—
(rooftop beer)
—
"We watched you every night, of course," Sakura said excitedly while examining the bruise on his right cheek and the stitches over his left eyebrow. "You winning was so sweet, but locking Gaara on the same move he used on you the night before, man! That was the icing on the cake!" She finished enthusiastically.
"Thanks, Sakura." Naruto flashed her his signature grin, appreciative of his friend's support.
"I swear I saw Sasuke jump a little." She giggled at the memory of her fiancé.
"The bastard probably had a bet on me." Naruto joked and stood up from the examination bed that he was sitting on when Sakura stepped away and removed her gloves.
They were in her exam room at Konoha's University Hospital, Naruto having just arrived back in the country the night prior.
"Thanks again for checking these stitches." He thanked her while pointing at the small injury.
"It's never a problem, you know that. Just shoot me a text when you need me to squeeze you in my schedule." The pinkett said while typing a couple of notes on her computer. "They did a good job in Suna, by the way. Those stitches are clean, they should fall off in a couple days." She opened the x-ray electronic file and gestured for Naruto to sit on the stool next to her.
Naruto held the sore spot on his left side, knowing fully well Sakura was looking at the image of his rib cage.
"Luckily, there were no fractures." She said in her professional tone, pointing at two of his ribs on the x-ray. "It's just a contusion, or bruised ribs as you know. Now," the pinkett said firmly, looking her friend seriously in the eyes, "I know Tsunade was impressed at how quickly you recover from injuries, but you need to take a break of at least 6 weeks this time, if you want the contusion to heal properly and fully. If you go into a match too soon and get hit on the same spot, you may get a serious injury." She finished and watched Naruto frown.
"All right, but can I still train?" He asked, concerned.
"Yes, but with adjustments. It would be better to rest this week and the next. I'm glad that you stayed in Suna for a couple of extra days. The drive back must have been so uncomfortable." She made a painful face while typing on her keyboard for a few seconds before saying, "I'll print a copy of my report so you can show it to Jiraiya."
Naruto thanked her yet again before standing up and following Sakura to the reception area to collect the document she mentioned. While waiting for the slow printer to finish its job, Sakura turned back to talk some more right when Naruto's phone buzzed with a text. He immediately smiled, opening it.
"Who are you texting with that kind of face?" She questioned with a teasing smile of her own and hands on hips, making Naruto shove his phone back into his jeans pocket at lightning speed.
"What are you talking about?" The blonde clumsily tried to play it cool, but his elbows missed the edge of the tall counter and his chin almost hit the offending surface.
Sakura laughed loudly at the comic scene, calling some attention from passing patients and nurses. Naruto hissed when he tried to cough nonchalantly and his bruised ribs hurt.
"Naruto, I know you, and I also know that it's a girl!" Sakura arched a delicate pink brown and crossed her arms, challenging him to deny it. "Unless it's a picture of ramen, it has to be a girl. Now, tell me, who is she?"
"What makes you so sure it's a girl? Maybe it's just Sasuke."
"Naruto, I'd be quite jealous if you smiled like that at a text from my man." She cracked her knuckles, and Naruto gulped hard. "Now, spill it! Who is she?"
Naruto thought about it for a moment. It wasn't like he wanted to make Hinata's existence in his life a secret, but he strangely felt protective of it… They had talked everyday on the phone while he was in Suna as if they were old friends. Honestly, he was just enjoying keeping her to himself, reluctant to burst their little bubble. Was that silly? Maybe, but it was a strange feeling that made him happy. Besides, his group of friends (as awesome as they were) could be quite… something.
Yet… trying to evade Jiraiya was one thing, but Sakura was on a whole other level. The med student was even more stubborn than Naruto himself, especially without Sasuke around to calm her down. It's not like she would know who the Hyugas were, right? Unlike Jiraiya who was familiar with the outer and inner circles of the MMA league.
"It's just someone I met recently."
He felt Sakura staring holes at him. Naruto sighed heavily, caving.
"Her name is Hinata."
Sakura's green eyes widened in surprise, but Naruto didn't see them. He was too busy rubbing his neck and staring at the wall behind her, avoiding any eye contact. His body language was also surprising to the pinkett and a very telling sign of his embarrassment.
Could it be…?
"Hinata, hm? With such a pretty name, I expect her to be pretty cute, hm?" She pressed him–half-teasing, half-serious–watching his every move.
Naruto's ears went red, and his stare intensified at the wall. "Maybe." He held back, hoping to save some face. However, after a moment of silence, Sakura surprised him by seemingly changing topics.
