Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Really! If I did, it will be Naruto who betrays Konoha, and not Sasuke. Neji will be the main character! (evil grin). Screw me, anyway!
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To All Reviewers
Thanks for the review! You gave me a reason to continue this story!
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Chapter 2
A Talk, A Question, and A Punch
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"Sakura-chan, would you please train with me?" Tenten asked hopefully. She was already around the tenth person she asked to train with her today, but all people seemed to be very busy. And Tenten meant all: Lee, Hinata, Kiba, Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, Shino, Naruto –she even stopped by Sasuke's house, and the answer was still a perfect NO.
This pink-haired girl, even though she's more talented in medic than battle, was Tenten's last hope.
And when Sakura looked a little surprised yet uneasy, she sighed heavily. "Okay, I'm off then."
She turned to leave, just to be stopped by a hand on her shoulder. It was Sakura.
"I'm sorry." She apologized, "I have an appointment to watch Naruto and Sasuke-kun's spar match."
Tenten laughed, although half-heartily. "It's fine. Then, goodbye." She walked slowly outside Sakura's house, trying her best not to show her disappointment.
Why does everyone seem to be busy? And again, why today? Her cheeks reddened in fury. Was this some kind of joke or what? If anyone couldn't train, just train yourself! Goddammit, Tenten! You could do this yourself!
She made her way to the public training grounds, grumpy as ever, and started to throw shurikens and kunais randomly everywhere, making some lower ninjas afraid, but nonetheless said nothing to the now Chuunin weapon mistress. When someone launched an arrow to her, she dodged it perfectly with her feet and continued her job.
She kept throwing her weapons randomly until a hand stopped her. Again.
"Lee." She pointed out flatly. "Why are you here?"
"It's dangerous to do that, Tenten." The youthful guy replied, "It'll be better if you just throw all of your weapons to the targets over there right, Tenten?"
"Why do you care?" Tenten asked angrily. "Now, why are you here? To train?"
"Not exactly..."
"Then go away!" Before Lee even finished his sentence, Tenten had threw her especially sharp daggers at Lee, sending the boy away from the training grounds. Now she was alone.
She turned towards the targets, and leaped closer to them, throwing a kunai every step she took. This time, her ability yet her accuracy failed her. Greatly. All of her kunais were stabbed anywhere but the middle of the targets, which was, of course, her target. She narrowed her eyes as she picked up all of her weapons, greatly cursing herself.
She tried twice more, and still she failed miserably. At last, the weapon mistress took a step back and forcefully let herself sat, leaning on the tree. She looked at her weapons grimly as she tested their sharpness. Nah, they were just fine, since she had just sharpened them three days ago with the knife Neji bought for her birthday present at the markets, when they were walking together.
Neji. That name suddenly dawned on her.
This year, he remembered her birthday, and he didn't forget to wish her a happy birthday. He even bought her a present: a sharpening knife, that is. She took the knife out of her pocket and slowly examined it. It was sharp enough to cut a tree in one powerful blow.
"What the hell is wrong with me...?" She whispered slowly, observing the knife as her mind wandered off. "Oh, for crying out loud, Tenten! Pull yourself together and get up!"
She stood up, and readied her shurikens once more. As she closed her eyes and focused, a certain cold voice brought her back to reality.
"I don't know you have a habit to talk to yourself."
Her eyes snapped open. "Ne-Neji!" She was surprised to see her genius teammate leaning on the tree that was supposed to be her next target.
"What are you doing here, alone?" The calm prodigy asked coolly as he stared hard into Tenten's brown eyes, trying to figure out what was she thinking. As the girl avoided eye contact, he was getting suspicious.
"Err... Anoo... it seems like everyone are busy, so I have no partner to train." Tenten quickly said, "But since I have no concentration today, I'm going home."
"I'll walk you home." The taller boy said as he rose up. Just as Tenten opened her mouth to protest, Neji shook his head. "I insist."
"Fine." Tenten replied, placing her hands on her hips as she stormed away from the trees, out of the training grounds. The Hyuuga boy followed her as he hid his calm but knowing smile.
"You've been avoiding me." Being the cold Hyuuga prodigy he always has been, he said it calmly and straightforwardly, almost like saying, "Yesterday, I saw leaves on a tree."
Tenten stopped walking and turned to face Neji, even though still avoiding eye contact. "I haven't!" She answered in horror.
"Well, why?" Neji asked, completely ignoring Tenten's words. "You can't really lie, you know that?"
"I'm not lying!" Tenten protested as her face reddened terribly.
"When you lie, you're red." He observed, still with his cool pose.
"I'm not lying, you fool!"
Whoa. Neji examined the expression on his female teammate mutely. It was the first time she has ever called him a fool, he realized. Tenten never call anyone a fool. At least, not him.
"Tenten..." He shrugged, "I'm sorry."
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry." He said louder. "Listen, I don't know what did I do wrong, but I just... hate it when you avoid me, kay?"
