Going home that night wasn't the first thing on Naruto's to do list. Without Hinata there, it would be one lonely place, and he was pretty sure that she had picked up Emi.
He went to the bridal shop, where he too smiled at the prices, to pick up his black tux.
'Now what?' Naruto thought as he stood in the middle of town. Just then his stomach started to rumble. 'Dinner.'
He started to head to Ichiraku, tux flung over his right shoulder. He was about half way there when he came across Neji. The first thing that popped into his mind was to run. He was sure Hinata's father had told Neji about the market incident.
Naruto started to when Neji grabbed his left shoulder. This made Naruto jump.
'I'm gunna die the night before my wedding.' A look of terror crossed his face. Naruto slowly turned his head toward Neji, regretting taking this route. When his eyes matched Neji's, he wore no murderous intent, nor was he smiling. He just wore the annoyed face he always did.
"May I join you?" Neji asked, assuming since Naruto was headed in the general direction of his favorite bar. From what Naruto could tell Neji wouldn't take no for an answer. So Naruto agreed and they were off to Ichiraku.
Neither talked on the walk over. Naruto was just curious as to why Neji wanted to accompany him. Thoughts consumed his mind, 'is this my last meal? What does he want? Did Hinata's father tell him? Could he possibly know about Hanabi and Sasuke? Does he know about tomorrow?' Naruto looked at the tux he had carried this whole time, 'Why hasn't he asked me about you? Why am I talking to a tux?'
"Hey, wake up, we're here," They went inside to find Iruka sitting at one of the barstools.
Iruka turned around and smiled at Naruto. "I heard there is going to be a wedding tomorrow."
Neji gave Naruto a slight smile of confusion then acknowledged the fact that he knew; "I heard that too. Tenten told me and since gossip is common among girls, I had to confirm the rumor myself." He casually walked over and sat on the barstool on Iruka's left. Naruto followed suit and took the barstool to his right.
"So Iruka, where did you hear this information from?" Naruto raised an eyebrow at him.
"Kakashi told me,"
"And he was told by…" Naruto motioned for him to continue.
"I'll give you one guess."
Across town Sakura was rounding up anyone and everyone that she found on her search for the two other girls in town. For now though, her main focus was to find Ino.
"I've searched everywhere, where could she possibly be?" Sakura thought as she continued her investigation.
Back at Naruto's house, Five hours had passed since they had agreed to baby sit little Emi. She had started to cry about an hour ago and just wouldn't seem to shut up.
"How are we supposed to raise a child if we can't even make this troublesome one stop crying?" Shikamaru asked his wife as she paced back and forth in front of him.
"We must have missed something. We fed her, changed her diaper, played with her, she has her pacifier, what else could she possible need?" Ino asked her husband while she went to sit next to him on the couch. She sat there and contemplated this for a while.
"OH! Maybe she needs to be burped again," She observed as if it were so obvious. She gently placed Emi on her should and lightly tapped her on the back. Emi let out a small burp and returned to her normally whiney mood.
"Well, that didn't work…" Shikamaru obnoxiously pointed out.
"I don't see you coming up with any bright ideas, Mr. Know- it-all." She stuck her tongue out at him.
"When was the last time she slept?" He smiled at her. She looked as if a light bulb just came on in her head, she went to the bedroom and placed Emi in her crib. Then she returned to the living room in dead silence.
"Ok fine, you win happy?" She slowly settled in next to Shikamaru. He wrapped his arm around her and smiled "Very" then gave her a small kiss. She placed her head on his shoulders, and snuggled closer to him. He put his head back on the couch, which eventually made him fall asleep. She smiled and picked up a book that was lying on the coffee table in front of where they sat.
Sakura thought that perhaps Naruto might have returned home by now. He might know where Ino was, or at least ask him the last time he saw Shikamaru with her. They had been inseparable for the last couple months. Shikamaru was eager to become a father and with Ino being in the last couple months of her pregnancy, he didn't want to miss a second.
Stopping at the front door, Sakura burst through it. She was so excited, she wanted in and out as quickly as possible. When it flung open however, a surprisingly shocked looked crossed her face. There sat Shikamaru and Ino, his arm around her shoulders and her head against his. Shikamaru was fast asleep as Ino held a sleeping Emi in her arms and hummed.
