Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Note: My Fic is now a semi-doujinshi...visit here art still in work of course
http: by Lovely Patty!

Honorific dictionary:
Bocchan- Young Master
Sama- Master/Lady
San-Miss/Mr/Mrs
Kun-attachment between friends.
Sensei-Teacher/Novelist/Doctor (Sakura is referring to Kakashi as a doctor)
Dono-Miss/Mr/Mrs (formal)
Yakuza-mob

The Fragrance of Love and Wine

Chapter II: Extreme Astonishment! A Chance Meeting!

Just as the servant girl had told him, Neji found two carefully wrapped wooden crates awaiting his attention. The difficult part of the task proved to be moving the saké. Once assured that the goods were indeed safe, He turned his attention to the earth around him. In his life, the only change which he welcomed came from mother nature itself because the world would be much too bare with fixated perfections. That was the only exception he ever made.

Pools of raindrops had left the countryside mud-spattered. The sound of low whispering branches of dripping trees met his ears whilst he made his way through the forest roads lined with water-laden hedgerows.

He sighed tiredly, adjusting his hold on the boxes, while berating himself for being too proud to accept any offered assistance. Soon the path broke into a clearing where a large river met the edge of the woodland. Neji proceeded down the terrace, his white eyes no longer fixated upon any particular article other than the blue horizon, which met the apex of the tree canopies.

There were no sounds from the rippling tide. Not even the dense maple trees rustled as the usual gusty breeze slacked over their end-branches, dripping with dew. The songbirds had become quiet upon their branches, choosing to bask in the silence, which the belligerent storm offered in its wake. He allowed his entire being to merge with the serenity, his steps becoming rhythmic with the white wispy clouds looming overhead.

It wasn't often that he was given permission to leave the manor, and even fewer times to actually meander to another village. There was always a reason for his departure of the sanctuary though, usually business reasons, like delivering saké and such. It was menial labor, not worthy of his time.

But he enjoyed it, enjoyed the small bit of independence he momentarily gained as each step carried him further and further away from his cage. He cherished every instant away from his imposing family. Out here in the real world, there was no one to decide his fate for him. No one could tell him what to do or what to say. His silver eyes followed the riverbed, becoming mesmerized by the steady, monotonous flow of the crystal clear rivulet.

The peaceful scenery was shattered when a painstakingly shrill cry caught his attention, nearly causing him to drop the sake. Neji lowered the boxes to search for the owner of the voice. His eyes landed on a short figure lost in thought.

"Miss? Miss? You must ferry me across the river. I have a delivery to make to the other town so please be hasty about it!"

"I don't have to 'be hasty' anything. Now if you don't mind, I'll take my leave of you. I have schoolwork to tend to." Naruto spat bitterly at the voice, apparently not caring the slightest that a patron was waiting to be serviced.

"Miss…"

"Hey, if you're trying to address me, at least get the gender right?" Naruto answered while pulling on the weathered ropes, and gripping onto them tightly until his knuckles turned red, still refusing to acknowledge the boy looming behind him.

"I don't care what you are…I just need you to ferry me across the river." Neji replied shortly, his patience finally wearing thin. "I don't have time to deal with your stubbornness."

It was as if the world chose him to be the victim of all bullying. It was him who was the obvious target and even now a complete utter stranger mocked him. He wasn't in the mood to work after being publicly berated by his teacher. If anything, he should have been somewhere incinerating all copies of The Tales of Genji.

Sure he had arrived later than usual, but he still wasn't the last one to enter class. Yet, the older man targeted him out, demanding that he recite a most…passionate passage from the novel. Naruto shivered at the memory as he clumsily fumbled over each word on the page, his hands shaking from their contemptuous eyes.

The class barked with mirth while he floundered helplessly under the intense gaze of his uncaring teacher. If anything, he blushed twice as hard before giving up and hoping the earth would somehow open up to swallow him alive. However, hadn't it become an everyday event to see how they could somehow cause even more damage? He wasn't sure...but he wasn't one to give up.

