Dear Super Patient and Wonderful Readers,

This notice is NOT to say that I am dropping this story - far from it. I made a promise never to give up on a story... though considering the delays, maybe I should rethink that... nevertheless, as of right now, this story is still going! As to why there's been such a long break between chapters, I can only offer you my sincerest apologies, and know that with each review that comes to me, that I make sure to reply to, a little more guilt weighs on my highly caffeinated heart...

"So what's your excuse this time Kagyuubi?" I can imagine you all thinking in various ways, some in similar tones and words, others... in more colourful and agitated ways... Well it's not unjustified, believe me, not arguing with you there! I'm not entirely sure if you are aware of my current enrollment in university; I only started adding Author's Notes to my latest stories, which I will not be so presumptuous as to assume you've read. In these Author's Notes, I have said time and again that I've been busy with university related activities and assignments, and while that was true at the beginning... my efforts towards studying have seriously diminished to the point where I was in danger of getting kicked from the course. I'm not telling you all this to get pity or to justify the delays; I deserve what came to me for being lazy, and if I wasn't going to study, then I should have been writing. However things are looking up now, and while I'm still toeing the line between passing and failing, you can bet your bottoms that I'll be spending the holidays writing and gaming, not studying for last chance makeup exams!

So to the point: what does all this mean for Hinata: A Distant, Fading Dream? It means I'm going to ask you, the readers, to give me just a little more time. Tap into those last reserves of patience sitting at the bottom of the barrel! Please? Exams are nearly upon me, so after these three weeks of 'Do or Die' study/fight-for-my-Uni-life, the holidays will be free for writing, if, no no, WHEN I pass my courses. I know it's been a long time, but I promise that the story will come to end this year. I'm not sure if those readers I told remember this, but I mentioned in some of my replies to reviews that there may be a sequel, but until I get my act together, consider it canceled, rather than getting your hopes up, only for me to disappoint time and time again... I did not intend to make the ending a sequel baiting, 'Y-u-no-give-closure?' type affair, so rest assured, the original ending will stay the same regardless.

EVEN IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ SUCH A LONG MESSAGE, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH. IT CONCERNS A MISTAKE IN THE PLOT!

I apologize for my apology being so long, so if you 'tl;dr' this message, it's justified. I do hope you read through this part of the Note though, since I'm about to retcon this story like a boss. I kid, I kid. In actuality, I did make a slight goof up with one of the character's outfits, which in turn probably kept the identity of the lone walker a mystery more than it should have. I'm now deciding whether to go back and change it all, at the expense of making it easier to guess who it is, or I'll just roll with it and supply a plausible explanation for why that character is dressed as they are. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, I suppose.

I apologize once more if anyone saw this email and either got worried that the story was going to be dropped, or thought it was a new chapter - I've tried my best not to make it too misleading. And no, I stopped watching Naruto a long time ago, so I have not yet seen the ending and what happens. Please, no spoilers though - I plan to catch up and finish one of the biggest parts of my childhood and bid it a tearful fair well... and hopefully find peace with the ending of the shipping wars, if there is one. The trailer for 'The Last' movie looks rad though - definitely looking forward to that!

Sincerely,

Kagyuubi