I still need to improve my grammar... urgh. I can never get the past and present tenses right.
-o-o-o-
Chapter Eleven
Shino shifted on his feet and let the beetle-like insect on his hand fly away. He just came back from a mission but paused for a moment to check the bug's beautiful color. It was a radiant color of yellow with black spots and he wondered what the outcome would be, if he let the said insect and his chakra beetle mate together.
He likes experimenting, especially if he could make new species of bugs in the process.
The mission that was assigned to him was a success and he carried a few souvenirs and food with him straight from the place where the said mission was located. Some may not know this since he was a character easily forgotten—no kidding, people sometimes tend to forget about him except for his team—but he always bring back something for his team every after his solo missions.
He brought back a jar of nut preserves for Kurenai-sensei because she loves those, along with a few toys for her daughter Mirai. For Kiba, he had gotten a shirt with cat pictures imprinted on it. It was a joke on his part and he knew Kiba will get it too.
He couldn't wait to see Akamaru's reaction on that one.
For Hinata, he brought a pair of beautiful purple shirt with long sleeves and hood. Purple was Hinata's favorite color and it will accentuate her eyes perfectly. He saw the clothes on his way back, and he traded his other extra pair of dark-tinted eye glasses for it.
Talking about Hinata...
"Her chakra signature?" Shino murmured to himself as he looked around, only to see trees ...and more trees. Hinata always conceals her chakra signature so it was unusual for him to feel its sharp flicker around these woods.
With a curious frown, he released a few bugs in the air.
::
Hinata's heart was pounding on her ears and she tried to still herself as she blew a very small and gentle amount of water in—she mentally shrieked—in Sasuke's mouth. The Uchiha's lips felt hot against her own and she could actually taste the bitter smoke.
She felt Sasuke's tense body relaxed as he let out a breath of relief. He was still pinning her down with his body and even though he only got one hand, he was very strong. She tried wiggling but then realized that the stronger she struggled; the stronger his hold on her was—which was the reason why she froze like a statue and just waited for the heavens to take her.
How relieved she was, when the Uchiha removed his lips away from hers.
Water dripped from both of their mouths and she coughed, spitting out the ashes she got from Sasuke. With a shaky hand, she wiped her lips with the sleeve of her jacket and raised herself up.
She could not believe it. It was not a formal kiss and she wasn't sure if it even counts as one but their lips still met and she felt it move against hers. And for her, her romantic dreams of being kissed by the right person just melted before her eyes.
Sasuke—Yes, Sasuke-scary-Uchiha—was the one who took her first kiss away.
As an active kunoichi and someone who even lived through a Great War, a simple kiss—even though an informal one—should not get the best of her. Besides, in the harsh world of female ninjas, there might be times that the gift of womanly wiles and assaults—as Anko had said it in one of her lectures—must be used.
It may save a life...a mission...or a village.
A woman's dignity sacrificed for the better good.
But even so, she never shouldered a task like that and it was her first kiss...like very first.
Of course she was bewildered.
Sasuke looked down on his clothing and felt slightly annoyed that it was dripping wet. Also, his jaw still felt like it was being roasted along with his tongue. The fire jutsu-gone-wrong almost choked him to death with fire and ash that he mentally laughed at how silly his death would have been if his luck really turned the other way.
"How...how did you know I know how to perform water jutsu?"
Sasuke tilted his head ever so slightly to the right where his personal 'water-fountain' was still kneeling on the ground. Her jacket was sticking to her chest like second skin. It was dripping wet like his clothes. Her face was the color of ripe tomatoes and her eyes still wide from...shock maybe? For a moment, he just looked at her impassively, considering her question which sounded more like a frightened squeak to him that anything else.
"I just know." He answered.
"How?" Hinata asked. She was asking for she could not remember anything about sharing her 'special' water jutsu knowledge to anyone except for her team, Neji, and Ko. Hyugas usually use the wind element and in rare cases, the lightning element—she herself naturally has the chakra compatible for lighting but wasn't really good at controlling the dangerous and tricky element so the technique was rarely used.
