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Every Monday and Thursday, Hinata heads to the dojo for karate practice. What started as a simple hobby has turned into something much bigger—a passion that lights her up from the inside, a way to stay sharp, and a quiet reminder that she’s ready for whatever life throws her way. You can never be too careful.
On Mondays, she’s in her element. Her sensei, Uchiha Sasuke, nods approvingly during sparring sessions, his quiet praise boosting her confidence like nothing else. He’s even hinted at sending her to the city tournament, a thought that fills her with a mix of excitement and nerves. The idea of representing their club, of proving herself, makes her heart swell with pride. She imagines herself standing tall, honoring the dojo, and maybe—just maybe—earning the respect of her other sensei, the one who always seems to doubt her. Because…
On Thursdays, it’s like she’s a completely different person. Her second sensei, Uzumaki Naruto, watches as her stance falters, her knees wobble, and her arms tremble like twigs in the wind. Hinata’s confidence vanishes, and she forgets everything she’s learned about karate. Naruto clicks his tongue in mild frustration but never gives up on her. He shakes his head, gives her a few words of encouragement, and tells her to keep training and never give up. Every time, as the session ends, he hands her a piece of candy—a small gesture to cheer her up. His wide, warm smile and bright blue eyes, as clear as a summer sky, always leave her blushing furiously.
Every Thursday, Hinata trudges home, the candy tucked into the side of her mouth, her face still flushed from the training—or maybe from Naruto’s smile. The summer breeze cools her cheeks as she savours the tangy sweetness, her thoughts a whirlwind of self-doubt and determination.
But this Thursday is different. She isn’t heading home just yet, though the usual candy is already nestled in her cheek. Today, she overheard something—something she wasn’t supposed to hear. Hidden behind the dojo door, she listened as Uchiha Sasuke confidently declared:
“We’re sending Hinata Hyuuga to the tournament, along with Haruno and Takahashi.”
Her heart raced. Sasuke had promised her this chance, and now it felt real. But what she really wanted to know was what Naruto thought. She knew eavesdropping was wrong, so unlike her, but the temptation was too strong. What did Uzumaki Naruto, her ever-encouraging yet ever-doubting sensei, truly think of her? The answer, she hoped, was just beyond that door.
“Are you out of your mind?” she hears his voice, loud and slightly raspy, and curiosity gets the better of her. She peeks through the crack in the door. The blond man, with eyes as bright as the summer sky, twists his finger at his temple, staring at his colleague and best friend.
“Sasuke, you’re a great coach, but I won’t let you send Hinata. Do you want her to get beaten up so badly she can’t walk for weeks?” Hinata sighs softly at his words. Well, what did she expect? Naruto Uzumaki thinks she’s a useless weakling.
“No, you’re out of your mind,” Hinata glances sideways and sees Uchiha Sasuke now twisting his finger at his temple. “Hyuuga’s technique is flawless, her strikes are precise,” the dark-haired man with eyes like the night sky says sharply. “Have you even been paying attention to her?” he asks the blond, who suddenly grins.
“Of course I’ve been watching her,” he replies, and Hinata immediately flushes at his words. “But she’s so delicate,” Naruto adds with a sigh, unaware that the girl with eyes like winter ice is sighing softly behind the door, her sigh echoing his in perfect unison.
“She’s tiny and ridiculously cute. She needs protecting, not throwing into tournaments to get mauled by aggressive competitors.” The blond puffs out his cheeks, and Hinata feels a strange warmth spreading through her body. He thinks she’s cute.
“Are you serious right now?” the brunet snaps at his friend. “Who’s tiny? Who’s delicate?” He circles the bewildered blond, gesturing wildly. “Hyuuga is going to the tournament, and that’s final! I’m in charge here, and I’ve made my decision!” Sasuke declares firmly, striding out of the training hall through the back door. Hinata stays frozen in place, watching. She sees Naruto grimace and cross his arms over his chest.
“Sasuke, teme,” he mutters loudly, and Hinata stifles a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. In this moment, she feels incredibly happy. She’s determined not to let Sasuke down, and more importantly, she’s going to show Uzumaki Naruto exactly what she’s capable of. Hinata stands by the door, fists clenched, her heart swelling with determination.
At that moment, the door unexpectedly swings open, and the tall blond man looms before her, his presence filling the small space like sunlight breaking through clouds. Hinata freezes, clutching her hands to her chest and nearly squeezing her eyes shut, her heart racing so fast she’s sure he can hear it. She curses herself for lingering too long—she should have run, but her knees, as always, betray her the moment his eyes meet hers. Disappearing into thin air would have been a relief, but instead, she’s rooted to the spot. His face lights up with surprise, and he stares at her as though she’s something extraordinary—a rare, peculiar marvel.
