His gaze lingered too long on the stand with hairpins and Tenten leaned in with a knowing smirk. "Is someone getting ready for Hinata-chan's birthday?"

"How thoughtful, I'm surprised you noticed how much the hair in her face bothers her." Lee closed in from his other side. "Which one do you think she'd like?"

Neji scoffed and turned away from the pair. "As if I would gift Hinata-sama something so gaudy."

"You do you." Tenten shrugged and motioned Lee towards her. "We're getting Hinata-chan one of the good pins."

Neji pressed his lips together as he continued down the marketplace on his own. Cha no Kuni was known for its high quality teas and that was exactly what Hinata would receive for her fourteenth birthday. Only friends would know how much she likes tea, but it wouldn't be so personal like a hairpin. He didn't deserve to think of himself as a close friend of hers despite what she said.

By her thirteenth birthday, many months after the Chūnin Exams her gaze was no longer guarded and he felt comfortable enough to give her a card. Of course, it was also signed by the rest of his team which had taken to her. It was also the day he formally apologized. On his own birthday, seven months later, they were comfortable enough to spend time together without the watchful gaze of Team Gai or an entire compound filled with all-seeing people.

She greeted him with a cupcake with a single candle when he arrived for their morning training. "I know you aren't fond of big celebrations, but I was hoping you would at least accept this," she offered with a hesitant smile.

Hinata was not one for cruel pranks, he reminded himself; she genuinely wanted to wish him a happy birthday. In a very Hinata-like manner Neji felt his face heat up and he could only hope it wasn't too notorious. "Thank you… this was not necessary."

Her semblance relaxed and she stretched out the pastry to him. He did not refuse it. "Make a wish."

Neji hummed thoughtfully before leaning down and blowing out the candle. He cracked a small smile when she handed him the cupcake with a bounce to her steps.

Incidentally, Team Gai plus Hinata were dispatched on a mission days before her next birthday. As expected, she turned fourteen in Kawa no Kuni, far from Konoha and her dear team. Neji reserved his complaints but Tenten had no qualms with voicing her thoughts. "Shinobi usually get their birthdays off, how come another Hyūga couldn't take your place for this mission?"

Hinata shrugged with a smile. "I don't mind, I like spending time with all of you."

And it was true. If anything, Neji was starting to fear the friendship between Hinata and Tenten; those two together were often bad news for all the poor festival game owners they ran into during missions. One was too accurate with her throws and the other saw too much when it came to hidden mechanisms.

When night fell the nobleman and the entourage they were escorting asked to be taken to the nearest civilized resting spot. Camping out was truly not his style if Neji went by his unkempt appearance.

By the time his nightwatch shift ended Hinata's hair was now tied into a loose ponytail with an oversized bow that suspiciously defied the law of gravity. "Tenten's gift?" Neji didn't need the Byakugan to know that it was filled with blades

"Tenten," she confirmed with bright eyes. "It's for emergencies and… and I think it looks nice," Hinata finished hesitantly.

His lips twitched upwards. Hinata's smile and her hand inching towards the novelty in her hair gave away her delight. "Indeed it does," he agreed. "Before I take my leave, I also wish to give you something."

She tilted her head curiously as he pulled out a scroll. In a puff of smoke a wooden box appeared and was promptly placed in her hands. A wide smile covered Hinata's face as she scanned the contents. "I've searched all of Cha no Kuni for some of these leaves but never found them."

Answering her unasked question, Neji shook his head. "Most of those leaves are not from Cha no Kuni."

"I didn't know there was another market with such variety aside from that one," she murmured, awe still in her voice.

Was he going to admit that the tea leaf gathering process took well over half a year in many different markets? Not quite. "It's a matter of searching during the appropriate season," he said simply.

Hinata carefully hugged the box to her chest as she looked at him with beaming eyes. She opened and closed her mouth hesitantly before continuing. "May I make a request? You— you're welcome to decline, of course. "

At his nod to proceed, she wordlessly opened her arms, not daring to peer at his face. Hinata only made her wishes known, making no move to act on them.

Neji hesitantly raised his arms around her and settled his hands at a respectable height. She carefully returned the embrace and eventually relaxed. He caught a barely audible whisper "Thank you Neji-niisan."

"Happy birthday, Hinata-sama," he murmured against the top of her head. Neji didn't dare think too much about the glee that flooded his being when she didn't pull away immediately and instead looked at him with undeserved admiration.