Chapter 2: Lofty expectations

Years later

Naruto Uzumaki could barely contain his excitement as he bolted down the academy hallway, his sandals slapping loudly against the wooden floor. The announcement for the third round of the Chunin Exams had just been posted, and Naruto couldn't wait to see who he was up against. Trailing behind him was Sasuke Uchiha, his expression an odd mix of annoyance and amusement as he struggled to keep up with his hyperactive friend.

"Oi, Naruto! Slow down!" Sasuke called out, but his words fell on deaf ears as Naruto barreled forward, practically bouncing with each step.

Naruto laughed, his blue eyes sparkling with anticipation. "I can't slow down, Sasuke! The future Hokage has to know who he's gonna beat next!"

When they reached the hallway, a small crowd of genin had already gathered, buzzing with excitement as they craned their necks to see the matchups. At the forefront were Ino Yamanaka and Shikamaru Nara, the former practically vibrating with enthusiasm as she stared at the list of names.

"I'm up against Sakura!" Ino exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air. "This is perfect! I'm gonna show everyone just how strong I've gotten."

Shikamaru sighed, scratching his head lazily. "You sure about that? Sakura's not a pushover, you know. Don't get ahead of yourself."

Ino shot him a glare. "Shut up, Shikamaru! I know Sakura's tough, but I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. Just wait and see!"

Before Shikamaru could respond, whispers of Naruto's name swept through the crowd, and Ino turned to see him and Sasuke approaching. A bright smile spread across her face as she pushed past her classmates, ignoring Shikamaru's exasperated groan.

"Naruto!" Ino chirped, wrapping her arms around his in a quick, enthusiastic hug. She tugged him forward, leading him through the crowd. "Come on, let's see who you're up against!"

Naruto chuckled nervously, letting Ino pull him along. He could feel the eyes of the other genin on him and Sasuke, some watching in curiosity, others with thinly veiled jealousy. He caught sight of a few of the girls shooting admiring looks at him and at Sasuke, who, as usual, ignored them completely, his focus on the poster ahead.

The crowd parted to make way for Naruto and Sasuke, with Ino still clinging to Naruto's arm. Naruto, grinning like a kid on his birthday, scanned the names eagerly.

"There it is!" Ino exclaimed, pointing to Naruto's name on the list. Her mouth fell open in surprise as she read the opponent listed beside it. "Naruto… you're facing Hinata Hyuuga?!"

Naruto scratched his head, blinking in confusion. "Hinata, huh? Didn't see that coming…"

Sasuke glanced at the poster and shrugged, his voice tinged with a hint of smugness. "You got lucky, Naruto. Looks like you're up against an easy opponent."

He pointed at his own name, where 'Uchiha Sasuke vs. Gaara of the Sand' was boldly written. Naruto's eyes widened at the sight, and he let out a low whistle.

"Man, you've got Gaara?! Better start writing your will, Sasuke." Naruto grinned cheekily. "This one's not a retiree like you're used to."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. "Keep talking, idiot. I'll make sure you eat those words when I wipe the floor with him."

Naruto laughed, his tone joking but filled with a touch of nervousness. "I'm just glad I'm not fighting you or Sakura. But, Hinata… I dunno, it feels kinda weird fighting a girl, especially her."

Ino scoffed, tightening her grip on Naruto's arm. "Oh, come on, Naruto! Hinata's not exactly a threat. You'll crush her! Teach that bum a lesson! Always watching from the shadows like a weirdo..."

Naruto glanced at Ino, a bit taken aback by her aggressive tone. "Hinata's not that bad, right? I mean, she's just quiet. Doesn't mean she's weak."

Sasuke chimed in, still staring at the poster. "She's not exactly the strongest in the academy, Naruto. You've seen how she does in class. You've got this in the bag."

Naruto scratched the back of his head, trying to mask his uncertainty. "Yeah, I guess so. It's just… I dunno. I've never really talked to her much. She's always kinda… alone."

Ino rolled her eyes dramatically. "Who cares? It's a fight, Naruto! You're there to win, not to make friends."

Naruto nodded absently, but his thoughts drifted to the shy, dark-haired girl who always seemed out of place in the academy. He didn't know much about Hinata, but something about the way she kept to herself, always watching from the sidelines, stuck with him.

Sasuke's voice broke his thoughts. "Sakura's gonna be a little bummed. She was hoping to fight you, you know."

Naruto snickered. "Well, guess she'll have to wait her turn. You better cheer her up, Sasuke."

Ino grinned slyly, leaning closer to Naruto. "Speaking of Sakura, guess who's her opponent?" She flipped her hair dramatically. "It's me! You better be there to cheer me on, Naruto."

Naruto smirked. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, Ino. But, uh… no offense, I'm still betting on Sakura. Though I think it'd be hilarious if she flops and loses."

Sasuke chuckled, turning to leave. "I'm heading home. Got training to do. Gaara's not gonna be an easy fight."

Naruto waved goodbye to Ino, following Sasuke down the hallway. As they walked, the excitement of the upcoming battles filled the air between them.

