It was a sunny afternoon in the Village Hidden in the Leaves and Hinata was currently enjoying a stroll through the village's forests. She loved how the sun would heat up her entire body and the way the sun's rays illuminated the forests in a green, earthly glow.

Every time she took the time to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life was an opportunity to enjoy the village that she had defended ever since she became a ninja. And every time she did, she learned something new. Like how a certain flower bloomed when it came into contact with the sun, and began to grow the longer it was in the sun's presence.

She could think clearly, with the sounds of the crickets chirping or a nearby river running providing a quiet ambience. It helped her forget about the expectations others had for her.

"Hinata! Hey, Hinata!"

Hinata blinked, the voice stirring her out of her pleasant reverie. Her teammates were aware of her hobby, and on occasion joined her, sharing the same enjoyment for exploration – although Kiba's explorations didn't end at the Leaf Village and Shino tended to stop once he found an interesting insect to research.

The voice didn't belong to either of them, however. When she turned around, she saw the owner of that voice and berated herself for not recognizing it sooner. "Naruto? How did you find me?"

Naruto stopped right in front of her, swiping a hand over his golden blond hair. "Kiba told me where you were," he explained, a light flush staining his whiskered cheeks.

"Well, do you need me for anything?"

Naruto's smile shrunk slightly, his bright blue eyes darting around. "Are you, uh... are you free tomorrow night?"

Hinata gasped. The fluttering in her stomach sped up. "Yes, I am." She gulped audibly. "Why do you ask?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Well, you see... I wanted to take you out on a date and –" Hinata didn't hear the rest of his sentence, because all she could think about was how Naruto asked her on a date. Her: meek, shy Hinata. Was she dreaming?

"Hinata?" Naruto called out, concern etched on his face and worry seeping through his voice.

Hinata's cheeks became flushed. Naruto was still standing in front of her, and he was starting to become impatient. "Yes, Naruto?"

"What do you say?" Naruto repeated. "I don't really know you that well, and I want to fix that. So tomorrow, would you go on a date with me?" He paused. "If you don't want to, that's alright."

That was unexpected, Hinata thought. She knew how often Naruto asked Sakura out on dates in the past, and he never lacked confidence then.

But he's not asking Sakura.

He's asking me.

"I... I." She had the opportunity of a lifetime waiting for her, and all she had to do was take it. "Yes, Naruto. I would love to go on a date with you."

Naruto's smile was smaller than his usual ones, but she found that she loved it even more. This wasn't a smile that Naruto used to encourage himself to keep on moving forward, to never give up. This was one of his rarer smiles: one that he gave if he was genuinely happy. "That's great! How does tomorrow at seven sound?"

A smile slowly bloomed on her face. "That would be nice."

Naruto grinned. "Tomorrow evening, at seven." Hinata nodded. "See you then!" And with that, Naruto left Hinata alone once more.

She knew that her stroll had been disrupted, but she couldn't bring herself to be angry. The love of her life finally responded to her declaration and wanted to try to make something of it.

And that made her positively ecstatic.

Naruto almost couldn't believe that Hinata wanted to go out with him. It put a smile on his face to know that she did.

He knew that she loved him – which ate away at him because of how he wasn't able to recognize that for such a long time – and he didn't want to hurt her in any way by giving her a hasty, poorly thought-out response. It had taken a while to come to terms with that revelation, and the fact that he had been busy with many different things didn't help either. But after he thought about it, there was no reason for him not to try.

And the first thing he could was learn more about Hinata: what she liked, what she did in her spare time, that sort of thing. He already knew that Hinata was a selfless person, but she never liked talking about herself, unlike some people he knew.

So he went to go and ask Kiba if he knew where Hinata was. Naruto shook his head, remembering how he reacted to that.

"Well, well, well, it looks like the great big hero's finally come around," Kiba had said, grinning toothily. Akamaru barked happily and Kiba laughed heartily in response.

"What does that mean?" Naruto snapped in annoyance.

Kiba's grin only grew wider. "Why are you looking for Hinata?"

"It doesn't matter if I can't find her! So have you seen her? I really need to talk to her."

"Hmm... she might be out on a walk in one of the forests on the outskirts of the village."

"Forests, right?" Kiba nodded and Naruto huffed after seeing the smirk on his friend's face. He was obviously eating up the whole conversation. "Thanks!"

"No prob. And, Naruto –"

"What?"

"Good luck."

Naruto had an odd feeling that Kiba knew exactly what he wanted to ask Hinata. That sort of thing aggravated him because he couldn't comprehend how he could understand and sympathize with misguided, unfortunate people but not pick up that a girl liked him for over three years. It was mind-boggling. But like all things he didn't quite understand, Naruto shelved those confusing thoughts and focused on his current goal.

