Now are you guys and girls convinced that this "ending" wasn't planned?
Since we don't know anything for sure, and since Kishi just keeps lying all the time that we never know if he's being honest or not, I guess there's at least two possible and believable options:
-He either planned this in the middle of the story-as he said- but he's such a terrible author that he didn't even try to develop it, and instead continued to develop NS because...well banana.
-It wasn't planned at all, and now he's throwing some BS at us to make it more acceptable, which, imo, seems to be the real reason...because, I think he should have asked his wife or idk, if he wanted someone to advise him just like he did with Kushina.
Well...
From the middle of the story? Hm! What sealed this decision for you?
I think what made me realize it was partly because, if you really look back and think about it, Hinata always supported and acknowledged Naruto, even before Master Iruka. She had the ability to see beyond his reputation and see the person inside. I think I started realizing that they were meant to be.
This is a quote from the interview. Straight from the horse's mouth. Take it as you will.
Okay, Hinata was actually always admiring him even before Iruka SHOWED that he truly was aknowledging him, BUT SHE NEVER SUPPORTED HIM BEFORE. She did it little bit later, but Sakura supported him sooooo much more compared to Hinakittens !