Sasuke glanced sideways at Naruto, his tone half-serious, half-joking. "You've got it easy with Hinata, but don't get too cocky."

Naruto snorted. "Easy? I'm just happy I don't have to fight one of those sand-huffing nutjobs like you."

Sasuke smirked. "I'll remember that when I'm the one moving on to the finals and you're stuck fighting the class weirdo."

Naruto's smile faltered slightly. He thought about Hinata again, her soft-spoken nature, her unassuming presence. She was different from the others, not fitting into the cliques or the constant rivalry. Naruto felt a bit uneasy about facing her, even if he hadn't really paid attention to her before.

But now, with the exam looming, he couldn't help but wonder.

"She's not a weirdo," Naruto muttered, more to himself than to Sasuke. "She's just… different I guess."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sudden defensiveness in Naruto's voice but didn't press further. Instead, he clapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Well, whatever. Just make sure you win. We've got a lot to prove, you and me."

Naruto nodded, his resolve firming. "Yeah. I'll show them all. I just don't know if fighting someone like... Hinata, is the best way to do it y'know?"

With that, the two boys parted ways, each lost in their thoughts, each preparing for the challenges that lay ahead. The road to becoming a chunin was still long, but for Naruto, it had never felt more exciting—or more uncertain.

The Hyuuga compound had always felt like a cage to Hinata. Despite its grand halls and elegant courtyards, every corner whispered of expectations she had failed to meet. Now, living with Kurenai, Hinata had found a place that, at the very least, allowed her to breathe.

Tonight was no different. Kurenai's home was quiet, save for the soft rustling of the wind through the open windows. Hinata sat on her bed, her hands clenching the fabric of her blanket as her thoughts churned.

Kurenai sat across from her, a calm presence amid Hinata's whirlwind of anxieties. "You've done well today, Hinata," Kurenai said softly, trying to reassure her. "Your chakra control is improving, and your focus is sharper than before."

Hinata shook her head, her dark eyes downcast. "I... I couldn't even get the simplest of lightning jutsus right, Kurenai-sensei." Her voice was barely above a whisper, tinged with disappointment. "I'm not improving enough. I'm still… still so far behind."

Kurenai watched her student with a thoughtful gaze. She knew Hinata's struggles intimately—the constant pressure, the doubt that gnawed at her heart. "You're improving at your own pace," Kurenai said, placing a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "You don't have to compare yourself to others."

Hinata bit her lip, her eyes shimmering. "But… but I have to, Sensei." She looked up, her voice cracking. "Everyone else is already so far ahead. My sister… my cousin Neji… even my classmates. Sakura…" Hinata's voice faltered at the mention of her name. "I… I can't even awaken my Byakugan. I'm a failure of a Hyuuga."

Kurenai squeezed her shoulder gently. "That's not true. You're not a failure, Hinata. You're one of the kindest, most determined people I know. That strength is rare."

Hinata lowered her gaze again, clutching the blanket tighter. "But… it's not enough. It's never enough." She hesitated, then whispered, "I'm afraid, Sensei. I'm afraid of facing Naruto. He's so… he's everything I wish I could be. Brave, strong, confident. Everyone admires him, and I… I'm just… me."

Kurenai felt a pang in her heart for the girl in front of her. "Hinata, Naruto's journey is his own, just as yours is yours. You have your own strengths that no one else has."

Hinata shook her head again. "But no one sees them… No one ever notices how hard I try. I've been working so hard, Sensei, but no one cares." Her voice wavered, tears welling up in her eyes. "They only see what I can't do. My own family doesn't even see me as one of them anymore. How… how am I supposed to stand in front of everyone and fight someone like Naruto?"

Kurenai's heart ached. She had watched Hinata struggle for so long, working tirelessly despite the weight of constant failure. She sighed softly and pulled Hinata into a gentle hug. "You fight because you want to prove something to yourself, not to anyone else," she murmured. "You're doing this for you, Hinata, not for your family, not for your classmates. And that's more than enough."

Hinata's tears flowed freely now, soaking into Kurenai's shoulder. "I just… I want to be someone worth noticing."

As the two separated, Hinata's thoughts drifted back to her time with Neji. She remembered his stern yet supportive presence, his way of never giving up on her when everyone else did. "Neji-niisan believes in me," she whispered, more to herself than to Kurenai. "He always told me that I could become stronger if I just kept trying. But I feel like I'm betraying his belief in me."

Kurenai smiled softly, nodding. "Neji sees something in you, Hinata. And so do I. You're stronger than you think, and this match against Naruto… it's just one more step. Win or lose, it doesn't define who you are."

Hinata took a deep breath, wiping her eyes. "I… I want to believe that, Sensei. But it's so hard when… when I see everyone else looking at me like I don't belong."

Kurenai leaned back, her expression tender yet firm. "Let them look. Let them judge. But when you step onto that stage, you're going to show them what Hinata Hyuuga is capable of. You've come this far, and you're not the same girl who started at the academy. You've grown."

Hinata nodded, swallowing hard. "Thank you, Kurenai-sensei. I'll… I'll do my best." She clung to that promise, even as doubt continued to weigh on her heart.

