My words from me to you: Now for chapter 3! Do continue reviewing after reading! Please continue to support me! All those reviews made me wanna go a bigger distance! So thanks to you guys for boosting my ego! Cheers! I didn't want to write it this way… but I'll have to to progress. I'm so sorry to all Neji's fans. I didn't want to put Neji in such a negative light either. Really… Forgive me. Thanks!

Chapter 3

(Neji)

We managed to escalate our friendship bond in between us back onto the right track. We were each other's devil's advocate and best buddy. I enjoyed her company very much. Each day, I go to school so enthusiatically just to see her. I fell even deeper into the spell. We lasted our friendship for about a year and a half when… a dispute broke out between us. We quarrelled. It was a heated one. I knew I was at fault somehow but I simply don't want to admit. Sakura was different. She took the step first. We kept speaking to each other on the phone but nothing seemed to come out of it. We didn't even go home anymore together or even speak to each other in school. I was hoping she would do that. But all she did was call me, apologize and asked if we could revive our friendship again. I didn't breathe a word. Was I nothing but a friend to her only? But there came a last time when we spoke to each other. She called me and we met outside to have a talk.

We walked to the park and sat down on a bench around the evening time. Nobody was around. Not a single soul except us. She started talking first. "Neji, I'm so sorry for being so ignorant and unreasonable. Forgive me will you?" She whispered softly into my ears. I said nothing but nodded. "Then can we be back as friends as before?" She repeated that 'friend' word again. I couldn't control myself anymore. I grabbed her shoulders to make her face me. She was shocked. "Friend, friend, friend, friend, FRIEND! Am I nothing but a friend to you? Is that true? Can't you even tell that I like you? Don't you feel it? Don't you like me? At all?" I shouted at her in one shot, still holding on to her shoulders. Sakura was pertrified. She didn't mutter a single word. "Tell me, please…" I shook her slightly. "Please don't do that Neji…" Sakura started weeping. "Tell me!" I shook her even harder. She said nothing but continued weeping. I became impatient.

So I pulled her to me and forced a kiss her on the lips.

But she pushed me away hard and gave me a tight slap across the face instead.

(Sakura)

I covered my mouth with a muffled cry. I slapped Neji. I wasn't in the right state of mind. I've never seen him like that before… I reacted this way because I was too afraid.

I didn't know what to.

So I turned back and ran home, leaving him behind.

(Neji)

I saw her running away from me. I've made a mistake… I shouldn't act this way… I've hurt her…

I felt guilty and I cried.

(Kiba)

It was around around 9 p.m. when Neji called. He asked me sheepishly over the phone if I could come out and join him for a drink at the pub nearby. Suspecting nothing, I agreed and went out to meet him straight away.

When I stepped into the pub, I was shocked.

The whole place was in a mess. Neji had been fighting with a guy a few years older than us. I quickly went in and break them up, holding Neji back.

"Is that drunkard a jerk friend of yours? Pretty boy huh? Trying to seduce my girlfriend…" That big guy boomed. He had a few bruises on his face.

"Can't look after your girl then say it! Your girl came and talk to me first! I didn't do anything in fact." Neji, who wasn't injured, argued, trying to break from my grip.

"You son of the bitch…" The big guy seethed angrily, moving towards us.

"Watch what the hell you are talking about… before I break that neck of yours." Neji glared at him as he advanced towards him.

I quickly ran over to the big guy.

"My friend is drunk. He didn't know what he is doing or talking about. Do forgive him… He's usually not like that." I apologized.

"Fine… I'll let him off this time… Ask him to keep that swinging tongue of his." The big guy shouted, grabbed his girlfriend and then left.

I shook my head. "What a chicken… Looks like Neji is the one that let you off…" I thought with the given factor that he was the only one injured.

Everybody in school knew Neji could fight really well.

I handed some money to the waiter of the pub for the damage Neji had done and carried Neji out of the pub for he was drunk.

When we got out, Neji suddenly went to the back alley of the pub and threw up.

"What has gotten into you?" I scolded him. Neji hardly make such a scene of himself.

Then, Neji slumped back against a wall and cried. I was shocked. He looked so weak all over. I asked him what happened.

He told me.

(Hinata)

For the next few weeks in school, I noticed Sakura didn't even bothered to look at Neji whenever it was. Regardless of whether he was standing beside her or walking past or towards her, she treated him as if he was transparent. It was unmistakable 'hopelessness' that Sakura had for Neji.

Neji, however, gave her a look of a mixture of sadness and anguish when he noticed what Sakura did.

I knew something must have gotten into them. So, out of concern, I asked Kiba. He looked so neutral. He must have known something.

Then, he told me in private.

No wonder…

(Neji)

Then, we didn't speak anymore…

But I never gave up… I told myself, I must win her back and show her how sorry I was…

But the least expected came…

It really tortured me…