Using water for her element jutsus was just something that she self-learned. It was a random thought when she was still an academy student and then developed the guts to try it when she was genin. To her surprise back then, she was actually good at it and has been practicing water techniques ever since.
"Why do you know I know how to use water jutsus?" She asked Sasuke again since his answer was as mysterious as he was. He said he just knew, so she wanted to know why he 'just knew'. After being forced to touch lips with him, Hinata convinced herself that at least Sasuke could give her proper answers.
What happened to them will surely give her sleepless nights—Hinata was dead sure. What's worse, these things she could never confide to anyone, not even her sister or Kiba...or Shino. Not if she wanted to avoid the fifth great war.
"Waterfall. You were dancing." Sasuke said and started walking away. It was from a long time ago and he was in no mood to explain. She may be his number one choice for a Hyuga bride for now—though he guessed that she still has to get that part right since she looked confused about it—but he won't waste any more time. Naruto's kyubi chakra was nearby and he doesn't want any questions.
But his stride was interrupted when a swarm of bugs, chakra beetles, formed in front of him like a black cloud. Instantly, he jumped back and readied his body for surprise attacks. At that same moment, he felt an angry wave of chakra that belongs to someone familiar yet he could not remember who.
It was unusual, for he always remembers— "Ah. Aburame." Sasuke said, spotting at last the man who was perched on a tree branch just above his head. Good for the bug user, for only very few people could sneak up to Uchiha Sasuke and live to tell the tale.
Hinata hastily rose from the ground when she saw Shino descend from the tree. Even with his half-covered face, it was obvious that her former teammate was not in a very good mood. "Shino-kun! Y-you're back."
In a small part of her mind, Hinata melted with relief. Obviously Shino didn't saw what happened to her and Sasuke a few minutes before he showed up. It was because if he did, Shino won't waste time hanging on some tree branch...
He'll go for Sasuke's head instantly.
Sasuke smirked. Aburame was reeking of bad chakra and his beetles were buzzing with agitation. Even so, he doesn't care. Everyone who was sane enough knew that no Aburame can beat Uchiha Sasuke.
"You're bullying her." Shino concluded when he saw Hinata's wet jacket and red-colored face. He had heard from Kiba through some technological wonder called a...phone... that Hinata was assigned by Kakashi to be Sasuke's babysitter while he runs around the village like a genin after missing cats.
He got to admit, he was worried when he heard of it but he tried to be cool since Sasuke has the emotional capacity of a dead fish and big ego. Sasuke won't even look at Hinata twice since he'll just consider her another of his fan girls.
But guess what, he was wrong.
When he arrived at the scene after letting his beetles track the chakra he felt earlier, he saw Hinata on the ground wet and bewildered. Instantly, he concluded that Sasuke was being a bully since he didn't even have the guts to help Hinata up.
Sasuke said nothing. He doesn't know what Aburame's deal was but he won't waste his time finding out. Let the bug user think of him as bully, he really doesn't give a damn. He has the reputation of being one of the most dangerous people to ever walk the village of the Leaf so maybe a few more titles about him being the entity of pure evil won't hurt.
But it seems, the bug user has no intention of letting him go easy.
As he made another attempt to just walk away, Aburame what's-his-name blocked his path like a guard dog ready to take down prey. In that moment, the Hyuga woman managed to squeeze between them with her hand on both of their chest.
"Shino-kun." Hinata pushed Shino away from Sasuke's face. "Please do not make any attempts without knowing what happened first."
Shino looked at her behind the glasses. "I know you enough to know something is wrong."
"Nothing is wrong."
"Your face alone says it all."
Hinata shook her head. Of course Shino was right and his guess spot on. But of course, she won't tell that he was right. "I slipped...and I fell. It's my fault actually so..." She gave Sasuke a look. It was both a warning and a plea. In return, Sasuke just looked at her with his stoic eyes and walked way like nothing happened.
"You slipped on dry ground but ended wet?"
"I...I was performing my water jutsu because I want to make a small canal here." Hinata lied through her teeth as she made a gesture to the dry ground. Really...when did Shino became so curious and strict? "But no matter how many times I had done it, I still make mistakes..."
Shino glanced at Sasuke, who like the stoic bag that he was, just walked away without even saying anything to defend himself.
