Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
7 Days, Come What May
Chapter VII: What Appeals to the Eye
"Here, here, Akamaru, look! Isn't she beautiful?" Kiba asked his pet dog.
The thing that Kiba was referring to was a small Shih Tzu that he was holding in his lap. Akamaru barked in reply to Kiba. Kiba continued to gently pet the Shih Tzu. Suddenly, the little Shih Tzu jumped off of Kiba's lap. Then, it just ran off and began barking at Lee, who had just walked by.
"Hey, hey there, little dog! Is this your new dog, Kiba? I haven't seen you brought her here to the K.H.S.," Lee bent down to pat the white-furred dog.
The Shih Tzu stopped barking at the gentle petting.
"Well, actually, no. It's for Naruto's birthday, you see. Quite hyper, don't you think?" Kiba replied, looking appreciatively at his present.
"Hyper and loud fits Naruto," Lee scooped up the dog and carried it back to Kiba. "What's his name?"
"First of all, it's a she. And well, haven't named her yet. I'll leave the names up to Naruto," Kiba received the dog back from Lee. "Anyway, what're you givin' him?"
"A green jumpsuit. I already have it wrapped and everything in my room. I figured that since he's been such a great friend to me all these years, I'll give him one…as a sign of my friendship, you know? Even Gai-sensei has one," Lee proudly replied of his gift.
Kiba laughed. "Sometimes, those identical green jumpsuits that you and Gai-sensei wear all the time make it seem like you're in some secret organization or club, you know?"
"Yea! The power of youth, of course!" Lee chuckled.
O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.
Long, silky black hair flowed freely in the warm water. The beautiful black hair belonged to none other than Neji Hyuuga, who was taking his time in a hot spring of the famous K.H.S. At the moment, Neji didn't have his headband on because, of course, it would get wet if it was on right now. Neji was somewhat attracted to the warm water of the springs; he had been here two days in a row now. The warm water was relaxing and soothing, something that he didn't normally have when he was usually training.
Suddenly, he heard a sound of someone walking towards him. His Byakugan eye technique told him everything that he needed to know—the person walking towards him was Ten Ten.
'Oh, yes…I just recalled that this is a hot spring for both men and women…' Neji thought, furrowing his brows.
He didn't feel like getting up from the pool just for the courtesy of giving it to his teammate. Besides, he had nothing to be ashamed of, right? Neji briefly looked down at himself. Well, his hair was untied and he was shirtless with only a pair of navy boxers. 'Reasonable enough,' he thought, but even with that, his mind somehow told him to hide.
So, Neji went and hid behind the huge rock in the middle of the steaming pool. Shortly, Ten Ten came closely into view. The Hyuuga watched as Ten Ten dipped one of her toes into the water, to test the temperature. Ten Ten's face told him that she was pleased with the soothing temperature of the water, so she slowly slid into the pool. Neji took his time to further observe Ten Ten's current attire, for he had never seen her dressed like this, in all his years of training daily with her.
For one, Ten Ten's hair was down, not up in two buns like it always was when training with him. 'Interesting…her face looks a bit different with her hair down,' Neji thought. As for what Ten Ten was wearing, it was a light pink bikini. 'Even more interesting…the first time seeing her wear this less clothes,' contemplated Neji. The average normal guy would have gone "Whoa! Look at that!" if they had seen Ten Ten. But, of course, the white-eyed Hyuuga was anything but normal. His changing hormones never showed in his face or in his attitude, if he had any hormones at all.
There was the time when Ino (who could possibly flirt with almost anyone, with the exception of Sasuke and Neji) tried her flirting techniques on the Hyuuga. The blonde had untied her ponytail, sweet faced, and sweet talked at the Neji all at the same time. Needless to say, none of Ino's flirting techniques did work. Neji didn't even seem slightly wavered at the flirting. It was as if Neji had all his hormones under strict control.
"Ahhh! Feels so gooooood…." Ten Ten moaned, leaning deeper into the water.
The thought suddenly occurred to Neji that he was stalking her. 'Why am I hiding anyway! I have nothing to be ashamed of,' Neji thought. The idea of being a stalker did not appeal to him at all, so, the Hyuuga decided to come out from behind the rock.
"O-Oh! Hello, Neji!" Ten Ten said, flushing when she saw her white-eyed teammate appear from behind the rock. "H-How long were you behind that rock?"
"A long time."
"Oh…okay…well…umm…yea," Ten Ten lamely finished her sentence, her face still red.
