"Get to your seats." Kakashi ordered us as we all sat down. "Good, good. Now, today's class is about murders." I bit my lip…
Murders… Dad… Dai… I quickly shook the thought away and looked down at my desk. Neji stared at me.
Hm? Is this topic uncomfortable with Tenten? He looked at Kakashi.
"Now… what do you know about murders? Shikamaru." Kakashi called on Shikamaru who's head was on his desk. "Shikamaru…" He repeated. He sat up.
"What?" He asked.
"What do you know about murders?" Kakashi asked.
"Uhm… the killing of one human by another…" Shikamaru answered and scratched his head. Kakashi nodded.
"Good. Anyone else?" Kakashi looked around. Naruto raised his hand.
"Oh! Kakashi-sensei! Pick me! Pick me!" Naruto waved his hand high.
"Anyone?" Kakashi ignoring Naruto's hand.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Kakashi looked at Naruto and sighed.
"Anyone else… but Naruto?" No one raised their hand. "Fine. Naruto."
"Okay! A murder is when someone kills another usually for revenge and-" Kakashi interrupted.
"That was the next part. Good though, Naruto. I think Shikamaru mentioned that already. But that's okay. Now, why does a murder usually happen? Naruto stated one reason; revenge…" He looked around. "Neji?" I looked him. Neji raised an eyebrow and rested his cheek on his hand.
"Protection."
"Huh?" Kakashi was stunned by the answer. Neji sighed.
"Protection I said. To protect someone, you murder another so that the person won't be able to kill the certain someone you want to protect, Kakashi-sensei…" Neji responded. Kakashi nodded.
"Not exactly what I was looking for, but, yes. That's an appropriate answer. What about you, Tenten?" I looked up and bit my lip.
"Uhm…"
"Why does a murder usually happen?" Kakashi asked. I growled.
"Because… they were ordered to…" I looked Kakashi into the eye. He raised an eyebrow.
"Really? What do they call those who do murders by order?" Kakashi asked.
-Neji's POV-
Dammit… good thing nobody know's that's what I do… god… Tenten… I sighed, waiting for her answer.
"… Hired- Killers." Tenten responded as I nearly choked on air.
WHAT?! I thought.
"Hm. Hired- killers, huh?" Kakashi looked at Tenten. She nodded.
"They're horrible. I don't know why they exist. They kill people because they're ordered to. What if it's against their will? Well, they still have to kill their target because it was an order. Now isn't that so stupid, Kakashi-sensei?" I asked him. He nodded.
"Yes. There are some hired-killers still out there. And they could be anywhere. Like… a hired killer could be… NEJI!" He pointed. Everyone looked at me.
What… the hell?! "How'd you-"
"… Just kidding…" Kakashi smiled. I nearly had a heart attack.
"Kakashi-sensei, that wasn't funny." I heard Tenten respond. I looked at her. "That wasn't nice, Kakashi-sensei… that could be very hurtful, you know… Neji wouldn't be a hired killer."
"And why not? YOU could be a hired-killer for all we know." Kakashi joked around again.
"Yeah… I could be… but, I know Neji. He wouldn't kill anyone…" She smiled at me. I looked away and blushed a bit. "Neji?"
"Hn." I responded and looked down at my feet. She… stood up for me… but… I am what I am.
"Tenten. Do you feel strongly against murdering?" Kakashi asked her. She nodded.
"Yes. Because… my father and my brother were killed. They were murdered…" I looked up at her. She bit her lip. "I don't know how… but it wasn't revenge… My father was well known in the village… and my brother was an A student… so it must have been a hired- killer. I hate all hired-killers…" I growled and fisted my hands on my desk.
"…" I looked away.
"I'm sorry about your family… but you should not make that assumption that hired killers killed your father and brother." Kakashi responded as the bell rang. "Ah, class dismissed." I saw Tenten quickly move out as I grabbed my stuff and followed her.
-Tenten's POV-
"Tenten!" Neji called my name. I looked back at him.
"Hi, Neji." I responded.
"You… stood up for me. Thanks." He responded.
"Yeah. You always stand up for me, so, I thought I could just return the favor." I smiled at him.
"Your family… I'm sorry… " He looked away.
"It's fine." I laughed. "I live with my mom. It's all fine."
"Could I come to your house later?" He asked.
"Huh?" I looked up at him and blushed. "Why would you want to do that?" He shrugged.
"Never mind. If you don't want me to, it's okay." He responded. I shook my head.
"No. You can come." I smiled. "Let's go to our next class." He nodded.
