Sakura came to see Naruto off but he wasn't there yet. Only Hinata and Shikamaru were standing at the gate so she went to them. They were discussing their travel plan.
'Hi Sakura' Shikamaru said and Hinata smiled at her. 'We should get there in 3 days tops and we'll have one day till the mission starts. I've already made sure that there will be place for us to sleep' he finished talking to Hinata. She nodded and turned towards Sakura.
'Are you here to see Naruto-kun? He should be there in a second' she looked at the road and saw her two teammates and Akamaru but not Naruto.
'He better not be late because we really need to get going' Shikamaru checked his watch. '7 minutes'
'I'm sure he'll make it in time. He isn't usually late' Sakura assured him. And as said they saw blond ninja running.
'Hi guys. Oh Sakura you came to see us before we are gone' he grinned and pulled her away from the rest. 'I need full report on how are things with Sasuke when I get back. See you Sakura'
'Good luck everyone!' She screamed and walked away. Full report he said. But she wasn't sure that there would be anything to say. She didn't believe that Sasuke would speak to her out of his own fee will and didn't want to get her hopes up. Her shift at the hospital was starting in half hour so she went straight there. Ino was here today too. She didn't work as much as Sakura but from time to time she needed break from flowers. They began their round together. Checking on patients took Sakuras thoughts away from disturbing problem.
At lunch break Ino sat with her. She looked at Sakura curiously.
'Why are you so off today? Does this have something to do with Sasuke?'
'It does but I can do nothing about it. Right now everything's in his hands' she hoped she wouldn't have to explain this.
'But you know that he is really dense in this matter? And I don't think he even know what you expect him to do.' Ino looked at her best friend. The two of them had a lot of history together even before they started talking with others from their group. Sakura was really helpful right after the war. Blonde wasn't even sure if she would be able to go out of her apartment every morning if it wasn't Sakura who dragged her out every time she doubted herself. and now was the time to pay back. 'But he will' she said and went away.
She didn't have to look for Sasuke long. She was trained kunoichi after all. That and Sasuke wasn't trying to hide himself from anyone. He sensed her from long distance.
'You do know you have to talk to her right?' she didn't even bother with saying hello.
'And that is your business how?' he didn't like her in academy and it wasn't about to change. too loud and too arrogant for his nerves.
'She is my friend. That's how. And you will not ignore her if I have something to say.' She did have something to say didn't she?
'I'm not ignoring her in any way. And she is fully capable of telling me what's on her chest on her own' he was waiting for it to be honest.
'Oh right. And you think everybody is like you huh? That she isn't here because she doesn't want to? because she has something better to do? You really are denser than I thought' she turned away pissed. Who does he think he is?
After Ino had stormed out Sasuke let the breath out. He didn't like this conversation, not at all. But maybe this annoying woman did have a point. It wasn't like Sakura not to talk to him. Before he had left she was all over him and now it seemed as she avoided him. Maybe he really should talk to her.
They've stopped for a night. Kiba with Shikamaru were on the first watch. They weren't talking. Not because they didn't know each other very well but because they were exhausted. Jumping from tree to tree for almost 9 hours with very few stops for food and water wasn't easy but nessecary if they wanted to make it to Sunday fast. After 3 hours it was Hinatas and Shinos time. Both were still half asleep when they sat in front of the tent but soon the fire was getting smaller and they had to collect some wood. Chilly air woke them up completely.
'Hinata I need to ask you about something' she was surprised. Shino wasn't usually the one asking questions.
'What is it Shino-kun?' he looked quite uncomfortable with the upcoming topic.
'You know that we are both in those clans that hold a lot of power in and outside the village. My father just like yours is some kind of chief in it and I am supposed to take his place sometime. I thought that this sometime is far away but recently I got to know it's going to be in next two or three years. And now another topic came to discussion between me and my father. He wants me to find myself a future wife. If I won't he will do it for me' this was the longest dictum she have heard from him in forever. And she didn't know what to say to him. She had similar problem herself. 'I know someone, you know? And I think that this someone likes me, but I can't bring that person home. I don't know how to say it. You and Kiba are my best friends but about this I'd rather not talk with Kiba.' Hinata already knew what was going on. She have suspected that since few months.
'I think that you don't have to be head of your clan to be happy and to make your father happy. I suppose you don't really want this position. You've got to decide what you want and need Shino-kun. Love is hard. I haven't met anybody who had it easy way. But maybe it's worth more than what your father wants for you. At least that's what I've been telling myself' Shino was glad that Hinata could see right through people sometimes. Her empathy was enormous and now he actually thanked all the gods for it.
'And what about you?' he saw one little wrinkle forming between her eyebrows.
'I don't know anymore. It's different than it was before. I still didn't quite let go of this feeling but maybe it isn't ment to be.'
'Look at the time. I think I'm much more tired than you are so you can stay with Naruto before Shikamaru wakes up.' Hinata turned her head towards him quickly. Was he playing some kind of matchmaker?
'He can't be serious' she whispered. But soon Naruto crowded out of tent with his eyes still closed. So he was serious she thought.
'Oh Hinata! Aren't you going inside for some more sleep? You've got to be tired' she wasn't, not anymore.
'Oh no, no. I can stay. Extra it seems as if you could fall asleep here so I'm going to stay' she wanted her voice to sound playfully.
'I've never slept on my watch' he said pretending to be offended.
'Never? I have to ask Sakura-chan about it when we come back' she laughed.
'Maybe once or twice.' he admitted. Joking along with him was easy for her since she's lost her shutter. 'I bet that you have never done it, huh?'
'Well no. I don't need much sleep. Kiba needs it more than me' back when Naruto was away with Jiraya, her team spent a lot of time travelling and she stayed longer only for Kiba to get some more sleep. Kurenai-sensei didn't say anything about it because she admired their relationship. All three of them were like siblings by choice, well choice theirs and Hokages.
'Everybody needs a good sleep. Even you.' Naruto looked at her with grin on his face. But she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were looking at something far away. After the war when there hadn't been any enemies to fight Naruto'd had a lot of time to think about his friends. When it came to Hinata he couldn't stand thinking about her because he had felt regret. But then he remembered what had happened when Pain had attacked Konoha. He remembered her words and what he had felt when he'd thought that she was dead. And after that during the war when everybody got stuck in Mugen Tsukuyomi he sensed her disappearing chakra and wanted to save her. For now he only wanted to protect her from everything. She was the kindest person alive and he didn't want to see her in pain because she didn't deserve it. She've changed a lot. Still shy but not that much, she didn't faint or shutter anymore. There was something else different about her that he couldn't specify, something in her whole being changed as if she had slouched the whole time and now was finally standing straighten up. Every time he saw her he wanted to tell her all about his day and ask about hers but she was hardly ever alone. 'What are you thinking about?' he asked after few minutes of silence.
'Old days. How easy everything used to be.' deep Naruto commented in his mind. 'Sometimes I wish I could go back and just stay in this calmness. But here we are all grown up' she smirked.
After almost an hour Shikamaru went out of the tent and they started preparing quick breakfast. Hinata woke up her teammates and Akamaru. Shino stared at her for a while. After packing their stuff they were once again jumping from tree to tree but this time Hinata was followed by bright blue eyes.