Author's Note: And here it is folks. The big Chapter 10. Over 11,000 hits, over 100,000 words, over 60 favorite story lists, over 60 alerts, and almost 50 reviews! It's truly humbling to know how many people are enjoying this, and I have to thank all of you for offering your praise and attention to my humble little story. I can only offer my sincere thanks, and my promise that I won't abandon the story! You deserve a damn good one for those who have stuck with me since the beginning. Expect much, much more in the future, and I hope you enjoy it as much as you have the other chapters!
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A Night of Men and Women (But Not Together!)
"Sakura-san, why exactly do we have to wear these?" Sai asked his teammate. (.com/watch?v=6udCV_bOk8Y)
"Because if Naruto were to see us, he would want to know where we're going. We have to avoid that at all costs," she replied.
What Sakura was referring to were the outrageous disguises the two were wearing as they made their way through the streets of the village. Even though no one recognized them through all the wigs and fake mustaches, they were still getting looks from several people for just how outlandish they looked.
"But then…why didn't we pick something more covert?" Sai continued to question, fiddling with his false beard, which had been itching at his face for more than 30 minutes now.
His companion took a quick glance around them to make sure they weren't being followed. "Naruto may not be the smartest person out there, but he's pretty perceptive when it comes to people he thinks he recognizes. He'd stop us in the middle of the street and try to figure out who we were if we wore anything less than this," she answered, gesturing to her own costume, which surprisingly resembled the outfit Shino wore. However, since Shino was the one person Naruto hadn't recognized when he returned from his training with Jiraiya, it had made perfect sense to wear something similar. Though the bright orange mustache may have been a little…excessive.
And so Sakura and Sai shuffled their way through the crowds, dressed in such a way that the only person to not question their appearance would be a certain blonde ninja of the Leaf.
The weather had been a little bleak for the past 2 days, clouds obscuring the sun for the majority of the day. The villagers had welcomed it, though, as it provided them with some much needed shade as they continued to work on rebuilding. It had the extra benefit of keeping the temperature down, as Sakura and Sai would be burning up right now if the sun were out. How Shino and Hinata managed to be comfortable underneath all that clothing was beyond them.
Several minutes of silence passed between the two teammates, who took a quick survey of their surroundings every now and then to make sure they weren't being followed. After a while, however, it seems Sai could no longer keep to himself.
"Sakura-san…" he asked. "Is what we're doing…right?"
She slowed her steps as she considered the question. First Kakashi brings this up, and now Sai was feeling the same way?
"Of course we are," she answered without turning around. "Naruto and Hinata were meant to be together, and they need our help for that!"
Sai didn't seem persuaded. "But this seems more like we are manipulating Naruto-kun. Wouldn't he be angry if he found out you were doing that to him again, and that all of us are helping?"
He meant well, but Sakura still couldn't help but feel a little angry at his words. Of course she was guilty about what she had 'confessed' to him in the Land of Iron, but that was only because she cared about him as a friend. What she was doing now was no different in her eyes, and while she might have liked to go about it in another way, she didn't because she saw no other option.
"I know what you're trying to say, Sai," she said softly, slowing down so he could catch up to her. "But it's for the best. Naruto deserves to be happy."
Sakura turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting his.
"Where exactly did this come from all of a sudden?" she asked.
Sai pulled another of his books from his pouch, holding it up for Sakura to see. The title read 'Everything You Need to Know about Love'.
"I borrowed this from the library several days ago," Sai explained. "And in it, it says that love should be spontaneous, and shouldn't try to be controlled. If we are trying to make Naruto-kun fall in love with Hinata-san, aren't we doing exactly what the book says not to?"
Sakura was getting tired of the conversation, and picked up the pace. "You can't believe everything you read, Sai. Naruto is just too dim-witted, and Hinata is just too shy. If we hadn't gotten involved, I doubt those two would say more than three words to each other."
As it turns out, the two were so wrapped up in their conversation that they hadn't even noticed that they had passed Naruto in the street, he and a clone carrying a large beam in between them. He was whistling a happy tune as he went, and it was obvious that he hadn't noticed his teammates at all, Sakura's claim proving right.
"Besides…" Sakura continued. "If there's one person I can think of who represents fighting against fate for the better, it's Naruto." She smiled warmly at the many memories of her friend defiantly rejecting any outcome but the happy one, refusing to yield until he was successful.
"He tries so hard to make everyone else happy, and there were lots of times he gave up his own happiness to accomplish that…" her tone had fell, and Sai could feel the guilt emanating from her. But then she quickly whipped around, a broad grin plastered on her face.
"But ever since we started this, I've seen him happier than he's ever been! Part of me is being selfish, because I'm willing to interfere if it makes him that happy. I want him to be happy, and he and Hinata deserve each other."
Despite how happy she looked, Sai did not seem to share her sentiment. In fact, he seemed confused about something. When Sakura implored what was on his mind, she was shocked at what he asked.
"Was Naruto-kun's life…really that hard on him?" he asked gingerly, not sure if he even wanted to hear then answer.
Sakura wasn't expecting that. She took several deep breaths, calming herself down before she brought up such a terrible subject.
"Sai, it was more than you can possibly imagine. Do you remember that boy in ROOT you told us about? Your brother?"
He nodded grimly.
"Naruto didn't have that. He had absolutely no one for the majority of his life. The only interaction he had with the villagers was when they insulted or threw things at him."
Even Sai looked horrified, his normally blank expression twisted into an expression of disgust.
"Some of his classmates treated him even worse. Iruka never asked him where the bruises came from, because he was too damn proud to admit what happened. The rest of us? We didn't even care." Her muscles tensed up, her hands clenching into fists.
"I was one of the worst, if not the worst. I called him useless, a loser. I told him the one thing I hated in this world was him…" She had stopped moving again, and Sai could see the ground dampening at her feet from where unchecked tears poured down her cheeks. Unsure of what he was supposed to do in this situation, he settled for placing a hand on her shoulder. It seemed to calm her down a bit, and she was able to speak again.
"Any sane person would have lost the will to live. They would have just given up…"
And despite her sadness, Sakura couldn't help but smile. "But as you know…Naruto isn't exactly sane."
Before Sai could react, she had turned to face him, and he saw every shred of guilt and sadness leaving her eyes, replaced by a look of fierce determination.
"That idiot never backed down on what life threw at him. Like I said before we first started this, Naruto is the single person in the village who most deserves to be happy. I'm not going to give up until I achieve that! HELL YEAH!" she shouted defiantly, temporarily forgoing their need for anonymity.
Sai couldn't help but genuinely smile at her determination. As she spoke, he was reminded of Naruto's determination to bring Sasuke home, back when he had just been added to Team Kakashi. At first it had confused him how someone could be so willing to fight for what others wouldn't understand, but as he looked at his teammate…no, his friend…he understood.
If you know it's right, you'll always find a way.
"If you believe so strongly in this, Sakura-san…For Naruto-kun's sake, I must believe in it strongly as well."
She smiled brightly at his words, playfully jabbing him with her fist.
