Crystal Inferno: Sorry for the long wait! Luckily it's a minimum day and I don't have any homework! Now I can go on to chapter 5!

Kiba: So (cough) who's going to be featured in this chapter?

CI: Neji.

Kiba: WHAT!

CI: It's not going to be a pattern…I hate being redundant.

Kiba: So…when I'm being featured?

CI: Probably the following chapter.

Kiba: THAT'S NOT FAIR! (starts chasing CI)

CI: Darn it! Have sympathy! I just came back from track practice! Oh well, read and review!

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After the conflict with Shino, Neji decided it best to just go inside the roofless house. He left Hinata outside, not wanting her to be suspicious of his actions or his behavior. It was a bit apparent that he had affections for her, as a child like Hanabi obviously figured out. It was just…she brought out another side of him…a calmer, cooler being that was unafraid of protecting the woman he had such strong emotions for. Yet, the being of collection turned wrathful as soon as another man with what seemed like the same affections walked with her. Yes, he was talking about Shino, that idiotic roach that couldn't learn how to give up. Neji could feel his hands shake with aggression, his kunai trembling in his fury. The roach…he had to squash him…or at least the love, hopes, and dreams, he had with Hinata.

Hanabi came from out of her room, suddenly, as though detecting her presence. She merely smirked rather deviously and voiced "So, how did the lover's quarrel go?" She barely dodged the kunai that came flying form her door, the sharp object slamming a hole into her dark walls. "Oh…I see…" and with that, Hanabi rushed into her room, not wanting to annoy her cousin to the point of her extinction.

"What was that sound?" a voice asked Neji in the darkness the east hall.

Neji responded "It was nothing, Hiashi, just me and Hanabi having a little, what she refers as, quarrel."

"Oh, I see…Neji, where's Hinata?" Hiashi asked, clearly stating an expression of worry through his vocal cords. Neji realized that Hinata's father was beginning to show love for his child once more, as she was becoming stronger, wiser, and more gorgeous by the day. Hiashi, noticing that his daughter may soon out of his grip, by way of marriage or by way of her choice, he knew his time with her was going to a close, and that he would try to spend every day with her as if it was his last.

"She's…outside…" Neji stated, his voice trailing off. He had just left her out there…with that roach- Oh God damnit! What if he was-

"Hinata!" Neji yelled and he ran out of the mansion, expecting and anticipating every emotion he would feel and he would let out if that roach were still there. Instead, he saw a crying Hinata, her tears smearing her face and the water being reflected by the yellow moon's glow. Never had she seemed so beautiful…

Idiot! Neji thought, slapping himself mentally She's crying! Ask her what's wrong!

Neji slowly approached her and placed his hand upon her shoulder. However, he was stunned when she pulled away and she merely covered her face with her dirt-streaked hands.

"Please, Neji-sama…not right now…" she mumbled, scratching the surfaces of audibility. He hated when she added the Sama. That meant she either was mad or she felt like she had two and a half years ago, that she was weak and could not hold her own.

"Hinata…he didn't do anything, did he?" his voice was weak and it was on the brink of rage. If he so as laid a finger on his beloved…

"He d-d-didn't d-do any-y-thing" she choked , and he was caught off guard. He hadn't done anything? "He just walked away, without even explaining…why Neji-sama, why did you make him go away!" she snapped her eyes showing no sadness as he looked upon his face, but it was distorted with anger and pain.

Neji was taken aback, and stepped away from her. How could he answer that question? What could he say? That he loved her? He was protecting her? That she needed to leave that scum beneath the ground?

"I…I…" the words were caught in his throat, he couldn't get them out…he slowly began loosing them up but it still gave him a stutter, in which was highly unusual to him. "H-hinata…d-don't be m-mad…I-I was j-just trying t-to p-protect you…" his voice trailed, obviously having no where to go with his excuse.

"Protect?" Hinata asked herself confused. She questioned him once more. "Why? Why would I need protection from Shino?"

"I see what he wants!" Neji accidentally spurted out, but he continued in his irritation with her ignorance " He has affections for you Hinata! Don't you see it? He walks with you, he still trains with you because he wants to be with you! I can't say what type of affections he holds for you, but they are dangerous emotions that my lead to another potential hazard…"

"Shino-kun would never do that! We're just friends. What affections you see are friendship and-" her voice was caught by Neji's agitated voice.

"Are you that blind, Hinata? Do you not believe someone can care for you? Or is that you deny because it would conflict with his emotions, with his feelings, with your plans?" Neji asked her, and Hinata eyes grew wide, realizing whom he was referring to.

"N-n-naruto…"

"Yes Naruto! What you don't think the whole world knows! He's just as blind to your crush as you are to everyone else's emotions!" Neji stopped, his face flushing with humility and anger.

All Hinata did was stare into the determined eyes that belonged to Neji, and as though on cue, she left but stated silently "All of it is friendship…that's all I want…" and she ran into the house, avoiding the distressed and dazed look on her father's face.

All Neji was stare at the place she had stood, memorized by his blunt courage. His old self had resurfaced once more, but he knew now, with this warmer side to him coming out, that the boy he used to be, had been a cold-hearted monster, bent on destruction.

"Hinata…" whispering her name almost as if it were an angel, Neji walked quietly into the house avoiding the perplexed stare from Hiashi and rushed into his room, enclosing himself in darkness. He knew what he had to do…he had to win her heart, before anyone else, be it by life or death, he would have her heart first. And it would start with the elimination of the roach…and perhaps the buffoon of a dog too.

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Crystal Inferno: So…how did you enjoy it?

Shino: Well-written

Kiba: I wasn't mentioned so it SUCKED!

CI: Yeah, you were.

Kiba: Where?

CI: The very ending…"The buffoon of a dog?"

Kiba: What that's me! You're sooo not on my friend list right now!

CI: God dang you! Stop chasing me! Shino, help me.

Shino: I'm staying out of this…just review, and maybe the pooch will get his head screwed on correctly.