Over the three-year training trip, Jiraiya had taken time to train Naruto in how to treat a lady when dating her. Unfortunately, he only had a vague recollection of those lessons. Fortunately, Jiraiya had forced him to remember one single statement that summed up all of his training.

"If you don't remember anything I'm teaching you, just keep this in mind," Jiraiya had said soon after realizing that Naruto was way more interested in training his fighting skill than learning how to win a woman's heart. "Be completely honest with yourself and treat your date the best you can without feeding her nonsense. Got it?"

Naruto understood what his master told him, and it was a good thing that he remembered it, since Jiraiya wasn't around to hand out advice any longer. He had a lot to do if he wanted to impress Hinata, but he didn't quite know where to start.

He knew Hinata liked walking. Seeing Hinata's expression when she was walking by herself, the way her beautiful face shifted to reflect her joy at doing something so simple stuck with him. He was nervous when he approached her, because he didn't want to force her to do something she didn't want to, and just asking her out of the blue would probably have made her dismiss him or something.

But when he saw her wavy, long dark blue hair flow down her back before she turned to face him, when he saw the way her white eyes lit up when she looked at him, he had been stunned. He recovered quickly, but all he could think about was how a girl as beautiful as Hinata loved him.

It gave him the extra bit of confidence he needed. And he was so glad that he took the chance after hearing her say yes in that lovely voice of hers and seeing her cute smile.

Am I overreacting?

Naruto knew that Hinata was beautiful, but he had met many beautiful girls and women in the past. He had a good idea about what made a girl pretty too. But there was something else to it that made him believe that Hinata was different, that she had a different sort of beauty to every other girl he'd ever met.

And that included Sakura, who was basically his best friend. He had thought that he loved her and he thought that he could love her, but... he had to find the time to sort out what exactly he felt for his teammate. Maybe it was the way she looked at him, like he was her brother that made him lose hope. Maybe it was something else entirely.

But at the moment, his feelings about Sakura weren't that important.

Finding a way to make the upcoming date a great experience for both him and Hinata was.

He needed to find someone who could help him out with that.

But who?

Sakura was out for obvious reasons. Ino would probably make things unnecessarily awkward, given her... personality. He wasn't sure if Tenten could help him, but at least she would give him an easier time than Ino.

Sai read a lot about relationships, but he was on a mission (unfortunately). Kiba would probably give him a hard time judging from earlier and Shino would be needlessly long-winded. Naruto buried his head in his hands and screamed.

I should've just listened to the Pervy Sage!

Shikamaru... Shikamaru was always around Temari, and Naruto knew that there was something going on between them. And Shikamaru was a smart guy, so maybe he'd get some valuable advice.

It was worth a shot, at the very least.

–Scene Break–

Naruto found his target lying on a hill overlooking the Naka River, hands tucked behind his head. "Hey, Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru turned his head to the loud voice and sat up as Naruto ran towards him. "What is it? Don't you see that I'm relaxing?"

Naruto stopped in front of Shikamaru, putting his hands on his knees. "Yeah, but I need help!"

"With what?" Shikamaru asked, a frown marring his face.

Naruto's eyebrow twitched. "I'm going on a date with Hinata tomorrow –"

"Really?" Shikamaru smirked. "I thought you never would've figured it out."

Naruto groaned, throwing his hands in the air. "Am I the only one who didn't notice that? Really?"

Shikamaru sat up and planted his hands on the ground behind him. "I don't know, really. Just thought it was kinda obvious. But why ask me about dating? Why not someone else?"

"I thought about asking some other people, but then I remembered how you and Temari were always around each other," Naruto said, taking a seat next to his friend. "So I thought, 'why not ask Shikamaru?' He's smart enough and he has a pretty girlfriend."

"Just because you see me and Temari together a lot doesn't mean we're dating." Naruto shot him a disbelieving look. "We're not dating. It would be a pain in the neck to maintain a long-distance relationship in the first place, on top of all the ninja stuff."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll believe it when I see it."

Shikamaru sighed heavily. "Do you want my help? Or do you want to make fun of my relationship with Temari?"

"Sorry," Naruto said. A few seconds passed where the two young men just watched the river run its course. "So, will you help me?"

"Yeah, yeah," Shikamaru said, dusting off the grass that had gathered on his hands. "But before I help you, are you sure you'll remember this? I don't want to repeat myself."

"Yeah, of course! Just need you to give me some pointers."

Shikamaru smirked. "This is what you have to do..."

