Simplicity is Complexity

Chapter 14: Enter Rika.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, people. I don't think that would be possible as long as I am alive.

AN: As the title mentioned, yes, Rika is coming into my story. I suppose it adds the excitement to see how screwed Naruto is going to be to have so many women attracted to him whether young (like Hinata and Hanabi) or old (like Kyuubi, or Anthris, as I named her in the story). You may ask me, "Why don't I make the other Naruto casts in love with Naruto, too?" and I do have an answer to that, fortunately.

Let's have a small session of Enlightenment for Dummies. Since I am not allowed to speak with all of you individually, I might as well have a general discussion. If you don't want to read this, feel free to skip to the actual story.

Personally, I cannot find a reason for Temari, Ino, and Tenten to love Naruto romantically. What kind of connection can I make that actually makes sense? I don't want to make up those wacky, almost unbelievable situations and then it becomes a game of absolute coincidence. In addition, none of them had shown any hint that they actually admire that loud, orange-jumpsuit-wearing idiot. As a writer, I suppose that it is my 'job' to be creative and use my imagination to the fullest. Unfortunately, you will have to pay me to write something against my will.

I accept Canadian dollar!

Kyuubi loving Naruto is just… funny. Very amusing to write, I have to say. I personally find most Kyuubis out there to be cliché, like ALL of them talk the same. For instance, "Kit, you have to obey me", or they always talk like, "NARUTO! YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH" in big cap letters. Am I supposed to find that attractive? Do you want me to say, "Man, this is sexy writing. Gotta have some more of this unnecessarily pointless zeal because I happen to be a moron who can't differentiate what is tasteful or just pure bad"? And so, is the person yelling at the top of his lungs, or is he trying to have a conversation like a regular person would? If you want my opinion… he seems to be yelling, not talking.

In addition to my disappointment, even the style of the dialogue is nearly the same. Content-wise, speaking-wise, and the general impression of it. And that just pisses me off entirely. It gives me the impression of 'Why bother reading your story if hundreds of other ones are fucking identical to yours?' And so, I made my Kyuubi into someone like To-To from D.N Angel. I love her character since she can be very serious and other times it would be absolutely outrageous.

Hinata… Wow, she has to be given the easiest person to write when it comes to pairing with Naruto. Despite that the anime and manga displayed a great lack of her deeper feelings for Naruto, showing some of it was efficient enough for me to imagine other things. More or less perverted things, mind you. I have noticed that Hinata changed quite a bit (not physically, people) when she is around Naruto these days. I guess that was one of the steps for me to move onward with her personality and gradually make it unique. Anyhow, I love Hinata, too, since she reminds me of myself in a way. Concealed, yet with a raw passion that cannot be controlled when it ignites. Sure, hers may be love for Naruto, but what is mine then?

I promise you all that the pairings and relationships will only be more confusing and complex. My story is not supposed to be easy; just like real life.

Anyway, let's move on, shall we?

(Exact moment, time did not change… maybe by a little…)

Things never went my way. Perhaps that was a little harsh and pessimistic, I should've said the conflicts, or the seriousness of the conflicts, usually went beyond my reach. After all my ranting, my pleading, and logical explanations at why I shouldn't love or spread affection, I fell into the devastating trap created by the mastermind, Hyuuga Hinata. I couldn't blame Hinata, maybe she didn't even know her doing was dangerous to me, nor did she have an intention to hurt me. She just wanted to be loved, and love those who she truly loved. Why was I so mean and inconsiderate? Then again, I could ask the same thing towards her enthusiasm and persistence. All she wanted to show me that there was someone in the world that cared for my well being, but now… I think I pushed her to her limits where the extreme measures must come to play in order for me to realize how deep her love was for me.

Was this fright my own doing? Could it have been avoided if I just allowed Hinata to love me than push her away when she was desperate? Rather, should I have admitted that my feelings for Hinata were more than just 'like'? I cared for her more than friend bounds, and yet I refused to give in to my emotions. Here I was, preaching about being real to yourself, and now I was acting like a total hypocrite like Pharisees in the holy bible. Despite how disgusted I was, I believe that there was something just slightly more important to deal with than blaming myself for being weak. Before our kiss became too intimate for its own good, I had to end it or I would be handling a topless Hyuuga Hinata. In reality… perhaps it wasn't so awful to see her breasts fully compared to just cleavage teasing.

Right now, however, when we were in a hospital, I didn't want to escalate the tensions pointlessly. And our kiss… it was too much for my mortal soul to handle. Fired up with raw lust and passion, it intensified to an extent where nothing seemed to matter. Luckily, I was not swayed that badly yet, but a several more seconds might be sufficient for my feelings to alter if Hinata was any more seductive.

It was a miracle that I broke out of our passionate kiss, and I knew that I must seize this chance to the fullest when miracles never come twice. "Hinata…"

"Hmmm?" she purred back pleasantly as her tongue claimed mine before tasting it smoothly.

"Stop for a sec…" I managed to say under moans. Hopefully, it was clear enough.

"Why?" Hinata asked curiously, taking her mouth away from mine momentarily, in which was not to last.

"We are going… too far…"

"Too far?"

"I am… I don't think we should do any more than this…"

"How come?" I leered down to her breasts deliberately this time. My eyes widened immediately to find out that the top three buttons of her blouse already popped apart, and my hands were kept around her waist the entire time. How the hell did that happen? At the same time, I realized that I had been staring at her generous view of cleavage for the longest time, in which was imprisoned by a silky sky blue bra. My imagination became vivid and swift, and my eyes suddenly saw her breasts about to burst out of their cage as if the restrictions and constrictions were too great to take.

I almost wanted to satisfy their desires!

What in the blasted hell was wrong with me? I was fine with a pervert for three years, and now I was an addict to sensuality. I was not obsessed with sex, but the signals and subtlety of it. I loved being direct and cruel, yet understanding the hidden concealing facts behind it was a craving that did not escape me for a second. It was a whole new level of understanding, which was especially well at understanding women. Women were all masters at subtlety, and as a cunning assassin/ninja, this art was definitely crucial whether physically or emotionally.

"I don't think we are ready… We just kissed, didn't we not… it's enough…"

"What do you mean you're not ready? Am I not attractive enough?"

"It's not that… I mean… how do I say this… Do you really want to do it? You think it will be okay to just go on with it as if it's normal? Just because everyone does it, does it make it fine?"

"If we truly love each other… then we can try,"

"I never said anything about loving you, Hinata. We just can't go through with this."

"We can. We can touch. We will touch."

"No, we don't have to."

"Do you know our clan is very strict about sex?"

"I can only guess."

