Chapter 8
Hinata stood next to Naruto, who was looking at his reflection in the mirror, adjusting his yellow necktie. She went to visit him to make sure he had everything and decided to wait for him so they could walk downstairs together. She felt nervous being around him, but she wanted to stay by his side. This was her first love, and she didn't know how to go about it. Of course, she wouldn't be creepy and stalk the boy, but she also wanted to be around him more and protect him as she promised.
Her lavender eyes shifted to his direction, and he combed through his unruly yellow locks. There was a slight splash of red painted on his cheeks, which wasn't there before. She continued to gaze at him, and she couldn't imagine him any other way.
His unkempt blonde hair that fell all over his head radiated her view. His deep blue eyes were the first thing that captivated her attention. A soft giggle escaped her lips as she remembered she didn't want anyone to see them. They did something that lured her in and if she felt this way, who's to say other people didn't feel that way.
Naruto tilted his head to the side as he tried to comb through a knot in his hair. "Hinata-chan, a-are you laughing at me?"
Her eyes widened in size. "No, no." She shook her head like a wild animal. "I was just thinking about something," She told him. He finally got the knot out and smiled. "So, how did you sleep?" She asked as she followed him to his bed. He grabbed the red blazer from it and glanced over his shoulder.
"I slept okay. That trip was really relaxing," Naruto told her. The two walked out of his room, and Hinata watched as Naruto walked down the stairs. "What about you?"
"Fine," Her mind pondered on Naruto. When she first met him, he was shy and quiet. He believed he wasn't worthy and had a hard time adjusting to his new life. He usually observed the other rookies. Still, she remembered another side to him she saw when they went to the amusement park, and he met his "old friends."
She was more than surprised, but it made her wonder who Naruto really was. "Ne, Naruto,"
He paused in his tracks and glanced back at Hinata. "Yes?"
"You weren't always shy and quiet, right? How were you before the incident?" There was a brief silence, and Naruto looked stunned. Hinata tilted her head to the side as she waited for Naruto to speak. "Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry. I should have never brought that up," She looked down as she realized she had brought a sensitive topic. Although he had been living with them for some months, it was still a fresh subject, especially the "suicide attempt." "It's probably hard to bring up those memories."
"Um, it's okay." He reassured her.
"Naru-chan," Hikari called from downstairs. "Come on and sit with us." She turned her direction to Hinata and smiled. "You too, Hina."
The two joined the family for breakfast. "Are you excited about your first game coming up soon?" Hikari questioned.
Naruto swallowed the omelet he was chewing on before speaking, "I am." He said, playing with the remaining egg on his plate.
"Hiashi, and I will be there." Hikari smiled.
"Don't forget about me!" Hanabi said. "Kaa-san, when you see how fast he runs, you'll be amazed!" She said with enthusiasm. "I believe we have a strong chance of winning this year."
Naruto blushed at the praise he was receiving.
"I believe you guys," Hiashi hummed.
"I-I'll make sure we win." Naruto's eyes widened when he said those words as they came out unexpected.
Before he could apologize, Hanabi clasped her hand together and smiled. "We know you will."
Hajime stared at Naruto then quickly averted his eyes when he saw the blonde teen staring in his direction. "I'm going to leave now," He said, leaving the table.
"Have a nice day at school, sweetie." Hikari glanced over her shoulder and spotted the time. "Ne, Hiashi. We're going to be late for the client meeting." She said quickly, jumping from her chair. "Have a nice day today," Hikari said as she walked out of the dining room.
Hiashi placed the napkin on the table and cleared his throat. "Hinata and Hanabi, you two be on your best behavior and Naruto… good luck," His face turned slightly red. He quickly left the room and joined his wife.
Hanabi pushed her chair out and jumped to the tiled floor. "Have a nice day, Onii-chan," She waved as she left the two teens alone.
"We should probably start heading out," Hinata said, pushing her chair back.
Naruto drank some orange juice before getting up. "Oh, I forgot my gym bag."
"I can get it for you," Hinata offered.
"It's okay, Hinata-chan," He smiled at her. I'll meet you in the car," He told her as he ran upstairs.
Hinata held her face. "Get it together, Hinata."
Sasuke spotted Hinata, who walked alongside Naruto in the school gates. She was laughing beside him, and she seemed to shine more.
"They look so cute together, huh?" Sakura showed up out of the blue.
Sasuke shrugged his board shoulders and muttered something under his breath. Sakura glanced at him then at the two teens approaching them.
"Hey guys," Hinata greeted.
"Hello," Naruto said.
"Hey there. You have your stuff for practice?" Sasuke said.
"Yeah," Naruto replied, holding up his Nike black gym bag.
The two boys walked side one another as Sasuke spoke to him. "Be careful of Suka," He warned him. "He's very sneaky," Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes when he spotted the boy walking into the classroom.
"Yeah, I don't trust him as far as I can throw him," Naruto frowned.
Sasuke nodded. "We have our first game two weeks from now. Are you excited?" He said in a stoic voice.
"I'm a little nervous," Naruto responded truthfully. His heart skipped a beat as he remembered disappointing his team.
"Don't be." Sasuke encouraged him. "You'll do fine."
Sasuke took his seat in the back of the class while Naruto sat down at his usual seat. Soon, Sakura walked in with Hinata and then Ino, who came in with Shikamaru and Kiba. Shikamaru sat at his desk and placed his head on the table. Naruto eyed him and shook his head.
"He can sleep anywhere, huh?" He mumbled to himself.
"I have a conspiracy theory for ya," Kiba said at Naruto.
"Go ahead," Naruto urged.
"The reason Shikamaru sleeps so much is due to him watching so much porn at night," He said loud enough for everybody to hear.
Naruto's face darkened, and Shikamaru quickly shot up his head when people started to laugh at him, and some stared at him as if he were some dirty pervert.
"Shikamaru," Ino gasped.
"That's not true!" He groaned as he rubbed the middle of his forehead. "Ah, shut up." He glared at the students before resting his head back on the table.
