Disclaimer:
No, I do not own Naruto.
Note:
Feel free to review, be kind, thank you.
Ino, editor-in-chief of Konoha Times, the most popular official magazine in Konoha, was available for everyone to read. Replacing Tsunade-sama, the legendary editor after her retirement. She was intelligent, cheerful, talkative and outgoing. The most annoyingly talkative girl definitely suited to be a journalist. She loves and enjoy the job; it was pretty much of her life. As end of the year approaching, the yearly December issue 'Hottest Bachelors of the Year' topic set in. Readers of the Konoha Times were going to vote and decide who will be the hottest bachelor. Most fervent topic by female correspondents and readers favorite most attention capture topic.
It hadn't been too surprising of the top five finalized selected list as it was quite similar to the previous year. With Sasuke still not yet return to Konoha, the finalist was Hatake Kakashi, Shiranui Genma, Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Neji. With editorial team member Hyuuga Hinata appointed to interview Uzumaki Naruto, Tenten responsible to Shiranui Genma, with the chief herself handling brilliant strategist Nara Shikamaru. Haruno Sakura the best editor in team, started at Kohona Times as intern and quickly rose through the ranks to become managing director, Ino appointed her the most troublesome object of admiration Hyuuga Neji.
Today, Ino making her rounds to her seat to check on her progress for the coming topic. Messy scribbled journal paper discarded on the floor, on the desk. Her desk was always pretty messy. "Forehead! What's wrong?" She leaned down to look at her colleague, who currently had her knees drawn in tightly to her chest, sitting on her desk chair. She gestured for Sakura to sit up.
Putting her knees down, drowsy emerald green eyes lifted to meet blue, looking extremely drowsy, and her beautiful pink hair disheveled. Ino quickly ran through her mind, trying to recall any circumstances could have happened without her knowledge, and continued, "How's the 'Hottest Bachelor' project on going, you handle Hyuuga Neji right?"
"Here you go!" Ino threw her a black file, Sakura quickly catch it with both hands.
"What is that, pig?" she opened the file slowly and read through it, "Hyuuga Neji's daily schedule?
"W-What? I'm handling THIS stoic poker face?" she yelled out and getting panic.
"Well, um. I'll leave you to this." Ino complained.
"Ino, please."
"Cover this. You're the most ideal person-in-charge in had in mind."
"Y-You are such a 'best friend'!" cried the pinklet glared at her friend. "You've been handling this month ago, and yet you haven't completed it?"
"Buck up, Sakura, buck up. I know u like that poker face, don't you?" Ino teased.
"NO!"
"Isn't he's hot?"
"NO!"
"You sure?"
"Y-Yes…" she gave in, "Yes, I admitted, he's hot. But he is kind of intimidating."
"Take it as a challenge and I increase your wage after you complete this mission!" her chief editor winked at her as she stood up and walked away, "I'm counting on you, forehead."
The pinklet choked back her tears and braced up.
"Ok, capture a perfect candid photo of him, we can use as the final issue cover story and interview if you can. Perhaps, pay him a visit later? Check out his schedule Hinata-chan gave you."
"Can't wait for your report!"
She sighed heavily while rubbing her eyes, with another "Hmph…." under her breath.
Sakura nodded and walked out from the office. She studied his routine from the file he was off from mission this week, the Hyuuga prodigy will be found at the training ground in Hyuuga compound for daily training today. So, she went there to check on him.
It was dawn, the sun went down. She was hiding herself in the woods. Using her high ratio zoom lens to observe her object in awe, her jaw dropped when she took the man's appearance in. This man is definitely attractive, they first met in the interview after the chunin match. He was dead beat after the match, she told her that he did his best and surprise everyone with his skills surpassing the Hyuuga main family, including the Hokage himself watch in silence, he was truly the prodigy of his clan, the number one rookie in his year. Despite Uzumaki Naruto had the Jinchuriki chakra that was just unbeatable. After the match, he somehow loosened up his stubborn self, put down his anger at the main family to free himself from his cage and moved on.
Today was the first time she saw him training after many years, he was getting more and more handsome after the years. He had tied his hair up into a high ponytail, he was currently training alone, poised himself in a fine taijutsu fighting stance, chest rose and fell as he breathed. It was wow, he looked graceful in those poised and very good looking. He was shirtless after seem like a long training session; he wore only in a pair of black trousers. He looked hot, sexy and sweaty.
Oh my god, he looks so fine.
She reached into her bag and took out her zoom lens camera.
Focus. Shoot. Can't do, it's too far.
"WHO'S THERE? SHOW YOURSELF!" said the Hyuuga prodigy, his byakugan sense an intruder coming his way, something pink caught his eyes. "Don't hide yourself, it's no use. I can feel your charka movement, reveal yourself!" He clearly stated.
His arched a perfect eyebrow, indicating his slightly troubled expression on his pretty face. Some pause, he seemed to remember something, the pink hair journalist who stood out herself in of the press conference after chunin exam years ago. She once tried to consoled him and encouraged him. It was her pink hair that keep her standout and remembered her. She comforted him that she understood his dreams for his family, and dedication towards his father, the feelings, the pain and loneliness. She had gone through it when her parent had died. She was really something to be able to bypass guards of Hyuuga compound and come to this Hyuuga private training ground.
Interesting, let's see what she wants.
Leaping towards the intruder, walking close until one of his hands resting on the tree and the other hanging by his side, unleashing his infamous cold and compose persona on the intruder, confronted the pinklet with his silver gaze. She smelled faintly of clean soap and basil citrus.
"What are you doing here!" his infamous smirk was really appealing, still towering her.
He continued to strode towards her, moving his face very near her, face slanted until he was almost touching nose with her. He could feel his face heating up very slightly. He quickly recovered.