The two sat in silence at opposite sides of the steaming pool for a while. Neji was emotionlessly staring at Ten Ten while Ten Ten was pretending not to notice and looking anywhere else but at Neji. 'Gosh, this kinda sucks. I mean, I was planning to just have a good time and relax in the pool for a while…but Neji just had to be here! I mean, it's not like I don't like being near him or anything…he just makes me nervous sometimes…not to mention I'm a bit self-conscious of myself in this bikini…I'm not normally this self-conscious…but Neji can make anybody nervous…' Ten Ten shuddered at the thought.
"Ten Ten, you look nice today," Neji suddenly said in a casual tone of voice. He draped his arm at the back of the pool, his white eyes still looking at her nonchalantly.
"H-Hah? Excuse me, Neji?" Ten Ten sat up a bit from her position in the pool, tucking her hair behind her ears with a bewildered look on her face. 'What the-! What has gotten into Neji-kun? I must've misheard something.'
"I said, you look nice," he repeated calmly. 'I don't even have any idea why I said that,' Neji thought, his face expression never changing.
"Oh…thank you, then," Ten Ten smiled slightly blushing. "You probably look nice too.
'W-Wow. I hadn't misheard? He actually COMPLIMENTED me? That is a rare happening,' Ten Ten thought, a bit shocked (but pleased).
The Hyuuga raised his eyebrows.
"Probably?"
"Well…What I meant was…" Ten Ten didn't know how to answer.
She took another look at him. 'Hmm…well…Neji's shirtless…WHAT! Shirtless!' Ten Ten's eyes got wide when she finally realized the truth of the awkward situation. Not only was she in a bikini with Neji, she was also in the same pool with him and he was shirtless. Now that, that had to mean something significant, something Ten Ten didn't want to admit. The something significant was that Ten Ten had always had a secret liking for the Hyuuga. She didn't want to admit that she found this moment enjoyable. Moreover, she didn't want to admit that he looked good, for a shirtless guy.
"Y-You don't look half-bad," Ten Ten finally replied. 'Gosh, no! I'm stammering so much I'm turning into a SECOND Hinata-chan!'
Neji chuckled a bit. "Stubborn, aren't you?" The Hyuuga leaned deeper into the water.
Again, Ten Ten reddened.
"Let's talk about something else," Ten Ten offered pouting a bit.
"Up to you."
"Well uhh…how's your training going?" Ten Ten could not think of anything more interesting to say. 'Uhh…that was SO lame. SO DAMN LAME.'
"Usual," Neji sat up a little. "Why're you always so interested in my training?"
"Because…well, first of all, you're my teammate. And, well, I have to admit I admire you even more than I admire Lee because, well, you're…good," replied Ten Ten, her face flushing a little.
"Thank you, then, teammate," Neji said, smiling a little.
Then, it went silent again for a long time until Ten Ten spoke up again.
"Why'd you hide behind that rock before I came?" she asked curiously.
Neji hesitated answering for a moment. When Ten Ten thought that he wasn't going to answer after all, he spoke.
"To watch you." Neji was unaccustomed to lying to a teammate.
"Why?"
Neji shrugged. "I don't know."
Before Ten Ten could reply, a loud splash resounded in the water. Turning her head, she saw that it was Lee who had jumped in. Shino was behind him and was preparing to slide into the pool. Even when he was going into the pool, Shino's sunglasses were still on. 'Sometimes it makes me so curious as to what his eyes would look like!' Ten Ten thought of Shino.
"Oh, Ten Ten-chan! You look beautiful today!" Lee cried out, blew Ten Ten his trademark kiss, and began to swim a perfect backstroke towards her.
"Hi, Lee! Thanks! Haven't seen you in a while!" Ten Ten cried out happily. "Hi too, Shino," she added.
Shino nodded in reply as he sat in the pool.
"And greetings to you, my teammate Neji!" Lee cried cheerfully.
"Hn. The peace ruined," the Hyuuga gracefully brushed his long hair from his face.
"Ah, cheerful as usual, Hyuuga!" Lee said with a hint of sarcasm.
Suddenly, Neji, stood up from the pool walked out.
"H-Hey! Neji! Where're you going?" Ten Ten asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.
She didn't want him to go, not now, not just yet.
"I'm already finished. I'm going to wash up. Do you want to come?" Neji stopped and asked her without turning around.
"Y-Yea! Hey, bye, Lee!" Ten Ten answered after a little bit of hesitation.