After finishing the first passage, his mortification grew to a new level as the black characters upon the brittle page threatened to engulf him. He had long ago learned that his teacher loved to make his life a living nightmare, but this was just plain hatred. Not only did he have to dissect each word, he had to provide his daily insight upon the events occurring within the scenes of the book.

Now, he was by no means innocent. Naruto would scoff had someone asked him whether or not he knew how a man and a woman worked. Living with a drunken pervert educates one about the birds and the bees. But this dealt with emotion, emotions which he had never felt. So how did one go around explaining something that one has never experienced? So he did the most logical thing that came to mind.

He ran away, which led him to his present predicament, at the edge of the riverbed, staring at his reflection with a flushed face while dealing with an impatient customer whom he had little desire to work with. How hard could it be to find some peace around here?

Naruto continued to feint disinterest in the person behind him by keeping his back turned. He wondered when the other man would finally get the message and disappear. An awkward silence fell between them until it became even too much for Neji.

"Are you going to give me a ride or not?" Neji asked once again, his voice bordering on anger for being spoken to in such an insulting tone. It wasn't only the tone of his voice, however, but the fact that the blonde refused to turn around to respond to him at all. He wasn't one to be ignored.

When the glare became too much, Naruto stood up and landed gracefully on top of the dirt bed. One glance at the rude person and he found himself already disliking the other young man immensely. It was brazenly obvious that this man wasn't a person to be reckoned with, but a part of him wanted to push the other's buttons for a reason he couldn't comprehend. Everything from the neatly tied ponytail to the polished black leather shoes annoyed him incessantly. "What are you deaf? I said I'm busy so go away."

Gritting his teeth, Neji fought the strong urge to toss the parcel in his hold in exchange of thoroughly beating up the insolent boatswain. No one spoke to him like that.

"…aren't you supposed to be making money by ferrying people across the river?"

"…aren't you supposed to be gone now after I told you to leave?"

He remained rooted on the spot, a determined frown upon his face indicating that he was going to be ferried across the river, whether Naruto felt like doing it or not. "Enough."

Naruto stiffened at the commanding words but remained relax. So this person wasn't going to leave him alone, then let him face the consequences of disturbing his peace. His mind formulated a plan and he quickly set it to work. This prank was going to be rich.

"Hop on then, young master." He spat out with uncharacteristic sweetness. Neji hadn't missed the sudden change in temperament but the urgency behind his chore forced him to overlook the transformation. He pushed his pole deep into the clear water, propelling the raft away from the banks of the river.

Neji placed the saké safely beside himself before settling down himself, still eyeing the other boy's backside. Just as the reached the middle of the stream, Naruto pulled his hands away from the paddle and dropped it into the raft. They stayed still until anxiety over took the older boy.

Neji didn't blink. "What's wrong? Why aren't we moving?"

"…because I don't want to? I think I twisted my arm while I was pulling the extra weight." Naruto glanced over at the crates, which had been securely placed beside the taller young man. A cheeky smile formed upon his lip "Oh, dear… I don't think I have the ability to do this much work!"

Neji lifted his head, staring in silence as the blonde released the ropes to walk over to his side of the raft. Without so much as a word, Naruto tipped the crates into the rushing currents, a look of approval on his face.

"What are you doing?"

The blonde gave him an awkward smile, turning around to show him his back once again to the shocked boy sitting behind him. "I think I just dumped your luggage into the river! Hmm…you should really dive for it but be careful! I heard the river is really deep." His smile became a jeering grin as he could practically feel the silver eyes threatening to burn the backside of his head, but made no move to explain his previous actions. Let the bastard get what he deserved for bothering him in the first place.

"Do you have any idea what you just did?" Neji growled, his voice never passing its initial softness. A dispassionate wave answered his question.

"Who do you think you are? You can't just walk around acting like you're the prince of the whole freaking world! I don't have to listen to you. You have no right to tell me that I'm worth absolutely nothing."

"Hyuuga Neji."

"Say what?"

"I said my name is Hyuuga Neji."

Naruto pivoted his body around to stare at the sitting young man, hoping that he hadn't heard correctly and by some strange chance this was all just a joke. He folded his hands, a sign of disbelief flashing across his tanned face. He closed his eyes briefly before finding his voice. "I don't believe you."