"You know, you should use this next six weeks to catch up with your friends and be more social." The young woman said while finally handing him the forgotten medical report. "You know what, let's have a get together at my place next weekend, like the old times. I'll invite the whole gang. Ino's gonna flip!" She finished with an excited smile, but her eyes glinted with mischief which did not go unnoticed by Naruto.
The blond reluctantly agreed before being shooed by the pinkett.
He suspiciously glanced at his friend one last time while heading to the elevators.
Why did it feel like Sakura was about to scheme something with Ino? It almost felt like he was back in high school…
—
Come on, Hinata, you can do this.
It had been ten minutes since she found the perfect stop to park right in front of Sasuke and Sakura's apartment building.
Hinata felt the familiar feeling of nervousness gathering in the pit of her stomach. She took in a long, deep breath and exhaled heavily as her eyes stared back at her from the sun visor's mirror.
She used to be extremely reclusive as a child due to her quiet nature and anxious disposition. As a grown woman, however, she had learned in years of therapy to work with it rather than against it–which meant that even if her insides screamed at her to not leave the security of her car, she would not be stopped from doing what she wanted.
And tonight she wanted to hang out with her college girl friends.
Last week, Sakura had called her extremely excited. She was planning a get together for her closest friends which included Hinata, something that made the Hyuga girl beam with happiness on the other side of the line. Hinata promptly accepted, just as excited to see Sakura and Ino despite meaning that she would have to meet a few strangers.
I wonder if Naruto has already met up with his friends. The young man popped suddenly in her mind–a rather common occurrence lately but welcomed distraction at her present predicament.
It was so peculiar for Hinata to have forged such an effortless connection with Naruto due to her history with social anxiety. She often wondered why that was the case.
Regardless, there she was. Parked outside Sakura's building, thinking of him when she really should be buzzing herself in.
She chuckled to herself in disbelief.
They had tried to see each other at Ichiraku's the day after Naruto got back from Suna, but her father needed her at the last minute when he found himself indisposed to attend meetings and look after daily administrative tasks.
But, that did not stop her from continuing to chat over the phone or text with Naruto as the days went by. She had hoped to see him this weekend but both hers and his friends seemed to be in the mood to hang out. Naruto had also gotten an invitation to meet up with his 'old gang', as he would call them.
Have fun with your friends tonight. Just then, her phone buzzed with a message from him, and she blushed with the thought of being caught thinking of him by the man himself. Plus, even though he was unaware of her social struggles and current state, she felt encouraged by his simple words.
Hope you have fun, too! She wrote him back and smiled when an image of himself came through almost immediately. It showed him with a toothy grin, a glass bottle in one hand with two fingers sticking out in a peace sign. His selfie arm was around a larger man's neck. His friend smiled kindly, dressed in a grilling apron and holding a plate of raw meat. She could also see some of the grill grid picking out on the corner.
That photo and his text made Hinata feel more relaxed, reminding her she was set to have a good time as well. Finally, she secured her phone and keys in her cardigan pocket, grabbed her mini dome jelly bag, and exited the car. Inhaling and exhaling slowly one last time, she was off to buzz Sakura's apartment.
"HINATA!" A platinum blonde, beautiful woman threw herself at the Hyuga girl as soon as she stepped out in the foyer of the top floor. "I missed you so much!"
Hinata felt the slender arms squeezing her air out, but she still giggled trying to hug her friend back. They hadn't seen each for months, maybe almost a year.
"Ino, let her go! She can't breathe!" Sakura showed up by the opened front door and scolded their blonde friend, yet she also joined them in the same tight embrace.
"Come on in, Hinata." The pinkett pushed them inside after more greetings, compliments, and more hugs by the doormat. "It's your first time over since Sasuke and I moved in, so I owe you a tour." She chatted happily while gesturing around the modernly decorated space. "But we can do that later, keep your shoes on, we're going up to the terrace!"
"The view is amazing! And Chouji is about to serve the food! You're gonna love it, Hina." Ino locked arms with her, and they both followed behind Sakura. "He's the best cook you'll ever meet!"
"Is he the one that went to culinary school abroad?" Hinata asked, recalling Ino chatting proudly about her childhood friend several times before.
"Yes! He's now back for good. Actually, everyone is back for good! I know you'll hit it off with them easily." She then proceeded to give Hinata another squeeze. "I'm so excited that you are here! A lot of us have not seen each other in a loooong time." Hinata giggled, feeling Ino's over the top enthusiasm contagious.
"You're welcome, Ino-pig." Sakura smirked back at them with a wink, sliding open the balcony's door and stretching one arm towards a spiral staircase on their left.
"I have to give it to you, forehead, this was the best idea you've had in a loooong time." She teasingly complimented their friend while pulling Hinata upstairs along with her, Sakura following right behind.
