Hey, a quick question...why do hairsprays smell so badly?

Hello, this is AProcrastinatingWriter with chapter 4 of my fic...part of the reason I changed this fic's main focus to Drama/Romance instead of Humor/Romance. Don't get me wrong, there'll still be humor in this fic, but judging from this chapter (and previous ones) it will be ever-so-slightly subordinate to all the drama going on. Sorry for changing on you, loyal leaders!

Well, with that said, I'm sure you want to get reading, so enjoy!

"10,000!" shouted one of the demons, horns gleaming in the light of the flames all around him.

"35,000!" shouted another, spurting forth slime and mucus.

Hinata desperately tried to break the several chains clamped onto her in various places. The head demon, a monstrous being if ever there was one, declared her sold, yet the bidding continued for some reason. "Please...stop..." she groaned out.

"42,000!"

"68,000!"

Hinata fought the urge to scream, knowing that would only increase the creatures' desire for her flesh. Struggling against the chains that held her, she suddenly felt something wet and warm and thick drip upon her nose. She looked up, and another splotch of red landed on her forehead. -Blood,- the girl thought, scared. She squinted into the darkness, apprehensive of whatever she might see there. She suddenly gasped as the various beasts surrounding her moved in closer and closer.

"I'm sorry, Hinata..." mumbled Naruto, hanging from the ceiling by various pointed devices. It was a wonder he wasn't dead, considering how many times he'd been impaled. "I tried..."

"Naruto..." whispered Hinata as the evil beings slowly crawled closer, and her vision blurred, breathing coming in shallow gasps that weren't anywhere near adequate. She could feel the demons' breath now, as the bidding continued and the ground below her turned into burning quicksand,

"80,000!"

and the chains got tighter and tighter,

"88,000!"

and the air began to swirl and suffocate her even as she breathed it in

"NARUTO!" Hinata yelled, bolting straight upright.

She panted several times, eyes wide, trying to recover from the nightmare she'd just had. She placed her face in her hands. Trembling slightly. Trying not to cry.

"Are you alright?" a comforting voice asked. Hinata brought her head up, then turned it towards the voice she had just heard. Kanji. Kanji, who was sitting in a simple wooden chair across from the bed she was lying in. She blinked, reconnecting with reality and beginning to put the nightmare behind her. Then she continued looking around, confused about where she was.

The wooden chair wasn't the only thing 'simple' about the place Hinata was in. The room was small, and sparsely furnished. A dresser drawer, the chair, the bed she was currently in. The walls all seemed to be made of dirt. A small fire was in the center of the room, and some concoction or other was bubbling in a pot on top of the flames.

Suddenly realizing she hadn't answered Kanji's question, Hinata blushed slightly, embarrassed, as she looked back at him. "Oh, um, yes. I'm okay."

"That's good," said Kanji, standing up and slowly walking over to the pot, which appeared to have reached its boiling point, if the steam forcing the lid very slightly off its resting place was any indication. "You have been through a lot. I'm sure it must have been quite traumatic for you." He kneeled down to the pot, waiting a few seconds for some unknown signal before doing anything else. "Try and relax, now."

Hinata looked towards her savior, (or at least, she was pretty sure he was). "Th-thank you for rescuing me," she stuttered. The stranger made no response. Hinata looked around once more. "So...is this where you live, Mr..."

"Kanji. I believe I've told you that already," said the masked man, lifting the lid of the pot. He took a deep breath in through his nose (though with the mask he was wearing Hinata had no clue how he could), smelling the stew he was making. "Ah. Perfect."

Hinata sighed. "No, I mean-"

"And yes, it is," interrupted Kanji, reaching for a bowl and a ladle, both made of the same kind of wood the chair was. "Sorry I couldn't offer more."

"Oh, no, that's quite alright," said Hinata, reassuring. "It's more than satisfactory. In fact-"

"One cannot afford to live in a stable home when one is on the run," said Kanji, as if he hadn't heard. "Though, admittedly, this is my first time doing work outside the law."

-Work?- Hinata thought. -Was he hired to spirit me away?-

Kanji finished pouring out the liquid and food products from the pot, and then turned to Hinata, and the room was small enough that he could reach out his arm from the approximate center and offer her a bowl. "Beef stew? Not exactly what you're used to for breakfast, I'm sure, but-"

Now Hinata interrupted him. "It's perfect," she said, smiling and blushing slightly as she grabbed the bowl and spoon that were offered. She took a small bite. "Mmm..." she hummed appreciatively. She looked back to Kanji, smiling a genuine smile.

