Kon'nichiwa minna ^^
Thank you for all your reviews, follows and favourites. (^^) I honestly didn't think so many people would like this story so thank you for all you support. Here is the next chapter enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
please read the bottom of the story.
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Chapter 3 - Task 1
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane sat opposite from the three candidates while Tsunade and Naruto sat on either side of them. Homura was the first to break the silence. "Thank you for coming here today, as you know one of you three will be chosen as the next Hokage. From today onward you will be watched carefully and by the end of the week we should have our answer, then integrating the next Hokage into power will the next step and finally announcing it to the village." Koharu was the next to speak. "Now you will be given tasks throughout the week and depending on how you handle those tasks and the reasons we chose you in the first place we will choose the next Hokage ." Hinata looked at Shikamaru and Kakashi then back at Homura and Koharu "We are ready." Tsunade smiled at her determination while Naruto was repaying the conversation he had with Sasuke yesterday in his mind. Tsunade stood up and started to make her way to the door. "Now you first task awaits for you in my office, shall we go?" Tsunade held the door open as they walked out. Homura and Koharu remained behind watching them leave. "This test will only prove that we made the right choice you know…" Homura hummed in agreement.
As they walked to Tsunade's office Shikamaru, Hinata and Kakashi were talking to each other while Naruto trailed behind. "What do you think our first task will be Kakashi-sensei?" Kakashi chuckled at the cute expression Hinata made unintentionally when she asked the question. "Hina-chan you don't need to call me sensei any more you know… makes me feel kind of old…" he said smiling at her. A light blush rose to her cheeks when she looked at him. Shikamaru smirked when he heard Kakashi thought himself as old. "At least you don't get to be called 'ojiji'…" Hinata giggled when Shikamaru said that and Kakashi looked confused at the two. "Takashi-kun calls me nee-chan and Shika-kun ojiji because he looks old" Hinata continued to giggle at Shikamaru when he huffed in frustration and Kakashi laughed along with Hinata at Shikamaru. "Troublesome women…" Shikamaru muttered under his breath.
They reached the Hokage's office and Tsunade walked inside and sat at her desk. The rest of them came in and stood in front of Tsunade. "Hokage-sama what is our first task?" Kakashi asked while taking out his book from his pouch. Before Tsunade could reply sand appeared on the ground. It swirled and rose as more filled the room. It formed the silhouette of a man and darken until blood-red hair and porcelain white skin was visible, before them was the Kazekage himself.
Naruto's glum mood picked up at the sight of his friend. "Gaara! It's good to see you!" Gaara being who he is with a straight face greeted him back. "Ah good you are here now your task is to get Gaara here to trade with us. You will have to create good trading contract between the two nations that will benefit the two nations equally. He will then pick the contract that he finds the best, does everyone understand?"
"Hai Hokage-sama" they said in unison. "You will have a day to prepare your contracts. Good luck" Hinata bowed and said good-bye to everyone and left in a hurry. Kakashi looked at Shikamaru "Do know why she is in a hurry?" Shikamaru shrugged and look back at the door where she was last seen. Naruto on the other hand was trying to convince Gaara to eat some ramen with him. Soon Tsunade was alone in her office.
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Hinata had made her hasty exit because she had forgotten something very important. She was meeting Sasuke today for the signing of a clan contract that the two drew up. The contract was made to protect each other's clan doujustsu in case if either clan is attacked. This contract is to make sure that if either one of the clan is attacked for their doujutsu the other clan will help protect them. So Hinata pushed as much chakra she could to her legs and ran home. She made it with a minute. She ran up to her study as she opened the door she apologized a little out of breath. "I'm so sorry I'm late…" Sasuke turned around from facing the window. He watched as Hinata tried to catch her breath. Her kimono became slightly undone from running, showing him more of her upper chest. He watch he as she tried to make herself presentable, her chest heaving up and down slowing pushing the fabric further down. He was entranced by her and he knew it well. He broke from his daydream and placed his 'indifference' mask on. "The meeting about the next Hokage I'm I right…?"
"Yes. Did Naruto-kun tell you?"
"Hm…"
"Gaara-sama is here… maybe you would like to talk to him?" Hinata suggested as she sat down by her desk rolling out the contact.
"Maybe… you ready?" Hinata nodded and both of them bit their thumbs and signed the contract in blood. The contract poof and the deal was done. "Are you free now…?" Hinata smiled at Sasuke. "Would you like to get something to eat with me?" Hinata asked him. He didn't reply he just walked out but when he reached the door he stopped "I'll meet you outside…" and he continued walking. Hinata smiled to herself and walked to her room to change into something more comfortable. She wore a pair of black leggings and a deep blue v neck tunic with her black pumps. She tied her hair in a ponytail and left her bangs to frame her face. When she walked out the gate, Sasuke was standing under the oak tree. She didn't realise it but Sasuke wore similar colour clothing except his shirt was white with the Uchiha crest on the back.
