Disclaimer: I do not own NARUTO. I do not take part of the creation, production and distribution of the said anime. The characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi. This fic is written for pure enjoyment and is highly fictional. If such occurrences happen to the original plot, then it is a case of pure coincidence.

Chapter VIII

"Hinata?" That was the first thing he said, or more likely whispered.

Truthfully, he was absently staring at the vacant seat near his bed, a seat recently been occupied by the Kazekage mere moments away before he hurriedly left, a determined look plastered on his usually dormant face. After his guest left, he started attacking one of the bananas innocently lying on the basket on his side table. When he finished munching his food, he carelessly threw the banana peel aside. It was then that the door forcefully opened.

Normally he would have shouted, demanded who disturbed his moment of tranquility and demerit the poor person. Actually his vocal cords were already prepared in doing so. But when he opened his mouth, preparing for his speech, no words came out. For he was looking at the back he usually gazed at.

'Kuso. I'm so bored I'm imagining things,' he scolded himself. But when his self-assured dream sprite turned around, he froze.

Sapphires met pearls.

"N…N-na…r-ruto-kun?" his dream sprite spoke.

He mentally shook his head, attempting to wake up, forcing himself to believe that this was all a part of his daily musings produced soulfully by his boredom and over-fatigue. Surely it was not she carrying a plastic bag he saw. Surely he was dreaming…

"Are you real?" they asked unexpectedly in unison. Realizing that, the girl looked away blushing furiously while the Kage was taken back.

"Anou… What I meant was… uh…if you truly are the real Hyuuga Hinata and not a product of my wild imagination, uh… um…" he lost words. Kami-sama, I'm making an idiot of myself! He searched wildly for anything that would divert their interests. The closest thing was the chair he stared on. "Uh… Take a seat?" He pointed at the chair, offering a shaky smile as well.

The Byakugan mistress meekly nodded, still looking away, and marched straightly to the chair he was offering.

For her eyes were too focused on looking away she did not notice the banana peel lying innocently on the floor. Her left foot squashed the innocent banana peel and when she took another step, she slipped.

"Ah!"

Fortunately, Naruto was fast. He quickly stood up, used his good hand and pulled her against him, quickly catching her before she fell.

What's unfortunate was that his right arm was squished in the process.

"Daijoubu, Hinata?" he said over clenched teeth.

"As much as I want to entertain you I cannot. I have plenty things to do and no one to do it for me," the Fifth said over the paper she was working on. Due to the Sixth minor injuries, the Fire Country's documents remained untouched so the Fifth, with her unwillingness, came out of retirement and was insisted to finish the job until the Rokudaime recovered.

Chouji was seemingly unmoved. "Umm… Hokage-sama…"

"Whom do you want to take you outside: Shizune, Kotetsu or Izumo?" she asked brusquely while writing.

Chouji sighed. Well, I guess I have no choice… He opened his bag and brought out a bottle of sake. The Godaime froze. She placed her pen down and stared at him.

"I'm listening."

Chouji smiled and poured her a cup. "Hokage-sama, where were you approximately forty-eight hours from now?"

She drank her cup and was filled with vigor. "That's two days ago, right? I was back Konoha and decided to surprise Naruto."

"And during that time, was Hinata with Rokudaime-sama?"

Tsunade took her time before answering, "Yes. But I did not know she was with him before I entered. I thought he was alone. I must have interrupted some important discussion."

Chouji paused in pouring another helping of sake. "In what way are you sure that their conversation was important?" He continued filling the cup.

"Thanks," she politely thanked him, and gulped the content. "You do know that Shizune will be upset if she finds out you're giving free sake to me, right?"

He gave her a shaky smile. "I am prepared for death."

"Love." The elder woman sighed.

"Huh?"

"Love," she repeated plainly. "The guy is looking intently to the girl while the girl can't look at him straight." She whirled her cup, watching the remaining content swirl around it. "It's an old-fashioned situation wherein the two feel deeply for one another but cannot face rejection so they reduce to silence."

