DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto, Kishi does.
NOTES: As repeated from the last chapter:
1. This was intended for Metamorphoze originally. However, like Plastic Fangs, this story grew and grew until Metamorphoze wouldn't be able to contain it anymore. So here it is.
2. All of the songs in this story, aside from the ones openly stated as being used as covers, are being used as songs Shino's fictional band, The Sacred, wrote and performed. Obviously the songs were written and belong to the bands/ghost writers, not these fictional characters. But you have to be clear on these things, of course. All set lists for concerts are given at the beginning of each chapter, crediting the actual musicians.
3. There is Neji bashing here. I hate Neji on the best of days, I admit - that's just my personal taste. I do it because a) it's funny to me and b) I see it as helping Shino in his goal to getting tail. Go Shino! But in this fic, Neji's being bashed exceptionally hard because fame has gone to his head. He's the frontman of one of the world's biggest bands - it's gonna happen. So please, Neji fans, don't take this personally. It's a fictional and free fun world.
4. I don't know what it's like to be a PA for a rock band, or anything for that matter. I've also never been backstage at any of these venues, nor do I know how many songs are usually on set lists. I've bluffed my way through this and focused on the pure entertainment value.
5. This came from a dream I had, where I saw Shino as a frontman at a concert and he was singing Tenacious D's The Metal. Rel encouraged me to write rockstar!Shino up (she's the driving force behind most of what I do!) and here he is.
Hope I didn't forget anything there. Thanks to all who have reviewed! Please read, enjoy and review!
This chapter is dedicated to Snowsong a.k.a. Eight-Days-A-Week, who has done some incredible artwork for this fic (see links in my profile) and who is a real credit to the ShinoTen fandom. Thanks so much hun! As opposed to my original plans, this will now be four chapters long (I mean it this time!). So this is the real penultimate chapter. Enjoy!
The O2 arena. No matter what way anyone looked at it, the Dome was one of the biggest wastes of money England had achieved in a long time, though as a stage it had begun to reach some sort of potential. As a landmark, Tenten didn't think much of it – Buckingham Palace and Big Ben were much better landmarks than the Dome or even the London Eye.
It was kind of ugly. A pimple on the land.
Still, she knew how prestigious the O2 was when it came to entertainment, so she was proud of how hard the band rehearsed for their night on the stage.
By the time the tour bus pulled into central London, Tenten felt like a car wreck.
Not a single mention of that near kiss, of that moment shared in Brixton. Nothing.
Maybe she was overreacting here – hell, it's not like she'd know. Nothing like this had ever happened before. What she did know is that she'd expected something to have changed, something between her and Shino to have moved under a different spotlight.
Granted...the few times they were alone together had made the air so thick it was like trying to breathe underwater (though it could have been the muggy weather, which was continuing on with a vengeance). But that was all that ever happened – charged atmosphere.
Shino had been mercurial ever since that night. Sometimes, his moods turned his bitch fuse into a unit of dynamite in 0.1 seconds. Only last night, Hidan's usual commentary on how badly Shino needed to get laid was cut short when the guitarist whipped around, his lips in a thin line, and snapped, "You have a zit on your forehead."
Tenten had never heard a noise like the one Hidan made come from a man before (or a woman, for that matter). She hoped she never had to hear it again.
Tenten wiped her forehead as she got off of the tour bus at their designated hotel drop off, her denim cutoff shorts and tank doing nothing to fend off the sunlight. She clutched her chilled bottle of water close to her as if it was a lifeline. Screams and catcalls were filling the air, and she looked around at the hoards of screaming fans that had gathered. How they'd found out the bed and board of The Sacred was a mystery, and Tenten knew that Temari would have the band moved to a more secret location as soon as possible.
But good sports that they were, the band was doing the rounds, taking photos and signing autographs. Tenten's eyes were immediately drawn to where Shino was signing a girl's hoodie, a tiny smile on his lips and a large duffel slung over his shoulder. His sunglasses hid his gaze, but she could imagine the warmth in his golden eyes.
Eyes she hadn't seen since that time, but which she had felt on her. He was unashamed in his watching of her – seriously annoying, since he didn't say more than a few syllables lately. Not to her, anyway.
Feeling petulant, Tenten fought against the urge to stick her bottom lip out and looked elsewhere. Neji was posing with a group of girls, looking completely at home under the flash of digital cameras. Tenten could have sworn she saw some of them slipping pieces of paper to him.
