9. If You're Were Waiting For Your Girl, She Was It


Naruto stared at the swirling noodles in his ramen, twirling the oils spots around glumly. Usually something like this excited him and made him want to eat until his belly burst, but today, for some reason, he just wasn't interested.

Imagine the surprised look on the old man's face when he found the fee on the desk with an unfinished bowl of ramen.

The bright sunshine outside matched Naruto's look, but certainly not how he felt inside. Inside, he felt like thunderstorms, cumumlonimbus clouds and lightening striking down helpless trees. His fist clenched as his watery blue eyes held back tears.

Couples walked past him, talking laughing, holding hands and probably headed to the beach.

He sat down on a bench and his shoulders sagged. Those couples with their happy smiles and relaxed minds—they seemed to be mocking him. Inside, he knew that he deserved it. How could he have just let that chance go by?


"I-I really l-like you, N-naruto-kun," Hinata whispered in a quiet voice as she looked down while her face turned red.

"I-I've l-liked you f-for a r-really long t-time, and y-you're m-my h-hero Naruto-k-kun…"

He smiled and scratched the back of his head, "Gosh. Sorry, Hinata. I just can't return your feelings, but thanks! You're a great friend, though. Catch ya later!"

He patted her on the head, ruffled up her black hair and left down the grassy hill.

Just like that.

Behind him, he knew that she would run off with tears on her face—but she would get over it. Everyone did, and then she would realize that it wasn't him that she really liked. She would find someone else and live happily ever after. This just left him free to look for Sakura, his one true love after all.

An old man standing by the tree looked up from his newspaper and croaked, "If you were waiting for your girl, she was it, you know."

"Sorry, old man," Naruto didn't even break his stride, "You're a bit old to be saying that to me."

"Fine, take it as you like," the man yawned and flipped a page in the newpaper, "It's your doom."

Crazy old man, he thought as he walked down the sunlit roads of Konoha. Why would I need guidance on love? His heard jumped excitedly just thinking of seeing Sakura again—he'd been so busy with helping Tsunade baa-chan that he hadn't seen her for two weeks.

His turned his head when he heard a giggle coming from the park a few steps away. It was following with a few loud sighs and moans followed with more giggles. He walked toward the sound curiously when he suddenly heard, "K-kakashi-sensei! Don't…that..tickles..!"

"Hmmm…", a lower voice commented, "You taste too good, my little blossom…"

Naruto stopped in his tracks. Oh god, he realized, it's Sakura and Kakashi-sensei! What in the world are they doing behind the bushes?! His mind filled with X-rated images from the toad hermit's Paradise series. When all the talking was replaced with elicit moans and sharp intakes of breath, Naruto felt his heart drop.

Obviously he had lost Sakura as well.

Out of the nowhere the old man patted him on the shoulder and ruffled his golden hair, "She's wasn't your match, anyway. That other one? Perfect. But no, you didn't want her."

He cocked his head up for a second, and then continued, "And now you're left all alone. Some Sasuke, I believe(?), person took that other one too. Sorry, boy. Missed the chance. Now you'll end up like me, old and shrewd."

Then he hobbled away.

Just like that.


"Naruto? Naruto?", he snapped out of his daze while someone shaked him repeatedly. Ino stared down at him through her clear turquoise eyes.

"C'mon, you're going to be late for Sasuke and Hinata's wedding! Be at your place and ready in half and hour; Shika-kun and I are going with you!", Ino blew Naruto a kiss and left.

Yeah, Naruto thought, I'm going to end up just like him.

Old. Shrewd. And unloved.


Author's Note: Two updates in one day. Well, that shows the miraculous powers of vacations. I suppose that this is a very different kind of SasuHina. It's STILL SasuHina though--just a different side of it. Besides, sad Narutos are funny. Rejected and old Narutos are funnier. Review!

moonlight haku