Hinata was seated next to Naruto while Ino and Sakura sat in front of them. Sakura let out a sigh as she leaned onto her palm. "I hate college, but seeing Mr. Uchiha helps me get through the day. How can a man be so hot?"
Naruto scoffed at Sakura's statement. "Do you really think that old man is handsome, Sakura? Look in front of you. I'm obviously the most handsome guy in the school," he said with a grin. Hinata and Ino laughed at Naruto's words, while Sakura leaned over the table and smacked him on the head.
"Ow!" Naruto yelped, rubbing the spot where Sakura had hit him.
Hinata chuckled and shook her head. "You two never change," she said, a fond smile on her face.
Ino giggled. "At least Mr. Uchiha is worth admiring," she said, winking at Hinata.
Hinata blushed and looked away. Sasuke, her husband, would not approve of her friends gushing over him like this. But she also couldn't help feeling a sense of pride that her husband was so attractive and admired by others.
Sakura sat up straight and glanced at her watch. "Speaking of Mr. Uchiha, we should probably head to class now. I don't want to be late for his lecture."
Naruto groaned. "Do we have to? Can't we just skip and go get ramen instead?"
Ino rolled her eyes. "No way, Naruto. We need to pass this class if we want to graduate."
Hinata nodded in agreement and gathered her things, ready to head to class. She couldn't wait to see Sasuke and try to catch his eye, even if it was just for a brief moment.
Naruto nonchalantly rests his hands on the back of his head as he sidelong glances at Hinata, who is picking up her bag. With a mischievous grin, Naruto snatches the bag and slings it over his shoulder. "Let's go," he declares, striding ahead of the girls. Hinata protests, "Hey Naruto! Give me my bag back." But Naruto just laughs and lifts the bag above his head. "Come on, Hinata. A girl like you shouldn't be carrying such a heavy bag." He teases her before darting a few steps ahead.
Hinata pouts as she watches Naruto run off, and Sakura comes up to her, draping an arm around her shoulder. "I still don't get why you guys aren't dating," Sakura says, giving Hinata a curious look. Hinata looks down and replies softly, "I already told you, I'm in a relationship." Sakura scoffs, adjusting her cleavage before striding into the classroom. "Yeah, yeah," she says dismissively. "I'm sure Naruto would treat you way better than this 'guy' we've never met."
As they enter the classroom, Sasuke is already at the chalkboard, writing. He glances up at the newcomers and greets them with a nod. "Good morning, Sakura, Ino, and Hinata," he says, his voice calm and professional. Sakura and Ino smile at him seductively as they take their seats, while Hinata walks over to sit next to Naruto. "Good morning, Sasuke-sensei," she says softly. Sasuke finishes writing on the board and turns around to face the class.
"Good morning, class," Sasuke said as he walked to the front of the room. "Today, we will be discussing the fall of the Roman Empire. Can anyone tell me what factors contributed to its downfall?"
Sakura raised her hand excitedly. "The decline in morals and values among the people, political corruption, and invasions from barbarian tribes," she answered confidently.
"Very good, Sakura," Sasuke praised, nodding his head. "But there were also other factors at play, such as economic troubles and overreliance on slave labor. The fall of the Roman Empire serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency and corruption in government."
As Sasuke continued his lecture, Hinata found herself unable to resist stealing glances at him. However, she was interrupted when she felt a tap on her shoulder and saw Naruto looking at her with confusion. "I don't understand any of this stuff," he whispered, rubbing his neck. Hinata quickly raised her hand and addressed Sasuke, "I'm sorry, Sasuke-Sensei. Can you please explain this a little better?"
Sasuke pauses his lecture and turns to Hinata. "Of course, Hinata. Can you tell me which part you're having trouble with?" he asks. Hinata points to a section in her notes, and Sasuke begins to explain the topic in more detail, using simple language and examples that help Naruto and the rest of the class understand. Hinata can feel her heart racing as Sasuke stands close to her, explaining the lesson.
As the class ends, Sasuke hands out an assignment to be completed for the next class. Hinata gathers her things and heads towards the door, but before she can leave, Sasuke stops her. "Hinata, can I speak to you for a moment?" he asks, his expression serious. Hinata feels a lump form in her throat as she turns to face him
Sasuke looks at Hinata with a stern expression. "I appreciate your eagerness to help your classmates, but you need to let Naruto ask for help himself. It's not fair to you to have to carry the burden of helping him all the time," he says firmly.
Hinata nods, feeling a little embarrassed. "I understand, Sasuke-Sensei. I just want to make sure everyone can keep up with the class," she replies softly.
"I appreciate your dedication, Hinata, but I don't want you to feel overwhelmed. You need to focus on your own studies as well," Sasuke advises her.
Hinata nods with a smile, showing her willingness to follow Sasuke's advice. "Yes, I'll try to encourage Naruto to ask for help next time," she responds respectfully. Sasuke smiles and pats her head, acknowledging her progress in overcoming her stutter. "You're doing well, Hinata. Don't let others take advantage of you. We've talked about this before," he advises her before sitting down at his desk. "You may leave now," he dismisses her.
Naruto propped himself against the wall beside the door and inquired, "Did you get into trouble?" Hinata shook her head, and the two of them maneuvered through the crowded hallway. "No," she replied. "But he wants you to ask for help instead of me." Naruto nodded in agreement. "Well, sometimes Mr. Uchiha can be a jerk," he remarked, his hands resting behind his head. "I think he just doesn't want you to depend on me," Hinata responded, speaking softly.
As they reached the front door, they met Sakura and Ino, who were engaged in conversation. Sakura turned to Naruto and Hinata and suggested, "We're thinking of going to Karaoke. Would you like to join us?" Hinata grinned, saying, "Let me text my boyfriend since I was supposed to visit him after school." Naruto glanced at her, pouting a little before turning to Sakura and Ino. "I'm free to go," he declared.
Sakura smiled and clapped her hands excitedly. "Great! Let's all go together then," she said. The group made their way to the Karaoke bar, chatting and laughing along the way.
When they arrived, they rented a private room and took turns singing their favorite songs. Naruto belted out some old rock hits, while Sakura and Ino performed popular pop songs. Hinata, who was usually shy, surprised everyone with her beautiful singing voice, and they all cheered for her.
After a while, they took a break and ordered some snacks and drinks. Naruto glanced over at Hinata, who was texting on her phone, and sighed quietly to himself. He had a crush on her for a long time, but he didn't have the courage to tell her how he felt.
Just then, Hinata looked up from her phone and caught Naruto's gaze. She smiled shyly at him and looked away. Naruto's heart skipped a beat, and he felt his face heat up.
As the night went on, they continued to have fun, taking silly pictures and making memories. Naruto couldn't help but feel grateful for having such wonderful friends in his life.
Eventually, it was time to go home, and they all said their goodbyes. Before they parted ways, Hinata turned to Naruto and said, "Thank you for coming with us tonight. I had a lot of fun." Naruto grinned and replied, "Anytime, Hinata. I'm always here for you."
As he watched her disappear into the distance Naruto couldn't help but feel hopeful that maybe, just maybe, he had a chance with her.
A/N: Hinata refers to Sasuke as her boyfriend when talking to her friends to avoid being asked too many questions about her marital status.