"Moments"
A fresh wind swayed her long hair. Falling leaves from tree branches flying across their faces. He was still waiting for her reply as she paused for a moment gasping for some air for her lungs. She was switching her eyes left to right. She then looked at him in the eyes with her cheeks blushing so bad.
"Uhm..." she broke the silence. Naruto was patiently waiting for her to say a word. She unconsciously put her hand on top of her chest, it was beating fast. She took a deep sigh and spoke.
"So glad that you ask, Naruto-kun. I deeply appreciate your invitation and I would like to go with you." She pure heartedly told him with a sweet smile on her lips.
Naruto, on the other hand, smiled at her while scratching the back of his head.
"Uhm.. so, can we go now?" Naruto asked her.
She was stunned at his question but suddenly regained her composure. She nodded as a response to him.
"But wait a minute, I will just leave my things inside. By the way, please come in Naruto-kun." She invited him to come inside their house but Naruto refused and told her that he would just wait for her outside. Well, he was not yet ready to face Hiashi.
A few minutes had passed and she finally came out still wearing her casual clothes. She was smiling at him and he responded with a calm but sincere smile her. They started walking their paths away from the Hyuga Clan's premises. Naruto was hesitant at first. He was actually feeling awful about the atmosphere. No words coming from his mouth. Somewhat like his lips were sealed. He thought of doing something not to bore Hinata. He then remembered Sai's, to-do list earlier. He started scratching his head. Hinata noticed his odd gesture.
"Are you okay, Naruto?" She asked. Naruto was a bit shocked by her sudden question. He was trying to regain his composure.
"Y-Yeah..." his so uncertain replied that made Hinata even more suspicious. He then gave her a smile and she was relieved. He started to think of what to talk about with her. He successfully accomplished list number one. As for list number two, he must initiate small talks that would not bore her. He cleared his throat and spoke.
"Hinata, where do you want us to go first?"
Hinata tilted her head a little, she then pointed her index finger beside her lips and acted like thinking.
"Don't you like to have some fun Naruto?" She asked. Naruto nodded as a response. They were currently walking down the village's street. They had passed on some stores. Hinata pointed towards the direction of a play store. It was hit the target game using a kunai. You need to hit the target to get a prize. Naruto did not refuse and accepted the challenge. He was trying to show off in front of Hinata.
"This is just a piece of cake!" He muttered.
He swung his hand and released the kunai. The result was...
He failed his first target. Naruto let out a "waaaa" face feeling so embarrassed. He was a ninja and known to be the strongest ninja alive but failed to hit a target. Hinata just laughed at him. He looked at her so embarrassed.
"It's okay, Naruto-kun. You can still try and try." She told him with a smile on her lips. Naruto was feeling so down but returned to his so lively self and tried once again. Naruto actually won some prizes and gave them to Hinata and served them as presents for her.
Hinata looked so happy carrying stuff won by Naruto. Naruto secretly watching her while smiling. He thought that Hinata was not bored at all.
"Hinata, it's almost lunchtime. Let's grab something to eat." He said. Hinata nodded as a response. Naruto remembered list number three: Girls like to eat at fancy restaurants. He led her to a famous restaurant in the village. He looked at the menu posted outside the building with corresponding prices beside each of them. He again let out a "waaa" face seeing how costly the menus were. He grabbed his toad customized purse and looked for his money. I should have thought of preparing for a fancy lunch date before asking Hinata out. He thought.
Hinata suddenly grabbed his hands. He looked at her and saw her smiling face.
"I want to eat at the Ichiraku. I want to eat ramen. You like it too, right?" She told him. Naruto was relieved upon seeing her sincere face while holding his hands. He nodded as an answer to her and they walked their ways to the Ichiraku Ramen.
"Naruto, it's nice to see you ag--" A light brown-haired woman interrupted her words upon seeing Naruto with a lady. The woman was Ayame, Teuchi's daughter. She tilted her head a little as if to say you were with a girl, were you two dating? Naruto's face painted so confusedly.
"Ayame-san, give us two extra big miso bowls," Naruto said while grinning. Ayame nodded as a response.