She sighed and looked down at her hands. It still hurt. Seeing Neji in this light, and with Shino muddying the waters further...it wasn't easy. She used to be a pretty black and white person when it came to things like this. Suddenly, she wasn't sure of anything.
Huffing, Tenten wandered over the where the band was grouping, trying to break away from the gaggle of fans. The sunlight beat down on them and she felt envious of Hinata, Temari and Gaara, who were all inside the hotel and out of the monstrous heat.
As if in agreement, they all moved as one to go into the building, the guys turning to wave as they went in through the door. She looked over her shoulder at the fans – at the one whose hoodie Shino had signed. She wondered (irrationally) if that girl had realised how lucky she was, that he'd paid attention to her – spoken to her.
"Those are some pretty serious thoughts to be having on a day like this."
Kiba's 1000 watt grin was infectious, and Tenten had to respond. How he could stay so cheerful in the raging testosterone pit that was the tour bus was anyone's guess. Especially since, as the only member of the band other than Shikamaru to actually have a woman, he was the envy of the more violent bandmates.
Even Kankurou, who couldn't hold a relationship for longer than two rounds of sex (yeah, she knew that – he was pretty vocal about it. She wouldn't be surprised if aliens in outer space knew about it), liked to lay into the Inuzuka. Shikamaru got away with a lot of it, not just because he didn't respond but because no one envied him the task of keeping up with Ino.
"You a mind reader?" Tenten asked, leaning against the counter in the lobby. The clerks were absent, probably talking with Temari about the privacy breach. Neji slipped through the door behind the counter, going to investigate Temari's interrogation.
"Don't have to be," Kiba shrugged, moving next to her. "You're inches away from monologue, I can tell."
"You better not go all fucking Shakespeare," Hidan muttered, looking around. The lobby was empty aside from them – Temari had booked a place where there wouldn't be too many guests, to ensure the band's privacy. "Where the hell is the manager? We need to sort this shit out, seriously."
The manager? Tenten grimaced. So that's how bad things were now, huh? "Temari is sorting it out right now," Tenten replied, raising an eyebrow at the drummer. She unscrewed her water and took a sip.
He snorted and rolled his violet eyes. He looked as immaculate as ever, but she couldn't help but notice that he looked worn down. Tired.
"I don't think they've sorted things out since the Neji moment," Kiba murmured into her ear. "If I thought it wouldn't end in a fight to the death, I'd lock them up in a cupboard." It struck Tenten that they looked a little compromising. Kiba was pressed against her side, his lips close to her ear. And Kiba oozed sex even when he was vomiting after a drinking binge, so he must have been looking pretty suggestive right about then. She knew it didn't mean anything, but she was more than a little glad no fans were inside right now.
"Stop stirring." Tenten twitched in surprise as Shino appeared next to Kiba, his brows furrowed above his shades. "Don't you have a girlfriend to spend time with, rather than playing with the troubles of others?"
Kiba folded his arms, crossing his legs at the ankles, and cocked a brow. "Don't get pissy with me, bro. If you want your lady, make a play for her."
Shino sucked in a breath and held it. Tenten felt floored. She was curious, hopeful and...anxious. All at the same time. It was a fight to keep the emotional battlefront from her face as she studied Shino for some sort of answer.
"'Course, if you're that frustrated, you could always bump noses with one of those screaming ladies out there," Kiba smirked. "I'm sure they'd be more than happy to – "
She couldn't even explain it to herself – it didn't involve much thinking on her part. In a snap reaction, Tenten's arm shot out with the intention of dumping her water bottle on Kiba's head. It would have been a good plan – very satisfying for her, anyway. If it had worked.
Kiba was a little sharper than she'd given him credit for, and he batted her arm aside with a speed that confused her – until she saw her Evian gush out all over Shino's shirt.
All three of them stared blankly at Shino's chest, where his crew-neck black shirt now stuck to the contours of his body. Shino's eyebrows were raised, his lips parted in surprise. Kiba was snickering.
Tenten could only stare. The only way she'd be able to see more would be if his shirt was see-through. Dear god.
"Wow, you're forward," Kankurou hooted from across the lobby.
"Shut up, moron," Shikamaru said, yawning.
