Neji lied on the theatre, the lights blinding him as a few of the medical shinobis examined him.
His pink-haired friend frowned as she stared at his bare chest, befuddled by the strange tissue that filled the large hole.
"Strange," she muttered as she turned around at the lightbox, studying the X-Ray films. "Strange."
One of the nurses helped him up, as Sakura sat next to the theatre, folding her gloved hands in front of her chest.
"The tissue that filled your chest, we had taken some samples of it and is analysing them, but…"
"Yes?" Neji felt like nothing could surprise him anymore.
"Supposingly, when that spike struck you, your rib cage would be crushed and definitely, your heart and lung too…" Sakura rubbed her chin, a squeaking voice echoing as the rubber surface of the glove touches her soft skin.
"I suppose so." Neji blinked, raising his hand gently as he pressed onto his chest, feeling nothing particularly strange, as if it was simply part of him instead of some unknown substance.
"Yes, but the strange thing is, under the X-ray, your lungs and heart is intact, as if nothing had happened." Sakura bit onto her lips. "We'll try to figure out something, don't worry at the moment."
"Sure," Neji blinked and nodded at her. "Thanks."
He stood up and wrapped his beige clothes around himself, covering the distinct scar on his chest.
As he walked out of the hospital, he noticed a familiar face, she stood there as if she was waiting for someone - he was not sure who.
"Tenten," he greeted her as she jolted her head upwards, she smiled at him warmly as the corners of her eye turned slightly wrinkly.
"Hey Neji," she looked at him. "What did Sakura say?"
"Not much, she grafted some tissue from my chest," said Neji. "You waiting for someone?"
"Yes, in fact, Lee and me brought Gai sensei over for some checkups." Tenten eyed the consultation room. "He should be out at any moment, do you want to join us for a meal afterwards?"
"Sure," he leaned against the wall next to Tenten, folding his arms.
There was a brief moment of silence, Tenten shifted uncomfortably against the wall.
"So," words stumbled out of his mouth. "How has everyone been doing?"
"Well," Tenten looked away as the door of the consultation room opened, Lee emerged with an older version of him on the wheelchair, the man's leg was wrapped in fresh, white cast.
"Wait," Gai sensei frowned, he raised his hand and pointed at him. "Lee, tell me it's not the drugs."
"No Gai sensei," Lee looked ahead and nodded at Neji. "That's Neji."
Lee hurried and pushed Gai towards the two of them.
"Gai sensei," Neji greeted the man on the wheelchair, leaning downwards at his teacher.
Tears gushed and rolled down his face, Gai raised his hand and wiped roughly across his face.
"I didn't have the chance to tell him," Lee said softly to Tenten, who shook her head in dismay, if they were not in the corridor of the hospital, she would have stabbed him with a kunai right away.
The older man reached out and pulled Neji towards him, and almost immediately he began to bawl, wrapping his arms around him.
He muttered through his sobbing and hiccups. Neji could not understand him, he never really understood his teacher, who was crying his eyes out while almost suffocating him.
Neji gently wedged himself away and knelt down in front of the wheelchair.
Tenten patted onto her teacher's shoulder. "Sensei, we should go grab something to eat."
The older man stared into the brunette's warm brown eyes, and nodded.
"Let's go! Lee, full speed!"
"Yes sensei!"
Lee began to push his teacher forward at full throttle, followed by his two teammates.
Tenten chuckled softly, her face flushed at the instance she realised that Neji was looking at her.
"Wh-what're you looking at?" Tenten frowned and smiled awkwardly. "Let's go."
Neji saw her chasing after Lee and Gai-sensei, her strides wide and hastened - a strange feeling emerged in his chest, he was not sure whether he could call it nostalgia, for time had passed without waiting for him, he was stuck in the years before, in the past; this was the present.
He could never catch up with her, with his friends - there was an eighteen year gap, eighteen years of time between them.
"Neji, hurry up!" Her voice conked at his head, he looked up and realised she was standing at the cross section of the street, looking back at him with a smile. "They're gonna ditch us at this rate."
He smiled as he took a step, and another; he pace quickened as his walk turned into a run.
She smiled at him as he reached her side; the both of them leapt and ended up on the roof next to the street.
He said nothing, so did she as they ran atop of the tiled roofs of old houses and flat cement roofs of the new, side by side.
The three of them escorted their sensei home, Lee shut the door behind him.
"It's nice that we get to hang out today," he grinned at his teammates, his eyes slowly darting away and looking at the sky, painted orange with the descending sun.
"Oh, it's late now, I have to go home," Lee grinned at Neji and Tenten. "Gotta make sure Metal gets a good, nutritious meal after tough training and school." He waved them goodbye and leapt off.
Neji stared as Lee raced off towards the sunset. He turned and saw Tenten looking at him for a brief moment, before looking away.
"You going home?"
"Yes," Tenten smiled at him. "And you?"
"Same," Neji blinked. "I was just wondering…"
"I'm just going to eat alone," said Tenten, she smiled with a tiny frown on her face. "If you want to hang out, we could."