"Tsk." The pinkett clicked her tongue, choosing to focus on the indigo haired girl instead, and tapped Hinata on the shoulder. "All the guys are here already, you're gonna love them, Hina." A glint in Sakura's eyes made Hinata's stomach stir uncomfortably.
"Hm, are you two trying to set me up with someone?" She questioned softly yet suspiciously, and the other two girls exchanged a look before bursting in a fit of nervous giggles.
"Oh, no, Hina. We learned our lesson after senior year." Ino said apologetically, laughing at the memories of the horrible blind dates they put poor Hinata through back then.
"We just think you're really gonna hit it off with our friends. Besides, you already know Sasuke and Shikamaru." Sakura added, waving a dismissive hand.
"And the other guys are way friendlier than Sasuke's bitchface."
"Hey!" Sakura interjected in defense of her fiancé.
Hinata laughed at their banter as they finally reached the top of the stairs. "Oh, wow." She sighed, amazed at the animated environment that welcomed her. The space was floored by dark wood planks, the edges were adorned by concrete half walls and black sleek metal railing, decorative greenery were plenty and tastefully placed, fairy lights crisscrossed above the area where the grill and outdoor furniture were laid out, and low music filled the ambiance, but no speakers were in sight. The sunset had just started to stain the skies with different hues of orange and purple which only made the scene look even warmer and more inviting.
"Sakura, this is beautiful." She complimented her friend sincerely, astonished by the display before her.
"Thank you, Hina." Sakura placed a hand over her heart, proud of her work. "Sasuke and I fell in love with this apartment because of this space." She looked around dreamly. "It took us months to get it remodeled just how we wanted. This is actually our first time hosting an event up here."
"Well, not just up here but since you guys got engaged and moved in together." Ino offered. "This is like your unofficial housewarming slash engagement party!"
"Ha, I guess it is."
"It's wonderful." Hinata complimented it again.
"Okay, forehead, I can't take it anymore." Ino whispered to Sakura behind Hinata's head, but of course the Hyuga heard and glanced at them with a dark eyebrow arched up. "Erm, I can't wait anymore to introduce you to everyone, let's go." Sakura face-palmed herself at Ino's poor attempt to explain her behavior.
"Right." Said Hinata still not believing their little act.
"Ignore Ino-pig, Hina, let's get you some food and have a good time, alright?"
And with that Sakura held her by the hand, leading the way to the guys chatting in the sitting area. She recognized Shikamaru immediately, who raised a hand to wave at her, and Sasuke, who just nodded his head in acknowledgement of her presence. She giggled mentally at Ino's earlier description of Sasuke but smiled warmly at both men.
"What's up, Hinata, long time no see." Shikamaru raised his beer bottle to her with a lazy smile.
"It's good to see you again, Shikamaru. How've you been?" She asked while taking a seat across from him with Ino right next to her, but Sakura remained standing looking around.
"Oh you know, same as always…"
"Pff–you're working your ass off for the first time in your life, Shika." Ino interrupted him, smiling proudly at her childhood friend.
"Oh, what do you do now?" Hinata asked curiously, just as calm and polite as Shikamaru remembered–a huge balancing contrast to her girlfriends, he thought.
"My former academic advisor and I started our own accounting firm last year." He said, shrugging his shoulders and reclining himself more against the cushions.
"Oh, Professor Asuma? Kurenai's husband?" Hinata perked up, excited to learn news about her own academic advisor at Konoha University.
"Yeap. Remind me to get you her number before you leave. She's been asking me about you, she's expecting and wants to see you before the baby is due."
Hinata's eyes practically sparkled at the news, and Shikamaru let out a low chuckle, so they continued to chat about Kurenai and the baby. Sasuke, however, found it very strange how neither Ino nor Sakura tried to pull away Hinata from her conversation with Shikamaru. They usually would not leave the Hyuga alone for a long time upon arrival, always gushing all over her after a period without seeing one another.
He took a sip of his beer and watched Ino sending questioning looks towards Sakura who answered with a shoulder shrug and a pout.
"If you are looking for the idiot and Sai, they went downstairs to get more beer and the champagne you wanted." He told his fiance and pulled her by the hand to join him on the loveseat. "Not too long after you left for the door."
"Are you serious?" Ino complained under her breath and Sakura faced him dejected.
"Why are you two so ups-" Sasuke started, not understanding their reaction but got interrupted by Choji who placed a large dish of colorful kabobs piled up as a pyramid on the low table in the center of everyone. The juicy meats and roasted vegetables looked like the crown jewel among all the other homemade finger foods and condiments already laid out.
"Dig in everyone!" Announced Choji with a satisfied grin.
