A/N: Thank you so much for the Review guys. I really do appreciate it. You're giving me strength to right more. Well, here's chapter 8 and it's only a piece of their past. How Neji and Ten-ten started. I've always love this couple and I wanted to share how much I am very willing to have their own story. So here it is... Chapter 8. No lemon for now. They're just starting...

Autumn

Chapter 8

2 years ago.

"Ten-ten! Ten-ten!" and a couple of knocks on my window. "Hey Ten-ten, wake up!" I can hear the rattle of the curtain rod as the banging continues. The last of my sleep was drifting away because the annoying voice persists to wake me up. "TEN! TEN! TEN! TEN! TEN-"

"Shut the fuck up Lee or I'll punch you in the face!" I shouted at the window as I push myself up my comfortable bed. The banging ceased. Oh thank God. It's hurting my ears a lot and who knows that if the moron didn't stop I might have to kill him. I sat up with the pool of my blue patterned sheet on my waist and glared at the dark haired Gai-sensei-look-a-like shinobi. He flinched a little at my deadly glare but he managed a smile.

"Open up." he said as he gestured at my window. I rolled my eyes at him and walked to him.

"It's too early to woke me up you know that." I looked at the bedside clock and flinched a little at the time. It's just 7 in the morning and we don't need to train on weekends and it is Saturday today and I want to kill Lee for waking me up this early. Every day we woke up as early as 5 o'clock so I wanted to have a merry weekend for waking up late. And now, everything about it flew outside the window where the weird-dark-haired-boy squatted. Well, basically I have a flower pot outside my window so any moron can stand on it. I open the window with a bang. "You better have a real good reason for waking me up this early, fucker." I pointed at his stupid face.

"Calm down flower. There's good news and bad news." he said and I looked curiously at him.

"So?"

"Good news first or bad news?"

"Shit. Just tell me already."

"Gosh. You sure were in a bad mood huh. Well, the good news is Neji is here." my eyes grew big, my heart swelling with excitement. So he's safe after that extremely dangerous mission that Tsunade-sama didn't allow me to join. I'm so frustrated because I can't be sure if Neji would be returning safe and it would be better for me to die than to not know what his condition was. Not that he knew about that.

"And the bad news?" I asked Lee. Oh no, maybe he lost a limb or his hands or eyes. No. No. No.

"Don't be surprise please." I punched him on the face real hard, making him loose his balance but he manage to grab the sides of my windows somehow.

"Just tell me!" I shouted at his face.

"Well, his precious hair was cut flower." then Lee laughed like a crazy fucker who doesn't know how to think.

"What?! Is he bald or something? Lee! What?!" I grabbed his neck and sway him back and forth while he laugh his ass out.
"He... he... Ahahaha! Just- Just get a scissors or something." he said between laughs. "He wants you to fix it. He told me to get you-" laugh. I fixed my eyes on him and just put on my mighty glare. "Alright. Sorry. He can't go around with that kind of hair, he told me to get you for you to fix it."

I hurried to our training ground, Lee following behind. I saw the hidden meadow between tall trees, the slightly damp autumn air breezing beneath my cheeks. Running and leaping on tall trees with my heart racing on the anticipation of my all time crush's hair. God… What happened to him?

I stepped on a branch making sure no one's near us. When I'm sure enough, I leapt to the meadow. Team Gai, our team, has the most hidden training ground of all the teams. It will be an effort to find us. Neji is standing on the flat damp grass. I guess he's meditating but I know he noticed me already. I eyed his silky brown hair. It was still as beautiful as ever but with strands in different levels. His usually long straight hair was now cut strangely, the sides was a lot shorter and was cascading a little on his shoulders. I think the middle portion was the same length as his old hair. I heard Lee snickering at my back.

