Disclaimer: These characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing except my keyboard. I belong to Nikki.


"Hinata, I actually intended for you to read these books," Shikamaru said with a sour look in his face. "If you didn't want to read them, you should've told me."

"S-sorry, Shikamaru-kun!" Hinata apologised with a deep bow. "I-I was g-going to but I-I was busy." Her face flushed bright red.

"Fine," Shikamaru said bitterly. Taking the bag of books Hinata was offering him. "I now know not to loan you books."

"Oh, Shikamaru! Give Hina-chan a break! She's got a boyfriend to give attention to now!" Ino practically sang. Hinata's face went a brighter red, remembering how impossible it was to convince Ino of something after she'd decided it for herself.

"Who is this, Sasuke Uchiha?" Sakura asked with a curious gleam in her eye.

"J-just someone I m-met one n-night," Hinata mumbled, fidgeting with the pull-strings on her jacket.

"A complete stranger, huh?" Ino questioned.

"Ino, I think you're making Hinata uncomfortable," Shikamaru pointed out.

Hinata was thankful for Shikamaru's presence at the lunch she'd set up. It worried her to go out at night so she figured a lunch would be safer. The only thing she hadn't thought of was people who'd tag along and invite themselves. Someone from Sakura's work, Uzumaki Naruto, had asked Sakura to bring him and Sakura had trouble saying no after he finished the work she'd set him to do.

Hinata didn't think of Naruto as an annoyance, she envied him. He was confident even though Sakura clearly found him annoying and he was so sure of himself. He'd only been sitting at the table listening to their conversations about Hinata's "boyfriend" and he already seemed to brighten up the group.

"So, Naruto-kun, when did you start working with Sakura-chan?" Ino asked, seeming bored with Hinata. If she couldn't get any answers she really wanted, what was the point in asking?

"Just two weeks ago," Naruto said with a wide grin. "Now, Sakura-chan would get lost without me, yeah?" He shot a look at Sakura who just glared at him.

"You've caused me more trouble than anything else!" Sakura's glare grew stronger.

"Come on, Sakura-chan," he began, giving his best puppy dog look, "without me you wouldn't have gotten those forms filled in today, would you?"

"No, I would've had them done three days ago."

Hinata and Ino giggled at Naruto's disappointed expression. Obviously he thought he was doing well and was a huge help. Sometimes Sakura was hard to win over but Hinata thought her friend was just hiding behind this exterior of finding him annoying.

The lunch continued one with nothing interesting being discussed. Shikamaru tried to correct Naruto's grammar many times and Ino tried to interrogate Hinata some more but neither Naruto's grammar nor Hinata's story changed.

"Just tell me the dirty stuff, please Hina-chan!" Ino pleaded.

"Ha! I'm sure Hinata-chan wouldn't do someone she just met!" Naruto commented with a loud laugh.

Thank you, Naruto-kun.


Walking back to her apartment, Hinata let her mind wonder. She thought about Naruto, Kakashi and Sasuke. Three men who'd entered her life all around a similar and, for some reason, all seemed to be connected, somehow. The only thing that drew her out of her thoughts was a little kitten that was following her, mewing loudly as if trying to get her attention. Turning around, she noticed it's long, black coat. It's light blue eyes seemed to be taking her in but it's mewing continued.

"Hello, kitty," Hinata said to the kitten, softly. "Where's your owner?"

The kitten continued mewing.

"Are you hungry?"

The mewing seemed to become louder as if it was saying yes.

Hinata giggled at the kitten, took off her jacket and scooped it up in the jacket. She happily continued home with the kitten in hand. After opening the apartment door, Hinata set the kitten down on the floor and opened the fridge. She took a cold cooked chicken out and started to cut up strips. She put it on the floor, along with a bowl of water, and the kitten happily ate all the food.

A knock at the door and then it opened.

"Hinata!" Sakura rushed in and hugged her friend tightly.

"S-Sakura-chan?" Hinata wasn't sure what was going on but the kitten hid at the sight of the pink haired girl.