"Uh…" His superior seemed to be drifting to memories so he decided to press on. "Did… uh… Hinata mentioned anyone?"

The elder woman looked warily at him. "Eavesdropping is not my kind of game no matter how tempting it is."

Chouji sweat-dropped. "Uh… hahahha…" I guess she doesn't know anything… I better leave now… "I just remembered I have something to do." He quickly rose and bowed. "I will be taking my leave now, Hokage-sama."

"Already?" The woman pretended surprise. "We haven't finished the whole bottle yet!"

He raised his head and smiled apologetically. "I would really love to stay but I have a scheduled date with someone special." He bowed again. "I'm very sorry for disturbing you." And he took his leave. I guess I'll text Shikamaru while on the way. I didn't find anything.

Meanwhile, inside the Hokage office, the Godaime smirked at the wooden doors.

"Hatake Kakashi."

Poof! A large amount of smoke appeared and when it dispersed, a man with silver hair revealed, currently reading a book.

"You called?"

The Fifth nodded at him. "Those boys are up to something. Mind if you find out for me?"

Kakashi's eyebrow quirked. "That's handful. Must we interfere?"

"Of course. It's about time he got himself a love life."

"G-gomen nasai, Rokudaime-sama…" She stuttered yet again. She made an idiot of herself by tripping, further injuring the young Hokage, and stuttering.

"Now, now, Hinata." Naruto held up both hands to calm her, regardless of the pain in his right arm. "There is nothing to be worried about. I was just testing if my right arm is feeling better. Honestly, it's quite okay and I can almost feel my fingers…" He made a move to clench his right fist, unable to stop his flinching.

She grimaced and he laughed out loud.

"Tsunade-baasan said that if I am experiencing pain, that would mean my arm is already healing," he continued. "She said in about a day or two, I'll be able to flex my arm though I can't rely too much weight on it. I guess I just need rest. I've been working really hard so that may be the reason why my arm broke too quickly. Heck, I haven't been practicing my jutsus for a month! It really is hard to become a Hokage-."

"Naruto-kun…" she whispered, almost soundless. But the Sixth, no matter how high the pitch of his rant… erm… speech was, heard it.

"Yes?" he asked with all the jollity he could muster. He cut her off, whatever it is that she was about to say. Her eyes were intense, like she was about to say something special. "You know I haven't eaten lunch yet and I'm kind of hungry."

"Eh?"

He smiled. "You do know how to peel an apple, right?"

"You want me to what Hokage-sama?" she asked incredulously.

"Naruto-kun," he reminded her. "I want you to feed me. You know… Peel an apple and put it in my mouth. I'll chew and digest it, I swear!"

"Anou… anou…" She was shaking her head, unable to believe that this was all happening. Her Naruto-kun asked her to feed him!

"I'm not really forcing you Hinata… You could say no…" he said reassuringly.

Despite of himself, he closed his eyes and silently prayed her answer would be yes. Onegai Kami-sama! I already gave up on Sakura-chan. Let her answer yes. I promise Ill do all my paper works from now on… I promise to honor Ero, eh, Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-ba… um… Tsunade-sama. I promise I won't slack off… I'll be kind to everyone… I won't abuse my authority ever again… I'll-

"Naruto-kun…"

"Eh?" He still had his eyes close. And when he opened them, they widened. The apple was already been peeled and cut to bite sizes on a plate. Hinata smiled warmly at him, blushing furiously.

"Say… 'Ah'?"

"Ah… mum!" He ate his apple slice and chewed it enthusiastically. "Delicious!"

Hinata smiled, obviously happy at his childish antics, though she hid it behind the curtains of her bangs. This, perhaps, was the happiest day in her entire life. Not only did she was able to personally feed the Hokage, she was also able to gaze again the Uzumaki Naruto-kun she has fallen in love with; sweet, innocent and cute. And she hasn't stuttered yet! Kami-sama, arigatou gozaimasu!

