Chapter 3: Something Off

She was bleeding. Not so much that it could be considered fatal, but enough to make others notice. And the four people standing in the training grounds definitely did.

"Sakura?"

Tenten's shocked voice floated through the air, a reminder that everything had suddenly gone still and silent without them even being aware of it. Only the breeze shifted, blowing whispers that couldn't be understood, and swaying everything movable into a light, gentle movement.

Then...

"Lee, my beloved student! Your beloved love is back!"

"Sakura-chan! You're alive! My cherry blossom!"

There was a great cry of happiness and triumph, as a green-clad teenager jumped up and down in excitement, amidst the tears that were still streaking his face. Then, he moved, a green blur charging towards his longtime love with arms wide open (The older green-clad ninja was bawling on the ground in joy).

"I thought you were dead! I thought you were gone!"

"Lee—"

"I can't believe you're alive! I can't believe it!"

"Lee—"

"My cherry blossom, I will take care of you! I will—"

"Lee!"

Lee ignored the loud command. He kept on charging like a madman, hearts practically dancing in his eyes. He ran. He grinned.

SMACK!

And fell down on his rump, as an invisible barrier met his path.

"You really should learn to listen to instructions—especially when they're needed," Neji said, a hint of coldness in his voice. Slowly, he turned the Byakugan off, and eyed Sakura silently.

The shield that she had put up around her was invisible to his white eyes once again. It had been a light green shield—a jutsu he had seen before, though not that many times. It wasn't one many ninjas used, because it was the kind of shield that was too weak to counter a powerful jutsu attack, much less stop it. But, as far as blocking simple bodily contact, it was effective enough. He had to wonder why she still hadn't dropped it when she was already safe in Konoha.

Maybe to block off the likes of Lee, then.

He highly doubted that.

"Haruno?" Neji asked quietly.

She looked in his direction for a while, her expression saying that she was aware he knew about the jutsu—him being a Hyuuga was indication enough. She didn't offer explanations. Didn't even so much as try to answer his silent question with a simple nod of acknowledgement.

And she didn't look him in the eye.

Instead, her head turned to the four (Lee had already stood up, despite the dumbfounded expression on his face). She gave another small trace of a smile, her eyes trained somewhere on their faces. Somewhere, Neji presumed, where eye contact wouldn't happen.

"Hi, guys."

Her voice was hoarse—not too much, but enough for him to notice that it wasn't really her usual voice. Like she overused it, or something like that. She took a step forward, and her dominant use of her right leg told him that she had either broken her left one, or sprained it. He couldn't see if there were bruises there (he was respectful enough not to look through her pants with the Byakugan), but her arms had them—and she was cradling her left elbow using her right, meaning that arm was either broken or sprained as well. Her face was okay, albeit the swollen lower lip and the large slash across her right cheek.

Why didn't she heal them?

Tenten was the first to speak again.

"Sakura—kami! What—are you—er...where have you been? What happened to you?" the weapons master stuttered, concern and alarm clear in her voice. She had dropped the kunai long ago on the grass, where it splintered and dug itself in the soft ground.

"I bungled up the mission a bit—but I fixed it now, so don't worry. Konoha is safe. And I'm okay, just minor bruises," Sakura replied lightly. Neji wondered if he'd imagined it—but there was a slight flicker in her expression when she had said the last sentence. But it had vanished before he could contemplate what it meant.

"My cherry blossom! Are you sure you are alright? You are bleeding!"

She smiled again—this time more sincerely. "I'm fine, Lee. And I'm sorry for the shield—I just don't think you should hug me yet, what's with my bruises and all."

Lee flushed a deep red at the word hug—but he seemed pretty pleased with her explanation, and went on nodding his head eagerly.

"You do not have to apologize, my lady! Seeing your youth and beauty come to life again is more than enough, and when springtime—"

"Oh, lay off it, Lee," Tenten scoffed, rolling her eyes in exasperation. Turning back to Sakura, she smiled worriedly again. She opened her mouth to speak—but Neji cut her off, speaking the words he knew she was about to ask.

"We thought you were dead, Haruno. Your team has been searching for you for weeks. We all have." He didn't mean it to come out accusing, but it sounded a bit like that. Tenten glared at him, but he ignored her and continued staring at Sakura.

Something flickered in those green eyes again—was he the only one who noticed it? Why was everyone acting oblivious? Again, it disappeared before he could understand the emotions behind it, to be replaced by a reassuring smile.

"Well, you thought wrong. Sorry to worry you."

Neji narrowed his eyes, remaining silent.

"You should go to the hospital, Sakura," Tenten said, "Let me accompany you—"

"I'm fine, Tenten—I'll heal myself later. I need to see Tsunade-shisou first." Slowly, she turned to Gai, who had stopped bawling, but was still tear-streaked in the face.

"Gai-sensei...is shishou here, or is she out on a village meeting?"

The green-clad adult grinned, showing off even, white teeth to perfection. "She is here, dear Sakura-chan. We will accompany you—"

"Cherry blossom!" Lee yelled, enthusiastically interrupting his teacher, "Let me escort you, I will protect you—"

"She is quite safe right now, moron," Tenten interrupted sarcastically, rolling her eyes again. "She's home now, isn't she?"

Lee raised his hands in the air. "But I am still willing—"

"Lee, would you stop being irritating—"

"But I am her knight! My youth will—"

"Lee, you're not a knight," Tenten pointed out. "You're a ninja."

"But nevertheless, I—"

"Er...guys?"

The two arguing teammates went silent and turned to the third speaker, who happened to be the person they were talking about. Sakura nodded her head.

"I'll go alone. Thanks."

"But my blossom!" Lee cried out. "I—"

"Bye, guys."

And with that, she left, leaving a worried Tenten, a hysterically dismayed Lee, and a loud Gai (who was comforting Lee with another bout of springtime and youth speech) behind. Neji continued being silent, but he watched as she slowly limped her way to the direction of the Hokage tower. Watched, until she vanished from their sight. After a few minutes, Lee recovered, and was grinning like a madman again. He soon bolted, ready to announce to their fellow ninja comrades that his beloved blossom was back. Gai-sensei, naturally, went off with him.

"She doesn't look okay," Tenten said softly, once the two were gone.

Neji didn't reply.

"I...I better go, Neji," she said again. "Ino and the others have to know about this."

He still didn't say a word, but he nodded. Waving a hand at him, she slowly ambled away.

With a last look at Tenten, Neji frowned. He had no idea his female teammate was perceptive enough to notice the pink-haired kunoichi wasn't as okay as she was trying to reassure them—even Lee and their sensei hadn't noticed it, as they were both merely occupied with the fact that she was alive, and that was it. Nothing more to worry about.

But there was something there.

Something off, and something not...right.

But he decided to ignore it.

After all, even if what he saw in Sakura was either imagination or real, one thing was still certain—it was none of his business, nor will it ever be. They weren't teammates...they weren't even friends. Just ninjas and comrades, whose paths crossed every now and then. Nothing more.

He sighed.

Then, just like any dedicated shinobi, he went on with his training.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

a/n: Chapter 3, at last! Hope you guys like it! I'm making chapter 4 now, but it's not yet finished...i'll post it soon...

Please review! :)