Disclaimer: don't own ;;
Before all that, I'd just like to give a big sorry for the really late update. My computer broke down (virus) and stuff so… please forgive me! Oh, and thanks to the reviewers :)
Dark Nadeshiko – maybe, I'm considering if she should pop out sometime, but I have a sakura bashing fic if you're interested
Hokai Amplifier – thanks, hope you enjoy this chapter too (sorry for the late update tho)
Nioma Maxwell – here it is after some writer's block, hope you like
insanely-normal – you stacked up the reviews of this story and added it to your faves? Twinkly smile (I'll find time to review more of your stories)
lesha – thanx for the support, it makes me feel all happy and hyper. I'm really hyped to know that you'll be sticking through this til the end.
mya – glad you're also a fan of this pairing
-o-Gauche-o-
The mountains seemed to be swallowing the sun up as it melted, like hot butter on bread, on the vast horizons of Konoha. A girl was standing just a little ways from the gates of the Hyuuga mansion, looking apprehensively on both sides of the streets.
It was already quarter past seven.
Hinata bit her lip in worry, where was Naruto?
-o-O-o-
Sasuke caught sight of her at around that time, when he was doing his usual cooling down by jumping around trees. He stopped himself halfway from hopping down, knowing that Hinata would be too intimidated for him to be able to talk to her, and genjutsu'd first into Naruto before doing so. He landed bodily on the ground.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata exclaimed. She hid an inaudible sigh of relief. "Um, s-shall we get going?..."
Going? WTF…
When Sasuke glanced back at her he almost tripped, and immediately did a double take. Hinata was actually dressed up for some reason.
The Uchiha was getting more confused by the minute but the WTF expression was wiped off his face in a second, the famous grin replacing it.
He decided to play along since it looked like an opportunity he shouldn't miss out. "Let's go then." He said confidently, even though he didn't have the faintest idea on where they were supposed to be going.
Along the way, Sasuke thought up of a possible place he could bring her, swiveling through streets and shops as he led her to Konoha's most commercialized district. They stopped in front of one of those fancy restaurants in the end, girls loved that he supposed. And Sakura kept jabbering on and on especially about this one. Beside him, Hinata played with the hem of her shirt, wondering why they had stopped in front of a really classy restaurant instead of Ichiraku.
"U-um N-naruto-kun?"
"Hn—YEAH HINATA?"
"A-aren't we going to um, I-ichiraku?" Hinata twiddled her fingers.
Sasuke cursed under his breath, mind racing for an excuse despite the rampant confusion building. "Change of plans…I wanted to…surpise you." He forced a laugh and scratched his head for good measure, hoping that she would buy it.
"O-oh." Hinata flushed, feeling giddy despite herself that Naruto went through the trouble, even though the ambience was going to make her queasy…
Cool wind blew over their faces as they entered and the couple was immediately assaulted by a sophisticated atmosphere. Sasuke led her to the most secluded table in the corner. Even so, Hinata was feeling conscious in her casual clothes.
They settled down, and a waiter came seconds later to take their orders. After a moment, the silence rang so clearly that Hinata could hear the tinker of glasses and some mild chattering.
Her eyes stayed glued on her lap, not knowing what to expect in dates…
It was awkward and new even to Sasuke. So he took to just observing her as she ate, brooding slightly over the surprising turn of events and figuring out what the hell was really happening right now. Hinata was a bit unvoiced, although it didn't matter, he liked quiet. But he couldn't help but feel a little troubled wondering if she was enjoying herself. Little did he know that she was thinking along the same lines.
Hinata bit her lip from time to time and picked on her food a little, fidgeting in her seat. Naruto being strangely quiet…
It was only until halfway through their dinner that the tension got so thick that Sasuke had to break the silence for the sake of their sanity.
"You're eyes look…cool." Sasuke started lamely.
Hinata looked embarrassed. "…T-thanks."
Silence.
Hinata bit her lip, worried that Naruto was finding her too boring.
"Um…"
Silence.
"The w-weather's n-nice today…"
"Yeah…"
Silence.
At this point, Sasuke became aware of Hinata's desperation in trying to start a conversation. Not that he was any good at it himself… He just figured that the best probable way was to find a topic he was good at.
"…So, how's your training going?"
"U-um, It's…" She shifted her gaze to various objects before landing right back on her food. "…fine."
Sasuke kept himself from narrowing his eyes. He could tell that she was lying through her teeth.
Silence.
At his lack of response, Hinata took it as Naruto waiting for her to talk more about herself. She fidgeted. "K-kiba helps me t-train sometimes…"
A pregnant pause.
"…You're lucky to have teammates like that." Sasuke said, for lack of better things to say, but then he decided that their conversation was steering to the path he had in mind. He smiled hugely and perked up. "Hey, what do you think of my teammates?"
She considered his question—wait, did Naruto just compliment Kiba?
"S-sakura's nice…"
Sasuke tried to look inconspicuous. "How about Sasuke?"
Hinata's brows furrowed subtly, pausing to think. "I-I don't really know h-him…"
His brows rose a little at that. He was expecting something along the lines of cold or cute and hot. It was a nice change for once though, he thought, not noticing that his lips had quirked into a faint hint of a smile.
"U-um, N-naruto-kun…there's a f-fly in your soup…"
-o-O-o-
Somewhere in Ichiraku…
Naruto slurped the noodles like he had been starved for days, giving off a loud belch after clearing his 9th bowl.
"Oi! Another one please!"
After my twelfth bowl of ramen, I guess I'll have to pick Hinata up…
Naruto looked offhandedly at his watch and immediately choked—
"HOLY CRAP I'M LATE!"
-o-O-o-
It reached 3 hours before midnight when Sasuke walked her home.
They had talked a bit more in halting sentences, but through the night they had managed to converse more normally. Hinata was finally able to feel more at ease around him. The same could be said for Sasuke, even if it was a strange and new sensation for him.
They strode side by side, just enjoying the quiet and the occasional breeze. But the pair got tongue-tied once more once the Hyuuga residence's gate came to view. Hinata had stopped, unsure of what to do.
After a stretch of awkward silence, she finally found her voice.
"I-I had a great time tonight."
"Um, yeah…" Sasuke replied evenly, feeling flustered for some reason.
He turned his head side view for a moment to hide his uncertainty, catching sight of a random neon green flyer about some festival tacked at the opposite wall in the process.
The gears of Sasuke's mind turned and then he grinned a fox-like grin. "Hey, there's this festival tomorrow night and I was wondering if you could, you know, come with me?"
"S-sure." Hinata stuttered, blushing.
They both paused awkwardly.
"…Goodnight." Sasuke finally said, catching a part of Hinata's stuttering reply before sauntering off hastily.
Slowly, the soft smile on Hinata's face crumbled into an apprehensive look.
SureHinata was considered weak, but she wasn't stupid. Although a thin film of doubt plagued her, conviction rang clearly in her mind.
That wasn't Naruto.
But the thought that bothered her the most was that she had still enjoyed that date.
-o-O-o-
The chapterturned out this way coz that's what i think would happen if sasu and hina went out. I think this was needed as a getting to know you phase,their silence and awkwardness will disappear eventually when they get familiar w/ each other. Sorry if thestory got dragging becoz of this andI experienced a sortof writer's block after I got this computer fixed and so…
Next chap: festival, find out what hinata will do now that she knows he isn't naruto. ;)
So, review. XD
