Keeping A Secret

Hinata panted as she collapsed onto her stomach onto her bed. She was completely bushed. She’d been training for three days straight with her father and her cousin. Having been finally accepted as the official Hyuga heiress, she’d asked for a week’s worth of intense training. Her father had been very proud of her asking, hoping to pass on some of the more complex Hyuga jutsu. She’d even beaten Neji in a spar. That had earned her a hug and apology from the older man.

A smile graced her face as she thought of the hug her father had given her, and the pat on the back Neji had given her. She slowly sat up on her bed, mindful of her especially sore back. She hopped off her bed and moved over to her full-length mirror, lifting up the back of her shirt for a moment, smiling softly at what she saw.

Lowering her shirt, she picked up the towel that was hanging on the side of the mirror and headed towards her bathroom with a happy, proud hum.
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The editors of the ninja magazine ‘Knock-Out Ninja’ sat at a conference table in their building. The owner of the magazine sat in the biggest, most comfortable chair.

“Sales are down, even with the monthly spreads. We need to do something…something big, something that hasn’t been done before.” Said the owner.

“I think we should get a different kunoichi to do the spread. Anko and the other regulars are great, but there’s no mystery anymore. We need someone new.” Said one of the photographers.

“What about the Hyuga heiress, she’s only recently been announced as the official heiress and she’s hot. Great face, hot curves…” One of the editors said, letting the suggestion hang in the air.

The others considered it. How would you get the shy Hyuga heiress to agree to do a sexy photo spread.
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Neji was walking down the main street of Konoha with Lee, tuning in and out as his friend and rival talked about a new jutsu he was learning. The 21-year-old man turned his head when he caught a flash of blonde, blue and pink out of the corner of his eye. Before he could say anything, the pink-haired woman spoke up.

“Oh Neji, have you seen Hinata lately? I haven’t been able to find her.” Sakura asked as she and the rest of Team 7 walked over.

“Hai, I left her only half an hour ago. Hiashi-sama and I have been putting her under intense training for the past three days.”

“That’s so cruel, she only just became the official heiress, give her a break!” Sakura continued.

Neji shook his head. “You misunderstand me. It was not at my or my uncle’s insistence. Hinata-sama asked for the training, a week of it.”

Naruto grinned proudly. “That’s Hinata, never giving up. How’s the training been going?”

“Extremely well, Hinata-sama has even…” He paused for a moment, hesitant to own up to the truth. “She has even beaten me in a spar.”

Naruto whooped for joy and Sakura too was very enthusiastic. Neji hid his pride in his cousin and annoyance at his young friends well. Sasuke stood by quietly, still awkward at the sensation of being with friends again. Having been self-exiled, and then on probation for so long, it was strange to be in the presence of those he’d one tried to harm. It was mind-boggling to him that they were so at ease around him, not afraid to expose their back to him. He couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his face.

“See,” Naruto said, throwing an arm around Sasuke’s neck and grinning broadly. “Even Sasuke’s happy for her.”

Sure, let him think that.

He wasn’t unhappy about Hinata’s progress, but he wouldn’t be jumping up and down like his two teammates and best friends. Let them think whatever makes them happier.

“Do you two want to join us? We’re going for a drink.” Sakura said.

Lee shook his head. “My apologies Sakura-chan, but Neji-kun and I are on our way to meet Tenten for a quite meal before Neji-kun has to get back to the Hyuga estate.”

“Important night?” Sasuke asked the older man who was his stoic double.

“Yes, Hinata-sama has an appointment and then we as a family are holding a celebration. A congratulatory party for Hinata-sama. And she says she has a gift for me.” He sounded almost incredulous.

“That’s Hinata for you,” Naruto smiled, eyes glazing over tenderly. “Thinking of others even when it’s her night.”

As Neji and Lee moved off in one direction, Sasuke and Sakura began moving in another. When they noticed the lack of their exuberant friend, they looked behind them. Sakura couldn’t help but giggle, and even Sasuke was shaking his head with a sigh, dark eyes alive with something close to happiness.

Naruto stood as he had been before the older Jounin moved off. He was still staring off into space, his mind glazed over with thoughts filled with nothing but Hinata. Sakura poked him in the cheek, grinning happily.

“If you like her that much, you should ask her out.” Naruto came to his senses and blushed at Sakura’s words. “She’s not going to stay single long, all eligible men are going to be after her. Why, I even think that Sasuke-kun is-”

She was cut off as Naruto sent a scowl over at his rival and best friend. The Uchiha male rolled his eyes and began walking away.

“Dobe, she’s only saying that to rile you up.”

Naruto ran after him. “Ha, how can I trust you?”

