Note: I wrote Izumi as Uchiwa Izumi on purpose. Uchiha, meaning 'paper fan' can also be written as Uchiwa. So in this story, Itachi and Izumi have similar last names but not quite the same. I hope I cleared some misunderstanding.
JadeDragon927: I really don't mind you pointing out my mistakes and typos. Sometimes I glance them over while proofreading so it helps if another person shows me things I didn't see. Thanks.
The class presidents were with Kisame for a brief meeting after school. There was an up coming sports festival so the students were placed in five teams with one council member leading them each.
Team blue was led by the committee in charge of sport and club activities, Hoshigaki Kisame himself. Team red was led by the student union president, Uchiha Itachi and team green was led by his vice, Uzumaki Nagato. Team yellow and purple were led by the committees in charge of social activities, Yahiko and Konan respectively.
The class representatives were in the meeting with Kisame to designate their classmates into teams. This was done by raffle draw earlier and Neji was not pleased to find out that he was in the yellow team with Tenten.
He was even more pissed off when he found out that Naruto and Hinata were in the same team but he supposed it was alright because it was his team. Hanabi was in Konan's team unfortunately so he wouldn't be able to watch over her.
Everyone in the school was busy signing up for events that they would partake in and that included Tenten. She was haunched over at the table set up for the yellow with the end of the pen playing at her lips. She didn't want to do the calvary race, or the team race where everybody would tie their legs with each other and run.
After a while of serious decision, she finally decided on the 200m girls race. She was a pretty good runner and this meant that she would get free sugar so she wasn't complaining. Tenten had a massive sweet tooth.
Something suddenly pressed against her back softly and the smell of lavender fields and musk hit her even before the long brown expanse got the chance to tickle her face. Neji. She had strangely come to know his shampoo smell and his body scent so she could always tell who it was before he reached her.
The question was, why was he leaning over her like they were a couple?!
"200 meter race? You can run?" The guy's deep voice trickled into her ears, giving her an unhealthy shudder and that was when Tenten retaliated by kicking him where the sun doesn't shine.
Neji though, saw that move coming and backed out immediately with his hands covering his crotch protectively. "You're so violent!" He exclaimed but his yells were lost to the wind for Tenten was trying to convince herself that she found his voice irritating. Irritating, not soothing!
The girl huffed and marched away leaving a string of curses and a dumbfounded Hyuga behind. What was that? Neji shrugged and picked the signing paper to write down his activity, pointedly ignoring the stares that were thrown his direction.
Pale eyes narrowed at Naruto and Hinata's name in the calvary race section. Oh hell no!
That was how Neji found himself carrying his sister's weight (she was no dainty ballerina) along with Naruto who was not even trying to hide the way he subtly checked Hinata in sports wear out. Hinata on the other hand gripped both their hairs (I swear Neji's brain could come out of the ends of the strand she pulled) in a gorilla tight grip and was screaming.
"Stop staring!" Neji accused.
"I wasn't!" Naruto lied.
"You guys are letting go of me!" Hinata yelped as she felt the two's grip on her feet wavering.
"Guys focus!" Yahiko yelled to them.
But Naruto and Neji were too deep in a heated argument about how they hate each other to realise that neither of them were holding Hinata and the girl was no Tom and Jerry.
"Sometimes I hate you." Hinata cursed the both of them before she finally hit the ground face first.
"HINATA!"
Thankfully, this was just the practice race that Yahiko and the other team leaders organised.
Hiashi didn't take the bump on Hinata's head lightly with Neji. He didn't take it lightly with himself either. Hinata said she didn't mind but the boy wasn't listening to her and locked himself up in his room.
"Just leave him sis, he's in his prissy mood again." Hanabi tried to comfort Hinata who was getting worried as Neji didn't come for dinner. This was not the first time he did this as Hanabi's words connoted.
There was a reason behind his behaviour so the sisters understood to cheer him up with his comfort food and turning Hinata's bump to a sun flower with sharpies. It worked. The sisters were relieved. They didn't want a repeat of that one time again.
As if on cue, Hinata and Hanabi shuddered and shook their heads to get rid of the horrifying memory.
