Do not own the series.

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Summary: Was it fate, they did not know. Was it destiny, it was unknown. Everything was not in the right place; at least to them it is not. If so, then fate had been cruel to them. Everything was bent and broken. But this time, fragments are to be mended and no matter how sinful it is, what they needed is what they want. One way or another….

Pairing: NejiTen. Also with SasuSaku; possible with some other pairs.

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Predestined Integrity

Wrecked Hope

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"We are gratified to have everyone attending this ceremonial engagement," Uchiha Sasuke spoke monotonously as he raised the shining translucent glass, offering a toast, "To honor."

"To honor," replied every single attendant in the estate.

Sounds of large applaud followed after the sounds of raised glasses. Many people gathered in the Uchiha Manor, cheering and talking merrily with each other. It was an unexpected surprise, rather unusual, to have people gathering in the Uchiha estate. However, it was expected because of a big ceremony, that is.

Haruno Sakura tried her best to plaster a genuine smile on her face….

But it's hard. So hard…. She thought, I thought…I never thought this day would c-come…!

She stood up with many fellows and faked her laughter. This was probably far from anything she had imagined. It was painful; hurtful, but she needs to be happy. She wants to be happy! This was Sasuke-kun. Her teammate, her first love, her…and she still loves him. She never gave up. But then, what happened to the promise?

Right, she thought sadly, I should be happy…should be happy for him. If he's happy, then I'm happy too. I'm okay. I won't cry. Everything will be fine.

Her eyes wandered towards the soon-to-be bride. I will move on….

But still…she was close to tears, she swore. She has to be strong though, therefore she is a Kunoichi. A Shinobi of Konoha.

It's still hurts…. Why, Sasuke-kun?

Sasuke had only acknowledged her presence, not even a single word of 'hi' said to her. He still regarded her as cold as back then, maybe even colder.

But if she only knew….

On the other hand, Hyuuga Neji stood calm and collected as he took a sip of the crimson wine. His eyes hardened as he watched his teammate; female teammate, sparring partner, best friend, entertain her guests with her fiancé. But she won't be those anymore, he thought.

Tenten.

Future Uchiha Bride, he thought dryly as he put the empty glass on the nearest table.

He did not know what made him attend the ceremony, but he did anyway.

For her, I came, he mused.

He cannot identify what he feels right now. It was indefinable, perhaps. He felt his heart clutched tight in his chest every time he thought of Tenten. He felt something burn in his stomach every time he sees her. The feeling was not unusual by now, for he had felt them long before, but until now they were still unknown to him.

Not until now that he took full attention and notice how the way she made him feel inside.

He still remembered the last words she had spoken to him before she departed with Uchiha Sasuke.

Yes, Neji thought bitterly, Nothing will change between us, Tenten, but I am afraid to say you are wrong. Everything had already changed.

He cursed himself for his careless foolishness. He was a coward, damn it! He was a bastard, yet until now he is.

She was ignoring him.

Tenten had been avoiding him since the beginning of the ceremony.

And to hell with it, he cannot take it.

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Tenten plastered a genuine smile on her delicate face, at least she tries. Her fiancé, Sasuke, stood beside her, walked beside her, everywhere. He was like her tail. Even as she regarded their guests and welcomed them, he followed her and her actions, only he gave no smile.

It was uncomfortable, she decided. Even though she should be comfortable with his presence with her, she still felt something missing. Tenten felt like he was not supposed to be the one doing this with her. She did not feel please; pleasant.

Calm down, she assured herself, You'll get used to it.

Feeling that she needs to excuse herself and have some time alone, she turned to Sasuke.

"I think I'll go refresh for a moment," she told him.

Sasuke looked at her skeptically but nodded and she headed away from him, also excusing herself to the guests.

Sasuke walked round inside his manor and began observing, regarding every single guest.

His gaze, however, stopped on a certain rosette young lady who was sitting alone by herself, drinking her desired drink. He smirked slightly.

Same old Sakura, he thought as he started approaching her. Her aloneness, he decided, was bothersome.

Once he was near her, he spoke her name. "Sakura."

Said the girl looked up, astonished and gasped as she regarded him, "Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke nodded and took a seat across her. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Sakura looked at him for a moment and answered with a wider smile, "Mou, Sasuke-kun! Of course I am! After all, who wouldn't enjoy their teammate's engagement party?"

She suddenly felt a huge lump in her throat when she said the words 'engagement'.

Sasuke smirked at her coolly, taking no notice of her sudden uncertainness. "Aa."

He…He seems so happy, Sakura thought breathlessly, I've never seen him before like this….

She nodded with a hum and suddenly, gathered her courage to stand up and pull her teammate's hand. Sasuke frowned at her.

Sakura smiled softly, "C'mon Sasu-kun! Let's have a little bonding time, okay? As teammates of course! Oh, and friendship too!"