"Now that's what I wanted to hear! Come on, we're almost there." Falling back into sneaky mode, the two friends made their way behind one of the buildings, before finally (and thankfully) discarding their costumes. Making sure they were alone, they leapt up to the upper floor of the building they were at, which just so happened to be the jōnin standby station. Kakashi had allowed them to use it so they could plan without having to worry about Naruto and Hinata wondering where everyone was, and it had been surprisingly helpful.
Sakura rapped on the door two times in quick succession. Taking a momentary pause, she knocked three more times, with the last knock being considerably louder. There were a few (namely, Shikamaru) who had said that coming up with a secret knock was just a little too over the top (or as he put it, troublesome), but the others felt that it was better to be safe than sorry.
Upon the correct knock, Sakura heard a click on the other side of the door, letting her know it had been unlocked. They walked in to find the rest of their group waiting for them, lounging in the cushioned benches that lined the windows. Several of them were laughing as they walked in, clutching at their sides for some unknown reason.
"What's so funny?" Sakura asked as she shut the door behind her and reset the lock. Kiba grinned broadly, eager to tell the story.
"Okay, so get this…me and Shino were on our way here right? Well, I forgot mine and Shino's disguises, so he had his bugs keeping an eye out for Hinata or Naruto. So we're about halfway there, when Shino tells me that Naruto's headed this way, and fast."
"What did you do?" Sakura asked, getting curious.
"I just leap into the bushes to hide until he was gone, but Shino's just standing there, and I'm like freaking out, trying to get him out of the street. But he just stays put, waiting for Naruto to show up!"
Sakura was getting worried. What if Shino's stoniness ruined their whole plot? She wasn't sure she wanted to hear what happened next, but was still curious as to why it was so funny.
Meanwhile, Kiba was now in another fit of laughter, finishing his little tale in between breaths. "So Naruto comes around the corner, and before he can see Shino…"
He grinned.
"The guy takes off his sunglasses and puts his hood down! Naruto just walked right past him!" He couldn't hold it any longer, and rolled around on the floor, gripping his teammate's ankle to try and contain himself. Shino remained stolid, though the others could swear he look amused if you got close enough.
"Does that mean you saw what Shino looked like?" Ino asked, though the question had been on everyone's mind.
He shook his head, looking thoroughly disappointed. "I was already behind him when Naruto showed up. By the time I caught up, he had put them back on. And I really wanted to see that, too…" he grumbled.
While everyone wanted to pester Shino until he was willing to do it again, Sakura knew they didn't have time to waste. While Kakashi had given them use of the room, if another jōnin walked in that wasn't aware of what they were doing, they would be asked to leave. Even if most of the ninja in the village were actively working, one mishap could ruin their entire plan.
"Okay guys, quit bugging Shino." The insect user raised an eyebrow at her word choice, but was still grateful that she had the others stop bothering him.
"Now, we've been making good progress so far. I want whoever's had an opportunity with Naruto and Hinata to explain what they did and how they reacted, just like usual."
Ever since their little meetings had become a regular thing, Sakura decided it would be best to discuss what they had done, so as to keep them from getting their stories mixed up. This time around, Kiba, Ino, and Tenten all had something to say, as well as Sakura, who was busier than all of them combined when it came to her devious plot.
Kiba was the first to relay his tale. He had invited Hinata and Naruto out to a movie he knew was gonna be scary. Purposely sitting towards the end of the row, he had planned to force Naruto to sit next to Hinata, where she would cling to him during the scariest parts. But apparently, according to a now-snickering Kiba, it was actually Naruto who would grab onto her during the scary parts, yelping in terror. Hinata had sat through the whole thing with him practically holding her hand, and needless to say she was a little loopy when the movie finished.
Ino had taken advantage of when Akamaru had ruined Naruto's jumpsuit, and had invited Hinata shopping at the same exact store where Kiba was buying Naruto a new one as he promised. With some cooperation between the two, Ino had been able to make sure that Naruto was walking byy when Hinata opened the changing room door, as well as vice versa. A little more scandalous in Sakura's opinion, but if the blushing Naruto and Hinata were doing the entire time was any indicator, it was effective nonetheless.
Tenten's story wasn't actually something she had planned, but more so just a lucky coincidence. Her and Hinata had been training for the better part of the morning a few days ago, and she had suggested they go to the hot springs to relax. What they didn't know, was that Naruto had had this idea as well. At the sound of his voice on the other side of the bath, the image of Naruto without clothes had shut Hinata up for the entire time they were there, despite Tenten's numerous playful suggestions that they take peek through the dividing wall.
"And what have you been up to, Sakura?" Ino asked, curious.
Sakura couldn't help but grin at her own intelligence.
"Well Ino, I'll tell you. Being Tsunade's apprentice and all has its perks." She bragged, earning a snort from her rival, which she ignored.
"And so a few days ago, I was in her office helping her with some filing while Shizune-neesan was out. Tsunade had to leave for a moment, leaving me alone in her office."
Shikamaru grunted. "You didn't do anything illegal, right Sakura. Because that would be way too troublesome to deal with."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "No, nothing like that. But I saw the construction assignments for the next few weeks sitting on her desk, and I may have let my hand slip and place Hinata with every assignment Naruto has for the rest of the rebuilding project."
Everyone nodded appreciatively. Her bragging was well-placed; that was indeed a good idea, as Naruto would never question Tsunade's orders. Okay, so maybe he would question the hell out of them every now and then, but he always carried through with them.
"We've been making some great progress during this time," Sakura said proudly, addressing everyone present for their contributions to their 'cause', "but I believe it's time we step it up again."
"Oh this sounds like fun…" Shikamaru grumbled, idly scratching at his arm.
Sakura ignored him and continued speaking. "We need to enact another one of our scenarios. In particular, I think it's the perfect time for Scenario E."
Chōji scratched his head. "Which one was Scenario E again?" he asked as he popped open a brand new bag of chips.
"Lee, tell Chōji what Scenario E is, please." Sakura requested. Upon seeing Lee's blank expression, she threw her hands up in exasperation.
"Does anyone remember what Scenario E is about?"
No one made a sound, except for Shikamaru snoring.
"Honestly, why do I even bother!" Sakura moped, gently massaging her temples to ward away the headache that was starting to flare up. "Scenario E… AKA Operation Guys/Girls Night Out?"
"Oh yeah, that's the one!" Kiba said excitedly. "…What does it involve again?"
Sakura sighed deeply. And she used to think that only Naruto could be this dense.
"We have the guys get together, and the girls get together. When we have Naruto and Hinata separated, we spend that time reinforcing what they think about the other."
"How do we go about that?" Tenten asked.
"For the girls it'll be easier, since it's not that unusual for us to talk about guys. Which we do often." Sakura said with a grin, making the males in the room involuntarily start sweating. "The guys will be a little tougher, but you just need to find a way to start talking about us without making Naruto suspicious."
They nodded, already coming up with ways to try and steer the conversation. Kiba in particular had a lecherous grin, and the girls present were worried about what he might have in mind.
"We need to compliment the other in front of them, make them think about them romantically. For Hinata that will be a piece of cake, but Naruto will be a little bit of trouble."
"Yeah, didn't he used to have the biggest crush on you?" Ino asked teasingly.
"I don't even know if he still does." Sakura replied, her brow furrowed. "He hasn't asked me on nearly as many dates, and he just seems different when I'm around him now."
