Sorry for the LATE update. No excuse, but it's the holidays now so ill try update at least once more…

Um, they weren't actually sasusaku hints… it was for the purpose of the events… o well, see it that way if u wish, teehee

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Day 4: Mission

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"ACHOO!"

Unexpected things, ironically, were expected in the village of Konoha. But it didn't mean they were welcomed.

For the second time that week, the inhabitants living on that certain street were rudely awakened by a most unwelcome commotion coming from exactly the same house that had caused the first one. Sounds of the just-replaced lamps crashing and wailing children filled the street, once again breaking the serene silence.

Alas. Tenten had one of the most feared ailments amongst the ninja community.

Tenten had a cold.

Why a cold was feared so much, some may ask. Blocked noses, numb limbs, clogged senses, watery eyes, sluggish reactions, slurred movement… No. A cold had to be the most fearful thing to befall a ninja.

"Achoo!" Tenten sniffed grumpily, rubbing eyes. Oh… poo. Why must she have this cold? Well, that was easy. One word; Neji.

If he hadn't scared her so yesterday, she wouldn't have of dropped the oar into the water and her hand would never have slipped at that crucial moment and crashed with Naruto and Lee's boat, causing her to fall into the water and catch this accursed cold! And to boot, if he had been an even more tolerable pretend boyfriend, she would have never been feeling so nervous and stressed and her usually functioning immune system would never have been so down!

Yup. She had stopped trying to deny it. Everything always came back to him.

"Achoo!"

'Ah well,' Tenten thought wearily, rubbing her numb nose, 'Today's mission might be good. I can learn to work with a cold.'

She was halfway through the week. After a few more antagonizing days and a meeting between Neji and her parents, it would all be over and everything could get back to normal. She wouldn't lose to her father, not in a million years!

Pulling a tissue from the now near empty tissue box, she hastily wiped her nose, deposited her breakfast bowl (quite loudly) into the sink and stalked out of the kitchen, making sure to give signs that she was ignoring her father. Smiling with satisfaction as he, pretending to read the newspaper, winced with her every stomp, Tenten was about to go to her room to prepare for her mission when she was interrupted by her mother at the base of the staircase.

"Tenten, dear," her mother said, lines of concern present on her face, "When are you going to give up this… 'feud' with your father?" Her hands were nervously wringing her dressing gown, fearing her daughter's answer.

A look of obstinacy appeared in Tenten's eyes as she gave a reply. "When he gives up his absurd notion of marriage and suitors!" At her mother's sad face, she quickly added, "Don't worry about it, Ma. It'll be over soon." 'All thanks to Neji,' she thought to herself, smiling and waving her hand in assurance.

The look of concern didn't leave her mother as she sighed, lines of weariness and age marring her face. "Tenten…" she said, before shaking her head dismissively, "Just take care of yourself. I'm still surprised they would give a chuunin a mission on the day of the chuunin exams, what with what happened a few years back…"

Tenten's reassuring smile dropped like a ton of bricks. Chuunin… Exams…?

"Now remember," an exited Gai-sensei chirped, "Tomorrow, you must come to the mission department early!"

A shivering and saturated Tenten looked up, surprised. "But isn't it the chuunin exams tomorrow?"

Neji 'hmphed' loudly.

"Yes!" exclaimed an unnaturally excited Lee, despite his wet state, "A chance to redeem myself in Tenten and Neji's eyes!"

Tenten shot Lee a quick glare before voicing her apprehensions. "But Gai-Sensei, what about what happened with that Orochi-"

"EXCELLENT! I'll be waiting, o-six-hundred hours sharp!" the eccentric teacher yelled, before shoving Tenten on her way and scampering off.

O-six-hundred… her eyes flitting quickly towards the hallway clock, a look of realization and despair dawned on her face as she realized the time.

…7:24!

A small squeak escaping her lips, she gave her mother a quick hug, before bounding towards the door. "See ya, m-ACHOO!"

Her mother raised her hand in surprise, towards her frantic daughter. "Don't forget your-"

The door slammed shut.

"…coat."

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Tenten cringed under the piercing white gaze of a certain Hyuuga, and the one person quickly becoming the source of all her suffering.

"You're late."

Her forehead creased in annoyance. "I am aware of that." She leaned onto the wall next to him and closed her eyes, pushing down her exasperation.

Neji's face was indifferent. "Why?"

She looked at him, shifting her eyes angrily towards him. "Because of y-ACHOO!"

Neji closed his eyes, disgust and superiority apparent on his face. "How repulsive."

Tenten clenched both her fists, trying to hide the blush of disgrace creeping onto her face as she sniffed, indignantly. "Why are you out here anyway? Waiting for me to come so you can criticize me?"

