Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Cliche Guide to a Classic Romance ❯ A spark of Jealousy ( Chapter 22 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Sakura stood with her posture perfectly straight, shoulders back, hands on her hips and pulling of a mix of looking confused and scowling. Ino stood next to her trying to remind her that they were standing in the middle of a busy street, but she was ignored as the pink haired girl was accessing deeper parts of her mind trying to figure out where Naruto and Hinata had run off to.

She had checked Naruto house that morning, wanting to know where he had been all day yesterday, but he wasn’t there. He wasn’t at the training ground or getting ramen. So deciding that he was avoiding her she swung by Hinata’s house but not even her father was there to answer the door. Hinata should have been there since nothing was going on recently and Naruto wasn‘t around. The she tracked Kiba down, which wasn’t too hard since he was the only one that was home, but he hadn’t seen Hinata for the past couple of days, said that she was either with Naruto or training with Neji or her Father. She didn’t even bother with Shino, He wouldn’t have told her anything if he did know.

So if both of them were missing and Hinata wasn’t with her family and Naruto wasn’t with one of his friends that meant they were together somewhere. Which meant they were probably on a date, but why couldn’t se find them? Naruto had never been this good at avoiding her. He was usually to busy paying attention to something else to notice. Where were they?

Ino glared at her pink haired friend irritated. At first She was excited to get to the bottom of the mystery of the missing couple, but now it was just getting ridiculous. They obviously didn’t want to be found and made very good plans to ensure that they weren’t. “Sakura, Give it up we’re not going to find them. You’ve already checked with Kiba, and he doesn’t knowing anything. Neither of them were home, and we haven’t found them for the whole three hours we’ve been looking. Maybe that idiot of a teammate of yours smartened up and found away to dodge you.” She said and watched the girl turn her glowering face on her. The blonde put up a hand in defense, deciding not to engage in a verbal war just yet.

“Kiba you liar!!” Sakura shouted turning around and running back the way she came.

Ino jumped went Sakura yelled out suddenly and made turned around once again to head back to the Inuzuka’s. However curious she was about what Sakura was yelling about, She still hesitated cautiously before following.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Naruto and Hinata had left before just as the sun was coming up. To Hinata it sounded sweet. Walking down a path holding hands with Naruto as the sun came up. However the real reason behind the early departure kept the warm fuzzy feelings, that she pictures as furry cute creatures with wide innocent eyes, at bay with a tall wall, adorned with bloody spikes that stuck out in every direction. The poor creatures.

The real reason they left so early was because Naruto thought it would be a good idea if they left before any of there friends got up. That way they didn’t bump into anyone an explain why they had a days worth of supplies with them or why they were leaving the village. Of course they would be questioned when they got back, but the blonde males theory was that, Sakura, who would be the one looking for them wouldn’t figure out that they weren’t in the village until it was too late and then she couldn’t get permission from Tsunade to leave.

She wouldn’t complain though, She got to hold his hand while they walked, now they were sitting together just finishing the small snack that Hinata had prepared the night before and soon they would be walking and she could hold his hand again.

Naruto looked at the girl who was smiling to her self as she looked down at the grass by her feet, wondering what she was thinking about. They hadn’t talked much while they where walking. It wasn’t the awkward feeling that had kept them from talking, or the fact that he didn’t know what to say. He just felt like he didn’t have to.

He didn’t have to.

It was a something that Naruto would have liked to believe. It would have been so much simpler if he didn’t have to talk to her. But as Iruka had brought to his attention, he didn’t knowing anything about Hinata, Nothing that he needed to know anyway. He knew she was a good fighter. That she was good person. That she forgave way too easily. Her eye’s where this pale light purple color. She got embarrassed easily and she had a habit of blushing and her hand always found away to make her nervousness clear to the world. It was cute. Naruto felt a smile that he didn’t bother to hide.


What he didn’t know was everything else about her, her favorite color, what kind of music she liked, when her birthday was or what her dreams where. Things like that. Things that he should know, but she already knew all those things. She had been watching him for years, slowly learning about his different habits and what foods he liked. She probably knew where he went to hide after he pulled off pranks. Maybe he should be more worried then flattered, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel threatened by Hinata.