Tenten flushed. Oh god, she'd just soaked Shino. Oh god oh god oh god. " – oh god," she gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry! I – I meant to get Ki...I mean. GOD!"
Great. If he'd been avoiding her before, now he'd double his efforts. Why hang around with a chick who randomly flings water over you, right?
God, she could see his nipples.
She turned bright red and looked away, catching Hidan's grin over Shino's shoulder. She'd never live this down. Ever.
"Don't worry." She jerked her head up. Was that amusement she'd heard? His face didn't show anything. "Accidents happen." He turned over to where he'd dropped his duffel onto one of the lobby's seats. He unzipped the bag and pulled out a white shirt.
He pulled the black shirt over his head, the stretching pulling the muscles in his torso in liquid motions. Tenten stared stupidly, her mouth hanging open. Her eyes were drawn to his tattoo as he dropped the wet shirt into the bag and picked up the white one.
What was it with rock stars and amazing bodies? What was it with Shino and leaving her speechless?
He pulled the white shirt on, and his movements were deliberate. He had to have noticed her unabashed staring, but she couldn't help it – couldn't stop, either. He straightened out his t-shirt and turned to face them fully. "Where is Temari?"
Tenten felt the world drop away from beneath her feet. If she wasn't seeing it, she'd never have believed it. Ever.
Shino's white t-shirt stated, in black letters, 'If you don't like oral sex, keep your mouth shut'.
The same t-shirt that...
The air had disappeared, it had to have done. No matter how much she tried to breathe, it wouldn't work. She stared with wide eyes.
"Out back." Gaara appeared, moody creases between his eyes. "Hotel worker was the leak. Temari's showing her appreciation."
"Ahhh." Shino nodded, and took off his beanie. His hair was spiked up in messy directions, and he only ruffled it further with his fingertips. "I will see if she needs assistance." Without a further glance in her direction, Shino went through the same door Neji had a few moments ago.
Tenten whirled on Kiba. "What the hell?"
"Huh?" Kiba shrugged, scratching his head. "Hey, did something happen with you two?" He grinned and his eyes twinkled. "I mean, you were giving him some pretty intense eye humping just now."
She flushed. "Shut up! That t-shirt – it's Shino's?!"
She'd left it out, cleaned and ironed, for whoever had given it to her that night to take. She'd been hoping to find out who it was, but had never seen who retrieved it. Never in a million years would she have imagined it was his.
"Well, yeah," Kiba said, a little too innocently. He'd known all along, that rat. She wanted to beat him up. "Slash is his idol, right? He had the exact same t-shirt – only makes sense for a die-hard fan to do the same, dont'cha think?"
...as easy as that? The answer had been that all along? Tenten felt ridiculous for making a snap judgment. Did she really know Shino well enough to think that he wouldn't have a t-shirt like that?
Did that mean he'd been the one she partied with? It had to mean that. Why had he never said anything?
Why had they always been so distant?
"What happened?" Kiba asked, his voice surpisingly gentle.
She wasn't fond of telling him – anyone, really. But she also felt like she might burst if she didn't vent some of these feelings.
"He nearly kissed me," she breathed, staring at her empty water bottle. "He played a song for me. Let me play his guitar."
"Wait – he let you play his guitar?" Kiba gaped. He stood up straight and fixed Tenten with an accusing look. "That sexy guitar – he let you play it? I tried to get him to let me play it once, and he hit me in the head with a bloody traffic cone."
"...a traffic cone?" Tenten blinked.
"I know, right?" Kiba huffed. He rolled his eyes. "Okay, so when's the wedding? Or the apocalypse – that could mean either one."
She groaned.
"What apocalypse?" Gaara asked. He ignored the 'no smoking sign' at the counter and lit a joint.
"Gaara," Tenten asked, wanting the views of someone outside of the whole mess. "Have you ever noticed anything about Shino...well, do you know if Shino...?" She didn't know how to phrase it.
"Wants Tenten in a horizontal, naked way," Kiba supplied.
Gaara snorted, blowing smoke out of his nostrils. "I know that. Of course I know that – everyone knows that." He fixed his teal eyes on Tenten and raised a nonexistent brow. "You're slow, aren't you?"
She growled.
"Watch this," Gaara smirked. "Hey, Hidan. Do you know who Shino likes?"