"Good morning, Uzumaki-san," Momo, a short stature girl with two long ponytails, approached his desk.
Naruto looked up and was confused at first. He didn't know whether the girl was speaking to him or not. Hinata glanced at Sakura then at Momo.
Momo was a shy and quiet girl who tried to stay away from problems. Her father was chairman of a major cellular phone company, and her mother was a well-known beautiful actress. She wore big brown circular glasses, and her black hair was always pulled in two ponytails. It was surprising because the girl rarely spoke, and people always forgot she was a part of the class.
"Um, good morning," Naruto whispered.
Her pale skin darkened, and she quickly nodded her head before running to her seat.
The other girls in the class looked at Momo then started to whisper amongst one another.
Hinata glared at Sakura as if she had done something wrong. "What?" Sakura mouthed.
She turned in her seat and faced the chalkboard.
Naruto was surprised by the sudden action of his unknown classmate. He spotted the girl a few times but didn't really know her.
"Good morning class," Kakashi said in a bored tone as he entered the classroom. Before Sakura could speak, he raised his hand, silencing her. "Seating arrangements,"
The class groaned inwardly when Kakashi-sensei said those words. Naruto paled in the face as he thought about who he would wind up sitting next to. Hinata frowned at the thought of Naruto sitting next to somebody other than her or the Rookie 8. Kakashi took out a wooden box and placed it on top of the desk.
"Let's go."
Each student got up one by one as they drew lots from the box. They stared at their number and then glanced at their friends, hoping they got a number closet to theirs. The rookie 8 plus 1 gathered in a circle and showed their lots. Hinata groaned silently as she gazed at Naruto's number.
No. 20
"I guess we'll be going our separate ways from now," Kiba joked. Luckily, he and Shikamaru were going to be sitting next to one another while Ino and Sakura were a seat apart. Choji was seated in the front, and Shino was in the middle. Sasuke and Hinata were across from one another and Naruto- He would be sitting on the opposite side of the classroom.
Naruto was nervous because all he knew were Hinata and the gang. He couldn't imagine sitting next to somebody else, and he didn't want to sit next to Suka again.
"We can switch numbers," Sasuke told Naruto as he tried to give Naruto his number.
Naruto was more than appreciative of Sasuke, but he shook his head. "It's okay. You got that number fair and square, and it wouldn't be fair for me to take it." He told him. As much as he wanted to sit next to Hinata, it wouldn't be fair to the other students who had to sit somewhere they didn't, and he couldn't depend on Hinata for too long.
Hinata was more than heartbroken when Naruto told Sasuke to keep the number. She believed he didn't want to sit next to her, or maybe he found her annoying. "Nar-
"Now that everyone has drawn their numbers, please take a seat."
Hinata glanced at Naruto, who then smiled at her. "I'll be okay, Hinata-chan," He waved at her as he took his bags and walked to the other side of the room.
He felt nervous, and every bone in his body trembled. He felt eyes on him as he walked towards desk number 20. He sat closer to the doors and far away from Hinata. "Maybe I should have taken that number." He thought.
He sat on the wooden chair and stared at the chalkboard.
"Ah, Uzumaki-san, it seems that we are desk buddies,"
Naruto glanced at his side and saw the girl who had said good morning earlier to him fidgeting in her seat. He laughed nervously. "I guess we are um…"
Momo's pale cheeks turned red, and she gazed at the table. "Y-you can call me Momo,"
Naruto reddened a little and nodded his head. "It's okay to call me Naruto," he whispered.
She also nodded her head, and a small smile crept on her face. Hinata tapped her fingers on the wooden table when she saw Naruto and Momo conversating. She jumped when she felt something poke her back. Her head swiftly turned around, and she saw Sasuke frowning at her.
"I know you very well so stop it," She gave him a confused look as she wondered what he was talking about, and he arched his eyebrow. "You know exactly what I'm talking about," He said nonchalantly.
"Shush," She faced the chalkboard and try to focus on what the teacher was saying.
Lunchtime quickly came, and Naruto followed the gang outside. Erika rolled her eyes.
"He looks like a damn lost puppy," She barfed. "I hate people like that,"
"We're you able to dig any dirt on him?" Keita questioned.
"No, I'm still looking," Erika sounded annoyed. "I'll find something soon enough," She smirked. "Soon enough…"
Naruto sat down next to Sasuke as the two listened to what Kiba was telling them about their competitors. From time to time, Naruto's eyes would wander to Hinata, who was sitting down next to Sakura and Shikamaru. She looked a little sad as she nibbled on her ham sandwich.
"Mr. Loverboy, I'll give you your time to gawk at Hinata, but this is very important!" Kiba said, rather loudly.
Naruto's face turned a different shade of red, and so did Hinata, who quickly looked in their direction. "I-I-I wasn't looking at Hinata!" He frowned.
"I-I-I," Kiba rolled his eyes. "Think about love after we win our game."
"Kiba!" Both Naruto and Hinata cried.
It was as if somebody had injected his heart with caffeine, and he felt it raced. It was so loud it felt his eardrums would explode. His eyes darted to Hinata one more time and saw Sakura trying to hold her down as she tried to grab for Kiba, who was sticking his tongue out at her.
Shikamaru yawned as he ate a rice ball from his tray but then sighed when Hinata accidentally knocked it out of his hand. "You can have one of mine," Choji offered as he took out one from his bento box. "Tell me how you like em," He got up and handed each one of the members a rice ball. "Here you go, Naruto,"
Naruto stared at the rice ball resting in the bento box, and he took it. "Eat up," Choji said as he made his way back to the bench. Naruto stared down at the rice ball, and he examined it. He started to think. Choji was an excellent cook and expressed interest in attending a well-known culinary school. He already had his mind made up and knew what he wanted to be, and then he thought about him. Hiashi told him to pick out any university he wanted to attend, but he didn't. It was hard because he didn't know what he really wanted to do. He had to be realistic with himself; running was his passion, and he loved the way it felt, but, in a sense, it wasn't something he wanted to do as a lifetime goal. He didn't want to be a famous track runner, but he felt he had another purpose.
