I've been putting it off for a long time…so here it is.

XXX

She's probably angry with me for not coming back to the table…

Worries such as these plagued Hinata's thoughts as she tried to change quickly for P.E. After Ino's little speech at lunch, she had had to dash across the cafeteria to get her backpack from the table at which she had sat. Temari, of course, had already left for her next class. Then after cursing herself letting an opportunity for a new friend slip by (it was difficult for her to make friends at all), Hinata sprinted across campus to the locker rooms, silently thankful there were no teachers around who could give her a punishment for running.

After she changed into her P.E. uniform – a white t-shirt emblazoned with "Konoha High" and green shorts – Hinata set off for the gym, which was conveniently located next to the locker rooms.

The door was held open by a door-wedge, so Hinata just strode in nervously, wondering if she was late to class at all. Apparently, she was not – Maito Gai's class was as rambunctious as the cafeteria had been at lunch. It was simple to slip inside unnoticed. She saw that Gai was conversing with another teacher at the moment (with very extravagant hand gestures) – that was probably part of the reason why no one particularly cared if they talked.

"Good afternoon, my youthful students!" Gai finally called out. "Today we will be playing a teamwork-strengthening game of dodge-ball!"

"I thought that was on the banned list?" a student said.

Gai chuckled, striding over to pat the boy on his head. "No, no, no, that's violent dodge-ball. You are all good students, so this game of dodge ball will be fun!" The students goggled at his ridiculous speech. What kind of teacher was this…absurdity? "Now, some of you go over on this side, and others on that side and give it better than the best you possibly can!"

The class scrambled to be on the same side as their friends. Hinata found herself quite jostled and bumped every which way, as she did not know where to go.

"Hi, Hinata!"

Hinata turned, and smiled when she saw a familiar mass of pink hair heading towards her.

"Hello, Sakura!" she said brightly, glad to have someone she knew in her class. Sakura beamed back at her.

"Let's be on the same tea –" But a hyperactive boy interrupted the sentence with a shout. The two girls twisted and craned their necks, attempting to find the source of the voice.

"YES! THIS WILL BE MY CHANCE TO PROVE MY YOUTHFULNESS IN AN HONORABLE BATTLE OF DODGE BALL!" And the boy threw the ball so fast even Hinata, with her above perfect vision, could only see a mahogany-colored blur coming nearer and nearer…and then the world turned black.

XXX

Where am I? I'm not dead, am I?

"Hinata…Hinata…"

Who is it…

Her eyes fluttered open. Staring back at her were two wide, teal eyes and a head of dark blonde hair.

"Huh? Who's there…" Hinata groaned, suddenly aware of the throbbing pain erupting in her head.

"It's just me. Temari, remember?" said she.

"Why are you here?" inquired Hinata, still attempting to remember what had happened.

"I'm an office aide for fifth period. If you haven't noticed yet, you're in the nurse's office."

"What?" This information made Hinata sit straight up, observing the area around her. Sure enough, she was on a white cot in a clean room. Green and white tiles covered the floor and medicine cabinets adorned the walls. The Hyuuga even thought she caught a whiff of that funny smell which hospitals always have.

"If you're wondering why you're here, it's pretty simple actually. Apparently, a kid called Lee got overexcited during your class's game of dodge ball and threw the ball before the game started. Next thing you know, you're being carried into the nurse's office with a concussion," Temari explained. "You've been out for about half and hour, so sixth period's going to start in about fifteen minutes."

"Really? Hard to believe the day's almost over…" murmured Hinata.

"Yeah…"

No one moved a muscle. It was just then that Hinata again realized what she was so worried about after lunch that day. I guess she really is angry with me… Hinata thought forlornly. I should explain it to her.

"Umm – about earlier –"

Temari turned to look at Hinata, but the door suddenly opened at this most inopportune moment. Dang…and just when I was about to apologize, too… she cursed silently.

"You idiot!"

"What a troublesome person…"

"Now, come over here and sit still…hold this tissue to your nose, I'll be right back to check up on you." And with that, the school nurse hurried out of the office.

"Kiba!" Hinata gasped, for she had finally recognized the boy under the gushing stream of blood from his nose. "What happened to you?"

"Eh? Hinata, is that you? What are you doing here?" asked Kiba confusedly.

"Head injury," said Hinata, "but never mind that! You're bleeding!" She tried to get out of her cot, but as soon as her feet touched the ground, another pain struck her head and she opted instead for a chair.

"I'm fine. Smarty-pants here," Kiba glared at the boy beside him, "hit me in the nose. Jeez, you'd think someone like him wouldn't be so strong…"

"It was an accident," muttered the boy, "you just happened to be in to way of my hand."

