AU. High school fic. A suitor for Tenten and a bet between Sakura and Ino. And wait! Did that suitor just insulted Neji?! [NejiTen]

Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto.

THE DECLARATION

Monday: Mouse?!

10-7-2002. Monday, 11.24 pm

Dear Hershey,

My teacher in Literature recommended for our class to keep a journal in order to get in touch with our 'inner self'. Understanding the 'inner self', according to Sarutobi Kurenai, is a way to comprehend a fictional character's motives, words and actions. sigh I guess I have to keep this really private and away from public view. Thank goodness I have a careful dormmate and friend named Haruno Sakura.

Sakura is a year below me. She is a junior and she has the most amazing hair ever. When she was in her first year, her hair used to be black. It was also long and reached down to curl against the middle of her back. But she cut it and styled to flutter against her face, in a shaggy do. She even had it colored pink! I wonder where she had it done. It's really fascinating. Thank goodness this is a liberal school. Well, almost liberal, since it is now headed by Tsunade-sama, granddaughter of the first principal of Konoha High. Although strict with rules, she allows things such as hair color and gel, as long as proper hygiene is followed and the uniform is worn properly. Anyway, Sakura's hair suits her green eyes and fair skin. It makes her stand out. I envy her sometimes, especially her courage to shout to the world her feelings. She has this most serious crush with Uchiha Sasuke, a rebel prodigy. Even my fellow batchmates know Sasuke, who is so cute (Yes, I had a fleeting crush on him but Sakura can have him, haha!). When Sakura was in her freshman year, she used to chase Sasuke around. She also competed against Yamanaka Ino for presidency in their FC for Sasuke. But then, sophomore year happened to Sakura. Due to his father's alleged favoritism, Sasuke joined a gang headed by a drug lord syndicate named Orochimaru on July 2001. Sakura tried to hold Sasuke back, but to no avail.

Sasuke came back to high school, though, after he was caught in January by his elder brother, Itachi, who is in the military. After a stint in rehab, Sasuke is now under probationary status and currently repeating his sophomore subjects. Surprisingly, Sakura does not help him. I got most worried over her a week ago. Since Sasuke came back, she is quieter than ever. Her silence over the matter broke the record when she was depressed over Sasuke's defection to cocaine and heroin. I brought Ino over last Wednesday after I talked to her about Sakura. Ino's Operation Annoyance worked well. After an hour of Ino talking to herself about how she would be able to have Sasuke at last, Sakura shouted, "Pig!" She jumped Ino and started a bitch fight complete with the hair-pulling, pinching, etc. I busied myself with catching any object that threatened to fall over when they bumped into the table, beds and cabinet.

The fight was over in ten minutes. Sakura just stopped pulling Ino's hair and she broke down, crying. She hugged Ino and the latter hugged back as they lie down on the floor winded, their clothes rumpled and hair in disarray. I took the reserve tissues from the cabinet and brought them over on the floor beside the embracing friends. I snatched a few pieces of tissue and snuffled to myself as I stroked Sakura's hair. The occupants from other rooms started to knock and ask what happened. We ignored them. When Hinata called, I told her all that happened. She came over with a bunch of cookies and Sakura's favorite carrot cake. Now, Sakura is smiling again and I'm just so glad that she's her normal self. She does not flinch now whenever Sasuke is mentioned. It seems that it is only Naruto who is acting normally with Sasuke. I and the rest of the old gang, the senior members of the judo club, are wary of Sasuke. We greet him now and then and try to talk to him but he never speaks up. That's to be expected, I guess. He never was a talker even in his freshman days. Neji, my best friend and sparring partner in the club, is also cagey of Sasuke but he says that he trusts Naruto to pull Sasuke out of his self-imposed shell.

Speaking of Neji, he is really annoying today. Why? Well, there is this guy who just went up to the Section 1 line and stood in front of me. He told me that I look like a mouse. The nerve! I'm shaking while I'm writing this; I ignored him and prayed that he go away. But this guy had the GALL to touch my shoulder. Who is he to touch me so familiarly?

I took his hand away and let it go so fast I might as well threw trash. I looked at the guy straight to the eyes and raised my chin. He returned my rebuff with a toothbrush commercial smile. I turned my back on him. I tensed myself, ready to react if he touches me again. Thank goodness, he took off.