"Oh. My. God. They smell delicious!" Ino exclaimed, helping herself first. "I didn't eat all day knowing you were coming tonight." She said, making the larger man laugh while removing his apron and taking a seat next to Shikamaru.
"Hinata, this is our friend from highschool, Akimichi Choji. Choji, Hyuga Hinata." Shikamaru made the introductions before following Ino's lead.
"Nice to meet you, Hinata." The man said kindly, offering a large hand over the food for her to take.
"Oh," it was all Hinata could say at first, surprised at how familiar the man looked. "Sorry, pardon me. It's nice meeting you, too, but you look so familiar." She excused herself after taking his friendly hand shake.
"Hm, really? I'm sorry, you don't look familiar at all." He said scratching a cheek meekly.
"Oe, Sasuke!" A raspy voice suddenly said from behind her, sending shivers down her spine. "The flutes were not where you said they were. Took us forever to find them." Hinata's whole body froze and warmth crept up to her face as he continued to talk.
Well, now she knew exactly where she had seen Choji before, and quite recently in fact.
—
"Naruto! Why are you carrying all that weight?!" He gulped when Sakura's forehead vein popped up as she referred to the crates of drinks under each one of his arms. "What did I say about taking it easy?" She proceeded to scold her friend to the amusement of Sasuke who stiffed a scoffing laugh next to her.
"What-I-Hey! Look at your fiance, it was his idea, he asked me to do it!" Naruto defended himself by pointing accusingly at his best friend with his chin.
"Sai could've carried the drinks instead of the flutes." She turned her glare to the pale man behind the tall blond.
"Naruto would be too clumsy to carry the fragile glass." Sai said simply with his always calm voice and unwavering smile, meanwhile, Naruto gave him an exasperated look that said 'come on, man'.
"True to that." Ino agreed from her spot on the couch that was facing away from him, turning her body to the side, so she could better watch the scene unfolding behind her.
"Really, that's what I get for being nice?" Naruto complained to Ino who just grinned at him mischievously while throwing her arms around the person next to her who turned back with blushed cheeks and big surprised lavender eyes.
Naruto almost dropped the crates.
"Ah!" Ino squeaked and jumped up, stretching her body over the couch's back and reaching to the crate nearest to her, her arms struggling with the weight. "You can't be trusted with the alcohol either!"
"Hi-Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, ignoring the blonde woman's maneuver. He felt his arms becoming lighter but did not register that Choji had grabbed the crates from him. All he paid attention to were Hinata's lips forming an adorable little 'o'.
"Wha-", he paused to clear his throat. Something about finally seeing her again after over two weeks was making it hard to get words out. "What are you doing here?" Curiosity genuinely laced his question.
"Don't be rude, Naruto, Hina is obviously our friend." Sakura started before Hinata could answer. It did not slip him the nickname and how the possessive pronoun was stressed by Sakura, making one of his blond eyebrows shot up. The pinkett swiftly moved couches and enveloped Hinata and Ino in her arms. "We three shared a dorm freshman year at KU."
"And we never let Hina go ever since." Ino added, winking at Hinata which made the girl smile but confusion was still written all over her face, something he understood since Naruto himself felt like the whole encounter seemed suspiciously fabricated. "How do you know our Hina?" Ino questioned making Naruto bring a hand to the back of his neck.
"Well, we just bumped into each other at the grocery store." He explained.
"And Hinata recognized you from the ring." Sasuke said nonchalantly, shocking everyone. The Uchiha and the other guys just sat back and watched in amusement the girls connoring poor Naruto. While Sasuke was not one to meddle, he knew that what he said was a fact since he was the one who spotted Hinata and her cousin scouting Naruto in the first place, months ago.
"I did." Hinata confirmed taking the opening that Sasuke gave her. Naruto's ear perked up upon hearing her voice for the first time in person since Ichiraku's, and his lips formed a looped sided smile. "We live in the same neighborhood, very close to each other." She smiled sweetly back at him, and both finally seemed to relax.
"What a small world." Shikamaru said, calling everyone's attention. "Now that that's settled, should we eat before it gets cold?" He questioned the group receiving a grateful look from Hinata but an unsatisfactory one from Ino and Sakura. What a drag, he mentally sighed.
The group once again became lively as they enjoyed the food and beer. Plates were passed around, and jokes were thrown left and right. Music and laughter filling the ambiance.
Sakura and Ino teased Naruto for his priceless shocked expression upon seeing Hinata but did not ask about their acquaintanceship any further, even though Naruto could see they were both dying to do so. Now Sakura's behavior at the hospital last week made sense. She had planned this whole setup after hearing Hinata's name coming out of his mouth that day, he was sure of it.
