Kiba: The author apologizes for the late update. She was trying to update her other stories
Me: Hi! It took me forever to tryy updating my other stories ... in the end i failed -.-;; miserably
Kiba: They know that already
Me: Shut up, I'm trying to be considerate to my readers
Kiba: Hmmm … -puts bug on me-
Me: -Screams then whacks Kiba-
Shino: -takes bug off me- You wouldn't want to kill this.
Me: -gives look- three feet away from me
Kiba: You are scared of bugs!
Me: No, I just hate anything that has more than four legs, and more than two eyes.
Shino: Do you look down on them?
Me: -anime drop walks further away from Shino- no …. Let's continue the story ;D -mutters- Shino is mad creepy
Chapter Three:
Moments
Hinata stared at the picture. She had sworn that Naruto and Sakura did not have that good of a relationship. A boy suddenly appeared beside here. "You like this painting or something? I for one, find it to be nothing special, I mean the girl is pretty but that's it." Hinata looked at him, "No … I … uhm … when was this painted?"
"Yesterday, my old man suddenly had this burst of inspiration. He is planning to go on a journey. The old fart is going to get himself killed." He took the painting off of display, "He wants to bring it with him. Well, see ya." The boy disappeared deeper in the tent.
Hinata felt wheezy, she walked through the streets like an empty plastic bag. "Hinata-chan!" Hinata froze. Not now. She reluctantly turned around to see the blonde haired ninja. "You forgot these," Naruto said handing her, her grocery bags. "Arigato…Naruto … kun …" Hinata saw Sasuke and Sakura right behind Naruto. "What is the rush Naruto?" Sakura said slightly annoyed that she had to chase after her teammate.
"Gomen Sakura-chan, I had to give Hinata-chan her stuff." Naruto said happily.
"Since Hinata is here, let's report to the Hokage." Sasuke said.
"Hokage-sama wants all four of us?" Hinata said surprised. Sakura nodded.
"Do we have missions?" Naruto shouted the moment they arrived at the Hokage's office. Tsunade wrote something quickly down before glancing at the young ninjas, "Yes, I want all of you to report to the Spring Country."
"Who is the client?" Sakura asked.
"Princess Koyuki," Tsunade said glancing down when Naruto jumped. AN: Koyuki or Fujimi Yuki is in Naruto Movie One
Tsunade anime vain grew and yelled at the young ninja.
"You will report to the East gate tomorrow, where Princess Koyuki will be awaiting you with a ship. You will be her body guards through her whole film shot. Sakura you are the leader of this team. Try to return before the Chunnin exams."
"All four of us?" Sakura asked.
"Yes, Sasuke needs to carry out his ninja duties. Hinata's whole team is in a scouting mission and won't be back till promptly after the beginning of the Chunnin exams."
"Doesn't a film take months? We only have three months till the Chunnin exams."
"I know, therefore try to return before the Chunnin exams."
"Baa-chan, can't you postpone the Chunnin exams?"
"That would be inconvenient for the other villages."
Sakura laughed nervously as she dragged Naruto out of the room.
Sasuke and Hinata followed them soon after. "We are to go to the east gate. They should be waiting for us with a boat." Naruto begun to head towards the east and stopped when he realized no one was following him. "Why aren't any of you going to the gate?"
"Naruto-kun, we are going tomorrow morning."
"Moron," Sasuke muttered. Sakura awaited a reaction; thankfully Naruto did not hear Sasuke's comment.
Sakura suddenly recalled the painting. "I have something urgent i need to do ... see you guys tomorrow ..." Sakura said speeding off towards the tents. When she arrived, she was unable to find that particular tent. She looked around and went towards a nearby tent.
"Excuse me; do you know where the owner of the tent next to yours' is?"
"The painter? Well, his son was helping him pack for a journey."
"Son? Do you know where I can find this person?"
"Well, from the way the painter spoke of him, the kid is a slacker. He has a mighty gift for painting too; you should see one his works…"
"I will, but do you know where I can find him?"
"Possibly the hills, anywhere away from people."
"Arigato," Sakura said.
She arrived at the hills and found a guy sleeping. She walked closer to him and his eyes suddenly shot open, "What you want?"
"Is your father a painter?"
"Why is everyone asking about that old man today? Another girl asked for him about the painting. Who'd think? That piece was actually inspiring." He said as he closed his eyes again.
"A girl?"
"Yeah, she was a ninja, short blue hair, purple eyes-"
"Hinata … where did your father go?"
"How would I know? He's old enough to care for himself." Sakura restrained herself from the urge to punch this guy. "Thank you for your time," Sakura managed to say before she left him.
Hinata saw the painting that would explain why she was so depressed. But there's nothing between Naruto and me. Right?
She went inside her house, "Mom, I'm home."
"Help me cook dinner then."
Sakura went to the kitchen and started cutting the vegetables. The faint image of her whole team appeared in her mind, Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi-sensei. She remembered herself staring at Sasuke from a distance after her rivalry began with Ino. It all seemed so silly now. But, after all those years of crushing on Sasuke she could not possibly give up on him so easily. Could she? She told herself before that Sasuke was nothing but a mutual friend. How much was that true?