"And do you know what happens if a woman makes love to the person she truly loves? They are allowed to marry the man. Women have a lot of power in the clan believe it or not, because they carry the future of the whole next generation. Without them, there won't be a next generation and offspring, and therefore, the men truly respect a Hyuuga woman's feelings when it comes to romance. They don't force them to marry anyone they don't want, and that's why… we pick our spouses… and the chosen male has to comply if the woman chooses them as their husbands."

"Your clan shocks me greatly."

"It shocks me too, yes, but… that means…"

"You are one evil lady, Hinata,"

"I love you and only you, Naruto-kun,"

"I know that… Are you saying that you are willing to marry me?"

"Of course," she replied charmingly, yet very sincerely altogether. "I couldn't think of another person. I cannot bare to marry someone else."

"I am flattered." I said, running my hand through her medium length silky indigo hair, "But I am not a good family man."

"No, you are wonderful, Naruto-kun,"

"How so?"

"It's a woman's intuition,"

"Is it that strong?"

"Don't underestimate it."

"That line sounds familiar, you know that, Hinata?"

"It was a direct quote from you."

"Right, how could I forget…"

"I loved what you say back then," she murmured as her hands snaked around my neck, "It always brings this sense of confidence to those in need. Sure, Neji-ni-san and Shikamaru-san can say the same words, too, but the affect is just not there. You, on the other hand, are so exceptional. I think it's your character, Naruto-kun."

"Character?"

"Yes, but you rarely show that side of yourself anymore."

"Perhaps I grew out of it. I like conserving my strength and precious energy if you don't mind."

Hinata had quite a bit to argue against my statement. "But it's just not Naruto-kun then. It's not the same if Naruto-kun is like… what he is now."

"Is there something wrong with me, Hinata?"

"You're just different… Like… a lot has changed. You used to be a pervert, remember?"

I was not outraged. I wasn't that mean or shallow. However, I was a bit astonished. "Pervert? What makes you say that? Oh, you mean Sexy-no-Jutsu?" She nodded slowly. "Yeah… maybe I was kind of a pervert back then… I wonder what motivated me to do such a thing… I miss being young sometimes."

"You're still young, why not be who you were before?"

"I don't think that would be too possible, Hinata," I replied, grinning for the sheer sake of it than being honest. She didn't seem to understand that quickly despite she was an intelligent young woman. Her intelligence surpassed mine without question, and yet sometimes she could be so silly. "That person is long forgotten if you want the truth."

"How come though? Why can't Naruto-kun be the same person as he was before? I loved him as the encouraging, supportive, caring friend."

"I am still helpful and all that. I just don't find a need to be excessively… loud and full of rage, or have a noticeable craving for attention." I tried to be sincere and truthful, and I hoped that Hinata believed what I had to share. Even so, it was a bit tough for her to absorb. She trusted me, yes, but clearly she was not fully persuaded. I could only relate.

"There are so many things I want to ask you…"

I knew it was going to come to this. "Ask ahead then. Self-indulgence is the best indulgence, right?"

"Naruto-kun… I know I haven't talked about this much… but you look… different." So she had caught on. I thought I was doing a good job at hiding that fact. "You are still you… but… it seems that you look… lighter…"

"Lighter?" I questioned, faking my ignorance. "I don't seem to know what you're getting at."

"Paler, Naruto-kun, kind of lifeless, in fact,"

"Lifeless? No one ever commented me on that before. I look dead to you?"

I figured that she wanted to lessen the impact by being kind, but being direct did not mean it offended me. Perhaps it was just her nature to be considerate than selfish. "Just… not as clear… I don't know if I am making any sense. It's just that you seem to have lost your spark and life. Even your hair, eyes, and skin lost spirit and colour. Your blonde hair is now tainted… your once clear, sharp blue eyes carry dullness. Even your skin, they are covered with an unlively shade of… faintness…"

"Aren't you observant and detailed…" I grumbled, somewhat impressed at the ability she had to discover minor things. Hinata was the sharp one and not I.

"I'm not that good… it's just… easy to detect."

"Is that so…" I removed my hand from her hair and began to rub her cheek. I wastempted torub herbreasts instead, but made no move. I pretended that her blouse was not opened, but Hinatamust have knew my motives."And I wish I had at least decent looks… I envy you, Hinata. You are so beautiful… "

She always seemed to love my compliments. I just wished that it didn't sound like flattery, since it was one of the worst ways to please people. Although trickery, fake, lies, cunning, fraud, and deceit suited me well, I wanted to do my best to be truthful to her. Up to this day, I still hadn't figure out what ailed me to do this at all. Sure, Hinata was special, but wasn't I afraid of her? Or have I become to accustomed to her intimidation? I was used to fear, yes, since that was how I was raised. Being frightened, be inferior was all I was taught. I wasn't better than anyone in any aspect of life, and as long as I lived there would be no chance for me to be superior at anything. Despite my worries, I might be overdoing it with my concerns.

She blushed deeply when I stroked her cheek like that. She was so forward just now and yet she still managed to have a sense of timidity behind it. "Do you really mean it, Naruto-kun? Am I beautiful?"

"You don't think you are?"

"I always thought myself as weird… different… dark…"

"How come?"

"Because you said that I was weird!"

"I did?"

"Of course you did… That time at your usual training area... I was so ashamed when I heard that…" For a moment there, she looked genuinely sad. And I couldn't help but to feel that it was partially my fault. Who was I kidding, it was my fault. Yes, Uzumaki Naruto was a fucked up, egotistical moron at the age of twelve. If anyone should be disappointed, then it had to be me! "The person I loved so much called me weird… I felt like such a loser…"

I immediately tried to console her without ever wondering why I was in such a rush to do so. "You're not a loser, Hinata. You never will be."

"Am I one in your eyes?"

"Never. You can never be a loser. I can't imagine you being one or accusing yourself as such a class. Do you take every comment so seriously?"

"Only your words mean everything to me." Hinata told me, brimming with passion and sincerity. "Not like I don't listen to others like otou-san or okaa-san or anything… but outside of home, you are really special to me, too, and I fully respect everything you say and everything you do."

"You're really one of a kind…"

"I love it when you say such sweet things," she told me, cuddling closer. "You're always so kind to me."

I smiled back as I kissed her on the forehead. At the same time, she noticed my breathing suddenly became heavy. Not that I was filled with excitement or anything, but rather I was starting to feel weak and fatigued. Perhaps my coughing gave it away. "Gomen… Hinata…"

"Naruto-kun, are you okay?"

"I think I'm at my limit…"

Hinata immediately got off my lap before she slowly aided me back to lie down on my bed. I smiled at her kindness, but that didn't mean she wasn't disappointed over something. "Were you feeling this weak when we came in earlier?"

