40 Kinds of Sadness - a NejiSaku fic.

This is the continuation of my first fanfic! Uhh.. Please consider typographical and grammar errors.. I'm not that good in English.

I'd like to credit Doctor Meowzie for this.. I got the main idea of this fic from her fanfic "Chick Magnet".

To continue with the story, please read the prologue "Always Have Waited" before you proceed on this one! That way you'll be able to understand each and every line of this story!

Disclaimer: NARUTO © Masashi Kishimoto. Studio Pierrot. All characters belong to their respective owners.

Chapter 1

Still Waiting..

XXXXX

A day after..

Neji took a deep breath, and headed home. He frowned as he watched Sakura giggle at Gaara's words. I guess she really forgot about me.. He sighed.

He really wanted Sakura to be his dance partner. But sadly, it looks like Gaara was able to approach her first than he did. Tomorrow..maybe she'll talk to me..

Walking across the sidewalk, Neji noticed a new shop being built near the marketplace. He said to himself, "That was where our favorite candy shop used to stand. Haahh.. Too bad they had it demolished soon." He started to realize that many places where he and Sakura spent their childhood together were being wrecked down. Last week, the large tree on the hillside where they used to play hide-and-seek was chopped down by some villagers and used the land to build a temple for the Konoha elders.

FLASHBACK

"Hey, Neji! Look at these!" Sakura pulled him to a window where lots of candies were displayed. "They look pretty!"

"Ah! You just wanna eat them!" Neji teased.

"Hmph! You just don't want me to enjoy eating candy! Watch your mouth, Hyuuga." Sakura yelled, reaching out her right fist to Neji's face.

"Did I say something bad? I said, you just wanna eat them! Aren't you forgetting something about candy!"

"What?"

"The elders told me that candies rot tongues.." He told Sakura with a scary face.

"Ah. Whatever, Hyuuga. You believe the Elders!"

"Of course I do! The elders in our clan speak nothing but the truth!"

"Neji, look." She took out a piece of candy from her pocket. "I have been eating this brand for almost half a decade now."

"Hn? What about it?" He stared blankly at her.

"Look," she stuck her tongue out. "Did my tongue got rotten all over? Just like what your Elders said?"

"Iie."

"Do you get it now? It's okay to eat candy!" She cheered.

"Chigau! You're so wrong!" Neji pulled the candy and threw it on the trash.

"Hey! That's the last piece! Arrrrrgh! What was that for!" Sakura shouted at him with rage.

"From now on, I don't want you to eat candies. Any." Neji said seriously.

"You can't stop me! Never!" She yelled, pulling Neji inside the candy shop.

Neji nearly bumped into the sliding door, "Watch it! You nearly hit the door with my head!"

"Sorry!" She smiled her cutest smile, with her tongue stuck out.

Neji's face went red all over. "N-nani!"

"We'll get all the candy we want." She grinned.

END OF FLASHBACK

He walked further, and saw an abandoned vacant lot. They used to hold meetings when they were still genins in vacant lots in Konoha, together with Tenten, Lee, Kiba, Naruto and Sasuke.

He stopped thinking. Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke.

He remembered Sakura talking about the feelings she was having with the Uchiha. He listened to every word she said, even the sorrowful ones. His heart broke with every word she said about the Uchiha. Every word telling how much she admires him. She even told him that she'll never hold back to loving the Uchiha.

He recalled Sakura crying on his shoulder because Sasuke rejected her feelings. The Uchiha was cold, never letting anyone to tap his heart.

He began to think of the other memories they've shared while staring at the newly-built shop.

Noticing the sudden change of weather, he turned back and made his way to the Hyuuga Estate.

Don't worry, Neji, it's just another day.. Yea. Another day without her.

XXXXX

"Ne, Gaara-san," Sakura looked at Gaara, who was busy wearing his hitai-ate.

"What is it, Sakura?" Gaara looked back at her.

"Uhmm.. I was wondering.. Did you and Tenten had a past?" Sakura asked curiously.

"What? Ahahah! No!" Gaara laughed at her.

"..."

"Why?" Gaara stared at her, seeing her standing beside him motionlessly.

"U-uhh.. I saw her glare at me this afternoon. Maybe it was because you chose me to become your partner.." Sakura told him.

"Oh, is that so? Uhh.. Sakura..?"

"Nani?"

"I'm so sorry but..I wanna call off the agreement."

Author's note: What agreement..?

"G-Gaara-san? Why?" Sakura asked.

