Hi guys, happy new year!

I am so sincerely sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time. Life caught up with me and I had to go through a lot of counselling due to all my emotional issues but I'm back now and I promise I will try hard to update as much as I can.

If you're reading this, thanks so much for your interest and not giving up on this story. :)

I love my readers very much. :*

Love forever & always,

Hime

"So now, you kids get to fight the Sand Siblings."

Team 7 froze then and turned to see Tsunade coming towards them with the Suna ninjas.

From afar, Asuma nudged Kakashi, I bet your team won't even last 5 minutes."

"You're on."

They shook hands and the Hokage called the match.

"HAJIME!"

Gaara wasted no time in attacking with his sand, their opponents backed up to avoid it but found it useless as they were caught in a matter of seconds.

"H-how?"

Temari scoffed at the baffled looks of Team 7, "Because you guys are tired so it was pretty easy."

"Plus Gaara is really fast" added Kankurou.

Naruto smirked, "Not fast enough apparently."

The Suna siblings stared in shock as Team 7 disappeared in puffs of smoke.

Clones!

The Suna Team hurried to move to stand back to back, to engage eyes everywhere at all sides.

"Where would they be?" the redhead jinchuuriki asked out loud.

Suddenly, out of nowhere Gaara, Kankurou and Temari felt themselves pulled downwards. When they opened their eyes, they saw Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura beaming.

It was Temari's turn to be baffled now.

"H-how?" she asked as her brothers tried to struggle.

Naruto grinned his signature grin, "Inner Decapitation Technique! We learned it from Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi smirked with pride as Asuma paid him his money.

Life is good

Later, after getting the Suna ninjas out, Tsunade congratulated the team and told them their vacation will be next week.

Sakura, elated hugged Naruto much to the annoyance of Sasuke who wasted no time in prying the pinkette off.

"GET OFF OF ME!"

"NOT UNTIL YOU GET OFF OF NARUTO!"

Hinata shook her head until she felt someone tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw that it was her cousin.

"Yes?"

"Uhmm...Hinata-sama...I mean Hinata-san..I-"

Hinata cut him off, "What is it?"

"I-"

"Hina-hime"

The pale-skinned ninjas turned to see a fellow pale-skinned ninja, Sai coming toward them.

"Sai? What's wrong?"

"What I can't come see you?"

"Well of course you can but-"

"But what?"

Hinata frowned at her friend, annoyed that she was interrupted.

Was something troubling Sai?

Sai was the first to break the silence, "Naruto seems busy."

Hinata turned to what her friend was looking at to see her blonde best friend holding Sakura back from a very irate Uchiha.

"Yup"

"Do you want to have lunch?"

Hinata's head turned sharply in surprise,"Just you and me?"

"Yeah sure. Why not?"

Hinata's frowned deepened, Sai had never asked her out alone before. Did he want to speak with her privately?

"Actually…"

Hinata turned to her awkward cousin, "Yes?"

"I was wondering if we could talk...over lunch?"

Hinata blinked at him, her pokerface set.

"I apologize but I don't have an appetite so I'll be leaving first."

Without another word, she coolly walked away from the boys much to the annoyance of Sai.

"Thanks a lot Hyuuga" he spat as he walked away from the pony-tailed genin.

Neji glared after him but said nothing.

How am I supposed to fix things?

The next day, Naruto was awoken by Hinata shaking him.

"Get up"

Naruto opened his eyes, still exhausted from yesterday's activities but he became alert the moment he noticed what Hinata was wearing.

She was wearing a black, midriff baring, sleeveless top and shorts. Fishnets as her arm gloves and stockings with her knee-high black boots to finish the look.

"Is something happening?" Naruto asked warily.

Hinata smirked, "Don't worry your pretty little head, I've just got jobs to do but I need to leave now."

"Now? So you're not seeing me off to Suna?"

Hinata nodded and leaned in to kiss her childhood friend on the forehead when she saw the look on his face, "Take care and enjoy yourself."

Naruto's expression was as sour as before but was still little miffed. He gave a quick peck to her cheek in response, "You too Hime."

Later

Sakura was ecstatic and couldn't contain her excitement at an all-expenses paid vacation.

"Aren't you guys excited?!"

Sasuke rolled her eyes, "Naruto and Kakashi aren't here yet so could you bloody keep still? It's annoying."

Sakura scowled but before she could say something, she heard a familiar greeting.

"Yo!"

Sakura grinned and ran over to hug Naruto much to the chagrin of the other teammate. Kakashi who was beside Naruto went over to the brooding Uchiha.

"Good morning Sasuke."

"Hn"

Kakashi sighed and called out to his other students, "Come on you two! Let's get moving!"

Meanwhile

"Did you manage to talk to Onee-san?"

Neji flinched and Hanabi sighed when she saw it.

"I'll take that as a no."

Neji felt guilty and wished this wasn't the topic of conversation that his cousin had to bring on his way to escorting her to the Academy.

"I apologize Hanabi-sama. I did try but-"

"She's bitter?" Hanabi guessed.

"No...I think...to be honest I am not all sure. She controlled her expressions and emotions around me like as if, she was closing herself off."

"It sounds to me like she is bitter" Hanabi admitted.

Neji had nothing to say to that so Hanabi went on.

"What the clan did, what my father did was inexcusable. When I become Head, I will welcome Onee-san back."

Neji was startled, "But she doesn't have the Hyuuga eyes Hanabi-sama-"

"-so what? She is my sister by blood! Just because they took her eyes out and replaced it with something else's does not mean that the blood inside her has changed! She is still my sister!"

Hanabi was crying now and Neji awkwardly moved closer to her and patted her head.

"I know you love her Hanabi-sama."

Hanabi sniffled, "Don't you too?"

"I-"

Neji, for once in his life was speechless.

Do I love my cousin? The one I grew up with?

Deep into the woods, far off from Konoha, there were wanted shinobi wearing Akatsuki robes packing up.

"We're going to try capturing the Kyuubi brat again?"

"Yes and hopefully he's in the village this time around."

"Yeah and let's do it more sneakily this time yeah? It'll be annoying if we run into that green spandex guy and his merry friends you know?"

"You're right. We'll be more inconspicuous this time."

Please review! Thank you! :) Sorry if I'm a little rusty...I haven't written in so long... ^^;