Sasuke shook his head, but stood up anyway. He sighed sharply, "Whatever."

For the first time, Sakura realized….

He accepted my offer…!

She giggled as she looped her arms in Sasuke's and hummed as she led him everywhere she wants to go.

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Tenten sighed as she led herself out the manor. She closed the large doors behind her and walked into the garden surrounding the estate. Nearby, she found a wooden bench in a corner. She walked towards it and sat down, watching the various flowers reflected by the moon.

Her eyes softened as she sighed again. "What now?"

Her question needs not to be understood; it was already clear. To her, it felt like everything's coming to its end. Maybe, she thought, it was just her, but nonetheless, it feels that way. She was free and independent; therefore she could make her own decisions.

But she felt like she didn't….

Footsteps reached her ears and her senses perked up. The newcomer's chakra was oddly familiar. Very well-known to her, indeed. Her head tilted towards the person and stifled a gasp when she saw who it was.

"Neji!" she breathed out.

Said the young Hyuuga man turned his head towards her, and ever so slightly, his eyes widened. Walking calmly towards his female teammate, he acknowledged her.

"Tenten."

Tenten smiled as he sat down next to her. "Quite noisy inside, ne?"

Neji nodded, "Hn."

There was an amount of silence between them. Only the air around them was heard, neither spoke. It was never like this before, they thought. It was unusually uncomfortable and awkward.

Finally, Tenten broke the uneasiness, "Um…thanks for coming, Neji."

Neji inclined his head towards her; eyes meeting with hers.

Tenten blinked. "I-I mean…you know, for coming tonight. I really…appreciated it and…I'm sure Sasuke-kun did to."

Upon hearing the Uchiha's name (also the suffix added), Neji felt the familiar dryness in his throat, but he replied, "It's nothing very appreciative. Don't mention it."

The Kunoichi beside him only gave a genuine smile ― which, Neji noted, I had come to miss ― and said, "Of course it is, Neji. Really, it means so much to me. I…didn't expect you to show up."

Neji searched her face and slightly ― so slight but it was there ― softened his gaze. He murmured, "How so?"

"Well, because you don't really like the crowd, which I don't too, but I know you're not…really that social," Tenten said, "I guess."

Neji only shook his head and gave a smirk, he realized, he had kept reserved for her; only for her. "You invited me. It's just the right for me to come…for you."

He whispered the last two words, but Tenten still heard it. She gave a slight giggle, "Thank you, Neji. Really, I mean it."

You don't know what I meant, did you? Neji thought.

He smirked wider and stood up, offering a hand out to his female teammate. Tenten blinked up at him, "Huh?"

"Come," Neji stated firmly. His eyes showing what he wanted.

Tenten, understanding, accepted his hand and let him guide and lead her. She grinned, "Is this your idea of team bonding? Or maybe friendship bonding?"

Neji paused and looked at her. He gave a slight smirk, "Perhaps."

No, it's more to that, he thought, I want this to be a memorable night for us, Tenten.

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"Sasuke-kun? What are you doing out in this night?" asked a huffing Sakura. She had just come from the hospital; tired and worn out. She wanted to head home as quickly as she can, but upon seeing Sasuke, she came to stop and stood in front of him.

He was sitting on the bench where he had left her seven years ago….

"Sasuke-kun?" she questioned again.

Sasuke looked up, aware of her presence. Her eyes widened when she saw something uncertain in his expression.

"Sakura," he regarded her with the voice she had loved for as long as she knew.

Sakura smiled and sat down beside him, her breathing decreasing, "It's rare to see you out at this hour, Sasu-kun!"

Sasuke only nodded. There was an amount of silence filled between them. Unexpectedly though…

Sasuke broke the silence, "Sakura."

Sakura looked up, "Hmm?"

"Listen," Sasuke said seriously.

Sakura blinked but nodded obediently, "Okay. Go ahead, Sasu-kun. Tell me anything." She grinned at him.

After a moment, "I…I am planning to take this chance of," Sasuke cleared his throat, "Attaining my last goal."

Sakura blinked and a wide smile crossed her face, "Really? What is that, Sasuke-kun?"

She knew his goal to life. Kill his brother and restore his clan. Wait a minute…he had went far killing his brother and now…he's not planning on restoring the Uchiha Clan is he?

Sakura gulped nervously. Sasuke-kun…. This is it.

"I," Sasuke began, "I want to restart from the beginning. My clan, Sakura."

Sakura felt her heart beating rapidly and she swore it could be heard all the way to Suna. "T-That's…great, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke only gave a faint smirk, "I know."

Another silence…. Then, "S-So…who's the lucky girl?" Sakura kept her voice constant and kept her self-control well. At least, she's trying to. Maybe…there's still hope after all, she thought.

