"Tenten? Are you there? Can I please come in?"

"Yeah."

Cautiously, Neji pushed the door to Tenten's room open and peered in, taking a deep breath.

"Neji?" Tenten looked mildly surprised. "What is it?"

"Just come to tell you that, uh, Temari is still alive," Neji begin awkwardly.

"Alive?" Tenten's eyes flew open at once. "Alive? What do you mean? Everyone was just talking about how she died mysteriously due to heart failure. What are you talking about now?"

"Calm down. Come, Tenten, just sit for a while. I won't be long. Yes, I know how weird this sounds, but Temari survived, somehow. I just went to, uh, talk to Shikamaru for a while, and there, bingo! In his room was Temari, alive and well."

"Well, well, well, this is a major surprise!" Tenten exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Neji, by any chance, did you have something to do with it? Remember how you told me after the match that you would take care of her?"

Neji gulped nervously.

"Neji. Did you?"

"You want to hear the truth?"

"Of course. What else?"

"Alright, then." Neji drew in a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Yes, Tenten. You've hit the nail on the head. But I – I didn't quite mean to kill her. I just intended to, er, well, knock her out, make her suffer a little. That's all."

"I see," Tenten said, very slowly, pursing up her lips. "Didn't mean to kill her…well, you're fortunate there, Neji, for I could never love a murderer."

Never love a murderer?

"I'm sorry, Tenten." Neji's voice was rather stiff now. "I hope this little episode with Temari and Shikamaru just hasn't affected our friendship too deeply yet. Goodbye. I'll see you later."

He turned to leave, but Tenten moved first, deliberately blocking his path.

"Neji? Leaving so soon? Do you take me for a fool? I may not be all-seeing, or as intelligent as some of you are…but I do have an idea as to what's been going on lately."

Neji raised an eye, not quite understanding.

"Hey, did you really think I could fall for something as silly as that?" Tenten grinned good-naturedly. "From the moment Shikamaru started…well, you know what I mean – I guessed what he was at. Trying to get closer and closer to me just to make you jealous. His own way of avenging Temari's death at your hands."

"You mean, you saw through all of that?" Neji's eyes widened.

"Duh! What do you think? It's never been like Shikamaru to suddenly make so many moves. You know how he is, after all. Lazy, complacent, unmotivated…"

"Then, were you just playing along?"

"You can say that, if you like. Come on, Neji. Surely you didn't think I'd fall for that?"

"I don't know," Neji muttered awkwardly. "I mean, you seemed to – you seemed to… enjoy his company more than you did mine. And so I thought…"

"Oh, just shut up, Neji."

Neji had no time whatsoever to open his mouth to speak again. In a flash, Tenten was in his arms, her arms around his neck, her lips on his. It was the first time they had ever been so close; Neji's face flamed, and he could hardly breathe for mixed shock and delight.

"Tenten…"

"Neji, do you ever stop talking, I wonder?"

Neji could only blush like a little girl. But on his face was a smile already.

So, looks like all's well after all!

Finis, guys!!! Hope you've liked everything so far!!! Thanks goes to everyone for reading and reviewing this.

So, now that this story's done, please hit that little purple button down there and REVIEW!!!