I was walking with Neji because we had both came to an agreement. I said that if he sparred with me, I'd take him to go and get some dumplings. It wasn't a bad agreement so we decided to go and get some dumplings before we sparred because I mean come on, no one can fight with an empty stomach!
"What would you like, Neji-kun?" I asked nicely. I looked at Neji when I heard nothing from him and his face said, 'I'm off in La La Land.'
I sighed and shook my head because it just seemed funny for some strange reason because it's not often that you see the Hyuuga, Neji looking into space.
"Ahem," I said to get his attention. Neji looked at me and said, "Gomenasai, Yukie-chan. What was that you said?"
"You can tell me what you want," I said bluntly.
"Right. I'll just have some sweet dumplings," he said. "And maybe some green tea. Arigatou." I looked at him for a bit.
"Do shita no? (What's wrong?)" I asked with a worried tone.
"Nani mo nai, (Nothing)" he said.
"Fine," I said with a sigh. "Nani shiro (anyway), could I get some sweet dumplings and two cups of green tea?" I ordered.
~*~After Eating~*~
"Arigatou for the food. But I have to go now," Neji said while looking at the sky.
I flashed him a cheesy smile even though I didn't exactly want him to leave yet so I just decided to tell him good-bye and let him be on his way. Neji stood up and he also said good-bye and the next thing I knew, he was out of sight.
I took my time to finish my food before I left. When I was done, I sat there for a bit, thinking.
It wasn't long until one of my friends walked up and sat down at the table across from me.
"Hey, Yukie-chan," she greeted. "You going to the Sakura Festival tomorrow?"
"Now, Misshue-chan, you know why I just plain don't like going to the Sakura Festival. So don't pressure me," I said with a sigh.
"Well to stinking bad! I set you up with a blind date. And guess who it is," she said. Before I could reply, she continued. "You're going with Hyuuga, Neji because he's someone you knew for a long time. So you're going whether you like it or not! Got it?"
"Misshuu-chan, I miss the old you. You wanna know why?" I questioned. She nodded eagerly and I smirked slyly. "Because you weren't as dense as you are now. I think your name is perfect for you."
"You're so mean to me, Yukie-chan," Misshuu said with a pout.
"I know, and I love it, too," I said with a laugh.
She groaned and got up, stomping out of the dumpling shop. I smiled and shook my head, chuckling to myself. I snapped my head up when I realized something.
'Neji-kun, owes me a sparring match!!' I groaned and just forgot about it. I got up and left the dumpling shop.
As I was walking, I was looking at the ground sadly. I completely forgot about the sparring match that Neji owes me and I began to think about my now deceased family. I thought to myself sadly.
'They know that the day of the Sakura Festival, my parents and friends died because I was so ignorant,' I thought while holding in tears. I stopped for a moment and closed my eyes so I could prevent the tears from threatening to fall like they were creating suicide. I began walking again before Misshuu walked up beside me with a depressed face.
"Oh come on. Would you go to the Sakura Festival for your friends? Onegaishimasu! (Please)"
"Iie," I said snottily. "You know exactly why I don't go to those kinds of things."
"Doshite? (What for?)" Misshuu asked thoroughly puzzled.
I gave her a look that basically said that she was the most dumbest person on the face of the Earth. "Oh come on! Do omou?! (What do you think?!)" I said, annoyed.
I hear her gasp and say, "Oh!! Gomenasai! I totally forgot!"
I just sighed and told her that it was okay. "So I hope I made it clear that there's no way on Earth that I'm going to that Sakura Festival," I said.
"Iie," Misshuu said with a smirk. "It does."
"Fine. I'll go just so you'll stop bothering me," I groaned. Misshuu gave a jump for joy and ran off. I scoffed and walked back to my house.
I actually took my time because it wasn't like anyone I knew was waiting for me at my house for all I know. No one probably ever would anyway so what's the point in trying to hurry up?
~*~Yukie's House~*~
I quickly went inside and up to my room. When I got there, I quickly put on my pajamas and went to bed. Sleep welcomed me with open arms and it held me in a hug as I let it shut my eyes with its quiet lullyby.
~*~The Day of the Sakura Festival~*~
I slowly opened my eyes to find out that I had woken up to someone banging on my door.
"Hold on!" I hollered.
I hurried and threw on some clothes on top of my pajamas and I ran downstairs to go and answer the door.
When I got to the door, I straightened out my hair so I wouldn't look like a fluff-ball and I opened the door. To my surprise, it was Neji.
"Uh... what're you doing here, Neji-kun?" I questioned.
Neji showed a small smile. "I came to tell you that I was sorry."
I raised my eyebrow in confusion at what he had just said. "Doushite?"
"One, for having ran out on you the way I did. The second reason is because I heard about your parents," Neji explained. I cleared my throat.
"Oh well that's okay. Really. Even though the only reason you should be sorry is if you had something to do with it. It was all completely my fault anyway so don't trouble yourself over it. So, Im going to have to get ready for the Sakura Festival. So... er... I would like it if you'd leave now," I said with a slight chuckle.
"Alright. I have to be going anyway. I have to get ready, too."
I flashed Neji another smile and said, "Gomenasai (I'm sorry). I just have to go to the store, too."
"Well, I could go with you if you'd like," he said.
Im just going to go and get a kimono since my friend is kind of forcing me to go. It would be weird if you were coming with me to go and get a kimono, I told him, explaining why Id rather not have him go so it wouldnt sound mean.
I understand, Neji said. Neji said his good-bye and left without looking back.
