1Disclaimer: As always, Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto, etc. Borrowing for purposes of entertainment.

The Exercise

September 22 / The observed observer

092205 22:27

Day-offs were supposed to be awesome days. Ninja, of course, was his way of life, but, hey, everybody needed rest. The not-so-awesome thing about day-offs was, sometimes, everybody else was working. Take for example Iruka-sensei. The twenty-nine year old teacher was stuck in the Academy all day. In between lectures and demonstrations, he graded homework and test papers. During the recesses and breaks, he was busy breaking up fights, controlling bullies, or tutoring lagging students. Oh, Naruto knew his routine; once, the vessel of the Kyuubi volunteered to assist a class out of sheer boredom. It was interesting, actually. Naruto had enjoyed it immensely, but Iruka-sensei... Well, he wasn't exactly thrilled when Naruto begged to help with the demo on henge no jutsu this morning.

"Why don't you explore the rest of the village, Naruto?" the older man suggested. "I'm sure other parts of the community could benefit from your help."

The seventeen year-old shrugged. "Well, Old man Omi's going to be fixing the drain pipes at the women's ba—"

"On second thought," Iruka interrupted, red face distorted into a glare. "I've thought of something you can do."

"See," the blond muttered. "That's exactly what everybody thinks: I'm always up to something."

"Stop denying it!"

"Okay, okay. Geeze, sensei... It's like you've never peeped your whole life."

"W-what?" Iruka sputtered indignantly. "I don't peep!"

"Right, sensei. Hey, can I borrow Pervy-senin's new release? Kakashi-sensei has his copy and you read faster than him, anyway. But, dude, I filched it for a few minutes yesterday and page 99 was, like, whoa! Is that even possible? Can a person really put his—"

"What I have for you to do doesn't have anything to do with that!"

Well, in Naruto's honest opinion, it was exactly about that. A person didn't go slinking around to spy on women for no particular reason. And it was on Hinata, of all people.

Actually, it was out of pure chance Hinata came to be his his "subject" in Iruka's challenge. "Go out and sit in front of the school," he had instructed. "Pick out somebody from the crowd whom you know a little. Choose someone you're not really that close with and then follow that person around the whole day. You'd be surprised at what you learn. And you get to practice a few of your ninja basics."

Sure enough, there was Hinata walking past leisurely. She didn't appear to see him, preoccupied with the stories of a very young child. Curiously, Naruto did as Iruka said and followed her.

Hinata brought the child to a small house in the eastern part of the village. It was what appeared to be a group home. The child was an orphan.

Naruto felt a little odd. He had spend the first few years of his life in a place similar to that rickety wooden house. Nobody had been quite nice enough to visit him and bring him to other places, the way Hinata befriended this child. Apparently, the Hyuuga girl frequented the place as she was greeted by an enthusiastic chorus of, "Hinata-sama!" The quiet girl seemed uneasy with their use of the honorific, but she smiled and waved back at them. The little seven-year-old who was with her, a dark-haired waif with a dimpled smile, pulled her down for a hug then merrily went on his way with his house mates.

Next, Hinata went to Kiba's house. Naruto followed, of course, and saw Kiba's sister, a veterinarian, checking up various pets and familiars. Hinata was helping out there, barely speaking, as usual. Kiba wasn't there.

Then, she was at Shino's place. Naruto wasn't really sure what Hinata did at Shino's house. It involved a big wide-brimmed hat, netting that covered her face, a body suit of sorts that left no part of her skin exposed, and, of course, bees. Shino wasn't there, either. Hinata seemed very at home at that place, though. Her companions, probably Mrs Aburame and another relative, were as silent as the Gentle Fist user.

Finally, Naruto saw that she was headed home. Well, he thought she was headed home until she turned around and walked back the way she came.

Wait. She was turning around again. What was Hinata doing? Naruto thought with a frown. It seemed like she couldn't make up her mind...

Shit.

Hinata wasn't there anymore. He couldn't understand how he managed to lose a full-grown woma—what the sort of screwed up ninja was he, anyway?

