The Lake

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

The wind blew through the leaves and trees of Konoha. The streets were filled with happy faces, and laughter. In one of the houses the sun shone through the window, signaling another brand new day. The kunoichi opened her heavy eyelids and sat herself up on her bed. She stood up and walked into her bathroom. The brunet walked into her shower and turned on the water, letting it fall down onto her bare skin. The water calmed her down and her mind went blank of all her worries and plans of the day.

She stepped out and grabbed her plain white towel and wrapped it around her thin body. She also grabbed another towel to wrap around her wavy hair. The teen went into her bedroom and walked to her closet. She opened the two wooden doors and looked at her selection. She grabbed her usual outfit, which consisted of a white shirt with a red and black stripe, black pants, black gloves and black shoes and put her clothes on. She then walked to the mirror and grabbed her hairbrush and let it run through her waist-long hair. She got up and opened a box full with hair ties, taking out two of them in brown.

The girl parted her hair into two and pulled them into two buns and tied them into place. She walked down the stairs and entered her kitchen. She grabbed a banana, peeled it and ate it in record time. She quickly ran out the door and added extra chakra to her feet to make her go even faster. Once she started to see her training field come into view, she started to slow down. The kunoichi walked into her training field and instantly saw one of her team mates underneath a tree meditating.

Without opening his eyes, he says, "You're late." She sighed as she knew it was true but it still annoyed her when he had to remind her that he was always on time and she was always late. Just when she was going to answer, her other team mate started to yell at them.

"GOOD MORNING MY YOUTHFUL RIVAL AND OUR YOUTHFUL FLOWER! I MADE A DEAL WITH GAI-SENSEI TO DO 500 LAPS AROUND KONOHA, SO I MUST GO NOW!" As quickly as he came, he disappeared, taking his black bowl-cut hair and green spandex with him.

The brunet sighed again. This happened every morning and she started to get used to it after six years, but it was still slightly annoying. She looked back at her quieter team mate and asked, "Shall we get started?" He simply stood up and opened his eyes to reveal two milky orbs. He gave a simple "Hn" and took his stance, and their spar began.

TenTen immediately jumped into a tree and took her massive scroll from behind her. She opened it and let the contents in it fly. However, the Hyuga prodigy simply used his Kaiten to deflect all of the kunais and shurikens that were thrown his way. Then it was his turn. He ran towards the tree she was in and used a kunai to lure her out. The female dodged the kunai and landed on the ground, in front of the tree she was crouching on seconds earlier.

He used the opportunity of having her on the ground and ran to her, ready to strike her chakra points with the Hyuga clan's technique, 8 trigrams 64 palms. By the time she looked up, he was already there, hitting her chakra points. When he was finally finished and closed her 64th chakra point, she poofed and was replaced with a log.

Using his byakugan, he spotted her in a tree behind him. He turned around only to be faced with lots of explosive kunais coming his way. He used his Kaiten again and deflected them with ease. Knowing she didn't hit him, TenTen opened her giant scroll again, letting more of the contents fly towards the Hyuaga genius. This time though, instead of reflecting them he took them all on and they strike through his flesh. Then the weapon expert realized that her sparring partner also used the substitution jutsu.

She was surprised, but before she knew it, she felt something cold against her neck. Looking down she saw a kunai at her neck, ready to kill her. Then she heard him whisper in her ear, "I win." She sighed and agreed that he won. Neji took the kunai from her neck and jumped off the tree, resting on it below and starting his meditation again.

She sighed another time that day and hopped down as well. The brunet sat next to the prodigy, resting herself on the tree. "Neji?" she asked him and looked at him. He opened one of his eyes and looked at her.

"What is it TenTen?" he asked her and looked at her, waiting for her question.

"Well, I was wondering..." she started off, but hesitates a little, but then asks, "Do you like someone Neji?" As soon as she said it, TenTen looked anywhere but the person sitting next to her.

Neji, surprised by the question, opened both of his eyes and looked at the weapon expert for a while. He wasn't sure why she would ask such a question, but he knew that he couldn't tell her that he liked someone. More specific, it was her that he liked. In fact it was more than that. The Hyuga prodigy was in love with no one else but the Weapon Mistress, TenTen herself. Yet, he couldn't just admit that. Before he could think about it any further she asked him again, getting a little impatient with him.

The Hyuga wasn't quite sure what to say so instead he asked her, "Why do you want to know?" He looked at her and knew he shouldn't have, as he felt a little tint of pink in his cheeks. Yes, the Hyuga Genius, pride of the Hyuga clan was blushing. Even if it was only very light, he knew that was still too much emotion for a Hyuga (except Hinata) to show.

"Well..." she began, but wasn't sure how to answer.

The real reason she asked was because she had a crush on the Hyuga for five years, but never had the courage to tell him, afraid of rejection. So instead, the teen had kept it to herself, but then Lee found out. Lee was happy for her, that she found her 'youthful love', but she told him that she thought Neji would reject her. But Lee wasn't one to give up without a fight, and told her that he would tell Neji himself if she didn't confess her love to the Hyuga prodigy within three months. So she rather wanted to do it herself then let Lee take over.

TenTen decided that today would be the day. However, she knew that if she told him that it was because she loved him, she would be so embarrassed that she would run home and stay inside her house for a week (maybe even a month). Instead the girl answered with, "Just curious". She waited for a while and it looked like he believed her. Then her whole heart felt like a sensitive vase that just dropped to the floor and shattered into millions of pieces. The kunoichi never knew that a simple word like the one he just used could be so effective. She didn't know what to do now. The brunet had hoped that Neji would say yes, so she could have come straight out and tell him that she loved him, yet he replied with no. That one simple word changed everything.

