Chapter 42 Water side fun

Kakashi could only chuckle as his son's antics as he watched him race to the water. Kakashi watched as the other two genin in his group also started running. Well Naruto had challenged Sasuke to a race and once again that boy refused to loose to Naruto and Sakura just went along with it not wanting to be left out.

Kakashi reflected on how the morning went, after a very unwelcomed wakeup call from his son, because the boy didn't want to be late, they were soon on their way to get the others. Both men were wearing their trade mark masks although while Naruto was in a bright pair of orange swim trunks, Kakashi opted for a black pair. He watched as the kids kicked off their sandals and threw aside towels and other items to gain more speed. Sakura was wearing a decent two piece that was red and covered most of her chest, although the plush from Naruto and a slightly cast look from Sasuke at first said that it was nice on her.

Kakashi wasn't really looking as it wouldn't be proper, while Sasuke threw off a blue t-shirt as he dived into the water with white and blue trimmed trunks. By the looks of it the boys might have tied in the race with Sakura just a fraction of a second behind. Of course both boys wanted to admit that they were first which led to the usual arguing and Sakura trying to make peace with the two. Kakashi sighed, some things just never changed.

"Damn they beat us."

Kakashi turned his head to see Team 8 was on their way. Kiba who had spoken out was already in grey trunks putting down his stuff with Akamaru jumping off the boy's head. He noticed Kurenai was in a white one piece with a sash around her waist. Although not as skimpy as he knew Azuma would like, the woman's figure made up for it. Kakashi mentally chuckled when Azuma got a look at her, he knew the man might have a thing for the red eye genjutsu mistress.

His gaze went to Hinata, who although he could tell she was wearing something, the girl was still wearing her coat. She looked a little embarrassed and noticed another Hyuga with them, he recognized as Hanabi. Apparently Hinata hadn't wanted to leave her little sister out of the fun. Then he noticed Shino, he was wearing shorts but still had on his coat.

Kakashi gave Kurenai a questioning look and she just sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

Kurenai had tried to convince him to join in but apparently Shino and his family never really liked water all that much. Apparently it had something to do with their insects getting wet, although he had learned water walking Shino actually couldn't swim.

"So how are things?" Kakashi asked.

"Well enough," Kurenai said to him. "Anko said she was coming but is running late. I also Gai might be showing up as well."

Kakashi cringed as he really hoped Gai would tone it down. The one time the Jonin all got time off at a place with swimming he showed up in a black swimming thong. The sight alone gave him and many others horrible nightmares and he was banned from ever showing up in that in public again.

"T-That would be my fault," Hinata said looking down. "I told Neji-niisan and he told Tenten, who told Lee who told Gai-sensei."

"Well it's not a problem besides it's not often all the teams get time off anyway." Kakashi smiled at her.

"So I see we're not late." Came another familiar voice. Everyone looked to see Asuma in black shorts and a vest walking with his own team plus one other addition.

"Hey Hanabi!" Konohamaru yelled out seeing his friend. Hanabi waved back to the boy glad to see someone more her own age here.

Asuma chuckled, "Hope you don't mind that I brought my nephew, once he heard what was going on he demanded to come."

"I'm sure Naruto will be happy to see him," Kakashi smiled as the other children ran off to join the others.

"I hope he's not the only one Kakashi." Anko's voice came up behind him.

Kakashi turned around and his one visible eye widened at the sight before him. There was Anko in a black two piece holding a towel and a small bag in one hand. Although it was hard not to see anything but the bikini the woman was wearing and what it showed off. Anko was giving him that seductive smile of hers as she walked towards the others.

Asuma actually dropped his cigarette at the sight and Kurenai gave him a small glare before turning away. Kakashi tried to say of something but his mouth was suddenly a bit dry at the sight of the special jonin. Sure she wore that mesh armour that looked like it was painted on, but she was showing a lot more skin now and the effect surprised him how much he reacted.

"Ah my eternal rival, you have arrived before us!" Gai's loud voice boomed out and for once Kakashi was thankful for the interruption.

Kakashi was also glad that Gai was wearing swimming trunks as the children really didn't need to be traumatized like he and the others had been. Although he did notice that Gai and Lee had the exact same pair of green coloured swim wear. He was starting to think that Gai showed Lee where he shopped the boy bought anything his sensei did.

"I guess that means I beat you again huh?" Kakashi smiled at Gai.