A few minutes had passed and two hot miso bowls were served. Naruto and Hinata were so happy looking at the bowls.
"Thanks for the food!" They said in unison.
They enjoyed eating while Ayame silently watching them.
"It's so rare of you to eat here with a lady especially it is Hinata. You usually eat here with your teachers and your teammates." Ayame pointed out.
Naruto's cheeks turned red and he then scratched his head out of embarrassment. Hinata slightly blushed too.
"Uhm... I asked Hinata out though." He replied. Ayame nodded as if to say I see.
After a while, they had decided to take a walk.
"Where do you want to go this time, Hinata?" Naruto asked.
Hinata paused for a moment. Her thoughts wandered. She then looked at him and smiled.
"Why not we go to your most treasured place Naruto-kun?" She replied with a smile on her lips. Naruto seemed so confused. His thoughts wandered as well. He was thinking of a memorable place for him. To her surprise, Naruto pulled her hand all of a sudden. She let him pulled her hand and took her anywhere. She knew Naruto so well. She never doubts him ever since. She knew Naruto would never put her in danger. He protected and saved her countless times and she was always grateful to him for that.
They were heading to a familiar place though it had changed a lot after the war and Hinata knew that place very well.
"Do you remember this place Hinata? He asked. Hinata was stunned for a moment. She then closed her eyes and reminisced the old days.
"Hey, you..." a boy called for her.
"Sorry..." she apologized.
"A people from noble families like that are always so stuck up..." she ran away but the other kid reached her. They pushed her onto the ground forcing her to apologize. She kept on saying sorry but they never listened.
A blonde boy showed up.
"Quit it! I am Naruto Uzumaki, the future Hokage don't ever forget that!" He shouted in front of them. The boys laughed at him. They beat him so badly until he was knocked unconscious. She moved closer to him and checked his condition.
"Hey... are you okay?" She asked him still lying on the ground. He didn't respond. She was crying. She thought he was badly injured.
A guy came to rescue her. He pulled her away from him.
"That boy is..." he muttered and grabbed her hand and took her away.
"Wait, that boy came to rescue me..." she begged the guy. He didn't listen and kept on grabbing her hand.
"You need to stay away from that boy, lady Hinata." He said and they walked away. She was watching him helplessly as she was pulled away from him.
She opened her eyes and looked at Naruto. She smiled at him.
"I can't forget that day, Naruto-kun. The day you saved me from those bad boys and when you declared your dream of becoming the Hokage. This is where it happened. Since that day, I always watch your back. I always believe you will achieve your dreams. And you made me believe in myself as well. You changed me, Naruto-kun. You changed everything... And I am always grateful to you." Hinata muttered.
Naruto couldn't explain what those words meant for him. He sincerely watched her pure eyes looking into his. Her words were so real and were taken from the bottom of her heart. Naruto was so happy hearing those words. He couldn't help himself. He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to his chest.
She cuddled on his chest and she felt so warm and safe. She could hear his heart beating. She could feel his warm breath touching her flesh. They stayed like that for a moment and then broke out from each other's arms. They stared at each other. He gently caressed her face. Her face was as soft as that of a baby. She held his hand and feels his warm palm.
Naruto decided to take her home as it was already dusk. They bid goodbye to each other and Naruto headed straight back to his apartment. He laid down straight on his bed and couldn't help himself reminiscing his moments with Hinata. He was very happy. He was overwhelmed by the feeling he never felt before. He never thought that someone would love him the way his mother did. He never met her for real but he definitely met her in his dreams and for him, she was so real. She helped him befriended the demon fox living inside his body and save his comrades.
***
Sai was at the same spot when Naruto bumped on to him the other day. He was still reading the book.
He saw Naruto in a distance and waved at him. He ran in his direction.
"So, what happened to your romantic date with Hinata?" Sai asked.
Naruto grinned as a reply to him. Sai was a bit confused about what he meant by his gesture. Later on, he understood that it turned out well. He immediately left Sai after he said 'see you'.
He was heading his way to the Hokage's Office for a new mission.
"Yosh! I am ready for a new journey, dattebayo!"