The Love We Never Knew We Had [Discontinued]

Part 14

~HINATA~

"Other than a few bruises and scratches, you seem to have made an enormously quick recovery," the medical-nin spoke, "take it easy for the next few days, and try to remember what happened."

"O-okay, thank you." I bowed to him and hurried out.

Once outside, a bouquet of flowers greeted me.

"Hinata! We're so glad you're feeling better!" Naruto, handing me the flowers, informed.

"Yeah, you had us worried!" Kiba pitched in.

"I-I'm sorry."

"It's fine, just don't do it again!"

"Choji and Shikamaru wanted to be here," Naruto explained, "but they're busy taking the exams."

"R-right. The exams," I murmured.

Kiba added, "Iruka-sensei said you could take them another day if you're not feeling well."

I shook my head, "I feel fine."

"Alright, then, let's go watch them!" Naruto shouted enthusiastically.

Hurriedly, we rushed to the academy grounds. Once there, I noticed a large mob of people gathered.

"Iruka-sensei explained what's going to happen while you were in the hospital, so let me tell you now," Kiba spoke. "In groups of five, we'll all participate in the following—target practice, sparring and a test. In target practice, whoever gets closest to the middle, wins. Sparring is whoever is able to defeat the other, and whoever gets the highest on the test, naturally wins.

"But there's a catch. Due to there only being three tests only three out of the five students will pass."

"W-wow, really?" I asked. This means that I'll have to win at least one of the competitions.

I studied the five students participating now. They were Choji, Shikamaru, a person with glasses, someone with a bandana and a girl.

Throwing kunai, the person with glasses threw closest to the middle with Shikamaru a centimeter behind.

"Alright!" Iruka-sensei exclaimed, "the winner is Shino!"

The students, on Iruka's command, lined up on a platform.

"The students who will be advancing are," he began, "Shino, Shikamaru and Choji!"

Everyone applauded loudly. The two students who did not pass, looked down, but after a few kind words from Iruka, they wore determined expressions.

Iruka then handed the winners their forehead protectors. Afterward, they made their way to the stands, where the other passed students sat.

Suddenly, a quick flash of light caught my eye.

"Hinata!"

The sound of my name pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Wish me luck, okay?" Kiba asked.

"O-of course! Good luck!" I responded. It was Kiba, Ino and three other people I didn't recognize.

Once they began, I crept over to the graduates. Avoiding Choji and Shikamaru, I finally found who I spotted earlier.