"And are you okay with that?" Ino continued to prod.
Sakura put her hands on her hips. "It helps make it easier for him to think about Hinata that way, so at least there's that."
Ino looked confused. "But that doesn't really answer my-"
"We don't have time to nitpick over the details!" Sakura snapped, slightly irritated. Ino didn't raise any more questions, but several of the others were a bit confused at Sakura's cryptic answer. She didn't give them any more time to mull it over, though, as she continued right on speaking.
"Now, as we talked about, Chōji will invite the guys out to barbeque for the special buffet they're having tonight. That's believable enough…" she mumbled the last part, but he wouldn't have heard her even if she had screamed it, his mind drifting off to the vast amounts of delicious foods he would scarf down that evening.
Sakura rolled her eyes and turned to Ino. "Do you think it could be possible for us girls to spend the night at your place? Getting Hinata cornered in a girly setting like that will be perfect."
Ino squealed with delight, completely missing Kiba's snickering, and the resulting bruise from Sakura. "Ooohhh, that sounds like so much fun! It's been too long since us girls have been able to just chat and do girl things. We're gonna have such a great time!" Kiba made a disgusted face, much to the amusement of the other males present, which earned him yet another bruise, this time from Ino.
"Now that we've got that squared away, let's get started on-" Sakura was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door.
Knock Knock.
"Uhhh…occupied?" Sakura tried weakly. If they got kicked out now, they'd have to find another place to work, which would put them at risk for being found out. The door swung open anyway, and revealed none other than the fifth Hokage, who looked very confused at what she was seeing.
"…what are all you doing in the jōnin standby station?" She said suddenly, eyeing all of them suspiciously. "Neji is the only one out of you that is allowed in here."
Sakura rushed up to her master, trying to divert her attention.
"T-Tsunade-sama! Can I help you with anything?"
The Godaime pushed past her apprentice, making her way to the center of the room. "I was looking for Kakashi. Needed to discuss something with him….okay, just what's going on in here?" she demanded, folding her arms in disapproval.
"Uhhh, what ever are you talking about?" Sakura squeaked meekly, shriveling under the piercing bronze eyes of her master.
"Don't you dare lie to me, Sakura. You've been acting strange for quite some time now, and I will be told what is happening. Unless you need some…persuasion." She cracked her knuckles menacingly, and everyone in the room winced at the sound. They knew better than to cross Tsunade, and started to give Sakura pleading looks, anything to save them from Tsunade's wrath.
For a few seconds, Sakura looked as if she would defy her master. She carefully returned her stare, eyeing her up and down. Finally, she hung her head in defeat, and relented.
"Kakashi lent us the room for our meetings…" she mumbled, not looking Tsunade in the eye.
"Meetings? What kind of meetings?" Tsunade questioned. The others avoided her gaze when she turned to them, trying to avoid being addressed.
"We've been holding meetings to…well, you see we're…" Sakura stumbled over her words, unsure of how to say it. A vein in Tsunade's forehead began to pulsate, her patience wearing thin.
"Spit it out, Sakura, or I'll have you changing bedpans at the hospital for the next 8 months!" she shouted.
"We''am." Sakura replied in one quick breath. She told her of their intentions, of how they were trying to make Naruto and Hinata hook up romantically, and that they needed the standby station to discuss details in private.
Tsunade remained silent throughout, keeping eye contact with Sakura as she spoke, her expression impossible to read.
At the end of Sakura's explanation, she suddenly stood.
"You should all be ashamed of yourselves! Really, grown shinobi acting this way?"
Everyone hung their head in shame. Of course getting chewed out was inevitable, but it didn't make it any less unpleasant.
"I mean, not only are you concentrating more on this little scheme of yours than the well-being of our village, but worst of all-"
Sakura winced, not wanting to hear what she had to say next.
"You didn't invite me!"
Her eyes shot back open, revealing a very smug-looking Tsunade. Did she just say what everybody thought she had said?
"…Ma'am?" she asked meekly, as if trying to confirm the truth.
"You heard what I said, Sakura." Tsunade replied idly, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "You go and plan all this, and you don't even get me in on this action?"
She had her hands on her hips, giving everyone in the room a mock scolding look. The others couldn't help but just stare dumbfounded. The Hokage, one of the most powerful ninja alive today, wanted to help them hook up two teenagers? It was almost too bizarre for them to believe, but as it was happening right in front of them, they had little other choice.
Tsunade plopped down in the open seat next to her, whipping out a bottle of Sake from who-knows-where. Taking a quick swig, she chuckled at everyone's reaction.
"What, is it so strange that the Hokage wants to spend time with the people she swore to protect?" Her expression softened as her thoughts shifted to the young man she considered a younger brother. "Listen….Naruto is special to me, and the way Hinata treats him is just too cute. I want him to be happy, so if you need me to pull any strings, as the fifth Hokage there's no one better suited to help you."
She took another quick swig of her drink, gesturing wide with her arms.
"So…are you gonna get me caught up or not? Don't skimp on the details now!"
"Hey Old man! Another bowl please!"
Teuchi smiled at Naruto. "Sure thing, Naruto! Another large miso comin' up! How about you, little lady? Care for another helping?"
Hinata shook her head shyly. "No t-thank you, Teuchi-san. I couldn't eat another bite. But thank you; it was delicious."
"My my, what manners! Naruto, why can't you be as polite as your girlfriend here?" he teased, much to his favorite customer's annoyance.
"I told you she's not my girlfriend!" he shouted. "Besides, with how much business I bring you guys, you should be treating me like royalty!"
Ayame rolled her eyes. "As if you would ever be considered royalty. You have the table manners of a five-year-old."
Naruto gave Ayame an indignant look, unaware that he had ramen sauce spilling all over his chin, much to the others' amusement. "I do not! It's just that it's so delicious, I can't help myself!"
"Well thank you for the compliment!" Ayame replied brightly, before turning around to help her father prepare his next helping.
Naruto and Hinata, without even really thinking about it, had made lunch at Ichiraku a regular thing. Oddly enough, they were continually assigned to the same construction sites during the day, giving them loads more time to spend with one another, which they both enjoyed greatly. Just as Naruto promised, he wanted to spend more time with her so he could regain the rest of his memory, and was overjoyed to discover that Hinata was a wonderful person to be with once you got past the shy exterior. While he still didn't understand all the blushing and the occasional stuttering, he found her to be a patient, caring, serene individual. It was someone who balanced his more exuberant personality, and he couldn't help but appreciate that.
Hinata meanwhile, was happier than she had been in a long time. If someone were to tell her that she would be having daily lunch meetings with Naruto, chatting about whatever popped into their head, she wouldn't have believed them. But here she was, listening to another one of Naruto's silly stories, and she couldn't stop the goofy grin that was plastered all over her face.
He was currently embroiled in his grand tale about his daring rescue of the Princess Gale, aka Koyuki Kazahana, in the Land of Snow.
"You know, Naruto-kun…" she said softly, not really wanting to interrupt him, "that sounds a lot alike our m-mission in the Land of Vegetables with Haruna-san."
"Really? How so?" he asked simply, slurping another mouthful of ramen.
