Chapter Nine

It had been three days since Sasuke's confession to Hinata and he hasn't said a word to Hinata since. She has tried talking to him but he never gives her the time or day. She sighed heavily as tossed and turned in her bed as she listened to the neighbor's door barking loudly.

"Gah! SHUT-UP!! JUST SHUT-UP ALREADY" She yelled out the window. Causing Sasuke in the next room to bolt up in his bed when he heard her yell out loud.

He growled in frustration as he grabbed the pillow and put it over his head to block out Hinata's yelling and the dog's barking.

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It was finally morning and Hinata was up and just getting ready to walk out the door when Ino came to the door. "Um…Ino-san?"

"Sasuke here?" She asked while flipping hair back. Hinata looked at Ino but before she could even say anything else Sasuke came into the room.

"Ah Ino you're here already, eh?" He smiled at her as he walked passed Hinata and towards Ino. She smiled at the raven haired male.

"Yes I am…so Hinata still live with you I see, ne?" She asked as she glanced over at the blue haired woman who frowned at this statement that Ino made.

"Uh, yeah. So come on let's get going" He said as he grabbed her hand and walked out the door leaving Hinata standing there with a deep frown on her face. But she quickly shrugged it off realizing that she had to leave soon.

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The lazy male was currently walking with the Hyuuga female he's eyes widened slightly as he looked down at Hinata.

"Hey, say, you know, we haven't even discussed Sokka's engagement yet" Shikamaru stated as he looked over at her. Sokka was an old friend of Hinata's from college and he also became good friends with Sasuke. Sokka is actually one of the only friends that Hinata has that he doesn't refer to as 'weird'. Sokka was currently engaged to be married soon to his long time girlfriend Amy.

Hinata looked over at Shikamaru and shrugged. "What's to discuss?"

"Come on! Sokka is getting married!"

"Well is he happy?"

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Sokka was out with his fiancée at the local diner as he came back from out the bathroom. "I will never understand the bathrooms in here. Why is it that the doors on the stalls do not come all the way down to the floor?

Sokka's fiancée Amy looked at Sokka and smiled slightly. "Well, maybe it's so you can see if there's someone in there

"Isn't that's why we have locks on the doors?"

"Well, as a backup system, in case the lock is broken, you can see if it's taken" She stated with a smile as she sipped her cup of tea.

Sokka snorted. "A backup system? We're designing bathroom doors with our legs exposed in anticipation of the locks are not working? That's not a system. That's a complete breakdown of the system"

Amy sighed as she glanced up at Sokka. "Can we change the subject, please?"

"Why? What's wrong with the subject? This is a bad subject?" He asked looking at her in shock.

"No, fine. If you wanna keep talking about it, we'll talk about it" She laughed slightly while looking at his expression.

"It's not that I want to keep talking about it, it's just I think that the subject should resolve itself based on its own momentum" He stated as he nodded his head.

"Well, I didn't think that it had any momentum" Amy stated as she glanced away from him as she continued sipping her tea. Sokka looked at her in shock.

"How am I gonna do this? I'm engaged to this woman? She's doesn't even like me. Change the subject. Toilets were the subject. We don't even share the same interests" Sokka thought to himself as he stared at Amy.

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"Yeah, he seems pretty happy" Shikamaru stated as he nodding his head.

"Well, that's all that counts…I guess" She sighed her tone sounding as if she really didn't care. Shikamaru raised one of his eyebrows as he looked at her.

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing"

"Well, you don't seem too enthused about the whole wedding thing"

"Well, what do you want me to do?"

"Well at least have some reaction to it"

Hinata sighed as she threw her hands up in the air. "…Well I don't" Shikamaru smirked while looking at the female. "Maybe you're a little jealous" Hinata started laughed as she looked at her best friend. "Oh, what? You think I wanna marry Sokka?"

"No! But maybe you wish it was you who was getting married…not him" The lazy male stated with a smirk.

"Oh, please! That is the last thing that I want. Besides I'm not even thinking about marriage with Naruto-kun at all"

"Oh, yeah right" Shikamaru snorted.

"Yeah right" Hinata said as she looked at him.

Shikamaru smiles as he looks down at her. "Hina!" He said in a teasing tone.

"Shika!" She mocks him as she rolls her eyes.

"You don't wanna get married?"

"Yeah that's right. I don't wanna get married"

"Oh, come on!"