Her family… murdered… I have to finish this mission.. But then… I'm not sure I can anymore… Neji thought as he walked with Tenten to their next class. It's hard… to kill someone who's already lost her father and her brother…
-Walking home-
"So, Tenten. Can you tell me about your… father and brother?" Neji asked. I looked at him and nodded.
"Sure." I responded and smiled.
"You don't have to…" I shook my head.
"It's fine. Okay, so me and my mom were walking in the village looking for dinner. It was a couple years ago, but, it's still fresh in my mind… so we got what we needed and were walking home when we saw that our window was broken… and so we dropped the grocery and quickly ran into the house…"
"Mom! What happened?!" I shouted. She looked around frantically as there was glass plates on the ground, broken tables… broken lamps…. And everything. "Mom!"
"Toshi?!" She called my father's name as she ran into the kitchen. "Dai?!" I ran upstairs to my brother's room.
"Dai?!" I shouted. I stepped in something and quickly pulled my foot back. It was glass covered in blood. I clamped my mouth shut and walked towards the door at the end of the hall which had trails of glass all over the place. 'What happened?!' I thought. I reached out to the door and opened it. I shrieked in horror.
My father was in my room covered with blood glass shards all over his body. My brother… was also covered with blood, but no glass was found around him… he had bruise marks around his neck though….
"MOM! MOM!" I shouted in tears. She quickly ran up the stairs to scream in horror too. I fell to my knees and crawled on the ground to my father. "D-Daddy?" I crawled to my brother. "Dai. Dai?!" I shouted. Maybe he was just out cold… I shook him quickly and listened to his heartbeat… nothing…
"Yeah. And that's… about it." I responded. Neji stopped walking and looked at the ground. "Neji?" I think I saw tears rolling down his eyes. "It wasn't that bad… was it?" He stared at me and looked away. "Neji? Did I remind you of your past? I'm sorry…" I touched his shoulder. He looked at me.
"No. I'm okay…" He responded. Skrew the idea of asking her to be my girlfriend. "Uhm. I have to go."
"See you tomorrow?" I smiled and asked. He looked back at me and nodded and ran off. I stood there in the middle of the road and continued to walk when I heard someone shout my name behind me.
"Hey, Tenten." Sasuke ran up to me. Shikamaru soon caught up.
"God, Uchiha. You run too fast." Shikamaru responded.
"Hah." Sasuke laughed.
"Hey guys. What's up?" I asked.
"We saw you walking with Neji." Shikamaru answered.
"You guys on a date?" Sasuke smirked. I blushed.
"N-No. We just walk home together cause he lives next door." I smiled.
"Hm…" Shikamaru looked at Sasuke. "He's a strange one isn't he?" Shikamaru asked. Sasuke shrugged.
"I don't know him too well." Sasuke responded. "So I wouldn't know.. You're in his class, Shikamaru."
"I don't talk to him." Shikamaru scratched his head. "But you do, Tenten." They looked at me.
"What?" I responded. They smirked. "Come on, guys… he's normal! He's just like everyone else. I know, he has many secrets just by looking into his eyes… but…" I smiled. "Everyone has their own secrets, right?" I looked at Shikamaru and Sasuke. They nodded.
"Yeah. I guess." Sasuke pointed to his apartment. "Gotta run. See you guys tomorrow."
"Bye, Sasuke." I smiled.
"See ya." Shikamaru responded.
"What about you?" I asked. "Don't you live in that apartment over there?" I pointed to the one across from Sasuke's. He nodded.
"Yeah, but, I'm gonna go to the park. It's peaceful there… and… besides. I can watch clouds there. Would you like to join me?" He asked. I smiled and nodded.
-Watching Clouds-
"Awesome!" I smiled as the cool breeze hit my face. Shikamaru laid down on the grass and shut his eyes. I sat down next to him. "Hey, Shikamaru… so much for watching the clouds.." He opened one of his eyes.
"I've seen 'em all. I'm gonna get some shut eye. I'll wake up in 10 minutes." He responded and shut his eyes. I nodded and looked up at the sky.
It's… beautiful… the sky… the clouds traveling at their own speed… traveling on their own. It makes me feel so happy… just to be here watching the sky… and wonderful blue sky… I smiled but then something hit me.
FLASHBACK
"Sister!" Dai called to me.
"Hi!" I responded.
"Come on!" Dai ran and grabbed my hand and pulled me through the forest.
"Wh-Where are we going? Dai?!"
"You'll see! You'll see!" He laughed and when we finally stopped. He looked at the sky.
"Dai, where are we?" I asked.
"The park, Tenten!" He smiled and sat down on the grass. I smiled at him and sat next to him.
"Isn't the sky pretty? It's so… carefree!" Dai then pointed to one. "Like that one! That one looks like a rabbit!" He laughed. I laughed along and pointed to another one.