It was the day of her date with Naruto and Hinata was panicking. She had an idea of what to expect during her date and had spent most of the day at the hair salon and hot springs preparing herself for it. But that wasn't her problem. She was having a problem with something else: not knowing what to wear. She always shook her head in bemusement whenever she heard Ino complain of not having the proper attire when heading out for a 'night on the town'.

But now? Now she understood where Ino was coming from.

Her wardrobe was mostly limited to different jackets and pants, none of which would grab Naruto's attention. She did have clothing for gatherings and whatnot, but they were far too formal.

I think that... No, those dresses are just too revealing.

"Hinata?"

Hinata turned to the entrance of her bedroom to see her younger sister, Hanabi. "Oh, Hanabi! Is there something you want?"

"I'm just curious as to what you're doing."

Hinata favoured her sister with a smile before returning to look at her wardrobe. "I need something good to wear."

"Why?" Hanabi asked, cocking her head to the side. "Isn't what you usually wear good enough?"

Hinata shook her head. "Not today, unfortunately."

Hanabi joined her sister in looking at her wardrobe. "Why? You aren't going on a date, are you?" Hinata reddened, and an eager grin made its way onto Hanabi's face. "Really? With who? Is he cute?" Hinata's cheeks glowed in the dim light of her room. Naruto was more than cute. His whiskers and untameable hair contrasted wonderfully with his eyes. Hinata learned early on that Naruto's mood could be gauged by the look in his eyes, and they were so expressive and bright and beautiful.

"Is it that Naruto boy?" Hanabi cut in after Hinata began to daydream about the love of her life.

"Yes..." Hinata said dreamily.

"Ooh!" Hanabi said, putting a smile on Hinata's face. Hanabi could be like a normal girl her age, even if she dedicated herself to her training. It was nice. "That's so great!" She went through Hinata's wardrobe and pulled out an article of clothing that was hanging in the corner. "If you want to blow Naruto away, wear this."

Hanabi was holding a black dress with thin straps and a low neckline that barely would have kept her modesty intact. Hinata immediately took the dress and put it back. "No, I don't think that dress will be," she paused, looking for the right word. "Appropriate."

Ino had bought it for her and while she appreciated the gesture, the dress itself was simply too much for a girl like her. She remembered what Ino said after handing her the dress.

"Wear this dress whenever you're going out with a boy," Ino had instructed with a grin that was anything but pure. "You'll have him eating out of the palm of your hand before you know it."

For just a moment, that made her consider just wearing the dress to win Naruto, willing to take any risks in doing so. However, before she could decide, she saw Hanabi holding another dress in her hands. This one was sky blue, longer than the black dress and had a more modest neckline.

"How's this?" Hanabi asked.

"I don't know..."

"Do you want to impress Naruto or not?"

"Can't I just wear my usual clothing?"

"No, Hinata!" Hanabi held onto the dress. "Don't you want Naruto to see you as more than just a friend?" Hinata nodded. "There's nothing wrong with what you usually wear. It's just not appropriate for what you're going to do."

An awkward silence fell over the Hyūga sisters.

"Well, isn't it?" Hanabi asked again, brushing a stray strand of her long brown hair away.

What's the worst that could happen?

Hinata was perfectly willing to fulfil any role necessary to protect her village and the people within it. She would never back down and never give up. That was her nindō.

And if she could do that, she could, she would do this for the man who did so much for her and her family, the man who was like the sun that made her – a shrinking violet – blossom.

"No." She took the dress from Hanabi and examined it. It was perfect. A small smile came to Hinata's lips.

"It isn't."

–Scene Break–

It was seven P.M. and Hinata was ready to enjoy her date. "Thank you for assisting me, Hanabi."

Hanabi gave her an eager grin and handed her a small wallet-like purse. "It's my job as your younger sister to help you whenever you need it. Now go out there and make Naruto yours."

"I'll do my best."

Once she took her purse, she turned on her heel and strode out her bedroom and outside the Hyūga compound. She didn't have to walk far, however, as her date was waiting just outside the compound, just for her.

"Hey," Naruto said. His eyes dilated and for a few moments, he just stared at her, making her uncomfortable. Shaking his head, he gave her a glowing smile and said, "You look beautiful, Hinata."

Hinata felt her face flame up. "Thank you." Naruto had foregone his forehead protector, which made his unruly hair cover most of his forehead. His orange dress shirt was left untucked, hanging over his chest and hinting at the muscular frame underneath, his legs covered by black, loose trousers. It made her heart race in anticipation, that this man was all hers for the night.

"You look very handsome, Naruto."

"Really? Just put on whatever I could find," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head. "Ready to go?"

Hinata nodded and began to walk alongside her date. The crisp evening air nipped at her skin, making her shiver slightly.

