A/N: Birthday post :) I was planning to post more fic updates than this, but I forgot KJ's cardreader at home. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy reading!

Previously on Chicharong Flower…

At last, the two main characters of this drama finally met. It wasn't a peaceful first encounter, but Tenten had no other choice but to ride with Neji's unusual character. Now we shall pick off from where the last chapter ended…

………………………..

Tenten checked her watch, and then turned to Neji. "I better get going. It's already dark and I still have to watch my favorite soap."

No reply came from the man.

She cleared her throat. "Neji, love, I shall go home now."

A vein popped on his head. "Why are you telling me that? I don't have your money."

She looked pointedly at his automobile.

Yet another vein popped in his temple. "Son of a… Does my car look like a public utility jeep?"

"I didn't exactly come from a place that is walking distance from here. My adrenaline rush is the only reason I was able to arrive here. But I'm extremely tired now," she reasoned.

"Why should that be my problem too? The hell I care if you do get home or not!" he snapped. "We've just met, so don't act as if we're close friends."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You're not being very gentleman-like, I swear! What if, while I was walking home, someone with ill intentions attacks me and tries to rape me?"

"Then run! Don't tell me you'd agree to be raped?" he retorted.

She snorted. "Of course not! After protecting my virginity for so long, do you think I'd give that up that easily?"

"Good. So that pretty much wraps these all up." He started to walk away, but she quickly followed him.

"Well, Neji, so I wouldn't need to run away…"

"You would just agree to be raped?"

"NO! What I meant was, just give me a ride home. It's not like I'm asking you to bring me to the after life; it's just after the next town," she said, sounding as logical as possible.

He exhaled sharply. "After humiliating me in public, what made you think I would help you?"

She sighed. "You're too sensitive. Don't you know that it's bad to sow seeds of hatred towards others? Because if you sow them seeds, they'll get fruits later on, and they'll be happy!"

He groaned. "Son of a… just get in, will you? You're wasting air supply with your nonsense."

……………………………….

However, their fiery verbal battle didn't end inside the car…

Neji turned on the car radio to listen to an AM station for his daily dose of news. This made Tenten frown. Without asking, she switched the radio to an FM station. A tune about jumbo hotdogs and questions of 'can you handle this?' dominated.

The long-haired male, scandalized by the lyrics of the song which was more explicit than Eminem's; switched it back to news commentary. The headlines: Two crippled women played tag. One kicked the other, leaving her dead!

Tenten couldn't help but comment. "You're too morbid! Why do you enjoy listening to such heinous crimes?" She switched it back to FM, and the sultry voice of a singer was heard crooning, 'I feel like saying ooh…I feel like saying ahhh…'

"It's better than your lewd lyrics, anyway," he remarked. He tuned it back to his favorite news program.

"Flash report, everyone!" announced the newscaster excitedly. "Three policemen on their way to work tripped on a pebble. All of them are all DEAD!"

She rolled her eyes. "It's better to be a sex maniac than to be death-obsessed like you. At least if I do die, I'll die happily, "she concluded with a malicious grin.

"Your being too vulgar is getting on my nerves." He looked at the road before them. "Is your house still far away?"

She looked out at the window, too. "Yup. But if you start your engine now rather than fight with me about radio stations then it wouldn't be that far."

And so, Neji, recognizing her reasonable explanation, started the car and drove off. An hour later, they finally reached Tenten's home…

"Apartment 1 Road 2 Block 3 Lot 4 567 Village, Project 8 road. We're here." Neji peeked at Tenten who fell asleep leaning against the car door. Her knees were tucked underneath her chin, seemingly cold from the car air conditioner. Despite himself, he could feel a small smile of fondness appear on his face. She was pretty, especially when her earthy mouth was clamped shut.

For quite a while, Neji was gazing at her, fascinated by the beauty assaulting his senses that he thought were already numb. His eyes turned to her legs— they were long, almost endless, and flawless at that. He gulped inwardly, and his gaze returned to her unconscious face. Her mouth was slightly parted, and he could feel the insistent urge to claim them again.

But the song on the car radio quickly changed—a serenade courtesy of Linkin Park. The lady stirred from her sleep

"Peter Parker, where are you?" moaned Tenten, rubbing her eyes. "We haven't finished climbing the steep mountain of happiness –"She looked at her surroundings. "E-Eh? Neji!"

