Note: Hiii, this will be the part 2 of the Epilogue.
Before you read this part, I would like to advise you guys to listen the song I used for this story (Saving forever for you by B.O.U) so you can enjoy this chapter better.
I hope you enjoyed the first part and please enjoy this part too! :)
Road to Tenten: Defying Fate
Chapter 17 (Epilogue Part 2)
Modern World
Kumo City (Modern World)
"Saving forever for you baby, you are the only one I'd ever give forever to
Love for a lifetime won't do baby, want to always stay together.
So I'm saving forever, saving forever... for you." He heard an angelic voice singing- like a distant memory buried somewhere inside his head.
Neji's heart squeezed tightly- it was euphoric at first then slowly it changed to something more sad, like a painful memory because underneath those lyrics he know he failed saving his forever for her.
"I didn't know you know how to sing, Ten." He heard his own voice speaking.
"Did you... like the song?" A sweet female voice asked.
"That song... was for you, Neji."
"I'll save my forever for you. Here in this world and the others."
"WAKE UP, NEJI HYUGA!" A loud voice woke up Neji from his comforting sleep.
Neji put his left arm above his eyes, ignoring the irritating voice on the background. He shut his eyes tightly and trying to get back to sleep.
"Damn it, man. Your father and I were waiting for you downstairs and you're here enjoying your fucking sleep."
"Get out Naruto and let me sleep."
Naruto chuckled, "Don't tell me you're going back to sleep to continue dreaming of that voice?" He teased.
Neji opened his eyes and grabbed a pillow before throwing it to his annoying friend.
"Get out." He said sternly.
But Naruto being Naruto ignores him and continue laughing for straight 10 minutes.
"Come on, man. I'm sorry for laughing but we have a flight to catch. Aren't you excited to visit Konoha City?"
Neji rolled his eyes before getting out of his bed. He put his long black hair in a man-bun before getting a new clothes.
He glared at his friend, "You're just excited to see my cousin. Naruto, not because we're friends it's okay to flirt with my cousin. I'll be watching you." He said sternly.
Naruto's expression changed from all smiley to a serious one, "Man, I told you, I'm serious with Hina, although she doesn't seem to like me."
Neji shakes his head because he knows something that Naruto doesn't. His cousin, Hinata, harbors feelings towards Naruto as well. And he doesn't like it. Although Naruto and him are great friends, and that he knows Naruto as good guy sometimes, he doesn't want his younger cousin to get hurt in the near future just because of his friend's stupidity.
Naruto and him went downstairs meeting his father, Hizashi reading a newspaper.
"Thought you doesn't have any plan on coming with us." His father told him.
"I have an important appointment with Dr. Inoichi. I need to meet him." He said.
"Then let's go." His father said putting down the newspaper on the table.
The flight from Kumo City to Konoha City took them 4 and half hours. As soon as the plane landed, Hizashi and Neji didn't waste time to go to Senju Medical Hospital to meet Dr. Inoichi Yamanaka, a psychologist.
"I'll wait here, son." Hizashi said before Neji entered Dr. Yamanaka's office.
Dr. Inoichi Yamanaka is man in his early 40's. He's been his doctor since 2 years ago- when he started dreaming about his previous life.
The life of Neji Hyuga from the branch family of the Hyuga clan during the shinobi period.
Neji didn't know how it all started- he never had a situation (near-death experience) that triggered those memories, it came to him gradually. Which was very unusual for his age- he was around 16 when it started- according to Dr. Inoichi, this occurrence of remembering past lives mostly happens in children around 3 to 4 years of age but they gradually forget those memories as they get older. And with him, it was a very rare situation.
His first memory of his past life was his 4-year old self being branded by a cursed seal that will protect his Byakugan, a kind of kekkei genkai that the Hyuga bloodline has during the shinobi era. It was a painful memory for him- and when he woke up from that dream, he was sweating so bad and running out of breath while touching his forehead- aching painfully eventhough there was no cursed seal on his forehead- it was like a phantom pain.