“What is it?” Hinata asked, looking up from her feet.

“What do you mean?” his smile dropped quickly. Not knowing what she was talking about.

Hinata let out a small laugh, “You. . .you were smiling.” She said, a light blush surfacing.

Seeing the blush Naruto smiles again, only causing the blush to darken. Did she blush every time someone was paying attention to her or was it just him? He wished it was just him but, was that blush ever going to not be there? Or was she not able to keep her face from lighting up? If not, he hoped she would never be able to find a way. “It’s nothing but we should get moving, towns only a few minutes ahead and we should get there before noon. Otherwise we won’t have a lot of time to spend there before we have to leave.” He stood up, and grabbed the things he used to eat shoving them back in the bag.

Hinata stood slowly, where Naruto was hastily packing his things Hinata was slowly putting one thing in at a time. She didn’t see the need to hurry. It didn’t matter where they were, she waited longer then he seemed to realize for him to notice her in the way he was now. She wasn’t going to get picky on where they went on a dates, they could go shopping for dish soap and she would be happy as long as she was with him.

“Hinata?” Naruto asked looking at her with doubt as he heaved his bag back over his shoulder for the second time that morning. “Did you want to go somewhere else? Or do you want to go back home?” He asked her worried about whether or not she was just doing this because he asked her or if she actually wanted to .

The Hyuuga girl smiled at him brightly. “No, Every thing is fine Naruto. I. . .I just didn’t . . .don’t see the reason to rush. This d-date was for us to be able to spend time alone together. But. . . whether we’re here or there it wouldn’t matter because we would be together.” She said finally packing the last thing away and sliding the bag over her shoulders.

“But don’t you want to walk around town and have fun? You know walk around and look in the store, maybe buy a few things, have a good lunch. They might have a small festival or something going on? Maybe they‘ll have some games.”

Hinata shook her head, taking a couple, timid, steps forward. “that doesn’t matter to me right now Naruto.” She said looking back down to her feet. “Right now. . .I. . .we. . .” She was starting to stumble over her words. It could have been worse though, she could have fainted from the lack of distance between them that she had caused. Taking a deep breath she started again. “I-I mean. . .just being with you is fine right now.”

Naruto stared at her blankly for a second. Was she serious? She didn’t want him to take her out to lunch or buy her some kind of necklace or expensive over priced and over fluffed stuffed animal? What about the whole day they had planned out the night before? She was fine just staying here in this spot with him, by the river, doing nothing. “Really?” He asked out loud without meaning to.

The girl laughed and wrapped her arms around him, hiding her face in his jacket, ignorant to the dark shade cover his face that matched hers almost perfectly. “Yes, It’s fine for now.” It came out muffled through the fabric. “Next time however, I want to go back to Sand and I want you to buy me that diamond and sapphire Necklace that was hanging in the window at the jewelry store.” She said jokingly as Naruto wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Have you been hanging around Ino?” the blonde asked as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

“Naruto, Ino’s a good person. She’s just a little. . .she has a taste for finer things.” Hinata mumbled, pulling back slightly to look up at him.

Naruto frowned at the girls polite attitude. He thought it was one of her good qualities, but where did she get it from? “You know that’s just a nice way of saying she’s materialistic?”

Hinata shook her head violently. “Th-that’s not what I meant! She‘s a good person. She‘s loyal, strong, confident and she‘s optimistic! She re-”

Naruto Pulled Hinata back into the hug, laughing. “I know, Hinata. I’m just joking around.” He said before letting her go. It took him a second to realize she didn’t move. He held back a grin. “Let’s go into town and get a few things, Then we’ll come back and spend the rest of the time here. Sound good?”

Hinata nodded into his chest before pulling away, her face completely red. She was happy that Naruto would blow off his plans of going into town to spend the day out here with her, but she did wonder if he could take the calm and quiet for a whole day.
-=-=-=-=-=-

Kiba leaned back in a chair, his foot propped against the leg of the desk as he pushed of with little force causing the chair to tilt back. He had been doing this for the past three minutes since he arrived at the Aburame’s house, grinning like the self confident teen he was. “She completely fell for it. All I had to do was stay calm and tell her I hadn’t seen either of them for a couple days and her and Ino both walked away. . .She probably realized I was lying by now though.” He said still happy with himself.