"You alright?" Naruto asked.

Hinata nodded briskly. "Yes, I am."

"Oh, that's good," Naruto replied, his usual grin on his face. "You know, I thought I was gonna have to speak to your dad or something."

"Naruto Uzumaki... is a good choice," her father had said, much to her surprise. "Good reputation, good lineage." He smiled as if he had just learned a long-term plan of his had been fulfilled. "Enjoy your excursion, Hinata."

Hinata shook her head in disagreement. "I don't believe that Father would have given you a problem."

Naruto laughed. "That's a relief." They continued to walk in a tense, but ultimately comfortable silence. Hinata blamed it on nerves, but she was currently content. She always wanted this, but for the longest time, she lacked the confidence to do it.

"Hinata," Naruto said, grabbing her attention. "So, uh, how've you been lately?"

"I've been well," Hinata said with a smile. "And you?"

"I've been pretty busy, but now I have some free time to relax and stuff. But enough about me. I don't think that you want me to talk about myself all the time, right?"

"I don't mind."

"But still, I'm afraid that if I talk about myself, I won't be able to learn a lot about you."

"Oh, um, okay." Her cheeks were tinged in a light pink after hearing Naruto be so considerate. It made sense, though. Naruto always fought for others, even when he had no reason to.

"So, why do you like walking around so much?"

"It's because I love our village so much. There's so much life and history to it. The village has endured so much, and both of us have fought so hard to protect it. So I feel like if I take some time to appreciate it, I can remind myself about what I'm fighting for and enjoy it in the process."

Hinata's smile shrunk a bit after Naruto went silent, thinking that maybe she went overboard. But Naruto's bright smile assuaged her fears. "That's pretty cool."

"I'm glad you think so."

Naruto just smiled. "I didn't really like the village at first myself, actually."

Hinata gasped. Naruto always went on about becoming Hokage; he was a definite candidate for the title nowadays. The fact that he didn't like the village at one point... "May I ask why?"

"I didn't really know why the villagers didn't like me at first," Naruto said, his voice softer than normal. "So I wanted to be Hokage so that they'd look at me. But I met this boy a few years ago, Haku." Naruto paused as a pensive look overcame him, and Hinata waited for him to continue. "He said that fighting for others, protecting the people precious to you, was important."

Hinata smiled, imagining the type of person Haku must have been to inspire Naruto to become such an amazing person. In a way, Haku was the one who inspired her as well, because she never would have been the person she was if she didn't try to gain inspiration from what Naruto did and the way he lived.

"A way to be strong," he continued after a brief pause. "It took me a while, but I began to understand what he meant. I began to live with that in mind and then more and more people began to accept me for me. And then my reason for becoming Hokage was to protect this village and everyone in it.

"I could have hated this village and everything in it. That would've been easy. But would that make me happy? Would I be satisfied with it?" Naruto's eyes were glowing and Hinata could hear the passion in his voice. "I don't think that I would have been good enough to be Hokage, or worth anyone's time if I allowed hate to define who I was." Naruto suddenly laughed. "Sorry about that. I was supposed to let you speak, and I went on about myself again."

Hinata smiled again, understanding a little bit more about what drove Naruto Uzumaki. "Don't be. I don't mind if you talk about yourself."

"Thanks. You know, just before I was going to ask you out yesterday, I could feel how calm and fulfilled you were just by walking through the forest."

"Yes, I was. I'm always at peace in a forest. It's incredible, just taking time to see and hear everything that happens there. I always learn something new and it goes hand in hand with my love for the village."

"Well, I know a way to enjoy nature even more."

Hinata brightened. "Really?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I could show you how to become one with nature. If you can master it, you'll only be amazed at how awesome it feels."

Hinata could feel her cheeks straining from how wide her smile was just from Naruto offering to help her enjoy her hobby and her village's splendour even more. "That would be wonderful."

"Glad you think so," Naruto said. They continued to have light, but engaging conversation, much to Hinata's enjoyment. Suddenly, Naruto stopped once they passed a certain building and smiled. "We're here."

Hinata turned to see what Naruto was staring at and saw a elaborately furnished building with a pair of ornate pillars made of stone that held up a sign with elaborate calligraphy – which read 'Asahi' – set against the backdrop of a rising orange sun. Naruto held out the door for Hinata, and with a nod of thanks sent Naruto's way, she stepped in.

A restaurant?

The restaurant had wooden tables with red booths spread out, enough walking space in between as not to feel claustrophobic and a stairway right in the centre, a smooth red carpet draped over its steps. Many people were at their seats enjoying their meals. There was, overall, a pleasant atmosphere, bringing a smile to Hinata's face.

