Disclaimer: I own a computer. I own a word processing program. I own a somewhat workable imagination. I don't own Naruto.

That Dobe!?

"Us kunoichi have to stick together," was Ino's excuse. The team assignments had just been given out and they were to report later in the afternoon to meet their jounin sensei. The Yamanaka girl had told all the girls the day before that they should get together. Given that there were mostly one girl and two boys for each team, it would be the last chance they would all hang out together between training and missions.

The gaggle of females was in a café that Ino had designated. They were all around a set of tables that were pushed together for them. Cups of tea and various treats littered the tables. The girls all chattered about becoming and genin and the teams they'd been chosen for.

Hinata sat quietly, nibbling on an almond cookie. She didn't know why she came. While there was no bad blood between her and any of the other kunoichi, they weren't what she would call friends, either. She contemplated just leaving, the fact that she hadn't been placed with Naruto still depressed her, but Ino would probably catch her and drag her back for the sake of having everyone there.

The discussion took the inevitable turn. "You're so lucky, Sakura-san," gushed a girl with a pair large bushy pigtails. "You're teamed with Sasuke-kun!" The other patrons in the area looked over to the table when it erupted in a chorus of squeals.

"Yeah," the pink-haired girl answered with blush. On the inside, however, she was yelling and gloating at her victory over the fan girls gathered at the table.

Ino hmph'ed. "Don't be so smug, Forehead-girl." She smirked at Sakura's glare. "You may have the advantage, but you'll still lose in the end."

Sakura shot up. The table jumped at the force of her hand. "What was that, Ino-pig!?"

Ino crossed her arms and gave a superior look. "My, sound must not be able to get past that giant forehead, if you can't hear."

The other girls around the table ignored the usual bickering of the two. Instead they stayed on the preferred topic. Murmurs ran rampant across the table praising the sole Uchiha.

A girl with spiky brown hair looked over to the quiet Hyuuga next to her. She didn't know a whole lot about her, since she didn't talk much, but Sasuke had to be a universal topic amongst the girls of their class, right? "Don't you wish you'd been partnered with Sasuke-kun, Hinata-san?" She asked, trying to draw her into the conversation with everyone else.

Hinata jerked at being addressed. She glanced to her left to see one of her classmate's giving her an expectant look. She briefly considered lying, but she didn't like to do that unless it was a necessity. "N-not really, Naomi-san."

Naomi blinked. "Why not? Don't you like him?" Hinata looked to the side to avoid her eyes. The withdrawn girl glanced between her and the window. Slowly, she shook her head, one way then the other. Naomi's jaw dropped. "You don't."

The conversation at that end of the table came to a stop. Like an ocean wave, questions like, "why doesn't she like Sasuke-kun?" and "who could be better than him?" made their way up the table. Ino and Sakura stopped fighting.

"That's a good question," said Ino. "Who do you like, if not Sasuke-kun?" Hinata didn't answer. "It isn't one of us is it?" Ino smirked at the shade of red the girl achieved while fervently shaking her head negative. "But, you do like someone, don't you?" Hinata gave a hesitant nod. The response was immediate as the girls had lost their patience. Questions on who it was flooded down her way.

The most reticent girl of their class held her hands in front of her as the girls rounded in on her. Her forefingers pushed together in a nervous habit as they started getting more insistent that she give up the name.

The pressure mounted until she burst. "Naruto-kun!" She spilled out in a rush.

There was burst of laughter. Ino was the first to speak. "That dobe? How could you like him? He's... He's such a... a… a failure."

The laughter petered off and silence crept over the table. Everyone looked at their introverted classmate. Hinata had her eyes downcast, staring at the floor.

Ino bit her lower lip. She knew she had overstepped. No matter what her opinion was, she couldn't begrudge a girl her own choice. Laughter was one thing, but putting down a girl's crush in front of her once it was known was another. "Hinata, I shouldn't have said that, I'm sor-"

"No," the mousy young girl interrupted. "You're right." The kunoichi gathered at the table goggled at her. The rudeness from the girl was unexpected, as well as the statement. She didn't notice with her gaze still on the ground. "He is a failure. He fails at tests. He fails to pay attention in class. He fails at chakra control."

Sakura pinched Ino in the arm to keep her from saying anything that would make the situation worse. "But, he has good points too, right. I mean there has to be a reason that you like him in the first place." She had the same opinion of Naruto that Ino had, but she didn't want to see Hinata give up so easily on someone she liked.

Hinata continued as if she hadn't heard her. "He fails at simple jutsu. He failed his exam. He fails at gaining respect from anyone. He..." Hinata trailed off as she looked up, past her classmates, staring at nothing. "He fails to see my feelings for him..."

"Hinata..." Sakura said softly.

The girl suddenly pinned them all with a fierce look. "No. He is a failure!" The assembled girls reeled back at the sudden turn in the conversation and the change in Hinata's attitude. Her white eyes were undoubtedly on everyone there as she unconsciously activated the Byakugan. They all flinched back, it was the first time they'd seen the girl do it without hand signs. "He fails to let people down when it really counts! He fails to stay down after half killing himself with training! He fails to break his promises!" Her voice gained volume with every statement. "He fails to give in when messes up! He fails to lose his smile when people insult him! He fails to stop believing in his dreams!"

