NPOV
I don't know what to do anymore.
You used to always tell me, I never had to be alone.
You were my light. And you burned yourself. You couldn't help what you were. But you weren't a demon. You were a shinobi. You were my idol. And above all, you were a human being.
That's what she said.
But Hinata didn't mean it. She didn't care. A week later she began seeing Kiba. That arrogant jerk swooped her off her feet.
While I hated seeing Hinata so down, I was still somewhat grateful that someone cared. On hearing the news, some were silent for a minute, then resumed to their daily schedules, some immediately went to make changes, and some people even cheered.
And Kiba was one of the cheers. I kept one eye on him, and when he went home, he began to talk aloud to himself about how to win over Hinata.
As I watched Hinata grieve, I felt some tears of my own roll down my cheeks. I looked at my feet, ignoring the world below it. Why…? Why had I done it? What was so horrible that I just quit?
The insults, beatings, murders, and looks returned to my mind and I fell to my knees. Apparently I couldn't escape my problems here either. I clutched thin air, nonexistent love, crying out in agony. My lonely existence was to continue vacantly. But as a flash of lightning came suddenly, and left as soon as it appeared, I saw God appear before me. I scrambled up to him and sobbed into his chest. He hugged me comfortingly. "Naruto. I will grant you your heart's true desire."
"What desire?" I asked, but I found myself on my old room. I looked at my hands. R-Real… I was… I was alive again? That was my heart's true desire? Wait- As long as I was here… I could get Hinata back! She'd be so surprised and happy- and love me again!
I put a jacket on over my orange jumpsuit and nervously went outside. I buried my face in my turtleneck so that no one would recognize me, and headed the direction of Hinata's house. I rung the doorbell and waited in high anticipation. When she opened the door, I instantly tore off my jacket.
"N-Naruto!" She cried, tearing up, smiling extremely. But then I saw Kiba, next to the stairs- his face wearing a mixture of shock, nervousness, fear, guilt, pride, mockery, happiness and sorrow at the same time. In short- nearly blank. My vision blurred. I didn't anticipate this. I turned briskly and ran out.
"Naruto? Naruto, wait!" Hinata tried to chase me, but Kiba grabbed her by the arm.
"Let him go… Come on , Hinata, let's go back inside…" He coaxed her, and slowly pulled her back into the room, closing the door shut behind them. I sat behind a bush and just stared at the grass ahead of me. I tilted my head, and just existed. I didn't feel, I didn't do, say, think, or feel anything. I was just…There. Existent, but nonexistent. Disappearing again.
After an hour of pure silence, I heard a noise, and snapped back to reality. I looked groggily out from the bush, and saw Shino staring at the bush. He couldn't know I was there, I was hidden perfectly. And I was supposed to be dead.
"Hello, Naruto." Shino calmly put it out there that I was not dead, not in Heaven, not home, not even hidden. How did he find me? Then I remembered that Shino's bugs could do anything. Damn cockroaches. "Beetles, by the way, Naruto. Who's not dead, not in Heaven, not home, not even hidden." No, wait- Damn Shino.
"Hey. I'm hurt. Which is odd because I usually don't have emotions. Which is also weird. Hey, I'm just a freak. Anyways, get the hell out from behind the bush, Naruto. My bugs can see you. Hee hee. ALL of you. Look in your pants. You're not wearing boxers. Hee hah."
"Shino. Really. Yeah, hi. Whatsup, LEE?" I responded. I looked out the bush and saw Shino punching Lee in the stomach while tears streamed down his face.
"Hello, Naruto. I was speaking up until the Hey. I'm hurt. Part. That was Lee." Shino said, as calmly as ever, still smacking Lee every which way, then leaving him to the bugs.
"And…Neither of you are shocked?" I asked. When they shook their heads, I didn't know how to feel. Should I be sad? Angry? Shocked? Happy? Excited? Arrogant?
Or… Empty? "Naruto. We're not surprised. I don't know if you know this, but I've… Kinda considered you my best friend for a while before you died, so I kinda sorta felt you come back…" Shino looked down underneath his hood.
"Sh-shino… Really? I-I thought that was Kiba…?" I was utterly astonished that his confession.
"Kiba was acting like a jerk since he started liking Hinata. And that was, like, 10 months before you uh…died" Shino explained. I smiled at the thought of having a friend- especially when I hadn't known it. Then an idea struck me-
"Shino." The word hung there, suspended. Shino. My…friend…
"Naruto. I know what you're going to ask. Help with Hinata, right? Sure. But- I'm not going to stand for being USED. So…Do your own part. And don't leave me hanging. Later, Naruto." He turned and left, dragging Lee behind him.
I stared after him. Why was he so unsure of himself? He was a great guy…What could Kiba had done?
I had only ever seen two other people like that. Me…And Sasuke. But I had never imagined Shino like this. He must have gone through a lot of pain. And he was really good at hiding it. I remember that at one point, he didn't even wear a hood, coat, or pockets. He did still wear sunglasses, that didn't change. And he was a lot more open. But he still hid his pain back then as well.
And now we have two reasons to kick Kiba's ass.