She started mincing the vegetables faster through her inner frustration.
"Sakura, what do you think you are doing young lady? This isn't some ninja training." Her mother cried. Sakura peered at the knife. She had cut through the wooden table she used to cut the vegetables.
"I'm sorry mom. I'm going to go to my room. I have to leave tomorrow for a mission, I need to get ready." Sakura ran upstairs.
"Sakura! What is up with that girl lately?" Her mother asked herself before she continued making dinner.
Sakura collapsed on her bed. She hugged her pillow and turned to see the picture of her team. We need to take a more recent photo, that photo is over three years old. She thought smiling to herself.
The sun greeted her when she opened her eyes. She yawned, "I must have fallen asleep." She said to herself. She glanced once again the picture. She turned to look at the clock. She fell off her bed. She stared at the time like it was wrong. "I'm late!"
She returned to find an impatient Sasuke and Naruto and Hinata talking. Hinata was playing with her fingers as a light blush appeared on her cheeks. "You're late," Sasuke retorted.
"Gomen," She said.
"Sakura-chan you're here! I was going to go check on you if –"
"Let's go," Sasuke interrupted him.
I guess Sasuke is a little impatient; this is the first mission outside of the village. Sakura thought, laughing to herself. Naruto looked confused at Sakura's peppy attitude.
They exited the village and went to coastal ends. A fairly large boat was docked.
"You must be Naruto-kun," An elder man said walked towards to Sasuke.
"I'm Naruto!" Naruto said jumping around the man. Sasuke nodded towards Naruto.
"Yes, well we should be going to the boat. Who is the leader?" Sakura went up and confirmed it was her.
"I will tell you the plans of this mission as you enter the boat."
"Where is Yuki-chan?" Naruto asked.
"Koyuki-hime is currently getting ready for the photo shoot."
"Naruto-kun, everyone, hi!" Koyuki said waving to them as they got on the boat. Everyone except Sakura followed Koyuki to her cabin.
"Wow, you guys look so mature now." She said.
"You look like a real hime!" Naruto said at the new reformed Koyuki.
"I got a little secret to share with you. There is nothing I need to be protected for! I just made a ridicules rumor that someone would try to take over the throne while I was gone."
"Then we are not needed here?" Sasuke said getting up.
"Well, I needed freedom. I love being a princess but it's so much work. I was finally able to hire bodyguards if I was in danger. So, here comes the rumor."
"I don't think you should make others worry about you." Hinata said. Koyuki looked down, "I know its wrong, but …"
"It doesn't matter, we're here." Sasuke said.
"I just wanted you to know, so everyone can relax." She said getting up, "I need to prepare for the movie, make yourselves at home." She left and so did the ninjas.
They explored the ship. They had been in a movie ship before, so nothing was of a surprise to them. The day flew and night soon came. After they had their dinner Naruto exited to the dock where he found Sakura staring at the stars.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto said running up to the pink-haired ninja.
"Naruto …"
"Naruto reached in his pocket. He frowned when he could not find what he was looking for. He rummaged through his other pockets. Sakura looked at him awkwardly, "Naruto, what are you doing?"
He finally pulled out a necklace with small touches of pink surrounding the necklace, and a green jade in a shape of a leaf. "Happy birthday Sakura-chan." Sakura took Naruto's gift and examined the necklace, on the leaf, her name was imprinted.
"Arigato … Naruto… but my birthday isn't till tomorrow." AN: Who can guess the date?
"I know, I thought I would be the first one to give you the present! Here, I'll put it on for you."
"No, I can do it myself." She felt the delicate works of the necklace as she carefully put it around her neck. She centered the leaf and stared down on the water to see her reflection. The necklace sparkled, it was absolutely beautiful.
"Naruto …"
"What Sakura-chan?"
"When you look at the stars, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?"
"Ero-sennin!"
"Jiraiya-sama?" An anime vain appeared on Sakura's head as she punched Naruto.
"Am I interrupting something?" The pervert came out on the dock.
"Jiraiya-sama, what are you doing here?" She exclaimed.
Naruto was on the floor twitching, "That was what I was trying to tell you."
"Research," Jiraiya said proudly.
"On a movie," Sakura asked confused.
Naruto finally sat upright, "Since you're here, train me!"
"I have more important things to do, Naruto."
"What could be more important than training me?"
Jiraiya ignored his question and went back inside for hell knows what. Sakura sighed. "I'm going to sleep. Tomorrow we should be landing."
Dawn arrived and the ship was already full of life. Naruto being the person he was woke up last.
"We're landing," Sasuke told Naruto.
Everyone left the ship as the film crew fixed the set. Jiraiya stealthy left the ship and stopped as he was called by the director.
"Who are you?" The director questioned him.
"I'm the Frog Hermit," Jiraiya said proudly. A cameraman near the director whispered, "I think he is the author of Come Come Paradise."
"Come Come Paradise? Oh yes, I loved your book three years ago, the one that stopped the war."
Jiraiya thought back. Three years ago … well, I don't remember writing any book. Hmmm … Naruto's nagging voice suddenly popped in his head
"Ero-sennin, train me!" Jiraiya vaguely remembered Naruto saying.
