Temari was sitting in her home, she stared at the clock as she did.

09:15.

She tapped her fingers on her crossed arm,

Tenten was late - she was always punctual.

Slightly worried, she decided to pick up the phone and call her manager.

"Sorry, you have reached…" Temari put the phone down in frustration. Where could she be?

"I thought Tenten would be here to pick you up," said Shikamaru, as he walked towards her and planted a kiss atop her forehead.

"She should, I wondered if something had happened to her." Temari held his hand as it rested on her shoulder.

"When is the last time you saw her?"

Temari closed her eyes, shutting them tight as she tried to think back.

A vibration on her phone caused her to reach and pick it up swiftly.

She arched an eyebrow.

"It's my management company." She said, as she scrolled cautiously. "They have arranged for a press conference for me."

"What for?"

Temari shook her head and smiled at Shikamaru. "What else could it be?"

He frowned and pressed his hand onto her shoulder gently. "Do you want me to attend with you?"

"Your parents probably won't like it, don't they?"

Shikamaru smiled, gently wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Ever since I was born, thanks to them, I've always been in the limelight," he said. "Stuff like this is right up my alley."

He took her hand as she raised hers and patted on his arm. "Besides, it's not about my parents, it's about you and me."

Temari smiled, leaning her head against his face, her heart fluttering with tender warmth.

"You're gonna be late for work." He smiled as he helped her up.

She held his hand while they walked to the door.

Circling her arms around his neck, she pulled him into a kiss, he closed his eyes as her lips touched his.

Unwillingly, he left her lips and smiled at her. "See you later."

He pressed one last kiss onto her cheek. "Tell me when you're off."

She smiled as she closed the door behind him, the vibration on the cupboard next to her made her realise that her phone was ringing.

"Hello?" She picked up, wondering if it was her manager finally calling.

"Hello Temari."

Her smile slowly faded.

She opened her eyes, and found herself sitting on a couch.

Turning her head, she saw Neji, his upper body spreaded across the coffee table as his chest heaved up and down. She sighed in relief - at least she knew where she was, well kind of - she have not come to Neji's new apartment, the last time she was at his place they were still in highschool.

Tenten felt a pounding headache as she pressed onto her temple, she looked around, the ground was littered with empty glass bottles of wine, the room reeking the scent of alcohol.

Sighing in relief that she was fully clothed, she stood up and stretched as she attempted to think back to what happened last night.

Neji never reappeared in the event, she waited for him, attempting to resolve the situation as Shikamaru and Temari disappeared

She waited until the crowd dissipated, only to realise that he had gone.

She went looking for him, as the evening descended into the bright darkness of the city.

Entering and exiting clubs and bars, she finally found him.

He was hiding in the dark corner in the club, he sat there almost emotionlessly as he poured himself another glass of wine.

She sat down without another word and stared at him, her heart aching to see him wasting himself away.

"Have they all left?" He asked after her finished yet another glass of wine.

"They did." She batted her eyelashes as she answered calmly.

She heard him laughing, each laugh pounding on her ears.

"I'm such a failure." He said as he reached over for another bottle.

Something took hold of her as she stood up walked towards him.

She reached over with her hands, without the slightest hesitation, tugged onto his collar and pulled him up.

Neji, stunned as he stared at her in disbelief, he found himself at his full height, staring down as Tenten raised him up forcefully.

"Pull yourself together!" She glared at him angrily, her lips pursed tightly. "You're better than this - are you still the Hyuga Neji I know?"

He remained silent as she huffed and puffed.

"Look, if it makes you feel better, I'll drink with you, but after this, you get your shit together!" She exclaimed as she let him go.

She sunk down onto the couch and poured herself a cup of liquor.

What happened next was a blur, she could barely remember.

That was probably the reason why she ended up, hungover as she found herself in the same room with her crush.

She took out her phone and checked.

Missed call from Temari.

The clock spelled 09:24.

"Fuck," she cursed as she attempted to straighten herself. Her head was pounding inside her skull.

She stared at Neji and sighed softly. Walking over, she nudged him and watched as his eyelids slowly opening up, staring into her brown eyes with his pale irises.

"I am so late for work," she smiled at him.

"Sorry," he muttered. "That could only mean I'm late too."

She chuckled. "You feeling better?"
"My head hurts," he said, as he pushed himself up from the coffee table and sat up.

Tenten smiled, leaning downwards. "Best take a sick leave today," she smiled. "Try doing something you like."

Neji arched an eyebrow at her remark.

Tenten grinned at him. "Pull yourself together, or else I'm going to knock some sense into that head of yours!" She glanced at the clock. "I'm really, really late, gotta go!"

He stared as she hurried towards the door of his apartment and slammed it shut. His tongue was tied as he was trying to say something.

Only when the door closed he was able to utter the word, he frowned as his lips moved.

"Stay."

The door shut slowly as the sound of her voice echoed in his mind, along with her smile.

What has he been doing, all this time?

Author's note:

Short update and a little cliffhanger! I hope you enjoy reading this (as much as I did writing this up)

Stay tuned! Thanks for reading and reviewing, you guys are the best (as always) xoxo

V.S.V