Standard disclaimers apply.
TODAY'S ADVICE
By Cassandra's Destiny
---"Is it true?"
"What is?"
"That Shinji dumped you."
Tenten lifted a brow. She knew Sakura and Ino are best friends. She knew the two shared a flat. She knew Ino was the biggest gossip in the world. But can news really spread this fast?
Her reply was simple. "Yes."
A grin appeared on Ino's face almost instantaneously. "Was she pretty?" Tenten narrowed her eyes at her. She wasn't sure where Ino was getting at, but she didn't like it at all. Call it a gut feeling. "Ino, I'm busy."
"Did she have long and silky hair?"
Long and silky hair? Shinji? Since when did her ex-boyfriend become a she?
"We better get to work."
Tenten sighed in frustration as she pressed the "up" button on the elevator several times even though she knew it wasn't going to make the elevator faster. But anything was better than conversing with Ino right now, especially since she was prying her nose into her personal matters.
"Was she wearing heels or flats? You know, that really tells a lot about a woman. And was she holding Shinji's hand?"
Bingo. Ino was talking about the girl Shinji dumped her for.
"Were they of the same height? Do you know if she's younger or older than Shinji? Younger or older than you? Who do you think is prettier next to Shinji? I know it's rude to ask, but really, Tenten, who?"
Tenten remained silent and took a look at her watch; she still had five minutes to burn.
"Are you over him? If you happen to bump at each other on the street, would you acknowledge him? If he's going to invite you to his wedding, would you go?"
Her face was stoic. She will not justify such questions with an answer.
"Did you ever wish he would ask you to marry him?"
Finally, the doors opened. Tenten quickly stepped inside the elevator, knowing full well Ino was in tow. She jammed the "6" button with more force than necessary and leaned back against the wall, waiting for the silver metal doors to close.
"Tenten."
No answer.
"Tenten."
"Ino."
"Do you still love him?"
Again, no answer.
"Tenten?"
Pregnant pause.
Ino rolled her eyes as she turned her back on her, crossing her arms for good measure. "You're so mean, Tenten. I was just trying to make you feel better."
It took a lot of will for Tenten to hold her many come backs and sarcastic remarks. How on earth was asking her such stupid questions a way to make her feel better?
"Maybe you're not ready to talk about him then." Uncrossing her arms, she faced Tenten once more and placed a hand over her shoulder. "How about I ask you something else?"
"How about you get off my case?" She didn't make eye-contact with the blonde girl. Instead, she shut her eyes, hoping to shut out everything else. Cheers to being rude and cranky in the morning.
"Let's see." Putting a finger on her chin, Ino pondered for what seemed to be an extremely short moment for a person actually thinking about something. "Is it true you're now a full-fledged man-hater?"
"Yes." Came her quick reply. There really was no need to deny it. Tenten was a full-fledged man-hater and proud.
Ino looked right past at Tenten. She was being more cranky than she was the last time they saw each other. And for this time, she felt Sakura was right. Something was definitely up or down with their friend.
"Does this have something to do with our sophomore and junior years in high school?"
Her eyes snapped open as she turned to the other girl. Ino felt her glare burning a hole in her head. Did she say something wrong?
"I thought remind-Tenten-of-the-stupid-things-she-has-done day was yesterday? Or did it become a week-long celebration I didn't get notified of?"
The spite in her voice made Ino want to cower in a corner and cry. An angry Tenten is one she has never been acquainted to, and she has no intention whatsoever of getting to know her. But what did she mean by remind-Tenten-of-the-stupid-things-she-has-done day? Wait, were the things that happened labeled taboo or something? If so, she definitely did not get the memo.
"Sorry, that was uncalled for."
"You're really not a morning person, are you?"
Tenten shook her head no. "Lee woke me up as early as 5 AM to make me twirl and point at this piece of cardboard that'd give me advice or something."
"Today's advice?"
"Yea, that one." She was exasperated. Maybe being dumped one too many times has finally taken a toll on her.
"So you're now a man-hater?"
She stared at the blonde wide-eyed. Doesn't she ever stop digging for good gossip? "Yes."
"I say you're not going to last."
Tenten stepped out of the elevator as soon as the silver metal doors parted. Silently wishing Ino would get off her case even just this morning, she made a turn for her office desk.
"You've been in the dating scene since forever, Tenten! You can't just pull yourself out of it whenever you want to. It's not that easy."
Alas, Ino trailed her still.
"I can't pull myself out whenever I want to, you say? Well, just watch me."
"Tenten." Her voice held a hint of authority in it. Sure enough, Ino has always been an expert in love issues, but right now, Tenten really didn't Doctor Love or whatnot. What she needed was to work hard and expand her career.
"You have been dating since we were in high school. You've dated dozens of guys already, and, for this instance, let us allow the fact that all your relationships have failed slide."
"Ino."
"Yes?"
"I've been in the dating scene for the wrong reasons."
Aha! So it has something to do with what happened back in high school! "And those reasons being…?"
"Don't act dumb. I know you know full well what I'm talking about."
Ino frowned. Maybe the whole high school incident was taboo after all.
"I bet you won't last."
Tenten stared at her incredulously. Was Ino questioning her will to be single? "I bet I will."
"I strongly say otherwise."
"Well, I beg to differ."
"And you'll be dating another man in less than a week."
Tenten lifted an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"
"Maybe."
"Ino."
"Take it however you want it. Listen to me, Tenten. You've been used to going out with guys almost every weekend. It's in your nature to find someone to spend the day with or something. You are Tenten, the girl who tries her luck with every single guy on earth. And now you intend to leave the dating scene? Well, I say you are… Not. Going. To. Last."
