Hyuuga Neji; 1 Year Later

Age 14

-A Team of One-

Yes, I did pull my team through the Chuunin Exam, but that was expected. I, once again, got an easy pass through the preliminaries but I likely would have beaten anyone I went up against. Hinata is an easy opponent so I don't know why she bothers continuing attempting to become a ninja.

And, yes, I went on to the tournament. I beat Aburame Shino, the one who beat Uchiha Sasuke. Although I have yet to actually fight the Uchiha, by desire to do so is slowly diminishing, especially after witnessing his humiliating defeat.

And finally, yes. I did win the tournament. I was sure that I would be promoted to the rank of chuunin so the arrival of the Hokage's messenger ninjas did not surprise me. They told me the Hokage wished to speak with me, as if I would not suspect that I was to be promoted.

I began my walk to the Hokage's office when I spotted Tenten jogging. She had done a poor job in the preliminaries and allowed herself to be eliminated easily. But perhaps I had been expecting too much out of her. Just because she was put on the same team as me and trains on the same team as me, does not mean she will ever rise to my level, no matter how much pressure she is put under.

"Where are you going?" she asked me. "Are you getting promoted?"

She had absolutely no right to such information, but I wasn't going to keep I from her. Not because I felt she deserved to know where I was going and whether or not I was being promoted, but just because I knew she would pester me if I did not respond.

"The Hokage wanted to see me." I replied. "It could have nothing to do with promotion." Even though I knew for certain it was, I chose to say that anyway.

"You want me to come along?" she said.

I shrugged. "Whatever." I replied. I couldn't care less whether or not she went along with me. And if she wanted to waste her morning then who am I to stop her?

Lee had also made it to the tournament. I got the feeling that he wasn't going to be promoted though. I only won one match before he was knocked out by none other than myself. Did I feel bad about eliminating Lee from the tournament? Not at all. It was just like another one of my easy victories over Lee, except with an entire village watching.

When we reached the office, I did not feel comfortable with Tenten coming inside with me as if she was an escort.

"You can wait outside while I go and see what the Hokage wants." I said. She nodded and stayed as I went inside. There were only one other person standing there, Aburame Shino, and I figured he'd be promoted. I gathered that someone else was also being promoted inside the Hokage's office, but I didn't bother asking Shino.

After a while, Shino went in. Only a few moments later, I heard my name called. I entered to see that Shino as not moving. Finally, he turned and left.

When he was gone, I looked at the Hokage.

"Congratulations." She said, gesturing towards the stack of vests without even looking up from her activity.

Somehow, I always pictured it to be more climactic than this. I took the vest, waited for just a minute or two, and finally left when she did not continue at all.

I left the office. I could see Aburame Shino walking in front of me, looking at his new chuunin vest. I most certainly deserved this chuunin vest after the previous chuunin exam, and everyone knew it. I was by far the most skilled contender at the exam and to not receive my vest was shameful.

I could tell my uncle was disappointed, but it's not like I aim to please him. It's just that I had to deal with him being disappointed all the time. It was bad enough I had to deal with him in the first place.

I went back out to where Tenten was waiting.

"See?" she said. "I told you!"

It's not like I had denied that I was being promoted and told Tenten a thousand times that she was wrong. But she sure was acting like I had. "I knew it." I said.

"Aren't you going to try it on?" she asked.

Tenten certainly was being pushy today.

"I'm sure it fits." I said. I wondered why she was just out jogging around and not doing something important. It was almost the time that Gai usually called us to do some sort of crazy training thing that was probably centered entirely around Lee.

But, as a mere genin who must comply with her teacher, Tenten didn't have any say in the matter as to how Gai taught. But still, she should be off getting ready to go and train, not stand around giving me orders.

"Don't you have training to go to?" I asked her.

"I guess." she replied. "Are you not coming?"

What a preposterous question. Of course I wasn't coming. I wanted to get as far away from Gai and everything he stood for as fast as I could.

"No." I said plainly. But I knew I had to elaborate or else Tenten just wouldn't understand. "I'm a chuunin now. I don't HAVE to come."

With that, I walked away.

It was then that it hit me. I WAS a chuunin. I no longer had to attend Gai's training sessions. I was no longer Gai's student. If I made the sincere effort, I never had to see Gai, Lee OR Tenten ever again.

I felt extremely happy.

Tenten jogged past me and pretended not to care or look back at me, but I could tell she was burning with anger on the inside. That's female ninjas for you.

My skills and abilities were going to greatly increase now that I had the opportunity to go on B-rank missions and finally not have to waste time with Gai, Lee and Tenten and their ridiculous training exercises. I would finally be able to practice and train at my own rate, which was much quicker than that of both Lee and Tenten. Put together.

