The academy had closed for a couple of days. He looked at the other kids as they frolicked; watched them as they made plans to spend the welcome respite from harsh training . Some parents even decided to take a few days off work so that they could be with their kids. His desire for parental love had withered and died a long time ago - he didn't even have any friends. Even the animals seemed remote and distant. Staring into the dust strewn empty street, he walked back to his room forlorn, knowing that he could never join them. Naruto did not make an attempt to ask his classmates why he was treated this way – he had overheard many parents asking their children to avoid him - "the bad influence". Never understood why he was ignored, why he was suspended at every opportunity the teachers could get, while the other children were simply scolded or hit every time they did something wrong and then let off. It seemed like the entire village was biased against him and they looked at him as a burden. The cold looks the elders of the village gave him simply crushed any hopes he had carefully built through continuous self-motivation.

She watched him – she could easily see through his forced smile, the false gait with which he strode, and his need for comfort. Hinata gently squeezed the branch of the tree she was hiding behind. She felt sorry for him, and couldn't understand how heartless the villagers could become around him, treating a child in such a horrible way. She had often wanted to comfort him - hold his hand, hug him, and tell him that she cared for him. But she never had the courage to do so, and that depressed her deeply. Slowly she made her way to his house. She had been there several times, but never had the courage to knock on his door. However she had made up her mind to confess to him today. She watched from a distance as Naruto entered the door.

The room was squalid: there was stale milk in the corner, ninja scrolls were scattered all around, the walls had curtains of cobwebs. The bed looked uninviting with yesterday's unwashed clothes on it. He threw them on the floor and lay face down on the bed. His eyes slowly began to moisten and tears began to flow. Naruto was surprised - he knew he was crying - but he didn't understand why. He never really understood why his tears flowed when he was alone his room. After all, no one had been particularly mean to him, he had not hurt himself and he didn't care about the villagers. Why was he crying? Slowly it came rushing to him - the sudden catharsis of sadness; the pain of loneliness and solitude; the images of the callous elders; and the irritated children. It was too much for him to take and before he knew it, he began to weep, waiting for the pain to go away.

Hinata had her ears pressed to the door. She could hear Naruto crying and felt mortified for not coming to him earlier. She couldn't begin to imagine the anguish he must have felt through the years – she had often pitied Neji because of their past , but he at least knew what parental comfort meant. She quietly opened the door and entered the room. She saw Naruto lying face down on the bed, sobbing slowly. She sat down beside him, and placed her hand on his back. Naruto was surprised but glad at the same time. He didn't know who it was, but the touch felt warm and comforting. He stopped crying and lay there for a few seconds before he turned around and saw who it was.

Hinata!? What was she doing here? How did she know where he lived? The sadness in his mind was soon washed away by a deluge of questions.

"How did you come here?"

"By walking of course," replied Hinata smiling shyly. Naruto realised that no girl had ever come to his house before. Since people rarely spoke to him, he wasn't sure how to respond. But seeing her smile lifted his depression and soothed him. He noticed how pretty she looked and was surprised he didn't notice it earlier.

"Naruto-kun, why did you vandalise the Hokage mountains?"

He didn't know what to tell her. Of course it was an attention grabbing gimmick to make the village notice him, but telling her that would sound pathetic so he kept quiet.

"You think no one cares about you right? Well you're wrong - I've been watching you the whole time. You've been lonely right from the time you were a child, and I know it hurts. But did you think you could use that excuse to do whatever you wanted? That just because no one punishes you, you could act like a brat?" said Hinata in admonishing tone.

Hinata was shocked at her own tone. Were these pent-up emotions she was unaware of? Naruto looked up in disbelief. The shy, sweet soft-spoken girl he knew looked a lot more authoritative now. Hinata realised that it was too late to take back her words, but also felt that Naruto deserved a good scolding and punishment for his recent behaviour.

She raised her hand and smacked Naruto's bottom right in between his cheeks. Naruto clenched his buttocks and squealed in pain.

"Hinata! What do you think you're doing?!" Naruto yelled.

Hinata delivered six rapid slaps before he could even begin his next sentence.

"You've had this coming for a long time," she said as she continued to slap his bottom.

"Stop this right now!"

Hinata realised that Naruto would soon get out of control. With a quick flick of her wrists and fingers, she used Jyuuken to disable Naruto's body movements from above his waist. Naruto lay helpless on his bed, kicking his legs in desperation. She lifted him slowly and placed him over her lap. She pulled down his pants and resumed her spanking. After about twenty spanks, Naruto's legs were dancing wildly in mid air.

"Hinata don't spank me in my underwear!" Naruto exclaimed, still unable to get over his shock.

Hinata thought about it for a moment.

"Alright, if you say so," said Hinata, and pulled off his briefs.

"No!!! This is not what I meant!", screamed Naruto. He was lying naked from the waist down if front of a girl! This was too embarrassing for him. No one he remembered had ever seen him naked – but here he was being spanked bare bottom on a girl's lap and there was nothing he could do about it. She continued spanking his naked buttocks and it was slowly beginning to turn crimson. Hinata realised that this must be the first time Naruto was being spanked so she felt sorry for him and gave just thirty more swats. Naruto was crying - he never knew spankings hurt this badly.

Hinata pulled out a tube of facial cream from her pocket and began to apply it liberally to his buttocks. She felt Naruto relax and began to massage his cheeks gently, careful not to cause anymore pain. After a while, she reversed the effect of her earlier Jyuuken and he could move once again. He stopped crying and she helped him put on his clothes.

"Gomenasai Naruto-kun, but you really deserved this one."

"Please don't tell anyone about this Hinata. I don't want to be spanked again." said Naruto with a sad expression.

"Of course I'm not going to tell anyone silly! This is between us. But whether you get spanked again depends on how you're going to behave from now on."

"I'm sorry I won't do it again. I just wanted someone to be my friend."

Hinata hugged Naruto and said that she would always be by his side and asked him to talk to her anytime he felt lonely. Naruto held onto her. He wished the moment would last forever. Hinata gently removed herself from Naruto's grasp and told him she would come over everyday during the vacations. Naruto felt a joy he never knew. The comfort of having a person who cared for him – his first friend.

"Thank you so much Hinata!"

"For the spanking?"

"Of course not! I'll be waiting for you tomorrow."

Hinata smiled sweetly and walked away.