"Well, they have both had their fathers, the daimyo, killed when they were very young. They both became sad and lonely as they grew up, and they were both rather rude to you when you first met them." She couldn't help but hide the slight hint of disproval in her voice, not understanding why anyone would want be unpleasant with Naruto.
Naruto looked surprised. Now that this was pointed out, the two situations really did have a lot in common. "Wow, you're right! But you don't need to get all worked up about how they were at the beginning! I didn't really like them when I first met them either!" he joked.
"But I am happy that they treat you so much better now. Especially Haruna-san…" she mumbled the last part, but it did not escape Naruto's ears.
He poked her teasingly. "Are you still going on about that, Hinata? It didn't mean anything; it was just her being friendly!"
What Naruto was referring to was the kiss on the cheek Haruna had given Naruto upon her arrival to the village, something Hinata had stumbled upon. Naruto knew she wasn't happy about it, but couldn't even fathom the true reasons as to why.
He grinned cheekily. "What's the matter? You jealous?" he teased, unaware that that was the very reason it had made her so upset.
Hinata blushed deeply, averting his eyes as he laughed. If only he knew it was true, he might understand just how it made her feel. But he had asked her not to tell him anything about what she had said to him, and so by extension Hinata didn't want to hint at the way she truly felt. So she came up with a different reason, one that also wasn't entirely false.
"I'm just saying, Naruto-kun…you must be a little wary of people who change so quickly."
He took his attention off of his food for a moment, looking Hinata in the eye again. The way his eyes were piercing through hers made her uncomfortable. Whatever she said, must have annoyed him, and Hinata regretted it the moment it came out of her mouth. It just didn't sound like her at all.
"But Hinata…isn't that what happened with Neji? He used to be so cold and cruel, but after our fight…"
This made Hinata feel even worse. How could she have forgotten about her own cousin, who before his bout with Naruto, might have killed her if he got the chance? He had changed so much, and Hinata was ashamed that she had forgotten that it was all because of Naruto. He was the reason Haruna was now the way she was too, now that Hinata considered it.
"Of course, Naruto-kun. I was foolish and juvenile to think like that. Please forgive me…" she lowered her head in shame, unable to meet his eyes.
Naruto realized he had made her upset, and turned away from his meal entirely. It was just food after all, and here was someone he now considered a very close friend feeling guilty because of him.
"Hinata, I didn't mean it like that. I don't think you're the jealous type, and you're right. You really are," he insisted, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"B-but you're still right, Naruto-kun. I should have more trust in people, like you do!" She was telling the truth, as the faith he was able to place in complete strangers was one of the things about him that amazed her most.
Naruto's smile faded. "In fact, there's something you should know about me. I… actually don't really trust that many people fully. I just can't." (.com/watch?v=OLJyeJPu0M8)
Hinata was shocked. She opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to find some words of comfort, any words, but her breath remained hitched in her throat. Naruto saw how surprised she was, and laughed bitterly.
"Heh. Surprising, isn't it?" he turned away, staring blankly at his food. "Growing up like…well, like I did, trust is something you learn not to give out so easily. I had that beaten into me more than anything else." His word choice made Hinata cringe, but he didn't stop. It actually felt somewhat liberating to talk about it.
"I would tell myself that it would be different with this person, that they would treat me like they said they would. I guess the bruises I had afterward showed me how wrong I was. And back with Mizuki…" he trailed off, his body involuntarily shuddering.
Hinata couldn't hide her confusion. "Naruto-kun…are you talking about Mizuki-sensei? The man who was sent to prison? What does that have to do with you?" She had only heard that the former chūnin had stolen something from the Hokage, and was sent to prison because of it.
Naruto took a deep breath. "Well, originally he told me to steal that scroll. That if I succeeded and learned a technique from it, I could graduate. I was so desperate, I didn't even consider what I really did."
She was horrified at his words. This man had used Naruto for his own gain, to steal something that was punishable by death if caught with it? She gingerly leaned into his shoulder as he continued.
"But then he tried to take it back. He called me worthless, he called me a freak." His hand drifted towards his stomach, and Hinata's heart dropped. "…he was the one who told me about this." A light sob hitched in his throat, and Hinata wrapped both of her arms around him at this point, hugging him tightly.
"He tried to kill me, Hinata. I thought that since he was a teacher, I could trust him. If Iruka-sensei hadn't come when he did, I…" He sighed heavily. "He was only one of three people I trusted back then. And it had taken me years to even manage that. After what he did, it's been so hard to let people in. I don't think I'll ever be able to trust anyone quite the same because of that."
'Naruto-kun only had three people he could trust back then?' Hinata thought to herself, hugging him tighter. It was the best she could do to comfort him, not wanting to interrupt him. She knew he needed to say this, to get it out in the open.
"That doesn't mean I don't like everybody," he continued, "but I'm just being polite, and even then I don't exactly have the best manners." He didn't sound happy, but he had at least calmed down somewhat.
"Even now, I can count the people I trust completely on one hand. There used to be others, but they're not around anymore…"
He felt Hinata's eyes on him, and could see the determination in them.
"I hope you can feel that way about me someday, Naruto-kun. I'll do whatever it takes to be there for you."
Naruto smiled. "And who's to say you already aren't?"
He laughed happily at the look on Hinata's face, his mood improved. It was another thing he liked about her; no matter how sad he could be, she could always manage to cheer him up. Teuchi had just finished Naruto's third bowl, and brought it over.
"Let's just let you have this one on me, Naruto," he said with a soft smile, briefly clapping Naruto on the shoulder, who cheered loudly.
"YAHOO! Thanks, Old man!" And with that, he dove into his newest helping, completely back to his old self. Hinata watched him eat, grinning as broadly as he was. He had been so honest, so open with her, it felt wonderful to be there for him, and she hoped it could be like this forever.
"And that's just about everything we've done so far." Sakura finished, exhausted. She slumped into the bench behind her, trying to catch her breath.
Tsunade eyed her with amusement. "You've really gone all-out on this, haven't you Sakura?" she said, tossing the now-empty bottle of sake into the now-empty seat next to her. Since it was all information the others had already heard, they had snuck out one-by-one, leaving Sakura alone to deal with the now very tipsy Tsunade.
The Godaime wrapped a loving arm around her student, hiccupping slightly. "So you never told me why you wanted to do this all of a sudden."
Sakura smiled. "The same reason as you, really. I want Naruto to be happy, and Hinata treats him better than anyone else I can think of. When we came back from our mission, I saw the way Naruto looked at her, the way he had the few weeks before we had even left. And Hinata…well, she's looked at Naruto that way ever since I can remember. She deserves him more than anything else…" Her face fell slightly, and even through the alcohol Tsunade could see something was making her upset.
"You shouldn't feel guilty, Sakura. We all have things we did in the past we regret, even though we shouldn't. You should be happy you want to help your friend. Naruto cares for you in a way he never will for anyone else. You're his closest friend, and he will be no matter what." She stood up, and raised Sakura's chin with her own hand, giving her a motherly smile.
"Now just let me know if you need me to help with anything in your little scheme. And if you don't include me at some point in this fun, I will start doing things on my own." Sakura knew she was only teasing, but the tone in Tsunade's voice made her shudder anyway.
