Lee noticed it first.

"Tenten has blossomed quite nicely" Lee said, sitting down next to Neji. They were having a break from a particularly long and grueling practice.

Neji looked over to Tenten who was drinking water on the other side of the clearing, still holding her bo staff.

"Yes, she has grown quite strong. We all have." Neji didn't turn away from her. She was now twirling her bo staff as if it was lighter than air. His team was one of the strongest in Konoha and he was very proud of all of their accomplishments, especially Lee's which had surprised him more so than Tenten's or even his own.

"Neji. Tenten had become stronger that is true, but I was speaking of how our teammate has bloomed into a beautiful young flower. It will not be long before we will have to chase off suitors who come to have her!" Lee looked about ready to explode with anticipation from the thought.

Neji's brow furrowed and he frowned. "Tenten is fully capable of fighting off any man that would allow physical attractions to sway his actions as such."

"That is not the point Neji." Lee looked over at Tenten, whom Neji's eyes had not left for the duration of their conversation. "When one is so youthful, the matters of the heart often cloud the judgement of the mind. We must be here to protect her if that situation ever comes to be."

Neji grunted in agreement.

Tenten looked exhausted and a few strands of hair were falling out of her buns. Her long sleeved shirt had long since been thrown off in the heat of training on a hot summer day, replaced by a sleeveless one underneath. Her muscles were well toned from years of training and she was sprinkled with sweat from head to toe. The sun was hitting her in all the right ways, and her eyes closed as she lifted her hand up to cover her face. Neji couldn't help but admit to himself that even in her weathered down condition, Lee was right. Tenten looked beautiful. It's not that he had never looked at her before, he had just never looked at her in this way. He had never looked at anyone in this way. He refused to allow any sort of unnecessary distractions in his life, such as love or lust. He would prefer to ignore such feelings, wishing he didn't have them at all. This was the first time he had ever acknowledged anyone of being beautiful, and now she was walking straight towards him.

"Is there any particular reason the two of you have been staring at me for the past ten minutes?" She put her hands on her hips and awaited an answer. He knew she wasn't actually mad at them, as she never was, so he wasn't too concerned. That is until Lee opened his mouth.

He stood up and bowed to her. "Our apologies Tenten! Neji and I were just admiring how beautiful you have become!" He held the bow until she spoke.

"Lee! Stop messing around." She yelled, blushing hotter than the sun.

Neji was embarrassed as well, but he knew better than to show it. "Let's get back to training."

They both followed him. With Gai out on a mission, he was their leader, not that they wouldn't have listened to his commanding voice even if he wasn't.

Neji got into sparring stance as Tenten prepared to fight him as well. Neji was shocked when her first move was not to pull back and attack him from a distance like she usually does, but rather to charge at him full speed. He was even more shocked when he felt her fist hit his stomach. It knocked him back, but he did not fall. When he went to counter her attack, she was no where to be found. He activated his Byakugan just in time to block her kunai from his side. So that was her game, get one good hit on him to stun him into losing. Above him she opened up her scroll, summoning numerous tools, all of which he deflected. While her weapons were raining down on him, he was distracted enough to not notice her moving in the shadows.

"NEJI!"

Lee's shout came too late. Neji could already feel steel on the back of his neck. He hadn't noticed her once again, and this time it could cost have him his life. But he could feel the heat of her body behind him. She didn't let go of it. She didn't let go of it because she knew it wouldn't be deflected. She didn't let go because she knew he wouldn't see.

"Neji" She sounded annoyed. The way her breath on his neck made his heart beat annoyed him even more than being bested by her.

"You forgot to watch your blind spot!" she scolded.

He closed his eyes and sighed. Of course, when it came to Tenten, he never noticed first.