Naruto: A New Perspective

Chapter 15

Hey guys I tried using honorifics this time and Japanese versions of the Jutsus anyways tell me if I should just head back to the original way of writing with English stuff.

Naruto was relatively oblivious to the social drama he was causing. Sure, he noticed that Ino and Aiko no longer spoke or even looked at each other, but he didn't realize that this was because of him. Hinata looked sad all the time now, and his attempts to talk to her were politely rebuffed, she didn't faint... she just ran away.

The boy was a little more than a bit confused by his shy friend's actions. He had come to like Hinata; she was different than other girls. He tried to ask Shino and Kiba what was wrong, but Kiba just called him an idiot and Shino raised a brow and changed the subject.

Girls were confusing, Aiko and Ino weren't talking anymore, but all they seemed to want to do was take up his time and attention. It was weird considering Aiko had insisted a few days ago that he was too hyperactive and needed to stop bothering her and Sakura... but Naruto was happy to spend time with his teammate, who seemed perfectly content to do whatever he felt like doing.

Sneaking extra dinner? Sure. Training in the hallway? Of course I want to, Naruto. Prank Sasuke? Who wouldn't?

Sasuke wasn't too happy about that last one, what was even stranger was Aiko's attempts to bring Hinata into their little excursions, even though the timid girl turned them down every time, to Naruto's disappointment.

"Hey Naruto, I got the training area booked!" Aiko ran up to him, excited. In between Team Gai, the Sand and Sound team, it was nearly impossible for the rookies to get the area for practice. "I told you I could do it. Now let's find Hinata-"

"Erm well..." Naruto rubbed the back of his head, "Ino-chan kind of asked me to go on a picnic..."

"A... picnic." Aiko slowly repeated, "Where, exactly?"

"Er... it's an inside picnic...?"

Aiko gave him a very dirty look, Naruto was more than a little surprised by it, "What? She's my friend; shouldn't I spend time with her?"

"Oh that's bull Naruto." Aiko scowled, "Don't play stupid, you know just as well as me that she wants to be more than friends!"

Naruto frowned, "So what if she does?"

"What's that mean?"

"What if she wants to be more than..." Naruto's cheeks tinged, "More than friends? What's so wrong about that?"

"Naruto, she's not right for you!" Aiko quickly, couldn't Naruto see that Ino just wanted a new boy toy? She didn't really care about him, just like she didn't care about Sasuke!

"Then who is?" Naruto challenged.

'Me.' Aiko thought.

"I- well... Hin-" Aiko couldn't even bring herself to confess. She couldn't tell Naruto that she thought of him as more than a friend... and the blond didn't even notice Hinata, and more than once she had heard him refer to her as his 'little dark weird friend.' Naruto obviously didn't see her or Aiko as more than friends.

But Ino, he obviously liked her. Why shouldn't he? Ino was beautiful, and she was probably going to become even prettier as she developed... why would Naruto go for her or Hinata when he could have a girl like Ino?

"Have fun with Ino, Naruto." Aiko replied finally, "I'll just train by myself." The Uchiha girl wandered past him slowly, obviously saddened.

Aiko turned the corner just as Naruto called out, "I'm sorry!"