However, once she heard the door fly open, Ino's eye sight averted from Emi to the thunderous clambering her best friend and rival made as she kicked the door open and stood before her with the silliest expression.
"There you are Pig!" Sakura pointed to her. Thinking she had done something wrong Ino's face grew a look of terror.
"What do you want Billboard brow?" She got up to a fighter's stance.
"The couple whose child you're holding are getting married tomorrow!" Sakura exclaimed.
Her best friend's eyes widened while a huge smiled formed, she got in Sakura's face and asked, "Where is Hinata now? I'm sure she'd love to see this little one" Ino looked down at Emi, Then back up at Sakura, a devious air about her. "And while we delivery this little bundle of joy," She used the cutesy baby voice. " We nail her with questions."
She concluded.
Sakura pondered this a while, then replied "Sounds like a plan to me. But before we do, I told Hinata I would throw her a bachelorette party." Sakura remarked with her eyes closed and pointed her finger in the air. Then opened one eye conspicuously and continued "and was wondering if you wanted to help?" Already knowing the answer to the question she presented to her friend she took Emi from her as Ino shouted, "Alright tonight is gunna rock!" She proceeded to dance around the room and make tons of noise by humming and talking aloud. This woke her husband up.
"Troublesome women what's with all the noise?" he yawned out while stretching.
"You can leave now, we are going to take Emi to Hinata," Ino told her husband as Sakura placed Emi in her carrier.
"I am to lazy to move, I'm sure Naruto won't mind if I stay here till he gets back" Shikamaru yawned again and laid his head back down. The girls rushed out of the house to start their search for party and ideas and décor.
All he wanted to do now was go home. He didn't want to be pegged with and more frivolous questions. Neji and Iruka were getting on his last nerve. Finally, he had finished his ramen and kindly addressed them. "I'm sorry I have to cut this party short, but I should be getting ready for tomorrow." He waved them goodbye and scurried home.
However, when he got there, boy was he surprised. He opened the door and there stood Neji, a tux flung over his shoulder.
"You shouldn't be in such a hurry that you forget to pick up your things." Neji stated as he handed Naruto the tux. The Neji turned to reveal the rest of the Konoha boys.
"Guys, what are you all doing in my house? Maybe I should have locked my door before I left." He rubbed his chin in thought.
"Well, we heard it through the grapevine that you were getting married tomorrow" Lee gave him the nice guy pose.
'Wonder who told you, big mouth Sakura' Naruto thought with a depressed look on his face.
"Yeah, but I bumped into Hinata at the bridal shop in her wedding dress wait till you see her in it." Kiba nudged him.
"No fair, but how did you know where she was?" A look of curiosity on his face as he asked Kiba the question, knowing full well he still liked her.
"Well, I um… you see…" Kiba started to turn red. He stuck is hands in his pockets looked at the ground then cleared his throat and continued, "Well, I figured since your wedding is tomorrow she wasn't going to get married in one of the dresses she already owns, which is to say, she doesn't own any really." He scratched his face as he spoke.
"Tenten also told me they were having a party for Hinata, she bumped into Sakura and Ino with a bunch a decorations and asked them what they were for. I figured since all the girls in town will be over there we might as well be here."
"Yeah, guys night, and seeing how its Naruto's last night as a single man." Konohamaru popped out from behind the couch. Knowing the hands signs he started to make full well, Shikamaru grabbed his them to stop him.
"Don't you think you are getting too old to do those stupid perverted jutsus?" He turned his head toward Konohamaru.
"Oh, come on, isn't that what your supposed to do at these things?" He asked Shikamaru. The older boys all rolled their eyes. Most had a girlfriend or wife and knew if one caught them, word would spread and they wouldn't live to see the light of day ever again.
The boys didn't have much to do, so Naruto suggested they leave the house. There wouldn't be any girls in town tonight and they could rule it for a night, and seeing as how it was his last free night the first place they filled was Ichiraku, who says you can't have ramen more then once a day?
While the boys roamed the town that night, doing who knows what, the girls sat around and gossiped. Two had babies and one was pregnant. They couldn't really blast music, and since Ino had already broken her dance limit at Naruto's house earlier that day sitting around a coffee table full of snacks and chitchatting was just as good.