Then he thought about Hinata. Her family was well known for being lawyers, so most likely, she would follow in her parents' footsteps. And Sasuke- Would he follow in his father's footsteps and become a police officer?
What did his father do? Was he a famous runner? Or was he a teacher? Officer? His mind raced. He was already in his last year of school, so where would that leave him? His heartbeat picked back up. Of course, Hinata and the gang wouldn't be there for the rest of his life. His chest tightened. They had their own lives to live, and so would Hinata, Hiashi, Hanabi, and Hikari, even Hajime. Where would that leave him?
"Naruto?" Shikamaru said in a dry yet worrisome tone. The gang looked at him once he noticed the boy had gone deadly quiet and was staring into space.
He snapped out of his thoughts, and he felt somebody punch the life back into him. "I- I have to use the restroom," The rice ball was still in the palm of his hand, and he quickly rushed to the restroom.
Sasuke looked at Hinata, who was about to get up. "Let him be, Hinata." She turned to Shino, who urged her to sit down.
Naruto splashed some water on his face as he breathed in and out as Tsunade showed him. "I'll be fine. I'll be fine," He kept telling himself. "Everything will be fine," He took in a deep breath and held it before exhaling. His heartbeat calmed down, and the tightness in his chest vanished. The rice ball sat on the marble countertop, and he stared at it before throwing it in the garbage.
Practice went smoothly, and Sasuke, Naruto, and Hinata were standing by the gates. The trio didn't say a word as they waited for their individual rides. Hinata kept glancing at Naruto, who was staring in the distance and then Sasuke, who was staring at his phone.
"I'll see you guys later," Sasuke said as he approached the black vehicle that stopped beside them.
"Bye," Hinata said.
Naruto tightened the straps on his gym bag as he stared on the ground. 'They're going to think I'm insane," He told himself. After leaving the restroom, he never did come back to the group. He decided to walk around the school campus as he let his mind wondered.
"Um, Naruto-Kun, are you feeling well?" Hinata asked timidly. The boy looked pale in the face, and she didn't know if it was the rigorous session Guy-sensei had them do.
A little bit of color picked back in his face, and he gave a half-smile. "I'm fine. I just- He squeezed the straps before losing his grip, "overthinking. I'll be fine."
"Well, remember what we spoke about. I'm here if you ever need somebody to talk too." Hinata smiled warmly.
Naruto sat at his study station as he was working on some homework given to them. He tapped the mechanical pencil on the desk as he stared at the equation. A long dry sigh escaped his mouth, and he threw his head back.
He wasn't the brightest light bulb out there. The equations all looked foreign to him, and he pondered how he would pass the upcoming exam.
The clocked ticked above him, and he stared at the time; 11:59 PM. He knew he needed sleep, but he couldn't. His body was fully awake even after the tedious practice they experienced. Maybe he should have asked Hinata for help?
He held his stomach when he thought about her. "Ah, I should really kill Kiba for saying something like that earlier."
"Mr. Loverboy, I'll give you your time to gawk at Hinata, but this is very important."
Life felt a little bit easier. He had to admit, but he still had the occasional panic attacks and overthinking about his future. He noticed the little things that triggered his panic attack, like today, when he thought about his career path and everyone going their separate ways.
Thinking about it now didn't put him on edge like earlier, but he needed to think of a major before school ended.
"I wondered if Hikari found out who my parents were," He said aloud. "Does it usually take this long?" There was sheer excitement that builds up in his stomach as he wondered about his parents. "Ah, I hope they weren't bad people," His face suddenly lost its color. "Please don't tell me they were a part of a Yakuza gang and got shot,"
Time went by, and it was already seven. Naruto had his head on the table, and his head faced the door. He didn't get an ounce of shut-eye, and he felt drained. He crawled to his bed and decided to take a quick nap. Hopefully, the comfort of his bed will ease his heavy mind.
After countless times of knocking on Naruto's door, Hinata pushed it opened and saw a lump hiding in the covers on the bed. She placed her hand on her hip and shook her head. Hinata approached him and pulled the covers off slowly to reveal his face.
Her heart stopped momentarily, and she almost cooed. A sleeping Naruto was the cutest thing she had ever seen.
'Shit,' Her face turned a ghastly white color when she saw Naruto's blue eyes staring at her.
"Hinat- He paused as she covered his face with the blanket and quickly left the room.
The big day was quickly approaching, and Naruto grew nervous each time. He found himself doing silly things like dropping his bento, spacing out, or waking up late for school. Apparently, everyone around the school was talking, even the teachers.
Senju Academy produced some academically gifted children and even athletics, like water polo or volleyball. Still, track and field were something they couldn't conquer after 1999. The suspense was real because they had some excellent people on the team this year, and everyone was especially excited to see if the newcomer will lead them to victory.
"Blondie, if you screw this up, we'll screw you up!" Another senior held his fist at Naruto.
"And who are you threatening?" Hinata eyed the senior down with her intense gaze.
"We're just saying," He spat. "We don't need any charity fucking up our school's reputation," The teen said, grinning.
"The school reputation of losing in track and field?" Sasuke crossed his arms.
"Ah, shit. It's the Uchiha," someone said. The other teens turned away and walked back to whatever they were doing.
"Don't let them get you, Naruto-Kun," Hinata said, rubbing his back. "They're not going to do anything to you,"
Naruto nodded slowly as he walked into class. There was a lot on his mind. He was studying for an upcoming test they had, practice, and the game.
"Good morning, N-Naruto-Kun,"
"Good morning, Momo-chan. How are you?" He asked, taking his seat.
"I'm doing fine. It's almost time for the big game," Momo whispered. "I'm sure you'll do great!" She exclaimed.
Naruto tilted his head and stared at the cutesy girl. For some reason, she reminded him of Hinata, and he quickly blushed. "Thank you."