"Welcome to Asahi. How may I help you?" the hostess asked, a practised smile on her refined features.

"I have a reservation for two," Naruto said, smiling casually. "Under the name Uzumaki."

The hostess' face brightened after she took an unnecessarily long look at Naruto, and she nodded. "Of course, Mr. Uzumaki. I'll show you and your," her lips pursed. "Date to your table."

"I thought that you would have taken me to Ichiraku Ramen if you wanted to eat," Hinata admitted as they fell in step behind the hostess.

"As much as I love me some Ichiraku Ramen, I wanted to mix things up a bit. But maybe next time we could go there, that is if you want that."

Hinata nodded. "I'd like that."

The hostess led them up to the second floor of the restaurant and to a corner table on the restaurant's balcony, which gave a view of the village, the Hokage Monument and the beautiful night sky. "A waiter will be on the way to take your orders. Enjoy your meal, Mr. Uzumaki." She gave them their menus and after giving Naruto a very warm smile, the hostess left them. Hinata took her seat first on the comfortable chair and once Naruto took his, she began to scan through the extensive menu.

"So, do you go out often?" Naruto asked.

"Not very often," Hinata said, setting her menu aside and placing her arms on the table. "Ino convinced me on more than one occasion to accompany her whenever we were both free."

"You and Ino are close?"

Hinata caught the surprise in his voice and smiled reassuringly. "You know how Ino's family owns a flower store?" Naruto nodded in recognition. "One of my hobbies is pressing flowers, so we bonded over our shared fondness for flowers and flower arranging. She always had her eye out for me since then."

One of the things Ino did to help Hinata out was try to set her up with other boys. Hinata always declined their advances, mostly because Naruto was always on her mind. She wasn't quite willing to move on before she could tell Naruto about her feelings for him, and then see if he was the right one for her. She couldn't do that until she could become a person that could stand alongside him.

"That's pretty nice," Naruto said, setting his menu aside. "I mean, it's good to have a friend to help you out. Someone to keep you focused, someone to talk to, someone to bring you back up when you're feeling down. It's funny: me and Shikamaru have a relationship just like you and Ino have."

"Yes, I agree. I think that it's great that you have a friend like Shikamaru." A pit in her stomach began to form from nervousness. She didn't want this to fail. She wanted to be someone Naruto could trust and believe in.

A waitress with delicate features approached Hinata and Naruto, a tray with a jug of water and two water-filled glasses on top. "Hi, I'll be your waitress this evening. What can I get you, Mr. Uzumaki?"

"I'll have the yakitori with miso soup and rice," Naruto said, giving the waitress one of his signature smiles. "And it's Naruto. I'm not a fan of being so formal." Hinata observed with mild interest the way the waitress blushed after simply making eye contact with Naruto.

Was I like that?

"And I'll have tempura with soba noodles," Hinata said, not oblivious to the frigid look she received from the waitress. At least she was courteous to anyone who Naruto showed interest in.

"Of course," the waitress said with a curt nod. She turned to Naruto and favoured him with an affectionate smile, placing the tray's contents on the table. "Your orders will be ready as soon as possible."

"So you said that you liked pressing flowers?" Naruto asked after the waitress left, apparently oblivious to how virtually every other woman in this restaurant, but especially the staff, looked at him.

It wasn't that Hinata disliked the attention Naruto was getting; he deserved being treated well by the villagers after everything he did to protect them. In fact, she liked the attention Naruto was getting and was proud at how far he had come since graduation all those years ago. She didn't like the way the staff of Asahi were looking at him.

"Yes, that and gardening," Hinata said after taking a long sip of her water.

Naruto grinned. "I like gardening too."

Hinata smiled, and they began to talk about gardening in general. Hinata was quite pleased to learn that the love of her life shared a hobby with her and was more than willing to share any of the techniques she learned over the years. And to her delight, Naruto had a few techniques of his own that she took note of.

After a while, the waitress returned with their dinner. "Enjoy!" she said, directing it more to Naruto than Hinata.

Hinata frowned as she felt a pang of jealousy stab at her. She didn't know why she was jealous, though. She was enjoying her time with Naruto and his attention had never strayed once since the beginning of the date.

"Hey, Hinata," Naruto said after taking a bite from his yakitori skewer. "How do you like the food here?"

Hinata sampled her noodles and hummed in satisfaction after tasting them. "This is quite excellent." Naruto nodded in agreement, and they continued eating the well-prepared food in comfortable silence. Hinata assumed that Naruto wouldn't hide his excitement at being able to eat, but he showed an unexpected etiquette, which impressed her.