Hinata studied the speaker. She had never seen him before. What was with all the odd hairstyles in this school? The newcomer had pulled his pitch-black hair into a sort of…pineapple-ish way. "Um, if it's not too rude to ask, what's your name?"

The pineapple-boy sighed, as though it were too much trouble to answer, and turned his head a few degrees to face her. "Shikamaru."

"Of the Nara family?" said Hinata, surprised. Her cousin, Neji, had told her once of Konoha's prestigious Nara family, even naming some of its members. Most of the names used some form of "shika," for the Nara were famous because of the deer they raised.

Nara Shikamaru is the heir to the Nara, Neji had said. A shrewd kid, thinker, and strategist with an intelligence quotient of over two hundred…

"Yeah. Why?" Shikamaru asked suspiciously. Hinata blushed and immediately began to stammer.

"N-no reason…I was just wondering…" She hesitated, and then continued. "I've heard you have an IQ of over two hundred…is that true?"

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed at this question. I hope I didn't offend him in some way… Hinata thought nervously. He seemed to be battling whether to answer or not.

"Yes. Who told you that?" he at last replied.

"My cousin…his name is Neji," said Hinata.

"Your cousin is Neji?" sputtered Temari (who had remained silent until this point), startling everyone. "Hinata, does he live at your house?"

"Yes…" Hinata said slowly. Most of the Hyuuga lived in one huge house; some even called it a mansion.

"Oh, God…Hinata, just remember to never invite me to your house…"

"Why?"

Temari paused. "Well," she began, "it's kind of a weird story. I guess it began about…two, three years ago. I was still a sophomore in high school at Suna, and Neji was a freshman at Konoha. We were both in our respective debate teams, and one day we were at the same competition. His team won, and he was kind of annoying about it, so I bet that he couldn't withstand the powers of hypnosis.

"Of course, he didn't believe me. So I hypnotized him with this trick I got out of a book…and to this day, whenever he hears the word 'snickerdoodle,' he will confess his love to whoever he's talking with."

Everyone stared at her. Then Kiba started laughing hysterically, Hinata began to giggle, and even Shikamaru looked immensely amused.

"Yeah, well, he didn't think it was so funny," continued a smiling Temari, "and in those few instances our teams were at the same event, he's tried to attack me, but stopped when his team started losing points for 'foul play.'"

Kiba still had tears in his eyes as he kept laughing. "Oh man, I want to see that…the stoic Neji, confessing his love to some unsuspecting victim…" This made everyone laugh even more.

All four were quiet for a few moments. Then Kiba stood up abruptly. "I think my nose has stopped bleeding, so I'm going to go now."

"Oh, but the nurse still hasn't come back yet…" Hinata said worriedly.

"It's all right, it was just a bloody nose. She'll probably figure on her own that I'm okay now and I left," reasoned Kiba. "Come on, Shikamaru." He pulled open the dark green door that was the entrance to the nurse's office.

As the two boys left, Temari looked at Hinata expectantly. "Well, what were you going to say before they interrupted?"

"Oh! Um…"

Hinata's head faced the ground as she told the entire story – from how a girl abducted her to when she suddenly got herself entangled in "Project: Popularity."

"…and so, that's why I never came back to the table. I hope you're not too angry with me…" finished Hinata. The room was silent for a few seconds. Then Temari burst out laughing, leaving a bamboozled Hinata.

"Sorry," she laughed, tears in her eyes, "but it's so funny! That Ino girl is the same as my art partner, right? Thought so. Are you going to go back tomorrow?"

"Well, I guess so," Hinata shrugged. "After all, it would be rude to stand them up."

"Like you did to me?" suggested Temari.

Hinata's face flushed and faced the ground once more. "I'm sorry about that…" she muttered.

"Don't be," Temari said, "I'm only kidding around anyways." She stood up. "Sorry to leave, but I have to get these files to one of the counselors and get ready for sixth period. Come to think of it, shouldn't you be hurrying to the locker rooms to change?"

Hinata looked at her clothing – she was still wearing her P.E. uniform. "You're right. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then."

XXX

"So, what was your next class again?" Kiba asked Shikamaru as they walked down the office hall.

"Cooking," he replied. "Jeez, can't you even remember something like that?"

"Cooking? You're taking cooking?" said Kiba in disbelief. As he started rambling on about his friend's weird schedule, a door opened. A blonde girl walked out and hurried to the front desk.

"- did someone force you to take cooking, or something?" the Inuzuka finally finished, then looked at Shikamaru. His ebony eyes looked glazed over, staring down the hall. "Hello?" Kiba waved a hand in front of his face, trying to get his attention.

"Huh? Oh…what were you saying?"

Kiba examined Shikamaru oddly. His face was completely back to his regular, lazy state, with no trace of the past ten seconds at all. Kiba thought he had an idea of the situation at hand, but decided not to press matters further.