Koishii (Beloved) Part IV
By: Rylolynn
This is the sequel to Shadow of Hinata continuing after Shino and Hinata's first kiss. Hinata and Shino share an empathic bond that is tied to their feelings for each other. (If the premise sounds familiar it is loosely based on Imzadi.) Warning: lovey dovey fluff, prolly a little angsty too.
I am taking on the same Chuunin exams format from the anime (starting from episode 24.) Part I written exam (cheating/information gathering), Part II forest of death (survival), and one-on-one combat (fighting). I probably won't get into too much detail about the exam parts mostly focusing on the characters (hope you're not too disappointed about that)
A/N: Imzadi belongs to Peter David, Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
Koishii (Beloved/yearned for)
Shitawashii (beloved/dear)
The soft scratching of pen to paper filled the tense exam room.
"NUMBER 12 YOU'RE OUT!" A gray-clad examer shouted.
"NUMBER 7 YOU'RE OUT!" Announced another Chuunin exam proctor.
The two disqualified teams walked silently out the door while the remaining teams continued their written exams.
Hinata smiled softly as she tried to suppress the blush that was threatening to stain her pale cheeks as she heard Shino's voice in her mind.
"Shino!" Hinata gasped silently in reply. Hyuuga Hinata and Abarame Shino were able to share their thoughts without the need of spoken words. The Hyuuga heiress was very used to the quiet, stoic bug user that was her teammate. The not-so-quiet and not-so-stoic teen that was inside her seemingly quiet, stoic teammate was someone Hinata was still getting to know. He was someone that could fill her silences, make her smile, make her blush. He was the one that she loved.
"You look very cute too…in your new jacket and coat. But could you stop talking about me. I still need the answer to number eight—And I am NOT concentrating that hard!" The raven haired kunoichi traced the outline of Shino's hooded figure. He was sitting in the third row of tables. The same seat she had the first time she had taken the exam. Now sitting near the back of the exam room she could see everyone perfectly. There wasn't anyone in the blind spot of her nearly 360 degree vision. The unique abilities that Shino, Kiba and she possessed made them the perfect cell for reconnaissance missions.
"Yes, team eight is definitely suited for "information gathering." Hinata thought to herself.
Hinata was a little ashamed at herself for feeling a little smug. She was doing all the "information gathering" this time around. The foreign feeling of confidence filled her as she passed the answers to Shino and Akamaru.
During the previous test Akamaru fit on top of Kiba's head, but this time he had grown too large to perch on Kiba's mane and opted to sit in a seat next to him. The ninja-dog complained that he was unable see all the test answers from his current vantage point. Sensing the growing ninja-dog's concern, Hinata was able to supply Akamaru the answers to pass to Kiba. Akamaru never let on that he was being fed the answers from their kunoichi teammate, keeping it secret that he and Hinata could "talk" to each other like he could with Kiba.
Hinata waited patiently for the planted examinee to fill out question number eight. She found herself tracing the outline of Shino's form again…and then trained her pale eyes on the seat that was next to him.
"Naruto sat there…he was so nervous, I even offered to show him my answers, and he refused…" The memory ran across Hinata's mind as her thin brows wrinkled into a small furrow.
"Koishii, I'm sorry…I…I…was just thinking about how I was sitting in the same spot as you were and…and…"
"Hinata your private thoughts are your private thoughts. You know I only listen to the things that you say to me and not to yourself." Shino replied honestly.
He was able to sense a slight worry as Hinata tried to make her small confession. A slight tinge of guilt washed over him as he thought about her privacy. He was ashamed to admit that he had secretly watched her from the moment he met her. Her shy mannerisms, the way she had tried so hard, her beauty…he had watched her from afar thinking that was the only way he would ever be able to know her. That they would never share what his heart had wanted.
He knew then that she felt lost and lonely. It was a feeling he knew all to well. And he knew that she would pass furtive glances at the number-one-hyper-active-knuckle-headed-ninja. He hated the way that she looked at Naruto, in the shadows watching him and admiring him, wanting to be with him; and yet he knew he was guilty of doing the same thing with Hinata. Watching her and loving her without her knowledge.
Her confession was unnecessary because he had already known that she had offered her test paper for Naruto to see.
"I love you." Hinata's voice interrupted Shino's thoughts. It was a sound he loved to hear. Strong, confident, a voice that only he could hear.
"I love you too Shitawashi, you look so cute when you worry, well you look cute all the time, and lets not forget to mention beautiful as well."
Hinata could not suppress the blush that flushed her cheeks.
"Shino! Stop, we should be focusing on the test." The blushing kunoichi enjoyed the candid Shino only she was privy to. He was so much more… talkative. She had already known that he had a sense of humor but to actually hear Shino's "inside jokes", was hilarious. Kiba was beginning to questions Hinata's new found habit of laughing to herself for seemingly no reason at all.
A loud sigh echoed in the tense exam room. Hinata did not have to look up to know that it was Shikamaru. He had already been an exam proctor when her cousin had retaken the Chuunin exams. From what she had heard he was very good at detecting cheaters. He was an underachieving, genius after all.
Shikamaru had a bored expression on his face as he was gazing out the window staring at the clouds.
"Number 25…you're out." Shikamaru said lazily carrying none of the enthusiasm the other proctors would have when shouting out disqualified teams. His eyes trailed over to the now crimson Hyuuga heir.
