"Hinata, are you sure you still want to compete in the Chuunin exams? You're injured. Just try again in six months there's no reason to risk it," Kiba said, stepping in front of Hinata and blocking her way into the arena.
"A ninja does not back down from a mission," Hinata said, sounding uncharacteristically sure of herself. "If come this far," she added quietly. Then she stepped around Kiba.
Though she didn't want to show it, Hinata was terrified. She had no idea who her opponent would be and there were so many people watching. The HoKage, the other leaf village genin, her sister, her father…And what if her opponent was Neji? There's no way she could beat him. Or Naruto? She couldn't battle Naruto or Kiba. She'd forfeit if she had to. She had beaten Shino in the preliminaries so that left Ten-ten, Temari, Kankurou, Sasuke, Neji, Gaara, Naruto, Kiba, and Shikamaru. Hinata knew she didn't stand a chance against Gaara, Sasuke, or Naruto, but all she needed was to win one or two rounds and impress whoever it was that decided which genin to make chuunin.
Hinata walked into the center of the arena and tried not to blush or look down as hundreds of judging eyes turned to her and the others. She glanced at Gaara instead, but he was staring straight forward, expressionless.
Gaara watched Hinata with the third eye. For some reason she hadn't told anyone, even Kiba, the truth about two nights ago. And now she was watching Gaara. This girl didn't make any sense. Gaara narrowed his eyes in frustration and confusion.
Once Naruto finally stumbled into the arena, the genin made their way up into the stands to watch Naruto and Temari's match. Gaara was too distracted to pay any attention, and neither of them mattered to him anyway. But that Hinata girl was gripping the railing so hard her knuckles were while and the metal bent slightly. When she let go there would be an imprint of her fingers on the bar. Her eyes were wide, her forehead wrinkled in concern, and yet she didn't make a sound. When Naruto finally won after a dramatic show of his irritating persistence and stamina, Hinata let out a sigh of relief, and offered Naruto a healing ointment when he came up the steps. Naruto stared at her rudely, and didn't even thank her until a jounin sensei prompted him to. Gaara wondered why Hinata cared so much for the dense, knuckle-headed spaz.
"Hinata"
Hinata looked up at Naruto, surprised and excited that he had said her name.
"Be careful. You were attacked the other night in the same place as that other woman, and probably by the same person. The assailant probably killed her to cover up his or her tracks, which means you could be in danger.
"What?!" Hinata choked, "She was…killed?" Hinata asked shakily.
"Yeah, so be careful okay?" Naruto replied, oblivious. Hinata nodded, and when Naruto turned she whirled around to look at Gaara in disbelief and anger. He looked ahead at the arena, his attention seemingly focused on the pairing for the next round.