"I know it's so funny looking but you're not helping by laughing." Neji said and the Gai-look-a-like fucker laughed his ass out. I glared at him and I heard Neji sighed. He stood up and looked at us. I blushed at the sight of his beautiful face even if the front of his hair is like a long bangs. Lee laughed more at the sight of him. I wonder what he was laughing about. He's totally hot. I glared at Lee and pointed at his face. Again. And the second time this day. He can be so annoying sometimes.

"What the fuck Lee! He's a lot hotter than you even with his hair like that!" I snarled at him but that doesn't make him stop. "Just go on fucker. We can manage without you." I said to Lee who begun to leapt away from us.

"Okay-" laugh. "Call me if something happens." and he's gone. I sighed, now looking at Neji. His eyes a little surprise.

"What?" I asked and I stride towards his big form. His uniform still smeared of blood, his muscles tensing at my approach.

"Nothing." he said. I stood in front of him. And he tenses a lot. With all that muscles underneath his shirt I can almost feel it.

"What?" I asked again but now with a different reason.

"Well, you called me hot." I blushed at his words. That doesn't answered my second 'what' but it's okay.

"Well, you are." I reached to mess his hair and he let me.

"It's okay to laugh. You don't need to hold back."

"It's not funny. Only morons laugh for such a thing." I said and I saw him smile beneath his lowered head. I smiled to myself. "We should fix that. Please sit down." I told him and he complied. He sat on the grass and I moved to his back. Then I began the fixing. Reaching for a scroll on my pouch, I produce a scissors.

Why is he so damn hot? Looking at me like that. His eyes a shade of purple beneath his now fixed bangs. I cut it a little under his eyes. The sides I cut a little off his shoulders but the middle portion, I tied with a white bandage to preserve his usual beautiful long hair. It was like a tail beneath those beautiful silky brown locks. And I know I should say that I've finished the fixing but all I do is to stare at him because I made him look a lot more hotter than usual. Well, I know more hotter is wrong but it would fit the definition of him being hot and a lot more hotter.

"Ten-ten?" he said. I can feel myself turning apple red coz he's eyeing me now. Maybe I'm staring so much.

"Yeah. It's done. You're good as new." I said, a little flustered by my squeaking voice. Fuck. I'm getting nervous as hell again just by looking at him. I twirled a little lock of my brown hair and turned away from him. I had a crush on him since forever. Even if he's brute and what they said, heartless, selfish, insensitive, hater, snob, whatever, I still find him adorable. He's lovely and nice. He might have an issue about his clan but still he's not heartless. In our genin days he used to ignore me and Lee all the time. He's training by himself. But Gai-sensei told him to have some sparring with us sometimes so he did. And we never won against him. I mean he's strong and genius but at the same time arrogant.

When he woke up from his misery after his fight with Naruto, I never want to take my eyes of him. He became a different person. He's his usual self but with a sense of clarity around him. And I love him even more. I mean, I adore him when he's in his bad terms, but now that he's a lot better, I always wanted to love him more. Yes. I've realized that I love him but I know that he won't reciprocate it. I never brought it up so that he won't despise me. Never did I show that I have this affection but I can't control my blushing. I always wanted to punch myself when I do that. Well, almost all the girls here in Konoha wanted him but he's always giving the cold shoulder and that makes the sluts swoon. God. Maybe if Neji told them to go fuck themselves they would happily comply. I looked at Neji. Being in love with a guy like him is either hard or complicated. One time he insisted that he wants to be alone and he don't want us to train with him. So I told Lee that we should have our individual training for now and we did. We left Neji at our training ground, Lee went to walk around town on his hands and I go to a secluded place but after a while I saw Neji emerging from the trees. He told me that he wants to spar with me. I just rolled my eyes at him coz I don't know what he wants. He's just so unpredictable but I love him for that. I love him all my life but he doesn't know that. I don't want to risk everything because of my damn desires, I am more than happy just to be with him. And it just happened that I've already told myself that I don't deserve him.

