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Chapter Text

November 17, 2004
Konoha

It was almost eleven at night when the two bodies slowly separated, panting and satisfied. A camping flashlight, lit and with its focus facing away from them, illuminated that secluded spot of Senju Park with the exact amount of light they wanted.

The car had been parked in such a way as to protect them from the gaze of anyone who could pass by, even though they had never seen anyone use that road or walk along that end of the park. Lying on the red and white checkered tablecloth, they looked deeply into each other’s eyes and smiled happily. Despite the heat of their bodies, they were still partially wrapped in the blanket that protected them from the chilly autumn breeze.

Naruto brought his hand to his girlfriend’s face and brushed the long strands of hair away from her cheeks before fusing his lips with hers again. His blue eyes, usually as vibrant and intense as the clear sky of a summer afternoon, reflected the night’s darkness in a deep navy blue.

The basket, containing the remains of the picnic that had begun when the sun was still high in the sky, had long been set aside. Above it, a small speaker played the soundtrack he had specially chosen for that moment. The volume was just enough to lull them without drowning out the sounds they made.

“Did you like the surprise?”

She nodded, flashing a smile that he thought could light up the entire city.

“Only you could convince me to come up here in the middle of the week and stay so late when we have classes early tomorrow! We could have done this next week, before the holiday.”

“Of course not!” he let his shock show in each of the sounds he made, “It’s our first anniversary. I couldn’t let a single day pass, let alone a week! And we couldn’t celebrate anywhere else, it had to be here.”

The girl laughed in agreement, and he squeezed her petite body tighter against his, pulling the blanket to wrap them better.

“Besides… we can come again next week.”

“My dad’s coming back from his trip on Sunday...”

“We need to find a good excuse, then!”

Between giggles and sweet kisses, they devised crazy strategies. As well as a reason to leave their homes, they also needed to be discreet about the unauthorized use of her father’s old Mustang.

“Tomorrow, after classes, I’m going straight to the photography club. I think we went a bit overboard today. We took more than thirty pictures during the sunset alone!”

She sounded excited, but he sighed. Covertly processed photo films. Secret dates. Veiled confessions. Gently, Naruto wrapped the girl’s left hand with his right and pulled it up to eye level, staring at the orange and lilac beaded bracelet he had put on her a few hours earlier.

“I wanted so much to give you a promise ring. But if I wore one too, everyone would know what it meant, and with the school’s non-dating policy… And then there’s your dad, what if he finds out and decides to break us up?”

“I don’t need a ring. I loved the bracelet, and you also have one! We can tell everyone they are friendship bracelets. We both know what they mean, which is more than enough for me,” getting closer, she rubbed her nose gently at his. “The bracelets are even more special because you made them.”

“You’re the best girlfriend in the universe. Did you know that?” he kissed her forehead tenderly, then pulled away just enough to look into her eyes again, “Have you noticed? Our song is playing.”

She smiled and nodded as her ears were invaded by his hoarse, off-key voice, singing along with the music.

“Don’t you think it’s time you started doing what we always wanted? One day we′re gonna get so high... ’Cause even the impossible is easy when we got each other. One day we′re gonna get so high...”

A soft, melodious laugh was heard, and she then silenced him with her lips.

“That will wake up all the animals in the park, Naruto-kun. And speaking of waking up… It’s getting late, I think we should go.”

 ” No,” he answered vehemently and wrapped them tighter in the blanket, attacking her mouth with passion afterward.

“No?” she asked in between the kiss, feeling his smile against her lips.

“No. We’ll only leave after I’ve loved you once more.”

Ending the kiss, they looked at each other again. In the dark night, Hinata’s eyes shone like small silver moons, with no trace of the lilac hue present in the daylight.

“I love you, ‘Nata. This is just the beginning of our ‘forever’ .”

'Cause we are gonna be
Forever you and me
You will
Always keep me flying high in the sky
of love

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊

March 5, 2022
Konoha

“Okay, let's recap. Today, we are starting with camera three…”

The new director's agitated hands revealed her state of mind. She had built a solid career, overcoming every obstacle along the way on her own merit. She was confident in her work, having proved countless times to herself and others that she was good and capable, but to be alone in charge of that show for the first time on that very day was a tremendous responsibility.

If she were to list the factors responsible for her anxiety, she would start with the show itself.

Moegi Kazamatsuri had been a fan of Killer B since she was a little girl, when he was still trying to make it as a rapper. His songs without rhythm and lyrics of dubious quality were among the few things that made the taciturn girl laugh, and when his musical career failed, she let herself be overcome by melancholy. Years later, when Talk With Bee premiered, the then-high school student wasted no time and applied to be a stagehand. With a lot of insistence, she was accepted as a gofer and spent an incredible two years alongside her idol. She was mainly responsible for fetching cups of coffee. Still, as a bonus, she became familiar with all the steps of the show's production, listened to discussions about the best title sequences, and could give her opinion about some video cuts. That's how she found her vocation.

When she had to leave her internship to study Cinematography in Osaka, Moegi took a letter of intention to hire signed by B himself, guaranteeing she would have the opportunity to officially join the crew as soon as she had the necessary qualifications. Years after her return, she expected nothing less than perfection from herself.

The second factor was the presence of her predecessor in the audience.

After almost ten years with the crew, the last six of them as director, Hinata Hyuuga had left the network for good the previous week. She was considered a behind-the-scenes legend in the television industry, and her fame went beyond the borders of Japan, being directly responsible for Killer B's meteoric ascent on streaming networks by changing the show's format.

At a time when television channels were still struggling to maintain their hegemony, Konoha's hitherto small Channel 12 gained worldwide visibility when Talk With Bee commenced being presented in English and retained the presence of a studio audience, but also allowed interaction between the show's host and the viewers at home in real-time. Coupled with the presenter’s irreverence and spontaneity, it was impossible to predict the course of an interview. B discussed food with fashion designers, performed duets with politicians, danced with athletes, and had in-depth dialogues, which were more like therapy sessions, with environmental activists. And the public loved it.

