Took me a very very long time to update as Ihad lots of work, IB you know, year 12 and everything, anyways if people still remember me please read and review! Somehow I hate this chapter so be prepared to be bored - if even I think its boring then I guess it has to be worse for others, just don't be too harsh!

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Hinata opens the door, and is again faced with Naruto who is searching around his pockets. She is surprised for a moment, but that soon gives away to amusement.

Probably searching for his keys she thinks, he's so clumsy, always losing stuff. How ever did he look after himself in his old house?

Naruto looks up as the door opens and grins as he again sees Hinata standing in the doorway, eyes wide in a cute expression.

This is getting repetitive he thought the author must be running out of ideas…I mean what??? Who put that thought in my head?

"Naruto-kun, you've finished you're mission successfully right?"

"Of course! With me around any mission is successful! Me, Uzumaki Naruto, the ninja who will one day become the Hokage, the strongest ninja in Konoha, the genius ninja who can master any technique, the great ninja who…."

Hinata thinks fast for a way to cut him off.

"Naruto-kun, you were looking for your keys right? They're in your frog wallet, you put them there to keep them safe remember?"

Naruto takes out gama-chan and looks in it. Sure enough, the keys are inside, hidden under a few coins.

"Oh, I remember, I put them there after I left the house. How the heck did you know where my keys were, and why I put it there?"

"Two reasons – one, you're predictable, you always put things in your 'safe places' and forget they're there, two, I've got these remember?" she points at her eyes.

"When you moved your eyes from top right to the middle then straight up, it indicates you're trying to remember something you lost. When you put your hands in that position with fingers together, with your eyebrows up and eyes moving alternately left and right, it was a clear indication that you were thinking of something important that you were supposed to keep safe, something fairly important but not of first priority or that's different. Put those together, you've lost something you were trying to keep safe, you were standing at the door searching in your pockets, anyone could guess that you were looking for your keys which you put somewhere to keep safe and lost, and the only reasonably safe place I know on you is your frog wallet, you've got too many other pockets with holes in them, where the keys could fall out."

"WOW!" Naruto exclaims, lost for words (for once in his life).

Hinata blushes, still not totally used to Naruto admiring her openly, and definitely not used to giving long speeches.

"So…do you want to go somewhere, Naruto-kun?"

"Sure, just gimme a moment, I gotta go get something."

He rushes into his rooom. Loud crashes can be heard coming from the room, then Naruto rushes back again.

"A bit of help Hinata-chan, I can't find my…"

"They're in you're big cupboard, second drawer from the left, in a little green box, probably another one of those 'safe places' you have, Naruto-kun."

Naruto raises his eyebrows "Nope, I'm not going to ask how you figured that one out…"

"Good, I didn't really want to explain."

A few moments later they are walking happily towards the ramen stall, chatting as they go along. The sun shines brightly on Konoha, lighting up the whole place with a cheerful air, and there is only a slight hint of a breeze, making it a perfect day for a walk.

As they walk along, a loud familiar voice calls to them.

"Hey Hinata-chan! Naruto!" Kiba is standing on top of a tree with Akamaru, grinning widely as he watched them.

"Kiba-kun, good to see you!" Hinata says with, happy to see her teammate.

"Hey whatsup dog freak!" Naruto says (it's a nickname he developed during school).

"Hinata-chan, thought you were still recovering at home, what are you doing out already?"

"I felt fine, so I decided to got out for a walk with Naruto, thanks for the concern, Kiba-kun."

"Anyways, I was told to tell everybody there's going to be a meeting of konoha genins later on this afternoon, at two o'clock in my house, its about the dance."

"Thanks Kiba we'll be there" says Naruto.

"Now if you'll excuse me I'll go tell everyone else. If you find anyone who doesn't know just tell them, thanks!"

Akamaru lets out a bark and they both jump off.

They continue on to the ramen stand. As they go in they see Lee, Sakura, Neji and Tenten already there, they are eating very little and talking a lot (except Neji, he never talks a lot).

"Hey guys, can we join in?" asks Naruto.

"Sure, the more the merrier, the fire of youth is all around us!" Lee exclaims. Naruto takes out his ramen coupons (the thing he had been looking for) and shouts out

"5 bowls of shrimp ramen, 7 bowls of miso ramen, 4 bowls of pork ramen and 8 bowls of special ramen please!" Then in a softer voice "What would you like Hinata-chan? My treat this time!"

"Just..er…just a vegetarian ramen thank you…"

Naruto calls it, then looks at their little group.

"Well, looks like we've all got our partners, wonder who the others are going with?"

Neji looked uncomfortable, Tenten blushed, Sakura smiled and Rock Lee gave his unique grin, with the uniqe 'ping' sound in the background.