"Good?" asked Kanji.

"It's excellent," she exclaimed. Well, she would have, had she not been the shy type around strangers, and thus very quiet even when enthusiastic.

Kanji chuckled. "Thank you," he said, standing.

Hinata blinked at him, then at the second bowl, laying unfilled on the ground. "What about you?" she asked.

"I'm not hungry," Kanji said, moving back to his seat.

Hinata looked at him for a few seconds, concerned. Then she looked back to her bowl. She smiled. "Actually," she said, setting the bowl on the floor (for she never felt comfortable eating when others refused to), "I'm not hungry either." And she smiled at her rescuer.

Kanji was silent for several seconds. "Alright, then," he said. "Perhaps we should just...talk."

"Alright," said Hinata, sitting on her knees slightly and turning, still smiling. "What should we talk about?" Polite as ever.

Kanji tilted his head. "Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

0-0-0-0

"Send for them," commanded Naruto, sitting back at his desk. The meeting with the Elders of Konoha had just finished and, as expected, they had voted with Naruto, not against him. And thank goodness for that. Now all that was left to do was deliver the good news to the Elders of the Hyuuga Family and watch them squirm.

And to worry about Hinata, of course.

Naruto leaned back in his chair and sighed as the messenger he had just been talking to stepped out the door. Simultaneously, Sakura stepped around the man, "Excuse me! Sorry!" and into the office. She looked across the desk at her Hokage. "Hey there!" she said, trying to lift the mood in the room, and doubting she would succeed. "I brought some doughnuts!"

Naruto slowly looked up. "Hey, Sakura," he said, smiling a little.

Sakura walked up to his desk, swinging the sack of baked goods along with her hands. "I know, it's not exactly Ichiraku's," she said, setting them down on the wooden structure, "But then again, you really shouldn't have ramen first thing in the morning anyway."

Naruto chuckled, once. "And doughnuts are better for me?" Then he looked sad. "Thanks," he mumbled.

Sakura looked sad too, copying him unconsciously due to their years of working together, being friends, and eventually dating. "You're worried about Hinata, huh?" she asked. Naruto sighed in what she could guess was an affirmative. The pink-haired girl tried to smile, for his sake. "Well, you shouldn't," she said, bringing up a good point. "I mean, no sense worrying about things we don't know about, right?" She smiled a little more, closing her eyes and tilting her head. "She'll be okay. Just keep telling yourself that, and before you know it she'll be home, safe and sound."

Naruto sighed again. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he said, grabbing the bag. He looked inside of it, and blinked. He looked back up at Sakura, a small but genuine smile on his face. More than he'd expected to feel until he knew for sure Hinata was alright. "All strawberry?" he asked. "Heh...a few years ago, I wouldn't have gotten the subtle hint."

Sakura giggled, blushing ever-so-slightly. "See you in a couple hours," she waved to her half-boyfriend, turning, "At Hinata's freedom party!"

Naruto grinned. "Right!" he exclaimed as Sakura turned completely, still smiling (a little bit more genuine now), and exited. As soon as the door shut, the grin dropped off of his face. He stared back into the bag, frowning a little bit. -Everything she said sounded a little bit like something I'd say to her if she were going through something like this.- He shook his head, opening up a drawer near his knee and gently placing the bag inside. -So why can't I stop worrying? It's not like me to worry.- He sighed, one last time. -Sorry, Sakura...but I don't really have much of an appetite.-

0-0-0-0

"About me?" asked Hinata, pointing to herself as if she needed to affirm what she was saying.

"Indeed," said Kanji. "I'm very interested."

Hinata brought her legs up in front of her, creating a physical wall, for she was suddenly nervous. "Wh-why are you interested?" she asked, fearful that perhaps Kanji had ulterior motives for saving her.

"I had to get to know you as a target in order to rescue you effectively," Kanji responded. "I don't want to keep thinking of you as a target. I'd prefer to think of you as..." he tilted his head. "...the girl you really are."

Hinata lowered her head slightly. "Well, thank you for that, but..." she slowly sat back, thinking of the best way to phrase her question. "I'm not really sure I feel comfortable discussing something like that with you."

Kanji nodded thoughtfully. "I can understand that." He tilted his head. Seemed to be his way of expressing emotion. "So let's talk about some different things about you that are less personal things." He tapped his hand against his knee. "For example...what is your favorite food?"

Hinata blushed again. "Um..." she said quietly.