The second memory he dreamt was watching his younger self fighting with his younger cousin, Hinata. It was a hand to hand combat fight- he doesn't know what was it called but it mainly used their hand (fingers, palm, fist). In that memory, he inflicted pain on Hinata and his uncle, Hiashi was supposed to punish him but his father wished to take the punishment instead of him- which his uncle activated the cursed seal branded on their forehead, inflicting so much pain on his father's forehead. And for the first time, he saw how the main Hyuga family had control over them, and how easy for them to inflict pain to the branch family.
The third memory he dreamt was the death of his father, Hizashi Hyuga, a member of the branch family and younger brother to the main family heir Hiashi Hyuga. In that distant memory, he can feel the grudge he was holding for his uncle and to all member of the main family. He was blaming the main family for the death of his father. And it confused him because in this modern time, there were no main or branch family in the Hyuga clan. They are just the Hyuga.
Gradually, memories from his past younger life comes in. Him- being called as the Hyuga genius and prodigy, graduating in Ninja academy as the top student and being a member of a 3-man team which he knows deep inside him his so-called "team mates" hold a very special place in his life. He can only hear their voices (a strong sweet voice of a female team mate and enthusiastic voice that always speak about the springtime of youth, he cannot see their full face as it was hazy most of the time but he knows that the female team mate has twin bun hairs and often wearing a chinese clothing, while his other team mate wore a green spandex and has a shiny bowl cut hair). And his daily life- training with his team and cousins, having tea in the Hyuga compound, eating with his teammate, their team's missions- rescuing a cat, fighthing with bandits and ninjas- and even more powerful ninjas.
He also dreamt about fighting with his younger cousin, Hinata in a battle and injuring her (Chunin exam). Also a fight with Naruto, his friend in this world, and losing with him failing to win that battle. Sometimes, he dreams of his past life memories for a couple of times. He also dreamt about his death on that past life- he died in a war protecting his friends. But lately, his dream was changing- it became more centered to his female teammate named Ten. He saw figures of her training with him, standing beside him, him hugging her while she cries, him staring at her, walking her home- sometimes, she was laughing and teasing him; but most of the time, she was singing- and telling him that her song was dedicated for him.
Neji sat in a long couch across Dr. Inoichi- they have comfortable bond, being his doctor for2 years, he can talk to Dr. Inoichi like how he talk to his father. His appointment with Inoichi at first sessions were like asking for the meaning of his dreams (as he was very confused that time) but as time goes by, he's meeting Dr. Inoichi just to have someone to listen to his stories.
At first, Neji thought he was going insane- because he didn't understand his dreams and it seems really real- like it really happened to him until Dr. Inoichi informed him about the idea of past life and reincarnation, and hearing his stories (about the shinobi time during shinobi Neji's existence matches the information written in the books). Dr. Inoichi believed that Neji Hyuga is the reincarnation of shinobi Neji Hyuga of the branch Hyuga family.
Neji started telling Dr. Inoichi about his recent dreams- which were all about his female team mate.
"Tell me, what did she sing to you? Do you still remember it?" Dr. Inoichi asked, supressing a teasing smile.
Neji rolls his eyes, "Hn."
Dr. Inoichi's laugh boomed around the whole office, "You can tell me everything, Neji. Was it very sweet?"
"Y-Yeah, I guess so."
"What does her song means? Do you remember the lyrics?"
"Not exactly but... it's like a confession... the song was about... telling someone that you love him or her... and that you'll gonna save your forever for that person." Neji answered while his face is turning into crimson red.
Dr. Inoichi laugh heartily, "That's... very sweet, Neji. I remembered a song from my time with a similar meaning to that song. So what did you feel or felt as she sang it to you?"
Neji sighed and looked down at his tea, "I was happy..." He admitted honestly.
"Very happy. While I was listening to her voice singing that song, my heart felt like it was about to explode from my chest. And when she told me that, that song was for me, my heart exploded from happiness. And when I woke up from that dream, I was really in a good mood. It was euphoric." He added.
Dr. Inoichi nodded.
"Then she told me that if there were worlds aside from that world, she was hoping to meet me- in those worlds too. And I want the same too. Somewhere buried deeply in my brain, I was always longing for her."
