The next day Asuka met up with Kakashi Sensei for their regular training session. As they trained Asuka couldn't help but think about what Amaya promised to do. Is she really going to follow through? And if she does what will she find? Will it mean she has actually changed?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Kakashi's fist hitting her face and she went flying a good six feet.

"What's wrong? I know your taijutsu skills aren't the best but you should've been able to block that." Kakashi asked concerned.

"I'm sorry. My old bully just showed up at my door last night and asked for my forgiveness. She also claims she can find my father. Someone not even my own mother could find." Asuka explained surprised at her openness.

"I see. Well you can do one of two things right now. 1) you can keep worrying about it and let it distract you from your training, or 2) you can train as hard as you can so that if the worst happens you will be ready for it." Kakashi said.

"You're right. Let's keep training."

Asuka this time used her thoughts of Amaya to fuel her motivation. If Amaya isn't telling the truth then I need to be at my best like Kakashi Sensei said. Or if Amaya is telling the truth, I am never going to let someone push me around like that again. Asuka's punches were landing harder and the more determined she was the better she became.

"Good." Kakashi said ending the taijutsu training. Kakashi then showed a surprised face and averted his face away.

Asuka knew without looking what had happened.

"I'm sorry, Its just really hot today for some reason."

"So the new clothes help just but don't fix it completely." Kakashi said keeping his face turned away.

Asuka smiled. "I have an idea. Do you and Master Jiraiya want to see how I train in the snow?"

"So you noticed him too?"

"Yeah, Naruto told me about how it's all for his 'research'. Come on out Master Jiraiya!"

"Aw how did you know I was here?" Jiraiya asked as he emerged from his hiding place.

"You're not that sneaky when you're focused on your 'research'." Asuka teased.

"I guess you could say that's because I don't normal look for shinobi."

"So did you guys want to watch how I normally would train by myself?" Asuka asked.

"Would I ever!" Jiraiya said excitedly.

"Sure, it will give a good idea as to what you're used to." Kakashi answered coolly.

Not missing a beat Asuka immediately set her jutsu into effect creating her winter training ground. Asuka saw that Jiraiya and Kakashi were already shivering. Asuka, being stripped down already, began her training routine. As she began she saw that Kakashi was using his sharingan eye to observe what was happening. Master Jiraiya's looked like he was actually watching what she was doing verses what she was wearing and, from what Asuka could tell, he was impressed.

Once she had finished her training she released her jutsu and walked over to Kakashi and Jiraiya to get some feedback.

"So what do you think? Please be honest."

"I think its incredible how you can create a snowy climate in the middle of the warm season like this. The amount of chakra you need to pour into a jutsu like this and still have enough left over for all the jutsu we saw you perform takes incredible chakra control." Kakashi said as he covered his sharingan eye.

"Kakashi is right, you keep that up and you can turn a whole fight to your advantage." Jiraiya agreed.

"Thank you. It means a lot coming from you guys." Asuka put her clothes back on. "Well Kakashi Sensei, should we get back to my taijutsu training?"

"Yes lets."

"You kids have fun I'm going to get something to eat." Jiraiya said as he walked off.

Asuka and Kakashi continued their training late in the afternoon.

Just as they had finished Asuka finally realized how hungry she was.

"Well I am starving, I think I'm going to head home."

"Sounds like a plan." Kakashi responded with a smile.

"Thank you for your time Kakashi Sensei." Asuka said as she walked off towards home.

Asuka walked looking at her feet instead of where she was going. As a result she bumped into Shikamaru.

"Hey watch it."

"Sorry Shikamaru, I guess I was too lost in thought."

"No harm done. What were you thinking about anyway? It must have been pretty big for you to not even look where you were going."

"An old bully from my past showed up yesterday. She claims she's changed but I have a hard time buying it. Plus she promised me she would find my dad, or at the very least find out how he died."

"Wow that's a drag."

"Yeah it is."

"Listen I was just on my way to meet Choji and Ino at BBQ's, did you want to join us?" Shikamaru offered.

"Sure why not, I was just on my way home to eat but BBQ's sounds way better."

As they walked Asuka enjoyed the silence. It wasn't an awkward silence but more of a thinking type of silence. Before long they arrived at BBQ's and quickly found Choji and Ino. Choji of coarse was already stuffing his face.

