The Art of Breathing

Summary: Sometimes when life screws you over, you notice things. Like how good it feels to scream, how funny the names on nail polish bottles are, and how much you really want to kiss your best friend.

Okay…this is the first story I've done that ISN'T a sasusaku fic. I'm sorry to all of you naruhina fans. Don't get me wrong I love naruhina but kibahina is just too adorable for me to ignore. Let's face it, Kiba is ALWAYS there when Hinata needs him and he deserves some love.

Anyways, enjoy the story.

The Art of Change

Alright, I can do this.

I'm a Hyuuga, it's time I started acting like one….sigh. I sound like my father.

My shoulders slump and I give up the attempt at an inner pep talk. Walking over to my closet I pull out a navy and red plaid skirt and a long sleeved red shirt. I continue on to my dresser pulling out my undergarments and a pair of knee high black socks. This will have to do for the day. It may be the dead of winter, but the skirt and socks will cover enough of my legs to keep me warm.

I changed quickly and looked at myself in the full length mirror by the huge sliding glass door that covered my wall. I tugged at my long navy hair self-consciously. Anyone that knew me knew that my self esteem level wasn't exactly high. It was the product of my father's heavy criticism.

I went into my bathroom, tied my hair back, and went to tug on my black boots. I slipped on my gray jacket and picked up my green messenger bag at the foot of my bed, shoving the book on my nightstand into it and pulling my keys out.

I took one last look into the mirror, staring back into my own pearl white eyes. Today was my first day in "Naruto Rehab" as Ino would call it.

Naruto was a blonde, whiskered boy I had had a crush on since we were in elementary school. That's fairly long considering I just started college in the fall. But last night I got together with a few of my girlfriends to catch up. We talked about random things that led to boys, that led to Naruto, that led to me feeling dejected as always at the fact that he never noticed me, which led to the overall decision of me giving up on him.

He was just a crush, nothing more nothing less, but he was still a big part of my life, and today I would move on and leave him behind. Every picture I had that even had a glimpse of Naruto in it was burned in Sakura's fireplace last night (It was Ino and Sakura's idea, Tenten just thought it was crazy).

Having recalled last nights events I nodded to my reflection with, what I thought, looked like an air of confidence. I still couldn't help but wish that I was invisible though so that could stay home in bed all day.

The car pulled up to the curb in front of Konoha Mall's main entrance. I smiled over at Neji, "Thank you for the ride."

Neji was my cousin. He used to hate me when we were younger because my father, Hiashi Hyuuga, was the head of the Hyuuga family not to mention the large company our family owned and his father, Hizashi Hyuuga (who was my father's twin brother), was pushed aside. After Hizashi died Neji came to live with me, my father, and my sister, Hanabi, and with his status of being a prodigy my father instantly brought him into the family business since I was apparently a disappointment in that department…

The point is though that ever since then he's been like an older brother to me. Plus he's dating my friend Tenten which is a bonus. (Although it is a little scary that his long coffee colored hair is prettier than mine…I should probably ask him about that.)

He nodded his head and replied, "Any time Hinata-sama. And don't worry, I'll cover for you."

I smiled gratefully. I got lucky this morning since my father had gone into work early. I was working at Pacific Sun at the mall, but my father didn't know. He thought it was stupid for me to get a job when he expected me to take on the family's business and we were already plenty wealthy for me not to have to work for my money. I didn't like the idea of just buying whatever I wanted because of my family's wealth so I secretly got the job to earn my own spending money (I also got rides from Neji because I don't like riding in the limos my father insists that I use).

I work before school on weekdays (most of my classes don't start until noon) and sometimes on the weekends. I'm constantly making up excuses for why I'm gone and Neji and Hanabi cover for me too.

I got out of the car and slid the passenger seat forward to grab my bag from the backseat. I slung it over my shoulder and dug my keys out of my jacket pocket.

"Goodbye Neji-nii-san, and thank you again."

"I'll see you later," he smirked "and good luck with your first day in 'Naruto Rehab'."

I felt my cheeks heat up and fingered the Twilight keychain (Sakura gave it to me) holding my keys together.

Neji chuckled and pulled away from the curb. I mentally made a note to confront his girlfriend about how to keep a secret later.

I flipped through my keys until I found the key to the store and bent down to unlock the large gate that was lowered over the store's entrance and windows. I took a sip of my hot chocolate, thankful that Shino always made it to work early.

Shino was a quiet boy that didn't talk to too many people and always wore these dark sunglasses. He worked at a Starbucks in the food court and I always stopped by on my way to the store to get some hot chocolate (I'm not a big caffeine person).

I sat my bag and my cup down on one of the small ledges that lined the bottom of the store windows. I lifted the gate up and let it travel the rest of the way to the compartment above the door where it stayed hidden during business hours.

I threw my keys in my bag and grabbed it and my cup and went into the store. I walked behind the checkout counter and stored my bag on one of the small shelves under it.

I sat my cup down and went around the counter to one of the small tables at the front of the store with some sweaters scattered across it. I began folding them when someone over my shoulder said, "How do you always fold them so neat like that? My sister can do it too so it must just be a girl thing."

I squeaked and jumped. The sweater I was folding went flying and I spun around with one hand at my throat and my body being supported by the table. I swear it slid back when I jumped.

It was Kiba Inuzuka, my co-worker and best friend. He had wild brown hair and some of the most friendly brown eyes you'll ever see (they even beat out Tenten's). He had a nice natural tan and two red triangle marks on his cheeks (I had asked him about them once and he said it was a family thing). He was grinning at me showing his canine-like teeth, but it wasn't creepy, it was actually very friendly.

