Hinata, Stop Pretending

"You have no idea. They were practically about to start fighting over this within the clan. Every single one of them was full of rage."

The group immediately pictured a whole crowd of fat people roaring past them, and they all couldn't help but suck in a breath.

Shikamaru rubbed his brow and said, "Look, Choji, there really isn't any good solution to this. You can only do your best."

"Things would be different if it were someone else, but your opponents are elders from your own clan. There's nothing we can do."

At that, Choji looked disappointed. After a brief two-second silence, he said, "So that's how it is?"

Then Choji spoke again. "Fine, then help me think of another way. I'm not counting on winning the championship anymore. As long as I can enter the competition and have a good feast, I'll be satisfied."

Shino Aburame quietly said, "Choji, from the sound of it, you don't even qualify to compete."

Choji nodded. "They said I'm too young, and binge eating is bad for my health, so they banned me from competing."

Everyone fell silent. Before long, the kind young waitress pushed a cart into the room, piled high with slices of meat from all kinds of animals.

After thanking her, the waitress left the private room again. The group wasted no time placing slices of meat onto the grill one by one, laughing and fooling around as they did.

When the meat began to sizzle on the grill, Hinata gently picked up a piece with her chopsticks and placed it in her small bowl. She took a light bite. Mm, it was rich without being greasy. Hinata loved it.

The others started eating as well. Before anyone else could say anything, Naruto, who had seemed somewhat quiet, suddenly exclaimed, "Amazing! Sakura, hurry up and try some too!"

Sakura stood up, clenched her fist, and gave him a hard punch. "What are you shouting for? Can't you just eat properly?!" Naruto covered the huge bump on his head with both hands, looking like he wanted to cry but had no tears. Hinata felt that Naruto, whose Talk-no-Jutsu had yet to be mastered, generally had no rights in an environment like this.

Sakura then sighed, and Choji asked, "Sakura, what's wrong? Is the barbecue not to your taste?"

Hinata also quietly asked, "Yeah, Sakura."

It seemed that Sakura had vented half the frustration in her heart with that punch. Everyone silently observed three seconds of mourning for Naruto. You were definitely being used as a punching bag.

Sakura said, "No, I've just been a little annoyed lately. Unlike you guys, I didn't grow up in a ninja clan, so naturally I have a lot more to worry about."

Before Sakura could continue, Naruto weakly raised his hand. "I'm an orphan."

Without another word, Sakura stood up, clenched her fist, and—Bang! Another bump appeared on Naruto's head. After that punch, Sakura seemed to be in much better spirits.

"My parents are just ordinary people. I don't know what's gotten into them lately! They keep trying to persuade me to stop being a ninja. They say being a ninja is far too dangerous."

"Of course I refused, so things have become a little strained between me and my parents because of it."

"But there's no need to worry. In a few days, I'll apologize to them, and maybe this will all blow over."

"Besides, my dream is to become a ninja as powerful as Tsunade. There's no way I can settle for being an ordinary civilian."

Ino gave a wicked grin. "Oh, Sakura, so that's your dream! Then my dream is to become Sasuke's wife."

The moment Sakura heard that, she could no longer sit still. She jumped up and shouted, "No! Becoming Sasuke's wife is one of my dreams too! Piggy Ino, don't even think about stealing Sasuke from me!"

Ino sneered. "Hmph! Someone who isn't devoted won't get anything in the end, you know! Forehead!"

Sakura said, "Is that so? Don't you know that handsome guys like Sasuke don't like girls who dress as revealingly as you do, Piggy Ino?"

Ino kept sneering. "Then why are you getting so worked up? Has Sasuke ever looked at you properly even once? You really are a fickle Forehead."

Hinata didn't want to get involved. She only wanted to quietly eat her barbecue. "Nom!" But inwardly, she added, It seemed Sakura ended up getting both of them later.

Shikamaru took another sip of water and paid no attention to the two girls tearing into each other. The others did the same. Whenever anything involved Sasuke, those two would definitely start fighting. They had all gotten used to it.