Chapter Nine
"That was… unexpected…" Karei sat on a rooftop some distance away, observing the scene as it unfolded. She'd arrived shortly after Hinata, but thought it more appropriate to let the girl handle the situation as she seemed like the better candidate.
"You're telling me." Kahame sat with her, arriving when word of the commotion at the restaurant reached his ears. He didn't know entirely what the situation was, but hadn't expected an outcome like what he'd seen. He abruptly stood, breaking Karei's focus on the two Genin as she turned towards him.
"Where're you going? The party's just started." Karei stated with a wicked smile. Kahame sighed, but couldn't stop a small grin from appearing on his lips.
"I think the two deserve their privacy. Naruto would kill you if he found out you'd been snooping on him." Kahame turned to leave, and was relieved to hear Karei get up and follow him. She tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to look back at her inquisitively.
"Don't forget – you were snooping as well." Karei carried on walking as Kahame stopped in his tracks. He inwardly cursed – he'd planned on using her snooping as a bargaining chip the next time she jokingly threatened him, but realized he'd put himself in just as much trouble as she would be in if he told on her.
Sighing with defeat he caught up with her, intent on spending as much of his remaining free time with her as he could. His guard duty didn't allow for many breaks, but the small ones he got he could think of no better way than to spend then with Karei.
Their lips parted, but their bodies didn't. They stared at each other, wearing impossibly wide smiles each with the same sense of affection deep in their eyes. Naruto held Hinata tighter, seeing her as some sort of lifeline. It was true, in a sense. She'd pretty much brought him back to reality. He didn't know where he'd be right now had she not have turned up and pulled him out of the darkness.
The rain had stopped.. They didn't know how long they'd been standing there, finding comfort in each other's touch but judging by the weather change, it must have been a fair amount of time. Naruto was the first to break the peaceful silence.
"Hinata-chan… What you said back there-" She pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him.
"I meant every single word, Naruto-kun. Every single word." Her heart fluttered at the sight of Naruto's relieved smile. It seemed, whether because of a blessing or fate, that both of their wishes had been fulfilled in that one magical moment.
Naruto had finally found someone his own age that not only cared greatly for him, but didn't think twice about his burden. He'd found his soul mate, his raison d'être. Something he'd thought he'd never have – he'd found without looking for.
As for Hinata, well – Naruto had finally acknowledged her. Not only that – but he'd actually realized his feelings for her. She'd expected it to be awkward… she'd expected to faint, or blush madly… but she wasn't. She couldn't.
It just felt... so right.
After a little longer, Naruto broke their contact reluctantly, but feeling the need to let Karei know he was alright. He noticed Hinata's smile slightly falter at the loss of their touch, so he offered her his hand which she took without a moments thought. He laughed and smiled, realizing too that he reveled in the feel of her soft and smooth skin.
They began their walk back home, both finding it hard to keep their eyes off of each other. The entire town seemed brighter, too. The sunlight was reflecting off of the puddles of rainwater scattered in the streets, and the shops which had put away their merchandise due to the weather were once again re-opening, sparing kind looks for the couple they saw.
For Naruto, his happiness only grew. Being caught up in the previous moment, he'd only noticed the glares he'd been receiving, when in reality they were far outnumbered by the caring looks of worrying residents as they saw a teen running full pelt, crying out in sorrow.
Naruto gave Hinata a sideways glance, and smirked wickedly when she looked up at him in confusion. He had an idea. Something he'd always wanted to do, but never had the chance. He'd seen it in his childhood, and wanted to join in, but for obvious reasons, never could.
"Hey… Hinata-chan…" Before she could answer, he touched her lightly on the arm and ran away. "Tag – you're it!"
Hinata stood for a moment, trying to grasp what had just happened, before she laughed and ran after him. It brought back yet another smile to her face. She'd been constantly worrying about him ever since they left the park, fearful that he'd revert back to his previous ways, when now she saw that he was the same as ever.
Adults jumped out of the way when they saw a speeding boy come running at them, but smiled when they saw Hinata running after him. It was always nice to see two teens get along so well with each other, no matter where.
It was horrible, on the other hand, to see a teen who found it so incredibly difficult to show even the slightest hint of care and affection.
When thinking of a teen who matched these criteria, a certain name came to everyone in Fushigakure's mind.
Kyosuke Chounouryoku.
But he was far back in everyone's mind when they saw the two Genin come racing past them.
Yes, it seemed that the incident regarding Naruto's burden had been forgotten in Fushigakure. Passed along as the ramblings of an idiotic drunk, the accusations thrown at Naruto weren't given a second thought. The boy had been given another shot at his temporary life at the town – and he planned to make good use of every second he had.
