bleuxe: Wrote chapter when I was sad and thinking about the past it was hard to write. Please enjoy and thank you. I don't own Naruto.
It been months since Hinata spoke to Lady Tsunade about becoming a medical nin and she was more then thrilled to welcome her aboard, but she still wanted to reconsider about the Anbu opinion she gave her. She said she would think about it, but knew in her heart that she didn't want to be in the Anbu. She believed didn't have the aptitude for that line of work anymore. Eventually Lady Tsunade did ask about her necklace and she did had to lie by saying it must fell off when she had to rush out of Amegakure to go on the run.
She wasn't too thrill about the loss of the advance technology and took a chuck of Hinata's stipend that she made from the mission. Honestly Lady Tsunade was relieved that she was able to escape undetected after losing Asuma to the Akatsuki. This only made the blue kunoichi felt even more guilty for lying after hearing about Asuma's death.
"If only I was an actual success like the Hokage thought I was then maybe I would reconsider becoming an Anbu, but I never knew how in over my head I was being spy at Ame would get me," Hinata rubbed her weary eyes. She was currently study for her medical exams in Konoha's library and as a side read she would read about seals which was generally how to do a seal, but nothing on how to undo a seal. Lady Tsunade still hadn't called her back to her office along with Jiraiya to discuss their next move now that they know Akatsuki is in the Rain village.
What worried her the most was that she hadn't heard from Obito since he released her and she had no way of contacting him. For longest time Hinata tried to figure out why he wrote that letter exposing Akatsuki and finally she figured it out. It was in order to make her look good while personally making her feel like a terrible person for agreeing to help him. She should be happy because she is back home seeing her friends and family, but no she became paranoid and was constantly looking over her shoulder knowing that happiness was fleeting when being blackmailed.
"He definitely know how to manipulate me to ensure I do what I promise, but I wonder who manipulated him into having a seal on his heart in the first place?" Hinata scratched her head thumped because it meant that Obito wasn't the only one behind the scenes pulling the strings in Akatsuki and would he really keep his part of the promise.
"So this is where your hiding," Kurenai said nearly scaring her out of her skin.
"Sorry didn't know you were so engross with your studies,"
"N-no just d-daydreaming please have a sit...your feet must be sore," Hinata instantly giving up from her chair for her former sensei who was holding her growing belly.
"Eh Hinata I'm pregnant not handicap your just as bad as Shikamaru," Kurenai sighed unable to stop her from ushering down to her chair.
"What bring you here and is there anything I can help with?" She willing was to doing any and everything knowing Kurenai was dealing with a lot being pregnant and alone since Asuma's death.
"I'm actually here to help you," Hinata looked confused at her answer. Ever since Hinata came back from her two years mission she became more reclusive even more so than Shino now. She barely socialize with her friends, the reason only she knew that because she visit her often and her comrades complained about not seeing her at all.
Kurenai knew her former student couldn't speak about the mission she was on, but she could tell it traumatized her in some way.
"It not healthy to bury yourself into work after long mission and it can really burn yourself out," She told Hinata many times how proud she was of her when she chose the path of healing people, but now she was becoming concerned with her behavior and how she was treating others. It just wasn't the Hinata she was use to seeing.
"You need go have a girl's night with your female comrades it will take some of your stress away,"
Hinata understood what Kurenai was getting at and honestly didn't want her to worry about her because there was enough on her plate already. The blue kunoichi narrowed her eyes at bookshelves because she could see shuffling of shadows behind them. She knew Sakura and Ino must have been involved in this. For weeks ever since she got back they would ask her to go out with them for ladies night and she would always politely decline because she was just too busy.
With her medical exams coming up and her new externship at the hospital in the emergency department, plus secretly try to find a solution to not get kidnapped by a maniac again was a lot of pressure on her.
"I-ok you can tell them to come out now," Hinata said slightly defeated because she should of known that they would rope in Kurenai to convince her to go.
"See I told you that your forehead is too big to hide!"
"Shut up Ino pig!"
Before she knew it she convinced to go shopping with them for a new dress. Where Kurenai conveniently left them to go to a doctor appointment. Then force to buy a long red ill fitted dress and she only thought that because of the upside heart shaped keyhole at her cleavage area was bit too much for her. But they kept raving how amazing it looked on her even blushed and that's when she found out that even women were obsessed boobs too.