Dr. Inoichi nodded again, smiling sheepishly. "That explains why you don't even glance at my daughter Ino. You were looking for someone else all this time."
"Hn."
Dr. Inoichi watched Neji intently, with a teasing smile on his face. Neji suddenly stand up.
"I guess we're done now, Dr. Inoichi. Thank you for listening."
"You're going now? You can stay for awhile."
"Hn, no way, you're starting to tease me and there's no point in staying any longer. I'll give the payment to your secretary, Dr." Neji said, offering his hand for a hand shake before leaving the office.
He gave his payment to Dr. Inoichi's secretary, Fu, when he passed by his small station.
"Thank you, Fu."
"Thank you too, Neji. You can stay here while you wait for your father." Fu said, looking at him while sitting on his small cubicle.
"Where is he, anyway?"
"I'm not sure, but he told me he'll just walk around the building."
Neji sat on the waiting area just outside Dr. Inoichi's office, waiting for his father. After 15 minutes he finally saw his father walking towards him with a small bandage attached to his right arm.
"Where did you go, father?"
Hizashi smiled at his son, "I just donated some of my blood to the blood bank."
Whenever Neji and Hizashi visited Konoha City, they always stays at the Hyuga Estate where they own a town house inside that huge land property of the Hyuga, their town house is located just beside Hiashi's mansion.
"Neji-niisan. You didn't tell us before hand that you'll be home tonight." Hinata said gently, cheeks tainted with pale pink discoloration.
They are in the middle of eating dinner with the family when Hinata started opening a topic.
Naruto and Hanabi laugh, "Neechan was really shocked when she saw Naruto." Hanabi commented.
"Naruto told me not to tell you that's why." Neji simply said before resuming eating.
"You'll only stay for 3 days, Hizashi? Why don't you and Neji stay here in Konoha for good? Our newly opened hotel in Kumo City is already doing well. You should go back here."
"Dad is right, Uncle. Aren't you getting tired of travelling back and forth to Kumo and Konoha every 2 weeks?"
Hizashi chuckled, "We will, but our business in Kumo is still shaky. I need more time, though I think with Neji, he will be transferring to University of Land of Fire next semester."
"Really, Neji-niisan?" Hina asked excitedly and Neji just nodded.
"And me as well, Hina! I guess we'll be seeing each other more often then." Naruto said, cheekily.
"Naruto." He said, as warning.
But Naruto just laugh at him. Neji just listen to their conversation.
"What is your plan for tomorrow Naruto? Will you visit your Aunt Tsunade?" Hiashi asked.
Naruto smiled at the older Hyuga, "Yes, sir! Though I hope she's not busy. My mom asked me to deliver some fermented wine for her."
"I heard she was busy earlier. The hospital was busy too." Hizashi said.
Hiashi nodded, taking a sip on his tea. "For sure. There was an accident happened in downtown Konoha earlier in the morning."
"An accident, Dad? We didn't saw a news like that on the television? There were no news about it." Hinata asked.
And Neji's eyebrow furrowed. He never heard about that news.
"I guess the Uchiha's already took care of it before the news broke down. One of the victim was an Uchiha." Hizashi said.
Neji looked at his father, confused. How did he know about that news? They just arrived in Konoha City around 1 in the afternoon and he already know what's happening here.
"What?!" Naruto asked, with worried expression.
Neji looked at Naruto and realized that Naruto's best friend is an Uchiha. The youngest son of Fugaku, Sasuke Uchiha.
"But how do you know what's happening here, Father? We just arrived here in Konoha 7 hours ago." Neji asked curiously.
Hizashi laugh and scratch his head, "I just heard when I was strolling around the hospital."
The summer vacation after that, Neji spends his months working in their family's business- as his father's apprentice.
One night, Naruto called him and asking him to join him with his mountain adventure together with the Uchihas.
"Dude come on, join us." Naruro told him for the nth time.
"I told you I'm busy. I have a work."
"Take a day off then! Your father will allow you for sure."
"No."
