A Week With the Progidy by iJutsu
Chapter 7: Day 7
Tenten awaken the next morning, feeling the warm breeze go across her face. She quietly sat up and looked up at the clock: 9 o'clock A.M. She sighed. "Today is the day. The day I'm getting engaged," she thought sadly, looking over at Neji, who was still sleeping, "And to think, all that happened this week, would've helped prevent that." Tenten once again sighed as she continued looking at Neji. Smiling softly, she carefully moved the stands of hair covering his face a little back, revealing his calm face. Suddenly, he slowly opened one eye, which to Tenten's surprise, she didn't move. Neji looked at her questionably, but smiled a bit.
"Morning," he whispered.
"Good morning," she whispered back, as Neji opened both his eyes fully and rubbed the back of his head
"Wouldn't actually call it a 'good' morning, Tenten," he replied, with his face revolving a little more serious, yet disappointed look, on his face, "Today is..."
Tenten drew back a little bit and leaned back against the wall, inches next to the bed she was sitting on. She placed her loose hair covering her face in the back of her ear to hold it, and sighed. Closing her eyes for a moment, and slowly opening them, she slid off the bed and went over to the sink. She turned on the water and splashed water all over her face, to get herself fully awake. Neji let out a sigh, already knowing she didn't want to talk about the topic. Tenten splashed one more handful of water onto her face. Before she could grab the towel, shivers went up her arm as she felt two arms go around her stomach, and a head resting on her shoulder. The water dripping from her face kept on hitting the hand which was supporting the arms on keeping it around her. She couldn't move.
"N-Neji?"
"I'm really going to miss you too," he mumbled, with his forehead resting on her shoulder.
Tenten's eyes widened. She started to remember what she had said to him on the first day of accompanying him:
"I'm really going to miss you, Neji."
"Hnh."
She started to shake. Random emotions started to overwhelm her; sadness, happiness, anger, disappointment and...love. More than just water was hitting his hand, for it was also tears. Neji didn't move an inch. Tenten drew her head down, trying to prevent more tears from coming out.
"You know what? This is funny," he whispered,"This week, we fight days before, but then the next day, we're laughing as if the years we've known each other was actually used for knowing each other. It just feels rather awkward, but, to tell the truth, I've been enjoying it."
Tenten started to shake more. "That was what I said to him before..." she thought. The embrace from him was getting a little tighter, as she felt his warmth comforting her. More small tears started to roll down her face. She harshly wiped them away, but the more it came. Neji then again spoke.
"And throughout this week, we've encountered so many interruptions interfering with the feelings that are dying to come out..."
She couldn't handle much more. With his arms still around her, she covered her eyes with both her hands, hiccuping a bit from her small sobs.
"W-why say this now?" she stuttered, "Why tell me this on the last day? Why tell me and hurt me"
Neji was caught off-guard from that unexpected statement, but he didn't move. He just stood there, holding onto a shaking Tenten. After seconds of utter silence, he released her and turned her around to face him. She didn't look at him. She looked down, not wanting to look at him in her pitiful state. Neji brought her close to him and hugged her. Her eyes again widened as her face was leaning against his chest, hearing his calm heart beats. "This is it," Tenten thought, "I can't back down now. After hours, I probably won't see Neji ever again...". Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him and embraced him tightly, returning the favor. Memories from the day before, the encounter with Taker came through her mind. Mostly all of what Neji said, kept her safe, kept her happy..:
"I don't need fools like you to tell me what to do. Especially when it's about someone I care about."
"She's not in love with you."
"Touch her again and DIE."
Then the kiss. The kiss she longed for from him. Now the fact of marrying the man who nearly planned on killing Neji made her feel like all of that was worth nothing. Nothing; for what she wanted to hear from Neji never came out. She finally released from the hug and smiled a little child-like to Neji. Tapping his shoulder, she giggled softly.
"W-well, I better get ready for the leaving at the training area. Lee is probably waiting for us over there."
"Right," Neji sighed, "Do you need anything before you get ready?"
Tenten giggled again and flicked his forehead with her finger softly.
"Why? You don't need to take care of me, Neji. I'm the one suppose to be taking care of you."
Neji chuckled and smiled back. Tenten grabbed her bag, and walked towards the door. When she reached the door, and opened it, she paused for a moment and looked back, with a smile upon her face.
"Thank you. For...everything," she replied.
With nothing else to say to him, she went out and closed the door, saving the trouble from him saying the response. Neji smirked to himself as he grabbed his own bag and clutched onto his, or Tenten's, necklace that he had placed on himself.
"You're welcome."
--
At the training area...
