Naruto went to the academy early the next morning. He knew his team wouldn't be there, but he didn't mind waiting. Besides, he had nothing better to do than wait, since Hinata wouldn't be back until the evening. He knew Kiba had organized a get-together for Hinata's closest friends (including him, of course), and he planned to take her out for dinner.

Meanwhile, though, he was sitting on an upturned log in the Academy training ground and staring at the ground, remembering his Academy days.

"Excuse me?" A voice brought him out of his thinking, politely yet a little curiously.

Naruto looked up, "Oh. Hi."

Standing in front of him dressed in dark grey pants and a turtleneck full-sleeved black shirt with his headband tied around his neck was Fumio. He had a strange symbol on the back of his shirt, and a weapons pouch strapped to his left thigh. His hair flopped in his eyes, and he was tapping his sandal-clad feet a little nervously. His outfit looked new, yet inexpensive.

"I'm Namikaze Naruto." Naruto smiled, "Your new sensei."

Fumio nodded, sitting down on the ground cross-legged.

"Hey, Fumio?" Naruto said softly.

Fumio looked up with a questioning glance.

"Do you neglect your needs or…" Naruto let the question hang.

Flushing intensely, Fumio looked away, mumbling something about being naturally skinny.

"So you eat a lot?" Naruto asked curiously.

Fumio nodded.

"Where does it all go?"

Fumio shrugged.

"What about training? Do you do that a lot?"

Fumio shrugged.

"Say what…" Naruto said, "If you guys pass tomorrow's test, I'll take you to a friend of mine. We'll work on improving your build, if you'd like."

Taking an instant liking to his new sensei, Fumio nodded. He had heard of Uzumaki Naruto a lot, and how the villagers had treated him awfully when he was a kid, and how he had lived alone. Fumio hadn't been certain about his new sensei, thinking he would be cold and indifferent like all other shinobi.

"That's only if you pass the test." Naruto added again with a grin.

"What test!?" A voice screeched loudly.

Naruto turned around with a smile, facing the green-eyed kunoichi perched on a tree branch with a balloon in her hand and a 'busted' expression on her face.

"Seriously, I thought you had better pranking skills than that, Hanako." Naruto scolded, "I knew you were there, but you should have maintained your position."

A masculine snort caught their attention. Crouching on the Academy building wall, Katashi smirked.

"As if. Don't try to bluff it out, sensei."

Naruto exhaled sharply, "I don't bluff, kid."

Then he grinned, "At least not outside battle."

"Now, I'd like you three to come and sit here." He gestured.

The three genin sat down cross-legged on the ground, and for a minute Naruto took their appearances in.

Hanako was dressed in a boat-neck sleeveless fitted dark blue shirt on a fishnet half-sleeved high-neck undershirt and black shorts that ended just below the knee. She had on regular shinobi sandals, with her headband worn around her waist, and fingerless, metal-plated black gloves. She had her hair braided on one side, her bangs pinned out of the way. She had a weapons pouch attached to her thigh and her sword in a sheath at her hip.

Katashi wore black below-the-knee shorts, regular shinobi sandals, a dark grey sleeveless shirt and a black half-sleeved undershirt, and fingerless gloves. His headband was tied around his forehead, his hair falling over his eyes over it. He had a weapons pouch strapped to his left arm.

"Sensei?" Fumio spoke tentatively.

Naruto chuckled, "Sorry. Zoned out a bit. Anyhow, guys… introductions, please… tell me about yourself, your name, your hobbies, your likes, your dislikes, dreams, ambitions, that sorta thing."

"You go first!" Hanako said immediately.

He smiled, "OK, sure. My name's Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto. I'm a brash, reckless, possessive and protective person. My days are usually spent training, hanging out with my girlfriend or friends, eating either at Ichiraku's or at home while bugging Akira-nii-san, and now taking lessons from Godaime-sama. I don't like people who threaten my village or friends, I hate war and bloodshed, and I hate doing stuff that requires patience. My ambition, until recently, was to become Hokage, and now that that's indirectly achieved, I aim to bring peace to the entire shinobi world." Naruto smiled, "I want an intro bigger than or equal to that."

He nodded to Fumio.

"My name's Masaki Fumio. I'm a brash and recklessness person, and a lot of people have told me that I'll die on my first mission. I like eating at the dango shop, sometimes Ichiraku's, and mostly at the Yakiniku Q. I like to train and read sometimes. I don't like orphanages and wars, and people who degrade others. My dream is to be a good ninja, finish poverty and prevent future wars."

"A worthy ambition." Naruto said with a respectful nod, "All right, green-eyes."

"Sarutobi Hanako! I'm a loud, annoying person who likes pranking a lot. I like hanging out with Konohamaru-nii-san and pulling pranks. I also like sparring and training, especially with my sword. I don't like people who can't take a joke, and I especially hate traitors and backstabbers. My dream is to become a successful kunoichi and surpass all my heroes!"

