Yo Yo guys I know it's totally been a while and I totally apologise for that-it really took me a while to write this chapter. Like I'd have an idea then I'd change it and then writers block would show up and blah blah blah. You're not here to listen to me rant so more importantly: here is the next chapter of Scars. Please enjoy!
Chapter 7: What We Are
Three weeks had passed since the Masao incident and after a lot of love, concern and girl time with her friends Tenten convinced them that she was recovered enough to return to work. They reluctantly agreed and thought she needed to recover more but she told them that getting back into the normal swing of things would help her heal faster. So that sunny morning she was dressed and just about to head out when a knock at the door caught her attention.
"M-Misaki Kyouko, what are you doing here?" Tenten said in genuine surprise
"I wanted to talk to you, may I?" she asked and Tenten stood aside to let the prestigious woman inside
Tenten made tea and they both sat at the table.
"Firstly I want to personally apologise for what happened to you. Our company was hacked last month and someone managed to infiltrate our main office. The man was caught but now I see that it was just an elaborate trap to allow the real culprit 'Masao' inside"
Tenten was surprised by the information just disclosed to her and it took her a while to absorb it all as she took a sip of her tea.
"So he was a fake?" she asked slowly still trying to process everything
"Absolutely, there is an employee named Masao that works at 'Konoha Style' however I assure you it wasn't the man you encountered. The real Masao spoke to the police and informed them that his work information was stolen and after investigation, the imposter who sought you out was an avid fan of 'Yamanaka Style' and spent years finding out your information and how to get to you."
Tenten remembered the complete shock and disgust that overwhelmed her when Neji had shown her the 'Tenten' folder he'd copied from 'Masao's' laptop. He'd spent an incredible amount of time relentlessly pursuing her and actually managed to find her. The information made her heart sink to her stomach.
"Thank you for coming to see me, is that the only reason you came over?"
"Actually no it isn't" she cleared her throat "His intentions may have been false but regarding you doing the photoshoot was real. I'd sent the real Masao an email asking him to speak to you on my behalf. To ask you to do the photoshoot for the twentieth anniversary of the magazine"
"So the letter he gave me was real?"
"Yes it was" she finished off her cup of tea then placed it down "Tenten I was genuinely impressed with the photos you took in all the editions of the catalogue. The talent is there and that's why I want you to do it"
"But wasn't the twentieth anniversary two weeks ago?"
"Yes it was and we did release an anniversary issue but it's more of a part one issue. I reorganised our shooting schedule to have the second and main part of it to be shot this weekend, hopefully with you as the creative director"
"Can I think about it?"
"Absolutely, when you've made up your mind you can call me" she took out a business card from her purse and handed it to Tenten before standing up
Tenten stood up as well and headed to the door. As soon as Misaki was gone Tenten leaned against the door, a heavy sigh escaping her.
She arrived at the studio twenty minutes later. She walked in to find her friends already dressed and made up all just waiting for her. Ino was the first to notice her.
"Hey I was about to call. Is everything alright? You're never late." Ino asked her
"Yeah, just had a surprise visitor this morning" she said while walking on to set with Ino and getting her camera ready
"Who was it?"
"Misaki Kyouko" Tenten smiled at Ino's reaction "She came to personally apologise for what happened. Apparently the company got hacked and 'Masao' snuck in to stalk me. She also wants me to do the photo shoot"
"Tenten that's amazing news, you agreed right?"
"Well I said I'd think about it then get back to her later today"
They ended the conversation there and began the photoshoot. This time was a little different to the others. Ino decided to participate in this edition of the catalogue but refused to tell Tenten the reason when she'd asked.
"I'm surprised you don't know the answer. I'll tell you as soon as the this issue is released." She said as she twirled in her white floral maxi dress
After had taken the last picture Ino came and stood by the laptop to see all the pictures.
"Speaking of not knowing answers, what's going on between you and Neji?"
"What do you mean?" Tenten asked genuinely confused
"I mean you told me you two kissed but have things really changed between you two?"
Tenten opened her mouth to answer but closed it just as soon. She really had no answer to that question. It's true that they had kissed and it's very clear they have feelings for each other but neither of them had really brought up the kiss since it happened.
