Disclaimer Time

I in no way, shape or form own Naruto or any of its characters and am certainly not making any money off of them through this fanfic

Disclaimer Time Over

w00t

Now on to the fic and how to read it

Generally everything will be straight forward but ever so often I may insert a thought process in italics, kinda like the do in the show all the time…also more often than not I'll leave spaces in speech with a…in between them for sorta a pause for the character to think or just to break up what they're saying…well I guess that that's about it for the rules for how to read it so on to the FIC

Little Ramen Shop of Horrors

Hinata took her time on the way to the market. The day seemed a little warmer and the sun a little brighter after her chat with Shikamaru about Naruto-kun. Upon approaching the entrance of the market it was already almost noon, the trip that usually only took her an hour or two had already taken a whole two hours just to get there but she didn't care anymore because her day had already been made and there wasn't much that could happen that could ruin it at this point. With high spirits Hinata went about her shopping and picked up everything that she needed for supper that evening. After finishing up she decided to head the quick way home just in case her father was angry about how long she had been out, it didn't hurt that the path she had to take also led past the ramen shop either. About five minutes or so had passed before she and her brown paper bag of groceries reached Ichiraku, Naruto's favorite ramen shop. Upon looking past the curtains there was, alas, no Naruto.

O well…maybe some other ti…

Once again, before she could finish her thought she had run into someone again and fallen to the ground and dropped her bag full of groceries.

Baka…I did it again…

"I'm…I'm sorry…I guess I wasn't loo…" was all the kunoichi managed to stammer out while picking herself up before she realized that person she had run into was the reason she wasn't paying attention to where she was going in the first place.

"Nah…it's my ba…Hinata?" Naruto asked before he could finish his apology. "Umm…here, let me help you pick these up," he said as he reached for a can on the ground.

"Naru…Naruto…umm…no no…don't worry about it…I'll ge…"

"I insist," he interrupted as he reached up to hand her a can of peaches, "it was my fault after…after…"

What is he doing…he…he's…he's just…stari…stari…

"Umm…here," he stammered out just so he could break the silence between the two of them as he handed her an apple that had found its way to the ground, "it doesn't look bruised at all…umm...how about you…are you ok?"

"Ye…yes…I think so," was all she could respond with as she diverted her attention to the ground and the groceries that remained there.

They continued to pick up the rest of what was lying on the ground in an awkward silence. After the task was completed and a moment of still awkward silence Naruto broke the silence, "Hinata, I know you just went shopping and all but I was wondering…umm…would you like to come to Ichiraku with me for lunch?"

"I…I…I'm afraid I can't…I should really be getting back…my father will be angry if I don't get back soon…but…but thank you for the offer," she managed to respond despite how she truly wanted to tell him that she would love to spend the rest of the day with him if she could.

"Well let me carry those for you then…Ichiraku will be there when I get back…it'd be the least I could do since it was my fault and all," he said with a nervous grin and a hand scratching the back of his head.

"Are you sure…I mean…I wouldn't want you to miss your lunch over me?" the ever nervous Genin asked.

"Like I said…it'll still be here when I get back and I really don't mind...that is unless you don't want me to…if you don't then I'll understand."

O no…what do I do…if I say no then he'll think that I don't like him or am mad at him…but if I say yes he'll want to come in and father won't be happy with me as is…o what to do…maybe if I just let him take me to the front gate…that'll do I think…

"Hinata, you there?" he said as he began waving hand in front of her face trying to bring her out of her daze.

"Umm…yes…I suppose it couldn't hurt."

And with that Naruto picked the brown bag up from the ground and the two of them headed off towards her house.

Silence still seemed to follow them as they walked for a good ten minutes without a word.

"So…Hinata…what all have you been up to today…besides shopping that is?" he asked to break the silence.

"Not a lot…I talked with Shikamaru for a bit before I came to the market."

"O," he said in a disappointed tone, "what did you two talk about?"

"No on…nothing in particular really," she responded as she caught herself.

"O…so just because huh?"

"Umm…yeah…I suppose so…how come you were headed to the ramen shop so late…it's just past one?"

"O…umm…well I guess I slept in a little late…that's why I was in such a hurry…I didn't want to miss them before they closed till dinner."

"I thought you said that they'd still be there when you got back?"

"They will be…when I go back for dinner."

"Naruto…you should go back while you can…I can walk myself the rest of the way home."

"It's ok really…I can eat there just about when ever I want and besides…I…I'd rather be here."

Hinata blushed at what the blonde haired ninja had just said.

Naruto-kun actually just said that he'd rather be with "me" than somewhere else…I…I don't know what to say

They continued on in silence for the rest of the trip, a content silence at that.

"Well we're here," Hinata announced as she saw the front gate of her home, "umm…would you like to come in, maybe I can fix you something since I made you miss you lunch?"

I thought I told myself that he was only going to walk me up to the gate…baka…I can't take it back now now can I

"Nah…that's ok…I think I'm just going to head back towards the shop…I think I'll even head back the long way past the countryside," he said with a grin.

"Ok…well goodbye then and thank you for walking me back Naruto-kun."

She had said it before she could catch herself. Somehow it had just slipped out and there was no taking it back now.

"Don't think anything of it," he said as he handed the bag of groceries to her and turned to walk away, "I'll see you sometime later then……Hinata-chan."

And with that not another word was spoken between them. Hinata stood there until he made it all the way around the bend in the road.

He called me Hina…Hinata-chan…does this mean that Shikamaru is right…could Naruto-kun really have feelings for me?

After a moment Hinata turned to enter her home. On the way through her front gate she stopped and thought

And I thought it would turn out to be a little ramen shop of horrors

Rasengen2theface: Well how's that for a turn of events…I figured that three chapters was enough for you to sit through without the object of her heart making an appearance. The more and more I write this the more and more I like it…to think that I can just pump this out like this…I wish school work would be this easy "Umm…yes…I'd like you to write me one chapter of a fanfiction for Wednesday's homework"…that would really be the greatest thing to ever happen to me EVER…alas I live in the real world, part of the time, and know that that will never happen…o well…well I hope to get lots of reviews on this chapter so let me know what you think…until next time…later daze