Warning: This fic contains bimbofication, breast expansion, butt expansion, mini-giantess growth, and more. If such things don't appeal to you, then avoid this fic, otherwise please enjoy.

Was this the luckiest break of her life or what?

Questions of that sort constantly swirled in Hinata Hyuuga's head for the past few hours. Ever since she received that mission from the Sixth Hokage, Kakashi, Hinata had been in a constant daze that didn't let up for even a second. She still remembered every minute of it clearly, and every detail that Kakashi gave to her seemed to be a dream come true. A small mission, with just her and her beloved Naruto.

It was two years after the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War. The Akatsuki were defeated, Sasuke was saved, the brave heroes who sacrificed their lives were buried and honored, and peace had finally been achieved. Life wasn't all simple of course, as many bitter grudges had to be put behind, and the world was forced to adapt to a new world where there was no imminent threat of war. But the peace they finally gained created a unique sense of serenity that nobody wanted to give up. Missions no longer had anything to do with violence or bloodshed, but rather growth and cooperation. And it was precisely that new goal that led to Hinata's current mission.

Apparently, there were rumors of a mysterious flower that would sprout around this specific time in the spring, called the "Rose Lips". Knowledge of the flower itself was mostly shrouded in mystery. The only known information was that it had a pink color so radiant that it literally sparkled, even in the darkness of night. Rumors had it that if the flower was properly harnessed, it could be used as an ingredient to a special substance that had incredible healing properties. Such a trait would be a great boon to any village in need of medical advancement, which in this post-war period, was essentially all of them. Not every village had medical ninjas on the caliber of Sakura and Tsunade, thus anything that made tending to the crippled and injured easier became in high demand. Unfortunately, there wasn't much more information than that. Nobody had ever actually seen the flower in person, and there were no records of it having the healing prowess as theorized. People have searched the specified location during the correct time period before, but it was never found, leaving most to believe it as nothing more than baseless gossip.

However, for whatever reason, Kakashi saw it as something worth investigating. That was what led to him calling Hinata and Naruto together in his office. The mission was simple: travel to the north-west of Fire Country near the mountains, and search for the Rose Lips flower. They were given a map to the location, a cabin nearby where they could stay, and two weeks to complete it. The shock of that assignment replayed in Hinata's head. Kakashi, who was already well aware of Hinata's feelings for Naruto, had a teasing grin so wide that it could be seen even through his mask, and Hinata was practically on the verge of a heart attack. Kakashi justified pairing the two of them together by stating that Hinata's byakugan served as the perfect tool for scouting the area, and Naruto was to serve as her bodyguard. The fact that the world was no longer at war meant that threats were minimal outside of some wild animals, and since every ninja nation was currently allied, there was no risk of enemy ninja. This meant that Hinata didn't need her own team. A single person to accompany her would do, and that person just had to be the boy she had been crushing on for nearly her entire life.

Hinata of course had freaked out when she heard that it was just her and Naruto going alone for two weeks. There was even a cabin there, previously built by people who tried to search for the Rose Lips in the past, but since abandoned. A boy and a girl alone for two weeks, far away from civilization. It sounded like a romantic getaway! Surely this is something a newlywed couple would do on their honeymoon, right? Those thoughts were a constant in Hinata's mind, and it was why she was on high-alert for the past few hours. They were only given an hour to say their goodbyes and prepare for the mission, so the sheer speed at which everything had happened really threw the shy girl off. Hinata had suspicions that the two of them being paired together was no accident. Everyone, including Kakashi, her teammates, her teacher, and sister, all seemed a little too amused at her being alone with Naruto. And Hinata could have sworn she heard their snickering as they said goodbye to her. This was a real mission, right? Certainly, Kakashi wasn't the type of person to send people on false missions just to play matchmaker… right?