"Hmp. Do I look like Spiderman?" He turned his eyes outside the car window. "We're here."

"Oh, yeah." She smiled at him brightly. "Ok, thanks. I'll go ahead, Neji".

He rolled his eyes. "Why, am I racing against you?"

She ignored him. "I won't ask you to come in for a cup of coffee, since I don't have any."

"What do you have?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Milk. Nutritious milk."

"I have a lactose digestion problem."

"Tough." Tenten prepared to get off car, but turned to him again. "About those chicaron…"

Neji shrugged."I'll think about it."

Tenten stepped out of the car and turned her attention to the house. Her mouth dropped open in surprise when she saw her house in flames. Standing in front of the blazes was the Indian loan shark whom she borrowed money from, holding a torch, laughing like a madman. "Oh shit…" she muttered.

Neji was flabbergasted at the sight too. "W-What the hell…"

Tenten ran towards her house. "I HAVEN'T WATERED MY PAPAYAS YET, DAMN IT!" She fretfully ran past her burning hut and checked on her plants. Upon reaching her garden, she smiled in relief when she saw the plants were still alive. "Whew! I thought something really bad already happened…"

Meanwhile, Neji approached the Indian. "Are you the one responsible for burning down her house?"

The Indian turned to him. "Yes, whhhhyyyyy? It's only proper since she took so long to pay me back! Wakekeke!" he cackled in delight.

"How long was that?"

"She's fifteen minutes late. Wakekekeke!"

Neji looked at Tenten, who was gaping at her burning hut, as if she had just realized what had happened to her home. "I see." He started to turn around, only to face the Indian again. He delivered a sound punch to his face.

The dark-skinned man fell to the ground, holding his cheek. "That hurts! Wakekekeke!"

Neji approached his female companion. "Tenten…?"

She turned to him, eyes shaking. "I no longer… have a house…"

He looked away, wondering what to say. He then decided to just try to encourage her. "There's still some plywood left…"

Tears formed in her eyes. "My dream house…"

"P-Perhaps it could still be repaired," tried Neji. "Wait here, I'll just get some hammer and nails…"

Tenten shook her head sadly. "No… This is way beyond repair." She went to her garden and started to uproot her plants.

Neji followed her. "What are you doing?"

"Packing what's left of my belongings," she answered. "I'll look for a place where I could stay while I search for a new home." She noticed the hollow blocks of her hut in the corner. These, too, she started to put in her bag. "Maybe I can use these in building my new life…"

"If you have nowhere to go, you can stay at my place."

She turned to him, shocked.

This made him uncomfortable. "Err… If I dropped you off earlier, you could have paid the Indian his money. You would still have your house then."

"You're feeling guilty?" she said, incredulous.

The man blushed faintly. "O-Of course not! I just said that because… I just felt like saying it."

Whatever he meant by that.

Tenten looked down shyly. "I-I'd just be a burden…"

Neji blinked, realization dawning on him. "You're right. Forget what I said."

She jumped up furiously. "Damn you! I was only trying to be cute! You can't go back on your word!"

………………………………..

So in the end, Neji found himself a new border in his mansion.

"This is my humble abode which came from the ancestors of my ancestors," said the Hyuuga as he toured her around the place.

Tenten looked around her in admiration, taking in the luxurious surroundings. "Wow, I thought I was inside a shopping mall…" She looked at the escalator in the corner. "Neji, where does that thing go? Your house is a bungalow, right?"

"Ask the one who built it," he replied. "I'm a business tycoon, not an architect."

"Good point." She faced him smilingly. "You know what? I still couldn't believe you had agreed to adopt me."

He rolled his eyes. "Me, too."

"Thank you so much! Don't worry, I will repay you for your kindness someday!" she promised him.

Just then, Hinata arrived in the living room. "K-Kuya Neji? At last, you're home—eh?" She gaped at Tenten. "Y-You were the person who attended our wedding earlier, right?"

The brown-haired female grinned. "Shucks. You remembered me! I'm touched."

Hinata nodded vehemently. "Of course, Miss. I must thank you for what you did earlier, putting the garter on Kuya Neji. Nobody else would ever dare do that."

"I thought so too," she smirked at Neji, who rolled his eyes again.