Hidan stopped in the middle of grinding a small chunk of weed. "Yeah, he's hung up over that fucking PA chick, right?" He pointed at Tenten. "I don't remember your name, sorry. It's the fucking weed, messes with memory mojo, seriously."
"My brother's an idiot, right?" Gaara said.
"Well yeah, I guess..." Tenten felt bewildered.
"Kankurou – does Shino like anyone right now?"
Kankurou, looking out the window at the mass of fans still gathered outside, laughed and yelled over his shoulder, "Yeah, I swear his dream version of Tenten has had like a thousand babies by no – " He looked over and saw Tenten staring at him, dumbstruck. "Oh...hi Tenten...forgot you were there."
Unbelievable. Tenten shook her head. It was too much to take in. "Wait, so...he likes me, and none of you guys ever said anything?"
"You were kinda meant to figure it out for yourself," Kiba drawled. "It's not like there haven't been hints. You were just too busy...looking elsewhere."
Oh, now she felt bad. Really bad. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Was it true? Had she been so into Neji that she never noticed Shino?
It was true. Now that she thought about it, he'd done everything he could to help her – to make life easier on her. Her PA job had been a helluva lot easier because of Shino's help, sometimes. He'd never been anything less than patient and kind. Had always cared about her welfare.
He'd never forced his attentions on her. He'd waited. Silently.
She felt a rush of affection for him.
And, like that, she knew. Neji hadn't done half of the things Shino had done for her. Never looked at her. Never made her feel warm from deep inside her when she thought about him.
She wasn't confused anymore.
"Thanks, Gaara," she said quietly.
"Whatever." He snorted. But Tenten knew, even if he hadn't said anything for her sake, he'd done it for Shino because Shino was one of the main reasons he was allowed to travel with the band. Shino had stuck up for him when the others had been skeptical.
"How are things with your girl?" Tenten asked.
Gaara stiffened. "I told you. She's not – "
"I'm sure she is," Tenten said quickly. "I mean, if she was annoyed at you it means she cares. You should talk to her."
Gaara glared at her. There was something spiteful in his look – more defensive than hateful – and he looked away with a sneer. "Whatever."
Well. Whatever was better than 'fuck off', she supposed.
Tenten felt panicked. The arena was so packed for the concert that the chants of the fans were deafening. Even though several bands were opening up for The Sacred, the breaks in between gigs were filled with the yells for the headlining group.
The crowds seemed to get bigger with every gig, and her anxiety grew with it.
She hadn't had a chance to talk to Shino – or to anyone, for that matter. Until now, she'd been running around arranging things at breakneck speed. A lot of time had been spent repairing her own mistakes, too, because she was constantly being distracted by the memory of a white t-shirt and the body it was covering. The tattoo.
Tenten entered the band's room with a sigh. Less than half an hour until their gig.
She looked around. Shikamaru was reclining in front of the TV, a bottle of Heineken in his hand. He wore his usual mesh shirt, with a pair of baggy jeans and a green flak jacket. Hidan was primping in front of the mirror, shirtless and wearing tight leather pants. Tenten's eyes were drawn to his fan tattoo – the only one of his tattoos that wasn't religious or of a pinup girl.
Neji was doing vocal warm-up exercises. To Tenten, they sounded like a series of coughs and squeaks, but he swore they worked so everyone turned a blind eye. He was dressed sharply, in a silvery button-up shirt and black dress pants. His hair was braided.
Kiba was sitting down, using Hinata's compact mirror and careful fingers to stick A Clockwork Orange-inspired false eyelashes around his right eye. His outfit was very Alex DeLarge inspired, too – only black, minus the codpiece, and with the button-up shirt opened to reveal a bit of chest.
Kankurou, already wearing his purple kabuki paint, was chugging his beer and watching Hidan with wary eyes. He'd noticed the strange tension between the drummer and his sister, but was so unsure of what to make of it that he hadn't brought it up. He wore a black and white striped vest top and camouflage cargo pants.
Temari was on the phone in the corner of the room. She looked tired and sweaty and fed up. Every time Tenten had tried to speak to her, the woman had clammed up tighter than a bear trap. She'd given up eventually and left Temari to her business. Kiba was right – she was stubborn.
Gaara was absent. Which left...