Well whatever the reason, it was too late to back down. Right now, she and Naruto were jumping through trees, traveling to their destination. Luckily it wasn't too far away distance-wise, just a few hours of travel, but the lack of nearby villages and roads showed that this was an area rarely traveled by people. Neither of them said too much since being assigned. Naruto of course had his usual bravado and excitement when given a new task. Normally, Naruto would have complained about being given a mission that involved no action, but then again, the Fourth War had most likely given Naruto all the action he could want for a hundred lifetimes. Perhaps because of that, Naruto accepted this peaceful outgoing with no complaint. Other than that, Hinata had no idea what was going through Naruto's head, and she was too scared to ask.

Ever since the war ended, the relationship between the two had changed. For most of their lives, their interactions consisted of Naruto making small talk with her, and Hinata panicking from it in some form or another. But as the years went on, they both grew closer to each other. Naruto gained a new respect for Hinata after witnessing her battle with Neji, and Hinata grew a deeper understanding of Naruto's inner conflicts whenever he opened up to her. They saved each other's lives several times, and Hinata had even confessed her love to him. However, the relationship did not progress past that point, and they were still just friends. In spite of that, there was no denying that the two of them were hanging out together a lot more than usual. Hinata obviously loved every moment she had with him. There would be times where Naruto walked up to her, and they would just spend time together. Sometimes it was idle chat, other times it was a deep discussion of their hobbies, and they had even gone together for ramen on occasion. They never considered these outings as an official date or anything, it just felt oddly natural for them. However, there was still a level of awkwardness between them. It was mostly on Hinata's side, as she had always been the one pushing for a closer relationship with Naruto, but never knew how to best approach the issue. The fact that Naruto never gave a response to her confession weighed on Hinata's mind for years, yet she never had the courage to bring it up. She wasn't sure if Naruto had another girl in mind, or if he forgot, or maybe he was thinking about it too, and was just as nervous as she was. Either way, that question would have to be tackled sooner or later, and Hinata knew that this trip would probably be the best time.

"Hinata."

"Ah!" Hinata yelped at her beloved's voice snapping her out of her thoughts. She had been so preoccupied that Naruto's voice had completely caught her off guard. Hinata immediately regretted sounded so high-strung, and hoped that Naruto wouldn't think her weird for it. Unfortunately, it was too late now, so she just had to deal with it.

"Look at the view Hinata, it's awesome!" Naruto shouted excitedly back at her with a face full of childlike joy that Hinata always found charming. He appeared unaware of the inner turmoil going on in Hinata's mind.

"Oh! Uhh, okay!" Hinata called back, having to raise her voice over the rushing wind. She noticed Naruto turning his head towards his left. Naruto was jumping on the outer edge of the trees, and had apparently saw something amazing judging by his chipper tone. The sunlight shone through the leaves and branches where Naruto was, indicating that he was looking at an open area. Hinata, who was still deep in the shade, couldn't see it from her current location. Hinata gulped a little bit as she realized she would have to move closer to Naruto, which made her both nervous and happy. Using her honed ninja skills, she hopped several trees to move towards Naruto's position right behind him.

"Wow!" Hinata gasped. Even a withdrawn girl like herself had to gasp in amazement. She immediately realized why Naruto reacted the way he did.

Hinata hadn't even noticed until now, but the two of them had built up quite a bit of altitude. They had been climbing up a mountain several hundred feet high, and once they got out from the thick forest, they saw the landscape in its purest form. Neither of them was a stranger to forests, but this was unlike the flat and homogeneous forest back at home. Rolling hills, tall mountains, and gorgeous greenery stretched as far as the eye could see. The trees stood high and proud, their leaves shining brilliantly. The spring weather gave bloom to an endless variety of plants and flowers that came in a rainbow of colors, and a beautiful blue river danced through the forest, sparkling with sheer purity. The afternoon sun made sure that every inch of it was presented in the best way possible, almost as it were purposely showing off the wonder of nature. Untouched by man, and a rich balance of life. It had to have been one of the most gorgeous things either ninja had seen in their lives.

