Disclaimer: SasuSaku: Kishimoto-sensei. ShikaIno: Kishimoto-sensei. NaruHina: Kishimoto-sensei. NejiTen: me—I mean Kishimoto-sensei
A/N: Wow! Finally! Sorry this took so long, but I started on a couple more stories like one on my other (collab. w/ my sis) profile. (That and I had writer's block)
"Neji, I like you!" Tenten blurted. Neji looked at Tenten. Her face said, 'That was supposed to stay secret! Oh. My. gosh. I cannot believe I just said that.'
"Mmm hmm…" he replied, his surprise hidden, yet apparent (A/N: How does he do that?). Her eyes widened, and tears filled them. She turned and ran in the direction of her house, breathing hard and struggling to hold back her tears.
Seems like just yesterday
You were a part of me.
I used to stand so tall
I used to be so strong
Your arms around me tight.
Everything, it felt so right
Unbreakable like nothin' could go wrong.
Tenten lie on her bed that night, unable to sleep, thinking, 'I am so stupid! I'll bet the jutsu made me say that, but I'm still so stupid! Baka! Baka! Baka!' She eventually fell asleep, but it was fitful and not very restful.
Now I can't breathe,
No, I can't sleep,
I'm barely hanging on.
-The next day-
Gai had called them to train that day, "Just like your youthful times as gennin!" he had said. They were Jounin now. Truth was, Gai had sensed something different between Neji and Tenten. Now, Neji and Lee were standing before him, a bored look on Neji's face and an ecstatic look on Lee's.
"Where's Tenten?" Lee asked, looking around.
"She's probably still at home," Neji volunteered. Lee turned and looked at Neji with a look on his face that said, 'Whoa!' "Her house, retard," Neji glared at him. He turned. "I'll go request that she comes," Neji stated as he began to walk off.
-At Tenten's house-
Tenten sat on the floor in her room, crying. 'Not again!' she thought.
-Flashback-
"Here, Katsuya. This is for you." The small girl with pigtails offered shyly, holding a simple paper heart out to a boy with spiked blue hair.
"Eww! I don't like you, Tenten!"
"Why not?" she asked, on the verge of tears.
"You're not girly enough! Girls aren't supposed to like weapons. They're supposed to like dolls and dresses and makeup!" Katsuya said as he tore up the paper heart, reducing Tenten to tears.
'And cute Katsuya-chan was killed by his Shinobi father, who was in a drunken rage, that very night. That was terrible!' Tenten remembered. 'My mom told me the next day. I cried so hard. Just like now.' Tenten stood up and wiped her face off. 'I think I just heard someone knocking.' She left her room and, and, still thinking of Katsuya and Neji, sped down the stairs to the front door. "I'll get it!" she muttered to herself.
Here I am, once again,
I'm torn into pieces
Can't deny it, can't pretend,
Just thought you were the one.
Broken up, deep inside
But you won't get to see the tears I cry
Behind these hazel eyes
Tenten pulled the door open, saw Neji, and started to slam it shut, but Neji had stuck his foot in the door.
"Are you coming to the training Gai requested that we all attend?" he asked
"No." she replied simply trying to kick his foot out of the door.
"Why not? Lee is worried about you."
"Because I don't want to, and Eww." Tenten managed to kick his foot out of the doorway and slammed it in his face.
"Who was that, Tenten, honey?" Tenten's mother asked.
"I don't think you want to know."
-With Neji-
"She couldn't come," Neji replied when Gai asked him where she was.
"Why not?" was Lee's curious question.
"She was sick," he lied. "I'm going home," Neji said as he stalked off.
-With Tenten-
Tenten ran back up to her room, pushing past her older sister, Tingting. She sat on her bed and turned on her radio. One of her favorite songs was on.
I told you everything,
Opened up and let you in.
You made me feel alright,
For once in my life
Now all that's left of me
Is what I pretend to be
So together, but so broken up inside
"That's how I feel right now. The radio sure can predict my mood fairly accurately," Tenten said to herself as she looked out the window. 'Bad move,' she thought as she saw Neji walking down the street.
Cause I can't breathe,
No, I can't sleep,
I'm barely hangin' on.
