AUTHOR'S NOTES:
harukakanata: Oh read this part and their relationship will be much better!
kayla: Wow, thanks! It's very nice to hear that you love my fic!
FireDragonBL: It's official, in Homebound, TENTEN will be kicking butt with Neji! Anyway, Lee will also take a special role in Homebound.
nixxie1430: Salamat!
-sighs- Sadly, this is the last chapter of A Curse To Kill. Its sequel will be a SasuSaku fic, however, I will also keep NejiTen, NaruHina and add a hint of ShikaIno.
Thank you for the reviews! I love you all so much!
A Curse to Kill: Epilogue…
(Epilogue – Two Hearts That Beat As One)
Tenten was blushing furiously behind her white veil as she stood beside the man who proposed marriage to her, Hyuga Neji.
They were in a huge garden in Konoha, and their wedding was taking place there."
After a month of their relationship, Neji has decided to spend his lifetime with the woman he loves. It was then when he asked the woman, the most wonderful words, 'Will you marry me?'
Tenten loved him so much; of course, she agreed to spend the rest of her life with him. And there they were, in front of Tsunade, who was the conductor of the wedding ceremony.
Tenten was wearing an off-shoulder wedding gown, with no sleeves and the skirt was until her ankles. Her veil reached until her waist and her hair was braided and tucked in a bun. She had white, silk gloves that went past her elbows. She wore light red lipstick, and light makeup.
Neji was wearing a tuxedo and his hair was neatly brushed and this time, he didn't have the end of his hair tied up with a ponytail.
"Please face each other and join your right hands." Tsunade instructed.
The two faced each other and joined their right hands.
Tsunade asked, "Hyuga Neji, in taking the woman whom you hold by the right hand to be your lawful and wedded wife, I require you to promise to love and cherish her, to honor and sustain her, in sickness and in health, in poverty as in wealth, in bad that may darken your days, in the good that may lighten your ways, and to be true to her in all things until death alone shall part you. Do you so promise?"
"I do." Neji replied with a smile.
"Tenten, taking the man who holds you by the right hand to be your lawful and wedded husband, I require you to promise to love and cherish him, to honor and sustain him, in sickness and in health, in poverty as in wealth, in the bad that may darken your days, in the good that may lighten your ways, and to be true to him in all things until death alone shall part you. Do you so promise?"
Behind her veil, Tenten smiled and clearly let out, "I do."
"The rings please." Tsunade said.
A boy stood by Tsunade, holding up a cushion with his hands and on that cushion, sat two rings – one for Neji and one for Tenten.
Tsunade took the ring on the left and asked Neji, "What pledge do you give of the sincerity of your vows?"
"A ring." Neji replied.
Tsunade gave the ring to him and Neji asked Tenten, "Tenten, do you accept this ring as a pledge of the sincerity of my vows?"
"I do, Neji." She answered.
With his right hand, Neji inserted the ring on Tenten's left ring finger.
Afterwards, Tsunade took the remaining ring from the ring bearer and asked Tenten, "What pledge do you give of the sincerity of your vows?"
"A ring." Tenten answered.
She gave the ring to the bride and Tenten asked Neji, "Neji, do you accept this ring as a pledge of the sincerity of my vows?"
"I do, Tenten." He replied.
Like what Neji did, with her right hand, she inserted the ring on Neji's left ring finger.
"Your promises, your faith, your abiding, constant, undying love for each other are represented by those rings." Tsunade declared, "And with those rings, it is an evidence that you two have been united in marriage."
Tsunade paused for a while and told the people, "Today, we have seen these two hearts finally beat as one. With the power invested in me, I now pronounce you, husband and wife."
The guests in the garden applauded and Tsunade concluded, "May your love for each other be forever strong and constant, Neji, you may now kiss your bride."
Neji nodded and lifted Tenten's veil. She was blushing redder than red and Neji placed his hands on her back while she wrapped her arms around the nape of his neck and he kissed her ardently on the lips.
When they parted, both were smiling. Tsunade introduced, "Konoha, I now present to you, Mr. Hyuga Neji and his wife, Mrs. Hyuga Tenten!"
The couple faced the crowd and they saw their horse carriage stop right in front of the entrance of the garden. Neji looked at his wife and said, "Let's go."
Tenten nodded and the two ran down the aisle as confetti started raining on them.
They stepped inside their carriage and the horseman took them to the venue of their wedding reception.
When they reached the place, Neji and Tenten got out of the carriage and went to their dressing room.
