Author's Note: Hey guys! As promised, a new chapter!

To: gummy b3ars

Yeah, I know, I kinda confused myself with the whole timeline thing too! Haha. Gosh, but I guess I'll try to tell you how I figured it should be.

Kay, so I guess my story is kind of happening in a 3-4 year span. The first year was the year after the war, aka the year shit went down. Then the second year, Hinata is dealing with everything, and the whole NaruSaku relationship is going on. We are currently in the third year, and I'm not a hundred percent sure that there will be a fourth year. So I hope that helped the confusion!

If you have any confusion or concerned, I would be more than happy to clarify like so^.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Naruto

It had been a whole week since I had started talking to Hinata again. I found myself at her door every morning, whether I wanted to be there or not. We had finally continued our ritual of eating dinner together every night like we used to. But I still found Hinata to be someone completely different from who she once was. Like now, and how she was kicking my ass.

She was coming at me with full force in a way I had never seen her fight. I found myself in a situation where I could only block and dodge because I couldn't find any openings.

Left jab.

Right jab.

Right round kick.

Spin side kick.

She certainly improved a lot. Not to be offensive, but last time I saw her fight she wasn't this tough. But now here she was, and she wasn't even using Byakugan. Just hand-to-hand combat, and yet she was definitely beating me.

I continued to block as I finally saw an opening, and decided to throw a punch at her. Or so I thought I saw an opening. I watched as she quickly pivoted, and backfisted me. Luckily I ducked in time or she might have broken my nose, no she definitely would've broken my nose. I tried to kick her in retaliation, but she pivoted again, and was in front of me. I would be lying if I wasn't sorta pissed. My moves weren't making any contact with her at all, and she certainly wasn't breaking a sweat. So, yeah it's a little frustrating. Before I could even process what was happening she kneed me in the lower chest. As all I could do was wrap my arms where she had hit, I had decided that, yes, she had definitely hit my solar plexus. I found myself paralyzed as I noticed out of the corner of my eye that she had quickly shifted, and I felt the back of her heel make contact with mine as she swept it from under me, and her hand was on my shoulder to push it in the opposite direction. My breath was knocked out of me as I hit the ground. I could hear Kurama laughing, shut up I mentally told him. Which only made him laugh harder.

"Had enough yet?" She looked down at where I had fallen. A smirk evident on her face.

"Damn Hinata, where did you learn how to fight like that?" I attempted to sit up, and I placed my hand on my back as I tried to support myself up. I saw a small hand reach out to help me up. I placed my hand in hers as I pulled myself up, and I could've sworn, if I hadn't been in so much pain, that her hands were small and soft, as creepy as that sounds. They felt nothing like the hands that were beating me to death just seconds before.

Hinata ignored the question, and held a smirk on her face.

"I haven't felt this sore after a fight in a long time."

"Really, now, does Sakura beating the shit out of you actually count as a fight?" Her face looked like she was actually curious to whether that was true. "Hey, shut up!" I retaliated, but a smile still on my face. I could see a slight blush in her cheeks when I did so, and though it could've been my ego, my smile got wider.

"Alright, ready for round two?" She challenged with confidence. I found myself wondering if I'll ever be.

"Kidding, I gotta be somewhere." She still held her smile when she saw my sigh of relief. "Where? You know I can be anywhere you can be." I told her as she walked over to a duffle bag that had her training gear. "Wow, that sounds kinda creepy. Yep, that's creepy." She stated as she picked up a water bottle and drank out of it. "I'm not creepy, I just like spending time with you." I replied.

"It's been like a week, you can't say that."

"Well, this week, and the all those years before." I listed out. She paused for a second before saying, "I'm not the same person I was all those years ago." I looked at her, but she didn't reach my gaze.

"I don't believe that."

"Don't you have a life you can get back to?" Her voice was quieter than before.

"Pffh, who needs a social life when I have you?" I joked. "Again with the creepy thing." She stated again, but the smile was back on her face. I smiled to myself. She grabbed her bag, and began walking. I began to walk by her side.

"Seriously, I have to be somewhere." I sighed when she told me that. "Fine, but you gotta promise me dinner." She raised an eyebrow, "Dinner? We always have dinner, whether I want you there or not."

"No, not that kind of dinner. I mean like a fancy dinner. At, ya know, a restaurant." I scratched the back of my head. Her eyes got wide, and I saw a slight blush in her cheeks. "Well, cause, ya know, Sakura always made me take her out to fancy restaurants because she said that's what girl's like, and, I don't know, I like you, and I figure that's what you might like, and—"

"I'm not Sakura."

"Yeah, I know, but—"

"So, I don't like 'fancy restaurants'. I like food. In fact, I'm feeling ramen, tonight." I smiled as I got the hint.

"Well, then, me, you, dinner, Ichiraku's, 7 PM, tonight. What do you say?" I asked her.

"Wow, since when did you become such a casanova?" She remarked sarcastically. I chuckled, "Is that a yes?"

"Fine. But only because you're paying." A smile still played on her face.

"It's a date." I told her one final time before going our separate ways.

She's finally warming up to me. I smiled at the thought. Is that what you see it as? I heard Kurama chuckle after his input. If Hinata really has become the cold-hearted woman that everyone says she is, I doubt you've seen the beginning of it, kiddo. Kurama's words haunting me. That's true, I probably haven't. In the end, she could kill me. I was telling myself more than the nine tailed fox.

But she's worth it.

Right?

Hinata

A date. With Naruto. I smiled to myself. I have this kid wrapped around my finger.

Everyday. Naruto had been by everyday since his apology. A week has already passed, and I haven't figured out a way to get revenge. But I also figured that's fine, because I gotta get him to trust me first, right? He loves me? Lies. What he told me then, what he's doing now, he feels sorry for me. And that's where I remind myself that I can never trust him again. If a date is what it takes. If he thinks this will make everything better, then he's got another thing coming.

