Folks seem to be not getting it.

Hinata being the first one to recognize Naruto isn’t a bout being her first bond, or deserving anything. It’s about the idea of someone being the piece of a puzzle of you. She got it, she had that connection first. It took awhile for it to reach maturity, yes, but when it finally did, it became such a major part of their characters. That’s why it was‘meant to be.’ Because Hinata recognized first, and they were fit for each other. Really, its because they were fit for each other, she recognized.