Turned Lovers Part 2

Hinata and company went straight to the room where the party is being held. There were multiple fancy-looking white cocktail tables and red party sofas scattered at the side of the huge function hall. The middle was an open floor and at the front was a String Quartet playing classical music. Beautiful chandeliers lit up the room.

Hanabi proceeded to criticize the party as soon as they entered. "Man, the geezer doesn't know how to hold a party. Just look at this big sis, a huge room with like…. What? 50 people?"

"I think it's alright, Hanabi. The less people, the more chances of them to know each other deeper and the huge space gives them…. privacy." Hinata replied and Neji nodded in agreement.

Hanabi looked at her big sister with admiration. "As expected of my big sister! Come, let's take a seat over there and chat a little." Hanabi directed Hinata and Neji to one of the sofas. "I'll leave you two sisters alone to catch-up. I'm going over there." Neji headed towards a group of businessmen having a drink.

"You look stunning Sis!" Hanabi complimented. Hinata was wearing a blue Tea-Length Lace Sheath Dress. "And your hair and make-up looks beautiful too!" She added.

"You also look very beautiful Hanabi." Hinata complimented back. Hanabi was wearing a Pink Pleated Fit-and-Flare Dress. They both smiled and laughed.

"I'm sure Naruto would fall for you if he sees you!" Hinata blushed at Hanabi's statement. "Speaking of Naruto, sis, did you tell her how you feel already?" Hanabi curiously asked. She knows how her sister feels about the young man. Hanabi even knows that she left a love letter for him inside his room after he left. "N-No… not yet. We're just friends, really and our work is in the way." Hinata explained to Hanabi.

"A-ah well… you know, I think Father had a change of heart. He was really angry and disappointed when you left and took a course in Journalism but… I think he accepts it now. In fact, I think he's proud of you now. He would always come home and compare you to the daughters of his business friends and say that you're stronger and very independent." Hanabi changed the subject and tried to cheer-up her sister.

Hinata appreciated Hanabi's effort. "Thank you for telling me, Hanabi. One day, me and father will talk and patch things up."

"Yeah!" Hanabi replied with joy in her eyes. She really wants her sister and father to reconcile.

Jiraiya walked to the middle of the event hall. "Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for giving us your precious time to be with us tonight. I hope you are enjoying the food and the ambiance. If you want more food, feel free to request. Our chefs tonight are the best of the best. They will be more than happy to cook for you. If you want to dance, don't be shy. The dance floor is wide open. This party is in honor of the 9-Tailed Fox baseball team. Owning my very own Professional Sports Team has always been one of my dreams… along with finding a beautiful, sexy, young wife but anyway—." Everybody laughed. Jiraiya continued "This team will be participating in the KBL. I hope that you support us next season. Season Tickets anyone?" Everybody laughed again. Jiraiya continued "No, seriously we're selling tickets tonight. Naaah, just kidding. Anyway, the man, or should I say men of the hour, are here." Jiraiya signaled one of the butlers to open the door.

5 men went inside the event hall. "Woaaah! What a really big room with so little people!" Konohamaru said loudly in amazement. Hanabi heard it and thought to herself Pffft… what a child. Ignoring the fact that she basically said the same thing earlier.

The 5 men went near Jiraiya and were given a glass of wine by the butler. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I propose a toast, to the 9-Tailed Fox and their success in the KBL. Cheers."

"Cheers!" Everybody responded, touched glasses and drank.

Jiraiya and the 5 men made a circle that looked like a huddle even. Jiraiya whispered. "Okay boys, huddle up. You 4 do whatever you want. Enjoy the party. Don't drink too much alcohol. Kakashi and I will be talking with the officials from the KBL. We still have things to do." With that said, the group split-up.

The 4 men were quickly surrounded by guests, mostly girls.

"Wow! All of you look so handsome!"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Are you interested in marriage?"

All of them were annoyed by the questions and had to come up with their own excuses to get out of the conversation. Eventually, Shikamaru and Sasuke managed to find two guys who they didn't mind to get along with. Coincidentally, it was Neji's group. Shikamaru offered to talk over a game of pool. They agreed so the group decided to go to the gaming room next door.

Naruto and Konohamaru were left inside the function hall. They were at one of the cocktail tables quickly eating on whatever food they could find. "Here is the ramen you requested Mr. Uzumaki." The butler put a bowl of ramen on the table. "Thanks pal!" Naruto said in response.

