Hinata walked slowly among the booths at the festival, her precious package clutched to her chest. Glorious dragons, slithering snakes, and long-tailed diamonds danced in the sky above. It was a beautiful day for Konoha’s Kite Festival. Even better, she’d heard he was back in the village.

It had been two and a half years since she’d last seen him and although many things had changed, her feelings had not. So, feeling quite bold, she had come up with a plan: she would go to the festival alone and would somehow contrive to run into him. Then she’d ask him to help her fly her new dragon kite, and the rest . . .

She held her package more tightly and scanned the street. Now, where might he be? Oh. Yes. Food. He’d most likely be in the food vendor area. Besides, she was hungry herself.

She stopped at Dagashi-san’s lemon ice stand and bought herself a small dish. She was reaching for a spork with which to eat it when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Hey! Hinata! What are you doing by yourself? Come join us. We’re going over to the hillside. Is that a kite? I’ll help you fly it.”

She turned. Kiba, with Lee and Sakura, stood there.

“Come on,” Kiba urged. “I’ll carry your kite. You can eat your ice while we walk.”

Hinata moaned inwardly, but found herself pulled along, all her plans in tatters. Even if she saw him, he’d assume she was with Kiba. Desperately she looked for an out. She chomped down hard on the spork in frustration.

Crack! It broke.

“Ahhhh, ah, Kiba. I-I-I’m sorry. My spork broke. I need to go back and get another.

“Alright. I'll go with you,” Kiba offered.

“Uh, that’s OK,” she replied. “You go on. I’ll catch up with you at the hillside.”

She waved and turned to walk back to Dagashi-san’s stand. A flash of orange caught her eye. She smiled and breathed a silent prayer of thanks as she watched Naruto head directly to the lemon ice stand.