Karei's door opened to allow entry to a muddy Naruto and a giggling Hinata. Naruto waved his arms about in frustration, but still wore a wide grin.
"How was I supposed to know that dog was there!? It his fault I tripped… and he just had to be standing next to a puddle, didn't he?" Naruto wiped off some of the mud that was on his face, while Hinata carried on giggling.
Naruto stretched, yawned, and then his stomach rumbled. He patted it, but for more than just his hunger. He jumped slightly when Hinata rested her hand on top of his, both of theirs on his stomach.
"You don't have to worry about him anymore." They looked each other in the eyes. "I'm here for you… we all are. Remember that." She smiled, and walked towards the living room. Naruto stared after her, smiling to himself.
Whatever I did to deserve all this… He sighed happily. …Thank you.
He caught up with her, and slid the living room door open. What he saw nearly caused him to laugh.
Kahame was lying on the sofa, completely out. Karei was lying with him, in a light but still sound sleep. They were both in their ordinary clothes, Kahame's guard garments slumped in a pile in the corner. To put it bluntly – he looked exhausted.
"Those two together… I never would have guessed it." Naruto whispered to Hinata, who nodded in agreement. Deciding on letting the two have their peace, they quietly slid the door shut and went upstairs to their respective bedrooms, both intent on taking a nice, relaxing soak in the bath and reflect on everything that had just happened…
…Which was a lot, they found out. It was only then that they both fully grasped exactly what had happened between them. Prior to this they'd been caught up in the moment, acting mostly on instinct rather than rationally thinking about their decisions.
Naruto realized that he was truly surprised at himself. He tried to think of any other situation where he would've done the same, but ended up with nothing. The same situation with any other of his friends… he doubted he would've shared his secret with them. Even if he felt the guilt he thought was so real, confessing his burden would've been out of the question.
But not when Hinata's involved… He just couldn't hide his secret from those lavender eyes… They were so demanding yet so relaxing at the same time… So full of care and compassion that he actually wanted to tell her, not just tell her because he needed to.
Then there was… that moment. He couldn't help but blush at the memory. All the emotions he was being swarmed with… he didn't know what he was supposed to do. Kissing her felt right at the time but… was it?
"She didn't seem to mind… did she?" Naruto scratched his head as if the action would bare him an answer. The only thing he was certain about was that whether or not his action was wrong, it felt right, as if a piece of his very soul had been filled in that one, wonderful moment.
Hinata wasn't having any luck either. She wasn't confused, per se, but simply wondering… about a great number of things.
Did I do everything I could? Is Naruto still okay? Did he… did he mean to kiss me? Does that mean he… likes me?
All signs in her mind, were pointing to yes. After all, it was he who had leant in, not her. It was he who pressed his lips to hers… not the… other…
She could feel her face heating up, but not due to embarrassment, but due to happiness. She submerged herself underwater, letting the calmness sweep over her for a brief moment. She was excited. Excited for the future… for their future…
She sighed happily when she sat up. It felt funny classing her and Naruto as a 'them', but it also felt great. The status of their relationship wasn't set in stone just yet, but it looked like it was heading towards new heights… heights that she'd only dreamed were possible.
It was this happy moment that kept the thought of Naruto's burden out of her mind. Had she had more time to think about it, she would've been overwhelmed with sorrow. Not due to fear, though, but due to the realization of the horrible past Naruto had had to endure. Even though the thought wasn't directly in the front of her mind, she made a subconscious note to try and make up for all the lonely years he'd had. It was, after all, the least she could to after the joy he made her feel today.
Naruto's questions, however, weren't as easy to answer – the main one concerning Sakura.
Geez… this whole thing is so confusing. I mean, I really like Hinata-chan, that much I now know… but what about Sakura-chan. Do I still like her in that way? …Did I ever like her in that way…?
Comparing his current feelings and the ones he'd felt when he was around Sakura, he could clearly see the difference. With Sakura, it was really more of an acknowledgement thing rather than affection. She was the first girl he'd seen around his age, and he only really wanted her to accept him as a friend, not as a boyfriend.
…Though he really hadn't know the distinction between the two, having had no previous experience in either at the time. He guessed that once she finally acknowledged him as a friend, he carried on using the same methods he had used before to get her to carry on liking him. That was the only reason he could think of. Their relationship… it was more of a brother and sister type one. Heck, it was definitely more of a brother and sister type one. With the way she hit him, they'd be mistaken for siblings by just about any stranger!
The realization made Naruto laugh slightly. He guessed he'd just about sussed it. It was time for him to move away from a losing battle – Sasuke-bastard could have Sakura when they got him back, if not because he wanted to, then because it would be entertaining to watch. In the meantime, Naruto would be concentrating on the newest person in his life that he considered family – Hyuuga Hinata!