"Oh dude! Sasuke's got a hot cousin-"
"Not interested."
"But she really is. She's really hot and pretty! You might regret if you don't join us."
"Hn." Neji expressed before ending the call.
There's no way she's interesed in hot and pretty description of Naruto. He's only interested in one girl in his life and the previous- a girl with tan skin, brown eyes, brown twin bun hair, with a strong personality and very nice voice.
"Why are you saying sorry?" He heard her team mate asked in confusion.
"I didn't protected you properly. Now you lost all your memories and had emotional breakdown twice in a row. I'm sorry... I should've protected you better..." His voice was sad, and full of regret.
"Don't blame yourself, Neji. I know you've protected me with all you have and saved me. I'm still alive and that's because of you."
Neji opened his pale lavender eyes and found Naruto's blue eyes watching him- he almost fell from his seat from shock of seeing him. He found himself sitting in one of the chair in the rooftop of their Business Department in University of Land of Fire. He and Naruto transferred this semester from University of Kumo. He's already been studying here for almost a month and his favorite spot aside from the library is this rooftop, where he can watch the birds flying freely.
Neji realized that this mannerism of him- watching the birds- was similar and connected to his previous life. In his first life as shinobi Neji, he viewed himself as a caged bird (having no freedom to decide for his life and bound to his fate of protecting the main family), he loved to watch the birds, wishing that someday, he could be free like them. He wasn't really paying much attention to his mannerism or the way he views things before until his dreams occur and realized that he was like that because he retained some of his mannerism and way of thinking unconsciously.
"What are you doing, Naruto?" Neji asked with irritation.
"Oh, you were saying 'I'm sorry' repeatedly in your sleep. Are you dreaming again?" His friend asked, worriedly.
Neji suddenly remember the dream he just had. He saw himself inside a small washroom with his teammate crying on his chest. Neji wasn't sire but in that memory, he blamed himself for what happened to Tenten. He was angry at himself for not being able to protect her.
His heart aches thinking about it.
"Hn. I'll just get a cold water." Neji said, before making his way out of the rooftop and towards the cafeteria of the university, totally ignoring Naruto's curious eyes.
Neji was sure that there's a cafeteria near their Business department (there were two cafeterias according to Hinata and one of those two is located in the Culinary building on the east of the university. The other one is located either on the Medicine department (on the left side of business department) or Engineering (on the right side)). But now, he suddenly got confused. In almost a month, he never went to the cafeteria because Hinata and Hanabi always took him outside of the university where there are more restaurant surrounding the university that they can choose.
Engineering or Medicine? Maybe I can check the Engineering building first, since it's closer? Neji thought.
He walked towards the Engineering department but stopped in front of the building, thinking if he should go check inside or not or just go directly at the culinary building where there is a sure cafeteria.
While Neji busy thinking, he didn't notice that someone is running towards him. Neji's train of thoughts are immediately cut off when someone bumped into him.
With shock expression (from colliding from another person), Neji got a fast glimpse of the woman's brown orbs, and flowing brown wavy hair with side bangs. His heart suddenly skipped a beat- then started beating rapidly.
He's got frozen on his track. She's very familiar to him but his brain can'ts seem to function at that very moment.
"Hey, I'm sorry! I'm in a hurry." She said in a rush, not even looking at him.
And before he can mutter that it's okay, the girl already left and far from his reach while running towards the university's gate.
She somehow looked like Tenten- he realized.
"MISS!" He called but she's already too far from him. He ran after her but when he's already outside the university gate, he don't see any traces of her. He ran to where students mostly hangout- the street close to the university where coffee houses and resturants are located- hoping to find her there- but he didn't.
Was my eyes and mind playing tricks on me? Neji frustratedly asked himself.
After that incident, Neji tried looking for that woman again and again but even with the whole school year almost ending, he still can't find her. He even hangout in the engineering department- visiting the building thrice a week but still no avail. He thought that maybe his brain was functioning poorly that certain time- he just had a dream about her crying and maybe he was just hallucinating.