"So you finally got your wish Hinata, no offense or anything, its just I didn't think you would." Ino snobbishly stated. To which, Sakura backhanded her.
"Ow, Billboard brow I thought you'd be the one with him."
Sakura glared at her rival. "Why is everyone telling me that recently?" She pondered, annoyed people actually thought the two of them belong together.
"Umm… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to break you two up" Hinata blushed as she spoke to what looked like the floor.
"No, Hinata, you didn't break them up, if anyone broke anyone its Hanabi" Ino continued her snob act.
"Ino, shut up! That was way out of line." Sakura really got her good this time, but not hard enough to hurt the baby she carried. After all it wasn't the kid's fault its mother was so stuck up.
"And while we talk about odd couples, why not talk about the father of your child shall we?" Sakura evilly glared at Ino. She started to blush and turned away from Sakura.
"Yeah, well, you all know my story, why go over it again?" She quickly tried to change the subject.
"But, I am glad your wish came true Hinata, you and Naruto look way cute then Billboard brow with anyone" Ino winked at her.
"Speaking of anyone, Sakura what's with you and Lee?" Tenten finally spoke up.
"He babbles a lot about your "hang out times" while we train."
Sakura's back quickly straightened up. She started to blush and rub the back of her head.
"Well, I guess we are just good friends at the moment," She slowly looked down into the drink she held. Her reflection showed her she wanted more, but her conscious for some reason wouldn't allow it. She tipped her drink back so she no longer saw her pitiful expression.
"But, I guess since you're they only one not drilled tonight we need to pry into yours and Neji's love life as well? We all know you have been dating for a while now, so…?" Sakura motioned for her to finish the sentence.
"So, I don't know were we are at this point, I really like him but you all know how guys are, and Hinata should know how hard Neji is to read. Well, anyway, from my viewpoint, I think he should ask me to marry him. But then again, that's his decision. So there you have it. I told you the truth, the first one tonight to finish their relationship status." Sakura and Ino blushed as they looked the floor.
Tenten looked over at the two sisters. "So you two really haven't had a chance to say anything tonight. Hinata are you nervous about tomorrow?" Sakura and Ino's perverted little light bulbs turned on and they gave Hinata very scary smiles. Once she realized why they were, she turned bright red.
"Oh no!" She thought. How could she maintain consciousness during that? The more she thought about it the redder she got. The other girls watched in amazement as Hinata thought about this. Hanabi put her hand on Hinata's shoulder.
Hinata slowly turned her head toward her sister, and then Hiroshi started to cry. This made Hinata realize that Hanabi had already done it and this made her even redder, if that was even possible.
"Hinata, calm down, geeze, you should go look in a mirror." Ino laughed teary eyed.
"I-I-I-I'm I-I can't do it, I'm going to pass out tomorrow." The girls now all got quiet and serious. They knew she probably couldn't. But none of them could do anything for her.
"Hinata," Hanabi pulled Hinata's shoulder toward her. Hinata looked at her still, still red in the face.
Then another light bulb popped into Ino's head, "Wait, never mind, Hinata why are you so red it can't be because of your wedding night, you have Emi."
Ino was apparently the only one who hadn't figured it out or hadn't found out yet. They all gave a look of confusion.
"Ino, are you serious?" Hanabi spoke up. The other girls looked at her, why was she the only one to speak up.
"Hinata is still a virgin, Emi is Hiroshi's twin." She continued.
Ino's face turned red from embarrassment. And Hinata's too, for her sister just blurting it out like that. She started to push her fingers together like she used to a long time ago and looked away from the others.
"Hinata, you shouldn't feel bad, look, I'm nervous about it too. I am still a virgin, but I know one day you'll get over your fears. Plus I'm pretty sure once you two are alone things will just flow right along, no problem." Sakura attempted to encourage her. However, Hinata's face was still red and she still pushed her fingers together.
"Some bachlorette party this turned out to be" Ino slurped down another soda.
"Ok, since you are so experienced in that area you tell us, you owe us at least that much." Sakura determinably looked at Ino for support.
