So what if I liked him?

Everyone misunderstood him, yet at the same time, they feared and respected him. It's such a strange world that we live in. They knew his strength, and his family's status. He was the best rookie last year, and everyone praised him, even up till now.

As for me, I was nothing.

Yeah, nothing. By myself, people wouldn't give me a second glance. It was always, 'Oh, another kunoichi.' With him and the other one next to me, it felt worse.

Dad would always compare me to them. 'Why couldn't you be as hard-working as him?'

'Why couldn't you learn as fast as he did?'

I was the odd one out in the team, being the weak female and all. So what? I trained just as hard, even though the results didn't show it. The only thing I prided in myself was my aiming, but even that couldn't compensate the huge gap that had formed between me and my teammates. They were born to be strong.

When they announced the teams, I felt my heart jump. I knew Lee, but I had never met the so-called genius of the Hyuga.

It palpitated even more when I met him for the first time. Though I'd never show it.

The first time Gai-sensei brought Lee under his infamous wing, Neji and I were left to stand under a huge palm tree, uncertain of what to do.

After an uncomfortable three minutes, I gave up waiting. 'So, I guess we're stuck together, right?'

He didn't turn until a few seconds later, when I had rolled my eyes in exasperation and started to throw pebbles at another tree.

'Yes.'

So, we did. It was awkward at first, seeing the fact that we didn't know each other. The process was gradual, with me doing almost all the talking, and him doing all the nodding and grunting in agreement.

Occasionally, we would sit down for a break, and we would talk. I'd start the conversation first, usually beginning by praising him, and then slowly working on social issues like Lee, Gai or whatever that came to mind.

It was only once that I heard his true laugh. We were talking about Lee, when I cracked a joke about him and Gai. He laughed then, and it suddenly dawned upon me that Neji was actually… normal.

It wasn't his normal snicker or cold hearted snort. It was a genuine laugh, and I loved it.

So much.

All the while, I had been treating him differently, from any other person I've interacted with. I'd talk, but keep a safe distance. I'd laugh and be merry, but cautioned myself not to go too far, incase he thought I was trying to be dizty or stupid.

After that incident, I was even closer to him. He'd reply more often than before, and our breaks were longer.

I depended so much on him, that when we entered for the Chuunin Exam, it was his words that gave me faith.

When I didn't make it to the finals, it was his weekly visits to the clinic that strengthened me inside.

And when he didn't make it to be a Chuunin, it was me who stood in the corner, as he poured his heart out to me, to his deceased father, and to himself, and held him close.

Because I felt his pain.

Because even if my past was not as painful as his was, I understood.

Because I loved him with all my heart.

And it pained me to see him cry.

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-owari-

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