"Hanabi entered when I was still asleep, yes, and you can say that I didn't want to make her unhappy and so I chose to stay up despite my conditions… I am actually very sleepy still…"

"Did we bother you? I am so sorry…"

I didn't like seeing her sad –not even for a second. The best thing I could do right now was to embrace her gently. I didn't have the strength to hold her tight. "I was happy to see you, too, Hinata. I don't think that it was a mistake for you to come visit me. You cheered up my day. Thank you." My vision was starting to blur, and it was getting more and more stressful to make a voice from my throat. If Hinata was not here, I might've just collapsed and indulge in my desired slumber.

Sometimes, this woman fascinated me. Moments before, she was hot for sex. Now, it was another story. Regardless that it was a fortunate turn of events, miraculously I actually missed seeing Hinata as such a vixen. Not like I would tell her that now. For my own safety, I was better off keeping it to myself than sharing it with the rest of the world. "Rest now, Naruto-kun. I don't want you to come here too often, okay? Take care of yourself better or this would be your second home. I want your second home to be somewhere else, you know."

That got my attention. "Like where?"

Did I fall for that one or what?

She grinned devilishly in return. I almost watched in horror. The back of my head coldsweated, and what a relief that she failed to see it. "I will tell you when you get better, my lovely little bug," she teased, taking my nose and planted a kiss on it.

Lovely little bug? I was little? Who was the person who was four inches shorter than I? I was 5 foot 4, and damn proud of it. I should be calling her that, but that would give her a reason to make me call her with a name more intimate. For instance, "Honey", "Sweetie", "Girlfriend", "Lovely", or the worst possible choice, "Hinata-chan". Come to think of it, she was like a cutie bug. Small, timid, concealing, adorable, smiled a lot, blushed frequently… Hinata was surely something.

"Sure… Hinata…"

She got off my bed and went for the door. Of course, she turned to face me momentarily before she left the room completely. "Bye now, Naruto, I love you." she said with a sincere passion as she deliberately buttoned her shirt back up right in front of me -silently saying thather cleavagewas what I wasn't going to get.Despitethat,she blew me a kiss.

"I know, Hinata, I know…"

That warmed me up… that blowing kiss, I meant. And with that said I fell asleep, but not without having Hinata coming back playfully and kissing me on the lips.

(Days Later)

The doctors somehow found out about my insanely quick recovery, and although they initially planned to have me in the hospital for a week or so, they decided to discharge me 3 days after Hinata visited. I was fine enough, they said, and I was better off going home when more and more people actually needed the hospital space from more serious injuries than just a small coma and concussion.

In short, my injuries did not share the same importance.

At the very least, I was given some painkillers and bandages just in case before I left.

In addition, they gave me a black cap with the white hospital icon on it served as a decoration. It was almost like announcing to the world that I had been a patient in so and so facility. Were they using patients as… advertisements? How low could people sink these days?

I didn't know.

In fact, I didn't want to know.

After receiving them without much enthusiasm, I left the hospital grounds with irritation and headed for my home. On my way, I was pondering on what else I could do than stay home and vegetate. Unfortunately, after several minutes worth of thinking, I managed to summon up with absolutely nothing. For the longest time, I felt like an idiot.

It seemed like my pondering had left me careless, since I had no idea that I was in the shopping districts of town until I snapped out of my thoughts. For a second there, I almost didn't recognize the place. I wanted to ask myself what in the blasted devil was wrong with me, but I figured it was senseless trying to question and interrogate myself using rhetorical questions. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore! Did some of my brain circuits disconnect again, or did the doctors do a lousy job at fixing my head where they take a look at it and say, "It's more or less okay although we still got about 20 percentto go, but he could manage. I have faith in him!"

In reality, they were thinking just about one thing: I hope you die, bitch.

There was a old Chinese saying, "No matter what you do, reaching 'almost' is enough. What's the pointin being so serious?"

Everything seemed to be collapsing around me after this premature discharge. And why must doctors take my head seriously was because if they didn't I would fucking die!

I felt so lost, so unprotected, and vulnerable.

What made it worse was how I failed to realize that my house was at the opposite direction. Why did I come here? Why me? Why did my fucking brain malfunction like some kind of goddamn mother fucker that could not operate unless it had some source of sexual interaction? It was like as though it needed some drastic motivation, and I was not kidding. Something was wrong with me, or perhaps I was just being too hard on myself. Come on, I just got discharged, there had bound to be some side effects that require some time to heal. But then again… what if they were just regular side effects? What if they were more severe than that? If I don't treat it, would I become a full time permanent moron?

And maybe then I start to isolate myself from society and hide in the still darkness of my world. I grow crazy and unpredictable, as though I was a time bomb that must be dealt with care or I unleash my wrath. And lastly, Tsunade and the others would have no choice but to send me to my new home –the insane asylum where I was there because I was insane, and not for being stupid.

Then again, I was stupid; since the fact that my apartment wasn't here did not make me feel any better.

"Oh, Naruto-san," I heard someone call me from behind. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Who are you?" I asked back, turning around to face the stranger with my shoulders down and bending my back downward a little as if I was in an unique battle stance. In truth, I just didn't have much energy to stand up straight.

Yes, oh yes, I was so screwed…

"It's me," the woman said, still optimistic as before and cheery despite my rude reply, "Ichikaru Ayame."

"Ayame-san?"

She brightened the moment that I seemed to have a memory of her somewhere in my head. "I haven't see you in a while, Naruto-san,"

"Yeah, for a month, maybe?"

"Not that long… but how have you been?"

"Crap, my lovely friend… Crap…"

She was still friendly and kind. I guessed that was what maturity granted people –some people to the very least when Jiraiya rarely met that requirement. She was nineteen or twenty after all, and I was only a fifteen-year-old baka. "Oh, what makes you say that? You don't say things like that often, Naruto-san."

"Trust me, Ayame-san, I've become an honest man. A lot of things that have been happening in my life have been great experience; but also very painful and disgusting to endure. Many of them have been disastrous… and I am not going to start pretending that everything is okay."

Instead of looking disgusted, she seemed to be smiling contently and proudly for me.

"At least you are being sincere with things, Naruto-san. You've really grown up. I always thought that despite that you smile and grin, there was some sadness behind it… you know what I mean? You looked like you were hiding something from people, something so great that you'd rather enduring it by yourself than having others helping you because you know you would hurt them, too,"

I was shocked with her answer, but made no note of it. "Was I that obvious?"

"You are just kind, Naruto-san,"

"It doesn't get any worse than this…"

"What?"

