It had been a week since they had broken up.

For the first few days, Hinata cried uncontrollably in her bedroom when she thought no one was around to hear her. In the days that followed, she spent her free time simply laying there, staring at the ceiling.

Sometimes she thought about him…his kisses, all over her body. Her thoughts lingered on their addictive nature. She thought of his fingers against her skin, and sometimes she even had…dreams about him. She would wake up flustered, and go out for some air.

She grew adept at making fake smiles, ones that satisfied her teammates if they ever sensed her diminishing composure. Her fake smiles turned to bitter ones when she returned home at the end of the day.

"This is weird Hinata," Kiba mentioned, when she suggested they stay out for a few extra hours that day. "Training in the evening? I was going to head to the bathhouse…"

"T-trust me Kiba-kun – i-it'll be fun," Hinata tried to reassure him.

"There's no moon out , I would have thought something like this would make you uncomfortable," said Shino.

Hinata smiled slightly. She wasn't afraid of the night anymore. She idly looked up at the sky, enjoying its beauty, reflecting on how it rivaled Sasuke's eyes…his smirk…. She thought on how her fears of darkness had diminished since meeting him, how his existence supplemented hers, making her stronger every day.

She remembered his subtle approval, the way his mouth twitched when she landed a hit he had expected to block. How he was proud of her progress, yet always seemed pleased if she fell into his arms at the end of the day.

And now she was crying again.

Hating herself at that moment, Hinata turned away from her teammates in an effort to hide her tears. They didn't know about her break-up with Sasuke. She sobbed despite herself. Her shoulders trembled.

"Hinata…" said Kiba uncertainly.

Without thinking, she ran off.


When Naruto was released from the hospital, the nurses were amazed by his speedy recovery. He continued to suffer a few aches and pains, but he was perfectly able to go about on his own again.

Upon departure, Naruto finally managed to get Kakashi to tell him what had happened.

Sakura.

It was as he had suspected. She had hurt him, and he – Naruto had winced when Kakashi disclosed the vicious things he had done to Sakura-chan. The blonde continued to be amazed by the potency of the mind-confusion technique. Kakashi suggested he train to ensure he could fend off future mind attacks.

As Naruto walked to his favorite food stand for some much needed ramen, he mused on these past events. Even if he and Sakura had been locked in a strong jutsu, he was astonished that they would be able to inflict so much harm upon each other. Hadn't Sakura been able to fend off mental techniques in the past, during the chunnin exams? Then why had she been able to – why had she…

Naruto became lost in his thoughts. He absently twirled the menma about in his stew.

He and Sakura were experienced shinobi, and should have recognized each other on some level. They should have been able to fight the technique. Naruto didn't understand how they could have been so lost as to try to kill each other.

If he loved her, the way he thought he did, then none of it made any sense at all.

Suddenly feeling sick to his stomach, Naruto pushed his ramen away and left some notes on the counter before wandering off. Despite that it was evening time, the air was still hot and humid, so Naruto pulled off his orange jacket and placed it queerly upon his head. This didn't stop the girls that passed him from missing a step. Even some older women – mothers; wives – offered him shy waves and appreciative glances, as though they hadn't spent his childhood treating him like a freakshow.

Naruto barely noticed. With his jacket removed, he wore only a mesh tank top, which revealed his tan, muscled chest, that gleamed with sweat from the exertion of walking around in early recovery. As he had aged, the whisker marks on his cheeks became not feral anymore, but rugged and attractive. His golden hair fell in his eyes in sort of a mystical, majestically, ethereal manner, and-

To be frank, Naruto was a tool.

Little did he notice.

He sighed to himself, oblivious of his destination. He was too weak to train, and even had lost his appetite for ramen, the enigma of Haruno Sakura congesting his psyche.

As Naruto turned down a new road deciding it was time to go home to his empty apartment, he was surprised to notice Hyuuga Hinata sitting on a bench with her face in her hands.


Hinata played her last conversation with Sasuke again and again in her mind. His pocketed hands and his blank expression.

"Do you love me?" She treaded upon poisonous pins. One scratch, and she would surely die.

"No."

Do you love me?

No.

D-do you love me?

Had she asked too much? How could things have turned out differently? What did it matter, whether he loved her or not? What did he matter, he was just some stupid boy. Hinata trembled.

