"Why can I not save her?" Naruto whispered to himself as he sat outside the school, waiting for Jiraiya to pick him up. Naruto had been grounded because of his constant disobeying and recklessness- even if Hinata had been with Takeshi.
Naruto moaned and took out his phone, thankful it didn't break in the fight. "It's been a month since I've seen or heard from her… I wonder if she's been rethinking her decision." He said as Jiraiya drove up through the empty lot.
Naruto stood as Jiraiya stopped next to him; he opened the door and got in. "When do I get my car back?" he asked Jiraiya grimly, seeing a Happy Meal on the floor in front him.
"When I think you deserve it. You could've died- again. I'm not saying Hinata wasn't a nice girl- she probably was; but as the saying goes 'If you love something, you have to set it free.' You have to let her go." Jiraiya replied, picking up the Happy Meal and giving it Naruto. "I picked you up some dinner."
"Thanks…" Naruto retorted, opening it up and taking out a cheeseburger.
"You're welcome."
"I mean for everything." Naruto stated before shoving the burger into his mouth.
"I help the people I love." Jiraiya replied with a smile, seeing Naruto chewing with difficulty.
Naruto laughed but only began choking on the burger. Jirayai stopped the car, pounding on Naruto's back.
"Spit it out! I don't want you dying!" Jiraiya yelled.
Naruto coughed and wiped his mouth. "Why? So you won't have anyone to review your books before they're published?" he grinned and took out the toy that came with every Happy Meal.
"Really? Our school mascot? I could just get Sasori-sensei to make this!" Naruto replied, tossing the toy back into the box.
Jiraiya reached in and pulled it out. "But it's tails move and it glows!" Jiraiya said excitedly as he parked in the driveway.
"You can have it then. I'll ask Sasori-sensei for one." Naruto grabbed his book bag and opened the door, taking his Meal with him.
"Come on Jirayai. Why am I at the door first when you-" Naruto began, already at the door.
"I dropped my toy!" Jiraiya retorted. Naruto sighed as Jirayai got to the door, unlocking it.
"Go do your homework. Iruka called me and told me you've been getting your grades up." Jiraiya told Naruto as they got to the kitchen.
"Yeah, I know. After Hinata left, I was up all night thinking about what I was going to do now that she's gone. I decided I might as well pass eleventh grade. There's nothing else for me to do- the Taijutsu Finals aren't until the March so besides practicing, I'm free." Naruto put his McDonald's on the counter and went to his room. "I'm going to Kiba's after. We haven't really spoken since."
"How do you think you're getting there?" Jiraiya asked as he looked at Naruto sadly.
"I'll walk- It's no problem." Naruto replied before slamming the door to his room. Naruto threw his book bag on the floor, going to his computer and logging onto Facebook.
"Maybe I can find out where they are. Gaara has Takeshi as a friend on Facebook- I think. I'll ask him." Naruto messaged Gaara and scrolled through his News Feed while waiting for a reply.
He laughed at the picture of Iruka covered in red paint, pointing angrily at the camera. "Too bad I didn't think of this. It would've loved to see it person." Naruto said, liking it.
He suddenly saw a relationship status. Shikamaru Nara is now in a relationship with Temari. "What!? Who is Temari?"
Naruto clicked on her name and checked her information. "Hmm, she goes to Suna… has four mutual friends- Ino (not a surprise), Choji, and Shikamaru (also not), and… Sakura?" He scrolled down even more and saw her family.
"She's… Gaara's sister? How long as he had a sister for?" Naruto checked how old she was. "She's a senior. What about her other brother, Kankurou?" Naruto checked him and found he was also a senior.
"There are so many things I never knew about Gaara…" Naruto went back to his News Feed and posted his status.
Homework would eat shit if it was alive. Why does it even exist?
Naruto saw Gaara respond: I don't know where they are. Takeshi hasn't talked to me since the beginning of last year.
Oh… I didn't know you had a sister and brother. Why didn't you say anything?
You didn't need to know. It's not important to you.
But didn't you see! Shikamaru and your sister are dating!
It was some time before Gaara messaged back. She said it's just one of those Facebook things where people are in fake relationships and fake marriages. Thank god. Shikamaru isn't right for her.
Naruto sweat dropped. 'You shouldn't judge.' He thought. Why do they go to Suna and you go to Konoha? Naruto asked.
My father. He hates me- wants me as far from them as possible I guess. I only go home on weekends. Gaara replied.
Naruto shook his head and typed again. I think I'm gonna go. I have a bunch of stupid homework and extra credit the sensei gave me.
Your post makes it sound as if you won't do it.
Naruto paled and immediately logged off, opening his bag and taking his History book out. 'Stupid history. I have a dumb test tomorrow and I barely know anything… Why me?' Naruto thought, laying face-down on his bed, his book underneath him.
There was a knock at his door. "Yeah?" he called.
"Are you doing your homework?" said Jiraiya.
"Yes. Why?" Naruto lied.
"I saw that post." Jiraiya replied.
"I just hate homework, that's all. I can't post something about it?" Naruto asked him.
"Yeah… well I'm going to go research. See you tomorrow."
