"I feel bad for you, Hyuuga." Sasuke commented one day. The two were sitting outside a café spying on the lovely couple inside. Tenten and Kimimaru were holding hands as they talked. Tenten was talking, Kimimaru was listening. Looking closely, Tenten really seemed to be enjoying herself. And Kimimaru, for the first time in his life, looked interested in what somebody else had to say. "You look like you're missing out on something good."
Neji scowled. He hated spying on Tenten, betraying her trust like this, but he didn't trust Kimimaru. Now he looks like he loves her, but sooner or later he's going to break her heart. Kimimaru was talking now, and he made Tenten laugh. This only made Neji angrier. The couple got up and left. The two "stalkers" followed quietly behind them. Kimimaru had his arm around Tenten's waist. Her head lay on his shoulder.
"This is so sick," Neji muttered.
"You're the one who wanted to follow her."
"That was before I found out that they're inseperable."
"So why are we still following them?"
"Shut up."
"Stalker."
"Dumbass."
And on and on they went when they realized that they're query was gone.
"Where'd they go?"
Neji, seemingly desperate, activated his Byakugan. Sasuke, just very bored, activated his Sharingan. They saw the couple at almost the exact same time.
"Ewww…,"
"You're right. I don't want to be here anymore," Neji muttered.
Later
Neji sat in the kitchen drowning himself in vanilla ice cream. Sometimes it was the only thing that kept him sane. He had just shoved a spoonful in his mouth when the door opened and his greatest rival in love entered. Kimimaru had a slight smile on his face. He didn't seem to notice Neji as he came to stand against the window, staring out into daylight.
Neji's brow raised.
"Where'd you come from?" Neji asked. His cousin glanced at him surprised, then he smiled.
"I've just been out with Tenten." He looked away and hummed to himself as he left the kitchen.
That is so not the Kimimaru I know and hate.
"He's different. He's changed." Neji confided to Hinata as they once again watched over the two lovesick couple, this time from the balcony of Hinata's room. Tenten had come over for dinner. And all the talk had been about the wedding. White flowers, pink tabletops, five bridesmaids, etc. etc. All this talk excited the women and drove the men crazy. Except for Kimimaru and Hiashi, though, they were as pumped up as the women.
"It just doesn't seem right. It's like I have to look over my shoulder every minute. It feels like he's planning something." Neji muttered. Hinata shuffled her feet.
"Maybe he's not planning something…,"
"Ha ha, that's a first. Kimimaru's always planning something!"
"Well, maybe this time he's not."
"I don't care. I'm just worried about Tenten." Neji said glaring at his cousin from his place.
The next day…
Neji moaned as he struggled to carry a mountain load of boxes. Hinata, as Tenten's bridesmaid, had ordered a large supply of….something. Well, whatever it is, it's really heavy! Neji could hardly see over the load he carried and wobbled as the weight of it all threatened to overcome his. Activating his Byakugan, it became easier for him to see where he was going; but he had been looking the other way when he bumped into another something. Boxes toppled over him as he fell to the floor.
"I'm sorry! Let me help you!"
The boxes covering him were lifted off and some of the pressure subsided. Opening his eyes, Neji was semi shocked to see that the person lifting the boxes off of him was Kimimaru. Normally, Kimimaru would laugh at him and leave him there.
Neji sat up and rubbed the sore spots. He couldn't speak. He watched as Kimimaru straightened the fallen boxes. He apologized again.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." He looked once more at Neji. "Sorry, but I have to be somewhere right now." And he rushed off.
Shaking off the shock, Neji resumed the transportation of the boxes to Hinata's room. He passed maids and servants running errands and heard nothing but talk about Tenten's wedding. Realizing the reality of it all, his heart crushed and a heavy weight settled in his stomach. Tenten, his best friend, his partner, his love, was marrying another man. Not just any man, his own flesh and blood. And all he could do was help and feign cheerfulness.
Neji deposited the boxes just inside Hinata's room and ran off to find something else to do. He would have trained but for some obvious reason, every time he went down to the training grounds he'd think of Tenten. Every training session he'd ever had was with Tenten. He'd never trained alone since he and Tenten had been put on the same team. Even when they had first met, Tenten had always been keen on showing him that she was worthy of his time. Even after practices, Tenten would remain behind to hone her skills.
Neji went to the lake for a swim.
And he arrived in less than five minutes. Neji soaked in the sun's warmth as he removed his robes. He wore only his boxers as he didn't trust that this lake was private property anymore. Once or twice he'd seen some trouble makers trying to vandalize the property. Neji dove into the warm and clear lake water. The water was so different from the nighttime, so much clearer that the underwater life threw itself out at the lucky divers. Silver scaled fish swam by him and green plants swayed with the water's motion.
He surfaced for air and swam back to the dock where he'd left his clothes. Where Tenten had fallen off, it brought back somewhat bitter sweet memories of what had occurred that night. After a few hours, Neji returned to the Hyuuga mansion.
Tenten
She couldn't believe it! After so many years of being dead set against marriage, she was actually getting married! And the man she was going to marry was someone she actually liked! Kimimaru loved her, he told her so everyday and every night. If a guy sends you flowers then he must mean something. And if he gave you a kiss in the morning and a kiss at night…there was no question! Tenten is deep in love.
"Tenten, pay attention," Neji snapped. Tenten jumped and just narrowly missed a flying kunai. The two were currently having their spar for the first time in weeks. Ever since Tenten had met her fiancé she'd been slacking off, according to Neji. And even now it showed.
