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AN: According to Wikipedia, the daughter of Ichiraku, the ramen guy, is named Ayame. In one of the most recent manga chapters, she is referred to as Akane. Whatever. I am going to stick with the first one for now.

Chapter Two: Dimples

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Kiba, astride Akamaru, trotted casually by the Yamanaka Flower Shop. On the sidewalk just outside the shop stood Sakura, Ino, and Hinata. Ino was idly leaning an a broom, chatting to the other girls. As Kiba went past, he tugged down his lower eyelid and stuck his tongue out at Ino, who made the same gesture back at him. Sakura noted the gesture and nodded to Ino. There's the signal, they both thought. Now the ball's in our court. As long as Naruto doesn't wuss out. Hinata just smiled, assuming the exchange of gestures was just the usual interchange.

It was only about ten minutes later that Naruto came sauntering up to the flower shop. The other girls glanced in alarm at Hinata, who started to tremble, grow pale, and do that thing with her fingers.

Ino grabbed a stool from inside the shop door and slid it just behind Hinata's knees. The stricken girl plopped down on it with a breathless little "Oh!" Ino grabbed her shoulders and started vigorously massaging them.

"Okay, girlfriend," Ino whispered in her ear. "You can do this!"

"D-do what?"

"Oh, look, Hinata, it's Naruto!" Sakura said in a loud, bright voice as he walked up to them. Naruto returned her smile.

"Hi, Sakura-chan, Ino." The two girls smiled back at him and moved away a few steps. He looked at the girl on the stool and his usual bravado seemed to escape him. His smile went all funny and he felt his cheeks grow hot. She was looking down, concentrating on her fingers. You know, she is kinda cute. I never would have figured that she-wow! He took a deep breath. "U-um, hi, Hinata. Um-how are you today?"

Ino glanced over at Sakura dubiously. Sakura shrugged. It was a start.

Hinata audibly swallowed. I can do this! she thought desperately. I CAN do this! "Um-um-hi, Naruto-kun."

The other two girls each gave an inward sigh of relief. Naruto scratched the back of his head. This is hard! "Um-I-like the way your hair got-y'know-long."

Sakura surreptitiously held up her fingers in a "V" to Ino.

Still looking down at her fingers, Hinata's face broke into a delighted smile. She managed to lift her chin up slightly. "Oh-I-um--thank you!"

"Hinata, I was-kinda wondering if-um-"

I hear one more "um," though Ino, I'm gonna lose it.

"Y-yes?" Hinata screwed up all her courage and looked up at him through her lashes. The gesture took him so much by surprise that he was speechless. For once. Wow, they really are like pearls! he thought in amazement.

Ino grabbed Sakura's arm and nearly squealed. Then she glanced beyond them and gave a gasp. Rock Lee was striding towards them. "Oh, geez! It's Greenie McLeotard!" she muttered between clenched teeth. "He is so going to ruin the moment!"

"Well, go head him off!" Sakura gave her a push. Ino pushed her back. "You go!"

"We'll both go!" Sakura grabbed Ino's arm and pulled her along, planting themselves between Lee and the dumbstruck couple.

"Good afternoon, ladies!" Lee exclaimed. "I am happy to greet you on this glorious day! Is the weather not wonderful? Does it not make you feel great to be alive?"

"Yes, actually, it does, Lee!" Ino replied, standing directly in front of him. "Isn't that right, Sakura?"

"Oh, yes, absolutely!" Sakura bobbed and weaved to try to block Lee's view.

"Naruto!" he called out, waving. Naruto glanced over at him and waved back. Sakura gave a weary sigh.

Ino gave a low growl and yanked Lee to one side. She hissed fiercely into his ear, then glared into his face, daring him to make a move. "Oh, I understand!" Lee said in a loud whisper, giving her a broad wink. He brushed past her and strode towards Naruto. Sakura stared at Ino in dismay.

"What did you say to him?" she demanded.

Ino rolled her eyes. "I said that Naruto was trying to ask Hinata to go out with him and could Lee please be a little more helpful!"

Sakura groaned. "I think you should have been a little more specific."

"Naruto, my friend!" Lee declared, coming to his side and clapping him on the back. "Have no fear! Stride forward into Love's dawn and grasp the sunrise with outstretched arms! Hinata! Shun not the gentle call of the moose in the depths of the misty forest. It calls for thee!" Lee nodded cheerily to them both, and with a satisfied sigh, he sauntered away down the street.

They all stared at his retreating figure. "You know, he's right," Sakura said under her breath. "In a weird way."

Naruto collected himself and turned back to Hinata. He was suddenly struck with panic. What was I going to say? he thought frantically. With a puzzled expression, Hinata watched Lee disappear through a group of pedestrians. She then tilted her face up to look back at Naruto, and he found himself gazing straight into her eyes.

It was almost as though he felt an actual popping sensation in his brain. "Would you like to go out with me for some ramen tonight?" he blurted out. He blinked as though he hadn't realized he had spoken.

Hinata gave a little jump. Her hands clutched the seat of the stool, her fingernails digging into the wood. Her eyes widened and she felt her mouth pop open. "I-I-"

Sakura and Ino clutched at each other.

"I-I'd like that," Hinata breathed.

Sakura and Ino hugged and jumped up and down, only to push each other away quickly as Naruto turned to look at them. "Hey, what time is it?" he asked them.

Ino glanced through the shop window. "It's almost three o'clock."

He turned back to Hinata. "I guess we could meet over at Ichiraku's around-um-seven?" He basically just grabbed a time out of the air.

Hinata nodded. And then she smiled. Naruto was transfixed. She's got dimples! I didn't know she had dimples! I didn't know I liked dimples!

"Wow!" Naruto nearly clapped his hand over his mouth. Did that come out of him? He felt his face grow hot again. "Well-um-okay, I guess I'll see you then. Okay?"

