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CHAPTER 10

"I'm coming sweety…" said a womanly voice and that made Hinata wake up with a start. She looked around the visible vicinity and realized that she was in Naruto's bedroom. She quickly looked to her side and sighed in relief. Leaving in Naruto's apartment was in no means easy. They were always around each other and on so many occasions she had feinted in his presence which was very embarrassing for her but to be fair a few of those times Naruto wasn't even wearing a shirt and sometimes she'd involuntarily caught him when he'd come out of the shower, prompting a nose bleed, and she only just moved in 2 days ago! It had always been her dream to live with her crush but this was getting out of hand. She had to get a grip on herself before Naruto found her undesirable, if he hadn't already. Then there was the issue of their sleeping arrangements, When they arrived here 2 days ago Naruto immediately offered to share the bed with her, prompting further teasing from Tsunade and a punch from Sakura for his "perverted idea", she felt so disappointed but she was happy she wouldn't have to wake up every day and embarrass herself further in front of him. She also forgot about Sakura altogether, she didn't miss her disapproving of the whole situation and didn't Naruto have a crush on the pink haired girl? So many things to think about but the one that was glaringly obvious even to her was the fact that she hadn't even made an effort to actually ask out Naruto or tell him about her crush on him, it wasn't because of Sakura but she was just too damn shy to ask him out of fear of rejection. The more she thought about her inability to ask out her long time crush the more she felt like an idiot, she could just ask him on it and if he doesn't feel the same way then she would know and possibly move on but to who? No one has ever made her feel this way, no one! How could she possibly move on when he was her entire world, her universe. It would shatter her if he suddenly started dating another girl. She wanted to slap herself. She had the best opportunity that none of Naruto's admires could ever have, she was living with him for crying out loud and all she can do is nothing? No, that will not stand this time! This was fates way of telling her that it was time. This was her best chance and Hinata had to swallow the lump in her throat and make her way to the dining room of the apartment. She had to admire this place, it looked way better than his original apartment. She spotted Naruto sitting up on the coach while rubbing his eyes, looks like he just woke up. She mastered up as much courage as possible.

"Good morning Naruto-kun," Hinata greeted and silently cheered herself, she didn't stutter once!

"Huh? Oh hey Hinata-chan," Naruto greeted back once he was aware of his surroundings.

"Naruto-kun we need to talk," Hinata said seriously. It was now or never.

"Sure what's up?" Naruto asked sensing her serious tone.

"It's about us," She stated.

"What about us Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked confusedly.

"Naruto-kun I'm-I'm…." Hinata cursed herself, why couldn't she just tell him already!?

"Yes Hinata-chan," Naruto prompted, he wanted to know what was bothering her.

"I-I l-l-love…" She couldn't finish before everything went black.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto shouted as he caught Hinata before she fainted, she'd been doing that a lot lately.

Naruto didn't understand girls much, well a lot according to Sakura. Hinata was always so confusing but these two days she was downright weird. She interacted with him as little as possible and she would pass out whenever he was around and he had to wonder if his very presence was a curse or something. He didn't know why but sometimes when Hinata wasn't looking his way he would look at her and stare to the point where he had to be reminded by a laughing Kyuubi that he was staring too long. He hadn't forgotten Kurama and what she did, the seal she made was something impossible and he wasn't dumb enough to think that was just dumb luck on her side. He asked her why she couldn't just make a seal that would free her from the mindscape and she told him the seal that imprisons her is designed to absorb any counter measures taken on it so it didn't matter what counter seal or justu she made because the seal would just swallow it up, Minato really thought things through there. Naruto apologized for her predicament but she just told him it didn't matter and he made her stay in the mindscape enjoyable, he felt so touched by her words that he ended up squeezing the life out of her. He shook his head and then took Hinata to his bedroom and put her on the bed. He admired her cute face for a little while and then made his way back to the living room. He stayed seated for a little while and was about to do his morning routines but was stopped by some knocking on the door. He made his way and opened it to see Sakura on the other side.

"Hey Naruto," Sakura greeted.

"Hey Sakura-chan what's up?" Naruto asked.

"Actually Tsunade-sama needs to see us right now," Sakura said in a serious tone.

"But I'm still wearing my clothes from yesterday," Naruto whined.

"No buts Naruto come on," Sakura said.

Naruto looked at his bedroom door nervously then back to Sakura.

"Okay gimme a minute," Naruto said as he summoned his shadow clone.

"Naruto! You still using that stupid perverted justu!?" Sakura asked as she advanced on him.

"No Sakura-chan! She's wearing clothes this t-" he was cut off with a punch on the face sending him to the ground.

"And you!" Sakura shouted as she punched the clone in the gut, expecting it to pop but was surprised when the female clone doubled over looking like she was in pain.

"Arg! What's your problem you frikin banshee!?" Shouted Naruko as she stood up and looked at Sakura murderously.

"Wha?" Sakura asked dumbly, that stupid clone was supposed to pop!

"Tch so you like picking on people that won't fight back huh? Well you'll find I'm not a pushover," Naruko said dangerously as she stared daggers in Sakura's direction and took an offensive fighting stance.

Sakura had to wonder if she was dreaming. A clone that didn't pop when it got hit? That was impossible but to be fair anything involving Naruto was impossible. She didn't know what to say, this was definitely a way to start up a morning right?

"How is this even possible!?" Sakura shrieked.

"Naruko-chan leave Sakura-chan alone," Naruto said as he got up from the ground.

