Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter. I can't wait to hear what you think!

Her new and seemingly insatiable craving for meat briefly abated, Beki pat her stomach contentedly. Hinata walked beside her. The Hyuga heiress was dainty in constitution and rarely ate meat in any sizeable quantity. The pair had decided on a barbecue restaurant, and after several plates of the heavily marinated and salted meats, Hinata was already looking bloated.

Night had fallen. The streets were still comfortingly full; there were enough people that the streets didn't seem lonely, but not so many that the girls were squished in a sea of flesh. A soft breeze carried the smells of fried food and incense as the pair walked towards the Hyuga compound. The crowd thinned and the scent slowly switched back to grass and the sharp scent of leaves. The breeze set the trees dancing. Beki had walked this road hundreds of times, felt this same wind kiss her skin and tickle her with her own hair. For the first time since she woke up in that hospital bed, Beki was at ease. She was home.

The only aspect that was out of place were Hinata's odd new behaviors. She was constantly double taking at Beki, as though in the split second between sentences she had somehow disappeared. Hinata had always been slightly aversive of physical contact, however if Beki had ever asked for a kiss on the cheek or reached out to hold her friend's hand, Hinata wouldn't turn her down. The woman always kept close watch on herself when she was walking, though. Beki could count on one hand how many times Hinata had accidentally bumped or brushed up against her. Now, though, it seemed like Hinata was constantly hip checking her. As irritating as it was, Beki let it slide. Hinata was probably still in shock that Beki was back from the dead. Maybe it was a subtle way to assure her senses that Beki was alive.

Heavy footfalls drew both of their attention. Someone was approaching from the rear with a familiar gait. Beki turned around, a smile already spreading across her cheeks.

"Hey Neji-" Beki began but the sound of Hinata gasping cut her off. At the shrill sound, Beki immediately began searching him for the source of distress. Was he injured?

When Beki's gaze reached his face, she found the cause of Hinata's locked on look of horror. "You got a haircut?"

Neji reached up self-consciously, averting his gaze as he brushed his fingers through the short ponytail behind his head. "Yeah."

"It's cute." Beki grinned. "Like a little wolf tail. Or a spunky cheerleader."

Hinata had clapped her hands over her mouth and was looking back and forth between them, as if asking Neji to explain or begging Beki to understand the significance of the situation.

"Lady Hinata, may I borrow Beki for a moment?" Neji asked as he took his love by the arm.

Hinata nodded silently, watching transfixed as the pair stepped out into the woods. Neji supported Beki as she walked over the tree roots, careful to help her avoid any loose rocks or slippery patches. Beki couldn't help but notice the worry etched across his face. It wasn't a small concern, the sort of thing that would just knit his brows. It was concern carved into his very features: the set of his jaws, the squint of his eye, the pull of his skin. Something was eating at him and it was big.

"What's going on Neji?" Beki reached up and caressed his cheek. "Your talk with Hiashi go south?"

Neji opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and took Beki's hands in his. "There was a lot Hiashi and I discussed. I cut right to the point with him. I told him I wanted to marry you and he was not pleased. He forbade it."

The way Neji gripped her hands set Beki's heart racing. Hiashi forbade it. In all her time with the family, Beki had conveniently forgot one compelling factor: Neji could literally be forced to follow orders. She caught herself clutching him back, peering into his eyes for some hint that she was wrong. If Hiashi had ordered him, what could she do? Beki could never ask Neji to disobey and die. She loved him with all of her heart, enough so that she could live with letting him go in those circumstances. Beki would rather have Neji alive with someone else than to live the rest of her life knowing he had died because of her. With what a mess Neji had been after her sacrifice, Beki wasn't sure she was strong enough to live through the same situation.

"I told him about the baby." Neji gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be using our child as a negotiation tool."

"What did he say?" Beki nearly squeaked, her throat was so constricted with fear.