"Shikamaru! You made it!" Choji greeted with his mouth full.

"Hey guys, I bumped into Asuka and asked her to join us."

"Of course! The more the merrier." Choji said.

"It's always nice to have another girl at the table." Ino agreed.

"Thanks." Asuka said.

Shikamaru gestured to Asuka to slide into the bench first so she did. She found that sitting across from Choji was a little difficult to watch because of how fast and how much he was eating.

"Hey Choji," Choji looked up at Asuka, "Has anyone ever teased you because you're fa..." Choji stopped mid chew and Ino and Shikamaru froze staring at Asuka to see if she would finish the word. "because of your weight?" Asuka corrected taking the hint.

Choji finished his mouthful and Shikamaru and Ino relaxed.

"No," Choji answered simply and continued eating.

"As you almost found out, Choji gives people hell if they use that particular word." Ino explained.

"At least you were quick enough to catch yourself before it was too late. Not many people are that quick the first time around. I'm impressed." Shikamaru said.

"Because of all my traveling as a kid I learned to read people pretty quickly." Although it was too little too late when it came to Amaya.

"Well you just saved yourself a lot of drama." Shikamaru said.

"Speaking of drama what is going on with you and Neji?" Ino asked.

"What do you mean?" Asuka asked.

"Don't play dumb. I know there is something going on with you two, but it seems like after you told us girls about the kiss..."

Choji just about spit out his food and Shikamaru just about spit out his water he had just drank from his cup. Asuka's eyes narrowed at Ino. Ino put her hands over her mouth.

"Oops sorry."

Asuka relaxed. It was out now there was nothing she could do about it.

"I know Neji likes me but I don't want to push him."

"Wait Just A Minute! You and Neji are a thing?" Choji asked still in disbelief.

"I think its good. Maybe Neji will finally get that stick out of his ass." Shikamaru said.

"So the guy hasn't asked you out yet?" Ino asked going back to her original train of thought.

"Nope not yet." Asuka answered a little shy.

"Well, we are going to fix this right now." Ino then proceeded to grab Asuka's forearm, dragged her out of the booth over Shikamaru, and headed out the door.

"I bet Rock Lee is at the training grounds right now so we are going to ask him where he thinks Neji might be right now." Ino insisted.

"Ino you really don't have to do this."

"I want to, besides I think Neji just needs a good kick in the butt to get him moving in the right direction."

Asuka decided it was best not to fight it. I do want Neji to ask me out, but I also want him to be comfortable with the pace we move at. Hopefully he knows Ino enough to know this is her idea and not mine.

Once they arrived at the training grounds sure enough there was Lee doing laps on his hands.

"Lee! Where is Neji?!" Ino shouted.

"Neji would be at home right now training with Hinata!" Lee shouted back.

"Thanks!"

Ino continued to drag Asuka not releasing her grip even a little.

As they walked up the front pathway to the Hyuga home Asuka started to grow nervous. Ino knocked on the door. Hiashi Hyuga was the one to answer the door.

"Hello Mr. Hiashi. We are looking for Neji." Ino said as both she and Asuka bowed respectfully.

"He's in the yard training with Hinata, follow me."

Hiashi disappeared once they had reached their destination. Sure enough Neji and Hinata were hard at work training.

"We really don't have to do this now. They look pretty busy." Asuka said trying to reason with Ino.

"Nonsense! We are doing this now." Ino insisted.

Neji and Hinata stopped their training once they realized they had an audience.

"Neji Hyuga! Why the hell haven't you asked Asuka out yet?" Ino shouted.

Please know this wasn't me. Please know this wasn't me.

Hinata stood quiet. Asuka figured it was from shock at Ino's bluntness.

Neji's eyes narrowed at Ino,

"What business is it of yours?" He asked.

"She's my friend and you can't just kiss a girl and then not ask her out." Ino walked up to Neji with Asuka and shoved Asuka towards Neji. "So here she is. Ask her out already."

Asuka could tell Neji wasn't happy with the situation any more than she was. Neji stood there silently for a while.

"Very well, since you insist." Neji shifted his eyes to Asuka, "Will you go out with me?"

"Yes." Asuka answered simply.

"There see that wasn't so hard."

