THE SACRIFICE
by Poprice Fields
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke, Sakura, Ino, Neji, Chouji, Shikamaru, Tenten, Kiba, Shino, Rock Lee, Ebisu, Iruka, Akamaru, and their respective jutsus. The small storyline and some OC are mine.
Summary: The Hidden Leaf Village hosts an Inter-School Summer Training Workshops. Amidst the new friendly atmosphere, the members of Anbu Team of Konoha were suspiciously missing. Now it's up to Naruto and co. to get to the bottom of things. But will they succeed before they, too, become part of the list of missing people?
Author's Note: This chapter can't stand on its own without reading the previous chapter. But if your wondering how did all of these happened, you got to read starting from the Prologue.
Chapter Thirteen: THE DATE (Part Two)
It was somewhat funny when unexpected twist of events happen every time something exciting was about to push through. But to Hinata, this wasn't funny. It's mean. So mean. Meaner than the meanest teacher that ever lived in the whole world. How could this happen to her in the day she had been looking forward to all week?
Hinata covered herself with a blanket, praying that this was just a dream and she would wake up, feeling fresh and clean once again!
"Hinata?" a voice (Hinata recognized as Rekka's) asked. "Are you okay?"
Hinata held her breath as Rekka put away the blanket covering her from the rest of the world. She knew Rekka could smell it, and she would be embarrassed to death if Rekka would faint in front of her.
But Rekka didn't faint. She looked really worried.
Hinata was also worried, too! She really didn't know what to do.
"Wha--?" Rekka mouthed but Hinata wrapped her arms around Rekka and started sobbing.
"Oh, Rekka! Y-You have no i-idea! sob It's t-terrib-ble! I c-can't believe it happened!"
Rekka stroke Hinata's head, keeping silent so that Hinata could calm down and say whatever she has to say.
Hinata calmed down, but was still hiccupping when she whispered her secret to Rekka.
Rekka's hand flew to her mouth upon hearing it. "Shucks Hinata! You're now a lady!"
"Have you had it?" Hinata asked.
"No, but I have two older sisters so I got some ideas. That's just normal. Come on, I'll teach you the basics..."
They went to the bathroom. Rekka instructed Hinata to take a bath and clean herself, while she would stay on-guard and would try to answer Hinata's questions...
"Don't you mind the smell?" Hinata asked from the inside of a shower cubicle.
"Nope," Rekka answered. "I have a very bad nose, see. I couldn't smell almost anything."
"Even flowers?"
"Nah, I'll just sneeze and sneeze if I sniff them."
"Too bad..."
"Well, there's some advantages of it, too, see..."
Hinata giggled. "Yeah, thank the Kami you couldn't smell!"
A few minutes later, they were out of the bathroom. Rekka gave Hinata a pad and explained that she always expect the worst so she has a box full of them packed in her bag. "By the way," Rekka said, "What time are you and Naruto going to leave? You didn't forget, did you?" she added upon seeing Hinata's worried expression once again.
"Of course, I didn't forget. I will never forget it."
"Good," Rekka mumbled. "You should get dressed soon. You have a train to catch to be able to go the the Happy Island, right? Hinata?"
"No, I can't," Hinata said, shaking her head vigorously.
"Nani?"
"I couldn't let Naruto-kun see me this way. I'll just ruin his day," Hinata explained.
"Well, I suppose, there's always next week... I agree, you should get rest since it's your first time, you know."
"No, there's no better day than today, Rekka," Hinata countered. "I can't let Naruto-kun down."
"Yeah, I understand," Rekka said. "But how can you go with him without letting him see you?" She stared at Hinata in the eye to get across her point. But then, it was her who had received a message. "Ohhh, wait a minute!" Rekka stepped back as Hinata advance towards her. "No, Hinata... Whatever you have in mind, I won't cooperate..."
Hinata kneeled down before Rekka. "Please, Rekka-chan, I beg of you. Pretend to be me today and date Naruto-kun."
Rekka sweat-dropped. "Don't you just want to cancel today and reschedule your date?" she asked hopefully.
Hinata shook his head. "He'll think I don't like him if I do that," she replied, her eyes watering with longing. "I do like him. You know that, Rekka. And I wouldn't want to hurt him in anyway, accidentally and unconsciously."
