Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Here I am again. Here's the next chap. And BTW yay for the naruhinaness in chapter 238!!!!
Chapter 2: Finding a job...
Kakashi stood silently in front of the memorial stone. The memorial stone had hundreds of names carved in it. Those were the names of the heroes, the heroes who died 14 years ago when a youma attacked the hidden village of the leaf.
Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes.
"Yondaime-sama, what are you going to do with that child?"
"I will seal the youma inside this baby..."
"But..."
"...What if the village hates him after this? What if they will hate him because of the youma sealed inside him... because of the youma which almost destroyed this village?"
"All I wish for him is that the village considers him as their hero not as the monster they feared. And I hope...I hope that they will not hate him...If they do...I hope that he doesn't get overpowered with his emotions with this hate...And I hope that he doesn't get controlled by his fate but he is the one that gets to control it..."
"Yondaime-sama...after this you'll be..."
"Don't worry Kakashi...It can't be helped...I must protect this village...at any cost...after all I am the Hokage and it is my job..."
"Sensei..."
"You're a good man Kakashi, you were a good student of mine...and because of the things you did, I trust you...and hopefully when the time comes you will take care of this child...I entrust him in your hands..."
"Hai, Sensei, I will take care of him..."
"Make sure of that Kakashi, it is the last order I give to you before I leave this world...make sure you take care of him..."
"Gomen Yondaime-sama, my sensei...I've failed your trust...Naruto away from this village because of the hate they've thrown towards him...I have failed...you've entrusted me with so much of your trust but I...I..." Kakashi opened his eyes.
"Forgive me..." He whispered. "I just hope...I hope he doesn't turn into an evil person...if that will happen...all our efforts will just go in vain..." He said.
---
After eating a meal, Chiaki left them and fixed the kitchen up. They were once again left alone to talk.
"Hey Naruto-kun, don't you think that...think that she's too kind...?" She asked after making sure that Chiaki couldn't hear them.
"You think she's too kind?" Naruto asked while patting his full stomach.
"I...I'm not sure but...for me...it's very unusual that she let us eat in her house just because she disturbed us...I mean...we are complete strangers to her..." She said.
Naruto closed his eyes and crossed his arms. To Hinata, he looked like he was deeply thinking of something...something very serious... "So..." He paused.
"So...what...?" Hinata urged him to continue.
"So where would we stay?" He asked.
Hinata sweat dropped. She expected Naruto to react about what she said concerning Chiaki's 'kindness' "I...don't know Naruto-kun..."
"Well then...we better..."
"Hey!" Chiaki greeted them.
"Oh Chiaki-chan, we didn't notice you..." Hinata said, Chiaki sat down and smiled
"Chiaki-chan...we better go now..." Naruto said and he stood up. Hinata stood up after him.
"You're going already? Why don't we have a little chat? I get bored here most of the time and I very much appreciate if you would stay..." Chiaki said.
"I dunno, Chiaki-chan...we better find somewhere to stay..." Naruto said and he scratched his cheek.
"You won't find any apartments here..." She said.
"What do you mean, Chiaki-chan?" Hinata asked.
"You see...a year ago...this area was a part of a town called 'Kyouko' this part was its outskirts...but something bad happened. We, the villagers of this village that were once townspeople of Kyouko had to leave that part... because of the rebellion...there is like a civil war out there..."
Naruto plopped down the ground "Rebellion...there's a rebellion near here?" He asked.
"Yeah...we didn't want to get mixed up in that thing so we left it...so you can say this village is very young..."
"Does Kyouko still exist?" Hinata asked.
"Yeah it does..."
"But what does an apartment have to do with this?" Naruto asked.
"Well as I have already said, this is a very young village STILL under development, and there are currently no apartments yet, they are still constructing it...you'll only find residential buildings, a few shops and some more here..."
Naruto pouted. "Then...where will we stay?"
Chiaki stayed silent.
"Naruto-kun, I think we should leave this place and just find another place where we could stay..." Hinata suggested.
"I guess..." Naruto said.
"If you want to get out of here, it's either you go back to where I find you and pass the forests leading to the village of mikomi or you pass the town of Kyouko..." Chiaki said. "The forest leading to mikomi is filled with traps made by the Koga..."
"Eh, Chiaki-chan, what's the Koga?" Hinata asked.
"It's an old ninja group...I don't know much about it..." Chiaki said. "Then, let me continue...if you take the path that would pass Kyouko, you could get tied up with the rebellion there..."
