Sasuke let out a deep sigh, "What?" Naruto asked, looking up from his phone.
Sasuke put down his chopsticks as he reread his text message. "Itachi wants to meet up after school."
"Isn't that good? I know you miss your big bro," Naruto teased as he pulled Sasuke's cheek.
Sasuke smacked Naruto's hand away, "Shisui is coming too."
Naruto laughed, "Aww, don't go getting jealous that someone else is spending time with Itachi."
Sasuke proceeded to put away his half-eaten lunch. "I'm not jealous."
"Sure sure whatever you say. Where ya guys going?"
"He wants to go to the tea shop Hinata and I got him tea from."
"What? What place did you guys go to? How come you didn't take me?"
"You were at your cram lesson, you know Hinata hates it when you try and ditch class."
"So you guys went while I was in school huh? Cool, cool." Naruto put his phone down, crossed his arms across his desk and rested his head. "Cool, cool," he repeated.
Hinata, Ino, and Sakura returned to their class a few minutes before the bell was set to go off. Ino and Sakura went to sit by Ino's desk, while Hinata stopped by Sasuke's and Naruto's desks.
At a quick glance it looked like Naruto was sleeping, as he had his head buried in his arms, but the stiffness of his back and the jittering of his right leg said otherwise.
"What's wrong with Naruto?" asked Hinata.
"He's upset because he found out that you and I went to a tea shop without him," answered Sasuke.
"Naruto, is that true?" Naruto buried his head further in his arms as he mumbled his reply to Hinata.
"What?"
Raising his head enough to view his friends, Naruto replied, "You guys can't go places without me."
"We can't always go everywhere together," Hinata tried to reason.
"Don't go to places alone with Sasuke," mumbled Naruto.
Sasuke carefully eyed both Naruto and Hinata. "You're being a little ridiculous now Naruto. Sasuke is my friend. We can go places together."
"I know that, just don't go places alone. Is what I'm saying."
"You go places alone with him," countered Hinata. Sasuke rolled his eyes at Hinata's obliviousness.
"That's different, when we go places it's just guys time."
"So, I can go places alone with Ino or Sakura because then it would be girls time?"
"Yeah, exactly."
"But not Sasuke?"
"Right."
"So I can't go places with you either?"
"Huh?"
"I mean unless Sasuke is with us?"
"Wha? No, you and me can still hang out."
"Why can you and I be alone together, but not me and Sasuke?"
"Cuz he's a guy."
"So are you."
"But I'm different.I'm your friend."
"So is Sasuke."
"That's different."
"How?"
"It just is."
Hinata puffed out her cheeks, "You're starting to sound like Neji."
"It's just different, ok?"
"But why? I don't tell you, you can't hang out with Ino or Sakura."
"I don't wanna hang out with Ino or Sakura," mumbled Naruto before placing his head back in his arms. "I just wanna hang out with you."
When the last bell of the day rang, Sasuke uncharacteristically ushered Hinata and Naruto out of the classroom, in an attempt to leave the school premises as quickly as possible. With his school shoes in his locker and one shoe half off, Naruto was dragged forward. "Why don't you just tell Itachi you can't go?" Naruto asked in an attempt to get Sasuke to slow down.
"He and Shisui will not take no for an answer, it's the Uchiha in them," was Sasuke's quick reply. "Hinata hurry up, or we're leaving you behind."
Hinata had to do a little jog to keep up with the guys' longer strides. "I kind of agree with Naruto, being honest is the best approach." Sasuke gave no reply and continued forward.
Just as the trio reached the school gates, Itachi and Shisui stood in front of a black car. Sasuke grimaced at his cousin's smiling face. "Were you that excited to spend time with us?" Shisui asked.
"Ya know it, he's been talking about it since lunch," added Naruto with a smug grin of his own.
"I knew you would be excited," Shisui replied as he threw an arm around Sasuke's shoulder.
Sasuke elbowed Shisui, forcing him to let go. "Just elated," answered Sasuke.
"Naruto, Hinata, will you two be joining us as well?" asked Itachi.
"Thank you for the invitation, but father has plans for us this weekend, so I'm afraid I won't be able to join you," replied Hinata.
"What? If Hinata doesn't go, then I don't wanna go. Things always get weird when it's just the three of you," was Naruto's instant reply. In return Sasuke gave Naruto a look that was a mixture of threatening and pleading.
"Hinata!" they heard in the distance.
The group turned towards the voice, "Oh, looks like Neji is ready to head out. Sorry, I couldn't join you. Enjoy the tea." Hinata waved goodbye and went to join her cousin.
