It's nothing special, but how about some one-sided KonoHina? It's nothing scandalous, I assure you.

Enjoy!

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Konohamaru sat on one of the rooftops in the village, his face knotted in contemplative frustration. His thoughts were drawn to Naruto for the time being, and he couldn't stop himself from thinking of all the short-comings of his master of choice—most notably his observatory short-comings. Or maybe the young Sarutobi was a bit bitter because, despite his hindrances, Naruto had one hell of a bright future. Sure, there was the title of Hokage waiting for him, the respect and acknowledgement of the village, and a plethora of other things, but Konohamaru was bitter about something else entirely.

Someone else entirely.

He would like to think his rival was a bit modest and maybe even self-conscious when it came to the only girl who liked him, but no. Naruto just didn't get it. Naruto didn't see it. He had to be freaking blind because it was so obvious...and it wasn't fair. Konohamaru understood he didn't need it to be fair because... It was...

He sighed, jumping to the ground.

It was a crush.

Just a crush.

Well, three months ago it was just a crush. Now...well... Now...

"Ugh..." Konohamaru sighed, shaking his head. He walked down the streets of Konoha with his hands in his pockets and his mind preoccupied—again.

It was the middle of the afternoon, and he was forced to be on his own, seeing how his team had things to do—family things—and Naruto was nowhere to be seen. He must have been on a mission, because the village was never this dull when Naruto was around. Still, the fact of the matter was Konohamaru had nothing to do, so his mind thought it was a good idea to go back to that issue: He had a crush.

Just a crush.

That was normal, he knew that, but he's never really focused on girls. He never focused on her. In fact, he has never talked to her, so the fact that he was even calling this a crush may was a bit of a stretch, but...it was more than just a passing fancy.

Groaning, he rolled his eyes towards the sky.

He wasn't quite sure how it happened. He remembered when it might have started, but he was never sure why. It was on a day when he was going to meet Naruto at Ichiraku so they could train, but, when he got there, he saw Naruto talking to a girl. He recognized her—he pretty much had to because she was important—but he didn't know her name. Konohamaru waited a good distance away because (for once) he didn't want to barge into a conversation; it looked important. However, the girl seemed highly uncomfortable, and before he knew it, she quickly bowed and rushed off in the other direction. When he finally joined Naruto, he asked him who that girl was. He was told her name was Hinata.

Hinata Hyuuga.

He must have heard her name a thousand times some way or the other (or maybe he was thinking of her sister those other times), but it didn't stick with him until then. Heck, he didn't even know how long ago that was. He just knew she was the heiress to the Hyuuga clan and Hanabi's older sister (somehow).

She was...nice. She was also a bit awkward, but she was...very...

Konohamaru stared at the ground, cheeks tinting.

Crush.

Nothing more.

Even though he knew this would pass—would have to pass—and seeing how no one knew other than him, he'd entertain some ideas.

For one thing, she wasn't that much older than him. He did the math over and over again, and she was only four years his senior. Once he was an adult, an age difference like that wouldn't mean a thing.

Second, he was the grandson of the Third Hokage and part of the Sarutobi clan; therefore, he would be a slightly better choice for her than most other guys in the village, if not all of them. He was becoming stronger every day, so if the question of whether or not he could protect her was an issue, he could squash that quicker than the inquiry could be vocalized. Though, if she was anything like her sister when she fought, he doubted she would need any serious help with protecting herself.

And then there was the last of many that, if he truly let his mind explore this option, made him think his feelings could go anywhere. Hinata was...very different from the other girls. She was a lot more reserved, kind, and understanding, so he would like to think she would be willing to give him a chance, if he proved himself worthy. Sure, he was younger, but she didn't give off the impression that something like age would bother her...

But he shouldn't entertain the thought because this would surely pass...eventually.

Frowning, he kicked up dirt as he walked. He doubted she even knew him. She must have known of him, like his face or something, but she either knew him as Konohamaru Sarutobi, Hanabi's classmate, or mini Naruto. The last of the three was a title he heard a lot, which was far from being an insult in his book, but what identity did that give him for those who didn't know him?

