Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-1018594-20150725100424/@comment-1018594-20150725221031

Elveonora wrote: Naruto is stupid, what do you expect? He had to experience the past again, several times to fully comprehend how Hinata feels about him and how he feels about her. To him, loving equaled liking someone, like a friend. Once he realized there wouldn't be anyone else better to spend end of the world with than her, he got that he must love her.

It's more an issue of bad planning. Hinata was head-over-heels in love with Naruto for the entire story, meanwhile Naruto just treated her as another one of his friends. She literally said "I'm risking my life for you because I love you" when she fought Pain and then everyone pretty much forgot it happened.

"I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, that means I must love you" is a horrible thought process. It's supposed to be, "I love you, and because I love you I want to spend the rest of my life with you."