Tenten reached over and turned off her radio. "That's enough of that," she spoke as Neji looked up at her window. She turned away, pink. He had seen her, and she guessed that Neji would soon figure out that she wasn't lying when she said that she liked him.
'What am I going to do?' Tenten asked herself in frustration.
-The next day-
Here I am, once again,
I'm torn into pieces
Can't deny it, can't pretend
Just thought you were the one.
Broken up, deep inside,
But you won't get to see the tears I cry
Behind these hazel eyes
Tenten was in the training field, her Kelly Clarkson CD blasting from the portable radio that she had brought with her. She was training, throwing weapon after weapon ranging from kunai and senbon to daggers and kitchen knives. She figured that if anyone snuck up on her, she would kill him or her. Unless it was Neji, of course. Okay, maybe she would, but we'll save that for a different story.
"Swallow me then spit me out,"
Tenten growled with the song. 'I thought he liked me, also but I guess he doesn't. I hate him!' she thought. 'Although…it is my fault…'
For hating you I blame myself.
An image of Neji's unique smirk flashed through her mind. She cringed mentally. 'This is killing me!' she thought, then realized, "The jutsu doesn't affect my thoughts! Yes!" she pumped her fist in the air.
Seeing you, it kills me now.
"'The jutsu'? Okay, then. Tenten, if I tell you something that I've been holding in myself will you cry, or not?" Tenten whirled around, kunai at the ready.
"Oh, Neji, it's you!" Tenten relaxed, and said at the same time as the song,
"No, I don't cry on the outside, anymore…"
"Oh, really?" he asked. Tenten nodded. "Okay…umm…" Neji paused.
Here I am, once again
I'm torn into pieces,
Can't deny it, can't pretend.
Just thought you were the one.
Broken up, deep inside
But you won't see the tears I cry,
Behind these hazel eyes
Neji made his way towards Tenten, and now they were a few steps apart. "That 'Mmm hmm' a few days ago, it was because I couldn't think of anything to say. Your statement caught me totally and completely off guard," Neji explained. Tenten noticed that Neji was turning slightly pink—wait, he was THE Hyuuga Neji. He didn't blush, but he was blushing. Ignoring it, he continued, "I…umm…don't know if this is the right to say this, but Tenten…"
'Great!' Tenten thought. 'Here it comes.' She could feel the tears welling behind her eyes.
"I like you too," Neji finished. Tenten let the tears fall from her eyes as she closed the gap between them with a hug. "I thought you said you don't cry," Neji teased, lifting her chin.
"Shut up," she replied. Neji's mouth met hers. When hey broke apart, Neji brushed the tears from Tenten's face.
"You should go tell Tsunade-sama about this 'jutsu' you mentioned earlier," he suggested gently, letting her go.
"Will you come with me?" she pleaded, her eyes twinkling gin excitement, but still watery from the tears.
"Sure," was Neji's reply as he grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together.
They walked through town towards the Hokage tower, passing most of the Konoha eleven on the way. They ignored everyone's reactions, even though they heard them.
"Wooh! Go Neji!"
"Bark! (I agree!)"
"(Gasp!) Your flowers of youth have blossomed! Wait until I tell Gai-sensei!" were the ones that stood out the most, but they were still ignored.
Here I am, once again
I'm torn into pieces,
Can't deny it, can't pretend,
Just thought you were the one.
Broken up, deep inside,
But you won't get to see the tears I cry, behind these Hazel eyes
-In Tsunade's office-
"Tsunade-sama? When I was on the mission to apprehend Manadea, she—" Tenten started, but was interrupted by Tsunade
"I know, she put a 'truth jutsu' on you. I had her take t off you yesterday evening when she told me about it." Tenten's jaw dropped
"You mean all this time I could have lied? And I went and kissed Neji so it would break!" Tenten was seething mad. Tsunade folded her hands in front of her and rested them on her desk.
"Well, I thought it would be best if you went ahead with the cure—you kissed Neji?" she asked, her amazement obvious. Outside her office, Neji smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand.
-The End-
A/N: Edited by Weird Elf. She's a great sister, you should check out a couple of her stories!