"He gave me two choices: follow my path and suffer the consequences of my making, or follow the path set before me and let nature take its course." Neji let go of Beki's hands and took a step back. The worry twisted his face further, contorting it to the point of fear. His entire body was rigid, as if he were preparing for a deep bow. Beki's heart sank into her stomach as she prepared herself for the bomb that was about to drop. She centered herself and adjusted her footing in case she swooned. Neji began to move, his body sinking to the earth. Beki closed her eyes and swallowed hard, opening them again after a deep breath. She expected to see him on his hands and knees with an apology on his lips. Instead, Neji had only stooped to one knee, one hand timidly outstretched before him. In the center of his palm was a small gold ring.

"Tsukimori Haruka," Neji's voice nearly cracked. "Will you marry me?"

Relief crashed over Beki like the incoming tide. "Oh, thank God," Beki laughed nervously, putting her hand to her chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

Neji hadn't moved. "Kind of waiting for an answer here, Beki."

"Of course I'm going to marry you," Beki reached out and gently took the ring. It was simple yet elegant. The gold band was unadorned save for the setting of the single flawless diamond. The stone was held in place by looped brackets. It looked like a flower, the stone the center and the brackets' loops the petals. The simple scrollwork immediately on either side were a single leaf on either side. The inside was stamped, and by the color of the metal it was old. While Neji shakily regained his footing, Beki examined the ring more closely. It was incredibly familiar, yet she couldn't place where she had seen if before. It was clearly an heirloom. Had she seen it in a secondhand store? Was it passed down through the Hyuga?

"Where have I seen this before?" Beki muttered, half to herself.

"It's your mother's," Neji brushed off the leaf detritus that had speckled his knees and shins. "Sorry I didn't have time to clean it. I literally ran there to ask her permission for your hand and she dug it out of Kakashi's attic-"

"Wait, what?" Beki scrunched her nose. "Okay. Slow down and start over. This is my mother's ring?"

"Yes," Neji sighed. "So I went to Kakashi's house to ask permission for your hand. At first I was worried because I thought she would be angry with me about the war."

"Why would she be angry?" Beki frowned. "You didn't do anything."

"That's exactly the problem. I didn't do anything. I didn't protect you," Neji clenched his fists. "At least, that's what I've been accusing myself of for four years. Your mom had the same reaction you did. When I asked for her forgiveness, she asked if it was about getting you pregnant."

Beki couldn't help herself. She let out a small sputter of a laugh. That was exactly where Yuki's head would have gone.

Neji rolled his eyes and after ignoring her outburst, continued: "She told me that it was her fault for collapsing. The only person in the world that had a responsibility to protect you was her, and she failed. It was turning into the apology Olympics on the Hokage's doorstep so he yelled us to bring it inside. So then I had to bare my soul in front of both the mother of the woman I love and my boss." Neji furrowed his brows. "Come to think of it, how did the Hokage know you were pregnant?"

Beki waved her hand dismissively. "Mom must've told him. Continue."

"I told them I had gotten permission from my family to dissolve the contract and I asked for Yuki's permission to take you as my wife," Neji went pale at the memory. "She...Your mother is a monster, Beki."

"What did she try to do, test your resolve?" Beki scoffed.

"Yes. That's exactly what she did," Neji swallowed hard. "She um...might have gotten a little handsy. But the Hokage dropped his voice. I think I heard him mutter something about a leash and she lightened up. Yuki said we had her blessing and asked if I had a ring. I hadn't gotten that far yet. Your mother started swearing about how she probably had something I could use but that it was probably lost when her apartment was seized."

Neji reached back and tightened his ponytail. "The Hokage said that he had moved all of her stuff to his attic and he knew exactly where her jewelry box was. So all three of us went up there to find it. When your mom pulled this out she got this sentimental look on her face. Yuki looked like a different person. To anyone who didn't know her, she might even pass as normal. When she handed it to me it was almost reluctantly and she was sighing all over the place. She said that this ring belonged to your father's family. It was his grandmother's. Then there was something about how his brother was supposed to inherit it but he had stolen it..." Neji shook his head. "Anyway, Yuki said it only seemed right that she pass it on to you and keep it in the family."

Beki glanced down at the ring, which was a little tight from dinner bloat. It brought a smile to her face to think that at some point, her goliath of a father had probably nearly ruined his pants and asked her mother to marry him in the same fearful, cracking voice Neji had. "Okay. I'm caught up now."