Naruto ended up sitting next to Sasuke after hanging out by Sai and Choji for a while as he ate and loudly chimed in on everybody's conversation. Settled next to the Uchiha, though, he shifted his attention to the cheery trio and observed how the girls touched Hinata freely, and how Hinata herself welcomed and reciprocated the contact. He thought she was glowing in happiness sitting between the two vibrant girls.
"They seem really close." Naruto said loud enough for only Sasuke to hear.
"Hn."
"I had no idea they knew her."
"Shikamaru and I also got to know her in college." Sasuke said watching his blond friend who still had his cerulean eyes on the indigo haired woman. "I had no idea that you had met her." He said, earning a brief glance from Naruto.
"It really was out of nowhere." He said lowering his tone even more. "We've been… talking ever since."
Sasuke smirked upon his friend's choice of words and uncharacteristic guardedness.
Downing the remaining of his beer in one go, the Uchiha placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, calling his attention. The blond looked at his long-time friend and chuckled at Sasuke's knowing smirk, shaking his head at how much of an open book he was to the Uchiha.
Figuring that he could aid his friend a little, Sasuke stood up and walked up to his fiancé, offering her a hand. "You like this song, don't you?" Sakura's cheeks blushed prettily and her warm hand enveloped his fingers. He absolutely hated dancing, but causing her to be bashful like this made the suggested activity a lot more pleasing.
Hn, being Naruto's wingman was not going to be so bad after all.
—
Hinata watched with a small smile on her lips as Sasuke led Sakura away to the open space between the sitting area and the staircase. They swayed out of rhythm and quietly talked to each other. Sakura's short hair danced along with the cool spring breeze, her arms embracing Sasuke by the neck. Meanwhile, he kept both hands on her waist and smiled as he listened to his companion.
Hinata's heart tightened with happiness for Sakura and the sweet aura that was coming from the usually stoic Sasuke.
"And there he goes…" Ino sighed dreamily next to her. "Sweeping her off her feet all over again." Hinata giggled as she turned back to the blonde woman right on time to catch her glancing longingly towards Sai who was further away at the drinks table. When Ino looked back at Hinata, her cheeks blushed from being caught. She did not elaborate on it immediately, her eyes averting to her lap and palms dusting off invisible dirt from her skirt.
Hinata, of course, knew exactly what she saw and took one of Ino's hands with a gentle squeeze. Her friend locked eyes with her again and let another sigh out.
"We went to high school together. He was very closed off and awkward at first, but Naruto made friends with him in our second year and brought him into the group." Ino whispered to Hinata. "He was always nice to me. He used to call me 'beautiful' all the time, but not in a flirtatious way. It always felt like a statement that he meant it." Her eyes stared at their joined hands as she reminisced in her memories. "He was away until recently, too. For art school." From their peripheral vision, they could see Sai working to open a new bottle of beer. "He's not like the guys you saw me going out with at KU."
Hinata nodded. She had just met Sai, but she could tell right away that he was more reserved and less outgoing than the frat boys that would often hit on her friend. And Ino, she remembered, used to be very forward when flirting but seemed unsure of herself now, biting her lips and avoiding to look directly at him.
"Well, I'm sure you can work some 'Ino magic'." Hinata whispered back at her, referring to how Sakura had nicknamed Ino's charm with guys in college. Ino squeezed Hinata's hand with a quiet laugh and a grateful smile, an excited glint shooing the dark shadow in her otherwise light eyes. The Hyuga took the chance to stand up now that Sai was coming close but had not sat down yet. "I think I need a refill." She said in a louder yet normal tone, letting go of Ino's hand and stepping away in the direction of the very same spot that Sai had just come from–even though her beer was still half way through.
From behind her, Hinata could hear Ino calling Sai's name. Once at the drinks table, she glanced back at her friend and saw that Sai had joined her on the couch, sitting right where Hinata used to be. Good luck, Ino.
The indigo haired woman hummed a tune contently before turning her gaze back to the assortment of beer sticking out from ice buckets. She just needed to pretend to be interested in Sasuke's alcohol collection for a bit, so her move wouldn't look so obvious to everyone else. And maybe now she could also try her own luck and strike a conversation with the other blond that had been in the back of her mind for the entirety of the night.
She had decided to pay attention to her girl friends first since they were the reason she came, to begin with. But, whenever she could, she also observed Naruto interacting with everyone else. She noted how he would find his way into any conversation with ease, sharing his own opinions or adding his own memories to a particular story. He would smile boyishly and make the others laugh at his antics or jokes. He ate and praised Choji plenty, making the cook beam with pride and satisfaction. He would also laugh but stay out of reach whenever he got Sakura annoyed which always made Shikamaru shake his head and Ino cackle.