"You don't have to…but you better jump into the river and retrieve the saké yourself or I'll have you arrested for deliberate sabotage." Neji warned while inspecting the depth of the river. It certainly was deep.

He felt some part of him sink in dismay, and then hefted the paddle back into his hands and driving the raft onto the other side of the bay.Damn the world for being cruel to him. Not only had he had a bad run-in with his teacher at school, but now with the Hyuugas too? Naruto glanced at the distance between the raft and river groove. There was no chance in the world he could've run away from this dilemma.

Although it was better to try than to just give up.

The raft landed on the opposite side with a soft thud as the rim collided into the shore. Just as he made a move to break into a run, a strong hand latched itself onto his forearm, causing him to wince from the sudden pressure before it pulled away. He attempted to rise an arm to attack the other boy for daring to make contact with him, but it refused to move.

"What the hell did you do to me? Why can't I move my arm?" Naruto screeched, his blue eyes dilating in fear. He wasn't stupid and soon realized that Neji had done something to his arm.

"I won't fix it until you pay for the alcohol, so you're not going anywhere." Neji answered abruptly, breaking into the other's thoughts.

"I don't have any money," was his invariable answer, and in turn his response was a curt shrug. He didn't care what type of problems this bumbling idiot had, just the need to somehow repay for the lost goods.

Just as he opened his mouth to express his precise thoughts, a slight hand came up to tug on the cuff of his sleeve. His words were held as Naruto articulated his words through gritted teeth. He resisted the urge to slap the offending hand away but stilled when Naruto lowered his head to speak.

"Please…don't arrest me. I don't want to be a bother to the old man. I don't have anyone who will get me out of jail or work to feed and pay our living expenses. I'll do anything to repay you." If only he could've learned how to act like a rational person and not be quick of temper. He noted that it was much too late, even for an apology. His heartbeat sped up in fear of being imprisoned.

Glancing at the warm blue skies ahead of him, Neji noticed how it was only early in the afternoon. The walk to the next village would take at least another hour or so. "Come with me then."

It wasn't a request but a command. Naruto closed his eyes in relief, willing his racing heart to calm itself once more. Although, that was an odd request, he quickly nodded in agreement.

Once Neji started walking away, he followed behind. "Where are we going
then?"

"First we're going to the next village and apologizing for the reason behind why they won't get their saké today because you were stupid enough to dump their order into the river. Then I'll take you home and have the Main family deal with you." Neji explained in a straightforward, business-like tone.

"The Main family? What are you people…some kind of yakuza?" That didn't sound good at all. Maybe it was better to take his chances with the police.

"No."

His blue eyes leveled onto the back of the taller young man's neck. "What are they going to do with me?"

"Stop talking."

Another command.

"Yes, Neji-bocchan."


They arrived at the village about two hours later. His blue eyes widened considerably when they entered the unknown village. It was his first time being far away from home and the thought excited him.

His enthusiasm died when they drew near a house decorated in complete pink and red. He forced himself to keep stride with Neji, rushing to his side, and stopped altogether.

"We're here." Naruto heard the other boy whisper and walked pass the draped entranced hall. The smell of overly saccharine perfume with a hint of sweat engulfed all of his senses. He felt baffled when hordes of girls, all scantly dress flocked to him in vigor. This was a new one.

"Please do come in. We have some of the best girls in the whole village. What types would you like? Perhaps petite ones?" A particularly voluptuous woman in her early primes asked him.

Neji gave them a warning glare, which made the mass back away. "Take me to you owner." He announced to the nearest working girl, his other hand reaching out to wrench the blonde closer to him as they proceeded up the lavish stairs and down a hallway filled with lustful moans, which he chose to ignore. A grand set of doors opened, prompting them to enter. The next sight sickened him to the core of his soul.

A man, much passed his prime, laid sprawled on an elegant bed while a small girl rode him. Even when the new occupants entered the room, the couple on the bed made no move to stop. He stared at her milky backside, her virginal white kimono resting at the slender of her waist as she pushed herself up and down. Their ragged breathing echoed abundantly around the massive room.