"Frikin howler monkey," Naruko muttered as she made her way into the apartment.

"Naruto-you-her-what!?" Sakura questioned waving her arms animatedly.

"Naruko-chan please look after Hinata-chan. Let's go see Baa-chan Sakaura-chan," Naruto said as he led Sakura away from his apartment.

"But…She's real!?" Sakura shouted confused by this, this was so weird.

Naruko made her way to the bedroom and saw Hinata sleeping soundly. She wasn't as oblivious as her creator and after skimming through Naruto's memory she immediately felt sorry for Hinata, she was a very nice person but her shyness was her biggest problem. If the Hyuuga girl wanted to be with Naruto then she would have to do better then what she'd been doing already, it was absolutely embarrassing to say the least. Naruko nudged Hinata softly and watched as the former Hyuuga princess opened her eyes and then looked at her.

"Hey Hinata," Naruko greeted with a smile.

Hinata just stared at the girl. She knew this was Naruto's oiroke no jutsu but why on earth would Naruto turn into his female form and wasn't he usually close to being naked in this form? Even the way Naruto was staring at her was different.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked unsure.

"Well you're not entirely wrong," Naruko said.

"What do you mean," Hinata asked confused.

"I'm not Naruto but I am his shadow clone Naruko," Naruko said.

"Why are you a girl?" Hinata asked still confused.

"Because I want to be," Naruko said playfully.

Hinata was too confused to think too much on this that she just kept quiet.

"Naruto went to Baa-chan for something important and he left me in charge of your wellbeing," Naruko said after a pause.

"Oh," was all Hinata said as she looked down and stayed silent.

Naruko rolled her eyes. What was wrong with this girl?

"Seriously Hinata you'll never be able to tell Naruto how you feel if you keep acting this way," Naruko said with a frown,"

Hinata's heart stopped. Did Naruko really know what was going on with her? She couldn't! She was Naruto's shadow clone so shouldn't that mean she inhibited Naruto's character traits? Even if she was a shadow clone she should act exactly like the original Naruto right? She had to make sure.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

"I mean your little crush on him that's what," Naruko said impatiently.

"How-" Hinata was cut off before she could ask with a hand.

"Look Hinata Naruto isn't getting any younger and you not helping yourself with dodging every single opportunity you get to confess. What if someone else takes him huh? What then? You'll have no one to blame but yourself and you'll end up living with regret," Naruko said to Hinata seriously.

Hinata listened carefully to what Naruko said. She had to admit Naruko was nothing like Naruto, they were complete opposites.

"I don't know how to do it without fainting," Hinata said sadly, she tried this morning and even that backfired in her face.

"Don't push yourself too much and just start things slow. You need to get to a point where it will be comfortable to tell him how you feel without passing out and it's pretty obvious that you in particular can't just rush in and tell him how you feel but there's another way," Naruko said with a grin.

"There is?" Hinata asked with hope.

"The Spring festival is happening in a month and that will be the perfect place for you to tell him your feelings but you have to start with asking him out first and I know it's gonna be hard but you have to keep in mind that you're not confessing your love for him yet but just asking him out. Don't worry about any competition for now since Naruto isn't exactly interested in anyone, however even he can't stay single forever," Naruko said.

"Will you tell him about my feelings?" Hinata asked scared.

"No Hinata. You're the one who loves him," Naruko said and for the first time Naruko got a good response from Hinata as she smiled at her.

Naruto was with Sakura and Kakashi in Tsunade's office, the lady herself hadn't arrived yet much to the annoyance of the blonde teen. He hoped Naruko wasn't doing anything stupid right now, like he was the one to talk. Tsunade walked into the office and she wasn't alone, with her was one Temari.

"We are all here as you requested Tsunade-sama," Kakashi said.

"Good. I'm sure you've all become well acquainted with the ambassador of Suna,"Tsunade asked indicating to Temari.

"Yep you bet! Hey Temari-chan," Naruto said as he flashed her a grin.

"Hey Naruto-kun. Why haven't you been visiting us lately huh?" Temari put her hands on her hips and glared playfully at him.

"Hahahaha I guess I kinda forgot," Naruto said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Well obviously. You were always the idiot," Temari teased.

"So why are we here Tsunade-sama?" Sakura asked.

"I'll let Temari explain the situation," Tsunade said and motioned for Temari to begin.

"Well we've got a bit of a problem in Suna," Temari said.

"Well whatever it is it couldn't be worse than Akastuki right?" Naruto asked and received a serious look from Temari.

"We not sure yet but we haven't ruled out that possibility," Temari said seriously and received serious looks from everyone except for Tsunade.

"That's why I called you here. You are to assist the Sand village in finding out what exactly is the problem there," Tsunade said.

"But what makes you think there's even a problem?" Sakura asked.

"Because some of our shinobi were attacked by an unknown assailant and this has been happening for a few weeks and lately as well. Trust me if we could deal with this alone then I wouldn't be here in Konoha," Temari said.

Not far from Sunagakure was a building that seemed to be made completely out of sand. In the building were dark surroundings, some sunlight penetrated through the building windows but not enough to lighten the dark area. Deeper inside the building stood a silhouette figure that resembled a female with long hair and wearing a cloak. Her eyes were glowing with a feint purple hue. Her demeanor seemed to scream power.

"I'm coming sweety. I'm coming for the both of you," the silhouette said from the darkness of the building.

AN: Sorry it took long for the update but I'm getting occupied and I might not be on for a while too. Please read and review and I'm sorry for the short chapters but I can't help it.