The opal eyed kunoichi who belonged to the oldest and most powerful clans of Kohona seemed embarrassed. Shikamaru dug his hands further into his pockets as he contemplated the blushing kunoichi.
"Nervous, stressed, maybe over-confident…these are the expressions you expect to see of those taking the test. Relaxed, calm…embarrassed, were not the countenance of a person taking this particular part of the Chuunin exam." Shikamaru contemplated.
In the half hour that has passed shinobi number 24 (Aburame Shino), number 49 (Inzuka Kiba) and number 7 (Hyuuga Hinata) were producing answers at almost the same rate as the planted examinee. In succession Hinata would write down her answer followed by Shino and Kiba. They were about to finish as a team in record time. Yet he could not see any method of communication between the teammates.
"There were no insects flying in the room that would belong to a bug user that an Aburame would use. The Inzuka's ninja-dog had his head resting on the table looking like he was about to fall asleep—(Ahhh sleep how I would enjoy a nap right now.)" Shikamaru brought his hand to the back of his head for a light scratch.
"Troublesome" breathed Shikamaru as he glanced down at his clipboard. Not a single mark for examinees 24, 29, or 7. Forty-five minutes had passed since the start of the test when the newest Chuunin examiner noticed Hinata, then Shino and Kiba place their pens down waiting for question number 10. He was sure it beat some testing record. Even Hinata's cousin Neji's team did not finish the test with that swiftly or without any marks for cheating.
"Time is over." Morino Ibiki voice echoed in the room. "The final task is at hand." A smile broke Ibiki's scared face. "It is a simple one involving Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. In the next room I and several of my shadow clones will await your exam papers. Those who hand in their exams to the shadow clones will not pass."
After a small pause Ibiki spoke again, "If one of your teammates does not pass; the entire team does not pass and will not be allowed to re-examin. If you wish to give up now please leave."
Several teams exited the door not wanting to be excluded from retaking the exams.
Ibiki headed off towards the northern exit and several pops of smoke produced five exact replicas of the Jounin examiner. Several small gasps could be heard as the shadow clones were seemingly indistinguishable from the original Ibiki. And with the presence of the six identical Morino Ibikis, several more teams excused themselves from the exam room.
A line formed at the northern exit and one by one the genin handed in their exam papers.
"Yes I feel it to; Ibiki is not in that room. He is here." Hinata glanced over at Shino who did not rise from his seat.
"Wait Akamaru, stop Kiba Ibiki is here." Hinata called out to the ninja-dog. Who stopped Kiba from joining the line. Both Kiba and Akamaru shared a confused expression.
"Genjutsu." Hinata and Shino thought. The illusionary technique did not fool the Shino's kikai, while Hinata had superior chakra control due to her kekkei genkai and was not manipulated by the technique.
"Arf!" Akamaru barked in understanding. Kiba scratched his head at his canine companion.
"How did you know that?" Was all the Kiba mangaged to say to his furry friend.
Hinata's Byakugan was activated as she walked over to Genma, who was sitting in a corner chewing a long grass reed and handed him her exam. Shino followed her lead while a confused Kiba followed suit.
Genma arched a brow at the kunoichi and asked "Are you sure you don't want to hand this to Ibiki. Do you want to forfeit your right to take the Chuunin exams? Do you want to fail?"
"I am giving my exam to Ibiki. And I am not forfeiting my right." Hinata replied simply taking her exam as well as Shino's and Kiba's and handed them to Genma.
"Damn Hinata…" Kiba barked in shock as "Genma" became Ibiki.
A large smile cracked the tan and scarred skin of Ibiki. "Well, I didn't think I would be found this fast."
There was a small crowd that remained in the exam room. They had obviously known that genjutsu was involved but had not realized the true identity of Ibiki.
The Chuunin examiner raised an eyebrow towards the remaining ninja with interest. "All those that remain…You pass to the next part of the exam." Ibiki glanced at Hinata briefly.
"…thanks to her…. I must be getting soft letting the others pass too."
Hinata's eyes widened with shock. She had never before been able to read another persons intent other then with Shino or her ninja-dog teammate Akamaru.
"All right it's the Forest of Death next!!! We're gonna finally get some recognition for our SKILLS!!!" Kiba yelled.
Hinata's eyes narrowed in slight embarrassment (although she wasn't surprised at her dog-like teammate) when she could finally feel her previous shock waning.
"Ummm….Kiba…" Hinata glanced furtively at the several remaining shinobi that had not yet left to meet with Anko.
"He's going to get us singled out in the next part of the exam." Shino sighed.
Hinata did not need her Hyuuga abilities or her connection with Shino to know what he was thinking. She herself let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"Hyuuga Hinata….Chuunin" a glint of something that rarely shone in Hinata's unique eyes, that strange and incredible and unexpected feeling of confidence and hopefulness that was so unfamiliar to the shy and self deprecating kunoichi.
A/n: Beware of run on sentences mwahahaha
Inspired by manga 354 I continue my story (giggles to self) Kiba looked so hot in the last page! Kinda like Gambit, my very first crush. (Kami I'm such a nerd!) I really missed Team 8.
If you liked it please review, an invisible stuffed Kikai is in it for you! Soft cute and cuddly! A bed bug you'd want in your bed!!!! I know your reading this story, so please encourage me, and I'll give you a new chapter.