"Hinata, please look after Naruto for half an hour!" Sakura pleaded.

"Huh!?" Hinata remembered Naruto being as old as she was… or did Sakura know a child by the same name?

"I really need to go to a business meeting but if I tell him about it, he'll want to come!"

"W-why not, n-not tell h-him?"

"Because he'll find out! He'll get bored in the office and work out I'm in a business meeting! He always does. So, please? Just this little favour?" Sakura seemed desperate and Hinata wasn't doing anything except looking after the kitten.

"Umm… ok?" Sakura dashed out of the apartment and came back in with Naruto in tow.

"I'll be back soon!" Sakura called, running out of the apartment before Naruto tried to follow.

Silence.

"H-hello again, N-Naruto-kun," Hinata mumbled.

"Hey, Hinata-chan," Naruto said happily.

Silence.

The kitten came back out to investigate the new guest. At first it only paid attention to Hinata, weaving it's way around her legs and then its attention was drawn to Naruto after he coughed. Its peaceful aura instantly disappeared. It hissed at Naruto, run at him and put it's claws into Naruto's leg.

"N-no!" Hinata called as she tried to pull the kitten off of Naruto's leg. The kitten didn't seem to let go and the leg of Naruto's pants ripped off. Hinata immediately took the kitten into the bathroom and closed the door. Walking back out to the living room, she noticed Naruto looking at his pants with a scowl on his face. "So-sorry, Naruto-kun."

"You need to train that cat not to attack people." Naruto's bright mood seemed to have disappeared in, what Hinata guessed to be, record time.

"S-sorry, Naruto-kun," Hinata apologised with a bow. "I-I just f-found him… on t-the s-street."

He perked up a tiny bit. "A stray?"

"Y-yes."

His mood seemed to mellow a little at that response. "Raise it right."


The bright sunlight flooded into the window seeming to not notice Hinata glaring at it. It was impossible to sleep with such a bright light in the room. Rolling out of bed and hitting the floor, Hinata woke up Mickey, the kitten. It jumped off the bed and mewed at Hinata.

"Shh, Mickey," Hinata muttered, sleepily. "No icing sugar for you."

Mickey gave Hinata a questioning look and then climbed on her. Hinata groaned and figured Mickey wasn't going to let her stay on the floor for the rest of the day. Swaying as she stood, Hinata clutched Mickey and walked to the living room. She was about to turn on the television for the midday report when Kiba came bursting through the door with Akamaru.

"Heya Hina!" Kiba greeted with a grin which quickly disappeared. His eyes were set on Mickey and his expression went sour. "Hina, there is a cat in your apartment. Just step back and I'll get rid of the thing." Hinata may have laughed if Kiba wasn't so serious.

"N-no, Ki-kiba-kun, it's m-my c-cat," Hinata stuttered.

Kiba looked up at Hinata in disgust and then back down at Mickey. Akamaru was cowering behind Kiba's leg, looking as disgusted as his owner but scared as well. Was Akamaru scared of cats? Hinata had to hold in a laugh.

"You – you bought a c-c-cat?" Kiba asked in disgust.

"N-no! I-it followed m-me home!" Maybe deciding to keep Mickey was a bad idea?

"A cat?" Kiba looked at Hinata again and ran out of the apartment yelling, "I can't look at you right now!"

Hinata stood in her apartment unsure of whether to follow Kiba or to break out in fits of laughter.


"Hinata-chan is the one who got the photos?"

"Yup."

"And Sasuke hasn't gotten them back yet?"

"No."

"Why doesn't he take advantage of the day to get them back?"

"Too risky."

"Maybe he likes Hinata-chan."

"What are you saying, idiot?"

"Sasuke-chan and Hinata-chan sitting in a tree-"

"Shut up."

"What? Sasuke-chan is embarrassed?"

"Shut up!"

"Sasuke, please calm down."

"Sasuke-chan has a girlfriend."

