Naruto had trouble believing his time at the Academy was drawing to a close. The five years of the Academy had been the happiest of his life. He had spent nearly every day with Hinata and Kiba. He had learned so much from Iruka-sensei and, though he hated to admit it, Mizuki-sensei. Naruto had even nearly caught up to Sasuke in the past year. The rivals were neck and neck in the standings now. Sasuke had much better chakra control which boosted his ninjutsu scores. The last Uchiha also had better academic marks. Naruto had much better teamwork scores and his strategy marks were higher. The parity had driven the rivalry into a practical cold war. Naruto and Sasuke only spoke when there was no other option. The rivalry had spilled outside of the Academy as well. Sayuri's Red Bean Challenge had changed hands six times in the past two years alone. Ironically, neither Naruto nor Sasuke held the current record. It was Hinata.
Hinata also added an element to rivalry that simultaneously made Naruto proud and nervous. Naruto was proud of his best friend. At the same time, he was nervous that Hinata was a target of Sasuke's issues. Naruto's best friend had also struck up a rivalry with Haruno Sakura that was as intense as Naruto's own. He was proud that Hinata continued to beat Sakura in the Academy standings. Hinata was amazing. One time at Ichiraku Ramen, Iruka-sensei had accidently mentioned that Hinata's scores might even be better than Tsunade of the Sannin.
Naruto sighed as the thoughts ran through his head. He had always been protective of Hinata. Naruto had realized just how protective he was when Hinata's rivalry with Sakura had turned into a strong mutual dislike. The Hyūga had granted him patronage so he could be Hinata's guardian. Naruto had quickly shifted the reasons. Hinata was his friend. Then she was his best friend.
And now?
It was suddenly very confusing. She was still his best friend, but there seemed to be something else. He brutally stomped on the thoughts. He had a big day today and had to focus. There was a tracking test and a quiz on the history of the Nidaime Hokage.
"Something on your mind, Naruto-kun?" Kō asked. The last time Kō remembered Naruto looking so confused was the day he had brought Naruto into his home. It was almost like the time Naruto asked why Kō hadn't left the table. However, Naruto had no hint of sadness in his eyes.
"I'm just thinking about some things at the Academy. I've got a tracking test."
The elder ninja smiled. Naruto was actually a horrible liar, but Kō decided to let it slide.
"You are partnered with Inuzuka Kiba, right?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah I am."
"Then between your natural talent for Kage Bunshin and his Clan skills you two won't have anything to worry about."
Naruto nodded and smiled. "Thanks nii-san!"
"Naruto, who convinced you to not wear orange today?"
"Oh, Hinata-chan did." The aspiring Genin completely missed the amused light in his older brother's eyes.
Naruto had ditched his usual orange and black jumpsuit for the day's tracking test. Instead, he wore a subdued green outfit that was remarkably similar to the standard Konoha Chunnin uniform. In the place of the Flak jacket was a simple black vest.
Definitely Hinata-sama. There is no way Naruto would choose such restrained clothes.
"Hey, nii-san, are you really signing up for the next Jonin trials?"
"I am. The trials are actually why I've been training with Yuji and Shuzu for the past month. Jonin need a wide variety of skills. I needed to improve my non-Jukken taijutsu and polish my naginata abilities."
"Seems like we'll both be busy at the end of the year."
Kō ruffled Naruto's hair. "We most certainly will."
"Well, I guess this is where we part ways. You'll be back at the apartment tonight right?" Naruto fidgeted in the unfamiliar clothes.
"I will. See you at dinner, little brother." The two brothers separated. The eldest went to his favorite training grounds. Naruto followed his daily ritual and headed for the Hyūga estates. The pair had developed impeccable timing over the years. Naruto would arrive within moments of Hinata leaving the compound.
Hinata was carefully carrying a hanging bag. "Good morning Naruto-kun."
"Morning Hinata-chan. Is that a hanging bag?" Naruto realized what he said and cursed. Really, Naruto? That was stupid.
"It is. The kunoichi have a formal exam today. I think it is at the same time as your tracking exam."
"You'll easily be the prettiest."
Naruto said with absolute confidence. Hinata went bright red and mumbled a thank you. Kiba joined his two best friends a few minutes later. They Inuzuka expressed worry about the history quiz and Naruto and Hinata reminded him they had offered to help him study. Iruka-sensei handed out the quizzes after taking the roll. Naruto licked his lips when he recognized the material. It had to be the obscure stuff, didn't it? The teachers hadn't told the class to begin, so Naruto cast a quick glance in Hinata's direction. She smiled and Naruto immediately felt more confident.
Hinata noticed the change in Naruto's mood immediately. She fought off a sigh and focused on the quiz in front of her. Hinata managed to quickly finish the short assessment and handed it to Mizuki. Hinata shifted her concentration back to Naruto. Her mind was still reeling from his confidence that she was pretty. Hinata barely managed to stay conscious when Naruto made the announcement.
Could he feel the same as I do?
It was almost too much to hope for! Hinata had truly realized her feelings for Naruto a year ago. The comments she had made long ago to the Sasuke fangirls were true. She liked a boy who was honest, kind, fun and accessible. It was obvious to almost everyone she was describing Naruto. At the time however, Naruto was 'just' her best friend but she 'liked' him. It had been a 'like' without truly understanding what it meant to 'like' someone. The realization had actually been subtle. Truthfully, Hinata had simply accepted that her feelings had always been there.
