Please Remember Me

DISLCAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO AND THE COVER IMAGE!

The sun rose, shining through the curtain of his window. The brunet got out of his bed and got dressed in his normal attire. He brushed his long, brown hair and stared at his reflection in the mirror. His two misty orbs looked even more unemotional than usual. Yet it had to be that way; he was meeting with Lord Hiashi and the Elders, and he couldn't make any wrong impressions.

Neji walked over to the meeting room and waited to be allowed inside. He already heard a little bit of murmuring. He heard the words 'Neji', 'soon' and 'together'. He was trying to figure out the meaning of these words, but then he heard the voice of Hiashi calling him inside.

The younger Hyuga entered and bowed to the Elders and his uncle. "Take a seat Neji," the leader of the clan told him. He did as he was told and waited for someone to speak. Hiashi began, "Neji, you are eighteen and for our clan, that age allows you to marry. We have picked out a few girls we think would be suitable for you, but we also want to know what you look for in a woman, so we can narrow the selection."

Now the words he heard outside made sense. Neji was soon going to be together with a woman that will be named his wife. He already knew that this would happen eventually, but he had tried to avoid it for as long as possible. His heart sank immediately when he realized something. Hiashi said that they already picked the girls, and he knew that they would be Hyugas. That meant that he couldn't be with the girl he actually wanted, since she wasn't from their clan.

So instead the brunet told them the things that he saw in the girl he was truly in love with, so that his wife would hopefully at least be a little bit like her. "Well my preferences are the following: I want her to be a kunoichi, kind, caring, able to understand me, try to help others before herself and always try to find good in every person she sees," he finished. He waited for any response to his list, wondering how the Elders and his uncle would react.

His uncle spoke again, "It sounds like you've thought about this for a while; have you?" Neji had thought about it a little bit, but not so much that he especially made a list. He just listed what he thinks of the girl that he sees very night in his dreams and every day to train with him.

"Not much," he answered truthfully.

After his answer, he was dismissed. The teen's mind was confused and he needed some fresh air. He went out and started walking. He saw many smiling faces and thought it wasn't fair for them to be happy, whilst he was in misery. Neji sighed; he wanted to be with someone else, but didn't want to go against his clan. He walked to the training ground that his team used. TenTen was already there and Neji was reminded of the position he was in. He wanted everything that was hers to be his. He wanted her to be with him, but his clan had other plans.

The other teen often stole his breath with the things she did and said. Every time when he sat at a tree to meditate, she would sit next to him. It was always so close that they almost touched shoulders. The Hyuga would quickly stiffen as he noticed their closeness. Yet when he would glance at her, she never seemed to mind, so he would relax and continue meditating.

Another time was when she had told him that he was too stiff. The brunet had sat behind him and started massaging his shoulders. He loved the feeling when she had touched him; it always made him feel calmer and just...better.

Then Neji's smile slowly disappeared as he thought about the wedding again. "Damn clan," he quietly whispered, but she heard him. TenTen turned around and looked at him, immediately noticing that something was on his mind. She sat against a tree and patted the spot next to her, inviting him to sit with her.

He took the offer and waited for her to say something. Neji was never good at starting conversations and TenTen always knew when to speak first or let him speak. "What's on your mind?" He smiled. Only she knew when something was bothering him without saying something.

"You know me too well TenTen. It's about my clan."

The weapon mistress frowned. She should have known that it was about his clan, since it seemed to be the only thing to really bring him any trouble. Yet the prodigy was still proud to be a Hyuga and she couldn't blame him. He was the pride of the Hyuga clan; it wouldn't work well if he denied whatever they wanted. However, what happened this time? Did they use the curse seal on him? Did they tell him to not hang around his team anymore? What could possibly make him so disturbed that he would damn his clan?

"What happened?" TenTen asked, no longer having the patience to hold in the question. He sighed and the weapon mistress began to worry. Neji looked over to his best friend could see the worry in her face.

"The clan has decided that it's time for me to marry." The teen looked at the other, waiting to see her reaction. TenTen quickly looked away from him and simply stared ahead. The Hyuga prodigy didn't know if she was trying to avoid his gaze or if she was thinking hardly; maybe on a plan to get him out of this.

"I see." It wasn't her words that surprised Neji, but the tone in which she spoke did. It had been quiet and almost a whisper, like her voice had broken. He was wondering why she sounded like that when she spoke again, this time with her voice more confident. "Why are you telling me this of all people?" Again Neji was shocked. Firstly, she went from a whisper to a voice filled with confidence. Secondly, her question had startled him. What should the brunet say? Because he was in love with her and wanted to see how she would react? Because she was his best friend? He wasn't sure of what answer he should give her, so silence overcame them once again.