“I respect Hinata-san as a fellow ninja and friend. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Besides,” Sakura said, catching up to the Team 7 males. “Sasuke-kun’s still in denial. He’s mine. He wouldn’t be allowed to pursue Hinata even if he wanted to.”

She slipped an arm through his and giggled at the exasperated look on Sasuke’s face and the suspicious look on Naruto’s.
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Neji walked through the halls of the Hyuga estate aimlessly. He happened to pass Hinata’s room and decided to speak to her. He knocked politely on the door.

“Hai Neji-nii-san, come in.”

Neji opened the door and walked in and couldn’t help the brotherly smile that spread across his face. “You look very nice tonight Hinata-sama.”

“Arigato Neji-nii-san.”

Hinata was wearing a silver kimono with blue, indigo, purple and lavender flower designs printed across it. Her hair was straight and sleek, but small silver metal flowers, clips and bells were scattered throughout her dark blue hair. Like stars in a night sky.

“How was your appointment?”

“Not as bad as I thought it’d be. I’d rather not do it again, but as the heiress of the Hyuga and the ‘Face of Konoha’, I will probably have to go again. Are you ready for the party tonight?”

“I would be if you told what my gift was.” He teased in a very un-Neji like way.

Hinata smiled cheekily, a move she picked up from her crush Naruto, and passed him gracefully.

“It’s a secret Neji-nii-san, you’ll have to till the party.”
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Many hours later in the comfort of his room, Neji sat on his bed looking at his mirror. The lights were out but his Byakugan was active and he stared at his reflection. He was in shock. Hinata had said she’d be giving him a gift, but he hadn’t expected that. It was the last thing he thought possible, especially in front of the rest of the clan.

The ruckus her action created. It would be much talked of for months…maybe years to come. He stared at his reflection harder, trying to sort out his feelings, but gave up with a sigh. Deactivating his Byakugan, he changed into his nightclothes and settled down for the night.
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Five days later, 9 of the Konoha 12 were waiting in the agreed upon training ground for a group training session. Sakura and Ino were offhandedly throwing insults at each other while Shikamaru stared up at the clouds. Choji and Naruto were sharing a packet of chips, Tenten was balancing a the pointy end of a kunai on her finger, Lee was doing push-ups on one hand and Sasuke and Shino stood in silent meditation.

“I was wondering,” Sakura said, turning her attention from Ino. “Why we didn’t see Hinata or even Neji yesterday. The week of training was up yesterday, we should have seen them around. Tenten, Lee, did you guys see Neji?”

“Unfortunately I didn’t have the pleasure of seeing my comrade.” Lee said without missing a beat in his push-ups.

“We did ask for him at the Hyuga estate, but a Hyuga who I don’t know answered, saying that everyone was busy.” Tenten continued.

“Must be a clan matter.” Shikamaru said lazily.

“Okay, I get that Hinata and Neji aren’t here now, but where the hell is Dog-Boy and Akamaru?” Naruto said, allowing Choji to finish the chips.

Naruto smoothly got to his feet and then began running through some stretched. Sasuke joined suit, and even Shikamaru began warming up.

Naruto sighed. “I’m bored.”

There was a bark, and all the head turned to see Kiba and Akamaru walk towards them. Almost as surprising as Shikamaru willingly doing stretches, Kiba had his nose stuck in a magazine, a small blush smattered across his cheeks.

“Kiba, ‘bout bloody time! Have you see Neji or Hinata?” Naruto asked as he did some leg stretches.

“Hinata?” He asked distractedly. “Oh yeah, I’ve seen Hinata…”

Naruto perked up. “You did, where?”

Kiba lifted his eyes from the pages he was reading and rolled up the magazine before tossing it at Naruto. The blonde caught the magazine deftly and unrolled it, his face turning red too.

“ ‘Knock-Out Ninja’? Uh, sorry Kiba, I don’t read that.” Naruto sputtered.

“ ‘Knock-Out Ninja’? You read that perverted magazine? I…I’m disgusted!” Sakura said.

Kiba was still looking at the unfurled magazine in Naruto’s hands. “Look at page 32.”

Naruto looked at him suspiciously before opening the magazine and flipping to the recommended page.

His eyes widened, his mouth dropped open and a trickle of blood dripped from his nose. Staring back at him from the pages of the smutty magazine was a naked Hinata. She was posed in such a way that her most private and intimate areas were hidden from the camera.  But her creamy thighs, her hourglass figure and smooth, bare, soft back were all as alluring and all in plain view.

And her face, it struck him dumb. He hadn’t believed such a sultry expression was possible, especially not from Hinata.

“Naruto…” She was calling to him.

“Naruto.” It came again.

“NARUTO!”