It was an honor to have this great icon present at her debut. Hinata would be one of the evening's interviewees, as she was leaving the entertainment industry to pursue a long-held dream, and Moegi could not be happier for her friend. She knew, however, that she could not make any mistakes. Nothing would pass her mentor's clinical eye.

The third anxiety factor was the surprise guest.

The show consisted of four segments, each reserved for a guest. However, more than one segment could be set for just one interview for special occasions or guests. It was customary for all interviewees to be announced in advance, but only Moegi and Killer B knew the identity of a surprise guest that Saturday. The first two segments were assigned to him, the following to Hinata, and the last would feature a local flower producer.

The team monitored some audience figures in real-time, a thermometer of the interview's progress.

The broadcaster’s own streaming platform usually peaked at three and a half million online viewers during the most hyped interviews. Still, the expectation surrounding the surprise guest meant that, at that moment, almost five million people were waiting for the show to start. One of the social networks broadcasting the live show and the most popular video platform already accounted for more than seven million connections each.

Being the guest who he was… Moegi had no doubt it would be possible to break the world record for the most viewers in a live broadcast on each available platform.

She would not fail. Focused, she continued to guide her team.

“I want camera four following the guests' reactions. Cameras five and seven should focus on the right side of the studio audience. Cameras six and eight, left side of the audience. We have to be flawless.”

୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧

Backstage, Temari no Sabaku was giving the final instructions to the photographer and the two camera operators who accompanied her.

“We know how they work,” she began, indicating the show’s team, “looking for group reactions; they want to show laughter, tears, and hysterical shouts. We will have access to all these shots later, and they can be used freely in our documentary,” she smirked. “Today, you'll remind me why you're so well paid.”

“Are we looking for something specific?”

Temari's smile widened.

“We are looking for an extra sparkle. Something that would go unnoticed among the public but overflows emotion when isolated. It’s up to you whether you want to keep an eye on the audience directly or on the monitors, but I need to use all your sensitivity to find that sparkle. And not just today, but throughout the project,” she took a sip from the bottle of water in her hand. “We don’t want to produce a standard documentary. We're not going to put together a bunch of well-known images from his career. We want to show where he came from, the story behind the difficult story everyone already knows, the origin of the values he follows to this day, what makes him smile…”

“…and how does he get panties wet.”

The team erupted into laughter but promptly suppressed them when they realized Temari’s accusatory look.

“Now it’s not time for fun, Deidara!” the blonde sighed, “Get something outstanding today, and I promise I won't complain about your jokes for a week.”

Her fellow blond flashed a rogue smile and winked at her.

“You have a deal, boss!”

The four of them had their attention diverted by the director’s approach.

“Everything's ready. We'll be on the air in five minutes.”

“Thank you, Moegi,” Temari said, then turned to her team. “You three can go to your positions. I’ll call the Big Guy.”

୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧

At thirty-three, Hinata had left the insecurity of childhood and the anxiety of adolescence behind. Having faced problems and adversity that could easily destroy the integrity of most people, she had learned to face the world with her head held high without ever losing the sweetness that had accompanied her from a very young age.

Nothing, however, could have prepared her for that moment.

The studio was dark, and the audience was waiting in silence when the bright sign ON AIR went on. Two drums began to beat the rhythm of the Jinchuuriki Song , an original Killer B song composed exceptionally for the TV series Menma . The host's deep, intense voice, singing live, reverberated through the room.

“One, with terrible bags under his eyes, Shukaku
Two, with a silky voice like a cat, Matatabi
Three, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura”

The story of the ninja who never gave up had become a global obsession, and its twelfth and final season would premiere at the end of that year. In addition to the composition, Killer B made special appearances from the seventh season onwards in a homonymous role deemed crucial to the development of Menma, the main character.

“Four, together with Yonbi for 40 years, Roshi
Five, tough and powerful, Han
Six, reserved and dressed in a kimono, Saiken”

Those present chorused along to the music. Hinata's heart began to beat faster. That couldn't be true. After all that time, she was back to being an apprehensive teenager.

“Seven, the heart-warming kunoichi, Choumei”

She felt her extremities tingle, and her legs go numb. The air coming in through her nose was no longer enough, and she began to suck it hard into her mouth.

“Eight, he's got killer rap skills, Killer B”

One of the spotlights came on, illuminating the tall, burly man as soon as his name was mentioned. He was performing the Jinchuuriki dance, with his arms raised above his head, swaying his hips and turning slowly until his back was to the audience. The chanting of those present turned into shouts as more and more people gave in to the anticipation, solving the riddle of who the surprise guest would be.

“Nine, he is Namikaze Menma”

The second spotlight lit, casting its light on a blond man almost as tall as B and performing the dance steps in sync with the presenter. With every twist and turn, the slightly tight jeans showed off his thick and shapely thighs and butt, eliciting sighs and causing more frenzy. The two remained with their backs to the audience for a few moments, still swaying their hips as the audience's screams increased. The choreography soon continued, and they faced the audience, who went wild as they confirmed that that was indeed the actor responsible for bringing Menma to life.

Hinata’s hands trembled. She would never forget that smile...

The noise of the audience was deafening.

For a few seconds, Hinata forgot how to breathe.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the extraordinary Naruto Uzumaki!”

Chapter Text

It looked like a classic case of mass hysteria. In the audience, men and women screamed until they ran out of breath. Everywhere, people were jumping and hugging each other, happy to glimpse their idol up close, ecstatic about witnessing what would surely be the interview of the decade.

Hinata, however, made no sound. Her lips were slightly parted, her breathing heavy, her eyes glistening with moisture. Numbness had spread throughout her body as she unconsciously pressed her index fingers against each other, twisting them. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions, utterly unaware that she had caught the attention of a long-haired, blond cameraman.

