A Simple Question

Kiba sat at the bar with his long time friend, Shino. It had been four years since Hinata had left him for Naruto, and Kiba still hadn't gotten over it. Kiba quickly downed his first beer.

"Kiba, you've got to stop this." Shino said, "It's been four years. At first we all had pity for you but now this is just ridiculous. You've already cried us a river, so build a bridge and get over it!"

"You don't understand, Shino…" Kiba said, "You didn't know her like I did… And… well… today would've been our fourth anniversary of going out together…"

Shino sighed. "That's what you said two months ago…" he muttered, "Kiba, I don't think you've even tried to get another relationship going with another girl."

Kiba downed a second mug. "That's not true! There was that one girl from Suna…" he said. Yes, it was true. Kiba and Temari had gone out for a while, until Temari decided she was sick of him just crying at random and inopportune times.

"Kiba…" Shino said, now at a loss for words.

Kiba downed a third mug. "'Sides, i'ss nah lieg ah can' ged anutha guhl…" he slurred, entering a sort of drunken euphoria, "Ah cood geh anybody ah wan…"

"Kiba, you're drunk… for the third time today," Shino said.

"Why yes ah am, thang you…" Kiba responded.

Shino sighed, watching his friend down another one. "Kiba… I'm serious… you know five'll make you try to eat Akamaru again…"

"Agamaru's fiiiiiiine…" Kiba said, "I wou'nt eat mah best friend…" Kiba downed a fifth mug, and Shino was quite glad that Kiba had left Akamaru back at his humdrum apartment. Also he was thankful that as Kiba downed his sixth glass, he passed out. Except now that meant he had to drag him back to his house.

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Shino opened the door to Kiba's apartment, and lay the dog-man down onto his bed. Akamaru, now the size of a full grown dog, walked over to Kiba and whimpered. Shino patted the sad dog on the head.

"I know Akamaru… But Kiba'll come around sometime and realize he should just get over Hinata," Shino said, "Speaking of Hinata… I told her I'd go visit her tonight…" He then noticed he was talking to Akamaru. "Er… I'm talking to a dog…" he said glumly. He then walked out the door. "Take care of him, Akamaru."

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Shino arrived at the Hyuuga estate. He knocked on the door, but Hinata knew he was coming once a large amount of ants had gathered at the door to greet the Aburame.

"Hi, Shino." Hinata said, "Did you have a good day?"

"If a good day is the same as babysitting a drunken Inuzuka all day, then yes I did," he said.

Hinata sighed. She hated what she had done to Kiba, but now she was just too afraid to approach him. He either had a cigarette hanging from his mouth or a bottle of beer in his hands, stumbling around. "Well… Naruto said he'd come by tonight, too. He said he had something to ask me." Hinata said.

Shino smirked. Naruto doesn't wait to ask for anything, unless it's really important, and the Aburame had an idea of what Naruto was going to ask his girlfriend. "You two've been going out for quite some time, now…" Shino said.

Hinata nodded. Shino laughed to himself. Hinata was just to shy to realize that anybody would want to propose to her.

Naruto arrived at the door, finding it open. "Hinata!" he said, hugging her and giving her a peck on the cheek. He then turned to see Shino. "Oh, looks like we'll have an audience."

Naruto knelt down.

Is he? Hinata thought.

He pulled out a velvet box.

What do I do?

He opened it, revealing a diamond ring.

Oh my god!

"Hinata… will you…"

This is…

"Marry… me?"

Hinata stood their, smiling at Naruto. This'll most definitely crush Kiba… but… once he realizes that it's actually over, he might stop passing out at my doorstep in the middle of the night or throwing stones at Naruto! Well, he might still throw stuff at Naruto, but at least he'll realize that I'm gone from the market, and he'll just have to dust himself off and try another purchase!

Of course, Kiba doesn't think that way, but Hinata was optimistic.

Hinata thought again for a long minute. "Naruto… I… I…"

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xD Muhahaha! The ultimate cliff-hanger!

Kiba: What about my pies?

Um… yeah… runs away