Hinata's Glasses
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Genre: Drama
Rating: Teen
Summary: This takes place two months later from the last chapter. (Shiz: I'm so sorry this took so long! ;) Life isn't always like a story where all problems are solved perfectly. Hinata has fully avoided Shino now; having not been to work in a month and a half since she had went in to announce she quit. Her sister has thus avoided Hinata now like the plague as well, ashamed to having acted so foolishly. Neji never seemed to be a problem again and Kiba has become a pretty comfortable friend with Hinata. Everything seems to be in equilibrium but soon the floor will be pulled out from the young Hyuuga and when she falls, who will be there to catch her?
This chapter is the first of a few, Ino, Kiba and another classmate, Mitsuo, want her to play hooky and take the day off. Just what could happen anyway?
Chapter four: Hooky?!
The wind rustled the trees causing them to shudder and shed some leaves. the sun was setting in the distance in beautiful hues of reds, pinks and purples. the fresh scent of flowers and grass permeated the air as warm breezes caressed those who were out in the wonderful waning daylight.
"It's so beautiful!" Hinata breathed. "The entire feel to this is so breathtakingly beautiful! But, why? Why did you bring me here?" She turned to the person next to her, curiously.
XXX
Yesterday.
After getting up and padding softly to the kitchen to prepare herself a bentou for lunch that day, Hinata bumped shoulders with her sister.
"What do you think you're doing! Watch it, bakamono!" Hanabi snarled.
Hinata jumped back and before she could stop herself, she bowed deeply. "Sorry sister." When she straightened herself from bowing her sister was already headed in the opposite direction. It was hard to believe that harsh little girl was her sister let alone confessed her feelings once.
Not even letting it bother her, Hinata continued on her way and even hummed a merry tune as she packed her satchel for school.
After trekking happily to school, she was quite surprised when a hand stopped her from opening the door the school. Her hand hovering over the bronze knob with a pale hand clutching her small wrist, she turned to the person.
"I-Ino?" she stuttered, the surprise still had not yet settled. "K-Kiba?"
She stared between the two and noticed another boy with them. She couldn't quite recall his name but knew they were in class together. He had dirty blonde hair that was quite messy with headband over his forehead that was a simple white cloth that had 'trouble' inscribed upon it in sloppy kanji. He could be mischievous but never on Naruto's level.
"Don't go in Hinata!" Ino grinned. "Oh," she seemed to remember, "and this is Mitsuo, he's in our class but he hangs out with Kiba more so I'm not sure if you know him."
"Just call me Mitsu." He smiled wildly and rubbed his forehead under the cloth. Hinata noted that his voice had some deep hints to it, like he was hitting puberty a little early. Closer, Hinata could see that he had a healthy tan and freckles were sprinkled over his nose lightly.
"Anyway, Hinata, you can't go in!" Kiba chipped in with Ino.
"Why not?"
The three exchanged glances. Then they turned back and replied in unison. "Play hooky with us!"
"What? Is that like tag or something?" Hinata blushed when the others laughed at her.
"No, no, silly! It's skipping school." Ino punched Hinata's shoulder lightly and playfully.
Hinata paled. "Wha-wha! You can't skip school! You'll get in trouble!"
"Course we can!" Mitsuo grinned.
"Naruto does it all the time" the Inuzuka said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, and he also get's in trouble guys." Hinata mumbled, wanting to get indoors.
"But not us! We're smarter than Naruto!" Ino smirked. "We our parents call us in sick."
"And," Mitsu added, "We took the liberty of telling Iruka that you had a stomach ache."
"Wha-wha-what!" Hinata barely managed to stutter that out as she was already being dragged away by her friends.
XXX
Hinata trudged alongside her friends, rather uncertain. Such an act of delinquency she had done by skipping school! what a dishonor! Her dad would be furious if he found out!
They had all changed into different clothing so that it would be less recognizable but still. Ino wore a orange hoodie and denim shorts, while Mitsu was sporting a dark blue jacket with an electric green stripe running up its sleeves. Kiba had foregone his usual coat for a navy blue t-shirt that looked like he might have stolen from Sasuke then ripped off the emblem on the back. Hinata felt somewhat uncomfortable as Ino had decided to put her in a lavender dress that had long sleeves and stopped above her knees. Hinata kept wanting to cover herself up. She felt so exposed!
Even with the costume change though, Hinata figured that is was still pretty obvious they were skipping school. If they're clothing didn't attract attention, like Ino's top and the neon stripes on Mitsu, people would still be able to see the ever happy Akamaru sticking out of Kiba's collar. Even when the pup ducked down in the shirt there was still a bulge and what idiot would fall for it if they said Kiba was just fat?
"Ah, here we go!" Ino stopped in front of a small shop. "Look, perfect for disguises!" She extended some sunglasses. She then paused and glanced at Hinata and her glasses. Hinata blushed.