"Lee! I told you to stop that!"

"…Gomene Sakura-chan, couldn't help it, the blooming youthful atmosphere was too much for me…"

"Reminder – no pinging smiles, no blooming youth and especially no quotes from Gai!"

"Ok ok…" Lee says, putting up his hands in a surrender position.

Naruto butts in "Hey Neji, I knew about Lee and Sakura, but when did you start liking Tenten? I thought you liked no-one!"

Neji shifts uncomfortably "Do I have to tell everyone?"

They all nod together.

Neji sighs "Okay...first time I saw her I didn't think much, but during our second year in the academy she started to give me free weapons every time I lost mine, and I began to think she was quite nice. My favourite ones were those big but light shadow shurikens that she made specially for me, I still have those in my cupboard back at home. Back then of course I didn't really like her in that sense. Anyways I grew to like her more and more as time went by especially after she was put on my team, but I rejected my feelings and her approaches many times, because I thought it would get in the way of becoming strong. Naruto proved me wrong there, I saw how him and Hinata were able to help each other become stronger, and well…I guess this time I took the opportunity. How she put up with me before I'm not sure, but I can say that I'm really sorry for what I did to her, and I'm really happy that I've been able to try to reconcile that now, and help myself as well." He addresses Tenten indirectly and his face does not show emotion, but it is clear to everyone that this is a confession to Tenten, and an apology.

Tenten can tell this too, and she replies "There's no need to apologise, what's past is gone and what matters is the present, which is that we are together."

Neji feels a wave of gratitude towards her and her understanding, and he holds Tenten's hand, feeling warmth and compassion flowing from her. His face is still impassive, but inside he is happy, purely and simply happy.

Lee is in tears by this time, sobbing "This atmosphere is so touching, if only Gai-sensei were here to give some of his words of wisdom!"

A loud slurping noise disturbs Neji from his trance, and as he looks up he sees Naruto already wolfing down his ramen at a rate of exactly a bowl every 26 seconds. Hinata is whispering to him, but it is doubtful whether he can hear him over the noise of his eating.

Neji sighed, taking his hand back away, thinking He sets up and spoils everything, sometimes I don't know whether to hit him or hug him…fine definitely not the hugging part…

They wait patiently until he finishes, in exactly 10 minutes and 24 seconds (calculate it yourself from the amount he ordered and the rate of eating – if you're a sad mathematician that is…that's what I am by the way). He stuffs the the last huge bit of ramen down his mouth and mumbles "Awrit, wash sh'we do now?"

Neji surprisingly replies him " We've got an hour or so until that meeting…why don't you tell us when you started to like Hinata?"

"Oh that…that was during the chuunin exam…nothing more to add."

"You expect me to let you get away with that, when I gave a long speech nearly 200 words long!" (see what I mean by the term "sad mathematician"?)

"Fine, before the chuunin exam I barely knew Hinata, she was just a dark, mysterious and timid and weird girl then, um…sorry about that description Hinata-chan…"

"That's alright…you told me that before…"

"I guess I did, but you're not like that anymore. Anyways the first time I properly noticed her was when she tried to help me cheat in the first chuunin exam. We very nearly got caught there. But it was really during the preliminary matches when she got beat up by someone who was supposed to protect her," here he glances at Neji mischievously "that I started to understand her and like her, though I only truly understood her feelings for me later on. I guess it must have been pretty obvious, I am kinda insensitive to these things."

Sakura's eyes go wide "Naruto, did I just hear you make a really sensible and true comment on yourself?"

Hinata tries to defend him "Don't be cruel, he's treated me really well, and he's gotten less crazy than before (trying to forget the morning incident here), at least he can admit his faults and try to correct them."

Lee suddenly decides to join in the conversation "Alright no need to ask me, I shall answer first! I liked Sakura-chan since the first time I met her and have ever since! As Gai-sensei once said, the fiery passion of youth can never be quenched!"

"Baka, no-one asked you because no-one cares, keep your loud mouth to yourself." Neji mutters.

Sakura decides to defend her boyfriend as well "Hey Neji, it's the loud confident Rock Lee that I've come to like, don't put him down just because he's confident and loud, and you're just quiet all the time, brooding about fate!"

(Guess what Tenten does now…is this story predictable or what?) "You try being the genius of the family, then being restricted just because you're a branch member! He did what he believed in the circumstances, why bring it up again just when he's changing!"

"Excuse me everyone…" Hinata's quiet voice penetrates the loud argument. Everyone looks at her curiously.