"I have business to do at Suna. Remember, I'm just a temporary exchange student here at the Ninja Academy. I don't think I can make it at the dance." Gaara frowned.

"Oh, I see. Don't worry about it!" She said, trying to cheer Gaara up.

"Are you sure? I mean, what about you? Are you really sure?"

"Yeah! Ahahah!" Sakura laughed.

Gaara felt relieved. He knew Sakura wouldn't actually accept the agreement. He waved goodbye to Sakura. He walked away to go to Suna, leaving a smiling Sakura behind.

XXXXX

Neji went inside his room and threw his bag on his bed. Quietly, he sat down and meditated. He wanted to freshen up, to forget what happened today.

But, no matter how he made himself busy meditating, he can't seem to forget what he saw..and it broke his heart.

"Sakura.. Where have you--I mean.. How can you possibly forget everything we've shared..?" He muttered, with his eyes closed.

Tomorrow..will be absolutely and exactly the same as today..

He unkowingly fell asleep while sitting.

XXXXX

Sakura went inside her room and took a fresh afternoon shower.

After showering, she decided to read some books Godaime lent her. Those books contain some medical jutsus she might need in case of an emergency. She read between the lines, remembering every word the book had told her. She sat on her bed quietly, focusing more on the books than on the noisy sound of dogs barking outside.

Moments later, the barking sounded louder. This time, Sakura covered both of her ears to avoid hearing the barking sound.

After a few seconds, the barking got even worse. She was fed up and looked outside the window. There stood Kiba and his dog Akamaru, waving at her.

"What the heck are you doing here!" Sakura yelled.

"Ahahah! Hi Sakura-chan! We just dropped by to ask you-"

"About the prom? Wait."

She went off to see Kiba and Akamaru at her doorstep. She was surprised to see him holding a bunch of flowers.

"K-Kiba? What are these for?"

"Not what. Who."

"Well then, are you asking me for help to find a date for you?" Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"For you," Kiba answered. "Sakura-chan, will you be my date for the prom?"

"K-Kiba..? Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Ok! I'd love to! But please.. Next time, don't bring Akamaru here just to make dog noises, ok? Otherwise.."

"Ok! Ok! Thank you, Sakura-chan!"

Kiba and Akamaru went off downtown merrily, satisfied with what Sakura told him.

XXXXX

The next day, Neji woke up early and prepared his things for school. He will attend classes today.

While walking across the hallway, his uncle, Hiashi called him. "Neji."

"Huh? Good morning, Hiashi-sama."

"Good morning. I'd like to inform you the details about your next appointment with the elders."

"What about it?" He looked as if something weird will happen.

"Neji, you're now the representative of the Branch Family."

"What? How will I know anything about the Branch Family if I've been living here on the Head Family's estate?"

"Impossible. You've been going to the Branch Family at least twice a month."

Hiashi's right. Neji have been visiting his late father's friends twice every month, giving them everything they need in case of emergencies. Being the Hyuuga prodigy, he is remarkably strong. The strongest of all the Hyuuga. The elders once proved that he possesses the perfect control and use of Byakugan. He may even surpass Hiashi's skills.

"Hiashi-sama, I admit that I spend my time with the Branch Family at least twice every month. I've been helping the families there."

"Good. Now, all you have to do is tell the Head Elders about the problems the Branch Family is encountering."

"I'd be more than willing to attend the gathering," Neji said proudly.

"That's what I like about you. Pretty soon, you'll be able to make your way to surpass me, and then you'll be the next Clan Leader."

"H-Hiashi-sama.. No. I am not worthy." He answered back.

"Yes you are. In three years, you'll have to defeat my daughter in battle." Hiashi replied.

"Hinata-sama? Master, I know I'm in no position to say this but..I think she needs more training."

"I know. She really needs it. Anyway, I think you should be heading to the academy." Hiashi said with a smile.

"Oh yeah! I have to go early! I'm leaving!" Neji pulled his bag and ran off.

"Hizashi," The Hyuuga Master stared at the blue sky. Crossing his arms, he called his late twin brother, "Soon, your son will lead the whole clan. Please, watch over him. Never let him go astray." With those parting words, he headed in to his room.

XXXXX

"Neji-sama!" A girl with brown hair called to him, making a cute face. "Ohayou!"

"Ohayou." Neji said coldly. The girl, seeing that Neji isn't in the mood, walked away.

"Hmph! That was so mean!" A familiar voice said.