Neji went inside the Coffee house, Hinata and Hanabi told him to meet them. It's already 5 in the afternoon and is the last day of the final examination. Reason why his younger cousins decided to meet him to celebrate the end of their hell week.
He ordered for them and settled on a 4- seater table at the second floor of the building. Taking out his phone, he started typing a message for his cousins telling them that he's already in the coffee house and already ordered for them.
It didn't take long when Hinata and Hanabi showee up fresh from their examinations. Hanabi sat next to him and settling her head on his broad shoulder.
"Gosh! I'm so tired..." Hanabi said.
"You can take a rest now since the exams are done." He said.
"Oh, I'll hibernate after this, Neji-nii." Hanabi said sheepishly.
The three cousins talked about how their exams was until after couple of minutes, Neji excused himself to go to the washroom. While inside the bathroom, Neji didn't hear when the staff announced some orders
"Blossoming rose tea latte for Hyuga."
"Iced chai tea for Ten."
At the same time that he went out from the washroom, he heard his order being called.
"Iced chai tea for Neji."
Neji met Hanabi on the staircase, and told her that he'll get his order and wait for Hinata's order as well before resuming walking towards the counter on the first floor-
at the same time, Tenten walked out of the coffee house.
When the next school year came (Neji on his 3rd year in university), he met couple of familiar faces from his previous life- Shikamaru and Choji. He was surprised to see them in this world (in his dream, he saw them working with him in missions and they were friends). Now, Shikamaru known for being the genius Nara, is taking up Engineering while Choji, his bestfriend is a culinary student. Both men have the same personality from what he dreamt about them.
He both met them through Naruto. According to Naruto, they met each other in the Ramen restaurant outside the university and turned friends before they left the place. Neji couldn't believe the odds of making friends just by eating a ramen. But he's talking about Naruto, the guy that cam make impossible possible.
He also met Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata's best friend and classmate- which was also in his previous life, as Hinata's teammate and close friend.
And as time goes by, he met Sakura Haruno, a Medicine student, who happened to be Ino's best friend and Sasuke Uchiha's girlfriend. In the previous life, she was a medical-nin and Naruto and Sasuke's teammate.
He also learned that his sensei, Might Guy of the shinobi world- is a famous action star rivaling the action star from Kumo named Killer Bee.
Neji realized that after he moved back in Konoha almost a year ago, and meeting people from his previous life, his dreams came very seldom. Dr. Inoichi said that maybe his memories of his past life is starting to subside after encountering the people from it.
While Neji is waiting for Hinata in the parking lot, a man suddenly appeared beside his car- he didn't notice the man's arrival.
"Can I borrow your Calculus book? Hmm. Well, yes... 'course not." Neji heard the man said on his phone.
"Great, thank you. Where can I pick it up? Your house... okay. I'll see you in twenty minutes, Tenten." The man said, his last word grabbed Neji's attention.
Tenten? Did he just said Tenten? Neji thought.
Neji's about to ask the man but he's already inside his car and maneuvering it out of the parking lot.
Eversince Neji heard the name Tenten from that male student in the parking lot, he suddenly became curious to that person who's name is similar to his female teammate from his previous life. Could it be the same Tenten? Or No? He's not sure but he wanted to know. But never seen that man again. He tried searching for the name Tenten on social medias but he found lots of identity owning the name Tenten- but he never saw her. He never saw a person with a hair styled in twin buns (because in his previous dreams he always saw her in twin buns).
He also remembered the song Dr. Inoichi told him about. He searched for it and was surprised to find outt hat that song was similar to what Tenten sang to him. How did she know about that song? He was confused about how Tenten knew the song? Also, could it be that the reincarnation of Tenten is at same age as Dr. Inoichi or if not, older than him?
Neji was on his third year when his father, Hizashi, was diagnosed with a heart valve problem and was admitted in Senju Medical Hospital to get a surgery. Thankfully, the surgery (although the preparation took them couple of months) was successful.
While settling his father's hospital bill, his pale lavender eyes met brown eyes in the accounting department of the hospital. Neji stood frozen on his feet while looking at those eyes- he suddenly remember Tenten's eyes, as the lady's eyes were similar to Tenten's- brown, and gentle eyes.