Gai suddenly realized that Kakashi had 'beat' him at yet something else and the shocked expression on his face made Kakashi's morning. He started to tune out the other man as he went on his usual rant about not losing to him again and evening the score. He just hoped that he didn't get roped into another challenge as he wanted to enjoy the day.

-Lake side-

The genins were already starting to mix and great each other, Ino was showing off her new purple swim suit to Sakura while looking for Sasuke. Naruto went over to the others as they started to meet up and was glad to see Team Gai had made it.

"Naruto-kun, I'm very glad to see you in fine shape and I hope you don't mind me and my team mates joining you in this most youthful of days!" Lee said to him.

Naruto shrugged, "Hey I'm glad you guys could show up it will be more fun this way."

Then he noticed Neji in a plain white trunks but Tenten had opted for a pink bathing suit and actually had her hair down. He was surprised how it went to her shoulders as he had never seen her hair like that. He got a grin as this was the perfect way to push Neji's buttons again.

"Hey Tenten, that's a really great swimsuit you got on and I like your hair down like that. You should do it more often it looks pretty that way." Naruto smiled at her.

Tenten couldn't help a small blush, it was always nice how Naruto complimented her as she never got any at all. Many just saw her as a tomboy and there was nothing bad with that but she was a girl too damn it and sometimes she wanted to feel pretty, although she would never admit that out loud even under torture.

"Thanks Naruto, it's nice to see someone appreciates it but I prefer my hair in puns while working. It keeps it out of the way and less chance of someone grabbing my hair." Tenten told him.

Neji once again clenched his jaws in irritation, he really wish he wouldn't get upset whenever Naruto paid attention like that to Tenten. She was his friend and team mate but something about the way Naruto openly flirted and Tenten accepting it just rubbed him the wrong way.

"Hey who are you guys?" Choji asked as he and his team walked up to the others.

"Oh right you guys haven't met yet, well Neji I think you met at my last birthday party, but this is my Uncle Gai's team. This is Tenten and Lee," Naruto said introducing them and vise-versa.

"Oh man it's so nice to meet another girl," Ino said going over to Tenten, "I swear it's like the ninja population is something like five men to every woman."

Tenten giggled at that, "Yeah I know which makes it harder on us because we have to prove ourselves more huh?"

"Totally," Ino smirked taking a liking to the slightly older girl.

"Well I think I'm going to go join Shino," Shikamaru sighed as he went to lay on the grass and enjoy some cloud watching.

"Well let's go then," Konohamaru yelled out after introductions were taken care of as he and Hanabi ran to the water.

"Hinata you're not going to swim with that coat are you?" Ino asked seeing the short haired girl blush a bit. "Come on you'll have to take it off to swim."

"O-okay," Hinata said softly as she took her coat off. She was very shy about her body and she never did feel she was as pretty as the other girls. In fact she had worn this coat for a few years even before puberty kicked in. As she took it off revealing a blue one piece suit she noticed Ino looking at her strangely.

"W-what?" Hinata asked the blonde.

"When the hell did you get curves?" Ino blurted out. She had never seen the other girl like this and just figured that Hinata wore baggy clothing because the other girl hadn't really grown into a more feminine look. But apparently Hinata had been keeping secret that she had done some growing up. Ino had to admit that she was comparing her figure with Hinata's.

"I don't see why you're hiding all of that, man if you showed off more I bet the boys at the academy would have been asking you out," Ino smirked seeing her blush at that.

"R-really?" Hinata never thought she could turn heads, she always thought she was pretty plain.

"Yeah, you just need more confidence." Ino smiled at her and then took the why girl by her shoulders leading her to the small lake. "Here let me help. Hey guys!"

"Epp!" Hinata suddenly found all eyes on her as she felt very embarrassed being the center of attention.

"What the...is that Hinata?" Kiba then whistled as he was next to Sasuke, Lee and Naruto as they were getting ready for a race on the water. "Damn she sure developed."

"What the hell does that mean!" Naruto shouted at him.

"Oh come on look at her, you'd never know that she had a figure like the other girls with all that clothing on." Kiba smirked and then got a punch to the gut from Naruto.

"Don't talk about her like that you idiot!" Naruto didn't like the way Kiba had said that and the whistle just pissed him off for some reason. Kiba however took offense to being punched and tackled Naruto into the water as the boys wrestled about.

"Should we not do something?" Lee asked Sasuke.

"Naw, let them go at it. They'll get tired and forget all about it in about ten minutes." He said as he noticed Ino was making her way over to him. He sighed as the blonde harpy was making her way, she was just way too clingy and apparently didn't get that he wasn't interested. At least Sakura had gotten the message and stopped annoying him and was concentrating on her ninja skills. Didn't these girls know that the only girls he could be considered interesting were ones he could respect?