"This place is awesome!" Naruto yelled. "Oh man this mission is going to so much fun!" He laughed out of sheer excitement, loudly expressing his feelings in the way only Naruto could. Hinata quietly agreed, but in truth she was just as amazed at Naruto was. In this war-torn world, natural wonders were rare to come by, and they generally never ventured far away from either the village or known paths to other countries, so for both of them this was a one-of-a-kind sight to behold.

"And that's the river Kakashi-sensei was talking about, so we should be close by now." The blonde explained, remembering the details given to him by the Hokage.

"L-leave it to me, Naruto-kun. I'll find it." Kakashi did indeed mention that they would eventually reach this specific river. If so, then the cabin should be close. However, with the size of the forest, it would be tricky to find it with just the naked eye alone. But of course, that's where she came in.

"Byakugan!"

Activating her bloodline limit, Hinata used the ability that made her clan world-famous: the byakugan, granting its user the ability to zoom in from extreme distances and even see through objects. Feeling the veins pulse around her temples, Hinata's vision exploded outward in every direction, able to see everything in nearly 360 degrees. This information overload would be too much for any regular person, but with years of experience, Hinata was an expert in using it.

'According the Hokage-sama, the cabin is near the highest part of the mountain next to the river. In that case, it should be right about…'

"There!"

"Did you find it already, Hinata?" Naruto asked as he turned back towards her.

"Yes, that's definitely it." Hinata responded, sounding more business-like than usual. Being able to track things down with her bloodline was one thing Hinata had gotten rather skilled at, so she could actually speak with more confidence whenever she was tasked with searching for something.

"Wow! Already?! Not even a minute and you found a single building in the entire forest? You really are amazing, Hinata!" Naruto beamed, looking at Hinata almost as if admiring her.

Hinata's face suddenly went red as she blushed severely.

"Ah- Err, um… I-it's nothing r-really." She stammered, embarrassed.

"Are you kidding?!" Naruto reacted as if she said something absurd. "I bet my ass that no other Hyuuga would have found it as fast as you did. Don't sell yourself short, Hinata. I can guarantee that you're much stronger than anyone else thinks."

Hinata blushed to the point that it almost felt like she would singe her eyebrows. She went speechless, with no idea on what to say. But she didn't need to, as Naruto slowed down his speed so that he was behind Hinata.

"Lead the way, Hinata. I'm leaving it up to you!" Naruto said to her, smiling. Seemingly unbothered by Hinata's shyness, Naruto happily followed behind Hinata, having full confidence in her.

Hinata was glad that Naruto couldn't see her face, because if he did, he would notice that she had the silliest grin on her face right now.

'Oh Naruto-kun…' Hinata swooned as she felt her heart pound. The things Naruto said were just one of the many things she loved about him. His complete faith in her, his positivity, and always knowing the right things to say to raise a person's spirit. It was because of Naruto that Hinata became inspired to improve herself and be more than a wallflower who shrank from conflict, and it was because of his influence that Hinata worked as hard as she did to become a true ninja. Hinata thought the world of Naruto, and she wanted to do everything she could to repay his kindness.

If only she could work up the courage to do so…

The next minutes went by silently and quickly. Keeping her byakugan on, Hinata zeroed in on the cabin's location and easily worked out the simplest pathway there. Reconnaissance really was Hinata's forte, being able to not just find the desired location but also work out the safest route to it in mere seconds. Even if Hinata's low self-esteem prevented her from acknowledging it, she truly was an expert in her work, and nobody recognized this more than Naruto. It was second-nature to Hinata to the point that she could multi-task between both searching and inwardly squee-ing to herself over Naruto's compliments.

"There it is, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, pointing ahead.

"Really? Where is- Oh! I see it!"

Finally escaping the seemingly endless sea of trees, they finally began to approach open ground. And not too far ahead was their destination. Hinata and Naruto jumped to the ground as the number of trees thinned, landing with the grace ninja were known for. They transitioned to a light jog as they got closer. As they did, their eyes widened at the sight.