"Anou, Hinata…" he broke the silence.

"Hmm?" She raised another apple slice, but he declined. She lowered the slice, her eyes questioning. "Is there something wrong, Hokage-sama? Does your stomach ache?"

"Naruto-kun," he reminded her again. "Iie. I'm fine. I just wanted to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"Um… You see…" He lowered his eyes and started scratching his cheeks. He did it simply because he was a little tense.

Hinata seemed to have sensed that. "Is something bothering you?"

"Uh… Yah… I think… Er…" He seemed to have lost words but found enough courage to speak his mind. The Sixth cleared his throat. "About two days ago, you've asked me how to tell a guy you like him? Do you still remember it?"

"e-Eh??? H-hokka-gge-s…s-sama?" Oh! Her stuttering was back.

"Naruto-kun," he reminded her yet again. Why was it taking too long for her to memorize his name? "Hinata… There are no guards or scoundrels around who had the nerve enough to eavesdrop at our conversation. You are free to call me whatever the thing you want to call me. Understood?"

For her vocal cords were not cooperating with her, she simply nodded. She wasn't courageous enough to challenge the Sixth.

"Good." He smiled, apparently pleased at her decision. "Anyway. Going back, you asked me how to tell a guy you like him. And I was wondering if… Well…" There was a pause as he looked away. "Have you told the lucky guy what I told you to tell him?"

"Eh?" She blushed furiously. She knew this was coming sooner or later. "A… An-nou… um… I…"

He appeared to be analyzing the situation. "I also recall you haven't told me his name as well…" He smiled brightly but frowned when she looked away.

"Do… you-."

"Huh?"

Gaining enough courage she spoke, her voice shaking, "Do… you… W-would… you-u l-like me… to tell… you?"

Naruto's eyes widened. He wasn't expecting that. Or rather… He was expecting it but he did not want to answer… What would he do? He feared for the genin's life once he uncovered his identity. He feared he would use Rasengan on the poor fellow if he found out his name.

She continued. "I… I can… if you want me to… I… will if you want me to…"

He turned to look at her again. This time her head was bowed, either showing respect or simply she was too scared to look at his face once she told him the name. So it was still his decision after all.

Very well, he thought. If it's my decision then I decide. "Hinata."

"H-hai?" He tipped her chin up to let her stare directly in his eyes. He gave her a smile.

"Tell him first you love before you tell me his name," he decided with all his heart. At least once he used Rasengan on the genin, Hinata already told him and he won't have to be bothered by his conscience that the poor soul would die knowing he was unloved.

"How could you text in a time like this?" Kankurou shouted, running around.

Shikamaru, who was also running, looked up from his cell phone. "What? I'm conducting a mission. Besides, I've just received a message from Chouji. It's a matter of life and death."

"SHIKAMARU! COME BACK HERE!" screamed Temari from behind.

He winced at the call of his name. It somehow reminded him of his mother. 'Were Nara men doomed to meet people such as the likes of her?' he inwardly thought as he sent a message to the Hyuuga prodigy. It was then that Kankurou came to an immediate halt. He immediately followed the suit. "What's wrong?"

"I sense a dangerous chakra."

Shikamaru's eyes darted from the puppeteer to the wind-user. Surely enough, Temari was far from them, creating some seals and then biting her hand. She let her blood flow to her fan. Their gazes met in one moment, and then she smirked.

"Oh, no."

"Eat dust!" She raised her fan. "Kuchiyose: Kirikiri Mai!" (Summoning: Quick Beheading Dance!)

"One regular chocolate and vanilla ice cream please," Sasuke ordered to the ice cream vendor. It was a fairly good distance between them and Lee's, the Konoha Children Playground. Ino was on the other end, watching the children tussle about. A few kids run around, others were either playing with the sand, sliding or swinging. It was peaceful. It was calming. And then he sighed.