He cast a look at that Tenten girl and had to admit she was what a Kunoichi was supposed to be. He noticed that the Hyuga boy seemed close to her but nothing that indicated they were dating. Maybe he could use this to get to know the girl more, that is if he could slip away from Ino long enough.

-On the grass-

With the adults looking over the kids they felt time to actually relax. They weren't kids anymore and they didn't have the energy like the genins seemed to have. Well most of them, Gai was off doing handstand push ups on the water and Lee was joining him as they were 'training their flames of youth' as they called it.

"I get tired just looking at them," Asuma sighed to himself.

"I just don't know how they have the energy for it," Kurenai put her two cents in.

Kakashi sighed, "You know if he makes it to old age I often wonder if he'll be the most fit old man in the world or the most broken up with the things he puts his body through."

Anko snickered as she could see and old Gai now in a wheelchair trying to race all the other old geezers. At any rate it was the perfect time to try out a little plan of her to get Kakashi a bit more interested in her. The bathing suit was just part one and from his reaction she knew that she got him interested.

She rolled onto her back and dug out some sun screen in the small bag she carried, "Hey Kakashi can you do me a favour?"

"Sure, what?"

"Put this on my back for me will you?" She handed him the bottle and laid down on her towel. Kakashi blinked a few times as he looked at the bottle and then at her. He had to admit it seemed like something out of Icha Icha Paradise but he shrugged it off and started to work it onto her skin. He had to admit her skin was softer than he had thought it would be. Her body felt nicely toned as well, there were the little scars here and there but then they all had them.

The life of a ninja was a dangerous one and it would very odd to not get them in the line of duty. He could see a few from cuts, one looked like a small stab wound that had healed over nearly completely. Ninja Medics were very good at repairing the skin damage but they couldn't always heal away all sighs of an injury.

But he didn't mind at all, in fact he found his fingers lightly tracing them at times.

Anko sighed at what he was doing, who knew that Kakashi had magic fingers. She wasn't sure what he was doing at times but it felt nice. She had never had been in a position like this before, mainly cause she had never trusted a man that much. Her sex life wasn't really all that to talk about, she heard the rumours though. She was a wild one in the sack, she had whips and chains in her bed room and all kinds of very kinky things.

But the truth was she only had sex a few times, mainly it was just a stress relief and only one night stands. Sometimes after a mission when the blood was pumping as well but then lots of ninja usually got laid at moments like that. There was just something about the adrenaline and sex that made people go for it. But in all those few times she never really felt a connection.

With Kakashi things were different she actually felt like she could trust him and in some strange way she could relate to him more than most. Having your childhood taken from you at an early age and losing all your family, the pain of loss, it wasn't easy for her to connect with others. But over the years she got to know him and she felt at ease with him.

But now she wanted to at least try something more.

"Hey hold on a second will you," Anko told him as she reached back and undid the knots in the back of her suit.

Kakashi nearly squeezed the bottle dry but stopped himself.

"I don't want any tan lines," Anko smiled at him.

Kurenai looked a little envious of Anko; although she wasn't sure she could let Asuma try that out. Although the thought of his hands on her skin was appealing, she bet his hands were all rough too. Another sigh from Anko and Kurenai felt like scowling at the younger woman, it just wasn't fair that Anko was enjoying herself too much. She knew that lately Anko had her sights set on Kakashi and this was her way of testing the waters.

Anko never really had a stable relationship, mostly because of the girl's fear of getting close to someone but Kakashi was a friend going way back so most likely the woman was just comfortable enough with him to try it out. Kurenai really did hope things would work out, Anko needed someone stable in her life and so did Kakashi.

"Damn," Asuma muttered as he tried to rub some sun tan lotion on his own back and shoulders. He couldn't ask Kakashi as he had his hands full at the moment, Gai was too far off and he wasn't sure he should ask Kurenai. He didn't want to seem like he was over stepping himself with her as he respected her.

"What is it?" Kurenai asked.

"Nothing major I just can't reach the back part." He told her and then felt a pair of soft hands on his shoulders making him jump a bit as he looked over his shoulder.

"Here let me help," she said softly as she worked the lotion he put on over his back. She could feel the hard muscles of his shoulders. She actually loved his shoulders they were so big and broad, it was one of her secret turn ons for men. She could see the little scars here and there, as she worked her hands over his back. She had to admit she enjoyed it more than she should of.

