Once Long Ago

"Neji, may I present to you, Koyamura Sayomi"

Out walked a very attractive girl. If I had not met Tenten, I would have deemed her a beauty. She looked somewhat like Tenten, but Tenten's beauty was much more quiet and you had to look at her carefully to fully appreciate Tenten, this girl had the obvious beauty that you would often see on the big screen, though not obnoxious.

Sayomi-san had long dark black hair that ended to her waist. She had sickly pale skin, stiking violet eyes, flushed cheeks, and soft pink lips. She somehow looked familiar.

"Neji-san? Do you remember me? I mean though it's been fourteen years, we shouldn't forget your friends."

Fourteen years? What is this girl talking about? Wait, it can't be her. It couldn't. Sayo-chan?

Flashback

"Neji-kun! Look a bird!" a little girl in a sleeveless purple dress shrieked.

"Sayo-chan! Wow, it's so graceful. Look at it glide." a younger version of me said. The bird swooped down, I offered my arm as a perch to the bird and it acepted.

"It's so pretty!" Sayo-chan gushed as she petted the bird.

"Neji, Sayomi! It's getting dark, come inside." we both turned around and saw my father waving at us. The bird flew away and we ran to the manor, holding hands and giggling like idiots.

End Flashback

It was several months before my father died since the last time I seen her. She was my best friend.

"Sayomi-san, what are you doing here?"

"Neji-kun, well I thought that, well..." her voice wandered off and she turned a deep shade of crimson.

"Neji, Sayomi-san here is a suitor and one of the best matches for you." Hiashi stepped in.

"Hiashi-sama! I already said that I would..." Hiashi put his hand over my mouth.

"Excuse us, please sit down. Yo may talk to the others in you wish." Hiashi said as he dragged me into his office.

"What do you think you are saying?!" Hiashi practically screamed as he sat down.

"What do you think I'm doing?! You are the one who brought Sayomi-san here when I specifically told you that I wish to choose my own wife."

"Neji, she was once your friend and if you continue to stall like this, she will be your future bride."

"But!"

"But nothing. I expect you to walk out these doors and become the perfect gentleman."

"Hiashi-sama, if I could."

"March out those doors and put on a kind face!"

"Of course. I shall say one thing. I will be the perfect gentleman, anything more, I will be a friend but there will be no mutual interest for me."

"That is what you say now, but once you get to know her, she is quite the lovely child."

"I know that, I was once best friends with her."

"And you can be friends with her once more. Now lets go, we're keeping them waiting."

We both walked out of the office and I tried to smile but it ended up looking like a frown.

"Neji-kun? Or should I call you Neji-san?" the girl I once called Sayo-chan said.

"Neji-san would be much more preferable." Neji-kun is reserved for Tenten.

"Oh, alright. So what's new in your life?" she was trying desperately to make conversation. Trying to bring out the four-year old Neji out again. That was quite unlikely to happen.

"Sayomi-san. Why are you here? I know that you're not here just 'to talk or catch up'."

"Neji-kun, ah I mean Neji-san. We were such great friends during our childhood, why can't we resume that? If you could spend a little bit of time with me, you could possibly come to like me back?" she said in a quiet and meek voice.

"Sayomi-san, I must warn you that I am not the four-year old 'Neji-kun' you once knew. Please, you were once long ago my very close friend, therefore a precious person. You will find someone that will truly love you, some who is not me."

"Neji-kun"

"Hiashi-sama, I am departing." I yelled across the room. "Sayomi-san, there are many other men in the world. Whatever the outcome, I hope that you will be happy." with that I walked away from my old friend.

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Authoress' Notes: Well, another chapter done. Sayomi will appear in several other chapters and will hold a big role in the story. Neji might have seemed like the pre-chuunin exam Neji in this chapter. This chapter is pretty short. But I hope that you'll review!

Until Next Time

Ja Ne!