The girl with Pink Hair

Chapter Thirty Seven

Hinata walked through the leaf village as she fiddled with her hands in front of her. She was searching for Naruto and was running out of time until she had to meet at the front gates of the village. Lady Tsunade had pulled Hinata's team as well as multiple others to escort her on a mission to go meet Onoki of the Stone Village outside Leaf territory. Naruto was one of the teams to go as well as Hinata, after packing up her gear and saying goodbye to her reluctant parents who were not comfortable with Hinata being back in the field so soon after returning from being dead for a year, Hinata wanted to walk with Naruto to the front gates.

Hinata smiled to herself as she blushed, even though she couldn't remember starting her relationship with him she felt so happy. Naruto has been around her every day; he called her every morning and night. Hinata's heart was being so fast she thought it might burst when she remembered to her waking up in the hospital and Naruto sitting beside her. He appeared so happy when she opened her eyes, he engulfed her sore body in a hug and wouldn't let go even for Dr. Yu to check her vitals.

Giggling could be heard around the corner; Hinata opened her eyes as she rounded the tall wooden fence. The long-haired shinobi stopped in her tracks as her heart squeezed, she found Naruto, surrounded by a group of women their age all blushing at his handsome face and touching his muscular arms. Hinata quickly turning on her heel as she clinched her eyes shut feeling extremely foolish! Hinata ran forward, how could a man like Naruto ever look at someone so shy like—Hinata ran face first into a wall, she opened her eyes and looked up. Naruto looked down at his girlfriend with a smile, he leaned down placing a warm kiss on her lips. Hinata was stunned as her feet remained rooted in place.

"There you are!" Naruto laughed, wrapping his arm around her as he moved them towards the direction of the gates.

"H-Huh?" Hinata's face was bright red as she was still replaying his kiss in her mind.

"I was looking for you." Naruto flashed a smile, "I picked up some extra instant ichiraku ramen-" Naruto went on to explain, "-I might have gotten hungry in the middle of the night and ate most of my supply for our mission today." He laughed.

"O-Oh..." Hinata breathed staring up at his face.

"Yeah, so...are you ok?"

"Y-Yes!" Hinata quickly looked forward making Naruto grin.

"Are you ready for our mission!?" Naruto was excited to get out of the village, even if it was a boring escort missing for Granny Tsunade he had Hinata and he could protect her if needed. Naruto frowned as a dark cloud filled his chest, Hinata's dead body lying on the sidewalk was forever burnt into his memory. He got a rare second chance and he was going to make sure he didn't waste it; Naruto was determined to do everything in his power to keep Hinata safe!

"Hey Naruto!" Raiden waved as the front gates came into view.

"Hey!" Naruto waved seeing Raiden, Carver and Sasuke waiting with a large collection of people around them. The closer Naruto walked, the more he saw all his childhood friends were here today.

"This is a lot of people." Hinata muttered blushing under Carver's heavy gaze.

"Yeah..." Carver agreed, he was annoyed with Hinata's shyness. Before she died, she had gotten use to him and Raiden and now they had to start all over again. Carver looked at Hinata as a good friend was, he smiled at her he was willingly to try to be patient as she warmed up to them again.

"What this is all for anyway?" Naruto wondered looking around.

"We are renewing our treaty with them Naruto." Kakashi's voice spun Naruto around,

"Hey Kakashi Sensei!" Naruto saw Tsunade walking beside the masked man. "You're coming too!?"

"Of course." Kakashi smiled with his eye.