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

What Girls Know…or Think They Have To

Her sentence was decided. It was worse than fate, it's almost too much to handle. No…no…no dessert for a week. It was a tragedy, for Chouji, but somehow Hinata felt that she would be able to manage considering they generally didn't have dessert unless she fixed it anyway, besides, her father decided that he had probably overreacted and decided to go easy on her because of his blow-up and for that she was relieved, relieved that he wasn't as mad as she first thought and relieved that he hadn't found out about Naruto-kun and that Neji had kept his promise.

Maybe Neji really has changed…maybe I finally have someone I can talk to

Sleep soon found Hinata and she dreamed again…she dreamed of the words Naruto didn't say that she wanted to hear…she dreamed of him taking her to the flower shop and him picking out the most beautiful lavender flowers she had ever see.

"They remind me of your eyes, Hinata. I could sta…

Beep beep beep beep beep be rang over and over until she swung her arm over to hit the snooze button.

"Baka-ne," she muttered as she drug herself out of bed and cursed the alarm clock for awakening her from where she really wanted to be. But regardless she still had to get up because she had to go to a meeting with her team today, and so early too.

She forced herself through her usual routine though. First she threw her clothes from the day before into the hamper that she usually left on the floor next to the bed, this was because she was usually too tired to do anything else with them before she crawled into bed, and she collected new ones from out of her dresser, a pink braand purple pantieswould be nice for today she thought, and she somehow found her way into the shower to wake herself up. After her ritual act of cleanliness was over she dressed in her usual garb and prepared a quick breakfast for her father and Neji before heading out to complete the days scheduled tasks.

As for today there was only the meeting because Kurenai-sensei had spent quite some time in the hospital and was still recovering slightly, even though she didn't want to admit it. Upon reaching the training grounds that were just outside of the forest Hinata found that Shino and Kiba were already waiting there.

"Hi," Hinata said with a smile as she approached the two.

"Yo," Kiba said as he turned to greet her, "what are you so chipper for this early in the morning?"

Kiba obviously hadn't slept well the night before, that and he was used to Kurenai-sensei being in the hospital and not having to do anything for the better part of the day but train.

"No reason," she squeaked out with a blush. She very well knew what her reason was but she felt that it was best that Kiba not know…he tends to blow stuff out of proportion and she didn't want him overreacting in anyway this morning.

Kurenai-sensei finally showed up after about another five minutes or so and with company no less.

"Shino, Kiba, Hinata," she said almost as soon a she had appeared, "you three know Asuma and Kakashi, correct?"

The three nodded in agreement and Hinata blushed a little bit at the twinkle in Kurenai-sensei's eye when she introduced Asuma-sensei.

"Well Tsunade-sama has decided that since I'm now well enough that it's time for my first mission. The three of us will be going on an S-rank mission and should be gone for about a week and a half. I figure that a little more R&R couldn't hurt you so I've decided that you are to have this time off."

"Nani?" Kiba exclaimed, "well then why did you have to get us up so early in the morning to tell us?"

"Because I received word of it yesterday evening and we are having to leave right away. So enjoy your time off and I'll see you three when I get back."

With that the three of them vanished.

"That was sudden, I wonder what mission could have come up so suddenly for them to take off like that." Shino pondered aloud.

"Who cares, ah, we get the time off don't we?" Akamaru echoed Kiba's sentiments with a bark.

"Well I have some errands to run so…umm…I'll see you two later"

"Bye Hinata," Shino and Kiba echoed together in a monotone voice, evidently it was early for Shino as well…well…maybe…she couldn't really tell because Shino still just sounded like Shino.

She didn't dwell on it though…she was far too happy about the past days events, and the fact that she had time to do what she wanted for a week and a half. But she did have a few errands to run that she was going to do after the meeting so she figured that before she celebrated she would knock those out of the way. First she found her way to the post office to mail a letter for her father and to see if a package had arrived, it hadn't, and then she had to deliver a scroll to the hospital, also for her father, and finally to the flower shop because her mother had pointed out that her flowers were wilting and needed to be changed, she figured she'd do her the favor since she had the time. Truthfully it was amazing that they stayed as nice as they did for so long…there was something about the flower's at Ino's family's shop.