"Here." Kiba came from around the sunglasses rack. "I think these will work." He handed Hinata some large aviators.
"Um, well..." They were strange to Hinata.
"Oh, they're cute! And they match your dress!" Ino said setting the glasses over Hinata's prescriptions. The large -and somewhat gaudy- sunglasses were dark and heart shaped with a thick plastic, lavender rim.
Mitsu walked up and examined them. "They're perfect!"
Kiba pointed to the mirror at the top of the rack. "See? They look good on you."
Hinata glanced at herself and gave a sharp intake of breath. This was the first time she really saw herself in the dress. The dress hugged tightly and loosely in all the right placed, giving her a nice form. A darker sash around her waist as a belt, hugged cutely to her, accenting her slender hips. And the sunglasses shaded her eyes and glasses completely and went along well with the dress.
Ino sighed and draped herself over Hinata's shoulder. "You like that movie star, Izumi Ikunari."
Mitsu burst in, leaning himself on the other side of her. "No, Hinata-chan looks better! Don't you agree Kiba?"
"Huh?" Kiba jumped and the rest of they're little group turned to him. He had an easily discernable blush on his cheeks. "Er, uh, ye-yeah, Hinata is very, uh, pretty." He twitched his hands a little nervously and reached instinctively to pet Akamaru, which seemed to calm his nerves.
Ino flashed a quick glance between the deeply blushing Hinata (her head could have been replaced by a tomato and one wouldn't be able to tell a difference) and Kiba who's blush was actually a little out of place on his normally assured face. She seemed to think for a moment then decided to cut the awkward pause.
"Well, check me out!" she turned about and deftly grabbed another pair of glasses and turned about quickly, striking a pose. "Aren't I the mirror image of Akari Haruna?"
Mitsu laughed. "If you look like Akari then I'm that one guy singer, what's-his-face, hyde!"
"Yeah right, you wish you had his looks!" Ino sneered and stuck her tongue out.
"No? Well..." He went around the rack to grab a pair of glasses of his own. "How about this?" He had pulled his hair away from his face and was wearing dark, rectangular sunglasses. He struck what he considered a manly pose. "I bet I look even better than Kyoue Yamagata!"
Ino gasped. "Kyoue is like, my fave actor!"
"Are you serious? He's just a pretty face! He can barely act his age much less in a movie." Mitsu responded.
Hinata watched the two argue a little and by now was done blushing. She giggled lightly. Mitsu and Ino got along quite well. She couldn't understand why Ino would still like Sasuke so much when she seemed to have such a close friend right here.
"Um, Hinata?"
"Wah!" Hinata jumped and grabbed at her heart that nearly broke through her rib cage.
"Oh, sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" Kiba rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly. "I was, I mean, I just, well..." he smiled peacefully and sighed as though he had just comes to terms with himself. "I just want you to know I really do think you look nice today if what I said earlier didn't come out quite right."
Hinata smiled back sweetly, suppressing her heart that was beating too fast for it's own good. "Oh, uh, thank you very much!" She turned away abruptly after and her eyes widened. She felt her face burn and tried to collect herself. For some reason she was almost, well the closest term would be, scared of what Kiba would say. Then when he told her she looked nice her heart pounded insanely and she felt as though not enough blood was going into her head.
Then her heart ached a little. She quickly suppressed the thought that followed.
I wish Kiba was Naruto right about now...
No! That was... that was almost rude to think that. Hinata shook herself. She quickly shivered and rubbed the goose bumps that ran over her arms under her sleeves as another thought hit her.
She could hear that sly voice sneer and hold hints of a snicker.
Or maybe you wish it was Shino. Why don't you make up your mind about whom you like? You're so promiscuous, Hinata. Next you'll have a crush on Mitsu, 'cause I bet you already have one on Ki-
Hinata shook herself again. That angry voice scared her and now wasn't the time to let it get to her. To distract herself, she pulled out her small wallet from her small side satchel and rifled through it looking for some ryo to pay for the sunglasses.
"Oh no." Ino appeared over Hinata's shoulder. "Don't you think it would be more polite if the boys paid for us?" she spoke slyly and glanced over to Kiba and Mitsu who were comparing sunglasses together.
"I heard that!" Mitsuo interjected. "Pay for yerself, Ino!"
"Hey, why don't you be a gentleman and pay for me anyway?" Ino sneered.
"Cause gentlemen only serve ladies and you are so not a lady!" Mitsu stuck his tongue out and wagged it.
Ino abruptly stuck her tongue out as well and pulled down one eyelid with a finger. "Yeah, well you're no gentleman anyways!"
"Um... I-I can pay for myself... it's okay..." Hinata managed to squeak out.