Tsunade wandered out of the standby station, singing happily, as she somehow managed to pull another bottle of sake out of nowhere, leaving Sakura by herself.
'I feel bad for Shizune-neesan, having to put up with THAT all the time.' She thought amusingly to herself, before heading out the door to find Chōji and Ino so they could start the net big step in her plan.
"Okay, there they are." Sakura whispered to her two companions, as they lay hidden among the construction materials. Just in front of them, Naruto and Hinata were happily at work helping a family rebuild their home, completely unaware of their presence.
Ino stood to go invite Hinata to her house, just like she was supposed to do, but Sakura's arm shot out in front of her, nearly decapitating her.
"What the hell are you doing!" she hissed. "If Naruto sees you, he'll get curious, and will be even more so when Chōji invites him out to dinner with all the guys. You need to find an opportunity when Hinata's by herself!"
Ino sheepishly retook her hiding place, just before Hinata turned around to investigate a noise. She shrugged when nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief.
'That was close…' she thought to herself, wiping the sweat away from her brow. Making sure they wouldn't be seen, Sakura got up to leave.
"Where are you going?" Ino asked.
"I'm going to go see when Naruto and Hinata are finished for the day. That manifest over there should tell us what we need to know." Sakura replied. As quiet as a mouse, she snuck out of their hiding place and began making her way across the construction site, trying not to attract the attention of anyone there. Slinking behind the stacks of lumber, she quickly reached the other side unnoticed. Stealth wasn't her strongest skills, but Sakura was proud of her skills nonetheless.
'Okay let's see here…' she thought as she quickly thumbed through the papers. 'Here we go, 5:30! That gives us about three or so hours to get ready.'
She shut the ledger, and prepared to sneak back across the clearing to tell Chōji and Ino, but was stopped by a sudden voice crying out.
"GAH! I am so stupid!"
Sakura recognized the voice as belonging to Naruto and instantly froze. If she was caught here, she could just explain that Tsunade had wanted her to check on this particular schedule, but the other workers wouldn't believe such a weak story. She was supposed to have copies of them anyway, and Naruto would get highly suspicious. She say there motionless, hoping he wasn't about to rush over and discover her.
"Naruto-kun, what's wrong?" she heard Hinata ask him.
"I just realized I've been working for over a week now, and I haven't used a single shadow clone! That would have made our jobs so much easier!"
Sakura head dozens of pops from behind her hiding place, and took a quick peek over it to see just how many clones he had made.
There must have been almost a hundred, and Sakura's breath hitched. How the hell was she supposed to make it back across now? It would be a miracle if she didn't run into one of the many Narutos now hurrying about, vastly increasing the productivity of the work. Suddenly, an idea hit her.
She concentrated a vast amount of chakra into her fist, as much as she could muster, before slamming it towards the ground. However, she pulled back at the last possible second, and the resulting shockwave brought up a massive cloud of dust that quickly filled the entire area.
"What the hell!" she heard Naruto say in surprise, followed by a round of coughing from everyone present. Sakura saw her chance, and began making a mad dash through the impromptu smokescreen.
"Hey, is someone there?" Naruto called out, barely able to make out a figure through the dust sprinting across the site. The mystery person didn't stop however, and soon they had disappeared from sight as everyone continued to hack the dirt out of their lungs.
"Okay, I've had enough of this crap. Rasengan!" Naruto called out, he and his clones concentrating chakra in their hands. The rapidly spinning wind chakra dissipated the smoke far faster than Sakura had anticipated, and had barely returned to Chōji and Ino when the smoke had fully cleared.
"That was too close…" Sakura said breathless, as she heard the Narutos and everyone else try to figure out what had just happened. Ino and Chōji nodded wordlessly, having viewed the entire thing from their perch.
"Okay, according to the ledger, Naruto and Hinata get off at around 5:30, so we'll need to keep a close eye on them and make sure they're completely alone when we ask them out. You guys got that?"
Again the two nodded silently. Sensing they would be there for a while, Chōji popped open another bag of chips. Ino shrugged, and dove her own hand into the bag. Her diet could take this.
With the help of Naruto's clones, they had finished up their work at that particular site in record time. They could have had the rest of the day off, but Naruto and Hinata were enjoying each other's company so much that they simply moved on to another site they weren't scheduled for, and started helping them, much to their delight. Although their shift was almost up, the two of them were still working diligently, surprising considering how Hinata was keeping up with the one ninja world famous for his boundless energy.
Meanwhile the troupe of Sakura, Ino, and Chōji were fast asleep against another pile of lumber. Little had happened the rest of the day, and they had been lulled into sleep by the pleasant weather. Several bags of chips lay scattered around them, evidence of just how bored they actually were.
Naruto and two of his clones were right in the middle of lifting another beam when a chūnin leaped down to greet him.
"Good-evening, Naruto-san. I am here to inform you that your shift is officially over. You and Hinata-san have earned some rest with all your hard work."
Naruto flashed the man a toothy grin, giving him a thumbs up. "No problem! If I'm gonna be Hokage, I need to help my village however possible!"
The man smiled at Naruto's enthusiasm, and with a quick bow to Hinata, leapt off to inform other shinobi workers that their shifts were done. Hinata stretched gratefully, eager to spend the rest of her evening relaxing. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Naruto twiddling with his fingers, much like she did, and determined he must be nervous about something. Her own stomach grew light with imaginative possibilities of what it might be.
"Hey, Hinata…I was wondering something…" he started nervously.
"Hmmm?" she grunted idly back. Inwardly she was holding her breath. Could he be asking her on a date? To be his girlfriend? Oh, her mind leaped at the possibilities.
"It's okay if you don't want to…" he said even quieter. By now Hinata was desperate to know.
"What is it, Naruto-kun?" she questioned innocently, trying to look as cute as possible.
"Would you want to go eat ramen again? I know we had it for lunch, but I've just got that hankering!"
Hinata smiled lightly to mask her slight disappointment. Well, it wasn't a date, but it was more time with Naruto. But to be honest, she was a little afraid he might just be being polite, and in reality was growing tired of her presence. Whether or not that was the case, Hinata didn't want him to know what she was thinking, and quickly thought of an excuse.
"I would love to Naruto-kun, but Otō-san wants me back at the house for an early sparring session," she replied plainly. That was true enough.
Ever since that day when Hinata came under the assumption that her father had blamed Naruto for the failure of their mission, Hinata had grown much less conscious about putting more effort into their training, now well-willing to give him a bruise or two if it taught him a lesson. Hiashi had merely accepted this as her taking things more seriously, and had taken a greater interest in her progress as a result. Hinata still didn't like what her father had said, but she saw no reason to hold a grudge, and had forgiven him. To be honest, it had actually improved relations between them, something she couldn't help but be grateful for.
Naruto nodded sadly, and Hinata wanted to drop everything and join him anyway, but she felt she needed to get used to the idea that they couldn't spend every waking moment together. If they became a couple (which she hoped for every day) this feeling would get all the more stronger, so Hinata decided it was best to go ahead and start preparing herself for it.
