Previously on Chicharong Flower…

Neji had a deal with Tenten that in exchange for free pigs that she could use in her chicharong flower business, she would find him a proper fiancée that he could present to Hiashi, one that could meet her conditions. Naturally, since it meant freebies, Tenten seized the opportunity. However, she hadn't prepared herself for what was in store for her: when she was asked on the spot by Neji why she felt that he would ask her to play the role for Uncle Hiashi. It was worse than being floored in the Q&A portion of a beauty pageant, so she ended up running away, leaving Neji amused.

Now we continue…

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Tenten, for the first time after several hours of staring at the screen unblinkingly, finally smiled, though exhausted.

Her mission was successful! After screening all the girls that belonged to her network in Friendster, she finally saw the right woman for Hyuuga Neji!

She scowled a little when she remembered what happened yesterday. Neji accompanied her then in the fiancée hunting to learn the mechanics of her latest business.

"That one… she looked pretty enough," said Neji, who was seated on a computer chair to her right. He was also looking at the computer screen, like her. "Why didn't you view the rest of her profile?"

"Ne-ji, earth to Hyuuga Neji!" She rolled her eyes. "Can't you see? She only has one picture in her gallery, and it's a beauty queen type of pic! It's very suspicious!"

He smiled. "You just can't accept the fact that there are other girls prettier than you."

She gave him an exasperated sigh, as if she was talking to a kid "My man, believe me. I am just looking after your welfare. What if the fiancée you get is really a beauty title holder, but of Ms. Gay Universe, right?"

He pointed to the screen. "What about that one? Why didn't you get her, too? All her pics in her gallery are the same."

"Neji, can't you at least have some taste when it comes to your partner preference?" Tenten pointed to the interests of the girl. "What kind of hobbies are those? Texting, shopping, reading pocketbooks, watching TV…do you want to have a lazy, unproductive woman for a lifetime partner?"

Neji frowned. "But I would just be introducing her to Uncle Hiashi only once. You're taking things too seriously."

"Naturally!" she exclaimed, her eyebrow arched. "Neji, you will be introducing her to your clan. It follows that even if it's all just pretend, you will still make your reasons for wanting that woman as realistically as possible." She looked at the said profile again with disgust. "Go over her hobbies again! Is that the kind of mother you want your future offspring to have!"

"OK, OK, sorry if I interrupted you." He was quiet as she scrolled down the profiles some more. After a while, he perked up. "How about that one?" He pointed to the hobbies. "Gardening, doing household chores, embroidery, and cooking. That would do, wouldn't it?"

Tenten grimaced. "Neji, are you ok? Those aren't the qualities of a wife…those are a maid's. Give me a break, Neji!"

The man groaned as she scrolled down the page once more. "You always have some kind of complaint in all of the women I pick" He smirked. "Why don't you just admit it? You don't want me to get married.""

Her heart and throat nearly collided at his sudden question. But her composure remained; the only sign that she was flustered for a time there was the tightened grip on her mouse.

"It's not that, silly. I was just thinking of the pigs I would get for my business once I do my job satisfactorily." She didn't know where she got her killer toothpaste smile that she was able to flash, but she managed to produce one. She felt like celebrating. "Hyuuga Neji, sometimes, your Narcissus alter-ego shows."

"Really?" His smile said anything but belief with what she said. Oh Lord, how she wanted to deliver a flying kick on his mocking face at that moment.

Tenten looked at the profile again, all smiles. Damn that Neji, making fun of her like that…

She grinned. At least, her problem was solved. Her job was done.

She sent a message to the woman.

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"I have great news for all of you!" Tenten announced the next morning.

"You will be able to sell chicharong flower again?" Hinata.

"You already know how to cook other meals aside from chicharon, fried fish, and balut?" Neji.

"You will marriage my brother-in-law?" Naruto.

Tenten rolled her eyes. "As if!" She sighed dramatically. "Anyway, Hyuuga Neji, you're the one concerned here, so listen closely."

Neji looked at her expectantly. "You will confirm what Naruto said?"

"Nah…but I do have some other gal I can recommend. Your future fiancée…" She held out a piece of paper she had just finished printing. "Voila!"

The three stared at the picture. A cheerful-looking long-haired blonde who was holding out a peace sign was posed on the photo.

"Her name is Yamanaka Ino. She is the only daughter of a rich florist that runs the flowers distribution for the parlors all over the country," she introduced.

"S-She doesn't look familiar…" murmured Hinata.

"They're new in the business."

"Flowers aren't that needed in parlors," protested Neji, pondering on what the beauticians do with the flowers. Come to think of it, he was no frequenter of a beauty parlor. His dad was, a patron of hair rebonding. But him, a big no. The first and last time he entered one, he was traumatized. The jutsu of the gay beauticians who obviously had the hots for him had a far more frightening power than that of Kyuubi within Naruto.

"I don't know what kind of civilization you were reared in, Hyuuga Neji, but in our culture, we honor our dead with flowers,": Tenten groaned, massaging her temples nya.