"I saw what you did." His raspy laughter surprised her out of her musings, and her neck snapped up to lock eyes with his humorous cerulean ones. "Sorry, didn't mean to jump ya. I just had to congratulate you on your wingman craftsmanship." Naruto raised his beer towards her as if toasting her earlier actions.
"I learned a lot in college." Hinata joked, clinking her bottle with his.
"Eeeeh-" Naruto complained with a long voweled sign, discarding his now empty bottle and shoving his hands in his pockets. "Who would've thought that me skipping college would mean missing out on meeting you much earlier?" He questioned without ever breaking eye contact with her.
Hinata felt butterflies flutter in her stomach with his insinuation and took another sip of her beer to hide what she thought was probably a silly smile.
"We are here now." She finally managed to say, feeling a little bold. She let herself smile openly this time when Naruto's cheeks stretched into a wider grin at her words. "But it is weird how we never met before, we have so many friends in common." She was sure she would have remembered him, even if just in passing.
"Well, that's not that weird actually." He said, chuckling when Hinata's eyebrows disappeared under her dark bangs. He pointed with his head towards an extended balcony area, opposite to where Sakura and Sasuke had just finished their dance. She accepted his silent invitation and listened as they covered the short distance to the balcony's edge. "Sakura was mad at me when I kind of went off the grid for like 4 years, after high school."
"Oh, did you go abroad like Choji and Sai?" She questioned, encouraging him to elaborate.
"Yes and no." He answered, reaching and propping his elbows on the metal railing while watching the city lights twinkle and move. "I took off with Jiraiya a couple of months after our school's graduation. Choji and Sai got these insane scholarships for culinary and art schools in different countries. But, I never even applied to any universities. Jiraiya and I traveled through most of the Elemental Nations instead." Hinata placed herself next to him, propping her back on the same railing while keeping her eyes on him, not the lights below them. "We extensively traveled through the Fire, Water…hmm, Lighting, and Wind Country. And many other places in passing…" His forehead creased as he paused to think. "I think the furthest place we've been was the Demon Country."
Hinata did not notice her mouth was hanging open until he rested his chin on one palm and turned to look at her. His laughter shook her out of her stunned state, and she buried her burning face in her hands.
"Narutooo… Please, you're embarrassing me." She mumbled against her fingers when his laughter did not cease–which only made the blond tear up more.
"I'm sorry, Hinata, I just never thought I'd see such a face on you." He hid his own face in his hands, trying to pull himself together. "You looked so composed the whole time we hung out at Ichiraku." He explained, finally getting himself together. His right cheek was resting against his palm, and he looked at her with a laugh still twinkling in his eyes. "But I like seeing this side of you. I like seeing you again." His voice got raspier, and Hinata peeked at him from between her fingers.
She slowly lifted her face, no smiles or blush to be seen. Her lavender eyes moved slowly, taking in his facial features. Her lips parted to say something but no words came out. She did not know how long she was there for–just staring at him–until a warm feeling finally burst from within her chest and spread through her whole body like an explosion that only she could feel.
Her heart tightened, goosebumps took over her skin, and an involuntary closed lip smile reached her eyes by raising the apples of her rosy cheeks incredibly high.
Naruto's heart thumbed heavily against his ribcage. Never in his entire life had he seen someone smile the way she was smiling at him now. He could hear his own blood pumping in his ears like he was about to enter the ring for a match. His breath hitched and he did not dare to say a word nor move until she did it first. He could no longer hear the chatter and games from his friends behind them, almost like time had slowed down or stopped completely just for her to smile.
"I'm very happy to see you here tonight, Naruto." Her lips moved at last, bringing him back. "I'm happy we have so many friends in common."
"Me too, Hinata." He answered slowly, not noticing how his body had turned to his side, only one elbow propped on the railing, closer to her.
He watched her place a strand of her long indigo hair behind her ear, her body assuming the same position as his, facing each other. They probably stood just a foot or two apart, and Naruto had to hold himself back to not step in any further.
"So…" She initiated after some time. "Could I ask you why Jiraiya, the great yet retired Sannin, took you away for so long?" She asked before biting her lower lip. "But you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." She added quickly, and he thought she was very cute trying not to be too curious or nosy. But he did not mind telling her. He wanted to tell her.
