Disclaimer: You do know that Kishimoto-sensei's is the pwnsome author of Naruto… don't you? o.0"
Note: Christmas gift for the fantabulastic Sica. ( Too bad I can't give you a box of chocolates instead! xP )
Neji, Sakura, and a Box of Chocolate
Sakura skipped down the street, humming to herself. Ino was working at the Yamanaka flower shop today, sorting pansies from tulips and roses from sunflowers. Or something like that. Mrs. Yamanaka was picky about how the shop secrets had to be kept within the Yamanaka family, although what exactly there was to keep secret about a flower shop from the rest of the world was a mystery to Sakura. But Sakura was alone this day, not picking flowers today on a hilltop, chattering nonstop over a candy counter, or gaping with wondering eyes at the beautiful shimmering dresses of the fashion shop with Ino and her friends. The young pink-haired Haruno was on her way to buy student-to-teacher Christmas presents for her academy teachers.
x
Neji walked along the sidewalk of a busy Konoha road. Vendors were selling roasted peanuts, master carvers displayed intricate statues of small girls wearing blouses and skirts, tall shinobi men fearlessly gazing into the distance. Here and there a bare tree with frost clinging onto its dark branches grew by the side of the road, dotting the scene of people and buildings. This year, because it was his last year in the Academy, Neji Hyuuga was going to buy some sort of Christmas present for his teachers at the Shinobi Academy. But what was he to buy? He had next to no experience with Christmas gifts, or any kind of gift! After all, who gave the lonesome Hyuuga presents, besides his father when he was a mere toddler?
x
At last, Sakura stood outside the shop she was looking for. Bright, cheery lights flashing red and green illuminated the worn doorway, and a short plump man was painted in gleaming colors on the sign reading: "CHRISTMAS SALE, ALL SORTS OF WONDERS TO GIVE TO YOUR SPECIAL PERSON THIS CHRISTMAS!" Nodding with satisfaction, Sakura stepped into the store. She gaped at the store packed tight with Christmas-y goods. A pen that only had green or red ink here, a figurine portraying a heavy man in red satin clothing, a flowing silver beard, a sack of presents tossed over his shoulder, there. Streamers made of paper snowflakes hung from the ceilings. But none of these objects seemed to be exactly what the girl was looking for. She glanced around the room once more. What she was searching for, she herself didn't know. But nonetheless, she searched.
x
Neji walked a while longer, not seeing any stalls that might sell something worth giving to his teachers. Oh, why didn't he know a thing about present-giving? Sighing audibly, Neji kept plodding along. Then blaring lights and a huge sign caught his blank all-seeing eyes. Neji rolled his eyes, a rather akward sight when one has the Byakugan. For this sign, Neji though, was rambling about some Christmas sale something-or-the-other. Yet, this was the solution to Neji's problem.
x
Sakura's bright green eyes drifted over all the winter souvenirs, all the piles of glittering wrapping paper, not finding anything to her satisfaction. Then a mound of gold caught her eye. They were small square golden boxes, tied with a sort of copper ribbon. Laced around the box, the ribbon was knotted into an intricate bow, with loops and curls. Seeing the sign over the boxes, reading, "Boxes of Chocolates! Free samples!" with a huge hand poster pointing to a small tray of chocolates. The pink-haired kunoichi grinned, and took a chocolate.
Mmm. Delicious. Milk chocolate covering, a layer of caramel, then a light creamy hazelnut filling. The perfect Christmas present. Iruka-sensei and all the other Academy teachers would love the chocolates.
x
Neji strode into the shop, sniffing in disdain at the fripperies lying around. What kind of person would like a quilt made of square pieces of fabric that were embroidered with pink snowflakes and blob-shaped reindeer? And what was that thing on the shelf, a clear round globe filled with water and snowflakes drifting around a castle? Grumbling to himself, he prepared to leave the silly shop. Then something caught his eye. A shining pyramid of… were those gold boxes? Marching over, he took a box down from the shelf and read the label out loud.
x
Sakura then reached up and removed one of the chocolate boxes from the pile. She was still grinning ear to ear, as she lifted up the label, reading it off.
"Special chocolates imported from the Konohan Chocolate Factory— made with the finest ingredients of the decade! If you want more chocolates after this Christmas, then you'll have to wait ten more years. Sorry!
Ingredients: Milk chocolate (cocoa beans, milk, unannouncable secret ingredient), caramel, hazelnut cream, unnanouncable secret ingredient."
Hearing another voice reading off the exact same lines, Sakura gaped and looked around for the source of that voice.
Stopping short, Neji's eyebrows furrowed. Someone else was also reading out loud the label!
Their eyes met. Neji's blank ones caught Sakura's viridescent gaze. Sakura stammered, "N-neji-sempai!"
For she knew him as the genius of this year's graduating class. Why, his skills might even be able to surpass Uchiha Sasuke's! And Sasuke was a real genius, top of their year.
"Who are you?" was the cold reply.
"S-sakura Haruno"
"A-are these g-good Christmas presents for my academy teachers?" It was the Hyuuga's turn to stammer. This girl he had seen around the Academy before, and she looked like the type who was an expert on gift-giving. Blushing, he was forced to ask her advice if he didn't want to embarrass himself by giving the teachers a shameful gift.
"Yes, of course!" Sakura replied, shocked. Who wouldn't know that? "I'm giving these chocolates to my Academy teachers," she added.
Neji smiled, face softening. "Thank you," he muttered, still a trace of irritability in his voice. But he was truly grateful that this girl, this young, foolish, probably useless kunoichi had helped him.
Afternote…
( Not only was Neji Hyuuga glad that Sakura Haruno had helped him get a good gift, he had found another who shared his love for… chocolate. )