She looked to him, he was talking to Sasuke and as though he knew she was looking he turned his head to look at her. Something very feint passed between them; a subtle communication with just their eyes. Tenten broke eye contact first and looked back at Ino.
"I'm not really sure. I don't think either of us knows what we are yet" she said folding her arms
"I think you two should talk but you can do that after you agree to do the photoshoot"
"Yeah alright I'll call her" she said smiling
Xxx
It was half past five when Tenten had returned to her apartment. She took a shower then went to the kitchen to start making dinner when her phone started ringing.
"Hey Neji, great timing I was about call"
"Were you going to call because of today?"
"Yeah I was" she paused "We haven't really talked about the kiss"
"Do you regret it?"
"No I don't, do you?"
"No"
"Well there has to be a reason we've both been avoiding the topic"
"It's not that strange. We're heading into unknown territory; we've been friends for years and now…"
"Now we're something different. Different doesn't necessarily mean bad" she'd just finished chopping the vegetables
"Of course not but until we figure out what we are to each other things might just feel weird for a while"
"True enough I suppose" she'd just washed the rice "I accepted Misaki's offer to the photoshoot" she finally changed the subject
"That's great, when is it?"
"Saturday and she even said I could bring someone along. Would you do me the honour?" she asked with a chuckle
"Of course."
They'd said their goodbyes and Tenten had dished up her stew and sat at the table. After dinner she went to her room and sat in bed with her laptop going through all the pictures and editing them. She did this for about an hour until she felt fatigue weighing down on her eyelids and decided to call it a night.
The last thing on her mind was her conversation with Neji.
Friday morning arrived a little too quickly for Tenten. She wanted to sleep in a little longer but she knew Ino was very specific about releasing every catalogue at the same time every month. She got out of bed and went to take a shower. Within an hour she was out of the house and on her way to Ino's.
The two of them sat in the living room with a cup of coffee and the laptop between them going over final touches before releasing it. Once they were satisfied with their work the next issue of 'Yamanaka Style' was released. Tenten was completely surprised when Ino told her she'd been in the issue because it was the anniversary of her pitching the idea to Tenten back in high school. They'd both laughed about then had celebratory drinks for it.
"So tomorrow's the big day, you excited?" Ino asked closing the laptop
"That and nervous." she said taking a sip of her coffee
"You'll be fine in fact you'll do great, I just know it." She tried to cheer her up
"So I asked Neji to come with me tomorrow but things are still kinda weird between us"
"Well then tomorrow you can finally address the problem head on and decide for all our sake where your relationship is going" Ino put the empty cup down
"What do you mean 'for all our sake'?" Tenten asked with a confused expression
"Honestly Tenten all of us at the studio can feel the chemistry between you two. Frankly I'm surprised it took you two this long to see something that isn't platonic with each other"
"It's not that we've never seen anything or thought about it. I mean there have been moments between us and I know I've definitely considered him as something more on some occasions." She sighed "I don't know maybe we're just fine with what we are now"
"Then why'd you kiss?"
"I've got no answer for that" she buried her hair in a couch cushion
Saturday finally arrived. Tenten had just walked into the building and could barely keep her mouth closed as it was open in awe. The lavish reception area with its marble floors and matching desktops had her looking around. The giant posters of the most famous cover pictures of the magazines on the walls leading to the elevators. She stepped into the glass box and pressed the button for the third floor as was told to her in Misaki's email.
She was greeted with the sight of racks and racks of designer clothes, models both male and female getting their hair and make-up done and some getting dressed.
"Wow…" was all she could say
She'd walked over to the set and held the camera. It felt foreign because it wasn't the camera she was used to using. For one thing it was a lot more expensive. She felt anxious on her own in a building where she knew no one. Neji hadn't arrived yet, she had to be here early whereas he could arrive when the photoshoot began which was in an hour's time at ten a.m.
"Tenten I'm glad you could make it" Misaki said approaching her dressed in a white suit and her deep red hair tied up in a bun
"Thank you for the opportunity"
"Not at all it's a pleasure. I can't wait to see how this turns out"
Fifteen minutes before the photoshoot Neji had arrived and Tenten was busy speaking to the models. Although the setting was different and they weren't her models that she always worked with she fit the role of creative director very well. She'd briefed the models and gotten used to the new camera incredibly fast in Misaki's opinion. To say she was impressed was an understatement and she hadn't even begun the real work of photography.