"Looks like we have to take the forest..." Naruto said.
"I don't suggest that..." Chiaki said.
"Why?"
"As I've already told you, that forest is filled with traps. Someone...that was chased into there...died..." Chiaki suddenly looked pale.
"Then...we have to pass Kyouko..."
"I'm afraid that that isn't a good choice either..." Chiaki said.
Naruto pouted. "Eh, why is it?"
"Because of you'll go there... you'll only get tied up with the rebellion..." She said.
"Then...where shall we stay, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.
"Now that's a problem..."
"Yeah, and we have to consider money too..."
"I have money..."
"That won't last forever..."
"Then we shall look for a place to work!"
"Now...now...where shall we stay?" Hinata asked again.
"I know!" Chiaki snapped her fingers. Naruto and Hinata looked at her. "You can stay here!!!" Chiaki said.
"Really, we can?" Naruto asked. His eyes sparkled in happiness.
"But..."
"But...?" Hinata urged her to continue.
"I only have one extra room here..." Chiaki said.
Hinata blushed. "That means..." She whispered.
"Eh, what does that mean?"
Chiaki laughed. "You two will have to sleep in the same room as long as you plan to stay here, or as long as the apartments are not finished yet." Chiaki said.
"WHAT?" Naruto shouted. "But...I'm a boy... and Hinata is a girl...a boy and a girl sleeping in one room..." He thought aloud.
Hinata looked away and blushed. "Is that the only way, Chiaki-san?" she asked.
Chiaki laughed once again. "Aw, come on Hinata! I'm sure Naruto wouldn't do anything to you! He...looks...very innocent...and besides, you are still young..." She smiled at Naruto teasingly.
"Mou...Chiaki...are you doing this on purpose?" Naruto pouted once again.
"No, I'm not..." She said and giggled. "I just met you two so why would I want to get the two of you together by letting you stay under one roof, in one room?" She asked.
"But what if...?"
"What if the others, your neighbors think that we eloped?" She stuttered. "Because we didn't elope you see...we just crossed "
"Eh, you didn't elope?" She asked.
"Of course, we didn't!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Oh, sorry, I guess I was wrong..." Chiaki laughed.
"Why did you think we eloped anyway?" Naruto asked.
"Because you guys look good together..." Chiaki smiled.
"We do?" Naruto asked. Chiaki nodded. Hinata was like a tomato now.
"So, are you gonna stay here or not?" She asked.
"We have no choice. So yeah, we will..." Naruto said.
Chiaki stood up. "Guys, come with me, I'll show the room." She said. Naruto and Hinata stood up and followed her. They passed the kitchen and they were now on a short hallway. It had three doors.
"Well, my room is here..." She pointed at the second door. "And your room is here..." She approached the first door and she opened it. The room was not very large, two people would fit inside. It had a big cabinet and two futons. "It doesn't look really nice and it's not big... but I guess you guys could stay here." She said.
"The bathroom is the last the door at this hallway." She said before Naruto and Hinata went inside the room. Naruto then dropped his bag on the ground as well as Hinata. "So I guess you guys are going to stay here for a while, right?" The two nodded. "Listen, I have to go somewhere... you guys can do anything except destroying the village okay? I'll be back before nightfall." Chiaki said.
"Don't worry, Chiaki-chan...we won't destroy this village..." Naruto grinned.
"Then, I will see you later..."
"Wait, Chiaki-chan..."
"What is it Hinata?"
"Do we have to pay rent?"
"Well since you will be consuming electricity, water and food in my house...I guess you do..."
"How much do we have to pay?" Naruto asked.
"Let's see...I'll tell you later... I have to go now...bye..."
---
"Hmmm... this is bad..." Tsunade thought aloud.
"What is it?" Shizune asked.
"We're down by three ninjas, and the village is not completely repaired yet. Almost all of our ninjas are out on a mission. Akatsuki and Orochimaru is just around the corner... and Kami-sama... we don't even know where that bomb came from." Tsunade sighed.
"I see..." Shizune said while pouring some tea in the cup for Tsunade. After pouring it, she placed it near Tsunade.
Tsunade took it and she drank a small amount of tea. Tsunade sighed once again.
"What's the matter now?" Shizune asked.
"Really, all I want to do now is drink some hot sake and relax... and maybe some gambling would also be fine." She sighed. She then stretched her arms. "But..." She smiled at Shizune. "...I have to work harder now since all of this things happened!" She said.
Someone knocked at the door.
