She lies in the shadows watching him. Watching him train in seclusion only her as his witness. She takes in every detail of him as he moves across the training grounds. His movements, not so graceful but with an air of determination that seems to radiate with every fiber of his body; and the way the setting sun reflects its yellow-orange rays off his hitai-ate, bringing full light to his face brightening his eyes further. Though his eyes need no further illumination, they are filled with an inner light. You can lose yourself in those eyes. Eyes full of determination and courage but deeply laden with burdens and locked away secrets. How she longed to call those eyes her own. To see him, the boy of her dreams, staring back at her with a look that said she was everything he ever needed. But for now she would wait, herself lacking the courage to tell him what she really feels. For now she will just watch.

She continues to watch careful not to miss anything. Her face turns a soft blush, growing deeper in shade as time passes. She softly rustles in the bushes to get a better view of the boy. But he hears the noise she makes behind him and quickly jerks his head to the very place she lays. The young girl panics, her mind a frantic mess.

Don't let him see me. Please God don't let him see me. But just as the girl starts formulating excuses for her being there the boy turns around.

"Must be a raccoon," she hears him mutter. Only then does she realize that she has been holding her breath, scared to even breathe in case it might alert him to her presence. She ignores her lungs screaming at her for oxygen and waits for him to return to his training. Only then permitting her body to breathe the crisp air around her into her more than grateful lungs.

She watches him longer noting that too much time has passed since her departure from her house. She must get back before it's too late into the night as not to raise questions. She stands up to move wary of the noise she makes. But in her concentration, is ignorant to the presence behind her. As she turns to move she runs into an obstacle and tumbles back, only to be caught by mysterious arms. She looks up only to see her own reflection in the boy's vibrant blue eyes. Behind her the boy's clone goes up in a puff of smoke, its purpose fulfilled.

Kage Bushin no justu? But when did he switch? Has he really grown this much in so little time?

The boy lifts her and gently places her on her feet but doesn't relinquish his loose grasp on her.

"Hinata," said the boy in a voice just above a whisper. But she is to shocked to reply right away. Her mind tries to grasp how this could be happening. Never would she have imagined being this close to him and what is that she sees in his eyes? It's that underlying sadness that never seems to go away. Only she notices, only she watches him enough to notice. Everyone else just sees his carefree attitude but she can see the truth. She can see that it's just and act. A way not to show his weakness but now he let down his defenses. She doesn't need her eyes to tell her that that sadness is there. His voice is proof enough; it's not the usual loud and obnoxious voice that he always portrays but a soft whisper with the same underlying sadness that fills his eyes.

"Hinata," repeated the boy again breaking her thoughts, his voice growing in volume but yet just as soft.

"Na- Naruto... I...", answer Hinata in the quietest but still audible voice she could muster.

"What are you doing here, Hinata? Were you watching this entire time?"

"Yes but... Naruto... I... can explain...", but before she could say another word Naruto pulled her closer to him gently wrapping one arm around her and moving the hair that fell over her face, so he clearly sees into her eyes. Everything seemed to go silent in that moment. Hinata felt his weight shift as Naruto came down closer and closer until their lips met. As they parted, only their breathing breaking the silence of the night, all else was silent. Hinata felt lightheaded, if he hadn't caught her by surprise she would have passed out by now. But now that familiar feeling has come creeping back but she resolved not to let it win. She dared not speak; she wanted this moment to last forever, unspoiled by whatever she might say. But she needn't worry about breaking the silence of the moment. He beat her to it.

"Hinata... I love you...", the weight of his words crumbling the last bit of her resolve to stay conscious. Slowly light began to seep out as unconsciousness set in, but before total darkness overcame her she uttered but five little words.

"I love you too Naruto." Then total darkness overcame her, she passed out.

When she awoke it was well into the night. A sudden terror hit her, had she been dreaming. It had to be a dream, a surreal dream she wished were true. She sat up and a glint of moonlight fell on her face. The only thing wrong was she was looking down.

So how is the moon shining in my eyes?

Hinata looked further down to find its source. A kunai seemingly glowing, reflecting moonlight at her and the bushes she lay near. She picked it up and saw that around its hilt was a piece of paper held in loosely by orange string. She slowly unraveled the note and quietly read it out loud.

"Hinata,

I'll be here tomorrow at sunset."

Hinata felt that lightheadedness and the darkness seeping in through the corners of her vision but she fought it back. She was not going to faint this time. Now that Naruto finally acknowledged her, she wasn't going to let him down. She'd be the best for him. The kunoichi he deserved. She would not fail him. That was her way of the ninja.