When the Uchiha's back disappeared from sight, Shino slowly shifted his glance to the woman who has been like his sister for more than a decade. There were times in the past that he found himself falling deeper but he decided before the fourth Great War that they were better off as siblings.
That way, they could be in each other's life forever without question because they were comrades and best friends. Sure he was over that obviously not-going-anywhere feelings he has for the Hyuga princess, but he won't deny that he was still feeling very protective of her.
Mess with Hinata and it messes with him.
"Shino-kun..."
"You're very bad at lying Hinata."
"I'm so sorry." Hinata looked down on her feet. "Shino... please understand that I won't always be able to—"
"I do."
"I just don't want you to fight him. I can take care of myself. I promise." Hinata smiled and touched Shino's gloved hand. She entwined their fingers and raised them up for both of them to see. "Do you trust me in this Shino-kun?"
"I do."
"Thank you."
"Let's head back together." Shino said as he adjusted his backpack. Hinata was not a girl anymore so he was going to leave her alone if she wants to. He was not angry. He was actually very proud— what used to be a timid girl was now a very strong woman with a backbone of her own. "I got something for you and Kurenai-sensei." He said, changing the subject.
"R-really?"
"Yeah. Something purple."
-o-o-o-
Kakashi shook his head while his gloved hand played with the small pen cap on his desk. "No. I don't think Sasuke is ready for faraway missions. I mean, he is physically and mentally able...but the people around him aren't. The village still needs to trust him."
Yamato crossed his arms, his eyes not on the Hokage but out of the balcony and to the busy street below. From his place, he spotted a bright blur of pink and red, running side by side with yellow and orange. He smiled, knowing that those lively colors belong to the old team Kakashi lent him a few years ago. "Like letting him run around the village doing simple work any locals could do?"
"Uh...exactly."
"Then how is that effective?" Yamato asked.
Kakashi smiled though as always, it was hidden behind his mask. "First of all Tenzou, it's the council's idea and I have to humor them since we can't deny the products of Sasuke's past vendetta and all those pretty bad decisions that he made. The council believed that this will make Sasuke more human."
"Human?"
"Sasuke's a genius and it makes him look unbeatable and not normal. Because of that, his image people usually compares to Orochimaru. It makes people around him scared."
"Okay... then why did I saw Naruto and Sakura on their merry way and not with Sasuke?"
"Sakura has Tsunade's work on her shoulders while Naruto has mine." Kakashi let go of the pen cap and let his hand ran though his silver hair. He has been training Naruto for all the Hokage-work and the Uzumaki was doing very well. "I want an early retirement."
"So who is with Sasuke?" Yamato asked. "I assume you won't let him go around without someone who could...keep his demons at bay."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "My Tenzou... why so curious?"
Yamato shrugged and smiled. "Everyone is curious when it comes to the only Uchiha Sasuke."
"Fair enough." Kakashi's smile went wider. "Hinata Hyuga."
Yamato stiffened and he whipped his head back to the senpai who he treated as his own brother. Kakashi's eyes were closed and Yamato knew that the Hokage was smiling. Did Kakashi just said Hinata? "Hyuga clan's princess?"
"Yes."
"Are you serious? Sasuke's going to...melt her with just a glare." Yamato exclaimed, honestly worried for the shy Hyuga. He doesn't know her well for the never really crossed paths that would require time together, but still..."Put her next to Naruto and she faints... and now you're going to leave her with Uchiha Sasuke? Hokage or not, Hiashi is going to kill you if something happens to her."
"Ah... no. Actually she's perfect for the job."
"Enlighten me."
"She doesn't like Sasuke in the way like the majority of our female population does and she came from a big clan that use to be rival with the Uchihas—an ex-heiress too. Hinata knew firsthand the burden that Sasuke has in his shoulders upon trying to rebuild the fallen. Her presence won't bother him."
"Ah...I'm not so sure." Yamato scratched his head. "But if you say so."
Kakashi chuckled and placed his elbows above his desk. He then leaned forward, resting his chin above his hands. A few weeks ago, he too was worried if he made the wrong decision for assigning Hiashi's daughter as Sasuke's partner, but since he received no complaints and saw that the Hyuga was fine and kicking, he knew that all was good.