"Imagining those kids are yours?" the vendor asked him.

"Huuh?" That caught his attention. "Oh. Uh. Sure."

The man chuckled at him. "Say, you're that Uchiha Sasuke, right?"

His consumer froze. "Uh, yeah…"

"Thought so. You wear that symbol on your back, you see. I just wanted to be sure." The vendor said and began scooping vanilla ice cream. "You still thinking of resurrecting that clan of yours?"

He nodded while looking at the scenery. He hated to talk. No. He loathed talking. It was as if you could settle anything with just talking. He could answer, but he won't start the conversation. Speaking was a gem. When you spoke, you're opening a door for a stranger, trusting that stranger. And he learned the hard way in trusting strangers.

The ice cream guy then handed him the vanilla ice cream. "Here's for you. Eat up."

"Thanks." Sasuke replied as he received the ice cream. He froze midway before the food reached his mouth. "How come you know the vanilla's for me?"

The vendor smiled, his eyes hiding behind his cap. "From experience. Chocolate is complicated for you."

Sasuke gazed at him sternly, before nodding. "My brother used to tell me so."

"Your brother must be a great man to discover the meaning of chocolate."

Sasuke smirked. "Yah. He killed my whole clan."

"Oh…" The man shrank at the statement. He decided to change the topic instead while scooping chocolate. "Do you know that girl over there?" he motioned to Ino who was grinning at the kids while they fight.

He nodded.

"She seems sad," the guy lightly commented. "Like a person who undergone a heart break." He handed him the ice cream. "Here ya go."

"Thanks." The chidori-user paid and then went on his way.

When his consumer was in a good distance, he shouted, "Be sure to make her happy! You shouldn't let that one go!"

A vein propped. "She's not my-." Sasuke froze.

The peddler's gone together with the stall.

"Itachi, what took you so long?" asked a shark-faced guy, wearing a damaged hitae-ate of the Hidden Village of mist. At his back was a big roll of bandage.

The man raised his Sharingan eyes. "It's none of your business."

"Hyuuga Neji, try to listen to me at least," complained the weapon mistress to her teammate.

Neji, who was studying an eggplant, inclined his head to her side and raised one eyebrow. "If Kiba angered you, do not throw that hatred against me. I am not responsible for it."

Tenten snorted. "How could you tolerate him?"

The genius shrugged. "It's similar with my first approach with Lee. I accept him only as a ninja of the village. Nothing more, nothing less."

She was momentarily silent. "You know sometimes I can't understand you."

He placed the eggplant in her basket and looked closely at her. "How so?"

She sighed and moved out of his eyes, though she knew that's not possible since he had byakugan. She tried to relieve herself by putting all she touched in her basket. "You appear to be insensitive, but inside you really care so much." He replaced all she put in her basket back while she talked. "Why are you like that? You always act differently than what you really are. How can I take care of you if I can't understand you?"

"You don't have to understand or to take care of me. I can take care of myself," he replied placidly.

"Right. Like the way you've taken care of yourself during the Sasuke Retrieval Mission," she added in one of her sarcastic tones, observing a radish.

"That was different. I'm a little weak by then because a big fat guy ate all our chakra," he explained.

Tenten turned to glare at him. Pointing the radish at him as a weapon, she said, "A little?"

He eyed at the vegetable then at her. "Yes."

She snickered then placed the radish in her basket like the rest of her vegetables. She whirled and marched to the free taste section. Neji followed her like a reluctant servant.

"What are we doing here?" the taijutsu genius asked.

"I'm looking for food so I taste it first before I buy it," she retorted without looking at him. "Want some?"

He winced at the sight. There were broiled chicken feet, chicken intestines, chicken head and black square objects on a stick. "You eat these kind of dishes?"

"Duh." She glowered at him and munched at the chicken intestine.

Neji's eyes widened. "That's despicable."

"It is but I don't care. I'm hungry," she clarified.