"A bowl of ramen in this kind of party? Really, big bro?" A woman questioned. Konohamaru and Naruto looked at their back. "Hanabi!" Naruto cheerfully greeted. "Konohamaru, this is Hanabi Hyuuga, Hinata's sister." Naruto introduced.

Konohamaru asked in confusion "And Hinata is….?" Naruto realized that Konohamaru doesn't know Hinata either. "Oh! Hinata's one of my childhood friends!" Naruto suddenly felt pain on his feet. Hanabi was stepping on it. "Ouch! What's the deal?" Naruto ranted. Hanabi muttered "Nothing…. Idiot."

Konohamaru felt that there's something going on but he can't put a finger on it. "Hello, Miss Hanabi. I am Konohamaru Sarutobi. Naruto's teammate." He gestured for a handshake which Hanabi accepted accordingly. She felt an electricity inside her the moment they touched hands and blushed. "H-Hello… oh look it's sis! Here sis!" Hanabi let go of the handshake and waved her hand.

"Hey Hinata! Glad you came! What did I told ya, there's going to be no media here!" Naruto smiled. Hinata replied with a smile of her own "Yes, I'm also happy to see you here, Naruto." They both stared at each other with a blush on their face. Konohamaru and Hanabi couldn't help but feel that there's a different atmosphere between them and that they should leave them alone.

"B-Big bro, why don't you and sis dance? It has been so long! You two should catch-up for all those years!" Hanabi literally pushed them both to the dance floor. "I-I guess we can…. Wanna dance?" Naruto offered Hinata his hand which Hinata accepted with her shaking hands. "Y-yeah…. We're here already. I-It's going to be embarrassing to back-off now. Haha. Haha." She tried to put a logical explanation and forced a laugh. "Yeah… haha. Haha" Naruto went along. Both of them started to dance and had faces as red as a tomato.

Hanabi dragged Konohamaru near the quartet. Hanabi whispered to one of the violinists "I don't know much about classical music but please play the slowest and the most romantic piece you know. I repeat, the sloooooowest and the most romantic." The quartet smiled at her and nodded.

Hanabi sighed. Konohamaru stared at her and asked "Why? Why do you go so far for them? You should just let them be. Let them figure it out by themselves" Hanabi had a bright smile while looking at his sister and Naruto dancing. "Because they're both stupid. Can't you see it?"

Konohamaru looked at the two as well. Well, Naruto is dense I'll admit. He thought to himself.

Meanwhile Naruto and Hinata were sweating bullets and were struggling to start a conversation.

"Y-you look beautiful." Naruto started hoping that what he's saying are the right things. "T-T-Thank you." Hinata was so nervous and red, she believed smoke might come out of her head any minute.

"Y-You know, I saw Kurama again. Glad to see he's still the same. I went back to our old house yesterday. I'll be living there again from now on. You should go…. visit." Naruto was trying to keep the conversation going. "T-That's great to hear. I'll come visit when I can." Hinata remembered the letter she left on top of the table inside Naruto's room. "H-Have you seen an envelope on top of your study table?" She was hoping that he saw and that the reason why he is acting nervous is because…. Because he likes….

"Nope." He answered nonchalantly. Hinata was brought back to reality. Naruto continued "Seems like Kurama cleaned-up my room so I can use it again. What's the inside the envelope?"

"Oh… I see. That's right. It's nothing, just a class picture from middle school." Hinata sounded disappointed and forced a laugh.

Everything was…. Normal. Just normal. What was she expecting anyway? Their relationship was okay. It was alright. But why does Hinata feel sad? Am I greedy? She asked herself.

The musical piece was about to end and things were still the same between them until…

"I-I-I'm really glad that you are m-my… childhood friend, Hinata." Naruto said with an innocent smile and a red face. The lack of experience of talking to women and the lack of understanding women finally showed. It was a statement that could be interpreted in many ways. It is the type of statement that brings forth unwanted misunderstandings.

The music stopped and the dance was over.

Hinata quickly let go of Naruto and said in a rush "I'm going to the Lady's Room. Excuse me." Naruto scratched his head and said to himself "Is it that time of the month for women?" He absolutely doesn't know what he is talking about.

