AN: I would like to thank everyone that has reviewed my story so far. You guys are my cream cheese on my bagel. Bagels are great, but with cream cheese they are better.Oh, I don't own Naruto.

I was awake all night thinking about her. Finally realizing sleep wasn't going to happen, I got out of bed and padded to my kitchen. I put the coffee pot on and waited while it brewed. I opened the door to my balcony and walked out. The air was balmy and the village was finally quiet. I thought back to what she had said to me. But she knew this little scam of hers would come to an end. She knew it meant nothing to me. I drug my hand over my face in frustration. My mind just kept replaying the events of the night. The way she smiled, the way she looked in the kimono, and the way her eyes glittered with amusement. I remember her not eating the shrimp for dinner. She's allergic to shell fish. I laughed to myself as I thought about all the sake we had consumed. I am getting a headache from it all. Grabbing a cup of coffee, I headed back to my patio. I plopped my feet up on the chair and continued to brood. What was it that drove me to push her away? I had all of these questions going through my head. Maybe what I needed was to train and release some excess energy. Yeah, training and work, both are ways for me to escape reality for awhile. I headed to my room, changed into pants and a shirt and headed for the forest.

When I entered the clearing, I ended up in our usual training spot. Somehow my feet knew their way here. I see the tree where she practiced multiples of times throwing at me, then I saw the hole Gai-sensei accidentally put in the tree next to it. I saw the shrub where we told Lee that if he stood on it, it would bring good luck. We lied of course, it's a holly bush. He fell, and we got our asses busted at training. I see the stump where we as a team ate lunch after lunch. This area was filled with memories. Some were good, some were bad, but mostly they were painful for me because the included her. I took my anger out on the tree where I used to meditate. But who was I angry at? Twice in the last week I was told to see what was in front of me. Why can't I see it. I can't put my finger on it, but she's changed somehow. After a few jutsus and sweating up a storm in the summer heat, I collapsed. What the hell was I doing here? Groaning in frustration, I got up and headed back home. I was wasting my time out here. I checked my watch and noticed it was only 11 p.m.

I wondered if any of the bars were still open. When I found one, I entered and noticed it was rather crowded. Then it dawned on me, it was a Monday night, 1.00 ryo beers. Everyone came out on that night. I sat at the bar and after a few strange looks, the bartender came over.

"I'll take a scotch on the rocks with a twist of lemon." He pours it and I pay. As I sat there watching the stand up comic, I was not left to my solitude. Couldn't people take the hint that I was not in the mood to talk or to hear their jibes about me never entering a bar voluntarily? I guess the cold shoulder act finally paid off because people started making a path around me. I finished my drink and as I was about to get up, a hand pushed me back down onto the stool. What the hell?

I whirled around ready to take on the person who dared such a lack in judgment. Instead I found Gai-sensei and his merry band of men, ie, Kakashi-sensei and Asuma-sensei.

"Well, well, Neji-kun, nice to see you. What could've possibly brought you to this place of refuge?"

"I just needed an escape from my cage."

"Cage? Didn't you move out?" He asked as his fuzzy brows lifted in unnatural ways.

"This is a different cage." I sighed

"Seems like you have too many cages." Kakashi chimed in.

"Sensei, could I talk to you about a pressing matter?" I looked at him and he nodded.

"Care if my friends join me?"

"No, if anything, the more input I get, the more clear things will seem." We headed to a table after grabbing a bucket of beers for 5.00 ryo. Sitting the beer down in the center of the table with a thunk, we took our seats.

"Ok, Neji-kun, start from the beginning, and I promise I won't interrupt until you are done."

"Thank-you." I took him and the others through the whole week. I went over the fact that she had my old hitate and that she's changed towards me. I told them everything, of course leaving out a few details of the scene at her door. I told them about the bridge and her remarks regarding my character. They all mutually agreed that they wanted to see my pad, but that aside, each one looked at me and I felt really stupid at that moment.

"So what do you think is bothering me and her?" I asked. Kakashi just looked at me and Asuma was holding a cigarette in his mouth unlit.

"Gai, may I interject here for a moment?" Kakashi put his book aside and took a swig of his beer.