Tenten's gaze fell on Shino. It was incredible, how he coul be dressed so simply and look outstanding. He wore tight black jeans and a tight, longsleaved dark gray and black striped sweatshirt that he'd rolled up to his elbows. The neckline was wide and loose, and his Slash plectrum hung down against his chest. He'd forgone the beanie, leaving his hair loose and spiky, and he wore a pair of Oakley Oil Rig shades.
Nothing special, and nothing more special at the same time.
Tenten blushed and looked down. She wanted to believe that he had a thing for her. Wanted to believe his absence had been to give them a breather. But she couldn't help the self-conscious doubt that tingled.
"Okay guys." Temari hung up the phone and rubbed her temples. "This is our last UK gig, so let's make it good."
"We're always good," Kiba smirked.
"Chill out, sis," Kankurou agreed, burping loudly.
"So troublesome," Shikamaru said. "I can't wait to go back home."
"Oh, can't you?!"
Everyone winced and turned as one to the door, where Ino stood red-faced and ready to blow. If steam could come out of her ears it would have, and Shikamaru immediately shrank back against the couch.
"I-Ino?" He gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to find out if you were dead," Ino sneered, stalking into the room. "You know, since you couldn't be bothered to answer your phone."
"It's not – "
"SHUT UP!"
Tenten winced. The others all averted their eyes, aside from Hidan, who stared shamelessly.
"I get all the way here," Ino growled, "and you don't even have the decency to be dead! There's no excuse for ignoring your wife, none!" She started hitting him with her Louis Vuitton handbag.
"Damn it Ino," Shikamaru yelled, struggling to block her blows and get away. "Will you listen!"
"Oh, now you're ready to talk to me," she snarled. She landed a blow on his head and he yelped. "Do you have any idea how it's been, sitting at home, scared shitless and pregnant, wondering why you won't answer me?!"
"Ino, I'm sorry, I – pregnant?" Shikamaru paled. "You're...? Since when?"
The horror-filled tone wasn't helping. Ino went from pissed to mega pissed in seconds flat. She grabbed something out of her handbag and flung it at her husband. "You jerk! I wanted to tell you properly, wanted to save this to show you when you got home – YOU CAN'T EVEN BE PLEASED I'M PREGNANT!"
Shikamaru stared dumbly at what was in his hands – which he soon recognised to be a pregnancy test.
"Dude," Kankurou hissed. Shikamaru looked at him. "Put it down! She peed on that." Shikamaru dropped it quickly and cringed.
Ino's eyebrow twitched. "You were pleased enough to put it in me, not that I felt it – "
Hidan started to laugh.
" – but you don't wanna have to put up with the consequences, do you? Not that'd you know anything about that. You probably only ever had your hand before I came along, right?"
Hidan's laughter turned to hysterical bellows of glee.
"Come on then, loser. What's the big excuse?" She started hitting him with her bag again. "I'm waiting!"
"My phone doesn't have a charger!" Shikamaru hissed, exasperated.
Ino stilled her blows. "What?"
"I lost my charger in Australia," her husband cowered. "It's been dead. And the times I tried to call you from a payphone, you weren't in!"
She glared at him. "You could've text from one of these guys' phones."
"Tch. Like they'd let me."
"It's true," Kiba nodded. "We don't do charity."
"You're rich," Ino countered. "You could have bought another one."
"I never had the time!" Shikamaru whined.
"That's what a PA is for!" Ino snapped. She looked at Tenten. "Right?"
Tenten's mouth opened and closed as she tried to reply to the angry woman.
"No one wants to get shouted at," Shikamaru said quietly.
Tenten looked at him. What did he mean by that?
Ino took a deep breath. "That's really all it was? Your charger?"
"I swear it was," Shikamaru said, bending down to pick up the pregnancy test tentatively. "Look...can we go somewhere more private...?"
Hidan wiped tears out of his eyes. "Should've asked that five fucking minutes ago, moron. Best thing ever, seriously." Ino punched him in the gut.
Tenten shook her head, and her eyes met Shino's. Well, his shades, anyway.
He looked as exasperated as she felt. She smiled and shrugged, widening her eyes for the 'what the fuck' effect. His lips twitched.
"Tenten!" Temari snapped her fingers to get her attention. "You better get downstairs and start prepping. The band'll be down in a few, as soon as Shikamaru's grown a pair."
Tenten snickered. "Right." With one last glance at Shino, she turned and darted off.