Hanabi was chatting with Konohamaru when she saw her sister come near them. She waved and called Hinata out "Heya sis? How was…." Hinata just went past them as if she didn't see them. It was only brief but Hanabi saw Hinata had tears on her face. At that point, Hanabi's mood changed and she got angry stomping her way to find Naruto. "Mr. Sarutobi please follow my sister and tell her that I'll be waiting at the garden!" She was almost shouting and the people near them started to stare. Konohamaru was a bit confused. He didn't exactly know what happened. He wasn't paying attention. Hanabi added "Please! You have my cellphone number. I'll call you for any updates. Keep her company until then and make sure she's at the garden." Konohamaru noticed that Hanabi was about to cry.

"Alright." Konohamaru followed Hanabi's request. And he added "Don't go so hard on him, Miss Hyuuga. He probably doesn't know what he has done." It seems Konohamaru put 2 and 2 together. Hanabi weakly replied "Yeah…"

Hanabi stomped to Naruto, literally dragged him to an empty living room and locked the door.

"What the hell, Hanabi?!Wh—" Naruto was getting angry at her for suddenly dragging him to the point that he almost fell.

"SHUT UP! YOU SHUT UP! SHUT UP! THIS IS ANNOYING ALREADY! I AM DONE DAY DREAMING THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WILL DEVELOP LIKE A TV DRAMA OR A MANGA! FROM NOW ON WE DO IT MY WAY!"

Naruto was shocked. He was really shocked. He knew Hanabi had a bad and aggressive temper towards others but this IS the first time he saw her like this. "H-Hanabi calm down…. What's wrong?"

Hanabi took a deep breath to calm down. "You know what, big bro, in TV dramas or manga, they save the best part for last but I'm done with that. I'm not going to do that." Hanabi paused. "So I'm saying to you now, loud and clear, with no room for any misunderstandings and in a way that you will understand no matter how dense you are…."

"My Sister loves you. Hinata Hyuuga loves you. She loves you not as a friend. She wants to be MORE than friends with you. She even wrote a love letter for you." She paused and continued "Now, do you like her? More than a friend? Because if not, tell my sister that you don't see her like that so that she can move on already and find a man that'll love her back! A man that deserves her love and affection! Instead of crying because of someone stupid like you!"

Naruto was stunned. He's finally putting the pieces together. Hindsight 20-20. He only needs one piece of the puzzle.

"Love Letter?" He asked Hanabi.

"Yeah, she left it at the top of the table in your roo—" Hanabi answered and was interrupted by Naruto grabbing his cellphone. He was calling home.

"Hello Kurama, did you happen to see an envelope on top of my study table inside my room before you cleaned it up?" Naruto was waiting for him to respond. "Say what?! You put it inside the drawer?!" Naruto screamed at his phone and sighed. "Fine. Don't open the envelope. I'll pick it up as soon as I can. Okay. Bye."

"Where's Hinata?" He asked.

"Should be at the garden." Hanabi answered with her phone in hand checking for updates from Konohamaru. "Yep, at the garden."

Naruto ran.

Naruto was running as fast as he could and saw Sasuke and Shikamaru. "Oh hey, Naruto why the….." but Naruto went past them. "….rush." Sasuke and Shikamaru looked at each other and shrugged.

Naruto stopped. Hinata was indeed at the garden. She was sitting on a bench. He was afraid of approaching her then a hand tapped him at the back.

"Yo."

"Konohamaru…."

"You know, you're my senior in baseball and in life but when it comes to love I think it's the other way around. A piece of advice, junior, that girl is something special. You're very lucky. Don't let her go." Konohamaru confidently stated. He talked to Hinata. He knows what he's talking about.

Naruto didn't know how or why Konohamaru's words worked. But it did. All his fears went away.

"Since when did you become the Love Sage? I owe you and Hanabi." Naruto vowed.

"Ever since I met a crazy girl. And no, you owe us big time." Konohamaru added.

"Yeah." Naruto accepted.

He then went to Hinata to finally turn things around. His future with this woman awaits.

Chapter End

A/N: Part 3 in 24-48 hours. I really wanted to show a modern approach to problems (example: using cellphones to contact each other and not make too much of a big deal about it). Btw did the misunderstandings annoy you at some point? 8D I hope you guys enjoyed.