“Hyuuga-san, what are you doing here?” he asks after a long pause. Hinata remains stubbornly silent, so he makes an astute guess, his eyes narrowing with a sly smile. “Were you eavesdropping?” Hinata, of course, flushes instantly but bravely meets his gaze.
“I-I want to…” Hinata stammers, but Naruto stays quiet, waiting for her to finish. His intense gaze stirs something in her, a flicker of determination, though the blush on her cheeks doesn’t fade. “I-I’ll prove to you… I can do well at the tournament!” she finally blurts out, her voice trembling as she squeezes her eyes shut. When she opens them, there he is—Uzumaki Naruto, the man she adores, his face filled with pure surprise.
She isn’t sure exactly when she fell for Naruto. Maybe it was that first time she tagged along to the martial arts club with her friend, Haruno Sakura. Sakura, with her bright pink hair and endless energy, had decided to take up karate and, not wanting to go alone, talked Hinata into coming with her for “moral support,” as she put it. But the moment they arrived, Sakura dashed off somewhere, leaving her friend waiting alone in the hallway outside the changing rooms.
Out of sheer boredom, Hinata had timidly peeked into the training hall, and that’s when the tall, smiling blond man with eyes as blue as the sky approached her. He asked if she wanted to join the club. Caught off guard, Hinata had nodded in agreement before she could think twice. The tall blond turned out to be Uzumaki Naruto, as he introduced himself. He guided her down the hall, past the tatami mats where students were busy practicing, all while chatting enthusiastically about something she couldn’t quite focus on—mostly because her attention, after all, was entirely consumed by the man walking beside her.
Hinata found herself blushing at the unexpected closeness to such a vibrant, energetic man. It ended with him telling her when the training sessions were and that he’d be looking forward to seeing her again. And just like that, Hinata became one of the karate enthusiasts. She never regretted it, not even once.
And now, Uzumaki Naruto stands before her, arms crossed over his chest, his posture taking on a slightly intimidating edge. Especially because he’s furrowing his brows, a visible crease forming between his eyebrows as he looks down at her with a stern expression.
“Well then, Hyuuga-san,” he says, “let’s test your readiness in a proper sparring match.” He gestures toward the mats. Hinata feels herself turning red and green at the same time. Sparring with her beloved sensei always ends in her crushing, humiliating defeat. But she follows him anyway. They’re not in their uniforms, which is against the rules, but he doesn’t seem to care. He simply takes his stance, ready and waiting.
Hinata sees his serious demeanor, and something inside her clicks. The sounds around her fade away, and she feels as though she’s falling deep within herself. It’s not like fainting or anything of the sort—it’s pure, unrelenting focus. She wants to win… so she doesn’t wait. She attacks first.
When she comes round, her eyes meet his—bright blue, like a clear summer sky. They’re wide with genuine surprise and what looks like a touch of admiration. Hinata fully regains her senses and realises she’s lying right on top of her beloved sensei. His hands are carefully, respectfully steadying her, and he’s studying her face as though seeing her for the first time.
“Didn’t expect that from you, Hyuuga-san,” the blond man says, his voice warm with approval. “That was a very good move.” Hinata flushes instantly—from the situation, from his words, and from the unmistakable pride ringing in his tone.
“I-I’m sorry,” she mumbles, embarrassed, reluctantly (and with great regret) climbing off him. Though, somewhere in the back of her mind, she notices how slowly Naruto lets his hands fall away, as if he, too, isn’t quite ready to let her go. Hinata smiles shyly to herself but quickly shakes the thought away, getting to her feet.
“No need to apologise for a successful move,” her sensei chuckles, standing up as well. “For putting me on my back so professionally, I think I’ll have to agree with Sasuke—you deserve to go to the tournament. I hope to see this kind of determination from you there.” Naruto flashes her his usual lively, energetic grin. Hinata gives the traditional bow, and the blond follows suit. Their heads almost touch, and she swears her electrified hair is eager to tangle with his spiky blond strands while it has the chance. She can’t blame them—she wants it too…
“Maybe… if I win…” Hinata whispers timidly, still bowed, “if… when I…” She stumbles over her words, unable to believe what she’s about to say.
“When you win…?” the blond prompts softly. Hinata hears the smile in his voice and suddenly lifts her eyes. He’s still bowed, just as close to her, peering straight into her eyes, and he’s definitely smiling. Hinata flushes brightly again, her smile even shyer, but she finds the courage to continue what she started.
“After the tournament… will you go out for coffee with me?” Hinata blurts out, hardly believing the words are coming from her own mouth. But there’s no taking them back. It’s all in his hands now. She lowers her eyes, unable to look at his face; the anticipation is too much to bear.