"You're going to have to cut down on the pranking a bit." Naruto told her, "Use that creativeness elsewhere."

Hanako pouted.

"With your creativeness, I'm pretty sure you'd be an awesome trap-setter. All right, next."

"I am Inafune Katashi, and I don't see why I have to give a pointless introduction as big as yours."

"Just do as he says!" Hanako growled at him.

"I like my sister Fumiko and hanging out with her, and training to become stronger to protect her. I don't like people who go on about true strength; because I believe true strength comes from pain. My dream is to become a strong-enough ninja to ensure that my sister lives a happy life as a civilian."

"What if she wants to be a shinobi?" Hanako asked curiously.

Katashi growled back, "She can't, and she doesn't want to either."

"Now listen up. I want the three of you at Training ground seven tomorrow, early in the morning. If you three pass, I'll treat you to ramen. If you three fail, you're being sent back to the Academy."

"What!?"

"That's how it goes. I have homework for you three. Fumio, work on your anger and train a little more, 'cause I have a feeling you don't do much of that. Hanako, try to think of ways to use your creativeness as a shinobi. And Katashi, I want you to think about the base behind your determination, and where and what you would be if your little sister wasn't there."

Naruto stood up, "Got that, you three?"

"Hai, sensei!"

"Good. Don't be late tomorrow. Oh, and don't eat breakfast, or you'll throw up." With that he stretched, "I gotta go greet my girlfriend."

With that, he hastened to Konoha's gates just as Hinata came in with two chuunin.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto said with a grin, grabbing her waist and hugging her carefully, in case she was injured.

Blushing, the dark-haired kunoichi smiled, "Hi."

He turned her around and kissed her on the mouth quickly.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Come 'round to the Shushuya, okay?" He told her.

Hinata nodded, "I'll just nip down home and grab some decent clothes."

Naruto nodded, "I'll go change too. Meet you there?"

Hinata nodded.

"Oh, by the way, I'm taking you out for dinner. The fancy restaurant you wanted to go to."

"Arigatou!" She pecked his cheek, "Bye."

He nodded.

Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Tenten, Lee, Kiba, Shino, Sakura, Sai and Naruto were all seated at a table, waiting for the birthday girl to arrive. They were all dressed casually and had all already placed the orders, Naruto already knowing what Hinata would want.

Finally, finally, Kiba perked up as he caught Hinata's scent.

"Sorry I'm late." She said as she came in, "Hi!"

"Happy birthday, Hinata!" They chorused.

"You look great, hime." Naruto told her, making space for her beside him.

She smiled, blushing faintly. She was wearing a white v-neck full-sleeved blouse that showed a tiny bit of cleavage over a light blue skirt and white leggings with heels. Her hair was done in a bun at the nape of her neck, her bangs let out as usual.

Naruto leaned to peck her cheek, whispering a private happy birthday. Almost everyone 'awwwed'.

"So how was your team?" Sakura asked him over sake and dumplings.

"They're okay." He said slowly, "One's an emo, one's a prankster, and one's just an ordinary kid with an admirable goal."

"Sorta like ours, huh?" Sakura said with a sigh.

"Sakura, I don't think your goal was all that admirable." Naruto replied, receiving a glare.

"Two orphans and a prankster, huh? I'd say you were trying to create a team of Four Naruto's." Kiba laughed, "I can just imagine the look on Tsunade-sama's face!"

Everyone laughed.

"I didn't keep that in mind when I chose them." Naruto replied, "But yeah, they're a lot like me."

"So what took you so long?" Tenten asked Hinata.

She smiled happily, "Father and Hanabi wanted to wish me."

"Did they give you presents?" Ino asked eagerly.

Hinata nodded, "A pair of hair sticks and a vase."

"Cool. Hey, knucklehead, where's your present?"

"I'm gonna give it to her separately." Naruto grinned.

They met up at the restaurant. Hinata had changed out of her skirt and blouse and into a white kimono-style dress with a dark purple ribbon around her waist and hems. Naruto was dressed in a dark blue button-down shirt on white pants.

"Hi." She smiled at him when he reached her.

He grinned, "Come on."

Naruto had reserved a quiet in-the-corner spot for them. After ordering, Naruto decided to give Hinata her gift. So he stood up.

"Close your eyes." He told her.

She gave him a puzzled glance, but closed them anyway.

Naruto placed the empty box in front of her and went behind her. He locked the locket around her slender neck, the pendant falling on her dress.

"Okay. Open 'em."

Hinata opened her eyes and found nothing different.

"Naruto-kun?" She said uncertainly.

He chuckled, "Look down."

She caught sight of the pendant and touched it, awed. As she lifted it up to examine it, the clasp opened, revealing the picture he had put in.

"Naruto-kun, it's awesome!" She cried, throwing her arms around his neck, "Thank you so much!"

Naruto smiled, kissing her softly, "I'm glad you like it, hime."