Naruto glanced over at his companion and was shocked to find his face remaining impassive to the scene in front of them. He, on the other hand, was both appalled and embarrassed for interrupting in the midst of their lovemaking.

Clearing his throat to announce his presence, the old patron averted his attention from the girl to himself. "I am here on behalf of the Hyuuga Saké business, Fujitaka-san"

The elder man quickly shoved the girl away from him when she ceased to get off of him. A swipe of his hand left her face red, eyelashes lowering over her dark eyes to halt the oncoming tears. "Go clean yourself, slut. I have business to address. Get the big mistress to bring my opium to me."

"You must be Neji-bocchan…."

Whatever came next, he wasn't quite sure. His attention was focused solely on the deflated figure on the ground, trying to soak in what just had occurred. She was slight of form, far too young to be doing this to anyone. She resembled a china doll, with legs wide open. Her wet lashes, her slack limbs...it was all too much.

He turned on his heel and ran to the door, colliding into another person holding a tray, but continued until he was out of the vicinity. The blonde suddenly felt very cold and knew that the burning image of that girl would become a part of his nightmares for a while.

Naruto slumped against the walls of the old building, allowing the coldness of the concrete to temporarily bring him back to earth. He sucked in the precious oxygen his body so desired for, creating a burning sensation at the back of his throat but did nothing to stop. His eyes laced over the clear sky unconsciously, allowing the passing birds to bring some sense of time back into him.The experience had been surreal, almost as though he were in another place entirely.

He gazed down at the large stain, which had gathered from the saké spilt on his shirt from his hurried dash through the prostitution house. Furiously rubbing it to rid himself of the blemish, he failed to notice the approaching Hyuuga. His mind replayed the events with vapid clarity. The hands, so many of them had reached out to him, for what he wasn't sure.

It wasn't like he had any money to offer them in the first place. All of the females were dressed in a familiar wanton manner, wearing little to nothing. However, what left his mouth dry and lips chapped was the final scene before he completely snapped.

"Why did you run away?"

"Why didn't you tell me we were going to a…that place!" His functioning hand scraped the chipped walls in an effort to stop himself from tipping over as he felt the unsettling bile rise pass his dry throat, leaving an altogether putrid numbness, but his mind wanted otherwise. He wanted to return to that same room and rip that disgusting man limb from limb. "Why would you do business in a place like that?"

The meeting had unnerved him to no ends. While Neji handled it like a seasoned professional, he had to constantly fight the oncoming urge of regurgitating upon the regal carpet of that same room where that small girl had rocked back and forth, almost mechanically. The smell of burning opium left him sickened, yearning for the fresh air he had once taken for granted.

After declaring it more then enough, he rushed out of the brothel without so much as a look back, ignoring the commanding call from the other boy. Slowly he lifted his head to face the other boy. When he spoke, his words were barely recognizable to himself. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Neji asked impassively as he walked to the cowering form. The negotiations went by rather quickly, arriving at an agreement for him to deliver another batch by the end of the week.

"Deal with people like that? How can you be in a place like that and not have it bear any sort of mark upon your conscience? Those women…those girls…"

"It is their destiny to live the way they do. There is nothing we can do for them so there is no point in feinting any type of sympathy." He explained in a tone of infinite patience.

Remaining downcast, Naruto wouldn't look at him, he couldn't. He was too horrified from the other's answer to find his waning voice. He looked ready to burst into a rampage when Neji sighed softly, walking away from him and beginning the journey home.


"What are you going to do to me? I don't have any money to pay for the saké." The blonde repeated for the millionth time that day, knowing that he was going to be dealt punishment regardless.

"I know." He wasn't sure what had possessed him to bring the blonde along with him after the idiot had unwisely cast the saké into the runnel. His actions bewildered him in numerous ways.

"Just go home." Neji concluded, sidestepping to get on shore from the rocking raft.

Pausing in his ministrations, Naruto tied the last knot on the pole before straightening himself up from his crouching position. "You're a really confusing person, you know that?"

"…"

"What should I do?" He asked finally.

"Don't worry about it."

