Chapter 5: Her First crush!
"Hi-na-ta!" Ino yelled at the top of her lungs. It was a shame that there were a few casualties as Shikamaru, Chouji and Asuma-sensei had been walking close behind her. Thus, when she yelled, their eardrums felt like it was going to explode if they hadn't covered their ears.
Hinata turned around, and behind her was Kiba with Akamaru on his head. Shino, and Kurenai. She waited for team 10 to catch up to them before she greeted Ino and her team properly.
"Hello." Hinata said while her eyes acknowledged everyone. When the genins exchanged greetings, no one seemed to notice Kurenai's downward gaze and shy smile. Or Asuma's flirtatious look.
"A-Asuma, what's your team up to?" Kurenai asked.
"We're working on improving our loud mouth-slacker-glutton formation."
Hinata's head suddenly snapped towards Asuma, team's 10 sensei. It had been the first time Hinata found a voice to be so attractive. When Asuma's response rolled out of his tongue, his voice sounded smooth and raspy. Hinata had to stop her hands from raising to her chest as if clutching to her heart. Why did her first crush have to be so unobtainable? Damn it!
Kurenai brought up her hand to her mouth to cover her giggle. "You mean Ino-Shika-Cho?"
"Sensei! Don't call us that in front of people." Ino said. "Keep it up and you'll regret it. I'll hate you forever!"
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. He didn't really care about being called a slacker.
"K-K-Kurenai-sensei?" Hinata interrupted. "H-How d-d-do you know Asuma-sensei?" She asked.
"Oh yeah," Ino said in realization. "I didn't know you two knew each other." In the next few moments, all eyes were on the two teachers as they waited to see who would respond to the question.
"Asuma Sarutobi was my teammate." Kurenai said, as a fond smile slipped through.
"That's awesome." Chouji commented between his eating sessions. "'Cos he's an awesome sensei. Asuma takes us out to eat even though he calls us name."
"Whoa, that is awesome!" Kiba said. "Just not the name part." Kiba turned to Kurenai with a wide smile. "Kurenai-sensei, are you gonna take us out to eat too?"
Kurenai glared because of what he had started. Asuma merely chuckled.
Hinata turned her attention towards the person who let out an awfully loud yawn. It was Shikamaru. Asuma laughed and placed his hand on the Nara's head.
"Guess we better get going." Asuma said.
'No…' Hinata said in her head. She was going to miss his voice.
Shikamaru Nara wasn't oblivious. In fact, he was quite perceptive. His experience derived from years and years of watching his classmates fawn over Sasuke Uchiha. So he was an expert at picking up fan girl behavior. He sighed in annoyance as his teacher walked up to him from behind a put a hand on his shoulder.
"You'll get it down before you know it, you'll see." Asuma said. Team 10 had just finished training, but there hadn't been as much progress. That's why Asuma had assumed that Shikamaru felt frustration over not seeing results right away.
"I know." Shikamaru replied. Asuma let his hand drop to the side, and left to check on Ino and Chouji who were panting on the ground. Ino was too exhausted to yell. And Chouji was too exhausted to eat. Shikamaru walked to a tree and sat down, his back resting against it for support. He observed the interaction between with his teacher and teammates.
Asuma's deep, rich voice spoke a few words of encouragement before throwing his head back to laugh because of something Ino had said.
The young Nara didn't really care that Hinata Hyuga had a crush on his sensei. But what bothered him was the possible fan girl behavior that would eventually follow.
Was she crazy? Their teacher was like in his 30s!
"Asuma-sensei can I ask you something?" Shikamaru said as his teacher was approaching the spot he was at. "How old are you anyways?"
"Listen kid, dunno why you're asking or what's it to you. But I'm old enough to be entrusted with your training, and with passing down the will of fire." Asuma said.
"Ugh, I'm not questioning your ability as a teacher." Shikamaru said. Asuma studied Shikamaru's expression before deciding that the young genin was telling the truth.
"I'm twenty-seven," Asuma said. "So why do you ask?"
Shikamaru bit his lips. He was trying so hard not to laugh. So Asuma was 15 years old when Hinata was born! That was so rich and freaking hilarious!
"Asuma, you're old!" Shikamaru said as he finally let a laugh escape out of him.