The two shared an amicable farewell, before going their separate ways. Naruto's mood soon improved as he made his way towards Ichiraku, it being impossible for him to stay upset when the thought of his favorite meal was on his mind. He was only about halfway there, when a hand suddenly stretched out from an alleyway, before yanking him into the shadows.
At first Naruto struggled against the large, and somewhat greasy hands holding onto him, but relaxed when he saw it was only Chōji, chuckling at him.
"You know, a 'hello' would have been fine!" Naruto grumbled, dusting himself off.
Chōji shrugged. "Hey, if I hadn't done that, I don't think anything else could have stopped you from reaching your precious ramen." He said jovially, scratching at his sizeable belly.
"Damn straight it's my precious ramen! I'm starving over here, so what is this all about?" Naruto asked, folding his arms impatiently. If he had to wait much longer for his meal, Chōji would be right. No one would be able to stop him from satisfying his need for ramen.
Chōji bowed low, enjoying himself as he made a grand display out of his simple invitation. "I, Chōji Akimichi, hereby invite you out to Barbeque with me and the rest of the guys. Kiba, Lee, Neji, Shino, and Shikamaru, the whole gang's going!" He spread his arms wide as he finished his sales pitch.
Naruto eyed his friend suspiciously. "What about Ino, and Hinata? Or Tenten and Sakura? Why wouldn't you invite them?"
"It's a Guys Night Out type of thing," Chōji replied. "Bros before Hoes, understand?" He held out his fist for Naruto to return.
Naruto laughed. He had certainly never heard that one before, and started giving the idea some thought. Even though he really wanted his ramen, he had kind of wanted to enjoy it with Hinata, but that was now out of the question. In fact, now that he thought about it, it had been all Hinata all the time for a while now. A night out with the guys might be just what he needed.
"That actually sound like a good time. Count me in!" he replied happily, accepting Chōji's fist with his own.
The Akimichi grinned broadly. "Awesome! We're meeting up at Yakiniku Q at around 7ish, so we'll see you then." He patted his friend on the shoulder, and headed his own way down the streets of the village.
Naruto smiled to himself, glad he actually had plans again. Look at him, having a thriving social life! He began heading back home get ready, completely oblivious as to what the true purpose was.
Meanwhile, Hinata was about halfway home when she found herself in a very similar situation to the one Naruto just escaped from; dragged into an alleyway by some unknown assailant. She tried screaming, but whoever was grabbing on to her had the smarts to cover her mouth. Hinata wasn't as dense as Naruto however, and promptly smashed her foot into her assailants instead. Ino howled in pain, and Hinata immediately regretted it.
"Ino-san! I…I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you!" she cried, holding the other woman as she hopped on one foot.
"No no, it was kind of my fault…" Ino grunted as she tiptoed out of the alleyway still hanging on the Hyūga. "I probably could have handled that better. I just wanted to catch you before you got home."
"Is there something you need?" Hinata asked as they started wandering aimlessly around the village until Ino could walk on her own again.
"No, nothing like that. Listen, you're coming over to my house, and there's no getting out of this. Tenten and Sakura are coming too, so it'll be fun. Just a night for us girls!"
Hinata gave her friend a sad smile. "I wish I could, Ino-san. But my father and I need to-"
"Ahhh, forget about your stuffy old man!" Ino interrupted, finally regaining the sense in her foot. "I just said I'm not taking no for an answer, so you better be there at 7ish!"
"Okay…okay, how about a compromise?" Hinata said throwing her hands up to get back her personal space. "I'm going to train with my father, but I can s-show up afterwards if you're okay with that."
Ino put her hands on her hips, looking Hinata up and down. Finally, she threw up her hands in defeat.
"Oh, alright fine! But at least take a shower before you come over. I don't want you all sweaty when we start talking about boys!" She giggled at the thought of what awaited Hinata that evening, and wasn't sure the poor girl's cheeks would be able to take all the blushing she would be doing.
Which Hinata was doing just now, her face a light red.
"Of course Ino-san. I'll show up when I can."
Ino hugged her friend briefly, squealing with delight. "Oh, thank you thank you! You are going to have so much fun tonight! I'll see you then!" Ino gave her a few more details, and then raced off to go get ready, leaving Hinata shaking her head in the middle of the road. She turned around and started to head back the compound. Truth be told, she was actually looking forward to tonight. It had been far too long since she had just hung out and done girl things.
Little did she know, Hinata was going to have a night she certainly wouldn't forget for a long, long time.
Naruto stared at the contents of his closet, unable to decide. I mean, you're supposed to wear nicer clothes when you get invited out to dinner, right? But at the same time, isn't that for only when you're going with a girl? There wouldn't be any of the girls there so Naruto was thoroughly confused as to what was appropriate. Shrugging it off after several minutes, he grabbed a long-sleeved pullover that was a dark green, with a spiral design embroidered into the shoulder.
'Heh. Never thought I'd be glad Akamaru crapped all over my tracksuit!' Naruto thought happily to himself. It was true, ever since Kiba's dog had soiled his favorite outfit, Naruto had allowed himself to wear more varied things. After all, if he wasn't leaving the village, there wasn't any need to get dressed in his usual outfit, right? Besides, he liked the looks he got now that he wore clothing that other people would consider normal, especially from the ladies.
'I wonder what Hinata would think of this…' A light blush decorated his cheeks as he realized he had thought of the Hyūga girl for practically the third time that evening.
He was looking forward to spending the night out with just the guys, but a small part of him that he couldn't pin down wished the girls would be joining them for the sole reason that he could see Hinata again. The feelings he encountered whenever he spent time with her had gotten very confusing, but he enjoyed their time together nonetheless.
He sighed. There was no reason to get worked up over it anymore. Giving his hair one last run through in the mirror to make sure it looked nice and messy, he headed out the door to meet up with everyone.
The evening air felt a little cool, and Naruto was glad he had chosen to wear a long-sleeve. Several villagers greeted him as he walked through the streets, waving at him happily or simply nodding as he passed. He couldn't say he knew most of them, but the gesture was appreciated anyway, so he always greeted them back, wishing them a good evening or something similar. It was strange, it had been quite some time since Tobi had declared his war on the Shinobi world, and yet nothing had happened since. Intelligence gathering from all five of the great countries had been barely successful, with them unable to track down the Akatsuki's whereabouts. Many people had started to forget that a war was even being planned, the very air in the village denying it. And so they went about their business, no longer afraid as they once were, and it made Naruto glad to see all the people of his precious home so happy.
Before he knew it, he had arrived at Yakiniku Q, which seemed much busier than usual. He saw a sign hanging outside, and moved closer to investigate.
Special Deal Tonight!
All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
Come on In!
Naruto smiled. They were going to regret giving Chōji such an opportunity to eat them out of their own building. His own stomach growled, and he was glad he had had a light lunch; it left him more room to stuff himself silly.
As he slid open the door and walked inside, a man behind the counter hurried over to greet him
"Naruto-sama! What an honor it is to have you in my restaurant! You are here with Chōji-sama's group, correct?" he said busily, almost swooning over the blonde.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Aww shucks, you don't have to say that! And yeah I am with Chōji. How did you know?" he asked.
The man smiled broadly. "When we have an Akimichi in our midst, you have to know."