He also had to remember his feelings towards Hinata. The girl did something to him that made his legs buckle and his tongue heavy. In the far corner, Ino and Sakura were eyeing Naruto, who was getting cozy with Momo-chan. They saw the way he blushed, and they wondered if Hinata had seen it too. They quickly looked over, and they sigh. Hinata had a pissed off look on her face.
"It's quite obvious Naruto-Kun likes her,"
"I know. Hinata-chan is just blind."
"Do you think he was thinking about her?" Ino asked Sakura.
"With no doubt," Sakura replied.
After school, Naruto had followed behind Iruka to the teacher's room as he wanted to talk to him. Iruka was always kind to him and asked him how he was doing. He knew some of the teachers knew about his suicidal attempt and was told to keep an eye on him. It was embarrassing because they felt him eyeing him every time he turned the corner or entered class. There wasn't any favoritism, and they scolded him when he dozed off or slept in class like any of the other students.
But there was something about Iruka that made him feel comfortable around the brown man. Iruka was warm, kind, and he always smiled. Naruto wondered if the man had experienced any of life's misfortune.
"How are you feeling?" Iruka asked him while stacking some of the papers he had scattered on his desk.
"I- I'm fine, Iruka-sensei," Naruto lowered his head.
"I noticed you've been sleeping in class. Are you sure you're fine?" Iruka glanced over at him.
Naruto nodded. "I just have a lot on my mind right now," He sighed.
"A lot on your mind?" Iruka swiftly turned to his direction. Naruto glanced up and noticed the worried expression Iruka gave, and he quickly held up his hands.
"No, no, no. It isn't that!" Naruto reddened. "Just practice, choosing a major and the game approaching."
Iruka calmed down and grinned. "Ah, I totally understand how you feel." He said as he slowly lifted his head to stare at the ceiling. "You know, you and I are quite similar." Iruka smiled. "I know exactly how you feel, Naruto,"
Naruto gripped his pants and nodded quickly. "My friends seem to figure out what they want to do in life, and I feel like I am behind." He rubbed the back of his head.
"You don't want to become a track runner?"
Naruto shook his head and laughed nervously. "I love running… but I feel there's something else out there for me, ya know? I just don't know what it is I want to do." He frowned. "Being a teen is hard, huh?" Naruto chuckled as he continued to rub the back of his head.
"It is, and it travels up to adulthood," Iruka chuckled. "Everyone has their own pace, Naruto. Don't worry too much about your friends. Just focus on what it is you want to do, and the rest will follow."
Naruto eyed the mind, and he smiled warmly. "How long do you think it will take before I find out what I want to do."
"It took me almost seven years after graduating high school to decide that I wanted to become a teacher," Iruka smiled. "Everyone has their own pace and trust me. You'll find yours." He said, rubbing Naruto on the top of his head. "I don't want you to be late for practice. Just remember I'm here if you need me." He smiled brightly.
Naruto stood up and grinned. "Thanks, old man!" His eyes widened, and he quickly paled when Iruka eyed him.
"O-old man?" Iruka's right eye twitched.
"Ah, I'm going now!" Naruto quickly ran out of the room. He looked back a couple of times to see if Iruka was following him and once he noticed wasn't, he stopped and laughed. Having that talk with Iruka made him feel a little better. "I can't believe I called the old man, old man!" Naruto placed his hands behind his head and walked to practice.
Sasuke was reaching for the controller when he heard something crashing downstairs. He shot up frantically and rushed downstairs as he believed his mother had broken something… or someone.
"Okaa-san, are you okay?" Sasuke called out. He slipped into the kitchen and saw his little brother, Sugi, picking up some broken glass. "What happened?" He also spotted Hajime on the other side, picking up the glass pieces.
"Nothing," Sugi mumbled under his breath.
Sasuke eyed the two and sighed heavily. He helped them pick up the glass pieces. "I hope this wasn't one of mother's favorite glass pieces," Sasuke scolded him. "How did you end breaking it?"
"Hajime and I were just roughhousing," Sugi explained.
Sasuke glanced over to Hajime, who was unusually quiet. He had known the boy since he was a youngster, and Hajime was always loud, obnoxious, and cocky. But lately, Hajime had been very quiet and unnoticeable. "Hajime, you okay?"
Hajime nodded as he got up slowly. "I'm fine,' He spoke softly. Sugi hurriedly swept the remaining shards into the dustpan and threw it away.
"You sure?" His shoulders trembled, which Sasuke noticed, and he tilted his head to the side. Hajime balled his fist and ran out of the kitchen quickly. "What's his problem?" Sasuke said, turning to Sugi.
Sugi shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know,"
Sasuke arched his eyebrow as he knew his little brother was lying. "Whatever,"
Hinata glanced at her phone that vibrated, and she answered it. "What's up?"
"I think there's something wrong with your little brother." The familiar voice spoke. Hinata rolled her eyes, which Sasuke felt her doing. "Hinata, I'm serious. Hasn't his behavior been a little strange lately?"
Hinata sat up slowly. "I mean, he's been a little quiet lately… but I believe he's still mad at the whole Naruto thing."
Sasuke shook his head. "I don't know, but I just wanted to let you know. He stormed out of our house an hour ago when I asked him if he was okay."
"I'm sure he's fine, Sasuke."
"Well, if you say so."
Naruto slammed his head into his textbooks and sighed in frustration. The schoolwork was becoming more difficult, and he had a hard time keeping up in some of his classes. He sighed quietly because he needed to get it done correctly. The scholarship no longer affected him in a sense, but he still wanted to do his best and get good grades, so Hikari would be proud of him.
The school was busier than usual, and the track and field event was part of the main reason. Fuji, the school's principal, was surprised by the turn of events. Lee did a fantastic job of leading their school into victory. He was their star athlete in track and field. The school won a lot of medals and trophies because of him.
And just maybe they had a chance again to win.
"Iruka-sensei," Naruto called out. Iruka turned around in his chair and saw Naruto standing there nervously.