His eyes were drawn from the magazine in his hand as he nursed the new bruise on the back of his head. “Sakura, what was that for?”

“What are you looking at in that disgusting magazine?” She hissed.

Naruto blushed again, his eyes trailing back to the magazine. “Hinata…” He sighed.

“NANI?”

The magazine was torn from his hands as Sakura and Ino grabbed it from him. The girls looked at the magazine, then at each other, before stuttering.

“H-How is th-that…’that’ p-possible?” Ino asked, gaping at the revealing picture of Hinata.

She turned the page, there were more, slightly smaller picture of Hinata in similar, revealing poses. Sakura’s mind was reeling.

“N-Neji did say Hinata had an appointment that night when we saw him last time…”

“You think…you think she was posing for these pictures?” Ino asked.

“What are you two so irritated about, what’s with the pictures?” Shikamaru asked.

Ino screeched and hid the magazine from him. Naruto was glad she did, he felt oddly jealous at the thought of other men seeing Hinata like that. He felt a burning feeling in his heart as he remembered that Kiba had seen the pictures.

And all the men that bought that magazine…

“It’s…it’s possible she was posing for them.” Sakura said, answering Ino’s question.

“I…I don’t think so.” Ino continued.

“What are you two so riled up about, it can’t be that bad.” Tenten said, taking the magazine from Ino’s hands.

She saw the pictures and dropped the magazine to the ground in shock. Naruto felt that burning sensation again, as Sasuke smoothly picked the magazine up, but Ino and Sakura were too distracted to notice.

“It would…” Sakura said, tapping her lips thoughtfully. “It would explain why Hinata didn’t come out yesterday. She was probably too embarrassed, and Neji’s not coming out because he’s so ashamed of her.”

“No, that’s can’t be-”

“Ohayo minna, how are you all this morning?”

They all looked up and saw Hinata and Neji standing there, both with small smiles on their faces. But they were already too shocked to be rattled further by the fact that the stoic Hyuga was smiling.

“Hinata!” Sakura said, flailing her arms in the girl’s direction. “How could you? Did you think you could keep it a secret? Why did you want to keep it a secret? WHY were you keeping it a secret from Ino and me? I thought we were your friends. Why were you keeping a secret from us?”

“I…I wasn’t k-keeping it a secret Sakura-chan.” Hinata said, stuttering under the gaze of all her friends. “I was j-just waiting till I finished b-before I came back out.”

“So, you’re not going to do it again?” Tenten asked, much more calm, but still shocked at Hinata’s explanation.

Hinata looked shocked. “Of course I will! If the occasion ever arises, I will do it again!” She was so sure of herself, so confident of the fact and she didn’t stutter.

“B-But why?” It was Naruto that spoke this time.

Hinata flushed under her crush’s gaze. “B-Because, I’ve done it for all the Branch members and I’ll do it again. But I…I wanted to share it with you all.”

Naruto stared at her for a moment, his face a deep red. Finally he snapped and he rushed over to her and took her by the arms.

“No, no you can’t so it again! I don’t want you to.” He said firmly.

Tears filled her eyes. “B-But I thought you’d be p-proud Naruto-kun. I was…I was thinking of you w-when I did it. I know…I know you would have d-done the same thing if you w-were in my position.”

“She was thinking of me?” He thought, blood rushing from his head and relocating lower…much lower.

“What are you talking about?” Hinata asked, tearing her gaze from the stunned Naruto who was so very close to her.

But Sakura spoke, her eyes scrunched together. “What are you talking about?” She asked, very confused.

“I…Naruto-kun can you please let me go? Arigato. I removed the caged bird seal from Neji-nii-san and all the other branch members…well, they’re not ‘Branch’ members anymore.”

In the surprise of the discovery of the publication containing sexy pictures of Hinata and then her sudden arrival, no one had noticed that Neji was not wearing his forehead protector, and that his forehead was clean, bare…free.

“That’s what I was doing yesterday, that’s why I didn’t come out. I was busy. And N-Neji-nii-san was helping me make sure I helped every single sealed family member.”

“That was my ‘gift’.” Neji explained to them. “The one I said Hinata-sama was going to give me on the night that was to celebrate her. She freed me. I couldn’t believe it. I sat up for ages just staring at my reflection.”

Hinata frowned. “What…what d-did you think I was talking about?”

Sasuke waved the magazine he was holding and threw it to Neji. The Hyuga male caught it in one hand and frowned at the title. He didn’t approve of this publication. Naruto stiffened as Neji quickly thumbed through the pages. He stopped when he found the page…the only page they could be referring to. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before they lowered in a dangerous frown. Hinata looked at the publication and squeaked in shock. Her face burned a deep red and her hands flew to cover her face.