"What?" he said, making my mind snap from my reverie. "You're looking at me with that weird expression. Did you do something funny to my hair?" I was thinking how much I love you, baka! I rolled my eyes at him and reached at my trousers back packet to get the mirror that I've brought.

"Look for yourself." I gave the mirror to him. He looked at himself. I averted my eyes so that my cheeks won't color again at the sight of him.

"Yeah. It's cool. Thank you." he said, returning the mirror to me. He stood up and looked at me. That purple shaded eyes regarding me intently. I blushed all of a sudden. I bet my whole body was now a shade of pink. Why was he looking at me like that now? I diverted my eyes and looked at the ground. I'm beginning to feel conscious about my appearance. Shit. I forgot to put on my lip gloss. Fuck Lee for hurrying me.

"What?" I said in a low voice afraid that I might have the squeak again. I nervously twirl the brown lock that goes off my buns.

"I'll treat you." he said not taking his eyes on me. And me? Where am I? Well, I am currently melting on the spot. I bet I'm apple red all over.

"Wh-what?" I stuttered with a squeak. Shit. Shit. Shit. You are so obvious girl. Calm down!

"I said I'll treat you anything you like coz you fix my hair." he said and I'm fidgeting so much. What is wrong with me?! He's just going to treat me for the hair. But it's like he's asking me out.

"You don't have to do that." Yeah coz I would do anything you ask of me. Also, I will give you anything.

"Really? What about takoyaki? You like those right?" I looked up at him. He still can remember what is my favorite food? Wah! Wah! He's still looking right at me. What's wrong with him today? Usually, he won't look at me for so long.

"Did you hit your head or something?"

"Huh?" eeh? Did I just say that? It should be in my head.

"Ahh- No- Yeah, okay. If that makes you feel right then I'll go with it." did I just agree for him to treat me? Yes you just did girl.

"Okay then I'll pick you up by 7 tonight. Is that a good time?" Wah! It's like a date. He'll even pick me up.

"Okay then." I blushed at my eagerness. "This is not a date." I said and Neji cocked his head to the side.

"Huh?" I blushed even more. Fuck! Did I just say that! Again! What the fuck is wrong with me.

"O-of course it's not a date. Silly me." I said defensively.

"Think of it anything you like. It's a payment for fixing my hair. It's for you." he smiled at me. He walked away from me. "I need to go now. I need to report to Tsunade-sama and Hisashi-sama about my arrival." he said.

"Eeh? You didn't go there earlier today?" I asked.

"No. As you know the state of my hair was..." he trailed. Of course he won't go to see the Hokage with his disheveled hair. He suddenly looked back at me and I was again, stunned. "I wanted to see you first." Is there any way that a person can melt literally on the spot? No fuck... his eyes... Oh my... his eyes. It's looking at me with... No... of course… no…

"To fix your hair... of course." I said. Idiot! I shouldn't take everything about him with meaning. I'll just... I might...

"Yeah... Of course..." he said and he turned away from me. His strides are big, his back too. He sure grew to be a really handsome and reliable man. I love you. I mouthed at his back as he leapt to the nearest tree.

I never thought of what trousers, leggings or shorts should I use every day. But today is different. I'm going out with Neji. But this isn't a date. "Arrgg!" It's now quarter to 7 but still I can't choose what to wear. It's not like Neji would notice it anyway. I exhaled. I need to calm down. First, this is not a date. Second, Neji would not even notice. Third… Third... I guess I'll look plain whatever I wear. I sighed again. I'm so pathetic. I threw myself to my soft, cozy bed face first and shout my lungs out on my pillow. When I've finished my muffled shouting, I rolled to my back, stood and get a blue tank top over the pile of clothes on my floor, pairing it with short black jeans. Then I put on my Athena flat sandals. Right! I'm ready to go. That's easy. I looked at myself in my human size mirror at the back of my closet door. The brown eyed girl with her long straight hair tied in a pony tail stared at me. "You looked like you would go shopping for groceries." I told myself. I pulled the rubber band off my hair and begun to arrange my buns. When I'm satisfied about them, I put on my usual lip gloss and I'll just wait for Neji.

