Chapter 9 - Gathering clues
Naruto went back home to relax as the evening once again started to approach. He has
used quite a lot Chakra that day. He decided to celebrate his exploding progress in his
training by treating himself to ramen at Ichiraku's. Once there, eating, he got commented
by Ichiraku: "I see you have someone special now, Naruto-kun? Today it's my treat!!"
Ichiraku smiled proudly as he served Naruto for free. Naruto didn't get much, but he got
it right he was being served for free, so he said thanks and recieved his free treat. As
for why he gave him that treat, he started thinking about the Hinata-thing earlier. He didn't
remember much. He thought it over: Hinata was in his bed when he woke up. He usually
always locks the door. He remember the empty beercans he spotted this morning when he
stood up. There was so many of them... And suddenly, BINGO! He remembered someone
was knocking on his door last night and that he got angry about it. Just a flash though,
he didn't remember that well...

Hinata was finished with her shower and dinner, and went out to train and think over recent
events, when she remembered she forgot about her note on Naruto's bed. And she thought,
Naruto never said he liked her. Ever. What if she was no more than a friend to him, it could
be bad if Naruto found out and disbanded their friendship: it was all she had. It meant
everything to her!! She started to run against Naruto's house.

Naruto went back home after the meal, trying to sort things out or find some clues. He saw
Shikamaru's forehead protector on the floor, empty beercans... Actually, a whole lot of
empty beercans. And also a note on the bed. He picked up the note and went over to
Shikamaru's place to give it back. Naruto left the house and took a jog on his way. About
four minutes later Hinata approached Naruto's house, finding it empty. She looked careful
in the window with Buyakugan, but didn't see her note on the bed. He must've taken in with
him, she thought. Maybe it was too late... Still, she wanted to explain everything and at
least save their friendship, and so she ran. She headed against Naruto's favorite training
spot. Naruto used to be there all the time, that much Hinata knew about him...
Poor Hinata... She was on her way... Running for her love... Naruto, hang in there!
Whatever you do, do NOT read that note!!

While walking over to Shikamaru, Naruto came up with the brilliant idea that Shikamaru was
probably the one knocking on his door last night, maybe to get his forehead protector back.
That would make perfect sense! But what was this feeling Naruto had? It wasn't that important
to find out, all Hinata did was staying over the night. She was a friend, why did Naruto feel like
he had something to lose if he didn't find out? He had nothing to lose! Then Naruto calmed
down, lowering his walking speed. While walking, Naruto took forth the note Hinata left.

Curious as Naruto was, he wanted to know what the note contained. He approached
Shikamaru's house. He opened it up. To Naruto's big surprise, he now officially found out
why Hinata always was acting so weird around Naruto all the time. All his pieces gathered
together. Naruto walked slower, until he stopped. He looked at the letter. Scanned it with
his eyes. Analyzed every word carefully, then all over again. He looked at all of the drawings,
all of the poems, comments, edits... It was all about him. He... Who wanted everyone to
recognize his existence... And yet he didn't know there was one person that really did...
And to such an extent. It wasn't just friendship. Another thought hammered Naruto's mind:
the mark he had on his cheek. Ichiraku commented it. That wasn't enough. He could use
Shikamaru as the final proof, since he was there last night. He ran to his door and slammed
it open, calling his name. "Naruto? Calm down, dude! Yelling so loud is troublesome."
"Hey, hey! You wore at my house last night, right? Tell me everything you know!", Naruto
said.

At the same time, Hinata approached Naruto's trainingspot. She walked slowly over the
large wide open field of grass. The wind was cold. There was no Naruto to be seen... She
used Buyakugan to confirm it. She wanted to cry in her desperation, but she couldn't.
She didn't have time! She ran to the top of a high stone hill, to the very edge of it. Once there,
she molded Chakra and forced forth an empowered Buyakugan with tears in her eyes,
and she deep-scanned the whole Konoha village in search of Naruto!