Anger quickly flashed in his eyes and Tenten was surprised to see the usually controlled Neji's left eye twitch. "I… was sent out here to wait for you. Because you were unusually late."

Tenten raised an eyebrow. There was obviously another story to this, but as the always stoic Neji didn't appear to be wanting to share it, she dismissed the thought and gently pushed herself off the wall. "Well, I'm here. Let's go then."

Neji gave a shadow of a smirk appear on his face before he, in turn, pushed himself off the wall. "Let's."

Tenten smiled, determination shining in her eyes as she followed Neji through the bustling halls of the academy. Everyone was worked up into a hype with the chuunin exams. People rushing from room to room, preparing for the 3rd exam… After 3 years, the exam had rounded back to Konoha, with the Kages of all the competing countries deciding that what happened with the last Konoha exams was a one-off thing, though it took a while to pass. But Konoha was still not going to let their guard down, even knowing that no-one would surely try another attack on Konoha at the chuunin exams. Still, 2 dead Kages and devastating destruction… The security would be top notch this year.

As she passed several rooms she heard talks of security and safety measures… Make sure there are ninjas set to every twenty metre mark along the village walls… Be sure to assign the Hokage and other attending Kages top security… Secure all the bulls in the village, they were on a stampede last time…

Tenten was excited. Even her cold couldn't bring her down. Maybe she would be assigned to guarding the stadium… that might get her a good position to view the contestants… Or maybe she would be set near the Kages' platform… maybe she would get to talk to Tsunade-sama…

Tenten halted her thoughts as Neji halted abruptly. Tenten stopped herself before she would bump into him and looked around his shoulder to see why he had stopped. Her excitement bubbled in her stomach when she saw they had approached the room where missions were assigned.

"Well?" Tenten asked with anticipation, "Open the door, Neji!"

Neji raised his hand to the handle, appearing to be hesitant, before letting his hand drop suddenly. "Tenten," he said seriously, "Before we go in, I should warn you, ignore anything Gai-sensei sa-"

He was cut short when the door was abruptly slid open.

"Ah! The couple has finally arrived!"

The excited face of Gai-Sensei was shoved into Tenten's face as she was pulled into the room. He seemed to have forgotten how late she had been.

"Neji had been so worried about you Tenten!" Gai-sensei jabbered on, "He was practically having a breakdown! I told him you would be fine but he insisted he'd go wait for you!"

Ah. So that was why Neji was so peeved before. Tenten didn't like to think what he could have been subjected to in the hour he had been here in the company of Gai-sensei with the prospect of his supposed relationship with Tenten still fresh in their minds. And she honestly doubted Neji had been worried and that enthusiastic about finding her as Gai-sensei portrayed.

Choosing to ignore Neji's glares and Gai-sensei's comments, Tenten inspected the room, as all good ninjas do. Looking around, she saw an assembly of a few chuunins, jounins and high-ranked ninjas, including Tsunade-sama, sitting behind a row of tables.

She had been in the company of the legendary Tsunade-sama before, but that didn't stop Tenten from being any less honoured to be near her. She tried to smile politely while concealing her excitement at the same time.

Surprisingly, and to Tenten's delight, the Hokage just happened to wish to speak with her…

"So," she said, closing her clear brown eyes thoughtfully, "I hear you and Hyuuga-san here are courting."

…for the wrong reasons.

Tenten's cheeks flushed embarrassed. Tsunade-sama knew! Who could of- Tenten's eyes turned into slits as she threw a sharp glare towards Gai-sensei, only to have him wink and tap his nose in a seemingly knowing fashion. Looking back to the Hokage, her blush deepened even more when she saw Tsunade-sama's mutual expression.

Was Tenten going to get in trouble? The Hokage knew about her 'relationship'! Damn Gai-Sensei… Damn her accursed father… There weren't any rules against relationships between work colleagues were there? It was just highly… not recommended! Not… recommended… at all. Tenten bit her lip in anxiety. What if Tsunade-sama thought any less of her…? What if…

"Well," the said person called in a stern voice as Tenten tried not to gulp. As the Hokage opened her eyes and looked into her own, Tenten knew the answer couldn't be good.

She held her breath as the Hokage continued.

"Well, Tenten-san. Congratulations. With your expertise in weaponry and Hyuuga-san's talents and bloodline abilities, I'm confident that you will breed a new generation of excellent ninjas for Konoha."

…what?

