asked.

Hinata gave her a harsh glare. "No, I don't care about that. I just had some nightmare." She told them. "Please don't speak to me. I just want class to end so I can go home and sleep."

Ino and Sakura looked at one another, then at Hinata who had her hands cross. Hinata was usually shy and reserve, but when she did not get her sleep, she would change into a new person, with a blunt and harsh personality.

Kurenai was now calling out names for the attendance list and that's when Hinata remembered that incident with Kurenai. She hadn't bother to check if Naruto was sitting behind them. It was eating at her ever since she didn't find his name on the list, but tonight will be the night. Was there a Uzumaki Naruto sitting in row 25?

-Crimson-

Knock -Knock

"Who is it, Myu?" Harura asked the young maid.

Myu turned to her mistress and spoke, "It's Hanabi-sama."

There was a flash of lightning and thunder screamed throughout Konoha. The rain poured with all its might on the streets and knocked on the houses of its residences.

"Mother." Hanabi said as tears swelled her eyes. She was wet and dirty. She'd look a mess. "I'm sorry." She cried. She ran up to the woman and hugged her. "I should have listened to father and you." Harura wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Please forgive me." Hanabi sobbed.

"Who is it Myu?" Hiashi questioned the young maiden.

He glanced at Harura who was holding a young brunette girl. His eyes widened. "Hanabi."

-Crimson-

"Udon Sokka." Kurenai called out.

"Hai." The brown boy shouted as he raised his hand.

"Yamanaka Ino." Kurenai shouted.

"Hai!"

"Well now that that's everyone, please take out a pencil. There will be a pop quiz."

Hinata stared in horror. She turned her head slowly to look behind her, but to her surprise no one sat behind them. The lights to the class flickered when the thunder had echoed; it frightened some of the students.

-Crimson-

Hinata was brushing her hair. Hanabi was home now, and it was such an emotional rollercoaster for her father and mother. They were happy to have their daughter home, but they didn't take long to put rules in place. Hanabi told them how she didn't want to be with Konohamaru, her boyfriend, any longer because he didn't know how to treat her with respect and couldn't take care of her. And she knew that she had to come back home to her family who truly loved her.

Hinata stared in the mirror as she stroked her long hair. "I wonder what Hanabi-chan is up too."

She placed her brush on her dresser and sighed. Today was filled with so many surprises. Hinata spoke with Sakura and Ino about the incident.

"Maybe he withdrew from class?" Ino suggested.

"So why didn't his name had a X next to it and withdraw by his name." Hinata said. "You saw him," she pointed to Ino, "Sakura saw him," she pointed to the pink hair girl, "and I saw him. He gave me a ride home on some occasions." Hinata told them.

"You never told us he gave you a ride." Sakura stated.

Hinata balled her fist. "This isn't about a ride! Why was there a man sitting in our class who wasn't even a student?" Hinata said with anger.

Ino whispered to Sakura, "Is this how Hinata act when she doesn't get any sleep?"

Sakura nodded her head. "I prefer the nice, gentle and soft spoken Hinata-chan."

Hinata groaned. "I can't sleep because that red hair boy always shows up in my dream."

She walked over to her bedroom window and stuck her hand out to feel the raindrops. She rested her arms on the windowsill and stared out in the darkness. Her skin went pale when her eyes locked on the red eyes that stared at her hungrily.

"G… Gaara?"

Her eyes widened as lightning lightened the sky and she saw the figure that stood underneath the tree next to her bedroom window.

"Naruto-kun." She whispered.

-Review-