Tails of a Jinchuriki: Chapter 1

Tears and Confusion

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Growl. "Man, I'm hungry. I guess it's Lunch-time," Naruto said, holding his stomach, which was verbally announcing the time of day as it always did right around noon. He got off the ground of the training area which was covered in craters. Taking in a deep breath, he then brushed off the dust that had accumulated from his training that morning. He walked in the direction of Ichiraku's, hands behind his head, looking off into the blue sky. He let out a content sigh, looking at the clouds as he walked through the streets, thinking fondly on the past when his team would celebrate finishing a mission by going to Ichiraku's. They hadn't done so with the full team since Sasuke ran away. It hadn't been all that long since Akatsuki was destroyed and Team 7 reunited.

I really miss those days. Nothing really seems the same... Maybe I've just changed.

"Oh. Hey, Naruto!" Sakura said with a bright smile as she spotted her teammate in the street. She heard a surprised gasp from Hinata, who had been walking behind her by coincidence. Hinata rushed to hide, fleeing into a small alleyway. Is she still that shy around Naruto?

Hinata gazed upon Naruto with her big lavender eyes, filled with love and admiration, yet showing her apprehension and anxiety. She was still unsure of herself, even after all this time. She had as of yet failed to have a lasting conversation with him since his return to Konoha and it had been over a year since then. As she recalled this fact, as she often did, she let out a deep sigh, but a faint speck of hope remained, although obscured by her overwhelming self-doubt. I wish I could talk to him... but I'm too nervous. What if I go up to him, try to get something out and then just faint again! Then what will he think of me?

Naruto spun around, his face lighting up as he saw his pink-haired teammate. "Hey, Sakura-chan! Hey, I was wondering... Do you want to go get some ramen with me?" he asked in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

"Sorry Naruto, I have plans. Maybe another time then?" she replied.

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Hinata gasped sharply, feeling a great pain in her chest. Her eyes were starting to fill with water. She fought back tears as she ran. She ran as fast as she could, just to get away. He... He still likes her... she thought over and over, her heart feeling as if it would shatter into a million pieces. She ran until she finally collapsed in a sobbing heap. She found herself in a familiar place. She was by the academy. A large tree stood beside her. Back in the academy, she had often come here to hide from others, to cry when she was little. She had felt attached to the tree somehow and in her distress, somehow she returned to it. She sat there, back against the tree's strong trunk, hugging her knees, weeping from her pain that seemed to eat away at her heart.

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"Aw man! I was going to invite Sasuke too! I just wanted to go out for old time's sake..." Naruto said, arms crossed, mumbling to himself.

"Alright. Well, another time, O.K.?" Sakura said, liking the idea. She turned her head to look back at where Hinata had been, but instead saw the girl running a ways off, a trail of tears streaming behind her. Sakura realized what had occurred. She clenched her fist, a vein on her temple popping. "Narutooo! You idiot!" she said in an angry tone as she punched him in the gut with her immense strength.

"Oof." Naruto doubled over in pain, all the wind driven out of him. Sakura spun towards the alley and sped off towards Hinata.

"What was that about?" Naruto got out in a low voice, still winded. "I didn't do anything."

Naruto got up, spurred on by his growling stomach, which he was holding for two reasons now. He was a couple blocks away from Ichiraku's when something odd caught his attention; Sasuke was coming out of the Yamanaka flower shop. He looked, to put it lightly, suspicious.

Alright. The coast is clear. Sasuke noted as he turned his head from side to side, his arms behind his back, concealing something from view. He was wearing a white shirt with the Uchiha symbol on the back, bandages covering his forearms, hiding the tattoo seals, along with long dark blue pants and sandals, his sword strapped to his back. "AH!" Sasuke shouted, startled, Naruto's face merely inches away from his own. In his shock, Sasuke had inadvertently revealed what he had been hiding behind his back: a bouquet of red roses. Naruto smirked.

"So, who are the flowers for? Sakura-chan perhaps?" He said in a taunting tone with a huge grin on his face.

Sasuke reeled, his face turning a bit pink. "No! They are not."

Naruto's smile became even wider. "Come on Sasuke. Give it up."

Damn him. Sasuke thought. "They are for my parents' grave, dobe."

"Oh... alright... that makes sense," Naruto said, not fully believing his rival.

"Yeah. Why would I bring flowers to Sakura for anyways?"

"So Sasuke, do you want to get some lunch at Ichiraku's?"

"Sorry, can't Naruto. I've got plans."

Naruto put on that pouty face. "Aw man... both you and Sakura have plans...and I'm not going to ask Kakashi-sensei to go to lunch or else he's going to be cheap and make me pay..." Something clicked in Naruto's head. "Wait a second... Both you and Sakura have plans." He got a stupid grin on his face. "You're going out with her, aren't you?"

"Shut up, dobe. I'm not going out with Sakura."

Naruto started to walk quickly towards where Sakura had gone to. He laughed and grinned looking back towards Sasuke. "Heh. I bet Sakura would be surprised to hear that."

Oh crap. Sasuke thought. "Wait Naruto!" Sasuke started to run after Naruto. Naruto looked back and laughed. "You'll have to catch me first!" Sasuke started to pick up speed, getting angry. Naruto just kept on jumping along the roofs, turning from his original path. "Whoa!" he said as he jumped over a kunai that was thrown at him. "Hey! Watch it!" He shouted at Sasuke. "Huh? Where did Sasuke go?"

"Oof!" he said as he was side-tackled by Sasuke. "...So what if I am going out with her?" Sasuke said with is eyes averted from Naruto's.

"Heh, I knew it. So those flowers are for her. Where are you going with her?"

"That's none of your business, dobe."

"Heh. Fine then... can you get off me?" He said.

"Oh, yeah... sorry," Sasuke said, standing up. "But if you tell her..." He said in a serious tone.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever. I wasn't going to tell her anyways," Naruto said, grinning. GROWL. "Well, I'm going to get some ramen. See ya!" Naruto said as he ran off towards Ichiraku's.

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Hinata was still sitting by the tree, tears streaming down her face. Her cheeks were puffy from all of the crying, her eyes slightly red. Naruto's never going to notice me. No matter how hard I try, he never notices... He only ever sees Sakura-chan... Why her? She doesn't care for him like I do. Maybe I'm just not pretty enough...

"Hinata?" Sakura said, quietly. Hearing Hinata's sobbing, she walked over to her and put her arm on Hinata's shoulder.

Hinata shirked it off. "I just want to be alone right now," she said.

"It's alright. What's wrong?"

Hinata started to cry harder. "It's so hopeless... he never notices me. I'm too weak... I feel like I'm invisible to him," she said in between sobs. She seemed to be breaking down ever further as she vented her feelings. Sakura's arms wrapped around Hinata once again, this time with Hinata allowing the contact.

"It's alright Hinata... it's going to be fine. Cheer up. It's not like there's a time limit on this. There's still plenty of time to get him to love you." Hinata just sat there, her crying abating as she sobbed into Sakura's shoulder. Sakura abruptly released Hinata from her embrace. "I'm sorry Hinata! I've got to run! I'm late for my date!"

"With who?" Hinata said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Sasuke. Naruto just wanted to have lunch with Sasuke-kun and I, but we have a date together, so I couldn't. If you want to see him, he's probably at Ichiraku's right now. See ya!" she said, waving as she said goodbye.

Hinata wiped her tears away, her face still blotchy from her crying. She smiled a little. I still have a chance then. Naruto doesn't think of Sakura like that anymore so I have a chance! She thought as she hugged herself with a big smile forming. With her new found confidence, she started walking in the direction of Ichiraku's...