Naruto sat up and laid back to stare at his ceiling. "I'm sure I can see Kiba and Hanabi and still squeeze in my homework." Naruto told himself, waiting a few minutes after he heard Jiraiya pull out of the drive.
He ran to the door, pulling on his jacket and shoes, grabbing his keys to lock the door. 'I wonder what he's been up to. We've only exchanged small talk- I hope he's not mad at me… I tried. Like, he barely even looks at me in the hall.'
Naruto thought as he ran to Wayward Ave. He shook his head. "If he was mad at you, he would've defriended you too and he hasn't." It was twenty minutes later that he knocked on Kiba's door.
Hana answered. "Oh, hi Naruto! I haven't seen you since…" she faded and looked up the stairs. "Come in. I don't think Kiba's home." She told Naruto.
They sat in the living room, Naruto looking at her questioningly. "He wouldn't…" she had trouble saying it nicely. "Kiba, even though he appreciated having your help, he is really-"
"So he hates me too now?" Naruto asked her, knowing what she wanted to say.
"I wouldn't really put it that way-" Hana tried to say.
"I would." Kiba said from the hall, glaring at Naruto.
"Why? I tried but she wouldn't listen to me. Do you think I would let her leave with him?" Naruto asked Kiba, upset Kiba would think like that.
"I hate you because you didn't take her. You didn't have to try to convince her there-" Kiba retorted.
"Takeshi had almost killed me and she saved me. I thought maybe I could talk her out of it. I said what we said before and I told her how I felt- How every time she leaves with him, my heart hurts. I loved her so much- I still do." Tears were coming from Naruto's eyes.
"I've been asking his friends if he's talked to them- told them anything but he hasn't contacted anyone since before he left." Naruto told Kiba. Kiba stood there, thinking for a moment and trying to ignore the tears.
"His dad. He has to keep in touch with someone-" Kiba suggested.
"I doubt it." Hana said. "They can't even stand being in the same room together."
"Then how do they get money?" Kiba asked his sister.
"A debit or credit card maybe. Hinata might have one but she only had a robe on when she left." Naruto answered, wiping the tears away.
"That means he is providing the cash with his own card." Kiba replied. "Can you track them?" he asked.
"Konoha police can't do that. Besides she went of her own free will." Hana retorted, standing and walking to the kitchen.
"That's not what she was saying in her head!" Naruto told Hana.
"Hey, unless you can prove that, then we'll get the FBI or CIA or whoever the hell does that shit to do it." Hana remarked annoyed. Kiba followed Naruto outside.
"I'm sorry… I didn't know. I guess fear is pretty powerful." Kiba said as they walked to Hinata's.
"For some." Naruto replied.
"Where are we going? I really hope you aren't-"
"I want to talk to Hanabi. She's probably scared- still afraid Takeshi is going to come back."
Kiba looked at the house in front of them. "Hiashi is home." He said, pointing to the vehicle in the driveway.
"I've met him before. He's not that bad!" Naruto told him, going to the door and ringing the doorbell.
"You're too optimistic." Kiba murmured as Hanabi answered.
She grinned happily and hugged him. "Hey Sakura-"
"It's Naruto. That was just something to get her to open the door." Naruto replied, as she let them in.
Hanabi led them to a large and beautiful living room. She sat them down on the expensive black silk and leather couches, offering them something to drink.
"No thanks. We- I- came here to see how you were doing." Naruto replied and watched Hanabi's smile turn into a frown.
"I can't really complain. I'm still busy so I don't have time to think about her. Father is really…" She turned her attention towards the clock that hung on the wall as if interested her.
"He what?" Kiba asked, leaning forward.
"Father is really angry. I didn't expect it and I'm sure you didn't either." She replied, looking back at them.
"Why's he angry? Is it because she might not come back for her to take over the company?" Kiba wondered.
"Yes and no. I always hear him muttering about a prearranged marriage and then sometimes he'll tell me that she ruined everything- that she ruined his plans and if she doesn't come back by next month, he's going to call off the search and forget about her… I feel like I can't do anything. He tells me I'm next- whatever that means and I hope it isn't a bad thing because if it is…" she was crying now, squeezing Kiba tight.
"Nothing will happen to you Hanabi. I promise." Kiba told her.
"Prearranged marriage?" Naruto asked suddenly feeling depressed. "People still do that?"
Hanabi sniffled and looked at him. "I guess. I heard him talking on the phone with some guy about it. The guy was upset and said that Hinata better be back by their marriage date or the deal would be off."
"Deal? The marriage?" Kiba retorted, not liking this.
"No. My father has been making business deals with all these other business men to increase the size of his company."
"Could it be Takeshi-" Naruto stated, getting worried.
"They aren't shareholders. They're the CEO's and Vice Presidents. My father would never even touch a shareholder's hand. He has them but it's business, you know?"
Naruto and Kiba sighed in relief but looked at each other. "Did you know about the marriage?" Naruto asked him.
Kiba shook his head. "Like I've said Naruto: You know more about Hinata than me. She could've known and not told you because of your feelings or she just didn't know."
"Maybe that's why she left. She didn't want to marry someone she didn't love and you to watch her live that way." Kiba said.