"Alright," She rolled her eyes and told her story. This only made the situation worse, the more details she described the more concerned Hinata grew. To make matters worse, since the boys had nothing else to do, they decided to spy on the girls. Once the guys heard the girls were talking about their first time they started laughing outside the window.
Tenten put her finger to her lips and motioned the girls to follow them. Ino, Sakura and Hanabi followed her, Hinata was still too dazed to move from her spot. Seeing as how the guys could still see Hinata they assumed the other girls were with her.
"Ahem" Sakura coughed while tapping her foot with her arms crossed. All the boy's spines had a chill sent down them and a cold sweat formed on their faces. The girls grabbed Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba and Lee. Shino and Konohamaru managed to escape their grasps. They were thrown inside the house, and coincidentally Naruto's head managed to land right in Hinata's lap. He looked up and smiled at her "Hi, Hinata" Her face turned beat red. She screamed, threw him off her lap and ran to the bedroom that Sakura had given her for the night.
Naruto got up and started to rub his head. "What's wrong with her?" He looked over to Ino and Shikamaru. "You two are the ones who should be embarrassed, Ino talking about your love life like that and all." Neither seemed to care though.
"Hmph" Naruto crossed his arms and sat on the floor.
"Aren't you going to go see what's wrong with her?" Kiba questioned him.
"Uh, I'm not sure it's a good idea for anyone to ask her that." Sakura fake smiled.
All the couples sat together in the room while Kiba and Naruto sat there glaring at each other. Neither wanted to bug Hinata if she was that upset but at the same time, both wanted to be the first to comfort her if it was serious.
The girls all got up after about an hour and went to Hinata's room. Naruto and Kiba were both on their tails.
Naruto glared at Kiba, "Why are you even here? You're the only one without a girl, at least the other guys have a valid excuse. What's yours?"
Kiba snarled at him, "Look, I understand Hinata belongs to you but we are still friends, and don't you forget it. Plus, if you're such a great guy why did she throw you half way across the room earlier?"
The girls in front of them started to giggle. They stopped glaring at each other and looked dazed at the girl's backs.
"Hey, why are you guys laughing at us?" They stopped at Hinata's door, turned around and the four girls crossed their arms at the two boys.
"Look, this as far as EITHER of you go till Hinata says either wise, got it?" They glared at Naruto and Kiba. They nodded and Hanabi knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" Hinata cried through the door.
"Hanabi, may I come in? The other girls are here as well as Naruto and Kiba." She replied to her sister's call.
"All may enter, except Naruto," Kiba turned around and flashed a huge smile at Naruto, not knowing what he was about to get himself into. They open the door and all of them entered, Naruto waved at her from the door, but her face turned red and she buried her head in her pillow.
He slowly lowered his head down and continued to the room with the other guys. They were bugging Shikamaru on how well they had timed their snooping. Right when Ino was talking about their first time. Annoyed by their continuation of this story, he placed his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes.
"Naruto, where is Kiba?" Lee asked the lonely orange ninja as he drudged out from behind the corner.
Naruto fall into a big chair that was in Sakura's living room and responded "He is with the other girls, apparently Hinata thinks of him as one. No wonder they are best friends." The other guys gave out a slight chuckle to Kiba being with the other girls, and reminded each other that during the next girls/guys only training day they would bug him about it.
Hinata sat up on her bed, the redness slowly flushing away from her face.
"Are you alright? You don't look to good Hinata," Kiba suggested. She smiled at him and nodded.
"I'm alright, its just…" Her face slowly started turning red again. She'd never get over this till it happened, but at that moment she'd pass out.
"Hinata," Kiba's eyes grew really wide. The other girls just giggled.
"Seriously, its not that bad, just remember that you love him, and you want to make him happy right? I'm sure if you stick to that, and your ninja way you'll be fine." Tenten commented. Hinata looked up at her in astonishment, for the first time that night someone had made her realize the truth, and how she could overcome her fears and desires. She hugged Tenten.
"Thank you, that really helped a lot. Sometimes its good to have an older girl around."
"I still have no clue what's going on" Kiba scratched his head.
"You obviously weren't paying attention to my story" Ino remarked then bit into an apple. A long moment of silence for Kiba to put two and two together and
"OH MY! you guys were talking about tomorrow weren't you?" He turned red at that thought, but he put himself in the scenario. However, they never found this out. His face turned red as the girls deserted him for their guys.