"Because I thought you might be interested. I mean, it's fine if you don't, but I thought of all people, that my best friend would care." He closed his eyes and started meditating. Now the weapon mistress was upset with herself. She hadn't meant it that way and she certainly didn't want him to believe that she didn't care. TenTen frantically thought of what to say, but came up with nothing. Instead, she blurted out whatever came to her.

"Neji, I do care. I'm sorry if I acted like I didn't; I was just surprised. Can you please explain to me how this happened?" The Hyuga prodigy opened his eyes and looked at her. He saw the apology written in the brunet's eyes and mentally forgave her.

"Hiashi and the Elders decided it's time I get a wife. They said they already had a few women in mind, but wanted an idea of what I looked for in my wife."

Then there was silence again. TenTen was trying to take everything in without staring to cry. She knew that she wouldn't be one of the candidates, since she wasn't a Hyuga. She took slow and calming breaths, trying to stop tears and curses from escaping. How could Neji just accept their decision so easily? Yes, he was a branch member and his uncle was the head of the clan, but it still didn't seem to make sense to her. Her thoughts were interrupted when her best friend spoke to her. "What are you thinking?"

The weapon mistress looked at the Hyuga prodigy. She was surprised when his eyes didn't show coldness, but sincerity. Should she really tell him what she was thinking about him and his clan? The brunet decided that if she did, he might be mad about the way she would speak about his clan, possibly insulting them. It seemed like a better idea to lie, so she did. "I was just thinking about the old days, when we didn't have to worry about getting married or relationships with boyfriends or girlfriends. It just seemed so much easier. It's weird to look back at it, thinking that all I wanted to do was grow up and become an amazing kunoichi like Tsunade. Now I don't want to be older because I have to make so many more decisions. To tell you the truth, Neji, someone actually proposed to me. I turned him down though because he just wanted my body. All you could see in his eyes was lust. All I want is someone to love me for me. Especially one guy, but he doesn't even seem to care for me the way I do; not that I blame him."

Neji just stared at the weapon mistress. She was in love with someone. Someone proposed to her. He finally realized that TenTen wasn't his and that someone else could snatch her. He disliked the thought and promised himself to kill every guy that got near her. "If you don't want them near you, just tell me. I promise that they won't ever come near you again, unless they want to experience a painful death."

"Neji, you know that I'm a kunoichi, and not a weak one at that. I think I can keep them off me by myself. Thanks for the offer, anyway. Same goes for you, with your fan girls."

"You're right. Everything was a lot easier when we were still genin, but being ANBU changes these things. Talking about ANBU, how was your last mission?" He looked at her, waiting for her answer. Then she shuddered and the teen couldn't understand why. It was summer and very hot, so why would she shudder?

Should she tell him? Well, Neji was her best friend and he would understand, wouldn't he? But she almost had sex with a man just to get out the information she needed before the weapon mistress killed him. The man already had her shirt and skirt off, when she finally got the information she needed. She sighed and decided to tell him anyway, since he would probably be able to detect if she was lying. "It was a seduction mission. It took me a while to get out the information. Without all the alcohol he drunk, it could have ended worse."

Neji gulped. Seduction mission? How far did she have to go? Did she have to have sex with him? "How far did you have to go?" He looked away. The brunet knew he couldn't deal with it, if she said she went all the way.

"Well…." She started off, but didn't know how to continue.

"Did you go all the way?" TenTen looked at him in frustration. She couldn't believe he thought that she would go that far.

"Of course not. I can't believe you would think that I would be such a slut to do that!"

The Hyuga prodigy looked at his best friend in surprise. It was rare for her to shout (especially at him), but when she did, he knew he said something wrong. He opened his mouth to apologize, but only closed it again when nothing came out. Suddenly his eyes widened in surprise and guilt, when he could see water filling up in the other teen's eyes.

"TenTen, please don't cry. Please. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Oh, please don't cry, Ten. If you do, then I won't forgive myself." He hugged her and held her close. Then he silently whispered into her ear, "Please don't cry."

The brunet couldn't believe that THE Hyuga genius and prodigy had hugged her and almost begged her not to cry. She sniffled a little. "Ok," she softly whispered into his chest, where her head was buried. She heard Neji give a relieved sigh and she smiled softly at his care. Then the weapon mistress remembered that he was still hugging her. The teen quickly released herself and leaned onto the tree again, watching her best friend do the same.

TenTen looked at Neji and asked him, "So what will you do about the marriage problem?"

"I am not sure." TenTen could not bear it any longer. She needed to get out of here before he saw her break down and cry. The teen stood up and gave him the excuse of having to do some grocery shopping. Neji bought the idea and let her go.

