Section 12: Shino, The Counselor

Hinata was lying on her side, in her small window-side bed, without moving a muscle. Small sized tears fell down the sides of her cheeks, accompanied by her sniffling and sobbing. Outside in the hallway, Shino and Kiba watch her from the outside of the doorway, covertly.

Whispering, "Shino... what's up with Hinata anyways...?"

"Hmm... seems like everything didn't go the way she hoped."

Kiba looks back at Shino in a concerned fashion. "What? What's everything...?"

"Well... everything with Naruto probably went badly."

"Naruto?! What'd he do to her?! He been bothering her, like he bugs Sakura?! I'll show him!"

Shino jerks his head with annoyance, "Are you as blind as he is?"

Kiba's anger quickly turned into puzzlement, "...huh?"

"Humph... you are. You didn't notice how Hinata behaves around Naruto?"

"What? What do you mean I'm as blind as him?!"

Shino's eyes brows arched heatedly, "Listen, Hinata loves Naruto. There is no doubt, and from how she looks now, she probably found something she wishes she didn't. Ok?" Kiba's facial expression froze.

"Naruto...? Love...? HIM?! Who the hell is he?" He looks down to the ground, with a shattered look in his eyes. "How is he better than me...?" Kiba sat up, "Well hmm... it's what I'd expect from that idiot, Naruto!"

Shino looked at Kiba suspiciously, "Hey Kiba, are you alright yourself?"

Kiba looked back with a perfectly plastered pseudo-smile, "Of course I'm fine, Shino." He walks down the hall, fixing his hood tightly. "I've just got to suck it all up... it's ok..."

Shino watched Kiba walk down the hall slowly, and turned his head towards Hinata, who hadn't moved from her sorrowful position. "Hmm... what a problem we have here..." He takes a gulp, and prepares his composure as he walks into Hinata's room. He sat down next to her, but she remained motionless.

"Shino-sama..." she murmured. "Why... why is everything so unfair?"

Not knowing what to say, Shino just sighed, and rubbed her shoulder supportively. "Some things just happen in weird ways. Whatever you saw, or heard from Naruto... just don't you worry. If things were supposed to happen between you, then he'll realize."

"...Meant to happen? I... wouldn't want to ruin his happiness. He's been waiting for this time with Sakura-san for years. Now I feel like my feelings don't even matter anymore. As long as he's happy..."

Shino looked over to her, with his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Hinata..." He sighs in a pleased fashion. "You really do love him, don't you...?" Hinata reacts by rolling onto her back, and looking up at Shino. "You're a very good person Hinata... So selfless, that you'd give up your own happiness to see the person you love be happy, even if it was without you."

Hinata's eyes rippled emotionally, "Thank you, Shino-sama..." She stopped, and closed her eyes. "...but I've never heard you talk so much in one day."

Shino recoiled at the realization that she was right. "...I'm sorry then."

Hinata rockets up to a sitting position, "No, no... I'm glad you've been talking to me more. You always seemed so lonely when you went off on your own."

"Well... don't worry. My bugs are always with me Hinata. I'm never alone." Shino started to get up from the bed.

She gasped slightly at his response, "...but, don't you ever wish you were close to other people...?" He froze in a partially standing position.

"...no. I'm fine by myself." Hinata frowned, and watched Shino continue out the door.

"Well... then who do you like Shino-sama...?" Shino froze up, and started sweating once again. "...because when I asked earlier, you didn't answer me."

"Well..." He walked through the doorway, and muttered, "...no one." He continued out of the room, leaving Hinata on here bed, who still lied there clinching her bed sheets.

"Shino-sama... Why do you have to hide everything from everyone, especially me?"