Yes, those pale eyes could not belong to any other clan.
"Hiashi-sama sent you?" Neji asked coolly, molten white eyes stare intensely into emerald.
She has beautiful eyes.
The journalist jumped in surprise at the sudden closeness of their faces, but doesn't seem to bother her even a bit. She blushed.
Oh my god, he almost brushing up with my lips.
The pink haired journalist felt her retort lodge somewhere in her throat. She cursed herself inwardly for forgetting he had a pair of byakugan that can see though almost anything. It was not like her for being careless, maybe she was just nervous. This was the first time she felt nervous accessing her interview object.
Taking in his well-build muscular chest right in front of her eyes, his body was lean but slender, inhaling masculine smell of him, she gulped. She leaped up and landed in front of the bushes. "Erm… Well, you already know it was me! Well, I hope you can do me a favor!" she replied with considerably meekness in her voice.
He didn't know what came over him, for being so bold today. He drew back from her and took several steps back, "Well, what is that? Make it quick!" he said casually with his byakugan eyes.
Don't panic, Sakura, you're the most experience in editorial team, you can handle him. He has a broomstick stuck up his ass.
Squaring her shoulders, Sakura braced herself and approached him, "Ohaiyo Hyuuga-san, let me introduce myself, I come here as a journalist from the Konoha Times. We would like to make a simple interview with you. Do you read our magazine?"
"Yeah… sometime." a frowned crease in his forehead showing that it was annoyed.
"If you do, I'm sure you know that you're in the nominees of the 'Hottest Bachelor of the Year' award."
"Sorry, I dunno about that. AND I don't have time sitting down for your interview." Neji answered in a cold, chilling voice.
"Well, ok… or can you at least let me take a few picture of you so that I can complete my task? We need the picture for the cover story." begged Sakura. "I promise I won't disturb you longer, just give me 2 minutes!"
"Ok, I grant you access." His intense white eyes were playful with a hint of mockery.
Sakura was expected to receive something 'remove yourself from my presence' from him. She was shock for not getting rejected, her interview object had actually allowed her access to him.
After a long hours of training session, Neji was hungry. "I am so hungry." He took his shirt from the tree branch nearby and put his shirt back on. "Well, follow me if you want." Inviting her to join his casual dinner, he turned and walked away. And walk out Hyuuga compound.
He wasn't always dining in Hyuuga compound. Upon reaching an authentic curry noodle house, it was crowded with locals. Neji finding a place for them to sit. Everywhere he can encounter his fan base. When they sat down, Sakura felt Neji's thigh touching her, maybe a bit too close. She wondered if this sudden of closeness was premeditated or just an oblivious move. She allowed herself a brief glanced up at his face, and she immediately regretted it.
He was crossing a line there, he moved closer their faces just a palm of distance between, "Want something to eat?" he asked casually, damned he looked amused. What's he up to? Is he teasing her? The prodigy felt her glanced, he side-looked her, the most outrageous of a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
Insolent man, and that smirk…
"A glass of lemonade would be nice." She suddenly felt thirsty looking into those molten white eyes of his.
He amazed her by his audacity today. She realized that her hands were trembling, making her all giddy on the insides. Wondering his personality if he had always behaved same thing so flirty. Or just today. She realized that a lot jealousy eyes looking at her.
Oh no good. He is enjoying this. He's using me against his fan base.
She followed him only to go nearer, challenged back. Neji backed away slightly, he never let anyone get this close to him. "Okay, sure." He could feel his face heating up very slightly for the second time today. He quickly recovered again. He felt guilty about using her, to tease his fan base to back away from him.
He motioned for the waitress to come over to take their order. A waitress approached him with light blush stained across her cheek, greeted him and taking his order, obviously one of his admirers. She has no clue just how big of a fan base Neji had.
Moments later, his famous curry noodle served up. "You? You love curry noodle?"
"Why's that so hard to believe?" he mused.
Remembering the curry of life candid story reported by Tenten few years ago came into mind. "Well, you once have those dreaded look on your face and went unconscious after a taste of it. It was a shocking news in Konoha a few years back."
"Well, I survived over the curry battle." He gave her a smug look. Clearly a proud shinobi he was, wouldn't gave up on anything without a try. She highly doubted that the Hyuuga prodigy would never admit to defeat.
The table engaged a small talk, she avoided asking too personal questions, he shared about his job to protect Kohona, he worked dedicated and devotedly to his village, he kept his answers or inputs of her interview question into conversation short and simple but straight to the point. Of course, she would pause for a brief moment, giving him space and enough time to think for the answer. Skip to answer if he didn't feel like it, changed of subject for a fifteen time.
"I was really impressed for your achievement over the years." She amused.
After a small chat with him tonight, she started to feel he looked a bit impatient about to leave.
Perhaps a personal question, won't do any harm right? Such as hair care?
The pink haired journalist spoke one last time, "Last question Neji-san, perhaps a bit personal?" Neji raised an elegant eyebrow in question, "Can you please tell us about your hair care? The readers must be dying to know. Pretty please?"
Neji stared at her, "Well…" he moved his lips close to her ear, and whispered into her ear, warm breath tickling her neck, "I'm afraid, it's not good to pry." he announced coolly. He ended the casual interview like that and walked away.
He was attracted to her, although, he wasn't really sure why.
She phone called her editor outside of the curry house, she hated to admit it, interviewing Hyuuga Neji was fun. It was his behavior that making thing intriguing.
"I should give you a shoulder massage and pep talks after your stressful evening." she joked around.
"Oh my god, I forgot to take his photo this afternoon." She groaned frustratedly.
She going to pay him another visit again.
A/N:
Written without beta excuse me for any mistakes.
Don't forget to review, good or bad, I would love to hear it. Thanks mina-san.