The Hyuga sighed and stood up, ready to leave. He walked to the Hyuga compound and the guards immediately opened the gates so he could enter. The brunet walked towards the office belonging to his uncle, and knocked on the wooden door. Hearing a grunt of acknowledgement, Neji entered the room, closing the door after him. Hiashi looked up from the paper work on his desk and gazed at his nephew. "Neji, please take a seat." Neji accepted the offer and sat in one of the chairs. "Is there something you need?"

"It is about my marriage. I would like to know a few things concerning the bride." Hiashi nodded, motioning for his nephew to keep going. "Does the bride have to be from the Hyuga clan?" Hiashi looked a little surprised at the question.

The Hyuga leader leaned back in his chair and asked, "Is it because you have someone else in mind that you would like to marry?" Neji eyes widened a little in surprise. He never realized his uncle knew him this well. Before he could answer the question, his uncle spoke again. "Who is the girl you were thinking of?"

Neji sighed. His uncle seemed to understand him very well. "My team mate, TenTen." The brunet watched the reaction of the clan head.

"I see. She is quite a smart girl from what I have seen. She definitely knows how to use weapons. She seems to be the only girl except for Hinata, that you let near you, and you two seem to be very good friends. Does she know about the marriage?"

"I told her about it, but I did not tell her that she might be the one that I might be marrying. I don't even know if she returns my feelings."

"I suggest you find out about her feelings for you, while I talk to the Elders, to see if they will let you have TenTen as your wife. I will also suggest a more freedom in your choice, in case TenTen does not return your feelings." Neji nodded and gave a soft smile to his uncle. He was thankful that they had gotten closer after he had been told the truth about his Hizashi. The teen stood up and bowed to his uncle. Neji left the office and headed out of the compound, ready to find his best friend.

Meanwhile, TenTen ran deep into the forest, not stopping until her legs gave out. She leaned her back against a tree and pulled her legs to her chest, wrapped her arms around them, and rested her head inside the shield she made with her body. Then she let all of her walls break down and started crying her heart out. Her best friend and the man she was secretly in love with was marrying someone that wasn't her. The brunet knew she should have told him her feelings sooner, but she had been afraid of Neji rejecting her and possibly ending their friendship.

Neji kept running. He searched the training field, her apartment, her favourite food places, and he still couldn't find her. That's when the brunet realized that he could have used his byakugan all along. He activated his clan's ability and started searching for his best friend. He ran into the forest to find her asleep, her eyes seemed to be red and puffy. The teen immediately took her into his arms, bridal style, and brought her back to the Hyuga compound. He laid her on his bed and covered her with a blanket.

TenTen woke up and looked around the room she was in. She immediately recognized that it wasn't hers. The brunet sat up in the bed and mumbled, "Where am I?"

"You are in my room," came a reply. She turned her head around to see Neji standing near the door.

"Neji. What happened?" Neji took a seat on the side of the bed and looked at her.

"That is what I would like to know. I found you in the forest asleep. Your eyes looked lie you had been crying. What happened after you left?"

The Hyuga prodigy looked at TenTen; her face was looking down, but he could still see the frown on her face. He didn't like it. He wanted to see her smile and give that melodic laugh that made his heart melt. He patiently waited for an answer. If he knew one thing about TenTen, then it was to wait and not to keep trying to get information out of her. It would only make her mad and the victim land in hospital. He remembered when it happened to Lee and he was glad it hadn't been himself on the receiving end of such a vicious attack.

"It doesn't matter," she whispered. The weapon mistress didn't want him to know that she broke down because of his news, and that she had let her emotions get the better of her.

"It does matter. You know that it can be dangerous in that forest." She didn't know where it came from but she looked at him with fury in her eyes and shouted at the Hyuga.

"Why do you care?"

His eyes widened slightly in surprise. It had been the second time that she had yelled at him today. As he looked into her eyes, he saw a mix of emotions in those brown orbs. There was anger, hurt and some other expression he couldn't quite read. Was it sadness? What would she be upset about?

"TenTen," he whispered lightly. She looked back down, trying to avoid his gaze. "TenTen look at me," he said, his voice back to his normal monotone. Since she didn't reply, he took her chin lightly and tilted it towards himself. "TenTen, please look at me." The weapon mistress finally did as he said and looked at him, his hand still on her chin, making sure she didn't try and look away again.

"I care because I am your best friend. You always listen to my problems and try to help me, and now it is my turn to do the same. I also care because-," but he was cut off because the door opened.

"Neji, I just talked to the elders and...who is that girl?" Neji sighed and let go of TenTen's chin. He turned around and looked at his uncle.

"This is my team mate, TenTen. So, what did the elders say?"

