Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Cliche Guide to a Classic Romance ❯ Further Into Confusion ( Chapter 21 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

“Ew. . . They were all dried out and chapped and. . .and. . .gross!” Ino said, put off by the thought of it.

“Ino! He’s a guy plus he just got back from a tough mission. He completely wore himself out walking around that cave for two days. I think he was more worried about Hinata then his lips. Besides this is Naruto we’re talking about, do you honestly believe he was thinking when he kissed her?” Sakura scowled at her friend, why did the blond girl think that everyone was perfect? “He was sick, he could have gotten her sick.“

“Still, if a guy came near me with lips like that I would punch him.”

“If any guy came near a skank like you, he’d have to be beyond desperate.” Kiba’s voice butted in as he looked as his menu bored and a little aggravated with the current conversation and with the blonde’s remarks.. Where they ever going to leave Hinata and Naruto alone?

“And the only girl that would come near you is your mother so If I were you I wouldn‘t talk, you unsightly piece of trash.” She retorted with a snarl as she slammed her hands on the table

Kiba turned his ever so slightly to give the girl a grin. “I wish you were me. Then you would have killed your self by now. ”

“Anyway! Hinata said that Naruto held her like that till she had to go back to her own room. She even fell asleep!” Sakura said quickly interrupting the argument.

Kiba rolled his eyes as Ino gave out a squeal and giggled. Why where girls so loud about the dumbest things. They where practically interrogating Hinata and squeezing information out of her. And what ever information Hinata was to embarrassed to tell her, Sakura would beat out of Naruto. “Do either of you have any shame?”

Ino gave a arrogant laugh flipping her ponytail behind her, effectively smacking Kiba in the face. “If it’s so shameful why are you still here Kiba?.”

The Inuzuka gave a arrogant laugh of his own to mock the girl. “I came here with Shino and Sakura then, if you remember correctly Sakura decided on a whim to drag you along. After my food gets here I’m finishing it off then, I’m out of here. “

Sakura gave Kiba a bemused looked. “Um Kiba, where is Shino?”

The teen looked around for a moment realizing that once again his teammate had left him to fend for himself against the two girls with the most unstable friendship he had ever witnessed. Everything they about them was different from their appearance to there attitudes. It wasn’t any surprise when they ended up in a argument ten seconds into a topic. Probably one of the main reasons why Shino seemed to disappear whenever they spotted each other. The bug user could have at least warned him before he took off. Kiba would have gladly followed. “I don’t know, probably found something more important to occupy his time.” Yes, it was a lie. But Kiba was determined not to get massacred this time.

“What could bug boy possibly find more important then spending time with us?” The blond girl asked obviously more offended that someone ditched her with out warning then being left as a group.

“Maybe this is new to you, but gossip isn’t Shino’s favorite thing. ”

Ino glared at the boy at the table for a second before looking back at Sakura. “Why do you hang out with this guy? Seriously, He‘s sarcastic, rude, arrogant-”

Kiba made an indignant noise as the girls choice of words. ‘like she’s one to talk’

Sakura shook her head at the two watching them glare at one another from the corner of their eyes. Was that how Her and Kiba acted all the time? No, she would never act like Ino. “Naruto is dating Hinata. Even though if they don’t say it out loud and belittle what I do, I think they get curious about their dates too.”

“Curious? Once in a great while maybe but you, your stalker material.” He said with a smirk

“Hey, it not like I twist your arm. . .” Sakura said giving the dog boy a half hearted glare of her own.

“No you nearly ripped off. Beside’s, I don’t have to follow them around town and spy on them. Hinata, usually tells me and Shino what’s going on. Maybe if you stopped pestering him all the time and acting like his mother Naruto would tell you too.” He said looking back at his menu feeling accomplished, until a silence fell of the table.

He looked back up, seeing Sakura and Ino watching him patiently.

He made a mental note to staple his mouth shut later and muttered a lame excuse before rushing out of the little food place.

Sakura and Ino looked at each other for a second before following him not to far behind.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“B-But I don’t know what to do! I-I. . .How. . .What do I do? I don’t know what I’m doing, Iruka-sensei Help me!!” The blond begged.