"Who is it?" Shizune asked.
"Ah, Shizune...it's me Kakashi. Is Tsunade-sama in?" The one who knocked said.
"Kakashi-san, please come in. Tsunade-sama is here." Shizune said. The door opened and Kakashi went in.
"Kakashi, what are you doing here?" Tsunade asked.
"Forgive me if I disturbed you, but I need to talk to you about something." Kakashi said with seriousness evident in his visible eye.
"And what is it?" Tsunade said.
"I would just like to know what your plans about Naruto..." Kakashi said.
"Sit down first Kakashi..." So Kakashi sat down on a chair.
"Would you like some tea?" Shizune asked.
"No thanks..." Kakashi said.
"Well as I've already told all of you, we are going to secure all possible entry and exit points here in the fire country. That way it will be possible to stop any incoming attacks. We can also stop the two from leaving the country so it will be easier to find them..." Tsunade paused.
"Who will be sent to search for them, Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi asked.
"I was thinking if it would be possible if I would send the perverted sennin to search for the two..."
"But...!"
"Jiraiya plans to make Naruto his official apprentice... I believe that he will come to me later about this matter..."
"But Tsunade-sama...I want to be the one to search for him..."
"Kakashi..." Tsunade sighed "I know it's hard to accept but... Jiraiya knows Naruto more than you do..." Kakashi looked at the ground.
"I..."
"Raise your head! We don't need ninjas sulking in grief right now! You will be a better help in here..." Tsunade said.
"I see..." Kakashi said and he stood up. "Thank you for informing me..." Kakashi left.
---
"So Hinata, where do you think we can go find a job?" Naruto popped the question when Chiaki left. He then removed his forehead protector and he placed it inside his bag. Hinata did what he did too.
"I guess we should have asked Chiaki-san that..."
"... but she's gone and it's just noon and well she'll be back later..."
"What do we do now?"
"Why don't we find it ourselves?" Naruto wondered.
"I guess that's possible..." Hinata said.
"So let's go find that job!!!" Naruto grabbed Hinata by the wrist. He almost dragged her but she didn't mind. Soon they were out of the house.
Naruto started walking but Hinata grabbed his jacket.
"Hmmm... what's the matter now, Hinata?"
"Anou, Naruto-kun...do you think we should lock the house up?" Hinata asked.
"But Chiaki didn't give us a key yet..." Naruto said.
"I know..."
"Should we?" Hinata asked.
"I don't exactly know..."
The two then found themselves silently staring at the house's door. They were wondering if they should lock the place.
"I think we should lock it up..." Hinata broke the silence.
"If we lock it, we won't be able to enter the house when we come back..."
"It would be better, Naruto-kun...if the something in the house gets stolen, Chiaki-chan will scold us..."
"I think your right... we should just come back when she's probably back, ne?"
"Yes, I think that's the right thing to do..."
---
"Hey, Tsunade..." Jiraiya said.
"I was waiting for you..." Tsunade said.
"You were?" Jiraiya asked with a grin.
"Now, now don't get me wrong..." Tsunade glared at Jiraiya.
"Relax, I was just joking..." Jiraiya grinned.
"So are you going or not?"
"Do you need to ask?"
"I'll take that as a yes..." Tsunade said. "So when will you leave?" She asked.
"As soon as possible..."
"Good..." Jiraiya then approached the door of her office.
He opened the door "Jiraiya..."
"What is it, Tsunade-sama?"
"When you find my little brother... be sure to take him back..."
"I'll try my best." Jiraiya said.
---
Naruto and Hinata were walking in the streets of the small village. They saw that a lot of buildings were still on construction. Chiaki was telling the truth. There were no apartments, just houses, markets, and a few other shops.
While they were walking, they saw a sign outside a mart saying "Helpers wanted" They went inside and they saw a man in his fifties sitting next to a counter. His hair was gray and he had a big built. Naruto could tell that maybe when that man was young, he was a warrior or something else. The chime placed near the door made a sound and the man looked at the two.
"Welcome!" The man happily greeted them.
"Anou, mister, there was a sign there saying you needed helpers... do you still need them?" Naruto asked.
"The both of you are new here, right?" The man asked.
"Yes, we are..." Hinata said.
"So how about that sign?" Naruto asked.
"You're interested?" The man asked.
"That is why we are asking!" Naruto said.
"You know, I'm against child labor..." The man said. His dark eyes were questioning them.
"But we really need it!!!" Naruto said.
"Don't you have your families? Go home..." The man said.