"Hinata? Hinata, that'll be 50 ryo, please." My thoughts were interrupted as I looked up to see Ino handling a bouquet of Irises. She held a nervous smile as I pulled out just the right amount. She counted, and handed me the bouquet. She bowed, the way you do to complete strangers. "Thank you for shopping here."

Yes, I suppose we are complete strangers now.

I walked out, and headed in a direction my head knew all too well. My feet had a mind of it's own as it lead me. I looked at the Irises in my hand. They were always her favorite. I looked as the purplish color faded into white at the core. I still had my duffle bag. The strap hanging off only one of my shoulders. I tightened my grip on the strap with one hand. I didn't forget it did I? No, I never forget.

I walked past several others until I finally made my way towards hers. My mind never registering who they were, and how they got here. I walked up to her, and I smiled.

"Hi Mom."

Here Lies

Harue Hyuga

Loving Mother

Loving Wife

"I brought you these, I know they were your favorite." I laid the bouquet on her grave. I sat myself next to her. "I promised every week didn't I? I haven't missed a day."

"I always wonder how often Hanabi misses you. She never really knew you all too well, but I know you love her. To be honest, I don't think Father lets her visit often. He never did like to dwell on the past."

I rummaged through my bag to find the small, worn out book. "You used to read it to me all the time. You always used to love fairy tales."

The title read "The Tale of Despereaux".

"Okay, here we go Mom." I opened the book for the hundredth time.

"This story begins within the walls of a castle, with the birth of a mouse. A small mouse. The last mouse born to his parents and the only one of his litter to be born alive."

Sakura

"They were also seen training together this morning." My hand unknowingly gripped the side of my desk tightly. "Where did you say Naruto has been this past week again?" I asked again, my voice hollow.

"He was seen with Hinata all week, Sakura." I looked directly at Sasuke's face when he said my name. "Anything else?" I made my voice stern, but I could hear a tint of annoyance come out of it.

"Yeah, it seems they're going on a date later tonight. It was heard that he wanted to take her somewhere fancy."

"What?!"

"But she shot him down. She requested something cheap. They're meeting up at Ichiraku's."

My hand found its way to the first thing in reach, and threw it at the wall. I heard it break into a million pieces as I saw it was a whiskey glass. I looked up to see Sasuke's face unchanged. "What is she playing at?" I asked more to myself. I looked up at Sasuke once again. "Are you sure you can trust your assets?" I watched him nod and quickly followed with a, "There is no reason for me not to." I sighed. "When's the date?"

"7 tonight."

"Okay."

"How should I proceed?"

"Don't. I'll deal with this myself." I placed my head in my hand. My mind was completely blank of any ideas with the current problem running through my head a million times.

Hinata.

Naruto

I had literally been rummaging through my closet for a solid hour by now. I looked up at the clock to see it read 6:45. I sighed as I looked in the mirror before quickly running back to try something else on. God, you're like a teenage girl getting ready for her first date. I heard Kurama growl. I muttered a shut up mentally, and looked back in my closet. I couldn't believe it. Nearly everything was identical. How it is possible to own so many of the same outfit? I had tried on a suit early, but figured it was too much for the occasion. Then again, here I was in the same clothes I wore everyday. I don't know why you're wasting you're time, kid. You look the same in anything you try on. Hehehe. Kurama was teased me again.

I didn't know why I was making such a big deal about it either. I guess I just wanted to impress Hinata. Look kid, if she wanted to be impressed she wouldn't wanna eat at some crummy old food stand. The nine tailed fox was obviously annoyed. It's not crummy, jerk. I sighed as I decided to go with what I was wearing, which is where I started in the first place.

I looked at myself one last time in the mirror, grabbed my wallet, and headed towards the door. I quickly opened the door. I was shocked to find Sakura stood on the other side. My eyes widened as I noticed cuts and bruises all over her body, and her clothes was torn. She was crying so hard her nose had started to run, and her arms were wrapped around herself in attempt to warm herself.

"H-Help me, N-Naruto."

Author's Note: I think that could count as my first ever fight scene. What did you guys think of it? I did a little Taekwondo back then (not that I was any good), but I guess I learned a few things.

But guys, I'm also really concerned about Hinata and Hanabi's mom. Is she dead? I mean neither the manga or anime really mentioned her, so I guess she's presumed dead. But I also always thought that if she was dead Hinata was the only one that was really raised by her. I mean her mom taught Hinata to be kind and all that jazz, but Hanabi was only raised by her father who had so many high expectations though. I guess that's where Hanabi gets her 'aggressiveness' because she was never raised properly.

Sorry, that was my little thought bubble thingy. Anyway, I couldn't find her mom's real name so I went with Harue which I read means 'spring time bay'. Which I felt fit a little because Hinata's name means 'sunflower' and everything. I don't see any real connection, but I guess the whole naturey feel got me.

Guys, "The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate DiCamillo was one of my favorite books growing up. I guess I kinda have to put a disclaimer out there since I did quote the book. It was so sweet (in a weird way, let's be honest), but I still love it.

And the whole reading to her mom idea came to me from a show called Supernatural. I know not everyone likes the show, but my idea came from an episode where someone's mom was in a coma since she was a kid. She would come by everyday and read "The Hobbit"by J.R.R. Tolkien. Basically she had a really hard time letting her mom go, and that just really got to me.

Anyway, there I go rambling on again. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible.

Like it? Hate it? Let me know!

Again if you're confused with anything, you can always ask. I promise I'll answer your question (unless it's unanswerable).

Thanks for reading!