Neji took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "That was the big thing, you agreeing to go along."

"There's more?" Beki scratched her neck.

"Yes. Because I'm breaking the contract, there are...consequences." Neji reached out and took her hands again, running his thumb over the ring on her finger. "Because I've wasted Miyu's family's time twice, I have to repay double her dowry. It's...its going to be almost everything I have saved up."

"Even though you did all those risky, high rank missions?" Beki's eyes widened in amazement.

Neji nodded. "Her family is wealthy. They're an offshoot of the Hyuga and they wanted to make a good impression. They were...more than generous." Subconsciously, Neji began to massage Beki's hands in an odd display of relieving his own stress.

"We'll be okay," Beki smiled gently as she reached up and pet his hair affectionately. "It might be tough for a while. I can find work in town and you can just take extra low rank missions. Once the baby gets here, mom can help us out with watching it."

"No dangerous missions?" Neji said with a look on his face that showed he knew the answer already.

"Absolutely not," Beki poked his nose. "I have to watch my stress, and you being out there with your life on the line would definitely get my blood pressure up."

Neji nodded. He took her hands and kissed them each, holding them against his face. Beki watched the way he visibly relaxed at the contact, his breathing deepened and the tension in his face slowly ebbed. "So are you going to just keep avoiding the elephant in the room?" Beki asked.

"Hm?" Neji glanced up at her.

She pointed at her own head. "You know, Hinata losing her crap because you got a haircut?"

"It wasn't voluntary," Neji began but then shook his head. "Well, I mean it was and it wasn't. When you have brought shame upon the family, the Hyuga cut their hair short."

"Ooh," Beki winced. "So you're taking the brunt of the shame on this situation?"

"As I should," Neji shrugged. "They aren't disowning me so it wasn't all cut off."

"So it's just a way for the family to know you're in the doghouse?" Beki asked.

Neji nodded. "I'm allowed to regrow it over time."

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Beki stepped in closer. She took his face in her hands and turned it to and fro, examining his haircut from different angles. "I kind of like it."

"Really?" Neji gave her a tentative smile.

Beki nodded. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you had the most beautiful hair I had ever seen in my life. This...this suits you though."

"Whether you like it or not, I was picking you over my hair," Neji chuckled as he brought her into a hug. "And my honor."

"And your quality of living," Beki snuggled into his chest, savoring the familiar scent of his sweat and his linen shirt. "So when you say we're going to be poor...?"

"I can't even take you to the movies," Neji squeezed her tight. "When the festival comes to town, if I save up, I think I can buy you one taiyaki."

"Woooow," Beki chuckled. "It's okay. I always liked roughing it with my dad."

"Your words are comforting but I can't help but feel guilty about it," Neji's voice was soft. Beki could feel the sound of his voice as it reverberated in his chest. It was a comforting murmur against the bass beat of his heart. "After everything you sacrificed for me, I feel like you deserve better. You deserve to be comfortable and spoiled rotten."

Beki shook her head. "You can't think like that. I mean, you would be looking out for me if this was a situation that would never change. If you were in a position where we would be trapped in poverty or constantly running from the law, then yes, feeling guilty would be considerate. But you can work and I can work and over time it'll just get better and better."

"Is this where you throw in the cheesy 'and we'll always have each other' line?" Neji smirked.

"See, this is how good you are," Beki pat his cheek affectionately. "You already know what I'm going to say before I do."

Neji kissed her gently and then let her go. "Let's go share the good news with Lady Hinata." As they walked out of the woods, Neji kept a supportive hand under Beki's arm as she navigated the treacherous ground. Once they were back on the grass, his hand naturally dropped down into hers.

Hinata had been hovering nearby, fidgeting nervously with her hands and her head bowed in thought. At the sound of their approaching footsteps, her head snapped up and eyes locked onto them. Beki raised her left hand to meet Hinata's expectant gaze. "I guess we're really going to be family now."

Hinata let out the longest groan of relief in history as she threw herself on her friend. Beki felt guilty that she couldn't return Hinata's excited embrace, only meet it halfway with arms lukewarmly draped around her waist. "Thank God!" Hinata sighed. "I was so worried it was bad news." She released Beki and turned her attention on Neji. "Did father...?"