Ino smoothed out her white skirt as she prepared to leave. "And, oh, Tenten?"
"Yes?"
"You know that I love you, right?"
She shrugged.
"But I so hate you in the morning."
With that, Ino walked away, leaving a highly amused Tenten. Sweet gossiper Ino.
"You called for me, sir?"
Tenten shut the door behind her, smoothening out the creases on her blouse. "Is there anything you wish for me to do?"
"Take a seat."
Slowly, she sat on the chair opposite Kakashi's desk. Kakashi has been her project manager from the day she entered Parcae Advertising. He was a talented trademark attorney and the spearhead of many successful advertising campaigns. "Tenten."
"Sir?"
"There has been some structural changes at Parcae, and I know you will agree with me when I say they are indeed for the better."
Tenten clasped and unclasped her fingers at an anxious pace. Was she getting fired?
"A request of your transfer has been made. Beginning tomorrow, I am no longer your superior." Kakashi's statement was blunt and frank. There were no hints of disagreement or regret, just the act of him doing his job right.
"But, sir, you have been my superior from the day I arrived here. With all due respect, how can I be transferred? How can I not be asked to stay in your department?"
"Tenten," Kakashi began on a clear note. He has already expected Tenten to retaliate, to question the decision of their superiors. True, she was a good employee and subordinate, but even he had no power to undo their superiors' decisions. "You have been working for me since that time, indeed, and I thank you for being a hard-working subordinate. However,"
Tenten didn't like where this was going. She felt like a kid being asked to transfer to another class after making so many friends in her old one, and it wasn't a comforting feeling at all.
"Hyuuga Neji, the new executive director, has implemented some changes in the company, which, of course, will be effective tomorrow. He understands you have been under me for a long time, and he wishes to change that from here on. Change might be good for you, Tenten."
To hell with change.
Slamming a hand on Kakashi's desk, she let out a violent, unladylike groan. "But what does the executive director know? He's new, right? How can he implement changes when he clearly does not understand how things are going around the company yet? He hasn't even seen us in action!"
Ignoring her outburst, Kakashi handed her a folder. "Here are the things you need for your transfer. Be sure to file the papers accordingly. You may now leave."
With the folder in hand, she left, closing the door behind her. Tenten took a shaky breath. It was embarrassing that she spoke that way to her superior. Moreover, she has clearly disrespected the foundations and executives of Parcae Advertising Company. But you know what else?
To hell with Hyuuga Neji.
"I brought cake of chocolate youthfulness!" Lee expertly shut the door behind him with one hand, while balancing his gift for Tenten in another.
"Tenten?"
"I'm in the kitchen!"
Advancing to the room where Tenten was, he was surprised to see his tomboyish childhood friend actually painting her toes. "What's the occasion?"
"I'm pissed."
What's new? Lee settled on a chair next to her, placing the cake on the kitchen counter. "What's up?"
"I've been called by Kakashi this morning."
"And?"
"I got transferred." She replied flatly, still focusing her eyes on her now-painted toes.
"You're pissed because…?"
"The new executive director is such a smart ass!" Placing the small nail polish brush back to its bottle, Tenten continued her rambling. "He doesn't know anything about the company, then he makes changes? That's just loads of crap, I tell you! He's the new executive director, yes, but he's new! And that means he has to see first what was going on in the company before making such drastic decisions!"
Lee decided to make a slice of cake ready for Tenten. Eating sweets has always been a therapy for an angry girl, and he can attest to that.
"You know what else? I am one of those he transferred! I don't know why, but maybe he's just picking on me. I mean, Ino didn't get transferred. The damn bums in the AV department still had their old jobs, for crying out loud!" She grabbed a fork and began eating the slice of cake Lee silently offered her. "Do I have a 'pick on me' sign on my forehead or something?"
"Tenten."
"What?"
Sighing loudly, Lee got a slice of cake for himself. "Have you gotten any good advice today?"
"You mean the cardboard?"
Frustrated as she is, he could not believe she still does not hold any respect for today's advice when it is one of the pilot products of Hinata's new specialty store. Why, Naruto even had the glow of his youthfulness brightened to an extent when he was proudly handing out the samples to them! He only hoped Tenten would stop dissing the piece of cardboard. "Yes, have you?"
"Huh? Well, yea, I did it when I came back from work."
"And today's advice is?"
"Ugh," she settled back into her thoughts. "When policy fails, try thinking."
"And have you?"
She filled two glasses with cold water from the fridge and looked sternly at Lee. "What is it with you and these open-ended questions tonight?" Handing a glass to Lee, she drank the water from hers before giving her answer. "No."
"Tenten."
"Lee."
"Tenten."
"Lee."
"Tenten."
"Is there any particular reason why we do this all the time?"
"Tenten."
"Lee."
"Tenten."
"I hate the new executive director."
"Tenten."
"To hell with Hyuuga Neji."
"Tente—wait. What did you say?"
Getting another slice of cake, Tenten responded nonchalantly. "To hell with Hyuuga Neji."
Lee took a moment of silence. If he was going to drop a bomb on her again, he had to be sure of his facts. Taking a deep breath, he fired away. "Tenten." He began slowly and surely. No need to be hasty now, Lee. Tenten will kill him anyway so he took his sweet time. "Isn't Hyuuga Neji the name of that guy that—"
Wide-eyed in realization, Tenten dropped her fork on the kitchen floor. "Oh shit."