"I think we need to start to understand each other, and accept each other for what they are, no matter what they have done. Or we can pretend we have no past and start out again. Either way, we should encourage each other's strengths and not put each other down. Don't…don't you think…that's…a good idea?" She stutters on the last bit, seeing everyone staring at her in wonder, and she lowers her head, blushing slightly.

Naruto agrees first "She's right, we should help each other out!"

Everyone agrees, still surprised at Hinata's boldness. Sakura speaks first "Hey we still have some time, where should we go?"

"To my shop, I'll give out special weapons for discount!"

"Enough propaganda, I'll go get weapons when I have to and not before!"

"Let's go to training, youth waits for no-one!"

"Let's just stay here and have more ramen!" (Competition: Guess who said what? Actually its really easy so don't bother)

"Let's just shut up and go our own ways. We'll meet at Kiba's house when its time."

They all agree and go off in their couples.

An hour later they meet in front of Kiba's house. Everyone is there, all the genins of Konoha and a few unknown people as well, mostly girls. Kiba, seeing almost everyone is there already, calls out loudly.

"Alright everyone, the meetings about to start, let's go inside, there's a big hall that we can use as a meeting room. Don't mess with the dogs, you have been warned!"

They all file in and sit down on the floor. When they have all settled down Kiba speaks again "Ok people everyone knows about the dance that's happening tomorrow, and that you all need a partner to go with. This meeting is basically for those people that haven't yet found partners for themselves. So people who have, sorry for the inconvenience, you can leave or stay and chat, play around, watch, whatever. For those who haven't yet found partners, well I invited some people of the village along so er…they all want to join, you might find someone you want to go with! If you still can't find a partner by the end of this meeting then I'll organize one fore you, but that won't be much fun. So please, take your time, get to know each other!"

The uncoupled ninjas mix in with the group of non ninjas, while most of the already coupled ones stayed and discussed the dance. Suddenly Temari bursts in the door, dragging Shikamaru in by the ear, with Gaara following behind amusedly. Temari dumps Shikamaru onto the floor where he lies, not looking like he intends to get up anytime soon. He moans dejectedly "Why do I have to be here? It's a meeting for the genins of Konoha, you're a genin of the sand, and I'm a chuunin in case you hadn't noticed…"

Temari smirked "We're here so that I can show off that you're my partner and you can show off that I'm yours, got it? Now go and tell you're friends how ultra cool I am!"

"Are you really…" Temari puts a hand on her fan threateningly and he stops. "I mean sure…I'll go tell them how troublesome (slaps himself) I mean beautiful and intelligent you are…" They join in with the crowd.

Gaara is about leave, since he only came for the show, shen a young girl with two big ponytails comes up to him and taps him on the shoulder. He freezes suddenly – no one has ever touched him like that before. What happened to my sand shield he thinks, alarmed. Inside the gourd his mother laughs evilly I'm not going to protect you from girls hehe (tell me if I'm wrong on this since I'm not sure).

As he turns to face her, his mind still confused, the girl speaks

"Hi, my name's Moegi, the girl with the sex appeal of an adult! You're cute boy, what's your name?"

"Gaara from the desert" he says in an intimidating voice, hoping to creep her out.

"Moegi is unpertubed "Wow, so you really live in the desert, hows it like?"

"Dry…" Gaara mutters.

"You're so untalkative!" Moegi complains "Tell me, what do you like?"

You talk too much thought Gaara, nevertheless "I like sand…"

"Cool! What do you do with it, make sandcastles and stuff?"

"No…I kill people with sand."

"So you're a ninja too! I'm not a genin yet so I can't go…wait a minute are you a genin?"

"Yes…"

"Then you can take me! Come on Gaara you know you want to!" She poses dramatically.

"Er…" Normally Gaara would have killed her by now, but he knew it wasn't a good idea given all the strong ninjas that were around.

"Moegi wraps her right arm across Gaara's shoulders "Come on Gaara-chan…we're friends aren't we?"

Gaara is really scared now "If you don't take your hands off me I'll…I'll kill you…"

"No, you wouldn't, go on, kill me."

Gaara really wants to do that, but at the same time he won't let himself do it, for some reason. I just probably don't want to get kicked out of Konoha…he thinks, not willing to admit that in this short amount of time they have become friends.

"See! I knew you're too cute to go around killing people!"

"Nonetheless I'm not going to the dance!"

"Yes you are! I'll drag you there if I have to!"

"No, you're not!"

"Yes I am!"

"No, you're not!"

"Yes I am!"

"No, you're not!"

"Yes I am!"

"No, you're not!"

"Yes I am!"

"No, you're not!"

"Yes I am!"

Suddenly Moegi jumps onto Gaara's gourd and she sits on it.

"If you don't go with me then I'm not getting off this thing! I'll annoy you for the rest of the week!"