You know what Neji did?

Not…a…thing. When I turned to glare at him, he was staring at the ground with his eyebrows almost meeting. I'm not sure whether or not he's annoyed with the guy or anything. He just looked up and said, "Let's go up to the classroom instead of going to the flag ceremony."

Jerk! If it were not for the chance that the guy would come back and bug me, I would definitely have refused and waved him on. I would stay on the line with our other classmates and wait for Lee, who we only see on the flag ceremonies and retreats, including lunch breaks.

Neji's my best friend and all, but he does not even extend his hand to help me with someone who was seriously bothering me. He could have pulled that Hyuuga 'icy' stare of his from his violet blinkers and reduced that man to a stuttering blob. Does he even care for my feelings, which has been hurt by that guy who dared to call me a mouse? A mouse, for crying out loud!

Mad and bothered,

Twenty Hundred


Tuesday: A Challenge is Made


Tuesday. 5.03 pm, Dorm Room 5.

sakura_blossoms: INO!!! damn it, ino! wud u pls apir now in my mesenger!

inoflowergirl1997: wat, 4head? i'm here now.

sakura_blossoms: ino, red alert!

inoflowergirl1997: wat! luv is in d air? did u get 2gedr w/ sasu so quik? :D

sakura_blossoms: no, pig. ten's the news.

inoflowergirl1997: wat abt r tenie?

sakura_blossoms: do u know yuhi, a senior boy fr sec 3?

inoflowergirl1997: i know yuhi-sempai. he's nice throws great parties. has black wavy hair and a dimple on his left cheek. brown-eyed. a lot like naruto. mischevous, funny. he's such a cutie!

sakura_blossoms: yeah, that's the one

inoflowergirl1997: who? oh, wait. he had a girlfriend named yukari, a sophomore cheerleader. why r u aksing anyway?

sakura_blossoms: i think he's intrstd with r tenie. wen we went out of our dorm dis morn, we met yuhi on d way. he called tenie minnie mouse & laughed wen tenie just ignored him, not saying anything. said he's yuhi fr sec 3. tenie did not react. but wen he tried to touch tenie on the arm, tenie, hahaha! she kicked out and made yuhi-sempai stumble until he was all on fours staring at the asphalt. hahahaha!

inoflowergirl1997: wat, tenie! oh, d girl nids some spanking sumtyms! how cud she? she cud hav gotten herself a boyfrend now. oh, little tenie and i will hav a talk. wer is she, btw?

sakura_blossoms: out. supervising d tryouts 4 d archery club. she's not activ anymor but keeps in touch.

inoflowergirl1997: i thought she's still in our judo club?

sakura_blossoms: ino, u nid memory pills. yes, but she's a de facto member.

inoflowergirl1997: wat? cam again? you and your big words.

sakura_blossoms: she's a member in name only. our tenie's reserved for some fights, esp. wen neji nids a partner. besides, she's also afiliated with the arch club.

oh, b4 i forget, i want neji for tenten, not yuhi-sempai.

inoflowergirl1997: r u starting a fight, forehead?

sakura_blossoms: no, I'm just stating a fact.

inoflowergirl1997: NO. i want yuhi for tennie. she deserves better than iceberg neji. and you know, the iceberg sank the titanic. Besides yuhi-sempai is so much more fun. look at d perks: we get mor invitations to great parties, wer evrybody who's sumbody in our school wud come. wudn't that be fun.

sakura_blossoms: but dey look so gud 2gether. sins elementary, they hav bn frends! neji and tenten! it's practicaly canon!

inoflowergirl1997: we don't know for sure. u know neji. he might not hav feelings for our ten.

sakura_blossoms: he has. he must!

inoflowergirl1997: he's so not!

sakura_blossoms: pig, stop fighting! i know i'm right.

inoflowergirl1997: r u chalenging me, 4hed?!

sakura_blossoms: hey, why not?

inoflowergirl1997: bring it on!

sakura_blossoms: ok. if neji wud not react to yuhi-sempai's pseudo-courtship, and tenten becomes friends or boyfrend with yuhi, you win. but if it's d other way around…u know what happens! hahahaha! i can smel vic2ry already. i want d earrings youv bought last sat.

inoflowergirl1997: u know, 4head, wen i win, i want ur purple designer heels, ok. b sur 2 gift wrap it, ha?

sakura_blossoms: you're on!

