Epilogue

'You're late', a certain pink-haired girl stated.

'Well, on my way I came across a cat stuck in a tree, and since I'm such an animal lover, I just had to-'

'Oh, spare me the lame excuses, please. Let's just go inside', interrupted Sakura, trying to sound annoyed. After so many years of this every time they were supposed to rendezvous somewhere, she had gotten used to it. It had been a trademark of her sensei for years, and the truth was; she now came to every team-meeting at least one half an hour later than the actual planned time, as did Naruto and Sai, so they wouldn't have to wait for Kakashi that long.

This time he was really late, though, so Sakura couldn't help but give him a friendly slap on the head before entering the bar for their planned drink.

'I'm afraid Sai couldn't make it this time, he said he had some other business to attend to.' Kakashi said as he took a seat near the window and gestured to Sakura to do the same.

'Naruto can't make it either, he…well, he's got a date', she replied.

'I see…the Hyuuga girl right? Those two seem to really hit it off lately, huh? How long has it been since they started dating?'

'About a month, and things are really going well! Or, so I've heard.'

'You don't happen to be spying on them, are you?'

'Of course not!' Sakura shouted, and she put her hands on her cheeks to prevent Kakashi from seeing the appearing blush on her face.

'Right.' Of course, Kakashi was not the person to be deceived that easily.

'Fine, I guess there are times when curiosity gets the better of me, but hey, it's not like you never spy on anyone.'

'I don't.'

'Oh sure you don't. Then I'd better not mention that time I caught you peeking in the ladies dressing room of the hot springs, especially not when I'm around Tsunade-sama…'

Touché. 'No, I guess you shouldn't.'

'Sakura-san, Kakashi-san! Having a team-meeting again? Where are Naruto-san and Sai-san?' the owner of the bar greeted his regular customers as he came towards their table.

'They couldn't make it today.' Kakashi answered.

'Oh, a pity, isn't it? Or might this be…' He covered his mouth with his hand and whispered:'…a date?'

'Whaaaaat? No! What would make you think it is!' Sakura yelled and shot up. 'Of course not!'

'Shhh, calm down Sakura, you're scaring the poor man.'

She sighed and sat down. 'Sorry…'

Kakashi ordered drinks for both of them and leaned back in his chair.

'Anyway, Naruto and Hinata huh? That's not much of a surprise actually.'

'No, not really, especially since anyone knew about Hinata having feelings for Naruto. I'm really happy for them. This sort of thing is not something that happens very often to us shinobi.'

'I agree.'

'It's just that…I didn't expect him to notice her feelings, or even to feel the same way…'

Kakashi knew her well enough to know that last remark wasn't made out of jealousy, but it couldn't hurt to tease her a little with it.

'Are we feeling jealous a bit?'

She had noticed the smirk hidden beneath his mask and knew what he was doing, but she decided to play along with it. Sometimes it were these little games that made it easier to live life the way she did.

'Of course not! I never said I was jealous of her!'

'Ah, now I got you. "Jealous of her"? So you admit you have, or had, feelings for our favourite blond?'

'No! I just said-'

'Never mind, I get it, I get it.' Kakashi said with a playful undertone.

'Don't worry! When you get lonely, there's always me. We'll just get rid of Naruto and Said and have our own private 'team-meetings'.

'Sensei?'

'Yes?'

'You've been reading too much of those perverted books of yours.'

'Ah! Naruto-kun! Welcome!' the owner of Ichiraku's said happily. 'Oh, and I see you brought your girlfriend! Hinata-san, welcome to you too! Have a seat, have a seat! What will it be today? The usual?' he asked turning to Naruto again.

'Yeah, but make it a large one for me. I've been sparring with Hinata-chan so I'm pretty hungry. You wouldn't believe how strong she is!'

Hinata blushed as her love kept bragging about her. They had been dating for a month now, one month exactly today, and she still had to get used to the fact that she was his girlfriend now. And he was her boyfriend.

'What are you smiling and blushing about, Hinata-chan? Is it something I said?'

'No, no...I…'

'Then what is it? Come on, say it, 'tebayo, you're making me curious!' the blond exclaimed

'Well, I…I guess being somebody's girlfriend is kind of new to me still.'

'Ah, I see, well don't worry about that. It'll be fine.' He said as he smiled and stroke his fingers over hers.

'Here you go! Have a nice meal!' Ayame said and put two bowls of hot, steaming ramen in front of the couple.

'Itadakimasu!' it sounded in unison.

Hinata watched her boyfriend attack his bowl with his chopsticks before she touched hers, and she knew that if there was such a thing as happiness, this was probably it.

Later that evening Hinata was laying in bed, having said, or rather kissed, goodbye to her boyfriend not long before. She couldn't catch sleep, nor stop her mind from going over all things that happened today. They had celebrated their one-month anniversary, and had spend all day together.

She still couldn't believe he was hers now, that one of her greatest wishes had actually come true.

She touched her lips. Including that goodbye kiss, he has kissed me 17 times now. She smiled inwardly for actually having counted all kisses he'd given her, short and long ones, quick and intense ones.

A glance at the alarm clock told her it was almost midnight. She sighed and stepped out of bed. Maybe a nice walk will do me some good.

A half an hour later she stood once again on top of the Hokage mountain. Without realising it, she had wandered by all places in Konoha where something big had happened. Firstly a walk through the forests, where she had made her resolution, then towards the Memorial, where she had accidentally told him, and she'd ended up climbing the stairs towards the mountaintop again, where…Well…

She warmed her cold hands on her blushing cheeks, and shivered a bit from the nocturnal cold.

Suddenly she felt something warm around her shoulders.

'Here you go.'

'Naruto?' she whispered surprised and turned her head.

'Couldn't sleep either, huh?' he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

'No…'

They were silent for a moment, watching the skies as Hinata wished for the jacket to disappear so she could feel his body warmth against her back, instead of the soft fabric of the jacket.

'Say, Hinata…'

'Yes?'

'Do you believe in fate?'

'Fate as in…people who are destined to become something?'

'For instance.'

'Well, I know you will be Hokage some day. It has to be. Do you consider that destiny?'

'Maybe, in a way. But do you think things that happen to us, like that accidental misunderstanding you had with Sakura, do you think things like that are determined beforehand by some greater power?'

'You mean like the way our clan has its foundations build on who is born in what family branch?'

'Yes?'

'Well, if it's like that, then no, I do not believe in fate. You taught Neji, and me, that there's no such thing as fate preventing us from fulfilling our dreams and reaching our goals.

I think, in a way, life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt with is determinism, the way you play it is free will. Like the way I was born in the head family and Neji in the branch is determinism, and the way we deal with it is our own free will. I don't think there is any destiny or fate that can hinder or control the true resolve of a determined soul, like yours, Naruto…'

'I love you, Hinata.'

'I love you too, Naruto.'

She nestled herself further into his embrace and placed her hands upon his as he kissed her neck.

'Let's go home', he said, 'your hands are cold.'

A/N: so that's it guys! End of story! I might do a sequel, but I don't have time for that right now. Of course I want to thank all my readers and reviewers for their support!

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For everyone who's interested in how and why I wrote this story, I wrote a big-ass review on it myself. So be my guest and follow the link on my profile. Good bye for now!