"Still too close to home, huh?" asked Kanji. "Well, then...you pick the topic of discussion. Something that won't make you feel so nervous."

Hinata thought for a few moments. In truth, she was more than curious about the stranger in front of her, but she felt like she shouldn't ask him about himself. It would be rude, after all, to ask that kind of thing when she refused to answer any of his questions about her.

One question finally occurred to her. "Oh!" she remembered. "What happened to Neji? Do you know?"

Kanji shook his head. "I wish I could say I did, but I don't." He placed his hand on his chin. "Though, considering the fact that the ANBU have yet to find us, I should think he made the right choice, at least."

"What do you mean?" asked Hinata, inquisitiveness building.

"Well, after Neji's knocking you out," explained Kanji, looking off to the side in order to think, "I caught up to him. We talked, and I left him behind, telling him that he needed to stop the tracking squad from reaching me if he wanted you to be safe." He shrugged, something he seemed to do a lot. "Like I said, he must have made the right choice."

Hinata lowered her shoulders, worry magnifying as she did so. "I hope that he's okay."

Kanji chuckled. "He knocks you out, and you're still worried about him?"

Hinata suddenly stood from the bed, a look of fire and, strangely enough, also a look of ice in her eyes. "He is my cousin!" she shouted, angry with the apparent scoffer.

"Easy, easy!" shouted Kanji right back, hands in the air. He actually sounded a little scared. "It was a compliment!"

"A compliment?" asked Hinata skeptically, raising her eyebrow and pursing her lips. She was anything but shy when it came to defending the people she cared about.

"Yes," laughed Kanji nervously, moving his hands slightly to the side and turning them. "Not many people would be willing to forgive so easily." He put his arms down, nodding slightly. "I admire that."Hinata sat down again, still skeptical. "Especially since I have such a hard time forgiving, myself."

The skepticism disappeared in fear of Hinata's curiosity, which had always been stronger than most of her other personality traits. "A hard time forgiving yourself?" she asked.

"Oh, no," said Kanji. "I meant, I myself have a hard time forgiving others for the bad things they've done."

Hinata thought she detected a little bit of falseness around the corners of his statement, but she was not certain. It was hard to be certain, thanks to his... "Your clothes," ...lack of readable body language. Or at least the kind the Byakugan was used to.

"Hmm?" asked Kanji.

"They're very...unique," she said, unsure if she was prying too much. "Do you mind if I ask...why my Byakugan can't see through them?"

"Oh, not at all," said Kanji. "Actually, besides the admittedly outlandish design, there's nothing special about these clothes at all." He shrugged. Again. "I just wrote some genjutsu into the fabric to make people think that they can't see through them. Same with the mask." And he pointed his thumb at his face.

-Genjutu?- thought Hinata, curiosity still going strong. -So if I were to release the genjutsu, I could see his face...?- With this thought, she moved her hands into the proper position.

Kanji was there in a flash, grabbing one hand and pulling it away from the other before Hinata even realized that he'd moved. Obviously the sleeping agent hadn't worn off quite yet; her kunoichi reflexes still weren't up to par. "Don't!" Kanji shouted, worried for more reasons than one might initially suspect.

"Wh-what?" asked Hinata, eyes wide at his sudden movement and cheeks red at his close proximity to her.

"Two genjutsu," he explained breathlessly. "If you break the first, the second activates." He let go of Hinata's hand, which was snappishly pulled back in order to get it away from the physical space in which he was holding it. "And believe me when I say that you don't want the second one to activate."

Hinata inched back slightly, uncomfortable being this close to any strange man, even one who so obviously meant her no harm. "Th-thank you," she stuttered, mentally cursing her tendency to do so.

Kanji looked at her for a few seconds, bent over slightly. Then, standing up straight, he looked towards what Hinata presumed was the entrance. "I do believe," he said, then paused, then continued, turning his whole body towards the 'doorway', "That it is time to go back."

0-0-0-0

"What you have done is immoral and terrible," said Naruto to the dozen or so men before him, hands steepled in front of himself in a way very reminiscent of Tsunade before him. "It sickens me to my core that people like you exist in this world, and you have no idea how much I wish I could punish you for your actions."

The Hyuuga elders did not respond, for most of them were scared stiff of Naruto and his venemous glare. Those who weren't scared were simply livid, but knew their place, and knew not to talk while their Hokage was. Several, however, were thinking rebellious thoughts.