Tenten looked surprised, but before she had a chance to reply, Neji had already continued his words, "So do you forgive me?"
The weapon mistress bit her lip. She can sense the uneasiness Neji feels, and she felt greatly uncomfortable because this was the first time she saw the prodigy being uneasy.
"No." She replied.
"..." was all Neji had given as a reply. He shook his head a little. "Okay, then."
"Wait, Neji."
She called me Neji, the genius thought as he turned back to face Tenten. The girl looked a little nervous as she parted her lips and said, "I mean, no, I can't forgive you, since I'm not mad at you." She bit her lip again, "I'm the one who needs to be sorry."
"..."
"I... have been acting a little weird these days..." She stated, "It was just because..." She stunned and stopped, as suddenly her face got very, very red. Neji, realizing this, blushed too without knowing why.
"... Because?" He tried to help, but his effort failed miserably because Tenten seemed too flustered to open up. "It's okay if you don't wanna tell." He said grumpily as he turned away.
"Wait, Neji."
Tenten stopped him again, but she still seemed too flustered to speak, so Neji decided to wait. Somehow, this time he agreed that Shikamaru was right - girls ARE troublesome.
"I realized..." Tenten began, and Neji started to listen carefully, since the reason may be very big -Well, it even made Tenten avoided him, right?-. "... that you're a boy." she finished, feeling the heavy burden being lifted up from her shoulders.
But it was now Neji who felt a burden had thrown itself at him. He felt confused. "Tenten," He began, and the girl looked at him cheerfully, "I'm always a boy."
"Yes." Tenten agreed, "You are."
"Why do you avoid me, then?"
"Told you, it's because you're a boy!"
"I think it's not only that." Neji pointed out sharply. "So?"
"It's…" The weapon mistress looked hesitant again. In her head, a battle was held.
I can't say that I felt very weird when I'm around him, right? That my heart started to beat faster and my cheeks will get hot? No, I couldn't! He'll think I'm ridiculous!
What if he didn't?
Nah, he will! I just know it!
Haha! How do you know, you stupid airhead? You realized that he is a boy only for less than a week, how could you understand his manly side?
But he's Neji-!
And he's a boy!
You probably like him!
Nah, it's not true! You love him, stupid!
Ooh, like Shikamaru said?
That's the word!
"Tenten?" Again, the Hyuuga prodigy interrupted her thoughts, zapping her back to reality. "So?" He crossed his arms over his chest, waiting patiently.
"Nah, it's... nothing." She said as she felt a pang of pain on her feet. She looked down in horror as she felt the pain increased every moment. It looked like she sprained her ankle while dodging the arrow just then. She lowered her body and touched her ankle gingerly, massaging it carefully. "Ow!"
She exhaled a breath, slowly cursing herself. If this was the case, she can't walk. She can't even stand up! She observed it once more – a bruise was stamped to it.
Neji studied her feet carefully. "It can't be helped." He sighed as he leaned down and picked up Tenten from the ground. The girl shrieked. "Neji, put me down!"
"..." The Hyuuga genius muted as he began to walk as he carried Tenten on his back.
Tenten blushed furiously, but she didn't try to break free or anything. She stayed completely silent as she stared at Neji's back.
"Tenten..."
The sudden call made her shocked. "Yes?"
"Don't stare at me like that."
"O-oh, right! I'm sorry."
"..."
"..."
"Hey... Tenten."
"Yes?"
"We're not done talking."
".. Oh, sure!" She blushed furiously. Stupid, she cursed herself, why do you feel nervous, right now?
Neji turned back to face Tenten, and as he realized that their faces were so close, he turned away and blushed a teeny little bit of red. "Well, so why?"
"He?"
Neji chuckled. "Air headed." he said, a little smile appearing on his lips.
"Hey!"
"But still, the question." The Hyuuga calmly said, without realizing that he was putting Tenten at the end of her confidence. The girl shivered slightly. "Well..." She started, but bit her lip at the end.
"Well?" Neji turned back again, looking directly to Tenten's earthly eyes, ignoring the fact that their lips were inches apart. He stopped on a park and said, "We won't be going anywhere until you answer."
"... Fine..." Tenten answered, though a little hesitantly. She stuck out her tongue at Neji as she secretly pulled out a pair of shurikens between her fingers.
The Hyuuga prodigy interrupted. "Now, don't put any attempt to pin me to the wall or something like that." He practically frowned, and Tenten sighed as she jabbed back her shurikens to her pocket. "You have eyes behind your head." She said.
"Maybe I do." He replied calmly.
Tenten frowned.
Neji smirked. "So..?"
"I don't know, okay?"
"You do."
"Oh. Right. You're a Byakugan user. You probably know what's happening inside my mind." Tenten replied sarcastically, suddenly getting angry - more to herself than to the cool-headed Neji.
Neji let Tenten down on the bench, as he sat down next to her. He stared at her sharply, and she glared daggers at him in return. She held up her sprained ankle and massaged it once again as she studied the calm expression on his face. Damn Neji! she thought grumpily, how could he be this calm?