The teen was shocked. She didn't know what to do, so she tried to make her face and emotionless mask, just like he always did. However, Neji knew her too well and saw right through her. "Is something wrong? Was I supposed to say yes?" he asked her, worried.

"No, no. If you don't like someone, then that's fine. I guess I was just surprised. I mean, we're 18 and I thought you would like someone by now, that's all," she tried to reassure him, giving him a smile that made his heart melt like butter sliding down a piece of hot toast.

The Hyuga felt how his cheeks burned up a bit again. He couldn't control himself, so he had to get away from the tempation sitting next to him. "I need to go before Hiashi gets mad at me for being late." TenTen simply nodded and gave a small wave before she ran further into the forest. Neji didn't understand why she would run further into the forest, especially since her house was in the opposite direction, but he knew that if she wanted him to come she would have told him.. So instead, he turns around and went back to the Hyuga Manor.

The girl was shattered. She never knew that Neji had so much influence on her, that a simple word like 'no' could make her tears come endlessly. TenTen was sitting on a bridge going over a lake. She loved coming here when she was upset. When her parents died, she ran into the forest and found this beautiful place, where she cried out all of her pain and sorrow. Even after so many years, this was still the place she would feel the safest and could come to where no one saw her. It was actually quite surprising that no one else came here because it was a beautiful place, but it was quite well hidden within the forest. Beautiful, crystal blue water, that was so clear that you could see the bottom. A wooden bridge on top of it where you could dangle your legs over the top of the lake and stare at your reflection. The best part was that the kunoichi could cry all she wanted here and no one was there to see her or stop her from doing so.

The Hyuga genius had a lot of trouble trying to sleep that night. Should he have told his best friend the truth? Should he have confessed to her? Or did he make the right decision? With those thoughts haunting him, he found it harder than usual to fall asleep. When he finally found his eyes closing and drifting off, all he could dream of was TenTen. Her chocolate brown hair, her beautiful matching orbs, her graceful body, her radiant smile, and her amazing personality.

The next day, he waited for his sparring partner at their usual training spot. As always, he was early and she was late. This time, however, tenTen was even later than usual. Normally, it was five minutes or less, but he'd been waiting for two hours already. Deciding that she probably wasn't coming, he stood up and went to look for her. The Hyuga searched for hours and nightfall came but he still couldn't find her. He tried her house, her favourite dumpling shop, everywhere he could think of. Then it hit him; he forgot all about his byakugan!

Neji activated his clan's special ability and searched for his missing friend again. He sprinted into the woods and into the direction she left in yesterday. When he came to a clearing, he saw her. The brunet had her hair down, still wearing the same sparring clothes from yesterday. Her legs were dangling over the side of the bridge and he heard her sobbing silently. Neji thought it was impossible for TenTen, the strongest kunoichi he knew, to cry, yet she was.

The taller teen was about to walk up to the other, when he heard her whisper something to herself. "You're so stupid TenTen. What were you expecting? Him to say 'yes'? It still wouldn't have meant that it was you he liked, you big idiot. Now he probably thinks you're a stupid little girl, not worthy of the title of a kunoichi. How could I be so blind? There are heaps of boys who probably like me, but I have to fall in love with one where the chances of him loving me back are slim to none."

Neji couldn't believe his ears. TenTen loved him. He made her cry because he lied about liking her. How could he have been so stupid?! He had made her doubt herself. The Hyuga prodigy couldn't stand around anymore, and do nothing. He walked up to her and stood behind her. The boy was about to talk, but TenTen already saw his reflection in the water. "What are you doing here?"

He knew that was a bad start about confessing to her. And then he made it even worse with his answer being, "You weren't there for training." He mentally slapped himself for the stupid answer. The kunoichi couldn't control her emotions any more and broke into tears again. Neji couldn't bear seeing her so upset, and wanted to do something, but didn't know what. He sat next to her and hugged his best friend tightly. He softly whispered into her ear, "The real reason is because I was worried about you. You're normally always there for training. And when you're sick you tell me. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings by saying I don't like anyone. The truth is I like you and I was scared that you would reject me. I'm in love with you TenTen and I only feel happy around you. You're the only one that can make me smile. Every time I see another guy look at you, I get jealous and protective.I want you to be mine and mine only. Please be mine."

TenTen couldn't believe her ears. Did The Hyuga genius just tell her that he loved her or was she just dreaming? She lightly pinched her arm and realized that this was real. All she could do was look up at the man she loved and push their lips together. She loved the feeling as their lips danced with each other like this was the millionth time they kissed together. She brought her arms to his neck and his slithered around her waist and both brunets couldn't be happier.

As always, the lake was TenTen's favourite spot. Yet, this time it wasn't because she could cry her heart out without anyone seeing, but because this is where she got together with the man she would love her entire life. This was also the same place where Neji proposed to her. On top of that, the wedding wasn't held at a church, but here at their lake. All of her memories were held here and every year she came to the lake with Neji, thanking this place for the happiness it brought them.

THIS IS THE EDITED VERSION! I JUST COULDN'T STAND READING THROUGH THE MISTAKES I HAD ORIGINALLY MADE, SINCE I WAS STILL STARTING MY JOURNEY AS A WRITER! NOT ALL MISTAKES ARE FIXED AND I TRIED TO MAKE ALMOST NO CHANGES, TO KEEP THE STORY LINE THE SAME (ALTHOUGH I WANTED TO DELETE AND REWRITE SOME OTHER PARTS). I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS VERSION AS MUCH AS THE ORIGINAL, IF NOT MORE!

Yuaki1707