"You're not so bad." Naruto said with a clear, very honest voice. He blinked in surprise when the other grabbed his arm and gave it a thoughtful look. A negligent finger traced hands, passing his wrist and stopped at his elbow.

To the blonde's immense gratefulness, Neji kneaded the numb sensation in his forearm away. He said finally, "You should be able to move it now. I released the blocked pressure points in your arm. Douse some cold water on top of it and all should be well."

Grinning cheekily, Naruto placed a hand onto Neji's shoulder in a gesture of friendship. "You really aren't that bad at all."

"Whatever. Just go away."

"I'll see later you then!" With a bright smile and a slight wave, Naruto rushed off into the sunset, leaving him behind to wonder about the last comment.

"See you later…?" Neji chuckled under his breath, shoving his hands into his pockets and made his way back to the manor.


Ino walked to the open gates of the Hyuuga Manor, emptying the water basin into the sooty streets. The cold water flowed through the creaks, before seeping into the earth itself. It was dark, although not too dark. She hoisted the dimly lit blaze higher up to reveal a part of a shadowed form. Where was he going this late at night and around here for that matter?

She had no time to say anything when someone moved to relieve her of the basin in her hands. Ino turned her head over her shoulder to thank him and turned back only to meet an empty road. Questioning what she saw mentally, the blonde girl shook her head and closed the barn door.

"Are you read to go home yet?" Ino said, turning to face her friend. "I'm completely put out with all of the work they've placed on me today!"

Massaging her sore shoulders, she locked the barn door and proceeded to check up on the storage one last time before completely retiring. She had come down earlier but it was always better to be safe than sorry.

Her shadowed blue eyes roamed over the open entrance, surveying the odd scene with a look of confusion upon her face. Lifting the night lantern higher, Ino moved closer to the storage room to investigate the dark shack.

Her fingers traced over the door with apprehension, taking note of how the entry had been thoughtlessly broken through, leaving behind small chips of paint and splinters of wood. Recollecting the day's actions, she realized that she had indeed closed off the storage room earlier.

"That's strange…I don't remember leaving the storage room open. I just closed it before I went to the barn. Did you reopen it, Shikamaru? You know you're not allowed in here! If you're going to be lazy go and sleep somewhere else!" Ino whispered softly as her friend leaned in to observe the damage. The look on his face told more than actual words.

Rubbing the bottom of his chin, the boy answered with a reassuring firmness. There was no point in scaring her. "No, but don't worry. I'm right here." She gave him an odd look, telling him it was hard enough for him to protect himself much less her.

"What was that? You heard that too didn't you? I bet it's a ghost trying to haunt us for not properly cleaning the storage room. It's getting revenge because of your laziness, bum!" Her brain clicked on, random images of possible occurrences that could have involved the break-in of the room. All of them had nothing to do with her friend.

"It's just the wind, Ino." The dark branches scraped against the thick windows as the night wind danced through the trees. He was worried himself though.

The room was of great importance, stowing the majority of the produced saké. Locks of different types had been guardedly placed on the door to protect the assets inside. The Hyuugas had handed her one of the main keys after she had showed herself worthy of their trust. That had been many months ago, and now this had to happen! They were going to blame her for sure.

Shikamaru sighed heavily before gently tugging on the obviously troubled girl's hand, leading her cautiously into the dark room. He had personally never entered the room, not only because he thought it to be too troublesome, but simply because it was considered off-limits.

"There's no point in worrying about it now. We should just see what's happened and report to the Hyuugas tomorrow." He ensured her, although wary of the dangers himself.

His fingers tightened soothingly when she said nothing in response. A quiet Ino was a bad type of Ino. A bossy Ino was the best way to go. After a few steps past the broken door, he paused and released her hand. "You should wait outside. I'll go and see what happened by myself."

"I'm not scared!" Ino replied, although her voice lacked the conviction she so desperately sought for. Sure she was scared, anyone would've been. However, she had an image of confidence to maintain.

"Che...do what you want. I don't get women sometimes," Shikarmaru sighed, knowing that Ino wasn't going to change her mind no matter how many times he plead.

