Published at 16th of September 2024 6:14 pm

Chapter 43 A Glimpse of Kindness: The First Meeting of Naruto and Hinata

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Naruto Uzumaki, a small boy with bright blonde hair and eyes full of boundless energy, wandered the streets of Konoha. The late afternoon sun hung lazily in the sky, casting long shadows on the village. Naruto, as usual, had been running around the village alone, creating mischief where he could, trying to grab the attention of anyone willing to notice him. It had become his daily routine—play pranks, get scolded, run away, and repeat. But it wasn’t the pranks that he cared about; it was the hope, however fleeting, that someone might finally acknowledge his existence.

Today, however, the streets felt particularly empty. He had been out all morning, racing through the village and climbing rooftops. His legs were tired, and his stomach growled with hunger. His usual haunts—Ichiraku Ramen, the park, and even the playground—seemed less exciting than usual. The other kids avoided him, as they always did, whispering behind his back or outright ignoring him. It was a loneliness he had grown accustomed to, but it still stung in the quiet moments.

In contrast, Hinata Hyuga walked quietly through the outskirts of the village, her head slightly bowed as she clutched the front of her small lavender jacket. She was younger than Naruto by only a few months, but her demeanor was far more reserved. Her pale lavender eyes reflected the softness of her spirit, yet they were clouded by uncertainty. She often walked alone, just like Naruto, though for different reasons. Being a member of the prestigious Hyuga clan placed an invisible barrier between her and the other children. Her timid nature only added to that separation.

Hinata’s days were spent in the large, traditional Hyuga compound, where her strict father and clan members constantly evaluated her performance. They didn’t expect her to become strong; in fact, most had already deemed her too weak to be the rightful heir of the clan. These thoughts weighed heavily on her as she walked along a quiet path through the village outskirts, where she could escape the compound's pressure for just a little while.

As she wandered, Hinata’s thoughts were interrupted by a group of boys ahead of her. They were roughly her age, and she recognized them as kids from the village. Her heart sank a little, as social interaction had never come easy to her. She hesitated, thinking she might avoid them, but something caught her attention. The boys weren’t just playing; they were standing in a circle, their faces twisted in mean-spirited grins. In the middle of the group was a small boy with bright blonde hair. Naruto.

The boys had been taunting him, calling him names, and throwing rocks and sticks in his direction. Naruto stood defiant, his fists clenched, his eyes blazing with anger. He was used to being mocked, but that didn’t mean he accepted it. He was about to lash out, but something stopped him. Something made him hesitate.

Hinata stood at a distance, watching the scene unfold. Her heart raced, not with fear for herself, but with a deep, growing empathy for the boy standing alone against the group. She had seen him before—Naruto, the boy everyone whispered about. She didn’t know much about him, only that he was often alone, and others seemed to treat him poorly. Yet, despite everything, she felt an inexplicable connection to him, a kinship in their shared loneliness.

As the boys continued to taunt him, Naruto suddenly lunged forward, ready to fight back, but he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. The boys laughed even harder, their cruel laughter echoing through the empty street. One of them moved closer, preparing to kick him while he was down.

Without thinking, Hinata’s feet moved on their own. She ran forward, her small heart pounding in her chest as she placed herself between Naruto and the boys.

“Stop… please… don’t hurt him,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, but it was enough to catch the attention of the group.

The boys looked at her in surprise, momentarily confused by her sudden appearance. “What are you doing here, Hyuga?” one of them sneered, recognizing the symbol on her jacket.

Hinata’s hands trembled, and her eyes fell to the ground, but she didn’t move. “Please… just leave him alone,” she whispered again, this time with a little more strength behind her voice.

Naruto, still on the ground, blinked in confusion. No one had ever stepped in to defend him before. He looked up at the girl standing in front of him, shielding him from the bullies. Her back was straight, but her small frame seemed fragile, as though a single harsh word might cause her to crumble. Yet, she stood firm, her head bowed but her stance unyielding.

The boys seemed to lose interest, realizing that they had been interrupted by a Hyuga, of all people. One of them scowled, but they all eventually turned and left, muttering insults under their breath.

As soon as they were gone, Hinata let out a shaky breath. Her knees felt weak, and she wondered if she had made the right decision. She didn’t know Naruto at all, and yet, something deep inside her had pushed her to act.

Naruto stood up slowly, brushing the dirt off his orange jacket. He stared at her, his blue eyes wide with surprise. “Why did you do that?” he asked, his voice a mixture of confusion and wonder.

Hinata’s face flushed a deep red, and she couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. Her hands fidgeted nervously, and she struggled to find the right words. “I… I just didn’t want them to hurt you,” she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

Naruto tilted his head, studying her for a moment. “You’re one of those Hyuga, right? The ones with the fancy eyes?” he asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

Hinata nodded shyly. “Y-yes… I’m Hinata,” she said softly, still avoiding his gaze.

Naruto’s face broke into a wide grin, and he gave her a thumbs-up. “That was awesome! You totally scared them off!” he said, his voice filled with excitement. “I didn’t think anyone would ever stick up for me like that!”

Hinata’s heart skipped a beat. She had never been called “awesome” before, especially not by someone like Naruto, who seemed so full of energy and life. She risked a glance at him, and when their eyes met, her face grew even redder. She quickly looked away, embarrassed by her reaction.

Naruto didn’t seem to notice her flustered state. He was too busy bouncing on his feet, still energized from the encounter. “Thanks a lot, Hinata! That was really cool of you!” he said with a bright smile. “Those guys are always picking on me, but I can handle it! Still, it was nice to have some backup for once!”

Hinata nodded again, still too shy to say much. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but it wasn’t out of fear this time. It was something else—something unfamiliar but warm. She had never felt like this before, and it confused her.

Naruto, oblivious to her inner turmoil, extended his hand to her. “You wanna be friends?” he asked, his grin still plastered on his face. “I don’t really have any, but you seem nice!”

Hinata’s eyes widened in surprise. Friends? No one had ever asked her that before. She had always been alone, always in the shadow of her family and her clan’s expectations. But here was Naruto, asking her to be his friend with the same casual enthusiasm he brought to everything he did.

She hesitated for only a moment before nodding, her heart swelling with a mixture of happiness and nervousness. “Y-yes… I’d like that,” she whispered, barely able to believe the words as they left her mouth.

Naruto’s grin widened, and he pumped his fist in the air. “Alright! We’re gonna be the best of friends, Hinata! I can already tell!” he declared, his voice filled with confidence.

Hinata smiled softly, her gaze still shy but filled with a newfound sense of hope. Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad after all.

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