"To be fair he gave me a choice," Neji gave a small shrug. "What's a little dishonoring the family now and then?"

Eyes welling with pride and lip quivering, Hinata reached out and pat her cousin's shoulder. "Thank you, Neji."

"There's nothing to thank me for," Neji averted his gaze as an embarrassed flush crept into his cheeks. He set his jaw and made a point to seem fascinated by a nearby tree.

Beki wrinkled her nose as she watched the strange interaction. There was some secret Hyuga knowledge afoot here and Beki didn't like it. How had Hinata known Neji got in trouble? He had literally walked up and pulled her out into the woods. Hinata's hearing was good, but the only person Beki had ever known to be able to eavesdrop from that distance was her mother. Emboldened by her new status, Beki puffed up her chest and pried:

"It's the hair thing, isn't it? Has someone else gotten in so much trouble before?"

Both Hyuga's necks snapped in her direction, eyes wide, cheeks flushing with embarrassment, then almost immediately snapped away in opposite directions. It was a beautifully synchronized feat of mutual bashfulness that was simultaneously endearing and infuriating. They both began to mumble incoherently, Hinata's fingers locked in a dance and Neji tugging nervously at his new ponytail. Images from the past suddenly flashed through Beki's eyes. Nights long ago, almost a lifetime now, cozied up under the covers in the winter. Photo albums spread across the comforter as Hinata shared her life with Beki. Looking back, in most of those photos, Hinata's hair had been above her ears. Beki's eyes grew wide and she gazed at Hinata with a new understanding. Her friend's flush had deepened to a crimson. As if sensing Beki's thoughts, Hinata spoke:

"Father nearly disowned me because I was such a disappointment when I was younger."

Beki's throat grew tight and tears burned her eyes. She tried to blink them away, to swallow the hurricane of emotions that washed over her, but she couldn't. Neji loved his family. All his ambitions had been to elevate his family's name, every honor passed onto them. He lived in perpetual servitude to that name, bearing the yoke gratefully. The financial sacrifice was jarring enough, not to mention the humiliation of Neji having to break up with his fiancé in front of her family. The final piece had fallen into place. Neji was literally throwing his entire life away, all his work, his honor, his very way of living to be with her. Beki's tears spilled over onto her cheeks as a single sob stole out of her throat. Hinata and Neji both gave her a look of concern and stepped closer. In one fell swoop, Beki had wrapped an arm around each of their waists and pulled them close, burying herself simultaneously into Hinata's shoulder and Neji's chest. Gently, the pair wrapped their arms around her, wordlessly comforting her.

"I love you guys," Beki hiccupped. "I love you guys so much."

After a moment, Neji spoke softly:

"Beki, could you tell me and Hinata whom you love more?" Beki's head shot up and gave him a dirty look, to which he replied with a small smirk. "Too soon?"

...

When Neji arrived, Miyu's parents invited him inside warmly. Their home was elegant but simple, large but not sprawling. All their furniture was lush dark wood polished until it reflected like black mirrors. The entire house smelled faintly of sandalwood. Miyu had been milling about in a pair of black skintight yoga shorts and a baggy mustard colored t-shirt with a cartoon panda on it. Her hair had been sloppily thrown up on top of her head, fixed in place with a tortoise shell barrette. At the sound of his voice, Miyu had let out a small tea kettle whistle and ran full speed up the stairs. The entire time she was gone, Miyu's parents peppered Neji with offers of food and drink and pleasant inquiries into the wellbeing of his family. Miyu at last returned in what she considered more proper attire: a knee length houndstooth skirt and a red blouse that had sleeves that reminded Neji of flower petals.

At last Neji was asked for the purpose of his visit (although he was welcome anytime, Miyu's mother insisted). "I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but there is news I must share with the three of you." His chest clenched at the way the three happily tripped over one another to lead him into a formal sitting room. Miyu and her mother made a big show of finding him the fluffiest cushion in the house. Her father insisted at least two more times on serving tea, to which Neji declined. At last, after what seemed the longest five minutes of Neji's life, they were all seated and at attention.