Naruto's eyes narrowed, and his voice turned into a growl as he continued. "You all are hereby stripped of all your powers and privileges as elders of the Hyuuga clan. This is because the clan is no longer to be separated into Main and Branch houses." His mouth upturned, a smirk. "And in addition to that, we're dividing up all your unecessary property amongst the members of the former Branch house-"

"WHAT?" shouted Shinratsu, forgetting his place along with several other former elders, who vocalized their very loud complaints as well. This went on for some time, until finally...

"And if any of you slimeballs has anything to say about it," Naruto said, standing as he raised his voice to a louder point than any of the old men could hope to match, "Then you can get your sorry butts out of my village! Is that understood?" No response, for they were all terrified. The Sixth Hokage slowly sat down again. "Good," he responded to the unsaid 'Yes, we understand'. "Now, then...there are several other provisions and requirements to these new laws we have in place, and I'd really rather not spend all day explaining them." His eyebrows creased, and one could almost swear his gritted teeth turned into fangs. "So get out of my office, and if you're really curious, pick up a written copy. You know where to find them, and if not, don't come crying to me!"

"Now that's hardly fair!" began Kasamaru.

"Fair, not fair, who cares?" asked Naruto. "It's still legal, right?" And the sarcasm and irony were not lost on the elders, who had been around a long time and knew something about both. "Now, if any of you ever darken my doorway with your presence again, I swear I will find an excuse to toss your carcasses in jail for the rest of your miserable lives. Get out of my sight."

A few moments of silence passed, and finally Aku bowed. "As you wish, Lord Hokage," he said, so convincingly that if one didn't know better they might expect he actually meant it. The men slowly filed out, one by one, Aku and Shinratsu last, for Aku had to quietly convince a fist-clenched Shinratsu to come along too.

"We will fight this," whispered Shinratsu back to Aku as the door closed behind him. "The terms given so far are absolutely tyrannical, and I have no doubt that the other terms..." And it was around here the door shut completely, blocking off his voice from being heard anymore.

Naruto heard him, but made no indication he had. At least, not until he was sure that the man had left. He leaned forward on his desk, vaguely noticing that it had been a while since it'd been polished in an effort to not think about anything too much. The blonde breathed out a small puff of air as he rubbed his left temple, leaning slightly on his hand. "Oh boy," he sighed, mentally exhausted. "What a day."

"You're telling me," said a voice behind him.

Naruto's eyebrows lifted slightly, and he turned his chair around to face the possible threat. He gasped. "H-Hinata?" he asked, looking at the girl, who was blushing as she was carried in the style of brides once again by the mysterious person who called himself Kanji. Kanji was the one who had spoken, by the way. Not Hinata.

"Naruto!" Hinata did say this, however. She blushed some more as she smiled wide, and Kanji opened the window. She got out of his arms and climbed into the room, almost falling once, but managing to stay upright.

"Hinata...you're okay!" Naruto's face lit up as he stood, embracing the Hyuuga, who blushed harder than she had for a while. Kanji stayed outside, feet gripping to the wall and back bent so he could look inside.

"Y-yes," Hinata said. "I'm okay..." and here she looked back, "Thanks to Kanji."

Naruto slowly let go of Hinata, now watching the man in front of him. He stepped forward slightly. "So you rescued her after all, huh?"

"Indeed I did," said Kanji, without any movement of the body whatsoever. Hinata found this very strange. People always moved their body at least a little bit when they talked. It was natural. "Unlike you."

"Wha..." Naruto began, stepping back slightly. He interrupted himself: "Well, thanks. I know what you did was technically illegal and all, but as Hokage, I have the power to pardon you." He smiled. "So you don't have to hide anymore, okay?"

"Well, I'm very glad you can do something," Kanji said, a bitter tone in his voice.

Naruto's mouth opened slightly as his eyes sank downwards. He looked confused. As was Hinata. -Is there some bad blood between Naruto and Kanji that I don't know about out?- she thought, looking back and forth between the two. -Who exactly is under that mask?-

"Well, uh..." Naruto racked his brain for the next best thing to say. "Hey. You've gotta be using up a lot of chakra, just hanging out there." He stepped to the side, indicating his office. "Why don't you come inside?"

Kanji was silent for a few seconds. "Look," he said, finally making a movement, in that he crossed his arms. "I'm going to make this absolutely clear, because you're obviously too dense to get it: I don't like you. At all."

"How could you say that?" Hinata shouted as she simultaneously stepped forward, and all before Naruto had even managed to process what Kanji had said. "Do you have any idea how many people Naruto has helped? All the great things he's done?" She looked on the verge of punching out the man she had been intrigued with just a few minutes ago as she continued. "Naruto is sweet, and kind, and a great leader! He's strong, and brave, and determined, and he always keeps his promises!"