"He was training me." He relished on how he was able to continue surprising the girl as her lips formed the same adorable little 'o' from earlier. "Jiraiya wanted to train me the old school way. Mind and body. He says you either train both or nothing at all. He taught me that one cannot be without the other as they form your being." He saw Hinata's eyes sparkle at the notion and her head nodding in agreement. "So he took me as his pupil under the condition of full commitment which meant complete technology fasting and reclusion from normal life. We traveled mostly by foot and hitch hiking. Sometimes by train or boat but always the cheapest options we could find. One backpack each. We trained in all kinds of places… the woods, temples, under waterfalls, abandoned ruins and buildings… And he made me write a journal." At that he paused and chuckled. "That was so hard for me."
Hinata giggled and asked, "You don't like writing?"
"I hated writing, and reading. I'm not the studious type." He scratched one cheek sheepishly. "But I learned to appreciate it."
"What about your family and friends? You must have missed them." Her voice was soft, and her eyebrows creased slightly.
"Well… when I told the gang, Sai, Shikamaru, and Sasuke were supportive from the get go. They even seemed to understand without asking me many questions. I had my reasons to go but wasn't ready to talk about them with the others, ya'know? Actually, I don't even think I could if I tried. Jiraiya's training and being away helped me understand myself, everything, better."
Naruto watched her nod again at his last words, giving the impression she recognized the meaning of his feelings–reminding him of their first call in Suna.
"Ino and Choji seemed confused but wished me the best, Ino even told me to hurry up and come back soon. But Sakura…" He shivered a little at the memory of her knuckles threatening him at the time. "She accepted and saw me off the day I left with Jiraya even though she was upset. She was so funny, though. You see, Jiraiya allowed me one call once a month from a public phone, just so people could know I was still alive." He chuckled at his coach's dramatics. "So whenever I called Sasuke and she was there, she pretended not to be. But I could totally hear her telling him what to ask me!" He finished with a humorous tone making Hinata giggle.
"I can see her doing that." She said, shaking her head a bit while still laughing. "But that's amazing!" Naruto saw her perk up in excitement, and he felt his neck warm up a bit at how cute she looked. Her soft, yellow cardigan had slipped down her shoulders, exposing her creamy skin and the thin straps of the black dress she was wearing. He quickly averted his attention to her face, not wanting his eyes to wander down further. "How the Sannin took you in for such an incredible training it's unheard of nowadays." He felt her honest enthusiasm and interest in the topic, probably because Hinata herself had gone through a lot of training due to the nature of her family business.
"I owe him my life." Naruto said while nodding, "He says it's because he's my godfather and I don't need to sweat it. But, he really sacrificed a lot to disappear for four years with me."
"Wait-what? You know what, from now on nothing should surprise me anymore." She laughed in disbelief. "Of course the Sannin is your godfather." Naruto smiled cheekily at her.
"Believe it!" He winked and gave her a thumbs up, making Hinata giggle more and shake her head.
Gee, who would have thought that Sakura meddling in his social life would work out so well? He could swear both she and Sasuke were keeping everyone busy and away from him and Hinata on purpose. He better use this time well. Who knows when I'll be able to see her again.
A topic suddenly crossed his mind, a distant memory of a drunk Sasuke.
"Hey! Now, tell me if you are the blind date girl, Hinata!" He questioned her to which she responded with a confused expression. "I think it was around the beginning of my last year away… One time I called Sasuke on a Friday night, and he answered me, drunk, completely shit-faced. He was complaining non-stop about how Sakura and Ino had this friend that they wanted to set up on blind dates, but Sakura felt bad sending her off alone with the guys, so she would often double date with her…"
"Oh my god, that's me!" Hinata blushed from head to toe, needing to hear no more. "How embarrassing, again!" She looked at her beer and downed its remaining content at once, miserably.
"Don't be! I'm pretty sure that's what made Sasuke own up his feelings." Naruto let a booming laughter out. "You got them together!"
"Well, I'm glad all those failed dates served any good." Hinata smiled a bit before chewing on her lower lip for a while. "I… I had broken up a two-year relationship at the time, and they made it their mission to find me the 'perfect rebound guy'." She air-quoted the last words of her explanation.
Naruto let out a low whistle, a little surprised at the new information. "Two years? That sounds serious."
"Yea… but I was so young. I was almost nineteen when we started dating. It didn't feel right the longer we stayed together. But it should, I guess? I mean, it made sense we're together. He was a year older and very mature, but I couldn't give him what he wanted. It just didn't feel right."
"Hmmm." Naruto mused for a moment, curious to know more. "And he went to KU as well?"
"Fortunately not!" She laughed softly. "It would've been so awkward, the distance definitely made the break up easier. He's from Saikutsugakure, in the Earth Country."
"Wow, that's far away." Naruto couldn't help but feel a little lighter that this guy didn't seem to be around. "How did you even meet?"