Naruto bowed in thanks to the audience when the dance was over. As he straightened up, he threw his head back and rubbed his hair with one hand, leaving his naturally messy strands even more disheveled while the fun of the moment reflected in the sparkle in his remarkably blue eyes. Amidst laughter, he and Killer B greeted each other with a hug and pats on the back, then walked to their seats.

The blond exuded sensuality. The way his pants clung to his legs and hips as he walked, along with the subtle movements of the white fabric of his shirt, which shadowed the well-defined muscles it concealed, captivated the attention of men and women alike, regardless of their sexual orientation.

B circled his desk and sat comfortably in his chair, then ran his hand through his white hair, ensuring it remained impeccably slicked back, while Naruto sprawled on the couch, legs apart and arms stretched over its backrest. A gofer helped him clip the microphone to his shirt collar and filled the glass in front of him with water. As soon as the young man left, the host asked the audience for silence and turned his gaze to Naruto.

“Naruto, my man! You finally returned to your roots. Welcome to Konoha.”

“Thanks, B, my brother. It’s great to be home.”

“How long has it been since you were last here?”

“Well… this is the first time I’ve been back since filming for The Clash began. So… fifteen years,” he sighed.

“But you’re going to stay for a good while, right?”

“Yes, I will. The first few weeks are going to be a bit chaotic since we’ll be doing some filming around the city until mid-April and—”

Faced with the commotion and noise from the audience, B scratched his gray goatee and interrupted the actor.

“Any opening for an extra?”

The blond laughed.

“Not this time, no. I can’t say much, let’s just say we’ll be taking some... shots for posterity.”

“And after that?”

“Then I’m on vacation, and I plan to spend a good amount of time here. Menma filming should only start around the end of June or July. It all depends on Ada, the series can’t continue without Hime,” Naruto said, turning his attention to the audience. “You guys want Menma to be with Hime in the end, don’t you?”

Amidst an overwhelming majority of shouts of confirmation, a few protests and the name of the character Somei Yoshino were heard. The blond put his hand on his heart, and his face turned to feigned sorrow.

“I can’t believe it. Are there really people who would like to see Menma with that violent woman? How cruel you are! I feel betrayed!”

Killer B waited for the crowd’s uproar to subside before continuing.

“Do you already know who Menma will end up with?”

“No. To be honest, I think they’re going to do the impossible to avoid leaking it, and they’ll only tell us when it’s time to shoot the scene. But I’m really rooting for Hime.”

“And what can we expect from the final season?”

“I know some kids have been cast, but their roles are treated as state secrets… We’ll have the conclusion of the war, with the participation of several important characters from previous seasons, including Killer B ,” Naruto said the last part as if revealing a secret, drawing laughter from the audience, “and I’m also betting on a final battle between Menma and Charasuke, even though I also don’t have any confirmation about that. And, of course, the resolution of the love triangle.”

“Going back to Ada, she gave quite a fright last week.”

“Yes…” Naruto sighed deeply. “She still had a little over a month of pregnancy left but suddenly started feeling very ill. At the hospital, they said her blood pressure was very high, and they kept her in the ICU for a few days. Information was slow to reach us; I was terrified! In the end, the doctors opted for a C-section to protect both her and the baby.”

“I heard that you arrived with her and only left the hospital days later, many hours after she gave birth.”

“And it couldn’t have been any different! You know, Code was still on tour with his new band, Kara, and barely made it in time to watch the birth. As the couple’s cupid and the baby’s godfather, it was my duty to be there in his absence and tell him everything. Plus, they promised me that the first photos of Daemon, after themselves, would be with me!” he laughed and pulled the glass towards himself, taking a sip of water afterward.

“Did you take many photos?”

“Absolutely! Daemon is adorable. He only took Code’s mouth, everything else is Ada’s. But he has this grumpy face! It’s hilarious, that tiny baby looks like he wants to get back at everyone for coming into the world too soon.”

“So, thanks to Ada and this little avenger, the entire production of Menma now has extended vacation. But man, tell me something, have you never taken a vacation before?”

“Of course, there were breaks between shootings. But when a movie ended, I was immediately swallowed into interviews, photo shoots, and other events. Or the next movie was in pre-production, and I needed to train or learn a new accent, take etiquette classes…”

“And has it been like this since the beginning?”

“It’s been quite complicated since Menma started. At times, the series’ filming occurred parallel to some movie, an absolute madness. But it was even worse in the beginning! Besides not having money to keep traveling back and forth, I was very young and didn’t know how to say no. And since I’ve always been somewhat hyperactive, I ended up accepting everything that seemed cool.”

“So The Ghostly Ruins seemed ‘cool’?” Killer B paused dramatically and made air quotes, drawing laughter from the audience. “To this day, I don’t understand how you ended up in a movie that mixes ghosts and robots.”

Naruto laughed loudly.

“Look, I was eighteen, almost nineteen, when they offered me the script. My first movie had been filmed, but it was still in post-production, and I was eager to continue. I embraced the first job that was offered to me.”

“How long have we known each other? Six, maybe seven years...?”

“Something like that, since your first appearance in Menma .”

“We’ve gotten drunk together more than once, yet I hardly know anything about your personal life! You’ve always been very discreet. Your name has been associated with several women... actresses, singers, models... but you’ve never confirmed any of the rumors, and they disappear as quickly as they start. Whenever there is speculation that you are involved in a relationship, your PR denies it. Are you in favor of celibacy?"

“No! Of course not, far from it,” he answered, laughing. “I just think that the people who come into my life concern only me, I don’t want to make a spectacle of it. If at some point I’m really involved in a relationship, I won’t hesitate to confirm it.”

B turned to the main camera and smiled mischievously.

“My dear ladies and gentlemen, take this as an opportunity. This is confirmation that Naruto Uzumaki is single.”

Naruto laughed, shaking his head, amid shouts and howls from the audience.