"I would like to begin by thanking you," Neji bowed his head. As he continued, he remained stiffly in that position. "I understand that in the past I complicated your lives with the earlier engagement arrangements and again with this one."

"Oh it was no trouble," Miyu's father batted at the air dismissively. "You're a young successful shinobi. We knew there would be other offers."

"Your family has been not only kind but generous with me, despite my status as a member of the branch family of my clan," Neji began. "And that is why I am deeply remorseful when I inform you that I must break the marriage contract."

The patient, listening silence of Miyu and her family suddenly became tomblike, crashing down like a physical weight around them.

"What...what has happened?" Miyu's mother was the first to recover her voice.

"This is purely out of my own selfishness." Neji explained. "It has nothing to do with politics or my family. The Hyuga have outwardly demonstrated their displeasure with my decision. Hiashi demanded that I meet with you personally to explain and apologize in person."

Miyu's parents began to talk back and forth, their voices raising and dropping in quick succession. Miyu sat there, stunned. Neji reached into his shirt and extracted the fat envelope he had secreted within it. He held in his hands the entire amount of his life's savings. Without so much as a second's hesitation, Neji set the envelope before them and dropped into a deeper bow. "I can understand how much trouble this will cause you, despite your kindness towards me. This is the second occasion in which I have wasted your time. That is why I brought along double the value of Miyu's dowry. I know it is only a small consolation as time wasted can never be recovered but I do this out of thanks for the undeserved treatment you showed me."

"This is unacceptable!" Miyu's father was on his feet, shouting. "How dare you think you have the right, the authority, to breach this contract!"

It was Miyu's mother's turn. "And what of our daughter's reputation? No one cares about you! You're a man, and a peon of the branch family! Our daughter is our sole heir and pride and joy. Do you think money will fix how society will view her? She has been engaged to you for six months! Breaking off an engagement halfway to the altar. At best she'll be considered incompetent as a potential wife, at worst she'll be treated as used and discarded goods!"

Miyu watched Neji numbly. She knew she was in the room, could hear her parents' words, but it was as if she were underwater. The light had a strange shimmer to it, giving everything a surreal glow. Her fiancé remained bowed, taking the insults her parents hurled like rocks. He was letting them. Miyu was sure if her father began to beat Neji, he would sit there and take that, too. Without thinking, Miyu was on her feet. She crossed the room and looped an arm under Neji's, gently raising him from his bow. "Mom, Dad, I'm going to go talk with Neji alone for a moment."

"We aren't done talking to him yet!" Spittle flew from her mother's mouth. Miyu had never seen them this angry.

"Just...please?" Miyu gave them both a pleading look. They settled somewhat, but they were still scarlet with rage. To Miyu, they looked like a pair of pots, the lids dancing from the pressure building within.

Neji rose to his feet and allowed Miyu to lead him out into the garden. It was nearly sunset. The color of the sky was beginning to warm near the horizon as a soft breeze set the boughs of the trees swaying. The early evening air was pleasantly warm and carried with it the scent of honeysuckle. Miyu brushed her hair behind her ears. She bit her lip and turned her chestnut eyes up to his. "What's going on, Neji?"

"It's as I said, Miyu," Neji said calmly. "I have to end our engagement."

"Is this because you hit me the other day?" Miyu had thought a lot about his outburst in the marketplace and his other bizarre behaviors that day. "Neji, I'm not mad about that. I know something is going on and I would be happy to help you if you would just tell me." Miyu reached out and placed a hand on his arm. "Neji, I'm here for you."

She wasn't going to make this easy. Neji's mind raced through multiple possible conversation tracks, attempting to find the magic combination to let this girl walk away with her feelings intact. The prospects were not promising. Knowing his attempts to preserve her emotional state to be futile, Neji took the direct path. "Miyu, there's no nice way to say this. There's someone else."

Miyu blinked repeatedly as her brain tried to process what he said. "Someone...someone else...there's someone else you're interested in?" Neji's loner personality, secretive attitude, and ability to have female friends he was not at all attracted to sparked a logical conclusion: "Neji," Miyu dropped her voice. "Are you...are you gay?"