7:05pm

I thought Neji would be exact on time. Well, it's not like he's trying to impress me or what. Standing up to turn on my TV, I heard a knock on my door. Neji! I hurried downstairs and open my door.

"Sorry I'm late." he looks like he just run to get here. Even if he's not out of breath, I still know. I'm a shinobi after all. He ran his strong hands to his now short hair nervously. Maybe he thinks I'm angry. I laughed at him.

"You don't need to hurry. I ain't goin' anywhere." I said. His purple shaded eyes regarded me. It beautifully shone under the moon. Why was he late anyway? But I don't have the guts to ask him that. I am not his girlfriend.

"Let's go." he said and I smiled at him.

"Okay. Let me get my jacket."

The takoyaki was heaven. It's sweet and salty flavor melting in my mouth. "Hmmm... this is great..." I said. I know that he's looking at me but I don't want to look at him right now. With this entire crowd I don't want to be flustered. I just want to enjoy my takoyaki.

"You sure love this huh?" Neji said and he eyed the untouched food on his little plate as if someone would poison him.

"If you don't want it, I'll have it." I told him. The restaurant really is pack on weekends, it's so cool Neji is a Hyuuga and he easily got us a sit. Politics huh? Even in a takoyaki restaurant? No. Maybe Touru-san is honored for Neji to be in here, the Byakugan users usually don't enter such a cheap and overcrowded takoyaki restaurant. Well, even if I know the owner, they make me fall in line and it sucks, so I kinda like it to have Neji now.

I became a patron of this restaurant since my aunt died. It's not just affordable but the takoyaki here surely rocks. Touru-san is the owner of the shop. It's their family business just like the Ichiraku Ramen. The business was successful enough with their shinobis and workers patrons.

"Ten-ten-chan, you didn't tell us that you have a Hyuuga boyfriend." I choked on Touru-san's joke as he passes our table.

"That is not a good joke Touru-san." I pointed at him and he just laughed me off.

"Are you enjoying yourself Hyuuga-san?" he asked Neji with a very sweet voice.

"Yes. Thank you very much." Neji said politely.

"Go on ahead, Touru-san. You have so many customers tonight, you can't just focus on us." and I shove him away with a wave of my hand.

"Oh my, you sure grew to be a very rude woman. Where's our sweet, cute, honey, little bear went? You'll break Kumiko's heart." he wiped an imaginary tear off the corner of his left eye.

"Mou! Go on ahead!"

"Yay! Ten-chan kowai!" he said as he walked away from us laughing, his old heavy form emerging to the crowd.

"Little bear?" Neji asked. I blushed easily at his question. Mou, Touru-san really needs to brought that up?

"It's what they call me here."

"Since when?" he asked. I hesitated at first. I looked at him and remember how much I love this boy.

"Since my aunt died." he felt silent when I said that. I am not very comfortable talking about this things but this is Neji. I continued to finish my food since he didn't say anything. I stood up when I swallowed the last of my takoyaki. His gazed following me, lingering a second on my breast, then to my face. Did he just eyed my girls? No. Of course I stood up. It's natural to look at someone's breast while standing.

"Let's get out of here, it's hot and crowded." I said and he stood up without protesting, his muscular form following mine.

"Who's Kumiko-san?" he whispered at my neck and I was so shocked I abruptly stopped on my tracks.

"Sh-she's To-touru-san's wife. There." I pointed on the beautiful middle aged woman. I need to calm my nerves. Gosh…

"Oww..." he said. I looked at Kumiko-san and I caught her eyes and waved at her. She waved back but she's so busy with her customers, so I just leave it like that. Anyway, I won't be able to reach the counter with the crowd to say good night to them. I stride towards the door and breathe a good fresh air. Neji following me. The autumn wind was just too good to breathe. As we walked side by side away from the restaurant, the crowd dissipates and I tucked my hands under my blue hooded jacket. The moonlight is eerie and sad and beautiful I can't comprehend my feelings.