~*~Shopping~*~
The kimono I had bought was pink with green leaves and purple flowers all over. It was only a few more hours until the Sakura Festival and I had my hair done to be an in up-do so it wouldn't get in the way. When I got home, I set the kimono down on the couch and ran upstairs to put on some make-up.
~*~Couple Hours Later~*~
By the time I was done and ready, it was time for the Sakura Festival. Misshuu had told me that my blind date would be arriving by this time. I hurried downstairs, trying not to step on my kimono and go flying down the stairs. I didn't want a bloody nose or anything of that kind on the way to the Sakura Festival.
As soon as I had gotten downstairs and sat down, I heard someone rapping on the door. I groaned since I didn't want to get up after just sitting down. I got up anyway.
When I opened the door, my eyes slightly widened when I saw Neji standing there.
I had to admit, he looked pretty good. He didn't have his hair in a low ponytail so it was down and it looked so pretty! ((Fans: AAHH!!! HE MUST LOOK SO HAWT!!!! XD QM: GO AWAY!!! *Shoves Fans Out*))
"Neji-kun? You're my blind date?" I asked, completely shocked.
"Aa. Is there a problem?" he asked with a smirk.
"Iie! Of course not! It's just that I didn't expect you! I'm overjoyed because I can go with a friend and not some guy I won't even know," I said with a sigh of relief. Neji shook his head with amusement and offered me his arm.
I felt a tiny blush appear on my face but Neji didn't notice so I took his arm and we both walked to the Sakura Festival together.
~*~At the Sakura Festival~*~
When we got to the Sakura Festival, my eyes lit up with how wonderful it looked. It was so bright because of all the paper lanterns everywhere. People were by different food-stands and others were playing games and they all make the Sakura Festival look busy. I smiled to myself at how lively this place looked just for such an event as the Sakura Festival. If there was anyone else I would go with, it wouldn't be anyone else but Neji.
"It looks positively radiant, Neji-kun," I said in disbelief. "It's been so long since I came to a Sakura Festival that I completely forgot how wonderful they seemed to look when you enter."
The aroma of food welcomed me by weaving around my nose and I sniffed it in with closed eyes. I mostly smelt bread and sweets.
"It is nice, isn't it?" Neji said while looking around himself. "The fireworks will be coming on in about an hour. So we have to be ready for them when it comes because we want a good spot."
I nodded, showing that I understood what he wanted to do.
For that hour, we had spent the whole time playing games and we spent ten minutes of that time eating some ramen and candy.
We were both sitting down at the perfect spot on a hill that would let us see the fireworks perfectly... I hope.
"The fireworks should be coming any second now," Neji said, concentrating on the sky. I nodded and looked at the sky, too.
Just on cue, as if Neji was a physic, the fireworks burst in the pitch black sky with the colors of red, orange, and green that looked like just a simple burst. We both knew that the end would end up being complicated designs like a circle with a dot in the middle and such as that.
By the time the fireworks were over, my eyes still held the excitement of seeing such wonderful fireworks after a while. I was basically still mesmerized by the colors that were displayed and I looked to Neji with excitement in my eyes as well.
"Wow! They were so pretty!" I said with amazement and Neji looked at me.
As soon as I looked into Neji's eyes, I felt myself get enraptured in the light color of his eyes. They were so bottomless that I felt like I wouldnt be able to get out of his stare.
"Yukie-chan, there's something that I must say to you. I feel as if it's been held back for much to long now," Neji said while looking me straight in the eyes.
"Do shita no? What do you have to tell me? Do you have cancer!?! If you have cancer, spit it out man! What kind do you have?! You have breast cancer!! Oh my kami (god)!! Why didn't tell me!?!"
"Iie! Urusai (shut up), Yukie-chan!" Neji said rather loudly.
I fell silent and on the inside, I was laughing at my foolishness. I was surprised at my stupidity and about how Neji had actually told me to shut up.
"I want to tell you that I like you," Neji said bluntly.
The smile I had planted on my face from the earlier incident fell as I was told this. I couldn't believe that Neji had just told me this. Was it a joke? I bet it was.
"Masaka (could it be) that you're joking?" I asked, looking down at my feet. They seemed so interesting all the sudden.
"Do omou? (what do you think?)" I heard Neji ask.
"I don't know what to think," I said in a low tone. "Pinch me. I want to know if it's a dream." I felt a sharp pain on my right arm and I gasped. "I didn't really mean it!" I exclaimed. Neji shrugged.
"So, do you feel the same way or not?" he asked.
"Depends. What would happen if I said I did?"
"I think you know what would happen if you said you did," Neji said with a smirk. "If you don't, then you're pretty dense." I pouted at his last remark.
Rest is in the results.
"I do feel the same way about you. But I don't know what'll happen. Does that make me dense then?" I questioned with the pout still evident on my face.
I felt Neji's hand slip underneath my chin as he turned my face to look into his eyes and he held amusement in them.
"This is going to happen." Neji leaned forward to the point where our noses touched and I saw him smirk as my face started to burn. "Do you know what's going to happen now?" I shook my head. "Then let me show you."
Neji closed the gap and his lips clashed with mine and I felt my face get even hotter as if I had a fever. After about ten seconds, Neji pulled away with a small smile.
"Do you have a netsu? (fever)" Neji asked. "Because it sure looks like you do."
"Aa, I do," I lied. But I knew better then to lie to Neji because he could obviously tell. But I didn't care. I suddenly felt tired and I rested my forehead on his and smiled. "I feel tired. I want to go back home," I said.
"Alright. Let's get going then," Neji said.
We both got up and started to head home, but not without lacing our fingers together. I knew that I would never regret coming to the Sakura Festival now. I'm going to have to thank Misshuu later