Still a little overwhelmed after seeing Naruto, she sucked it up and continued toward him.
"Hinata, are you ok? Can we still get married tomorrow?" at those words the girls turned toward Hinata to make sure she wouldn't pass out. Surprisingly all that was there was a light pink blush. She nodded.
"Yippee, I'm so happy, I thought for a minute you were sick or something." He picked her up and twirled her around.
He placed her back on the ground and she wrapped her arms around his waist, "No, I'm ready for tomorrow, now all I need is sleep. Cause I might not get any tomorrow." She winked at him. Everyone's mouth opened wide. Neji was about to call the whole thing off, then Tenten took him by the hand and felt it was necessary to do it herself.
"Um, Neji, we've been dating along time and well…" He stopped her, he figured this is what she wanted, and since wedding bells were a common theme in Konoha recently, he pulled out a diamond ring. Got down on one knee and purposed.
She was ecstatic, she jumped up and wrapped her arms around Neji's neck. Neji leaned in and gave a small kiss, but she dragged it out longer.
Sakura looked around the room at all the couples, and Hanabi with her precious baby.
'Why am I the only without a somebody?' She thought to herself. Just then Lee came up behind her. But instead of his usual green jumpsuit, he wore a green T-shirt and black pants. In his hands were bright pink and white roses.
"Everyone is growing up, they are all realizing who they are and what they want to be. All of our friends are married or getting there, yet we have no one. Part of growing up is changing, so what do you think of my new look?"
Sakura giggled and grabbed Lee by his shirt. She pulled his face really close to her
"Saku…" then before he could finish she kissed him.
"I love your new look," She whispered, and kissed him again.
"Naruto, look, I'm so happy everyone has someone that cares about them." He smiled at her lightly.
"And I'm glad I've always had someone who cared about me." She turned to look him in the face with the light pink blush.
" Promise me something," he whispered as he pushed his forehead against hers.
"What"
"Promise me you'll keep that light pink blush till the day I die. Every time you think of something sweet, or cute, or when you think of me." The blush got a little darker.
"I promise, only for you." He slowly moved his lips towards hers and gave her a passionate kiss, one that flew her to the moon and back, with fireworks going off all around the rocket.
"Um, guys sorry to break up the love fest but we do have a wedding tomorrow. " Hanabi calmly pointed out.
Their lips unlocked, making them long for more, she slowly inched her way back toward his but he placed his finger on her lips.
"We can continue this tomorrow." He whispered in her ear. He then walked out of the room without another word spoken. As soon as all the guys cleared out of the house, Hinata passed out.
The other girls laughed, picked her up and placed her in her bed. Then Hanabi went back to the hospital for one last check up on Hiroshi and to stay there for Sasuke.
"Well, at least she past out afterwards, hopefully tomorrow, if she does pass out, after would also be good." The girls continued to giggle as they cleaned up the party mess.
"That wasn't exactly what I had in mind for tonight, but all in all I'm glad the guys came over." Sakura observed.
"Yeah, I'd say so." Tenten said as she held her diamond up to the light and watched it sparkle.
"Well, I'm off to bed, you guys can chill here tonight if you'd like" Sakura suggested to Ino and Tenten as she dusted herself off.
"I'll stay here, Shikamaru will just call me troublesome for coming home late and adding a watermelon to the bed."
"In that case, I'll stay too, I'm sure tomorrow you could use a boat load of help."
"Thanks guys for helping me out, tomorrow is going to be one busy day, after all, it is the wedding of the future Hokage. Good night girls see you tomorrow."
Hinata lay awake for some time, think about the following night. The root of this night was what the next one held. Her confidence level was at its peak, so why did she feel this way?
As Sakura walked passed Hinata's door she heard Hinata talking, she placed her ear against the door.
"Tomorrow, tomorrow… tomorrow…" Each time she said it, it faded out more and more.
Sakura opened the door and repeated the word with confidence "Tomorrow, Good night Hinata."
Hinata smiled and turned over on her bed. Tomorrow, she thought with great confidence, fear drained out of her mind and a light pink blush lie on her face.