"Oh you come on" She said as she continued walking with Shikamaru. Shikamaru glanced over at her as he slightly frowned.

"You're such…"

"Oh, hey!" Kiba yelled out at the two as he walked towards them. Shikamaru and Hinata glanced over at the browed haired male and smiled.

"Hey" The lazy pony-tailed male said with a lazy smile.

"Hinata, listen I was talking to a friend about that dog problem you had and he got rid of the dog. Do you realize this is gonna be on our permanent records? Are you aware of this?" Kiba asked in a slightly frightened tone.

"Oh dear" Hinata replied as if she didn't care as she looked at Shikamaru and smirked as did he.

"It can never be erased. It'll follow us wherever we go for the rest of our lives. I'll never be able to get a job. I mean, doesn't that concern you? Everything I've worked for…down the drain because of one stupid mistake. I mean, aren't we entitled to make one mistake in out lives, Shikamaru?" Kiba asked as he looked at the male who just held a smirk on his face.

"We're gonna change the system"

"Yes!" Kiba grinned as he nodded his head.

"Well, I could care less. I hope it is on our record. I'm just sorry they didn't lock me up" She said out of anger slightly still mad at what Shikamaru said about her being jealous. She then took her leave and continued walking on without Shikamaru or Kiba.

"What's with her?" Kiba asked while glancing at him.

"I don't even know…"

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Sasuke had parted from Sasuki from earlier and was with Sokka at the local diner sitting down.

"I want your honest opinion about something" Sasuke glanced up when he heard Sokka speak.

"Have I ever been less than forthright?" He asked with a smirk.

"No, you haven't. Well, maybe you have. What do I know" Sokka waved it off looking at the raven haired male.

"Yeah, I probably have. Yeah, of course I have. What am I talking about?" Sasuke asked completely lost as to what they were talking about as he looked at Sokka who stared at him blankly for a good ten seconds before talking.

"Alright. Okay, tell me what do you think about this idea, extend the doors on the toilet stalls all the way to the floor?" Sokka asked as he smile started to appear over his facial features.

"Extend the doors on the toilet stalls…door comes down. Hides your feet. Yes, I like it. I like it a lot" Sasuke reels in the idea into his head as he nods his head.

"You do?"

"Yes, I do" Sasuke stated.

"Well, I told it to Amy before and she didn't like it"

"Hmm"

"Yeah. Not only that, this is what she said to me, "Can we change the subject?" Sokka explained to him.

"See, now that I don't care for" Sasuke said as he shook his head.

"Right. I mean, we're on a subject. Why does it have to be changed?"

"It should resolve of its own volition"

"That's exactly what I said, except I used the word "momentum"" Sokka stated while grinning. Sasuke sighed.

"Momentum – same thing" He stated looked over at the brown haired male. Sokka frowned.

"Same thing…yeah I know whatever. Anyways I'm getting married in December, do you know that?"

"Yeah I know…" Sasuke grumbled before taking a sip of his water not understanding why Sokka was telling him this.

"Well, I don't see how I'm gonna make December. I mean, I need a little more time. I mean look at me…I'm a nervous wreck. My stomach aches. My neck is killing me. I can't turn. Look Look" Sokka stated as he started trying to turn his neck.

Sasuke watched him turn his neck as he sat back down his water as he sighed. "You're turning…"

"Nah, it's not a good turn. December. December. Don't you think we should have a little more time just to get to know each other a little?"

"If you need more time, you should have more time" Sasuke stated with his I don't care tone.

"What, you think I could postpone it?" Sokka asked trying to consider it.

"Sure you can. Why not?"

"That's allowed? You're allowed to postpone it?"

"I don't see why not"

"So, I could do that?"

"Sure, go ahead"

"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you what. How about this? Got the date…March 21st, the first day of spring" Sokka stated in a happy tone.

"Spring. Of course"

"Huh? You know? Spring? Rejuvenation. Rebirth? Everything's blooming. All that crap" Sokka grinned as Sasuke merely smirked.

"Beautiful…" Sasuke stated as he smirked at his friend.

"She's not gonna like it" Sokka sighed as his mood turned from happy to sad.

"No, she's not" Sasuke shook he's head already knowing from the get go she wouldn't like it.

"You know, I think I'm a little bit scared of her. She's five-three, like hundred-ten pounds. I'm frightened to death of her" Sokka confessed.

