I'm still in a bad mood from yesterday, but I'm determined to not let it get me down. I've gotten everything packed, and now I just need to make it official. I'm on my way to the mission room, trying to keep my head up, and wondering if Naruto has unpacked everything or not. I have to admit, that's a distinct possibility. I've unpacked a few bits of clothing myself.

Climbing the stairs up to the room, I come across a relative of Aoba's I met a while ago. Her black sun glasses are the same, though her hair is a little longer than I remembered it being. "Hinata Hyuga, right?"

"Yes," I say with a smile.

"Ol' Aoba been treating you well? I heard he made The Steak of Five Spices for you and a couple friends."

"A- Aoba has been very kind and generous to me," I say. I have to be careful with how and why he's been helping, though. I had the thought the other day that if the Divine Eye technique really can see a person's karmic destination, that knowledge could be very powerful, especially if said person was a ninja. "Have you ever had the steak?"

"Only once, when I made chunin. My uncle Junichi made it. Everything else I have ever put in my mouth pales in comparison." She says, with a longing look into the distance. "So what was your special occasion?"

"I had just come back from a long mission in the royal city; I was pretty exhausted emotionally."

Aoba's relative nods sympathetically. "Well, I've got to go prep for this new mission I got handed. It was nice seeing you."

"You too…" After watching her leave, I briefly contemplate posting "HINATA ONLY LOVES NARUTO" flyers around the village. At least my involvement with Ibiki hasn't taken on this kind of life of its own. Yet, at least; and with my luck in the last few months, it probably will at some point.

When I get to the mission room, there's still a good crowd waiting in line. Glancing over the room I see a familiar head of spiky black hair, and do a double take to make sure- yes, that is Obito. I wonder why he takes missions, after all he's done and proven… I try not to stare, just in case he notices me watching. Oddly enough, when I get closer to the front of the line, I feel someone looking over at me, and when I check, Obito is walking away…

"Hinata?" I snap out of my thoughts, and find myself in front of the desk.

"Um, Lady Tsunade, about that training trip…"

"You were planning on leaving soon?"

"Yes. Today, actually."

Lady Tsunade nods, and makes a note on a scrap of paper. "There's a lot that could be done if you stayed here, but there's nothing wrong with taking some time to train. Hinata… I don't know how long you were planning to stay, but with Sorano here in Konoha now, I'd like you back a bit sooner."

"I'll try…"

"Come back strong, okay?" Asks Shizune. I smile and nod, then bow and take my leave. Once I'm out of the tower I do my best to hurry over to Naruto's apartment, hoping he's there. As I'm jumping and running over the rooftops, I randomly get the mental image of a rock skipping across a pond. How many skips do I have left? I skip to a stop at Naruto's door, take a second to catch my breath, and knock. I don't hear anything after a few moments, and I knock again, a little louder. I'm about to knock again a third time when the door finally opens

"Oh Hinata, yeah, come in. I was kind of busy getting all my stuff packed again." Naruto says, scratching the back of his neck.

"Sorry I interrupted you..."

"Naw, it's okay. I only had a little bit left." But looking at it, there's more than just a little bit. I see piles of kunai that aren't put in holsters, a couple stacks of clothes, mesh undershirts and first aid supplies…

"If you don't mind, I could help."

"Well, if you really want to, I guess you could." I nod, and get started putting his kunai away. Naruto squishes all his clothes down and stuffs them into a plastic trash bag, twisting it up and then sealing it into a scroll. A few moments later I have the first couple of piles of kunai done, and Naruto works on the third.

"Naruto, would you be ready to go to Mount Myoboku today?"

"I guess. I was getting all my stuff packed again, ya know? How does leaving after a quick cup of instant ramen sound?"

"It sounds good."

"Alright!" Naruto grins, and I have to smile, too. I reach to pick up the first aid supplies, but Naruto has the same idea, and our hands accidentally brush each other. My heart stumbles and shudders, and on instinct I reach for Naruto's hand and hold it tight. He squeezes it with a smile, and with his other hand picks up the first aid kit. I hand him the rest of the first aid supplies, and he lets go of my hand and gets them all in the box. I gulp, and get his mesh undershirts folded and stacked beside his kunai. Soon after, the whole load is sealed away, and put into Naruto's backpack. Right on cue, Naruto's stomach growls, and he chuckles as we head into his kitchen. "Is miso ramen okay?"

"Yes, it's fine…" The watched feeling presses in on the back of neck, warm and humming; or maybe that was the microwave as Naruto warmed up the ramen. Though he barely spoke as he practically inhaled his ramen, Naruto seemed like he was in a good mood. Mine started to turn up, and I hurried to finish mine as Naruto was on his last cup of ramen.

With a last gulp and satisfied sigh, he's done, and looks over at me. "Say, you didn't bring any of your stuff over. Do you need to go back home to get it?"

"No, I got all the basic things I need sealed away earlier this morning."

"Cool. Well, uh, let's get going then." Between the watched feeling and my own emotions, I'm a little woozy on the way to the training grounds. And, as we get to the edge of them, I decide to tell him.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"W- when I'm with you, there's this feeling I get, like-"

"Hey, where ya goin'?!" Konohamaru shouts, jogging over. "Weren't we going to Ichiraku Ramen later today?"

"Oh, yeah, forgot about that."

"Naruto will take you there as soon as we get done training. Won't you, Naruto?"

"Yes!" Naruto says quickly.

"Alright. Just don't take too long."

"Sure." Konohamaru nods, and jogs away. Naruto grins and turns to me. "Ready?"

"Ready!" I unison we form the hand seals, and bite our thumbs to draw blood, performing the Summoning Jutsu. Popping up in puffs of smoke are Gamaspeed and Gamakichi, towering over us.

"Hey guys, well look whaddya know they decided to summon us, I-"

"I haven't seen you in a while, Naruto." Gamakichi interrupts. Good, I'm not the only one who thinks Gamaspeed is annoying.

"Ah ya know, I've just been doing a little this and that," Naruto says casually. "Say, could you guys do us a favor?"

"Sure whaddya need whatcha want come on come on name it and we can do it come on, tell us, I tells ya."

"We were just wondering if you guys could head back to Mount Myoboku and summon us there?"

"That's it come on whaddya need whaddya want where's the action, let's-"

"Sure, that won't be nothin'. Come on, Gamaspeed."

"Hmph." Gamakichi nods and the toads puff away.

"So, what were you just about to tell me?" Naruto asks.

"...There a feeling I get sometimes when I'm close to you or talking to you, where-" And before I can finish, Naruto is summoned to Mount Myoboku. I sigh, and just moments later, I'm summoned away from Konoha...