Most people were still sleeping in the Hyuuga house. I was as quiet as I wanted to be as I went back to my room.

I took the plastic off my vest.

As I held it, it didn't feel quite as wonderful as I thought it would. I had expected a singing choir and lights to flow from the vest as I held it, but no such thing happened.

So I laid it out on my bed and waited.

It's not like I wanted to see it get up and dance and perform magic tricks, but maybe it was just because the shock hadn't quite set in that I was a chuunin quite yet. Maybe if I put it on.

I put it on.

It felt a little better.

Just as I was beginning to feel like a real chuunin, there was a knock at the door. But the knock was pointless anyway since the person knocking at the door opened it as he knocked.

It was my uncle.

"Neji," he said. "May I come in?"

"You're already in." I said.

He nodded and shut the door behind him.

"I heard about your promotion." He said.

"Good." I replied.

"And, as a Branch House member, you know you can never succeed the Hyuuga Household."

Wow. Where did that come from? He should know that I am painfully aware of such a fact.

"Yes." Was all I said.

"Even though you are progressing at an impressive rate. You know this."

"Yes." I wonder why he was digging such a deep hole? And for no reason too.

"Your father would be proud."

Oh sure. He had to act all noble by bringing up my father. As if that was supposed to make me happy and cheery that, oh thank god! My father would be proud of me for passing the chuunin exam! That was good news to hear that I most definitely would have never been able to figure out on my own, if not for the fact that my uncle did not come in and tell me so.

"Yes." I said.

He gave another nod and left my room just as the doorbell rang. Finally.

I wondered for a moment if that was his demented way of congratulating me. If it was, he had certainly failed because now I felt worse than I felt before he had come in. He had successfully reminded me of my terrible fate of a member of the Branch House and then went further as to bring up the fact that my father was dead in a sad attempt to pat me on the back.

It almost seemed deliberate.

What a guy.

What an uncle.

He was finally gone and now…do something. That didn't involve him.

But then he was back in the doorway.

"Neji, your former teammates are at the door." He said. "And after they leave, I would like to have another word with you."

I had hoped that it would be apparent to both of them that I wasn't interested in spending any more time with them other than vaguely passing them on occasion and nodding in their direction.

But I want to the door anyway just so I could prolong my potential rendezvous with my uncle.

"Neji!" Lee ambushed me before I could even get a word out. "I came over to congratulate you!! And Tenten came too!"

Where would I be without Lee stating the obvious? "I figured so much."

"NOW we're going to take you out to eat!!" Lee yelled.

"What?" said Tenten with a confused expression, which clued me in that he had probably just thought that up on the spot.

I looked briefly back at my uncle waiting for me around the corner. Then back at Lee and Tenten. It was time to pick the lesser of two evils. "Fine." I said.

On our way to a local restaurant, Lee couldn't keep his mouth shut, but it's not like I was surprised. He kept trying to start conversation, but I hoped that maybe if I just ignored him then he would stop trying.

"Will you come and watch us in the chuunin exam next time, Neji?" I heard him ask suddenly.

That was a stupid question. He should KNOW the answer to that one.

So I decided not to even dignify that question with an answer either.

We entered the restaurant, and I immediately saw Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura sitting at a table. Of course, not before Lee. Lee was over by Sakura's side faster than I've ever seen him in training.

"Sakura!! It is so nice to see you! How are you? Are you well?" He continued like this for a minute or so, but I wasn't going to stop him. At least he wasn't bothering me anymore.

"Lee!" said Tenten. "It's a TEAM thing! And THEY'RE obviously doing a team thing too!"

I felt like reminding Tenten that I wasn't part of the team anymore, but I decided not to.

"Lee, come on." Tenten pleaded, pulling Lee away from the table.

The three of us left that area of the restaurant.

I no longer had any interest in fighting Sasuke as I watched him storm out of the restaurant for apparently no reason at all.

"What should we order?" Lee said as he grabbed a menu and opened it up. "Wow, the food smells good today! I can't wait to eat something since I'm quite hungry!"

He was certainly annoying. And something I will certainly not miss is his mouth constantly flapping.

I looked at Lee. He looked hurt and sad.

Did I say that out loud?

But at least it shut him up.

For the time being anyway…

When the silent meal was finally over, I was the first to stand up and announce that I was leaving. As much as I didn't want to have to speak with my uncle again, I also had no desire to stay there for any longer.

"Good bye, Neji!" Lee said, springing to his feet. "Feel free to stop by any time we're training!!"

I tried to break it to him that no such event would ever occur and just when I was about to answer, he reached out and gave me a hug. I was so shocked and confused that I didn't know how to react. And, by the time I realized what was happening, he let go of me.

"Lee." I said after a moment's pause.

"Yes, Neji?" Lee said.

"Don't ever do that again."