"Come in," Naruto bowed before he stepped into the teacher's room. "Is everything okay?"
"Uh, um," He looked at the ground, "my grades aren't doing so well… and I don't want to come last in the class," he mumbled. "Can you help me study for my classes?" He asked, shyly. Iruka's eyes widened. This was the first a student had ever come to him and asked for help in their classes. "I mean, I understand if you're busy, and maybe I should have never come- er- that was selfish of me," Naruto rambled on.
Iruka teeth showed, and his mouth curled up. "I'll be glad to help you, but may I ask why you aren't asking your friends?"
Naruto's shoulders drop. "I don't want to keep going to them for help. They won't be here to help me forever… so I want to use the resources I have now so I can get into the habit of fending for myself again…" His voice softened.
Iruka nodded at the point Naruto made. "The game will be Friday afternoon, and I usually have practiced all week… and then I have a therapy session with Tsunade-sama on Wednesdays," Naruto mumbled. He hadn't thought about his schedule, but he was a little book, and who was to say Iruka didn't have anything to do himself?
"Why don't we do Monday, Tuesdays, and Thursdays after your practice?" Iruka suggested.
"I mean if it won't take too much of your time!" Naruto spoke up.
"It wouldn't. I'll meet you in room 509, starting next week."
Naruto bowed repeatedly thanking the man, and Iruka laughed nervously.
"Thank you, Iruka-sensei! You're the best!" Naruto exclaimed. "I'll see you later," He said, running out the room.
"At least he didn't call you old man this time," Kakashi said playfully. "He's a good kid,"
Iruka nodded, "Yeah, he is."
"Naruto,"
Hearing her say his name made him feel sad. "I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama. I wasn't in the right state of mind during that incident."
"Is this why you've been missing our sessions?" Tsunade hummed in amusement.
Naruto's cheeks reddened. "N-no. I didn't come last week because practice ended a little later than usual."
"Hmmm, you've gotten a little taller." Tsunade pointed out. "Your hair is growing a little longer too,"
He pushed his hair back, revealing his bare forehead, and he sighed. "I had a panic attack a few days ago."
"What triggered it?"
"It seems everyone knows what they're going to do, they graduate, and I'm just here," His voice softened.
"And how did you come to this conclusion?"
"I mean Choji has said it a thousand times he would become a chef, and I mean Hinata-chan parents are lawyers so..."
"Doesn't necessarily mean that she's going to follow in parent's footsteps, Naruto," Tsunade said, crossing her legs.
"I mean, it's only logical, right?" He looked away briefly and stared at the clock on the wall.
"Not necessarily. Maybe you should talk to your friends and find out if they really know what they're going to do with their life before making assumptions," Tsunade smiled. "You're overthinking again and assuming. That's why your panic attack triggers so easily," Naruto remained quiet. "And how did you overcome this?"
"I did the breathing exercises you showed me,"
"That's great news!" Tsunade voiced. "You're maturing, and I'm amazed that you're taking steps to identify what triggers your panic attacks. That's a big step in the right direction!"
"Really?" Naruto asked, turning his head towards her.
Tsunade nodded slowly as she glanced through her notes. "It's much better than before." She smiled briefly. "I don't feel the need to prescribe you any medications yet. You're improving at your own pace. Keep up the good work!"
Naruto's eyes sparkled at the compliment. "I will!"
In the middle of the night, Hajime sat alone outside by a shrine. He was sitting on a mini wooden bench, thinking. He had a hard time sleeping lately. A long dry sigh escaped his lips, and he turned his head slightly as he heard some leaves crunching in the distance.
"Your footing is terrible," He said, rolling his eyes. "What do you want?"
Hinata sat next to her youngest brother and kicked her feet back and forth. "Are you okay? It's a little late to be out here."
He rolled his eyes. "I should be telling you that. You seriously walked all the way over here… at night," He said slightly irritated.
"What's wrong with that?" Hinata questioned, tilting her head.
"Anything could have happened to you!" Hajime glared at her. He looked at Hinata when she saw her smiling. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Well, you're scolding face is kind of cute," She giggled.
Hajime's face reddened, and he crossed his arms. "Seriously, what are you doing out here?"
"I saw you sneaking outside and wanted to know where you were going," Hinata hummed. "Are you okay?"
Hajime shrugged his shoulders and rested his arms on his legs as he leaned forward. "I'm fine," He mumbled.
"You've been acting weird lately. It's okay to talk to me," Hinata placed her hand on his shoulder, "Please tell me what's going on,"
Hajime sighed. "It's him,"
"Who?"
Hajime rolled his eyes. "Your boyfriend,"
"Boyfriend?" Hinata stared at him confusedly. "I don-
"Naruto!" He smacked himself. Was his sister always this ditzy?
Hinata quickly stood up. "He's not my boyfriend!" Her face turned completely red.
"If you say so," Hajime brushed her off.
Her muscles relaxed, and she stared at her brother sadly as he looked into the distance. "What about him?"
"Why does he have to be so pitiful," Hajime spat. Hinata remained silent. "He's living with us, but he still decides he wants to kill himself. Look at what Kaa-san is doing for him, and he's still ungrateful!" Hajime narrowed his eyes.
"I don't think Naruto is ungrateful, Hajime,"
He gazed at her and quickly looked away. "Then why are there cut marks on him?"
"You can't expect him to get better just because everything is going fine now," Hinata spoke softly. "He's been through a lot, Hajime." She said, taking a seat next to him. "He lost both parents, and he's been bounced from home to home," Hinata shook her head at the thought of a young Naruto being alone. "He was homeless for a while. Naruto-Kun has had hell for seventeen years, and it's just getting better. You can't expect him to do a 360 overnight,"
Hajime held his breath as he let Hinata's words sink in. "But what about those who didn't have to go through that… how can they wake up one day and just decide to kill themselves?"