“We have an interesting question from someone who is watching us on the internet,” the host smirked as he looked at a tablet on his desk, excited to see the guest’s interest. “Tell us something about yourself that people usually find hard to believe.”

Naruto scratched his neck, pondered the answer, and took a deep breath.

“I can’t lie.”

The auditorium erupted in laughter as Naruto, smiling and slightly flushed, tried to ensure the truth of his words.

“See? I told you people usually don’t believe it.”

“How can such an acclaimed actor, with an Oscar for Best Actor and two for Best Supporting Actor, as well as four Golden Globes and several other awards, be incapable of lying? How do you manage to be so convincing on screen?”

“You tell me, what do I always do before we start shooting?”

“You... meditate?” Naruto nodded. “For about half an hour.”

“Exactly, I need that to convince myself I am the character. That way, technically, I’m not lying. If something breaks my concentration, I need to repeat the process. Otherwise, I start laughing and can’t stop.”

“So that’s why scene rehearsals are always so funny, you lack the concentration to... lie ?” asked Killer B, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s one way to see that...” he replied, smiling again and reaching for the glass before him. “But really, this only works when I’m acting. In everyday life, no amount of concentration can help me tell a lie.”

Taking the remote control for the big screen in the center of the stage, a little above, Killer B looked highly pleased with his guest and friend’s response.

“Then let’s take this opportunity to clear up once and for all the only rumor that never went away. Shion Nakamura,” Naruto almost choked on the water he was trying to drink when B pressed the button. The screen was filled with images of Naruto and a stunning blonde woman with exceptionally light, straight hair and violet eyes. The slides showed the two together at awards ceremonies and restaurants, dancing at parties, or sitting side by side in parks. The photographs displayed were almost a summary of the two actors’ lives, having been taken over the years, spanning almost as long as Naruto’s career. B leaned his elbows on the desk, crossed his hands, and rested his chin on them. “What’s going on between you two?”

“Why am I not surprised by this question?” laughing and shaking his head, the blond replied. “Nothing’s going on, Shion is a good friend.”

“Back in my day, that was the same as saying ‘we hook up with no strings attached’.”

“Not in our case, we’re truly just friends.”

“Nothing ever happened?”

“Nah.”

“Not even a small peck?”

“Nothing at all.”

“Then let’s see if you can actually say that without cracking up. Look at that camera there,” with a sly smile, B pointed to camera four, positioned near the other guests, “and say straight out that you’re not in a relationship with Shion Nakamura.”

“I knew you were up to something! Usually, I just don’t answer this kind of question, but that’s okay,” Naruto said, wiping the smile off his face for the first time that night and turning to the designated camera before continuing. “I have never had, do not have, and will never have any kind of romantic involvement with Shion Nakamura. We’ve never touched or even looked at each other with anything but friendship.”

The buzz of the audience confirmed that many had suspected otherwise. He turned his gaze back to the host, still face still serious.

“Is that good enough?”

“Darn it, man, I really thought you two had something. I just lost fifty thousand yen.”

The audience laughed, but the actor’s pounding heart made it sound muffled to his ears. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught something near the camera that filmed his statement.

“Didn’t you know you shouldn’t gamble with other people’s lives?” he tried to smile, but his face showed a mix of surprise and confusion. He suddenly turned his face again, scanning the first rows of the audience. He didn’t hear B’s following line when his eyes found what he was looking for and inadvertently interrupted him. “ ‘Nata ?”

The woman in question was trying to remain calm, her heart beating so hard it felt like it would rip her chest open, her mouth suddenly dry. She knew how that show worked and that at least three cameras must have been capturing her every move by that moment.

“Hinata, is that you?” Naruto repeated, the anxiety showing in his slightly trembling voice.

Swallowing with difficulty and trying to restrain her hand that insisted on shaking without her consent, she used all her self-control to force a sweet smile, nodding and waving discreetly. Naruto returned the wave and gave her his best smile, the one she had only seen from afar for years, and turned back to the host.

Killer B’s face showed curiosity.

"Hinata… Hyuuga? Our Hinata?"

“ Our ?” Naruto asked, turning his gaze back to the woman.

“Yes, she–”

“I’m sorry, B…” Naruto hurriedly tried to remove the microphone from his shirt. The studio’s sound system garbled his words as his hands fumbled and pulled at the mic. “I need to... How do I take this off?” he looked around in distress, looking for someone to help. “Fuck, I’m going to break this wire!”

The young gofer quickly went over to him, unhooking the equipment. Without wasting an instant, Naruto got to his feet and laughed, shaking his head and running his right hand through his hair as he began to cover the roughly ten meters that separated him from Hinata.

One step.

The blond’s palms were sweaty, and he rubbed them against his pants, continuing to walk. The crowd clapped, and a loud, high-pitched whistle stood out from somewhere in the middle of the audience.

Two steps.

His breathing quickened, each breath shorter and harder than the last. His eyes were stinging, and he decided not to fight the tears forming in them or the knot tightening in his throat. His cheeks ached from the intensity of the smile he couldn’t control.

One foot, …

He stared intently at Hinata, observing the features that lit up when she smiled at him as she shifted in her chair and stood up. He could no longer contain his emotion.

… then the other.

Much time had passed, too much. A heavy tear ran down his cheek, and he gave in. He ran over to where the small woman was and bent his whole body to embrace her, practically throwing himself on her and nearly bringing them both to the ground in the process. Laughing, he regained his balance and squeezed her tightly against his chest, tuning out the noise of the boisterous audience.

He loosened his grip just enough to pull his face back and look into the crystal-clear eyes that were as watery as his blue ones. Neither of them seemed to know what to say.

“Hi, ‘Nata!” he said, resting his forehead against hers.

“Hi, Naruto-kun!”