Tenten sighed and sat on a chair in front of a huge mirror while Neji turned on the ceiling lights.
"Is there something wrong, Tenten?" Neji asked.
"No, I'm just really glad that we're already married." Tenten looked sweetly at him, "I mean, the whole time I thought my cheeks were about to explode! I was blushing furiously back there!"
"You think I didn't have a hard time holding back my blush?" Neji smiled.
Tenten giggled while she removed her gloves, "Wow, that's very unusual to hear."
Neji sat on a chair and told her, "You look pretty cute when you wear skirts."
"Really? I'm going to wear skirts more often, then." Tenten replied with a smile while she removed the hairclips that held her veil.
"Need help with that?"
"Yeah, I'd really love to."
Neji stood up from the chair and walked over to Tenten and started removing the hairclips on her veil for her.
Tenten placed her hands down and looked at Neji in front of the mirror.
"I like it when your hair's down like that." Tenten told him, "You look more charming that way."
"They're for your eyes only." Neji smirked.
Tenten giggled and said, "I still can't believe that we got married first than Sasuke and Sakura. I mean, if I had a long engagement with you I might've dragged you to Tsunade to get it over with once and for all."
"Well," Neji answered, "that's what happens when the man doesn't love the woman but the woman has whole-heartedly loved the man."
"Neji." Tenten suddenly asked but in a low tone, "How many kids do you want?"
Neji finally removed the last hairclip and gently removed her veil from her head and placed it down on the table beside the mirror and walked back to Tenten. He bent over and placed his strong arms just below her shoulders and gently placed his head on top of hers (trying not to mess her hair) and replied; "I'm not like that Uchiha who just want to use Sakura as a baby manufactory. For now, I don't want to have kids yet because I want to spend a little more time with you before we get to that point. Is that okay, Tenten?"
Tenten placed her hands on Neji's arms and answered, "Yes, Neji."
Neji heard a little noise outside the dressing room's door and gently removed his arms from Tenten, "Looks like the guests are here."
Tenten stood up and fixed her wedding gown's skirt while Neji brushed his hair. Tenten walked over to Neji and he faced her.
"Ready?" Tenten asked as she fixed Neji's bowtie.
"Ready when you are."
"I love you." Tenten smiled.
Neji bent down and kissed her, "I love you, too."
Tenten grabbed her bouquet of flowers and followed Neji as they went inside the reception hall.
Am I real?
Do the words I speak before you
Make you feel
That the love I have for you
Will see no ending?
The music started playing as soon as Neji and Tenten entered the hall hand in hand.
"Ladies and gentlemen, here comes…" Gai, who was the commentator (and wearing white tux) for the reception introduced, "Mr. Hyuga Neji and his wife, Mrs. Hyuga Tenten!"
Well, if you look into my eyes
Then you should know
That you have nothing here to doubt
Nothing to fear
And you can lay your questions down
'Cause if you'll hold me
We can fade into the night
And you'll know
The guests applauded and Gai suddenly said (with those rivers of tears flowing from his eyes, with his right arm on his forehead, his left hand holding the microphone and his knees bent slightly), "And I still can't believe my students of youth married each other and their youthful love grew into something beautiful!"
Suddenly, Lee appeared before Gai and did the same position he was in, "I have to agree with that, Gai-sensei! But not to worry, I'm still your student and your apprentice, and I'll always be by your side!"
"LEE!" Gai exclaimed as he hugged his student.
"GAI-SENSEI!" Lee replied.
"LEE!"
"GAI-SENSEI!"
Neji and Tenten shook their heads because of embarrassment.
"Do they really have to do this?" Tenten thought.
"Lee, Gai-sensei, why do you have to do this on our wedding day?" Neji thought.
The world could die
And everything may lie
Still you shan't cry
'Cause time may pass
But longer than it'll last
I'll be by your side
"Eherm, eherm." It was Kakashi dressed in a white tux (with his mask in white, too!) and with a microphone on his left hand said, "I'll take over from here."
Security guards pulled Gai and Lee out of the scene and Kakashi continued, "See, this is how it's supposed to be done."
The crowd was silenced and he continued with enthusiasm, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome with a warm round of applause, Mr. Hyuga Neji and his wife, Mrs. Hyuga Tenten! And these are the… Newlyweds!"
The crowd gave a standing ovation and clapped and cheered (you know, with those whistle sounds) as Neji and Tenten sat on their table in front of many other tables.