The blackness within the quarters left it difficult to see, and with what little light they had, he pieced the crime scene together. The thief left various signs of being an amateur; lids of crates thrown thoughtlessly aside, pieces of broken glass that had once held the alcohol littered the ground. But why would the bandit bother to destroy any of the saké if it was his objective to steal it in the first place.

So he drew another conclusion. This had to be an act of sabotage, be it random or not.

He swore loudly when a sharp edge ripped past his shorts, breaking the callous skin lying underneath.

"Did you just hear a moan?" Ino unconsciously pushed closer to the taller young man, seeking safety from whatever stood in the darkness. "I'm too beautiful to die! I swear when I find whoever is behind this, I'll kill them with my own hands! This means that I'll have to clean this whole room again tomorrow!"

"Gee…this is almost romantic, don't you think?" She murmured quietly, a hint of sarcasm leaking through her words. Her grasp tensed further when a piece of glass cut through the soles of her feet. A low hiss of breath tickled his ear

"Yeah, sure whatever. Just don't squeeze my hand so hard, Ino."

She giggled uneasily and released her punishing grip on his hand. "Shut up and be a man! You should be privileged to have such a pretty girl holding your hand."

"We're not going to find anything here tonight. Let's just head back and tell them what happened here."

"But…"

"Don't worry. Nothing will happen to you, okay? I'll explain it to them and you'll get to go home afterward." He answered, cutting her words short.

"It's not that! I'm not scared of what will happen to me." Ino insisted bravely before turning around and walking back into the courtyard.

The walk back to the entrance of the main manor was the longest one she had ever endured in her entire seventeen years of existence. A feeling of turbulence consumed her as she allowed herself to be led to the ominous house. Shikamaru knocked on the door and a servant pushed it open.

"I just wanted to tell you that the storage room was broken into last night. We couldn't find the culprit, but we did find an article of clothing left behind. I don't know who it belongs to." The servant nodded in understanding and shut the door once again.

After a few more moments passed, Ino grew impatient and proceeded to bang upon the wooden gates herself. A new person answered this time. "Someone has broken into the storage room. Can we request an audience with one of the Hyuugas? Oh…pardon my intrusiveness, Hanabi-sama." Ino lowered herself in apology.

"I see. How much of the asset was stolen?" Hanabi offered a dismissive gesture, telling them that they were not to blame.

"That's the strange thing though. There wasn't anything missing, just destroyed. Would you like me to go and search the vicinities, Hanabi-sama?"
Ino whispered urgently in response.

The main house member shook her head, "It's fine. I'll report it to father and see what course of action he wants us to pursue. May I ask who was in charge of the storage room at that point in time then?"

Alarm spread through her like wild fire, "I was, but I swear I didn't have anything to do with it!"

"I know you didn't, Ino-san. You can go home now. Everything can be discussed tomorrow when the family wakes up."

"Okay…"

"Wait….Ino-san. Can you tell me who the last person that entered the storage room before you?" Hanabi asked in a serious tone.

"Neji-bocchan was the last one to enter, Hanabi-sama" The cogs in her head set to work after her accusation was uttered. Ino raised her hands in front of her mouth to clasp it in shock before drawing them away.

"But I'm not saying that he was the one that did it! Please don't mind me. I'm probably not thinking properly after the incident. Perhaps there was someone other than Neji-bocchan." She added hastily, knowing that the damage had been done. Damn her stupid, senseless mouth. The look on Hanabi's face indicated that she hadn't heard the addition at the end.

"You are dismissed. I shall address this problem tomorrow, until then you may assume your previous actions."

Just as the mansion became nothing more than a speck behind them, Ino released her breath which she hadn't even notice she had held in the first place. Shikamaru opened his mouth to speak but closed it when he realized that it was better to remain just as they were, quiet.

Once the two friends reached a fork in the road, they came to a standstill. A bit of her fervor seemed to be missing as she spoke, "You better get your behind to work on time tomorrow or I'll drag you out of your sleep. Tell Chouji that includes him as well."

"Yes, madam! Her friend saluted in a teasing manner before becoming serious once more, "Hey, just chill. I don't think Neji did anything so stop worrying about it so much. It's probably someone else. All of your worrying is making it even more troublesome."

