- Chapter 8 -

~ Oji's POV ~

Our meeting with the principal was pretty short-lived, though it sure did leave us thinking. The principal didn't seem all that bad, she was odd, don't get me wrong, though not someone I'd ever have any reason to worry about.

Though what I was really worried about right now was probably... I could feel a vain begin to throb on the side of my forehead. "HOW THE HELL DID WE GET LOST AGAIN!"

Tenten patted me on the shoulder. "Drop it Oji, complaining about it will only add more salt to the wound." She responded regrettably as she looked away with tears lingering in her eyes.

I sighed as we continued to try to find some type of exit. My attention soon diverted as I turned to see my sister walking almost five feet away from us, her eyes glued to the floor.

I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't noticed how strange she had been acting since we left home, but she seemed normal after that fucked up plane ride so I stopped worrying about it. That is until right now.

I shoved my hands in my pocket while I waited for Hinata to catch up. By the time she did, I could already tell that she still hadn't noticed how far she drifted apart from us. And to be honest, it kinda pissed me off. Which also made me feel less guilty for what I was about to do next.

I extend my leg out, purposely causing her to trip, falling face first onto the ground which created a loud thud causing the others to stop and look back.

Hinata slowly sat up as she placed her hand on her nose as she growled. "Dammit Oji!"

"Hey, want to tell me whats going on? Ever since we left you've been acting weird. You bearly make eye contact with anyone, always looking far into the distance as if you're looking for something. If something is bothering you tell us or else we won't know how the hell to help you, dumb ass!"

For a moment Hinata solely stared at me, but after while she looked away. "Well it's not like I was really trying to hide anything from you guys, it's just not something that can be so easily said." She stood up as she wiped some dirt off her pants. "Ever since we left home I've had this bad feeling, I don't know if it was because of the move or what happens if we get expelled but I thought I'd have some type of answer by the time we finished talking with the principal, though I still feel so uneasy like there was something we don't know yet."

For a while, no one said a thing. It was as if we were waiting for something, but for what? I don't know about the others though I was waiting for Neji, he was always better at the big brother role then I was. At a moment like this, I bet he would know exactly what to say.

I clenched my fist as I watched how Hinata's pained face looked away from us. I inhaled deeply before speaking. "Hinata, you know I suck at all this sentimental crap, but that doesn't mean I don't care. Your demons are my demons so whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there," Temari walked up from behind me as she placed her hand on my shoulder. "Will all be there

I watched how Hinata finally looked up at us. "You loser, I thought I was the one protecting you." I could feel my face go red as everyone laughed. "W-What the hell are you saying!? Obviously I'm supposed to be the one looking after you dumbass!"

Suddenly Ino screamed. "Exit!" She quickly ran, with Tenko following close behind as he roared. "Freedom at last!" Temari smiled at Hinata one last time as she and Tenten soon followed.

I waited for Hinata, her expression was suddenly serious. "Hey, Oji," I gave her a nod. "If we screw this up, we will be forced to go back to The Hyuga Compound, right."

I ran my fingers through my hair as I sighed. "Yup, I even confirmed it with the old man." Hinata smiled. "Let's not screw this up."


As we stepped out of the school, the sun was already beginning to set, an angry Neji waited for us as he crossed his arms glaring daggers at us. "Did I not tell you fools that you'd on only get hopelessly lost without me?"

"Yeah, Yeah, lecture us later. So I'm guessing we head this way, right?" I pointed to a path that led to several large houses. Neji released a heavy sigh as he pinched the bridge above his nose before leading the others to our dorms.

"With these many buildings so close together they kinda remind me of townhouses?" Temari exclaimed as she and the others followed Neji down a long path created on a hill that looked down at various houses all nicely aligned. "Do you know if will all be roomed together?"

Neji looked back at us as he seemed a bit taken aback by my question. "What? Did the principal not inform you of your living conditions?"

Tenten stopped too think. "Wait, now that I really think about it, the principal didn't really say much did she? She welcomed us, told us we were lucky to even be going to her school, threatened us a bit, and then sent us on our merry way."

Neji's face palmed himself as he groaned. "Uh that woman, always just cutting right to the point. I apologize on her behalf she has a bad habit of rushing meetings and appointments when she has a good feeling she'd win at the town's casino, and also when..." Neji paused as he looked back at the girls, his eyes showing just a small hint of guilt.

Which Hinata caught quickly. "And also when what? Is there something that principal Tsunade didn't tell us?"