"So you do this to avail free lunch?" he commented. "Tch, tch…"

She finished her food and aimed the stick at him like a senbon. "Look, Mister I'm-so-great-I-don't-eat-street-foods. Just because you came from a powerful family, eat at fancy restaurants, and get served the highest quality of everything there is, you have no right to degrade those who cannot afford-."

"Miss. If you want to fight with your boyfriend, could you please do it somewhere else? You're scaring the customers," the salesman called out.

"Urusai! Why do people always think we're together?" Tenten scowled at him then glared daggers of doom, death and destruction at Neji. "And as for you, Hyuuga Neji, don't ever come near me again because I'll make sure you'll regret it!" She stomped her foot and strode away from him as fast as she can.

Neji stood unmoving. He had been convinced a long time ago that Tenten was quite frightening every time she's angry. He hadn't imagined she would be that frightening. Now he's problematic. How am I supposed to finish the mission if the target hates me?

"That girlfriend of yours is scary…" the vendor commented. "You okay, mister?"

"Everything is… disasterrific."

"What do you think you're doing with her?! And why were you hugging her?" yelled Sakura. She and Lee were sitting on the bench long after Sasuke and Ino left. The pink-haired kunoichi had enough courage to break the silence after a minute.

"Lee! Speak to me!"

The taijutsu specialist sighed. "Sakura-chan… Ino-san and I were delivering flowers. We stopped at a restaurant-."

"You went to a restaurant with her?" Sakura intervened.

"Only to deliver the flowers," he specified the reason. "It was there that we found out that Seiguchi-san had a wife-."

"Wait he had a wife?" she interfered again. "Isn't he Ino's boyfriend?"

"Has a wife who's older by ten years," he continued. "And, yes. He was Ino-san's boyfriend. To continue he told Ino-san that she was the reason why his marriage is still functioning. The wife in return thanked her and well…" He paused, thinking of right words. "Ino-san was upset and started attacking the poor person. I stopped her and dragged her to here, comforted her and that was when the Sasuke-kun and you found us."

"Oh my God…" Sakura made faces from hurt, to pity, to anger, then to grieve. "I'm a bitch," she concluded but then she glared at him. "But that doesn't necessarily mean you had to hug her. And kiss her hair! Dammit! I have a beautiful hair! Why can't you kiss mine?"

Lee was slightly taken back. "Sakura-chan… It's not as if I don't want to kiss your hair. It's just that-."

"You like blondes!" she suspected. "What is not in pink? Green and pink look good together. Or do you want to break up with me?"

"No!" he denied and stood up, his back facing her. "If you're going to accuse me of things I am not, I swear I will walk out of here!"

"Fine!" she countered. "If you're calling it quits then… then…" He dreaded the next sentence. "Let's split up. You can go to wherever Ino is while I… I…"

"Go to Sasuke-kun?" he suggested, still not facing her.

Sakura gasped. "Lee that's not-."

"Hey. You decided by yourself. We're not together anymore, right?" He turned and stared meekly in her eyes. But then he turned away again. "Ja ne, Sakura-san…"

And he left her, standing alone.

"Shino, we're caught," said Kiba, tied to a post. Akamaru was taken by the sand-nin they fought. Hard as he tried, he could not get the ropes untied. It was as if the rope was accursed by a special of jutsu that makes it hard as steel yet flexible as rubber when unbound. Kuso…

Shino was silent. He stood in front of Kiba, hands tied securely behind him. His rope was a little bit tricky for it draws towards his skin every time he uses chakra, binding him even tighter. His bugs were all paralyze due to the scent that lingered in the air, more like a bug repellent. And Shino hated bug repellents. For that reason, he was feeling a little dizzy. But before he passed out, he wanted to play with his teammate first.

"You know, Shino. I remembered that genin guy we interrogated a while ago. The one who brought ramen to Hinata-chan. Maybe this was what he was feeling when we chained him to the wall."

No answer.

"Hey! Are you still alive? Don't give up on me! I don't want to be tied alone!"