While some spectators tried to see what was happening over the shoulders of those in front, the rest settled for watching the interaction on the big screen. Naruto let himself be inebriated by her sweet voice and buried his face against the woman’s shoulder, allowing her to slip her arms over his shoulders while sliding his own hands around her slender waist until he had her completely wrapped. In an impulse, he stretched his legs and straightened his back, lifting her a good thirty centimeters off the ground with ease to hold her with her face at the same height as his. With his left hand, he continued to press her waist firmly against his abdomen and brought his right hand up across her back, resting it against Hinata’s right shoulder, crushing her delicate body against his chest.

He filled his lungs, intoxicated by the scent etched in his memory for years, and brought his lips close to her ear, speaking with a hoarse and choked voice.

“Damn, I’ve missed you so much, shortcake.”

Leaning his back slightly backward, he kissed the petite woman’s cheek, closing his eyes in the process. It was a long and tender kiss, many years overdue.

The viewers went wild, screaming, roaring, whistling, and applauding. Naruto Uzumaki was always pleasant and friendly, his personality light and cheerful, but he had never shown so much affection in public. The curiosity and anticipation surrounding the figure with dark blue-black hair increased exponentially by the second.

“Ahem,” sooner than they would have liked, the sound of the host clearing his throat brought them out of their bubble, making the audience laugh. “Naruto, Hinata, come here, both of you.”

Immediately, Naruto turned towards the center of the stage and began walking, making no move to let go of the woman. When she protested, he just smiled and lifted her up, twirling her slightly to quickly pass one of his arms under her knees, pressing her against him for a few more moments while carrying her to the couch.

Upon reaching Killer B, a very flushed Hinata was placed on the sofa, seated closest to the host. The actor took place next to her, stretching one of his arms over the backrest and behind the woman’s shoulders, while two assistants adjusted microphones on both of them.

“Hinata, you are full of surprises. You never told me you knew Naruto.”

Regaining control over her emotions, Hinata flashed a mischievous smile and didn’t hesitate to reply.

“You never asked, B.”

“Wow, we’ve known each other since we were, what, three?” smiling, the blond looked down, focusing on the woman’s face, who nodded. “We were inseparable.”

“And from your reaction, Naruto, it seems you hadn’t seen each other for quite some time.”

“Yes, we haven’t met in person since I left Konoha. We eventually... lost touch after a while,” he sighed.

“Did you keep in touch with anyone from here? Friends, classmates, former teachers...?”

“No, I haven’t heard from anyone in years…”

“Hmmm, so... you don’t know why Hinata would be giving an interview on a talk show?”

Naruto’s eyes widened in surprise and he smiled, shaking his head like a curious kid, finally understanding why Hinata was on the show.

“Then, before we go any further, I’ll introduce my other guest to the audience… and to you as well.”

Killer B winked at Naruto and, before turning to the main camera, looked at Hinata. His expression softened, and he assumed an almost paternal look of affection and admiration.

“The most loyal viewers of Talk With Bee surely already know her, but even for them, an introduction is absolutely necessary. This little giant is largely responsible for the success not just of this show but also of this humble host speaking to you. She came up with the format for our talk show when she was just a temp here at Channel 12, hired to work on the new set of a children’s segment, and I had a very low-budget show about to be canceled. But then that young, short lady, freshly graduated and with a mind full of dreams, approached me in the coffee room and presented ideas that… BOOOM! blew my mind, man.” B’s hands moved, simulating the great impact he had experienced, and he smiled. “She didn’t just sell her ideas to me, but a few weeks later, she presented a plan that had been thought through to the smallest details and convinced the entire board of directors that her idea was good. Since then, Hinata Hyuuga has been by my side through every challenge that has come my way for the last nine years, eight months, and twenty-five days, making this dream, my dream, possible. Without her, we wouldn’t be here today.”

The audience erupted into a round of applause as B encouraged them to get louder and louder. Hinata was once again moved that night, caught off guard by the gesture of the man before her. When the noise finally died down, he continued.

“But that’s not why she’s one of today’s interviewees, nor because she’s a childhood friend of my surprise guest. Despite all the success and recognition she has achieved in the entertainment industry, her dream was something else, and she pursued it for a long time in parallel with her work at the network. That dream has now taken on other proportions, to the point of stealing her away from us. And Hinata, I only let you go because I know how much you dedicate yourself and love what you do.”

Amid a second wave of applause, Naruto stared intently at the brunette, his lips curving as his mind reminded him of conversations and plans long forgotten.

“‘Nata, is that what I’m thinking?”

With Hinata’s confirmation and noticing that the blond was about to continue speaking, B interrupted him.

“Hold that thought for five minutes. We’re going to take a break and—” The sound of the audience’s discontent interrupted him, “Yeah, I know, I know, I’m dying to pry secrets out of these two, too! But we’ll be right back!”

୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧

Sitting in front of a desk with several monitors showing data from different websites in real-time, Moegi couldn’t believe her eyes.

The director repeatedly tapped on the side of one of the screens as if the action would somehow rearrange the numbers and show different figures. Within moments of Naruto Uzumaki being revealed as Talk With Bee ’s surprise guest, hashtags mentioning #NarutoUzumaki, #UzumakiOnBee, and #BeeRocks surged alarmingly fast on social media, quickly taking over the top positions on the trending topics.

The link to the interview’s live broadcast was being shared incessantly, and images of the blond on the show had already started flooding all platforms, when Naruto recognized Hinata in the audience. The curiosity around #Nata, quickly identified by Killer B as #HinataHyuuga, caused another stir among the most talked-about topics. The hashtags multiplied, and at that point, after just one segment, twelve of the top twenty trending topics worldwide were related to the show.

Moreover, they had never received so many messages in such a short space of time. To ensure interaction with their audience, all incoming messages were analyzed by an algorithm and categorized according to predefined parameters. The team responsible for selecting messages to be read live could then easily avoid texts that said “I’m loving/hating the interview” and focus only on those most likely to contain questions or relevant information.