Hinata cocked her head to the side. "We can only look from the outside, Hajime. We don't know what's really going on in the inside," There was a moment of silence. "I have a feeling this isn't only about Naruto,"
"Why would you say see you tomorrow if you knew tomorrow would never come?" Hajime's voice cracked. Hinata looked down briefly at her lap then back at Hajime. "He didn't look sad… he had everything Naruto didn't have and yet- yet he still did it!" The tears blinded his vision. "Why didn't he talk to somebody? His family? Or me? His best friend. Did he feel I wouldn't understand?"
Hinata wrapped her arms around him and rubbed his back in a circular motion. "Am I cruel, aneki? I've said some hurtful things, and maybe I said some to him, but I didn't mean it. They were just words," He held onto her tightly.
"Words hurt, Hajime. Words hurt more than anything,"
"T-then, how do I fix it?"
Hinata stroked his brown hair slowly, and he shivered slightly. "Change. It won't bring your friend back, but you'll gain so much more in the end." The goosebump formed on his pale skin, and a cold wind brushed past them. "Well, I'm no saint either. I've said some hurtful things to people, kaa-san, you and Hanabi-chan. I've done some bad things to others. I know exactly how you feel." Hinata said. "I always thought I was better than everyone, but I realized I was just an insecure brat." She sighed. "I decided I didn't want to be like that anymore."
"Is it because of him?"
"Hmm… not entirely. I realized my action was hurting those around me, and I allowed somebody to be bullied without helping him." Hinata's eyes water. "and after a few weeks, I found out he killed himself."
Hajime looked back at Hinata who eyes watered. "Did you bully him too?"
Hinata shook her head. "No, but if I had just help- just maybe- maybe he would still be here," She paused. "I'm afraid Naruto-kun will look at me differently once he finds out,"
Hajime shook his head. "I don't think he will."
Hinata stood up with her back-facing Hajime. "I'm sorry to hear about your friend, I truly am. And I'm sorry you had to suffer all this time in silence," She glanced over her shoulder, "please don't be afraid to come to me when you're feeling like this… please don't make that mistake and feel no one will understand you." She smiled, warmly at him. "I'm your big sister, and it's my job to protect you," She grinned widely. "Let's do better," She held out her hand, "together, okay?"
Hajime groaned, and he crossed his arms, looking away. "This is so cheesy," He said, standing up. "I'm heading home!" He walked past her.
Hinata couldn't help but giggle at his childish antics.
"Aneki, you may be older than me, but I'm still a man!" He turned to face her, "and it's my job to protect you as your brother like Neji-nii!" He pointed to himself. "So, let's go." He shoved his arms into his pant's pocket.
Hinata puffed out her cheeks. "Just because he's taller than me, he thinks I won't whoop his behind," She grumbled as she walked behind him.
"Oh, and if you tell anyone you saw me crying, I'm going to tell everyone in the whole school that you like Naruto," Hajime glared at her.
"B-but, I don't!"
He rolled his eyes as he continued to walk.
The threat would be meaningless because everyone knew Uzumaki Naruto had a thing for Hyuga Hinata
Naruto paced back and forth in his room as he continued to gaze over the calendar. Friday. Friday would be here in the next hour, and it meant game day.
His hands trembled, and he felt jittery. Suppose he didn't make it? What if he gets into a car accident on his way to school? Or gets locked up for God knows what!
It would be his fault. All his fault.
"Breathe, breathe," He told himself. He glanced at his phone.
"Can I come in?"
The door opened slowly, and Hinata stepped into his room. "I got your text. Are you okay?"
Naruto shook his head as he sat on the edge of his bed. "I'm nervous. Suppose I do something to screw everything up?" Hinata sat next to him as she listened attentively. "What if I cost the team?" He gazed at her. "What if I get diarrhea before the game?"
Hinata snickered when she heard him say that. "Naruto," She laughed. "Is this what you think about when you're nervous? Is your stomach hurting?"
Naruto reddened, and he shook his head. "No, but suppose-
"But we don't know," Hinata patted him on his back. "Stop being irrational and overthinking." She told him. "Let the day come and see if it will happen, but for now, you've to worry for nothing."
Naruto pouted cutely. "But suppose?"
"Would you like me to tell you that you'll be shitting down the track field as you race against your opponents?" She held her stomach as she continued to laugh.
"Hinata!" Naruto whined. "That's not funny,"
Hinata wiped the tear from her eyes. "You'll do fine, Naruto," Hinata said, cupping his cheeks. His crystal blue eyes searched into her lavender eyes for any traces of doubt, but he couldn't find it.
"Do you really think so?" He asked, placing his hand over her smaller ones. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt the same spark she felt when he held her hand the first time. Her head bobbed up and down. "Thank you for believing in me, Hinata-chan."
"Naru-chan, are you okay?"
The two teens turned towards the entrance of the door and saw Hikari standing there.
"Kaa-san!" Hinata shot up. "Um, Naruto-kun was feeling a little down, but now he's better. Good night," She bowed to Naruto. She ran past her mother and went to her room.
Naruto tilted his head to the side, and so did Hikari when Hinata left the room. "Let's talk, Naru-chan," Hikari smiled brightly.
Hinata jumped when her door opened, and her mother stood there, a sly grin on her face was noticeable. "Remember, I said we needed to talk?"
"Now?"
"Yes," Hikari said, shutting the door behind her. "Hinata, is there anything going on between you and Naru-chan?"
Hinata's face reddened slightly, and she shook her head. "Why would you think that?"
Hikari folded her arms and hummed. "I've always been concerned about you because you've never shown any interest in men," She smiled, "I always thought you were- you- know,"
"Kaa-san! No! Why would you assume a thing like that?"
"I thought it was Sasuke you liked, but your actions said so otherwise, so I figured you were-
"No!"
"What about Naruto?"
Hinata avoided eye contact with her mother and sighed. "Is it that obvious?" She said, sitting on the edge of her bed. Hikari joined her and hummed.
"It is."
"Well, he's my first real crush,"
"I know, but I think it's time we talk about sex, Hinata."