Neji didn't know why he noticed it so he cursed his observant nature for it and followed Tenten who just passed by him. "You're limping." He observed.
"You see things." The co-captain threw back defensively.
"I am not, and it's not your ankles because your feet are well placed on the ground." Tenten stopped walking and faced him, crossing her arms over her chest as she did so.
"What's it to you, Hyuga?" She spited.
"Nothing but it would harm the team's success if you, the girls' runner, are not in best condition." Neji was proud of himself for finding an excuse for his sudden poke nosing so quickly. He would normally ignore things like this but why he chose to call Tenten out, he didn't know.
"Buzz off!" Tenten turned around to walk away but her feet weren't on the ground anymore. It took her a moment to realise that Neji was carrying her like a bride and when she did, she lashed out immediately. "Hey! Drop me you closet pervert Rapunzel!"
"Stop squirming or I'd actually drop you...off the balcony!" Neji walked close to the barricaded balcony and raised her above the railings to make good his threat.
"I dare you to try it!" Tenten's defiant words didn't match with the way she clung to his torso like a koala at his threat. They made it to the infirmary only to find out that Ms. Shizune was not in the room. "Too bad she's not here so will you let me go now?"
"No. You're bleeding." Neji sat Tenten on one of the beds gently. Like he said, Tenten was bleeding on her left thigh. The blood had soaked into her sweatpants and stained it. "Remove it, I'll be back." The boy instructed and left to fetch something.
When he returned Tenten had stubbornly kept her sweatpants on, which peeved Neji enough to get a pair of scissors.
"Leave me alone, it's none of your business!" Tenten protested.
"You're right, it isn't but I won't let you leave this place until you're treated. So you either wait here with me for Miss Shizune or you allow me to apply first aid. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Neji crossed his arms sternly to prove his point.
"Ugh, fine!" Tenten succumbed after weighing both options together and deciding that Neji treating her has less cons than waiting for Miss Shizune. The girl removed her sweats and hissed when the fabric brushed against her wound.
Neji could barely cover the gasp that left his mouth at the expanse of scars that marred Tenten's skin. The most offending thing on her left thigh was the large wound there. Tenten had done a lousy job of wrapping it with bandages and her blood had soaked through.
Neji put on rubber gloves and slowly unwrapped the bloodied bandages from her wound. Tenten had no qualms with raising her legs because she was wearing boxers and not panties so the bandages came off fast.
It was horrible. An angry and nastily deep gash ran across her thigh some centimeters above her knees. It had been infected and blood oozed out of it freely from poor treatment. She just got this injury because Neji didn't remember her limping yesterday.
"How on earth did this happen?!" Neji asked as he cleaned the wound.
"Tried to pull a stunt in a choreography." Tenten surprisingly graced him with an answer. It was one he was certainly not pleased with and he expressed it.
"So you dance. I doubt this injury is from ballet."
"I break dance. It figures that the only thing rich snobs like you would think of when they hear 'dance' is ballet." Tenten scowled and hissed when Neji dabbled alcohol over the wound.
"Ballet is art, unlike what you do when you spin on your heads and commit slow suicide." Neji expressed his opinion as he prepared the surgery thread and needle after changing his rubber gloves. Her injury needed stitching otherwise it would scar nastily.
"I don't want to hear that from a bastard whose only talent is to play violin! You don't even move when playing, all you do is to stand and move a stick over a stick! Street dancing involves energy, grace and coordination which you would never understand because your rich boy attitude would never let you!" Tenten argued defensively.
"If you think the violin is a measly thing as you so put it, you're very wrong. The power to touch souls and inspire through the song you play, the melody of your bow gliding across the strings, the pain your fingers feel after you play, that's violin. That is grace. That is something you would never understand because your poor girl attitude would never let you!"
There was a heavy silence after Neji's angry statement and neither of them moved to break it. Despite how angry he seemed, Tenten was surprised by how gently Neji was stitching her wound up. It didn't do anything to alleviate her anger towards the teen though.
The stitches were done in silence save for Tenten's muffled screams at intervals. Neji was finally done after an excruciating pain filled silence. Tenten muttered her (grumpy) thanks and helped in cleaning up the place.