But the woman's hair wasn't styled in twin buns- instead was a shoulder length brown hair (with no bangs), and with a captivating smile- like Tenten's.
The lady resembled Tenten's face and he couldn't stop himself from looking at her- although he was sure she wasn't her.
"Thank you." The accountant said before giving him the receipt.
But her voice- although it's sweet- doesn't sound like the Tenten of my dreams. Neji thought.
Neji looked at the right lower side of the paper and saw the accountant name.
Rin Uchiha.
Neji already graduated and got his business management degree and is now helping his father and uncle with their family business.
Being a businessman, and a workaholic one- made him put aside his memories but still wanting to find Tenten, his teammate and best friend that holds a special place in both his deepest consciousness and heart.
With his business skills, the Hyuga Empire of Luxury Hotels expanded even more in just a year after being a COO. Hinata is also working as her father's secretary while Hanabi is still studying.
His friends are also building their names in their own specialized fields- Shikamaru, one of the famous Engineer in the Land of Fire Country; Sasuke Uchiha, being known in the corporate world alongside with him- both of them called the prodigy of their respective family; Kiba, now managing their veterinary clinic; and Choji, building his own restaurant.
While Naruto, Sakura and Ino are still studying.
"Neji-niisan, just to remind you, tonight is the opening of Choji's restaurant." Hinata told him when she went to his office to deliver some documents.
Neji looked at his cousin and nodded, "Yes, I remember. You're coming with Naruto?"
Unfortunately, his cousin and Naruto become a couple when they were on their fourth year in the university.
Hinata smiled, "Yes. How about you, niisan?"
"I'll go alone, of course." He said, with a small grin plastered on his face.
Neji at 24 is still single and looking for Tenten.
Hinata shook her head, "You should get a girlfriend, niisan. Even Hanabi has a boyfriend."
"Hn. I haven't found her."
Hinata smiled gently, "You mean the one that Naruto kept on telling the girl of your dreams?"
Neji couldn't help but sigh. Naruto couldn't even shut his mouth and kept on revealing infos about him to his cousin.
"Please close the door when you leave, Hina." Neji said dismissing her.
Hinata offered a gentle smile and nodded at her cousin before leaving his office.
Neji closes his eyes tightly when Hina left his office. It's been 8 years already but he haven't find her yet. Where could she be? He already lived in Kumo City- but Tenten wasn't there, in Konoha- aside from bumping into that mysterious lady and meeting Rin Uchiha, he never really saw her. As soon as he worked as COO in their company, he travels to Kiri, Iwa and Suna city and spends some tome during his stay just so he can look around the place, hoping to see traces of Tenten but he didn't...
When night comes, Neji went to Shinobi's Restaurant- Choji's very own restaurant. According to Choji, they are offering cuisine from all over the 5 great Cities (Konoha, Suna, Kumo, Iwa, and Kiri City). He immediately saw Naruto and Ino's blonde hairs- as their hairs were very eye catching- sitting in a long rectangular table in the middle isle. He sat on Hinata's other side and saw few familiar faces.
"Neji, this is Temari Sands, my girlfriend. Tem, that's Neji Hyuga, a friend and Hina's older cousin" Shikamaru introduced his +1.
"Nice to meet you, Temari." Neji said, offering a hand for a hand shake.
She reached for his hand and shook it after, "Nice to meet you, too. I heard a lot about you in the corporate world. You might know my brothers, Gaara and Kankuro Sands?"
Neji smiled, "Oh yes. I know them. I met them in few occasions."
"Can we not talk over business please?" Ino said, interrupting them.
"How about you introduce your +1 to the others?" Naruto said playfully to Ino.
"Oh, this is Sai, my boyfriend." Ino said.
Ino also added that Sai is an artist. Sasuke and Sakura arrived after Neji, together with an familiar person.
"I brought a friend, his name's Shino Aburame." Sakura introduced her friend.