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After drying themselves and getting changed, Naruto and Hinata headed downstairs for a bite to eat. Naruto decided on sticking to his usual attire – seeing his new clothes as special and therefore only to be worn on special occasions. They bumped into each other in the corridor, and Naruto greeted her with a warm smile, the tiniest hint of a blush on his cheeks. Hinata did the same, but with a much more noticeable tint of red on her face. Just because their relationship felt right it didn't mean that she still got a little flustered when she saw that foxy grin of his.
She widened her eyes slightly at the use of that metaphor. Before, it has just been a simple way to liken his smile to something, but now… it was far more personal. Surprisingly, she preferred the personal touch to it. It made a connection to Naruto, making the metaphor special to their relationship.
Her smile grew again at the thought of 'their relationship'. Naruto noticed this, and in turn his smile grew as well. It seemed that Hinata wasn't the only one who found wonder in their partner's smile.
But still, being human, Naruto needed his questions answered. Slowly, and to his surprise, nervously, he asked the question he'd been both dying and dreading to ask.
"You… you didn't mind… what I did back there, 'cause, y'know, if you did that's fine I mean, I just…" He trailed off at the look of humor on the girl's face.
He's so cute when he's confused… What!? She was taken back by her thoughts. Sure, she'd noted Naruto's handsome looks, but she was now looking at him in a different light. Having felt his touch in a far more personal way… she was finding out that he was becoming more than the boy she admired and gained confidence from. He was becoming… her boyfriend…
She would've blushed. She would've stuttered and looked away. She would've probably fainted, too. After realizing such a thing, heat would've traveled throughout her body and retaining consciousness would've been an unattainable feat.
But such a realization after the events that had passed… she'd never felt more comfortable in her entire life. The sound knowledge that she was getting closer and closer to Naruto was amazing. It was as if she'd laid eyes on him for the first time all over again. The wondrous feeling of having your dreams come to life, whether those dreams were being able to gain courage that you thought you never had from someone, or realizing that that one, special person had finally acknowledged you and shared the feelings you had for them with you, were hitting her at full force.
"Of course I didn't mind, Naruto-kun. In fact, I…" she, once again, felt the heat rise to her cheeks, but to a lesser extent than the previous times, "…I enjoyed it- oh!" Her eyes widened as Naruto rushed up to her and hugged her tightly, thought she soon returned it.
Naruto let out the breath he'd been holding. "You have no idea how relieved that makes me. I've been worrying that I'd messed up again." He laughed to show that he didn't want her to take that too seriously. He broke away from her to look in her eyes. "Besides, I enjoyed it, too. You sure you've never done it before?" He smiled at the flare of red Hinata couldn't seem to keep from her cheeks.
So it's true! He… he really does like me! She nodded, even though she realized he already knew the answer. Her eyes narrowed, and a slightly wicked grin swept across her face. "It's not your first time though, is it?" She smiled at his reaction.
"Hey now, that's not fair! Sasuke-bastard doesn't count!" He smiled too, knowing that she was joking. He was only just beginning to see a whole new side to the 'shy and weird girl' he thought he once knew. Man, today is just full of surprises!
Then, he had an idea.
"Hey, how about we go to another restaurant tomorrow, y'know, to celebrate. I've still got some money left – after being with the Pervy Sage I learnt to never take all of my money out with me, ever." He smiled when she laughed and nodded.
"I'd love to, that'd be great."
"It's a date!" He missed the look of shock on Hinata's face as he rushed downstairs to get some of that ramen he so craved.
A date…? A date… with Naruto-kun? She could've believe it. She even pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. When she came out rubbing her arm, she found herself smiling uncontrollably. A date with Naruto-kun! Her dreams had not only come true – her fantasies had become reality as well! Naruto poked his head around the corner from the stairs.
"You coming?" Hinata snapped out of her daze at his words, and nodded, smiling. Naruto smiled too and walked downstairs, this time followed by Hinata, the one person who had truly made him realize that for him, loneliness was now forever absent in his life, and the love and care that he'd needed when he was younger, was being made up for by many, many people, most notably now – Hinata.
They ate their food in silence, the comfort in each other's presence more than enough to satisfy them. Naruto had managed to stop off at a store on their way back which sold ramen, and he was now sampling their merchandise. For non-Ichiraku, it wasn't half bad. Yes, it looked like he could very easily get used to life in Fushigakure. He found it amazing just how much his opinion on the town had changed in one day. Amazing, but wonderful.