"Hiashi will use this chance though...since Sasuke's staying with him and is under his protection for the time being. He'll make attempts to make Sasuke stay...or get hold of the sharingan."
Kakashi nodded. "Actually, he just made a dumb first move. He was offering his youngest daughter to Sasuke in matrimony."
"That greedy...old...basta—"
The door swung open and both the Hokage and the Captain rolled their eyes upwards. It was because even before they saw the blonde hair and whiskered grin, they already knew that it was Naruto Uzumaki.
For who in their right minds will have the guts to just barge inside the Hokage's office without courtesy? Even a drunken Tsunade will have the decency to make her presence known before barging in.
"Kakashi-sensei! Captain Yamato!" Naruto said as he stepped inside the office. Without thinking much, he walked to the captain and slung an arm his shoulders. It was rare to see Yamato around these past months since Kakashi has him going all around places as one of Konoha's ambassador. "Good to see you captain! I miss you, yah know!"
Yamato smiled but good-heartedly pushed the Uzumaki away. Naruto has grown very tall he towers above him and it was making him conscious of his height. It was a little extraordinary, how the small blonde kid he used to scare with his 'scary-face-jutsu' was now a man.
Naruto looked sheepishly at Kakashi who raised his eyebrows. "Kaka-sensei..."
"What now?" Kakashi asked, every time Naruto looks like he was trying to be cute, there was always a catch. Always. Just like every time Sakura was being quiet.
"Can I...ugh...skip my training today?"
"What for?"
To the surprise of the two elite seniors, Naruto tanned cheeks turned a good shade of pink and his hand awkwardly scratched his blonde, spiky hair. He then chuckled nervously. "I am planning a small get together in my apartment with the rest of the gang. I checked all of their schedules and everything just comes together. Shino arrived from his mission and it is also Shikamaru's day off.
"Then why do you look so nervous?" Kakashi asked suspiciously.
Naruto smiled. "Because I am going to ask Hinata-chan out."
Yamato blinked and Kakashi coughed. Both men then looked at each other with surprise while Naruto was still smiling idiotically—or more like a kid that just got the biggest candy of his life. How surprising it was, that they were just talking about the same young woman before Naruto showed up.
"Hinata...you mean Hyuga Hinata?" Yamato wanted to be sure.
Naruto nodded. "The one and only."
"Okay..." Yamato scratched his chin. "Ah...good luck with that."
-o-o-o-
"Oh my gosh Ino. Genma Shiranui is totally checking you out." Tenten whispered as she gave the special jonin with the bandana chewing his trademark senbon a glance. Genma was sitting on one of the stools in front of the dango store while she and the Yamanaka where in the opposite shop. "He keeps looking at you."
Ino rolled her eyes. She was used to people staring, especially if she was wearing her signature purple sleeveless cardigan—which she was wearing at the moment. Shikamaru had talked to her a thousand times about changing outfits since he was tired of glaring down all the men who keeps ogling at her figure when she walks by, but she said no.
She was comfortable in her clothing and it was her dad's gift when she passed chunin. Besides, no men in their right minds will openly try something lewd in front of her since they don't want to end up like spiritless puppets before the day is over. She was a Yamanaka after all, and no person's mind was safe with her nearby.
"Genma's handsome though." Ino said. She remembered crushing upon the said special jonin when she was still a kid. Genma Shiranui with his manly personality and awesome skill was very popular with the ladies and in- ranked with Kakashi and Aoba when it comes to Konoha's most wanted bachelor.
"But he's old." Tenten said.
"Yeah but come on Tenten, you know he is still very hot, especially with that body and all that senbon thing."
Tenten shrugged. "Okay...I admit."
"And of all the hot guys in Konoha, you ended with Rock Lee." Ino joked, laughing as she did. Tenten scowled and then pouted at her, though it was all done good-naturedly. "Come on Tenten."
"Hey. Lee may be sometimes weird and very childish, especially if he's with Gai-sensei...but I love the guy and he's just hopeless without me."
Ino nodded. "True love is just unexplainable."
"You have no idea."
