Tenten felt awful. As she walked down the stairs to her room, her stomach had turned so many times she'd lost count. She wanted to throw up, to bash her head into something hard. That… Idiot. She slammed her door shut, locking it. Throwing herself down on the bed she tried to relax. This proved itself to be impossible. "God damn it," she muttered into the pillow. She sniffed. She had suddenly gotten the urge to cry. "God damn that emotionless bastard!"

Her pillow didn't answer, didn't react as she punched it. Whether she was sad, angry or just upset in any way she didn't know. "G-god damn him. she… God damn it. Damn it." She rolled over to her back and sighed loudly. She had messed up badly. She'd hurt the only emotionless, mysterious bastard she had.

And now she had to fall asleep alone.

"I wouldn't want to keep sneaking into your new room."

"You'd do that?"

"Every night."

Yeah, right. So much for that. Maybe she should go with the offer and get a new room. She sighed and rolled over once again, looking out the window.

She wondered where he was now.

Maybe Tenten was the stupid one. She still felt that weird way her heart was beating, and she still felt his breath on her lips… something tingled inside of her and she giggled slightly. What was she doing, being all depressed? We would still be, what were his words? Best friends. Just that made me giggle even more. He enjoyed being her friend.

She fell serious as she looked deeper into it. Perhaps he'd only enjoyed spending time with be because of his affection for her. What if, now that she had rejected him, he wouldn't want to be her friend anymore? She sniffed, and the tears she had been holding back rolled onto her pillow.

"Idiot," she muttered to herself. "What're you crying for?" Nothing. Nothing!

Still her chest ached with undeniable pain. She bit hard into her lip, ignoring the sharp jab of pain it caused. She curled up on the bed, not bothering to undress or even hide herself under the covers. She somehow managed to fall asleep, drifting off into an uneasy slumber.

"Tenten?"

Her eyes slowly opened, letting the morning sun in. "Hinata? Since when were you home?"

The girl hesitated, pulling nervously at her cream white top before answering. "I just got back, and… I'm worried about Neji.

Tenten sat up. "Neji? Why?"

"He's so… Quiet. Don't misunderstand, he's always quiet, but never like… this. It's almost as if he's hurt… I'm worried about him."

Slowly raising her hands Tenten let her head fall into them. "That… Would be my fault," she muttered. The bed creaked slightly as Hinata sat down by her.

"Why?" She asked cautiously.

"Because… Because I couldn't return his feelings and… God, I messed up. I think I was a bit rough on him." She looked up. "I hope he forgives me," she whispered. "I feel really bad."

They fell into silence.

"Hey, Hinata… do you think you could… talk to him? Tell him I'm sorry?"

"Oh, n-no, Tenten. I can't do that… he doesn't like me very much. And I think it'd be the best if you did it yourself."

Tenten slowly nodded. "I guess you're right," she said. "But… I don't know if I can… See him right now. He…"

"I understand," Hinata said softly, standing to her feet. "Just give him some time and he'll be coming to you to apologize for whatever he did… he's that kind of a person. He might not act like it, but he's actually a very kind person. He just… Hides his true self from the world."

And with that, Neji's cousin backed out the door and left her alone with her own thoughts.

"Damn," she muttered. "I've got to go talk to him."

She stayed in the room, however. Opening the window she allowed the fresh morning breeze to fill the room. She closed her eyes as the wind ruffled her bangs.

"You'd better move away from the window. We don't want our only human roommate to catch a cold, do we?"

"Eh?"

Tenten spun around. She had been right. Besides, who else in the world had the same dark, cold voice as he had? "Neji," she said dumbly as he approached, leaning past her and closing the window. He seemed different. As if he had strengthened his icy façade, as if he was closing himself further away.

"Look, about I said; I'm sorry! I really, really, truly am. Could you… Could you forgive me? I was unnecessarily harsh and I- I- I wouldn't know what to do if I'd lost you as a friend, and…" She lost track of where she was going with her words. Closing her mouth she turned around, facing the window. "Don't ever leave me alone at night again," she said, the words coming forced and strained from her lips.

"I won't. Not unless you want me away really badly."

She bit her lip, keeping her gaze fixated on the glowing orb in the sky. Swallowing away the sudden lump in her throat she opened her mouth, but the words refused to come. "I…"

Just the slightest touch. The friction between his fingertips and her skin. Just the chilling sensation as his hand slid across her arm. She couldn't take it, she couldn't stand him; and yet again the tears welled up in her eyes.

"Tenten?" As the liquid trickled down her cheeks he attempted talking to her. She could faintly hear it. But her own heartbeat and quick-paced breath impeded her hearing, made it hard to make out his words. She wanted him to go away, but at the same time she wanted to feel him there. To know that he was with her, to hear his breath and to feel his skin.

This feeling she had wasn't the same as falling in love, she realized that. Yet it was bittersweet, just like love, and both stung and comforted at the same time. She felt his arms slowly, as if wary of her running away, trailing around her shoulders.

"Please don't cry," he said as he gently pulled her closer. "It hurts us both more than necessary."

She let her tears fall onto his shirt, pressing her head into his chest. She was a fool.