"Don't offer me any then, you two." They turned to see Karei standing in the doorway, a lopsided grin on her face. Hinata offered to get her something but she refused, saying that she was only joking. She sat down and adopted a serious look. "Naruto, are you alright now?" Naruto simply nodded.
"Never better, right Hinata-chan?" He smiled at the girl's agreement, as did Karei.
"Well, well, well, what have we here?" If she could play her cards right, they wouldn't have to know that she already knew exactly what the two teen's relationship was like, and she'd get away scot-free.
"Oh right, I forgot to tell you." Naruto stood, as if he were about to announce something… which was exactly what he planned to do. He turned to look at Karei. "The Naruto you saw back at the restaurant is long gone – Hinata-chan made sure of that."
He didn't hesitate. He didn't have any doubts. He didn't even so much as take a deep breath to prepare himself. He didn't see any need to.
"I told her a great secret – one which I have kept to myself for many years. You see-" Karei held up her hand, silencing him.
"You don't need to tell me Naruto, I already know all about what happened with you and the Kyuubi." Hinata gasped in surprise. She'd thought that Karei had some sort of idea as to why Naruto acted the way he did, but she didn't think that she already knew. Naruto just stood, staring blankly at her.
"How… how come…?" Karei sighed, she knew she'd have to tell him. She motioned for him to sit down, and he did.
"Lady Tsunade told me," she, once again, held up her hand to keep Naruto from talking, "She had to. The information was included in the file she sent me containing information about you."
Naruto's gaze held no emotion. He didn't feel the need to become angry, or sad. Hinata had showed him that people who saw him differently because of his burden were not important. Karei hadn't acted negatively towards him, and therefore warranted his acceptance. After all – she'd given it to him before she even met him.
"I want you to know now, Naruto, that your secret doesn't and will never make me think any different of you. In fact, as far as I see it, I think it's heroic what you've done for your village." She smiled at his blush. It seems that he was still new to receiving compliments. "The file also stated that your dream was to become Hokage."
"It's wrong – it's my future, not my dream. I will be Hokage – believe it!" Karei laughed and Hinata smiled as his determination. Naruto was the same as ever.
"I don't doubt that. With your sacrifice and all you definitely deserve to be Hokage." Naruto, once again, blushed at the compliment and rubbed the back of his head. "Your abilities as a ninja, however, are still unknown to me." Naruto stood up, already aware of where she was going with this.
"The back yard?" he asked, as if reading Karei's mind.
"You bet." Karei stood up with him. Hinata followed suit, already on the same wavelength as the other two. Karei slapped him on the back. "Show me what you can do, kid!"
As a ninja, Karei did not excel in tai-jutsu. She wasn't bad, but to class her as above average would be very generous.
No, her skill lied in her knowledge of jutsu's, or more precisely, her knowledge of the nature of chakra and jutsu's.
During her youth, she'd been fascinated by the nature of chakra, the way it acted in different situations, the way it differed due to the way it rotated, the way it dissipated after being used up. She read countless books explaining these ideas in detail, and in turn knew more about the subject then most.
For example, if one was to ask her what jutsu would be the most effective at countering a simple Fire Style jutsu, she could give one of many answers. If the jutsu relied on sheer size rather than power, she would suggest a Water Style jutsu with a large area of effect. If, however, the jutsu was backed up by large amounts of chakra, greater attention to power would be needed when using a Water Style jutsu. While these answers may've seemed simple, she was only scraping the surface of her knowledge.
If one was to ask her to give a detailed answer to the previous question, she would dive into the nature of chakra. If the chakra rotation was clockwise, then a jutsu of an anticlockwise nature would be the most effective at countering it. Of course, one would have to know the nature of every single jutsu to effectively counter it, and that was impossible. With new ones being invented daily, it would take some sort of Kekkei Genkai to detect the nature of chakra used in performing a jutsu.
She found it amazing, then, when Naruto showed her just how many shadow clones he could create, and the sheer quality they held.
"There… there has to be 100… no, 150 clones." She turned to Naruto, desperately trying to keep her jaw from hitting the floor. "How on earth can you create so many!?" Naruto laughed and rubbed the back of his head.
"This is nothing. I've created around 400 before." He looked up eagerly. "Want me to show you!?" It went without saying that he was disappointed when Karei waved her hands in refusal.
"No, no, no, that's alright. I believe you." Karei's yard was big by all means, but being able to accommodate 400 Naruto's? It was out of the question.
She'd asked Naruto to showcase his most preferred ninjutsu to her to begin with, allowing her to assess what style of ninja he was, what role would best suit him in battle and what she could help him improve and work on. She also wanted to know what the kid was capable of. She really didn't have any idea other than the file she received from Tsunade.
The Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, being a Jounin-level forbidden technique, piqued her interests early on. For a Genin to be able to create even one shadow clone was a worthy feat, but creating quality replications, and four-hundred at that, without fainting or even looking phased by chakra exhaustion… Well, Karei didn't know how it was possible.
It was just as well that she was already formidably surprised at the kid, as the jutsu he showed her next would've caused her to faint in disbelief had she not have already been prepared.
Dismissing all but one of his shadow clones, Naruto held out his arm and began focusing chakra into the upright palm of his right hand. As the blue energy began to become visible, the shadow clone began moving his hands around it, shaping it into a perfect sphere of swirling blue energy. Karei couldn't stop herself, and her mouth fell wide open at the display she was seeing.
Naruto held the Rasengan in the air for a few moments, before letting it slowly dissipate until the last blue strand of chakra seemingly disappeared into thin air. He 'high-fived' the clone before dismissing it and turning his attention back to Karei. When he saw her expression he laughed, embarrassed.
"Kid… where on earth did you learn how to do that jutsu?" Karei blinked a few times to make sure she was still in the land of the living. When the blonde-haired teen remained in her vision, she concluded that what she had seen was real – very real indeed.
"What, the Rasengan?" Naruto waved his arm like it was old news. "Pervy Sage taught me it ages ago. He said I'd take years to get it down, but I mastered it in a few months." He wiped his nose triumphantly at the look of awe on Karei's face.
She was beginning to see the loud and obnoxious boy in a new light. Anyone who managed to learn a ninjutsu as complicated as the Rasengan in a matter of months was worthy of praise… but for a Genin? Impossible, would've been the first word to come to Karei's mind, but here was Naruto – a living contradiction to her beliefs.
Another reason was due to the fact that Naruto had simply shrugged the compliment off, talking about his achievement as if it were nothing. That good-for-nothing Jiraiya had constantly shown it off to her, singing praises about how his student had created such an awesome technique, or how 'this old man can still learn new tricks!'
But Naruto… after spending three years with that Pervy Sage… still retained some amount of modesty. She smiled. She'd thought the kid to be a lost cause when it came to social skills, but as it turned out there were some basic necessities that he'd managed to grasp in his sixteen years of life.
Well, almost sixteen. If she remembered correctly, his birthday was just about a week away… the tenth of October… That seemed about right.
This brought another thought to her mind: why hadn't he been publicly proclaiming this fact every waking moment since he arrived? She hadn't known the boy personally for very long at all, but with mannerisms such as his, first impressions were usually right about Uzumaki Naruto. She'd expected him to be going on about it, talking about the massive party he'd want at turning sixteen, all the presents he'd want, the type of cake he'd like… all the normal things a teen of his type would be expected to do.
She'd ask him about it later. There were more important things at hand, and thinking about satisfying the partying needs for Uzumaki Naruto weren't the ideal things Karei had wanted to contemplate.
"Okay… I think it's safe to say that you're a powerhouse, with a hell of a lot of chakra and stamina." Naruto nodded at Karei's words, having heard them all before. "As for your taijutsu-" She was cut off by Naruto's protests.
"Enough about me – you haven't seen what Hinata-chan can do yet!" He looked over at the startled girl, and gave her a confident smile. "Show her what you can do!"
Karei smiled at the way Hinata seemed to absorb confidence from her blonde partner. Before she'd been content with simply watching Naruto showcase his abilities, but as soon as Naruto showed the slightest bit of belief towards her, Hinata's self-confidence increased tenfold, displaying, yet again, why these two ninja were simply perfect for each other.
It was a heart-warming scene to watch – the way Naruto would shout encouragements at Hinata, and the way her resolve visibly hardened in response. If those two really do get together… there wouldn't be a team alive that could stop them. Karei made a mental note to make it her duty to try and get the two to fully realize their feeling towards each other. Granted, they'd begun to do that themselves, but it would still take a little coaxing before one of them uttered those three life-changing words to the other.
She grinned evilly at all the possibilities this would grant her. Oh, how she'd love to get them into awkward situations with each other, or purposefully get them to be alone. Toying with affections wasn't something she often took it upon herself to do, but it was so obvious that the more she could to do bring this couple closer, the better off they'd be. Whether it was women's intuition, or just plain eyesight that allowed her to see this, she was surprised that nobody had shared her ideas back at Konoha. Heck, she would've counted on Tsunade to have taken some action, knowing what type of person she was. Tsunade may have had a tough exterior, but she was as soft as pudding on the inside.
Forcefully, and reluctantly, shaking the thoughts from her head, she turned her focus towards the slowly preparing girl in front of her. By the way the way getting into a stance, Karei assumed that showcasing her abilities had become a regular part of the young ninja's life.