"Always?" asked Kanji before she could continue.

Hinata started, remembering the promise Naruto had made to her less than a week ago. She suddenly found herself at a loss for words, stunned as she was, so Naruto stepped in for her. "If you have some qualm with me," he said, using his best diplomatic language, "Please, feel free to speak what's on your mind. I'm always open to hearing how I can become a better Hokage to lead my people."

Kanji was silent. As a direct result of this, everyone else was silent as well, for several seconds.

Eventually, Hinata slowly shook her head, finding her voice again, though it was small and silent now. "You don't know him," she said. "You don't know Naruto at all..."

"I know him," said Kanji, continuing to stare at the blonde-haired young man. "A lot better than any of you realize."

After a few seconds more of silence (in which Hinata, with sad eyes and frowning lips, stared at the black-and-gold-dressed man), Naruto outstretched his hand. "Well, no matter what your feelings are about me, I still wish to extend my thanks to you for rescuing Hinata from the situation she was in. And I want you to be certain you'll receive that pardon."

A few more seconds of silence, and Kanji finally leaned forward, grabbing Naruto's hand in his own. They shook. "You're welcome," Kanji said. His grip tightened. "Lord Hokage," he spat out, as if the words were poison on his tongue.

Then, all at once, he let go again and dropped off the side of the building at the same time. "Kanji!" Hinata shouted as Naruto rushed (though there was only a step or two to rush) to the window to see what would happen to the man.

After looking around for a few seconds, he looked back up at Hinata, and shrugged. "He disappeared," he said, blinking several times as if to clear his head.

Hinata blinked as well. "...seriously?" she asked, befuddled.

Naruto appeared to be thinking about something else. "Hey, Hinata?" he inquired. "Did you mean all that stuff you said about me?"

Hinata attempted not to blush, though it was hard for her whole body not to turn red the way her heart was pumping. "Y-yes," she said, cursing her stuttering for the second time that day. "Ev-every w-w-w-word."

Naruto was thoughtful again. He'd matured a lot in the last five years (Well...in some ways, anyway) and, thanks to dating Sakura, knew a little bit more about how a girl's mind worked. Still, he couldn't claim to know everything about girls, and though he had a hunch what was going on in this particular girl's pretty little head, he couldn't say anything for sure one way or the other. And, either way, he had a feeling that pursuing the matter at this point and time might not end too well. He chuckled. "Thanks, Hinata!" he said, unconsciously imitating his much younger self. "That means a lot to me!"

"Y-you're welcome," said Hinata, blushing.

Naruto suddenly looked sad. "Hinata, I...hmm," he began. He would have finished, but he was extremely nervous and worried.

Hinata dipped her head to the side. People were giving her a lot to ponder today. -What on Earth could make Naruto nervous?- she thought. Suddenly, interrupting both their trains of thoughts, her stomach growled. Hinata was embarrassed again, though this time she didn't blush, at least. That one bite of beef stew hadn't been a very filling breakfast.

Naruto looked, surprised, at the young lady's complaining stomach. Then he laughed again. -I'll ask her later...once I've got a plan of attack, and she's not so hungry.- He walked back to his desk, and pulled out a certain bag he'd been saving. "You like strawberry donuts?" he asked, figuring that, considering everything, Sakura wouldn't mind.

0-0-0-0

Hospitals were boring under usual circumstances. But these were not usual circumstances. These circumstances of being a criminal and being guarded twenty-four hours a day by ANBU whilst you lay, beaten and broken, in a hospital bed, really got the blood pumping. Especially when several of the ANBU guarding you were friends of the people you'd beaten up less than an twenty-four hours ago.

Neji Hyuuga sighed. Life was funny sometimes.

All of his friends had already come in to see him, except for Naruto, whom Neji guessed was busy. And Hinata, too. Couldn't forget about her. -She's the reason I'm in this mess,- thought Neji, smiling wryly.

"What?" the young man heard, muffled, from outside the door. He raised himself up slightly so he could hear better, causing several of the guards to tense, for they were afraid he might be trying to escape. The guard just outside the door continued speaking, though he was quieter now, so that no one could hear besides whomever he was talking too. Particularly Neji. Wise, considering Neji was indeed trying to listen in.