She was uncomfortable without her sweatpants and this Neji noticed. "Wait here." He instructed and left her in the room.
Tenten wondered what he told her to wait for but didn't have to wait for too long because Neji came back and threw something at her. It was his gym pants. "Make sure to return it." Was all he said before leaving.
Tenten removed the fabric that covered her face and stared at it in disbelief. The awkward way Neji got over her annoyance at her to notice her discomfort and give her his gym pants.
That was...sweet.
No.
No.
No!
Tenten did not just call Neji sweet.
"NO!"
Xxx symphony xxX
It was another lousy Saturday at Sasuke's mansion. The adrenaline from the sports festival had worn out on everyone and the arid reminder that they had to go back to studying was not pleasant to the ears. Kisame's team, the blue team, had won because all the sporty people like Lee were in it, and Itachi's team, the red team, came last because the non sporty ones like Shikamaru consisted the majority.
The jargons Sasuke was teaching Naruto didn't even take the time to enter one ear and go out through the other, they never even reached him before dropping to the ground. How can somebody cope with one hour of studying?!
"Dobe." Sasuke sighed when he realised that the blond wasn't listening. "Do you have ADHD or something? Why can't you just sit still and listen?!" The raven complained.
"If you weren't a boring tutor, maybe I'd listen!" Naruto shot back. Before Sasuke could get another word in Naruto interrupted with his next statement. "Hey, you dance don't you?"
"Hn." Sasuke grunted.
"Great! Kiba and the rest are meeting up at Shippuden street to work out a choreography. Tenten found us one amazing dance battle and I think you should join us..."
"Hold on." Sasuke stopped the boy from talking. "What makes you think I'd join you?" He scoffed. "Tenten's so called competition would be nothing but an underground dance battle where vagabonds of all sorts meet, it is nothing dignified. I don't want anything to do with it."
Naruto dramatically flopped unto his back with a long irritating whine. "I knew you'd say that! Come on, it's dance, not a gang meeting and they'd pay us pretty money too."
"I don't need money." Sasuke reminded dryly. Naruto groaned.
"Just follow me to Shippuden street and watch us dance, it's better than dancing alone on the rooftop." Naruto persuaded.
Sasuke really wanted to go and even enter the competition but his father...street dance was not something his father would like or approve which was why he was adamant. But Naruto was a stubborn little shit that wouldn't give up until he received the answer he wanted so the blond went downstairs and talked to Mikoto.
Goodness knows what he told his mother but Sasuke suddenly found himself being dragged out of the mansion by a giddy Naruto. They boarded a taxi to the poorer part of Konoha town where the studio was located; Shippuden street.
Sasuke didn't know what to expect from the studio but the graffitied walls and broken windows didn't surprise him. Loud pop music played from the building which only served to burst his sensitive eardrums the closer he got to it.
Naruto led him to a room and opened the door. The duo were instantly greeted by loudness and disorganization. Tenten was doing warm up dances at a corner while Kiba was trying to split in his cargo pants. It surprised Sasuke to see Gaara hunched over a laptop with a red earphone over his head at the other side of the room and even more to see Shino and Hinata in the studio.
"Hey Naruto!" Kiba hollered over the music. His expression turned disbelieving when he saw the raven beside his friend. "SASUKE?!"
"Naruto-kun." Hinata waved shyly. "Sasuke-kun." She acknowledged.
The music went down and Gaara looked up from his beat mixer, his hairless brow raised just a teeny bit at Sasuke's presence. Tenten also stopped what she was doing and looked at Sasuke in surprise.
"Look who I brought!" Naruto cheered and proceeded to remove his jacket and reveal his No Ramen No Life T-shirt which he won in a promo at Ichiraku.
"We can see. The question is why is he here?" Tenten crossed her arms and upped her chin in challenge. "We don't do ballet here, pretty boy."
"Hn." Sasuke sized Tenten up with his eyes. "It's good I don't do ballet then." He challenged because, well, he never backed out from competition.
"This would turn to a dance battle, that's because Tenten does this to everyone that steps foot inside the studio." Shino warned/commented from the sidelines.
