Chapter 4: Oblivious

"NARUTO-SEMPAIII!"

Naruto inwardly groaned as he looked over to the screaming students from inside the academy, watching him as he taught the other students. He kept his pose and remained serious of course, not wanting to disappoint his pupils, but he knew the mood was gone for this lesson.

For the past two years since the Great Shinobi War had ended, Naruto had wanted nothing more than to blend in, for the popularity to burn out, but this seemed to be no easy task to accomplish since his path toward Hokage had only increased his status throughout the village as well as the shinobi world.

Naruto quickly concluded his taijutsu lesson after that, the students groaned in protest but respected his decision nonetheless. The promise of Ichiraku after school had become a new subject of interest. He was quick to head home and wash the grime away from the better part of the morning, simply happy that there was no mission waiting for him that day.

Konoha was bursted with life, the shops were busy and most places were crowded. Most would wave over to Naruto to greet him, and Naruto, with the golden heart of his, would usually ask whether or not they needed help with anything. It was a month from the Rinne festival, so it was no surprise that most people were preparing for the occasion with wear and decor.

Naruto smiled as he passed by the shops, missions were now far apart and few, he didn't mind much since training with Kakashi on village matters seemed to take up the majority of his time. However, this day was a day where Naruto could simply relax and take in Konoha in all of its glory, and stop by Ichiraku of course.

"Go ahead and eat as much as you want!" Naruto encouraged as the kids thanked "Naruto-sensei" before continuing to slurp down their meals. Naruto watched on with a proud smile and as he did so, he noticed a flash of pink from the corner of his eye.

"Sakura-chan!" He called for her just as she passed the booth, she turned and gave him a quick wave before signaling she had to go; that they would talk later. Naruto nodded and gave a final wave, but Sakura had already turned to leave. He still wore his smile as he watched her go, she'd become very busy with the children of Konoha. It had also been almost two years since she and Ino had pitched the idea for the children's therapy centers all throughout the villages. While the villages were beginning to set it in motion, he knew that Sakura was overseeing everything alongside Kakashi and Ino all the while still taking care of the hospital.

Naruto had noticed that the talks of Sasuke were far and few in between and Sakura and himself had now settled into something that was still unsteady for them once the war had ended. Whatever it was, he was just glad that the brief moments they would share, whether it be from meeting up while on a mission or if Sasuke were to report anything, it was Team 7, his family.

"Naruto-nii-chan! I thought that was you!"

Naruto turned toward the voice that had called to him, spotting Konohamaru running in his direction, careful not to bump the people crowding the path.

"Hey Konohamaru! How's it going?"

"It goes fine! How was your class today with Iruka-sensei?"

"Not bad at all! I didn't end the lesson exactly how I wanted to, but I think the kids really liked it anyway!" Naruto laughed sheepishly while rubbing the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed at the memory.

Konohamaru nodded in acknowledgment, "Of course they would! Anyone with a brain would notice that those moves were the same ones that stopped the war!"

Naruto chuckled and rubbed an index finger to his whiskered cheek sheepishly, "I wouldn't say that it was just me, it was everyone ya know."

"Ah, there you go trying to tone yourself down." Konohamaru waved a hand dismissively before continuing, "anyway, I wanted to catch you 'cause I wanted to show you some stuff that I found!"

Naruto raised a brow at this.

"It's some stuff from Grandpa Hiruzen"

Naruto's face quickly became serious, "what is it?"

"It's nothing bad, honest! I just think you'd like to see it!"

Within the Sarutobi residence, there was an old shed that had been locked away, forgotten after Hiruzen Sarutobi's death. Konohamaru had always been curious about opening it one day, but the thought of his grandfather disapproving drove those thoughts away for the longest time. As he finally had the courage to open the door with the key he had found, he was glad that he had. He handed Naruto a small box that was slightly covered in dust.

"Found this while I was cleaning up a bit in here."

Sakura smiled as she noticed Hinata walk out of a shop with a brown bag with red yarn sticking out. She didn't have to be told that Hinata was making a gift for Naruto.

'She needs to hurry up and admit her feelings, if she keeps waiting around, someone else might take him!' Sakura thought.

"Hello Hinata!"

Pearlescent eyes that had seemed distant suddenly came alive at the sound of her name.

"Oh! Hello Sakura, how are you today?" She asked as she held the bag to her form.

"Running back and forth, same as always! I'm actually surprised Naruto's not around right now with the way he's usually trying to help others around the village."

Sakura watched as a faint blush rose to Hinata's pale face, the mention of Naruto a well known trigger. "Say Hinata… that wouldn't happen to be a gift for Naruto would it?" Sakura asked with a knowing smile.

Hinata felt her face only grow warmer.

"You should go for it, you know!" Sakura said as she placed a hand on Hinata's shoulder.

Hinata brought her eyes up from the ground to Sakura's green ones. She had noticed the change of Sakura as she had gradually changed from a young girl to a young woman. She saw the confidence radiate from Sakura as she quickly became a well known figure all through Konoha. And although she was a bit too forward for Hinata's comfort, Sakura seemed so much like him that it only made her feel all the more welcoming. There was no doubt about it.

She was another sun, just like Naruto was.

Hinata didn't know if this had been the outcome of her always being around Naruto or if this was just naturally Sakura. But they did not know each other well enough for her to ask. "Right," Hinata said, her voice so soft that the wind threatened to carry the word away.

Sakura nodded in acknowledgment before giving Hinata another pat on her shoulder for good measure before running off to wherever she was needed. Hinata watched her leave, a faint smile on her lips as she hurried home afterward.

