Right Off The Bat (NaruHina)

17 - Personal Tutor

"Hinata!!! Oh my gosh, you're even prettier than I remember!" "Welcome back, Hinata"

Hinata sweetly smiled and said "Thank you for having me. Sorry for the intrusion"

"No, no, sweety. We're glad you're here" Kushina said as she ushered the shy Hyūga in "Thank you for coming over to help our son"

"I-It's no problem" Hinata said as she shook her head "Naruto has helped me more than I helped him. I-I thought, maybe th-this could be my chance to repay him... He is always kind to me, sometimes I even wonder why"

"Naruto's a wonderful young man who shows lots of promises" Minato said as he smiled "He's a little rough around the edges, but I promise, he is the most loyal person you'll ever meet"

"Yeah! So if he asks you to marry, don't ever worry about hidden affairs, 'cause mama's gonna keep a sharp eye on him, you know!!!"

"Calm down there, Kushina. You're scaring the girl" Minato tried to calm his wife down a little "She is here to help Naruto study for his exams"

"W-Well" Hinata shyly added "O-Only if he won't mind me being around for a week"

"Of course he won't!" Kushina proudly claimed "It's Naruto we're talking about!"

"S-Speaking of... W-Where is he?" The bluenette asked in curiosity, the blonde sweatdropped and said "He was supposed to get home minutes ago, but I guess something turned up. He is a walking trouble magnet"

"I was hoping he wouldn't inherit that from me" The redhead sighed "Anyway, how about I prepare us some tea while we wait?"

- - - - -

"This better cover the entire semester or else I carried a crap load of heavy books for nothing, believe it!" Naruto, who looks like a pile of books with legs, exclaimed to no one in particular as he walked towards the front door before kicking it open "I'm home! Sorry I'm late, the librarian was ruthless, believe it!"

"A-Ah! W-Welcome home, N-Naruto..!"

His heart seemed to have skipped a beat or two.

That voice.

Naruto's grip on the books disappeared, making the binded facts fall and scatter on the floor.

And as the books revealed what it hides behind them, Naruto's eyes widen.

"H... Hinata"

He didn't know what to say! He wasn't ready! It was all so sudden!

For some reason, he froze, he was nervous.

Since when did the great Naruto Uzumaki get nervous?!

"Naruto, welcome back" Kushina said as she stood beside the shy girl and said "Hinata went through all the trouble to get here, is that a proper way to greet her?"

"Ah, sorry" Naruto said as he bashfully scratched the back of his head with a smile, he cleared his throat and took a step forward "I was surprised, is all. What brings you here, Hinata?"

"U-Um... Well..." Hinata shifted from one feet to another as she fiddled with her fingers "Y-You see... Um..."

"Kind little Hinata here heard about the mess you're in" Kushina said as she walked towards her son and held her shoulder "So she came over all the way from the other side of the city to come and help you with a crash course. Well, that is you'd want her to help. She already asked permission, and she's allowed to stay until next week Monday morning!"

"Awesome! That's so cool of you, Hinata! You're the best!" Naruto cheered as he jumped over to Hinata with stars in his eyes "You'd really do that for me?!"

"O-Of course, I-I'll do anything to help Naruto" She confirmed.

And that's when, as if for the first time;

Naruto's eyes saw through Hinata's eyes, her soul, her beauty.

Her kindness was as pure as her eyes were clear.

He didn't know what he did to deserve being knowing her.

But Naruto was sure of one thing...

"You don't know how happy you make me, Hinata. Thank you"