"Meh, it'll be fun. And besides I want to see what he's got." Kiba leaned back on the wall next to Naruto who was cross legged on the floor. Hinata nervously twiddled her fingers because she remembered how Tenten challenged her to a dance battle when Kiba brought her here.
"Let's see your skills then." Tenten looked at Gaara who got the cue and started playing music.
"Oh they've started." Kiba grinned and focused on the two dancers.
The origin of their meet up was obviously Tenten. She found a dance competition and entered it but she needed up to at least five dancers to participate. It was a group competition after all. So she went to Kiba and Naruto for help and promised to share the profit 70:30.
The boys reluctantly agreed and Kiba invited Shino and Hinata. The others had been shocked at Hinata's presence but Naruto, not too much because he had actually seen Hinata dance. Naruto begged Gaara to be their DJ and he agreed, and now he brought Sasuke but that was still under consideration.
The battle between Tenten and Sasuke continued till they reached a point where they were testing who could do a dance skill better. Tenten would do one, Sasuke would top it up and then do a move he feels Tenten would not be able to top and Tenten would top it and the whole cycle starts again.
Kiba joined in with a holler and Naruto close behind. The whole thing turned to a team battle that way, with Naruto and Sasuke as a team and Kiba and Tenten as another. Hinata was compelled to join Tenten's team and Shino, the other. They were all finally exhausted and collapsed to the ground with heavy breaths.
Gaara went back to fiddling with his beat mixer while the dancers discussed.
"Hey man, you're good!" Kiba honestly praised Sasuke who grunted in response.
"Yeah, you could join us." Tenten panted.
"Doesn't want to." Naruto informed for Sasuke.
"Why? Daddy doesn't want it like Hinata?" Tenten teased. When Sasuke didn't reply, she sat up with a serious look on her face. "I'm right, aren't I?" She asked.
"But that doesn't stop you from joining us, look at Hinata and Gaara!" Naruto sat up too.
"Don't lump Hinata with Gaara, that's because Gaara is a rebel and would do what he wants either way. No offense." Shino spoke.
"None taken." Gaara shrugged.
"My father has nothing to do with this." Sasuke stood to his feet defensively. "Street dance is a waste of time, I just dance as a hobby. There is not any merit in any of this so I am not joining you." He picked up his jean jacket, which he had thrown on the floor one time or the other during the dance battle, and walked out of the room.
The others shared a glance amongst themselves. "What a jerk!" Kiba snorted and forced himself to his feet. He had to get going otherwise his mother would have his brain for dinner.
"Worse than Gaara?" Said boy shot Tenten a look to which the girl laughed at. "You're a jerk, Gaara." She teased but her words were sorta honest.
"Wah! I have to get going or Iruka-sensei would kill me!" Naruto shot up in a panic when he noticed the time on his phone. "Bye guys! Teme, wait for me!" The blond ran out of the room with his jacket and a parting wave to his friends.
"Hey chill, let's walk with ya!" Kiba hollered like he had been doing this whole afternoon and stood to his feet. Gaara had finished packing up and gone outside the room along with Shino and Hinata.
All five (Sasuke included) were waiting for Tenten and Kiba, and when they emerged from the dance studio they all walked down the street. They were all a clutter of sweaty and disheveled teenagers except Gaara who just sat all day.
"Come to think of it, I don't see Akamaru anywhere." Tenten observed that the dog was missing. Kiba was rarely seen anywhere without his loyal steed so it was sort of strange to see him bare.
"He's sick so..." Kiba was unfortunately reminded of his best friend's predicament.
"Hey, it's just a day right? Bet he's better by the time you pick him up dattebayo." Naruto cheered when he saw Kiba's mood dropping.
"Don't worry, Kiba-kun." Hinata cheered, as did Shino.
They soon parted ways with Sasuke, Shino, Gaara and Hinata going towards the richer side of Konoha and the others towards the more average parts of it. Pretty soon it was just Sasuke and Hinata walking down Kaguya avenue, the richer, richer part of Konoha.