The noise of a chair being shoved aside caught the director’s attention, and one of the team members hurried over to her, tablet in hand and a triumphant smile on his face. Moegi’s eyes widened as she contemplated the image on the screen.

“What the... she never said a word!”

୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧

On the other side of the studio, Temari was anxious.

If she was still breathing, it was solely because Naruto had assured her he had no skeletons in the cupboard. Having grown up among cameras, red carpets, and runways, the blonde knew the nuances of fame like few others and understood how unexpected situations could either boost or destroy careers.

Much more than just a personal assistant or a press secretary, Temari organized all aspects of her client’s public life. Pragmatic and methodical, the list of professionals eager to work with her was long.

She had handpicked the best professionals to accompany them during the first two weeks of the documentary production. During that time, they would only shoot a few spontaneous takes, before the rest of the team arrived. And at that moment, seeing Deidara’s confident expression, she buzzed with anticipation.

She turned her attention back to her cellphone, continuing her research on the brunette, navigating through various entries about her career in television, her children’s toy company, and social projects.

She smiled at the information she found.

Oh yes, Temari loved all of that. She was sure that would be worthwhile. And she was never wrong.

Chapter Text

Killer B thanked the heavens inwardly when a buzzer announced they would be live again in one minute. Naruto was constantly trying to talk with Hinata, and B needed to distract him so that he wouldn’t ask anything significant before the next segment started. Between curses and apologies, the blond resigned to sitting on the couch, having the smiling woman by his side.

The show’s crew signaled the camera they would be starting with, and as soon as the red light turned on, B rubbed his face in an exaggerated gesture of frustration.

“You guys have no idea how hard it is to keep Naruto Uzumaki quiet.” Amid the laughter that filled the studio, B turned to his guests, “Hinata, has he always been like this?”

“Naruto-kun has always been quite...boisterous. The easiest way to get him to talk nonstop was to ask him to stay quiet.”

Seeing the man’s face reflecting his indignation, the brunette couldn’t help but laugh. The sweet, melodic sound made Naruto freeze briefly, but B’s deep voice soon diverted his attention.

“How did you two meet?”

“It was in preschool, at Uncle Iruka’s Enchanted Garden. You may not believe it, B, but she was even smaller than she is now!” Naruto reveled in the nostalgia, “She looked like a little doll, always wearing dresses and with lots of bows in her hair.”

Pouting, Hinata retorted.

“You were smaller than me, Naruto-kun! And you always undid my hair bows.”

“True! I only started to grow taller when we were about nine or ten years old,” Naruto laughed, joined by the audience, but soon adopted a slightly more melancholic expression. “‘Nata transferred to our school well after the year had begun, was super shy, and didn’t know anyone. The other kids wouldn’t play with me, so it was natural for us to become friends. It was just the two of us.”

The host raised an eyebrow, curious.

“Why didn’t anyone play with you?”

“Well, you know how children can be…cruel. Even though I’m Japanese, I don’t look like one, and everyone treated me like a gaijin . And that’s in addition to having strange marks on my cheeks and living in the decrepit orphanage across from the school. The other kids were quite…harsh when they saw me coming in or out of there. Luckily, I don’t remember much from that time. When ‘Nata arrived, it was as if the world suddenly gained color.”

“You’re so forthcoming, Hinata. I can’t imagine you being shy.”

“Oh, but I was. I used to get beet red and so nervous that I would stutter a lot. Usually, the other kids would lose patience or laugh at me, and I became more and more introverted. That made my parents decide to switch schools, and I was transferred to Uncle Iruka’s in the middle of the school year.”

“I was so happy to finally have someone to play with that I never left ‘Nata alone, and of course, I didn’t care if she spoke slowly or in a different way. At the end of the day, I would cling to her and didn’t want to let go, screaming that they couldn’t take her away. I was terrified she would go home and not come back the next day. I only stopped doing that when her parents started picking me up on weekends to have lunch or go out with them.”

Naruto moved his hand from the back of the couch to the woman’s shoulder, pulling her closer, eliciting a smile from her, and causing a stir among the audience.

“Looks like someone sent us a photo from that time. Would anyone like to see it?”

Amid shouts of agreement from the audience and frantic nodding from the blond, Hinata just smiled, trying to disguise her apprehension.

Killer B grabbed the remote control, and the photograph appeared on the big screen.

The image showed Hinata and Naruto side by side, embracing. The little brunette wore a light pink dress full of ruffles and white buckle shoes. Her midnight was parted down the middle and braided with ribbons, and bows the color of her dress were positioned at the top and end of each braid. Her reddened cheeks contrasted with the girl’s extremely pale skin. The blond boy, almost four fingers shorter, wore a faded orange T-shirt that looked huge on his shriveled body, black shorts, and flip-flops. The huge smiles on both children’s faces translated the moment’s happiness. After a few seconds, the host jumped to the next image, probably taken a few moments later. The little blond was undoing one of the bows by pulling the ribbon’s end and laughing while Hinata pouted.

The cuteness of the images drew several “awws” from the audience. Naruto and Hinata looked at each other tenderly, and the blond smiled.

“If I remember correctly, Hiashi-san said these photos were taken during our first outing,” he diverted his gaze from the screen to look at Hinata, who confirmed the information, and then turned to the audience, “‘Nata looked like one of those beautiful porcelain dolls, didn’t she?”

The screams, whistles, and applause that followed confirmed the man’s statement.

“Man, you guys looked like a children’s version of Lady and the Tramp ,” the host laughed.

“I think they started to look after me a bit better after that. I don’t remember ever seeing another photo of me looking so scruffy,” Naruto laughed a bit embarrassed, scratching the back of his neck.

“And have you always remained close?”

As soon as Naruto agreed, Killer B shifted his gaze to the small screen incessantly flashing before him and arched an eyebrow with an amused smile.

“Really close?”

The image on the big screen changed.