He had a lot of qualities of his own, but even he felt like he was a compilation of those before him—it was all done before and done better, at that. He could be smart, but the Nara did it better. He could be aloof, but the Uchiha did it better. He could be calm and cunning, but Hinata's cousin did it so much better. He was Konohamaru, though. He was his own person, and he was the best at being him, but he doubted anyone knew that.

He looked up, mood dampened, and found the very person his thoughts had been swarming around walking from the opposite direction. For a moment, his face lit up because this could be his chance to prove himself, but then he remembered one thing.

He didn't know how to talk to girls.

Sure, he could talk to the girls his age, but that was different. Hinata was practically a woman, and Naruto had never taught him how to talk to a woman. Not in a flattering sense, anyway.

Sweating nervously, looking around for some way to make talking to her casual, he ducked between two buildings of an adjoining road, and a brilliant idea sprung to the front of his mind.

All he had to do was run into her.

He peeked around the corner and saw she would be approaching from the other side of the road. He watched until she was closer before walking further back on the road he was currently on. He closed his eyes, calming his nerves, and, with a sigh, he smiled brightly before running at full speed.

Hinata didn't see him coming.

She walked with her eyes on her feet, thinking about something that was all too familiar (and a bit depressing by this point), when she heard the loud, "Uh-oh!"

Something collided into her, plowing her onto the ground. She was too shocked to scream or actually feel the pain, but a whimper made its way into the world nonetheless.

"Ugh..." Konohamaru grumbled. "That really hurt." He must have been too fueled on adrenaline. He looked to his right and found himself face-to-face with a dazed Hinata. His eyes widened, and he was suddenly aware his lower half was partially on top of her.

She blinked. "Are you okay?"

He jumped to his feet before his face could heat up. "Sorry about that!" he gushed. "I, uh, h-here." He extended his hand out to her.

It took her a moment to understand he was trying to help her up, and once she figured it out, she took his hand. He was a bit amazed that this was happening. He never got to talk to her before, yet here she was holding his hand. Sort of.

"Sorry about that." Konohamaru grinned, trying his hardest to have a good first impression. "I was in such a hurry that I got a little careless."

Hinata smiled, lightly dusting herself off. "That's okay. Ah... You're Konohamaru, right?"

"Ah- Y-Yeah! You've heard of me?"

"Of course. You're the Third Hokage's grandson. Also," she smiled meekly, "my sister Hanabi has told me about you."

His face fell, frowning a bit. "Anything good?"

Hinata smiled, shrugging vaguely.

This wasn't going how he wanted. Already, he wasn't seen as his own person. He was Konohamaru: The Third Hokage's grandson and the loud-mouthed brat from school (he's sure that's how Hanabi described him). "You know," he said, more determined than ever, "despite what your sister says, I'm really quite amazing."

She smiled warmly. "I'm sure you are; I've heard great things about you from others. I hear you will be a desirable candidate for Hokage one day."

He smiled nonchalantly despite his ego boosting to extreme levels. "Yeah, well, you know. I promised Naruto he could go before me."

"Hm." Her smile became more endearing, her eyes seeing someone who wasn't there. "Yes, he will make it one day, too."

"Uh! But that's only so he won't get compared to me. It won't be long until I surpass him."

"You're right," she laughed. "I'm sure you'll outshine him some day. He's pretty blinding right now, so I'll wait for the day you shine so bright that even the blind can see the light."

"Yeah..." Konohamaru scratched the back of his head. "Th-thanks." His cheeks tinted again. He had no clue why—there was nothing particularly flattering about what she said because she sounded like she was entertaining the whims of a child, but...it gave him hope for...everything.

"Well," Hinata bowed a bit, "I'm sorry to have stalled you for so long."

"Oh, uh, no, it was all my bad."

She grinned pleasantly, walking on. "You're too modest."

The young Sarutobi stared straight ahead, his heart pounding. She was leaving...and there wouldn't be another reason to talk to her, unless he ran into her again; he couldn't do that all the time, though. He swallowed, figuring he had to say something—anything! He spun around, shaking, watching her retreating figure. "Uh... Hi...Hi..." He shut his eyes, clenching his fists. "Hinata!"