Neji was not expecting that but he had taken that hit enough times to not let it hurt his pride. "No, Miyu, I'm not gay. Do you remember Tsukimori Haruka? The woman we ran into in the marketplace?"

Miyu furrowed her brows. "Yes?"

"Her." Neji looked Miyu dead in the eye. "That's the woman I'm in love with."

"But Neji, how? Why?" Miyu began to slowly shake her head. "When did you two...where...?"

Neji was tempted to reach out and hold her shoulders comfortingly. He stopped himself. Miyu was a nice person. Their time together had been pleasant and she had always been kind to him. In a shallow, completely platonic way, Neji had become fond of her. "Haruka was the girl that I was engaged to before. I know no one ever explained it all to you because it should have never been a problem. Haruka and I had only been engaged about a month when we were called to war. During the war, she was seriously injured and was missing in action. With the state she had disappeared in, everyone presumed she was dead."

"And she just shows up, four years later, out of the blue right before you get married?!" Miyu folded her arms and leaned in close, a suspicious look on her face. "How can you be sure it's really her? The timing is too convenient. This has got to be a scam or something."

"For someone to be a perfect transformed replica of her, they would have needed to encounter her in person," Neji explained. "Her mannerisms, her speech patterns...I don't think it could possibly be an imposter."

"What if it really is her, though? How do you know hasn't just been off somewhere doing something else and is just...I don't know, crawling back now?" Miyu's voice had started to rise from the constriction of her chest. She was bouncing nervously on her heels.

Neji shook his head. "Do you remember the comments you made about her appearance?"

"Yeah, I thought it was fishy that a teenager was claiming to have worked with Tsunade sama," Miyu cocked her head. As she did her brows knit further. "Wait, that should be even more proof! How would she come back exactly the same if it's been four years!?" Miyu pounded her fist into her hand triumphantly. "We got her!"

"Her mother is an ice jutsu user. She froze herself for a long period in the past and came back the same as she had gone in," Neji continued. "That's why Haruka is exactly the same. She was nineteen years old when she went in her mother's preserving ice, so she would come out nineteen. An imposter would probably have shown up looking older."

"So she just shows up, you take her word at face value, throw everything away for what?" Miyu's throat had tightened to the point she was nearly squeaking. Her eyes were squinted and she was blinking frequently, doing her best to keep the tears at bay. "There's five years between you two! That's a huge difference in maturity, in life experience, in a lot of things! Do you think things are just going to magically be the way they were before the war?"

"I love her, Miyu." Neji kept his voice calm to try to waylay escalating her.

"I love you!" Miyu burst, clapping a hand over her mouth the second the words were out. Neji didn't react. She closed her eyes and the tears came free. It was the first time she had come out and told Neji how she felt about him. Neji had known she held some affection for him, but he had no idea it ran this deep. He stood there silently as she wept, patiently waiting for her to speak. "I have done everything I can to be there for you. I've tried...I've tried to help you, to protect and support you. Whatever you wanted or needed I tried to make it happen. I was...was so happy. I thought my parents were selling me into marriage with some cur but you..." Miyu shook her head and bit her knuckles, trying in vain to reel back her emotions. "You were everything I could have ever asked for."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Neji was not unsympathetic. He hated that he had to hurt Miyu. In this incredible, miraculous turn of cosmic events, the poor girl had done nothing wrong. Neji knew she really had done her finest effort to be a good wife-in-training, to make friends with his friends, to impress his family. No matter how hard she tried, though, she would never be Beki. And Beki was the only thing he had ever wanted. "I think you're a very nice girl, but I've only ever thought of you as a good friend-"

"Why?" Miyu yelled, hugging herself. "What does she have that I don't? Why do you love her and not me? Did...did I do something wrong? Can I do something now so you'll stay with me?"