Iruka sighed looking down at his old student who was pleading for help. He had been asking for help in his relationship with Hinata for two hours and had yet to give up. “Naruto I already told you, you don’t need help. You just need to give it time, you’ll figure it out when your ready. “ He said repeating the same words he had told him earlier. However the blond just gave him a pitiful look and shuffled his feet anxiously.

This time the older man looked away from the boy trying to avoid him.

“Iruka. . .” Naruto pleaded again sounding more childish then anything as he stood in front of the teachers desk. It took a full minute before the older man looked up.

“Naruto!” Iruka shouted exasperated, finally giving in and letting out a defeated sigh. Why did he always get stuck helping Naruto with the most complicated situations. Why couldn’t it have been something about the proper use of a certain weapon or maybe a a few hints on a jutsu. He was a teacher not counselor

Naruto grinned in victory jumped for joy and Iruka shook his head. “Alright settle down and tell me what your so confused about?”

“Can we-”

“No.” Iruka sternly cut him off before he could finish.

“B-but. . .ramen!”

The older man glared at him. “No way, last time you skipped out on your half of the bill.”

Naruto laughed sheepishly.. “Oh yeah. . .sorry about that.” He said, looking away, remembering when he ran out of the noodle stand and taking off before his old sensei could realize what he did.

Iruka nodded at the teens false apology and gestured for him to continue on to his reasons for interrupting his after school, paper grading, the real reason why he wasn’t letting the boy drag him out of the school to the Ichiraku’s.

Naruto stood for a second before taking a chair from one of the near by walls. The seats were much smaller and shorter then he remembered. Not that he bothered to remember much from the academy that wasn’t interesting to him and chairs, weren’t all that much of an eye catcher. He remembered sitting in the back once and setting off a smoke bomb along with a couple harmless fire crackers. Hinata had saw him bring the stuff in, he remembered asking her not to tell on him.

Come to think of it she had seen him bring stuff in a few times, but she never told on him, even when he didn‘t ask her to.

Maybe it was little things like that, that should have hinted it off. Keeping quiet about his pranks, even when he didn’t asker her to. she was even going to let him copy off her test once. Was that what everyone was talking about.

“Naruto?”

“Oh right. . .I don’t know, I just don’t know how to or where to start. There’s these weird feelings. . .Well there not. . .weird, I don’t think. . . I mean I think there just from being frustrated from when I went on that mission, and then when I was talking with Hinata. . .especially when I was talking with Hinata. . .She had tears on her face, And it made me feel bad for asking that question but . . .” Naruto paused scratching his head. He was having a really hard time explaining his self and he kept jumping around from topics. He wonder if Iruka was even getting any of it. “I know I like her, but I don‘t know if I. . .If I. . .you know. . . And I don‘t want to hurt her. I really don‘t want to hurt her, but I mean if I end up not feeling the same I don‘t want to lie to her either. but I don’t know what to do, and how the hell am I supposed to know if I. . .I L . . .lo. . .”

He couldn’t help but smile as the blond struggled to say the words. Although Iruka thought there was a chance that Naruto could already love Hinata, he also thought that even if he didn’t he would in the future. There was just something about the two when they where together, everyone could see it. Though seeing it such a young couple was a little more then surprising in recent generations. These days all the young people wanted to do was live life till they grew tired from too much partying and had matured more and where ready to settle down. Naruto and Hinata where an exception.

Hinata had been dead-set on being with Naruto for years, cheering him on, believing in him, trying to gain his attention even though it ended in failures more then half the time. Naruto on the other hand was just beginning to know Hinata. Even though they have always been friends, Naruto considered all his allies his friends, he had never really got to know her and now he was sitting here willing to give it all he had to make a relationship work, even when he was confused about some type of feelings he couldn’t even put into words.

Young Love, how adorable. But love could be just as confusing as it was adorable and, Saying those three words could be the scariest thing one could ever do. “If you love her?”

Blinking Naruto looked at him. “Y-yeah”

“Well have you told her You loved her.” he asked boredly. Truthfully this wasn’t one of the conversation he had ever really wanted to have with the boy.

“No! I just told you I don’t know If I lo-like her like that” Why could he just say it? If he felt that way about her shouldn’t he be able to say it without any problems?

“Well, there’s one small hint.” Iruka as he shuffled through more papers marking things down every so often, trying to concentrate on his job.

“Huh?”

