How Kurama Leads Naruto Astray

Naruto felt a little embarrassed by the compliment. Now that he thought about it, wasn't it Hinata who helped him out of his depression before the Chunin exams? And now, she was teaching him again.

Wait a second. Since Hinata believed in him so much, she should be able to help him solve this problem, right?

Naruto thought for a moment. Yeah, this seemed more reliable than Kurama.

Kurama, hearing Naruto's thoughts, was completely annoyed. "Trust between people is like a blank sheet of paper. Even though the paper between us has been folded many times, it's still pure and untainted. So, are you being polite?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "The paper of trust between us has already been crumpled and thrown in the trash."

Kurama: ...

Turning around, Kurama scratched the wall of the seal space with his claws, writing: Konohagakure Year 63, Uzumaki Naruto mocked me, saying I wasn't trustworthy (crossed out), mocked the tailed beasts, saying they couldn't communicate! This grudge, I'll remember it for the other tailed beasts!

Naruto didn't care about what crazy thing Kurama was up to. He looked at Hinata beside him and asked, "Hinata, do you know what it feels like to like someone?"

"Eh!!!" Hinata's entire face turned red, her small face full of disbelief. She hurriedly lowered her head, not daring to look up, staring at the ground.

"N-Naruto-kun, why are you asking me this all of a sudden..." Her face was full of shyness, so red it could probably cook an egg.

Naruto wasn't affected, since he was already used to Hinata blushing so easily. "Actually, it's because of Sakura."

Hinata stiffened.

Naruto didn't notice and continued, "Yesterday, Sakura came to me to train, and it felt like she's changed. She's become a little more cheerful, even joking with me about how I like her. Even though I feel like she's become better, for some reason, I also feel a... strange feeling." 

Hinata's smile stiffened. "Wh-what kind of feeling?"

"Apologies." Naruto's expression became serious. "When Sakura told me about the joke, 'I like her,' I felt a sense of regret inside. I want to know why."

"Regret..." Hinata softly murmured the word, the flush on her face fading. "So, Naruto-kun, are you doubting whether you like Sakura-chan?"

Naruto was stunned, staring at Hinata in disbelief. "I'm doubting whether I like Sakura?"

"?" Kurama couldn't help but add a question mark. "You don't even know?"

"I thought I was just having trouble adjusting to Sakura's change!" Naruto exclaimed, his face frozen in the famous 'Scream' painting, with the two bags of ramen in his hands making him look like a clown.

Hinata chuckled politely beside him.

After a moment, Naruto hung his head in defeat. "How could that be? How could I not like Sakura? I just feel regret, it's not that I don't like her. Why is this happening?"

Kurama couldn't take it anymore and turned away with a look of disdain.

Hinata's expression became a bit downcast, but she still maintained a gentle smile. "Naruto-kun, if you don't feel that way, then there's no need to be confused."

Naruto blinked. "But the reason I'm confused is that I am confused, right?"

What's going on with you? Kurama rolled his eyes.

Hinata shook her head softly, her tone gentle. "Naruto-kun, you've always been like this. You can do anything, everything seems so full of confidence. It's the same when you faced Neji, and when you defeated the sand ninja and the tailed beast. You've always been like this."

Kurama perked up his ears, and Naruto seemed a little dazed.

Hinata smiled and continued, "So I believe in you, Naruto-kun. You can do anything. Confusion isn't something you need. You just need to keep going forward, full of determination."

She lowered her head, speaking in a softer voice. "I know the feeling of liking someone. It's like wanting to watch them, wanting to follow their steps, always, always chasing after them."

"I hope that one day, I can stand in front of the person I like, stand beside them, and become stronger while chasing their steps, so that I can fight alongside them."

"That's what it feels like to like someone."

Hinata smiled shyly, like a blooming water lily, pure and untouched, standing gracefully in the water, unaffected by the mud around it, as beautiful as a painting.

Naruto-kun, I've always been walking in your footsteps. Maybe others only see your pranks, your foolishness, but I want you to know that at least one person has noticed the sadness hidden behind your jokes and the effort behind your silly exterior.

Never give up... Giving up is always harder than sticking it out. How many people who said they'd never give up ended up turning to another path? But you, to me, are like a ray of light shining on the earth, never tired, asking for nothing in return, never giving up.

"So, Naruto-kun, there's no need to be confused. Just keep going the way you think is right. Liking someone is just liking them. I believe Sakura-chan will see your good qualities, and just like you like her, she will like you back."

"So, I won't be confused anymore. I will work hard to follow your steps, never give up, until I can stand by your side. Then, I'll tell you."

"I believe in you, Naruto-kun." Hinata's smile was brighter than ever before.

I like Naruto-kun.

Suddenly, the sun rose over the horizon, the first light of day shining on the two of them, their shadows stretching long, like two parallel lines that would never meet.

Kurama gasped, feeling a little stunned. "Wow, Naruto, how many piles of dog poop did you step in to meet such an understanding princess? Damn, tail beasts shouldn't feel like this, but why does my heart feel like it's racing so fast?"

"Who could handle this~" he clutched his chest like a patient pretending to be in pain, his face filled with frustration. 

"Naruto, you blockhead, can't you show any reaction?" 

To his surprise, Naruto also clutched his chest, looking confused. 

"Why… is my heart beating faster too?" 

Hinata shyly lowered her head, holding two bags of ramen in her hands. Her face wasn't bright red, just lightly flushed. 

"When you're lost, doubting yourself, no matter when it is, Naruto-kun is always Naruto-kun. Just be yourself. Sometimes, 'not knowing' is also an answer." 

She finished softly and, still shy, began walking forward. 

Naruto instinctively followed, walking behind her. He looked down at her, noticing how their seemingly parallel paths had somehow overlapped. 

Shadows aren't always parallel lines. 

In a daze, Naruto called out without thinking, 

"Hinata!" 

Hinata turned her head. The morning sunlight seemed to wrap around her, making it hard for Naruto to see her clearly. His heartbeat quickened. As the light and gentle breeze surrounded them, his words drifted toward Hinata, accompanied by the chirping of birds. 

Hinata covered her mouth in shock. 

"I like you."

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