"This is really good!" Hinata giggled at his outburst, and Naruto smiled bashfully, cheeks tinted pink. His eyes locked with hers, staring at her with an analytical, piercing gaze. Then the corners of his lips twitched upwards again. "I'm really enjoying this, Hinata. To be honest, I thought that you'd be kinda nervous."

"I was. But I'm having a wonderful time."

"Glad to hear it!" Naruto took another bite from his meal, apparently savouring the taste judging from the sounds he made.

"Um, Naruto?" Naruto stopped sucking on the spoon he used to drink his soup and gave Hinata his undivided attention. Hinata took a deep breath. "This is quite a nice place, don't you think?"

"Yeah, sure." Naruto shrugged.

"Have you taken any girl out here before?" Hinata asked, point-blank.

"No. You're the first girl I've taken to a place like this."

"Not even Sakura?" Hinata prodded, curious about Naruto's current relationship with his teammate.

Naruto's spoon dropped, hitting the table with a resounding clatter. "You know... I don't know where I stand with Sakura at the moment. I always used to wonder if there was a possibility for something more. But the more time I spent fixated on Sakura..." Naruto trailed off. "I can only try so much, you know, and Sakura has to be honest with herself first before we can try anything." Naruto took a sip from the jug, sighing when the cold water hit his throat.

"Oh, um..." Hinata finished off her noodles and took a bite from the unfinished tempura. The taste barely registered in her mind, especially as her blunder went through her thoughts repeatedly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to –"

"Don't worry about it." He gave Hinata a sincere smile, which tempered the anxiety swirling in her stomach, albeit for the moment. "I wanted to go on a date with you, not Sakura or Ino or anyone else. Believe it." A rosy blush grew on Hinata's face.

A short period of time elapsed before Naruto continued hesitantly, a small smile tugging at his lips. "That's what I like about you: that you're always honest with yourself. Not just through words, but with actions too."

Unable to say anything, she returned to eating her tempura, while Naruto went back to finishing his soup.

She was letting her insecurities get to her. If Naruto wanted to date her, she just had to trust that Naruto had no ulterior motives and wanted to have a good time. She was certain that with his magnetic personality and his looks, Naruto could have any woman he desired if he put in the effort.

And it made her unbelievably happy that Naruto chose her, even if it was only for tonight.

Who's to say that Naruto won't want to try again?

Once Hinata and Naruto finished their food, their waitress came to collect the dishes. "Would you like dessert, Naruto?"

"It's up to Lady Hyūga here," Naruto said, lips pulling into a smirk and eyes shimmering with mirth. "Do you want dessert?"

Hinata nodded. "I'll have cinnamon buns and red bean soup, please."

The waitress nodded sharply. "And what about you, Naruto?"

Naruto's eyes shot towards Hinata's for a moment, before he turned his attention to the waitress. "Red bean soup as well."

"Sure!" the waitress said. "I'll be back with your desserts as soon as they're ready." Winking at Naruto, she took their plates and left immediately. Hinata smiled to herself. She wouldn't let the waitress' attempts to get Naruto to notice her irritate her.

"Hinata," Naruto said, placing his thumb on the back of her hand. She shivered at the touch. "I was thinking. It's still pretty early and dinner's almost over. I'd like to spend some more time with you, 'cause I'm really having fun."

Hinata smiled and tentatively intertwined her fingers with his. Naruto's hand was rough around the edges, but it grew softer towards the centre. Not only that, it was warm and enveloped her hand completely. "I don't want this night to end either."

The corners of Naruto's lips twitched upwards into a small, but brilliant smile. "Thanks, Hinata." The waitress returned with their desserts and placed the plates on the table rigidly. Naruto pulled his hand back slowly, his fingers running along hers before breaking away. Hinata felt the warmth seep away from her hand, and she vowed to regain it as soon as she could.

"Aren't you gonna eat?" Naruto asked, already devouring his dessert. "The dessert's great."

Hinata blinked. She nodded and began to eat her two favourite desserts. "You like red bean soup too?" Naruto swallowed abruptly and gave her a thumbs-up. It was another thing they had in common, she noted. Hinata savoured the soup and mixed it with the cinnamon buns, which made her tastebuds dance in delight from the incredible flavour.

Once she was finished, Hinata licked her lips. Dinner had been excellent and she had learned a lot about Naruto. Their waitress returned soon after, handing them their bill. She pulled out a wad of ryō notes in order to pay, but Naruto had already paid for dinner with his own money, and also gave the waitress a generous tip, judging from the pleased reaction on her face.

"Naruto. You and your," the waitress coughed. "Sorry. You and your girlfriend are always welcome here at Asahi."

"Thanks!" Naruto replied.