Iruka, laughed and stood from behind his desk, collecting the paper off his desk. He might as well take them home since he wasn’t getting anything don here. . “Naruto, there are only a very few common signs of love, and their not something that you can rely on because they can be imitated. The only one who is going to know whether or not you love Hinata, is you. Those confusing emotions your feeling might be a big clue to how you feel about her. Ask your self questions, like how did you feel when she cried? Or how long does it take before I miss her company. Or count how many small observations you make about her during the day. Even one of her small habits can be one of the things you‘ll treasure most about her ” He stated, tapping the ends of the papers on the tabled to straighten them out.

The first thing that came to Naruto’s mind were images of a blushing Hinata, sitting across from him nervously pressing her fingers together. Shaking his head he scolded himself mentally. He was trying to figure something out, he didn’t have time to be thinking about her endless blushes. “Wait, what do you mean? What kind of habits?”

“Any kind of habit, Maybe she has a certain way of folding a napkin, or maybe she has a certain laugh, or a hobby, or maybe she has a certain way of doing things. It can be anything.”

Once again images of the girl blushing came back. . .which was a habit. “. . .oh. . .Yeah. So I should think about everything I know and then decide?” He asked trying to take in as much information as possible.

The teacher frowned as he started to walk of to the class room door, Naruto close behind. “No, you don’t decide Naruto. You’ll know if you lo-.” Iruka stopped and cleared his throat at the look the blond gave him. “Sorry. If you like her like that once everything has sorted itself out. Just take your time. ”

“What is it with adults always telling kid’s to take there time!” He yelled, He had never saw the point in waiting around for something when he could have already had it five minutes ago.

The darker haired male smirked as they walked down the school halls. “ What’s Hinata’s favorite color?”

Naruto smirked back mouth open ready to reply when he stopped, realization hitting him hard in the face with a brick. “Uh. . .I don‘t know. . .she never told me.”

“Favorite animal?”

“Oh um. . .No clue. . .”

“What does she like to do for fun?”

“She uh. . .”

“When’s her birthday?”

“. . .” This time Naruto didn’t even try to answer. He didn’t know the answers to any of the questions Iruka was asking him. The only dates they had ever been on consisted of eating or training. He wasn’t even going to count the dinner party because the mission had interfered. He couldn’t Imagine training being something that Hinata enjoyed. Sure every ninja did it, it was like a second nature to them but, Hinata was far too gentle to do such a thing just for kicks.

He had never heard her mention her birthday or what animal she liked or anything about colors. They never really talked about much except for their friends or stories about their past missions.

“How much time have you to spent together.” Iruka asked curiously.

Naruto feeling the bitterness from days before resurface glowered pitifully at the floor. “Well are the first time we spent alone together was that lunch a while back, when you suggested that I start being better friends with her, then are first date was in Sand and then we went out a couple times here. At first it was really awkward so, so we didn’t talk much, and after it stopped being so tense we realized that are friends were spying on us so we spent most of are time either in silence or trying to evade them. Then there where the missions”

“Hold on your friends have been spying on your dates with Hinata?” He asked slightly amused by the thought of Naruto’s friends using their stealth to trail them, yet still angry with their abuse of there Ninja training. Maybe that’s why the kid was so confused, he needed some quiet time with Hinata, without having to try and dodge snooping friends and running around on missions so they could bond. “No wonder you haven’t gotten any talking done. Have you thought about requesting a vacation? Ask for a day off, and go somewhere nice, where Sakura and the others can‘t follow. ” He shifted the papers in one hand and opened the door with the other letting Naruto out.

“Do You think she would let me?” Naruto asked hopefully, as he stepped out holding the door so the older man could get out without the door hitting him.

“I don’t see why she wouldn’t. She already has the enemy detained and other then her ongoing interrogation with her things are pretty quiet. besides there are plenty of people of stand by if anything comes up. “


Naruto grinned from ear to ear at the information, letting the door slam closed behind them and gave his former sensei a wave. “Thanks Iruka-Sensei!” He said shouted excitedly making a dash to his destination, leaving behind a very worn out, but grateful teacher.

Iruka shook his head for the final time before heading to his own home. Wondering if he should have told the younger male it would take more then a couple dates to work out his feelings or if it was best to let him figure it out on his own.