Asuka and Neji glared at Ino in sync.

"Okay I will take that as my cue to leave." Ino said then running away as fast as she could.

Asuka turned to Neji.

"Sorry about that." Asuka apologized not knowing what else to say.

"Its alright, I figured it wasn't your idea."

Just then Asuka's stomach growled loudly. Damn it Ino! You dragged me out of BBQ's so fast I never got a chance to eat anything.

"Well thanks to Ino I am now practically starving." Asuka said.

"If you want to take her out to eat Neji, I don't mind if our training is cut short today." Hinata piped up.

"Are you sure Lady Hinata?" Neji asked.

"Of coarse."

"Well then, where would you like to go?" Neji asked Asuka.

"Honestly, as long as there is food I don't care." Asuka answered.

"In that case, I know a place that does the best soba noodles with herring."

Neji then took Asuka by the hand and lead her to a quaint shop not far from the training ground. It was more like BBQ's than Ichiraku's, and it was quiet. They found a table and sat down. Almost immediately a waitress came by and asked for their order.

"I'll have the soba noodles with herring."

"I'll have the same please." Asuka ordered.

Once the waitress left there was a bit of an awkward silence.

"I am really sorry about Ino. I didn't know she was going to do that."

"Like I said, it's fine, I knew it wasn't your idea." Neji reassured.

"I'm glad you knew Ino well enough to know that."

"It was more like I knew you well enough." Neji admitted.

Another silence...

"Were you ready to ask me out? Or did you feel Ino forced it?" Asuka finally got the courage to ask.

"It was a bit of both. I wasn't sure how I was going to ask you. Ino just kind of forced it out without a plan of any sort."

"That's good to know." Asuka paused then giggled remembering her earlier encounter with Choji.

Neji gave Asuka a quizzical look, "What's so funny?"

"I almost called Choji fat when I was with them earlier today."

Neji's eyes went a little wide.

"Luckily I caught the hint from Ino and Shikamaru and corrected myself." Asuka explained.

"That was lucky, if you want to see Choji go crazy that's the way to do it." Neji said with a smile.

Asuka smiled at his smile, "I love seeing you smile. How come you don't smile more?"

"I just don't find a reason for it, and being on a team with Rock Lee means he's got enough energy and smiles for all of us."

Asuka giggled, "Ya I guess that makes sense."

Just then their food arrived and the smell made Asuka's stomach growl again. They said thanks for the food then ate in silence. This silence wasn't awkward though, it was just a peaceful silence, plus Asuka was so hungry she didn't want to talk much anyway.

Once they had finished eating, like a gentleman, Neji paid for the food and then began walking Asuka home. Hand in hand they walked.

"You know the last bit of today was enough to make me almost forget about what happened yesterday." Asuka said.

"What happened?"

"Amaya showed up at my front door right after you left."

"What did she want?" Neji asked.

"She asked for my forgiveness and said she was willing to earn it by trying to reunite me with my father. I don't know whether or not to believe her so I'm not getting my hopes up." Asuka explained.

"I see."

"To be completely honest it was your words about not holding on to my anger that made me willing to give her the benefit of the doubt in the first place."

"Well, if she comes through then you will be on the fast track to healing the hurt."

"But if she doesn't then I just let her in to do more damage."

"For your sake I hope she comes through." Neji encouraged.

"Thanks Neji."

Once they reached Asuka's home they stopped outside the door.

"Well here's my place."

"Did you enjoy our date?" Neji asked.

"It was wonderful, Neji, and exactly what I needed."

"I'm glad," Neji said in almost a whisper as he leaned Asuka back up against the door. He was so close that Asuka could feel his shallow breath on her face. Then ever so gently his lips touched hers. Asuka's heart lept. It was just like the first time. Asuka could feel how much he care about her just through his kiss. Asuka wasn't sure how long the kiss lasted but she was a little sad when it ended. Neji brought his hand up and caressed her cheek.

"Goodnight." He said gently.

"Goodnight." Asuka echoed.

Neji gently kissed her forehead then turned and left.

Asuka could barely stand as she unlocked her door. Once inside she flopped on her back on her bed with the biggest smile on her face. She knew tonight would be a peaceful sleep. A sleep full of dreams of her love, Neji.