Naruto paced out in front of the Hinata's house a few days later. He had bought a bouquet of flowers, which looked like it might actually be bigger than Hinata herself. Sakura and Ino had helped him. The arrangement he originally picked out was a complete disaster.
Naruto was a poor orphan. He had no idea what to get for a girl, who grew up in a place like the Hyuga household. He thought the bigger and the more colorful the better. Sakura and Ino vetoed that quickly. They picked the flowers but made it the size that he wanted it. Naruto ended up with a large collection of dripping white orchards and light pink roses.
Now he stood outside, going over in his head what he planned to say to Hinata to convince her to go on a date with him. He wished he had taken Sakura's offer to hide in a nearby bush just in case he needed help.
Finally gathering his thoughts, he wiped his sweaty hand on his pants and adjusted the collar of his nicest black jacket and rang the bell.
A tall man with white eyes answered the door. He looked down at Naruto on the stoop over his extraordinarily large nose. "Yes. Can I help you?"
"I'm Naruto Uzamaki. I've come to speak to Hinata Hyuga. Is she at home sir?" Naruto looked around the enormous bouquet of flowers in his hands. "Oh and I brought flowers."
The man sneered at the flowers. "I'll take those. Follow me."
He took the flowers from Naruto and led him into the house towards a sitting room. "Wait here."
"Hey old man! You're going to give those to Hinata, right?! I bought them for her." Naruto demanded as the man turned to leave with the flowers.
"Oh don't worry. I'll give them to her." The man looked Naruto up and down distastefully before turning on his heel to leave the room. He mumbled under his breath. "No one else wants them."
The man shut the door, leaving Naruto alone in the room. Naruto sat down on a bench attempting to position himself just right. He finally decided on legs crossed and elbow on knee under chin.
A minute later, Hinata entered the room, quickly closing the door behind her. She looked scared. "Naruto. What are you doing here?"
Naruto jumped up and started rattling off the speech he had been practicing for the last two nights. "Hinata Hyuga. I think you are a very smart and strong shinobi. You are also very pretty and nice and thoughtful and… and I want to know if you would do me the honor of accompanying me to Ichiraku's for a bowl of ramen this evening. On a date I mean."
"Wait… that did not come out the way I practiced." Naruto grumbled to himself seeming to forget that Hinata was actually standing there.
Hinata's eyes widen. "On a d-date. A real date?"
"Uh, yeah." Naruto gave a half smile, scratching the back of his head. "If you're free."
"Yes!" Hinata said happily. Then she lowered her voice and moved closer to Naruto. "Ummm… but maybe you should go now."
Then thinking that sounded a little too harsh as she watched Naruto's face fall. She quickly added, "I mean I want you to stay but the Hyuga elders…"
"Oh no! Don't worry about it." Naruto said attempting a fake laugh. "I met your doorman. If your elders are anything like that stiff, maybe I should go."
Hinata giggled. "Ko is a bit of a snob."
"That's an understatement."
