Section 8: How About You, Shino-sama?
Shino and Hinata were walking slowly through the forest, just as the sun was at its last stand in the dusk sky. Hinata was noticeably avoiding eye contact with Shino as they continued on. He was aware, but he was pretty sure that already knew why.
"I'm sorry I made you tell me everything. I just thought you would feel better if you did." Shino said, without looking towards her.
"No, no... I do feel better. I just feel stupid." Shino halted in his steps.
"...Why."
"Because, I like someone I could never have. I'm nothing like him." Hinata looked down to the ground. "I already notice how he looks at Sakura-san. She's better for him anyways."
"Humph." Shino looks towards her, with a disappointed look on his face. "You can't really find anyone with that kind of attitude. He won't like you if you don't even like yourself."
She glared down holding back some tears, "You're right." She threw her head up and smiled. "Naruto-kun taught me to be confident in myself, and I wasn't even confident in myself with him."
"So, what are you going to do about it then? Continue to hide from him, or tell him how you truly feel?"
She grinned, and narrowed her eyes happily. She started twiddling her thumbs nervously, while looking off to the side as she usually does. "I want him to know so badly. Let him know what he's done for me. Let him know how important he is to me... He doesn't even notice."
Shino nodded to her in approval, and continued walking. "I'm glad you're getting the courage, Hinata-chan."
"Shino-sama...?" He reacted by turning back to her, waiting for her to continue. "... do... you like anyone...?" His eyebrow rose up, and he gunned back around facing away from Hinata with a drop of sweat running down his forehead.
"No... of course not." He continued walking away quickly. "You coming? We should be going now."
Seeing his evasion of the situation, she smiled when she realized it. "Shino-sama... I wonder who it is...!" She sprinted happily after the fleeing Shino, to get the information she wanted so badly.