(From the last chapter…)

"I…" Lee cleared his throat as he want eye to eye with Neji, "I have something to tell you."

"Spill it out."

"I… I was the one who spread the rumor in town." Lee hesitantly answered.

"YOU WHAT!" Neji said, wrapping Lee's throat with his powerful hands, "YOU KNUCKLE-HEAD, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING IDIOT!"

(Chapter 6 – Adversaries)

Neji calmed down and let the 'idiot' speak.

"I… I overheard y-you a-and T-Tenten talking t-to e-each other, j-just a w-week or so…" Lee stammered at Neji who was very angered and his hand was in his shuriken pack, "I thought it w-would b-be pretty f-funny b-but I f-found out that it w-wasn't-"

"This all happened because you're so nosy!" Neji scolded, as he clenched his fist on Lee's apparel lifted him up a little and pointing a kunai on his throat, "You like interfering things that aren't of your business. And when you spread some darn rumor, it infects the darn village like some virus from a goddamned psycho like you!"

"Hey, I'm sorry!" Lee spoke, "I really didn't mean to!"

"I SAW TENTEN SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THAT DARN RUMOR! I BLAMED HER FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND I SAW HER IN PAIN!" Neji shouted, throwing Lee on the ground and fought his tears, "TENTEN, WAS A PERSON WHO WAS VERY CLOSE TO ME. I KNEW HER WELL! ALTHOUGH SHE IS VULNERABLE, SHE IS THE ONE WHO TAKES AWAY MY WORRIES!"

Lee stepped back but Neji placed a foot forward, "TENTEN WAS A GOOD FRIEND! I KNOW THAT YOU ARE HER FRIEND AS WELL, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO HER!"

Neji threw the kunai from his hand to Lee but he rolled to his side to evade it.

"Like I said, I didn't mean to-"

"I WILL PROTECT TENTEN EVEN IF IT MEANS MY LIFE!" Neji screamed, fighting back his tears as he pictured Tenten smiling at him.

Lee was silenced and sensed a weird feeling and he stood up afterwards, "Alright. I'll make it up to you. I'll think of a way to stop the rumor in the village and I will try to think of another rumor that doesn't concern you AND Tenten to cover up the rumor, that okay?"

"You better make it quick." Neji regained his composure; "Once I return and I heard that darn false rumor again, I swear I'll bring you face to face with Death, himself!"

"What do you mean by false?" Lee asked.

"I don't like that Haruno girl-"

"You like Tenten?" Lee teased.

"Shut up, sicko." Neji went on his way; "I'm leaving this village for a mission. Mark this day, Rock Lee. You're fortunate I didn't kill you. Because I know Tenten will also cry for you."

With all that over, Lee spotted Tsunade who was giggling at the doorframe of her hut, "What a thrilling scene."

Lee sighed in relief that Neji spared his life, "I guess I better get going!"

With that, Lee leapt to a branch of a tree and left the area.

Neji approached the gates of Konoha, ready to leave. He saw…

"Of all people, why does it have to be you, Uchiha?" Neji mockingly said.

"Why, want to go with my fiancée instead?" Sasuke teased as the adversaries went their way to their 'mission'.

"I didn't know you liked Sakura-"

"Nor did I know why did she agree to marry you with that rotten attitude." Neji interrupted, "No, I don't like her. What you heard is just bullshit."

Sasuke was annoyed with what Neji said, 'rotten attitude'.

"I'd say it will be better if Haruno should marry someone who really likes her, and knows very well that she doesn't like him, preferably, I'm talking about my teammate, Rock Lee." Neji teased, "Yeah, so we fight each other very frequently, offend me at most, but I still like his confidence. Not like you, Uchiha. Boasting about something that is catalogued under love, but you… Tell me you just engaged with Sakura just to have kids!"

Well, what Neji said was true – if Sasuke wants to revive his clan, he has to have a lot of kids, and they must be mostly male ones to carry on the bloodline.

Sasuke said, "What do you know about love?"

"Have you experienced a feeling that you can't explain?" Neji answered, "Or perhaps not because your heart is full of remorse for your brother? Didn't you experience the spine-tingling feeling and all those butterflies in your stomach while being with Sakura?"

"Why would I?" Sasuke mockingly answered, "Like, how do you know?"

"Damn, you don't understand, do you?" Neji defended his words by saying: "I'm not like a heartless human like you, Uchiha. I may be a cold-hearted jounin but I love a woman who I saw vulnerable and helpless. But I liked her because she hung onto my words and fought the pain she's enduring. And one thing I like about her is that when we are fighting, even if she knows very well that I am more than thrice as strong as her, she wouldn't give up."

"You're not talking about your cousin, aren't you?" Sasuke smirked, "Damn you nasty bastard, you loved someone from your bloodline!"

"Shit, no, idiot!" Neji retorted, "Hinata is someone who would most likely surrender a fight if you will not reveal facts for her! I'm talking about the woman I know that no matter how many wounds you have made on her body, no matter how much you run your mouth from talking, she is like a darn boulder that wouldn't want to move."

"Do you think that you're STRONGER and WISER than ME?" Sasuke mocked.

"Oh, you don't know how much I am." Neji smirked.

The two were talking while walking their way to the train station. They have to walk from the gates of Konoha until they reach the place.

"Why are we going to go to the Sand again?" Sasuke sighed, changing the topic.

"Tsunade asked me to do her favor," Neji denied, "I have to fight the darn grandpa advisor of the Sand leader to get a potion to heal Te… I mean, Tsunade's patient in the hospital."

Sasuke laughed and Neji eyed him, "What's so funny, Uchiha?"

"You're actually doing a patient of Tsunade a favor, not Tsunade, herself!" Sasuke teased.

"I don't know why Haruno liked you but you have a complex pea-sized brain." Neji teased, "So what? I get to fight a strong grandpa anyway."

"Yeah, I like to see that damn old man snivel at your feet because he can't stand anymore!"

"Would you just shut your darn mouth and keep walking? You're just exhausting yourself out!" Neji annoyingly spoke, "Mind your own business, Uchiha."

After ten minutes of silent walking…

"This is where it all begins." Neji whispered, "Yup, I will be able to get that cure…"

"Stop your silly self-talking scenes and we have to get on the train." Sasuke answered.

"What did I tell you? Didn't I just say 'mind your own business'?"

They reached the train station and got some tickets. All they're doing now is to stay in line with the people (and some ninjas) boarding the train.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Did you like this chapter? Anyway, REVIEWS, REVIEWS, REVIEWS! Hehehe, yeah, Neji's kinda offensive in this chapter. He had a change of heart, of course! Don't worry, fellas. I'll update soon:)