Ino smiled. The smile was hinted with sadness but Tenten did not notice it—which Ino was thankful. True love? Ino doesn't know if she already encountered her true love...but if there was one thing that she knows, it was that she felt love before.
She knew the feeling of loving someone like Tenten does. She also knew the feeling of loving someone quietly without waiting for any return like Hinata did once...
Maybe what she felt in the past was true love or maybe it was not, but whatever it was called, it was damn painful.
"Hey Ino..."
"Hm?"
"Naruto is going to have a small get together in his place." Tenten said and stretched her hands up. Before she saw Ino, she came from the field and was training a bunch of academy students that Iruka-sensei had pushed her way. It was simple kunai-throwing activity but if you are faced with fifteen or so students who could not even hit a target on the butt to save their lives, it was beyond simple. "You coming?"
"Wow. Naruto do love to throw parties." Ino remarked.
"I think he's just lonely...with him living all by himself. He is very popular now and got a fan club going but it's still different when it comes to having family who you could go home to after a hard day's work."
Ino remembered her deceased father. It hard to live without her dad. She missed him every day. She could just imagine how hard it was for Naruto—especially when he was able to meet his dad by reanimation jutsu and his mom while he was trying to tame the Kyubi—and knew how awesome they were and that their family could have been a good and happy one. "Yeah..."
"Wanna come?"
"Of course. I won't miss it for the world."
As the two kunoichi walked side by side on the busy market street, they talked about what food to bring for Naruto's small get-together and what clothes to wear. No one really dresses up for Naruto's parties because everybody will end up as drunk anyway—except for Hinata who has Shino and Kiba to watch over her, and Rock Lee-who will be watched by everyone since he might transform into his drunken fist mode and destroy the place.
They stopped when they saw Sakura coming their way.
"Hey forehead." Ino greeted with a smile. She saw Sakura's grim expression and she mentally sighed in exasperation. After Sasuke's comeback, she thought that the Haruno was going to be happy since it was her goal ever since they were chunins to make Sasuke come back to the village.
But why does Sakura was growing grimmer as the day passes?
"You heard the news?" Sakura asked.
"What news?" Tenten asked back. "Naruto's party?"
"No." Sakura shook her head. "About the Hyuga clan."
"What about it?"
"They want Hinata's sister to marry Sasuke. Can you believe it?"
::
For the seventieth time of the afternoon, Hinata found herself sighing. What happened earlier between her and Sasuke was just too much for her poor soul to handle that every little thing reminded her of it. It was a scene she wanted to forget— but it's a luxury she knew she could never have...except of course, she ask Ino Yamanaka for help.
Currently, she was inside the comfort of her room, still eyeing Shino's wonderful gifts but really in no mood to try them. She was very thankful for it and she loved them already... but for now, she was just trying to give herself courage.
I can still his lips... Hinata thought with dread. I can still feel it.
A light tapping sound on her closed window made her jumped from the bed. Hinata felt foolish. Why was she so jumpy?
Because you just got your first informal kiss from Uchiha Sasuke . A small voice from her head said. Hinata bit the inside of her cheek and sighed again.
There was another light tapping. This time, it took her attention and so she stood, walked to the window and pushed the expensive curtains to the side before sliding the window open. What she saw next, surprised her.
It was a small orange frog, wearing a little blue shirt.
Hinata just stared, not really knowing what to think of her little visitor. The frog was very small, almost just as big as her fist. It was cute though and she found herself awkwardly smiling since it was obviously not an ordinary frog. She could feel strong chakra emitting from it.
It was a summon.
"Woman." The little frog said and it was not sounding happy. Hinata was surprised at how old the frog's voice was when it was just a cute little creature. "You Hyuga Hinata?"
Hinata nodded, dumbstruck.
"I can't believe a summon like me is doing something stupid...that stupid kid...that idiot. Wait till I'm bigger and I gonna kick your butt...Gamabunta is right. The boy's a hooligan." The frog mumbled under his breath but Hinata heard it clear as day. "Woman..." The frog cleared his throat.
"Yes?" Could her day get any weirder? Hinata wondered, all the while pretending to give one hundred percent of her attention to the orange-colored frog.
