Neji patted Hinata on the head and was off in a flash.

Hinata just sat there, stunned. Neji patted my head and said thanks to me. Am I having a dream?

--------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto was slowly walking out from the woods, suspended in misery.

"Hey, Naruto." Lee said, noticing him.

"…What?" Naruto asked softly.

"That way." Lee pointed in the direction of the garden.

Naruto frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Lee rolled his eyes. "Sasuke and Sakura."

At the word Sakura, Naruto snapped.

"DON'T EVEN MENTION THAT NAME TO ME!" Naruto yelled, nearly making Lee have a heart attack.

"What's wrong with you?" Lee asked, shocked.

"NOTHING'S WRONG WITH ME!" Naruto yelled, and stomped off.

"Why's everyone behaving so weird today…" Lee muttered, scratching his head.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"Tenten."

Tenten turned. It was Neji, at the door.

"W-What is it?" Tenten asked, turning bright red at once.

Neji bit his lip, and forced himself to calm down. Just walk slowly to her, tell her how you feel and be your normal self.

But to his horror, his legs wouldn't move. They seemed to be stuck to the ground.

Worse still, his face was burning, and he knew it.

Tenten wanted to laugh. The sight of Neji's blushing face was almost too much for her to take.

"Where's that cool, calm and composed Neji I always know?" Tenten asked, trying hard not to smile.

Neji, upon hearing that, turned into his normal self for a moment. "What do you mean by that , lady?" He snapped.

Tenten couldn't keep it in anymore. She had to laugh. She had to…or she'd burst.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU LOOK SO FUNNY—HAHAHAHAHA!" Tenten laughed, her arms clutching her stomach.

Neji looked somewhat taken aback by Tenten's reaction.

Oh, great. Now's she's laughing at me.

He turned to walk away.

"Wait, Neji!"

He stopped.

Tenten had finished laughing.

"…Yes?" Tenten asked. "What do you want to talk to me about?"

THIS IS IT!

Neji opened his mouth.

I have to do this today, or I'd never do it.

"I like you, Tenten!" He burst out.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke slowly released Sakura.

"…"

"W-Well…" Sakura said awkwardly.

Sasuke looked down at his feet.

Both of them stood in silence.

"…I-I wonder how Naruto is doing…" Sakura said guiltily.

"…The guy must be taking it bad…huh…" Sasuke muttered.

Naruto… And Sakura…

"What did you say?" Sakura asked, not quite catching his words.

"…Nothing." Sasuke gritted his teeth. "I…I need to go off for a while."

"Sasuke, wait!" Sakura gasped, but Sasuke had gone.

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"…Nar-Naruto-kun?"

Naruto gasped and jumped.

…HINATA?

"Y-Y-what?" Was all Naruto managed to say.

Hinata looked worried. "A-Are you all right, Naruto-k-kun? Y-You don't look good."

"I'm fine." Naruto muttered.

"A-Are you sure…"

"LOOK, I JUST WANT TO SIT ALONE AND FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF, OKAY? LEAVE ME ALONE!" Naruto yelled, tears leaking from his eyes.

Hinata stumbled backwards in shock.

"…!" Naruto realized what he'd just said to Hinata.

"I-I'm sorry-' He stammered.

Hinata gave him a watery smile. "I'm sorry. I-I understand that you want to be alone right now…"

Naruto's reaction was to blink. Really. Just blink.

Then it all came to him.

This is…How…Hinata must have felt like this when I rejected her.

Naruto took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Hinata." He said properly.

I…don't know what I can say.

Hinata could only stare up at Naruto's eyes. And she got the message.

Naruto was rejected by Sakura. Naruto… is hurt.

--------------------------------------------------

"…Neji." Tenten said softly.

Neji just stood at the door. He was in shock.

"…Dodge." Tenten said, throwing a knife at him.

Neji gasped and tried to duck, but the knife landed on the wall, a few cm from Neji's head.

"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Neji yelled.

"To stop you from standing there like an idiot." Tenten said, and burst into a bright smile.

Neji couldn't help but smile too.

Then they burst into laughing fits and hugged one another.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

When Sasuke was in the deeper part of the garden, he stopped, and sat down.

…Sakura.

He looked down. There were a few flowers growing at his feet.

He picked two. One yellow and pink.

…Sakura…Sakura!

His hands trembling, he crushed them.

…Am I really… okay with it?

…I feel… so…frightened.

…I'm…

He recalled, again, how everyone important to him had just vanished suddenly.

People who are supposed to be there.

He clutched the flowers in his fist tighter.

People who are supposed to be there!

He released the flowers, burying his head in his arms.

I don't want Sakura to leave. I don't want her to leave.

He'd wanted to yell, shout, and scream at Sakura— "WHY?" When she'd told him that she liked Naruto.

But instead, he chose to be gentle.

He'd told her everything was all right.

"I don't care. I'll accept the challenge anytime." That was what he said.

That wasn't true.

I did care.

All I felt was just… panic.

Somehow, he'd hugged her and called her silly.

Then, he'd kissed her, but Naruto caught them in the act.

The worst part was?

The sight on Naruto's face made him feel happy.

I felt happy. Because I knew that when Naruto saw this, he'd definitely give up on Sakura.

Then Sakura will be all mine.

All mine.

Author: Okay… Sasuke isn't as soft as he seems, is he? (Ducks as Sasuke fans throw knives) Hey! Sasuke is still human, you know! Humans can't be that soft, especially if they had a past like his… YIKES! (Sasuke fans throw bombs AND knives) I'm outta here!