For a moment he hesitated, before turning to face us, his expression serious. "As you must know once Tsunade took her place as the new Principal many troubled students from the school were washed out just before the beginning of school last year. Tsunade also made a point to create a new entrance exam for the school which was in a short time beginning to grow a lot of fame. thus in this short time, the school became to be known as two things: Utterly terrifying or which academically gifted students around the world would see as 'an intriguing challenge'."

Ino raised her hand, "Um, Neji this whole school history thing is fun and all but can you get to the point already. I'm getting confused."

"Well, then I'll cut it short, due to this the school's newfound popularity it became overpopulated, and with you guys entering in far after we closed any more student admission the principal was forced to squeeze you into a spot were normal students wouldn't normally be placed for housing. A house far off from the rest, one which is usually meant for the troublesome outcast which Tsunade wasn't allowed to expel."

Neji clenched his fist. "Which also meant you'll be forced to live with the opposite sex-"

Within seconds before Neji even finished talking Temari had already begun to laugh. "What the hell is going on right now? Why would our parents enter us in a school that's already full and even worse put us in a house with boys? I always thought our parents were crazy, but this? They have officially raised the bar."

"I understand what problems you might have with this but will also be living in that dorm and I could vouch for the boys living there. And if you know anything about me I would not permit any harm to fall on either my cousin or her friends."

Temari simply stared at Neji, whose expression was unwavering. She then placed her hand on his shoulder, giving it a tight hurting squeeze. "If anything happens it's on your ass." With that, she simply continued on.

"Wow Neji, Temari usually doesn't trust anyone that quickly." Tenten smiled at Neji who was rubbing his throbbing shoulder. "Well if this is her way of showing trust I'd hate to see her way of showing affection." Tenten laughed, as the two continued on walking side by side.

Though not much time passed before the girls, Tenko, and I froze as we stared in awe at an enormous house that sat straight in the middle of campus, it's hight easily shadowing the other dorms. "Neji, that building...it's not one of the dorms right?"

Neji glanced at the building, almost glaring at it before he looked away. "That building belongs to the student council members, it's where they live and do the work for the school. Though that should be none of your concern."

"I wonder what's ups his butt," Tenko whispered to me. I shrugged, as I whispered back. "Whatever it is it has something to do with the student council. Maybe he was a member but they kicked him out for being so stuck up."

"I can hear you, dammit!" Neji hissed as Tenko and I grinned as we run away. though as we ran ahead we came to the end of the gravel road which was then replaced with a mouldy wooden boardwalk which led right into the dark and scary forest.

"E-Eh Neji, did we take a wrong turn somewhere?" Ino shakingly asked.

"Not at all. Our dorm is right through here, just another 5 minutes or so and will reach our destination."

As Neji continued on Tenten tried to get a hold of him as the rest of us hesitantly followed behind. "Wait. Neji! Your kidding right? Why would our dorm be so far from the rest of the school? Not only is that unsafe but it also makes no damn sense, so you have to be joking right?!"

Neji looked back at Tenten, his expression cold as ice. "I don't kid," Tenten immediately froze as the letters "K.O" were practically written on her face. Tenko and I grabbed a hold of each of her arms as we lifted her up so she wouldn't be left behind.

"I understand, how you might all feel about all this." Neji suddenly spoke. "You didn't sign up for any of this, your parents did. But even so, even though you didn't plan on living in the middle of the woods or with boys or being forced to live by such strict rules I hope one day you'll see it-" Suddenly turning the corner we saw it, hidden behind the leaves of the trees stood an enormous wooden cottage. "- the beauty that is Nana Konohagakure no Sato."

~ Temari's POV ~

There was a beautiful stone path that led us inside. The entrance of the house was built with large windows, letting the outdoors meet the inside filling the room with natural light. "As you can see when we walked in, this house is divided into two buildings, both connected by this entrance. One building is for dining and leaguer," Neji explained as he pointed down to one of the large hallways that led to two sealed doubles doors. "-while the other is the two-story building which is where we have our dorms." He then walked us down the opposite hallway which left us all breathless.

"Up these staircases, you'll find your bedroom. The rooms to the left are for the boys while the rooms to the right will be yours. The rooms between the stairs are the restrooms. Just like upstairs the ones to the left are the boys and the ones to the right are for the girls. The bathrooms have been equipped with all your bath necessities."

Most of what Neji said went over our heads, as we all stood there dumbstruck as we could do nothing more but stare at the giant crystal chandelier the hung between the beautiful twin staircase creating perfect symmetry. Though Ino quickly shattered that perfect moment when she shouted. "Okay, I'm guessing this is the end of the tour right? Because I'm about to burst." She quickly added as she soon ran to the bathroom, though not long after she left she screamed.

