"I never asked for your help! I didn't need it! I got by for nine whole years without help, what makes you think I need it now?! Especially not from-!!" Hotaru's rant was cut off abruptly by pressure on her lips, and a hand on the back of her head. Her eyes strained wide, and her face flushed red, her heart thumping as though it was trying to leap out of her chest, and stay close to the boy that was kissing her forever.

It was as obvious as the moon in a clear night sky... Hotaru's heart was not her own anymore.

-end recap-

Hotaru sighed, pulling her knees together and embracing them. It had ben an hour since that event; since Hotaru had pushed the boy away, slapped him, argued with him, then asked him to leave. Such a mess of different emotions wreaking havoc through her body... she had stood in the same spot leaning against the kitchen surface, before finally collecting herself enough to move upstairs to her bedroom. She had then just sat on her bed, staring at the floor, as she was doing now.

She rose her fingers to her lips, feeling them dazedly. Just thinking about it caused her heart to beat faster, and her palms to sweat. The irritating muscle in her chest seemed to swell just at the mere thought of being near him, and that in itself confused the poor, helpless Hotaru.

She knew exactly what it was. What it meant. It may not have been intentional, but she had, indeed, fallen in love with her worst enemy. In fact, she wondered if she hadn't been for a while now.

The question was; what to do about it? It wasn't like she could just tell him. He'd probably just laugh at her.

Even if he did kiss her, she doubted that there was any real feelings behind it. Just his teenage hormones giving him urges that he didn't have the willpower to ignore. He had said before that he was attracted to her, nothing more. But then gone on to say that he cared for her... but whatever. Hotaru refused to believe that that was true. It was just too... unprecedented. Too convenient, that he would care about her just as she realised that she cared about him in a way that was certainly not platonic. Life just didn't work that way. The kunoichi knew that first-hand.

"Hotaru! I'm home!" Sasori's voice echoed through the house, pulling Hotaru out of her thoughts. The girl frowned, but nonetheless stood from her burrow of self-pity and padded downstairs.

"Didn't realise you were out." Hotaru replied, lying, but that was something she would usually say. Unfortunately, Sasori's 'big brother senses', as he called them, seemed to be finely tuned that day.

The male's eyes narrowed, and he asked warily, "Hotaru? Is something the matter?"

The kunoichi froze, then looked away from her brother's penetrating gaze. "No, I'm fine. What makes you say that?"

Sasori scrutinised her carefully, but let it drop. "No reason..."

Hotaru nodded, then turned and left back up to her room, without another word.

---

Kurenai didn't understand why training was so awkward the next day. Whatever the reason, it had something to do with when Kiba chased after Hotaru the day before, and the bruise on his face. Her guess was that Hotaru had inflicted that, but couldn't guess why. There were many possible reasons for Hotaru hitting Kiba.

But now, she was more intent on getting the two of them together than she was before. She knew that they both had feelings for each other (she had seen the way they both snuck glances at each other when one wasn't looking). They were just too stubborn to admit it.

So she sought out someone; someone who wasn't the most discreet of people, but could be quite clever when given the chance. And that someone, was...

"Naruto?"

The blonde looked up from his ramen to see the woman carrying a baby, and grinned.

"What can I do for you, Kurenai-sensei?" Kurenai smiled slightly, and Naruto rose an eyebrow at the sudden look of mischief is the woman's eyes.

"So, what's this about?" Naruto asked as he walked with the teacher, having paid for his meal and left the ramen stand.

"I need your help with something, Naruto." Kurenai said, peering around to make sure neither of the two shinobi in question were around. "It's about Hotaru and Kiba."

Realisation lit up Naruto's eyes, and the blonde grinned slowly. "Ohh, I get it. You want me to help you." he gestured with his pinky finger in the air, and Kurenai smirked, nodding.

"Good, you get it." Naruto nodded, a slightly evil smile on his lips.

"And I have the perfect plan."

---

Okay, so this chapter is short and crappy. But this was the perfect place to cut off, and I know EXACTLY what's happening in the next chapter. Nothing much really happened in this one, just an overview of what happened after the kiss and how Hotaru felt about it.

So? What do you think Naruto's plan is? Something evil, hopefully >:3

I love snow days! I get a day off school cuz of the snow >:D that means no science exam!! Yay!!

Hehehehe...

Fan, vote, and comment! Srsly!! XD