Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, etc.

Summary: Tenten is indebt and a really good liar. Neji's family is rich and is in need of a temporary niece. What happens when these two meet? ( Nejiten & minor others )

"But she looks…" Hinata twiddled with her fingers. "She looks a lot like… like Auntie doesn't she, when she lets her hair down…?"

Neji stopped and turned to look at her. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Well…" She looked down. "Before… Before you were talking about… having a temporary replacement…"

Neji remembers their conversation that had seemed like ages ago:

Flashback

"B-Brother," Hinata began hesitantly.

"What is it?"

"You know…" she started. "H-How Father's c-case has w-worsened?"

"Yes," he muttered. "I know." He closed the first file and put it to the side of his desk. "The only thing that can save him now is the appearance of his niece…" He hit his fist harshly on the desk. "And that's one thing we don't have!"

Hinata hung her head low in despair, but then her eyes sparked with an idea. She looked at him. "W-What if… W-What if w-we g-get a temporary r-replacement?"

"What?"

End.

Neji's eyes widened at the epiphany he had just received.

Naruto was waiting by the airport. He had hoped that Tenten would've arrived yesterday, but when she didn't, he convinced himself that she would today. Naruto is a very patient person… sort of.

He sat down on the stone steps, thinking about what had happened. He decided to blame their current situation on Kakashi. It was always Kakashi.

"I will bet… $50!" a voice cried.

A sigh came from his friend. "Kakashi, we don't even have that much money."

KAKASHI?!

Naruto dashed down the bottom of the stairs to find Iruka and Kakashi huddled in a group of people, betting on a game of cards. "DAD?!" he shouted in disbelief. Iruka snapped his head toward the source of the voice.

"NARUTO?!"

Tenten sniffed, making a scene in front of Kiba, Shino, and Chouji. "I… just… can't believe he-" They were already back on the island, right outside of the airport.

"Don't worry," Kiba butted in hurriedly. "We'll go talk to him!" He patted her back. "Don't you worry a thing!" He turned to the other two. "Right?" As if suddenly snapping into the conversation, both of them quickly answered: "Of course!" or "…"

Tenten shrugged and laughed. "No, it's ok. I'll… I'll try to pay you guys back as soon as possible… But…" She frowned. "I have to go back and do some stuff first."

The three, totally befuddled by Tenten's lie, told her that it was alright and she was free to go.

"I feel so bad for her," Chouji sniffed. "AH! UNREQUIETED LOVE! IT'S SO-"

"Ok, you're done," Shino butted in.

Kiba shook his head. "We should still talk to that bastard of a lover. Make him see straight, get some money, and do a good deed." The two gave him a strange look.

"What?"

"Err… I'd like a ticket to the city area," Tenten told the staff.

The lady was looking at the mound of cash that Tenten had just threw down. She, being the smart one, had counted the cash before hand, planning to buy her ticket right then and there, pack, and then leave for the city as soon as possible to meet up with Naruto.

Noticing the lady's uncomfortable stare at her bounty, she asked with concern, "What's wrong? You don't take cash?"

"Uh… N-No," the lady quickly replied. "I-It's just that… well… you don't really expect to be handed this much money at once." Tenten shrugged.

"Dad!" Naruto cried, going over to his father.

"Why Naruto!" Kakashi cried out gleefully. "Do you have $50 on you?"

Naruto just shoved him to the side as he sat by Iruka. "Dad," he began with excitement. "What are you doing here? Tenten said that you left for Japan! Why are you still in Korea? What-"

Iruka laughed. "Kakashi and I talked it over. We're not going to run away, and we'll pay back the debt ourselves!" He paused for a moment, and saw that the others were waiting to make their move. He turned back to Naruto.

"Just go on your way, but don't tell Tenten that we're here, ok? Don't tell anyone." Naruto was about to object, but caught the seriousness in his father's voice. Naruto nodded, shaking his head to seal the agreement.

"SASUKE! THIS IS YOUR MOTHER SPEAKING! IF YOU DON'T COME BACK HOME THIS INSTANT! I'LL-"

Sasuke shut the phone off and grumbled. His mother always had to leave such threatening messages. However, taking his advisor's suggestion for once, he decided to buy a ticket anyway.

He'd have to face her some time.

As soon as she received the ticket, she got on the bus and went back to her old house to pack some of her things. There was nothing much except clothes, trinkets, and the pocket knife that was already in her pocket. Yes, it was for self-defense. No, it wasn't for murder.

She handed her ticket to the woman and entered the plane. She sighed. It was rare that she even got on these contraptions – there just wasn't enough money.

But even with all the money from selling the oranges / translating for Neji, she knew that she still didn't have enough to bay back the debt. She sighed and thought of all the possible jobs she could get out in the city.

She frowned, thinking of the most obvious and common one. Waitress… Serving… Not that great in any of those, but it's worth a shot. Naruto's gonna get a job as well, so I'll have double the effort!

"FIGHTING!" she suddenly screeched out in determination. The men next to her stared at Tenten with a "WTF?" look on his face.

As the plane finally landed, Tenten stepped through the gates. Carrying with her what little bags she had. She looked around, quickly searching for the nearest exit.

Until she felt another person's presence behind her. She looked back and saw a man in sunglasses… She took a glance at him for a moment and then moved faster. The man moved at the same rate.

IS HE FOLLOWING ME?!

Uchiha Sasuke had just gotten out of the plane. Going through the gates, he saw a familiar face. She was carrying only two bags with her, one in her left hand and another that was rolling behind her.

The girl from yesterday!