In the photo, Naruto wore a tuxedo, and Hinata wore a long lilac dress made of light fabric that was tight to her torso. The flowing pleated skirt and the other people around indicated they were in the middle of a dance as they smiled and looked directly into each other’s eyes. One of the young man’s hands wrapped around the girl’s waist, and the other held her corsage’s hand, with their fingers intertwined at heart level.

Upon seeing the photograph, the woman shuddered and swallowed hard, not noticing the man’s expression light up.

“Fuck, how come I’ve never seen our prom pictures?”

“Did you have an American-style prom?”

Eager to avoid any comments on the image itself and praying Naruto wouldn’t delve further into the subject, Hinata hastened to answer.

“Yes, exchange students and children of expatriates used to attend our school, and after a few years, the prom became a tradition.”

The blonde, however, was barely aware of what was happening around him, staring mesmerized at the screen. He finally let out a slow breath through his lips and smiled.

“Kami, I was so crazy about you back then,” looking away from the picture, he stared intensely at the petite woman beside him, “I’ve been trying to remember since I saw you, why did we break up?”

For a few moments, absolute silence fell over the studio. Killer B’s mouth hung open in shock.

Hinata’s eyes widened and she forced a smile, then shrugged. Despite her demeanor, Naruto recognized the sadness that quickly flashed through her moon-like orbs.

“You don’t remember? I guess we were too young to deal with everything.”

The audience erupted. Bombarded by whistles and shouts, Naruto closed his eyes and mouthed an inaudible apology to the woman staring at him. She tried to relax.

The host opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before finally continuing.

“You guys dated,” he stated, taking in the information, “for how long?”

“From when we were...fourteen, fifteen, until some time after Naruto-kun left.”

“Hinata, you minx! How do you snag the most desired man in the world and tell no one?”

Noticing Hinata’s embarrassment, Naruto stepped forward.

“Oh, B, I was a nobody. She was much more desirable than me. The number of guys chasing after her... it was hard, keeping everyone away.” He shook his head wearily, then smirked and pointed to his chest, “But I was the only one she wanted!”

“Naruto-kun!”

Hinata buried her face in her hands, embarrassed, as those present laughed once again.

“Did Naruto fight a lot, Hinata?”

“No, but he used to be involved in arguments and squabbles ever since he was a little boy.”

“Then explain this to me.”

The photo displayed this time showed the two children in costumes and smiling. The girl was dressed in a white tutu leotard, with bunny ears and makeup, carrying a basket with some flowers and fresh carrots. The boy, dressed as a fox, had his arm in a cast. The makeup couldn’t disguise his black eye.

Hinata sighed.

“Yeah, this time it was indeed a fight...”

“What happened?”

“We were almost separated at that time, but... ‘Nata, maybe you should explain the context?”

The dark-haired woman nodded.

“When we were in our last year of preschool, my mother’s health severely declined while she was pregnant with my sister. She ended up being hospitalized during the final months of her pregnancy, which coincided with the last months of the school year. At first, my father would still pick up Naruto-kun to go out with us, but as my mother got worse, he spent more time at the hospital, and we only saw each other at school,” she sighed sadly. “Then, at the end of March, my sister was born, my mother passed away, and when the new school year began and we started elementary school, we were enrolled in different schools.”

Murmurs came from the audience, interspersed with various “awws” and “ohhhs” from those present, fully absorbed in the narrative.

“I was devastated. Like all kids at the orphanage, I was sent to the public school. I approached every adult I met there and asked where Hinata was. After a week, my homeroom teacher couldn’t take it anymore and answered me,” pausing and clearing his throat audibly, Naruto continued, forcing a very high-pitched and somewhat squeaky voice, “ ‘Stop asking about Hiashi Hyuuga’s daughter! She is surely a student at Konoha Institute, and that’s no place for someone like you.’ ”

The audience’s reaction was divided between weak laughter at the teacher’s imitation and indignation at what had happened.

“So I did what any six-year-old boy would do when separated from his best friend. I devised a foolproof plan to escape from school and find ‘Nata,” he laughed, joined by B and Hinata. “For a few days, after leaving school, I wandered the streets asking people where the Konoha Institute was. When they asked me at the orphanage why I was coming back late, I said I had been playing in the playground. They didn’t like me much, so nobody really cared much. Luckily for me, the place wasn’t too far away. When I learned the way, I planned to leave for school early, sneak into Konoha Institute, find ‘Nata, and attend classes there. No one would notice anything.”

The actor’s mischievous smile drew laughter from the audience, and he used the moment to drink some water before continuing.

“On D-Day, I didn’t even have breakfast and arrived at the Konoha Institute very early since I didn’t want to risk her going inside before I could find her. Some kids were playing at the entrance, there was a small playground there, but it was still fairly quiet. Then I heard loud voices and someone crying a little further away, and I went to see what was going on. And when I got there...” he shook his head and rubbed his hair, irritation showing on his face, “‘Nata was on the ground, crying, and four older boys, about eight or nine years old, were standing around her, spouting a bunch of nonsense about... Seriously, B, have you ever seen someone with more beautiful and incredible eyes than hers?” The woman blushed slightly under Naruto’s penetrating gaze and smiled as the host nodded in agreement. “I had never fought in my life, but I didn’t think twice and went for them. I caught the first one by surprise and knocked him to the ground, but as soon as they realized what had happened, they came at me with all their might. I woke up in the hospital hours later with a black eye, a broken left arm, and several other injuries. I stayed there for a couple of days and then a few more without going to school.”

“And what happened after that?”

Naruto’s smile widened.

“When I was well enough to return to school, one of the caretakers at the orphanage handed me a package with three new uniforms from the Konoha Institute and told me I had been selected for a scholarship. All I had to do was be a good student and not get involved in any fights. This photograph is from a few days later when we had a dress-up day at school.”

“And you didn’t get into any more fights?”