There was a fire in Tenten when she took the first shot of the front cover model Chika Nishimura. She'd started her own line of clothes and had them shown at fashion weak overseas within a year and a half of her starting. Now she was a designer and got into the modelling industry so she knew exactly what she was doing when she'd stepped in front of the camera wearing her own designs. This made her think of Ino-her clothes definitely had the potential to debut overseas.
As time went by Tenten had seen all kinds of emerging talent. A few with their own clothing lines, famous models, shoe designers, jewellery makers, fellow fashion photographers and more. She'd finished the last person at three in the afternoon although just as she was about to call it a rap Misaki pulled her aside.
"Tenten this is Yukina Sato she's the official photographer for the magazine" she and Tenten shook hands "She is going to take over while you're in front of the camera"
"In front of the camera?" she asked confused
"Of course. This edition is celebrating emerging young talent in the fashion industry and that includes you Tenten"
"Oh wow…but what about Ino?"
"I already spoke to her and she's on her way right now. The creators of 'Yamanaka Style' are definitely included in this edition"
A few minutes later Ino walked in with two hangers of clothes and they were both whisked off to hair and make-up. The two of them stepped on to set: Ino's hair was in a long braid, wearing plum lipstick and a canary yellow Grecian style dress with matching knee length gold gladiator sandals. Tenten's hair was in a bun, wearing black lipstick that matched the black knee length dress with a military green jacket over it and brown ankle boots.
"So what do you think Neji?" Ino asked confidently as they both walked over to him "My newest outfits"
"You both look incredible" he complimented them but Ino knew he was mostly talking about Tenten
And the fact that they hadn't taken their eyes off each other was just further proof of that. She took the hint and gave the two some privacy.
"I think we should talk after this. Dinner?" she asked
"Sure it is my turn if I'm not mistaken"
She smiled in response then went over to Ino so they could do the photoshoot.
Xxx
Neji and Tenten were seated next to each other at their usual restaurant and had already ordered their meals. Things were different between them, it wasn't awkward just different.
Both of them had a lot rushing through their heads.
"Okay we definitely need to clear the air. Are we dating or aren't we? We've been best friends for years and nobody knows me better than you do" her heart was thundering in her chest. She was basically giving him her heart
"I'm sensing a 'but' coming" he raised a brow
"No there isn't one. I care about you a lot Neji; you've been through it all with me; the good times and the really terrible times."
"Because I care about you too" he put his hand on hers
"I know that and that's why I think there should be an 'us'." She looked up at him "But I'm also scared…"
"Of?"
"What if somewhere down the line things end between us? What if they end badly and we stop being friends because of it?" she rested her head on his chest and he put his arm around her
"Even if it did I'd never want you completely gone form my life" he pulled back slightly to look her in the eyes
"You can't know that now" she tried to look away but his hand on her cheek kept her looking at him
"Tenten you're one of the most important people in my life and you always will be" he leaned in and kissed her and she immediately kissed back
It was soft and full of meaning. Both of them were content with their decision-they wanted to be together no matter what happened. After their kiss they enjoyed their meals and went back to Tenten's place.
"So I can officially call you my boyfriend now" she said cheekily as she sat next to him on the couch
"Not that you weren't already doing that" he said under his breath
"I was not!" she said embarrassed and hit him with a pillow while laughing
The two of them spent the evening together just talking in each other's arms. Their strong feelings for each other filled the room and surrounded them. They both knew it and didn't want to be separate from each other and though they didn't know what was waiting for them in the future; they knew that they'd enjoy spending every moment together.
Another thing they knew and were prepared for was the onslaught that their friends were going to drop on them as soon as they say they're dating.
And there you have it people, I hope you enjoyed that chapter, please let me know what you thought with a review. And thanks for all the favs, follows and reviews. You're all champions!
Shout out time:
Ami1010: I'm soo glad you're enjoying the story, thanks for all the reviews. And I know right Masao was totally the worst. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Leah: My goodness I couldn't agree with you more, Nejiten shipper always and forever but Sasuten moments are life. I'm a total sucker for them!
Guest: Thanks for the reviews, and this chapter totally answered your question. Neji and Tenten are officially together XD !
Well that's it from me:
Until the next chapter-
Ketsui Tasogare :-)