Neji smiled at her. "Let's go then."
As the two of them walked on the street, Neji noticed that the people shot strange glances at them.
Neji could sense from the change in her chakra, as her pace quickened.
"It's probably me, back in the time we used to recognised most faces in the village."
Tenten shook her head with a smile. "Perhaps they just find it weird," she paused, biting on her lip a little. "Normally, they don't see me walking around with someone by my side."
Neji frowned as Tenten's smile faded. "Tenten I…"
"Besides, you look way younger than me," she grinned at him, Neji studied her face. There was not the slightest joy in her grin. "You can't guarantee that people won't think the wrong thing."
"Perhaps what they think are right." Neji smiled, sending a blush all over Tenten's face.
The corners of her mouth turned upwards as she started to laugh. "Let's just get some food, I'm starving."
They stopped, almost simultaneously, right in front of the now newly renovated, much grander Ichiraku Ramen.
"Wow," Neji gasped, genuinely surprised.
"It's been quite some time since I've eaten at Ichiraku," said Tenten, there was a fond smile on her face. "Let's go."
As they stepped into the door, the staff at the counter welcomed them, her face unfamiliar.
They were led to a wooden booth, amongst the busy bustling restaurant.
Tenten sat down and looked around.
"You haven't been here quite some time, have you?" Neji asked, seeing that Tenten was almost as shocked as he was.
"Yes," Tenten's eyes darted away from the decor to the menu as she answered hastily, she bit her lip quickly as she did.
This was the place where they used to go all the time, as a team.
As young shinobis, they had little money to splurge - Ichiraku was the best place to go after a mission.
"Hi, may I take your order?" Another waiter came to their table, he was dressed in what Neji vaguely remembered as the uniform of Ichiraku, white robes with a blue apron, but Neji could tell the man had never stepped into the kitchen for a whole day.
"I'll have…"
"Two Miso Pork Ramen, no menma for one bowl." Neji said before Tenten could finish, passing back the menu to the waiter who nodded and walked away.
"Ha, you remembered?" Tenten chuckled softly, Neji looked befuddled, as if he just realised.
"Yeah, that kind of just popped out of my head." He scratched his head, as Tenten chuckled softly.
"That's very nice of you." Tenten took the liberty to pour themselves tea.
Neji took the tea and sipped, even the tea tasted different.
"Last time we came, we were still sitting at the bar, with old man Teuchi serving us noodles and chit chatting with Ayame," he said, as he stared around the unfamiliar place filled with unfamiliar faces.
Tenten did not say anything for a brief moment, she held her cup and stared as the steam rose from it.
"Well," she said, with a soft smile. "It was before the war, right?"
Neji saw her face twitched a little, he sighed softly as he held his cup in his hand. "Yes, it's … so long ago."
"It is," Tenten stared down as the waiter arrived with the two large bowls of ramen.
"Dig in," said Tenten as she reached over to the small drawer on the desk, her hand brushed against his as Neji tried to do the same.
She retracted as he pulled the drawer and took chopsticks for both of them.
"Thanks," she said as she took the chopsticks and ate.
They ate their ramen in silence, she stole occasional glances at him.
As their gaze met, she quickly looked away.
There was a certain calm with their quietness, contrasting the noisy environment, and their turbulent minds.
They both stood up as they finished - it was a habit they had since they were genin; Ichiraku back in the time had limited seats, and they were almost trained to leave immediately after eating.
As Tenten took out her purse, she felt a firm hand on hers.
"I'll treat you," said Neji, the warmth of his hand was static on hers - he was warm, his hand was soft, he was very alive.
"Don't be silly, I'm way older…" That did not sound right, Neji seemed not offended, but she noticed he retracted his hand in a tiny movement.
She regretted it once the sentence came out of her lips.
Nevertheless, he placed the money on the counter and they walked out of the restaurant.
"I'm sorry," said Tenten.
"Don't worry," said Neji, he turned around and looked at Tenten, their shoulders almost touching.
Tenten took a deep breath, her messy thoughts run through her mind.
As a kunoichi she had been taught exactly how to extract information, from men in particular.
It made her stomach twisted as the thought of doing that to Neji passed through her mind - not only was Neji her teammate, her friend; more importantly, she had feelings for him.
If they were going to have intimate relations, she wanted it the feelings to be mutual, consensual - not as an attempt in trying to extract information from him.
She bit onto her lips, and turned around smiling at him, trying to look as calm as she could.
"Well, I'm gonna go." Tenten said and turned around after waving at him briefly. "I'll see you…"
"Tenten," his voice sent a shudder down her spine, as she looked up, she found his pale eyes staring at her softly, the milkiness of those pristine orbs glistening, changing colour along with the neon lights on the street.
"I want you to go somewhere with me."
Author's note:
Sorry for the late update! Working on my other stories + life has been busy!
I hope you enjoy reading this xoxo Thanks for the support and love as always!
V.S.V