"Our fathers do business together. So, he used to come along a lot, even as a high school student, to learn the business from practice from his father. They import metals, some of which we use in our state-of-art equipment. When we're actually dating, he temporarily rented an apartment in town for a semester and locked his university studies." Naruto noticed her eyes and shoulders dropping, hinting at how hard the experience must have been for Hinata.
"And he did not like the idea of breaking up?" He assumed with a crooked, understanding smile.
"No, not really, but…" She paused and turned around to the city lights. "But I don't regret it." He saw the smallest of smiles form on her lips, and he admired her strength for not turning back on a difficult decision.
"That's extraordinary." He joined her in the railing and closed the space between them by gently bumping their shoulders, calling her attention. Looking her in the eyes he said, "You are very strong, Hi-na-ta." her name coming out in that slow, syllibatic way that only he did.
Her eyes lit up, her features softening. "Thanks."
"HEY! NARU-TOO, HINA-TAA! We're gonna take pictures for the 'gram!" Ino yelled from the sitting area, waving at them with her phone.
"And toast to this party!" Sakura shouted a little altered by the drinking already, but still gleeful. Sasuke and Choji were opening the bubbly while Sai and Shikamaru gathered the flutes.
Hinata giggled and waved back at the group.
"Shall we?" She asked him, not moving until he did.
"Yeap!" Naruto flashed her a grin. "Let's go before Ino comes to grab us."
Hinata giggled and tapped his shoulder before stepping away, shaking her head a bit at his comment.
Naruto let her walk a couple of steps ahead of him. He watched her shiny hair sway with her movements, and by the time they joined the rest of their friends, Naruto had a permanent smile drilled to his face for the rest of the night.
—
Hina, you forgot your bag!
Oh, no! I just got home :O
No worries, I can drop it off at your house tomorrow. ;)
You sure?! I can stop by!
Nonsense, at least you got your phone. I'll text you. 3
Thanks, Sakura, you're the best :3
Seen 3:13 a.m.
—
Hinata did not wake up until noon the next morning. She was grateful she had only drunk a beer and one glass of champagne the night before. She had no symptoms of a hangover but still felt sluggish in her bed. The young woman rarely went to sleep so late and still felt tired after plenty of rest.
She stretched her limbs still under the covers and reached for her phone. No texts from Sakura. Hinata tapped the device against her chin a few times before deciding.
I'll be home all day, no need to text or buzz. Here's the code for the security door. You can stop by whenever is convenient for you. Thank you again! She texted her friend before typing the numbers for the code.
Determined to get energized, she kicked her heavy comforter away and stood up at once. She started through her morning ritual of making her bed, brushing her teeth, and completing her skincare routine. But, as she grabbed her face cleanser, Hinata decided a cold shower would most definitely wake her up for good.
Half an hour later, she was dressed in a matching set of sports bra and high waisted cycling shorts in the middle of her living room. Deciding against food for now, she was browsing on her tv's YouTube app searching for the perfect yoga video for that bright Sunday afternoon.
She knew taking a shower and then doing yoga was kind of counterproductive, but she figured a more chill routine would not make her sweat that much. Besides, who cared? She could take another shower after.
As she stretched with the instructor's in the screen, her doorbell rang happily.
Not wanting to make Sakura wait since the girl was doing her a favor on such a beautiful day off, Hinata quickly paused the video and practically jumped to the door.
She beamed at her friend as she opened the door–a cheery greeting ready to leave her lips–but yelped at the tall man standing at her foyer instead.
"Na-Naruto?!"
—
Haruno Sakura 4 Text Messages
Sorry, Hina, got called to the hospital.
But I'm sending Naruto instead.
Hope that's okay!
Call you later ;)
—
to be continued.
—
A/N: Thank you SO, SO much for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I LOVE reading each message and seeing the interest in the story. I needed an extra day to edit this chapter, but I also have started on Chapter 4 already.
About this chapter, I think to get to know someone fully, you need to see them both alone and interacting with others. So, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! And the connection their friends brought to the table. I felt it was important to consolidate Naruto and Hinata's phase of getting to know each other.
Plus, I think Sasuke secretly likes to meddle, haha. And don't worry about other couples taking away from NaruHina because they won't! This story is strictly NaruHina, and other characters and relationships will only show or be mentioned for plot development. After all, no man is an island.
For the guest that reviewed Chapter 2, I'll be looking forward to seeing more of your comments. Hopefully, I can identify them. I update every week, so don't forget to check! And yes, I totally enjoy writing Naruto as being the romantic one, haha. Even if Hinata was the one who admired and loved him from the beginning (in the original series), Naruto is a total sucker for love (in my opinion), hahaha. I think it shows in The Last. Who else agrees?
Please, review if you can! And stay safe!