She just prayed to anyone who listened that there was something there for Naruto as well.
The class had split into two groups. The larger group, made up of the boys, was preparing for their tracking exam. Miyako-sensei had collected the girls for their kunoichi exam. Naruto was preparing his practice equipment when he noticed his attention and his eyes wandering. He immediately realized what was happening.
When did this start?
Naruto huffed and slid the last piece of equipment into his sack. Kiba had noticed his pack-mate's distracted state. He allowed Naruto a moment with his thoughts. Then the ribbing began.
"Oi, Naruto! Focus on our exam! This is a tracking exam and my mom will murder me and hide the body if I don't do well."
Naruto snapped his head around. "Yeah, I'm focused."
Kiba smirked. "Of course you are. On what the girls are wearing."
Shikamaru rolled over on his side and away from the two overly loud shinobi-in-training. "This is going to end up being very troublesome."
Chouji ate a few chips. "I'll admit, I'm curious too. It's not like the girls aren't good looking."
Kiba faux-saluted Chouji. "Chouji's right! I mean, even Billboard probably looks decent all dressed up, in a soul eating monstrosity kind of way."
The shock of the next moment would stay with the assembled boys for a very long time. "I'm sure she does, but I don't think she'd eat your soul. It'd probably taste like day old jerky."
Everyone, even the highly distracted Naruto, couldn't mistake the source of the voice. Had Uchiha Sasuke defended Sakura?
"Hey, if souls actually taste like fresh jerky I might munch on a few. Except yours, probably taste like emo!"
Iruka coughed loudly. "Enough of that. First for the tracking exam is Inuzuka Kiba and Uzumaki Naruto. Both of you come with me. The rest of you, stay with Mizuki-sensei."
Naruto took a few deep breaths and focused. Kiba and Akamaru were as excited as Naruto had ever seen the pair. Iruka turned to face his students at the edge of the forest surrounding the Academy.
"This is your tracking exam. The objective in this assessment is to find an escaped convict that has fled through the woods. The escaped convict is actually a Chunnin volunteer. Expect civilian grade attempts to evade you. You have half an hour."
Naruto raised his hand. "Can you provide any information on the target?"
"He is a petty thief with little knowledge of the surrounding area.
Iruka was pleased that the two boys had successfully shifted into focused soon-to-be Genin. Kiba looked up with a feral gleam in his eye. Tracking and the hunt were some of the hallmarks of the Inuzuka clan. A majority of Konohagakurke's Hunter-nins were Inuzuka. Iruka was sure that Kiba was very eager to live up to his clan expectations in this exam.
"Iruka-sensei, did the target leave behind anything with his scent on it?"
Iruka handed over a scrap of clothing. "This was torn away during his escape."
Kiba took the scrap and let Akamaru pick up the scent. The Inuzuka also sniffed at the cloth. Naruto spent the time looking over the woods. He recognized them! They were the woods that he and Hinata had fought those punks!
"Do you two have any further questions?" The boys shook their heads. "Good luck and… BEGIN!"
Naruto and Kiba entered the woods. Akamaru was out front searching for the target's scent. Kiba and Naruto formed a triangle formation with the dog. The boys were scanning for any sign of spoor. The nin-ken barked the second he found the scent. The dog bounded in the direction of the scent.
"Akamaru's got it. See anything else Naruto?" Kiba asked in a low tone.
"About ten meters in front of Akamaru is a spot of broken twigs. That's likely were he went. If I remember these woods, there is a clearing about a dozen meters ahead of the twigs."
Kiba nodded. "Saw it too. Ground's been real dry lately so not much in the way of tracks. That clearing has a downed tree that practically forms a cave right?"
Naruto smiled. "Yeah, evidently it's a favorite spot for skipping."
The boys nodded and rushed off after Akamaru. They continued to note any signs of a human passing through. Akamaru reached the clearing first. Naruto and Kiba found the dog pointing and growling at the fallen tree.
Naruto made his favorite hand seal and nodded to his friend. Kiba nodded back. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."
The clearing was soon surrounded by a dozen Naruto clones. The original and the Inuzuka intercepted the fleeing 'convict'.
"Excellent work you two!" Iruka walked down one of the trees. "Nine minutes and twenty one seconds. That's close to the record."
Kiba and Naruto punched their fists together. Iruka produced a clipboard and asked several questions. The boys relayed all they saw. The Chunnin instructors were both impressed with the level of detail and dismissed the pair.
"Man, we got really lucky. Imagine how much tougher this would have been if we had been fifth."
Akamaru barked from his perch on Kiba's head. "Don't sweat it Naruto. Akamaru says we wouldn't have had anything to worry about even then. I mean, we've got our noses."
Naruto flashed a smile. "Yeah! We are that awesome."
Kiba wrapped his arm around his best friend's shoulder. "Know what else is likely to be awesome?"
"What?" Kō, Hizashi and Hiashi had all told Naruto that Ninja quickly developed a sense for when a mission had gone down the shitter. Long serving Ninja possess the ability to recognize their mistakes like when they dodged right when they should have dodged left. Naruto was certain he knew what that 'sixth sense' was like now.
"Oh, you know, that little thing that was so distracting earlier."