Kiba sidled up to the short girl's side. "Come on, Hinata let's go pay for our sunglasses at the counter. I think Ino and Mitsuo are busy." Hinata nodded and smiled weakly. She really would have felt bad if someone had paid for her. She shifted through her wallet once more and finely found eight hundred ryo, a couple of the bills were a little battered and looked as though they had seen better days.
Paying for their sunglasses they head back to the where Ino Mitsuo were still fighting. By now Ino had Mitsu in a headlock and Mitsuo had positioned a foot behind Ino's leg, ready to topple her.
"Uh... guys...?"
Kiba cut off Hinata's quiet words and interjected in a way that almost made him sound like Iruka-sensei. "Stop flirting and let's get a move on!"
Ino and Mitsuo similarly blushed and separated.
"I thought that would work." Kiba snickered to Hinata as Akamaru whined as though he too wanted a move on. Kiba down turned his face to the little fuzz ball and set something over his face. "Check it out. I got Akamaru here some glasses too!"
Hinata giggled and Mitsuo laughed as Ino bent to pet Akamaru. Kiba then turned to the rest and set his sunglasses on. "Well, you guys ready? I was thinking about hitting a theater to see that new horror, Hira Hira Choucho."
Hinata felt a little startled seeing Kiba's glasses glinting in the light. They were the same as the kind Shino wore. She turned her head away ashamed. She still felt really bad about quitting all of a sudden -the look on the manager's face kind of hurt- she felt like she let the manager down. Especially Shino. She felt so bad about that.
She couldn't figure out why it hurt so much. It was weird. When she told him she was quitting, all he had said was "Hm." and then turned about to start work. He didn't even turn back to see if she was still there or if she left. At school it was the same old indifference as before but... She remembers shedding a few tears at home after she had quit but when Hanabi had caught her sniffling, she stopped. Hanabi just stared uncomfortably for a second then walked away with red on her face, obviously not wanting to be rude for once.
Shino's coldness, his indifference, had hurt so much.
But you deserve it for letting him down.
"... I don't think Hinata will want to see a crummy horror movie! Why don't we see that new romance, Hibiscus Bloom?" Ino whined.
"Gross! That's a girly movie. I say that action packed movie, Ninja and Samurai 2: Bloody Vengeance. The last movie was sooooo cool!" Mitsuo perked in.
"Hira Hira!"
"Hibiscus Bloom!"
"NS2!"
"Enough!" Kiba finally burst. He turned to Hinata, is glasses had fallen further down the bridge of his nose and he looked over them at Hinata. "Why don't we let Hinata pick? After all, we did kinda drag her from school before getting her permission." He gave Ino and Mitsuo a scalding look -even though he supported Ino's idea to drag Hinata along- as Ino and Mitsuo simultaneously blushed.
"Er... Well, I couldn't! I-I-I!" she stammered embarrassedly.
"We insist." Ino smiled placidly.
Hinata glanced between her friends embarrassedly. "Well, um... I have been looking forward to the foreign film, Eden Earth. I heard it was a really good sci fi from the western world. I don't remember what country exactly..."
"Done." Mitsu smiled. "Sounds good to me."
The others agreed unanimously.
"Well, what'aya waiting for? Let's go!" Kiba barked out happily as Akamaru woofed in agreement.
Next Chapter: Hinata and her friends head to the movie where Hinata sees some things that open her eyes a little to her own life. What could this movie possibly teach her, and when am I going to tell you whom she was with in the beginning of the chapter? You'll just have to wait and find out next time
I'm in radio and broadcasting and we're doing radio plays so I suddenly got into the habit of putting those, "and next week we have" all of a sudden. By the way, sorry if this chapter isn't up to par with my last chapters but I think the next two or three should sum up this certain "story arc" I suppose it could be called
Shizuru speaks: Well how did you feel about the opening? I'm not telling who it is until the next chapter so if you're real curious you'll have to stick around. Also, I want a chance to apologize for not writing in a while. I've been kind of stressed because of the whole, "I'm graduating next year, ohmigod, what if I don't walk!" kind of phobia has struck and paralyzed me for a while. It is a kind of stupid fear though, now that I've had time to reflect. I do love receiving your reviews and knowing that you're loyal enough to stick through me with this story. (cries) You guys are so great! As long as I keep getting your support I'll keep trying to write more and more for this! I'm still not certain whether or not to have her without her glasses before the end of the year so it goes with the Naruto series or to have her wear them even later on. Maybe she could still have them or something.
Special Note To My Readers!!!
I would like it very much if all of you could give me suggestions for later chapters of Hinata's Glasses. The main reason why it takes so long to update is lack of ideas, so please, let your brain juices flow and pass along some ideas I can morph into a chapter! Be assured I will dedicate that chapter to you, so you can see that you have a special chapter for yourself I'll look forward to your support!