Due to Hinata's late entry to the mission, Karei hadn't had much time to look over her profile, having received it only a few hours before the two arrived. From what she briefly looked over, she summarized that Hinata was a member of an honorable noble family, and a powerful one at that. She found it disturbing that her name had been removed from the list of successors of the clan, and be replaced with her younger sister, whom the file told her was called Hanabi.
Karei's first impressions of the girl were mostly correct – as they were with Naruto. They didn't, however, match up with what she'd come to expect from an important member of one of Konoha's most prestigious clans. She had discipline and manners, but Hinata seemed far too soft to belong to a strict family.
Take the Chounouryoku family, for instance. They had a history in Fushigakure of producing the strictest, most unattached ninja in their clan, and being of high nobility, had been what Karei assumed the Hyuuga clan would be like as well.
But seeing Hinata act the way she did… it just didn't seem to add up.
She was quiet. She was caring. She was kind, gentle and patient. She wasn't demanding, nor was she prideful. In fact, Karei would go so far as to say that she was almost ideal.
Well, in all but the confidence department. She needed a lot of work there… except when Naruto was around…
Realizing that she'd gone off track again, she focused once again on the ninja who was about to perform.
"Byakugan!" Hinata's Kekkei Genkai took effect, and she started the most simple of Jyuuken forms.
She swept her leg across the floor, and placed a flat palm into an imaginary enemy's lung. She then pivoted on her heel, weaved under an invisible punch, and struck its owner in the chest with both of her palms.
She moved with grace. She moved with style. She moved with everything her father had taught her in the front of her mind. Performing in front of an expecting audience, she would not fail to deliver.
She visualized the image of an attacker, successfully parrying their nonexistent blows and following through with hers, seemingly gliding along the ground as she went.
She found it so much easier without the pressure of knowing that she was one slip-up away from punishment. She had a clear mind and could therefore focus on the task at hand.
Naruto stared, awe-struck at the display he was witnessing. Never before had he seen another human being move with such grace, such finesse. Never had he seen the art of fighting be performed in such a manner.
Is that… the Jyuuken? He racked his memories for the few times he'd seen it in action. It sure as hell didn't look this smooth when I was fighting Neji. It's almost like a dance…
If it wasn't for the knowledge that Hinata was a ninja, then the two onlookers would've thought that dancing was what the girl had been doing all along. Her body was never still, her legs never fully stretched nor fully bent. She was always in motion, always ready to deliver that decisive blow to her imaginary opponent, always ready to slip in and out of her make-believe assailant's reach, effectively deceiving them.
She finished the final section of her routine flawlessly, and breathed a sigh of relief and minor fatigue. She hadn't messed up a single time – which was more than she could say to her previous attempts. Somehow, in the company of what she was quickly regarding as her second family, the Jyuuken seemed less like a duty, or a responsibility to perform.
No, it was something far different. Not only had she pulled it off immaculately, but she had actually enjoyed it – something she thought to be impossible.
Full of pride, she expectantly turned to her audience, her eyes taking in their looks of astonishment. Her powerful stance reverted back into that of a timid fifteen-year-old, now waiting anxiously for the reply of her onlookers.
Karei, seeing the girl's doubts, broke the silence.
"I didn't think it was possible, but you made fighting look beautiful, Hinata." She grinned at the red tinge that appeared on her face in response to the compliment. "Seriously, for a while I thought you were on ice, you were moving that smoothly. I don't know what flaws you think you might have, but they certainly weren't evident in that display."
"Thank you, Karei." Hinata replied, forcefully biting off the '-sama'. The two women both turned to look at a gaping Naruto, who hadn't moved since the start of Hinata's performance.
Karei nudged Naruto on the shoulder, in hope of tearing him from his trace. Her efforts were to no avail.
"Hey – earth to Naruto - you there?" At asking verbally, she received a slow nod from the boy, the look of awe still visible on his face. Karei gasped in mock-horror, holding a hand over her mouth.
She received the desired response, as Hinata quickly gave her a 'what's wrong?' look. She smiled.
"I think your performance has hypnotized poor Naruto here." She silently laughed at the sudden increase of red she noted on the girl's cheeks. Bending down so that her mouth was only inches away from Naruto's ear, she whispered something to him, inaudible to Hinata.
In response, Naruto's back stiffened, he too turning slightly red. He rubbed his mouth with his sleeve, before looking up at Hinata, seemingly back in the real world. He stared at her for a moment, before breaking out into his trademark grin.