"Well, if you really like him, you'll go," Rekka countered, not ready to consent with the idea.
"I'd love to, Rekkabut alas! I can't because you-already-know-why," Hinata appealed, bowing low to the ground. "I have what-you-call-them-pains-in-the-belly and I feel very hot. I have the urgency to go to the bathroom very often. How can I let myself be a burden to Naruto-kun and let my very self ruin our first date?"
Rekka was thinking. As much as she would like to have her date to be someone she truly love (in a romantic sense), she couldn't ignore the fact that her friend needs a help in her probably most distressful situation.
"Please, Rekka-chan?" Hinata pleaded once more.
Rekka sighed. "Alright, I'll do it..."
Hinata leaped forward and hugged Rekka. "Oh Rekka, thank you! Thank you very much! And I am also so sorry I thought wrong of you! You are really my friend! Thank you! Thank you!"
"Hey, if you didn't give me a sandwich when I first saw you, I wouldn't do this," Rekka said humbly with a grin.
"I'll give you more, if you want," the rejoicing Hinata offered.
"Nah, I'll just send you my bill after this day. You can pay either, monthly, quarterly, or annually..."
"Psst."
Sasuke looked below and saw Naruto hiding his face using a mask. Now what does this baka want now? Sasuke asked himself, getting down from the branch of the tree.
"Sasuke, uh--..." Naruto didn't know how to start. "Um, today... Uh, could you, uh--..." He had this sheepish grin on his pain as he scratched the back of his head. Could he trust his teammate with his life?
Sasuke frowned hard at him, mentally telling Naruto he wouldn't, whatever it was. And what's up with the mask?
Naruto saw Sasuke was staring at his mask. "So, you've noticed this," he said, pointing on his mask covering almost all of his face except his blue eyes onwards.
"It's obvious. Anyone will do," Sasuke snorted. "Now, get straight to your point."
"Well," Naruto continued after glaring at Sasuke, "We all well know that today's my big date with Hinata-chan. But because of this, this mess..." His face fell, and his eyes started to water, "I couldn't, sad to say."
"So? What's it got to do with me?"
"Unfortunately, much," Naruto answered sarcastically. "You owe me, right? So, it's payback time. I want you to pretend to be me, for a day, and take Hinata-chan to--"
"Wait, wait, wait. Pretend to be you? You're out of your mind if you think I'll do it." He started to walk away, thinking his words settles everything.
But Naruto stopped him. "YOU OWE ME!" Naruto emphasized, glaring at him. "You wouldn't be able to find Rekka if I didn't cover up your absence!" When Sasuke seemed to be changing his mind, he grabbed the chance and added, "Just for one day, I'll let you be me, and take note, I'll let you take Hinata-chan on a date."
"Like I want to," Sasuke said lowly.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing." Sasuke folded his arms, and frowned. "But, how come you can not go?"
Naruto got off his mask, revealing a rather big pimple on the very center of his handsome nose.
Sasuke cringed, his eyes widened with horror.
Naruto put back on his mask once again. "Makes sense, right? Now, all you have to do is pretend to be me and more importantly, treat Hinata-chan nice. I wouldn't necessarily allow anyone that chance, but since, this is a different situation, I thought I can trust you. Remember, this is our first date, so don't mess this up, all right?"
Sasuke didn't respond.
"Unfortunately, while you're on the Happy Island, I'll suck around here, pretending to be you. So don't frown much, I didn't wish this to happen, you know," Naruto said.
"Just don't get into trouble," Sasuke warned. "Don't mess up my image."
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto mumbled.
Sasuke glared once more. "After this, I don't owe you anything, 'kay?"
"Fine. Come on, let me see you're ultimately clean before you take Hinata-chan."
Three o'clock came. Naruto accompanied Sasuke (who is looking exactly like Naruto except for the hideous mask covering his handsome face) to the place he and Hinata-chan had agreed to meet. Sasuke didn't look exactly happy with Naruto's chosen outfit (white t-shirt underneath the unbuttoned Hawaiian printed polo and fading jeans) but he didn't complain. He had other things in mind-- like what should he do around Hinata, how could he please the girl as Naruto, how could he not run away if ever Hinata would get mushy around him...