Take my hand
And gently close your eyes
So you could understand
That there's no greater love tonight
Than what I've for you
Well, if you feel the same way for me
Then let go
Kakashi loosened his bowtie a little and continued, "Well, I guess I should've been a wedding commentator rather than a ninja, don't we all agree? And this means another loss for Gai against me."
The crowd laughed and giggled a little and Kakashi sustained, "The music that's being played right now is entitled 214, meaning 'Am I Real'. And you can also find this song in Mr. And Mrs. Hyuga's Wedding CD souvenir, which will be distributed to each and every one of you later on, once you approach the exits."
We can journey to a garden no one knows
Life is short, my darling
Tell me that you love me
"According to the newlyweds, they've only been together for a month and afterwards, they had a month-long engagement. And here they are, before you as man and wife!" Kakashi said once more.
So we can fade into the night
And you'll know
The world could die
And everything may lie
But you won't cry
'Cause time may pass
And everything won't last
But I'll be by your side
Forever by your side
So you won't cry
"They even got married first than my students, Sasuke and Sakura!" Kakashi energetically told the people, "Not only are we here in this reception to relax and be entertained, we are also here to see how sweet Neji and Tenten are to each other."
Kakashi paused for a while and spotted Sakura sitting at a table at the second row with her fiancé, Sasuke, and so he said, "Hey Sakura? Are you still okay with your long engagement to Sasuke? I think Mrs. Hyuga Tenten here got married first because she has a stronger sex appeal than you."
Neji smiled at the comment while Tenten blushed at it; Sasuke just sighed while Sakura pouted, crossed her arms and snubbed her sensei. The people however, laughed a little. And then, the song 214 ended.
After the guests (and the couple) had their meal. Kakashi appeared in front of the guests in a puff of smoke.
"Hello again, folks." Kakashi smiled, "No, I'm not here to ruin your bowel movement after we had our scrumptious meal, I'm here to introduce the games we have. But before we move on to the games… Any single women in the house?"
The single women cheered and had that girly scream.
"Well, I hear lots of them! Let's bring them here in front!" Kakashi called, "Mrs. Hyuga, is your bouquet ready?"
Tenten excused herself to Neji and approached Kakashi, "I know the girls have been dying for this opportunity to catch this bouquet I have."
The women were already in front of the crowd and Tenten went in front of the women.
"We all have to agree with Mrs. Hyuga's reply because by the looks of the faces of these women, they want to grab their kunai to knock each other out and catch the bouquet!" Kakashi joked, "Anyway, Mrs. Hyuga, please turn around now and hang on to my count off, okay? Oh and by the way, ladies, put down your kunais – we don't want bloodshed for the bouquet! Mrs. Hyuga, are you ready?"
Tenten nodded and walked a few steps backward then turned her back at the women – some of them are already jumping because of excitement.
"In 3… 2… 1…" Kakashi counted.
Tenten threw her bouquet overhead and a high-pitched scream echoed throughout the room.
"I GOT IT! I GOT IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTT!" the voice screamed.
Tenten turned around to see who it was. Much to her surprise, it was the blonde-haired Yamanaka Ino, jumping for joy with the bouquet in her hands.
"Oh Shikamaru!" Ino called, "Be sure to catch the garter!"
The crowd looked over to Shikamaru who was also seated with Choji. Shikamaru hid his face by placing his hand over his temples and sighed, "Sheesh… How troublesome!"
Tenten and the whole crowd clapped their hands for Ino. Tenten sat down and smiled Neji.
"How about some single men?" Kakashi smirked, "Ready to catch some bride's leg garter?"
"Yeah!" masculine voices all over the reception hall replied out loud.
Asuma walked over to Kakashi. Kakashi covered the microphone and asked, "What?"
"Got something to say. Hand over the mic for a while." Asuma replied.
Kakashi did as he asked and Asuma called out, "Nara Shikamaru, don't be lazy and come on over in front to join the fun."
"Aren't you coming, too, Asuma?" Kakashi teased, "I said, all single men."
"Sheesh, Kakashi, look who's talking. And for goodness sake, I already have Kurenai, so I'm not single any more, what about you? Aren't YOU single?"
"Uhhh… I can't join because… Because uh… I'm a commentator! Yeah, that's right! I've to keep this show going on, ya' see?"
"Right…" Asuma prolonged and left Kakashi on his 'job'.
The men were already in front and Kakashi continued, "Where's the groom? Well, you better take the leg garter off from your bride or else Miss Yamanaka Ino will marry the bouquet instead."
Tenten maneuvered her body to the left so she can sit on her left side. Neji stood up and genuflected in front of Tenten and asked, "Where did you put it?"
