A/N:
A new chappie you guys! This one I wrote during 'CampNaNoWriMo'.
And, okay,no, this AN is horrible, but I just don't have time to do another one now - so just live with it for now, okay?

But yeah, do tell me what you think, okay?
Cause you know I can't improve without you guys^^

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Disclaimer:
«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself the main character and to the idea.»
Thanks a lot to Lightning Bee for betaing on this story.

Chapter 5 - Innocent Sorrow

The next day Hinata woke up early in the morning. She took a quick shower and dressed herself in a pale yellow silk gown. The gown had been a gift from her grandpa, he had given it to her the Christmas before he died on a mission. Hinata could still remember sitting for countless hours, sobbing while clinging desperately to her dearest memory of Saobi Hyuuga. She brushed her hair slowly and used her lavender hairspray to make it keep its place.

Today was a big day. It was the first day the young Hyuuga girl was going on a date. She was terrified, but at least it wasn't Naruto she was going with. Her face blushed up in a fiery red as she imagined herself with Naruto. No! She wouldn't have survived it. She wouldn't have known what to do — and then she would have messed it up and done something really stupid! 'No', she let out a breath, relieving herself of tension. In that way it was good that it was Kiba she was going with. Kiba was probably the one who knew most about her — maybe even more that many of the members of her family did. If she messed up, it wouldn't be so bad, she thought. They would just probably joke about it and continue as if nothing had ever happened. That was what was good about Kiba, she could always be herself around him, and he always seemed to know her all so well. A sad expression filled the young girl's face. He knew her that well, but could she really say that she knew him? If she had, wouldn't she have been able to notice his intentions? Known that he had feelings for her? It felt as if a stone had just hit her heart. What had he been thinking all this time when she was looking at Naruto? She knew that he knew of her affections for the hyper ninja and, even so, he'd even been there supporting her through it. 'Kiba, you stupid fool...' She doubted if she could ever have done the same as he'd done for her for Naruto. No, she would probably just have been broken if Naruto had asked her with help getting Sakura interested. She was not that strong, not strong at all...

Hinata walked over to the drawers and picked out a cute pink top with a bumble bee on it. She held it up in front of herself and imagined wearing it. It would be quite cute, she thought. Hinata knew very well that even though her proposition was better than most of her peers. She just had difficultly showing them off in the fashion that Ino and Sakura on regular business did. Hinata just wasn't comfortable doing something like that.

She put the top on the bed and looked through some other drawers. After searching she found a cute and dark gray skirt. It was a long time since she'd worn it, and Hinata remembered that had been a present Tenten once had given her on her birthday. The skirt was what you could call cute, still, it didn't have the very fluffy or lacy design that Hinata had seen many girls wearing lately. It was a beautiful and quite practical skirt that 'brought forth the cuteness within' as Tenten had told her when giving it to Hinata. To go with the skirt, she picked out some white tights with laces on the bottom and a pair of small black ballerina shoes. She quickly got changed and went over to the body mirror to look at her self. It was true, the skirt didn't really look cute by itself, but it blended nicely in with the rest of the outfit and Hinata could feel her self-esteem grow a little. She really didn't look that bad wearing it.

Over at the dressing table she got forth the brush and slowly brushed her hair once again while distantly humming a tune her mother had taught her when she was young. As she was finished with her hair, she got up a couple of hair elastics and put her hair up so that she was wearing two small pig tails. She studied herself in the mirror for a second before opening a drawer in the dressing table and got out a little pin with a selection of flowers. She fastened it in her hair and looked back into the mirror.

Happy with the way she looked she walked over to her bed where she had left her hand bag. It wasn't often used. as she normally wore wither her training clothes or her ninja outfit, but she still had a little, cute, yellow handbag with a flower as the button. She grabbed it and started walking around the room, gathering the little things that she might need to bring with her. Money, a pack of gum and some tissues. She halted and thought for a second before walking over to her nightstand to pick up her camera. She put it in the bag and then left the room.

Downstairs was silent and Hinata figured that her father and sister probably were training in their Dojo. Not that she minded, meeting Hanabi dressed like this would surely encourage her teasing, and even her father would start to realize that something was happening. Especially due to the fact that he, just the night before, had told her about his plan to find her a fitting husband. No, it was probably for the best that he didn't know.

Hinata went over to the kitchen bench and let her handbag rest there as she looked inside the fridge and got out a plate of chicken from yesterdays dinner. The Hyuuga household always made too much food — especially when her father was the one cooking, and they most days ended up being able to eat a big meal for their breakfast. Bringing her food with her over to the kitchen table, Hinata started eating. The chicken tasted as good as it had at dinner and she felt her energy levels rise even as she ate.

"You are going somewhere?" Hinata jumped as she heard the voice of her older cousin. She turned and found him standing in front of the fridge.

"Oh, hi, Neji. Already back from your morning training?" She asked in a tone she hoped would pass as cheerful. Her cousin didn't answer but just kept looking at Hinata, waiting for her to give him the answer he was seeking. Hinata turned her eyes down, unable to meet his stare. "Ehm, yes..." she mumbled. "It's my day off so I was planning to go out to enjoy myself a little" She looked up, noticing his gaze that was still on her.

"And?"

"And?" She asked innocently.

"And what else?" He asked impatiently. Hinata's cheeks turned a little red; nothing was able to deceive his eyes.