"Kaa-san!" Hinata groaned.
Her mother frowned. "Don't kaa-san me, young lady."
"I'm not having sex."
"That's good to know, and you should keep it that way," She said in a stern tone. "It only takes one time to get pregnant, Hinata."
"I know this. Why are we talking about this suddenly?" Hinata asked, frowning. "I'm not having sex with anybody."
"I know your feelings towards Naru-chan, Hinata-
"Wait. Naruto and I aren't having sex, kaa-san!"
"Good! But I feel it is something we should talk about. You two will be adults soon, and I know there are a lot of hormones raging. Naruto is a young, good-looking man and you, Hinata. You're a beautiful young woman who he seems to be infatuated with…"
"Naruto-Kun is infatuated with me?"
Hikari sighed. Was her daughter always this blind? "You're missing the point, Hinata," She said, snapping her daughter back to reality. "Hormones can be hard to control, especially at this age, and I would appreciate it if you wait to have sex. Don't let him pressure you, and don't you pressure him."
"Mom-momm! Please stop." Hinata played with her index fingers. "We aren't even going out," She mumbled. She had never thought about having sex with Naruto, and she wouldn't know how to go about it. Of course, she dreamt about kissing him and hugging him, but- Her cheeks turned pink. "Kaa-san, please don't worry about that. I'm not thinking about having sex with Naruto-kun," She smiled. "or anybody else. I want my first time to be special."
"I'm glad I raised such an admirable young lady!" She hugged Hinata tightly.
"And I don't think you have to worry about Naruto-kun," Hinata said.
"Oh, trust me, I know," Hikari said, standing up.
"Wait, did you speak to-
"Sleep tight, Hinata!" Hikari sang as she left the room.
Naruto stared at his ceiling, and there was a slight blush noticeable on his face.
"Sex with Hinata-chan,"
"Sex with Naruto-Kun,"
They covered their faces and groaned. Why did she have to bring up something like that?
Tired. Exhausted. Weary. Fatigued. Those were words to describe Naruto at this very moment. He didn't get an ounce of sleep last night. Overthinking was what got him in this situation and the talk with Hikari the previous night.
Sex was the last thing he had on his mind. Yeah, he was a teenager and had raging hormone. He did notice the little things on Hinata that would make him flutter, but he had never once thought or dreamt about having sex with her.
Maybe he felt uncomfortable? Or his promise to Hiashi?
It almost felt disrespectful if he had allowed anything to happen in this household involving sex. He placed his hand on his head and sigh. And besides, why would anyone want to have sex with him? Let alone Hinata.
He slipped out of bed and entered his bathroom. Today would surely be a long day.
She hadn't looked at him or had to courage to do so. The conversation she had with her mother had her daydreaming.
Sex, she knew she wasn't ready for that, and it made her blush just thinking about that. Of course, her, Ino, and Sakura decided to watch porn one day, but it was so embarrassing that they couldn't finish it.
Kiba and Shikamaru watched porn, but now she wondered. Did Sasuke and Naruto also watch it? Did they have "wet dreams"?
Hinata rubbed the middle of her forehead. This was too much to take in.
"Naru-chan, the big day is here! Are you ready?" Hikari exclaimed.
The family looked at Naruto, who was dozing off, a small fish hanging from his mouth.
"Is he sleeping?" Hajime asked.
"Naruto," Hinata said, touching his forearm.
He quickly jumped from his seat and looked around, confused.
"Naru-chan, you didn't get any sleep last night?" Hikari asked worriedly. "Maybe he's stressed out about the game? I hope we didn't pressure him."
"Sorry," He apologized as he rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't get any sleep last night," He cleared his throat after swallowing the fish.
"Awe! Onii-chan. Sleep is important for a young athlete like yourself," Hanabi scolded him.
"I'm sorry," He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm nervous and spent last night overthinking,"
Hanabi's eyes softened. "Don't worry too much about it. And don't focus too much on winning. What's important is that you tried your best,"
Naruto nodded. "Thank you,"
"You can stay home for a while to get some shut-eye," Hiashi suggested.
Naruto quickly shook his head. "It's okay, I'll make it," He said grinning. "Thanks!"
"Want some water before your race begins?" Suka asked, holding up a bottle of water to Naruto.
Naruto eyed the water suspiciously. "He doesn't need your laxative water," Sasuke said, snatching the bottle from Suka's hand. "Why would you jeopardize Senju Academy55
from finally winning?" He narrowed his eyes.
"I'm not jeopardizing anything," He scoffed. "I was just trying to be nice,"
"Then why don't you drink it," Kiba added.
Suka rolled his eyes as he walked away to do some leg work before their race began.
"Something is seriously wrong with that boy," Kiba said, eyeing him.
Sasuke shook his head "He's crazy," He threw the water bottle in the garbage.
"Thanks," Naruto muttered.
"Yo, you okay?" Sasuke arched his eyebrow. "Just let me know if you're not feeling good."
Naruto nodded his head. "I'm fine! I'm a little nervous, but I'm feeling alive," He grinned at Sasuke. "Thanks,"
He had a great support system behind him, and he couldn't have any other way. Iruka saw his eyebags and made up an excuse for him to go to the infirmary room to sleep. Sasuke was supportive and always made sure he was okay. Choji gave him some fruits and nuts that would help with energy and prevent Charley horses. Kiba was… well, Kiba and tried to play a prank on him, which backfired. Sakura and Ino were like his very own personal cheerleaders and encouraged him to do his best. Shikamaru… slept, and Shino was there.
And most importantly, Hinata. She was the whole deal, and he couldn't see it any other way. He wanted to be the man she needed, and this was it. Everything he learned from then, and now, he'll make her proud.
"Sasuke," Naruto called out to the boy who was putting on his tracksuit.
"Hn?"
"Can we talk?"
Sasuke looked around and signal Naruto away from the group. "What's the matter? Are you feeling okay?" If you didn't know Sasuke, his tone would sound uncaring and stoic. Naruto had a hard time adjusting at first, but he knew the boy meant well.