"What?" Naruto was really hoping Kiba would stop making Naruto confront his thoughts.
Kiba laughed at Naruto's false ignorance. "Do I have to spell it out? And if you say, 'What?' after this, I'm going to have Akamaru practice Dynamic Marking on your face."
"I… I really don't know what you are talking about, dude." Naruto lied his ass off. He knew exactly what Kiba was talking about. Naruto was hoping that the gods would at least have enough mercy on him to let him talk to Kō first. Nii-san could help Naruto sort out his head and give advice on how to keep Neji and Hiashi from brutally, brutally murdering him.
Chouji looked up from his bag of chips. "Wow, Naruto, you are the worst liar ever."
Shikamaru groaned. "Don't make this situation even more troublesome."
Naruto found the staging area's table and sat down. Chouji left Shikamaru to his cloud gazing an joined Kiba on the bench opposite Naruto.
"Look buddy, this level of denial really isn't healthy." Kiba's smirk never left his face. Naruto swore that even Akamaru was smirking. Could dogs even do that?
Chouji jumped in the 'Naruto Ribbing Conga Line'. "Yeah, Naruto. It's obvious you are crushing and crushing hard. But you're lucky! Kiba and I are willing to be your wingmen!"
Am I crushing? Isn't that something only the Teme's fangirls do? I mean, it's not like I have trouble talking to her and blush a lot. Wait…
"Guys, seriously." Naruto sounded lame even to himself. He couldn't imagine how pathetic he sounded to Chouji and Kiba.
The Inuzuka clan was full of highly trained predators. The clan was trained from birth to strike at any weakness. "Man, you must be really distracted by the temptation to go see what your crush is wearing."
What is she wearing? I mean, I don't think I've ever seen her dressed up. I bet she looks great… God damn it Kiba.
"Could we have the conversation later?" Naruto's pleading tone had attracted almost everyone over.
Thank god the Teme isn't here.
"Man, Naruto, you have it bad!" Chouji had a huge grin on his face.
It isn't that bad is it? I mean, really? I do think about her all the time, but we are best friends so that's normal.
"Naruto-san, I believe that, despite their crude attempts to make this situation humorous, Kiba-san and Chouji-san are correct. It would be most beneficial for you to acknowledge your attraction and move forward."
"Et tu Shino?" Naruto was getting pissed off. Couldn't they just leave this be until Naruto could talk to Kō?
"I wonder how the boy's tracking exam is going." Ami said as Mayumi helped with her obi.
Sakura spun gracefully around. "Obviously Sasuke-kun is going to finish with the highest score."
"I… I doubt that v…very much, B..billboard. Kiba-kun and N…Naruto-kun will d…definitely finish in first!" Hinata declared with as much confidence as she could muster. She felt incredibly self-conscious in her expensive kimono. The Hyūga clan was by far the wealthiest in all of Konoha. It wouldn't have surprised Hinata if her light blue kimono cost more than all the others combined.
Sakura 'humphed'. "China Doll, you are only saying that because you have an obvious crush on your lapdog."
No one talks about Naruto-kun like that! "A…at least Naruto-kun is k..kind enough to speak t…to me in p…public! Ano, and y…you don't have a…any room to talk Billboard!"
Miyako-sensei stepped in before the most virulent kunoichi rivalry in the history of the Academy broke into a brawl. "Ladies, follow me to the examination."
The girls fell in line with perfect posture. Two assistant examiners followed behind the procession grading the performance of the perspective kunoichi. The girls finally reached a formal room. Miyako moved to the front of the exquisitely decorated room.
"Kunoichi can perform any role that male shinobi are capable of. However, you will often be called on to perform missions that men are incapable of. Kunoichi are the true masters of infiltration. I will call each of you into the next room. The setting is a formal party. The scenario is simple. You have been hired to infiltrate a noble's castle and steal vital information. This exercise is nowhere near as complex. All you girls will be required to do is exit the party without drawing suspicion to yourselves. Your performance will be assessed on numerous criteria. Remember, you must act as if you are actually in a mission."
The Chunnin volunteer drew a name out of a jar at random. "First is Hyūga Hinata."
The second Chunnin volunteer led Hinata into the next room. There were numerous actors in place already. This exam was incredibly thorough.
Why couldn't I be with Naruto-kun in the tracking exam? I can't use my Byakugan in this setting!
One of the 'guests' must have sensed her disappointment. A younger man approached Hinata. "Are you alright, my lady?"
This can work…
"I… I m…must confess that I am, I am not feeling well." Hinata said truthfully. She was incredibly nervous. Naruto was her confidence! If he was absent, she felt hollow.
"Perhaps I could get you something to drink while you rest?" The young man smiled a bit too warmly. Hinata's senses perked up. It was suicide to allow a strange man to bring you a drink. If you didn't see it made, it was likely poisoned!
"Ano, I… I don't think I could hold it down…" She knew all about high society drinks. Hinata firmly believed they were meant to look good when you held them instead of tasting good when you drank them.
The actor was very good. He had a gleam in his eye that made Hinata want to lash out with her Jukken. "Then I shall escort you to your room…"
Hinata swayed a bit for effect. "I would appreciate that…"
The actor led Hinata out of the room. He had the skills to look surprised when Hinata activated her Byakugan and 'struck' him with a series of Jukken strikes. If she had actually hit, he would have been knocked unconscious. Anyone who found the actor would have believed he had passed out drunk.