Shino didn’t even look up from his book as he spoke. “May I ask why you lied to her instead of simply telling her that you weren’t going to tell her in the first place?”

“What fun is there in that? Seriously if I told her I wasn’t going to say anything she would be bugging me all day for information.”

“So, instead you devised this ’brilliant’ plan to lie and hide out at my house till she forgets about you?” He asked, glancing over to see Kiba give a toothy grin. “Sounds like a childish game of cat and mouse if you ask me.” Shino said quietly, moving his eyes back on the book.

Kiba’s grin fell and he gave Shino a sharp look. “What are you talking about?” his voice came out just as low, with a growl.

“Nothing at all, Inuzuka.” He replied, taking Kiba’s warning tone with amusement. Though he would avoid the subject for now. “But perhaps, you’d do best if it was Sakura on the other end of this game, I don’t believe planning ahead is one of your stronger traits. You‘d be better off if you were the one tracking her down.”

Kiba glare worsened but the threatening voice was gone. “Let me guess you would of came up with something better.” He snapped crossing his arms angrily in front of him.

“No, I would have told her up front that I wasn’t going to tell her. . .Kiba do you really think she won’t look for you here?” He asked flipping a page from his book, taking little notice of how Kiba stopped rocking his chair for a moment. Not out of fear but thought.

“No, she won’t. As far as she’s concerned we don’t get along well enough to be hanging out.” Kiba started, ignoring shino’s small statement of ’we don’t’. “Besides, you have a habit of aggravating the most patient of people and I don’t think Sakura would even bother coming to you to ask for information on were they went, she knows she can’t make you talk. So I’m safe here.”

Shino stared at his friend for a moment wondering if Kiba actually put more thought into his plan then he original thought. However Kiba forgot two details. Sakura was smart enough figure out what Kiba was up to. She was probably already searching for Kiba now. Plus, Sakura wasn’t as stupid as to believe that Kiba and Shino hated each other, even if they did argue a lot. She had to put up with Naruto and Sasuke’s constant fighting. Shino was positive that Sakura could see past there small argument.

Then there was the fact that maybe Kiba could have found somewhere less suspecting to go to, like maybe the deserted Hyuuga place or run off to the forest for a while, if he had Akamaru with him it would have been easy to evade the pink haired girl.

Kiba had really just created a game of cat and mouse, and he had already cornered himself.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Naruto held Hinata’s hand as they made their way through the small shop. They weren’t getting anything big, just a few snacks to last them the remainder of the day. Niether of them had planned for them to be spending the day out by the river so they hadn’t packed for that.

Naruto saw Hinata looking over a few bags in thought before picking up one of them and placing them in the grocery basket that he had insisted on carrying. They had spent most of the walk here and most of there time walking in the store in a certain type of silence that he couldn’t explain.

Every so often on of them would pick something up and show it to the other who would nod or shake there head and it would either be placed in the basket or put back on the shelf.

In all honesty while the silence was calming it was driving Naruto crazy. He wanted to talk, about what? He didn’t know, He just wanted some type noise. He would admit with pride that he wasn’t the silent type. He was loud, hyper and he needed some kind of noise he couldn’t stick with this silent communication for long. But, Hinata, seemed to be fine with this. Just walking side by side with out a word. She was quiet by nature, though.

He was completely the opposite of Hinata. How did she end up liking him so much? He couldn’t be a good match for her could he? Wouldn’t she get annoyed with him at some point. Probably not seeing as Hinata never got annoyed with anyone, but would she think she made a mistake or something?

Naruto looked over at Hinata who was looking at drinks, not paying attention to much around her. The blonde however was and he wound up glaring at one of the guys stocking the shelves for looking at Hinata for a couple seconds to long.

Hinata really wasn’t paying attention, but she felt Naruto’s hand tense up. She looked back him and saw him glaring at one of the workers. She looked between them curiously, wondering what happened in the fifteen seconds she had her back turned. “Naruto?”

He looked over at Hinata quickly grinning at her. “N-nothing. Let’s just hurry up and get back to the river, okay?” He said laughing sheepishly, pretending not to notice her curious stare. His grin fell as she turned around. He looked back over to where the guy was, but the man had left. Sighing Naruto went back to waiting for Hinata.

