A/N: H0LA AMiG0$ !!!!!!

So, there are lots of changes to the story starting this chapter, so don't hate me. I still want to add some humor to it, even though I suck at making people laugh. I'll do my best!

And hey, who is going to write me my yaoi? .

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Naruto was walking around town that evening, thinking about two things: Hinata and ramen.

He forced Sasuke out of his head a while after their little quarrel on the roof a few hours earlier. Sasuke brought him too many problems and the blonde knew well enough that he couldn't handle the stress of it.

He really had grown up since his was thirteen. He was still clumsy and dim, but he had gotten the least bit smarter over the years. He grew physically, too. He was taller than most people – including Sasuke and Shikamaru. Sakura was the first to notice the change, and the first to punch him after he commented on how she sprouted but her breasts didn't.

He thought of Hinata after remembering Sakura. Hinata grew her hair out. She got taller and looked very womanly. Her boobs got bigger, too. He laughed at the thought. Boobs were humorous to him. Other guys, like Kiba, would get turned on by these things, but Naruto could only laugh at it.

Then he thought of what she would be like if they were a couple. They were compatible, right? He was loud and confident, and she was shy and sweet. They say that opposites attract, so then Naruto and Hinata would be fine together.

But then again, Sasuke was also shy and somewhat sweet.

No, somehow he'd get with Hinata and make it better than what he had before, (not saying that the year of dating Sasuke was terrible. It just didn't turn out the way he'd imagined it.)

And that was the other thing. How would she react to Naruto's past? A good relationship is one without lies or secrets. What if she said no? What if she was disgusted in the fact that he liked other guys?

Naruto remembered telling Sasuke he liked boys, too. Sasuke was the only one who he trusted with that information at the time. Sasuke came out to him sometime after that, and that was when Naruto fell for Sasuke. Ahh, young love is so beautiful.

Why was teen love so damn complicated?! God, Naruto wished he were a kid again. Kids worried about nothing. They had no fears and the only emotions they had were happiness and curiosity!

Memories. They were everywhere in Naruto's head and all of them involved Sasuke – except for the ones when he and his three best friends, Kiba, Shikamaru and Choji, caused mischief around the village.

Naruto was reminded of the curiosity he had shared with Sasuke. When they were seven they wondered what kissing was like after they saw Itachi kiss his girlfriend, years before he went missing. Naruto smiled at the thought, but erased the memory as best he could. His thoughts were now on Hinata, the one he was supposed to be thinking about.

Kiba was right, though. Naruto knew nothing about her --

"Ooof!" Naruto fell backwards, and another body fell on top of him. "Hey watch -- Hinata?!"

"Oh! I'm so s-sorry, Naruto! I should have watched where I was going..." Long, dark, silky hair, pale eyes, gorgeous figure... She was even better looking up close! Her face grew red and her eyes wide as she struggled to push herself off of Naruto. She was up in a matter of seconds and almost ten feet away from him, fiddling with her fingers.

"N-n-no, it was me. I-I guess I wasn't paying attention," Naruto faked a chuckle, standing up and rubbing the back of his head.

Then it hit him: This is my chance!

He stumbled a little closer to her but stopped because he felt the air get dense. He figured he was only nervous, though. Never happened with Sasuke, his devious side thought. Naruto played it off like it was nothing.

"So, uh, where're you headed tonight? It's getting late," He said slowly, twisting his foot in the dirt.

"Uhm, I was actually heading to the market f-for my father,"

"Oh, that's nice. Mind if I tag along?" he said with a grin.

"Sure! Oh – I mean, I don't see why not." Hinata smiled lightly and looked at her toes. Naruto sighed in relief, letting the heaviness in his chest leave him. Hinata grabbed her handbag from the ground and brushed some dirt from her jeans. Naruto apologized again for bumping into her before they walked downtown to the fish market.

It wasn't a date, he decided. It was just a walk. They were just friends who happen to bump into each other. Not a date, but it was a nice bump-into-walk that Naruto would have considered close enough to a date – though it still was not a date.

Hinata managed not to faint at all in Naruto's presence. She hadn't done that since they were thirteen, but he almost expected to catch her if she instantly fell over. He learned a lot form Kiba, these days. (Curse him and his evil and stalker-ish ways!)

They talked quite a bit about fish and the different kinds. Hinata told him about fish recipes that she and her sister cooked for their father and cousin every Sunday evening. Naruto noted that he was more of a ramen person, and then he added that he was willing to try it if it came down to it, even if that last statement wasn't all true. He ate absolutely everything – just not fish.

When Naruto started a conversation it was either about school or her hobbies (besides cooking). They exchanged likes and dislikes – and Naruto found that she was less like Sasuke than he originally thought, in a good way.

Hinata liked strolls down the town, watching people do silly things, kids, helping people and things that nice girls liked. Her dislikes were fighting for no reason, crying, mean people, and the way her family looks down on other members of her family.

That last one confused Naruto, but he didn't ask anymore about it. He didn't want to bother her with a bunch of questions, even if the urge to know more about it should have killed him in that very instant.

Hinata was excited to know about Naruto – well, the things that she didn't already know. She found that he liked surprises – but that was it. She knew about his obsession with ramen, his preference for both male and female, and the fact that he enjoyed company of any living find – including frogs.