"Getting comforted by a girl like this… who is older than me… and who I barely know… It's just embarrassing…"

"What is so bad about comforted by a girl? People do care about you. I care about you, too,"

I just didn't understand what she was getting at. She cared about me? A boy that was four years younger than her and we only met during meals at lunchtime. I personally did not think that those were the best times to know another. I only liked her for her skill, or her ability to fix up such a great meal and nothing more. It sounded selfish, which it was, but at least I was honest.

Nowadays, sometimes sincerity just wasn't the medicine. Laughter, as rumours had it, was still the best medicine around. I did not know if it was true despite the testimonies of the depressed, because I haven't had a good laugh ever since the "Tent" incident. Sure, I was laughing… but out of misery and disbelief.

"You care? Get real, Ayame-san, you barely know me. You probably just know me as the loud, brash brat who also happens to be your best customer. I was never invited to your place, and we ever talked about anything else other than food, food, and more food. That's not the best way to know a person if I recall."

"How negative of you to say that, Naruto-san," she said, still smiling kindly, "I always saw you as my friend. You were a good person to hang around with."

"Were?"

"I'm not saying you aren't good now, don't get me wrong, but…"

"But what? I grew out of my old self?"

"Somewhat… even so, I like this 'you' better,"

"What makes you say that?"

"You've become more real and direct, I should say. Everyone wants to know at least a little bit of the true, real parts of someone else whether you are great buddies or just friends. No one wants to know just a mask, right? Although we all put up masks and facades, it's only a matter of time before others become curious towards your real self. It does hurt people to see others refusing to be real to them, since it's a sign of mistrust and lack of reliability."

"Are you saying you wanted to be my friend, Ayame-san?"

She smiled again. I had to admit, her smiles were always sweeter than the last. I felt a sense of security that I never had before when I was with her. She was pretty, yes, but that was all I cared about back then. With just a few words, my impressions over this mature young lady soared over the roof with not only admiration, but also with trust.

Once again, I really believed that I have another friend. Ichikaru Ayame… this was surely Kami-sama's blessing.

"Of course I do. Hinata-san told me a lot about you. She kept telling me that you are always so confused."

"Confused? What, is it because I don't love her?"

"Oh, she never said anything about that… but I can tell that she loves you, since she always carries this spirit to make you happy. You know what I mean?"

I shrugged a little, out of no reason actually. "I apologize for my ignorance, but I have no idea what you mean."

"Let's just say she's concerned over your well being. She really thinks that you are lonely. Hinata tells me that when you were here you were lonely. When a companion is with you, you end up isolating yourself. I heard from Hinata that your mentor wasn't too good to you, and you had to endure him for 3 years. I feel really bad. And I thought he was one of the Legendary Sannin, too."

Whether I was in a mood to smile or not, I did anyway for Ayame's sake. Personally, with my head half disconnected, it was a miracle to be able to do anything. Hopefully, these were just side effects from the operation. If not, I had a lot of reasons to panic. "He's not that bad… Despite his perverted nature, he did (in a way) taught me a lot about stealth. We had good times… like…. Punching each other… Kicking each other… knocking another in the face… setting traps to hurt each other… And then he goes saying, "And people say I didn't raise you properly!"."

Ayame, to my honest and most astonishment, laughed hard. "Did your mentor really say that? About raising you,"

"He was drunk, that's why."

"He's an alcoholic?"

"Worse than that, Ayame-san,"

"How could he be worse? What can be more devastating than an alcoholic?"

"A proud perverted alcoholic, Ayame-san, and worse when he does drugs. In fact, he was hired to be an anti-drug speaker for a local school, and the teacher told me that he was the absolute worst person for the job. The reason he got that task to begin with was from his Sannin title. No one ever expected such a mess.

"Anti-drug speaker… that first thing he told the children was he had peanut-butter and crack sandwiches for breakfast. And then hewentabouthow great it tastes like. He practically taught them how to get the drugs and where! Since Jiraiya's got no mommy anymore, he needs to go to those hookers and seduce them to get some extra cash after dealing with them smoothly and thoroughly. For the kids, he encouraged them to go to mommy's and daddy's wallet during their sleep and slip out a ten or twenty and get some of that crack. It varies from different places, but usually dark alleys are a good sign to start searching.

"Without crack, he can't do anything, and everyone should try it as least once in their life. He said that another good location would be where those whores are, since those places were filled with them everywhere, in which you can just pick it up off the floor, couches, cleavages, your hair… the washrooms are rumoured to be the gold mine; the trade district of all drugs. Heroine, crack, marijuana, cocaine, cigarette shit without the filters… the tar, spray paints, the inhalants, asbestos, you name it and they got it. And sometimes if you buy a lot they would give you two or three free bottles of booze as encouragement to get more! Jiraiya would then give me the booze to indulge since he was more than likely to enjoy himself too much to be conscious to drink. What a goddamn mother fucker…"

We stayed silent for a minute so I could catch my breath. This twenty year old soaked in everything I said, and I was not surprised to find my information a little too… thorough, too complete. Ayame was beyond shocked. Normally, any woman would have ran and never come back, but she remained… strangely enough. What a fortunate chance to meet unique individuals. Maybe Konoha did not fit within the stereotypical tree, which was great. She smiled, again, with a little relief. "You feel better now?" This woman actually discovered that I was ranting some of my immoral outrage. Unbelievable...

"I guess… That's what happens when you have a mentor who's a drugged, alcoholic pervert,"

"You don't look like a pervert to me, Naruto-san,"

"That's because I am not. And I am glad that I am… slightly different from him. Anyway, I feel better now after talking to you. I was suffering from concussions and fatigue earlier, but now I feel fine because of you. I thank you. You hungry?"

She grinned sweetly once more. All kind women were like Rika and Hinata in a way, at least the women I knew. They always had a trademark kind of smile that warms up anyone's fallen hearts to search for the new light when the darkness closed in. They were the supportive people that this world needed most. I cherished these people with all I had despite my intentions never appeared to be as such. If there were so many kind people in this world, why did I often find the horrific ones?

"Why don't you come back to our shop, Naruto-san? I've been practicing a new recipe… but I don't know if it's good enough. Care enough to test it for me? Don't worry, I won't try to poison you, you're like my little brother who needs food to grow up."

"You still treat me like a kid…" I grumbled, a little irritated if I must admit.

"No matter how old you are you still love ramen, don't you?"

With her optimism at top notch, I didn't think anything I do could break it. Sometimes, it was just amusing to see someone's emotions sway from left to right, up and down. It showed manipulation to the greatest degree. "I guess that is true to an extent…"

And without further adieu, I went with Ayame back to her restaurant. By the end of it all, we did have a nice meal, a memorable one as a matter of fact.

I had to admit, getting hurt but gaining a friend… I suppose that it was worth it overall.