'Neji-kun, girls are very determined when they have their hearts set on something. I watched this for years between Sakura-chan and Sasuke-kun. She's been in love with him her whole life. Sure it may have started as a crush, but once he left, she refocused her energies and dated others. When he returned after breaking her heart, she wasn't easy on his forgiveness. He assumed he would be welcomed with open arms with her. He took advantage of the fact she "loved him" and she hated him for it. He proved that he hadn't changed at all and ended up having to prove himself to her instead of her proving herself to him. The role reversal changed him for good. Like you and TenTen-chan, she is always trying to prove herself to you. You've taken advantage of the fact that she will always be there for you. I've seen you fight and you are cold. You see everything as a competition whether you realize it or not. Your speech tonight on the bridge told her that you are still cold and that when she needed you, you turned your back on her. Not much different than what Sasuke-kun did to Sakura. She sees you as the boy who never grew up emotionally." Once he was done, I defended myself saying that I had grown up to be one of the strongest shinobi in the village.

Gai-sensei took over.

"Physically yes, you are one of the strongest. But emotionally, you have a lot of cages to free yourself from. I can personally say that our flower has been loyal and in love with you ever since you almost died. She searched her feelings and felt that being by your side was the best way to show her feeling for you. You, either saw her as an annoying fan girl, or you just didn't see it, but, TenTen-chan has always worn her heart on your sleeve around you. Why else would she push herself to the point of exhaustion? Because, other than her father, our opinions mattered the most to her. When you would demean her, she would push herself harder to prove to you that she wasn't a weak, simpering female. But that wasn't good enough for you. The only hope she had was your old headband that Tsunade-sama gave her. She told TenTen that you "would come around eventually." I am not sure if she meant from the surgery, but TenTen thought that it meant that there was still hope for her."

Asuma took a puff and began talking.

"Like I told Shikamaru-kun when he first kissed Ino-chan, letting that barrier around your heart slip, gave her hope. The worst thing he could ever do was, show emotion and then turn around and deny it to her. You did that to TenTen-chan and quite frankly I am surprised she didn't knock you into the river. If it were me in that situation, you would've sported the mother of all black eyes. To her you are a liar, to her and to yourself. She doesn't trust you now, and that cushy, comfy friendship you've had with her will be put to the test, so you better decided how much your friendship with her means. You better figure that out before you talk to her again."

"But she was the one who got me involved in this mess in the first place."

"Yes, but Neji-kun, you went along with it. You could've put a stop to the illusion right there but you didn't. Instead, you used her as your guinea pig to figure out your feelings. That was uncalled for, and when she questioned your motives, you turned back into the ice cube. So you were the one out of line. You are both at fault for the current circumstances, but denying your true feelings is childish. You are a man I respect, but you better start acting like one otherwise my opinion of you might change."

After Gai-sensei finished, I just sat there. Wow, blow to ego. That struck a chord with me.

"Let me ask you guys a question then. If you are so knowledgeable about how a female thinks, why are you still single?" Aha, turn the tables on them.

"Actually, I'm not technically single. Kurenai-chan and I have been dating for months." Asuma stated.

"Yeah, I've been in love once myself, but I was too late to do anything about it. No one knows this but, like I told Sasuke-kun, the girl I loved was in love with another and I never told her how I truly felt. Once they were both killed, I swore it would be a long time before I loved again, and when I did, I would tell her everyday. Our world is filled with uncertainty. But about this girl, I was certain and I did nothing. I ended up hating myself and nowadays, I ease my self hatred by visiting her grave everyday, along with her true love's, Uchiha Obito."

"Kakashi, I never knew. Thank you for sharing that with me. I am honored you told me." Gai-sensei said. That really explained a lot about his aloofness. It seems Gai's eternal rival beat him again. After a moment of uncomfortable silence and a few beers, I spoke up.

"But sensei, my father fell in love with my mom the moment he met her. He told me once that the quicker I fell in love, the more it hurt to lose that person. What if I blow my chance?"

Gai-sensei looked at me and sighed.

"Neji-kun, remember the 10th question Ibiki-san gave you on your chuunin exam? Apply that knowledge he gave you and focus it towards your goal. If you truly have feelings for the girl you've grown up with, the one you now see as a very desirable woman, and for the woman who is the most beautiful you've encountered, take the plunge. But, if you don't have feelings for her, don't take the easy road and leave her hanging without an explanation. She will hate you for it if you take the easy road. If you ever need advice again, feel free to come to me before you beat yourself to a pulp." He pinged his teeth and they got up after we polished off the last of the beer.

In a way, their insight helped. Maybe I wasn't mad at her after all, maybe I was mad at myself for not being able to admit that I have a heart. Tomorrow, I would be a new man. I left the bar and saw the only star in the sky above me. I think it twinkled at me. Fate was giving me a sign. Now to work on an appolgy. Hmm...this will take all night, I thought.