Lee and Neji sat on the log in the training area where the three would always sit on after training. Lee sighed, thinking of the removal of Tenten, and having someone else sit on her place. Neji started to fiddle with the kunai Lee has given him with his finger. He eyed Lee, who was resting his head on his knee, obviously in deep thought. Neji sighed as well, and placed a hand on Lee's shoulder. Lee looked up at him and smiled softly.
"It is such a big shame seeing Tenten leave off to some stranger," Lee said.
"Yeah..."
"I know you care about this as much as I do, Neji," Lee replied, "Probably more than I. I know that you do not want this to happen."
"Why would I Lee? Of course I don't want this to happen. She's our teammate, our friend..."
"Your love," Lee finished.
Before Neji could respond to such a statement, they heard footsteps coming towards them. There was no need for them to turn to see who it was. Quickly, they stood up, waiting for their fellow teammate to stand before them. Tenten, in no time, reached them and bowed. Getting up straight from her bow, she looked over at Lee, who was staring at her straight in the eye with his own teary eyes. Tenten grinned, already knowing what Lee wanted to do. She opened up her arms. In almost an instant, Lee went up to her and hugged her tightly.
"Ah, Tenten, I cannot believe the day has come!" Lee replied sadly, with the noodle-ish tears flowing out, "I am truly going to miss you so!"
"I'm going to miss you as well," she said, releasing and patting his shoulder, "I mean, you're like my support. You always have a way to keep me going. I'm really going to miss that..."
"Tenten, don't make this sadder than it already is!" Lee sobbed, hugging her once again, and then releasing, "Do not worry! You know where I live! So whenever that Takeru hurts you, be sure to call me! I will surely hurt him. You are always part of Team Gai and I vow to protect you!"
Tenten stared at him happily as her eyes sparkled. She didn't hug him, for she felt that would hurt both of them even more. Lee then wiped his eyes and pinged a smile at her, along with his good guy pose.
"But, despite Takeru, be sure to keep in touch with me! Visit Neji, Gai-sensei, and I, often. Promise?"
"I'll see what I can do," she smiled, giving in one last bow to Lee, "Thank you. You mean a lot to me. Both of you."
Neji and Lee smiled and nodded. Tenten rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.
"Well, I better go now. I don't want to keep anyone waiting."
Tenten looked at Neji, feeling his stare. Their eyes-connected, and within moments, they returned the same smile towards each other; a caring smile. She turned around to another direction and started to walk. Lee watched her as her body got smaller and smaller as she walked on further. Finally...
She was gone.
Lee was hurt, seeing one of his teammates leave. He turned over to Neji, who was still staring at the area where Tenten left. Lee tapped him on his shoulder and gave him a serious look. Neji, snapping back to real life, looked at him confusingly. Lee crossed his arms and tilted his head towards Neji, as if Neji, even as a silent one, was really stupid at the moment.
"Go," Lee simply stated.
"Pardon?"
"Go. Go to her, Neji."
"I don't see where you're going..."
"I know what you are thinking. I know what you want to do with her. You want to prevent it. Now go and get to it."
"Lee-"
"Do not keep this conversation going. She is getting more far by the second. Catch up to her and DO IT."
Lee then pointed at the necklace Neji was wearing.
"Check if anything opens."
Neji stared at his green comrade in complete amusement, for Lee and him has never had a conversation such as that. Also amazed for seeing where Lee was getting to, might be the smartest thing Neji has ever done. Finally, Neji nodded and ran. Lee smiled and walked back to the village.
"I wish you the best, progidy."
--
Tenten continued walking deeper into the woods, and closer to her home. No feeling but sadness was in her. "Well, that was it. And this is it. I'm getting engaged. Takeru will use me, and I can't stop him until marriage comes, which is in what? 4 years? ...I really thought Neji could've stopped it," she thought. She then touched her lips, remembering the kiss, their kiss, "Neji..." She then remembered his saying:
"And throughout this week, we've encountered so many interruptions interfering with the feelings that are dying to come out..."
She sighed. "What feelings, Neji?" she thought to herself yet again. The quietness around her started to fade away as she heard sounds from the rustling of leaves from the bushes and trees. She looked up, seeing leaves fly through the air. It was a disappointment to her, seeing that it was getting windy. She grabbed her jacket from her backpack, and stopped walking for a while to put it on. While she placed it on, she looked forward, sensing some kind of presence around her. Presence of not just the wilderness around her, but the presence of a person. She blinked, seeing a figure probably feet before her. It was getting closer, she noticed, and the figure was getting more clearer to see, but not clear enough to see who it was. She decided not to move until she figures out who it was. Although, after she blinked, the person was gone. Or, that was what she thought. All of a sudden, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Her inner-self jumped in shock as she slowly reached for a weapon in her pocket, thinking it was some sort of enemy. Quickly, she turned fearlessly at the person and gasped, dropping in weapon in surprise. It was Neji.