The cabin was shockingly fancy, far more than either of them expected. It was practically a luxury cabin, made out of nearly unblemished wood, and almost no visible signs of age. Since they were told the cabin was abandoned, they both expected an old, run-down building, rather than the picture-perfect one before them. It was a two-floor cabin, complete with a chimney and balcony. While it wasn't huge, it wasn't small either. Perfect for two people who wanted to spend time out in the wilderness. It really was like a romantic getaway.

Now Hinata really started to suspect Kakashi's motive.

"Wow! That place is amazing! Come on, Hinata. Let's check it out!" Naruto suddenly broke out into a run as he got a good look at the cabin. It was great, no doubt, and Naruto's enthusiasm demanded that he explore it as soon as possible.

"Ah, wait for me, Naruto-kun!" Hinata called back as she tried to keep up with Naruto's pace, following behind him as they made it to the cabin. Despite her meek appearance, Hinata was just as trained as any other ninja, and she was able to keep up with Naruto's speed. After a couple minutes, their feet made contact with the wooden stairs leading to the main door, and they confirmed all their early impressions. The cabin was indeed a fancy one. Every inch of it screamed expert craftsmanship, and the wood was perfectly smooth and incredibly sturdy, with the only blemish being a little bit of dust. Still filled with excitement, Naruto showed no hesitation in opening the door. Hinata wanted to protest his rashness in case anybody was living there. The fact that this cabin appeared so well cared for made her doubt if it was truly abandoned, but Naruto was a free spirit, and hard to keep down once he got going.

However, the cabin really did seem to be unoccupied as Naruto rushed into the living room. Hinata did a quick spot check with her byakugan just to make sure, and verified that there were no hidden individuals, or even foreign traces of chakra anywhere. That information allowed Hinata to calm down a good amount, and she deactivated her byakugan.

Naruto on the other hand, was already checking every inch of it out. "Man, this place is great, Hinata. Look at how big the couch is. Hey, the kitchen is pretty huge too. Ooh, and the balcony is nice. I bet they even have plumbing. Where's the bathroom? I gotta check it out!" Without waiting for any response, Naruto ran upstairs in a hurry.

Hinata giggled as she let Naruto have his fun. She got plenty of enjoyment just watching him be his hyperactive self. Since she too was curious, Hinata took the time to examine the house, though at her own more relaxed pace. Out of curiosity, she slowly walked to the nearest lamp and switched it on, confirming that this place indeed had electricity. A warm glow filled the room as the lamp bathed the area with light. Looking around, Hinata was impressed at everything the cabin had. It was fully furnished, had a sturdy dark redwood floor, and everything was both high quality and in good condition. A little too good to be honest. Filled with more curiosity, Hinata moved into the kitchen. Coming up to the rather large fridge, she pulled it open.

'No way! There's so much food in here!' She was shocked as she found the fridge fully stocked. In fact, one could say it was practically overflowing. There was more than enough to keep them both fed for two weeks. Curious, Hinata grabbed the nearest item, and checked their expiration dates.

'It's all fresh!' Hinata gasped as she checked one item after another. All of it, even right down to the fruits and vegetables, were perfectly ripe and ready for eating.

This was a setup! This had to be a setup! This was Kakashi's doing! Hinata and Naruto were both told to bring their own supplies, but this place already had everything they needed. Was this cabin even abandoned? He probably just rented it out! That scheming Kakashi kept them in the dark, making them think this was an official mission, when in reality this was him just playing cupid. Hinata doubted that this so-called Rose Lips flower even existed. That must have been nothing but a convenient excuse for them to be alone together.

Hinata clenched her fists, not sure whether she should be mad or excited. Hinata much preferred that she get together with Naruto at her own pace and initiative without outsider meddling, but then again, a two week vacation with Naruto in a romantic cabin with nothing but nature surrounding them…

Maybe being tricked wasn't so bad.

