Chapter 5 - chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto!

He hoped that more of them would be like Hinata’s grandmother, and less of them would be like her grandfather.

After being dragged around the room by Hinata, going from family member to family member, most of them uncles and cousins since her aunts were working on the dinner, Naruto was sure he would be fine without having to meet anyone else for a long while.

“Are we almost done, Hinata?” Naruto whispered to his girlfriend.

Hinata shook her head and looked at him. “You still need to be properly introduced to my father.” Naruto looked wide-eyed at Hinata. She’d talked to his father on the phone a few times, and seen him at the door, but they’d never actually had a conversation and been formally introduced. This was one of his worst night-mares, but he put on a brave face for Hinata.

“Is that all?” He asked.

Hinata looked at him and mentally sweat dropped. She could see how nervous he was, something he hardly ever was, about this. “Yes, that’s all, Naruto.”

“Then let’s hurry.” Naruto said.

“Ok, Naruto.” Hinata said. She took him by the hand, and guided him over to where her father had just walked into the room, currently conversing with one of her relatives. As she approached them, her relative excused himself and walked across the room, so that Hinata could speak with her father.

“Father.” Hinata said, bowing slightly to her father. Naruto did as Hinata did, yet again, and straightened up when she did.

“Hinata.” Her father said, nodding at his eldest daughter.

“Father, this is Naruto Uzamaki.” Hinata said. “My boyfriend.”

Hiashi looked at Naruto, and said, “I know.”

Naruto looked at Hiashi, and awkwardly stuck out his hand, “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Hyuga.”

Hiashi looked at his hand for a minute, and as if deciding that it wouldn’t kill him, took it and shook it firmly. Naruto shook back. Hinata watched the exchange of greetings.

“Hinata.” Hiashi said once he had released Naruto’s hand, “You and Naruto will be sitting by me at dinner.”

Hinata’s face expressed little emotion as she replied, “Yes, Father.” As soon as her father had walked over towards her grandparents, Hinata turned to Naruto and whispered, “Sitting by my father at dinner is an extreme honor. It means everyone will be watching us tonight.”

“Really?” Naruto asked. This wasn’t what he had been expecting. He had thought they’d ship him off to the far end of the table where the not-so-important people sat, and then if he forgot something, he wouldn’t be seen. But now…everyone would see everything he did. This was a bad omen.

Hinata nodded in reply to his question. “Naruto, if you’d like, we can go into the other room and go over the dinner courses in more detail…”

“Don’t worry about me, Hinata, I’ll be fine!’ Naruto said, grinning his smile at her.

“If you’re sure, Naruto.” Hinata said, a bit nervously. She hadn’t expected her father to request their presence with him during the dinner. It was extremely unusual to be asked to sit at the head of the table. Hinata normally sat with her cousins, at the separate table. She had been expecting to at least sit there, where Naruto wouldn’t be ridiculed as harshly if he messed up any. But her father had probably decided to show off his company heir this Christmas or something of the likes.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure.” Naruto insisted.

“Ok then.” Hinata said, looking around the room for somewhere for them to sit down. She spotted two empty chairs, conveniently set away from the others. “Let’s go sit down until we’re called for dinner.” Naruto nodded, and followed Hinata to where they sat down and chatted quietly until they were called into the other room for dinner by Hinata’s mother. Naruto stood up right away, and started walking, only to be pulled back by Hinata, who was still standing by the chairs. “We don’t leave until after my grandparents and father walk out. Then my sister and I walk out behind my father.”

“Oh.” Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head. “Heheh, I knew that.”

Hinata was silent as she watched her grandparents walked by, and prodded Naruto when they were to walk out of the room. To Naruto, it seemed like everything in Hinata’s household had order and procession to it. And to a major extent, too. He couldn’t believe there was a proper order to exiting a room. He followed Hinata into the large dining room, and his eyes grew wide at the size of the table. It could easily seat fifty people. Hinata walked down to the end of the table, and motioned for Naruto to sit across from her, to Hiashi’s right, with Hinata sitting on Hiashi’s left. Naruto watched as Hinata unfolded the napkin and set it in her lap, leaving the silverware on the edge of her plate.

He tried to follow suit, but the napkins were cloth, and had been folded into some origami figure, making it hard for him to unwrap it. Hinata motioned for him to tug the corner, so he did, and it unfolded immediately. Naruto smiled at Hinata and she smiled back.

“I’d like to welcome everyone to dinner tonight.” Hiashi said, looking down the table at his family where they all sat. Hinata’s mother was sitting at the opposite end from him. As Hiashi said this, a maid acme into the dining room, and set down a large turkey in front of him. He picked up his knife and fork, ready to cut the bird, when a clatter came from Naruto’s seat. Everyone looked towards his seat, and Naruto popped back up from the floor, where he had bent down to retrieve his silverware.

‘Sorry about that, everyone.” Naruto said, smiling apologetically at Hinata’s family. Some of the family member shook their heads, and a few whispered to their neighbors, while others just continued to act as if nothing had interrupted tradition. Hinata turned a light pink from the attention she was receiving, and Hiashi carried on as if Naruto hadn’t just dropped his silverware.

A/N: Soo sorry for the late update! I honestly didn’t realize how much school work I had until I started working on it yesterday morning before I gave art lessons. Well, Naruto did mess up, although I’m not sure if he will anymore or not. Next chapter will have more on after dinner. Again, sorry for the late update! Reviews are loved!

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