Miyako-sensei was waiting a few feet away. "Excellent work, Hinata-sama. You did very well. You are dismissed."
"Thank you very much, Miyako-sensei." Hinata bowed perfectly in the kimono. She left the chamber and decided to take the shortest route back to Academy. The path would also take her by the staging grounds. She would get to find out how Naruto-kun did in his exam!
"Come on, Naruto! Shino's right! Just admit it and everything will be so much better!" Hibachi had finished his exam and eagerly joined the ribbing.
Naruto had enough. He would get them all to drop it!
They want me to admit it! Fine! It's not like its anything to be ashamed of!
"Fine! You want me to admit it?"
Almost everyone nodded eagerly. "Yeah, it won't be that bad!" Kenji taunted from the back.
Naruto cast an angry glare towards the voice. He hoped that no one would notice it was aimed at Mizuki. The teacher had been informing everyone who returned from their tracking test of Naruto's predicament.
"ALL RIGHT! I HAVE A HUGE CRUSH ON HINATA-CHAN. YOU JERKS HAPPY NOW?" Naruto shouted as he sprang to his feet.
There was a soft 'eep' that Naruto would recognize anywhere. "She's right behind me. Isn't she?"
Kiba, to his credit, looked embarrassed for his friends. "Yeah, she is."
Naruto slipped back into his seat and buried his head in his hands. He had never been so embarrassed in his life. All he had wanted was to talk to Kō about this before he said anything out loud. Instead, he just humiliated his best friend in front of every guy in the class except the teme. He heard her walk off as the laughter started.
The laughter cut like a kunai. Naruto could handle the situation if they had been laughing at him. But they weren't laughing at him. They were laughing at Hinata.
"Don't you dare laugh at her!" There was something in Naruto's voice that made everyone close stop their hysterics. Hibachi hadn't heard Naruto's voice and was exaggerating what had just happened.
"I SAID DON'T ANY OF YOU DARE LAUGH AT HINATA-CHAN!" Naruto's explosion silenced everyone. Even Mizuki's triumphant smirk evaporated. Naruto stormed off without another word.
The blond left the Academy for the day and never looked back. Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei had already given him permission to leave after his tracking exam. He didn't know what to do. What was he suppose to do? Neji and Hiashi were going to kill him. Kō was going to chew him out. Worst of all, Hinata would likely never talk to him again.
Well, if he was going to die, he was going to haunt the shit out of everyone in his class. Naruto climbed the stairs to the apartment. Some of the neighbors greeted him politely. The boy mechanically replied and entered the sanctuary of his home.
"You're back sooner than expected, Naruto." Kō greeted his little brother warmly. The Hyūga immediately became alarmed when Naruto didn't respond. He nearly panicked when Naruto slumped into a seat at the kitchen table. Kō did panic when Naruto slammed his head into the table.
"I royally screwed up and now the entire Hyūga clan is going to hate me."
Kō sat down next to the distraught child and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sure that whatever happened will not result in everyone hating you."
"Yeah it will, I humiliated Hinata-chan today. She's going to hate me." Naruto still hadn't looked up.
The Chunnin was sure that his adopted younger brother was exaggerating. He was also beyond certain that Naruto would never deliberately do anything to hurt Hinata. Kō also knew that Hinata wasn't going to hate Naruto. He took a deep breath.
"Tell me what happened." Kō hadn't used his 'authoritative tutor' voice with Naruto since he joined the Academy.
Naruto finally looked at Kō. "Basically nii-san…" The blond Jinchūriki launched into his explanation of what had happened. He treated it like his tracking exam and focused on every relevant detail. Naruto emphasized how he wanted to keep things quiet until he could talk to Kō. The boy mentioned how Kiba and Chouji had started joking about it. Kō quickly realized Chouji and Kiba hadn't intended for the situation to get so out of hand. When he had calmed down, Naruto realized the two boys had tried to reign in the situation. The Hyūga was highly disturbed by Mizuki's handling of the 'mob'. It was highly unprofessional. Hiashi-sama was going to know about this!
"Naruto, we are going to the Compound. You need to speak with Hinata-sama. I will be speaking to Hiashi-sama regarding the behavior of Mizuki-sensei."
The boy shot up. "I can't talk to Hinata-chan! She hates me now!"
"Hinata-sama won't hate you Naruto."
Naruto scowled. "How do you know?"
"Do you trust me, Naruto?"
"I trust you, nii-san." Naruto nodded weakly.
Kiba wasn't looking forward to this conversation. He knew his mom would smell his bad mood the second he walked in the door. Akamaru whimpered on top of his head.
"I think we screwed up buddy." Kiba reached up and scratched the nin-ken behind the ears.
Kiba tried his best to sneak into the house. He successfully avoided the kennels. Kiba even had the self-control to avoid the kitchen. He made it to his room and flopped in his chair.
"Made it." He sighed triumphantly.
"More liked stepped in it." Kiba froze in terror and Akamaru whimpered. "Hana was volunteered for the Kunoichi exam."
Oh damn it. We did screw up!
"This is about the, uh, Naruto thing right?" Kiba realized how lame he sounded.
"It is. Now get out of my lap." Tsume ordered and Kiba promptly obeyed. The young male Inuzuka lowered his head in the proper submissive poise. "Give me an explanation why you have harmed your pack."