"Right thigh." Tenten replied.
"This one?" Neji pointed to his right (Tenten's left).
"No, the other right."
"Ah, okay." Neji replied as he placed his hands under her gown's skirt and reached for her right thigh and found the leg garter. He slid it downwards to remove it and as soon as he removed it, he stood up.
"Neji." Tenten called.
"Yes?"
"Make sure Shikamaru gets it." Tenten smirked.
"Anything you say, darling." Neji teased, smiling like a jerk. (A/N: Excuse the term, okay?)
"W-what d-did you just c-call m-me!" Tenten asked, blushing furiously.
"Nothing, HONEY." Neji teased again, "I'll just leave you for a while. Is that okay, DEAR?"
Tenten blushed redder than ever and snubbed Neji and pouted, "Hmph!"
Neji just laughed a little at her reaction.
Neji looked at Kakashi, taking his stare as signal, Kakashi said, "Men, are you ready?"
"Yeah!" they replied as Neji walked over in front of them.
Being a good husband to his wife, Neji did as he was told. He focused his chakra on the garter but nobody saw him do it because when he turned his back from the men, he already transferred a little of his chakra on the garter in a split second.
"In 3… 2… 1…" Kakashi counted off and Neji threw the garter then controlled the chakra that was on the garter to land on Shikamaru.
Afterwards, Shikamaru found the garter on his spiky ponytail.
How did he find it? Well, the men were smiling at him.
"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" Ino's scream echoed in the reception hall, "SHIKAMARU, YOU GOT IT!"
Neji returned to his seat only to find Tenten still blushing from a while ago, "We're already married, no need to get all shy, Tenten."
"HMMMMPH!" Tenten said, her blush getting redder than ever. Neji just smirked at her.
"Whoa!" Kakashi suddenly reacted, while the crowd made their 'ohs' and gasps.
Neji and Tenten looked at what was happening and apparently… Ino seems to had ran from her place and jumped on Shikamaru, both of them falling on the floor.
"Shikamaru! You're going to marry me soon!" Ino said, tightening her hug on Shikamaru.
Sakura sweatdropped and said, "That Ino-pig… She's even embarrassing herself and her boyfriend!"
"Hey, what are you doing, Ino!" Shikamaru said as Ino started saying some 'married couple things' like, having kids, being a grandma and all, "You're embarrassing me! Get off of me now!"
"SHIKAMARU, I DO! I DO ACCEPT MY FATE TO BE YOUR WIFE!" Ino said, giving a deadly 'bear-hug' to Shikamaru.
"ACK! INO, KNOCK IT OFF!" Shikamaru yelled, "ASUMA-SENSEI! HELP ME!"
"Oh, you're doing just fine!" Asuma replied from the back of the crowd, "Don't worry, she will be worn out after a while! Everything will be okay in less than an hour, Shikamaru!"
"Okay…" Kakashi sweatdropped, "Can we please get a chair here so Shikamaru can insert the garter on Ino's leg?"
Then, a butler came in and placed a chair in front of the crowd. Ino hurriedly stood up and quickly walked towards the chair, seating comfortably. Shikamaru finally stood up with the help of some butlers, and he dusted himself off. He lazily walked towards Ino and genuflected in front of her feet and raised her right leg (located on Shikamaru's left), inserting the garter up past her knee.
Ino stood up, Shikamaru followed and then… She hugged him again.
"Geez, this is Neji and Tenten's matrimonial reception, not Ino and Shikamaru's public-display-of-weirdness reception." Sakura slightly cursed under her breath while her fiancé, Sasuke remained quiet.
"Okay, let's start the dance!" Kakashi said, "Our dance song is 'Balisong', also found in the newlyweds' CD souvenir."
Your face lights up the sky on the highway
Someday, you'll share your world with me someday
You mesmerize me with diamond eyes;
I try to fool myself to think I'll be all right
But I am losing all control -
My mind, my heart, my body and my soul
"Everybody please stand up and join your loved ones for a dance here in front." Kakashi said as the lights were turned off and soft, but dazzling lights filled the room (think of prom night), "Mr. And Mrs. Hyuga, please be the center of attraction."
Never in my life have I been more sure,
So come on up to me and close the door
Nobody's made me feel this way before;
you're everything I wanted and more
Neji held Tenten's hand and asked, "May I have this dance?"
"Of course, DEAR." Tenten replied, slightly raising her voice on the last word. Neji smirked at her and they approached the dance floor, dancing in the center of the crowd.