"Someone wants to see you."
"Who...wants to see me?" Hinata asked.
"Look over there. " The frog raised his chubby little frog-fingers and pointed to a giant tree that was the tallest of all. The said tree was protruding from all the green. Everyone in the rookie nine knew that tree, for the boys used to race up to it and engraved their scores on its bark.
That tree grows in the middle of Konoha's east forest.
"If you're not busy... why don't you go to him?"
"Who?"
The frog sighed. "Put your byakugan to good use woman. I pointed his location didn't I?"
Hinata smile at the amphibian. The way it spoke was making it cuter. It was like a little creature with an old soul. With a slight frown, Hinata activated her bloodline limit and searched for the said frog owner.
"Naruto-kun?" Hinata said as soon as she saw the orange chakra. Naruto was sitting on one of the tree's branches, his hands above his head and his one leg over the other. If she read his body language correctly, the Uzumaki was a little...uneasy?—since his heartbeat was a little faster than normal and his chakra in sharp spikes.
Now what does Naruto-kun want?
Hinata deactivated her byakugan and looked at the frog again. She caught the little creature staring at her with interest, its black marble-like eyes glued to her like she was some weird creature worth observing.
"That's a large rack you got there." The frog stated matter-of-factly.
Hinata blinked, a little scandalized that such cute creature could say something so vulgar. Clearing her throat, she subtly changed her angle so that her...err...rack—as the frog called it—was facing the other way. The frog seemed to notice and it chuckled dryly at her.
"Did Naruto-kun say something as to why he wanted to see me?" She asked. "He could just come here if he needed something."
"I'm just a frog. I don't know how his mind works. Just go to him if you wanted to know."
"I see."
The frog summon disappeared in a puff of gray smoke and Hinata was left to wonder about Naruto—and what might he want with her.
Checking her clothing if it was presentable enough, Hinata decided that she should go and meet him so he won't wait for her long. Maybe it was important... like her mission with Sasuke or something of the same page.
Naruto wants to talk to me...
Growing more curious by the second, Hinata made her way to the beautifully decorated door and slid it open— only to find Uchiha Sasuke standing behind it with a grim expression on his face. She instantly took a step back, the jutsu-gone-wrong scene from earlier flashing before her eyes.
She didn't even feel his presence and he was so near. In a small part of her mind, she wondered how many times Sasuke will make her feel so...so out of league. "Sasuke-kun."
"Hyuga."
"Ah...do you need something?"
"Yes." Sasuke's look was calculating and Hinata's heart rose to her throat. There was something in that look that was making her worry. "You're father is waiting downstairs. We have to talk."
"W-what do you mean we?"
"You want to save your sister am I right?"
::
Naruto grinned when smoke puffed in front of him. When it cleared, a small orange frog appeared. "Gamba! How did it go?"
"She said she's going."
"Right now?" Naruto asked, excited.
"You dickhead." The frog said and glared. "You make me do these little errands again and I'm going to kick you in the balls. We did not agree about errands that has nothing to do with ninja work on the contract."
"Sorry Gamba. It's just...I like this girl."
Gamba chuckled grimly. "Though I got to say, she has nice rack."
Naruto's eyes turned into slits. "What did you just say?"
"That lady...she got a nice, big rack." The summon repeated. "I stared because I was this close." Gamba pressed two of his fingers together. "This close."
"You little pervert!" Naruto suddenly yelled and aimed for the frog. The frog however, disappeared in a puff of smoke and he ended punching the air. "Gamba you pervert!" Naruto gritted his teeth. Even if Gamba was just a frog summon with a pervert nature that could rival Kakashi's, it was still no excuse that he was checking on Hinata.
"I just hope Hinata-chan doesn't find it weird." Naruto mumbled and leaned his head back.
If things go his way, he was going to make her his date in the small get-together that he had planned especially for her. He invited all their friends of course, but that was just to make sure that she won't feel awkward with him.
"Damn. I'm nervous." Naruto smiled to himself. "Kami... please bring me good luck and make Hinata-chan accept my feelings. I will never make her cry. I promise."
-o-o-o-
Here ends the chapter!
-crazychans