Ino also know Shino. According to her, aside from their medicine related background, the three of them (Sakura, Ino and Shino) were classmates in one of the elective course during their first year in the University alongside with Sasuke's cousin- which they rarely talk. But Neji remembered Naruto's description of her few years ago- hot and pretty.
"By the way, where is your cousin Sasuke?" Temari asked, seems to know Sasuke's cousin very well.
"Oh right, I haven't seen her in a while." Ino commented.
"I didn't know you have a cousin, Sasuke?" Kiba said in confusion.
Neji mentally agreed with Kiba a little bit. He knows Sasuke has cousins but he never met or seen them eventhough they were friends for a longtime already.
"I have two. Both of them didn't like people to know that I am their cousin." Sasuke answered, which gained laughs from our female friends.
"And Temari, I don't know where she is. You should know better than me, you're her bestfriend." Sasuke added.
"Well, your dearest cousin is always MIA." Temari answered.
Choji appeared after couple of minutes- cutting Sasuke and Temari from their conversation- and thanking all of them for coming on the opening of his restaurant. Choji also gave insight about their cuisines. He also called for a standby-waiter to get their orders.
"I have a band singing later. You guys enjoy. Call me when you need something." Choji said before leaving them and going back to the kitchen.
The waiter gave them menu list and everyone of them ordered their foods.
"Those photos look yummy." Sakura commented after the waiter left their table.
"With Choji's cooking abilities, I'm sure it taste great." Shikamaru commented.
After twenty minutes, their orders arrived and they started eating peacefully- with side chatting- Ino and Sakura talking about girly stuff, while Neji and Sasuke talking about business, the lovebirds talking about random stuffs and Kiba and Shino talking about animal welfare- while loving the food they ordered.
While they are busy talking, Neji and his friends didn't notice the band (that Choji was talking about earlier) are preparing their instruments on the small stage near the bar station.
While Neji was talking with Sasuke, he heard a familair mellow tune inside his head making him fell on a sudden trance-like state. It was the same tune as what Tenten used to sing to him. Neji's heart started beating rapidly and his system gone wild with the familiarity of the tune.
"Oh there she is!" Neji heard Temari exclaimed, interrupting him from his trance like state.
"She knows how to sing?" Ino asked.
Neji watched his friends talking about a confusing topic. Who are they talking about? He saw Sasuke nodded.
"Yes. The only person in the family who knows how to sing."
"And very talented in musical instruments." Temari added.
Suddenly, everyone hear an angel-like voice, grabbing everyone's attention- especially Neji's.
"I've never been so sure about anything before
but this loving feeling, gonna be a feeling I feel forever more
Looking in your eyes, tomorrow's all I see.
As long as there's forever baby- I will always be~"
Neji's eyes immediately darted on the familiar person sitting on the stage while singing (with eyes closed) and holding a pink guitar and instantly, his heart suddenly stopped.
It's her.
It's her.
His mind kept on telling him.
Not so far from their table, a woman with face greatly resembles Tenten's- even her body type and brown twin bun hair resembles hers.
Right now, he's hundred percent sure that it's her. Neji look at her as if they are only two people in this restaurant and even in this world.
"Saving forever for you baby, you are the only one I'd ever give forever to.
Love for a lifetime won't do baby, want to always stay together.
So I'm saving forever... for you."
Neji couldn't believe it. He's been looking for her- he even went to see a psychologist and even traveled all 5 countries just to see her- and now the girl of his dream- Tenten- his teammate and bestfriend and probably more than that is now in front of him- with her signature twin buns and side bangs- and singing the same song, she sang in his past life memory.
Her voice sounded the same as before, so heavenly- sweet and angelic.
Neji unconsciously stand up from his seat while watching her. His heart beating erratically as if it's trying to get out of his chest to return to its original owner, and his hands are sweating from nervousness. He didn't noticed the confused look that Sasuke and Naruto is giving him, or even the conversation they are having.
"Why is Hyuga looking like that to Tenny?" Sasuke asked Naruto, voice laced with protectiveness.
"I don't know, man. Ask him!" Naruto said.
"Oi Hyuga, stop staring at my couisn!" Sasuke said but got no response from Neji.