Hinata smiled even as her cheeks heated up from the 'girlfriend' comment. Placing her money back inside her purse, she said, "Thank you." The waitress smiled widely at Naruto and even favoured Hinata with a faint smile, before taking their dishes and leaving.

Naruto stood up and pulled Hinata's chair back. He smiled kindly at Hinata and stretched out his hand. "Ready to go?"

Hinata stood up and took Naruto's hand in hers, linking their fingers together and giving Naruto a coy smile. "Of course."

Naruto was unpredictable. That much Hinata knew. He was still the same Naruto: warm, considerate, charming and fun. But instead of being loud and impulsive, Naruto was soft-spoken, even hesitant. And when he opened himself up to her, Hinata felt at ease, more confident. When Naruto didn't hide behind overblown gestures and expressions, he was able to be so much more wonderful and amazing.

If Naruto was the sun, she was the flower basking in its warmth. And when Naruto was completely open, like the sun on a clear summer day, she bloomed in the sunshine.

She loved that he was able to stand alongside him, be with him. He brightened up her world, and she hoped that one day, she could do the same for him, and be there for him the way he was for her.

Naruto knew that the effort he put in: getting himself ready for the date, securing the reservation at Asahi on a short-term notice and reminding himself repeatedly about what Shikamaru had told him had all been worth it when he saw Hinata come out of her house, ready for their date.

Her dark blue hair was glossy and smooth and framed her beautiful face so well. Her white eyes were lined with mascara and her lips were covered with red lipstick that made a wonderful contrast with her alabaster skin. Her sky blue dress hugged her luscious, bountiful curves and flared down to the middle of her bare thighs, which supported long, toned legs.

She was stunning.

It made him wonder why she hid her figure. Maybe she was shy. Maybe she didn't want to attract unwanted attention. Either way, he appreciated that she wanted to dress up and step outside of her comfort zone.

He was nervous at first, and was worried that Hinata wouldn't talk that much, especially since she was jittery at first.

Why didn't I bring a jacket?

However, as their date continued, his nervousness went away and he found that Hinata was really fun to talk to. He learned a lot about her just by engaging in conversation with her and gauging her expressions. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable either, but Hinata didn't mind if he slipped up.

He remembered how she lit up when he told her – indirectly – about Sage Mode, and he would show her how to enter it properly someday, if she had the capacity for it. Unfortunately, Hinata's wide-eyed excitement was short-lived. As soon as they entered the restaurant, Hinata's mood dropped after the hostess greeted them. She returned to being the Hinata he had quickly learned to like whenever the hostess or their waitress wasn't around.

Maybe it was because of him. Now that the village acknowledged him as their hero, he had become very popular. Many women had become interested in him and several had asked him out. He wasn't interested in any of them. And he wanted Hinata to know that too.

While Jiraiya had taught him to appreciate the fairer sex, he knew that he needed to have restraint. He learned to value women for not just their outer appearance – which he still did enjoy – but their inner character as well. It was the latter that he looked out for, because if it was a woman's looks that drew him in like a moth to the flame, it was her heart that made him linger and try to go closer, even if he risked being burned.

"Naruto?" Hinata asked, stirring him out of his train of thought. They had been walking in a comfortable silence and hadn't broken apart ever since they left the restaurant. "Where are we going?"

He smiled. It was really easy to be genuine around her, since he knew she would do the same around him. "I was thinking about going to see a movie. Either the new Princess Gale movie, or even the Icha Icha –" Naruto shut his mouth immediately.

Stupid, stupid!

He didn't quite know about Hinata's opinion about pornography and didn't want to make things awkward between them by accident. It was pretty boring, in his opinion, but he knew it was a popular series.

"You mean Icha Icha Paradise?" Hinata's cheeks were flushed pink and Naruto knew that it wasn't from the cold.

Naruto nodded. He should have expected not being able to drop the subject. "Yeah. The movie's not as intense as the books are; it's a straight action romance film. The Pervy Sage – Jiraiya, I mean – wasn't too happy about that."

A smile came to his face as Naruto remembered how Jiraiya reacted to his series being censored. "The studio behind the film released a version of the film filled with sexual stuff in his memory. They even filmed the movie so that the sex scenes could be cleanly inserted without ruining the pacing."

Naruto squeezed Hinata's hand gently. Her hand was soft, yet firm and very warm. "It's your choice, Hinata. If you aren't comfortable, we could watch the Princess Gale movie."

"I think that we should save the Icha Icha Paradise movie for a... special occasion," Hinata said, winking suggestively, much to Naruto's surprise. She put a hand to her mouth and flushed crimson.

Naruto laughed. "If that's what you want, then what are we waiting for?"