"Sorry, Neji, I'm not focusing." Tenten muttered. She wiped her brow and panted heavily. For the past four hours they had been training, Neji hadn't gone easy on her.
"Tenten!"
Tenten turned, a big cheerful smile on her face. Neji bit back a growl.
"Kimimaru, where've you been?" Tenten asked. Kimimaru kissed her cheek.
"Sorry, I've been busy. By the way, Aunt Hyako, she wants to see you about the menus." Hyako was a talented chef who was catering the wedding. Tenten smiled.
"Of course, I'll be right back." Tenten kissed Kimimaru this time and waved good bye.
Neji, seething with anger, was about to leave.
"Neji-niisan, please wait!" Stopping, Neji waited for Hinata to catch up to him. "Neji-niisan, may I ask a favor?" But she didn't wait for him to answer. "There's another order that needs to be picked up. You don't mind picking it up for me?"
"Actually, I can do it, Hinata-sama." Kimimaru offered. Hinata squeaked. Sweat formed on her forehead.
"U-umm…s-sure…thank…y-you," Hinata squeaked and ran off. Despite standing up for him during Neji's rampage, she was still intimidated by him. Neji shook his head at her. He glared at Kimimaru,but for no reason really. He just loved hating him. A weird love-hate relationship don't you think?
Kimimaru began to walk away. But first he stopped and turned to look at Neji.
"I'd appreciate the company, Neji-san." Still getting used to his sudden nice manners personality, Neji followed. It was after all, the first time they'd been in each other's company in which neither had exchanged angry comments.
"Neji, you haven't said anything to me since…well, for a very long time." Kimimaru said finally.
"I make it a point to avoid you whenever I can," Neji retorted.
"Look, I want to apologize for all the things I've done to offend you. I always knew that I was being a bully to you and Hinata-chan. I understand that the reason you hate me is because of the way I treated you when we were young. But do you think that you could forgive me?"
Neji glared at Kimimaru. Something isn't right.
"Kimimaru, why the big change," Neji asked. "Why are you so…nice?"
Kimimaru smiled.
"Neji, I think I'm in love."
"Tenten, she…she made me change. She makes me realize what love really is."
Kimimaru…in love?
"Suddenly I feel like everything I do, I do it for her. I want to make her happy. So I want to make up for being a spoiled brat. I love her. She changed me to who I really am. Honestly, I never thought anyone could ever make me feel this way." Kimimaru confided.
Tenten
Tenten smiled as she sat on the dock. The same dock she and Neji had gone to when the ditched their friends. But she wasn't thinking about Neji anymore. No, it was all about Kimimaru. Thinking about him made her smile. The same as when Neji always made her smile. He laughed at all her jokes, however corny they were. The same as when she attempted to make Neji laugh.
Tenten shed her clothes except for her undergarments and taking a deep breath jumped into the lake. Taking strong and deep strokes, her body skimmed the water. Colorful underwater life threw itself out at her and silver fish swam by her body. Her hair floated gently in the water and she swam gracefully to the surface. Swimming back to the dock for rest Tenten dried her hair and sat down to soak in the sun.
Tenten smiled and closed her eyes, remembering Kimimaru's kiss before she left. He was so gentle. Warm. Loving. Just like Neji. Her eyes flashed open.
What? Am I really comparing Kimimaru to Neji?
Tenten gasped and sat up.
His kiss, his hugs, the whole feeling! It's almost the exact same!
…Just like Neji…
…but who do I really love?
A/N: hey guys, sorry for the really long wait! i've just been super busy! i swear! god last week exams! last weekend banquet! anyways i just wanna tell u all about it! haha...im just bord really. OH MY GOD IM GRADUATING TOMORROW! TOMORROW, MAY 17TH I WILL BE A 2006 GRADUATE! haha im so gonna cry...but at least i'll be able to see the eighth grade on thursday...haha WATERPARK DAY! im gonna take pics with all them hotties! haha.
saturday, may 13, banquet!
well i had a rugby game that morning...so i got really dark...nd i got sunburn...ouch. then my frend picked me up nd i rode with her to hilton. but we had to wait for the rest of our frends before we could actually check in. so then it was me, riana, bernie, karen, theresa, nd aileen. wow alots of us spending the nite! haha...so from 1 pm to 5 pm we just hung out at the hotel...super boring. then at 5 we all decided to get ready for the banquet...ahhmmm. karen straightened my hair (thanks muchos karen!), clarissa (also known as nightmare rose on fanfiction!), aileen, nd theresa had to do my eyes cus im hopeless wen it comes to makeup! but we're hilarious...all of us were wearing black! it's supposed to be formal or island wear but of course we all wore black. we looked so goth haha. we even made our grand entrance! but wat we didnt kno was that the stairs down to the ballroom wasnt the entrance...so we made a "second" entrance. nd that was the right one! god everyone was wearing bright colors except for us! haha. it wouldve been fun if we hadnt spent half the nite worrying about adult supervision for the hotel room. but in the end bernie's mom decided to supervise...yay! haha i danced with my date! love ya brian! had much fun. they were even raffling guitars! i didnt get one...but brian did! haha...man me, riana, nd bernie even ate shave ice at three in the morning! oh yea...danced with that super hot dude i've been checking out for a while now. haha...funny shit cus my parents were watching me the whole nite.
sunday, may 14...well mothers day.
monday, may 15
bishop retreat. really boring cus it was so religious...uhhh...
p.s. thanks for reviewing. i met ALOT of ppl who've never reviewed before. MUCH LOVE TO ALL U GUYS!
anyways super sorry for that long journal moment up there!