Why was it that I always exchanged things at the cost of my health? Wasn't it sort of an abnormal type of lifestyle? To me, perhaps, it was regular practice.

Sad, wasn't it?

(Later)

Too many things disrupted my thinking, or rather, I was easily hindered. Food, friends, company of people, topic of the conversation, distractions, irritations, urges, grudges, hatred… they were all factors that messed up my ideal, calm nature. These hindrances were the uncalled for and disgusting things that granted endless failures when success was mandatory to reach perfection. Today I discovered another one… well, it wasn't considered a new discovery or anything, but it was a fusion of all of them combined. The lunch with Ayame was exciting, yes, and my mood was just a little too high for its own good.

So high and energized that all my brain could think of were happy, bright thoughts... my character is destroyed again! This insane amount of optimism painstakingly sickened me.

Amazing how I could admit such things with such STRAIGHT faces!

I decided to go with my backup plan. There were a few choices to choose from whether good or bad, or really bad. One – go home and rest. Two –look for Sakura and the others and spend some quality-get-to-know-another time. Three –find Hinata. Four –search for the whereabouts of Jiraiya and have father and son talk. I knew choice three and four were suicidal, but primarily choice three. Hinata's one and only visit already had me completely bewildered, and at a time like this I would rather not see her. Besides, that girl was fully in love in me, or so she said, but the seriousness and dedication she showed made me shiver.

With no place left to go, I was better off heading home and hide from the terrors of the town for a while. At least I was near home, but I still had a good six-minute walk before I reach the comfort of my bed. Damn it all, I felt like an animal who did not like anything other than eat and sleep. Eating made me sleepy, and sleeping made me hungry. A shinobi shouldn't be like that! Not even members of the Akimichi clan were permitted to be this lazy!

Suddenly, I felt a bump upon my back, as if someone ran into me accidentally. It didn't catch me of guard or anything, but in a bright, sunny day it was almost impossible for anyone to miss a target –especially when the size of the person was larger than the individual. Certainly, I wasn't angry, but surprised.

"Gomen-ne…" the voice came from behind, who I quickly picked up as a girl, timidly apologized, "I didn't see you there…"

"It's okay," I said, turning around with eyes wide when I saw a charming violet haired girl with red cheeks from blushing. I instantly scanned her body. She was at least three inches shorter than myself, but I almost failed to catch it when she had such long, slim, slender legs that could attract any men if she played the sensual character. Her frame represented kindness, and having her presence suddenly healed any sort of discomfort I had a minute ago. It was a surprise that I actually had an initiative to know more about this stranger. I couldn't see her eyes that were being covered by her hair due to the wind, but I almost convinced myself that they would be absolutely gorgeous. From what I could gather, I've just met anther timid woman. "Are you okay?"

Despite my gentleness, she still didn't raise her head. "I'm fine… I just don't know my way around here yet,"

"You're a traveler?"

"Why, yes, good sir,"

"Do you happen to be looking for somebody? At seasons such as this, no one really comes here."

"As a matter of fact, I am looking for someone. If you do know the whereabouts of Uzumaki Naruto, that would be very generous of you. I need to meet him urgently."

With her not even looking at me, it was an impossibility for her to notice what sort of smile I had my face. I was amused. Needless to say, I could play around with this young beauty and use her shyness to my advantage, but then again, Uzumaki Naruto had his pact to keep himself from being a womanizer. Women like her should be those who appreciated the rare, extinct, sincere young men. I, of course, did not wish to make any bad impressions on someone I just met, and so I played it safe and considerately. "Miss, I am Uzumaki Naruto."

She snapped to attention, which nearly had her skull smash against my chin. Luckily, no casualties were created. Thank goodness for my swiftness in evasion. Once she moved her head up to look at my face, I froze. I have seen this beautiful visage before, and shockingly enough although it was not too long ago I felt myself blush. There was no way I could not recall it, not when it belonged to a dear friend of mine.

She had changed so much, but fortunately not to an extent where I could no longer recognize it. Maturity certainly did wonders today.

"Naruto… Is that really you?"

"Rika… Sawada Rika… I don't believe it…"

She dropped her backpack and other belongings in her left hand and dashed at me with arms wide. She embraced me tightly; so hard that I could barely breathe. I didn't mind though, since I was more than delighted to see her. "Oh, Naruto, I am so glad that I found you!"

I laughed as I hugged her back. "Rika, what brings you here? Did you miss me already? Come on, I said I would be visiting you in June or so, there shouldn't be a reason for you to be impatient." I scanned her again quickly. Last time I was focussed on her pleasant aura, and this time I was aiming straight for her body. She wore a casual set today with a tight white tank top that showed a slight bit of cleavage but outlined it too well. I saw no signs of a bra, but when I took a more careful inspection I found a transparent strap on her shoulders that was covered by her delicate tank top strap.

I only assumed that she was wearing a transparent bra.

I moved on to her full breasts (which was in great competition with Hinata's) and then her legs. Slim, attractive, and sexy… what a dream for any straight men. Luckily, I lost a great fraction of my emotions, and managed to not get seduced by her arcane beauty. Even when I was at Uritake, a lot of people wanted to witness Rika in her casual clothes than her conservative attire as a chef. It was so rare to have a young beauty in that field, and it somehow impressed me greatly every time I thought about it. Around her waist, she had a blue jacket tied around it and she wore a matching pair of jeans that stuck on to her like a second skin. In short, it was a fantastic display of sexuality and temptation. Not a lot of girls had smooth, long legs like her, and if it was on a stunningly gorgeous girl like Rika… it was a double satisfaction.

"I missed you, of course!" she scolded playfully and dug her face in my chest. "But I had to come when Jiraiya sent me a letter about your injury."

"Oh, so you know about it, too?"

"I got really worried, and so I decided to see you… just in case if it might be the last time I would get to see you."

I laughed despite her seriousness. "As if I would just die that easily."

Rika then pounded me repeated on the chest, as if it was a way to show off her anger. From what I saw, she wasn't mad at all. Her grimaces were filled with mock anger. "You are such an idiot! Why don't you take care of yourself better?"

"Accidents happen, Rika. It's not like I wanted to get hurt. Someone else… caused it…"

"I'm glad that you are okay nonetheless. I am relieved…"

"I just remembered that you didn't recognize me when you found me just now, Rika-chan," I teased her as I poked her on the cheek. As expected, she blushed before looking away, but I couldn't possibly allow her to do that and so I held her chin and forced her to look at me. This woman was so beautiful, and I was dying to hear her charming laugh again. I never told her that, of course, because I was Uzumaki Naruto, the stoic, unfeeling undead warrior who was revived after death. Besides, I didn't want Rika to take my compliments too intensely, since she loved affection just as much as the Hyuuga princess I reunited last month.