"I was ribbing Naruto about his obvious crush on Hinata. My plan was just to get him to admit that he had a crush on her. Then, I was going to drop a few hints that she likes him too. Everything went downhill from there. Practically everyone but Sasuke-teme jumped in. The only reason the Uchiha didn't was because he was taking his tracking exam when everything happened. Hinata overheard Naruto admit his feelings after I lost control of the crowd. Everyone started laughing and Naruto exploded."
Tsume crossed her arms. "Why didn't you try to repair the damage to your pack right then?"
"Hinata had already run off and Naruto… when he got mad he smelled like a fox. I didn't want to push him then. Nobody did."
The matriarch of the Inuzuka Clan felt a flash of fear. How was she going to explain why Naruto smelt like a fox without breaking the Hokage's law? She would change tracks for now and speak with the Hyūga tomorrow.
"Alright, pup. You have kennel clean up for a week. On top of that, you are going to apologize to Naruto and Hinata for the damage your carelessness has done to your pack. Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am." Kiba winced at his mother's tone.
"I have one more question. When Naruto 'smelled like a fox' did you notice anything else about him then?"
"Yeah, he was really, really mad." Kiba said firmly because it was the most obvious answer in the world.
Tsume's glare bored into her son. "Any physical changes?"
"No. Why?"
It was the one question she hoped he didn't ask. "Kiba, not much is known about Naruto's clan. I was wondering if he might have a bloodline that manifests when he is angry. You will not mention this part of the conversation with Hinata or Naruto."
"Yes ma'am."
Tsume pointed at the door. "Now get to those kennels, pup!"
"This is troubling, Tsume." Kuromaru spoke for the first time as soon as Kiba had left.
The matriarch patted her one eyed canine companion on the head. "I think we can stop him from asking too many questions. You should talk to your pup about it later as well."
Hinata was torn. On the one hand, she was felt like she was in a dream. Naruto liked her too! On the other hand, he had been embarrassed in front of all the other boys. If she hadn't taken the shorter path back to the Academy Naruto wouldn't have been shamed. She had hurt Naruto-kun. Hinata's earlier jubilation melted away. He may have liked earlier, but after his embarrassment those feelings were likely gone.
She was grateful for the break in her Jukken training. Hinata was in no state for a spar. Hinata had waited at the Academy for Naruto after she changed out of her kimono. He never showed up. Shino informed her that Naruto had left in a fury at the rest of the class. The mysterious Aburame would not say anything else.
"Hinata-sama, you have a guest waiting in the gardens." A Hyūga guard informed Hinata.
"A guest? I will attend to them, Tokuma-san." Hinata bowed politely. A Branch family servant collected Hinata's kimono.
The heiress composed herself. If this was an official guest, she had to be perfect. Her every action, mannerism and word reflected on the clan as a whole.
"Thank you for waiting. I… I only just returned from the Academy." Hinata bowed graciously. The Hyūga heiress fell into the proper greeting immediately.
"It's ok, Hinata-chan." The voice caused Hinata to freeze. Her lavender eyes searched for the source. After a second, she found Naruto sitting on a bench staring off into the distance. Hinata had never seen Naruto like this. He looked so alone that it took all her will not to cry.
What should I say? The two children thought as one.
"Ano, N…Naruto-kun. How… how did your exam g…go?"
"It, ah, went well. Kiba and I nearly broke the record." Naruto said with a flicker of his normal enthusiasm. Hinata was grateful for it.
"T…that's good." What is going on? Naruto-kun is my best friend! Why is it so hard to speak to him?
She's my best friend! Why is it so hard to talk to her now? "Um, how did your formal exam go?"
"I did w…well. Mi…miyako sensei said I… I performed ad…admirably." Hinata couldn't fight the blush on her cheeks.
Hinata and Naruto sat quietly for several minutes. They were unsure of how to approach each other. Their fears of rejection were seeping forward. Occasionally, one would cast a glance at the other praying for a sign. The silence was painful for the friends.
As always, Naruto spoke first. "I understand if you hate me."
Hinata was struck by how despondent he sounded. This was not Naruto! Naruto was always full of confidence, hope and energy. Why couldn't she tell him? Why was it so hard to let him know that he was her confidence? Hinata did not want to imagine how broken she would be if Naruto had not been in her life. The weight of her failures and own insecurities would have crushed her. The heiress would have truly been the China Doll Sakura claimed she was.
"I could never hate you." Hinata had instinctively joined Naruto on the bench.
Naruto finally looked at Hinata. He searched her lavender eyes for any sign of a lie. There was only a comforting warmth. "I humiliated you today. They laughed at you."
"N…Naruto-kun, you didn't. I… I only c…cared about one opinion today." Hinata felt her breath catching in her chest. It was a struggle to focus. "Yours."
"Why?"
Hinata tried desperately to calm her breathing. These were likely to be the most important words she would ever say. "I… When I heard what you said… I was very happy. I was happy because…"
Hinata felt the words catch in her throat. She couldn't run away again. Her earlier cowardice had hurt Naruto. It would not hurt him again!
"I was happy because I like you as well."
A second silence descended. Unlike the previous awkward silence, there was no coldness. In its place, there was an unmistakable warmth.
"So, what do we do now?" Naruto asked with lopsided grin.