Asuma closed his eyes feeling her soft gentle hands on his back, they felt nice and when she stopped he was a bit disappointed.

"Thanks," he said turning towards her. "Well I can return the favour if you need it after all you helped me out so I should return it."

Kurenai turned around to help her out and to hide a small blush. She felt him move her hair aside as he was sitting behind her and started with her shoulders. She had been right, his hands were rough and strong but his touch was still gentle. She nearly bit back a moan as he worked her shoulders.

"Have you been stressed lately?" Asuma asked feeling her shoulders. "You shoulders feel like their in knots."

"Stressful mission," Kurenai muttered it just felt too good.

As they continued on Anko cast a glance their way and smirked. Her little bonus mission of getting her best friend the man she had a crush on was working. But she soon returned to the very nice feeling of Kakashi's hands on her back.

-The Lake-

The kids were already having lots of fun in the water, Choji had started things off by making a cannonball into the water getting everyone wet which started a full on water fight, ninja style that is. Naruto used a bit of his wind chakra training to make some nice wave, others either swam under the water or ran on top of it. Shino was watching contently by the shade of a tree while Shikamaru had fallen asleep.

Naruto at that moment was standing on the water as he took a break. A few where playing a game of water tag and so far it looked like Tenten was 'it' and was trying to tag either Ino or Hinata who were the closest to her.

Naruto had to admit that Hinata was very graceful on the water, he watched her as she moved out of the way of the girls as they played. She moved like a dancer really and something was bothering him. He felt like he had seen this before but he couldn't really place where he had seen it. He hadn't seen Hinata in a bathing suit for a few years, not that he could see why she was so shy about her appearance.

He never really noticed that she was actually kind of pretty, his eyes went over her slender figure and once again he felt that he knew that shape.

'This is nuts, why the hell am I checking out my best friend?' Naruto thought to himself. 'I mean okay sure she's grown a lot more than I thought. And I never knew she could move on the water like a dancer and...wait...'

Naruto blinked a few times as he really looked at her movements, she was using some type of that gentle fist style to move about and it really looked like dancing. Now he remembered, he had seen this before. That night in Wave when he saw that beautiful girl dancing naked in the moonlight, it was an image that had been haunting him. He still had dreams of that girl and he really took a very close look at Hinata.

'It can't be...I mean...'

Naruto couldn't help but notice how the movements were too much like the girl he had seen, plus only a ninja could walk on water and they had been the only ninja in the area. He hadn't thought it was one of the girls because he honestly didn't think they were a match. Sakura was nice but her bust line wasn't as big as the girl he had seen and her hair was too long. Hinata, he had never seen thought a coat and figured she was about the same as Sakura.

But looking at Hinata now, he could see that she really did have one hell of a figure. That coat and pants really hide how she had bloomed over the past couple of years. Naruto couldn't deny it anymore, that girl he had seen had been Hinata. There wasn't a doubt anymore in his mind which meant that the girl he had been dreaming about was Hinata.

It also led to another thought.

'I saw Hinata-chan NAKED!'

The sudden gush of blood out of his nose and the shock made him lose concentration and he fell into the water. Naruto sank down into the water as his mind tried to make sense of everything. The dream girl was in fact real but it was his childhood friend, but he had to admit that she had grown up and was in fact a pretty girl. He never thought of her as a girl, more as his friend so this left him feeling very confused.

The fact he had seen her naked made him blush all over and was thankful no one could see him down in the water. His mind quickly thought of all the times together, the laughter and the sad times like when her mother had died. She had been a constant in his life and then his mind brought him to that kiss. That accidental kiss on the roof while on that mission in Wave. His mask had been on but thinking about that kiss left a feeling of butterflies in his stomach.

Thousands of thoughts raged on in his mind and it wasn't until his lungs burned for air that he swam up to the surface.

"Damn man how long were you trying to hold your breath down there?" Kiba asked him as he had seen his friend go under. "You trying to learn to breath like a fish or something?"

"I...thought I saw something at the bottom but it was nothing," Naruto told him. He saw Kiba shrug it off and went back to the shore. Naruto looked again at Hinata and he felt a blush under his mask as he watched her laughing and playing with the others.

'She...really is pretty and she's really nice too...damn it she's my friend...but...oh man I don't know what to think!' Naruto felt so lost but if there was anyone he could turn for help it was his dad.