Once Ten Ten and Neji were gone, Lee just sighed and turned to Shino, who was still sitting there, watching quietly.
"This always happens, Shino. Ten Ten always, always fancy spending time with that Hyuuga over me," Lee sighed again, then gave a small smile. "But that's life, huh? Still got Sakura-chan."
For the first time in a long, long while, Shino actually spoke. Rather, he asked.
"Lee, are those two an item?"
"What? You mean Ten Ten and Neji? What do you mean 'an item'?" Lee asked, confused.
"Meaning are they a couple," Shino replied. "As in boyfriend and girlfriend."
Lee thought for a while.
"I don't know. Not sure. But whenever me and Neji has a fight, Ten Ten sure likes to side with Neji," Lee said, pouting a little at the thought. "But that doesn't matter! The power of youth rules over all!"
"Oh, okay then," Shino answered in a somewhat satisfied tone.
"Why?"
"She's hot," Shino answered simply.
"Yea, I kno-" Lee paused, his eyes popping out of his head as realization dawned on him. "WHAT! You, Shino, the forever-unemotional freaky bug guy…OH, MAN! Don't tell me…"
Shino raised his eyebrows at the exasperated Lee. "What's your problem?"
"DON'T tell me you're gonna be hittin' on Ten Ten!" Lee almost shouted.
Shino shrugged. "Why not? She's single and pretty."
Now, Lee was fuming. "I am NOT going to let you onto my teammate! I'd rather have Neji with her than you with her!"
"Why?"
"Because…I don't know why, but I just think they fit together better! I, the green beast of Konoha Hot Springs, will stop your evil plan!" Lee posed in the midst of the steaming pool with a determined look on his face.
"Okay. Try," again, Shino shrugged, not even bothered by Lee's previous statement.
O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.O.0.
Sweat ran down Ino's face as she worked on the running treadmill. She looked over at the pink-haired companion next to her, who was currently vigorously spinning an exercise bike. Ino and Sakura were currently in the fitness center of the Konoha Hot Springs. The morning after the 'Sasuke Incident', Ino had tried her best to cheer Sakura up. And, Sakura had tried her best to forget about 'that bastard Sasuke' (according to Ino) and be happy about her reunited friendship with Ino.
As most people are informed, Ino is very concerned (you could say obsessed) about her fitness (or rather, thinness). So, Ino had dragged Sakura to the place where she would always release her stress—the fitness. A small smile crept onto Ino's face when she looked over at Sakura's face. Sakura seemed to be concentrating more on spinning the bike than worrying about some guy. After about twenty more minutes of their working out (with Sakura changing the exercise equipment from the exercise bike to the rowing machine), Ino began to gradually slow down.
"Let's stop, Sakura-chan. I'm tired now," puffed Ino, jumping down from her running treadmill.
Sakura nodded, stood up, and stretched.
"Ahh…this feels so good, doesn't it, Ino?"
"Yea, it does," Ino paused, considering for a moment. "Uhh…well, actually, no. But I'm doing it anyway because it makes me thin."
Sakura giggled.
"Never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad we're friends again," Sakura said happily.
Ino grinned. She was somewhat proud that she had at least managed to cheer her pink-haired friend up.
"Ya, I'm glad too."
The two girls gathered their stuff and began to walk out of the fitness room. Well, who should be there but Sasuke, walking pass them in the other direction. Sakura's world froze momentarily. 'He looks the same as always. It's as if nothing ever happened,' Sakura thought, her heart dropping to the ground. However, Sakura was determined not to show her weakness any longer. The pink-haired shinobi's face turned into a replica of Sasuke's face—cold and hardened. Apparently, Ino was thinking the same thing. 'I won't let my friend or my friendship be hurt ever again,' the blonde thought, giving a glare Sasuke's way as he walked pass.
"Sakura-chan, wanna go hang out at the spa with me?" Ino said in a loud haughty tone, making sure Sasuke would hear.
The Uchiha behind them continued to walk as if he didn't hear anything. But Ino knew that he had heard. 'This is good for the game. NOW he'll know Sakura-chan doesn't care about his stupid attitude!' smirked Ino in triumph.
"Sure, Ino-chan, that'd be fun," replied Sakura in a pretend-casual tone, completing the scene.
Joyce: I'm sorry (again) for the late update! There were exams and I had to study. Geography exams was so hard! Had to remember the whole world map and the test had about 500+ questions with only and hour and a half to do them! I could answer all the questions but there weren't enought time:( Neways, please review! I am sincerely grateful for all your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. Thank you :D