"I… I honestly did, didn't think that f…far ahead." Hinata giggled which caused Naruto to laugh alongside her.
"We'll figure it out." Naruto took Hinata's hand in his own.
Inuzuka Tsume escorted her son to the Hyūga compound when Naruto arrived.
"Good morning Tsume-sama, Kiba!" Naruto's tone was once again filled with his natural brashness and enthusiasm.
"No need for the 'sama', pup." Tsume hoped Minato's boy wasn't wearing a mask to hide his pain.
"How are you doing, Naruto?" Kiba asked with a hint of nervousness.
"I'm better. You?"
Kiba was glad to hear Naruto wasn't still pissed. "I've got kennel duty for the rest of the week."
"I'm sorry buddy." Naruto put a sympathetic hand on his friend's shoulder.
Kiba nodded as Tsume said her goodbyes. Akamaru barked a good bye to his father, Kuromaru. The boys remained behind and Kiba told Naruto of their placement.
"Man, we did great! Only the Teme came anywhere close and we still beat him by nearly three minutes!"
"Awesome. How bad did the other jackasses fare?"
Kiba was hopeful his pack could be repaired. "Oh man, you're going to love this! Remember Hibachi and Kenji?"
Naruto had an amused grin, but his eyes had a hardness to them Kiba was cautious about. "Well, they failed! They let the objective escape the testing area!"
Naruto's grin widened. "Ha! Serves them right!"
"Good morning Kiba, Naruto-kun!" Hinata jogged out of the compound and took Naruto's hand.
Kiba took a deep breath. Well, they were both here.
"Uh, Naruto, Hinata… I'm sorry for yesterday. I never meant for it to get out of hand like that."
"It's ok, dude." Naruto smiled broadly.
"A..apology accepted, Kiba-kun."
"Thanks guys. Come on, let's get to the Academy and find out about the Finals."
Tsume and Kuromaru were escorted into Hiashi's office by his twin brother. The Hyūga Family heads took a seat.
"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Hiashi and Hizashi." Tsume said as she accepted some refreshments.
"It is no problem, Tsume-san. How may we strengthen the bonds between our clans?" Hiashi smiled at his beloved wife's closest friend.
"I'm sure you are aware of the situation with Naruto." Hizashi and Hiashi's amused looks answered the unspoken 'regarding Hinata' part of the question.
Hizashi nodded. "Hiashi-niisan has several meetings with the Clan Council regarding finances and several upcoming clan members attempting the Chunnin and Jonin exams. I will be meeting with the Hokage regarding Mizuki-sensei."
Tsume downed her drink. "That's good. I don't know how to approach this next topic, but… What are you going to do about Naruto's Burden?"
Hiashi nodded. "I understand your concern, Tsume. The Hokage has agreed to reveal the truth about the Kyūbi once Naruto becomes a Genin."
The Alpha of the Inuzukas took a deep breath. "That's good. I don't want my pup in danger. Yesterday, Kiba told me that Naruto smelled like a fox when he was angry."
"It is fortunate that Naruto will soon be aware of his Burden. Hizashi and I believe that Naruto will be accept his burden with the support of his Genin team."
Tsume laughed. "Pulling some strings are we?"
Hizashi smiled broadly. "It's actually Kō, Naruto's guardian, who came up with the idea yesterday. A friend of his, Wantanabe Yuji is forming his first Genin team. This Wantanabe-san is an accomplished Hunter-nin and trained Naruto. Kō has been keeping Wantanabe-san in the loop regarding Hinata, Kiba and Naruto's scores."
"Ah, so the Hokage finally convinced ole Yuji to take a team. I think I'll let the powers that be know I like the idea of Kiba working with Yuji-kun."
Hiashi smiled. "Your support would really help, Tsume. Yuji respects you greatly."
"Hmph! He better! I was his Jonin instructor after all!"
The clan heads spent the rest of the meeting telling embarrassing stories about their children, natural and adopted.
Naruto, Kiba and Hinata took their traditional seats in the back of the room. As usual, they had arrived fairly early and only Shino and strangely Shikamaru had beaten them. Shikamaru was asleep and Shino was reading a magazine on insects.
"Morning Shino!" Naruto practically shouted. The Aburame turned around and nodded at the group. He noticed that Hinata and Naruto were sitting much closer together than expected.
"Good morning Naruto-san, Hinata-san and Kiba-san. I hope there were no adverse effects from yesterday's incident. I apologize if I contributed to any distress."
Hinata spoke up. "Ano, Shino-san, everything w..worked out alright. Thank you for your concern."
The Bug user nodded politely and returned to his magazine. The rest of the class filtered in slowly. Hinata and Naruto were lost in their own little world while Kiba dozed off on his desk. Everyone had heard about Naruto's outburst. Thus, their shock was palpable when they realized that Hinata was not embarrassed to be seen near the blond. Hibachi made the mistake of making a crack at the couple. He flinched and walked away very, very quickly when Naruto glared at him and Hinata activated her Byakugan.
Ino's reaction surprised everyone the most. "Gah! Finally! I thought you two would never notice!"
Sasuke and Sakura were amongst the last to enter. Naruto realized they had probably been training.
"Hey Billboard, has the Teme acknowledged you in public yet?" Naruto fired the opening salvo in the daily insult exchange.