“Only twice, also because of her... With ‘Nata’s cousin and with another boy who tried to make a funny move on her once... Yeah, thinking about it, it wasn’t just when we were dating. I guess I’ve always been completely crazy about her, ever since kindergarten.”

Naruto hugged the brunette sideways, pulling her closer and planting a kiss on the top of her head, causing a new wave of commotion. Widening his eyes, he froze, suddenly aware of what he had just done. He grabbed Hinata’s hand that was closest to him and looked at her intently. Then, he bent over her petite body and repeated the process with her other hand. He then faced the inquisitive gaze of the woman analyzing him.

“‘Nata, are you...married?”

Killer B burst into laughter, followed by the audience. With slightly rosy cheeks, Hinata shook her head from side to side.

“Engaged? Dating?” she laughed and continued shaking her head, and he took a deep breath, still serious. Looking deep into the woman’s eyes, he mustered the courage to speak again, “Does anyone call you ‘my darling’?”

“No, Naruto-kun.”

“Good, there won’t be anyone outside wanting to break my nose over this. My fourth fight won’t be today,” he smiled in relief, prompting shouts from the audience. “You know, B, earlier you said that if it weren’t for ‘Nata, none of us would be here. That statement is truer than you think. Whenever people called me a gaijin and said I wouldn’t get anywhere, I would reply that they would still be proud to say that I am Japanese. Deep down, even I didn’t believe that, but she did. She always believed. And she was the one who found out about the audition for The Clash that would take place in Tokyo. She filled out the application, booked a hotel, and bought the train tickets so I could get there.”

“It seems that making dreams come true is Hinata Hyuuga’s specialty,” B smiled and turned to the main camera, “In the next segment, we’ll talk about what she’s doing to make hers come true.”

୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧

Dumbfounded. That was the word that defined her.

Channel 12 Online
Average: 6.51 million
Peak: 8.4 million

Facebook Live
Average: 9.37 million
Peak: 11.7 million

YouTube
Average: 10.42 million
Peak: 13.7 million

Of course, those numbers would be audited, but the platform counters were quite accurate, and revisions usually didn’t change the figures by more than two percent, up or down. Quite a debut, huh?

Moegi wanted to run, pull her hair out, laugh, and cry. Was panicking an option?

Ironically, the only person who could help her deal with it was also partly responsible for everything. And she was right there, just a few steps away, comfortably sitting on a couch. Breathing heavily and feeling her sense of urgency soar, she grabbed the arm of one of the crew members circulating the area and didn’t ask but demanded him to go and get the brunette immediately.

As Hinata hurried to the area where the show’s staff were, Killer B analyzed his other interviewee and confirmed that the microphones were indeed off. Naruto couldn’t hide his displeasure with Hinata’s departure and followed her with his eyes.

“Aren’t you even going to try to hide it, Naruto?”

The blond seemed to snap out of his trance and brought both hands to his head, nervously rubbing his eyes and then his hair.

“I guess it hasn’t quite sunk in yet, B... I mean, I knew that if she were living in Konoha, I’d bump into her sooner or later. If we didn’t meet by chance, I’d definitely look for ‘Nata as soon as Temari cleared it. I never imagined I’d run into her literally hours after arriving, let alone here.”

“I really didn’t know, man. I would have planned something to mess with you in front of her if I had,” the singer laughed upon seeing the actor’s wide eyes and astonished expression. “Despite the shock, did you like your reunion?”

“Are you kidding? Fuck, I’m trying not to freak out! I didn’t even know I still missed her so much after all this time...”

Naruto turned his eyes back to the brunette, who moved with comfortable ease among cameras, cables, and tables. Seeing her so confident was something new, and this facet was fascinating. How many more did she have?

Did he have the right to be proud of her?

While sitting side by side on the couch, he tried to take note of the changes in his ex-girlfriend’s features.

Hinata’s black hair was no longer as long and flowed impeccably down the middle of her shoulder blades. Her trademark bangs were a perfect frame for her round, delicate face.

She wore very little makeup, just enough to highlight some of her traits. Naturally, she had lost her childish features, and the cheeks he had pinched and bitten so many times were gone. Their absence highlighted her cheekbones, which took on a rosy hue and were pushed upward whenever she couldn’t contain her laughter. Her large opalescent eyes would close entirely, and her delicate, snub nose wrinkled whenever she contained a laugh, bouncing her shoulders and covering her mouth with her hand. And blessed be Japanese genetics, for despite being over thirty, her white and velvety skin seemed oblivious to the passage of years, completely free of marks or blemishes.

Leaning over a table, she talked to some people and smiled as she pointed at something on a monitor. The distance between them allowed him to stare at her for a long time, and he analyzed her figure for the first time that night.

The black silk shirt she wore was casually unbuttoned at the top and highlighted her large bust, even though it didn’t offer a full view of her cleavage. The contrast of her fair skin against the dark fabric highlighted her chest, and the delicate chain that adorned her slender neck and dipped into the garment towards the valley of her breasts added a subtle touch of sensuality.

The hem of the shirt was carefully tucked into the high waistband of her impeccable white cloqueted skirt, which ended just below her knees. The skirt was slightly fitted to her body, delicately outlining her hips and shapely legs without restricting her movements. The outfit accentuated Hinata’s thin waist, highlighting the curves of her extremely feminine silhouette. Her black stiletto, with delicate leather straps circling her ankles, added even more elegance to her look.

Uzumaki swallowed hard and turned back to his friend.

“And to top it all off... ‘Nata was always charming, and when we were teenagers, I thought no one in the world could be more beautiful than her. But now? Now I’m sure! I’ve met many stunning women, but holy shit... Look at her, B! ‘Perfect’ doesn’t even begin to describe this creature!”

“Naruto, my friend, today I understood why you never dated. Well, never after Hyuuga, huh? With an ex like that, your standard is way too high. You’re going to need a lot of luck to find someone.”

Killer B’s mocking laughter made Naruto’s indignation grow by the second. He couldn’t wait for the break to end.