Chapter 26
Hinata
Hinata suddenly found herself walking in between Kiba and Naruto for their HUMINT class as the latter hopped on her right side to talk with Kiba very loudly in her ear.
"Oye, Doghead!"
"Yes, Foxbreath?"
"How was your date with Catwoman?"
"Fuck off, ramen for brains!"
"Ooohhh," Naruto catcalled.
Sasuke and Karin, a new presence in their class, walked beside them. Naruto had obviously run ahead and caught up to her and Kiba for gossip.
They were back from their mission, and had only a night's sleep before they had to resume their duties. Naruto and Lee had been so pumped up that they finished the mission earlier than was expected, and when asked by Kakashi to submit a report, had left it as Hinata's responsibility.
She had stayed up the better part of the night working on the report as she felt it was only right. Lee and Naruto had pulled most of the weight in the mission. But she was very annoyed at being overworked when she could've just taken it easy as there wasn't a particular deadline. The better part of her Sunday was spent sleeping and she highly debated to skip the Academy today, but she knew she would just spend the day lonely and brooding.
So she had trudged along and forced her way, already regretting her decision as the loudmouths now seated on both her sides decided it was a perfect place for conversation.
"Who do you think is going to substitute for Neji?" Naruto leaned over Hinata to talk to Kiba once more, as their class had gathered, taken their places and waited for a teacher. Hinata leaned back as Naruto's shoulder poked her.
"No idea," Kiba replied, imitating Naruto's position from her left side, and Hinata slid down slowly. Unfortunately, they both simultaneously turned to Hinata. "But he'll be gone for at least two weeks from what I know."
"Did he tell you anything?" Naruto asked. His breath hit her face and she blushed. She was over Naruto, but the close proximity still made her uncomfortable. Previously, she would've long since fainted by now.
"No, he didn't," she tried to idle away, unceremoniously digging into Kiba and pushing him back. "Kakashi-sama didn't say anything either."
"Whoever it is," Sasuke drawled from their other side, his chin resting lazily on top of his fingers. They all turned to look at him in cue, and Hinata frowned. "I hope he's more tolerable than that tight-ass know-it-all. I sure as hell can teach him more about Intelligence Gathering than him teaching me. What else have I been doing for the village the past two years, huh?"
"Neji always makes it a point to mention the differences between reconnaissance and espionage," Naruto answered him. "Maybe you do need this class as you clearly haven't been paying attention and just braying like an ass, Ass. You of all people definitely need the certification, and he's the one who'll decide if you graduate the course."
Karin giggled as Sasuke grumbled angrily under his breath. "Are these how these classes usually are? Frankly, I don't even see the point. I'm not interested in passing through the ranks of this village. Sadly, it's part of my probation order to sit these lessons."
Kiba gnashed his teeth hard and growled loudly, and Hinata thought it was in reaction to Karin's comment, but when she turned, she saw him facing away towards the other side of the room next to the window, where Sakura usually sat, sharing her bench with Ino.
Curiously, Hinata observed a boy giving flowers to Sakura, and Sakura smilingly accepting them. He said something which then made her laugh.
"Woah, what do we have here?" Naruto whistled, also observing the show as Kiba had called attention to it.
"Oh, that's Yōichi," Karin remarked, and everyone now turned to look at her in shock. "It is my understanding also that the marks on his face are your leftovers, aren't they?" she said, nodding towards Kiba.
"Woah, Dogboy," Naurto whistled again in excitement. He leaned over and punched Kiba on his shoulder. "What've you really been up to while we've been away?"
Hinata wanted to know the same. She frowned at him, but he sat with his teeth clenched, stubbornly ignoring everyone as he crossed his arms.
"Kiba," Hinata probed, her tone soft.
"That fucker deserved it, Hina," he snapped, and offered no further explanation. But she saw his burning gaze follow the boy back to his seat.
Looking back at Sakura, she saw Ino elbowing her, obviously teasing. Sakura jabbed her back much harder.
She wondered what's been going on. She hadn't had a chat with Sakura in a long while, and the last time she had one was the day Kiba had also met Tamaki.
Naruto leaned in on her again to talk to Kiba once more. "Oi, tell, whatever happened on your date with the cat-hottie?"
"Bend over, Foxbrat," Kiba replied once more.
Hinata groaned. Not this again. Naruto and Kiba were both loud in her ears, and it had already been a torture being with Naruto and Lee in her mission. It made her wonder what she had ever seen in Naruto.
She found herself slipping out from underneath them and walked across the room in search of another seat, not that she'd even be missed. She passed by Ino and Sakura and her pace lowered as she stood there, confused.
"You know, I helped pick this bouquet," Ino was telling Sakura, sounding proud of herself.