"You want to take a walk with me?" I asked my team mate as we go outside the busy town.

"Yeah." he answered. The silence enveloping us was overwhelming.

"When my aunt died, I was just 8 years old and I was brought to the Hokage's custody because I have no other relatives." I don't know why I am telling these things to Neji.

"Of course the Hokage provided money for my daily expenses and I have to visit him once a day for me to report my status to him. But at my age and inside my aunt's house, which is now my house as you all know, all alone, every night... I'm scared and I cried a lot." I felt silent for awhile. Neji is silent too. Then I realized that we wandered on my favorite spot when the moon is bright. I usually go in here when there's a full moon. The trees are tall in this side of the village and I always climbed up the highest tree. Then I'll just watch or sometimes talked to the taciturn moon. But now I just wanted to lean on that highest tree. I don't know why, maybe for support. "The time came that I'm losing myself and I just wanted to die. And so when I reported to the Hokage that day, I didn't say a thing. I just cried, and just cried for three straight hours in his office." I smiled at myself. "As you know, Sarutobi-sama was busy but he just looked at me and just listened to my howling, leaving reports, paper works, meetings and other things for me. Just… just to see me cry." Yes. And every time I remember those three hours of my life, I always wanted to see Sarutobi-sama. He's a very special person, a very kind and reliable Hokage. He even took Naruto.

"You are special Ten-ten. No matter how much you feel neglected or maybe you think that you have the worst, you are special. These things will make you more powerful. You're heart as a steel but as soft as cotton. I know you'll be a great shinobi someday." I can still hear Sarutobi-sama's voice every time I feel down.

"After I cried, he asked me what I wanted to eat." I told Neji. He's silent, just looking at me. I smiled at him.

"And you told him, you want some takoyaki." he said and he smiled at me. It's so sincere and I love him more.

"Yeah. And when we got to Touru-san's takoyaki shop, he gave me the extra hot spicy limited edition and I didn't know about that. After a while I began to roar like a bear after I ate one. Touru-san and Kumiko-san laughed like crazy and that's when they started calling me 'little bear'. And Sarutobi-sama..." I found myself sobbing that's why I stopped speaking. Sometimes talking about that old man makes me cry a lot. I know he happened to be a Hokage and he'll die soon enough but he saved me and he took care of me. I wiped my tear streaked face on my jacket sleeve. I felt Neji walked towards me, he holds my shaking shoulders. Just hold, a comfortable hold, his hands on top of my shoulders. He smells good, fresh laundered clothes and that exotic Neji smell, a man's scent. He reached from his back packet and produced a hanky. I thought he would give it to me but he lifted my chin up and wiped my face clean from tears and snort. And I let him. I was not ashamed. I was not embarrassed. I just happened to love him and I feel safe. I laughed a little.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." I said and I hold on his wrist when he would return his hanky in his back packet. "Can I have that? I'll return it after I wash it." I reached as he draws his hand from my grip and secure the hanky in his palm.

"This is mine." he said.

"Yes it's yours and it's dirty I want you to give it to me and I'll wash it."

"No." he said and put the hanky inside his front packet. I sighed. Alright you win coz I love you. He smiled at me triumphantly. This beautiful man bathing on the moon's passionate blue light, the man that I've been loving since forever, since I don't know when. This Hyuuga boy who's been so arrogant and selfish was listening to me, me and my stories, my sad, pathetic stories. The boy who also had a sad past is looking at me right now and smiling. I can't ask for more. This is enough and now under this beautiful full moon, I swear, I can't love him more than I can do right now.

A/N: So that's it. Please wait for the next chapter. I wish I can make it more sweeter than ever. Thank you guys for reading. I hope you liked it. Please don't forget to review. The reviews are giving me strength.. Thank you thank you...