An eyebrow raised itself just the smallest bit as Neji wondered -What could make an ANBU react like that?-

Finally, the door opened, and the guard who had been speaking walked in. "Alright, the suspect has been pardoned," he said, restrained exasperation in his voice.

Both of Neji's eyebrows shot up like they were arrows fired from bows, and several of the people in the room turned to one another to better murmur. -I've been what?- Neji thought, not complaining, but definitely confused.

"You heard me!" ordered the ANBU, who obviously held at least a small amount of seniority over the other members. "Pardoned! Direct order from the Hokage!" He waved his arm as he said his next sentence, emphasizing the fact he was giving an official order. "You are all dismissed! Move out!"

"Yes sir!" said all the ANBU, so quickly that anyone would hear what they said as a single word. A nanosecond after saying this, they leapt into the air, seemingly disappearing. I would tell you where they went, but not being a ninja, I have no clue. The leader followed them a split second after. He would have followed sooner, but he was taking one last look at the person who had attacked several of his men last night and was apparently getting away with it.

As soon as he left...or, rather, a few seconds after he left, giving Neji plenty of time to be shocked...Naruto and Hinata stepped in. "Oh!" Neji gasped, smiling just a little. "Hinata! You're safe!"

"Brother!" said Hinata to her cousin (for household traditions die hard), happy to see him alright. She ran over to his bed, and hugged him.

"Ah!" screamed Neji, still tender.

"Sorry," squeaked Hinata, letting go as Naruto smiled.

"It's alright," laughed Neji. "We're even for the sleeping patch." Hinata giggled at this, showing she forgave him for that offense. He was glad that was the case.

Hinata looked to Naruto quickly, smiling, then back to her cousin. "I heard about all you did for me. Thank you."

Neji smiled too. A rare sight. "I was just doing my duty, little sister." Household traditions or not, that was the first time he'd added the 'little' on. "I've been hurt before. I can handle it. I am a ninja, after all."

"Yeah, sorry that all happened to you," said Naruto, coming into the conversation. "But hey, on the bright side, you never have to listen to those old guys ever again." He smiled, giving the 'ok' sign with his hand. "Not to mention I'm pretty sure I can get you some neat stuff out of the deal."

Neji laughed again. Perhaps it was the painkillers. Then, as they must have worn off, he was serious again. "Kanji," he said.

Naruto looked serious as well. "Right. I met him just a half hour ago." A few seconds passed, and he smiled again, weary. "He doesn't like me too much."

"Really? Why's that?" asked Neji, surprised.

"We don't know," said Hinata. "He didn't give us much of an opportunity to find out, either."

Neji slowly closed his eyes, then smiled. And chuckled. "Well, from what I hear, a lot of people don't like you at first, Naruto. He'll come around."

Naruto chuckled right back. "Like you?" he asked.

"Precisely," said Neji, opening his eyes once more. He looked at Naruto. "And just in case I don't get a chance...the next time you see him...and you will see him again, I'm sure of that..." the last pause was the longest one yet, "Tell Kanji 'thank you' for me."

"No problem," smiled Naruto.

Hinata looked back from her crush to her cousin. "By the way," she said, as Neji looked up to her, shifting slightly on the bed to try and find a comfortable position (for hospital beds sucked), "We were going to have party in order to celebrate my freedom."

"Well, that's good for you," said Neji, smiling. "But I'm not too fond of parties, myself. Besides, I'm injured. I couldn't come if I wanted to."

"We know you're injured," said Hinata, slightly mischievously. "That's why..." she thought for a moment.

"Maybe we should just show you," said Naruto, finishing for her. He turned the doorway, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Alright, guys, come on in!"

A wave of people suddenly crashed into the hospital room with such speed and audacity that even Neji Hyuuga was visibly surprised. "Get well soon, Neji!" shouted Lee.

"We got your favorite kind of cake!" said Chōji, holding up the large monstrosity as more people spilled inwards.

"Looks like today's your lucky day!" enthused Tenten as yet more people, about half of whom Neji knew, rushed into the room, many bearing gifts. Which seemed unnecessary considering all that had already been given Neji by his friends/

"It's a 'Get Well Soon' party!" said Hinata enthusiastically. "And one to celebrate your freedom and mine, Neji!" She smiled hugely. "The branch system is gone!"

"...hooray," squeaked Neji, who as he said was never one for parties. Especially not ones this crowded.

Hooray indeed.

Well, everyone, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and weren't expecting too much in the way of author's notes, because I don't have much to say at all. Thanks for reading thus far, and have an awesome day. Buh-bye!

...I never liked strawberry donuts, myself.