"I hope so and you find everything troublesome, Shikamaru." Ino said, wishing with every thread of life in her body that his words would become reality.


He pulled the door to his room open when someone rapped on it. A well-known face was revealed behind the paper door.

"Good evening, Neji-niisan. How was the trip across the river?"

"Fine, Hanabi-sama."

"You should rest now since it's been a long day. Would you like to relieve me of the funds which you have collected from our patron?"

"I apologize to you, but I do not have it. I shall explain what happened to Hiashi-sama immediately in the morning about what occurred." Neji explained to the awaiting figure, his white eyes looking pointedly at her own.

"I understand. Please excuse me then, I must get back to the Main House before father becomes worried about my absence. I shall mention to father what has happened. Perhaps you can stop by the manor tomorrow morning and speak to him? Please do not let me keep you then. Good night, Neji-niisan."

It wasn't to be a good night for Neji though. His thoughts raced back and forth restlessly, from the boy named Naruto to the stoic face of his young cousin.


His eyes snapped open at the appropriate time, plain white bed linens statuesquely tucked over lithe form, while the blank chalky canopy stared at him. He shifted on the hard surface of his wooden bed but made no move to get off, waiting for his disoriented mind to collect its self. At some point, which he couldn't figure out, his thoughts became turbid, a jumble of words and events passing by, only to be washed away by a pigment of endless blue.

Neji frowned at the thought, and laughed loudly at the absurdity, which had been summoned from the corner of his mind. How could one person display such diverse emotions to a stranger? Happy smiles…petulant snorts…dismayed frowns. This was a person whom wore his affectivity upon his sleeves, and yet he couldn't figure what this person believed in or what he was made of.

It took him a total of fifteen minutes to prepare for his meeting with the Main leader. He wasn't dressed in anything too elegant, just his brown slacks and casual white shirt. Neji greeted the people which offered their morning salutations with a nod and immediately made his way to the main manor.

The atmosphere surrounding the main manor had always left him both wary and tense at the same time ever since he was a child. At first, the reasons were petty. He disliked the way there seemed to be absolutely no life within the confines of the elegantly carved gates. It felt like a prison and each time he had entered with his father, a sense of foreboding would enwrap his soul. The grounds were cut and trimmed to perfection, almost seemingly static,

Neji thought. It wasn't his place to think so, but that was how he felt since childhood when his father would bring him to a hearing with the main house. It wasn't exactly common that the two branches would come in contact, but each one left a mark.

"Neji-niisan…fa-father is waiting for you by the p-pond." Hinata called out timidly, her hands twisting in her sleeves. Neji nodded in greeting and proceeded to the location.

By the pond stood his father's elder twin brother by fifteen minutes as he had been told countless of times. The only difference was that he felt no warmth radiate from the identical face whatsoever. It was better off that way.

"Hiashi-sama…" Neji lowered his upper body in greeting but his uncle paid him little acknowledgement.

"There was a break-in in the storage room last night as one of the servants had told Hanabi. She said that you were the last person to be in the room."

The voice was cold, merciless. "And you do not have the money from the negotiations either. How will you explain yourself to me, nephew?"

Neji straightened himself and answered, his voice austere when he spoke. "I dropped the delivery into the river due to my own clumsiness. Please let me repay you for my mistake. As for the break-in of the storage room, I'm afraid I had nothing to do with it."

A moment of silence passed and then Hiashi sent him away. "I shall take the money from under your name. You may leave then."


Days later Neji found himself at the rim of the riverbed, facing the back of a certain blonde. He couldn't explain what brought him there in the first place. It just happened. Before he even thought twice about where his feet were taking him, his body followed a resonating voice deep inside.

"What are you doing here?"

"I don't know…"

Naruto gave him a look of surprise before throwing his books aside to unhook the rope from the metal pole keeping the raft anchored from the rushing torrents. He felt the other watch him work silently, but chose not to comment. His practiced hands worked with ease, pulling the rope away and twisting it into a bundle before tucking them back onto the raft.

"Are you going to sit there all day?"

"Maybe…"

"Suit yourself then."