"That one looks like dad's flat tire!" I laughed.
"You popped it!" Dai smiled at me. "You and I were fighting over that silly pin we found when you threw it and popped daddy's wheel."
"Oh yeah." I smiled.
"It feels so good and soothing. Just smelling the air sometimes, right, sister? It feels good, huh? I mean… being able to be with nature all the time… and being able to feel free for once…" He smiled.
"Dai? What do you mean.. being able to feel free?" I asked. He looked at me.
"Sometimes, I wish to be free like this. Be able to do whatever you want… you know…" Dai laughed.
FLASH BACK OVER
"Dai…" I whispered as Shikamaru sat up.
"Alright." Shikamaru stood. "I'm gonna go. You coming?" I shook my head.
"I want to reminisce some good memories." I smiled at him. He smirked.
"Okay. See you, Tenten." He waved and walked away. I laid back onto the grass and smelled the air.
I feel free, Dai… I thought. After 5 more minutes of cloud watching… I stood and walked towards my house when I heard someone shout my name again… I turned around.
"TENTEN!" I saw Ino and Sakura running towards me.
"Hi." I responded.
"I saw you with Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted.
"You were watching clouds with Shika-kun! How dare you!" Ino shouted.
"You guys just don't give up!" I shouted at them. "We're JUST friends!" I shouted. "Nothing going on between us! You don't' have to go and hate me and chase after me because I'm friends with them! You guys are so immature…" With that, I started to walk away when I heard someone running towards me from behind. I turned and blocked the punch.
"How'd you…" Ino was shocked. I growled.
"Back… off!" I shouted and pushed her away.
"Fight back!" Sakura shouted and tried to kick me. I blocked her kick.
"No." I responded as Ino tried to punch me again, I jumped back.
"FIGHT BACK!" Ino shouted at me. I sighed.
"No." I responded again and backed away.
"Look at that, Ino… she's scared." Sakura smirked.
"Why wouldn't she be?" Ino sneered at Tenten.
"Well she shouldn't be scared. She's a BOY after all…"
"I'm not a boy…" I growled.
"But you NEVER wore a skirt or dress in your life! Not even a kimono!" Sakura shouted at me.
"I don't need to." I responded.
"You're a tomboy!" Ino shouted. I nodded.
"Good, so you don't need to go see an eye doctor…" I smirked.
"YOU'RE SO DEAD!" Ino shouted and tried to hit me. I quickly ran away. "Come on, Sakura. Let's get her!" They started to chase after me.
I don't want to hurt anyone! I kept running. I can't lead them to my house… I quickly turned away and ran into a bush. I watched Ino and Sakura run past me as I quickly ran out of the bush and into the house. I panted loudly and slouched down against the door.
"Tenten-chan?" My mom called to me. "Is that you?"
"Y-yeah!" I called.
"You're home so late! It's dinner!" She yelled. "Come on!"
"I uh…" I looked at my clothing. "I can't! I'm… I'm gonna go take a shower! I'll be down in a bit!" I shouted and ran upstairs.
-With Neji. Neji's POV-
Neji threw his backpack on the ground. And went to his desk. He saw his files, and swiped them off the table. He grabbed his head.
I can't do it! I can't! Neji heard the phone ring and snapped it open.
"What?!" He shouted into the phone.
"Oh my, Neji, is that how you talk to me?" Neji's eyes widened.
"I'm sorry." Neji responded.
"Give me an update. Are you Tenten's boyfriend yet?" Neji bit his lip. "Answer me."
"No." Neji responded.
"Why not?!" Hiashi's voice grew stern.
"Because… I couldn't." Neji answered.
"You fell in love with her?!" Hiashi yelled.
"No. I did not!" Neji replied.
"Then why not?!" Hiashi yelled.
"I want to ask the questions around here." Neji growled. "A couple years ago… Tenten-"
"Tenten?" Hiashi asked.
"That's the girl I'm going to kill, Hiash-sama." Neji replied. "Anyways, Tenten's father and brother were killed… who did it?! She suspects that it was a hired killer. And we were the only hired killers for so long. Who killed her father and brother?" Hiashi was silent.
"Do you not remember?" Neji growled.
"What do you mean… if I knew, then I wouldn't be asking you, right?!" Neji growled.
"Well, I thought you'd remember…" Hiashi smirked.
"What do you mean, Hiashi-sama?" Neji asked.
"You're the one." Neji's eyes widened.
"The what?!" Neji growled.
"You killed Tenten's father and brother."
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gasp oh no! wow, many of your past reviews I received had very good predictions! And they were right! I will update soon. :)