Gaara finally gives in "Fine…just give me a break, and don't even come near me afterwards or I really will kill you!"

"Yeah sure you will..."

"I will!"

"You won't!"

"I will!" (and so on).

Too bad no-one notices them. The boys are arguing loudly about whose partner is better. Naruto is loudest among them.

"I'm going with Hinata, she's the best girl in the village!"

"Oh yeah, what's so good about her huh?" Kiba challenges.

"Yeah, you should know, you tried to get her in the first place didn't you!"

"True but I found a better one. Look over there, the girl with the short black hair in a blue dress. Her name's Akane, she's pretty, smart, good with dogs, and even strong though she's not a ninja. You'd find it hard to find anyone better than her!"

"Not better than Hinata, she's cute, much smarter than anyone realizes, strong, willing to listen and understanding, and of course she comes from the Hyuuga family so that's a big bonus, money and status hehe…"

"Tenten's better than both of them, she's all of those things plus free weapons!"

Guess I gotta add something thought Shikamaru this is so troublesome…

"Well um…Temari's um…more intelligent than all of them together and she comes with a big fan to blow away any other troublesome people (or animals)!"

"Sakura's got the best hair ever!"

Everyone raises their eyebrows at Lee, who doesn't notice.

"Nothing can beat Sakura's lovely pink hair and wide forehead! Every time I see it, I want to kiss it!"

Neji responds this time "Talking about hair…have any of you seen Tenten with her original ponytails that she usually ties up into those buns?"
Everyone shakes their heads. Neji calls to her.

"Hey Tenten-chan, over here!"

"Yes Neji-kun, what is it?"

"Let down your hair and show these boys the meaning of true beauty!"

Neji said that? Tenten wonders as she slowly lets loose her hair she usually used for convenience to the two ponytails she wore on special occasions.

The boys all gape at her speechless. It is impossible to describe how much her hair changes her looks. Blood flows violently from their noses, and Tenten giggles while the other girls look on enviously.

Neji grins "I guess from your expressions that you agree. So I win!"

Let's see who wins on the girls side!

After the unofficial female partners contest has been decided, the girls, who were originally talking about what they are going to wear for the dance, and how they're going to make themselves look prettier etc. (obviously Hinata takes no part in this), they begin to discuss their male partners. Tenten, after amusing herself looking at the boys staring at her, begins first.

"See how cool Neji-kun is? He's the best partner ever!"

"Neji looks like a girl with his long hair. Who wants to go out with a girly guy?" states Akane.

"Who wants to go out with a tomboy like you Akane? Neji doesn't look like a girl, and whoever says that is either really brave or really stupid."

"Kiba's way better than Neji, both in appearance and otherwise. Neji is a pale faced long haired freak with white eyes, while Kiba's a handsome fun guy with two cool marks on his face and owns a whole lot of dogs as well, Akamaru is so cute!"

"Sasuke's the most handsome, cool and strong guy in Konoha and there's nothing anyone can do about it! He's way better then Kiba, the childish prankster!"

"Lee's got the most unique hairstyle, eyebrows and dressing style in Konoha, and he's the most determined and hard working as well! Sasuke's too cold, too distant to be a good partner, someone like Lee with a fiery nature is the best! Same goes for Neji as well!"

"Lee's attitude is the most annoying thing in the world! He's a teacher's pet, when Neji is obviously stronger, and he messes up so many missions because of his haste!"

Temari grins "Talking about attitude and finishing missions, I believe my partner is the best."

"Why?" the girls ask in unison.

"Because Shikamaru-kun is a lazy genius who has never failed a mission, always come up with the successful strategy and never lost. And his attitude…"

"What about his attitude?"

"Because he's so lazy, he doesn't mind being ordered around, so he'll do anything and everything that I tell him to! I can make him do whatever I want!"

"…" the other girls are speechless.

"Shikamaru! Come over here and tell these girls that you obey my every order!"

"Yeah alright…how troublesome…yeah…ok I admit I do, its too troublesome not to do what she says, might as well let her have her way since she has her way anyways…"

"That's right! So am I the winner or what?"

The other girls lower their heads in shame, acknowledging her victory.

So the winners, Tenten and Shikamaru!

Just then Shino and Chouji walks up to the group each with a new found partner. Chouji says "I've found someone great, this is Farrah, the daughter of the barbecue shop owner, doesn't she look great?"

"Yeah sure but my partner looks better!" says Shino.

Here we go again!

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Please tell me if you were seriously bored by that, and sorry but I wrote it long for people who wanted it, read it, found it boring, and it was way too troublesome to write it again so I just left it. Now review and tell me what you thought!