Hinata on the other hand, knew Naruto had just diverted her attention. She wasn’t completely oblivious. She knew he was mad about something. He was tense a moment ago and glaring at some stranger. Did Naruto recognize him from somewhere, or maybe thought he might be a spy?

Would Naruto really be thinking like that while they were on a date? Hinata reminded herself harshly that they were never not allowed to think like that. Once you where a ninja you stayed a ninja whether your on a mission or not. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t have a life outside there line of work right? Hinata smiled and placed the drinks in the basket. “Do you think that‘s enough?”

Naruto looked at the thing they chose, nodding. It was actually more then enough but he wouldn’t voice opinion on it. There could be the possibility that he could get extra hungry during the day and if he put any of the food back, he wouldn’t have it later. And there was no way he was bringing Hinata back here. It would just waste their time.

Besides He didn’t like the workers too much.

“Naruto?”

“Yeah?”

Hinata looked at him, wondering if maybe it was a bad idea to go out so early in the morning. Naruto was never really a morning person and he was starting to space out. “. . .we can leave now. . .” she stated hesitantly, watching him carefully. Was he getting sick?

Hearing a poorly hidden laugh Hinata glanced behind the counter, seeing the worker that Naruto was glaring at earlier. He was obviously laughing at Naruto, but Hinata herself didn’t see the humor in some one that she felt so strongly for, acting stranger then normal. It was actually worrisome.

Naruto looked at the bags in her hands scratching the back of is head. Exactly how did she get everything away from him without him noticing? And why was she looking at that other guy? “S-sorry! Yeah we should get going! We only have so much time left!” He said grabbing her free hand and dragging her out the store. They definitely were not coming back.

What was he talking about? They had until eleven at night and It was seven in the morning. Didn’t they just discuss this before they went to the store? That there wasn’t a need to rush anything? Sure Naruto’s memory wasn’t the best but he couldn’t have forgotten that already. Maybe it was that guy from the store. Did they know each other?

------

Naruto let go of Hinata’s hand once he was sure he couldn’t see the store anymore. As he let go, he looked at Hinata. Something felt off. Maybe it wasn’t really Hinata. ’That’s way too paranoid!’ he thought, still looking at her. It couldn’t have been something that big. Maybe it was something small. Then he noticed that she was still carrying the bags.

Wasn’t he supposed to do that? The guy was supposed to offer to carry the bags, right. Great leave it to him to screw up a common ritual of a gentlemen. Of course, he wasn’t really a gentlemen. That was probably why, instead of asking he decided to just take the bags from Hinata.

Looking up startled as the bags were gently yanked from her grasp, she saw Naruto placing them in his other hand not even looking at her. She smiled anyway, Naruto apparently had his own way of asking to carry the bags. She used both her free hands to grab his on free hand, Pulling him down slightly, kissing him quickly on the cheek and then resting her head on his shoulder briefly in a silent thank you. When she looked up at him again she could see a blush on his face, she smiled again, blushing. She had made him blush.

Naruto knew his face was red, but he wasn’t expecting that from Hinata, especially in the middle of a crowed street. He wasn’t use to having her pulling stunts like that. She was just so shy, it wasn’t bad, it was actually fun, just, unexpected. He glanced at her and grinned, her face was just as lit up as his own.

Good, he wasn’t alone in the glowing face category.

Hinata tugged on Naruto’s hand gently. “Let’s go get everything set up. Maybe Sakura won‘t notice we were gone today.”

“Yeah right, with a friend like Sakura, we’ll never be that lucky.” the blonde laughed following Hinata’s small tug. “Actually if you can get that nosy girl interested, you’ll never need to hire a private detective!”
“Naruto. . .” Hinata didn’t finish her sentence. There wasn’t a reason to, He didn’t mean anything serious by the words, Sakura was one of his best friends. He’d always stick up for her. Besides, It was who Naruto was. He would always joke around like this, Sakura was a stalker, the Hokage nick name would always be ‘granny’ and anyone who Naruto had met would be a victim of his mischievous nature. The way he was now was the same way he had always been, she wouldn’t change that.