"Well, she's a woman. They don't like to be disappointed" Sasuke told Sokka as he looked at him.

"Especially her. She does not like disappointment. Well, I have to do it. I can't make it December. There's no way I can make December. Right? I mean, you can see that, right? I mean, look at me. Look. Look. Look. Can I make December? I can't make December. Right? Look. Look." Sokka asked Sasuke in a really fast tone.

Sasuke just stared at him shaking his head. Sometimes he felt for Sokka since he always something hard to deal with. "Yeah…you'd better shoot for March" Sasuke sighed.

As the two were sitting down in the diner in walks Naruto. He paused for a bit when he noticed Sasuke. He didn't know rather to go over there to sit down or not but decided to walk over there anyways.

"Hey, hey" Naruto grinned as he walked towards the booth Sasuke and Sokka were sitting in. Sokka nodded as did Sasuke. Sokka then looks back at Sasuke and smiles.

"You are a good friend. You know what? Even if you killed somebody I wouldn't turn you in" Sokka smiled.

"Is that so?" Sasuke asked in a shocked tone as he then turned towards Naruto who was looking through the menu.

"Hey, Naruto if I killed someone would you turn me in?" Sasuke asked his best friend. Naruto would always be his best friend even though he was a bit jealous of him since he happens to be dating the woman that he loves and he slightly considers him as a rival now but he told himself not to say anything to the blonde about it.

"Definitely" Naruto said quickly without giving it any thought.

"You're kidding me right?" Sasuke asked him in disbelief.

"No, no I would turn you in"

"You would turn me in?"

Sokka watched the two talked as he smirked at they're conversation.

"Yep, I wouldn't even think about it" Naruto nodded his head.

"I can't believe you're a friend of mines?" Sasuke said in a taken back tone.

"What kind of person are you going around killing people?" Naruto then asked as he put the menu down.

"Well, I am sure I had a good reason" Sasuke said.

"Well, if you'll kill this person, who's to say I wouldn't be next?" Naruto pointed out.

"But you know me!" Sasuke nearly yelled as he looked at the blonde.

"I thought I DID!" Naruto said as he looked back at his menu. Sokka looked back and fourth from Sasuke and Naruto and smirked.

"You two have the crazy conversations I've ever heard, heh-heh-heh" Sokka said with a snicker. "Well I better get going now…I have some things to intend to"

"Alright then see you later" Sasuke said as he watched Sokka get up and leave, leaving just him and Naruto.

"So…you're still dating her?"

"Why would you even ask that when you already know the answer…? Of course I'm still dating Hinata and I'm not breaking up with her any time soon" Naruto said as he looked over at Sasuke.

"Hmm…" Sasuke didn't even feel like discussing about Hinata anymore even though he was the one that brought it up.

"So how is the job going?"

"Oh the job is going great"

"That's good…if you lose this job don't even bother asking me to help you find another one, you got that?"

"Don't worry I won't lose it. Besides the Granny Hokage likes me"

"Granny Hokage? You're giving the woman names now?" Sasuke asked he raised an eyebrow. Naruto merely grinned as he looked at him. The raven haired male sighed as he shook his head.

"Well I might be seeing you later on today. Hinata-chan and I have something planned"

"Oh…I see and you're telling me this because…."

"Well you're dating someone now right?"

"…Yes…why?"

"Well I thought that maybe we could go on like a double date or something, what do you say?" Naruto asked his friend.

Sasuke didn't really know if he really wanted to go on the double dating thing seeing that he didn't like the fact that Hinata was dating Naruto and well…he wasn't really on speaking terms that much with her. A smirk then came to his face as a thought came to his mind.

"Sure…I guess me and Ino could do a little double date thing with you and Hinata" Sasuke said before sliding out of the booth.

"Hey where you are going?"

"No where in particular" Naruto then slide out of the booth and followed Sasuke.

"I'll come to…I'm bored since I have the day off today" Sasuke shrugged as he decided to let Naruto come with him.

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As the Hyuuga female was making her way back to her apartment she spotted a neighbor who lives in her apartment named Hidan. He was an okay guy who Hinata had managed to befriend but Sasuke doesn't actually get along with the guy like Hinata does.

"Hidan-san" She smiled at the male. Hidan stopped as he turned slightly to look at the female as he merely nodded his head. He stared at her for a moment noticing her behavior which seemed a tad bit off today.