"I'm going to kill you, Naruto."

Naruto chuckled to himself. Sasuke was getting over-emotional about that, it didn't seem at all like him. Maybe he'd hit the nail on the head.

"I'll get those photos back, just give me some more time."

"Is Sasuke-chan having trouble getting some photos back from a little girl?"

"Naruto has a point, Sasuke."

"I'm not having trouble its just… she has good senses. She interrupts me just before I can delete the pictures."

"Why not just get close to her and then delete them when she isn't looking and disappear forever?"

Why was Kakashi-sensei suggesting something? Normally he'd just sit back and enjoy the show as it was.

"… I'm leaving."

Naruto chuckled again. Sasuke was going to seriously think about what Kakashi-sensei had said? Naruto opened his eyes and stared at his surroundings as he set the phone down. It was normal to talk to Kakashi-sensei over the phone but for Sasuke to butt-in… he must've been worried about those photos and trying to get some advise from Kakashi-sensei.

"Hey! Naruto-kun," Sakura called from the doorway. "Quit talking and start working on those papers!"

Naruto sighed. "Yes, Sakura-chan."


Another night where she woke up halfway through the night. It had continued since the first time a week ago. She lifted herself out of bed and, for some reason, thought a night-time walk might help. Never having taken a night-time walk before, Hinata wasn't sure of what to bring. Figuring a torch would be enough; Hinata slipped a pair of old pants over her pyjamas and a jacket over her top and left her apartment.

One step out of the apartment building and Hinata was ready to plead insanity. She hated the night-time and the darkness, what was she doing? She couldn't stop herself from walking even with these thoughts in her head. She figured her body had been possessed especially since it seemed to know where it was going.

"Uchiha Sasuke-san?" Hinata said to herself. He was lying in the middle of a park, glaring up at the moon. Even with the photos, Hinata forgot how handsome he was but now it seemed to put her in a trance. She didn't realise she was moving closer towards him until she was a metre away from him. "Uchiha Sasuke-san?"

"Hm?" He sat himself up and glared at her, as if she'd just interrupted something very important. "What?"

Hinata couldn't help but stare. She forgot all other senses but her eyes. She forgot all other things except his onyx eyes. Lavender eyes bored into onyx eyes: onyx eyes bored into lavender eyes. Nothing happened for what seemed like an eternity and then he leaned forward and flicked her on the forehead.

"Ah!" Hinata put her hands to her forehead and closed her eyes. How did he manage to make that hurt so much? Opening her eyes again; he had disappeared, along with the light given off by the moon. Fumbling for her torch, Hinata flicked it on and began walking back to her apartment.


Author's Note: Did I reveal a secret or create more questions? What does Mickey have against Naruto? Why is Akamaru scared of cats? How does Naruto know Sasuke and Kakashi? Will Ino accept the fact Hinata doesn't have a romantic relationship with Sasuke? Why did the camera not make an appearance in this chapter? Did Hinata dream meeting Sasuke again or did that actually happen?

I enjoyed writing this chapter. It wasn't so much with the mystery but it's gotten the next few chapters ready for a bit more. I introduced Naruto in this chapter. He gets a cookie for his entrance (it's much better than his original entrance which would've taken place in chapter one). Mickey also receives a cookie. I know he's an original character and I know there is already a kitty in Naruto but I really wanted Mickey. Mickey's a black cat and, of course, unlucky if he crosses your path.

This chapter is dedicated to my wonderful little co-writer, Miff, my cat. She inspired Mickey's character in this story and is extremely helpful with making me write more. Also, I have someone who is searching for this story who deserves a message. Ari-chan, if you find this story you get a cookie and, maybe, a chance of not wearing a skirt to the convention. How'd you like to be Itsuki? We could make a brigade without a leader. (Glares at Ari-chan.)

Updates will probably be slower now. I wrote two chapters in a week and made plans for future chapters. Now I'm tired and need to do a bit of homework. I'll try to update once a week but I'm unsure of whether that'll actually happen.