Kakashi was by a tree trying to read one of his books but his mind just kept going back to Anko and the way her body felt under his hands. He knew that she was obviously flirting with him, but the reason was why she was doing it. Was she doing it just as friendly teasing? But then again she hadn't really done anything like that before so was she actually interested in him?

He had known her for years, hell she was practically part of the family in a weird way. Kakashi also had to admit he had never met a woman like her. She was a tomboy, rash and had a very strange sense of humour. But he had fun with her, she was easy to get along with and he remembered that day at her place when they had shared that one moment. Both their walls that they kept up came down for just an instance and he had to admit it felt, nice.

Plus there was the fact she was beautiful as well. He wasn't blind to that, especially in that little red number she was wearing. Her skin was so soft and warm that he didn't want to stop when she asked him to put on the sun tan lotion. But would it be right to start something with her?

What if things went wrong, could they end up hating each other and then what of Naruto? The kid loved her that much was certain and he knew that Anko felt the same about Naruto, to them they were like true family and he didn't want to break it up.

While he was thinking on what to do it took him a moment to notice his son walking towards him. Kakashi focused his attention on him as Naruto didn't look like his normal self. In fact the boy looked like something was bothering him.

"Hey dad, can I ask you something?"

The tone that Naruto used told him this was serious, so Kakashi put his book down as he sat down. He patted the spot next to him and Naruto silently sat down next to his adopted father.

"So what's on your mind?" Kakashi asked him.

"Well...I'm not sure what to do about something," Naruto wasn't sure how to even start about his problem so he'd just wing it. "You see I think I'm starting to like a girl but the problem was that she's a friend."

"You mean like how you had a crush on Sakura for a bit?"

"It's different this time," Naruto said in his defence. "I mean with Sakura maybe it was just a crush but we've become good friends since she's into Sasuke. But the thing is it's harder this time, this time she's been a very good friend for a long time and I'm scared I might screw that up. I mean she's been there for so long, and what if I ask her out and she gets weirded out by it?"

'Can it be that he's finally noticed Hinata?' Kakashi thought to himself surprised. It wasn't hard for him to figure out who he was talking about since Hinata was his oldest friend plus he caught Naruto looking in the direction of Hinata just now for a split second. He mentally chuckled to himself at this turn of events, everyone knew that Hinata had it bad for Naruto, with the exception of Naruto. The only reason he had stayed out of it was that he didn't want to meddle but maybe a little push wouldn't hurt.

"Well son, how do you know she doesn't like you back?" Kakashi asked him. "Do you see any signs?"

"Signs? Usually the girls in your books just throw themselves at the guys or say what they are thinking." Naruto said at him.

Kakashi sweat dropped, he really should have given him more talks about girls. Jiraiya may write great novels but women rarely just up and admitted things at least it wasn't normally done. The thing with Anko earlier was a prime example.

"Well things don't work out like that in real life, at least not all the time," he started to explain to Naruto. "You see some girls are actually very shy about certain things, tell me does she blush a lot or even faints around you?"

'If that doesn't clue him in then I don't know what will,' Kakashi mentally sighed.

Naruto thought about it, Hinata did blush a lot when he was around. Plus she did seem to faint and Kiba once said to him that she only seemed to do it around him. She had fainted when he had accidentally kissed her so...

'Does that mean that Hinata, likes me?'

Naruto never thought that his best friend would feel like that, he wasn't sure but if his dad was right then that meant that Hinata actually liked him.

Kakashi saw Naruto was thinking about it so he had a few more words for him. "Listen I can't tell you want you want to do in this, it's your life. But just think about this for a moment. Do you have fun with this girl, when your with her do you feel more at ease and comfortable with her?"

Kakashi look slowly traveled to Anko who was talking with Kurenai about something.

"Does it seem that she's someone that you might actually like to date? Someone that you feel can understand you and even accept anything about you?"

Naruto thought about that, Hinata did all of that and more. He thought about what it would be like to date her and it just felt nice inside.

"Thanks dad, I think I know what to do now." Naruto smiled as he got up to join the others.

"I think I do too," Kakashi said looking at Anko laugh with Kurenai.

-Later that day-

It was hours later when it was time to get back, everyone had a good time as everyone made their own ways home. Although Naruto asked to walk the Hyuga girls home while Kakashi was okay with it as he moved off to Anko.

Anko gave a curious look as Kakashi walked up beside her.

"Mind some company?" He asked her.

"Nope." She smiled at him as they walked on. "So the squirt is taking Hinata and other girl home huh."

Kakashi nodded, "I think he's going to try and ask her out."

