At the end of the day, while Hinata waited for Ko to come pick her up, Iruka approached her. In one of his hands, he was carrying the bento box she had given Naruto during lunch.
"He had no idea how to properly wash it after eating everything, so I had to do the job for him" he explained as he passed the box to her. Hinata took it, nodding as if in a daze. She was happy he seemed to enjoy the meal she gave him, but she was also disappointed he hadn't come himself to give her the box back. It was expected though, Naruto was in detention for picking a fight with Sasuke during basic taijutsu training this afternoon. While detention was not something unheard of coming from the blond misfit, it was the first time ever he got in trouble for picking a fight with someone else. Hinata knew it was because of what happened during lunch, and she couldn't help but feel sad because of it.
"Thank you, Iruka-sensei" she said while bowing, but Iruka dismissed the gesture with a wave of his hand.
"I should be the one saying thank you. You made him really happy, Hinata" the girl felt her cheeks growing warm, just like her chest. "I've always thought this, but I might as well say it now. You are a good girl, Hinata."
The warmth she was already feeling in her chest increased tenfold. Hinata never indulged herself in much, having been raised to want so little, but one of the few things she truly liked was getting the approval of the adults around her. Iruka giving her praise was a guilty pleasure she would keep to herself.
Soon after, Ko appeared in the horizon and Iruka bid goodbye, entering the academy once again. As she walked back home she was in high spirits for many reasons. She had managed to talk to Naruto and even gave him a bento. She completed the mission her father gave her and talked to Sasuke. And then, Iruka-sensei called her a good girl. Hinata was positive today was going to end a good day.
Until she told her father the good news and he asked why only Sasuke's bento box had come back home and not hers.