Suddenly, she feels his hands gently take her shoulders, firm but tender as he straightens her up. Hinata grows even more flustered, tilting her head to the side and staring at the floor.
“I’m afraid, Hyuuga-san, our professional relationship is now over,” the blond says sternly. Hinata shrinks at his words, a wave of desperate sadness and regret washing over her. Maybe she should have left things as they were.
“I’m sorry…” she whispers again, turning to leave. She doesn’t think she’ll ever come back. What’s the point of the tournament now? There’s no one left to impress.
“Hinata,” Naruto’s voice is soft as he takes her elbow, and she looks up at him. Her eyes betray everything she’s feeling—she’s on the verge of tears. But she holds his warm gaze, biting her lip to brace herself for the sympathetic apology she’s sure is coming. Though she’d gladly skip that part, she stays rooted to the spot, as if glued to the floor. “Hinata,” he repeats her name, smiling now, while she blushes furiously, “you do know that relationships between students and instructors are against club rules, right?” He looks at her questioningly. Hinata’s eyes widen, and she shakes her head. Of course, she didn’t know. How could she? All this time, she’d been too afraid to even ask him for coffee, let alone imagine anything more.
Naruto Uzumaki-sensei studies her intently, his gaze lingering on her flushed face. His hand slides gently down her arm, from her elbow, and suddenly clasps her cold fingers. Hinata shivers involuntarily but doesn’t look away.
“Looks like you’ll have to move under Sasuke-sensei’s strict wing,” he says, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Let him take over your training from now on.” Hinata just blinks at him, still silent. “Because I’d be more than happy to go for coffee with you after the tournament,” he finishes, watching her expectantly. But Hinata stays quiet, as if she’s swallowed her tongue.
Then he steps closer, taking her other hand, his fingers wrapping around hers, which have already warmed under his touch.
“But I don’t want to wait that long,” he says softly. “Would you like to go somewhere and have coffee with me right now?” Hinata tenses, but this time it’s from happiness. She feels like dancing, a tingling warmth spreading through her. And it feels so right, so she just savours the moment.
“I’d like that, Uzumaki-sensei,” she replies shyly.
“Great!” He releases her hands and claps, grinning. “But I’m not your sensei anymore. Just Naruto,” he adds with a wink. Hinata nods hurriedly, her face burning red. She desperately wants to say his name, to feel it on her lips, to hear it and get used to saying it. But embarrassment overwhelms her, and she stays silent.
“When you first came to the club,” Naruto says suddenly, “I knew you hadn’t come to train. Sakura had already told me you were just waiting for her, but I couldn’t let you leave. I really wanted you to stay. I wanted to get to know you—what kind of girl you were. But then I ended up as your second instructor, which meant I couldn’t make the first move.” He’s telling her all this, and Hinata can’t believe her ears. Did he feel the same way she did back then? Or is this just a dream? Maybe she fainted during their sparring session and is now hallucinating wildly? She pinches her arm lightly, but nothing fades. She’s still here, and he’s standing right in front of her, saying all these things.
“No way…” The words slip out before she can stop them, but Naruto just laughs and shrugs.
“I kept thinking about how to let you know how much I liked you, Hinata,” he says quietly, his voice soft but earnest. “But all my attempts were so clumsy. I’m really glad you made the first move…” He takes her hand again, and Hinata, mustering a tiny bit of courage from somewhere deep inside, tentatively squeezes his long fingers with her slender ones.
“I’m glad I made the first move too,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. “Will you cheer for me at the tournament?” she asks shyly. She looks at him expectantly, and he turns to her, his wide, familiar grin spreading across his face. “Naruto-kun…” she adds suddenly, emboldened. A shiver runs through her—his name feels so sweet, so real, so hers.
“Of course, Hinata,” he replies.
And then they find themselves in a cosy café, sharing a cup of aromatic coffee that fills the air with its rich, comforting scent. They settle at a small table, where hours slip by unnoticed—their hands brushing, fingers intertwining, knees grazing beneath the table. Every now and then, their noses bump as they lean in, laughing over silly little things that only they find funny. In that moment, nothing else matters; they’re simply happy to be together, wrapped in the warmth of each other’s presence. It isn’t until the café lights dim and the staff gently reminds them of the midnight closing that they realise how much time has passed. Reluctantly, they step out into the quiet street, neither willing to say goodbye. Instead, they wander the empty avenues, their laughter mingling with the soft hum of the night, their words weaving stories under the dim, golden glow of the streetlights.
The next morning, Sasuke gives them both an earful—Hinata, as a tournament participant, has messed up her schedule, and of course he blames Naruto. But Hinata cheerfully assures Sasuke-sensei that she’ll be fine. She’ll win every single tournament and every single prize he sets his sight on. Because now, she has her beloved Naruto-kun by her side.