"I know it's weird to bring this up just before the game, but can you keep this between me and you?" Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head nervously.
"Are you confessing to me?"
Naruto jumped back and pointed at him. "Why would I confess to you, teme!"
Sasuke eyes widened. "Dobe!"
They glared at one another before Sasuke crossed his arms. "What did you want to talk about?"
Naruto looked down and played with the black track shirt. "Do you like Hinata-chan?" Sasuke cocked his head to the side and eyed Naruto, who was staring at the ground. "I know you two are close, and I'm not sure if you harbor feelings for her…"
"Save your breath. Hinata and I are nothing more than friends," Sasuke told him.
Naruto glanced up at him. "Really?"
"I'm sure," Sasuke shrugged, "do you plan on telling her how you feel?"
Naruto turned red. "W-what do you mean?"
"I'm not stupid, Naruto. You like Hinata-chan, right?"
His shoulders dropped. "You think I'm out of Hinata's league, huh?"
"I mean you are a dobe and you always wear this stupid look," Naruto glared at him, "but I don't think you're out of Hinata's league,"
"Are you just saying that?"
"I'm not. Go for it," Sasuke encouraged.
"Do you think she'll be offended?"
"There's only one way to find out. Let's get back. It's almost time to leave."
"Okay, everyone! Huddle up!" Guy sensei called out.
Both Naruto and Sasuke looked at the man. "I guess it's time."
If not now, when?
"He did it."
"Naruto-kun actually did it!"
"Amazing,"
"This is the first win in how many years?"
"It looks like I finally won that bet."
"It's about damn time we won!" Kiba screams as he hugs an exhaust Naruto.
Time stops for him. He hears nothing but his own beating heart. He doesn't see the flashes of lights, the people embracing him, rubbing his head, or telling him good job. Everything that ever troubled him was tucked under his brain, and he can't help but smile.
Sasuke stares at him momentarily, and then Hinata who stands beside him.
"He did good," Sasuke commends.
Hinata lip tugs upward. "I knew he would."
Sasuke hums. "How?"
Hinata pauses for a moment before she gathers her thoughts. "Because he's Naruto Uzumaki." She stares at him in admiration. It doesn't bother her that people are surrounding Naruto, hugging him, or threatening him to do good on the next event. Seeing him happy makes her happy.
She's glad she had the opportunity to be part of something so special.
Her heart is beating like a drum the moment his eyes lock into hers. Those crystal blue eyes shine more than anything, and she sees herself falling into them.
It's only him and her. He only sees her, and it'll always be like that, Hinata Hyuga.
Hikari smiled warmly at Naruto, who was looking at some new running shoes. She felt proud of the boy. He came first in all of his events and led the school to victory. Hinata stared at the orange and grey Nike running shoes, and she grinned because they reminded her of him. "Ne, Naruto-Kun," Hinata said, running up to him, "how do you like these?"
Naruto took the shoes from her hand and studied it. "I actually like these." He grinned.
"Let's get help!" Hinata said, pulling him to an associate who was just about to enter the back room.
Hikari watched them and smiled. "They are so cute together," She held her cheeks. "I haven't seen her this excited after I told her Naruto would be living with us," She hummed. She continued to watch the two teens until something in the corner of her eyes caught her attention. There was an older man with long white hair also watching the teens. "A pervert," She whispered.
Hikari quickly approached the teens, well more like Hinata, and wrapped her arms around the girl. "Kaa-san!" Hinata cried. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, nothing," She squeezed the girl's arms. "Oh, Naru-chan, those look very nice on your feet! Do you want them?"
Naruto quickly nodded her head. "Yes, please!"
For a moment, Hikari forgot about the older creep she assumed was watching Hinata and wagged her imaginary tail. Hinata sighed.
"Only if Naruto-kun knew how much of an effect he had on kaa-san."
"Did you say something, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.
She shook her head.
Hikari followed them into a clothing store and kept glancing over her shoulders. The man with the long white hair was following them, and he wasn't hiding it. She didn't want to scare Hinata as she remembered the last encounter her daughters had with a pervert when they went shopping together. She didn't wish for Hinata to experience that again. Still, she figured Naruto would also have no problem protecting the girl.
They entered the clothing store, and Hikari departed from them.
"Naruto-kun, that's cute," Hinata said, pointing to the polka-dot blouse.
"W-why don't you try it on?"
Hinata's body turned red, and she quickly nodded as she grabbed the blouse from the rack.
"Hmmm…"
"Sir, you have one minute to explain why you've been stalking my daughter."
The older man furrowed his eyebrows, and he quickly turned around. "Hello," he laughed nervously.
Hikari wasn't having it as she tapped her foot impatiently on the tile floor. "Perv!" She said, drawing the attention of other shoppers.
Some people in the shop raised eyebrows at the man who quickly looked around. "I'm not a pervert!"
"Then explain why you've been stalking us!" She pointed at him. "I should have you arrested! My child is only seventeen!"
Hinata turned her head as she could have sworn she heard her mother speaking. "Was that kaa-san?"
Naruto was too busy analyzing the blouse Hinata had on that he didn't hear anything that was said to him.
"I wasn't stalking your daughter!" He cried.
Hikari's eyes widened. "You were trying to peep on my son?" She frowned in disgust.
"S-son? No!" He shook his head. "Listen," He fixed his posture. "Who's the blond boy with you?" Hikari arched her eyebrow, which the man noticed. He took a deep breath. "The blond kid, he's not yours, is he?"
"And?" Hikari crossed her arms impatiently.
"Do you know who his parents are?"
Hikari stared at the man oddly. "Who are you?"
"They call me Jiraiya!" He said, flashing a smile.
AN: Hello, readers! Wow, this story is almost finished. I can't believe it! I intentionally intended this story to be ten chapters, and it seems I'm on the right path.
I actually had to rewrite half of this chapter over because the one I previously wrote wasn't saved on my computer.