Let's start! "Kiba…"

"Yeah?" Kiba sounded hopeful.

"I'm getting dizzy…"

"Shino…"

"Please… For the last moment of my life… Please keep quite. I need silence," he requested.

The dog-trainer became teary eyed. "Shino…"

Shino continued in a solemn voice. "You know… All I ever wanted before I die was to see my fly, William Frederick John III, having little insects of his own. He helped me during the Chuunin Exam. I wanted to be there for him when his female bug would lay the eggs. I want to be there as his little insects grew up and be a fly just like him… But now…"

"Shino?" Kiba sobbed.

He added in a whisper. "I promise myself I won't die until I destroy all the bug repellents in the world…"

"Shino…" His teammate sniffed.

"Shut up. You're destroying the mood," he said vehemently. "Kiba, before I die, I want you to promise that you'll take care of my bugs. They're the only treasures that I've got."

"Shino…" Kiba sniffed. "I promise to love and to honor them as I loved and honored Akamaru."

"Thanks…" Shino replied quietly almost as silent as a whisper. "You're a good ninja, Kiba…" It was then that his head hung, his shades falling to the ground.

"SHINO!"

"Come out, come out! Wherever you are," Temari growled in a singsong voice.

"Your sister is the most troublesome person I have ever met in this entire planet," Shikamaru commented as he and Kankurou stayed hidden behind the bush; the same bush Shikamaru and the former members of Team Eight used a while ago.

"You can say that again…"Kankurou, who was looking around, hoping the weasel hadn't seen them, nodded sagely. "By the way, Shikamaru?"

"Heh?"

"If you consider my sister as the most troublesome person in the entire planet, why then, did you pursue a relationship with her?"

Shikamaru frowned. He was thinking of that same thing before he realized that he and Temari are not together. He considered it first before answering, "Here in Konoha, we consider our kind of relationship as MU."

"MU?"

"Mutual Understanding," he simplified. "We don't acknowledge ourselves as officially together but we do know that there is some feeling between us that does not regularly happen in any normal shinobi's who are always together."

Kankurou showed signs of confusion but opted to press on. "So why did to decided to undergo in such relationship? Is it because she's always by your side?"

The shadow caster was afraid of that. He wasn't prepared to answer it. And then he remembered he asked his father that same question.

"Uh… You see…" How would I say this? He cleared his throat. "Your sister has her share of days when she smiles the greatest."

"Huh?" the puppeteer stared blankly at him.

Shikamaru sweat-dropped. "You wouldn't understand." It was then that his cell phone rang.

"Oh… geez…"

"So there you are," the sand kunoichi said, looking over the bush.

So this is the Hyuuga Compound… The Kazekage commented as he stared at the entrance of the building. Sure… It was big; larger than his house in the Wind Country but maybe that was because his whole clan wasn't staying in just one house.

"Hey kid! Do you need anything?" a man in a blue kimono asked. He stared suspiciously at the sand-nin, scrutinizing if he was one of those bastards who tried to enter the Hyuuga premises a month ago.

Gaara turned his head and looked squarely at him, his face defying all signs of rage. A simple Konoha ninja would never say that to the Godaime Kazekage. Still, he reminded himself that he was in disguised. His forehead protector obscured the tattoo on his forehead.

He forced himself to make a polite response. "Nothing, sir…"

The man eyed at the boy. Cute kids had the potential to break a bone. He knew that based on experience when the Hyuuga prodigy almost crushed his bones after an exhausting exercise. "Why don't you go on with your way?"

The younger man stared at him, just a further more until he could enter and yet this man was preventing him in doing so. But an idea formed in his head and he made his leave. When he reached a concrete wall, blocking the person's view, he performed a set of hand seals. Instantly, the sand covered him, and then sucked him to the earth. When he resurfaced, he smiled.

He's inside the premises.

'This time, I'll definitely know who this Hyuuga Hinata is,' he said to himself.