- Chapter 8.5 -

~ Temari's POV ~

For starters, I woke up to the sound of a loud thud, causing me to quickly sit up. Though, as I did I winced as a sharp pain came from the right side of my forehead. I raised my hand, which felt much heavier than before, placing it on the suddenly new bump on my head.

It took my eyes a second to adjust to the darkroom, and it took me even longer to recognize where I was. For some reason, my memory of last night seemed so hazy. I couldn't even bring myself to remember how I even go to bed last night.

"Ha, I think this might be the first hangover were I didn't have to drink a whole bottle of tequila to not remember what I did last night."

I was slightly startled when the door to the room creaked open, as the light from the hallway entered along with the soft scent of coffee. Once the door closed I could finally make out the figure that had walked in.

"Hinata?"

"Sup."

We stared at one another for an unreasonable long time, though even in the darkness I could tell she was smiling, I arched my brow at her as I watched her take another sip of her coffee. "Um...Hinata, don't you think it's a bit too early to be drinking coffee?"

She didn't say anything as she looked down at her drink and then back up at me. I watched how she began to walk deeper into the room as she placed her cup down before she stopped.

"Temari I don't think you understand,"

Hinata's words made no sense, only making me more confused. "Wait...What?"

Hinata answered my question in seconds as she slid open the curtains I hadn't even notice where there, as they revealed an enormous window that replaced most of the wall, as with the curtain now open, allowing an eye-blinding light.

Hinata sat down at a now visible dining table. "Like I said Temari, I don't think you understand. I'm drinking coffee because it's already morning."

Too tired to react impulsively, I simply got out of bed while taking a seat across from her. "Well, I guess this means good morning."

I haven't slept in the same house as Hinata in a long time, so I guess I forgot how early she wakes up or how she all ways seems just a little bit more on guard in the morning then she usually does.

I still haven't figured out why.

I looked out at our room. Saw a sleeping Tenten who was wearing a sleeping mask, definitely someone who's used to Hinata morning routine. Though as I looked at the other three beds I saw no Ino.

"Hey Hinata, what happened to-"

"She rolled out of bed."

I looked down only to see a mess of blond hair rolled up in bedsheets. 'I'm guessing Ino was the loud thud I heard, huh?' Looking just a little bit over I noticed a deck of playing card scattered all over the bed Ino was sleeping in as suddenly the events of last night came fluttering back.

{Flash Back}

~ No Ones P.O.V ~

With the group working as a team, it didn't take them much longer to finish cleaning. By the time they were done, it was just shy away from turning 10. They all flopped to the floor while releasing loud sighs.

"Thank God, we're finally done!" Tenten sighed in relief. "Now I can finally get my shower on."

"Good job girl's, great effort. I think we all deserve a relaxing bath after what we've been put through." Oji proudly announced as he leaning up against Tenten while resting his arm on her head.

"You barely did anything!" Ino growled as she got up real close to him. "Don't think that just because you showed up last minute that you can come in and hog all the glory!"

Oji got even closer as they were now butting forehead. "Listen here, kid. Don't think just because your some rich daddy's little girl that you can go talking to your elders that way!"

Just before they could continue to go at it, Hinata pushed them apart before dropping an ice-cold can of pop on their laps, as she then continues to hand one out to everyone.

Though Hinata didn't sit done just yet as she took a minute to appreciate the now visible room.

At the front of the building was the dining table with comfy seating for ten as it sat right in front of a large glass bay window. Giving anyone who sat there an incredible vow of outside. The dining room opened right onto a galley styled kitchen which was equipped with commercial-grade appliances as it had a generous seating for five on an almost 16ft island. Further down was the living room which had a large U shaped sofa that was faced towards the floor to ceiling stacked stone fireplace.

Everything about this house was beautiful, all it needed was a bit of polishing. Though as Hinata continued to look on, something about this place also felt unsettling. 'Why would they build such a nice house in the woods? Why would it be wasted on outcasts? No way does this school have that kind of budget.' Hinata turned to look at Neji who was blushing over something the girls were teasing him about.

"I've known Neji for almost all my life. He's basically the greatest thing to ever come out of the Hyuga family. So why isn't he in the student council? You'd think it would be right up his alley. Why is he living in the woods when he could be running that whole thing! What is Neji not telling me?'

As Hinata continued to ponder, Tenten scooched closer to Neji who finally starting to calm down. "What do you want? Here to tease me some more?"

"Sorry about that. Ino and Temari can be real bullies. Though in a way they're not wrong-" Smiling sweetly as she brushed her finger against his pale soft skin. He was caught off guard. "-I guess all Hyuga's are truly blessed with such beautifully fair skin, Huh? I'm so jealous."