"Fuck. He looked enchanted!" Kiba commented, laughing.
"You'll be my world as long as there's a world turning round
And you'll be my heaven baby, 'till the heavens all come falling down
Look inside my heart, love is all you'll see
I'm loving you forever baby, leave it just to me"
Tenten- still with her eyes closed, stopped playing her guitar and let her bandmates make the music for her. She gently sways her body while holding the microphone, smile forming her lips- that captivated Neji even more.
"Saving forever for you baby, you are the only one I'd ever give forever to.
Love for a lifetime won't do baby, want to always stay together.
So I'm saving forever... for you."
The moment she opened her eyes, Neji finally saw the familiar brown orbs hiding behind those eyelids. The eyes where he sees everything- his dream, his hope, his future, his thoughts and secrets- typically all his life.
Neji and Tenten's breathing hitched when their eyes suddenly meet among the crowd- then she smiled at him, acknowledging his presence- as a tear fell from her eyes, unnoticed.
Neji walked slowly towards her- with each step he's taking- Tenten's smile widen as tears starting to fall from her eyes. While their friends are looking at them with confusion.
Neji stopped walking when he was couple of meters away from her, and Tenten stand up from her seat, gently removing the guitar on her body.
"N-Neji..." Tenten called his name gently and with familiarity that melts his heart.
"Tenten..."
Tenten nodded at him, before she opened her arms widely for him. Neji walk closer and she embrace him. Neji put his an arm around Tenten's waist amd the other hand on the back of her head, holding her in place against his chest. Their heart beats erratically in sync.
"You found me." Tenten cried on his shoulder.
Tenten and Neji took their time to feel each other again. Both of them hugging each other tightly.
"I... I love you, Tenten." Neji whispered dearly.
Finally, he's able to say those words to her.
Tenten pulled away a little and laugh cheekily at him with tears flowing from her eyes, and Neji wipes away her tears even there are tears escaping his pale lavender eyes as well.
"It took you hundred of years to finally admit that, Hyuga." Tenten said sheepishly.
Neji smirked before planting a soft kiss on her forehead.
"I love you since we were genins." Neji honestly admitted as words came out his lips unconsciously, Tenten eyebrow furrowed but her eyes twinkling and then giving Neji a hard pinch on his stomach.
Tenten laugh and embracing Neji even tighter.
"I love you, Neji..."
Flashback:
Pure Land (Soul Realm)
"Oh, you're back." Amida, the goddess of the Pure Land greeted her as soon as she arrived in front of the gate of the Pure Land.
Shinobi Tenten smiled and walked closer to her, "I am."
Amida shook her head, "Neji Hyuga still died."
"Yes. I guess it was really his choice to defy his own fate and die instead of still being a caged bird."
"And you defied your own fate too! We made an agreement that you have to live 'till you're old- just like your first life!" Amida's voice boomed, almost breaking shinobi Tenten's eardrum.
Shinobi Tenten remain silent. She doesn't know what to say to the goddess.
Amida took a long sigh, "Be thankful I'm hopeless romantic Tenten! Just get inside because he's been waiting for you!" the goddess said, smile creeping her beautiful face.
Shinobi Tenten smiled cheekily and said, "You're really my favorite, Amida! I owe you alot!"
Before bolting inside the Pure Land and to where Neji were waiting.
"Neji!" Tenten called when she got nearer.
Shinobi Neji was still wearing his war attire- just like hers. He reach out his right hand and offered it to her.
"You're late, Tenten. We have to go." Neji said as he offered his hand.
Shinobi Tenten's eyebrow furrowed, "Where to?"
"To the modern world and unite with our souls so we could meet again."
Note: You finally arrived at the end of the story "Road to Tenten: Defying Fate"! Thank you to all that followed and favorited this story, those who wrote reviews and messaged me! I'm happy knowing that some of you find this story interesting and good. Please feel free to write reviews or message me.
P.S. I can't believe I wrote this story in span of 24 days! :O
Date published: June 18, 2020
Date completed: July 12, 2020
Again, thank you so much for reading this! I hope to see you on my next NejiTen story :)