"While you were all up my shit, you left your nose stuck up my ass, Pig," Sakura replied back.
"The guts though, to do it in front of Kiba," Ino remarked, looking at him from her peripheral. "I saw him look over. But he turned away, probably because the sunlight seems to be reflecting off of the billboard on your face, Forehead."
Sakura sighed, a flutter of emotions in her stomach. "Why would he look over when he has Catface now?"
Ino looked at her exasperatedly. "I've told you this before also when you created that scene at the end of Tenten's class, if it bothers you seeing him with another girl that much, it means you obviously still care. Talk to him. Especially about your main problem."
"I just hope he doesn't create another scene in front of everyone," Sakura denied. "I mean, with our substitute teacher, who knows what to expect anyway?"
The door burst open in cue, and in stepped Guy-sensei rolling his wheelchair with his trademark enthusiasm, a whirlwind of energy that instantly filled the room.
"Good afternoon, my youthful students!" Guy-sensei exclaimed, his voice echoing through the classroom.
Hinata jumped, hurriedly finding herself seated beside Ino at their bench. The girls, already in shock at their eccentric teacher's impromptu entrance, looked back at her in surprise, unsure what the bigger spectacle was.
"Sorry," she apologized meekly.
"My old but youthful student Neji has entrusted me with the crucial task of imparting knowledge to you today. According to my eternal rival, your esteemed Hokage, you are all lacking in a particular field and he has asked me to teach you that with the utmost attention. So, comrades, are you ready to embrace the power of TEAMWORK?"
Guy-sensei, clad in his vibrant green jumpsuit, leaped onto the desk, striking a dramatic pose, making the entire class jump as he enunciated the last word louder.
Ino looked at Sakura worriedly. "Should he be doing that?" She whispered, concerned. She could see the slight tremble in his legs as he tried to maintain his pose.
"Teamwork is the essence of true ninja power! Kakashi once told you that, didn't he? Today, we shall delve into the depths of cooperation and unity. Get ready, my youthful blossoms!" Guy-sensei declared, his eyes sparkling with determination. He jumped back down and resumed his place in his wheelchair and they heaved a sigh of relief.
"With some gentle nudging and prodding, I was able to convince Kakashi to let me devise some interesting exercises which I included and some boring not-so-dangerous-exercises he had me include. Each day, till the return of Neji, we will be doing these exercises! Now, let's go out into the field as I show you a splendid demonstration and make teams!"
The students got up, some mumbling, some excited, feeding off of Guy-sensei's energy.
Ino and Sakura looked at Hinata questioningly again, before Hinata realized they were waiting for her to scoot so they could exit too. She got up, twiddling her thumbs nervously and hopped after Kiba, who was also looking at her with a confused expression, wondering where she had gone.
As they reached outside, they saw Rock Lee stood already waiting for them.
"Teamwork is like the dazzling brilliance of the sun! Feel the warmth of unity, my students!" Guy-sensei shouted. "I have called for Lee, your teacher but forever my youthful student, to demonstrate to you the bonds of camaraderie. Notice, whatever I do, Lee will mirror me effortlessly through our connection!"
"Yes, Guy-sensei!" Lee yelled, saluting.
Together, they orchestrated a series of coordinated maneuvers that left everyone both impressed and slightly bewildered. As they somersaulted - Guy-sensei successfully handling his wheelchair effortlessly like a teen on a skateboard - transformed their lesson into a whirlwind of drills, exercises, and over-the-top demonstrations, all focused on driving home the importance of working together as a team.
"This is what you all will do today," he announced. "You must all learn to strengthen your connection and synchronize your movements to match your partner's! This exercise is important to understand the psyche of your teammate as well which can also aid in combination attacks!"
He waited for a few seconds but when none of them yelled 'Yes, Guy-sensei!', Lee stepped ahead and prompted them to do so, and some muttered the words begrudgingly, while some did so in bemusement.
When Guy-sensei was satisfied, he then told them all to split into pairs. When they were done, Guy-sensei smiled evilly.
"Aha! I knew it, you all would partner with someone you know very well and thus already share a connection. The focus of the lesson today is to build new connections by stepping out of your comfort zones! It is never likely that you get to decide your teammate in your missions. Therefore, I have memorized all of your faces - " Naruto snorted loudly at that and Lee looked at him angrily "- and I will proceed to pair you all in with someone you are not comfortable with!"
The class collectively groaned. There were a lot of mumblings while Guy-sensei started calling out students to take center stage and have them demonstrate abilities.
