In Her Eyes
Chapter One
XXX
It's been about two years. Two years since Tenten turned eighteen. Two years of finding a fiancée. The brown-haired girl looked at her mother, "Why do I need to marry such a wealthy man anyway?" the girl frown. Her mother was always like that. First her older sisters and now it was her turn. She did a fine job into making her three daughters marry a wealthy and good-looking man. Mrs. Hime turned to her daughter whilst arranging the flowers into the vase. "Why complain? You'll thank me in the end for this, I'm sure." Tenten sat at the couch, eyes lingering around the house, the empty house. It had been a year since her sisters left to be with their husbands. Now it was just her and her mother. Her father was always away with work.
She arose from her seat and into her room. "Be sure to be ready by noon. We have another meeting with a man." Her mother said, only for her daughter to respond with a loud slam from the door. The girl sat on her bed. Surely she can choose who she wanted to marry, she thought. Having realized she couldn't do anything at the moment but follow her mother, she got ready in a flash. She wondered how today's man would be, his personality, his appearance and his approach towards her. Thinking about it made her sick. Every man she met because of her mother were always the same; fairly good-looking, wealthy and arrogant.
By the time it was noon, the man had arrived. Tenten hear her mother knock on her bedroom door. She opened the door, as her mother dragged her off to the living room. There was a tall man standing at the door. He was pale, had long brown hair that reached his waist, yet perfectly combed and put into a low ponytail. What caught the girl's eyes the most were the man's eyes. They were strangely colored. White with a small tint of lavender, she observed. He looked at her with those eyes, a stern and cold expression on his face. 'One thing's for sure, he looks pretty damn arrogant.' She thought.
But then the man wasn't alone, another man came into the scene. Tenten had gasped inwardly. A tall man with jet-black hair and onyx eyes, he was also as pale as the first one. His expression was the same: cold and indifferent. Tenten looked at her mother, wanting to ask what was going on. Never has she arranged to let her daughter meet two men at the same time. The second man walked towards her, towering her over a few inches. He leaned down, grabbed her hand and planted a small, soft kiss into it.
"Uchiha Sasuke." The man said as he let go of her hand. Tenten looked at him with disgust.
"Shall we sit down and have tea, my lady?" he asked. Tenten could hear her mother chuckle in amusement. She gave her daughter a slight push in the shoulders, signaling for her to sit down with the man. Tenten groaned.
"Tenten." Her mother whispered. "A lady does not groan." Tenten walked off, sat down opposite to the man and drank tea. The man sipped his tea quietly, putting it down gently before looking at her. He turns towards the other man, still leaning against the wall. "Won't you sit with us, Neji?" and with that, the other man sat down with them.
"So, tell me about yourself, Tenten." Uchiha Sasuke asked.
"There's not much to tell, sir. I'd be delighted if you went on first."
"My name's Uchiha Sasuke, second son of the Uchiha clan, a clan known in many countries to be one of the wealthiest and strongest clan. I enjoy chess, pottery and fencing." The man turns towards his friend. "This is my companion, Hyuuga Neji, who is also my childhood friend. The Hyuuga clan is also a rich and strong clan like the Uchiha, and thus works very well with one another." Hyuuga Neji nods in the girl's direction.
"Tell me." Tenten starts, holding her tea cup. "What do you find in a woman, Mr. Uchiha?" the said man starred at the girl in front of him, a question that has interested him. He smiled.
"I ask not much, but an accomplished woman would be very nice."
"And what would 'accomplish' be in your own definition?"
"A woman, who has had a proper education, can cook very well; can speak at least three languages, strong and well-mannered, kind and gentle."
Tenten almost spat her tea. Can this guy be serious? She thought. She forced herself to smile at the man, who she has decided she will turn down, like all the other men before him. Sasuke looks at his friend once more. "What about you, Neji?"
The other man grunted in his seat, looking like he did not want to be involved in the conversation. "very much like you said, Sasuke." He answered.
"Surely a woman like that doesn't exist." Tenten said. Sasuke looked at her, prideful as ever. "But there are, Miss Hime. I have met a few in this village. And all the women in our clan are an accomplished one." Oh, Tenten wanted to choke this man. "I see. I'm afraid I do not fit in your category." She smirked. Her mother who was watching from the fireplace sighed. Yet another failure, she thought.
"We do not know that yet, Miss Hime."
"Please. Tenten."
"I would like you to attend the ball our clan is preparing. It will be held tomorrow at dawn. I wish to dance with you there, to know you better." The man said politely before standing up. He turned his attention to Tenten's mother. "Thank you for the tea, Mrs. Hime." Tenten, who was still seated, stared at the other man, Hyuuga Neji, and as did he to her.
"I'll see you tomorrow then as well." She muttered before going back to her mother.
By the time the two men had left, Mrs. Hime was already jumping with joy. She hugged her daughter tightly. "This is it!" she said. Tenten sighed heavily as she was finally left alone in her room. And here I thought he was going to propose already. She let her body fall on her bed, her face unto her soft pillow.