White skin now turning pink, Neji quickly pulled away as he turned around. "Are all you girls this cruel?" Tenten simply stared cluelessly at him, completely unaware of what she had just done.

"Okay," Temari spoke as she got to her feet. "Neji, I think it's high time you showed us our room because after my bath I'm going to need somewhere to crash."

Neji took one last sip of his drink before standing up and leading the group down the hall. "The two rooms we have available for you guys might be a bit dusty, but that's due to the fact that we had to clean them ourselves..." Neji quickly noticed the ceasing sound of footsteps coming from behind him as he turned around only to see Tenko and Oji smiling mischievously at the girls as they smirked back at them.

"I'm guessing this can only be settled one way, huh?"

Ino pulled out a deck of cards from her purse as she shuffled them in her hands. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Neji looked puzzled at the group as he then turned to Choji for questions who simply shrugged back at him with the same puzzled expression.

|20 minutes after|

"Damnit!" Tenko cursed as he threw his cards on the table, as the girls began to cheer. "I want another game!"

Ino simply gathered her cards as she shook her head. "Sorry Tenko, no matter how many times we play this game, the outcome will always be the same. So save us both the time and give up."

Oji groaned as he facepalmed. "I knew I shouldn't have let you play against her, "

"Yes! First dibs!" Tenten cheered while jumping up and down.

"So you did all of this just to see who would get the first pick on rooms?" Neji looked at both groups before shaking his head in disappointment. "I apologize for bursting your bubble but your rooms have already been assigned to you."

"What?!"

"I thought I explained this to you on the tour. There are only two rooms upstairs. The room on the left is where the male students will be living as the room on the right will be where you girls are now staying. As for your brothers, they will be taking the room downstairs in the basement. Now if you don't mind I will be taking you to see your room, which I hope doesn't involve any more interruptions.

The girls simply made a zipped lips motion with there fingers as Oji and Tenko stuck out their indecent finger at Neji, which he ignored, as he led the girls to their room.

Tenko turned to Oji, as they both stayed back. "Oji I don't want to sleep in the basement, spiders live in the basement." Oji patted Tenko's shoulder as they grabbed their bags. "Don't worry man, I bought bug spray."

|Mean While Upstairs|

Neji guided the girls to two large white doors as just before he opened them, he spoke. "Just before you go in I wanted to tell you that, this house was normally used as male housing residence and it didn't help that we didn't have many female friends to help decorate your room, but I truly do hope it reaches your standards." And without further ado, he revealed to them their room.

The room was fairly large, as it was equipped with 4 twin beds with storage bedframes. The beds were all spaced out, as two were placed on one side of the room and another two on the other, all equally aligned in front of one another. Above every bed, hung beautiful white string lights and in front, a large vintage leather trunk as a small bouquet of yellow roses was laid upon each one. Across the room in front of a large glass window was a mid-sized round white and brown dining table with seating for six. The table was set with fine white china as in the center of the table sat a cake in a glass dome.

The girls turned to one another speaking in hush tones. Neji and Choji watched as they grew slightly more nervous about the girl's reaction.

Choji flinched when the girls suddenly turned to face him and Neji. "Boys it's better that you know this now than later, but we are going to be a handful," Temari spoke first, who was then followed by Tenten. "We don't let people push us around, we fight back." Ino was third. "We know what's on the line if we screw up, we know we can't continue on like this. But-" Ino looked down at her shoes while tugged on Hinata's shirt to continue. "But, we hope you'll take care of us from here on out. We'll be in your care."

They all bowed, leaving the two boys speechless.

"You know you should have waited for them all to be present," Oji added as he walked into the room looking smug. "Now you're going need to do that whole speech again tomorrow."

The four girls attacked Oji before Neji or Choji could get a word in, though suddenly they felt a hand on their shoulders. "Temari wasn't joking when she said they were going to be a handful, but it'll be okay because we'll be there to help you. And as one of their big brothers, we have to be there when they fall down right." Tenko smiled.

"Okay, guys! One slice of cake and then bed, okay?" Tenko ordered as the group quickly corporated.

"Could this giggling fool, truly be the actual mother hen of the group?" Neji said in disbelief. "Don't know, but he seems nice," Choji answered before going in to get some cake. Neji sighed as he facepalmed. "At least one thing is for sure, we truly have our work cut out for us."

{ End Of Flash Back }

~ Tenten's P.O.V ~

"Okay, I remember just about everything, but not how I got this bump on my head," Temari said to Hinata who I could smell was drinking her morning coffee. "Maybe you hit it while you were sleeping? I know Tenten wakes up with all types of scrapes and bruises."