The other girls' eyes widened more and more with each admission. Hinata took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The area around her eyes returned to normal as the gift of her family's bloodline receded. When she opened them, they locked onto Sakura and Hinata spoke with her normal tone of voice.

"And even if he knew about my feelings," she said, "he would probably fail to return them. Because he's too loyal to his own."

Sakura's mouth flapped open and closed as she tried to react to the declaration.

Hinata stood from the table and fixed Ino with a similar look to what she had given Sakura. "Yes, Naruto-kun is a failure," she stated. "But that's why I like him so much."

With that, Hinata stormed from the café, leaving behind a group of very confused young women.

Omake Theater

Another insult Ino could have used

Ino was the first to speak. "That dobe? How could you like him? He's such a jerk. Seriously, what an ass!"

"H-hai..."

The girls at the table blinked. All gazes were on the blushing Hyuuga. She kept away from eye contact. With eyes that had the ability to look in nearly every direction. And look through... solid objects...

Slowly, a rush of red filled the faces of the girls present.

One for Naru/Hina

Naomi blinked. "Why not? Don't you like him?"

Hinata looked to the side. "Actually..." When she mumbled the next part, the other girl asked what she said. "I already..."

"You're dating someone already!" Naomi exclaimed, understanding what Hinata was trying to say. That caused an uproar across the table. Ino and Sakura even stopped fighting. All at once, the girls started questioning Hinata about the identity of her mystery man.

A minute passed before she gave up and said the name in a quiet voice.

There was immediate silence. Ino was the first to break it. "Naruto!? Why would you date him!?" She screamed out, waving her hands around. "I can't even imagine it! It would be such a pain!"

"Only the first time..."

Silence fell on the table as the girls all goggled at the girl as she steadily got redder.

Two for Naru/Hina

Naomi blinked. "Why not? Don't you like him?"

Hinata looked to the side. "Actually..." When she mumbled the next part, the other girl asked what she said. "I already..."

"You're dating someone already!" Naomi exclaimed, understanding what Hinata was trying to say. That caused an uproar across the table. Ino and Sakura even stopped fighting. All at once, the girls started questioning Hinata about the identity of her mystery man.

A minute passed before she gave up and said the name in a quiet voice.

There was immediate silence. Ino was the first to break it. "Naruto!? Why would you date him!? He's such a pain in the ass!"

"A-ano..."

The girls all looked at her once again.

She brought her hands up, pushing her index fingers against each other. Her face was bright red. "O-only..."

The girls leaned closer, waiting to hear what she said.

Hinata curled in on herself a little. "Only some... times..."

The girls stared at Hinata, wide-eyed.

One plus two equals...

Naomi blinked. "Why not? Don't you like him?"

Hinata looked to the side. "Actually..." When she mumbled the next part, the other girl asked what she said. "I already..."

"You're dating someone already!" Naomi exclaimed, understanding what Hinata was trying to say. That caused an uproar across the table. Ino and Sakura even stopped fighting. All at once, the girls started questioning Hinata about the identity of her mystery man.

A minute passed before she gave up and said the name in a quiet voice.

There was immediate silence. Ino was the first to break it. "Naruto!? Why would you date him!?" She screamed out, waving her hands around. "I can't even imagine it! It would be such a pain!"

"Only the first time..."

After connecting the dots, Ino stood to yell at her about having better standards. She had just pointed her finger at Hinata when she spoke up again.

"...and the th-thirty-second time, w-when Naruto-kun said he wanted t-to try something new..."

Ino's jaw hung open as that sunk into her head. Her finger drooped down. She glanced next to her at the sound of a sudden thud. Sakura had just fainted next her.

Yet another insult Ino could have used
--or--
Making enemies, the Hinata Hyuuga Way

Ino was the first to speak. "That dobe? How could you like him? He's such a jerk. Seriously, what a little prick!"

"A-ano..."

Ino blinked. Realizing what she just said, she opened her mouth to apologize to Hinata when she started to speak again.

"Th-that would be S-Sasuke-san..." Hinata stuttered. "S-so little."

Ino blinked again, as well as the other girls at the table. All gazes were on Hinata. She kept away from eye contact. With eyes that had the ability to look in nearly every direction. And look through... solid objects...

Realization dawned.

Five minutes later, Naruto was heading back to class. He had wanted to see if Sakura wanted to have lunch together, but he couldn't find her. Loud noises sounded behind him. He turned to see Hinata being chased by pretty much every other kunoichi of their class, Sakura included. He jumped back and out of the way. While he wanted to see Sakura, she was already angry. He seemed to make her angry most of the time, so trying to get her attention would probably make her even angrier. It was something he didn't want to see.

The girls passed. The larger group yelled out a battle cry of "You must be lying! Take that back!"