Reunited was such a passionate word… maybe 'met up' was the better phrase.

"You were wearing this cap," she told me, swiftly taking it off my head as my dulled yellow hair refreshed itself by being blown by the winds. "Hey, this cap advertises the Konoha Hospital!"

"I feel like such a dork wearing this thing…" I grunted with slight annoyance, taking the cap back from her.

"You look cute though," she argued cutely and giggled. "The black colour makes you look suspicious and cool."

"Thanks…" I gave my gratitude for the sake of it as I examined the headwear. "I still feel like a dork…"

Rika suddenly, but smoothly, wrapped my arms with her sleeveless ones. I was sure that she noticed that no matter what season, I rarely wore T-shirts in public. Although she never complained, I figured that she wanted to know nonetheless. She smiled happily at me, and wiggled my arm as a signal for me to be more lively and share this tender moment with her like a human male should be. I blinked at her sudden aggressiveness a several times, and all I received in the end was a kind giggle, which made no sense whatsoever.

"Ummm," I awkwardly broke the silence, "Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere is fine," she pleasantly purred back. That was almost to the response Hinata gave me not too long ago. "Oh, I always wanted to know where you live, Naruto,"

That got my attention –at least a fraction of it. "My apartment, Rika? What's so special about that?"

"I just want to see what kind of place a guy like yourself would live in. Habitats do represent personalities after all, right?" I knew she was trying to make humour into this conversation, but I found no amusement at all. Uzumaki was sarcastic, not humourous -unfortunately. Perhaps I could answer her question. If she really wanted to know where I preferred to live, then a coffin sounded nice. Cozy, warm, isolated… dark… it was a good deal if I was fond of the game 'Hide and Seek'.

"I'll take you there," I said, out of the blue.

"What?"

I blinked for a good second, surprised at what I just suggested.

"You need a place to stay, right? Instead of staying at inns or motels, why not stay at my place and save yourself the trouble? I would need to buy more food then, but it's not like there isn't enough food now…"

"Are you sure you want me to stay? Wouldn't I be a bother?" Considerate as always; that was Rika's trademark personality.

"It would be a pleasure," I stated with a knowingly charming smile on my face. I used this often enough to get what I wanted from women. Of course I never did it for sex, but it was useful nonetheless. I was good, I was skilled and smooth, and not to mention ever so proud of it in my own way. Unlike Hinata, I was more than willing to boast my skills to Rika, because I knew I would not be able to make any impression on her.

Or was I?

"Oh," she blushed up, "I… I can't do that… It would be so rude…"

"Let's just say it's to make up for those other surprise stays when I come over to your place. I never gave you any warning towards my arrival, I just come up out of nowhere and we go happy go lucky. I should feel ashamed for those visits, since it does create trouble for the unprepared host."

She smiled as she hugged me again. I always noticed how much Rika liked hugs, and to see her smile I frequently returned her affection. At the same time, I wondered why I felt it was such a hassle to do that for Hinata. Was I biased or simply skeptical? The more I thought about it, the quicker my conscience fell into the valley of guilt. I had been a little hard on the Hyuuga princess… I agreed that much… perhaps I could look for her and tell her that I was fine now… But of course I wanted to do that later –possibly a lot later if that option was ever presented.

"Then I thank you," the violet haired girl in my arms moaned as she nuzzled in my chest. "You know… I don't want to sound selfish…"

"No, please do tell me what is on your mind,"

"I am hungry… and I want a shower…"

At least she was asking me for these things… Whenever Rika was sick, she was kind of a baby… and a tyrant… In the end, she was still tolerable –compared to some ungrateful jackasses that I've witnessed (primarily Jiraiya). "Then come and have the most splendid, loving bathing of your life, Sawada Rika-chan. My facility awaits your presence with utmost anxiety."

She laughed charmingly. I always loved her laugh no matter how many times I heard it. Sometimes, genuine laughter was one of the most beautiful things for the human ears to hear. I confidently believed that since laughter never made me frown once. "Then I shall cherish it."

Although she was joking with me, I detected the desperation she had in wanting a shower. That mere knowledge of it caused my head to picture images that never crossed my mind very much. Anthris gasped with absolute delight, clearly proud at her apprentice for imagining very hentai thoughts than having the need of the master to push upon him. The instant I saw a stripping Rika exposing a bit too much flesh for my liking, I shook my head repeatedly in an attempt to banish it before it started its dreadful infestation. Sadly enough, the infection did not end there. I fantasized what she would do next.

Rika then turned her back from me, her arms covering her large, yet still growing breasts and seductively had her left face looking at mine with a seductive smile on her face. She tempted me with a great deal of her sexuality, and even if I was hoping to stare at her globes, in which she concealed, that didn't mean she was successful in hiding her rear. They were round, jutted out, but did not make her look fat by the slightest. In fact, it only complimented her figure perfectly.

As an artisan masturbating helper, I obviously found her womanhood to be the most fascinating part to study. As far as I knew, each woman was different, and their reactions, too, but that spot right in between their legs would always drive them wild if someone touched it. Under my care, it would reek of sex in the end. No, reek was only a side effect, since the word 'soaked' was more like it. In fact, the woman would not know what being drained would mean, because they would not be able to summon up enough strength and willpower to call it quits. Actually, they wouldn't dare want it to end, since who knew when it would be the next time my hands performed such healing kindness. I was irresistible, they said, and all of them preferred to go through exhaustion from orgasms than being sober once my hands or tongue got involved in their sex life.

If I could, I wanted to touch Rika…

It wasn't like that I never saw her naked… there was that time when I needed to apply first aid when she did need it. At the same time, I almost forgot that I almost had a sexual encounter with that woman before. We didn't do it fully, but I was certainly taking the role to make her feel like a woman by using my talented hands. I didn't spill this out to Hinata the other day, but I helped Rika orgasm over and over and over again during the same night Jiraiya spoiled our hot pot dinner.

I forgot the initial reason why I was so initiative that night, but it was definitely for a special reason. Maybe Rika would be kind enough to refresh my memory, yet something from the back of my mind pestered me to be alert and smart. I was sure that Rika did not want to be reminded of why she wanted masturbation to be her answer, but she was certain that she yearned for more in the near future.

By the time I was done with my perverted imaginations, I shook a little when I suddenly noticed that Rika had leered in closely –just inches before our nose touched. I kept my cool, but she obviously knew that I was shocked for a second.

In response, she giggled.

"Why did you do that for?" I asked, recovering from the initial scare passively.

"You spaced out."

