In Team 7

Chapter 43

Yamato looked at her in disbelief.

"Hinata, you really love Naruto..." he thought.

"Naruto, let's talk."

"About what, Yamato Taicho?"

"The one who did it to Hinata isn't Kabuto."

"Then who?!"

"You!"

"M-me? That's not possible, I would never do anything like that to her! I love her!"

"W-what did you say, Naruto?!" Yamato couldn't believe it.

"Hmm? What were you talking about?" Naruto said stupidly.

"But nothing..."

"I just want to warn you that you shouldn't use Kyuubi's chakra so much. Believe more in your own strength."

"That's easy to say, I'm not that strong without Kyuubi."

"But you are, Naruto, just trust yourself more."

"All right, Yamato Taicho!" Hinata's leg still hurt where Naruto had hit her, so she couldn't walk normally.

"Naruto, help Hinata. Looks like she can't walk." Naruto looked at her with guilt.

"Hinata, I'm sorry..."

"You don't have to apologize, it's not your fault..."

"I really don't deserve you..."

"You know, maybe I should tell you something else..."

"And what?"

"It happened a long time ago, forget it..." Naruto grabbed her shoulders.

"Tell me!"

"Still in the Chunin exams, in the Forest of Death. You and Sasuke were unconscious. I cared about you, but we were attacked by enemies. I wasn't strong enough and one of them used an attack that burst my eardrums. Blood flowed from my ears and I heard nothing. Then you showed up. The Kyuubi chakra flowed through you. When you saw me, you were upset and then you killed who attacked me..." Naruto couldn't believe it.

"I'm really a killer ... I didn't mean to..." Naruto looked at his hands and shook. Hinata grabbed his hand.

"You're not a killer! You were not yourself. Plus, if you didn't show up, I'd probably be dead by now ... I don't really know a better person than you," said Hinata. Naruto blushed a little. Hinata too.
But in the confusion, Sai disappeared somewhere. They set out to find him. They didn't find him, but they did find his diary. Hinata peered into him.

"Look!" She showed it to Naruto.

"Hmm, what is it?"

"I-I don't know, Sai-kun didn't like to talk about it."

"Wait, when I look closely, it's as if they're fighting together. In addition, only the boys from the envelope always win and take the weapons of their enemies. Additionally, one image is missing in the middle. They were probably supposed to fight together." Hinata was amazed by Naruto's deductive abilities.

"We should follow Sai. He's probably heading to Orochimaru's hideout," said Yamato. Naruto nodded.

"Hinata, maybe you should stay here, you can't run with that leg, let alone fight."

"B-but...!"

"Don't worry, Hinata, I have an idea..." said Naruto.

"What idea?" Naruto took her in his arms.

"Grab my neck so you don't fall." She blushed. Yamato smiled.

"He could take her on his back..." thought Yamato. He could, but what if Naruto didn't want to, or did it just not occur to him? Following Sai was easy for Yamato. They set a trap from one of Kabuto's corpses, but that didn't stop them. They reached Orochimaru's hideout. Meanwhile, Sai was introduced to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, you have a visitor here."

"I'm not interested. Leave!" said coldly Sasuke.

"Hinata-san and Naruto-kun are worried about you..."

"And what?"

"They have suffered a lot to meet you..."

"It's not my problem!" Sasuke was already upset, so he used Sharingan on Sai. Sai then woke up in one room. But after a while, Naruto, Hinata and Yamato discovered him.

© James Arthur