Kiba was hunched and growling nonstop as he was paired with Yōichi, but the latter kept boldly facing straight. After some scolding was administered to him, the entire class watched in bemusement as the obviously pissed-off Kiba proceeded to try and mirror each action demonstrated by Guy-sensei's energetic coaching style and pushed them to their limits, testing not only their physical prowess but also their ability to synchronize their movements seamlessly, as well as his temper.
Naruto howled in laughter and so did Ino and Karin, while Sakura's fingers just dug deep into her biceps and her lips almost bled as she bit hard in agitation.
As the class progressed, Guy-sensei's relentless enthusiasm fueled an unexpected camaraderie between the students. Everyone found themselves not only laughing at the absurdity of the situation but also appreciating the genuine lesson in teamwork that lay beneath Guy-sensei's boisterous exterior.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the training area, Guy-sensei, in an uncharacteristic moment of subtlety, decided to conclude the lesson with a twist. Kiba and Yōichi bowed as Guy-sensei recalled them. He turned to where Sasuke stood, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"And now, for the grand finale, let us explore the more delicate aspects of teamwork. Sasuke, Hinata, come up front. Your final task is to release your chakra and create a shared moment, a testament to the power of connection."
Hinata felt frozen in her spot as she looked at Guy-sensei. Sasuke exchanged a puzzled glance with Naruto, unsure of what Guy-sensei had in mind. Naruto shoved him to the front while Hinata found herself paralyzed, till Kiba, having reached her by then, snapped his fingers in front of her eyes to call her to attention. Soon, the unexpected pair found themselves standing in the middle of the training area, bathed in the soft evening light.
"Sometimes, the most powerful form of teamwork transcends the battlefield," Guy-sensei explained with a knowing smile. "Let the bonds of camaraderie deepen and connect with your chakra."
He signaled to the other students, who began to withdraw, leaving Sasuke and Hinata alone in the tranquil space.
Hinata was horror-stricken to be stared at by everyone like that, not to mention the way Sasuke was also looking at her. She decided to focus on sensing and enveloping Sasuke's chakra, like Guy-sensei had guided. She released some chakra, tendrils of them wafting around her. Sasuke in turn did the same, and his own tendrils appeared to move and touch hers, intertwining each other into knots.
The atmosphere shifted, and an unexpected calm settled between them. The sounds of the training area faded, replaced by the gentle rustle of leaves and the soft whispers of the evening breeze.
Sasuke, usually stoic and composed, sensed Hinata's hesitation through their shared connection. He turned to her, his gaze holding a touch of inquiry. In that moment, Hinata felt a rush of emotions, her shy nature causing her to glance away momentarily. His presence, though typically intense, felt strangely comforting to Hinata. She stole a glance at him, finding reassurance in his dark, onyx eyes.
A soft blush painted Hinata's cheeks as she mustered the courage to meet Sasuke's gaze directly once more. In that shared moment, a silent understanding passed between them. Hinata's shy feelings began to transform into a tender acknowledgment of a connection that transcended the boundaries of mere friendship. Their chakra moved and appeared to be holding hands and hugging.
In a gesture that surprised even himself, Sasuke found himself extending his hand toward Hinata. She didn't even register the small gasps she heard from the crowd of students and Sasuke himself looked at his own hand, confused as to how it got there.
Hinata's heart fluttered with a mixture of excitement and nervousness, but Sasuke didn't pull his hand away. This unexpected romantic turn in the lesson had caught her off guard. The gentle breeze played with Hinata's dark hair as she shifted on her feet, her fingers twisting the tips of her hair. Her lavender eyes, usually calm and serene, betrayed a hint of uncertainty.
With a subtle blush, her own arm raised and she placed her hand in his, a delicate connection forged in the fading light. The chakra turned warm, gently coaxing them to share more. It felt like a warm hug. Again, she did not register the mutterings which had broken out amongst the students as they stood staring in awe.
As they stood there, hand in hand, a moment of quiet intimacy unfolded. The air was charged with unspoken feelings, and in that shared silence, they discovered a different kind of synergy - one that resonated beyond the realm of ninja techniques and combat strategies.
Sasuke, recognizing Hinata's vulnerability, offered a small, reassuring smile - a rare display of warmth that seemed to bridge the gap between both of their reserved personalities and they found themselves stepping closer. Their connected hands rose, his right and her left, palm resting against palm. Her thumb was against his, and her fingers touched his. He spread her fingers with his, curving his own in a way that his long fingers matched hers in length with the tips.
The air between them felt charged with unspoken words, and in that quiet dance of emotions, Hinata's shy demeanor gradually gave way to a newfound sense of closeness. The evening unfolded with an unanticipated intimacy, leaving Hinata with a mixture of trepidation and a budding awareness of the complex emotions that had awakened within her heart, which, at that moment, felt very much exposed.