"Neji?" she replied, receiving just a nod from him, "W-what are you doing here?"
"I can't let you go, Tenten," Neji said quietly, looking right into her eyes.
Tenten frowned. It was happening again.
"I have to Neji..."
"You don't have to," Neji said sharply, taking one of her hands in both of his, "You don't have to go back there, and see Takeru."
"Th-they'll probably send out people to look for me..."
"That's not what I meant."
Tenten looked up at him in puzzlement. He then let go of her hand and sighed.
"You mean a lot to me, Tenten. I may not show appreciation towards you, but I cherish every moment I have with you. As a teammate, as a friend, and what adds up from all of that."
"What are you...What do you mean by that?"
"I love you."
Tenten gasped softly as she looked at Neji, who was looking at her a bit seriously, but with admiration. Sadly, she looked down, still not hearing the words that she wanted to hear. She closed her eyes tightly, not wanting any more foolish tears to run out of her face, and again be in front of the person she really loves.
"Again. Wh-why are you saying this all to me now?"
Neji sighed, and continued looking at her, even if eye-connection was lost.
"Because I'm too much of a fool to let out what I truly feel..."
He stopped, noticing that Tenten was once again shaking. He sighed once more, hating the fact that she holds in her pain and sorrow within her. Taking one step closer to her, he lifted up her chin up with his thumb, making her face towards his. Tenten opened her eyes, but didn't look at him. Neji didn't let the avoiding of eye-contact stop him. Carefully, he took of his necklace. Holding onto the key in his hand, he lifted the heart-shaped lock upon Tenten's neck with his other hand. That caught Tenten's attention. "The necklaces," she thought surprised, "I completely forgot about them...how did he..?" Tenten suddenly remembered what Lee said about the necklace:
"You see, one keeps the key, and another keeps the heart. If the person with the key places it into the keyhole, and the heart lights up, that means you two are destined to be together! But, if it does not light up, unfortunately, you two are not. Ah, it is like the spring time of youth is revolving around love!"
She stopped with her thoughts as she saw Neji stick the key into the keywhole.
The heart lighted up.
Tenten gasped as she looked up at Neji. Neji just smiled softly at her and shrugged as a 'no big deal' way. He then spoke.
"Do you now see why I can't let you go? There is already another one who loves you."
It was then Neji leaned closer towards Tenten, bringing her body closer to his in a warm embrace. She looked up at him creating a new eye-contact.
"And that's me." he finished
.
Tenten eyed to the left, killing the eye-contact once again, and sadly sighed.
"I have to go see him. I have no other choice, Neji..."
A smirk then grew upon Neji's lips as he softly turned her head towards his. He leaned in close, close enough that they were breathing each other's breath.
"You now have another choice..." he chuckled.
Tenten blinked, trying to get where he was going. Her eyes widened as she understood. Closing her eyes, she giggled under her breath and spoke.
"You're crazy." He leaned in closer.
"Think I'm crazy?"
Without no hesitation, they gave in and their lips touched. The kiss grew more passionate as Neji held her more closer to him. Tenten started to feel a completely different feeling. The feeling of her heart restoring from the same person who broke it. It came to an end once they ran out of breath. They both parted from each other, trying to catch some air. Tenten smiled up at him as she panted. Quickly, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.
"Feeling better? Because it wasn't as fun spending a week with a sick and injured progidy I call a teammate."
"Heh. In that case, I don't think I'm feeling well."
Both started to laugh, while they intertwined their fingers together, and they were on their way over to Tenten's parent's home, to where they can start a new, yet old, generation of complications.
--
"I cannot wait to see my daughter finally getting engaged," Tenten's mother said, smiling up at the sky.
"Yeah," Takeru said, who was standing next to her, grinning, "It would be really great-"
"Oh! Here she comes!"
Takeru looked from where the mother was looking at, seeing Tenten. His grin started to fade as he saw her walking with someone else. Someone no other than...
"Hyuuga Neji..." Takeru said under his breath, staring at both of them confused.
Once the two members from Team Gai approached Tenten's mother, they both bowed. When Neji stood up straight before her mother, the mother tilted her head, and let out her hand in respect, motioning him to shake it.
"Hello. Who might you be?"
Neji looked over at Takeru and smirked. Taking her hand to shake, he smiled.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Neji. Tenten's husband-to-be."
FIN
Yay. I'm done. I'm sorry it's a sucky ending but whatever. I'm going to continue to write more fanfics to improve myself. So please R&R, and I promise you that you'll be impressed with the next stories I hopefully plan to make! Thanks!