Takes place at the beginning of Naruto Shippuden, right after Naruto returns from his training with Jiraiya.
Naruto & Hinata managed to form a close friendship prior to Naruto's absence. Now that he's returned, there is more than one reason to take...
Hinata hobbled slowly from the clan compound. Her entire body was on fire. Sore muscles, shin splints, bones that ached from the center outward. Her father and grandfather had not worked her this hard since before she was disowned as the heir.
She had no idea what had come over Hiashi during the last couple of weeks. But between his rigorous training schedule and her new fake relationship with Naruto, Hinata was exhausted.
She was met half way up the road by Ino and Sakura. Ino smiled brightly at her, but Sakura kept her green eyes slightly averted.
"Where is your new boyfriend, Hinata?" Ino asked slyly. "He was at the flower shop again this morning."
Hinata grimaced as Ino nudged her in the ribs with an elbow.
She had to admit that being showered with all of Naruto's attention was nice at first, even if it was not real. But, lately, the attention had become a bit more than Hinata could handle. Everyday, he gave her a lavender chrysanthemum in front of everyone, including Sakura. He insisted on holding hands everywhere they went, making kissy faces at the most inappropriate times to ensure they got the most attention. Hinata was starting to have anxiety attacks from all the unwanted attention that their relationship was drawing. Shino and Kiba had been following her around, interrogating her about Naruto. Ino was constantly teasing her and giving relationship advice. And Sakura had been acting strange and distant ever since Naruto returned to the village. Even Jiraiya and Kakashi seemed to have an odd amount of interest in the romance.
She had never spoken to Kakashi about anything but missions and ninjutsu before, and yet that very morning, he stopped to ask her how things were going between her and Naruto.
"I'm sorry! I don't think I can do this anymore!" Hinata squealed to Naruto later that day.
After he insisted on presenting her with another lavender chrysanthemum before blowing a kiss to her in front of everyone, she ran out of the restaurant and down an alley to hide.
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She squat down between a dumpster and a stack of discarded newspapers, but Naruto still managed to find her.
He slid down and sat next to her on the ground before he grumbled, "This is a bit exhausting. And I can't tell you how painful those kissing sounds are..."
Hinata started to laugh. Naruto laughed too.
After catching her breath, she asked, "Can we go back to the way it was before? I miss just talking to you."
Naruto smiled a full toothed smile down at Hinata. "You're the only person who has ever really listened to me. Whether I say something stupid or something smart. We haven't been able to do much talking lately with all this relationship stuff, ya know. I miss it too."
Hinata looked up into Naruto's blue eyes. She had attempted to ask him this question several times in the past, but he always avoided answering her and she was too shy to push. "Naruto? Can you tell me why... why the village shunned you for so long?"
