Naruto Primer: Lil' Neji
It Would Come
The death of a parent is hard for any child, but especially a child who was very close to that parent. You see, a death could completely change a person in a good way or a bad way. For Neji, it was the bad way. He used to be very happy child when his father was alive. I think this calls for the Magic Crystal Ball of the Past again.
It was the day before Hinata's birthday and Hizashi knew exactly what was going to happen the next day. Hiashi, his evil twin brother, would take Neji, his genius of a son, and put that horrible curse seal on his forehead.
Today was Neji's LAST day as a free bird.
So that meant that he had to take Neji out to have the best day of his life!
He woke the little tyke up at the crack of dawn to take him out. "Neji, if you could do anything in the world today, what would they be?" he asked him.
"Hm…" said the little carefree four-year-old Neji. "I want to get an ice cream!"
"Let's go then." Said Hizashi as he promptly took Lil' Neji out to the closest ice cream place so he could fulfill his wishes faster and take him somewhere else to have more fun.
"I can't decide whether I want chocolate or vanilla!" said Neji.
"Get them BOTH." Said Hizashi.
"Both of them?" gasped Neji. "That would be a large, though! I'm not allowed to get a large ice cream cone until I'm older!"
"You're old enough." Said Hizashi as he ordered Neji an ice cream cone that had two scoops, one of chocolate and one of vanilla.
"Wow!" said Neji. "I'm so happy! I don't think ANYTHING could make me happier!"
"Think." Said Hizashi. "There have to be more things you want to do."
"Well…now that I think about it…I kind of want to ride a pony." Neji confessed.
"In that case, let's find a place where you can ride a pony." Said Hizashi as he grabbed onto Neji and quickly went in search for a pony-riding place. He didn't want to take too long FINDING the pony-riding place and accidentally take up all the time in which he could be using to make his son happy!!
Finally, they found a place. It was a quaint little area where small children came all the time to ride ponies. Of course, Neji had long since discarded his ice cream cone since he was far too small to finish a large sized one, so he was all ready to ride a pony until the cows came home!
"Dad, are you watching me?!" Neji yelled as he rode around on the pony. He was actually just being led around by some lady who owned the ponies and going around at about a half a mile per hour but it was still ever so fun!
"Yes, I am!" said Hizashi. He was feeling truly unhappy on the inside but he had to keep happy on the outside so he didn't accidentally concern his son and inevitably make HIM unhappy too!!
When the pony-ride was finished, Hizashi asked Neji where he wanted to go next.
"Well…I think I want a balloon." Said Neji.
"Then a balloon you shall have." Said Hizashi as he swept him off to the closest party store in which a balloon could be purchased. They left the store with the string tied around Neji's wrist so he wouldn't accidentally let go of it. That would make him sad and Hizashi couldn't have THAT on this perfect day!!
"Now what, dad?" asked Neji.
"It's up to you." Hizashi said.
"Really?" said Neji. "Then I want to go miniature golfing!"
"Then let's go." Hizashi said, taking Neji to the local miniature golfing place faster than you could say, 'miniature golf'!
They played a killer few rounds of miniature golf and Hizashi made sure that Neji won so Neji wouldn't get sad. Neji had to be HAPPY!!!
"Well, now it's dinner time." Said Hizashi.
"Where are we going for dinner?" Neji asked.
"Where do YOU want to go?" Hizashi replied.
"You mean I get to decide where we go to dinner too?" Neji gasped.
"Yes." Hizashi said. "This day is all for you."
"Why?" Neji asked.
"No reason." Hizashi answered ALL too quickly.
"Oh, okay!" said Neji. "Then I want to go to the Ground Round!"
"Very well, that's where we will eat." Said Hizashi as he took Neji to the Ground Round. They ate their dinner and Hizashi got Neji the ice cream inside the baseball hats that everyone loves!
"This day has been really fun!" said Neji. "I feel like it's by birthday or something. Oh right! Hinata's birthday is tomorrow, isn't it? We should get her a present!"
"No, Neji, this day is all about you." Said Hizashi.
"Well, I'm a little tired now." Neji confessed. "But I want to stay up past my bedtime anyway."
"Then you can stay up until nine o'clock." Hizashi compromised.
"Wow!" said Neji. "Nine o'clock? That's a whole hour later!"
Of course, Neji fell asleep on the ride home. So Hizashi carried the tuckered out little buckaroo up to bed and tucked him in to his little plastic racecar bed. He didn't WANT tomorrow to come…but it would. It would come. Without presents or boxes or bags. It would come.