Hiashi stood in front of Neji and gave a small smile. "I made them change their minds. If you want, you can take someone else as your wife. That includes the woman you were telling me about today. There is only one requirement, which is that the wedding has to take place in two months or less. Otherwise, they will choose your bride instead." Neji smiled. He stood and bowed to his uncle, giving him a thank you. His uncle, however, grabbed him and pulled the teen into a hug. He might be emotionless very often, but not always (especially when it came to his nephew).

TenTen couldn't help but smile at the scene. She knew it meant a lot for Neji to be getting a hug from his uncle, especially because it is very un-Hyuga like. Then her mind went back to what Hiashi said. Neji could marry anyone he wanted. The weapon mistress' smile disappeared, once she realized that it wouldn't be her. There were so many beautiful girls in this village, so why would he want to pick her? "I think I should be going now," she quickly said and got off the bed to leave. Then she felt someone grab her wrist, and she spun around to gaze into Neji's eyes.

"Would you like to stay for dinner TenTen?" She smiled softly, touched that he was so kind to her. The brunet would have loved to accept, but she knew that her tears would come back soon, and she couldn't show weakness in front of Neji. She thanked him for the invitation, but declined and left.

Back at home, TenTen flopped onto her bed, her face in the pillow, as she cried her heart out. She decided that she couldn't take this pain anymore. The teen couldn't live with the idea of Neji marrying someone, and talking about her during sparring sessions. She couldn't deal with seeing Neji happy with another woman that wasn't her. TenTen made her decision; she would leave the next morning. She wrote a quick letter to Neji and, of course, to Tsunade, to make sure that the Hokage knew that the teen had left willingly and, that she hadn't been kidnapped.

Neji found dinner quite pleasant. The only thing on his mind was how to propose to TenTen. Then he remembered that he didn't even know if she returned his feelings. He decided to forget the detail and work on how he should propose to her. He wanted it to be special. When he went back inside his room he fell asleep peacefully, knowing his worries had been solved.

TenTen quickly packed all of her things and gave Shizune the letter, so that she could give it to Tsunade. Then the wepaon mistress headed to the Hyuga compound, ready to deliver the other letter to Neji. She quietly sneaked into his bedroom through the open window. She looked at his sleeping figure, taking in his beauty one last time. He looked so peaceful and relaxed. She hadn't seen him like that in a while. She smiled sadly, knowing it would be the last time she would see him so relaxed and free of worry. The teen placed the letter on his desk and fled back out the window, whispering a small goodbye. She went through the gates of Konoha, leaving everything behind and leaving to go to Suna. She knew that Temari would understand her situation, and let the brunet stay with her, since they became good friends after the Chuunin Exams.

Neji woke up and felt excited about the day. He wanted to get to the training grounds quickly, so he could ask TenTen about marrying him. The Hyuga prodigy got out of bed and noticed a letter on his desk that hadn't been there last night. He saw his name written on the front in TenTen's familiar handwriting. He quickly opened the letter and read through its contents.

Dear Neji,

By the time you have read this, I will already be on my way. I am sorry that I didn't inform you of this sooner, but I have come to the decision to leave Konoha. I have written a letter to Tsunade to inform her of this. I am sorry that I didn't say goodbye to you properly, but I couldn't risk you trying to stop me, knowing you are very good at persuading me.

Even though I have left Konoha by now, I will always have memories of the Leaf Village and my friends there; especially you. It has been such an amazing experience to meet you and become such great friends. Of course, I became good friends with the Rookie 9 as well (plus Lee and Sai), but I still believe that my best experiences have been with you. I also want to thank you for so much. Thank you for sparring with me every day, trying to put up with me and my outbursts of anger. Even though everyone thinks you are an emotionless ice cube, I know you are more than that and I appreciate that I got to see the other side of you; the friendly and caring side.

I wish you all the best for the future. I hope you will become the head of the Hyuga clan, and perhaps find a way to get rid of the mark that they have placed on you. I hope you will be happy with the girl that you will marry, and that she treats you like with love and kindness (like I know you will treat her). I wish you all the best Neji Hyuga, and I know that you will do great things. Before I forget, I want to ask you for one favour; please Neji, remember me.

Sincerely,

TenTen

PS: I hope you will do alright with having to be with Lee and Gai alone until you get a new team mate.

His happy mood vanished quicker then Lee's speed when he runs without his weights. His heart shattered. The girl he wanted to propose to had left him. Now the Elders would pick a bride for him, and will force him to marry whoever they want. The only thing he could do was sit on his bed and cry. Just when his world was starting to feel good again, he could feel himself sinking. But he promised himself one thing:

I will always remember you, TenTen.