=-=-=-=-=-=-

Hinata sat out in the yard with Neji and his team, having lunch. She had been watching them train for a while, trying not to laugh when Neji and Lee would get in to arguments or when Tenten would yell at Lee for getting over exited about something.

The team stopped their movements, and sat down in the grass. Tenten looked over at the girl then over at Neji. “Hey, Neji, is Hinata still going out with Naruto?”

The male looked at her, irritation clearly evident. “Why would I know something like that?”

“She is family. . .You think with how much you two have put aside, you’d be a little more involved in her life.” the girl grumbled twirling a kunai in with her index finger.

Neji stood and crossed his arms. “We may have gotten over a few of are differences but her personal life isn’t something I wish to get involved in. I don’t care who she’s dating.”

“What if she was dating Lee?” She asked, Ignoring Lee’s protests and rant about Sakura.

“. . .”

The silent glare the Hyuuga sent her was the only answer she needed. “See you do care!” Tenten accused with a smiled while their friend sat in the background feeling a little bullied.

Neji didn’t say a word as he retreated into the house, bypassing Hinata without even looking at her.

Tenten giggled at Neji’s tough guy act, he wasn’t fooling anyone. Looking over at Lee she nodded her head toward the house. “Why don’t you go with him.”

“Tenten he like’s to be left alone when he is mad. I don not think-”

“Since when has that ever stopped you before?” She asked, spinning the kunai faster. Noticing the boy not moving she timed her movement and flicked her wrist expertly, watching the boy move with unmatched speed as the kunai sunk into the ground. “Go, Lee.” She said in a normal tone, a smile on her face.

Lee stared at her intensely for a whole five agonizing seconds before giving up with a sigh and following after Neji, giving Hinata a small farewell before leaving.

Tenten stood up grabbing the kunai along the way, scrapping the dirt off and putting it back. She walked over to Hinata , sat down next to her and before Hinata could get a word out she got straight to the point. “How’s it going with Uzumaki?”

Hinata’s face flushed heavily, partly at the mention of the boys name and partly at the bluntness of the girls question. Normally Sakura would start off with a greeting and ease her way into the subject. Ino might have been a little more blunt then Sakura, but she had never flat out asked what was going on.

Tenten was being completely forward about it.



“Oh, um w-well. . .It’s fine. . .” She replied. What was she supposed to say to that. Usually it was ‘Have you done this?’ or ‘what did you do?’.

Tenten blinked a couple times until she gave her an unamused look. “don’t you mean, ’Great’ or ’Amazing’. I mean it’s no secret that you’ve liked the kid forever and now that your with him, it’s just fine. What is he not all he’s cracked up to be or something?” She was surprised at the younger girls answer.

Here was a girl that was head over heels for some guy that barley knew she existed. This kid should be all butterflies and sunshine. She should be wanting to sing to the top of her lungs and have a glowing smile the stretched a mile long. She should be able to describe this thing in hundreds of words and when she’s asked about it all she can say is ’Fine‘? Hell, no.

Hinata shook her head, her blush fading slightly. “It’s not like that. N-Naruto’s a wonderful person. . .but. . .He’s just a. . .little. He’s a little. . .” She stopped herself. Should she really be telling someone about what was going on?

“He’s a little what, obnoxious, hyper, clueless to advances or. . .Is he rushing things? He does have that type of personality. . .” She said the last part to herself more then to Hinata who’s red face was lit up once again at the thought of Tenten’s last two suggestions.

Hinata wanted to run back inside and pretend that she hadn’t heard it, but she knew it wouldn’t do any good. “N-no. He’s. . . . a little confused. S-so He’s taking it. . .slow.” Her voice got lower with each word and by the end over her sentence she had her face hidden behind her hands.

“Oh. How is he confused. It’s been like month. He either like’s you or he doesn’t.” She stated apparently holding some strong belief in what she said.

“I don’t think. . .It’s that simple. . .for him.” She replied looking down. “He seems really confused. . .”

Tenten gave an exaggerated sigh. When wasn’t that kid confused, how hard can it be to know how you feel about someone? Besides if everyone else can see it why couldn’t he? “Well, it’s your love life. Naruto might be a little slow but I think he’ll come around, maybe not soon since this is Uzumaki we’re talking about but, eventually.”

Hinata smiled at the girls word of encouragement, well at least that’s what she thought it was, and nodded. “I know, even if he doesn’t. . .I -I just. . .”