Hinata sighed being back home looking at her alarm clock because it was time to leave and go to the address they gave her. She had no clue where she was going cause it was a place called Minty Leaf. Lucky for her she was wearing her oversize jacket to cover herself up because Neji maybe even her father wouldn't let her leave the house with this dress on. It had two size slits that weren't too high up her thighs thank goodness, made it easier to walk in.
"It late at night I hope this place isn't a club...I never been to one, but the loud music and strange men looking at me sound very unappealing..." Hinata thought sourly wanting to turn around back home, knowing they would more than likely tell Kurenai that she flaked on them. She was sort of happy to to finally see it was a bar. It still was jam pack full of people making her uncomfortable because of what she was wearing underneath her coat.
"I never should have brought this sleazy dress in the first place..."
"Hinata over here!" Tenten called her over where Ino and Sakura were sitting over by the bar.
"Wow I'm surprised you actually showed up it been ages since I see you," the weapons expert commented while hugging her.
Hinata felt instantly bad while thinking maybe she should socialize a bit more often so it didn't seem like she was avoiding her friends.
"Sorry I just have so much going on lately" she replied hoping it didn't sound like a flimsy excuse.
"Well try this drink we brought for you this will help you relax... Sakura been telling me how you've been working yourself to death at the hospital," Ino exclaimed handing the green drink in a fancy glass with a straw. Hinata lifted the cup to look at the contains seeing bits of crushed up mint leafs and knew right away was a Mojito. She knew how to make them thanks to Riptide, but it wasn't often that she made them because back at Ame it was just straight liquor. She really hope Jin her old boss was still well and not killed by Pein because he was completely ignorant to her being a spy.
This bar was even newer and cleaner than Riptide making her think that it just opened and was trying to make Mojito a staple drink because of the name of the bar. Even though Riptide was a gritty little bar that was barely operative at times because of little customers they got, she still missed that job. Life just seem simpler than back then. Hinata pulled the straw out of her drink and sipped while wincing because mint and alcohol definitely was a required taste. She ended up staring at the female bartender animatedly chatting with a male customer tilting his drink from side to side with a smile.
The byukugan princess couldn't help, but imagine Obito tilting his drink back and forth while she sneak glance at him back when she first met him. She instantly took a huge gulp from her Mojito hoping the drink did it job and block out that memory.
"Hey Sakura-chan! Hinata-chan!? When you come back into town!" Naruto's voice shook her back into reality making her spill her drink all over her jacket.
"Naruto you idiot! You made her waste her drink!" Sakura barked socking him in the back of his head.
"Ow I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scary her!" he clutched his throbbing head as Tenten helped her quickly took off her jacket so it didn't seep into her dress.
"I told already you she was back, but your going to buy her another one or so help me!" as the pink kunoichi cracked her knuckles making him cower in fear.
"N-No S-Sakura it my fault I should have paid attention," Hinata slightly peeved cause she thought this was a girl's night out and also have to show off this dress now. Naruto immediately notice her dress and she wasn't sure if his nose bleed from how hard Sakura hit him or if it was from how ridiculous huge her cleavage looked right now. What upset Hinata even more was that she felt nothing for Naruto after two years and well more like her entire life of longing to confess her love to him. It was gone and empty like what was in her cup.
Before she knew it she decide to take that free drink because she didn't want feel so subconscious about what she was wearing or feeling. Feeling tipsy she was ready to go home as they forced Naruto to walk her home, no manner how many time she decline, she really want to be alone and knew they doing it because they thought she still had a crush on him. The whole time he was walking her home all she think about was Obito.
"Is he ok?"
"Why haven't I heard from him yet?"
"I miss him...I must be losing my mind!"
She bit her bottom lip because even her jacket with the scent of alcohol all over it reminded of her first kiss. Going out tonight to the bar was just a bad idea as Hinata sworn saw the mask nin when passing a streetlight. When she took a double take to look back and saw no one standing there.
"You alright Hinata?" Naruto asked puzzled why she would suddenly stop walking like that.
"Yea I-I guess I had too much to drink," Hinata unsure if she really was that drunk or if Obito was really there stalking her in the shadows of the night.