Standard disclaimer applied here in this spot.

Perfect Consonance

It's never the tears that measure the pain…

Sometimes, it's the smile…

Chapter 1. See Me Smile

"You're the Hyuuga prodigy?" a small girl with raven black hair asked the young man, but it came out more like a statement than a question. She looked at him and patiently waited for the answer.

"Hn"

"What does prodigy mean?" she asked not bothering to acknowledge that the man in front of her is getting a bit irritated.

You're annoying.

Different shades of pink and orange colored the sky. A few more minutes, the city will be very busy, ready to tackle whatever is in store for them. Another beautiful day in Konoha.

The man eyed the girl and contemplated whether to answer the question or not. She only smiled sweetly in return. Cute dimples.

"How old are you little one?"

She shifted her weight on her heels then to her toes, she gained and inch taller by just doing that. "I'm six years old," she tip-toed next to Neji who is leaning his back on a tree, "I'm gonna be seven next next week!" She proudly informed him.

Six? She shouldn't be in this part of the forest. "Aren't the training grounds off limits to children your age?" He said then started to walk indicating that he is going some place else. "This place is dangerous, some of the ninja who are training here might accidentally endanger your life. You should go home."

"Hmm, but this place is safe. No one will hurt me," she replied while hurrying to be in pace with him. "Konoha is safe, right nii-san?"

Stupid for her to say that. He observed the little girl who is having a hard time keeping up with his fast stride. He slowed down and she smiled gratefully at him. No, she is just too young and innocent. She still doesn't know a thing in this world. The time will come when her eyes loose its innocence and see the things for what they really are… ugly and not worth living. "Go home, you shouldn't even be awake at this time –

"Look!" She yelled excitedly, "It is the pretty pink-haired girl!" The two suddenly stopped, the girl looking awed while Neji looked at the person his companion is pointing at.

Sakura

"Do you know her?" She inquired tipping her head slightly to the left. "I like her! She is pretty and has a really beautiful pair of eyes." She returned her gaze to Sakura and beamed. "Not only that, but she is also one of the best medics here." She looked at Neji again, her barely visible dimples present. "You know, she is the second best! Coming after Tsunade-sama"

He took a glimpsed at Sakura then to the girl beside him, it is clearly written all over her face that she admired Tsunade's apprentice. "Yes, I know her."

"You do?!" She questioned not really believing him. "Are you two friends?"

"Yes, you could say that" He said then started to walk again. Enough with the questions and go away.

She walked in front of him and put her hand on her waist. "Really?" She asked frowning a bit. "She is always sad, even if she is with her so-called friends."

What the hell is she talking about. She took another look at Sakura who is currently smiling at the small white tiger with odd black stripes she recently took as a pet. Sad? He returned his gaze on the girl in front of her "Open your eyes and look carefully" he pointed at Sakura indicating for her to look "See? She is smiling at her pet. She is happy."

"No! She is not!

I had enough of this. He started to walk away from her but the stubborn girl prevented him.

"You have the Byakugan." She angrily stated "With that, you can see everything. That is the stuff your clan has been bragging about even before I was born" She stared at him, challenging him to argue with her. "I guess you inherited the defective one," She mockingly said, "or, you just don't know how to properly use it. What a PRODIGY you are!" She looked back at Sakura smiling sadly, "Normal people can see it. I CAN SEE THAT. She is sad. You don't have to have the Byakugan or be a genius to see that."

He looked intently at the little girl the studied Sakura. "You're the Hyuuga prodigy right?" He heard the girl said. "Open your eyes –

He stared at Sakura's smiling pink lips.

" – and look carefully"

Her eyes looking at the tiger is still the greenest green he had ever seen.

"Look"

But it is dull, lacking its luster. Her smile didn't even reach her eyes

"What do you see?"

A light wind breezed from the east. It played it played with Sakura's pink tresses. He looked back at the little girl. She was gone. Where the hell is she? I didn't even feel her go away. Something brought his stare back to Sakura. The wind is getting strong.

She tucked a couple of offending hair behind her ear and somewhat looked at his direction. She recognized him. Both eyes held each others gazes.

"What do you see?"

She smiled.

"Sadness and," he whispered , "pain."

AN: Hmm... Hi people! -smiles- Sorry for the typos and gram errors... i didn't proof- read it.

Consonance - from latin term consonare meaning sounding together. A harmony, chord, or interval that are stable.These sounds are considered pleasant.