"Here's your ticket," Naruto said handing down two red stubs. "And I've reserved your dinner at Simsala Grills."
Sasuke stared at Naruto, thinking he's a psycho for being down-right organized with this event.
"Bring her back safely," Naruto added, "And don't ever tell anyone about this, 'kay?"
"Hn," Sasuke mumbled.
Naruto pinched Sasuke's cheek and stretched them. "Stop frowning, you! Hinata-chan will think I don't like her!"
"Get off me!" Sasuke said, struggling.
They were fighting, stretching each other's faces when someone was rushing towards them. They stopped abruptly, and the real Naruto climbed up the tree to hide himself. Sasuke straightened up himself.
Here goes my worst day... Sasuke thought and suddenly smiled widely at the person who was coming.
"Hinata", who was actually Rekka, was panting as she reached "Naruto" (Sasuke in real life). "Sorry, I'm late,"she said, catching her breath.
"Err," Sasuke mumbled, not knowing what nice words he could say.
"You ready?" Rekka asked, smiling happily at "Naruto". "Come on! We'll be late for the train!" She grabbed "Naruto's" hand and pulled him without consent. "I don't want to miss the train. I heard Happy Island's a very nice place, of course, you already know it. Oh yeah, Naruto, I like your Hawaiian polo. Brings your eyes bluer. Real nice..."
Sasuke was stunned. He thought Hinata would be more like the shy and timid date who would just wait for him to make the first moves.
"Naruto? You alright?"
Sasuke mentally shook off the ideas inside his head, and smiled like the real Naruto does. "Ah ha," he answered.
"Great," Rekka said. Then she noticed she had been holding "Naruto's" hand and remembered that Hinata wouldn't do such thing, so she let go of his hand, and apologized profusely. "Gomen, gomen, Naruto-kun!"
Sasuke, thinking Naruto wouldn't mind, said, "It's okay smiles sweetly, Hinata-chan." Then, he reached for "Hinata's" hand and held it as they walked run together. Sasuke felt really weird, but he wouldn't want to fail pretending to be Naruto.
Rekka thought it was really nice of Naruto to be holding Hinata's hand... It was her hand, actually, but then, he wouldn't know the difference, right? Excitement rushed over her, and she wished she had a videocam so that she could show vividly to Hinata what Naruto had done for her. She was sure Hinata would be very happy, knowing that Naruto cared about her (Hinata) all along.
They boarded the train, and went to find any empty room. Many people were doing the same, so their hands let go of each other unconsciously. They didn't find any empty room, but they found an empty space for the two of them. They occupied the said seats, with Rekka on the window side, and found themselves looking at their companions: a couple who were about three to four years older than them, doing some PDA (public display of affection).
Sasuke stared down at the floor, not wanting to look at the couple's hot scene, while Rekka blushed, looked away instantly, and turned towards the scenic view outside. She held her hands together and hoped Naruto wouldn't try and kiss her. Sasuke also wished the same, since Hinata's been acting aggressive towards Naruto, who he was pretending to be just today. He wouldn't want to push her away and be rude...
Because of this, the trip was uneventful. They were just too happy to get off the train and see other sights.
"Erm," Sasuke uttered, looking for the Simsala Grills foodhouse Naruto was talking about, "Are you hungry?" When Hinata didn't say anything, Sasuke stared at her.
"I d-didn't know Happy Island's actually an island park."
Sasuke didn't say anything. He felt Hinata's eyes were glued on the huge loop of the rollercoaster.
"Naruto! Why are you still standing there?! Come on! We don't have all day!" Rekka yelled. She knew her pretension was really bad, but she couldn't help the excitement building up in her. She never had been on a date before and this was like a dream date for her! Minus the romantic partner, that is... But well, Naruto's a very good company anyway, so this was still great.
TBC
Author's Note:
Isiri - get well soon girl! thanks for reviewing even if ur sick and all... good luck!
Mike Pan - well, here's some twist of events... catch the last intallment of The Date next time!
Dragon Man 180 - sure, you can use the band concept. tnx for dropping ur review. hope to read ur story soon
Wormkaizer - you are really nice!!! check out the last part of The Date next time so that you'll see what happens to Hinata and Naruto... :D
Reviews are welcome! Bye!