Hinata quickly ran in after her as Tenten and I followed. "Ino are you-" Though Hinata couldn't finish her sentence as we all stood there dumbstruck once again as we stepped into the white marble covered bathroom.

At the center of the room sat a large round tufted ottoman, to the left were four marble sinks as four LED mirror hung above them as the bathrooms lights were dim almost as if to show the strong light coming from the mirrors. To the right of the room were four white tall cabinets were four bathrobes hung. Further down were the bathroom stalls, that were thin and tall, two on one side of the room and two on the other. Though in the end, the thing that truly caught my breath had to be the tub. On the other side of the room, where the marble floors and walls changed to stone, laid a large underground pool with steam raising out.

"Okay, it's official. I'm not going anywhere, I don't care if we're living with boys, and I could care even less if the entire world is after us. This is my new home." Ino grinned from ear to ear as we all seconded.


When we finally came out, I was surprised to see Tenko kneeling on the floor as he covered his nose. "Dammit, I don't think I can take it any longer." Tenten quickly ran to him as she kneeled down next to her brother. "Tenko! Are you okay? What happened."

"Can't you smell it! It smells like death!"

Tenten pulled away as she arched her brow. "What are you talking about I don't smell anything."

"No Tenten, Tenko's right. It smells like an L.A dumpster in here." Hinata gave Neji a questionable look. "Mind telling us why Neji?"

I turned to Neji who began to sweat like a sinner at church. "I don't have the slightest idea about what you talking about."

"I guess I can't blame you for not knowing about Tenko's special power or for trying to hide it the stench, but you see Tenko was basically born with the nose of a bloodhound, he can pick up even the smallest of scents. And even though I wasn't born with a nose like his, the moment I walked in-" she pointed down the hall at the closed double doors. "I could smell something bad coming from that room."

Neji placed his hand on his forehead. "Well, I guess the cats out of the bag. You see usually all houses are tanned to by housemaids hired by the school but since we live so far out from the rest of the students the student council made it a note not to allow them to come here, and ever since then that room has been piling up with junk, to the point that..." Neji didn't continue as he groaned.

Ino laughed as she headed for the doors to the living room."Pfft! Really, that's your big secret? Lame. Like really how bad can it be?"

"Ino! Wait!" Though Neji's pleas were said far too late as the foul odder that was trapped behind the door soon engulfed the room, knocking Tenko out in seconds. "Tenko!" Oji cried as he quickly caught his unconscious friend. "Dammit, Ino!"

"My bad."

"We don't have time for that. Everyone outside!" I ordered while I covered my nose with the sleeve of my sweater.

The last one who was out the door was Tenten, as she quickly slammed the door behind her. "Shit! What else is going to happen to us today? And here I taught we'd finally get the chance to relax!"

Hinata grinned as she crossed her arms. "I guess the saying really is true. No rest for the wicked." Ino and I laughed in agreement, as Tenten groaned. Hinata then turned to Neji. "I guess that leaves us with one more thing to do today, huh?"

"I apologize greatly for this, two of the boys who also live here will not be returning till tomorrow, while the other boy, who I left in charge of cleaning the house before you all got here has seemed to disappear."

"Don't worry about it Neji, as long as you don't give us any more surprises from here on out will be just fine. But I'll also need you to get me some things." Hinata soon pulled out her phone as she tapping away, once she was done Neji received a text. "Neji I want you to bring me back everything on the list I just texted you, the girls and I will hold up the fort from here. Oji, you and Tenko should go to. The farther Tenko is from here the better."

Not much was said after as we all helped to quickly unload the Gater for the boys as they were soon on their merry way.

"Damn, this brings back memories." Hinata chuckled.

"How could I forget." I grinned. "It was that time we left the boys with the house for three days while we went on that Hot Springs trip, and when we came back they had completely trashed the house."

Ino groaned. "God, please let me forget that. I almost killed them for that." We all looked at one another before we burst into laughter.

Though suddenly Tenten began to cry. "We lost a very import life that day." Hinata patted Tenten's shoulder. "Don't worry Tenten, Professor Whiskers is in a better place now." Though Tenten just balled harder.

"Well that was a good trip down memory lane but we better start cleaning.

- 2 Hours Later -

~ Tenten's P.O.V ~

It didn't take us long to find were Neji and his friends hid their cleaning supplies, though the only downside to it was that they barely had any. And with the unopen and untouched products, they did have it caused me to wonder whether or not they even bothered trying to clean the room in the first place.

"Ah, Neji hasn't changed one bit since the time we've been apart." Hinata smiled behind her mask.

