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She was checking the contents of her backpack, getting ready for another trip to visit him at the hospital. Tucking her long midnight blue hair strands lingering on her pale white face at the back of her ear, Hinata was all set as she slipped both of the bag straps over her slim shoulders and adjusting it to a much more comfortable position.
She made sure she brought fresh towels, ripe fruits she bought at the market earlier and a batch of instant cup noodles. She would've bought and taken out his favorite Ramen at Ichiraku's but she was pretty unfortunate this time since they were on a sudden family business and the ramen shop was temporarily closed because of it.
Nevertheless, it had been a beautiful day since then for the princess. Two days ago at the hospital, Hinata was with him like she had always been after the clash. He rested well on his bed, his arm and hand slowly recovering from the fight. She finds herself silly too whenever she felt that Naruto was flinching but ended up being disappointed whenever he stays still after a minute.
Hinata had been worried to death when she knew what was happening that time and that was a week ago, like what everyone had expected, Sasuke and Naruto was battling with their lives on the line, two strong and powerful clashing in one blow. Everyone was nervous by the time, unable to tell what'll happen next. Yet after knowing how it ended, she felt relieved. And one thing's for sure, she was definitely proud of him.
Naruto had always waited for this day to come, when his closest friend finally knocks some senses. She knew he'd be happy knowing and realizing Sasuke was finally home with him when he wakes up. The day after that historic battle, both of them were stationed at the Konoha Hospital right away, being treated and cured by expert medical nins.
Though their conditions were serious, they will make it as the experts had declared, one even made a side comment of "as usual" comically in the background. Though she was composed and started to fool around, Tsunade-sama was obviously worried for the both of them. Her expression telling it all. She tried her best after all and she attended both of them immediately after both of them had lost consciousness.
Hinata started visiting him starting that night, watching over him simply by the bedside. She wanted to take care of him more than ever. She always took the time to help him clean and fixed too, she'd volunteered personally to do so, wiping the damp towel over his face and arms, she flushed for imagining herself being his wife by doing this. Who am I kidding? She thought pessimistically. Naruto moves at times when she was on the process of cleaning him up, he moves and squints like he was having a dream, but disappoints the princess for not waking up eventually. Hinata had been used to it, actually.
That night she wiped the damp white towel on his big muscular yet soft hand, his pinky finger had moved. With high hopes, she glanced over the resting whiskered blonde once again, but there wasn't even a single bat of the eye, extinguishing the hopes of the hime.
"Nice try, Naruto-kun," she smiled and whispered, continuing back to what she had left and taking the damp towel from the basin once more. Yet a sudden disturbing sound of 'Guuuhh~' filled in the room, Hinata's eyes widen with shock, curiousity and familiarity of the sound.
She knew where it came from.
"I-I'm hungry~" He groaned, his eyes only half lidded as he tried to fixate his sight at the brightness of the room. He didn't know where he was now, all that he knows- or rather- feel, is that he's very hungry like he hadn't eaten for weeks. He could have five bowls of Ichiraku's Ramen in a row right now. Naruto felt weak, yet somehow he managed to sit upright on his bed.
"N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata sobbed, unable to contain herself from the happiness she felt, she threw her hands to wrap over him, sobbing more along the way. She couldn't help it. She was waiting for his awakening, she was waiting for him to be okay. Hinata had missed him, his laughter, his smile, his everything. She was glad he was finally back.
A few minutes or so, the princess finally had realized what she had done. Her cheeks painted with red all over it, she pulled over right away and bit her lip for such an embarrassment she suddenly felt for throwing herself to the blonde. Naruto, shock, yet happy, had wanted to hug her back, but he was hesitant and he only had one arm as of now, perhaps she'll understand, he thought stupidly. Another disturbing sound of 'Guuuhh~' had followed then again, making Hinata chuckle.
"Aahh~ I feel so weak! It's like I haven't eaten for a week!" Naruto complained, rubbing his left hand at his raging tummy with a pit for a stomach.
"That's because you really haven't." Hinata corrected while she retrieved her backpack on top of the room's visitor couch.
"Eh?" He questioned,
"You've been here for a week, Naruto-kun." The princess answered the whiskered blonde, his face drawn with confusion and disbelief, but it's not like he could do anything about it now.
"I wanted to buy you Ichiraku's ramen, but unfortunately, they're temporarily closed, so- so I only got you this." Hinata showed the batch of instant cup noodles to the blinking man in front of him. Hoping he was happy, she looked at him and met his eyes. Her heart thumped like crazy and it was about to break her chest. Though she was no longer the twelve year old Hinata, her feelings and reactions for him hadn't changed at all.
"Thank you, Hinata-chan!" He grinned broadly.
Two days after that night, the med nins said he'll be fine to leave by today. It was his last night now and this will be her last visit to him. Ino and the others had already planned a surprise party for him the exact day he woke up and setted it for tomorrow. Her fellow shinobis had been busy with missions, she noticed, thus, they won't be able to visit him by today. She was definitely thankful to Tsunade though, that she wasn't giving her missions that takes too much time like the others'. Perhaps the Hokage had taken consideration her usual visits to Naruto, too.
The princess somehow felt sad ever since she woke up this morning, as she felt she won't be spending all day watching over him and taking care of him after tonight's last visit. He wouldn't need her help any longer. Nevertheless, she will be happy like she had always been before, watching him from afar once more. She was happy that he was now okay, and that's all that matters.