Sakura had just concluded her lesson for the medic nin that were about to enter the children's therapy center. She was sitting behind her desk, closing her books and folders with notes when she saw a familiar black jacket with an orange zipper out of the corner of her eye. She smiled as she looked up to meet Naruto's cerulean eyes.

"Well look at you, Sakura-chan" he was grinning proudly, his hands on his hips as though this were his accomplishment.

Sakura's smile faltered as she noticed a new scarf around Naruto's neck. "New scarf?" Sakura asked curiously, she could have sworn Hinata's yarn had been red.

Naruto's grin turned into a warm smile as he touched the end of it, "Not really"

Sakura frowned slightly, "Oh?"

"I'll tell ya later. Right now I'm starving!"

Sakura glared at him then, "Were you waiting for me to finish? I told you to stop doing that, with how many new recruits we have, who knows how long I'll take in here." She rolled her eyes as she carried out a thick binder with her notes.

"Yeah, yeah I know, I know" Naruto said as though he had heard it all before (because he had), subconsciously taking the folder out of her hands and carrying it under his arm.

"Don't you 'yeah yeah' me, I'm serious! If you keep doing that you're not going to get all three meals of the day!"

"But Sakura-chan you wouldn't either if you're running around all day?" As though his words had spoken something into existence, Sakura's stomach grumbled.

Sakura quickly put her hand up to her abdomen, her face flushing red.

"SAKURA-CHAN DID YOU NOT EAT ALL DAY TODAY?!"

"Naruto stop, you're being too loud! H-hey!" Sakura said with a raised voice, her face beet red.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her along.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan, we're getting you three bowls to make up for the other two meals you missed today! If you feel light headed let me know and I'll carry you, ya know!"

"Naruto stop fussing, I can walk just fine, you're making a scene! You're always doing this!" Sakura scolded as the surrounding medics who were clearing out the room watched her be led out with her hand up making a weak attempt to cover her face.

Sakura watched Naruto as he removed his scarf and carefully placed it under the counter before he began to eat his ramen. Coincidentally enough, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji had been walking past the Ichiraku stand and had joined them for the meal.

"Hey Naruto… about that scarf-" Sakura had begun.

"Hey Hinata! Have you had dinner yet, care to join us?" Ino called out as she waved Hinata over.

Hinata held a small gift bag to her chest, her face already heating up with the faintest blush as her eyes landed on Naruto.

"Yeah, you should come eat too! It's my treat, eat as much as you want, ya know?" Naruto said.

"You can have my seat," Sakura said as she went to stand, leaving Naruto to give her a look of confusion.

"Wha? There are plenty of seats, Sakura-chan." Naruto said.

Just as Hinata was about to politely decline, two women rushed over to Naruto.

"Naruto-sempai! Did you like our presents from earlier today?"

Naruto stood and smiled, "Oh, it's you two! I sure did, thanks so much! You guys should eat something from here, my treat ya know! You too, Hinata!"

Hinata hugged the gift bag tighter, "No thank you I just ate!" Hinata said as she made to leave.

"Hey wait up Hinata! Naruto, you should walk her home, it's not polite to leave a woman to walk alone at night."

"You're kidding right? Any threat and Hinata will totally mop the floor with them!"

Hinata left more hurriedly than before as she exited the shop. Sakura looked at Naruto as she shook her head and left to run after Hinata.

"Huh? Did I say something wrong?"

Ino sighed at Naruto's naiveness while Shikamaru and Choji continued their meal in silence.

"Hey Hinata, wait up!" Sakura said as she caught up to Hinata. Sakura began to walk alongside her.

"Hello Sakura, you didn't have to follow me out here."

"I wanted to… I'm sorry about Naruto, he's just dense when it comes to these things."

Hinata shook her head, "It's fine, you don't have to apologize"

"You were going to give him the scarf, right?"

Hinata nodded as she stared at the ground.

"Just try again, have confidence!"

"Thank you Sakura… but why are you helping me so much?"

Hinata asked as she looked over to Sakura. Sakura's eyes widened fractionally before she continued to look ahead.

"Because… you've always been there for him." Sakura said, a slight twinge in her heart as she continued to stare ahead.

And I've made so many mistakes…

Hinata's eyes widened as Sakura's eyes refused to meet her pearlescent ones.

"I think you may be the only one in the entire village who hasn't hurt him and has only encouraged him every step of the way. He deserves everything he has now, heck, he deserves the whole world, but you cared for him even when no one else understood him and he had nothing to his name. I think that deserves a chance, don't you?"

Sakura continued to walk alongside Hinata, her hands behind her head as closed her eyes and continued to walk.

Sakura…

"Thank you, Sakura"

They continued to walk mostly in silence, the air of unfamiliarity between one another still present, but a new comfort forming between them, the moon the only witness to their conversation.

TBC

A/N: Thanks so much for the new follows and favorites! Like I said, we are now in the Last territory so we have jumped to 2 years after the war. I know this one is going to be a bit difficult to get through without changing too much of it but I'm willing to try. Here's the thing: I don't want to make the characters too OC so I am rereading the novel and applying the personalities as best as I can. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE NOVEL THO. Some of it seems kind of OC as well so I'm definitely going to go based off of manga and anime as well. I didn't know how exactly I was going to change the Last to apply NaruSaku because removing Hinata altogether is not an option for the story BUT I kind of figured it out and I'm HOPING it turns out ok. I definitely hear you guys that you hope it doesn't drag out too long. Believe me I'm not about to commit to 40 chapters :P. I actually want to go back and read the story as well because this is something I've had in mind for YEARS so I'm hoping I don't fail myself here LOL. Take care and until next week!