Naruto laughed loudly at the man's joke, surprising several of the other customers. Naruto guiltily apologized for scaring them, and turned back to the man.
"Chōji-sama has rented out one the private rooms for you and your friends to share. If you would just follow me, I will lead you there."
Naruto nodded gladly, and followed him across the restaurant floor. He rapped on the door several times before sliding it open, revealing the others waiting for Naruto.
"Hey guys!" Naruto exclaimed, taking a seat between Kiba and Shino, who scooted over to give him some more room.
"I'll be back in just a moment with a drink, Naruto-sama," the man said, bowing himself out.
Kiba gave Naruto a look of mock surprise. "Ohhh, we're sama now, are we? When did the village's greatest knucklehead start commanding so much respect?"
Naruto chuckled nervously. "I'm sure he's just being polite. That's just what he's supposed to say. Isn't it?"
Chōji shook his head. "Nah, this place is more informal than other restaurants. The only other people he calls –sama are me and my family, so you should consider yourself honored." He held up his glass to the Uzumaki, which only made him more embarrassed.
"Why does he call you that?" he asked, though he had a sneaking suspicion as to why the Akimichi clan was so popular around here.
Chōji gave him a look as if it was obvious (which it was). "Because my clan brings more money to this place then the rest of the village combined!"
Everyone laughed at Chōji's joke, though Shikamaru only chuckled slightly. Even Shino nodded, and that was about the biggest sign of merriment you were going to get with him.
I propose a toast!" he said, raising his glass. "To a night of fun with just us guys! May we eat until our bellies burst!"
Everyone answered his toast except for Naruto and Shino, who had not received their drinks yet. Instead, the blonde awkwardly raised his hand, earning him a round of teasing from Kiba.
"So what has everyone else been up to?" Naruto asked, taking a sip of his drink which had just arrived. "I know I've been working construction for the most part, but I haven't seen you guys around much."
"I've been working with my clan to help distribute our food stores to the village most effectively," Chōji replied. "We see how much we have, how much we're getting donated to us from other villages, and we ration it as best we can."
Naruto nodded. It was a good idea to put the Akimichi clan in control of food; they would certainly make sure none was wasted. "What about you, Bushy-Brows?"
Lee looked up from telling Shikamaru another wonderful story of training with Gai-sensei (Even though Shikamaru was hardly paying attention), and flashed him his nice guy look.
"I have been working with construction the same as you, Naruto-kun, though I have been mainly delegated to stonework. My weight training with Gai-sensei has helped me greatly, so I must attribute their reasons to that. It fills me with honor to serve my village with my youthful strength, as it is-"
"Okay okay, I get it Lee!" Naruto interrupted. "You don't have to tell me your whole life story!"
Lee smiled in apology as Naruto turned to Shino, who was patiently waiting for the waiter to bring his drink, now the only one without one.
"Okay Shino, you're up next! What have you and your bugs been up to?"
Truth be told, The Aburame was glad someone was curious about his work. But his mission's success was delicate, and so he couldn't divulge many details. He informed everyone about that the most recent group of bandits had been mysteriously removed from the village by people unknown, and had been found murdered outside the village's walls. It had been set for his clan to discover as much as they could as to the reasons behind it, as well as who was responsible.
"Man, that pisses me off that those guys got pulled away from us right from under our noses. If we had stayed there just a few minutes longer, I bet we would have been able to stop them, right Shino?" Kiba called out in annoyance.
"That remains impossible to divulge," Shino replied, pushing his sunglasses up his nose. "Until we are able to gather enough information so as to assess the enemy's strength, it is best to assume they would have fooled us as well."
Kiba snorted in his own response. "Tch. As if they could fool me!" He turned to Naruto. "Also, if you were wondering, that's what I've been mainly up to. Tsunade-sama wanted to lessen the number of ninja she had on guard duty to focus more on construction so we could finish in time for the festival. It's been pretty much same old same old. I catch stupid bandits, we beat 'em up, send them to jail."
Naruto nodded, and did a quick head count. Neji and Shikamaru still needed to tell him what's what; his curiosity must be sated.
"Alright pretty boy, you're up!" he said happily, motioning for Neji to speak.
The Hyūga set down his drink, and gave his friend a slight glare. "I can only assume you're talking to me," he said icily. Suddenly, his expression suddenly lightened. "After all, I'm the most attractive one here."
"Where the hell did that come from?" Naruto whispered to Kiba, his eyes wide with surprise.
"I may or may not have slipped a little something something into his drink." Kiba replied devilishly, briefly flashing an unmarked bottle to Naruto, who snickered at the thought of Neji drunk.
The others had turned their heads in the Hyūga's direction, staring daggers at Neji, who only chuckled softly at his own joke.
"If you must know, Hiashi-sama has requested I train other members of the clan in the art of the Gentle Fist."
Naruto smiled happily. "Good for you, Neji! I'm glad he finally knows how talented you are!"
Neji was taken aback at the sudden genuine praise, and returned the gesture with a genuine smile. "Thank you, Naruto. I appreciate that."
The blonde grinned wickedly. "But I am a little worried. Are you telling the others about the Hyūga clan's secret weakness?" he asked.
Neji looked confused. "Secret weakness? What are you talking about?" It was no common knowledge of the Byakugan's blind spot, and Neji was slightly worried about this information being leaked from somewhere. It was most likely Hinata, he guessed. Her attraction to Naruto would make her susceptible to…
Naruto interrupted his thoughts with an even wider grin. "Why, your glass jaw of course!"
The entire table erupted into laughter. What Naruto was referring to was their match during the finals of the chūnin exams. Despite him barely making a scratch on the Hyūga genius, one solid punch to the jaw was all it had taken to knock him out of the fight. Neji still got lip for it from some of the elders every now and again, and it was one of his most embarrassing memories.
Neji looked away, flustered. "That was a lucky blow, Uzumaki! Perhaps a rematch would show you just how far I've come?" he challenged, smirking at his friend.
"I look forward to the challenge." Naruto answered confidently. The two stared at each other for a moment longer, before chuckling and settling down.
"Hey, Lazy-ass! It's finally your turn!" Naruto shouted across the table, snapping Shikamaru out of his daze.
"Do you mind? I was listening to something else," he said, slightly annoyed. Naruto waved his complaint off.
"I'm sure you'll get over it. You gotta tell me what you've been doing these past days!"
Shikamaru yawned. " I don't know why you would want to know, it's really more troublesome than anything else. Tsunade-sama has me coming up with strategies with my dad for the various squads. How to utilize their strengths and weaknesses effectively. It's so annoying…"
Naruto had been agreement with the boring part, and had actually stopped listening halfway through it. Instead, he had thought of something much more interesting to talk about.
"What about you and Gaara's sister? You ask her out yet?"
All conversation stopped, and everyone turned to look at Shikamaru, who was now widely awake. The thing is, he wasn't surprised that someone brought it up. That was how Sakura decided they were going to bring up the girls in the conversation, but what was amazing was that Naruto did it himself. He couldn't help but smile to himself; Naruto was almost doing this for them.
Before he could answer, the door slid open once more, and their waiter appeared.
"Your food will be arriving shortly. I hope you're hungry!"