The weapon master in training gave Hinata a playful smack on the arm. “Don’t say that.” She said, firmly. “He likes you. You shouldn‘t think that way. Remember to stay optimistic, you start thinking negatively and you‘ll get depressed.”

The younger girl nodded again, Knowing that the other girl was trying to give her a better outlook but didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t want to lie to the other girl and say that she was right, because Hinata herself knew there was a good chance Naruto didn’t feel the same way she did. She could hope all she wanted but it didn’t change the reality.

If he didn’t like her, she knew she wanted him to be happy, and it wouldn’t make either of them happy if they lied about there feelings. But at the same time she didn’t know what she would do. She never thought about anyone else, it was always Naruto. How long would it take her to get over him, if she could get over him at all.

But there was still the small chance that he did like her the same way, he was going through all this trouble, trying to spend time with her and confusing himself so that had to be a good sign.

The brunette stood up dusting off the dirt from her pants in a failing attempt to make them appear clean, however the dirt and grass stains clung to the fabric stubbornly. “Well I should go find Neji and Lee, there probably arguing by now or destroying your house.” she mumbled smirking.

The other girl stood up with her, Not wanting to be a rude hostess. “I-I’ll take you in. Neji’s probably in the kitchen.” She said leading her cousins teammate through the door, her mind never wandering off Naruto.

=-=-=-=-=-=-

Naruto heard the door to the Hokage’s office slam behind him as he was thrown out painfully hitting his head on the wall across from him.

She hadn’t been too much help when it came to him and Hinata. First she had constantly refused to tell him how he would know if he liked her the same way, told him to shut up about his teenage problems, and then threaten to take away his ninja career and put him to work as a Janitor at the Academy just so he could see all the future ninja in the making and mourn the loss of not only his most beloved occupation but his dream of being Hokage.

He however just stood at her desk giving her the same treatment he gave Iruka not even an hour before, and repeat his question. The Blonde woman surprisingly enough dropped any trace of anger from her face and gave him a warm smile, telling him “You’ll know, when you know.” then hand him his papers and sending him on his way.

Confused and angry at her even more confusing reply, he gave her an insult about her being too bitter and not knowing what she was talking about. Which was how he ended up with the lump on his head and the new bruise on his stomach.

Despite the pain he grinned down at the papers in his hand. Iruka had been right when he said that she wouldn’t have a problem with it. Although she only gave him one day, still on guard that the woman she was interrogating had allies that would be looking for her, but at least he got the time off at all. Now the only problem was to figure out where to take Hinata. He could just ask her where she wanted to go, but where was the fun in that. It would be more fun to surprise her.

He had permission to leave the village, but he didn’t want to go to far, it would waste time walking. Maybe some where just outside of town somewhere close to the village but far away enough where Sakura and the others couldn’t go.

He should have asked Iruka where to take her. Then again if he couldn’t figure out somewhere that the girl would like to go then how was he supposed to figure out anything else about her.

But how was he supposed get to know her if she was having a miserable time at wherever they ended up?

Scratching the back of his head, he walked out of the building. Maybe he could ask Neji about what she liked. Or Kiba and Shino would be better since Neji still didn’t talk to her that much. Would it be cheating to ask someone about what she liked?

Would it really hurt to cheat?

Perhaps he should just find Hinata and talk to her about it first to see if she wanted to go anywhere., then he could figure out where to take her. It still didn’t help that he had no idea on where to take her.

She seemed to like walking around the oasis when they where going to Sand. But it would take to long to get there not to mention bandits and enemy ninja that hid out there. It would be too risky and it wouldn’t be much of a vacation if they ended up fighting.

The more he thought about it the more confused he was getting, and his confusion was starting to make him nervous about whether she would end up liking where the went.

Suddenly he was wishing he hadn’t made his conversation with Iruka so short. He could have asked him where real couples went for dates, instead of trying to shuffle through his mind and think of something. Maybe he could ask-

No, He was trying to avoid her If she had any clue on where he was taking Hinata she’d find someway to spy on them.

Walking down the streets towards his home, Naruto, stuffed the papers in his pocket carelessly and started to manuver around the civilians as the streets got crowded. Maybe he should ask Hinata. This whole thing was about getting to know her better, and one step to get to know her better would be to find out where she liked to go.

That sounded logical, right?