"Nani?" He looked for the voice's owner.

"You shouldn't have said that. Look, the pretty girl went away." He found the owner. A pink-haired kunoichi stood in front of him.

"S-sakura..?"

"I have to get going. I'll go see Kiba at the cafeteria." She said.

"Wait! Sakura!" Neji yelled. He really wanted to talk to her, to remind her of their childhood, to tell her how he feels.

But before he said another word, Sakura became completely out of sight. He sighed.

Cafeteria.

She's at the cafeteria..waiting for Kiba.

XXXXX

Sakura stood there, waiting for Kiba, to talk about the prom. Trying to avoid boredom, she took out one of the scrolls Godaime gave her. She sat on a table and read.

It's past 15 minutes. Where could that dog-boy be?

She went to the corridors and saw Kiba laughing with a green-haired girl she knew. She pretended not to see the boy and made her way to the classroom.

"Sakura! Wait!"

"Huh? What do you want?"

"I'm so sorry! I forgot about it.."

"Nah. It's okay."

"You sure?"

"Aa." She replied sarcastically.

"I'm really sorry.."

She left and entered the classroom.

"Haruno Sakura! Where have you been! You're 15 minutes late!" Mitarashi-sensei yelled.

"Sumimasen! I went to the cafeteria to eat breakfast. I forgot to do so this morning. I'm really sorry, sensei! Please forgive me!" Sakura bowed to her.

"Just sit down. And next time, don't forget to eat breakfast. A good ninja should be physically fit and strong. You should never skip meals, got it?"

"Hai, sensei."

"Good. Now, as I was saying.."

XXXXX

Neji can't take his eyes off Sakura. She's sitting two rows away from him. He sighed.

"Hyuuga Neji."

"Sensei?"

"What are you doing? Why aren't you listening?"

"No, sensei. I was listening."

"You sure?" His sensei stood in front of his seat, glaring at him. "You've been like that since yesterday."

"I am listening, sensei. I always am." Neji replied, returning his sensei's glare.

"Let's see.. Hm.. Ok, if you really are, can you please tell me what was the last word I said?"

"We were talking about how you noticed that I wasn't listening." Neji smirked. "To be specific, the last word you said was 'said', with an interrogative accent."

"Watch your mouth, Hyuuga."

Neji remembered that sentence. Some pink-haired girl told him those words..

"Hyuuga Neji!" The kunoichi yelled, seeing that Neji isn't listening again.

"Sumimasen, sensei. Please forgive my impudence."

"I see you are thinking of something else. I'll punish you. Out! Stand at the hallway!" This time, Mitarashi-sensei tried to control her temper. "Your attitude's way too worse than before. I'm reminding you, Neji. If you keep on acting like this, I'll never hesitate to fail your Values rate!"

Mitarashi-sensei made some bunshins to watch over Neji.

"Don't move a muscle! Otherwise, I'll be forced to squeeze the crap out of you!" Mitarashi-sensei yelled.

"Gomen, sensei."

"Out!"

XXXXX

"Neji is such a jerk," Sakura said to herself. "He sure changed a lot."

Mitarashi-sensei told him to stand at the hallway for the whole period. Little did she know that Neji's still "attending" the class, using his Byakugan to see through the walls.

XXXXX

"Kiba, are you still interested?"

"Uhh.. Sakura, I really wanna be your partner but..this girl-"

"Haruka? Yea."

"Aa.. Aeheh.. She said she'll tie me on a tree branch if I don't agree.. She forced me to be her partner so.. Sorry.. I highly value my life!"

"Ahah! Don't worry about it, Kiba! It's okay! I understand!"

"Really? Great! Thanks a lot, Sakura-chan!"

"Don't mention it!" Sakura grinned.

"Oh, by the way, What about you and Neji.. You know.. He has no partner yet, so I think you can be his partner." Kiba said.

"I don't think so. He has his fangirls. Why would he need to have a partner, if he has partners?"

Darn fangirls...

"Uhm.. Sakura, it seems like Neji doesn't entertain any of them. He hates them very much, but he can't get away from them. He doesn't hurt women."

He doesn't, huh..? Look at what he did to me.. Sakura took her bag and headed to the door. "Kiba, I'll be going now."

"Huh? What about Neji?"

"Hn? Nah. I'm not fit to be is partner." Sakura walked off.

XXXXX

A/N: Please review! Your comments mean a lot to me! Tell me what you think will happen next! It'll be long before I post the next chapter.. Please wait, okay!