Hehe, I guess I haven't updated in a really really long time aye? Ops. . # I'm so sorry... I just thought that no one was reading my ficcie so I ditched it. Then I went into my email inbox and saw a STACK of reviews. Thank you so much to the people who reviewed, it means so much. Here is the next chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter 12.

Shikamaru could feel the heat rising in his face. He looked down at the floor so that Hinata wouldn't see him blush.

"Uh- remember last time you said you would help me? I- I kind of have a problem and I was wonder if you could ermm... help me out?" stuttered Shikamaru. As soon as he said that he mentally kicked himself. She probably thinks I like someone else now, he thought angrily to himself.

Hinata looked at Shikamaru sadly. She knew he would never be interested in her. She had her hopes up for nothing. He probably wanted to talk about Ino and she had to listen and help because she did make that promise.

She nodded her head. She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by the appearance of Kakashi.

He appeared with a bang behind a pot plant which Tsunade had secretly hid the bottles of sake. His legs kicked the bottles out from its hiding place and the sweet smell of sake wafted in the air. Kakashi scratched the back of his head sheepishly and turned a tinge of pink. But his face was nothing compared to Tsunade's.

Her face was a bright shade of pink and she looked guiltily at the sake bottles. But when she saw the split wine on the floor, her expression changed and she glared at Kakashi.

Her face plainly said- 'I'm going to kill you.'

Kakashi backed away from Tsunade's evil look and hide behind Kurenai and Asuma. Tsunade advanced slowly, hands out like a corpse, reaching out for Kakashi. The students looked at the unfolding scene in amusement.

Kurenai and Asuma stood in between not knowing what to do. They couldn't decide whom to support so they just stepped out of harms way. Kakashi was now backed up against the way, a mere image of a mouse cornered by a cat. He waved his hands above his head in self-defence and yelled-

"I'll buy you a drink afterwards!"

Tsunade's grin only widened. Now she looked like an evil Cheshire cat. Still she advanced slowly.

"Fine! I'll buy you a drink for a week! Just let me go!" Kakashi pleaded.

Tsunade planted her hands on her hips, a wide triumphant grin on her lips.

"You better keep your word, Kakashi –kun." Teased Tsunade.

Just glad that he had escaped death, Kakashi let out a sigh of relief. Naruto looked from Kakashi to Tsunade, in opaque amusement. Then he ran up to Tsunade and clapped her on the back.

"Granny Tsunade- you go girl!" he cheered. "I can't believe you made a cheap-skate like Kakashi sensei buy you drinks!"

Kakashi looked up at Naruto and gave him a 'screw-you' look. Naruto stuck his tongue out at Kakashi. Tsunade brushed Naruto off and cleared her throat.

The incident disappeared from everyone's minds as they focused on what Tsunade was going to say next.

"First of all I would like to congratulate you all for completing the first task." She said, looking at the students one by one. "Now I'll like to tell you about the next task."

She walked to her desk and sat down. Then she inspected every face in the room before continuing-

"The next task is to happen tomorrow morning. 6:00 am. Be ready. We will meet at Konoha gate."

When no one made a sound nor did they move, Tsunade looked at them. "Now go! Shoo!" she ushered.

"But you haven't told us what the task is yet!" objected Sakura.

"You find that out tomorrow." Smiled Tsunade, amusement dancing in her eyes. Sakura looked at the other senseis but they too just smiled.

Slowly, everyone filed out of the room. Hinata tried to avoid Shikamaru and walked out as fast as she could. She couldn't bear to talk about Ino. Not yet.

Not when her heart was still secretly aching for Shikamaru. Hinata was afraid that if Shikamaru started talking about his love for Ino, she would come out and confess everything. Shikamaru would then laugh at her stupidity.

Hinata walked away, as fast as she could. She had no idea where she was going but she let her feet guide the way. When she looked up, she saw that she at the training grounds.

Hinata would always come to the training grounds and let out her anger and frustration. Whenever her father commented on her weakness she would come her to train. She would punch the wooden posts as hard as she could until her knuckles tore and bled. Then she would sink to the floor and cry.

Hinata hated herself. She would stay at the training grounds from morning to night, unable to face her family because she was too weak.

Hinata now looked at the posts. Without another thought, she raised a clenched fist and slammed it against the wood.

The post splintered and Hinata winced as small shards of wood dug underneath her skin. Yet the pain was nothing compared to the hurt in her chest.

Hinata ignored the pain and continued punching the stake.

At last, out of breath, Hinata sunk down to the ground and wept bitterly. She noticed that splinters of wood were stuck in her hand. Her flesh was a raw red and scratched in many places.

What she didn't notice was that someone was watching her with sad eyes.

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