6
"Ouch! Naruto, you're on my foot!"
"Well what do you want me to do!? If I move then I'll have thorns sticking into my side! Why the hell do we have to stay crouched into this stupid bush anyway?"
"N-naruto."
"This was your idea!"
"…oh yeah"
"Would you two please shut up?"
"Shh! They're coming!"
Neji rolled his eyes, not at all pleased at having been silenced. Added to the fact that his legs were falling asleep, and that he was being forcefully squished between the branches of this accursed bush, and Tenten, who was currently peaking through the leaves.
At the other end, trying exceptionally hard to take up as little space as possible, Hinata crouched, bent at the knee and balanced on her toes, blushing madly whenever Naruto brushed against her shoulder. She hardly seemed interested in anything beside the blonde. Had he not grabbed her hand when they left the ramen stand, Neji figured, she probably wouldn't have come. He had gotten so wound up when Tenten started questioning him, becoming, if possible, even more curious than she was.
"You're around Sakura a lot, right?""Yeah, we train together all the time. Why?" He replied, slurping up yet another string of noodles. Tenten wiped the few stray drops of broth from her check and continued.
"Has she been acting strange at all?"
"Huh?"
" Like, um, does she act differently when a particular persons name is brought up in conversation? Someone like, oh, I don't know, Lee maybe." Naruto's eyes narrowed in suspicion, now giving her his full attention.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Alright look," she started with a breath, "I think something's going on between Lee and Sakura beca-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Naruto waved his hands a few times to cut her off. "What are you saying exactly?"
"I think there might be something between them, so-" Naruto cut her off…again.
"No way! Sakura and Bushy Brows!?" He shouted incredulously. "That just doesn't fit!" Tenten gave him a look for interrupting her.
"Well, I'm not sure yet! That's why I was asking you!"
"No, no, no, no, no. That's just impossible, right Hinata?" Surprised at having been addressed at all, she stuttered a few times, unable to form a coherent sentence. Naruto turned back to face Tenten, nodding with an air of conviction about him. "See, Hinata agrees! There's just no way-"
"LOOK!" Tenten yelled, becoming entirely fed up with his constant disagreement. "I don't know what's going on, okay? I just wanted to get some answers. I'm just going by what I saw." Naruto went taut.
"Wait… you saw them? Like… together?"
"Sort of." She said, regarding him thoughtfully. He sounded almost hurt.
Just out of Naruto's line of sight, Hinata silently turned away to stare at the counter.
She had only come to this place because she wanted a meal. Then Naruto showed up and sat down next to her. HER! They had even started a conversation! And with minimal stuttering! Granted, it was about training, but still, any discussion with Naruto is valued. And now she had to sit here and listen to this, as his heart is slowly torn in two.
Though she hated to admit it to herself, she could hear it in his voice. The disappointment. Naruto was still very much in love with Sakura. And anything that hurts Naruto, affects her as well.
"It's just a hunch, but I really want to find out." Tenten confessed. Naruto seemed to brighten a great deal at that.
"So then, they might not be together? But then, wait, I'm confused…what exactly did you see?" Tenten sighed, having to explain everything, in detail. Naruto hummed and nodded attentively the whole time, eyes squinted in obvious concentration. Hinata curled her hands into loose fists. From what she could tell, it did sound as if-
"Oh, now I see! So something sneaky is going on here!" he mused, rubbing his whiskers in thought. Tenten repressed the urge to roll her eyes. "I still don't believe it's possible that Sakura and Fuzzy Brows are dating or anything, but that is suspicious! We have to figure out what's going on!"
Hinata felt as though she were beginning to sink. If she was correct in her assumption, then Naruto was going to be crushed. Though for a split second, she almost wished for it to be true. And that was what was killing her the most.
"Let's go find out then!" He stood up, eagerness undulating from his form like waves. Tenten smiled, having finally gotten somewhere with this. "Come on Hinata! Let's go to the hospital and find them! We've got some work to do!"
All thoughts vanished from her mind when he grabbed her hand, a dark blush coloring her cheeks. He didn't seem to notice though, as made a mad dash for the hospital, dragging her behind.
"Hey wait! Naruto slow down!" Tenten raced off behind him.
They had reached the hospital soon after, finding that both Lee and Sakura were nowhere to be found. In a moment of conviction, not wanting Naruto to be saddened, Hinata shakily pointed out the window to where she had spotted the two of them walking down a path. And of course, getting entirely engrossed in the situation, Naruto had excitedly leapt out the window, hauling all three of them along, and fervently suggested that they hide in a bush up the road. Hence their current position.
And why exactly was Neji with them? AGAIN!? Not even he knew anymore. He sighed.
Tenten nudged him lightly so he would keep quiet, and peaked out once more to see what was happening. Just a few feet away, Lee and Sakura were walking abreast.
Sakura was waving her hands animatedly as she spoke. Lee, arms wrapped firmly behind his back, nodded for her to continue, obviously enthralled in whatever it was she was saying. His eyes never left her face. Not once. The complete adoration that radiated from his very being was obvious, yet not unexpected. It was no secret; after all, that he loved her. But, they did seem…unusually close.
Neji watched as Tenten repetitively clenched and unclenched her fist as adrenaline pumped through her veins; the other hand slowly tightening its grip on the branch she was holding.
What was going on here?
Beside her, Naruto poked his head out a bit farther. Nothing appeared to be particularly abnormal to him. They were just going for a walk, right? What was so weird about that?
His heart nearly stopped when Sakura grabbed his hand.
ME: Please allow me to apologize for this pathetic, and late, attempt at a chapter. I've just been so overwhelmed with homework and junk. Plus, I had the flu for the past couple of weeks. Anyhow, I know it's rushed, and unusually short, but please, don't hate me!!! I WILL TRY HARDER!