Restoration Book 3/3: Hinata's Fate

Chapter 14-Epilogue Part 2

~Roughly 9 months since the final battle~

I think I'm becoming an awful, selfish person. Thank the Lord Matsuri finally woke from her coma and has been working hard on recovering so she can come home. The time finally arrived, and she left the hospital to move into one of the houses at the compound with Gaara, who seemed a million times more full of life now that the girl's life wasn't in the balance anymore.

Some of us girls met at the mall a couple days after that to take her shopping, a sort of welcome-home-spree. It was cut short by public members recognizing her, but otherwise, catching up was genuinely lovely.

This brings me to the present. We're having a girls' night at Ino and Sai's house, sitting in a big circle, drinking, laughing, and just trying to relax and spend time together. The boys chose to hang out at Sakura and Sasuke's house, right next door, to take advantage of the fact that we weren't bothering them for once.

I know this get-together is supposed to be celebratory because so many fantastic things are happening for my friends. Matsuri's alive and on the road to full recovery, many of our careers are taking off, and, the biggest blessing of all, we're alive. A year ago, none of us were sure if that'd be the case.

The most significant thing that's bothering me, and making me selfish and rude, is that Ino, Sakura, and Tenten are all engaged to be married.

I took sip after sip from the vodka bottle in my hands rather than pass it along to the next person; my eyes trained in a glare at the carpet as the group teased Matsuri about her relationship with Gaara.

Why hasn't Naruto asked me to marry him yet?

The two of us act like we're already wed, anyway, so what's the hold-up? We live together and even share responsibilities in raising a child. Our finances are in order, too. Royalty checks from my father's cancer cure are still coming in once and month, and they're more than enough to cover all of our living expenses three times over.

Tears welled in my eyes as I took a bigger drink this time. Back then, when we thought we were facing the end of the world, Naruto spoke as though he was already in it for the long haul. Was it just the adrenaline? Did he say all those passionate and sweet things because he figured it wouldn't hurt; we'll be dead anyway?

Shaking my head, I took yet another swig. That's not Naruto, and I know that. His sincerity hasn't changed in the slightest, and neither has his constant affection. A day can't go by without him showering me with compliments, encouragement, and I-love-yous.

My tears fell heavier as I pictured all the beautiful things he does daily: helping with Sinzo, dealing with a stubborn Hanabi, and keeping up with his half of the household upkeep. All the while, he's working full-time as a news anchor because he doesn't want to freeload.

To my humiliation, I drunkenly asked the girls if they thought Naruto actually loves me. Naturally, each one had words of defense for him and encouragement for me. They're right, too. I know I don't have anything to worry about. Even if he did fall out of love with me, he'd never knowingly leave me hanging, unsure and insecure, like this. Naruto would tell me immediately to prevent the worsening of the situation.

Another hour passed, and I kept drinking despite knowing I should've cut myself off when I began crying. I've been very stressed at work, school, and home. I feel so awful. I've been given so much, yet here I am, crying and fussing because I don't have a ring on my finger. I'm a bigger baby than Sinzo.

In a blink, the group of us were in the kitchen of Sakura's house while Ino and Sakura yelled at Naruto, who looked utterly lost. When did we get here!? Oh, God, I can't let him see me all emotional and stupid like this, or he'll want to have a huge conversation about it. I ducked behind Temari and Matsuri, cursing drunkenly under my breath.