"That's because she sleeps with weapons little there're stuff toys."

'God can you guys take this conversation about me downstairs! Like some of us are trying to sleep over here!'

Hinata laughed as they continued to reminisce, as their voices only continued to get louder, and louder, and suddenly I couldn't take it anymore as I quickly grabbed my pillow and shot it at their direction.

I yanked my sleep mask off as I shouted. "Can you guys please take your conversation downstairs! I'm-" Only to see that they were both standing at the end of my bed.

I groaned.

Temari grinned. "Good morning, Ten." as Hinata handed me a cup of joe. I pursed my lips. "You guys did this on purpose didn't you?" They answered my question when they smiled at me.

"Losers,"

"Well, I thought you'd prefer to wake up by the noise and not like some misbehaved cat," Temari pointed at Hinata who was holding up a spray bottle full of water.

"And I thought that you'd prefer to eat your breakfast hot," Hinata explained as she turned to Ino who was rolled up in the covers like a human burrito. "Besides, this breakfast can be a good chance to get to know the people will be living with from now on, since our other two roommates will be here by 9."

I took one last long sip of coffee as Temari and I watched Hinata spray water at Ino. Once I got to my feet Hinata was already helping up Ino, who's face was soaking wet. Then together we all headed downstairs.

|Downstairs|

Once we were downstairs, I wasn't surprised to see that everyone was already awake. "Good morning ladies, I hope you had a pleasant sleep." Neji greeted us as we walked in.

"Yeah, good morning," I returned the greeting as I sat down next to him at the island, though suddenly I watched how Hinata tied her hair back and put on a black apron as she then began to wash her hands. "Wait, Hinata your not the one making breakfast are you?"

"Yup."

"What? But isn't that the school's responsibility! They don't really expect high school students to fend for themselves do they?"

Hinata gave me a nervous grin as she looked back at Tenko and Oji who both had looks of despair on their faces. "Apparently on the weekdays, it's the dorm mother's responsibility to cook, clean and do the laundry for us. They just found all that out just now."

My mouth twitched as I watched my brothers groan and moan on the couch like kids.

"Did you fools truly believe you'd just be allowed to enter this school because your sisters are here? And just freeload on top of it all? The only reason you're here is that I got you this job, and just like any other job if you don't perform it well you will be fired."

Neji's cold words clearly struck a chord with Oji and Tenko and they quickly ran to Hinata who was stirring pancake batter as they towered over her. "How can we help?" They muttered.

Hinata laughed softly. "Well, you can take care of setting the table for now. Choji and I will handle the cooking for now."

"Aya-Aye captain!"

I chuckled at the sight of my brothers as I then looked up at Choji. "So have you been the one cooking for your roommate all this time?"

He smiled, "Yeah, but I just consider it practice. It's in the Akimichi's blood to cook, everyone in my family have all become famous chef's, so I guess I'm next."

I clenched my fists.

"So you do it out of obligation, huh? Because that's what your family expects from you, what they want from you and the only reason they had you." My eyes went wide as I quickly covered my mouth, but it was already out there. The room went quiet as I could feel everyone stare at me.

Though Choji broke the silence. As he simply laughed. "I don't cook because it's what my family expects from me, I do it because I love to cook. Nothing makes me happier than seeing people enjoy the food I make for them."

The topic was quickly changed, but I still sat there thinking, 'Will I ever feel that way, too...?'

"Hey, guys we're home!"

Suddenly two unfamiliar boys walked into the living room. The first with black hair tied back into a spiked ponytail, whose expression seemed really irritated for some reason, almost like he didn't want to be here. But the second one, well let's just say that he had a face I wouldn't mind seeing every morning, with a cool demeanour to boot. He had slick black hair, with just a tint of blue in it, and those black piercing eyes which caught my attention right away.

For a minute my heart stopped when I thought he was staring at me, only to realize he was looking past me and at Hinata whose back was turned to him this whole time. Though when she finally turned around she froze as she dropped the bowl in her hands, creating a loud sound which echoed in a now silent room.

I watched as her face went pale and her eyes go wide, an expression I've never seen. I turned to the girls who looked just a puzzled as I did.

"Hyuga Hinata, right? Your hairs different, but besides that, you still look exactly the same."

Hinata took in a deep breath before composing herself. "You'll have to excuse me for just now, let just say this was the last place I'd expected to see you again. But then again-" Hinata's eyes darkened as I watched her clench her fist. "I never planned on seeing you again Uchiha Sasuke."

| Don't Own Naruto |