Neji sweatdropped. Oh. A funeral parlor..

"So Uncle will not kill you anymore?" Naruto turned to Neji.

"The woman you chose looks decent by all standards, Tenten. Surely, Uncle won't doubt her anymore." Neji smiled. "Nice job, Tenten."

She nearly choked. Despite the dozen of horns that Hyuuga Neji had when teasing her, he had that uncanny ability of looking like an adorable angel if he wanted to…and instant at that! "What 'nice job'?" she asked, doing her best to sound casual. "Don't forget the pigs for my chicharon!"

"Let's see first if the girl would be effective," said Neji.

"Oh come on, Hyuuga Neji why would I deceive you? You know very well how much I respect and look up to you!" She sat down and began her meal. "Should I arrange her for her activities once Hinata's dad comes?"

"Won't you even give me time to know that woman better?" Neji protested. "What if she doesn't size up to my expectations?"

Tenten choked. The audacity of this guy…"Neji, there are no more options." She crossed her arms. "It's either her or humiliation in your uncle's hands."

His eyes twinkled peculiarly. "I can always choose you."

The married couple was silenced; after a moment, Hinata dragged her protesting husband away. Leaving the two alone. Tenten looked down, quietly resuming her interrupted meal.

"Cat got your tongue?" he asked teasingly.

"Do you see a cat around the premises?" she asked, raising her gaze only a bit. His latest wisecrack still had a chill of an impact in her.

"So why did your machine gun-like mouth suddenly run out of fuel?" he wanted to know.

"Do we use fuels for machine guns?" she retorted.

He shrugged. "So…about my question…why the sudden speechlessness?"

She paused, then shrugged. "I just couldn't believe that you're already starting to have some sense of humor…with me as the butt of it, unfortunately."

He chuckled lightly, sending her heartbeat into a marathon mode. "You amuse me. It's just so obvious that you like me…"

"Do you deliver the same lines to the doves that come to you when you feed them?" she retorted. "Neji, admittedly, you are good-looking. You can join an Idol search and set a world record for the most number of votes received. You're also rich, making you quite a prize catch." She placed her chopsticks down. "But you know what? I don't care about those things. I prefer a guy who…" She halted when she realized that their conversation had reached a personal turn.

He nodded, as if fascinated by her speech. "Go on."

"I want someone… I could keep. I don't like you: you're just too high…you're like heaven, and I am earth. You are like water while I am like oil. You're like happiness and I the misery. You're the Hershey's while I am a plain cocoa. The difference is too visible.

"Besides, I have too many rivals if I do choose to want you…even the security guard of your subdivision will become my rival. You're not that lovable for me to think of battling against your harem!" She looked at Neji again, who looked dazed after she revealed that the guard of the place who would gaze at him so often actually harbored secret feelings for him. This made Tenten smile.

Neji shook his head. "Are women in denial like that, always speaking too much?"

She blinked. "Wow, I give up. Your self-confidence is way too much, even for me. You really should donate some of it to other people, as yours is already overflowing."

And that was how their conversation ended that morning.

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"Hello, may I please speak with Miss Yamanaka Ino? Please tell her that I was her client who made an inquiry through Friendster," said Tenten, playing with the cord of the telephone. "Yes, I'm a client! Why, is there a law stating that it's against the Constitution to close business deals through Friendster?"

Neji, on the other hand, watched her, entertainment written on his face. As time passed, he felt that it was becoming easier for him to be open with his emotions, especially when he was with this spunky chicharon vendor. It was hard to fight the weapon that was her laughter which was naturally conceived with the rest of her.

"Nope, I don't want to give you my cellphone number! I don't want a textmate! I ask for loans from all my textmates and never pay them back! You'll end up a beggar when you become my friend!" she snapped at whoever was on the other end of the line. "No, I don't want or need a boyfriend! My dead husband would visit me if I find myself a new one! And oh yes, his mother is a ghoul! Once she learns that you're hitting on me…wait, why don't you just give the phone to Miss Ino?" She paused, listening to what the other line was saying. Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "Heeey, I'm not gay! I'm a girl—why, you smartass! I'm not a lesbian either! I told you I was married! Yes, married, past tense, but…geez, I don't want you to be my textmate, period! I'll have my mother-in-law ambush you, remember that! She's a real flesh-lusting old woman—hello?" Her eyes light up. "Wow, Ms. Ino, FINALLY! He gave you the phone! Who was that autistic I was talking to awhile ago? He's so annoying! I had been pleading with him for eons to give you the phone but…anyway, I wish that guy won't bear kids so his idiotic genes wouldn't spread.."

The other line spoke, then the female's eyes widened. Neji grew even more curious.

"E-Eh? He's your dad?"

That did it. Neji erupted in a crisp peal of laughter. Behind him, the door opened, with Naruto and Hinata's heads peeking in curiously.