Suddenly, Hinata heard what sounded like a flushing noise from above, followed by Naruto's voice.

"Yep, the plumbing works!"

Hinata smiled a little at his goofiness as she closed the fridge. She decided not to mention the fact they were on a fake mission for the time being. If Naruto found out, that would make things really awkward. Seemingly satisfied, Naruto came back running down the stairs.

"Hee hee, man this place has everything. I'm actually glad Kakashi-sensei gave us two whole weeks here. This place is so much better than my old apartment."

"Um, Naruto-kun," Hinata spoke up, "It seems like we don't have to worry about food. There's already plenty here."

Naruto tilted his head a little in confusion, "Really? That's weird. This place is supposed to be abandoned, right? Was this place set up for us ahead of time?"

'Oh no!' Hinata suddenly felt a cold chill as she just realized. If Naruto finds out that Kakashi's mission was fake, then he'll realize that this whole thing is just a romantic date in disguise. Oh gods, no! If Naruto realizes the truth, he might get weirded out. He might not want to be near Hinata. He might not-

"Nice! Guess we get free food then." Naruto said with a wide grin.

"Ah…" Hinata trailed off. That's right. Naruto wasn't the brightest bulb in the toolbox. She sometimes forgot about that. Though Naruto was a skilled ninja, he generally didn't have the intuition to put simple facts together outside of combat.

'But that part of you is charming, too.' Hinata thought with a small smile, filled with relief.

"But it's good that there's food. We can just eat from there instead. If the previous owners complain, well too bad for them."

"Um, actually Naruto-kun," Hinata began, "I had some boxed lunches prepared before we left. Everything should still be warm enough to eat. So, we can have those. I-if you don't mind!" She added quickly as she finished in an embarrassed huff.

"Great idea, Hinata! Your boxed lunches are always the best! Let's eat right now, because I'm starving." Naruto flashed another grin, which made Hinata blush. Hinata had made lunches for Naruto in the past. Her own personal strategy to winning him over. The quickest way to a man's heart was through his stomach as they say. Every meal without fail earned full marks from Naruto, which guaranteed a good mood for Hinata for the rest of the day. Thus, she made it a habit to make lunches for Naruto whenever possible, whilst improving her cooking with every attempt. It made both of them happy, and served as a great icebreaker.

Both of them settled down in the living room, deciding to put the large couch to good use. Opening her bag, Hinata pulled out two tightly closed, and quite wide boxes. She ripped off the seals attached to each one, which are infused with a very simple jutsu to help retain heat. She handed one to Naruto along with a set of chopsticks, then placed her own on her lap. Licking his lips, Naruto eagerly pulled his box open while Hinata soon follow.

"Whooooooaa!~" Naruto gasped in wonder as he saw his meal. Plenty of steam escaped as soon as the box was opened, and it revealed a delicious looking meal packed with rice and several different types of meat, each type lathered with a unique sauce. It was more than enough to satisfy lunch, heck even dinner as well. Naruto was a big carnivore, so Hinata made sure to go heavy on the meat this time around.

"Hinata, this looks delicious! Oh man I can't wait!" Naruto swallowed to keep himself from salivating. He always looked forward to Hinata's cooking, and she definitely went all out this time.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, shivering in happiness. She loved being praised by Naruto. "Feel free to start eating. It's all for you."

Naruto snickered mischievously, "Don't mind if I do. Thanks for the food!" were his last words before pulling his chopsticks apart and stuffing his mouth with meat. Hinata giggled, then proceeded to start her own meal, though with much more grace.

Their lunch/dinner passed by in relative silence, outside of Naruto's lack of table manners that is. His joyous sounds were all the confirmation Hinata needed that she did a good job, so she was as happy as could be. Hinata was getting more comfortable with this fake mission by the moment. It freaked her out at first, but it turned out there was nothing to worry about. In fact, these two weeks might be really enjoyable. Total freedom and no responsibilities. Well, outside of trying to find an imaginary flower that is, but Hinata knew that they probably wouldn't find it, and Kakashi wouldn't mind.