He couldn't understand what was so fascinating about the blonde in front of him. Sure, it was strange to find a Japanese person with golden blonde hair and such a rich shade of blue eyes. Naruto was by no means ugly, although not exactly the essence of utter beauty either. The boy was certainly comely in a simple way though.

Simplicity wasn't so bad if it came in ribbons of gold and azure.

"Do you want to share?" He stiffened when the small box was thrust a mere inch away from his nose.

"My lunch…there's too much of it because the old pervert ate out again when I told him not to. I made enough for two people, but I don't want to throw away the leftovers. It's not good to waste food. It's not like its good food any way, so don't expect too much. I mean, you must eat food that comes from all around the world, like China or something so this must not taste very good at all or anyth-"

"I don't mind."

Neji found himself staring at the boy sitting beside him in question, taking in each and every one of his actions. Then he spoke without a second thought, "Where did you get those marks?"

"Oh these?" Naruto turned to him, lowering his chopsticks with a look of curiosity on his face. The blonde traced the marks on his face subtly, taking a deep breath and then answered. "I got them from falling down from a tree after the old man told me not to climb it when I was a child. Apparently I got it when I was a child because I really don't remember what happened. It's all really fuzzy."

"I wonder what really happened sometimes...at least that's what Jiraiya told me. I'm not so sure I should believe him though. He drinks too much to be considered a reliable source of information. "

"It is better to be ignorant than mistaken," Neji commented quietly, picking up a suspicious piece of rice before slipping it into his mouth. "You live with someone else?"

"Of course! I live with the perverted old man in that shack over there."

"There are a lot of perverted old men around here, Naruto." He said in a sense of stateliness. His opinion of the boy being sensible or even remotely
intelligent was quickly dwindling.

"His name's Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya?" Why did that name sound familiar? Had he heard his father mention it when he was younger?

Each day after that followed in the same manner. Whenever he found free time, Neji would escape from the confines of his lonely home and join the blonde by the riverside until it became a custom for him to appear precisely after his duties had been fulfilled, and Naruto had finished all of his jobs after school.

And each time, some how, the walk home felt lonelier and lonelier. There were feelings churning inside of him, which could possibly erupt at any unknown second, feelings he himself could not fully grasp. They were by no means unpleasant, but rather foreign and unusual. Characterless particles seemed less empty with each time he met Naruto, taking on a life of its own where it once had been flat. He lifted his head to trace the receding clouds upon the setting sky.

There was a creak in his deeply frozen heart. A creak that threatened to melt away from the most delicate touch of an intimate person, and he was all too uncertain of what that could possibly mean for him.

He arrived at the front entrance of the house all too soon for his taste. Just as he stepped passed the doorway, a voice caught him from walking any further.

"You've been disappearing a lot, Neji-niisan…" Neji felt his stomach curl in trepidation, but said nothing in response. Her words came out like black silk, soft and dangerous. It wasn't a question, but a declaration. "Perhaps you should check in with me before leaving again? The Main House doesn't want one of its best branch members to fall into any type of predicament now."

Whatever type of agitation he felt was immediately suppressed as he answered promptly, showing little discomposure from the girl's poisonous words. "I don't know what you're talking about, Hanabi-sama."

"You know very well what I'm talking about, Neji-niisan. I wish not to repeat myself more than is necessary. If you are found out of place again, father will deal with you. I assure you that he will not be so lenient as I am."

"I understand."


Preview:

"I SWEAR I DIDN'T DO IT!"

"..I know you didn't Naruto..."

"But they won't listen to me! WHY?...You don't believe me either do you? You're just like them too."

"No!"


A/N: LOL…did any of you catch that million yen sentence? I got it from Forest Gump, which I don't own other then the dvd. It just seems like something Naruto would say too… I'm not going to tell the mass what the pairings are going to be…you'll just have to read and find out for yourself. Nothing…I repeat…NOTHING is set in stone. Even the initial couple, so don't get too comfortable with them yet. So that explains why I didn't give it a Sasusaku warning…I shouldn't have given it a NejiNaru warning either. Well, because it might not be that or it might just be that! Who knows? Whatever, just review if you want. I hope you liked it! Smiles