"That was awesome, Hinata-chan!" He rubbed the back of his head in an attempt to find out how to express what he thought of her performance in words. "I guess it's true when they say that the beautiful ones are the most deadly…" he mused, though a little more 'out loud' than he had anticipated.
Instantly, both teens' faces shot up in a rush of red. They stared at each other for the briefest of moments before Naruto tried to save himself.
"Uh, what I meant to – err say was that umm, you… the… uh…" he gave an embarrassed glance towards Karei, "help me out here!" He didn't receive any backup from the woman next to him, tears of laughter already streaming down her face.
I won't have to create the awkward situations at this rate – they'll do it for me!
Fortunately for Naruto, another source of help was on the way.
"Hey guys. What's going on here?" The two teens turned to see a grinning Kahame standing in the doorway to the yard. Karei was a little slower to react on account of her hysteria, but she eventually sobered up and greeted the man with a smile.
"I see you're finally up, lazy bones." Karei loved to tease Kahame about his fatigue. He really wasn't built for his job, but there was little that he could do about it. He would've trained, but he spent all of his free time with Karei.
He wasn't unfit, oh no. He was fairly muscular, well built, but not for stamina, which was what his duty often required of him. With patrolling rooftops all day, he had to push himself non-stop, often resulting in him taking longer breaks than he was allowed, and in turn working double time to make up for the time he spent on his breaks, and as a result of this he became increasingly tired, causing him to take even longer breaks, which in turn made him have to work even harder…
The average day for Kahame was certainly not one to be envious of. But he wouldn't trade it for the world – not when it allowed him to be with Karei for at least a little while.
He yawned, tears of his ever-present fatigue clear in his eyes. He nodded at Karei's ridicule, trying to limit the amount of energy he had to use by talking.
Naruto, seeing the golden opportunity to change the subject, decided on turning the focus of the three of them to Kahame.
"Hey, Kahame! Long time no see!" His plan worked, and the awkward moment between the two Genin had seemingly been forgotten.
"It's only been a day, Naruto, but it's good to see you." Kahame proceeded to look over at the girl. "And you too, Hinata." He received acknowledgement in the form of a smile from the young kunoichi.
Whilst the three shared their 'one-day reunions', an idea came to Karei's mind. The perfect for Kahame to become fully acquainted with the two teens, and vice-versa.
"Say, today's Saturday, so you're off duty tomorrow, right Kahame?" Karei received a nod in reply. She clapped her hands together in knowledge that her idea could come to fruition. "Alright then - how about us four have lunch together tomorrow, at a different restaurant." She shot a joking, yet caring smile at Naruto.
"Sounds good to me." replied Kahame, eager to get to know the two teens. From what he'd heard, they were quite the interesting pair. He turned to them. "How about you two?" Naruto and Hinata looked at each other, before Naruto shook his head.
"Sorry, but we're gonna have to pass you up on that offer." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly in response to the inquisitive looks he received. He scratched his nose, the slightest hint of a blush creeping its way onto his cheeks. "Hinata-chan and I kind of already have plans." He shivered slightly at the grin, of which he could only describe as wicked, that appeared on Karei's face.
"Plans? What type of plans?" She narrowed her eyes at the blush that appeared on Hinata's face. "My, this wouldn't happen to be a date now, would it?" Her smile grew at the lack of a response, the silence holding all the answers she needed.
Kahame sighed. Poor kids… They never even stood a chance… He paused for a second. He had known Karei for years, so he knew her mannerisms like the back of his hand. For some reason, she didn't seem to have that glint of 'evil' in her eye. Could it be that she actually wants to help these two? He smiled, already knowing the answer. You're too good for this world, Karei. I do hope you know that.
"Aww, your first date!" She pinched Naruto's cheek, getting the desired result of causing annoyance for the boy. She turned and winked at Hinata, causing the teen's blush to turn several shades darker.
Kahame laughed, sensing the teens' distress. "Okay, Karei," he said between chuckles, "I think they've suffered enough." Karei spun around to face him, trying to put on her best 'puppy-dog eyes' act, but failing miserably due to the grin on her face. With a sigh of reluctance, she agreed.
It's said that once two minds become fully accustom to each other, the owners can transmit thoughts and ideas simply through eye-contact. For Karei and Kahame, this was the case. They caught each other's gaze, passing on the same idea to each other: Advice.
"Naruto, you go on ahead with Kahame, get cleaned up. I'll stay out here with Hinata a while longer." Karei preferred to keep the boys together, while she took the girl. There's just some advice that's meant to be kept secret between genders – especially in the advice they were preparing on giving the two teens.
Seeing no reason to deny her request, though getting the feeling that something fishy was occurring, Naruto agreed and walked over to Kahame, bidding the two women farewell.