XXX
"I'm glad mother called you to accompany me to this." Tenten said happily as she had her arm on her sister's. Shizuka, the first born of the Hime family, the one Tenten was most happy to be with. A woman who's kind, gentle and sweet, who only saw the good in others, someone who was close to perfection, someone Tenten adored greatly. Shizuka smiled back to her sister. "I am as well. Tell me sister, does this man have a chance to have your hand in marriage?" she asked courtly.
Tenten shook her head. "He is all but a man I wish to marry."
Shizuka giggled at her sister's response. "As all men are."
"It's not like that, I just don't find the need to marry to be necessary."
The two were finally there, the Uchiha manor. They both entered, being eyed suspiciously by the other women inside. The other women wore the most expensive-looking gown there was, all shiny and extravagant. Tenten could not help but feel ashamed of her and her sister's plain gowns.
The whole place looked amazing. Red curtains, gold walls and a chandelier hanging on the ceiling. Everything was perfect. Tenten had glanced around the room completely in awe. Her sister had then caught her attention, pointing towards the large staircase in the middle of the room. The girl's chocolate brown eyes widened, Uchiha Sasuke came walking down with such grace and elegance.
This did not change the fact that she still disliked the man.
Tenten watched the other women try their best to grab the man's attention, but to no success. Sasuke walked towards the corner, to where a certain somebody named Neji Hyuuga had been. There he was, sitting and watching the others dance in delight. He made a face telling he was so sick of it. Sasuke casually smiled at the man. "Are you not going to dance, my friend? With so much beautiful ladies there are in this room." He said. The other man shrugged.
"I am not one for dances, thank you. I have no interest to dance with such silly-looking women."
"Silly, you say? How are these lovely robins silly in your eyes?"
The Hyuuga scoffed. "Look at them, trying to woo the richest man in this room, it disgusts me. And besides, Uchiha, I really don't dance."
Sasuke let out a little laugh. "I cannot say how untrue that is, but lighten up. Surely there is at least one woman in this room who has caught your attention."
"…"
"So be it then."
Sasuke had gone off to find a woman himself, leaving Neji seated in the corner still, watching as the others dance.
After an hour or two the young Hyuuga eventually grew bored sitting and watching. He stood, making way as the girls looked up. They squealed, hoping Hyuuga Neji would ask them to dance, something that has never happened before. Neji simply walked over to the food table, examined every food before getting a drink. By the corner of his eye he spotted a lady, alone, refusing all the men who came to her, asking her to dance. The Hyuuga's face lit up, as the said girl even refused to dance with Mr. Aburame, one of the wealthiest men in the room. Neji turned around to see those familiar eyes and hair. `He could not believe it. She wore the plainest green dress he's ever set his eyes upon, had her long brown hair into two buns, such light make-up and a bored expression. Hime Tenten sat there, sighing. Her sister had gone off to dance with some man. Shizuka was one of those girls who could never refuse to dance, even if it was with somebody she barely knew.
Tenten stood, not wanting to see any more man ask her to dance, and went straight towards the long table to her right. She noticed a lot of expensive and delicious-looking food. The girl felt her drool almost drop by the corner of her mouth. She stopped it before it could, remembering her mother's words on being a lady. She rolled her eyes. Being a well-mannered and proper lady is the last thing I want to be, she thought.
"Hungry, Miss?"
Tenten's face turned light red. Her eyes turned to her left, revealing a certain man she was familiar with. "Mr. Hyuuga, please. Call me Tenten." She smiled at the man, who did not seem to return the gesture.
"Tenten, I assume you came here for Sasuke?"
"Well, yes, as my mother instructed me to go and be on my best behavior."
"Then why not dance?"
"I refuse, as there is no meaning in dancing with somebody you don't even know."
"…"
"I take it you're not one for conversations, Mr. Hyuuga?"
Neji sighs. "I find it hard and… well…"
I see. Why then start one to me? Surely I am not worthy of your time." Tenten said with a slight tint of sarcasm. The girl did not regret saying such.
"By the tone of your voice may I take that as an insult on my part?"
"I apologize then, but there is somewhere I want to be, and that somewhere is far from here, and you."
Neji backs off, scratching the back of his head like he doesn't know of what to say next. He watches the woman who just insulted him walk slowly away from him. The man felt a tint of his pride crushed, had he never been talked to like that, especially not a woman. And he had gone through the trouble of approaching her!
The Hyuuga went and chased her nonetheless, only to be met with failure as a flock of women came running in his way, all asking for a dance. He watched in silence, a woman who had talked back to him in such a manner… actually existed.
XXX
So, I wanted to try making two stories at the same time. (I wanted to see if I can handle it, haha.) This thing's like a parody of Pride and Prejudice, only I'll try to make it a little more different. Yes, I enjoy writing this way. Although it is fairly hard for me to write in third person. (As I always write in first person). So there, Chapter One! Reviews are always appreciated.
