Someone New | A SasuHina Story (completed)

chapter nineteen | birthday

The girls were visiting the hot springs. It was finally Tenten's birthday and they planned the whole day out for her. After the hot springs they'd do some shopping, get something to eat, give Tenten her gifts, and then part ways.

Hinata was adamant about them staying overnight, but Tenten declined. Neji asked to spend some time with her as well. He didn't really care how late she got home, but she wanted to make it back at least before midnight. The group understood. Tenten and Neji were hopelessly in love with one another.

Hinata, along with Temari, Tenten, and Ino, entered the fairly empty hot springs. It was midday but for some reason the place wasn't nearly as congested as usual. The girls picked out a few lockers close to each other and changed into the appropriate attire. They entered the outdoor area and steadily got into the springs, trying to adjust to the heat.

The four sat in silence for a while, quietly enjoying the feel of warm water coming in contact with their skin. Hinata sighed, sinking deeper into the soothing liquid. She needed this, way more than she realized.

"How's everyone been?" Temari asked, removing the towel she had around her eyes to look at everyone.

"Amazing." Tenten said, swimming in tiny circles.

"I'm doing great." Ino said, floating around the springs. "You?" She targeted her question at Temari.

"Same as always I guess." Temari replied, shrugging. "What about you, Hinata?" She asked casually.

"I'm fine. My meeting with my father and the higher-ups went well. He told me he was proud of me, and that I should take the week off." Hinata told the others.

Ino jolted up, Tenten rushed to hug her. "That's great news Hinata!" Tenten said, overjoyed.

"So then they'll be no problems with your inheritance?" Temari asked, albeit rhetorically.

"Nothing is set in stone yet." Hinata responded.

"Don't say that! I'm sure everything will work out just fine." Ino said encouragingly. "But anyways, I can't believe you went through it all alone. It must've been nerve wracking." She sympathized.

"Well.." Hinata said, blush adorning her pale face. The girls looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to finish her sentence.

"Well what?" Ino asked impatiently. Hinata's pause was so long she was starting to think the girl had dazed off to another dimension.

"I wasn't alone. Sasuke came with me." She confessed to her friends. They all stared at her for a moment, trying to take it all in.

"He went with you to the Hyuuga compound?" Ino repeated to herself outloud.

"For moral support?" Tenten asked. She was stunned when Hinata nodded her head in response.

Sasuke was not a people person. This was common knowledge. He never bothered himself with the concerns of others before. This was definitely a first, at least to the girls knowledge.

"He was just helping me out. Although my father did ask for an explanation by the next time we meet." Hinata mumbled the last part. Ino laughed at that last part.

"It's like he's your boyfriend or something!" Ino managed to point out in between her laughing fit. Hinata's ears turned a deep shade of red. She shook her head and splashed water on her face.

"It's not like that." Hinata denied weakly. "We're just good friends." She didn't know why, but as the words left her mouth, she couldn't help but feel like she miss labeled the relationship.

"Sure Hinata." Temari said, winking playfully.

"Before I started dating Neji, he was just a good friend too." Tenten joked. Although Hinata knew that held actuality to it.

Hinata waved them off, already tired of her friends relentless teasing. "Enough about me" She said. She turned towards the blonde haired girl beside her. "Ino, you have a secret admirer." She said in a mischievous tone. Ino's eyes widened slightly. If Hinata was mentioning the person, they couldn't have been just anybody.

"Who?" Ino asked, voice rising a few pitches. Hinata signaled for the girl to lean closer. She cupped her hand around Ino's ear, and slowly whispered the name in her ear.

"K-I-B-A."

Ino froze for a moment, trying to digest what she just heard. "No way." She said after a moment of silence. "No way, no way." She repeated, covering her face to hide her incoming blush.

"From the reaction of things, I'd say she likes him too, whoever he is." Temari said, amused. Tenten nodded in agreement. Ino moved her hands from her face and decided to shield her ears instead. She was embarrassed by her friends spot on comments.

Hinata smiled. This was far too cute.

"You and Kiba, huh?" Tenten said, thinking about the two together. "I can see it." She added.

"Oh will you shut up! I never even said it was Kiba!" Ino shouted.

"Come on we're not dumb Ino, he's the only boy that can make you react that way. You've had a crush on him for a while now, right?" Temari asked, even though she knew the answer.

Ino pouted, she refused to answer their questions.

———————-

The girls browsed around a sufficient amount of stores before they decided it was time to eat. They stopped at a barbecue place in the middle of the village. Ino suggested that they go somewhere more formal but Tenten said she rather someplace laid back and chill. The three respected her wishes.

After getting seated and ordering, the girls visibly relaxed. Shopping was very tiring.

"I'll set you two up on a date." Hinata said excited. "I'm going to plan everything. It'll be a surprise to you both." She confessed.

"Whatever, whatever!" Ino said, brushing Hinata off. "Let's open the gifts." She suggested, clapping her hands together in anticipation.

"Sounds good to me!" Tenten agreed. Temari, Hinata, and Ino all laid their presents on the table. Tenten picked up Temari's first.

She unwrapped the packaging and took out what was inside. Temari got her three new summoning scrolls and a custom ninja tool set with her name engraved on it.

Next, Tenten opened Ino's gift. It was a pajama set that came with matching ribbons along with a new pair of sandals.

Lastly, Tenten took Hinata's present. It was in a white gift box. She lifted the lid to the box and took out the white kimono. She gasped in awe. Grasping her new items close to her chest, she profusely thanked her friends. They all hugged her tightly.

"Happy Birthday, Tenten!" The three chimed in unison.