You never seem to be happy...
About anything at all.
Like you have sad emotions...
Just waiting to break free.
I don't know about your past...
And I won't cut at scarred surfaces.
But please let me be...
The perfect remedy for a broken heart.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The sky was gray, and a humid air hung low in the atmosphere. Rain was on it's way.

Neji leaned on the banister of the bridge where Naruto and his friends usually met up, and looked at his reflection in the water below…tears gently falling into the oddly still river and rippling its surface. One fell into his reflection, wavering it to the point where it could no longer be recognized as himself.

He sniffed and moved from the railing, and walked over to the cement wall that lined the river. He sat on the edge, his legs dangling about three inches from the water's surface. He stared sadly at nothing, tears running down his cheeks as he thought…

Being lost in such musings, he didn't notice the person that walked up behind him. He took a jerky breath and closed his eyes, the tears leaking from under his lids.

"Neji?" He heard a soft voice say from behind him. He snapped his head around, staring at the person with wet eyes. "Are you alright?" It was a girl, one he had seen before. 'She…she's one of Uzumaki's friends!'

He turned his head back around just as fast as he had looked at her, his cheeks red and tears still staining his face. "I'm fine." He answered in an unstable voice.

"Are you sure?" She asked, putting one small hand on his shoulder. He tensed and reddened more.

"YES!" He shouted at her, causing her to flinch. "I'M FINE!"

She grabbed his upper arm lightly, and began to stand at her full height from her stooped posture. He stood with her instinctively, and glared at her while he still let tears freely flow.

"What do you want?!" He shouted, watching her eyes move to his chest. His eyebrows furrowed as he soon became angry with her. "Tell me what you wa—huh?" Her hand began to glow a very bright green, though it was dim. She placed her hand over his chest where his heart was, a soothing coolness flooding him. His eyes went wide, not knowing what she was doing.

"Neji," She addressed him, a gentle smile adorning her face. "What does this to you?" She asked, looking into his eyes.

"What do you mean? Nothing's wrong with me!" He defied, being stubborn as he was.

"Your heart…I can tell you're sad. I may be weak, but I am not stupid." She said, focusing her gaze back on his chest and her hand.

His stare softened, fresh tears rolling down his face. "It's nothing." He said simply, lowering his eyes to the river.

"I know you don't know me much at all, but I know of you. The great Hyuuga prodigy, and most likely greatest ninja ever to come of the Hidden Leaf Village. I know all about you, Neji Hyuuga. What everyone else knows. But…" She looked up at him. "I know something they don't. Their great ninja, their wonderful genius, the Hyuuga successor…is torn up inside." She looked back at her hand.

Tears built up in his eyes faster than they could fall, causing his vision to blur. She was right.

"Just stay here a little longer…let me be the cure for your broken heart. I won't ask you to spill any information, just…let me make you smile." She said, staring into his silvery-white eyes.

Neji knitted his eyebrows together again, and continued to cry. "Why would you help me? Why would you come to a stranger and offer to make them happy?"

"Because," She said. "I felt the same way a long time ago. Then I met Naruto." She laughed lightly at that. "He made me smile…and I felt a little bit better every time." She broke the connection she had with his body and stepped back from him. "And maybe if I'm lucky, I can help you do the same thing, Neji Hyuuga." She smiled kindly to him, turned around, and walked away.

He watched her go, the tears drying and leaving residue on his face. He looked down at the ground, and then back up to her back. 'She's strange…but…in a good way…' His gaze on her softened, and he felt like he should smile. But he didn't. 'I hope to see you again…'

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

review if you liked it…

please don't review if you didn't.

I appreciate it.

--Shukketsu-Sakura