Hinata and Naruto didn't move.
The man stared at them with curiosity. "Don't tell me you don't..." He said.
"Listen mister, I don't even know my parents..."
"My family doesn't want me..."
"Well shouldn't you have, at least, guardians to take care of you?" The man asked.
"We are from another village..."
"Hmmm... then you need money?"
"Of course we do..." Naruto said.
"Tell me why I want to hire the both of you..."
"...Because we would do our best!!!" Naruto said.
There was silence while the man stared at them. Naruto and Hinata waited anxiously for the man's answer.
"Then...you are hired..."
"I am Uzumaki Naruto... and she is Hyuuga Hinata." Naruto said.
"Chosi Yoshitsune..." The man introduced his self.
"Chosi...? Are you related to Chiaki-chan?" Hinata asked.
"You know her?"
"We rent a room at her place..." Hinata said.
"Well, yes I am related to her...she is my daughter..." Yoshitsune said. "Listen, would it be fine if you start tomorrow?" He asked.
"I think its okay, ne Hinata?"
"Yes it would be fine..." Hinata said.
"Then tomorrow it shall be!" The man cheerfully said.
---
"Father..." A girl called out.
A man stared at the girl with his white eyes.
"What is it, Hanabi?" The man asked.
"Is it true?" She asked while she faced the Hyuuga Head in a room where she would usually find him. "Is it true that my sister has run away?" She added.
Her father silently stared at her for a while before nodding. He closed his eyes "Is that all you need to ask?" He questioned her.
"The elders want to talk to you..." Hanabi said.
"Tell them I am in no condition to discuss some matters with them... Is that all?"
"Hai, that's all..." She said.
"Now leave me in peace... and Hanabi..."
"What is the matter, father?"
"No... it's nothing...you may leave now..." Hiashi said.
---
"Look Hinata!" Naruto said and he grabbed Hinata's wrist again, but this time gentler. He pointed to the west.
"Wow..." That was all that Hinata could say. Naruto has just showed her that the sun was now setting. After touring the whole village, they found a small lake in the west side of the village. They came there in a good time, the sun was just setting.
Naruto found a big tree stump and he sat down. "Sit down, too..." He said while patting the free side of the big stump. Hinata blushed. "Come on, sit down, I won't bite you, Hinata..." Naruto grinned. Hinata slowly approached the tree stump and she sat down near Naruto. She found herself sitting very close to Naruto. Her heart was racing and she felt this very hot sensation in her face. She tried to contain herself.
"Calm down, Hinata..." Naruto said while he watched the sun set.
As soon as Naruto said that, Hinata's heart beat became normal. She would just blush. But...she stared at Naruto. She smiled while she watched him. He had a very warm smile in his face while he watched the beautiful sun set. The place darkened and soon the stars became visible. Naruto raised his head to gaze at the stars. Hinata was still looking at him. Still, a smile as warm as his was pasted in her face.
"You know Hinata...when I was small...I had ALL the time in the world to gaze at the stars...but I was alone..." He frowned and his face saddened. "Thank you..." He said.
"Eh, thank you for what?" Hinata asked while she blushed furiously.
"Because of you, I had a chance to watch the stars together with someone..."
"Why, hadn't Iruka-sensei watched the stars with you before?" Hinata asked.
Naruto shook his head. "All we get to do is eat in Ichiraku... after that he goes home... he is after all a busy man..." Naruto said.
"I see..." Hinata said. "Then, Naruto-kun, it is my pleasure to gaze at the stars with you..." She said. Naruto looked at her and he smiled.
"It's getting late; I bet Chiaki is home now... we better go back..."
---
"Hmm... I wonder where those two went..." Chiaki thought aloud. She was sitting in a chair.
"Chiaki, we're back!!!" a boy shouted.
She stood up to meet the two by the door.
"Oho, where did the two of you go?" She asked.
"Nowhere special... we just toured the town..." Naruto said.
"I don't believe you..." Chiaki teased them with a grin.
Naruto and Hinata blushed.
"Listen, there is nothing going on between us, okay!" He said.
"Fine, fine..." Chiaki said.
AN:
Sorry for the long wait... I'm very busy and I had to send my pc to a repair shop because of some viruses... anyway all is fine now. R&R please. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Excerpt from "For You, I will" chapter 2
"That was your dream, Naruto-kun...you shouldn't give up..." Hinata said.
"But Hinata-chan...you are my dream..."
So that's all! 'Till next time....