Just wanted to say thanks to: Kya, Kratos Wilder, Neji's fangirl, Tsuki Nezumi, and Diana. Thanks for your reviews. They give me a reason to continue. This is a short chapter that contains endless spelling errors but please bare with me.

The following morning, Naruto, Shikamura, and Lee gather at the ramen store at the request of Naruto for a bowl of ramen. Talking among them, Naruto somehow manage to say through the occasional stuffing of his mouth, "Hard to believe Tenten isn't from the village."

When he heard this, a very emotional Lee burst out crying. He had been trying his best to keep his tears down and be happy but hearing Naruto so thoughtlessly voice out what his heart is still trying to accept was too much for him.

"Yeah," whispered a very surprise Shikamura.

The crew continues to talk among themselves, well, at least and Lee and Naruto did. Shikamura just sits back and does his usual thing, which was nothing. Leaning his head back against his chair, Shikamura try to block out the noise from Lee and Naruto's argument. Lee with his tears stain face was now arguing with Naruto over how much ramen each of them can consume and who beats who. Rolling his eyes at them, Shikamura turn his head from them only to see Neji and Sakura coming toward them.

Everything would have been just fine had the conversation not shift back to Tenten. Reaching out his hands, Shikamura covered the closest mouth to him. It turns out to be Lee's as Lee struggle against the sudden attack. Pushing against his hand, Lee's hands reach out to pull his off him. Even after all his troubles, Shakamaru's effort were a waste when he realize he should had covered Naruto's mouth instead, no matter how far Naruto was from him. Faster then he ever thought possible, Naruto manage to swallow his mouthful of ramen and blurt out, "I'll miss the girl, even though I barely knew her. Now I realize I should have taken some time to know her better."

"Taken time to know who better?" Sakura asked the instant they reach them.

"Tente-" Naruto reply but yell in pain when Shikamura's foot land hard against his under the table. "Now what did you do that for, Shikamura?" Naruto shouts. Confusion written all over his face, "I was eating."

Neji was his usual self so he paid no attention but Shikamura notice the barely visible twitching of his brows at the mention of Tenten.

However, Sakura wouldn't let it pass. There were alot of things she liked above all else. One of them just happens to be the possibility of hot juicy gossips that can be spread like wildfire. Turning toward Naruto, she ask, "Why are you stuffing yourself so much today?"

Before Shakamura could give him another kick, Naruto exclaim, "Well of course. Since I'll be off tomorrow for several days. Who knows when I'll get to have some ramen? I don't even know if the hidden village of Spring has ramen!"

Shakamaru could only groan in defeat at the sudden interest in Sakura's eyes. It was not that he was trying to hide the information from them since they had a right to know, especially Neji. Heck, Neji might have already received the news since he and Tenten were so close. However, just to be the safe, he was hoping that he would be able to avoid the crash with Neji's emotion before the morning was through. Now, because of Naruto, he would have to explain more then needed.

"Excuse us, Sakura," He says as he jumps off his seat. "But we need Neji for a moment."

Grabbing Neji's arm, he begins pulling him around the corner.

"But-"

"It'll only be just a moment," Shakamura quickly assured Sakura. "Lee, Naruto!"

"But I want to know too," Sakura mumble as she watch Lee and Naruto disappear with Shakamura and Neji.

"What is the meaning of this?" Neji asked the moment they were alone.

"We were meaning to ask you but seeing that you are clueless to what Naruto was talking about. I think it's safe to say that you were not inform about Tenten's sudden departure," Shikamura said.

"Departure?" eyes narrowing, he asked, "What departure?"

"Oh Neji!" Lee cry, "It seems the flower of our team would be pluck from Konoha!"

"What?" whispered a somewhat irritated and confused Neji. "Flower?"

Depress that Neji clearly did not understand him nor shown any emotion even though he had put it into such simple terms, Lee's crying increase intensely.

"Tenten is not from Konoha and is actually from Spring." Naruto answer.

"Tomorrow morning, me, Naruto, and Lee would be escorting her back to the village of Spring. After that, we will return…" Watching Neji carefully, Shikamura continue, "without her."

Eyes darkening, Neji asked, "Why was I not informed of this?"

"We ourselves were just informed of this last night," Shikamura tried to explain.

But Neji ignore Shakamura's explanation, instead he asks in a more deadly tone, "Why was I not informed of this?"

"We were assign by the fifth-" Shikamura again try to explain but Neji had already turn to leave.

End of chapter…

p.s. I still need a beta…unless you guys could continue to put up with my spelling mistakes.