The room was lit by the moonlight filtering through the window as Hinata lay in bed, her small frame curled up under the covers. The night was quiet, but her mind was anything but. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing the fear that clung to her thoughts.

Naruto. Just the thought of his name sent a rush of nerves coursing through her. He was everywhere she looked—his name spoken with admiration, his actions praised by everyone. To the village, he was the sun, burning bright with an unyielding energy that lit up every room he entered. To her, he was merely a constant reminder of her inadequacies.

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the persistent images that flashed in her mind. She saw Naruto laughing with his teammates, their camaraderie palpable even from a distance. Sasuke Uchiha with his stoic demeanor, always cool and collected. Sakura Haruno, fiercely determined and always ready to prove herself. They were a team bound by talent, lineage, and a promise of greatness. Team 7 was everything Hinata wished she could be a part of—a unit, a family, revered and respected.

And then there was her. The girl who could barely hold her own, who had never earned a proud glance from her father or an encouraging word from her clan. Her inadequacies were magnified in the presence of Naruto and his team. They were the brightest stars in the academy, and she was a mere speck hidden in their shadow.

Hinata turned over, pressing her face into the pillow, trying to muffle the sob that threatened to escape. She couldn't remember the last time someone had looked at her with anything other than pity or disappointment. It wasn't just the constant comparisons to her sister or the dismissive looks from her clan—it was the nagging feeling that she was invisible, lost in the shadow of everyone else's expectations.

She thought about her father, the coldness in his eyes when he looked at her, the way his voice would tighten with frustration during their brief, uncomfortable interactions. Losing her title as heiress to Hanabi was a blow she hadn't recovered from, and the whispers of the clan only solidified her place as the family's failure. Even now, years later, she could still feel the sting of her father's decision, the final confirmation that she wasn't enough.

Her thoughts drifted back to the academy, to the stifled laughter and hushed conversations that followed her wherever she went. She could still hear the voices of her classmates mocking her from the edges of her memory, taunting her for her weakness, her timid nature, her constant mumbling to herself. Hinata curled tighter, trying to shrink away from the hurtful echoes of her past.

"She's so weird… no wonder no one wants to be her partner."

"She's from the Hyuuga clan? You'd never guess."

"Look at her, talking to herself again."

They didn't understand, of course. They couldn't see the things she did—the faint, ghostly figures that sometimes flickered at the edges of her vision, the whispers that no one else seemed to hear. Hinata had learned early on to keep quiet about the strange presences that visited her, to not speak out when she sensed someone that wasn't truly there. She had long stopped trying to explain it; no one believed her anyway. They just thought she was odd, that she was inventing stories to feel less alone.

The truth was, she didn't understand it either. The shadowy figures never spoke to her directly, but their presence was a comfort, a strange assurance that she wasn't entirely alone. Still, she kept her interactions with them as private as she could, wary of drawing more unwanted attention. Hinata had enough to deal with without being labeled as the girl who talked to her imaginations.

As she lay there, Hinata's thoughts circled back to her future opponent: Naruto Uzumaki. She envied his fearlessness, the way he faced the world head-on, never flinching from a challenge. He was loud, brash, sometimes reckless, but he was undeniably alive in a way that Hinata could only dream of being. She acknowledged his strength, his courage, but beneath that admiration simmered a bitter jealousy. Why did he get to be so confident, so beloved? Why was it so easy for him when everything felt so impossibly hard for her?

Hinata's chest tightened, her breath hitching as the familiar sense of inadequacy washed over her. She was tired of feeling this way—tired of the endless cycle of self-doubt, the constant pressure to be something she wasn't. The upcoming match with Naruto felt like an insurmountable mountain, and she wasn't sure she had the strength to climb it.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, silent and steady. Hinata clung to her pillow, her shoulders trembling. "I just… I just want to be strong," she whispered into the darkness. "I want to be someone… someone worth noticing."

The moonlight outside her window seemed to grow dimmer, as if even the night itself was losing faith in her. Hinata buried her face in her hands, choking back the sobs that bubbled up from her chest. She wanted to prove herself, to show everyone that she was more than just the quiet girl in the back of the class. But how could she do that when every step forward felt like she was being pulled two steps back?

"I'm scared," she admitted, her voice breaking. "I'm so scared."

She wanted to fight. She wanted to stand on that stage and hold her ground against Naruto, to prove to herself that she could do it. But what if she failed? What if she couldn't even last a moment against him? The fear was paralyzing, wrapping around her like a shroud.

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut, trying to drown out the doubts, the fears, the overwhelming sense of inadequacy. But they were relentless, refusing to let her rest. In the stillness of the night, Hinata made a promise to herself, a desperate, trembling vow that she clung to like a lifeline.

"I won't give up," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'll do my best… I have to."

Even if no one else saw her, even if no one believed in her, Hinata knew she couldn't afford to stop trying. She had spent too long in the shadows, too long doubting her worth. And maybe, just maybe, this fight with Naruto could be her chance to finally step into the light.

[Author's note]

The first couple of chapters will be a bit brief and fast paced.