Disclaimer: Again, I don't own the song Don't Stop Believing, because Journey wrote and sang it. I also don't own Naruto because that came from the amazing mind of Masashi Kishimoto. I do own the plot though. So you may not steal.

Thanks For The Reviews, GaaHina Chan, Maidengirl, Ino8Yama!!

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A Smell of Wine and Cheap Perfume

Chapter 2 – A Whole New World

Neji leaned back against the fake leather seat. It smelled of plastic and sweat, he crinkled his nose in utter disgust. He sighed and shut his eyes rubbing his temples, not at all happy that he was riding a train, which was something he didn't particularly enjoy doing.

At least he was away from that group of annoyances. He didn't even want to travel with them.

He clenched his eyes shut as tight as he could make them go, trying to push away the migraine that was threatening to take over his head. He wondered why he had chosen to take the train, it had always done this to him; A stupid choice on his part.

After several moments of silence, his door slid open, and a woman clad in a red skirt suit walked in, "Is there anything I can get you sir?" she asked her obviously fake blond hair looked dull under the lights in the train. Neji shook his head.

"No." he said bluntly, not wanting to talk to this woman.

The woman looked slightly taken aback, "Well, o-ok, if you think of something I'll be making rounds, just come find me." She said hurrying out of Neji's compartment.

Neji sighed and slowly shook his head not trying to anger it more than it already was. He re-closed his eyes, trying very hard to fall asleep.

Neji was leaving home. For the freedom he yearned and needed. Neji had decided to make his own decision and went against his family, leaving the land they had lived in for years.

Neji was finally his own person. Finally he had gotten to do what he had wanted to do.

----

The two twenty-two year olds were pulled out of their sleep as the train screeched to a loud stop.

Ino's eyes fluttered open and she yawned, standing up.

Neji angrily sighed and stood pushing the last of his dream away.

They both slid open the doors to their compartments and stepped out, to see that the corridor was full of people. All looking like they had just been woken up.

Ino looked at her watch and sighed, six in the morning. She had gotten six hours of sleep on the hard seat of the train. Not her idea of a good night.

Neji looked at the floor, waiting for the crowd to move so he could get out of this monstrosity everyone called, transportation.

If Ino hadn't been so tired, and if she hadn't completely forgotten, she would have realized that Neji was standing only a few feet away. Not that she would have been particularly happy. She hadn't even ever had a conversation with the Hyuuga. She knew he most likely thought of her as a useless peer, nothing more. Actually he might not have even seen her as a peer, peer signaled equal.

They ran in different circles. Not that that was a bad thing. They were just different.

Ino softly ran her fingers through her hair, half-asleep. Her lids were drooping and her posture threatened her falling at anytime. She yawned quietly.

It wasn't until he sound of many heavy footfalls that she realized people were leaving. Her eyes opened wider and she sighed, walking with the crowed, excited to get to her apartment. She had bought it a week ago, it still needed fixing up, but it was shelter, and she was in great need of that.

She slowly slipped herself outside the station and a blast of cool air made her eyes open, the sky was just beginning to turn to a medium shade of blue, the sun still hiding and a few stars were visible.

Ino's face was still tired and lackluster, but the part of her brain that was actually responding was in awe. She gave a tired half smile.

"Do you need a taxi?" a voice asked.

Ino's attention turned to a man that looked to be about twenty six, his skin was pale and glowed nicely and he had warm brown eyes.

"It doesn't look like you'd be able to walk." He teased.

Ino blushed slightly, "Um, a taxi would be great." She replied, not at all sure why this man was talking to her, but she was entranced by his facial perfection. The man smiled and put his arm in the air, his deep chocolate voice cried into the crisp night air.

"Tax-i!!!"

At once, as if by magic, six taxis stopped in the road, Ino smiled and turned to him, "That was amazing!"

He shrugged, obviously embarrassed, "It comes with the territory..." He mumbled.

Ino slid into her seat and waved to the kind man, just before she shut the door she remembered, "What's your name?" she called out.

He smiled, "Akai," he replied.

"Ino, and thanks again!!" She shut her door and waved to him. She then turned to the driver, who was looking at her his eyebrow raised. It was obvious she was from out of town.

"Where, exactly, are you headed?" he asked.

Ino was still wearing a smiled, "The Sunset Strip, Ferris Apartments." She said, wondering just what her apartment looked like.