"Sorry if I scared you Hinata." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and shrugged out of his gray jacket walking behind the counter to put it up.

I regained control of my speeding heart and picked up the fallen sweater before shrugging out of my own jacket. I stood across from him on the other side of the counter. He held his hand out wordlessly asking for my jacket. I handed it to him and he stored it away with his own.

He folded his arms on the counter and leaned forward on them, giving me his full attention. "So how was your weekend?" he asked with a wolfish grin, knowing perfectly well that it was a silly question.

I giggled a bit at that. He always asked me how my weekend was even though I usually spent most of it with him. On Friday we had gone back to his house after work to watch some movies while his sister, Hana, worked late. Then on Saturday we went to the park with his dog, Akamaru, and ran around downtown Konoha going to random stores (he even posed as a mannequin in a few of the clothing departments and then scared the people who came up close to inspect him. I was turning purple from laughing so hard).

"You were there, Kiba. You know how my weekend was." I said laughing.

He chuckled. "Yeah, but weren't you doing something with the girls yesterday?"

I was blushing. I knew I was.

Kiba raised his eyebrows at me. "Wow…must've been something pretty embarrassing for you to blush like that."

Of course that only made me blush even more. I stared down at the countertop. "Well…um….you see…"

"Now you're stuttering too? Damn, I missed one hell of a party."

I looked up at him and gave him a pointed look, but smiled none the less. I knew he was joking to help me feel better. He didn't seem to like it whenever I was nervous (he was the one that helped me get over my stuttering problem when we were kids).

I took a deep breath. "Well…we were kind of talking about Naruto."

Kiba tensed. He fought to keep his facial expression casual but I could see his clenched fists that he attempted to hide under his arms. Kiba knew about my long time crush on Naruto, but he always seemed a little tense or angry whenever the whiskered boy came up in a conversation. I never knew why though.

He spoke again and I could tell he was struggling to keep the anger out of his voice, "If he hurt you…"

I waved my hands and rapidly shook my head. "No, no it's nothing like that! He didn't hurt me."

I had tried talking to Naruto before and he had always ignored me. I used to cry because it hurt so much. Kiba hated that and always threatened to beat Naruto up for hurting me. One time he actually did (though Naruto didn't know why he had been pummeled).

He seemed to relax a bit, but he was still a bit tensed with the direction our conversation had gone. "So what about him then?"

I looked down at my hands and pulled at my sleeves. "I've decided….to give up on him."

He didn't say anything so I looked up. He was frozen looking at me. His eyes held bewilderment….and what looked like…hope? What was he hoping for?

"….Seriously?" He said slowly.

I nodded and stood straighter saying confidently, "Yes….Ino calls it my first day in 'Naruto Rehab'."

Kiba laughed at that. "She would…I'm happy for you Hinata." He gave me a warm smile that made my heart flutter.

I smiled and turned back to the table of sweaters I had been organizing.

A few hours later Kiba and I had been working hard, taking turns at the cash register. It was currently his turn and I was talking to a customer about which top would look better with the skirt she had found on one of the racks.

She went on to talk about different shades of red when I felt someone's eyes on me. I looked around and my eyes met with Kiba's across the room.

He looked surprised and shifted his gaze back to the register. I shrugged thinking he was probably checking up on me….but that's the fifth time today that I've caught him watching me.

I laid my forehead down against the counter. How could so many people spend hours in one store on a Monday? Didn't any of them have school or work or LIVES?

"Tired Hinata?"

I looked up at Kiba who set a bottle of iced tea down in front of me. I smiled and opened the bottle taking a sip. He took the bottle back when I was done and took a sip. "Come on, I'll walk you outside. Neji's picking you up right?"

I nodded and pulled my bag and our jackets out from under the counter and walked around it handing Kiba his jacket. He took it and slipped it on. Before I could move he took my bag and laid it on the counter then took my jacket and held it open for me to slip my arms through.

My eyes widened a bit but I turned and slipped my arms into it. I turned back around and he grinned at me holding my bag out.

I returned the smile and slung my bag over my shoulder. We walked to the door where Kiba held the door open for me and we waved at the people who were taking over the next shift. We made our way through the crowds of people to the main entrance of the mall. Once outside I zipped my jacket up realizing how much colder it had gotten.

I pulled open my cell phone and texted Neji to come pick me up. Kiba moved a little closer than me to read the message over my shoulder. "How long will it take before he gets here?"

I looked back at him, "He's close by so it will only take a few minutes."

He nodded but didn't move away. It was actually kind of nice since it was pretty cold out here. He pointed across the parking lot, "I see him."

I looked and he was right, Neji was pulling around. I made a move to walk closer to the curb so Neji would see me but I felt Kiba's hand on my shoulder.

I looked over at him and asked, "What is it?"

He smiled and moved his hand to his jacket pocket and shrugged. "Nothing, I just wanted to tell you that you look really pretty today."

My face heated up for what felt like the millionth time that day and I turned my gaze away from his warm one.

"T-thank you." I stuttered out. "I-I'll see y-you later Kiba."

I hurried to the car and opened the door before Neji could even stop it. I closed it once I was settled in and looked back at Kiba out the window. He still had that warm smile on his face and was waving. I waved back and leaned back in the seat as Neji drove off.

He gave me a questioning look. "Are you alright?"

I nodded not meeting his gaze directly. "Yes…it's just very cold out."

I could sense that he knew I was lying but he didn't say anything and returned his focus to the road ahead of us.

I thought back to Kiba's warm smile and all of his looks that he had given me through the day. I couldn't help but feel a little confused….and I suddenly knew that things were going to change in more ways then I had ever thought possible.

Like it? Love it? *shrugs* I'm happy with it. ^_^