"How so?" Ino cheerfully asked, almost as if she and I weren't both standing almost knee-high trash. "Neji has always been a germaphobe, never even came near me when I was sick, so the fact he's been living in a house that was piled up with this much trash...damn how he must have complained." Hinata sighed sadistically.

"You really get off on other people's pain don't you?" Temari asked with a mischievous grin. "Only the people I love." Hinata winked back.

I clinched the broom in my hands as my brow twitched. "Ok guys enough chit chat! It's been two hours and we've only cleaned half of the damn room! Where the hell did the guys go, they should be back by now! We're running out of garbage bags!"

Ino quickly dropped her broom as she placed both of her hands on my shoulder. "Tenten breath!...wait...you know what, don't breath! I'm pretty sure this air is toxic-" Temari quickly cut her off. "What Ino is was trying to say is that you have to chill-"

"GRRR!"

Though Temari would soon be interrupted by a loud mysterious noise erupting from a large pile of trash across the room.

Ino quickly picked up her broom as she used her foot to break off the brush part before pointing it's now dangerous end at the large piles of garbage. "I don't know what the hell that was, but I'm not letting it get to us first!"

Temari immediately grabbed the broomstick as she ordered Ino to stand down. "Get a hold of yourself Ino. It might just be a raccoon that wandered in-"

"That's even worse!"

"Do you really think that's what that was? Sounded more like a baby bear to me." I shrugged in question. "Not helping, bitch!" Temari cursed as she struggled to hold down Ino who was acting even more forensic then before.

"Guy's it's not a raccoon or a bear." Hinata suddenly spoke.

"Then what the hell is it?!" We yelled back as we turned to Hinata who was looking down at the thing hidden beneath the rubbish.

We watched as Hinata mouth curved into a smile. "I think it's our roommate." She pushed apart the trash revelling a sleeping boy, with long spikey brown hair, steel stud earrings, and red markings of swirls on his chubby cheeks. "And that sound we all heard earlier, I pretty sure that's coming from this kids stomach."

Almost as if on cue the boy's eyes fluttered open. He then proceeded to slowly sit up while releasing a loud yawn as he then caught sight of Hinata and the others. "Good Morning." Hinata's smile only grew wider as she lowered her hand down to help him up. "Good Morning."

"So I'm guessing you girls are our new roommates, huh?" He asked while getting to his feet. "It's nice to meet you all, my name is Choji Akimichi.

I've been living with these girls for four years now and at this very moment, I knew we were all thinking the same thing. 'What a kind boy!'

Temari went first. "Hello, my name is Temari Nara."

"Hey, Ino Yamanaka."

"I'm Tenten Lalin."

"Hinata Hyuga."

As we all made our greetings suddenly the doors to the front of the house swung open. "Damn it Tenko! Take that thing off your face, it's creepy!" Oji yelled as he and Neji walked into the room, with Tenko wearing a large gas mask.

"How can you ask me to take this off even though you know how sensitive my nose is?! Besides, the principal herself gave me this. I might never take it off."

"I see that you guys took your sweet ass time getting here," Temari stated irritably as she finally yanked the snapped broomstick out of Ino's clutches as she then twirled it in her hand before slamming it against the floor, startling Tenko and Oji. "Mind tell us what took you so damn long?"

Hinata placed her hand on Temari's shoulder as she smiled back at the boys, "What Temari is trying to say is that we're glad you came back safely from that terrifying 5-minute ride to the school. Now come meet one of our roommates we found buried underneath all this trash you didn't help us clean."

Tenko leaned a little closer to Oji as he whispered. "She's smiling but at the same time she's really scary," Oji groaned as a shiver went down his spine. "Yeah, she gets that from our mom."

"Choji, so you were here all along? What happened with the one task I asked you to do?"

Choji chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, Neji. I tried in the beginning but somehow later down the road, I fell asleep on top of these really comfy bags full of paper. But did you really think I could clean this whole room up by myself?"

Neji sighed as he looked up at a room still filled with garbage. "Sorry Choji, I guess not."

"Hey, guys!" Ino yelled from outside. "Look at all the stuff they bought! If we all work together we can get this room cleaned in no time!"

I smiled at everyone as I loudly clapped my hands together before rising my fist high up into the air. "Okay, guys were going to get this all done today or die trying!"

Everyone yelled in response. "Right!"

This day didn't go at all as I had planned, then again I'm sure none of us could have predicted the day to turn out anything like this. But being here with my friends and getting to live in this beautiful house, well all I can say is that I'm grateful.

- End Of Chapter -

This chapter was such a pain to edit! But it was worth it!

|Don't Own Naruto|