"About damn time," Anko sighed as she saw how the young girl was smitten with Naruto.

"It also got me thinking as well," Kakashi said as if he was thinking out loud. "I haven't been on a date in years."

"Oh?" Anko smirked, "Got anyone in mind."

"Yeah...you think Kurenai would be up for it?"

Anko face faulted at that and turned her full fury on Kakashi, if that bastard got to look at her and touch her and went after Kurenai she was going to kick his ass. "What did you say!"

Kakashi only chuckled, "Just kidding. I know she would say no and Asuma wouldn't talk to me again if I did."

Anko crossed her arms and turned away from him.

"You know...you're kind of cute angry," Kakashi said walking up ahead leaving a stunned Anko behind him. It only took a moment for her to get over it and caught up to him.

"What did you say?"

"I said I thought you were cute angry." Kakashi smiled at her.

Anko felt a small blush but fought it back she wouldn't act like some teenager even though the sound of him saying she was cute made her feel giddy in her stomach. "So?"

"So what?" Kakashi asked.

Anko was losing her patience. "You going to ask me out or what!"

"Alright, tomorrow sound good for you?" He asked.

"Yeah and you better not wear ninja clothing, for all the teasing you're taking me out in style Hatake." Anko said to him holding her head up high. She wasn't letting him get off easy for teasing her like that. Kakashi only chuckled maybe this was going to be more fun than he thought.

While that was going on, several blocks away Naruto was walking the Hyuga girls. Hanabi was very lively as she wanted to do something like that again sometime soon. Hinata smiled at seeing how happy her little sister was. She cast a look to Naruto who seemed to be thinking about something but whatever it was she wasn't sure. She wanted to ask him but she didn't want to disturb whatever it was he was thinking of. At any rate they soon arrived at the main Hyuga gate.

"Hey Hinata-chan, can I talk to you for a second?" Naruto said slightly nervous.

"Uh...okay, Hanabi why don't you check on Haku-kun for me." Hinata asked and her sister gave a curious look at them but nodded.

"Haku-kun?" Naruto asked confused.

"T-the rabbit," Hinata told him.

"Oh okay. Heh, I should tell Haku that in the letter I plan on writing to him I bet he'll like that." Naruto smiled at her and then he scratched the back of his head nervously. "Um...Hinata-chan, I was wondering if you were doing anything tomorrow afternoon?"

"N-no, why?"

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go out tomorrow, you know, with me?" Naruto couldn't even look at her for a moment too scared of what he might see.

Hinata's eyes widened as her face started to feel warm. 'Is...is he asking me out on a date!?'

"Y-you mean like, l-like a...date?" Hinata asked feeling so nervous that she might faint right there. Her heart was hammering in her chest. This was like a dream come true, first he took her first kiss and now this. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she was awake.

"Well...yeah," Naruto admitted and waited for a replay. But Hinata was so shocked she couldn't get any words out and Naruto's hopes dropped. He figured that her silence meant that she didn't want to, he was surprised at how much it hurt. For a moment he was actually looking forward to a date with her for some reason.

After a couple of minute of silence was all Naruto could take. "Well you don't have to, I'm sorry I brought it up and I don't want to ruin our friendship if that's what you feel."

'Oh no! He feels like I'm rejecting him! Say something, anything, please!' Hinata screamed out in her mind.

"Well I should get back to-"

"YES!" Hinata shouted out.

"Huh?"

Both Naruto and Hinata were surprised by that kind of outburst. Hinata turned even more red than ever but she couldn't stop now. "I-I'd love to."

"R-Really!?" Naruto said happily.

Hinata nodded her head as she smiled.

"Great! I'll pick you up tomorrow at four okay?" Naruto told her. Hinata just nodded again and Naruto smiled at her before running off. Hinata felt like she was floating as she realized she finally had a date with the boy she had been harbouring feelings for, for so long.

She walked back into the compound with a dreamy look on her face making many clan members what had happened to get Hinata in such a state. She walked into her room and saw Hanabi there feeding Haku but she didn't notice. She just fell back first onto her bed and sighed happily.

Hanabi gave a confused look, "What's going on?"

"Naruto-kun asked me out." Hinata sighed happily again.

Hanabi's face was full of surprise and a little disappointment, she and Konohamaru had plans already in place and he said he got help from two other kids his own age as well. "So what are you doing for it?"

Hinata wasn't sure but then it dawned on her, she bolted up as she realized that she had a first date and wasn't sure what to even wear to it or what to even do on a date.

Next up Chapter 43: First Dates