When she entered the shop the bell above the door rang to signify the entrance of a customer. Hinata was greeted by the friendly face of Ino who was pouring over the latest issue of Teen Kunoichi Magazine.

"Good morning Hinata-chan. How are you today?" Ino shouted with glee as she greeted the girl who was releasing her from her boredom.

"G-Good thank you," Hinata stuttered as she was still not quite used to how Ino always greeted her with such vigor on each visit. Truthfully she had actually grown to enjoy her visits to the flower shop when Ino was there because of how good of friends they had actually become over it.

"How are you Ino-chan?"

"Bored truth be told and waiting on a pick-up delivery. Actually I have a question if you don't mind me asking."

"Have you noticed," Ino crept a little closer to her from across the counter, "that the boys have been acting strange lately?"

"B-boys…w-who do you mean?" Hinata stammered out as she realized that she was probably talking about Naruto-kun.

"Well not really Shikamaru because he's always weird, although he has been acting like he's up to something, but I mean like…well...Neji's seemed happier lately, like he knows something, and Lee, Naruto and Chouji have been acting strange too. I don't think I've seen Chouji eat a bag of potato chips for a week and Nar…"

"It almost sounds like you're worried about him Ino," a familiar voice shouted as it entered the door. The pink haired med-nin in training came through the door so unexpectedly that it about scared the two of them out of their socks.

"No…why would I be worried about him…hahaha?" she laughed nervously at the accusation.

"Come on Ino," Sakura gleamed, "I know that you picked up that six month cooking class at the academy in the afternoons and that's why you've been skipping out on practices."

"Ino-chan…did you really do that for Chouji?" Hinata asked in the bit of shock she was in. This was as big of a surprise to her as the possibility of Naruto having feelings for her.

Ino looked about the room in a bit of a rush…kind of like she was looking for an exit but couldn't find one. "You can't prove a thing. Besides, did you every stop to think that I may have just wanted to improve my cooking and who told you about that anyway?"

"Tsunade-sama mentioned it to me when she asked if I wanted to take the class, she just happened to tell me that your name was at the top of the list on day one," revealed Sakura with a bit of a smirk, "and besides, Ino-chan, I've had your cooking before and it's not that bad. Why would you want to improve it so badly?"

"I…umm…I…I," Ino had started to sound like Hinata did when she was first around Naruto, "I…well…damn," she conceded.

"You mean to say that you like Chouji, Ino-chan?" Hinata said while her two index fingers began to find each other.

"I…uh…yeah…I wanted to impress him with my cooking and see if he liked me. I knew that if I became a better cook then my chances would be better so I decided to take the class as soon as I heard about it. You think it's stupid that I like him don't you?" As she finished her confessiontears began to well up in her eyes as she asked that question.

"I think that's really sweet of you Ino-chan…I didn't even know you liked Chouji liked that." Hinata said to comfort her friend.

"Yeah, that really is very sweet of you to do. I'm sorry I cornered you about it like that." Sakura added.

"It…it's ok…I feel kinda better about it now…now that someone knows and now that I can talk about it."

Hinata was a little thrown by this development. For one, she had never seen Ino-chan cry like that before, and two, she couldn't believe that she hadn't noticed that she had feelings for Chouji. Chouji seemed to be a good guy and all but it was just so unexpected because he didn't seem like her type. Then it hit her that she was getting ready to say something about Naruto-kun but didn't get it out before Sakura-chan had burst in. She waited until Ino had fought back the tears before she decided to ask her.

"Ino-chan…umm…what were you going to say before Sakura-chan came in?"

"About the guys acting weird?" Ino asked, evidently due to her distress she had about forgotten about their conversation.

Hinata nodded her head nervously and Hinata's strong interest peaked Sakura's, kind of like a cat who hears the can opener in the kitchen and knows that it's supper coming.

"Well…Chouji hasn't been eating like he normally does and Lee came in the other day and said something like "I can't turn back in the springtime of youth." and he ordered some flowers but wouldn't say why."

