Chapter 8: Two Hyugas, Haruno, two fellow-members.

This evening, at the end of their mission, Tenten decided very unilaterally that their team will drink a glass together. Neji and Lee are thus are draged at a table where soon three glasses are aligned. After having drunk a little, Tenten put her glass brutally and turns towards Neji an annoyed glance.
Tenten: "Neji! I ask for explanations! What is this attitude? I find that ugly! You made to Lee an bad blow... "
Neji: "Hey, wait a minute! I made what to Lee?"
Lee: "Tenten, it’s OK, let it go... Don’t angry for that."
Neji: "If you have something to reproach me, Lee, tell me. It’s always like that between us, no?"
Lee: "I reproaches nothing..."
Tenten strike her fist on the table: "You are too nice, Lee! I reproaches him!"
Neji: "You reproaches me what?"
Tenten: "You know well the feelings of Lee for Sakura! Then why you go out with her, without saying anything to us!"
Neji: "I dont go out with Sakura!"
In spite of his flat denial, Neji feels a little uneasy. After twice thinking, it’s not very honest towards Lee, indeed.
Tenten: "And you deny! We saw you with her, street of Ueno... "
Neji: "Ah! at the market! We do our market at the same place, she lives in the same district.
Tenten doesn’t seem convinced , and to say the true, Neji either.
Tenten : " I see her going out of your appartement sometimes."
Neji: "I ensure you that there’s nothing between Sakura and me... they are just neighbor relations... As she’s friend with Hinata, she often come to see her."
Lee: "It’s true?"
Neji feels likebetray his friends in a way, without knowing why. After all, he doesn’t have any feeling for Sakura.
Neji: "If I says you! "
Lee: "Then I believe you, Neji."
Tenten: "to make you forgive, Neji, organize an appointment between Lee and Sakura!"
Neji: "to make me forgive what?"
Tenten: "you have wounded the poor small heart of Lee!"
Neji throws a glance toward his teammate: "You want that I try to speak in Sakura for you, Lee? really?"
Lee: "You would do that for me? You’re a friend, Neji!"
Tenten: "Youhou! the team is reconciled! another glass to celebrate that!"

With his basket and his food list, Neji is rather annoyed. He wouldn’t make such a promise to Lee. Sakura will refuse it, because she undoubtedly is fixed on Sasuke, she already forgave him and they’’ll finish together when he returns. But he promised. After having filled their respective basket, Sakura and Neji sit on a bench of the place to rest.
Neji: "Sakura. You remember that Lee is in my team?"
sakura: "Yes, why?"
Neji is very awkward, but he continues
Neji: "He loves you much, and he would like to have an appointment with you, just once."
Sakura looks him with surprise: "and he asked you to be an intermediary?"
Neji: "It’s Tenten’s idea."

Sakura lets her legs balance while thinking and ends up to say: "and well. after all, why not. Lee is a good boy. He’s frank and courageous, and very nice. I agree"
Definitely, Neji think, I doesn’t understand nothing at woman.

Sakura accepted and Lee is insane of joy.
On the other hand Neji feel unconfortable, but he doesn’t know for what reason! Lee won’t harm Sakura. Hinata raises her nose of her preparation to ask Neji: "What happen, Neji? You’re agitated."
Neji: "Nothing."
Hinata: "It’s because of the Appointment between Lee and Sakura?"
What a bother, this Byakugan. Nothing escapes to it.
Neji: "No."
Hinata: "If you were a little honest with yourself, Neji..."

-Neji POV-
I don't care. Yes, absolutely. She has the right to do what she wants, this girl. Whereas she’s supposedly entirely devoted to Sasuke, she agrees togo outwith Lee, it ‘s her problem. Yes, after what she lived, she must hate Sasuke. But is it a reason to leap immediately on the first guy who passes?
-end Neji POV-

Hinata: "The feelings change, you know, Neji. We grows. Some few time before, I would have sworn only by Naruto... and I admire him always as much. But since I met Itachi, my life changed, my feelings changed. Sakura grows too. It’s a good thing for her to open her heart to an other boy and to take a new departure in love."

Far from comforting Neji, the judicious words of Hinata do nothing but turn over the knife in his heart. Why with Lee... and not with... him?
Hinata: "Neji.. say her.. .. "
that you love her
Neji: "... toward Lee, it would be betraying him. I can’t."