The door burst open. Sakura continued typing 'you're on'. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, with the red laptop on her blanket-covered calves.

"What are you doing?"

Sakura started. She immediately closed her laptop. "Hey, Ten-chan, how's the tryouts?"

"Fine. There are no potential champions, but they'll do. They can be trained anyway. Maybe we can still win the contests if they are dedicated enough." Tenten put away her bow and took off her training kimono for archery. She took her shampoo and other bath paraphernalia from the cabinet and wrapped her bathing robe around her body. Sakura covered the laptop with one of her pillows.

Tenten sat on her own bed and untied her buns. She took a brush to the chocolate tresses that reach down to her lower back. "What were you watching?" Bending her head to the right, Tenten smiled as she continued to brush. "Is it Original Sin again? The one by Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie? Were you, by any chance, re-watching the bed scenes like Ino did?"

"Hehehe." Sakura blushed and bit her lip. She inched her pillow to cover the laptop more securely.

Tenten laughed. "Oh, that movie brings nice, surprising memories. Who would have thought that Shikamaru owns a DVD copy of that movie? Ino filched it, right?" At Sakura's nod, Tenten chuckled and looked up to the ceiling and extended her legs. "Hinata kept blushing for days whenever the S-word and the movie were mentioned. Thank goodness I managed to distract Neji when I said that I watched Original Sin before he managed to quiz Hinata about her red face! The expression on his face was priceless! It seems that Neji viewed the movie too, but on a dare. Lee said that Shikamaru invited the males in our gang to check out something in his house." Tenten shuddered. "Thankfully, Mr. and Mrs. Nara were out for the night."

Tenten stood up and went out of the room, carrying her little basket of bath things.

Sakura exhaled a long sigh and took out her laptop again. If Tenten had found what she Ino were chatting about…

Sakura gulped. Tenten might chase her and Ino and make use of them as targets for her bows.


7.45 pm

THIS NOTEBOOK IS A PROPERTY OF ROCK LEE

I was on my tenth lap on the track and field this afternoon. A classmate of mine was waiting by the finish line. He is Kobayashi Yuuhi, a senior (like me) from section 3. He politely asked if he could have a favor from me. I said yes and did the nice guy pose, which Gai-sensei taught me. Yuuhi smiled and said that he likes Tenten, my friend, and wonders if I could help him in his campaign to get close to her. I agreed! Yosh! The flames of youth are burning brightly! Tenten, my flower friend, you would finally have a courtship! I would not stand by and see you turn off this one. It is our senior year and you must have a romance, for high school is lacking without one! Gai-sensei, my PE teacher, and so far, my favorite, would be glad to hear of this.


Wednesday: The Cat and the Eagle (The Sparrow and the Sea)


11.13 am, Room 416. Section 4-3.

A note was written on the blackboard:

I am on a faculty meeting today. Be good and open your Economics books on Chapter 5, which is entitled Scarcity. Be sure to answer the comprehension questions by the end of the chapter on a piece of yellow paper. Pass your answers to the class president.

- Mr. Hatake Kakashi

"Lee, can we talk now?"

"Wait, one more sentence. Not good to have unequal…hmmm."

"I'll wait for you at the back vacant arm chairs."

Nodding, Lee inked the last period on his answer. He wrote back-to-back of the paper and finished on the fifth to the last line of the back page. After penning his name with a flourish, he stood up and passed his paper to the class president. He strode to the back of the room, where Yuuhi was sitting laidback on an armchair with his black-slacked legs and leather-shod feet on another chair, with his arms were lying together on his chest.

As Lee sat down beside him, Yuuhi recited sotto voce, "You said she likes violets and orchids. Brown and purple are her favorite colors. Chocolate of choice is dark chocolate and she has a weakness for Hershey's Special Dark. What does she like in a guy?"