"What's wrong? You seem less cheerful today? Anything that you wish to talk about?" He asked in a concerned tone as he made his way closer towards her.

She thought about if she should actually tell him or not what was bothering her but she then decided to tell him. "Well…I'm in need of some guidance…" She finally stated.

"Well what's the problem…?"

"Um…this friend of mines, Sokka, got engaged"

"How wonderful" Hidan said as he smiled at Hinata. Hinata rolled her eyes and sighed as she waved her hands at him.

"Yeah, yeah, well for some reason, um…I just find myself overcome with feelings of jealousy and resentment" She confessed which shocked the silver haired male Hidan.

"Doesn't it give you any joy to see your friend enter into the holiest of unions?"

"No, no, no it doesn't. No joy, no joy whatsoever. Just the whole thing makes me…sick" She stated as she slightly frowned. Hidan could help but to smirk as he looked down at hi neighbor.

"You know, Hinata...very often we cannot see the forest for the trees-"

"Yeah, I don't know what the means" Hinata said cutting him off as she stared at him.

"Well, for example say there's a forest-"

"You see the thing is it should have been me. You know, I'm smart, I'm attractive" Hinata sighed once again cutting Hidan off much to his dismay.

"You know there are many single functions…"

"I don't need to go to one…I'm already dating someone"

"Um…then why do you care about this friend of yours getting married, if you're already dating someone?" Hidan asked raising one eyebrow.

Hinata stared at him for the longest before walking passed him. "Never mind just forget it…" She sighed as she continued walking into the apartment building.

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"You're nothing but a stoolie. Admit it." Sasuke stated as he turned to look at Naruto.

"Hey, don't do the crime if you can't do the time" Naruto smirked referring to they're earlier conversation. Sasuke shook his head as he glanced down noticing that Naruto was drinking a Café Latte.

"Another Café Latte?"

"You better believe it"

"Since when are you so trendy?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.

"Hey, I set the trends. Who do you think started this whole Café' Latte?"

"I don't recall you drinking Café Latte" Sasuke said as he looked away from the blonde.

"I've been drinking Café Latte since the fifth grade and I haven't looked back" Sasuke merely shook his head as he looked back at his best friend. He then glanced to a billboard that was advertising a movie.

"Hey, Nightmares is playing tomorrow night. One show only"

Naruto looked up at the billboard and grinned. "I've always wanted to see that"

"You know I was supposed to see that about a week ago but I got tied up in my work and I couldn't see it"

"Well let's see it then, yeah?" Sasuke smirked as he nodded his head as he then threw a piece of paper on the ground that was in his pocket.

Naruto frowned as he looked at Sasuke. "Look at this Sasuke, dropping paper on the ground. That's littering" He scolded his best friend.

Sasuke looked at him rolling his eyes. "Maybe you better call the cops and turn me in"

"Maybe I will"

Sasuke merely sighed as he shook his head and continued walking with the blonde.

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Sokka was just coming home as he glanced over at the couch and looked at his fiancée and smiled nervously. "Hi…"

Amy looked up and smiled happily at him. "How was you day?" Sokka slowly made his way towards her as he took a seat next to her on the couch.

"Good, good day. How was your day?"

"Mine was okay. So what's going on?" She asked him sensing that he wanted to talk to her about something.

"Oh, nothing much. I went to the diner and saw Sasuke and we talked…"

"Oh, the Mistomoto's want to get together with us on Friday night"

"The Mistomoto's, really?'

"You don't want to go?"

"No, I want to go…" Sokka lied as he smiled at her.

"So what did Sasuke have to say?" Amy asked as she narrowed her eyes. She didn't really care too much for Sasuke but tolerated him since he was a friend of Sokka's.

"Oh, nothing much….talking…oh, oh, oh did I have an unbelievable idea today!" Sokka nearly yelled out as he grinned at her.

"Oh yeah. The toilets. You told me" Amy said with a sigh. Sokka frowned for a bit before smiled and shaking his head.

"Yeah, ha-ha, it's not the toilets, it's not the toilets. It's something else. Are you ready for this?" He asked her. She nodded her head slowly as she looked at him.

"Yeah…"

"Okay how about this? Alright, we get married March 21st, the first day of spring" He smiled trying to seem convincing.