“That is not Hinata-sama.” He said coldly.

Naruto’s emotions boiled up so fast he could hardly understand what they were. Shock, relief, anger, disgust and jealously.

“How would you know?” He asked.

He noticed Hinata’s gaze turned to him for a second before looking away again. His blush intensified.

“Because Hinata-sama has not left the estate in just over a week. This is a henge.”

“A henge? How can your eyes tell that? That’s a captured image, the Byakugan can’t distinguish a genjutsu from a picture!” Sakura said. “Besides, you said so yourself, Hinata had an appointment the night of the party-”

“She was at the Konoha Council meeting!” Neji said firmly. “And it sounds like you are insinuating that my cousin would lower herself to pose for such lewd photographs. You surprise me if you think her capable of that.”

Sakura shied away, hanging her head in shame. “Th-that’s what y-you all thought I w-was t-talking about?” Hinata’s voice was quiet and her face was red. “Oh m-my Kami…” She realised how her earlier words must have sounded to them and her eyes prickled with tears. “That…th-that is n-n-not me. It…it is a henge.”

“Can your eyes really tell?” Sasuke asked, genuinely curious about the strength of the Byakugan.

Hinata shook her head vigorously and she leaned down and shakily picked up the magazine before glancing at the first picture. “N-No they c-can’t. B-But I…I know m-my b-b-body. No…no one h-has ever seen m-me n-n-naked b-before and…” She stopped as her courage failed her for a moment. “S-Something is m-missing from th-this henge.” She took a deep breath. “I h-have been keeping a secret, b-but it’s only o-one I acquired r-recently. I h-have another t-tattoo b-besides m-my ANBU one, th-this henge d-does not.”

Naruto blushed deeper, he didn’t have to look at the picture again, he could remember it perfectly. The Hinata in the picture was completely bare, except for the ANBU tattoo on her left arm.

“Where’s your other tattoo Hinata?” Ino asked curiously.

Hinata turned around and lifted up the back of her jacket and shirt. On the small of her back was a small flame contained in a circle. The Hyuga mark. The skin around it was still slightly red, it must still have been fairly new.

“I g-got this the d-day I b-became the official h-heiress.”

She lowered her clothes and turned around, her face still red.

“I think we should inform Hiashi-sama of this publication. He’ll know what to do.” Neji said.
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The owner of ‘Knock-Out Ninja’ sat in his chair in the conference room with a glass of wine raised. “Here’s to our highest selling edition ever!” The other editors and photographers raised their glasses. “I have to say, getting one of the regular models to henge into the Hyuga heiress was a stroke of brilliance.”

There was a sudden knock at the door and the receptionist at the front desk poked her head in. “G-Gomen for interrupting, but you have a visitor.” She whispered.

“Who is it? We’re busy!” The owner snapped.

“I-I-It’s Hiashi Hyuga…”

The owner’s face paled.
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That night after the ordeal had settled down, the ‘Konoha 12’ had made their way to a local club for a few drinks to calm themselves down. Naruto had happily taken on the role as Hinata’s bodyguard as he protected her from all the men approaching her because of the magazine. He happily kicked each and every one out of the club, saving the bouncer a job of getting rid of the grabby men.

As the night progressed, Naruto became more uninhibited due to the alcohol’s effect. He sat with Hinata as the others were off drinking, dancing or making out and he grinned at her.

“You know ‘Nata,” He said over the music. “I probababably shouldn’t tell you thish,” He slurred. “But those pic’ures were weeeaally hot! And I know, I know,” He sighed dramatically. “I know they wasn’t really you, but I’m willing to bet the original is eeeeven betta! No, don’t blushhhh! You’re weally, weally, weally hot Hinata. Buuuut, you’re also nice, and funny, and weeeeeallly smart!” He was silent for a moment before his gaze became lustful. “When I saw your new tattoooo, I got turned on! And I got turned on when I thought that you were saying thaaaat you were thinking of me when you posed naked. Ahhhh, you’re blushing again! Maybeh,” He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, though loud enough for her to hear over the music. “Maybeh we can go out sometime…”

Hinata blushed again and couldn’t help but smile. He was so undeniably cute when he was drunk. He wasn’t a smelly drunk, and apart from the fact that he was slurring badly, it only looked like he was sleepy. She had a strange urge to kiss his droopy eyelids.

“Naruto-kun,” She said softly as she placed a hand on his chest and rest her head on his shoulder. “If you ask me that when you’re sober, I will definitely say yes.”

Little did she know that the next day he would remember her words. And he held good to his, asking her out the moment he saw her after his hangover cleared.

And she did definitely say yes.