"Hn. At least I recognize she's attracted to me." Sasuke shot back.
"T…that insult won't work anymore, T…teme." Hinata lifted her hand and brought Naruto's along for the ride.
"Careful lapdog, you might shatter the doll." Sakura stuck her tongue out at Hinata.
Iruka 'ahem-ed' "If the Number Ones and Number Twos would cease their attempts to start the Fourth Great Shinobi War, I'll explain the final exams."
All conversation ended and the students took their seats. Ami stretched her hand towards the sky. She was acknowledged by Iruka. "Ano… Iruka-sensei, where is Mizuki-sensei?"
Iruka traced his scar with his thumb. "Mizuki-sensei is currently with a meeting and will be arriving later today."
The class murmured in confusion. "Are there no further questions? Very well. I would like to first take the opportunity to say it has been a pleasure to teach you over the past five years. I am convinced that Konoha's future is bright with such talented shinobi to defend her. Now, next week's final exams is made up of three assessments. First is academics. You will have a written test on tactics, history and theory. Next is a practical exam. Mizuki-sensei and I will test you on your basic ninjutsu abilities. Finally, we have a practical exam/tournament."
Several of the students panicked when the academic test was announced. Iruka started the review. Mizuki arrived just before lunch and made a quick speech about wishing everyone luck. The Academy students were dismissed for the day. The Academy would be open half days until the exam. Iruka announced he would stay the full day if any students needed additional help.
"Haruno Sakura, Hyūga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto would you please come to the front of the class before you leave?" Mizuki motioned for his students to approach the desk.
"I was speaking with Hokage-sama about the upcoming exams. Iruka, Hokage-sama and I have come up with an exciting idea. You four will have a special exam final round. It will be a two-on-two match. The teams should be obvious."
Iruka finished showing a corrected formula to Mayumi and turned to the top ranked students. "I know you all can't stand each other, but please keep the damage to a minimum. This is a graduation exam to become active duty shinobi. You are forbidden from severely wounding each other. Do we make ourselves very clear?"
"Yes, Sensei." The four students responded with varying levels of enthusiasm.
"It has been a pleasure teaching all of you." Hinata realized Mizuki's tone was forced. Sasuke and Sakura realized it as well. Naruto was so excited about the compliment and the prospect of the match that he missed the tone.
The four top students left the class. Neither side said a word until they exited the Academy building.
"Well, I guess we'll see you guys at the finals." Naruto said with false camaraderie.
"Shove it you annoying lapdog." Sakura shouted and moved to hit Naruto.
"I know Jukken." Hinata's quiet declaration shut down Sakura's potential attack.
"Hn." Sasuke grunted and led a scowling Sakura off towards the training grounds.
Kiba threw his arms over his pack's shoulders. "You two have turned that into an art form. It is truly a thing of beauty to behold."
"Naruto-kun and I practice our insults and snarky comebacks every day for an hour."
Said blond smiled and nodded. "It's amazing what you can do with Kage Bunshin, a few Henge and the guidance of a clan with a biting sense of humor."
Kiba and Akamaru barked with good humor. "I'll let you two love birds figure out how you are going to take down the Teme and Billboard! I've got… kennel duty."
"Hold up, Kiba. I need to talk to you." Naruto called out. Kiba and Hinata looked confused, but Naruto pulled Kiba off to the side.
"What is it, Naruto?" Kiba looked confused.
"I need some advice. I'm going to ask Hinata-chan to the festival next week." There was something contradictory about the tone of Naruto's declaration.
"Dude, that's awesome. You don't need advice. Hinata'll jump you the second you ask." Kiba said with a very amused smirk.
"I'm not worried about asking Hinata-chan. It's just that the Hyūga are a very traditional clan."
"I don't see…" Kiba trailed off as realization hit him. "Naruto, you're a young man! There is no need to throw your life away."
"It's not that bad!' Naruto said with a bit too much emotion. Chouji walked over.
"Uh, Naruto, I don't mean to interrupt but I'd like to apologize for yesterday."
Naruto nodded 'sup'. "Don't worry about it Chouji. Everything worked out beyond great. I'm going to even ask Hinata to the Festival."
The Akimichi smiled. "That's great…" The same terrifying realization dawned on him. "Naruto, I've always considered you a true friend. I'll miss you buddy."
"Stop acting like I'm going hunting for Orochimaru!"
Ino had heard the commotion. Where there was commotion there was gossip! She couldn't resist.
"You're going to go hunting Orochimaru?"
"NO!" Naruto shouted. He cast a quick glance and made sure Hinata's curiosity hadn't led her to activate her Byakugan. "I'm going to ask Hinata-chan to the Festival."
Ino squeed. "Ohmigosh! That is great!" She turned to Chouji and Kiba. "Why is this a bad thing?"
Chouji leaned close and whispered into his friend's ear. Ino's eyes went wide in terror. "Naruto, I promise that I'll bring a beautiful bouquet to your funeral."
Shikamaru strolled over. "What troublesome conversation have I entered?"
Kiba shook his head. "We're all saying our goodbyes to Naruto. He's not long for this world."
Shikamaru looked to Naruto, over to Hinata and back to Naruto. "You know, it doesn't have to be official. Just meet up and skip the intermediate step that will likely end up with you dead."
"You guys aren't helping!" Naruto shouted and started walking towards Hinata.