"What do you mean? You want to postpone the wedding?" She asked in a worried tone.

"No, no, no it's not about postponing. I just think the first day of spring is the perfect day to get married. You know, spring! Rejuvenation! Rebirth! Everything is blooming all the…-"

"If you don't want to marry me, Sokka-kun just say so" Amy said as she started to cry.

Sokka became panicky when he saw her crying. He never knew how to deal with crying women. "Still marry, still marry" He said to her trying his best to comfort her.

"You don't love me" She continued to cry.

"Still love, still love" He said as he looked at her placing his arm around her.

"My parent told me you were too neurotic and that I was making a mistake" She stated which shocked Sokka.

"No, no, no, no mistake, no mistake. No, no listen we're going to get married over Christmas, I…It's doesn't make any difference to me. It's fine. Really…" He sighed as he looked down.

"Are you sure?" Amy asked seeming to lighten up a bit.

"Yeah, yeah, sure…Christmas. Snow. Santa. All that stuff…" he smiled slightly when she hugged him happily.

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Sasuke and Naruto continued walking both of they're minds on a certain female Hyuuga. Naruto had a feeling that Sasuke may like Hinata but he wasn't 100 sure if he was right or not. The blonde slightly glanced over at his best friend as he shook his head.

"No…he couldn't like her…he just couldn't" He thought as he then bumped into Sasuke who turned around to look at him and he glared hard at him.

"Are you that deep in thought that you can't watch where you are going?"

"Geez, sorry I didn't mean it…by the way this Ino girl your dating, what is she like?"

Sasuke turned towards the blonde as he started thinking for a moment. "Hrm…well she's a nice person I suppose. I really like her and I've been dating her for awhile now"

"Is she someone that you can see yourself with for a long time?"

"I don't know…why do you care?"

"Eh, I don't know…it was too quiet while we were walking so I just decided to ask you about Ino" As Naruto was saying this his cell phone rang.

Naruto: Hello?

Hinata: Hey Naruto-kun

Naruto: Hey honey, how is my sweet Hinata doing?

Sasuke eyebrow started twitching as he glared over at Naruto. "Tch…and I would happen to be standing right next to him while he's talking to her" Sasuke thought as he frowned at Naruto.

Hinata: I'm fine (She said with a giggle)

Naruto: Aw you just sound so cute when you giggle Hinata-chan. I just wanna hold you in my arms and kiss you all night long. Hey Hinata-chan met me at the corner of Yokomaru Street okay?

Hinata: Okay Naruto-kun…I should be there in a few minutes

Naruto muttered an okay before hanging up the phone and when he did he glanced over at Sasuke who was glaring deep holes in his head.

"What…?"

"Tch…nothing" Sasuke said as he turned his head and continued walking. Naruto stared at him for a moment before shrugging it off and following the raven haired male.

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Hinata waited at the street Naruto wanted her to wait at. As she was waiting she could hear Naruto's cheerful voice calling out to her. She smiled shyly as she turned around to see not only Naruto but Sasuke as well. Her demeanor changed for a spilt second before pushing all of her thoughts off to the side.

"Hello Naruto-kun" She smiled when he greeted her with a big bear hug. She smiled softly as she leaned back a bit looking up into his deep blue eyes. He was just getting ready to lean in for a kiss but Sasuke stopped him by clearing his throat.

"Erm…well I better get going" Sasuke said as he took a glance over at Hinata. "I'll see you at home" He mumbled under his breath for a bit before walking away.

Naruto watched his retreating form as he looked at Hinata. "You know he's very strange sometimes…but that's Sasuke for you" He grinned at the Hyuuga female. Hinata nodded her head. She knew that Sasuke was still hurt by her dating Naruto but she tried not to let her mind think about it much. She was with Naruto and Sasuke was with Ino, and in Hinata's mind that's how things should despite her feelings for Sasuke and his for her.

"Hai…that is Sasuke for you" She smiled gently at her boyfriend who finally leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Ah you don't know how much you mean to me Hinata-chan" He whispered in her ear before kissing her ear softly.

She smiled as she leaned on him wrapping her arms around his waist. She truly did care about Naruto but then there was the other part of her who loved Sasuke…

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Okay sorry about the late update. So far I have been trying to work on all of my stories so that I can update them all. So please leave reviews and thank you for reading this chapter and the next chapter will be up soon.