* * * * * * *10
They were reaching the place.
Gai-sensei had left them few minutes ago at the usual meeting point. And though they weren't in a hurry, they would soon arrived, and meet the other candidates. Their future opponents.
He shook his head.
"Are you alright Neji-kun?"
"Yes."
"Ah..." she looked down, keeping the pace "...I'm a little nervous. But I don't know why..." she smiled at him "...must be the anticipation."
He nodded, fully understanding what she meant.
He too could feel the familiar knot in his belly. Every ninja could feel it. Even under different circumstances.
He remembered how it had shown itself on Lee's features two days ago, when they had visited him. Lee had been happy to see them and he had even seemed relieved to see he Neji was doing well. Lee had always been the cheerful type anyway. So it didn't make a great difference. But when Tsunade-sama had arrived, something had changed in the room.
Lee had looked...expectant.
Neji face took a weird expression as his mind dived into that memory.
He remembered what Tsunade-sama had said after looking closer at Lee's arm and leg. How she had taken a serious expression and how Lee's eyes had lowered after she told him.
But when Lee had looked up again, he had seen it.
He had seen that glint in his eyes. The glint every fighter carry in his eyes whenever he is going for a dangerous mission. And that glint had told him what a ninja was.
Someone which spirit never gives up.
His white eyes looked straight in front of him.
Today he was taking the Chuunin exam. Once again.
He too was expecting a lot of great things to happen.
"Can't you stop eating for a minute!" a girly voice shouted.
"...Well, I'm hungry..."
"You're always eating! Take a break!" she ordered.
The boy beside her moved his snacks away from his mouth and frowned.
"Finally, your munching is unnerving..."
The boy sighed turning away from his bossy team-mate.
"Ino, isn't it?" a girl asked behind them.
The blond turned to the newcomer.
"Tenten, you're taking the exam too?"
"Yes..." she mumbled.
Both girl's shoulders dropped down in defeat.
"There seem to be stronger guys this year again..."
"I'm getting tired already at the idea of fighting them." Ino sighed.
"You're sounding like Shikamaru..." Chôji stated.
The girl's face became red. Anger or embarassment?
"I do not!" she shouted.
Neji winced and shot her a hard look.
Ino swallowed hardly.
"...well...anyway, he isn't there anymore so..." she murmured.
"Oh, I guess we aren't the only two-members team around then...that's comforting." Tenten said to herself.
Neji slightly nodded at her statement.
He didn't want her to freak out before the exam is even started.
"Hey guys..." a voice called.
They all turned to the newcomer. He was no stranger to them.
Ino was the first one to react.
"What are you doing here? I thought you would be on some 'special mission'."
The ever grumpy-faced chuunin frowned at her tone.
"They picked me for the invigilation thingie for this exam."
"What?!" Ino gasped.
Chôji choked a little on his potato chips.
Shikamaru only smiled at them.
"You guys fight around and tired yourself out. I'll be watching."
Neji raised an eyebrow.
He had never seen a ninja avoiding action this way. And judging from the guy's cheerful voice, it was obvious he enjoyed doing so.
He mentally shook his head.
That was a ninja way he would never understand.
"Nara-kun, you have to go to your post now." another chuunin said from far.
"I'm coming." he turned to the four gennins "Don't get your asses beaten. I'll see you all later."
"Shut up! Who do you think you are trying to boss me around?!" Ino yelled at him.
Shikamaru sweatdropped.
"She is even worse than before." he said to Chôji.
"Yup." the blond answered before crushing a handful of chips in his mouth.
"What did you say?" Ino asked glaring.
"Nothing nothing." he walked off, sighing.
He silently leaned on the tree behind him.
The place was crowded with shinobis from several villages and countries. They all stood there gathered in groups of three, most of them slyly looking at each other with narrowed eyes. There was a loud silence and the tension was so thick one could touch it with his fingers.
It felt like the deep jungle.
Neji's eyes traveled on the crowd and caught some ninjas glaring at him.
His gaze rested on a particular dangerous looking man carrying a strange irokoi-like haircut.
He was quite sturdy but had a very chubby face at the same time. He would have looked innofensive if his eyes didn't tell another story. Next to him was a woman with a snappy expression on her face. Her spiky blond hair seemed ready to strike whoever would mess with her. As for the dark-haired man behind her, he resembled that Shikamaru guy at first glance. With his pony-tail and his satisfied off-hand smile, he was different from those who seemed to be his team-mates. But again, you couldn't judge people on their attitudes.
"Hey Neji, look who is there..." Tenten said.
He turned his head to follow Tenten's gaze.
Hinata-sama's team.
He frowned.
What took them such a long time to reach the meeting place?
"Urm, hello..." Hinata greeted.
"Hello!" Tenten and Ino answered.
"Waf! Waf!" Akamaru barked.
Shino nodded.
"Yeah, hello..." Kiba said throwing an inquisitive look at Neji.
Neji shrugged.
Chôji kept on chewing his noisy potato chips.
"Did you guys see people any faces from last time?" Kiba asked.
"Until now I haven't. And I have a good memory." was Tenten reply.
"There are many people, so you can't tell for sure." Ino stated.
"I guess." Kiba caressed his dog's back.
"Waf! waf!"
"I wonder when this isgoing to start. We've been waiting for hours!" Ino snapped.
"I do too..." Tenten sighed.
"Chôji, I told you to stop eating those things. You're noisy!"
"It's not my fault..."
"What do you mean "not your fault"? You are-----Sasuke-kun!" she shrieked.
Everyone's eyes fell on the three arrivals.
Neji turned to them.
Team 7. Naruto's team.
He blinked.
Both boys of the team were standing at least one meter away from each other, their face serious as if it was the end of the world. The Uchiha's eyes seemed to be on the verge of calling the Sharingan, and his blond team-mate's expression was one of pure determination. The tension between the two was both electrical and invisible.
Amazing was the only word Neji's mind could find.
"Sasuke-kuuuuuuun..." Ino ran to him, then stopped. "What's with that face Sakura?"
"Huh?" the pink-haired girl was dumbfounded.
Ino frowned.
"The tired-look. You didn't sleep enough? Too much nervous for the exam?"
"Ah...no..." she took a glance at the two boys beside her, then sighed. "...not at all."
Ino's expression softened. Her mouth curved into a sly smile.
"Are you afraid to fight me because you're sure you'll lose?"
Sakura instantly went wild.
"In your dreams. I'll beat you this time!"
Neji tore his attention away from the two bickering girls.
His eyes unconsciously fell on the snappy-looking woman he had spotted earlier.
She was looking right in his direction. But not quite looking at him.
He followed her gaze.
Uchiha Sasuke.
He raised an eyebrow.
He had the feeling that this year's exam wouldn't be as easy as the previous one.
"Every one gather on the place!" a faraway voice ordered.
"Finally." Kiba mumbled.
"It's time." Tenten said.
"Naruto-kun..." Hinata called softly.
"Hum?" Naruto blurted out, visibly kicked out of his concentration.
"Let's give our best." She said, a shy smile on her lips.
Naruto lips parted. Then closed.
He smiled back and nodded.
Neji pulled away from the three and started to walk away, Tenten beside him.
He clenched his fist, determination printed on his white eyes.
Yes. They'll definitely do their best.
~ THE END ~