"She," Sasuke started and looked deep into Sakura's eyes, "May be older, therefore she is stronger, I believe, and that is what I will need. It may be hard but I am hoping for…reassurance, Sakura."

Said the young female Medic blinked, "Reassurance?"

"You know her," Sasuke stated.

Sakura felt a sharp pang in her chest.

Her…

Her…

Her…

It was not her but another her. And she knows her. Now, Sasuke was trying to ask her, right now, for…help. It was not like him to ask for help, especially to her. But…

But it's the least I could do, she thought.

But Sasuke was going to marry another girl; another Kunoichi; another woman. NOT her. Not her

Sakura bit her lip to stop the unshed tears to fall. She could not cry in front of him. Not right now; most importantly, not when it's for his happiness.

Happiness…

What about me? Sakura thought, do I deserve happiness?

"Sakura," Sasuke's voice cut her off, "Are you alright?"

She looked up and laughed, forcedly, "Of course I am! I was just thinking of how happy you'll be, Sasuke-kun! I'm really, really glad you're taking the chance now! I-I mean the sooner the better…right?"

It was a lame excuse, she knew and he knew, but neither pushed it. Sasuke smirked, "Aa. Thank you, Sakura."

Thank you…

His last words last time….

"It's Tenten," Sasuke suddenly said.

Sakura gasped knowing what he clearly meant, "W-What? T-Tenten-san…?"

"Aa," Sasuke nodded.

She suddenly realized she could not take it anymore.

You've hurt me so many times, Sasuke-kun, she thought, When will you ever stop? When will this ever stop?!

Sasuke looked to his right and his eyes narrowed. "Sakura…you're crying."

Sakura inhaled sharply and raised a finger to her eye; liquid. Tears, "O-Oh. Sorry, Sasuke-kun. I just…I just…."

Sasuke hardened his gaze.

"I-I was just thinking of our future together," Sakura's cracking voice said. Giggles between sobs.

Upon hearing no response, she continued, "I-I mean…would…would we s-still be…Team S-Seven…at least?"

It was a lie, she knew. It was not the exact reason she was crying. Harder now, that tears are falling freely down her flushed cheeks.

Sasuke stared intently at her, "We will be, Sakura. We'll still be Team 7. Restoring my clan has nothing to do with our Team. Besides, I had promised. I will stay, no matter what. You shouldn't worry on nothing."

But it's not 'nothing', Sakura thought, you've change so much Sasuke-kun. Why couldn't you be like this in the past? Why change so suddenly? Why now? Why now that you'd plan to restore your clan? Why?! Why now that I've so much to love you?!

She nodded weakly and wiped her tears away, "Sorry, Sasu-kun. I-I guess I just worry too much, n-ne?"

Sasuke did not reply but only stood up, but did not walk away. With his back turned on her, he said, "Tomorrow. Let's meet here."

Waiting for no reply, he stalked off, leaving a dumbfounded Sakura.

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Sasuke-kun… you've changed so much over the years, Sakura thought solemnly, I don't know how I can get myself to stop loving you, but…as long as you're not leaving…as long as you're here, I'm okay. This is okay…for now. If you're happy, I'm happy.

Sasuke and she had been strolling around the manor for quite awhile now. Sakura, dragging Sasuke everywhere and he, following her every move. It was comfortable. Very; and it was undeniable for them. They talked to guests, friends, acquaintances, and other attendants; mostly Sakura doing the greetings and such. No matter how much Sasuke hated these kinds of things, he had to admit it was very comfortable being with Sakura like this.

Maybe because he had not spent times with her anymore, he guessed.

But in the back of his head, he knew it was a lie. An unbelievable lie, indeed.

I never understand how this ever started, Sakura, he thought as he felt a sudden feeling that made him long for none other than Haruno Sakura.

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"Tenten?" Hyuuga Neji called silently as he walked to his team's training grounds. Upon reaching the dusky place, he did not expect to see his female teammate standing in the middle of the clearing gazing up the darkened sky.

Tenten turned around, surprised etched on her face to see the Hyuuga Prodigy right in the middle of the night, to say least.

"Neji?"

As if answering her call, Neji stepped out of the dusk and revealed himself to her, walking towards quietly.

Once he was in front of her, Tenten regarded him with a wide smile. "What's up?"

Neji looked at her, "I could ask the same thing to you."

Tenten kept her smile on her face. No matter how realistic and alluring it was, Neji knew better.

Her smile was empty, he realized.

"Insomniac," she laughed, "No, I'm kidding. I just have a lot of things in my mind lately. You know…?"

Neji nodded, a bit of concern etched on his face that Tenten found amusing but did not bother to push it. He replied, "Likewise."

"Hmm," Tenten hummed in response. She gazed upon the sky again and raised a hand to make a circular shape in her fingers. Her left eye squinted, "Look at the stars, Neji. They're so pretty!"