"... Yes?" He stared at Tenten. "You're ready to tell me why?"
"Geez. Why does it matter so much, anyway?"
Yeah. Why does it even matter? thought Neji grimly. "Just answer." He said hastily, breaking the uncomfortable silence between them.
Too hasty for a Neji.
"Neji..."
"Yeah?"
"Actually, I..."
Neji smirked as he noticed the gold sun slowly setting down. He can tell that Tenten wasn't ready to tell him, whatever it was, so he stood up. "Save it for next time." He told the girl as he offered a hand.
"Actually, I'm okay now." Tenten finished as she stood up too, "My ankle got better."
"... That's nice." I got the wrong idea.
"Thank you." She grinned. "Now you don't have to walk me home. Anyway, thanks, Neji."
"..." was his reply.
Tenten studied his stoic expression before turning away from Neji. He is cool, she thought, I never should have doubt that.
"Wait." Neji placed a hand on Tenten's shoulder, stopping her. The weapon mistress whirled back and arched her eyebrows quizzically. "Will you train with me? Tomorrow, maybe?"
There was a hopeful expression in the Hyuuga's eyes that Tenten had never seen before. She was stunned. Oh yeah, Tenten was stunned, but nonetheless she answered, "No."
"No?" Neji repeated, confused, even though he hid it cleverly inside his emotionless pale cloudy orbs.
"You heard me." Tenten said, smiling a little, "No."
Neji can't help but furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought we had the problems settled."
"We have." Tenten agreed. "But it's still a no. You could always train with Lee, Naruto, or the other guys, anyway. I know you have never train with a girl but me. Does this lower down your reputation?"
"Whatever." He was far too egoistic that he tried all his might to look as if he doesn't care. He had been dropping signals everywhere, but this girl was far too dense -or maybe he was far too stupid, but that was close to impossible- to notice that he had some certain feelings for her.
Yeah. Feelings. You got me.
"So there." Tenten waved her hand goodbye, but Neji stopped her again. She arched her eyebrows again. "Well, what?"
"Tell me why." The Hyuuga prodigy insisted, but the weapon mistress wasn't going to give it up. Not yet.
"Let go." She said, more like an order than a normal saying. "Hyuuga."
She called her Hyuuga again. Neji blinked, but said nothing in attempt to get the girl to good graces. He simply stiffened his grip on her shoulder, making her eyes glared kunais at him. He stared back at her, and in a moment they engaged into a glaring contest, which Neji practically won.
"Let. Me. Go." Tenten repeated between glares.
"Shikamaru is right. Girls are troublesome." Suddenly Neji said, making Tenten's eyes widened. His eyes were so cold and stoic, but Tenten can simply looked inside it - although, this time she saw nothing. "I saw you with Shikamaru the other day."
"You were eavesdropping!" Tenten practically flinched as she said that. Wait. What was that? THE Hyuuga Neji, spying and eavesdropping? Okay, it can be understood if it was for a mission. But doing those crappy spy things on her? "Neji, what are you?"
"I'm human, that's what." He replied coolly.
"I don't mean that!" Tenten said, "Why are you spying Shikamaru and I? You were NOT supposed to be there."
"I just happened to pass by." He was still cool, calm, yet ever so collected that Tenten could not stand him anymore. She harshly struggle herself free, and pointed her index finger at his nose. "YOU! I will take revenge on you one day!"
"Sure." Neji smirked. He seemed to just lose the idea that he's dealing with one of the people who understand him the most. Yeah, Tenten was surely in the list of his 'best friends'. And he never thought that what Tenten just said was more than a mere threat.
It was a vow to herself.
With that, Tenten left him, storming down the path as she cursed Neji freely. Neji smirked as he turned away and gazed at the sunset for several moments, and suddenly-
PUNCH!
Using all her strength, Tenten punched him on the cheek. Of course, even though his reflex was good, Neji couldn't have thought Tenten would ever punch him - on the cheek, moreover! A bigger part of his brain said that she was his friend. Maybe not now, still.
He glared spears at her, but she seemed to lose all of her respect to him.
"That's for one minute spying!" She snapped sharply as the Hyuuga massaged his sore cheek gingerly. "The next time, it'll be another kind of revenge, Hyuuga! Just you see!"
Obviously, he didn't see that coming.
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Gomen! I said it'll be two-shots, but I seemed to have written long enough to make it two-shots. It was also that somebody said that it is waaaay too short, so I thought, when I quite have the idea in hand, why not make it a longer story?
Tee-hee… (Sweatdropped). Never mind me.
To people who hates people who changes their mind, forgive me. I will try my best to write a nice story for you all as an apology, so sorry, everyone!
If the characters are OOC, forgive me too. I wasn't exactly them, kay? But tell me where did I got Neji, Tenten, or the others wrong and I'll try my best not to do the same mistake ever again!
Thanks!