"There is nothing wrong with you." Neji spoke definitively. "You are a kind, intelligent, considerate, and talented medic. I also think, and I think other people would agree, you are an attractive young woman. I can't...there isn't...," Neji sighed. "There isn't one thing I love about Haruka. I can't tell you that it's because she's blonde. You going out and bleaching your hair wouldn't improve you in my eyes. It's everything about her, the good and the bad. She wouldn't be considered a pop star like beauty. Her features and figure could even be considered a little on the manly side in some respects. She has a jawline that makes me feel inadequate as a man. Her hair is like spun starlight and her eyes remind me of the moon. The way she smiles and her laugh are infectious. When she's in a good mood, she brings everyone around her up. At the same time, she is the most infuriatingly stubborn person with a horrible temper-"

"So I'm too boring?" Miyu interrupted, for perhaps the first time in their relationship. "This Haruka...she's...she's lively. Volatile. I'm too predictable?"

Neji looked up at the red and gold sky as if an answer would write itself in the clouds. "No. I liked you as Miyu just the way you are. I love Haruka for being Haruka. I know it's impossible for me to ask you this but don't take this situation personally. If she hadn't come back from the dead, you and I probably would have gotten married and affection would have come along."

Miyu had managed to calm herself somewhat. The tears were still coming and she hiccupped occasionally, but her gaze was steely. "I can hear a 'but' in there."

"I never would have loved you as much." Neji folded his hands. "I'm sorry."

Miyu shook her head. "I just...I don't get it. What could she have possibly done for you that's-"

"We thought she died saving my life." It was Neji's turn to interrupt. "She threw herself in the way of an attack that would have killed me for sure."

It all made sense. Neji's symptoms and behavior weren't uncommon for shinobi who returned from the war. After this last revelation, Miyu's mind began to pour over the other cases. Each had suffered some extreme form of trauma, such as having had to fight a risen dead loved one, watching their squad be slaughtered, and so on. Were this anyone else, Miyu would have been happy. Who didn't love a good reunion between estranged couples? But this was the worst thing that had ever happened to her. Neji was Miyu's fiancé. It didn't matter that he had been engaged to Haruka before. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a tiny voice was telling Miyu she was being selfish. Neji was the most lucid she had ever seen him. He wasn't adrift anymore. He was grounded, powerful, and alert. It was like she had taken in an injured wild animal, rehabilitated it, and then was surprised it didn't want anything to do with her. It was like Neji said. This Haruka girl, she sounded alive. She was passion and fire incarnate and Miyu was just a reflecting pond. Shallow and attached to whoever took the time to look inside. This whole relationship, Miyu had made everything about Neji. She wanted to be her best for him, to get him to love her. All these new thoughts and feelings were whirling around inside her, tossing her stomach like a bad carnival ride. Miyu felt like retching.

"There's nothing I can say or do to convince you to change your mind?" Miyu's question came out more as a statement. Part of her had already begun the acceptance process. This relationship had been like one of her patients. Despite whatever hopes she harbored, sometimes a person came in that she just knew wasn't going to make it, no matter how hard they tried.

Neji shook his head. "I wish you the best, Miyu. You deserve someone who believes you are their one and only."

"Those are all pretty words, Neji," Miyu shook her head. "And if I heard them said to someone else I would think it's good advice. But now, when it's me..." She turned her back and started for the door. "You can let yourself out. I'll do what I can to get my parents off your back. No promises."

"I..." Neji's voice trailed off. She was right. No one wanted apologies and long explanations when their world was crashing in on them. When he had woken up in that cart with a freshly crippled Gai sensei, it had sickened him when his sensei had tried to comfort Neji. Here this man was, his entire body broken in the name of saving the world, and part of Neji had resented him for sharing words of sympathy. It had all seemed empty at the time, phrases like "it'll heal with time" and "she'll always be with you". Yet, in a similar situation, Neji was doing the exact same thing. Instead, he dropped into a deep bow. "Thank you."

Miyu slammed the door as she went inside but instantly peeked out of the curtains at him. It was foolish, a childish compulsion. A sliver of hope still clung to her heart, though. Part of her wanted to see him go for the gate and hesitate with his hand on the latch. To turn around and come running back up the path, pounding on the door crying that he was wrong. That he loved her too and just hadn't realized it yet. Instead, she watched as he walked out the gate and into the night. Her knees gave out and she sank down to the floor as the sobs she had held back came bursting to the surface. Neji hadn't even hesitated.

Neji had kept his head down the entire time he addressed Miyu and her parents.