Lee stroked his chin and sighed. "Frankly, I don't know. She's friends with me and Neji, together with a host of other guys of different temperaments and personalities. She does not show a specific—ah!" With a wide grin that almost occupied half of his face, Lee added, "She likes cute guys!"

A few of their classmates looked in their direction. "Shhh, Lee. A little more quiet, please."

"Cute, huh? What kind of cute? Humorous cute—"

"Appearance cute."

"Give me an example."

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Ah. So she likes a bad guy, huh?"

"Oh no, I don't think so. A straight-laced guy, maybe. Tenten has a healthy dose of respect for authorities."

One minute of quiet between the conspirators passed. Their classmates are almost done with the seatwork, with some already stretching their arms over their heads. The noise level increased a bit, as papers and pens were put away with the mouths starting to open up and talk.

"What's between her and Hyuuga Neji?"

"Best friends since elementary days. We were quite a group, then. Neji used to dislike my loud, exuberant displays but he grew to tolerate it. Tenten adapted to me more quickly, as she can be a bit loose with herself sometimes. Although she can be uptight too. She's a happy balance with me and Neji."

The bell rang for lunch.

Yuuhi let his legs down and sat up straight. He angled his head closer to Lee's and whispered, "Ok, here's a plan…"


11.45 am, lunch break.

Tenten drank the last of her orange juice. She, Neji and Lee are on their usual table in the cafeteria, near the wide windows. Neji is being his usual stoic self while Lee is talking a mile a minute. Tenten tried to keep up with Lee's stories about the frog he almost stepped on while running on the oval when the guy just showed up beside Lee.

"Hi, Lee! Can I sit beside you?" Tenten closed her eyes and prayed that Lee say no.

"Yes. Come sit beside me."

Tenten tsked and opened her eyes. Lee moved to the chair in front of Neji. The guy whom Tenten thought of as Yuuta sat beside Lee.

"Hi, mouse. How's class?" Again with the toothbrush smile. He reached for something in his bag and put a Hershey's Special Dark on the table. "For you." Another smile appeared on his face, which put into Tenten's mind Mr. Maito Gai, her hyperactive PE teacher. Her lips twitched.

Neji shifted on his seat.

"Um, I forgot to introduce—Tenten, Neji, this is Kobayashi Yuuhi. He's my classmate."

"Hn."

Tenten glanced toward Neji. His arms are now crossed in front of his chest and he was checking out Yuuta, er, Yuuhi. He was frowning.

Tenten glanced toward the ceiling and tensed. She can feel the start of a headache coming in her temples. Neji's mood is getting darker. He is quieter since the start of the week and he barely speaks of what's bothering him. She's a bit miffed on him still, but now she's getting worried. What could have happened? This mood is reminiscent of their elementary days, when Neji held a grudge against his uncle, Hiashi, for putting away the possessions of Neji's father in the attic, and forbidding his twin brother's name to be mentioned in the house.

The problem between the two brothers is that Hiashi-san is the favored son; this made their parents decide that the most of Hyuuga monies and properties would be turned over to Hiashi-san. This caused Hizashi-san to be resentful, which was passed on to his own son, Neji.

The problem between Neji and Hiashi-san was further heightened when the latter explained his guilt of not resolving the inheritance matters before Hizashi-san died in an accident after their fateful argument. Tenten winced at that word—fate. It used to be Neji's favorite word, claiming that people would not be able to run away from their fate. Neji used to say that his fate would always be below priority, apart from his cousins'. That continued until Naruto whipped that belief out on him when the former said that people can fight against their fate, just like what Neji is doing, proving to others that he could also be great in his own way, perhaps even greater than his own uncle.

Tenten knows that Neji has forgiven his uncle to a degree but she thinks that he still blames Hiashi-san for not settling the old argument before Hizashi-san died. This may also be the reason why Neji does not like going to the Hyuuga compound in the rural part of Konoha. He once mentioned feeling like a caged bird there, unrecognized by his grandparents who do not acknowledge him. Tenten sighed. Maybe they're just guilty because whenever they look at Neji, they would see Hizashi-san.

"Mouse, is there any problem? You've been frowning and sighing just now."

That annoying voice floated Tenten back to consciousness. She fussed with her fork, making it stand up then lie back down on the wooden table.

