Happy
By The Demented Lobster

(A/N) Hey everyone, I wrote this a while ago, so it's probably a little bit off from the current Naruto storyline.
But I hope you enjoy anyway!

Sai walked in to the training grounds, his black sketchbook in hand. He trudged slowly through the mist, and to the wall that blocked off the town from the training grounds.

He squinted his eyes through the thick fog, and made out the figure of that blue-haired girl who had always liked Naruto.

Recently, Naruto decided to start going out with Hinata, despite the fact that he actually likes Sakura, but Sakura was already going out with Kiba.

Naruto didn't have the patience to wait for and ask Sakura to go out with him, because, as soon as Sakura broke up with one of her –many- boyfriends, she –somehow- almost immediately hooks up with someone else.

Naruto didn't have the patience, and Hinata was the only person left. Ino, his second choice other than Sakura, was dating Shikamaru.

And thus, they began dating. Hinata was ecstatic, which encouraged her to train more to catch up to Naruto, since he was aiming to become Hokage, as she was very unambitious without Naruto's motivation.

Really, Sai just went to the training grounds to simply see how Naruto was going, since friends go see their friends to see how they're going, just to let them know that they're there for them.

That's what he should do, according to the book, anyway…

Other than that, he had absolutely no reason to get up in the morning other than to go on missions with his so-called friends.

Sai decided that since he walked all the way here through the thick fog, he might as well stay. Naruto and Sakura were on a mission with Kiba, so he couldn't really hang out with them.

He watched on in amazement as she swirled around gracefully, her long, dark blue hair following behind her as she did taijutsu practice on the logs that were lined up in rows.

He stared in awe, as the time flew by. It was as if the world stops spinning when he stares at her graceful, fluid movements. The all-too familiar blue chakra almost sizzling out of her palms, hitting her target with almost impossible precision…

Hinata catches him staring from a distance, and Sai turns away quickly.

He quickly packs up and walks away, his cheeks flushed.

Every day after that, Sai came back to the training grounds, and, without fail, Hinata would always be there. Sometimes with Naruto, but sometimes without.

One day, Sai went to the training grounds, to find that Hinata wasn't there. He shrugged, settled down on the floor, and got out his black sketchbook.

Sai spent at least an hour on a detailed charcoal sketch. He only looked up from the sketch, to find Hinata.

…Who was in a fetal position on the grass, with her eyes shut tight.

She was crying, black tears streaming down her cheeks from her mascara.

Sai recalled a rule from the book;
'Rule #005: When someone is crying, you go ahead and comfort them.'

Sai walked over to Hinata, and could soon hear her whimper, and sometimes even mumble something inaudible to herself.

"Hey," Sai started, crouching next to her, "What's wrong?"

Hinata looked up at him with her pale lavender eyes, but then she put her head back down and started crying again.

"I-I don't know you." She stuttered, "And you d-don't know me. Leave me a-alone."

"I know you, Hinata." Sai started, "I know that you're pretty, you're nice, and you're really strong."

Hinata suddenly sat up, looked at Sai, and blushed.

Pretty? Nice?

… Strong?

"U-Um…" Hinata sniffed, her cheeks flushed, "That's… That's the first time a-anyone has ever said that to me…"

"Huh? Why didn't anyone tell you earlier? It's the undeniable truth…" Sai questioned, inclining his head, "Why didn't Naruto tell you that? He's your boyfriend, isn't he?"

Hinata burst in to tears again.

"Not anymore!" she sobbed, "He dumped me for Sakura, after she broke it off with Kiba all of the sudden! I'm alone! I have no friends! I'm worthless!"

She began to shout to herself about how stupid she was, and cry hysterically, while Sai referred to his oh-so-reliable book once again.

'Rule #114: When someone is hysterical, run. If you're referring to this, you probably wouldn't know how to deal with them.'

'Run?' Sai thought, 'Run? That's not very helpful… Maybe I need to deal with her myself…'

Sai threw his book to the side, never to use it again, and came over to put his hand over Hinata's shoulder, reassuringly.

"You're not alone." Sai said, "You have people like Kiba, Shino, Kurenai, Ino, and Tenten, just to name a few… They're all your friends."

Sai smiled genuinely, for the first time for as long as he could remember, and held out his hand for Hinata to get up.

"And I'm your friend, too."

Hinata felt her lips curl in to a smile, as she took Sai's hand. Then, for the first time since Naruto asked her out...

She felt genuinely happy.

Please tell me what you think!

I'm here to improve my writing, after all.