Some people stopped for a few seconds, startled. Others wondered why Naruto was yelling, and a select few realized it was the Uzumaki's protégé.

Hinata, the most startled and confused out of them all, turned and noticed the tense, red-faced boy. "Yes?" she squeaked.

He opened his eyes, keeping his jitters under control. "Uh, w-were you looking for someone?"

"Oh, um, not really. I was just...hoping to see someone." She sighed softly. "Actually, all the members of my team are busy today, and with them gone, I guess I'm a little...lonely."

Lonely? The thought of Hinata being lonely was a foreign concept. Someone like her should never have a chance to even consider loneliness in her life.

"Well," Konohamaru said, suddenly finding his gaze set on the ground, "my friends are busy today, too, s-so maybe... I mean, if you want to, we could, um..." His face reddened more, his shaking probably noticeable. "W-will you hang out with me?"

A silence fell, which only made it harder for Konohamaru to lift his head. He wasn't used to this sudden nervousness, and he began to worry that she may have left. Or...maybe he made her feel awkward. They never formally met, and he called her by her name so casually only to say something stupid. This wasn't good. This was-

"Okay." Konohamaru looked up; Hinata was standing in front of him. "I'll spend time with you," she said.

"You... Really?"

"Sure." She smiled. "It'll be fun."

Konohamaru grinned, jumping into a better position. "Alright!"

Hinata laughed, and the two began to walk.

"Ah... Wait." Konohamaru turned to her, feeling a sense of obligation. "Just so you know, Naruto's gone on a mission or something, so...chances of him showing up..."

Hinata blushed, lacing and unlacing her fingers. "You know about that, too?" She bit the inside of her lip, looking to the side. "No matter, it's alright. You're not an extension of Naruto, so it can just be you and me."

"R...right... Right!" Konohamaru grinned to himself as they walked on, and he began to do some more thinking just for the heck of it.

When he turned eighteen, Hinata would be twenty-two or so. By that time, he'll be taller, mature looking, and better than any ninja that ever walked the Earth. That would be the best time to make his move, if any move was going to be made. Naruto could be Hokage for as long as he wanted, but Hinata would be Konohamaru's. He could imagine himself approaching the Hyuuga in six years. He would be at least six inches taller than her, and she would look at him like she was seeing him for the first time. That would be the last time she saw Naruto Uzumaki as the one for her and realize it should have been Konohamaru Sarutobi all along.

Well, that was just his mind drifting again.

Three Weeks Later

"What? You're leaving us again?" Kiba whined. Team 8 was seated in Ichiraku when Hinata, yet again, got up to leave early.

She smiled. "I'm sorry. I promised to meet someone."

"You mean Naruto's midget?" Kiba groaned. "This is the third week in a row! What's he need to spend so much time with you for?"

"Probably for the same reason we like to spend time with her," Shino said. "She's pleasant."

"Yeah, but she's our pleasant. Every team has one of their own, and, besides, that kid is, like, eight years old."

Hinata laughed. "He's twelve, actually. Why don't you guys join us?"

"I can't handle kids," Shino said.

"And I can only handle so much Naruto energy," Kiba dismissed. "We'll just come rescue you in a few hours."

"He's not so bad," Hinata said before departing from her team. "He's really not like Naruto at all."

o0o0o

"Get ready, boss!" Konohamaru warned, one shadow clone swirling chakra in his right hand for him.

Naruto grinned, a clone of his own doing the same. "You've still got a long way to go."

"Right, right. Don't get too surprised after I beat you."

Both clones disappeared and the two ninjas sprinted towards each other, arms raised.

"Here it comes!" Naruto yelled, lunging at him.

"Take thi-! Oh, wait." Konohamaru slid under him, deflecting his own hand into the ground to check his watch. Naruto screeched, colliding into a tree. "Sorry, boss, I gotta go."

"Again?" Naruto groaned, upside down with his back against the trunk. "This is, like, the third week you've run off on me. Where the heck do you go?"

The younger boy shrugged, walking off. "Just to meet this girl."

"Ah." The blond grinned slyly. "You got a crush or somethin'?"

Konohamaru turned to him, smirking. "You can think of it like that."