Author's Note: Long time since I've updated, huh? Well, I have'nt exactly started writing the rest of the story...I decided to rewrite it actually. Most of it stayed the same... the pairings most of the plot... OOC ness is hopefully eliminated, but I have changed it, and it should be a bit longer now. Please read it. Onegai. I've only rewritten the first chapter so far, and I'll try to rewrite the others as fast as possible. Oh, and the reason I didn't delete this whole story and repost was because I'd like to keep the past reviews, if possible. And so that for the readers who have put me on favorites or alert would know about it. Please enjoy! - - - - AU

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any part of Naruto and Naruto Shippuuden, cause if I did, I probably wouldn't be writing a fanfic about it. hehe

Pairings: NejixTenten

Unfamiliar Reunion

Chapter One

Illusions

It is exactly the 152nd day since the event that forever changed my life happened, any yet I am still sitting on this same stupid chair next to the window that overlooks the busy streets of Kyoto. The spring breeze blows the falling sakura (cherry blossom) petals as if they are dancing with the wind. Days like this make it seem like problems don't exist, like ill-fated happenings never took place. These are only illusions, especially for me.

The morning bell rings, but no student makes the slightest effort to return to their assigned seats since Kakashi-sensei (teacher) is always late anyways. Instead, the other students continue whatever they were doing before like there was no tomorrow, at all. Could it be that they always feel this way? Like there are no feelings of hatred, sadness, and emptiness tugging and tearing their hearts.

One of them, the helpless clown, Uzumaki Naruto, is being all goofy and seemed to be reenacting a murder scene from a movie. So are his friends around him, them being the victims, falling to their so-called deaths. Soon after, laughter erupts from the group of friends as well as giggling from the girls in the corner… Ah! There's Yamanaka Ino right there, looking at Uchiha Sasuke, who in turn is smirking towards Uzumaki.

Suddenly, when Uzumaki successfully "murders" the others, my surroundings begin to swirl around. I swear that one of these days, my time of the month is going to make me collapse.

-- KACHAK!--

"Oy, Neji! Watcha do that for?!" whines the injured class clown.

"Tsk… you asked for it! You're disrespecting everyone who's died from vicious manslaughter! I'm sure the victims' friends and families would be saddened by the fact that someone is mocking the deaths, especially by someone like you! But what would you know…?" the boy with the Geometry book at hand says, disgusted.

Oh! This pain is getting worse by the second! Before Hyuuga could finish his true speech, I cause another disruption in the classroom, a loud BAM!

"Tadaima (I'm home)! Hahaue (Mother)? Chichiue (Father)?" I call out, "Where is everyone?"

The silence only greets me as I enter the large Ama estate. The murderous aura and the awful stench of flesh overwhelm me as it fills my nostrils and creeps into my senses. This place I once called home is, with no doubt, unrecognizable.

"Oy! Ama-san, you alright?" Hyuuga is just inches off my face. I can clearly see his beautiful, worried eyes, and feel his cool breath on my face.

I gasp in mere realization of what I just thought. In an instant, my face flashes bright red and Hyuuga immediately backs away from me, feeling my discomfort.

Just then, Kakashi-sensei enters the room through the open window (how does he do that?) with Icha Icha Paradaisu in his hand. Despite the fact that he is exactly 15 minutes late to class, he comes at the right time: when things seem to get awkward.

Everyone immediately returns to their seats to greet him. Hyuuga stands up gracefully, leaving behind a quick smirk, before doing the same. I, on the other hand, just clumsily rise from my position and greet him along with the rest of the class, still beet red.

So this is how class began. I bet this day is just going to get worse…

"Ama, Tenten. Will you please do problem 25 on page 625 on the board?" I told you so. Kakashi-sensei knows that I'm bad in Math, especially Geometry. "Yes, that would require opening your book to that page."

Everyone laughs. Great, my blush from before hasn't even faded away yet, and another comes along. With a heavy sigh, I slouch my way to the dirty blackboard and copy the proof . . . . . Oh, you've got to be kidding me! Look at this proof! It's probably going to take more than nine steps to complete it! I could feel everyone's stares drilling right into my back when I notice the problem being similar to the one from my homework yesterday…the one I left blank…great job Kakashi, you know EVERYONE'S weaknesses.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Lunch. I start walking to the lonely sakura tree in the courtyard when a bunch of kids from class tease me about my embarrassing episode last class. Hyuuga just smiles at me when he walks by. I can feel my heart racing. I'm sure he's just playing with my feelings. Well, I won't allow him to do that to me – just forget about him.

"Ah, Tenten-chan! You're here early today," Hinata sits besides me and takes out her bento.

"So Hinata, Tenten tells me that you were stalking Uzumaki Naruto. Heh, he's such an ahou (idiot)!" Sakura joins us.

"N-Nani (what)? Tenten-chan, how could you?" Poor Hinata, she looks down and plays with her fingers like she usually does. "I-I'm not stalking him. I'm just…y-you know, f-following him in …s-secret," her reply is becoming softer and softer.

……

"Yes, that's called stalking."

……

"Yeah. Well anyway," Sakura looks over at me, "what happened to you Tenten? You used to be a pro in Math!"

"Well, that was way back then! Math was easy at that time, now it's getting harder…"

"What are you talking about? It wasn't that long ago since you were getting A's. You started dropping ever since—" Sakura stops immediately after seeing my pained expression. "Gomen (sorry), I didn't mean to—"

"Don't worry about it!" I give her my best smile that I can manage, "All I need to worry about now is catching up."

"Tenten-chan, it won't be so easy to catch up about five months work of Geometry," says Hinata. "I know! My cousin could probably tutor you! Neji's in your class, right?"

"Hinata, you're a genius! Why didn't I think of that?" Sakura exclaims. She turns her back on us and starts giggling in between her, "That's great! This is the perfect chance to put my love-matching skills into play!"

I could feel nerve-pops all over my head now. I can't believe my two best friends just thought of such an evil plan! I grab both of their shoulders and glare at them, hoping to pose a possible threat. Instead, they chuckle away… Funny thing is, even I start laughing – this is the first time in months that I truly laughed without any effort. I hope this temporary happiness will last longer…

So this is the end of chapter 1! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it (I stayed up extra late to write this)!

Please review and tell me if it's any better for my old (not saying that you are yourself) readers, or tell me if you like it if you're new! Arigatou! Helpful suggestions very much welcomed!