The room was so silent, the ticking of the wall clock could be heard. She, and Tenten was sure everyone else in the room, could feel heat and anger radiating from a certain Hyuuga-san standing not far behind her, whose glare she could feel being exchanged from her, to the Hokage to Gai-sensei. She could practically see Gai-sensei's tears of pride and joy streaming down his cheeks. And to add to the climax…

"Achoo!"

Her eyes widening groggily in disbelief, Tenten could only muster out one incoherent sentence.

"B-Breed? Bree- but- I- Neji- Um…?"

The atmosphere of the room was uncomfortable. Uncomfortable indeed. Breed? Tenten had never thought of Neji in such a way! And she didn't want to start, either… That was just disgusti-

"Anyway," began Tsunade-sama, smiling happily, seemingly immune to the awkwardness in the room, "As you all know, you are here because you, deemed as highly capable ninjas, will be assigned missions today, the day of the chuunin exam. Come forward and I will assign you to your missions."

As the missions were assigned, the mood of the room once again rested in a brisk, busy air and the room's audience stared to relax they lined up. Tenten tried her hardest to avoid eye contact with Neji, as she feared his glare might turn her into stone. Quickly jumping in the queue behind the Uchiha boy, who just smirked at her, she slightly cringed as she felt Neji's dark aura plant itself behind her. Though she couldn't see him and he made no move to communicate with her, Tenten was convinced that if she moved one millimeter out of line, her bones would be crushed before she could say 'girlfriend'. Literally.

She almost cried with relief when it was her turn to be assigned to a mission. As she approached the head desk, she smiled at Tsunade-sama politely, desperately trying to forget what had just happened.

"Ah, Tenten-san," she said, calculatingly, "You will be placed at the western side of the gate, at point 23, to guard the village's borders."

"Guard… Duty?"

She wouldn't even get to watch the match. How… how… argh! This had been a bad week. A very bad week. Was everyone, no, everything against her?

"A problem?" enquired the Hokage, raising an eyebrow as if daring her to argue with her position. Admired or no, this was going into Tenten's bad books.

"No, Hokage-same," Tenten said, trying not to grit her teeth. Either everyone hated her or she was very, very unlucky. This was the worst week of her life.

"Good," said Tsunade, content, "You will be on guard from eleven a.m. to five p.m. with Uchiha Sasuke. When you get to point 23, signal the current guards before moving on to duty. Now-"

Before Tsunade-sama could continue, the outraged face of Gai-sensei was shoved rudely into the Hokage's.

"B-but Hokage-sama!" he exclaimed, outraged, "How can this work? You did not partner Tenten here with her beloved Neji!"

Oh dear. This was not going to be good.

In reply, Gai-sensei received a raised eyebrow. "Gai," Tsunade-sama said tiredly, holding a hand to her head, "Why is this relevant-"

She was interrupted by a loud gasp from Gai Sensei, and a horrified reply. "Hokage-sama! Do you not remember how it feels? First, young love?" He received a glare at young, "If Neji and Tenten are separated… How will they fight? Pining, wondering, and worrying over whether the other is safe… needing… yearning for the other's smiles… desir-"

Slam. Down came Tsunade-sama's hand onto the table. "Fine, Gai!" she exclaimed tiredly, directing a finger at Neji, "Hyuuga. I was originally going to assign you to security around the stadium of the third exam near the Hokage's balcony, but now Uchiha can have your position. You are getting re-assigned to guard duty at point 23 with Tenten. Now OUT."

Gai-sensei threw Tenten a quick wink and thumbs up before she was being shoved from the room, she knew she was dead. At Uchiha's smug expressions and Neji's dangerous level of expressionless expression, she couldn't help but wish she had just accepted her father's damn suitor whoever he was.

No. She was NOT that desperate.

The door to the room, and her last possible chance of salvation, slid shut.

"Achoo!"

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Cold. S-so cold. Dammit, it's bloody freezing!

As the wind scraped across her bare arms like sandpaper, Tenten bitterly thought of her beloved coat. All warm… and thick… and soft…

"ACHOO!"

It was so much colder up top the wall signifying the borders of Konoha. Up there, the wind was free to blow, unconfined by buildings and walls and the air was colder, being higher up. Though the sun still shone, many storm clouds dotted the sky, signifying coming storms. And up top the wall at point 23 was the worst possible place to be if you had a cold. As to say, the worst possible place to be if you were Tenten.

"AAA-CHOO!"

Without any tissues, Tenten sniffed loudly, not wanting her- very red and completely numb- nose to run. Rubbing her hands over her bare arms in a desperate attempt to make heat, she grudgingly pondered if there was any use to trying not to freeze to death as some other misfortunate event would probably do her in anyway some time during the week.