Neji looked up. Indeed, the stars were glistening bright that night.

"It will be a good day," he murmured.

Tenten nodded eagerly and smiled once again. The two of them stayed gazing upward the starry night; comfortable with each others' presence and a peaceful silence in-between them.

But not until Neji's inherited pale eyes caught a twinkling spark on Tenten's hand…no; around her ring finger.

Eyes narrowing, Neji took a closer glimpse, without Tenten noticing.

Never have I seen her wear jewelry before, he mused.

Tenten suddenly turned to face him. She blinked, realizing Neji had been looking at her. "Is there something wrong?"

"Your finger," he blurted out nonchalantly.

Tenten scowled, glancing at her hands. "What about my finger?"

"You are wearing jewelry," Neji pointed out, taking Tenten by unexpected surprise when he took her left hand in his and raised it to meet his eyes. "Why?" he asked examining the thin golden shining band around Tenten's finger.

His touch was gentle and warm, she realized, oddly warm and very gentle.

Tenten gasped slightly and gave a soft laugh. She took her hand back away from him, holding it by the other. "It's a ring, Neji."

"…." Was the expected response from the Prodigy.

Tenten knew there was more to that. With a defeated expression, she looked at Neji and smiled at him. Taking a deep breath, she whispered gently, "Uchiha Sasuke…."

Neji's eyes hardened just then. He was not stupid; No. That was all that he needed to hear.

He knew where Tenten was getting at.

And guess what? He hated that she made him feel the way he did…when his father died.

"He," Tenten continued much to his dismay, "He…proposed to me."

Neji flinched and did not bother to hide it.

Propose.

Propose.

Oh, how much he loathed the word…at least for now.

He heard his female companion's voice again, "And I accepted."

She sounded uncertain, odd, and foreign. There was no hint of happiness in her voice.

Calming himself, Neji asked in a low voice, "When?"

"This afternoon," Tenten replied her voice suddenly cracking, "When we got home from the mission."

Something was building up inside her that she does not want to feel at all.

Guilt? Maybe but no. It was something between hurt and guilt.

Neji, on the other hand, clenched his fist unconsciously. This afternoon when they got home from the last mission, it was raining fairly hard.

He can't believe Uchiha was that dumb. Asking for a woman's hand in marriage when it was raining was not, damn it, appropriate and a wise choice at all. Especially when it's…Tenten.

She deserves more than that, he thought grimly, but did not say a word about it.

"Congratulations," the bitterness of his voice startled Tenten. He had never spoken such way to her before…never.

She felt a pang in her chest, oddly enough. A something that never dawned to her; a feeling that is regret. Sure she felt regret long time before, at least years before, but this was different. The feeling was foreign to her, regret or not, she was confused.

In matter of minutes, she found her voice, "Thank you, Neji."

But the Hyuuga Prodigy noticed something that he had not once seen in her eyes before…

Shouldn't she be happy? She made her own decision…she should be.

But her eyes…they were not smiling.

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His hands are oddly cold, thought Tenten.

Neji and she had been strolling around the Uchiha Garden, with Neji leading, and their hands entwined the whole time. The feeling felt comfortable. It felt right…yet seems so wrong. But at least right now, it seems like nothing mattered.

Tenten collided slightly on Neji's back with 'oof' when he suddenly stopped. She stood herself beside him and looked straight at the few in front of her eyes. A graceful smile appeared on her crimson lips.

"Neji, they're beautiful," she said with her voice unusually soft.

The said Prodigy only responded with a slight grunt, but what surprised Tenten was when he gripped her hand, instantly warming her own. However, Neji paid no notice at all.

"You look alluring tonight," he stated in a gentle way Tenten never guessed he ever possessed.

Noticing his kind-of compliment, Tenten laughed, the sound very pleasing to Neji. She took her time calming herself before mockingly she said, "Only tonight?"

Neji looked at her, he question making him plaster his trademark smirk on his handsome face, "Forgive me."

Tenten raised a brow at him teasingly, "Hm?"

"I intended to say that you look enticing as always," Neji continued, choosing the right words to say.

A slight grin crossed Tenten's delicate face, "Enticing? My, Neji, such words coming from you. You naughty, naughty boy."

Neji only smirked wider, his attention going back to the various colored bloomed flowers in front of them. He was aware that their hands were grasped in each others, and yet nether of them seemed to mind. Just having Tenten around, he thought, he felt no troubles at all. He felt at ease and relaxed; always calm.

Your happiness…is my happiness, Tenten, Neji thought and his grip on her hand tightened, almost as if he did not want to let go at all.

At least he was being honest.

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Next Chapter: Look Through The Past

More flashbacks and details concerning the previous encounters of the characters, other events, and settings will be featured, along with the original scenario. Forgive the criticizing and not-so attention-grabbing First Chapter. Hopefully, the plot will get better as it goes.