Tenten placed her hand over the receiver, glaring at Neji. "Quiet! Don't be so difficult, I'm speaking with someone on the phone." She turned her attention back to the receiver. "H-Huh? Ahaha, no, it's not my kid who I was scolding. Believe it or not, it's the guy that I was telling you about—the one who needs our help."

Neji, shaking his head, cupped his chin with his palm and gazed at Tenten intently. The woman's face was animated as she detailed to Ino the rest of their plans. He couldn't help but notice how high spirits become her— he couldn't imagine not seeing her eyes blazing or twinkling in mirth. Her razor-sharp tongue may belie it, but her delightfully interesting countenance speak volumes about this girl. She was not as opaque as she presumes herself to be.

She wasn't as stunningly beautiful as some of those girls in Friendster were, but it was her personality that added character to her plain looks.

"Had I been an ice cream, I would have already melted."

He snapped out of his trance. The lady had long put down the phone and was now merely looking at him. Watching him watching her. Though embarrassed, he had learned to deal with it coolly. The weeks he had spent with her proved to him true the adage that "the one who loses his head first loses the battle". He had to thank her for that one of these days.

"If you were, indeed, an ice cream, I would not have allowed you to melt. I would have already eaten you." He smiled at her vexingly, especially when those telltale blushes crept on her face. Pretty, pretty Tenten…

"W-Well I'm not an ice cream," she stammered.

"I still feel like eating you anyway." His eyes went to her slightly-parted mouth. How many times had he found himself thinking about those lips? For quite some nights, he was driven insane by the thought that those lips deemed his kiss as a jellyfish kiss no jutsu. It felt like a safety pin piercing his ego balloon.

Now he was out to see whether she would still think of seafood when he kisses her…

……….

Tenten shrank back. She didn't like the way he was looking at her –as if she was really something as detectable as ice cream. But wait, she would be a hypocrite if she wouldn't admit to herself that she was liking that thought anyhow!

But she could not accept that she would be the one to hold down the banner of empowered women! No way, never, NADA! She would stand by her words: she did not like Hyuuga Neji! Even if he looked so darn cute when he smiles, or that her heart palpitates like so when he laughs. She really liked the way he laughed—there was still a certain level of huskiness in it, making it sound more like a sexy chuckle.

Damn, why did she suddenly think of him that way? Her eyes widened when his finger delicately landed on the beating pulse of her neck. She knew it. She was just lost for a few moments in her racing thoughts, and she hadn't sensed that this monkey had already managed to cross the distance between them!

His head lowered towards her. his piercing gaze roving on her face.

Before she would end up doing something she would regret, she pushed him away. "W-Wait, I remember I have to do something…"

"Oh?" Indulgence was on his face—something she was growing more and more familiar with, as days passed..

"Y-Yeah. I-I'm following a series on TV…" She looked at the clock. "A-Ah…Twin Sisters: 100 Señorita. There's a sweetheart there." With that, she ran out of the room, nearly colliding with the couple. She didn't look surprised to see them eavesdropping there though,

Still shaking his head, Neji sat down, intending to recall the fun intimacy he had with the chicharong flower vendor awhile ago. Good Lord knows when did he last have this much fun.

……..

"Believe us, Anabelle. Peter is only deceiving you!" Felicity.

"Don't pretend to be one of the good guys! Peter is the only one who loves me!" Annabelle raised her chin in defiance.

Tenten watched the two characters onscreen interact, but her attention wasn't really there… okay, sometimes, it was there, especially when the hunk Wallace was in the scene. But mostly, her mind lingered on what nearly transpired between her and Neji.

Hah, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on Batman! If Neji used the shock factor to score one over her, well, it would never happen again! Not when he was that deliberate, as if confident that she would be putty in his hands.

"If only he wasn't a conceited pig…" she hissed. She tucked her knees under her chin. "But…it wouldn't be possible also…because…he sees me the way he sees suction cups. Something to suck and blow air with. Not husband material, if I say so myself. But then again…" She cupped her face. "…what if…" She glanced at the TV screen, and then shrieked. "You're so cuuuute, Wallace!!! Dump Felicity already! Be mine!!!"

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So in the end, the feelings between the two weren't cleared up. Anyway, what will happen when Yamanaka Ino arrives in the scene? And Hiashi, too? What if it was Wallace who comes instead? These, and more questions will be answered in the next chapter of Chicharong Flower.

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CHAPTER 6 PREVIEW

Because the remote was located at the other side of Neji, she had no choice but to face him. "Could you pass me the remote?"

He shrugged, and then handed the device to her. She took it, but as she was about to withdraw her hand, his finger pressed on the power button. The screen went black. With that, he threw the remote towards the door.

"N-Neji, don't you have good manners and right conduct!" She looked at the distance between her bed and the control. Too far. She's too lazy to get up.

But instead of staying in a position where she could be vulnerable to the young man, she chose to stand up.

She was about to get up when he spoke up.

"Tenten stay still"

She didn't know why, but the soft words commanded her whole body to submit to him.