When had he become so important in her life?

Feeling something crawl down her cheek, she brushed her face with her hand, only to find wetness there. She quickly proceeded to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. I have to stop crying!

"Hinata?"

She was startled by the sound of her name beside her, turning to see Naruto seated on the other side of the bench. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts of Sasuke, she hadn't even noticed Naruto's arrival. His brows creased as curiosity became concern.

"Hinata…why are you crying?"

Hinata quickly shook her head and waved her hands. "I'm n-not cr-crying," she said unconvincingly, whilst forcing a smile that trembled worrisomely.

Naruto bit his mouth. "Right," he conceded, at least for the time being. "Ano…what are you doing here sitting alone? Shouldn't you be at home with your family, or with…." Naruto trailed off as he realized.

Hinata looked at her lap. "Sasuke-kun and I…w-we…"

As the Hyuuga choked back a sob, Naruto mused on the "kun" with which she had followed Sasuke's name. It was excessively formal considering their relation. I see, thought Naruto. So they broke up.

Hinata was clearly a novice when it came to teenage heartbreak. She was back to rubbing her tears, so much so, that her cheeks were getting raw. Naruto grabbed her hand to stop her, and she froze. He lowered her hand to her lap, and she blankly stared at him.

"Sasuke's my best friend..." said Naruto, struggling for what to say. "But – he's also a teme," he added frankly. To his surprise, the corner of Hinata's mouth lifted slightly, maybe because he had achieved his purpose of consoling her, or maybe because she knew it to be true. Either way, Naruto was relieved that she had stopped crying. "Seriously Hinata-chan, don't waste your tears on him."

She sniffed and nodded, continuing to offer him her focus. And then she bit her bottom lip, and looked back down. "I'm g-glad you're o-out of b-bed Naruto-kun."

Naruto noted her stutter; it only seemed to go away when Sasuke was around. Maybe I can fix that, he mused, brushing back her hair, to her confusion. "Sasuke's still learning to forge normal relationships. He may never be able to commit to anyone completely."

Hinata met Naruto's blue eyes. That was what she had long feared…what she was beginning to realize to be true. Could that ever be enough for her?

"But Sasuke doesn't deserve you."

The more time Naruto spent around Hinata, the more beautiful she seemed to become. Delightful…adorable…why had it taken him so long to notice? "I can help you get through this," he assured her, watching as a faint blush decorated her features. Maybe she was finally beginning to remember her feelings. "If you want me to," Naruto continued, finally lowering his arm. Hinata's blush, her stutter, her fidgeting and anxiety; the mere fact that she seemed so small-

-they made him feel so much bigger, so much stronger in comparison, whereas Sakura made him weak. Was it wrong that this was what drew him? That maybe her stuttering wasn't such a bad thing for him after all?

Was it wrong that he could touch her, steer her, convince her into things she wouldn't do otherwise? That he was so righteous, she would never contest him – that he supplemented her insecurities rather than her strengths?

What does it matter? Naruto thought, leaning forward. Show me everything that you've shown Sasuke.

Hinata could not move.

When Naruto closed his eyes and moved toward her, his intentions were clear.

But why now? Hinata wanted to know.

Did it matter? Naruto was handsome, and strong – he was confidence embodied, and she loved him; she always had.

Hinata closed her eyes and decided that it was all right. Naruto-kun was the boy she had spent most of her life pining over. He had become powerful, respected, and was even being groomed to become Hokage one day. He was the life of Konoha, and any woman would be lucky to have him – lucky beyond logic.

And Sasuke. He was...

The only boy who had ever kissed her.

The only boy who knew how to get under her skin in the perfect way, who tortured her without trying, and treated her like a shinobi, not a flower. He knew how to make her cry, he was so well at it. He also knew how to make her blush, and smile, and lived to torment her to the point of hiding her face in his shirt.

Sasuke was the one boy who knew how to touch her, the spots that made her blush, and the ones that made her whimper in weak protest.

Hinata turned her face, causing Naruto's lips to connect with her cheek. "No," she said softly. You don't know how I like to be kissed.

The two opened their eyes and looked up to notice Uchiha Sasuke standing across the road, having stopped to stare at them.