Shivering dangerously, she sat down inside the shelter of the watch tower, held her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, shivering even more violently at the coldness clinging to her thin, silk pants. Her silk top didn't help either.

She was going to die here. Tenten could feel it. The merciless wind and weather would get to her in the end. And if not the weather, she was going to die from stress. And if not from that, then from thinking too much. And if not from that, then from…

Too deep in her thoughts, Tenten didn't realize, until that moment, that her arms weren't as cold as before. Looking around and taking in her surroundings, she was surprised to see that someone, and she had a good, if not slightly crazed, idea who, had wrapped his nice, warm coat (Tenten's heart thumped at the word 'coat') around her shoulders.

"N-Neji?" she half croaked, half stuttered, looking up at him. Neji was currently standing on the edge of the wall, doing what they were supposed to be doing and keeping watch. Tenten felt guilty, as he was standing there in his thin, white t-shirt, with the smallest of goose bumps marring his pale arms.

She nervously shifted her eyes, cursing her own stupidity of not bringing a coat. "Y-you don't have to do thing f-for me, you know…"

He looked back, his face void of any emotion and eyes betraying nothing. "I know."

Tenten's eyes quizzically gazed into his white orbs, trying to look for an answer. "Then… why-"

"Because," Neji began, turning back to his position, "you looked cold." Tenten's eyes softened and she felt a small smile (and though she denied it later on, it was accompanied by a blush) appear on her face. Neji was being nice to her…

"And because you look pitiful. Your nose is running, if you are not aware."

Well, that kind of broke the spell! Her blush deepening though this time because of shame, Tenten haughtily sniffed loudly and ignored his comment. Still, he was being extraordinarily nice to her, and although he seemed invincible, Tenten knew he was cold…

"Neji, come here." As Neji whipped his head around, Tenten gestured for him to approach her with her fingers.

Not a trace of emotion emerged onto his face though he asked, "Why?"

Tenten smiled slightly at his cautious nature. "Just come here." And very surprisingly, he obliged.

Stepping slowly and very hesitantly, Neji advanced towards her. "What?" he asked, slightly peeved.

As Tenten smiled sheepishly, she gestured towards the coat around her shoulders. "C'mon. Your coat is big enough to share." She almost burst out laughing as Neji's eyes narrowed with suspicion and, unexpectedly, surprise.

"What?"

Tenten just rolled her eyes exasperatingly, trying to hide the smile her traitorous lips were forming. He was very shy for a genius. "Sit," she said, trying not to sound patronizing, and pointing to the space beside her. Neji, his eyes still contracted with suspicion took a seat beside her. The moment he sat down, Tenten threw his coat over both their shoulders before he could protest.

She let herself go and smiled, feeling a strange wave of contentment run through her. "There," Tenten sighed as if she had just finished a long and painful task, "Now we can both keep warm!"

Neji didn't reply, choosing to sit there quietly without protesting to her actions, his eyes betraying nothing, but just.

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"I can't believe we missed the whole exam!"

A disgruntled Tenten stood at the stadium gates, eyeing the discarded food wrappings. She frightened the last few stragglers by glaring at them lethally as they hurried past her.

Just… just… ugh! Tenten seriously hoped karma was going to get its gear into action and repay her for all of this… this… misfortune! She suppressed the urge to chuck a shuriken at a nearby boy rambling to his friend about how good the exam was.

"AHH!"

Woops. She didn't suppress it. Oh well, she already started, now to finish the job…

Tenten felt a hand restrain her throwing arm, ready to hurl some more shuriken (a dozen, to be exact) at the retreating youngsters. She turned around, ready to strangle whoever it was, but settled for, quite begrudgingly, muttering murderous threats under her breath as she saw who it was.

"Tenten." Neji said calmly, his face showing no annoyance of missing the exams. "There's nothing to be done about it now." He seemed to hesitate slightly, before grabbing Tenten's arm and pulling her along. "Come on."

Tenten let her confusion be apparent, being in no mood to be considerate for other's feelings. "And where might we be going, Mr. I-Know-Everything?"

Neji just gave her a glance before moving on, his face reaching a world-record level of 'slate-likeness'. "I have to walk you home, don't I?"

Tenten's eyes widened in surprise before her eyes lit up and she smiled happily. "Okay, Neji-kun! Walk me home!" And with that she hooked her arm around his and pulled him along, flaunting to passer-bys that she had a boyfriend and she didn't need no suitor, while he just followed her wordlessly, ignoring the shocked stares.

Hmm. Maybe pretending to date Neji wasn't that bad after all.

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omydog. :0 I need more dedication.

Ahahaha. According to ms word, 'poo' isn't a word.