"Alright let's get going then," Shusui exclaimed as he ushered the Uchiha into the car. Sasuke, unwilling to let Naruto leave, shoved him into the car, ignoring his protests.
"So this is where you and Hinata came huh? It's a pretty cozy place," Naruto commented as he inspected the shop.
"I agree, the atmosphere is rather relaxing," added Itachi.
"Yeah, didn't take you as the romantic type, how did you find this place Sasuke?" Shisui asked as he looked over the menu.
"Hinata chose the spot."
"This place is rather fitting for Hinata, doesn't stand out but is inviting in its own way," added Itachi. Naruto for once was quiet as he observed and listened to what the others had to say.
"I'm actually not much of a tea guy, so what is everyone thinking of getting?" asked Shisui.
"When Hinata and I came, I had the sencha green tea," Sasuke looked at Itachi, "She also recommended the dragonfruit tea, she said it tasted like pomegranates. She thought you might like it."
"The white peony she suggested did pair well with the dango. I'll try the dragonfruit and let Hinata know what I think the next time we meet. Shisui? Naruto? How about you?"
"I'll go with what little Sasuke had and try the green tea," answered Shisui.
"I'm actually not feeling that great, so if there's anything for an upset stomach, I'll go with that," Naruto replied with a grumble.
After politely and then not so politely rejecting a ride home from the Uchiha, Naruto decided he was in need of a pick me up. What better place than Ichiraku ramen.
"Naruto, my boy, a miso ramen with pork coming right up," Teuchi stated as Naruto took his seat by the counter. Naruto nodded in greeting and thanks.
It didn't take long for Ayame to place the ramen in front of Naruto. "Enjoy,"
"Thanks," Naruto replied as he separated his chopsticks in two.
Ayame observed Naruto for a few minutes, as he usually devoured his ramen within minutes. Yet, as Ayame watched, Naruto was idly stirring his noodles. "What gives?"
Naruto shrugged, "I dunno what you're talking about."
"If you don't want to tell me, I'll just ask Hinata the next time she comes in." At the mention of Hinata's name, Naruto's lip portrudded in a pout. "Did you do something to her?"
"What? No! I would never do anything to Hinata!"
"Then what? Did her cousin say something again?"
"No, it's just…arg!" Naruto ruffled his hair, "She went out with Sasuke and-"
"Like on a date?"
"NO! Hinata, she-she doesn't date!"
Ayame's eyes widened in surprise at Naruto's sudden outburst. "Oookay, then what's the big deal?"
"It's just that she went to some fancy ass tea place with him. Then I ended up going there with Sasuke, Itachi, and their cousin, and like Hinata even gave suggestions for teas. Not just for Sasuke but for Itachi too. And like why is she being so nice to them? Like Itachi wasn't even there when her and Sasuke went, so why would she bring him up or suggest teas for him ya know? Why didn't they just wait for me to go with them?"
"Are you mad that Hinata and Sasuke went without you? Or are you mad that Hinata was being considerate of other men?"
"I'm not mad that Hinata was being considerate of others, she's always nice to everyone."
"Then why does it bother you that she was considerate of Sasuke's older brother?"
"I-it doesn't."
"Hmmm, ok well let me ask you this, how would you feel if Hinata suggested a great fried chicken place for you to take that old pervert that visits you every couple of months?"
"I mean I would take the old perv there cuz Hinata said to."
"That's what you would do, but how would you feel?"
"I dunno, happy I guess, cuz Hinata thought of someone that's important to me and she thought of something nice we could do together."
"So why is it wrong that she does that for her other friends? Sasuke is her friend, and Itachi is someone that is important to Sasuke."
"I never said it was wrong for her to be nice to Sasuke. I just…wish she wasn't nice to him," he finished quietly.
"Why?"
"Cuz I want her to be nice to just me."
"Why?"
With a shrug, he replied, "Cuz I want her to just think about me."
"Why?"
Naruto slammed his chopsticks on the table, "I don't know!" some of the broth spilled on the table, "shit, sorry."
As Naruto wiped the table clean, Ayame placed her hand on Naruto's shoulder, "Naruto," he looked up, "I think you're jealous and I think you like Hinata," added Ayame.
"Pfft, of course I like Hinata, she's my friend."
Ayame shook her head, "No, I think you like her as more than a friend. You're starting to see her in a more romantic sense."
"But she's my best friend. No, I can't like her like that. Can I?"
"I don't know, that's something only you can answer."