Sakura sighed at this, with Sasuke gone she had really grown fond of Lee but never told anyone about it, the closest anyone came to knowing about it was Tsunade-sama when she asked her about always taking fresh flowers to his room before he had the operation after the Chunnin exam. Tsunade-sama probably knew more than she let on but Sakura didn't care, she knew she was someone she could trust.

"And Naruto's even got me a little worried too…he keeps coming in and looking at all the flowers, but he's never very loud about it which I thought was kinda weird. He even asked me the day before last if I would help him arrange them if he picked some out."

Naruto-kun has…has a crush on someone else…I knew it was too good to be true

"Did he ever buy any and say who they were for?" Sakura asked. It was almost as if she was reading Hinata's mind.

"Not yet…it's probably because I told him he'd have to pick a color other than lavender…you know…something that would compliment them but he was just so set on it. I think he might have gotten a little mad about it because he didn't even come in yesterday."

Hinata knew exactly where Naruto was yesterday, well for part of it at least, and right now she just didn't know what to think.

Naruto-kun…flowers…yesterday…Naruto-kun…

Her mind just kept racing and Sakura and Ino could see the distress on her face. Sakura began to develop an evil grin but Hinata hadn't noticed it yet.

"Hinata-chan," Sakura said coaxingly, "you wouldn't happen to know why Naruto didn't meet me at the ramen shop or show up hereyesterday would you?"

"I…umm…uh I…I I," Hinata knew she was stuck and her mind was already going haywire from what Ino had revealed.

"It's ok Hinata…calm down…I already know that you have a major crush on Naruto," she snickered a little bit, "it's fairly obvious," Ino nodded her head in agreement, she may be a little self-centered sometimes but this was something that was pretty hard to miss.

"And I was sitting in the ramen shop when you two bumped into each other, but after you two started talking I decided that I would…hehe…disappear. So tells us Hinata-chan…what happened yesterday?"

Ooo…even if tell them they're just going to tell me that I'm stupid for liking him…

Hinata couldn't bear it any more thoughand she broke after about another five minutes of the two girls poking and prodding her about the subject. She told them everything they wanted to know.

"…and then Naruto-kun left and I watched him leave." Hinata had finally finished after about fifteen minutes of nervous talking because she wasn't used to being the center of attention, Sakura and Ino for once didn't say a word the whole time. "S-So what do you two think?"

The blonde and pink haired kunoichi both looked at each other after she finished before either gave a response. Sakura was first to speak.

"Hinata," here it comes…this is where she calls me a baka and they both laugh at me, "it sounds like he really likes you, I'm so glad for you," Sakura exclaimed as she practically leaped on Hinata and gave her a big hug.

Ino followed in suit, "Me too Hinata, I so wish Chouji would do something like that."

And with that the three of them spent the rest of the day talking their girl talk. Sakura even confessed, after some coaxing from Ino about who she had a crush on, that she had developed a crush on Lee. She was about as embarrassed as Hinata was just thinking about it.

Eventually time came for Ino to close down the shop and the three of them had to leave. The new trio walked down the street together until they were forced to part ways. It was getting late, much later than Hinata had intended on staying out but still not late enough that she would miss dinner. Hinata smiled and waved bye to her friends as she headed off on her own and picked up her pace so as to make sure she wouldn't be late.

Who knew I would have so much in common with them…they didn't even hate me for liking Naruto-kun…it's so funny what girls know…or should I say what they have to know

Rasengen2theface: Ok…I'm officially tired…I can't write anymore…I think this turned out to be a lot bigger than I planed…wait…that's a lie…it was smaller truth be told but…well…I was told I would be beheaded if I didn't get a chapter up soon so here it is…I figured that it would be more than enough anyway…besides…I haven't gotten to the nice and fluffy part…yes…that wasn't fluff…I can still put what else I wanted to in another chapter if I want to...I swear I probably should have been a girl…well I hope you enjoyed this triple chapter and we'll see if I can't make my next one just as long…I think I may have to move my rating up for the next chapter too just so you know…maybe…but until then…later daze