Jiraiya remembered he was looking for some excuse and writing the next installment of Come Come Paradise came to mind. Naruto had written the whole installment for him and was sending it to his editor. Somehow, Naruto was able to give the ninja the wrong file and sent the ruler the installment instead of the peace treaty. The ruler immediately cancelled the war when he saw the file. AN: Filler episode ers ... i dont' remember which one -.-;;
"Naruto's chicken scratch became more famous than my books?" A fairly large anime vain was growing on Jiraiya's head.
"What?" The director said.
"Of course, my books are that inspiring," Jiraiya laughed uneasily.
"What is Ero-sennin doing?" Naruto said as he watched his sensei talk with the director.
"Why is he here anyway?" Sasuke asked, finally noticing the sennin.
"Research," Sakura and Naruto said in unison.
"What kind of research?" Hinata asked.
"You don't want to know …" Sakura told her. Hinata gave her a blank stare as they continued "guarding" the princess.
The day progressed till it was nighttime. The crew wrapped up and some went to stay in a hotel, as well as, the princess.
The young ninjas were allowed to spend their night as they pleased. They all went their separate ways.
Sakura first checked out all the jewelry's stores and found Naruto's gift to outshine all of them. Sakura felt the jade and her engraved name. A small smile formed around her lips as she could not help but cherish this necklace. She felt this was the most important thing in her life. She was unclear why but she had an urge to see the blonde ninja.
Sakura walked down the market street looking for a delightful ramen store. When she finally found it, she heard Naruto's voice. She stepped closer and was about to greet him then she saw Hinata. They were eating ramen together, nothing peculiar about it. She had dinner with him, but Hinata likes Naruto. Could Hinata asked Naruto out on a date? Naruto and Hinata's relationship were always friendly.
She jumped when she heard Sasuke's voice.
"Aren't you going in?"
"Sasuke … I didn't know you were there."
"I would think that your ninja skills weren't that poor …" Sasuke said walking away.
"Sasuke wait," Sakura said only loud enough for Sasuke to hear. Sasuke stopped and waited for her to continue.
"Could you have dinner with me?" Sasuke turned around, "Sure."
Sakura smiled.
The dinner was quite, not to the point it was awkward, but it was just peaceful. Sasuke was completely different from Naruto. They did share their competitive natures, and stubborn attitude, but Sasuke was more reserve giving off his cool personality. Naruto was random to the extent it was just plain hilarious.
"Sakura, it's your birthday today isn't it?"
"Hai," Sakura could not help smiling to the fact Sasuke had remembered. Sasuke ordered a cake for Sakura.
Naruto and Hinata had just finished their dinner. Hinata wanted to see the city, so Naruto decided to escort her. They heard loud ruckus, someone singing happy birthday. Naruto remembering it was Sakura's birthday went towards the sounds. There he saw Sakura and Sasuke together. A small blush lit on her cheeks as she blew out the candles. Sasuke smiled and said what Naruto believed to be "Happy birthday." Sakura is on a date … with Sasuke. He always knew that Sakura had been always
Right here waiting
Kiba: What do you mean I'm in a scouting mission?
Me: Can't you see the bigger problems?
Kiba: What are you talking about? I'm in a scouting mission. What am I scouting for? Bunnies?
Shino: She never said the Akatsuki was destroyed, only a member.
Me: Er … yeah let's go with that.
Kiba: Why couldn't you just shut up?
Shino: -glasses flicker-
Me: -anime drop- review please? Any criticism is welcomed, besides of the extra long update lol. Sorry about that -.-;;
REVIEW&REVIEW
RESPONSE TO REVIEWERS
full-metal-sousuke – Yes I know HinataxNaruto has been overdone. Most likely this will stay as a SakuraxNaruto story. I've been thinking about endings and I think I will take out Hinata from the pairing if I don't think of another ending that I might find more fitting.
Got-ramen – Thanks for the review. Yeah when I put in the next chapter I forgot to change the status to in progress.
CherryBlossom – Thanks for the review. Yeah, I checked the NarutoxSakura section. There were really little stories.
Kane-the-Warrior – err… I hope you won't stop reading regardless of Naruto's pairing
airstep – yeah I was aiming for controlled emotions. Be ready to experience high flying emotions later in the story!
Animaman – Thanks, sorry for the long wait.
Blckfireman – perfect? Wow that's really flattering haha. I hope I keep the story interesting.
ChaosLink – yeah I understand your view. Its true Hinata never tried "getting" Naruto, but it doesn't mean she didn't have feelings for him. I want to make that apparent to Sakura. Unlike Ino, Sakura isn't in a rival battle with Hinata.
ultraanimefan94 – I'm glad you liked it.
xwy – I'm happy that this fic was of interest to you. Yeah, as you can see, Sakura is getting pretty jealous now.
Daisy – I'm so sorry for the late update. I usually update monthly. Since it's the holiday season, suspect updates in Christmas. If not, you can berate me ;D Please don't though
thsunami – haha Naruto is a pimp. No, I think it's quite alright if I just let Naruto have one girl. Shikamaru can't even handle one.