"Hon, the bathtub's ready but I couldn't find the ginseng—" Naruto stopped suddenly when he saw the visitors. "Oh, Kuya Neji! What are you doing here?"

"This is my house, you idiot." He looked at the newly-married couple testily. "Continue what you were saying to Hinata."

The dark-haired woman blushed hotly. "K-Kuya…"

Naruto smirked. "No need, you might just get jealous!"

The male Hyuuga's face darkened.

The blond then noticed Tenten watching them with much, much amusement. "Hmm? You were at our wedding earlier right?" He held out his hand towards her cheerfully. "Uzumaki Naruto at your service station!"

This made her smile. "Tenecita Teneciete de Sarapen here. Tenten will do. So… you were looking for ginseng right?"

He winked conspiratorially. "I want a ginseng-scented bath," he squeezed his wife's hand affectionately, the latter's face nearly an explosion of scarlet, "so my honey would feel better."

This made Neji growl. "Grr… Naruto, remember this. Ever since Uncle Hiashi died, I became responsible for whatever happens to Hinata. Don't ever do anything that would anger me or the Hyuuga clan, got that?"

Naruto didn't back down. "Remember this as well, Kuya. I was serious when I vowed in front of your whole clan's graves that Hinata would be the only woman I'll give my heart and soul to. I would do nothing to hurt the woman I love in the whole wide world!"

After some moments of tense silence between both men, Naruto looked away and grinned at his wife. "Honey, let's go, I think Kuya has ginseng baby oil. Let's just borrow it from him… "He placed an arm around her waist and led her away. "Now let's go shower together…"

Hinata, very red, whispered worriedly to her husband. "N-Naruto… I'm nervous… this is the first time I'll be doing this…"

"Do what? Take a shower?" He chuckled. "Don't be afraid, I'll be with you – ouch!" He staggered back from the impact of Neji's fist. "Waa! What was that for!"

"Grr…" Neji looked like he had a lot of things to say, but he didn't know how to start. "My cousin… you better take care of her or else…"

Tenten intervened. "Neji, let them go. They're already married. What do you think they would do all night in their honeymoon? Stare at each other?"

This only made more veins pop on his head, but he said nothing.

Tenten turned to the couple. "Now both of you, go forth and multiply!"

Naruto beamed at her. "Bless you!" He pulled his blushing virgin wife to the bathroom.

"GRAH…" Neji sat on the sofa, looking like he aged ten years over.

Tenten sat down beside the guy. "You sure are crankier than someone who missed her monthly period. Neji, you must accept that everything changes. Your cousin has a new life now that's why you must let them be."

"You don't know how it feels," he mumbled. "Hinata and I are the only ones left in our family."

"Then the more you must let go of your cousin… so your clan could multiply again!" She received a lethal glare from the Hyuuga. "Gee, you really act like an old spinster."

Contemplative silence followed before Neji spoke up again. "I'm hungry," he said, looking at her intently.

This made Tenten laugh nervously. "H-Hey, I'm thankful that you allowed me to live here, but I'm not that thankful to be willing to give up my virginity! You can never eat me, NEVER!"

He snorted. "Idiot. I mean, go cook."

She gawked at him in surprise. "What? Why?"

He smirked at her. "You were the one who said you'd repay my kindness. Start repaying me now by cooking."

"#$ hell… here I was thinking what a good-hearted man you are, letting me live here for free. I should have known it's just a cost-less technique to hire a maid!" she said, scowling.

"Heh. Instead of yakking, go cook something for me," ordered Neji.

"You are so arrogant… arrogant to the infinite level, bro!" She got up, steaming. "Fine I'll do it! Grr… Be thankful I know how to be grateful…" Still muttering, Tenten headed for the kitchen.

Neji leaned on the sofa, exhausted. He was planning to take a nap before dinner, but he woke up suddenly when he heard continuous pounding coming from the bathroom. "Damn you, Naruto…"

……………………………………………….

From someone who loans pigs, Tenten became the new housemate of Hyuuga Neji. What events would take place inside the Hyuuga household? And why is the pounding noise inside Naruto's bathroom so loud? What did Tenten cook? And would Neji like how it tastes?

All this and more would be answered in the next chapter of… Chicharong Flower: Translated.