To speak or not to
Where to begin
The great dilemmas I'm finding myself in
For all I know you only see me as a friend
I try to tell myself wake up fool; this fairy tale's got to end
Everybody seemed to be much more romantic in this dance, Neji and Tenten were both blushing but luckily, it was dark enough to hide those flushed faces. Ino was happily dancing with an annoyed Shikamaru, Sakura was dancing with eye contact with Sasuke, Hinata and Naruto dancing like Neji and Tenten, except that they weren't in the middle of the crowd and they weren't blushing (because they're used to this – they're married!). Asuma was dancing with Kurenai only that they were stepping on each other's feet, Hanabi was also there, (Hinata sneaked her out of the clan; hey, Hinata was just trying to be a good sister! Hanabi wanted to go, too, so, there.) Weirdly enough, she was dancing with Hinata's teammate, Kiba. Kakashi was just seated on one table, resting from his 'job'. Only few were seen seated, Anko, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Shino, Choji (munching on an apple pie), and Anya.
Never in my life have I been more sure,
So come on up to me and close the door
Nobody's made me feel this way before;
You're everything I wanted… and more…
"I want to stay with you like this… Forever." Tenten told Neji in a whisper.
"Forever it shall…" Neji replied, "I love you. I love you more than you'll ever know, Tenten. I'm so happy that our hearts are now one."
"Me too." She replied, "I love you, too, Neji."
The lovers' foreheads were adjoined and Tenten continued, "You changed my life, Neji. If it wasn't for you, I could have been dead now… And I always hide my feelings for you before, but there's no need for that now… We're married."
"You also made a change in my life, Tenten. You taught me a very beautiful thing."
"Really?" Tenten smiled, "And what is that?"
Neji locked his loving eyes on Tenten's brown eyes and replied, "Love."
You're everything I wanted…O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0O
"The stars are beautiful tonight, aren't they?" Neji told Tenten as the two gazed in the night sky.
Neji took Tenten on top of a hill in Konoha after the reception.
"They are." Tenten replied, gazing at the stars and then sat her eyes on the full moon.
"Whenever I have problems with my family, I escape from the clan at night and just sit here, to forget my problems."
"Is that so?" Tenten replied, the couple now facing each other, "Didn't you get caught?"
"No." Neji replied, "I'm good at those things. And else… I'd prefer to be with you than them."
"Don't say that, Neji." Tenten said, "Even if your father mistreats you, you should understand that your family members also cared for you, just like I always do for you."
Neji leaned over to her and kissed her forehead, "You're so considerate… One of the reasons why I love you so much."
"Uhm, Neji?" Tenten called.
"Yes?"
"Even if we're married, we still get to spar, right?"
Neji laughed a little and told her, "Sure thing."
Then, there was a minute of silence…
Suddenly, Neji hugged Tenten and kissed her. He slowly broke the kiss and Tenten asked, "That was unexpected, what was that for?"
"Nothing really." Neji smiled, "I'm just really happy to be with you."
Tenten blushed and just hugged him, "I'm honored to be your wife."
"I won't leave you, Tenten." Neji told her, "I'll be forever by your side."
…END…
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Done! Ahuhuhuhuhu… Anyway, the bonus chapter's up next. The bonus chapter will be like a "trailer fic" for Homebound.
Songs used for A Curse to Kill:
Chapter 5:
Nobody's Home by Avril Lavigne
Chapter 7:
Shape of My Heart by Backstreet Boys
Epilogue:
214 (meaning, "Am I Real") by Rivermaya, remade by Luke Mijares (OPM)
Balisong by Rivermaya (OPM)
Songs to be used in Homebound: (Not in order)
If the Feeling is Gone by Ella Mae Saison, remade by Kyla (OPM)
Same Ground by Kitchie Nadal (OPM)
Akatsuki no Kuruma (Wheel of Destiny/Dawn's Carriage) Fiction Junction featuring Yuuka (Disclaimer: This song is an insert song in Gundam Seed, and I DO NOT own Gundam Seed.)
I'll Never Go by Eric Santos (OPM)
Dear Lie by TLC
Love Moves in Mysterious Ways, remade by Nina (OPM)
OPM means Original Pilipino (or Pinoy) Music, which means it's a song from the Philippines. I'm using more local songs, as you can see, most of which are sad songs.
It's been an honor to write this fic. But now, this NejiTen fic has come to an end (ahuhuhuhuhu…)
Stay tuned for the "trailer (or preview –slash- spoiler) fic" of Homebound, which comes after this chapter.
This has been Gensomaden-Saiyuki; see you next time!