Indeed, Hinata was nowhere in sight. Naruto abandoned his shadowed alley and plunged into the crowded street Hinata had been standing at a while ago. She wasn't there now. Or anywhere else he could see, for that matter. She disappeared. Iruka's challenge hadn't been completed yet. Oh, screw Iruka-sensei's challenge. Naruto was embarrassing. He wasn't even on a stake out and his target wasn't even trying to hide.

Wait.

She was going home, wasn't she? Maybe she took a shortcut to the Hyuuga mansion. Well, he knew all of those shortcuts naturally, but there wasn't one that was really nearby that she'd actually reach by just flitting off and—

"Um."

Maybe he should start tracking her footsteps, but sheesh, a gazillion people just passed through the damned side street...

"N-Naruto-kun?"

That sounded really like Hinata.

"Naruto-kun?" she repeated.

Damn it.

"H-Hinata!" he greeted brightly, as he turned around. "What can I do for you?" Did he sound like he was trying so hard to remain natural? Well, shit.

"Um, I...I h-have a question." Then her voice died away to mumbles and he didn't hear her question.

Well, Naruto wasn't really dying to know what her question was, but he did ask her all the same. "Ah, I er, what was your question, Hinata-chan? I didn't hear the last part." He was sweating profusely now. "Sorry, sorry! It's not your fault. Don't worry about it."

"I-I know that. I just hoped you don't get offended, I said."

"Oh, pssh." The blond bravely waved for her to continue. "Why would I get offended?"

"Okay." Hinata swallowed. "I just thought you needed something because I thought you were following. I was wrong, so s-sorry for the trouble." She bowed and was about to leave.

"I..." Naruto caught her arm, then grinned sheepishly. "Er, I was. Following you I mean. Sorry, I was bored and well... Iruka-sensei had this stupid idea and uh, sorry."

Hinata smiled. "I'm sorry I disappeared, Naruto-kun. I didn't realize you had a project underway."

Yes, yes, she disappeared on him. Wasn't he embarrassing? Naruto wanted to groan. "Er, what were you doing at Shino's place?" he suddenly blurted out.

Hinata blinked. "I-I was helping Shino's mother with the bees. I mean, take care of them."

"Ahaha...Sorry I asked," he said wretchedly. "That was rude."

"Uhm, Naruto-kun?" She shook her head. "W-we've been exchanging apologies through out our, uh, our conversation. I think I'm getting tired of it."

"Me, too. Yeah. Ahahaha..." He scratched his head. "So... You always do that? I mean take care of bees?"

"I suppose so. It's usually Shino's responsibility on Wednesdays, b-but he has, ah, a mission, though."

"And Kiba's sister. You help her out?"

"When I have the chance. Kiba helps her when he's around and she really appreciates extra hands around."

"Cool. You're like really useful in the community, huh? Not like me."

"I-I think you are too. Weren't you helping out at the Academy? And at the engineer's office?"

Naruto actually blushed. "Never mind that. What about the orphanage? You volunteer there?"

"Ah, that's Kurenai-sensei's charge. T-the little boy was the son of an old comrades of hers who died in action and she watches out for him. Sensei will be out of town for quite some time. H-he's a nice boy."

"I see."

There was a brief awkward silence.

"W-well then," Hinata began. "I should go, N-Naruto-kun."

"Hey, wait." Naruto scratched an arm. "I know you've been busy all day and all that, but I was wondering if you wanna go get ramen with me. I mean, if you're still bored you know... At least we can be bored together?"

He was an idiot. He made idiotic suggestions that weirded people out. Hinata stood there for a moment, chewing on a lip. Naruto winced in anticipation of her answer.

"Well, I- I am not bored right now," she said.

"Oh." For some reason, that disappointed him.

"But I am hungry."

"Cool! That's fine with me. Let's get ramen at Ichiraku's then! I, uh, unless you wanna get something else..."

"Ramen would be fine," she said with a smile.

Naruto grinned back at her. "Let's go then. I bet Ichiraku's gonna fill up soon, we better beat the crowd, huh?"

What do you know? Iruka-sensei's idea wasn't that stupid after all.

22: 36 092605

(AN: Hinata seems off. Hmm...)