"Here's chocolate. Maybe it would sweeten you up."

Tenten looked at him and frowned. She would have liked to throw the chocolate back at him but that wouldn't be nice. After all, he spent money to buy it and it would be bad manners and wasteful to simply throw the chocolate away.

"Please, Tenten. Take the chocolate." Lee wheedled and shook the girl's left arm a little.

"Fine." Tenten took the chocolate with her right hand and gave it to Lee. She would have liked to eat it, but she doesn't like the one who offered it. "Take it." She turned her sight back to Yuuhi who was looking at Neji. "Thank you for the chocolate."

"It's all right, sweetheart." Yuuhi patted her left hand.

At the touch, her hand automatically whipped back. It bumped against Neji's right shoulder. Neji touched Tenten's wrist and clasped it. "Don't touch her." He said matter-of-factly, with his eyes dark violet.

This is bad, Tenten thought. The headache that threatened earlier came now and slowly throbbed in her temples. Neji is getting angry.

"He speaks! The long-haired gal—no, guy is talking to me!"

Lee's eyes went wide.

Tenten stared at Yuuhi with her mouth slightly open.

Neji moved as if he was about to stand.

"Stop bothering Neji, Kobayashi." Tenten picked up her shoulder bag under the table and stood. "Let's get back to the classroom, Neji."

Neji nodded and let go of her wrist. He took his knapsack from the back of his seat and put it on his shoulders, looking at Yuuhi all the while. Yuuhi was staring back, leaning forward on his seat.

Tenten waved to Lee and took Neji's wrist. They went out of the cafeteria without looking back.

"I forgot to tell you that Tenten could be a bit protective of her friends. And that Neji is a bit sensitive about his hair."

"Why didn't you tell that earlier?"

"I didn't know you would needle Neji." Lee stood up. "If you want to get on Tenten's good side, try being nice to her instead of teasing her and being aggressive with Neji."

The bell rang.


4.10 pm, Dorm Room 5.

Tenten has just gotten back from her classes an hour ago. She is now finishing a mound of assignments. Books and notebooks are piled in neat order on her either side. Sakura was lounging on the floor with her own books and notebooks.

A cellphone vibrated in Tenten's bag. It shook the table a little.

"Hello. Oh, Hinata! Hi, it's been a while. Huh? But I'm, uh—bit busy. Sakura? She's busy too."

Sakura looked up from her chem book. "What is it, Ten-chan?"

Tenten passed the cellphone to Sakura. "Hinata wants a sleepover at her house."

"But it's Wednesday and we—" Sakura pressed the phone to her ear. "What? The pig is whining for a sleepover?" Rolling her eyes, Sakura passed the phone back to Tenten and reached for her own cellphone. She texted Ino. Wat's d prob?

"Sakura, do you want to go?" Sakura looked up to Tenten who has her hand on the mouthpiece of her phone.

"A little. We haven't seen Hina for some time since class began." When her phone sounded its distinctive message alert tone, Sakura opened her inbox. No prob. Just want to get 2gedr.

"Ok, Hinata. Sakura and I are going to come over." Tenten smiled as she started to close her books and cap her pens with her phone between the side of her face and left shoulder. "Tell Ino to pack up her own assignments too so that we can all finish there before we spend the whole night—wait. Is your father all right with this? He's out of town? That's great, then. Ok, see you. We'll be there in—" Tenten checked her watch. "Thirty minutes."

"You're going to have us picked up? Even better. Thanks! Ok, ok. Bye-bye. Mwah."


5.30 pm. Hyuuga House.

The chauffeur drove the car into the Hyuuga mansion and stopped in the cavernous garage. There were three cars and two vans there, all sparkling and looking brand-new. Tenten let Ino and Sakura's chatter breeze by her as they went up to the house. The two quieted down a little as they entered a carpeted hall. The hall led into a showplace of a living room, with wooden furniture that looks like works of art beheld their eyes. They climbed up long stairs and were welcomed by a beaming Hinata on the landing.

Hinata's bedchamber has three parts: a sitting room, the bedroom and a bathroom. The three visitors plopped down the foamy royal blue sofas and brought out their books and stuff, working on their assignments. Tenten worked on hers as quickly as she can; she wanted to see Neji and talk to him. They have not been able to talk about what happened at lunch.