Both of them enjoyed their almost-date, overall. Nothing seemed to go wrong. Hinata had Naruto's help to pick out plenty of food for the upcoming Sunday and Naruto got his chance to get to know Hinata.

"Listen," he said as they came up to the Hyuuga residence. "I know I'm coming off quick, but do you wanna come over to my place tomorrow afternoon? Shikamaru is coming over and I think it'll be more fun with more people and you can bring people, too, I mean, it's not a problem, heheh…" he trailed off, thinking he rushed it all in that one sentence.

Hinata blushed for the thousandth time that evening. "That sounds lovely, Naruto. Thank you b-"

"-Great, well, I'll see you –"

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"What?" Naruto's heart skipped a beat. He was rejected? Just like that?

"Was I moving too fast? I mean, it might be a little weird, but I don't see why it's not a good idea,"

She giggled quietly, but then sighed and gripped her handbag with both hands. "I don't think Neji or Sasuke would like it if we… hung out. We're from two different worlds a-and I don't want to cause problems that don't need to be started."

Naruto looked at her, confused. She really was caught under their spell. Sasuke had her locked in good.

"Are you really worried about them?" Naruto asked. His tone was blank and mono. Hinata looked at him with wide eyes, and then looked back at her feet again.

"I… I…"

She trailed off. She didn't have an explanation at the tip of her tongue, but Naruto understood well enough. The self esteem thing. He didn't have it at one point in his life, even though he grew out of it. She hadn't grown out of it, for various reasons. But Naruto loathed the fact that everything she did had to go through Neji first. Or Sasuke.

"Can you tell me something, Hinata?"

She looked at him and nodded.

"What is Sasuke to you?"

"W-what? I-I don't have… a… a crush or anything for him,"

"But you don't want to hang out with me because of him, right?"

"Well, I do, but I don't want to cause problems between you guys,"

"So come over then. Forget what he says. It's your choice, and something tells me that you want to come."

Hinata stood at the gate leading to her front door for what felt like forever and a half, before she sighed and pushed her hair back. "I'll come tomorrow. But only if I can bring Sasuke and Neji."

"B-but why?!"

Hinata looked at him with stern eyes. Now she knew just what to say. "I want us all to be friends."

--

"What?! Are you crazy?!"

"This is such a drag…"

Naruto stared at his friends with dull eyes and sighed. Friends? Yeah, right. If he didn't like Hinata the way he did, he would have turned that offer down right then.

But he didn't.

--

"I think it's a terrible idea, Hinata."

"Oh, please, Neji-san!" she begged. "Naruto agreed to it, and I think we should give it a chance!"

"You don't understand. Even if we become…'friends', our other friends might hate the idea and it'll just be a nuisance. I don't like the idea at all."

"But we haven't tried. Please, for me. It's a chance we might not ever get back. I'm so sick of this arguing back and forth between groups of people. We're all the same at heart. Please, we've got to try."

Neji lazily rested back against his uncle's couch next to his raven haired friend and he crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't like it one bit. I despise the idea, actually. But it's up to you. Your vote makes it or breaks it, Sasuke."

The raven didn't speak, nor did he look at Neji or Hinata. His gaze remained at the wall and it didn't change.

"I'll let you know three."

"That's in an hour. Naruto asked for us to go there around four or five." Hinata said.

"I know. I'll call you then." Sasuke got up and walked out of the Hyuuga residence swiftly and quietly. The door closed shut, leaving the two Hyuuga's inside the living room.

"I still hate the idea,"

"Neji,"

"Yes, my lady?"

"Please shut your mouth."

--

Sasuke got home, out of breath and numb in the legs. Running home from the Hyuuga's without stopping wasn't a smart idea. He fell limp on his sofa, catching his breath. Once he did, the Uchiha got right down to business.

He got his cell phone from his pocket and clicked 1 for his speed dial.

"Hello?"

"Konban wa, Naruto."

"Who is this?"

"Who else would ever call you?"

"Sasuke? Sasuke, you're such a jerk!"

"I am. Now, am I really invited to your house tonight?"

"Yeah… I guess so. Hinata invited you guys. Shikamaru and Kiba are coming, too."Naruto didn't seemed at all excited to be talking with him.

Sasuke sneered at the names of Naruto's friends. "Are we staying the night?"

"You aren't."

"And why not?"

"Because I know you'll try to rape me in my sleep."

"Oh, God, Naruto. I wouldn't rape you just because I still –"

"I'm only doing this because I like Hinata."

"…"

"I know, right? But whatever. I'll be friends with you all. But let me tell you now so we don't have to go through it later. I like her, and I plan on asking her to be my girlfriend in the near future, so please, if you really love me, don't ruin this."

"Naruto, I…"

"You can spend the night, if you want. I was only kidding."

"I will, then."

"…Wait, how the hell did you get my phone number?"

"I asked around." Sasuke's voice went blank and boring. As if talking to him in person was awkward and nerve-racking enough. But he didn't plan on hanging up anytime soon.

"Yeah well…"

There was a short silence before Naruto spoke up. "So what's up?"