Chōji rubbed his belly expectantly. "Oh, you have no idea! I'm gonna go for a new record!"
The waiter chuckled, and shut the door behind them. Naruto turned back around to Shikamaru, giving him a cheeky grin.
"So…you were saying, Shikamaru?"
Hinata was a little nervous. This was the first time she had done something like this, and wasn't exactly sure as how to proceed. Sure, she had certainly spent time with Ino and the others, but never had spent the night at someone else's house before. Her father had been vehemently against it, but after their evening spar, and after acquired several new bruises, he reluctantly permitted her to go. Hinata couldn't help but feel proud of herself. While her father was still technically winning their matches, she had been able to land more and more hits on him over the past few days. It was only a matter of time until she was an even match for him, and Hinata relished the thought of being able to defeat her father. She imagined it would feel liberating, as if all those years of his harshness and coldness to her would just melt away.
She sighed. Hopefully that day would come soon, but there were other things to worry about. Ino had insisted she leave her jacket at home, and despite her protests, Hinata had finally given in. She was currently wearing a dark blue t-shirt and a pair of white pants. She stood outside of Ino's door, unsure of what to do next. Is she supposed to just walk in? Or should she knock? Thankfully, her fretting didn't last much longer, as Ino suddenly opened the door for her. She herself was dressed in a dark yellow tank top, with a pair of very short pants. Hinata blushed at the boldness of Ino's outfit, especially since she was practically showing anyone who wanted to take a peek what she was wearing. However, she didn't seem to mind, and squealed in greeting.
"Oh Hinata, you look adorable!" she said, hugging her lightly. Hinata smiled in gratitude, feeling better about her clothing choice. Ino gestured for her to come inside, and Hinata found herself in the living room, Sakura and Tenten lazing around on the couch. She waved shyly in greeting as they rushed over to say hello.
"That looks so cute on you, Hinata!"
"See, I knew Ino was right in telling you to leave those jackets at home!"
Hinata blushed underneath all the praise. From just a few short minutes she had been extremely self-conscious about what she was wearing, to feeling like the prettiest girl in the village. It was a strange feeling, but Hinata couldn't deny that he liked all the attention.
"T-thank you…" she peeped, taking a seat on the sofa. Ino soon rejoined them, bringing in some snacks from the kitchen.
"My dad made this for us. You'll love it!" she exclaimed, setting the food down in front of them. Hinata giggled at the thought of Ino's father in a frilly apron, whipping up dinner every night. Ino's mother was currently out, working on deciding the flower arrangements for the festival, so it was just the girls and Inoichi at home.
"So Hinata, what have you been up to recently?" Ino asked idly.
"Well…I have m-mainly been working on helping rebuilding the village," she replied.
Sakura grinned. "You've been working a lot with Naruto, right?"
Hinata froze, her cheeks heating up already, and she had only been here for 5 minutes!
"y-ye-yes…I h-have.." she barely managed to stutter out, much to the other girls' amusement.
"You should stop being so embarrassed, Hinata!" Sakura told her. "I mean, you like spending all this time with him, don't you?"
Hinata couldn't help but smile. "Y-yes…I've really gotten to know Naruto-kun a lot better over the past few weeks." Her expression furrowed somewhat. "B-but, I am a little confused. Naruto-kun and I have been always assigned to the same construction sites, something that is very peculiar."
The others shared a knowing look, but shrugged so as not to make her suspicious.
"Well, it certainly wouldn't bother me any, spending all the quality time with that hunk." Ino said coyly, causing Hinata to blush an even deeper red. It wasn't exactly a lie, either. Naruto unknowingly had the infatuation of many of the village's girls because of his looks; it was just his personality that they couldn't get past.
Sakura smirked. "What's the matter, Ino? Getting a little jealous?"
"Pssh. As if. I mean, sure that knucklehead is pretty cute now, but he's just not my type." She suddenly winked at Hinata. "Besides, I think he's interested in someone else!"
By now all of Hinata's blood must have rushed to her cheeks, she was so embarrassed. But Ino's words made her curious.
"W-what do y-you mean, Ino-san?" Hinata asked quietly.
"Oh, don't act like you don't know! Naruto is starting to like you!"
Hinata seemed confused. "Of course he would, Ino-san. Naruto-kun and I have become good friends recently."
Ino rolled her eyes. "Not that way, Hinata. I mean he's starting to like like you!" The tone in her voce was suggestive, and Hinata unconsciously brought a hand up to her chest. Did she really think Naruto was starting to like her?
"Do you...r-really think so?" she asked gingerly, her hopes rising.
"We all do!" Sakura piped in. "Hinata, I know Naruto better than anyone else. I see the way he's been looking at you over the past few weeks, and I wouldn't be too surprised to see if he asked you out soon!"
Hinata's heart soared. Oh, if Naruto was to ask her out on a date, to be his girlfriend…it would be the happiest day of her life! She couldn't stop the blissful sigh that pushed through her lips, causing the other girls to giggle.
"Sounds like someone wants that to happen!" Tenten teased. "Hinata, Naruto would be lucky to have a girl like you, and I don't think that even he is that stupid to continue and ignore what's right in front of him."
Ino giggled again. "I know, right! You have like, the best pair I've ever seen. Aside from Tsunade-sama's of course!" She motioned to her chest, and the others blushed deeply at her bold words.
"I-Ino! Don't say stuff like that about Tsunade-sama!" Sakura protested, not having planned Ino to say that.
"Oh come one, you know it's true! Right after her, Hinata has the best body in the entire village!" She turned to the Hyūga, giving her another wink. "If you'd like, we can go shopping sometime to help you show off those curves!"
To their surprise, Hinata actually nodded happily. "T-thank you, Ino-san. I w-would like that." If Naruto was starting to show interest in her like Ino had suggested, it wouldn't hurt to find some new clothes.
For the next half hour or so, the girls chatted with one another, swapping stories and enjoying each other's company. Sakura would tell everyone about what was going on in the hospital, and Ino would tease about how clumsy and old-fashioned her father was, despite his numerous protests from the kitchen. Suddenly, Ino shot out of her chair, and rushed out of the room. She came back in holding an empty bottle, and everyone eyed it suspiciously. What exactly was she planning to do with that.
"I just got the greatest idea for a game we can play!" Ino exclaimed, motioning for everyone to gather around while she placed the bottle in the middle of them.
"You…can't be serious, Ino." Sakura stated bluntly, her cheeks turning slightly red.
Ino smacker her across the head lightly. "No stupid, it's nothing like that!" We're just going to use the bottle to decide whose turn it is in…"
She spun the bottle, grinning widely.
"Truth. Or. Dare."
Author's Note: Oh ho ho, fun times are ahead for the Konoha Gang! Much hilarity will ensue next chapter, so you have that to look forward to. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. And if you liked what you read, a review is just the best way to make my day!
One thing you can do to help me out (only if you want) is to help spread the word around about the story. Tell a friend, send a message, let's get it out there! But only if you really like it, I don't to sound like I'm desperate or anything, because I'm doing this mainly because I enjoy it, not because my ego needs attention.
Though that does help lol.
Until next time! Can't wait to continue on this crazy ride with all of you joining me!