"Ahh, finished." Hinata sighed as she placed her empty box down, relieved at her full stomach.

"WHAT!? YOU'RE FINISHED ALREADY!?" Naruto's jaw dropped as his head darted to Hinata. Naruto was still only half-way done, yet Hinata's box was wiped clean, right down to the last grain of rice.

"Yes, I'm very happy with how it turned out." Hinata answered.

"B-b-b-but-" Now it was Naruto's turn to stammer. "How did you finish so fast!? We had the same amount of food."

Hinata giggled, feeling a little mischievous herself, "I just eat at my own pace, that's all." Naruto stared at her dumbfounded for a few seconds before dropping his head.

"Ugh, seriously Hinata, how do you always do that?" Naruto asked helplessly. "Every single time, you finish before me, and I have no idea how. One moment you're eating slowly, then bam! You're done. Seriously, how?!"

But Hinata wouldn't tell. Her smile grew as she continued to giggle playfully. It wasn't the first time Hinata pulled this trick. Her position as the village's ramen eating champion was still unbroken due to her ability to wolf down dozens of bowls of ramen when no one expected it.

"Pft, laugh now. I'll find out your secret, just you wait." Naruto said determinedly before returning to his meal. Though he sounded frustrated, the slight smirk on his face showed that it was all in good fun. Their relationship was like that. Always gentle, but with plenty of light-heartedness in it too. There honestly wasn't a single drop of bad blood between them. Hinata loved nobody in the world more than she loved Naruto, and Naruto saw nobody kinder and gentler in the world than Hinata. His energetic enthusiasm surprisingly meshed well together with Hinata's calming presence. They were opposites in many ways, but their shared kindness made them a close pair.

'Oh Naruto-kun, I love you so much.' Hinata gushed to herself as took the opportunity to clean up. While doing so, she got herself and Naruto glasses of water from the kitchen. As Naruto ate, Hinata couldn't help herself from watching him fondly. Watching Naruto was one of her favorite hobbies, even from childhood. He was her greatest hero, her greatest inspiration, and her greatest (and only) crush. She didn't like calling it an obsession, but in some ways it kinda was. Making Naruto happy brought Hinata more enjoyment than anything else. Even now, something as simple as making him food made her feel a deep joy from the bottom of her heart. She genuinely wouldn't mind doing things like this for the rest of her life. Spending time alone with Naruto. Talking to him. Laughing with him. Walking with him. Cooking for him. Supporting him. Providing a loving home that he could come back to everyday. It was something she wanted with every fiber of her being.

In truth, she wouldn't even mind giving up being a ninja if it meant dedicating more time to him. It wasn't that Hinata hated being a ninja or anything. But rather that being a ninja was never a passion for her. Becoming a ninja was more about proving herself than fulfilling a role. She became a ninja because she was declared a failure by the world, and she wanted to prove them wrong. And she ultimately did. While she was no legend, she was no slouch either, and could hold her own as well as any other ninja. That was enough to earn her the respect from her friends and family. And after she earned that respect, the ninja role lost its appeal for her. She'd still do her job, if only out of necessity, but in this new peaceful era, the need for ninja was slowly declining. If Hinata for whatever reason transitioned to being a full-time wife, she would embrace it.

Then again, Hinata always felt a bit of guilt about that. She felt weird over the fact that she had no real dreams other than being with Naruto. She wasn't like her friends who had wild ambitions. Naruto wanted to be Hokage. Sakura wanted to be a world-class medic. Tenten wanted to be a legend like Tsunade. Kiba wanted to surpass Naruto as Hokage. Shino revealed a surprising interest in education. But Hinata had no grand dreams like that. Simply greeting Naruto with a hug and a kiss was all she wanted. Being held in his arms. Kissing him over and over. Providing him with a warm meal. Gently scrubbing him as he takes a warm bath prepared by her. Giving herself to him in bed.