–Scene Break–

Naruto and Hinata left the theatre in high spirits. The Princess Gale movie was enjoyable and the effects were dazzling.

"So you knew Princess Koyuki?" Hinata asked, her eyes shining bright like the moon.

Naruto nodded, having mentioned it sometime during the movies. "She was our mission client a few years ago, and we helped save her country. I still keep in touch with her every now and then. She's also the star of the Icha Icha movie."

"Um... that's good."

Naruto winced. He tightened his grip on Hinata's hand and smiled at her. "Since we just came out of a pretty movie, want to hear about something beautiful I saw once?"

"Okay, what is it?"

"I was on a mission once. I couldn't sleep one night, so I walked over to the nearby waterfall for a drink. Once I was there, I saw this girl dancing along the water." He felt Hinata's grip become tense. "The way she the water bent to her will, the way she moved. It was the most mesmerizing thing I ever saw."

He saw Hinata glow bright red. "I was kind of dense back then, so I didn't know who it was at first." Hinata remained silent, waiting for his answer. "But now I know that it was you." Hinata's grip on his hand faltered and she turned away. Naruto thought that he made another mistake.

He didn't want Hinata to recede, to wane. He wanted her to shine and be proud of herself, because she was a beautiful, kind, amazing young woman. He knew that when the moon was at its most beautiful when it was full, when it was completely illuminated by the sun.

So maybe... maybe he could be the sun to her moon.

"Naruto?"

"What is it?"

Hinata tightened her hold on Naruto's hand, and gave him a warm, loving smile. "Thank you. For everything."

Naruto smiled and they began to talk again about life, missions and other things. It was when they began to talk about the future that Naruto began to think.

He was definitely going to be Hokage, but it was his love life that made him a bit uncertain. For the longest amount of time, he thought that he would win Sakura's heart and be with her. But he wasn't so sure now. Until she could be honest with herself and sort out her feelings, Naruto knew that there wouldn't be any chance for a legitimate relationship.

"Love and romance... is a troublesome drag," Shikamaru said after giving him the advice he had used to great effect. "But when it's got a hold of you," he smirked. "Good luck trying to break free."

It made him wonder...

"Hinata... do you love me?" Naruto asked softly. He needed to be sure. There was still an inkling of doubt that maybe, just maybe –

"Yes," Hinata said, clearing any doubt that Naruto had in an instant. "With all my heart."

Naruto beamed at Hinata and when he looked around, he found that they were at the Hyūga compound.

Well, what do you know? Time really does fly.

He turned to face her. "I had an incredible time tonight."

Hinata – the woman who loved him – returned Naruto's smile with an illuminating one of her own. "I had a wonderful time too."

Naruto felt a strange fluttering in his chest and he felt his face grow awfully hot. Looking at Hinata and seeing her supple lips, an idea came to him. He wanted to show her how much he appreciated her. Placing his free hand around Hinata's waist, he pressed her body against his before leaning in.

Hinata put her free hand on the back of his neck and moved closer. Then their lips met. It was hot and wet and started off awkward, but then Hinata's lips parted and their kissing increased in intensity, in passion. She tasted like cinnamon and her breath was hot against his as they continued to kiss each other fervently, deeply.

Naruto hadn't kissed anyone like this, never felt such desire for anyone like this before. He wanted more. He needed more. Then, after what felt like forever, they parted.

Naruto placed his forehead against hers and held Hinata in his arms. "Wow..." His face was burning, his breathing was laboured and his senses were overwhelming him with Hinata's look, smell, taste and touch.

Hinata was flushing a dark crimson and her eyes were alight with passion, love for him. "That was amazing."

"We should do this again sometime."

Hinata gave him a peck on the lips. "I agree." She broke away from him much too quickly, but gave him a radiant smile. "Good night, Naruto."

"Night." With another smile, Hinata turned around and walked away with a confident stride.

Naruto began to walk home, a smile growing on his face as he remembered the feel of Hinata's lips on his. The date was a resounding success. He did what he set out to do and so much more, with someone who loved him unequivocally and irrevocably.

He was worried that he wouldn't be able to return her feelings. He knew it wasn't good to have your feelings be unrequited.

"Take it from me, Naruto," Jiraiya once said. "Make sure that the person you fall in love with loves you back. Don't waste time on chasing a lost cause."

But when they were requited, however...

"He made me believe that he could fulfil my dreams, and above all, he changed me. The red hair I hated so much brought me to my destined one... It became the red thread of fate, and ever since then, I learned to like my red hair, and most of all, I loved Minato."

His mother told him to find a girl just like her, a girl who loved him unconditionally. Even if he wasn't sure if he could love Hinata the same way she loved him, all he could do was try and see if he could in the first place.

The End