"Hinata, I'm going to look for Neji to ask something."

"I don't think you would be able to talk to Neji nii-san today, Tenten-chan. He was brooding about something and has a faraway look in his eyes when he picked me up from class today." Hinata continued on writing something on one of her notebooks.

Not a very good sign. "I really need to talk to him so just text me when you're all done." Standing up, Tenten took her sandals out of a paper bag and took off her socks.

"Why do you need to talk to him, Ten-chan?" Ino asked.

"Tell you later."

* * *

"Thought you'd be here."

Neji looked at the girl who opened the door. Her hair was not in its usual buns but in a ponytail. Tenten was smiling at him. This made him feel light on the inside, just on the sight of her. "Why did you come here? Did you want to see me?"

Tenten chuckled. "Ino wheedled a sleepover."

Neji raised his left eyebrow. "On a Wednesday?"

"Why not?" Her smile growing wider, Tenten moved farther into the attic, long room filled of old cabinets, clothes and a hodgepodge of things of sentimental value that the family could not throw away. "Thank goodness that these things are dusted, else I would be sneezing all the while."

Neji waved his hand towards himself. "Come here and sit beside me."

Tenten walked lightly to the sofa, her heels clicking against the marble floor. She sat near Neji and looked out of the scenery outside the large window, which overlooks the houses in the subdivision where the Hyuuga House is located. From this window, one can see the sun on its way down to its resting place. The sky is filled with shades of yellow and oranges. From this, Tenten can empathize how Neji is relaxed by such views.

"Neji, what's wrong?"

"That Kobayashi guy is something, huh?"

Tenten laughed. "How you surprise me. I thought I have to pull the info of what's bothering but—here you are, opening up at my first question." Tenten put her hand on Neji's wrist. "Yes, that guy is something so annoying."

Neji looked at Tenten's face and let out a deep sigh. A smile curved his lips slightly.

"He called me a mouse, damn him." Tenten leaned back against the sofa and looked up to the ceiling. She then looked back at Neji. "Do you think I'm a mouse?"

Neji settled on his side to look and moved closer to Tenten until their jeans touched each other. "If I have to think about an animal to describe you, I would not pick a mouse. A cat is more like you."

Tenten sat up and moved her left leg up to the sofa. "Why a cat?"

"A cat is graceful and lands on its feet even from a far fall. You're like that. You never let anything get you down. You always land on your feet. You…" Neji hesitated, a bit surprised at himself at his upfront answer. He bit back the next description he was about to add. You're also like a sparrow, always singing soothing notes.

"You—yes?" Tenten waited for Neji to continue. She felt as if Neji was about to tell her something very important. But Neji looked away from her and fixed his eyes on something in front of him. She sighed and looked at the fall of his hair against his shoulder. His hair was so shiny and soft that she itched to stroke her hands on it. Neji's hair looks as if it would be silky to the touch.

"Neji."

Neji looked back at Tenten.

"I see you as an eagle soaring above the sky with clear and sharp eyes. A bird of prey, strong and sure of itself." You are like the sea at night, too, with depths I would like to explore. With depths I would be happy to drown in.

Neither of them could speak at all, unaware that their hearts are beating a tattoo in their chests.

Tenten's phone vibrated on her pocket. She took it out.

Wer finishd! Party tym! The message from Ino said.

Tenten stifled a groan at Ino's timing.

* * *

"WHAT! He called Neji 'long-haired gal'?" Ino's mouth was hanging open.

"Oho, he's jealous of Neji, I think." Sakura laughed. "He's feeling threatened by Neji and so, he retaliated." Sakura looked sideways at Ino. "Point one for me, Ino."

"So that's why Neji nii-san is so broody today." Nodding, Hinata nibbled at her cookie.

Ino ignored Sakura. "So Tenten, how do you feel about Yuuhi-sempai?"

"Annoyed. He's like an insect I'd like to step on."

Ino's lips fell open for the second time. She groaned in her mind. She has a feeling that she would lose her amethyst drops by the end of the week.

Do you think that the conversation between Neji and Tenten by the end part is cheesy? Please read and review! Thank you!