This time both of the man's eyebrows rose, he gave an approving nod. Ino wondered just what that was about, but before she could really give much thought the exhaustion came back and made her head cloudy. She yawned and laid back on the seat, her eyes out the window, drooping.

She wondered if the driving speed was higher here, because the colors were blurred with great acceleration. Ino sighed, "So much for getting a look at the city..."

----

Neji raised his hand in the crisp night air, already knowing what to do, "Taxi!" his voice rang into the night. At once three taxis stopped ready to let him in, he walked to the closest one his bag in his hand and even through his sleepiness his eyes were alert and ready. Neji never dropped his guard.

Neji slid into the seat and took a deep breath, before his driver could say anything, "Sunset Strip, La Paul." His driver nodded in response and Neji's eyes went to stare out the window.

The driver nodded and then threw the car into gear, unlike Ino's driver Neji's was very...

Cautious?

He drove slower than anyone Neji had ever seen, he literally stared at the man in silence, not believing this.

Neji sighed and turned his attention the signs, because he had time to read each one perfectly.

----

Ino walked to the desk and her eyes met a well dressed balding man, he wore an obvious fake smile, but seemed nice enough.

"Good morning, Miss." He said nodding as Ino reached the desk.

Ino nodded, "Yes, good morning, um I need my floor and room number." She said softly.

The man nodded, "Do you have your key?" he asked. Ino smiled and handed it to him.

He nodded and typed in the number into a new and expensive black computer. There were not trashy apartments. That much Ino was sure of.

The man handed it back, "Floor five, room 2078."

Ino's smile grew, "Thanks." She breathed walking to an elevator, it looked like it was normally run by someone, but he or she hadn't arrived yet. Ino pushed the button that read 'Five' and the doors shut, the elevator began to rise.

The elevator was red and it matched the carpet in the lobby, all the wood Ino had seen so far was dark with a reddish tint, cherry. Ino's favorite.

Just as Ino was about to go in a daze because of the distinct beauty of this apartment complex, the ding of the elevator brought her out. She took a breath as the doors slid open, and stepped out into a long corridor filled with wood doors, Ino smiled, dark wood doors.

She quickly walked down the hallway, looking for room 2078. As her feet clapped in a steady rhythm against the carpet, she thought about all the stuff she would soon have to do. Get a job, go shopping, and clean up her apartment, also a personal life would be nice too, but it wasn't her main priority; at least not anymore.

Ino's eyes then met her number 2078, and she smiled, opening her door.

----

Neji growled as he finally stepped out of the cab. He glared at the driver and slammed the door, walking to his high-rise apartment complex. As he spun through the revolving door into a navy blue and dark wood lobby, at the desk three attendants stood two women and one man.

He walked to the first women, she had long black hair in a bun, she was wearing a blue skirt suit and she wore a smile.

"Hello, sir, how are you this morning?"

"Fine," Neji muttered, "I need my floor and key."

The woman looked taken aback by his rudeness, "O-oh ok, can I have your room number and name please?" she asked politely.

"Neji Hyuuga, 2238." He said bluntly.

The woman nodded, "Floor eight, here is your key." She handed him a heavy metal key and smiled softly. "Have a good day Mr. Hyuuga."

Neji nodded and walked to the elevator quickly, a tall African American man stood in it, wearing a navy blue suit. He looked to be a college student; this was probably his means for money. Poor guy had to press a button for people like Neji all day...

"Floor sir?" The man smiled, flashing his dazzling white teeth.

"Eight." Neji said simply not looking at the man, although he didn't seem all that bothered by Neji's poor mood. He pressed the button, still grinning to himself.

After the silence in the elevator was broken by the 'Ding!' of the elevator bell. Neji slipped out as quickly as possible.

"Have a nice day sir!" The young man called to Neji.

Neji rolled his eyes, "Whatever." He replied, heading for his apartment as fast as his feet could possibly make him move. After he found his number he walked straight to the door, jamming his key into the slot, twisted it forcefully, and pushed the door so hard it flew open banging against the wall, so loud it would wake up even the drunkest of tenets.

His eyebrows rose as he gazed at the room before him, "Wow..." he muttered.

If you haven't already guessed, I'm kind of basing the plot off the song Don't Stop Beliving- Journey. Also, this chapter is longer and I tried to make the paragraphs as long as possible. Thanks you to everyone who is leaving me comments and reading. I hope you all enjoy this story!!