"Ehm, I'm meeting up with some friends..." She tried but she could see it on his face that he would not settle for anything less than the whole truth. "I-I'm meeting up with Kiba...'" Hearing this, her older cousin nodded and then left without another word, a strange expression on his face that Hinata could not make anything out of.

It was already afternoon when Hinata got to the park and sat down to wait. It was such nice weather and at that moment she really wished that she had brought a carpet she could sit on. Maybe they could have a picnic again – just as they had last week? Hinata smiled to herself when thinking of how Kiba had looked at her as she handled him the piece of pie. She let out little laugh as she now understood the expression he'd had on his face. It had been so unexpectedly surprised and, she had to admit, a bit cute. If she had known then, what would that picnic have been like?, she wondered. She looked down at her watch, it was still way early to go back home to met Kiba. The dark haired girl leaned backwards and rested her back against the tree. It was such a bright day... She let out a delighted moan as the felt the sun warm up her skin and spread throughout her whole body, making her relax.

"Hinata!" A voice called out for her and she opened her eyes to see Naruto coming over to her. She quickly sat up and her hands ran over the outfit, making sure it was in place.

"Oh, ehm, hi..." The girl didn't dare to look up at him.

"Wow, Hinata, I don't think I've ever seen you wearing something like that. It looks good!" Hinata blushed all over and not knowing what to do she just nodded repeatedly.

"You okay, Hinata?" The blonde boy asked worried. Hinata stopped her nodding and started frantically waving her hands in front of her.

"No, no, I mean, yes. I'm all well, thank you for asking — and for the compliment" she added. Naruto looked strangely at her, still seeming unsure as to whether his female friend was feeling well.

"Oh, okay," He said, looking at the tree. "So, what are you doing out here? I mean, you're not normally relaxing under a tree are you?"

"I, I tend to do it when I'm home." Hinata told him, her hands trembling as she did so. She'd often talked to the boy, but most of what they'd talked about was abut missions and other ninja activities. They never talked about themselves, or she didn't, not often at least, though she'd heard a lot about Naruto's life and thoughts. A smile appeared on her lips as she realized that things were actually going well. She was talking with Naruto, and she didn't really panic or anything. Who would have thought that? Maybe it meant that she could be closer to Naruto than she actually had thought?

"What do you mean? We're already friends and I'm sitting as close as I possibly can." Hinata looked up confused.

"W-What?" Then she noticed that the boy was no longer standing in front of her. Bewildered she looked to her side and found him sitting beside her underneath the tree. She let out a quiet shriek, earning a raised eyebrow from the boy.

"Ehm, Hinata? Are you okay?" He lifted his hand and let it rest on her forehead, felling her temperature. "You were telling me about you garden; Your favorite tree and the puddle beside it when, out of nowhere, you started questioning our friendship. Are you sure you've drunk enough water today?"

Hinata felt her face heat up. She had been talking out loud! No wonder he was looking strangely at her — she must have seemed like a lunatic. Tears started gathering in the corner of her eyes as she realized that she once again had blown one of her chances to really get to know the man of her many dreams.

"I'm sorry," Hinata got to her feet and brushed of whatever grass has gotten on her clothes "I have to go." She then turned away from him and started walking away.

"Hinata" The boy called out after her. She stopped, but didn't turn to face him "You know you can always talk to me if there is anything bothering you," His voice was and more down to earth than she had ever heard before. She stood still and listened as he moved closer and then stopped right behind her. "You can always talk to me, Hinata." he repeated. "That's what friends are for, right?." Hinata had to breathe hard to keep the tears from falling as she turned and faced Naruto.

"I know. And- and thank you. I'm sorry if I've bothered you in any way." She gave him a sort bow of farewell and then left him behind.

Hinata walked down the street and headed for her home. She looked down at her watch; she had to hurry. The feelings inside was still all welled up but, as she passed down Konohagakure's streets, she concentrated on the facts. It was something that she'd learned from Tenten that had picked up a few tricks to live by when being a part of Neji Hyuuga's life. You had to focus on the facts. You should only focus on what you knew, and not think of anything else. You should not feel. When Hinata had started using this technique, she'd noticed that it didn't only seem practical around her cousin, but also when handling herself and her emotions. That was why she, while hurrying down the street, closed her eyes and forced herself to breath steadily while opening up to the environment around her, feeling everything and everyone around her as she passed by them.

"What's wrong, Hina?" The familiar voice made her heart skip a beat and, for a second, she lost focus. Before she regained it she bumped into something soft. "Oh!" Kiba Inuzuka let out a growl.

"Oh!" Hinata gasped as she opened her eyes wide up.

"Oh?" The boy mimicked. "That's all you have to say? You could have killed me, woman!"

"I don't think you-" The boy grinned at her and she understood the joke. "Oh..." A bright blush appeared on her cheeks. The boy's smile grew even wider and he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"You never learn do you? You should have figured out it out that I'm just joking with you. I mean, how many years have we been friends?" His smile turned gentler and he looked the young Hyuuga-girl in the eyes. They were so warm, so calm, protecting and Hinata could not stop a small smile from appearing on her lips...

"Thanks, Kiba."

"For what?" He asked. Hinata averted her eyes and looked down at her shoelaces.

"Nothing. For just being you, I guess..."

"Well, who else would I have been?" His answer so so straight forward, so obvious, so... so Kiba. "You coming?" Hinata looked up to see him standing a couple of paces away, his head turned to face down the street. Hinata took a deep breath and cleared her mind, then she walked over to her friend and nodded.

"Let's go, Kiba."

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