"We are helping! We're trying to save you from being brutally murdered!" Kiba yelled in a naked and desperate attempt to save his best human friend's life.
Hinata took Naruto's hand. "Ano, what are they talking about Naruto-kun?"
Naruto laughed nervously at his friends' antics. "They are trying to talk me out of pranking the teme."
"You didn't tell them about the slingshot did you?" Hinata asked with worry etched on her face.
"No, I didn't tell them about the slingshot." Naruto laughed and squeezed her hand tighter.
The Hyūga heiress breathed a sigh of relief. "They can't know it was my idea. I don't want to know how Father would react."
The pair walked towards their destinations. They paused when Naruto got closer to his home.
"Hey, Hinata-chan. I've got to pick up some stuff from my place. I'll be at the compound later."
Hinata gave Naruto a quick hug. "Ok, Naruto-kun."
Naruto jogged off towards his apartment and was interrupted by the last person he wanted to encounter.
"Damn it, Teme. Can this wait?" Naruto groaned.
Sasuke leapt down from the tree he was lounging in. "No! I want a one on one fight with you! No fangirl or leash-holder interference!"
"But! I'm going to ask Hinata to next week's Festival tonight! I can't do that all bruised and shit from wiping the floor with you!" Naruto whined.
"You won't be able to ask her tonight! I'm going to send you to the hospital! Ask her when you get out!"
Naruto rubbed his temples. "You don't understand! It has to be tonight! The Hyūga are a very traditional clan…"
"NO! You can't do that! I am the only person who can defeat you! As satisfying as grinding your corpse into dust so that no memory of your existence ever existed would be… It won't be the same! I need you alive!"
Sasuke was so caught up in his rant; he failed to notice that Naruto had slipped away. The last Uzumaki grabbed his gear from the apartment and took the long way to the Hyūga compound. He was really hoping to avoid any more interference. The blond was in so much of a hurry he nearly ran over Shino.
"Excuse me, Naruto-san."
Naruto looked surprised. "Oh man, I'm really sorry Shino! I shouldn't be in such a hurry."
The Aburame adjusted his sunglasses. "I am sure you are aware that our chosen profession demands perfect situational awareness."
"I know. I was just thinking about how I'm going to ask Hinata-chan to the Festival."
Naruto noticed a slump in Shino's shoulders. "Naruto-san, I must confess it has been an enjoyable experience being in your company. I, and my entire clan, shall mourn your imminent passing."
"Not you too, Shino!" Naruto groaned. Eventually, Naruto reached his goal.
The Chunnin guards nodded politely. Naruto wanted to groan. He had felt so confident this morning when he had decided to ask Hinata out. Now, his friends and the Teme had undermined his confidence! This wouldn't be that bad would it?
I mean, I've practically grown up here! Heck, if I had the Byakugan, I'd be Hyūga!
"Good afternoon, Uzumaki-san." Naruto instinctively tensed. The voice was the one Naruto simultaneously wanted and feared to hear.
"Good afternoon, Hiashi-sama."
Hiashi arced an eyebrow at Naruto's overly polite tone. "Is everything alright, Naruto?"
"Uh, yes sir. I was wondering if I could, uh, talk to you for a minute…"
I knew this day would come eventually. Ah… I'm going to feel guilty for having fun with this later.
"Follow me to my office." The clan head put every ounce of command he could into his voice. Naruto dutifully followed. Hizashi saw the pair approaching. Hiashi's mouth barely twitched into a grin. The Branch Family leader kept his face impassive. Inside his mind, Hizashi was cackling like a madman.
Hiashi took a seat behind his desk and motioned for Naruto to take a seat. "Uzumaki-san, what do need to speak with me about?"
"I… I would like permission to… to ask Hinata-chan to the Festival and start… start dating her." Naruto finished in a whirlwind.
"Date my daughter." Hiashi's tone could have caused a blizzard in Suna.
"Yes sir." Naruto sat perfectly straight and fought to keep eye contact.
This man is a predator. I cannot show fear or he'll eat me alive!
"Hinata is my eldest daughter and my heir. As you are no doubt aware, there are several sealed engagement requests for her once she becomes a Genin from wealthy clans and nobles."
That I have absolutely no intention of considering! Hell, I'd burn them if I could get away with it! Hiashi thought darkly.
He continued. "Clan law requires a vetting process before any courtship of the next Clan head can begin. The Hyūga must be aware of the character of any potential suitor. We must be assured that our future is treated with all due respect."
"I understand, Hiashi-sama." Naruto said in a small voice.
"I believe that the clan has been aware of your character and qualities from some time. You have been observed closely by the Council, Hizashi and myself for years. Thus, I have already passed judgment."
Naruto could only nod at the ice in Hiashi's voice. Naruto's heart sinking. Hiashi was going to say no.
"Uzumaki Naruto!" Time seemed to freeze. "Have Hinata back by eleven and have a great time."
"I'm sorry, but what?"
"Have fun, but make sure you have her back by eleven." Hiashi was clearly amused with his little joke.
"Thank you Hiashi-sama!" Naruto forced out quickly and left the office with a bow. He made it three steps before fainting with Hiashi's laughter filling the halls.
Author's Notes: Merry Christmas everybody! I hope you had a great holiday! Thanks again to gamebrain89 for betaing the chapter!