When they boys were safely inside, Karei turned to Hinata, a grin on her face. Without warning, she began applauding the quiet girl.
"I don't know what you did to the boy, but damn does he like you." Hinata flushed madly at Karei's statement.
"You… you think so?" She looked up when Karei snorted.
"Hinata, didn't you see the way he was gawking at you?" Hinata didn't reply, a lack of speech preventing it. "He couldn't take his eyes off you!"
Hinata continued to stare at her feet, unable to think of a suitable reply. In all honesty, she'd thought that it'd been her that was staring at him, not the other way round. But if what Karei had said was true, then…
Karei's wicked grin grew when realization dawned on the shy girl's face. Oh Hinata, I'm truly sorry, but you're just so fun to tease it's hard not to. Her mind's forte being in the art of teasing, she had yet another 'great' idea.
"So, how'd you get him this into you?" Karei laughed in her mind as the girl pressed her two index fingers together to try and force down the embarrassment that was overwhelming her. This motion, however, opened up yet another gateway to teasing for Karei. Putting on her best look of confusion, she tilted her head and looked at Hinata's hands. "I'm not sure what that gesture symbolizes. An idea does come to mind though…" She got her desired result when Hinata's head shot up in a mixture of shock and worry.
Really, Karei didn't have any idea as to what the motion could 'symbolize', but Hinata didn't have to know that, did she?
Naruto emerged from his bathroom, his face clean of dirt and sweat, his skin refreshed. Kahame had made some tea and was quietly sipping it, waiting for the blonde Genin to make his way downstairs.
If it had been any other situation, Kahame would've found the fact that he was feeling nervous pretty funny. However, due to these nerves, worry drowned out the shining aura of amusement.
I hardly know this kid at all, yet I'm supposed to educate him on a subject such as this!? Images of Naruto throwing a hissy fit and breaking several things at the thought of having someone intrude on his personal life came to mind, as did several others, some involving colorful language, one even involving bloodshed at the hands of an over-sized mace Naruto had managed to pull out of nowhere. Kahame forced his one back down to the hell that spawned it.
He sighed. He'd do it for Karei. She deserved his support. However strong she was, one person can never match the terror of adolescent ignorance in a matter such as this. Even the most intelligent ones can be clueless without help from the experienced.
Karei wasn't feeling any of these nerves. No, feelings such as excitement and anticipation were prominent instead. She cleared her throat, getting the shy girl's attention.
Naruto slid the door open, letting out a breath of relief. He fell back onto the couch next to Kahame, taking one of the cups of tea and gulping it down in one go. He turned to the fidgeting man next to him.
"So…" Kahame turned to look at the boy who had just spoken. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Well, in light of the news I just recently received from your newly appointed boyfriend," Karei said, after receiving the same question from the now blushing girl in front of her, "Kahame and I decided on giving you some advice."
"Advice on what?" Naruto asked bluntly, having been told a similar thing from the man next to him.
"W-well, you see…" Kahame paused, thinking of the best way to word his next sentence. "…The first one is always the hardest." He inwardly cursed at his appalling choice of words.
Naruto stared blankly at him, letting out an intelligent "Eh?". Kahame sighed. I'm no good at these kind of things. I hope Karei's faring better than I am…
That she was.
"We want to help you two. I know how much you adore the kid, Hinata." Karei was mildly surprised when Hinata nodded, instead of doing what she expected and averting her gaze to anywhere but Karei. "And, well, we've decided…"
"…on giving you two some…" Kahame prepared himself for the rollercoaster of events that would follow his next two words.
Karei let a grin settle on her face. Oh, the things that would follow her next sentence would the best she'd had in a while. Oh boy, here it comes! Get ready, Hinata, 'cause that blonde idiot's gonna be fawning over you when I'm done with you!
Well… if I die here today… I think I've led a good life… What am I saying!? I really don't want to do this… Kahame opened his mouth, letting the words painfully rise up in his throat.
Karei made a gap between her grinning lips, letting the sweet, juicy words slide out of her mouth and into the air, heading towards the awaiting girl's ears.
"…Dating advice!" Karei yelled, her words full of enthusiasm.
"…D-dating advice…" Kahame mumbled, dreading the effect his statement would have on his wellbeing.
For a brief moment, silence ruled supreme. Nothing was said… nothing moved… It was as if time had stood still…
…Then the 'fun' began…
A/N: It's been a while, but here's chapter 9 of Fushigakure! Thanks for reading!
This chapter was kind of hard to write... getting the personalities of the characters to be correct in this type of situation wasn't an easy feat, but I think I did okay... I hope I did okay o_O
As always, please review - I live off of them. Well... the ones I've gotten so far ^_^
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