Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-1018594-20150725100424/@comment-25632268-20150726221323

Thekillman wrote: He's 19, pretty sure things like hormones would make him take some remote interest in girls.

Yes, but at the same time when hormones kicks out differs.

I also find it hard to believe that in a group with a number of very blunt friends (sakura, ino, kiba, sai) nobody ever pointed it out that Hinata loves him in a more-than-friends way. Unless they secretly had a bet on how many decades it would take before he did. Even Sai realized Sakura was hurting Naruto, and if he can do that, he can know Hinata loves Naruto and Naruto doesn't realize.

Maybe they just respected Hinata's feeling and privacy enough to leave confession to her? They were aware of Hinata's feelings, Sakura thought it herself when healing her after Pain invasion and her conversation with Naruto after Toneri took Hinata only confirms it.

even though he had a crush on Sakura, and doesn't know that such a thing exist, and thus the entire movie casually ignores that he loved someone before in that special way?

Not true, it is covered when Naruto and Sakura speaks before going to rescue Hinata. Sakura said that his "love" for her was just another field where he competes against Sasuke and Naruto does not deny it.