"I see…"

Her visage turned quite serious without warning. In addition, I saw that her eyes seemed to be burning with an unknown passion… or lust. And in a whirl, I found myself trapped in an embrace again, but I wasn't just standing there accepting it. In fact, I felt my body being pulled intimately into hers until the only thing that weren't touching another's was our face. In just one touch, I adored her feminine frame –especially her breasts. She watched me intently, and at the next second we were kissing another deeply with the rawest kind of desire.

"Naruto…" she murmured after we broke apart after running out of breath.

"Yes?" I questioned knowingly, showing no signs of fatigue.

She moved my hand to land upon a very forbidden area, in which I touched too often in my life. "Can you… help me again later?"

I clearly understood what she meant by that. Perhaps I was a pervert after all. Like master, like apprentice. However, in order to lay eyes on this façade of mine, they had to earn it like the curious bastards they were. Of course, there were always the exceptions like Rika, and Anthris.

"I'll see what I can do," I told her, snickering while my hand performed a soft poke before feathering off ever so slowly to tease, or to simply arouse her before hand. That earned me a good moan. I felt my artisan side wanting to come out, but unfortunately for him I still had enough willpower not to lose it just yet. Then again, if Rika tempted me more, it would be another story. "Should we go?"

"Most definitely,"

Nothing could ruin my day now if Sawada Rika was here. Her presence was identical to heaven. No doubt about it.

(Moments Later)

The first thing I did when I came home with Rika was taking her belongings and placed them in the guest room like any good host would do. My efforts rewarded a small kiss on the cheek, and a good laugh as well. Not like I ignored it or anything, but I would rather exit the room as fast as I could when she began to undress herself to take a bath. Sure, I could've stayed and watch through the whole thing like some sick, disgusting man, but not only would she most likely not mind, I was confident that my presence alone could cause our emotions to flare. Besides, I wanted to talk to Hinata anyway about my sudden discharge. If I knew better, not even Tsunade knew that I was out of the hospital at the moment.

For a second there, I was curious at the outcome of those irresponsible doctors when Tsunade found out their decision making for sending out a prematurely healed patient. I prayed for a bloodbath.

I turned around when I heard the bedroom door open, and thus revealing a happy Rika skipping into the bathroom with clean clothes in her hands. Sometimes I questioned her endless optimism. I found it intriguing for someone to be so happy just from a shower. I certainly could not summon up that much zeal for such insignificant things.

The blasted phone, located in my tiny living room, destroyed all my precious pondering. Having no choice but to answer it (or it would keep ringing until God-knows-when) I swiftly grabbed the receiver before placing it next to my right ear.

I didn't care who the hell the caller was; I was fairly dedicated to show him/her that this phone call was pissing me off. "Yeah, who's this?" I inquired, not so kindly no doubt.

"Naruto-kun! I am so glad that you're here." She was filled with delight.

Only one person called me with a kun in this village. "Hinata? Hello. Hey, what's going on?"

"You should tell me what's going on instead, right?"

"I should?" The Hyuuga princess sounded upset. Due to what, I wondered. I was absolutely clueless this time. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't find you at the hospital today when I came with Hanabi-chan earlier. The doctors… well, no… the secretary told me that you were discharged this morning. But I thought you were supposed to be sent out at least two days later."

Whatever she said just now made a lot of sense. "Yeah… what was up with that? Doesn't matter, Hinata, I am feeling fine right now. I wouldn't really want to stay there for another two days anyway."

"Are you sure you are okay though?" Hinata asked with genuine care and concern. What gave her the idea that I wasn't fine? Was my voice cracking? Did my tone sound like it was drained of energy? I was so sure that I was feeling okay –I think. I never felt more alive! As if my body wanted to play tricks on poor me, I had to cough hoarsely to show off weakness.

How I wanted to take a knife and kill myself, yes…

"And I even fixed you something, too…"

"Oh," I was touched, surprisingly enough. I coughed once more, trying to play on the stoic role. "You shouldn't have, Hinata. I can't trouble you like that when I am injured. It must have been such a hassle and time consuming."

"I wanted to help, Naruto-kun…" she replied shyly. I almost imagined her blushing although we were on the phone. "Do you want me to bring it over? I don't want this to go to waste."

"What is it though?" I knew my curiosity took the better of me this time.

"Congee,"

"What a perfect dish for a sick man," I commented, chuckling at my own joke. Okay, maybe it was more of a statement. Regardless, I sure made a fool out of myself there. Boy, did I walk into that one… There might be a chance that Hinata was right; I was not really okay, since Uzumaki Naruto never ever acted as stupid as he was now. Well, after he turned into an undead warrior, actually.

"Do you want me to come over now?"

I jumped, literally, like some stupid, naïve, and idiotic ditzy schoolgirl. "Right now?" I cursed when I sounded too panicky.

"Yes,"

"But-"

"I am outside your apartment gates right now. I am using the payphone nearby."

She was kidding, right? Why did I never seem to be aware enough to know there was a phone here? Wait a minute… Who the hell installed my phone then? Why was I using one? I didn't recall buying this thing! Was this village becoming more technologically advanced after my three-year absence?

It appeared that my worries had to wait.

"What?"

"I'm serious."

"You could've called me at your place,"

"I know… but Ayame-san told me that you might have went home… and so I decided to give it a shot. Do you mind if I just come up and give you the food? It'll be real quick." Hinata promised. I trusted her, yes, but when Hinata and I were put together… I kind of knew that things usually went a little out of hand. We tried this before, and so I was an experienced person on this field. Although I had the fact in check, that did not mean that I didn't give in to her demands.

It was when she arrived that I realized that I had a situation on my hands. Rika's sandals were still at the door, and there was no way that I could lie about the owner since they were obviously crafted for a woman and not for a guy. Just before I opened the door for Hinata, I quickly shoved Rika's shoes in the cupboard perpendicular to the front door. I paid no concern towards what was inside the furniture. Guttenburg's first printed books could have been in there for all I cared. The primary concern was my safety and nothing else.

The Hyuuga heiress leaped back with a gasp at the speed I used to fling my door open to greet her. At least I didn't hit her, since the door was pushed open from the outside. From the looks of things, the prior surprise nearly made her drop whatever she was carrying. "Gomen-ne, gomen-ne," I apologized with hurry, "I didn't scare you, did I, Hinata?"

"Umm… not at all…" She lied… Didn't she know by now that she wasn't good enough to fool the likes of me? After all, I did pay extra attention to those kind people like Hinata. I really liked her chest…

"Is that for me?" I asked, my eyes completely focussed at the plastic container in her hands. I had a good stare at her breasts at the same time, of course. Since when was I someone who had an interest in comparing bust sizes? Despite that I was starting to enjoy whatever I was doing, I was better off snapping out of this, and sooner the better. "I thank you so much, Hinata."