She found Gaara backstage, where he usually liked to sit. But she noticed something different. Maybe it was the lack of joint in his mouth, or maybe it was the alertness in his eyes. It made her do a double take. "Gaara?"
He looked over at her. "Are they getting ready?"
"Yeah...Ino turned up. Started hitting Shikamaru."
Gaara smirked. "Really."
"Yeah. He said he couldn't contact her because his charger disappeared."
"Yeah, I know." Gaara stretched. "I threw it out."
"You...what?" Tenten blinked at him.
"I figured something like this would happen," he shrugged. "That loser stole my last cigarette after the Sydney performance. So I figured – hasten him to his death."
"You are diabolical," Tenten breathed, awed.
"Sakura thinks so too," he smirked.
"...you called her?" She asked, widening her eyes.
"Yes." Gaara looked down, unreadable emotions flickering over his face. "I'll see her when we get back home."
"That's good. Great." She meant it, too.
"Sure." He moved away and sat down where he could get a good backstage view of the stage.
By the time the band arrived on stage, Tenten had worked herself into a nervous sweat. They opened with an old favourite – My Own Prison – and slid easily into their cover of November Rain, which they'd performed with Slash himself in the USA tour. It had been one of the few times she'd seen Shino smiling openly. Coincidentally (or not), it was around that time that he'd attracted his biggest hoard of fangirls.
She watched him. Every movement was smooth, every note perfect. If he was aware of her watching, he gave no indication. His focus was entirely on their set and the fans singing along, cheering and waving lighters in the air.
As the evening wound down to an end, Neji approached the mic, his hair dampened with sweat. "This is one of our newest songs, available on our new album. We'll leave you with this one, as a thank you and a good night! It's Vermillion."
Tenten gasped. She unconsciously leaned closer to the curtain. Her mind was replaying Shino's voice, his eyes, his hands. The perfection of the song, of the moment. She watched him as he strummed the guitar. Hidan's drumming was perfectly timed, the suspense building over the crowd and in Tenten's chest.
Here it came. Here it...
"She seemed dressed in all of me,
Stretched across my shame,
All the torment and the pain,
Leaped through and covered me..."
She frowned. Of course – it wasn't Shino singing it. It wasn't that moment, with the vermillion guitar and the charged air. This was someone else singing it – someone who wasn't emotionally involved, someone who wasn't singing the lyrics as if they meant them.
Shino's version...was so much better. He was so much better. She'd said it before, on that night, and she was saying it now. Meaning it just as much.
Long after the show had ended, Tenten stood by the balcony doors of her hotel room and stared out into the cool night, making her think of Shino at the fire escape doors in Earl's Court. That was probably the moment everything had changed. It was hard to imagine a time when she hadn't seen him for what he really was. When she hadn't noticed the way he looked at her, helped her.
"The song that no one sings, the unattainable..." She sang softly to herself. It made her feel choked – it was stupid, so crazy, but it made her feel choked.
Pushing away from the doors, she left her hotel room and walked down the corridor. She didn't know what to do or what to say. But she was a practical girl, and she knew that hanging around waiting wasn't her style – it would only make her feel worse in the long run.
She stopped at Shino's door and took a deep breath. Her heart was like a jackhammer, her sweat not just because of the heat. "Sh-Shino?" She knocked again, but couldn't hear anything.
Cautiously, she tried the doorknob – gulping when the door opened. Okay, it was unlocked. Did that...mean she had any right to enter?
She hovered, uncertain. Then decided to bite the bullet. She stepped into the hotel room, looking around with wide eyes. She felt as if he was hiding somewhere, waiting for her. Waiting to see what she did.
Stepping into the room, Tenten tried to call out his name, but her voice stuck in her throat. She swallowed and licked her lips. On a guitar stand by one of the armchairs was his acoustic guitar.
"That sexy guitar – he let you play it? I tried to get him to let me play it once, and he hit me in the head with a bloody traffic cone."
Was that guitar so important to Shino? He'd let her play it. It had fit against her perfectly, the shade of vermillion vibrant and inviting in her hands –
Vermillion...
She frowned. There was an overall sense of something not being right. Something strange. She turned, preparing to leave, and her shin knocked against a table. Her hands swung out to prevent the paperwork on top of it from falling off, and she stared at the top sheet.
The lyrics to Vermillion, scrawled in neat black ink.
Not in Neji's handwriting.