How To Catch Someone's Eye

Ch. 11 "Advice Number Two!"

I don't own Naruto, but I wish I did.

Tenten tapped her foot as she waited in line in the cafeteria. Today, she had forgotten to pack her lunch and had to resort to waiting behind a long queue for ¥1000 worth of slop and fake food.

"Tenten-san?" She heard the familiar meek voice and saw Hinata walking up to her. "What are you doing in the cafeteria?"

"I, uh, forgot my lunch." Tenten chuckled, her cheeks warming up.

She was about to say something else, but her stomach growled loudly enough for the loud cafeteria to hear.

Hinata giggled. "Well, I packed enough lunch for two, because I usually fix my cousin's bento, but he's at a soccer tournament at the moment, and I assume that they're stopping somewhere for a bite to eat."

Tenten realized what she was trying to say and quickly shot the idea down. "Oh! N-no, no, no, no, no! There's no need. Thanks for the offer though."

"I insist." Hinata shook her head, not taking 'no' for an answer. "I can't finish it and the food's just going to waste."

"Well," Tenten looked at her feet, embarrassed. "If you say so."

Inside, she was freaking out. I'm going to eat a meal that was supposed to be for Neji…

"Great." Hinata clasped her friend's hand. "Now come on! Ino-san and Sakura-san is waiting by the picnic tables."

Tenten groaned inwardly. "Great, another piece of Ino wisdom."

"Before we start," Ino pressed her face just in front of Hinata's. "How was it with Naruto, Hinata?"

Hinata turned scarlet as she dropped the clump of rice she had in between her chopstick on her navy blue skirt.

"U-um," Hinata quickly gathered the grains of rice that fell and threw it at the birds that were nearby, pecking at the ground. "W-well, nothing really happened."

"What do you mean nothing?" Ino frowned, her light mood slowly fading.

"I-it was my fault." Hinata pressed her index fingers together. "I w-was unconscious the whole time. When I woke up, he was gone."

"Oh," Ino patted her friend's shoulder. "It's not your fault."

Tenten silently scarfed the bento that was given to her by Hinata, not wanting to ruin the moment by arguing with Ino. This bento's delicious. I wonder if I can get Hinata to teach me how to cook. So that maybe, I can cook dinner for—.

She stopped eating. Whoa, Tenten! Get a hold of yourself! What are you thinking!

"So, how about you, Sakura?" Ino's blue eyes glinted. "Did you two actually go and visit Hinata."

"Yes!" Sakura shouted.

"That was a quick answer." Tenten grinned alongside with Ino. "What'd you guys do?"

"Walk in silence." Sakura pouted. "And we did visit Hinata, but they were both knocked out. Naruto was sleeping on the chair to her side."

Sakura added that part in order to shift the attention away from her and back to Hinata.

It backfired.

"So did you guys make out since the two were unconscious?" Ino laughed.

"Ino!" Sakura flustered.

Tenten choked when she had inhaled air while there was still food in her mouth.

Hinata patted her back trying to subside her coughing while she too was red.

"I'm kidding!" Ino bit back her laugh. "Now, okay, back to business."

Tenten's coughing calmed down a bit.

"You all know that making eye contact is important right?" Ino suddenly grew serious. The three mutely nodded and let Ino continue. "It is a technique to make you seem assertive. That means you, Hinata."

"I know!" She wailed. "You didn't have to point it out!"

"Sorry, but I'm only here to help you." Ino gave an apologetic grin. "I should've given you guys this advice earlier, because if it's done right, it could've just brought him to you."

"Uh-huh." Tenten placed the empty bento container down. "Sure. Now what else do you have for us?"

"When he looks your way, always looked relaxed. A smile is fine, but it's good as long as you look like you're telling him, 'When I look at you, I relax psychologically'." Ino relayed the information she had. "While you have his eye contact, do your best to seem accidentally attractive."

"Ewww." Tenten pouted. "That's just gross!"

"It's a turn on for most guys." Ino shrugged.

"Yeah, but it makes us seem like play toys!" Hinata muttered.

"Thank you!" Tenten exaggeratedly pointed at Hinata. "See, she got it."

"Which side are you on?" Ino sarcastically scolded. "And Tenten, this is especially for you. Maybe Sakura also, but you have to speak in a natural volume. That means, no shouting or making your voice husky just to be sexy."

"Like we'll even do that!" Tenten banged her hands on the table. Sakura just turned pinker.

"Men tend to go like feminine voices, because it's like music to their dirty ears." Ino spewed out nonsense. "Oh, and always be yourself and don't try too hard—it's the number one turn-off."

"Where do you even get this stuff from?" Tenten shook her head, not wanting to argue anymore.

"Magazines." Ino flashed a smile at Tenten, knowing that it will get her started again.

The train hissed to a stop while the conductor blew the whistle.

"Third stop, Konoha." An automatic female voice on the P.A. system said.

A girl with wavy black locks stood up and filed her way out of the train, just like everyone else.

She pulled her blue rolling suitcase with her to the platform.

She inhaled the air around her and gave a content sigh.

"Japan smells like soy sauce."

She grinned widely as she walked into the unfamiliar country.

Haha, I totally copied that (the 'Japan smells like soy sauce,') from the anime 'Karin' [A.K.A 'Chibi Vampire' in America, as far as I know.]

This is the longest chapter for this story yet~!

And I feel bad for updating this piece of work quicker than the ones the readers want to read.

But, I am hopelessly in the captive of writer's block!

Dx

Next Chapter:

A friend Naruto made in Europe comes to Japan for a visit.

Or is it just a visit?

Complications?

I think so!

Thanks for reading~!

xD

*Side Story*

Neji arrived late in the afternoon, looking forward to one thing.

He even skipped the lunch at the steakhouse for it.

His stomach grumbled throughout the remaining day, and it sure grumbled now as he entered the apartment that he and his cousin shared.

They had decided to move out when the clan had arranged them to marry, practically disowning themselves from the Hyuuga, not that anybody gave it much thought and consideration.

He laid down his stuffed duffel bag and immediately began to strip out of the sweat filled jersey, and gave a content sigh when he felt the cool air blasting from the vents.

He headed off to the refrigerator and opened it, expecting to see the teal bento container.

Only, it wasn't there.

It was near the sink.

Washed out, dried, and empty.

"HINATA!"

He didn't mean to shout, but he heard his cousin shuffle quickly into the room.

He twirled sharply to look at her.

She was fidgeting, her face a bit pink and worry written all over it. Her eyes darted from left to right, but it was down cast.

"Wh-where's my bento?" He suddenly felt guilt for making her worry over something so small; for getting worked up for something to unimportant.

But this was surely important for him.

He loved his cousin's cooking.

Even when she had experimented on that subject, she was quite good at it.

A natural, you could say.

"Oh," Hinata blinked many times as a smile formed on her face.

Neji felt his face go hot.

"I-it," Hinata giggled. "T-Tenten-san a-ate it."

Neji just gaped.

Just when he was about to say more, his stomach growled.

"B-but, I can cook you something if you're famished from the tournament!" Hinata wanted so bad to laugh, but she knew how Neji felt at the moment. Second time today! Those two must be so similar!

Neji could only nod, recalling on how he had skipped the lunch at the steakhouse, much less, his favorite steakhouse.

Curse you, Tenten! His hands shook as he sat down at the kitchen table as he listened to his cousin get something ready for him. This match is so on! And I will not lose to you!

I refuse to lose to you!