"I pray that this could help you recover quicker, Naruto-kun,"

With no words leaving my mouth, I moved in and kissed her cute forehead. I grinned, because she was not able to react. Having her blush so furiously was already a just reward, and I couldn't ask for anything more. As she stood frozen stiff, bewildered at the prior action, I took the container from her hands and placed it on the cupboard next to me so I could hug her. "Thank you, Hinata. I am sure I would feel better after I indulge myself with the kindness you've put into this dish. You're so thoughtful."

"Ano… Ano… If you like it so much… can you eat it now?"

I blinked. "Now?"

"Yes… I want your opinion… I want to hear from you if I am good enough,"

"Well, of course you are good enough. What gave you that idea? I mean, why would you think that you're bad? You're wonderful."

Hinata's face flushed up for the Nth time, but surprisingly I wasn't sick of it. How could any man get tired of it? Watching that cute, small, sexy face was a privilege! Never had I realized I just admitted Hinata was sexy, yet I was boggling at the idea not too long ago. I didn't even notice my troubles –until it haunted me.

In all honesty, my crisis rose ahead of schedule when Hinata and I heard Rika calling me from the bathroom. Obviously, Hinata had no idea who that could be, but she definitely picked it up as a woman's voice. And wow, she did not like it. Pure hatred flooded into her crystal eyes, and I could have sworn I saw some deadly glint in them before it flashed a small dangerous crimson for a second.

I began fearing for my life by merely imagining a red-eyed Hyuuga Hinata.

I silently prayed to Kami-sama above; if I made it out of this, I would shower Him with love.

"Naruto, you don't have enough liquid soap in here. Do you remember where the extra ones are?" Rika asked, clearly oblivious that another girl was at the door with me at that very instant. The less she talked the better, actually. Then again, Rika's presence was already public knowledge.

I knew this was just my senseless hoping.

Hinata had no intention to make herself known –yet. This was the perfect opportunity for her to jut out anything she wanted from me.

And she made haste.

I stole a quick glance at the Hyuuga princess, and I nearly jolted when I found her eyes literally glaring into mine, as though she yearned to discover what I was desperately trying to hide. Out of the blue, my body seared with pain, as if a force beyond my control had breached my soul. I forgot if she activated her Byakugan or not, but not like that was a heavy issue. Neither way, she was scary with or without them, and of course that bloodline trait always escalated the fright further like a good bonus.

And damn she was doing a horrifically terrific job, too.

"Naruto-kun… who is that? Is she in your… bathroom?" Hinata inquired out of me in a disbelieving voice of calm passion. Deep down, I knew better. She was furious. Burning with hate.

"Ano… Ano… She… S-s-s-she… she is… s-she I-I-I-is…"

If I babbled, then I was more or less screwed.

Hinata took off her sandals and stepped forward to me. I moved back in reaction, but that certainly did not stop her from proceeding. Each step I took back, well, she followed me by taking one onward. I even performed a pivid, but she shifted accordingly to keep up with me.

Hinata forbade me to escape.

And she did so until I found myself at a wall. Although in a disadvantage, I refused to give up. My life seemed so vital all of a sudden for a reason that I failed to explain. No matter, safety was my top priority. I grasped for an exit of any kind, and I was overjoyed when my hand found a handle after scrambling for a few seconds. Hinata, however, only grinned as she shook her head sympathetically. Her smile did not match her compassion, in which worried me.

"You planning to escape through that door, Naruto-kun? Good luck though. You won't get far with that closet."

CLOSET? Fuck!

My hopes immediately shattered. Whenever I hit bottom, Hinata always loved to throw me that shovel.

"Kuso…" I cursed in a deadly hiss.

"Now, Naruto-kun," Hinata continued, pushing her gorgeous body into mine to press me upon my wall. Perhaps it was to arouse me, but more importantly it served as a trap. In addition, she grabbed both my hands deliberately and started to play with it although she had a stern smile on her face. My first guess was to prevent me from using Flash Warp, in which I was planning to do if the situation ever got out of hand. With my backup routes destroyed, I was at Hinata's mercy.

Not like I started to beg or anything; I could not dare to indignify myself, or would I be able to forgive my conscience for giving in so easily. In battle, I fought to the end –always.

At the same time, I was very, very, very afraid.

"Hi-Hinata…"

"Who is that woman inside your bathroom? Answer me."

"Naruto, are you there?" Rika asked again, still clueless that another woman entered my sacred throne with her interrogation already in progress.

"Yeah… I am just busy… with, I mean, in the kitchen… I-I-I-I'll be right there…"

Suddenly, my skull was held by two hands and turned straight to face the girl in front of me. Sweat of pure fear dripped from my neck as soon as I saw through her eyes. I could not use a speck of my intellect to elaborate what I just saw. She grinned once she detected my endless fright. "Stop stalling and tell me," Hinata commanded directly, moving in with her body doing all the talking. "Uzumaki Naruto, who is she?"

Her jealousy rose above standards; and if I dared to declare it out loud… shortening my life would not be the only consequence.

My life was over. If I managed to get out of this dilemma in one piece, I was going to dedicate to suicide.

AN: Exams are approaching soon, and so this might be one of the last updates I will have until February or something like that. I love WoW (World of Warcraft) and GG (Guilty Gear). I really hope that they make OVAs of Guilty Gear, because all their characters are so cool! I admire Chipp Zanuff, since I am a fanatic of speed. In fact, Naruto's moves will be inspired or perhaps even taken directly from him later on if I add any more action.

So don't sue, bitches.

Some people asked me about WoW, and what class I like, or which side I prefer. Personally, my favorite class to play with is Night Elf Hunter (If you hate NE, well, your fault. Shadowmeld is so godly, and don't mind my biased talk) but a lot of Alliance players are complete idiotic pricks who follow other "stronger" players like the dogs they are. It disgusts me. And that's why I play on Horde, as an Undead Warrior. I noticed that only Undead females actually look 'acceptable' on the Horde side… but I suppose that won't be legitimate when the Blood Elves come in the expansion. I heard the new Alliance race is crap, but those are the rumours so far.

For those who have 1.9 patch (I play on Private Servers so I wouldn't know) care to tell me how godly or still suck Paladins are these days? Their new talent tree looks amazing! In my opinion, you just need to go to Tier 5 of Protection and Retribution tree and your Paladin would get all the newest moves already. Repentance, Holy Shield, and Holy Shock are just not good Tier 7 moves. They suck ass, period.

Play WoW, people. Private, public, I don't care. You just need to experience the thrills!

See you again… real soon.