Hinata gulped as her cheeks flushed. She had sat down and found that she couldn't take her eyes off Naruto. And by doing so, her head was starting to get filled with all manner of fantasies.

'W-what am I thinking? I shouldn't be daydreaming like this.' Hinata berated herself, but it did little to deter her wandering thoughts. The more her body went through puberty, the more her head filled with fantasies that would not be appropriate for anyone who wasn't an adult. Hinata desperately tried to push them back, because it was improper for a ninja to think like that. She was somewhat successful. Her main tactic was to just try not to think about it, as some of her dreams reached into the realm of perversion so deeply that Jiraiya would proudly pat her on the back.

Luckily, Naruto didn't notice. Instead, he had just finished his last bite, and nearly slammed the empty box down on the table, pleased with his meal.

"Ahhh~ that was good. I'm stuffed." Naruto patted his stomach with satisfaction. "Thanks a bunch, Hinata."

"Y-you're welcome, Naruto-kun." Hinata said anxiously as she fidgeted in her seat. Now that they had both finished her meal, Hinata really wanted to use this opportunity to talk with Naruto. A part of her wanted to put it off until tomorrow, but now that they were alone, Hinata didn't want to keep herself up all night, tortured over it. If she put it off, there was a chance she would end up doing it over and over again. She didn't want her and Naruto to be "just friends" for the whole two weeks. She wanted to be with Naruto in a deeper level than that. Hinata knew that this fake mission was a once in a lifetime thing. It was very unlikely that Kakashi would pull this trick again. If she blew it now, she might lose her chance at getting together with Naruto for good. That wasn't just an irrational fear either. This was the best possible time to bring it up. If she couldn't do it now when they're alone and with no interruptions, then there was no way she'd work up the courage back in the village where there is more competition. Naruto was starting to get popular with the girls after all, and Hinata didn't want to lose the one and only person she'll ever love.

"Hinata, is something wrong?" Naruto asked, noticing that something was on her mind.

'Calm down, Hinata. Calm down. Just tell him!' Hinata thought frantically, trying to build up her nerve.

"U-u-u-umm, N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata stuttered, feeling her face and body heat up. Naruto was used to Hinata being nervous, so he was patient with her.

"I-I mean… I was just th-th-thinking. That it's, um, well. It's j-just us here for a while, and…"

"Err, yeah." Naruto blinked, showing confusion at what she wanted to say.

"And, um… well…" Hinata felt herself breaking off.

'C'mon, just tell him!' She practically screamed at herself mentally.

"It's just that… I think… I-I think you're… really… really um, g-great… and-"

Hinata froze, her body shaking more than a leaf.

'No no no! I said it all wrong. Oh god, oh god!' Hinata panicked. She wanted to reveal her feelings yet ended up sputtered a weak compliment. "Great"? Was that really all she could say?

"Err, I think you're great too, Hinata." Naruto muttered, still confused as to why she was bringing this up.

Hinata freaked out even more as she felt her mental fortitude crumbling to pieces in agonizingly slow motion. This wasn't what she wanted at all. This was supposed to be her big moment. This was supposed to be the moment where she and Naruto start seeing each other romantically. And of it was falling apart right before her eyes.

"N-n-n-n... t-that's not what I… I mean, I mean…"

"Hinata, are you okay?" Naruto leaned towards her in concern, which only just made things worse.

"I… I… I…"

"Hinata?"

"I… I GOTTA GO!"

She broke.

Hinata immediately jumped out of her seat and broke out into a full run towards the door.

"Ah! Wait Hinata! Where are you going?!" Naruto called out, surprised at Hinata's sudden outburst.

"I-I need to go for a walk! I'll be okay. I-I'll be right back! I'm sorry!" Hinata slammed the door behind her as she ran away as fast as she could, leaving a bewildered Naruto behind on the seat.

"What was that about?"

