I Need You Now
Disclaimer: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
He stopped thinking.
If that is even possible, he did stop thinking.
It was the 20th year of his father's death. He had always believed no one would understand him. No one would feel the same way he did twenty years ago.
How much it hurts to see someone precious to you, suffering only because of inequality.
How much painful to have the only person left in your life, be taken away from you.
How much he suffered for living in the loneliness, growing with hatred stitched with every fiber of his being, keeping all the anger in his mind - not in his heart, because he once believed he don't have one.
No one has sent him to the Academy in his first day of learning formally.
No one said, 'Welcome home, son' to him once he got home, tired from training.
There is no one to share the dinner table with.
No one said, 'I am proud of you.' when he graduated as the number one rookie of his batch.
No one guided him to use his natural intellectual talent wisely, righteously.
If it wasn't for the blonde-haired 'forever-genin' lad, will he be the same person he is right now?
Maybe up to this point, he's still the stoic genius everyone admired, envied and frightened of.
He maybe the same long-haired 'boy' believing in the cruel twists of fate.
He's still the same old lad who despised his own flesh and blood.
But then, there was this sweet, tough girl that annoyed him once.
Her chocolate eyes always spark like stars in the clear night sky.
Her strong personality that stays intact with her identity.
Her accuracy that no one, or even nothing could escape within her range.
Then he realized how much luckier he was than her.
She has no idea where she actually came from.
She didn't even meet her parents, while him, he once had a father, even for a very short time.
She do not even know her own surname, while him, he despises the last name he has right now.
No one has sent her to the Academy also.
No one has said 'Welcome home' to her.
No one to share the dining table with.
No one said 'I am proud of you' to her when she perfects the target practices.
She didn't have anything right from the very start.
But, the funny thing is, she can make herself happy even just for the little things she have.
She's so... independent, so free.
She soars high above the sky.
He looked at the tomb's stone head then he shut his eyes.
Flashback
"You are Hyuuga Neji, right?" asked a little girl which he assumed was as same age as his, six years old.
"What is it to you?" he replied icily.
"Right, you really are Hyuuga Neji," then she rolled her eyes. "...I don't know why the girls here in the Academy like you. If they only knew who you really are."
"Hn."
"I saw you crying yesterday. Why?"
"Why do you have to care? It is none of your business."
"Hey! I asked the question nicely, so answer me nicely in return! I thought you were a genius? Then how can you even converse with such answers? They are non-sense!"
"My father died. Happy?"
"That's it? You cried just because your father died?"
"Just because my father died? What do you mean with that?"
"I never knew my father or even my mother, but I never cried!"
"You are an orphan?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm the only one fixing my hair every day! I don't have a surname!"
"Hn."
"You know what, you can join me in my target practice every noon at the back of the Academy..." then she leaned to his ear and whispered, "...it was my secret hideout."
"Secret?"
"Yes! So I'll be expecting you there, anytime you wanted to, okay? A boy who cries is a gay!"
"Gay?" then he raised a perfect eyebrow.
"By the way, my name is Tenten." then the little girl with her hair in twin buns ran away.
-end of flashback
He felt someone hugged him from his back, he sighed and relaxed. He turned to face her and hugged her back.
"Tenten..."
"Neji?"
"I need you... now."
"You know I am always here for you."
"Thank you."
"I love you." she said.
He pulled away from her embrace then stared deep in her eyes.
"I love you more." he replied then he kissed her lightly on her lips.
He felt something cling on his knee, a three-year-old boy that looks exactly like him. He faced the little boy.
"Why is my name there?" the little boy pointed to the stone head.
They looked at each other then she smiled.
"That is for everyone to remember that name." she replied because he don't know what to answer.
"Everyone will remember me?" the boy innocently asked.
He kneeled to level himself to the height of the boy then he patted his head.
"Yes, everyone will..." then he stared at the lad's silver eyes, "...I taught you how to pronounce your name, right? So, what is your name again, young man?" Neji asked.
"Hyuu...ga... Hi...za...shi," the little boy replied.
"Very well, Hizashi-chan."
"Thanks, Father."
Then Neji carried the little boy.
Tenten just smiled seeing the two boys of her life.
"Anything for you, son."
