Chapter 1: Father's Departure
Neji watched as his relatives argued over who was going to take his father's throne. It had only been three days since his father passed, can't they be more remorseful and mourn over him? Neji clenched his fists tightly while drowning his pale cheeks in tears.
"You mustn't show others you're weak." His father's words rang like door bells in his ears. Just yesterday his father was training him to master the art of tai jutsu!
"Though it is clear in Hizashi's will that his son will rule, I believe that Neji is much too young. He will not be able to with stand such great responsibility." Neji's grandfather informed the clan.
"I agree." Hiyashi, Neji's uncle replied. "Someone should rule until Neji is ready."
"Yes, indeed. And even though we need someone wise to take on the village's risks, I am much too old and I do not think the citizens will welcome an old geezer like me with open arms." Neji's grandfather replied.
Why don't they mourn father at all? Neji thought while wiping his tears with his knuckles. He peeked through the slid door and glared at his elder relatives while they discussed his father's will. It seemed like that will was much more important than his own father's lost soul.
"Neji..my son..Please take care of your mother..be a good boy okay?" he remembered his father's last words before he had traveled to the village of Kirigakure to form some sort of pact. All he wanted was peace, why and how did that involve the murder of his father? This world is much too cruel. Neji gritted his teeth when he heard the final words.
"It's been done. Hiyashi will become our clan's leader as well as the village's. Take good care of it Hiyashi."Neji's grandfather bowed down to Hiyashi along with the other clansmen.
"Yes, Father. You have my word." Hiyashi replied.
"Neji!" Neji's grandfather called over to the four year old chibi. The young boy was in the garden picking flowers, rather harshly, after he had heard that his uncle was going to take his father's place. He and his uncle didn't get along very well.
Neji pouted and ignored his grandfather until he came over and kneeled next to him.
"Don't take it out on the flowers, son." His grandfather frowned. "Your father was good man."
"Father was better than just "a good man." Neji snapped."Why must uncle replace father? Uncle can never replace father!"
Before Neji's grandfather could respond, Neji threw the flowers he was picking and ran into the forest behind the Hyuga estate.
He wandered into the forest aimlessly, reminiscing over the time he and his father would hunt there. Until he heard sobbing..
The sobbing was getting louder and louder as Neji walked further ahead.
"Why are you crying?" Neji grumbled when he noticed a raven haired boy about his age, covering his face with his palms. Everyone just seemed to get on his nerves today. His clan, his uncle, his grandfather, his father for dying, and this cry baby.
"I'm not crying!" The boy protested, quickly wiping his tears away. The boy blushed a deep shade of red when he saw that someone had spotted him cry. Sasuke Uchiha would never cry in front of people, why am I being spotted now? He thought. Moreover, in front of this boy who seems like a know-it-all.
"You can't deny that after I've seen you." Neji simply replied. "Besides, only babies cry."
"I'm not a baby." Sasuke glared. Before Neji could argue he joined Sasuke and sat next to him. Sasuke just let him, partly because he could sense that something troubled the boy.
"Father used to always tell me not to show my weaknesses to others.." Neji started while staring at the clouds.
"What happened?" Sasuke questioned curiously.
"Father is gone."
"I see." Sasuke frowned.
"I don't understand why no one cares to consult me or ask me how I feel about this matter. Why won't anyone listen to me!" Neji asked furiously.
"I'm listening aren't I?" Sasuke stated obviously.
"It's not the same." Neji frowned."Besides I don't even know you."
"Sasuke." he replied." You can call me Sasuke."
"Sasuke?" Neji repeated.
"Mhm. What about you?"
"I was told not to reveal myself to strangers."
"Eh?" Sasuke gasped." Why not?"
"Because I don't really know who you are, you could be a potential threat, you could've had something to do with father's murder, you could-"
Sasuke laughed hysterically, interrupted Neji's analysis. "Do you always have to analyze everything? We're just kids! What would I have to do with murder? I don't even go to school yet!"
Neji was caught by surprise. Perhaps he was looking into things too deeply, but that was what he was always taught.
"Be confident, yet learn to have fun as well. Act your age Neji-kun." his father would tell him.
"Neji." he blushed.
"Neji-san, Neji-sama, Neji-kun, Neji-chan, Neji-baka, which do you go by? " Sasuke teased.
"How dare you mock me?" Neji questioned raising his fist. "I will assure you that I am Neji-sama and you will not speak informally to me, got it?"
"Why not? It's not like you're the Hokage's son or something."
Neji fell silent, realizing that he'd revealed too much already. Unfortunately the boy had caught on, he looked more intelligent than he acted.
"Now that you mention it, the Hokage did pass away." Sasuke began." He wouldn't happen to be your father would he?"
Before Neji could reply he heard someone call him.
"Neji-sama!" it was the faint voice of his servant, Utakata, who also happened to be four years old. Utakata was skilled for his age though, his family has served the Hyuga for generations and he had been given this duty since birth. The duty to look after the heir of the Hyuga, Neji Hyuga.
"I've wasted too much time here."Neji muttered. As he was about to leave Sasuke caught hold of his arm.
"Wait." Sasuke demanded.
"Let go of me this instance!" Neji yelled.
"Neji-sama, would you do the honors of coming back here again?" he asked, politely.
"I will do no such thing." Neji argued, and with that he disappeared into the forest and Sasuke was left alone once more. That boy was interesting, and moreover he's the heir to be Hokage. If I can just get close to him...