Both of them walked side by side entering the restaurant district. They decide to go to the barbeque place. As they walked in they spotted Choji, Ino and Shikamaru. The Uchiha scowled when Hinata dragged him over with her to talk to them. "Ino-chan, Choji-kun it's nice to see you here. I have been so busy that I don't have any time to do anything other than work anymore." Hinata said sheepishly. "Don't worry about it Hina-chan. Say… are you two on a date?!" Ino said wiggling her eyebrow suggestively. Hinata didn't blush much now days but it came back with a vengeance. She tried to deny it but nothing she said was audible even the great Uchiha had a faint blush. "Ino… we are not a date it's just lunch."
"Oh whatever you say Sasuke…" Ino replied in a teasing-singing voice. "We'll be going now." and Sasuke dragged the blushing hyüga to an empty table. Hinata sat down and stared at the table trying to not look like a tomato. Soon she was back to normal and they were just taking about the recent missions they had. While the waiter was taking their order Naruto, Gaara and Sakura walked in. Naruto saw Sasuke but didn't notice Hinata sitting opposite him and being his loud self he rushed over dragging Sakura with him, Gaara just followed calmly behind. "Oi Sasuke what are you doing here alone?" Sakura called out after Naruto "Sasuke-kun you can join us if you want?" they said. As they got to the table they noticed someone sitting at the table as well. Both of them stopped just a few steps away from their table when they saw Hinata sitting opposite him. "Sakura-chan, Naruto-kun, Kazekage-sama it's good to see you here." Hinata said in a calm mono-tone voice. "What do you want Naruto, Hinata and I having lunch." Naruto did not answer but Gaara did. "We were going to eat lunch as well sorry if we bothered you." Hinata felt bad when he said that sat so she decided to invite them to eat with them.
"Ahh Kazekage-sa… "" Gaara... Hinata-san"
"Ah… Hai…. Gaara-sama would you like to join us?"
"That would be nice Thank-you, that's if Sasuke-san does not mind." Hinata turned to Sasuke looking for an answer. He nodded and she gave him a sweet smile that meant 'sorry I'll make it up to you later'. She got up and sat next to Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura took her place and Gaara sat next to her. It was awkward at first but the conversation grew as the meal continued. Hinata learned a lot about Suna from Gaara. It was close to three and Hinata had to get home she was going to leave on her own but Gaara offered to walk her before Sasuke could say anything. Sasuke scowled but didn't say anything.
"Thank-you for walking me home Gaara-sama you didn't have to you know?" Gaara looked over to her. "It is no problem but please just call me Gaara I would think you know me well enough since we fought together." Hinata blushed lightly when he look at her with his stormy turquoise eyes. "Hai Gaara-kun" she said with her famous smile. "I didn't know that you are the head of you clan it must be hard going on missions and running your clan but now also getting the chance to be Hokage." Hinata looked at the road ahead and answered. "Yes it is hard but I have a great family and Kō-kun is a life saver. They help me and show me what I work so hard for. I would do anything and everything for them because they trust me so I can't ask for anything more from them. They put their faith in me so I can let them down." Gaara realised that she and him were the same when it came to their people. "Gaara-kun thank you for walking home." She smiled and kissed him on the cheek and walked into the house. Gaara stood there placing his palm on his cheek where she kissed him. Hinata on the other while walking to her room she stopped and realised what she had just did she turned bright red and for the first time in a long time she fainted.
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"Oi Hinata! Wake up!" *woof* Hinata slowly open her eyes as Akamaru licked her face."Kiba-kun..?" When she finally came out of her daze she noticed that she was in her room and Kiba and Shino were sitting next to her and Akamaru by the foot of her bed. "Hinata-chan are you going to tell us what made to faint?" Shino asked curiously. "Well… Sasuke and I went to the barbeque place for lunch after our meeting and we met Gaara-kun, Sakura-chan and Naruto-kun were there as well. So they join us for lunch. Gaara-kun walked me home and I…. I ki-kissed him on the cheek like I have done with you and Kiba-kun and when I realised what I did well..." When she was done she was red as Gaara's hair. Kiba laughed at his friend's reaction and Shino smirked. "It's not funny you two…" Hinata said and pouted. "It is to us Hime. So how's the Hokage stuff going? Hanabi told us while you were out in the morning." Hinata paused for a moment and then sighed. "Well we have our first task and we only have a day to prepare for it. We have to establish a trading contract between Suna and Konoha that will benefit both sides equally." Hinata took her pillow and buried her face in it. "You need some help for tomorrow Hime, Shino and I are free?" Hinata looked up from her pillow."No you two should be resting you just came back from a mission."
"It's no problem at all Hinata-chan we'll come early in the morning for now let's get something to eat coz I'm starving right Akamaru?" *woof* For the rest of the day they Shino and Kiba stayed at her house even when she had to do paperwork for the clan. They sparred with Hanabi and brought Kurenai and Takashi over. By the end of the day she was exhausted but happy but her work is never finished so she went down to Hyüga library and fished out all the books she had on Suna and started to work on her proposal.
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Ja ne (^^)/
BHB31
PS I'm so sorry minna the edited version didn't get saved and I posted the raw version. This is the edited version I'm truly sorry about this.