twintailednin29

I had such a laugh!

I agree. The problem with Sasuke is that he's too controlled by his emotions. Like Itachi said before, he's still "pure." Not good or evil, right now he's fighting for what he believes to be justice for his clan and to make himself feel better. But I think that part of Kishimoto's intention with this scene was to say that if Naruto doesn't convince Sasuke to let go of his hate, then eventually he'll forgot all about what he cared about and become a common criminal like Orochimaru. Then history will just repeat itself, which is why Sasuke has to change.

As for his fate... I'm a supporter of him finding peace and not returning to Konoha, but helping them out whenever they're in trouble (supporting Konoha without actually living there would kind of be like what Itachi was doing). It never seemed to me like Sasuke had any real attachment to Konoha itself, only his clan and Team 7. But I think he could eventually go back, after all the wounds heal and he proves himself to be a changed person. Knowing Naruto, he could probably wait.

I agreed with you.
I'm actually happy that Hinata has finally got the courage to tell Naruto how she felt and feel for him all these years. While, at first, I found it really cute the way Hinata was reacting around Naruto (and yes, at first, I wanted to be NaruHina), I was also sad because she rarely show her true potential.
I think that the confession was a way to blossom and to become a confident woman that believe in herself, not just because she want to impress and being recognize by Naruto. Like you mention, Hinata is not stupid, she probably know that Naruto love Sakura.

Now, for Sakura, while some people (mainly the NaruHina fan) believe that she doesn't love him, I have to disagreed with that.
Just because, at first, she found him annoying, doesn't mean that she would always has that point of view of him.
Over the time, she have been able to see Naruto, to appreciate who he is and respect him. Since the 'Promise of a lifetime', Sakura have grown constantly and I think that it was because of Naruto. She realize that she didn't do anything while Naruto has almost die because of her weakness. It true that she wish for Sasuke to come back but, she also want to help and protect Naruto.
In a way, I think it was a good thing for Sakura that Sasuke's gone. She have been able to stop the annoying fangirl attitude and show that she's a hell of a woman !!!!!!

While it not as clear as Hinata, we still can see some slow development that show the possibility that Sakura love Naruto. We see that she's scare for him when she see him transform with 4 tails, she even cry and tell him that she'll save Sasuke for him, suggesting that she want to do anything for him so that he can be the smilling Naruto that she know.

The special Sakura 'mug ball' that she prepare when he was training to create his special jutsu. The confident that she show for him when Sai trick her by saying that Naruto will never be able to do it. (That only in the anime )

Not to mention when Yamato tell Sakura that it's the important thing is the strength of the feeling that she has for Naruto.

When Sai confront Sakura saying that she's cause Naruto pain with the whole "promise of a lifetime", she cry for Naruto and when Shikamaru tell her that they have to kill Sasuke, she still cry for Naruto not Sasuke.

The way she was blushing when Naruto compliment her. The little smile that she gave him, all those thing doesn't prove 100% that she love him but, we can clearly see that she really care for him.

Anyway, while I was sure in the first generation that it would be Hinata now, after shippuden, I think that it would make no sense that Naruto return her feeling like that (after all, we didn't see Naruto and hinata development after her confession). Naruto loved and still love Sakura ( proof, chapter 457 page 11-12) and, by the look of it, it's seem that it's won't be a one-side love.