Only a few houses made up the whole avenue, two of which were the Hyuga compound and the Uchiha mansion. Only both their houses stretched over hectares and hectares of land as if they were estates and not singular households. Those two were not the wealthiest families in the Fire Country for nothing.
The walk was long but the both of them enjoyed the stretches in their calves even though they would come to regret it in the morning. There was silence between the both of them. Even if they were practically neighbours, Sasuke never really communicated with the Hyugas save for Neji but he knew that Hinata was a part of the ballet class in their school.
That was because he was a male ballerina too.
"I didn't know that you danced Street." Sasuke's conversational voice surprised Hinata enough to make her jump. She was not expecting it at all.
"Me too, for y-you." The girl stuttered back.
"Does Hyuga know?" Sasuke asked curiously. The older boy was too prissy to ignore something like his sister dancing what their families would regard like a dirty rag.
"Yes. Neji-nisan covers up for me when I go to Shippuden." Hinata replied with a shocking answer. Sasuke supposed he shouldn't be so surprised, after all the other was gutful enough to draw a tattoo on his face.
That was something he admired in Neji though he would never admit it. He might be a priss but Neji knew how to relax and enjoy himself. He always looked happy when playing the violin and would defend his musical choice with passion whereas Sasuke always felt constipated when he played the piano.
Dancing always helped him relax which was why he joined the ballet class but Ino and Sakura's suffocating presence always made him more agitated rather than relaxed.
"You're braver than you seem."
"Eh?!" Hinata flushed red at the sudden statement.
"Defying the Hyuga head takes guts, you know." Sasuke smirked in amusement. "And you managed to get Hyuga in the game." The both of them continued in silence when Hinata was too flustered to speak.
"I actually hate ballet." The girl suddenly spoke up. It was Sasuke's turn to be surprised that she started a conversation.
"No wonder you're so bad at it." The boy grunted.
"Maybe." Hinata hugged her shirt closer to herself as the evening turned closer. "I might like it more if father didn't force it o-on me but what I really love is free styling." Hinata went on a memory trip to the first time she saw Naruto dance.
It was her first time at Shippuden and her first meeting with Kiba but it was also when she had her first encounter with her inspiration.
"I want to be able to feel what I dance through my heart." Like Naruto does. But that last part was left unsaid. "My heart races everyday when I think about father finding out, but I think I'd cross that bridge when I get there." Hinata smiled but it quivered with cold.
Sasuke shrugged off his jacket and offered it. "Never mind the sweat." He said as he pushed it into her hands.
"But..." Hinata started.
"Take it. It would blow your cover if you develop a cold." Sasuke never looked at her and continued to walk a few steps faster but Hinata appreciated his gesture. He wasn't much of a jerk as Kiba had said earlier.
Sasuke walked Hinata home and arrived at his own mansion some ways past the expected time for his arrival. Fugaku was already at home and was silently storming.
"Where are you coming from?" The man questioned once Sasuke came in.
"I come from a meeting with my friends, father." Sasuke answered vaguely.
"What meeting exactly? And which friends?" Fugaku questioned.
"Ah, I heard about the musical session hosted by one of your classmates from Naruto." Mikoto came to his rescue albeit unwittingly as she brought tea for her husband. "How was it?" She asked.
"It was fine. We were only a few considering that we just heard about this today but we had great practice." Sasuke couldn't believe that he was developing Naruto's not so lie but lie nevertheless.
It almost seemed like Fugaku would see through his lie but he fortunately didn't and nodded his head instead. "I suppose it is good that my sons are attending group sessions." The man mused.
Figures. Itachi was out on an actual study session so his father believed him automatically. Only because Itachi was doing same.
Sasuke swallowed his bitter feelings and pushed his courage further. If Hinata the shy girl could do it, so could he. "Father if it is alright with you, I would like to go for more group sessions every Saturday." He asked.
The raven hoped against all hope that his luck wouldn't run out this moment and was careful not to let his nervousness show.
He was genuinely happy when Fugaku approved.
I ship SasuHina so much that I couldn't help myself but to write this teeny bit of interaction in this story. Don't worry though, the NaruHina ship sails strong!
Hey, thank you for reading my story. Please review, thank you.
See you later.
-Star.