"Gaaah! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Hinata shouted to herself as she ran towards the forest. She had no idea where she was going. She simply turned to a direction completely at random and just floored it. She did not know, nor did she care, where she was or where she would end up. All she could think about was her ruined chance.

'Why!? Why did I freak out like that?! Why did I have to freeze up again?' She couldn't believe she screwed up again. Whatever happened to the courage she showed when she confessed her love to Naruto back when he was fighting Pain? Why was it that no matter how much time she spent with him, or how close she got to him, she would still ruin things when it really mattered? And everything was going so well too. She got to impress Naruto on their way here. He liked her lunch. Everything was perfect, and then she had to go and be a whimpering coward again. Back at square one. Back to the same shy wallflower she tried so hard not to be.

Hinata continued to mentally attack herself for a good five minutes as she ran. She was humiliated at the fact that she was literally running away, which of course only served as fuel to hate herself even more. How embarrassing of her to act this way. And she left Naruto all confused too. He probably thinks she's a total weirdo now. This was the worst!

The pale-eyed girl eventually tired out, both physically and mentally. Slowing down, she went to the nearest tree she saw and plopped herself against it. Catching her breath, she checked out her surroundings. Everywhere she saw was just more forest. She had no idea where the cabin even was at this point. That didn't worry her, though. Her byakugan made getting lost impossible, so she wasn't concerned. But even so, the sun would eventually set, and Hinata didn't want to risk getting attacked by any wild animals. She knew nothing of the area, and didn't want to put herself in any more risk than she already had.

But the dangers of the wild were a secondary problem for her. She didn't care all that much. All she could really think about was her failure. Her failure to get closer to Naruto. Her failure to truly express her feelings in a way that Naruto could accept.

"I really wish I could show Naruto how I feel about him." Hinata sighed. She was always her own worst enemy. Hinata's anxiety always had a knack of showing up at the worst possible time, and it certainly didn't miss that opportunity here. But it really brought her down this time, and it upset Hinata greatly. Hinata didn't want to be such a nervous mess anymore. She wanted to be with Naruto. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him. She wanted to hug him. Kiss him. Express the full depths of what he meant to her. That's all Hinata really wanted. That's all she truly desired.

Another ten minutes passed as Hinata sat against the tree, slowly calming down. In spite of everything that happened, the forest was surprisingly quite comforting. Even though she didn't know where she was, she felt completely safe. It was as if the gentle breeze itself was caressing her, like a mother's touch to a child to calm them down. The sound of the rustling leaves was rather soothing, and the sheer beauty of the flowers around her seemed to wash her anguish away.

Hinata smiled weakly as she admired the natural beauty around her. Somehow, mother nature knew the best way to calm her down without having to utter a single word. The girl sighed again, though this time with much more serenity than before. Her smile grew as she looked around, taking in the scenery, enjoying the fruits that life had to offer.

"Hm?"

That is, until Hinata saw something in the corner of her eye that caught her attention. It looked like something was… sparkling? Hinata turned her head to the left, trying to see that strange sight again. For a few seconds, there was nothing, but then.

"What is that?" Hinata saw it again. It was faint, but there. A strange, pink-colored sparkle that appeared every few seconds. Curiosity taking hold, Hinata stood up to investigate.

Walking towards it, she noticed the sparkles appear again, only larger and more frequent. This definitely wasn't her mind playing tricks on her. Something was there, and Hinata had to know what it was. With each step she took, the sparkling grew more frequent, as if whatever this unknown object was had some kind of glittery surface. Was it a plant? The fact that the sparkles were appearing to be close to the ground lent some credence to that idea. Hinata increased her pace to a run. She wasn't entirely sure why, but she had to know what that was.

Hinata got closer, and the sparkling became more vivid and radiant. She got ever closer, and the source of that light become ever more clear. She kept that up until…

Until she made to a single lone tree in the distance, strangely all by itself surrounded by several meters of grass.

And at the base of that tree, was what Hinata was looking for.

A single, pink flower.