"Okay," Hinata whispered.

Naruto self-consciously backed away, and with a distracted wave to the other two girls, he went away down the street, a goofy smile playing on his face. The two girls waited until he was well out of earshot, then they both squealed. They ran over to Hinata and both wrapped their arms around her.

"I knew it!" Ino cried. "IknewitIknewitIknewit!"

"I think that was the bravest thing I've ever seen you do, Hinata!" Sakura said admiringly.

Hinata smiled to herself, almost limp with relief and delight. You have no idea! she thought.

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Ichiraku Teuchi spared a glance down to the other end of the counter and smiled. He watched his daughter hand a cup of tea to that nice young teacher from the Academy. Once again, he allowed himself a deep sigh of relief. /What a nice boy! Steady job, polite, respectful, keeps himself neat...a much better prospect than most of those jonin who go traipsing off on those missions and come back all horny/...Teuchi scowled, thinking of the time he had to chase off that Genma fellow who came nosing around that one day just to see what he could get away with. Fellows like that aren't really interested in a simple girl like Ayame. Not for the right reasons, anyway. Shinobi or no shinobi, he went off with the red imprint of a hot strainer up the side of his face. He looked back at his little girl. /It's nice to see her so happy/.

"Thank you, Ayame-san." Iruka took the steaming cup from her hands, letting his fingers brush against hers. Her smile widened and she gave a little giggle, scrunching up her nose. Iruka's heart did a back handspring followed by a butterfly twist, finishing up with a hook carry-through raiz. He propped his chin comfortably on his hand and watched her as she moved away to serve another customer. Ayame finished up and came back to where Iruka sat.

"Dad said he'd let me take off at nine," she said, beaming at him happily. He smiled warmly back at her. God, I love those dimples! He briefly allowed a short little fantasy scenario to run through his mind. Ayame must have noticed something in his eyes, and she blushed slightly. Iruka, still smiling, flicked his eyes down to the cup in front of him.

"So..." he said, "I'll pick you up around nine, then?"

"Okay," she replied, picking up a towel and concentrating on a spot on the counter. "What would you like to do?" she asked, giving him a shy, sidelong look.

"Whatever you like. Maybe we could just go for a walk?" A long walk.

"That'd be nice." Anything. ANYTHING!

"Well, um, I should go. I have a bunch of essays to grade, and I want to get them done before this evening." Iruka slid off his stool and put some coins on the counter.

"I'll see you later, then."

Iruka smiled and nodded. As he turned to go, Ayame glanced quickly over her shoulder. Her father was busy kneading the ramen dough. "Iruka-san!" she whispered quickly.

He turned back and she hurriedly crooked a finger at him. Curious, he leaned across the counter towards her. She braced herself on the counter and, raising herself on her toes, she gave him a quick but efficient kiss on the lips. Dropping back on her heels before her father turned around, she gave Iruka one last smile before he slowly turned away, a pleased grin growing on his face.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and strolled up the street back to the Academy. He saw Naruto coming up the street towards him. Feeling damn near pleased with the whole world right at the moment, he was particularly happy to see his former student. Naruto had a funny smile on his face, and in the state of mind he himself was in, he particularly warmed to the yellow-haired teen.

Naruto, who seemed preoccupied, finally looked up. "Iruka-sensei!" he cried. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"

"Why's that?"

"I've really got something to tell you!" Naruto turned and walked alongside Iruka. /He's just about as tall as me now, Iruka thought, not for the first time/. "I've-I've got a date tonight!" Naruto went on.

"Really?" Iruka was genuinely pleased. "Who with?"

"Well, it's with Hinata." Naruto smiled at little crookedly. There was wonder in his voice and his blue eyes were wide and glowing. "Go figure, huh?"

Now Iruka was really pleased. "Why is that so surprising? She's a nice girl, not to mentioned pretty."

Naruto clutched Iruka's arm. "She's got the cutest dimples!"

"Does she?" Iruka nodded and smiled. "Dimples are...pretty nice, aren't they?"

"Yeah," Naruto sighed wistfully. "And she really likes me! Everybody else seemed to know that but me!"

Iruka laughed. "Well, you...tend to have a lot of other things on your mind." /And you're just a little slow on the uptake/, he added to himself, not unkindly. "You know what?" he went on.

"What?"

"I've got a date myself tonight," Iruka said with a bit of smug pleasure.

"Get outta town! Really? Ooo! Ooo! Let me guess! U-u-m...Anko-sensei? Nah, too scary. Um...Kurenai-sensei?"

Iruka shook his head. "Asuma."

Naruto's raised his eyebrows. "You're going out with Asuma-sensei?!"

"No, no, no!" Iruka shook his head. "No. I meant Kurenai is going with Asuma."

"Oh, well, let's see, who's left?"

"I'll give you a clue. She's not ninja. And you know her."

Naruto paused for a moment, puzzled. Then a sunbeam of realization peeked out through the cloud cover. "Woah! Ayame-neechan!!"

Iruka grinned. "Very good, Naruto."

Naruto gave him an approving slug on the arm. "Way to go, sensei!" He planted his fists on his hips. "Well, aren't we a couple of lucky dogs!"

"Yeah, I guess we are. Well, have a good time this evening. Oh, hey, Naruto-"

"Yeah, sensei?" Naruto had started to turn away, then turned back.

"Remember to be a gentleman," Iruka told him, becoming the teacher again. "With Hinata in particular. She comes from an old and noble clan. Have fun, but be respectful. Okay?"

"Oh, sure! See ya!" And with a wave, he was off.

Iruka laughed and shook his head

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AN: I don't know how particularly inspired the Iruka/Ayame pairing is. I just think they make a nice couple. Her father seems to approve.