-✘-
The pinkette had been standing in front of his door for almost a minute or two now, still hesitant if she was ready to face Sasuke, and all she has to do was grab and turn that door knob. She wanted to back out though, and maybe the Hokage Tsunade-sama will understand, besides, she has a lot of time to visit him on the next days. It doesn't really have to be today, right? Yet, regardless of her decision and bunch of hesitations, she knew perfectly well it was no use backing out now, he is fully awake, she can recognize that, and he would've already detected her presence too.
Her assumption was more than right.
He had been awake for almost two hours now.
Admittingly, it was hard for him to adjust at the peaceful and calm state of this place. It felt nostalgic like his old genin days. Not for once had he thought Naruto will be able to convince him to go back. Not for once had he thought he'll be meeting with peace once more. Not for once had he thought he'll even have time to live this life. He had expected a horrible death awaiting him, after all. No one had visited by then, but it didn't matter to him, he didn't even notice it, not until he detected a familiar presence standing outside his door.
It felt so oddly familiar like something that had been lost came back, but he didn't feel like responding to it. Sasuke stared at the closed wooden door, sensing and seeing her chakra all over behind it with his Rinnegan that seemed to be in a low power, yet still useful as it is. He was slightly intrigued, for she only stood still, not showing any sign of movements. There's one thing he did notice though, her chakra was pumping up in an uncertain way.
Knowing her, it has probably something to do with emotions contradicting with her chakra control. This, being a bit of an amusement to him, he stared another minute by the door and wondered how long more it'll take for her to enter.
"Sakura-chan." A man not older than Sakura for 3 years, had greeted her suddenly when her hand was halfway down to grab the wooden door's knob, finally gathering the courage to enter yet was saved by the bell eventually. "Oh, Natsume-kun." Startled, she placed her hand back to the side of her frame, a bit embarrassed too, imagining herself being caught for doing something she didn't want others to know. Natsume was a friend of Sakura's, he had been here at the hidden lead village for almost three years. He's one of the top medical nins that was assigned here and had helped a lot Konoha, using all his might to cure everyone in need.
Sakura indeed had admired him too, at a very young age he had been one of the best and successful med nins, Tsunade-sama had trusted him enough to help them out with Naruto and Sasuke too. Looking at Natsume who had auburn hair with its blending color of red and orange, distinguishing hazel nut eyes that were kind and bright, and a sweet smile traced on his face. No matter how much of a good boy he looked, there was a dash of badass with him and his left black round earring had emphasized that.
He was on his way to check up on the - infamous - Uchiha as he was told, when he caught Sakura having a hard time by his front door. She was his friend, she was actually one of the nins that had welcomed him at Konoha. She was indeed beautiful and admirable, he admitted to himself once that he was infatuated with the pinkette.
"Visiting him again, Sakura-chan?" Natsume smiled, he had already been aware too that that person was Sakura's former team mate, giving him the idea of the question. But of course, he had always noticed that there's no day she didn't visit.
"Oh, yes, I- uhm I'm visiting him." The pinkette stammered, cursing herself inwardly on the process. "What about you? What brought you here?" Sakura asked the med nin, making it off topic about her visits.
"Ah, well, now he's awake we'll be performing some regular check ups on him, specifically to check if our manual application of the medications had made no further complications on him."
Somehow, the pinkette had gotten an idea out on a whim.
"Oh, just a *nomigusuri?" She asked right away.
"Yes, knowing Sakura-chan I know you're already aware of it." Natsume scratched his head, complimenting the cherry blossom before him.
"I want to help out." Sakura declared all of a sudden.
"But- aren't you already assigned to the medical rookies? I wouldn't want to trouble you with it." Natsume reasoned out. He was aware about that too when he had observed some young ones being handled and taught by a familiar face, he immediately knew she was their mentor. Other than that, he hadn't expected the pinkette to suddenly assist him.
On the other hand, Sakura had considered this as a good idea, at least if she was going to watch over him, she might as well have an alibi. She simply just didn't want to have a reason like 'hanging around' with him if it was too obvious.
"Seriously Natsume-kun, this regular check ups lasts just a few minutes a day, I just wanna lend a hand. I'll be reporting away to you, no worries. I'm sure it won't take up much time for me." Sakura abruptly took the clipboard of Natsume on his big muscular hands while his face left confusion all over it.
"You sure?" The auburn-haired med nin asked for assurance. It's not that he doubts Sakura and her abilities, he actually thought that if he had been gone, he'll be entrusting everything on his work to her. It's just that - the fact that she was already busy and he didn't want to be a burden for the cherry blossom, so he simply hesitated, yet it felt like it had no choices and options as she immediately took his clipboard and her persistent look on her face.
"Suit yourself, Sakura-chan. Thank you. I had been meaning to help out at the children's wing but not finding the time as a matter of fact. So thank you for this."
"No problem, Natsume-kun." The cherry blossom grinned broadly. At least both of them are benificiaries for this situation.
Sakura watched him leave the hallway after a minute or so. Now, back to what she had left, she gathered more courage again, a little faster this time. Holding on to her clipboard, she gripped the door knob, sighed inwardly and entered his room, giving the door a little push inside.
-✘-
* Nomigusuri - Internal Medicine