He went to catch up to her, and maybe go and indulge in some friendly conversation like before. He followed her, but frowned when she began to walk even faster. Did she know he was behind her?

"Hey!" he called out. He ran over to her but before he could touch her, she threw a punch at him, which he caught with one hand. "Hey!"

"QUIT FOLLOWING ME YOU-"

"Wait." He took off his sunglasses and gave her a weird look. "It's me… remember? The guy who saved your ass from yesterday."

"Realization swept over the girl's features as she slowly took her hand back. "Oh!" she cried. "I'm sorry…" Sasuke smirked at her, but then frowned at what she said next. "Wait a minute, I'm not!" she cried out. "Do you just stalk people like that?!"

"Hn. I-" He stopped.

"What?" Tenten asked, confused. "What's wrong with- HEY!" Providing no explanation, Sasuke took hold of her arm and dashed behind a large pillar. She shrugged out of his grasp and hissed, "What?!"

Sasuke just held a finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet. He leaned back against the pole and saw a group of men, who he recognized to be his mother's advisors. All of a sudden he didn't feel like going back anymore, not after bumping into her again like this.

Tenten stared at him and recognized the way he looked. Nervous breaths, sweaty palms – she had that look on a lot. Breaking the silence, she asked, "Are they after you?"

Sasuke just simply nodded. He was thinking about waiting for the first guy to turn around, then he and the girl could break to the front and then-

"Why don't you go ahead? I'll distract them," Tenten said hurriedly. She rolled her eyes at the look he was giving her. "There's like, one… three… Five people in that group," she explained. "One's bound to spot you if we move out into the open."

"Hn…" he began, "But… "

"Just go ahead," she told him hastily. "You saved me once before, remember? Time for me to repay the favor."

Before he could protest, Tenten went off from behind the pillar, dragging her luggage with her over to the group of men. He saw her talk jauntily with the men, proving to be a good distraction. He watched her for a moment, and then left.

Tenten rushed over to them, accidentally bumping into one of them. She apologized to them and then made small talk about the next flight over to Hong Kong. She then went on to describe how great their sesame buns were and that they "ought to try them when they get the chance" someday.

"They're really good and delicious! It'll get you all bloated in no time! It's cheap too!"

Seeing a figure move from the corner of her eye, she secretly wondered why the hell it took so long for him to move. Jeez… She said a quick good-bye to the group, and dashed after the man.

Tenten looked around the street, searching for him. At last she collapsed near the side of the road in front of a transport bus, and snorted. "The least he could do was say-"

"HEY!" Startled, she snapped her head up and gaped. It was him!

"Y-You!" she shouted. "Where the hell have you been? Do you know how embarrassed I was just standing there talking about dump-" Sasuke gave her a light smile as he wrote something on his hand.

Tenten peered up at him in confusion. "What are you doing? You're going to get ink poisoning if you keep-" The man shoved the band-aid that was on his hand into hers. On it was his name and cell phone number. She looked at it with her brows furrowed. "What am I supposed to do with this?" Her voice went to louder octaves, as she sought to make herself heard from the bus's engines that had just started.

"Call me! You still owe me dinner!" And with that, the bus sped off.

Tenten grumped at him. There was something about him that told her that he was a playboy, but she ignored it for now. Taking the band-aid she slapped it on the luggage she was carrying on her back, and made her way to the central shopping area of the city.

Uchiha Sasuke… she thought. What a strange guy.

"How is he?" Neji asked the doctor. Hinata was by his side. The doctor was the same one that had served the Hyuuga family for awhile now. They had thought it best to hire him to diagnose Hiashi's sickness.

He could see through the plastic surrounding wall in the room that everyone was devastated. Kurenai was stroking Hiashi's hand with Asuma patting her shoulder. Gai and Lee were just sitting on the couch in a daze without saying anything, which was… And this he hated to admit: was annoying him more than they did when they were talking.

The doctor removed his glasses for a moment to rub his eyes, but Neji could tell that he was just stalling. He waited patiently until the doctor put on his glasses at last and tapped his clipboard. "The statistics aren't very good," he told him somberly. "Last week, his case went down in a medium portion after seeing… the… paper." Neji ignored the way he emphasized the word.

"But now," the doctor continued. "his statistic has gone down a big chunk. He could die any moment, unfortunately. The percentage of him recovering from this – even recovering in years – is not high."

Neji paled a bit and opened his mouth to say something, but Hinata came in, chewing her lip. "W-What do you recommend we... do for him?"

The doctor shook his head. "If you're wondering about how you can make him survive, then there is nothing. He came into this situation himself after finding about his deceased sister. Now I don't think there's anything that can bring him back out again."

"Is there… nothing?" he asked. He knew the answer, but it was inevitable. They couldn't find the niece before…

The man gave both of them a look with pity and understanding. "Make him comfortable, tell him a story. Make him focus more on happier times before he passes."

The doctor left, leaving a bewildered Neji.

That was not the answer he had wanted to hear.

He walked over to his Uncle and heard his rasp breathing. He could hear the same name he was repeating over and over again: "Kita," he moaned inaudibly. "Kita…"

Neji did not need to be told that this was the name of the niece.

He needed to find Tenten.

She stopped at the store she was looking for, and saw that it was closed for the day. Dashing across the street, she opened the door, pleased to hear the tinkling of the bells.

A blonde haired girl snapped around, her pony-tail following her. "We're closed for the day, moron!" she shouted. "What - don't know how to read?! Can't you see the sign?!"

Tenten walked around the divider that separated the door and grinned. "Ino! I see that you're greeting old friends as always." She shook her head as she laughed.

Ino's eyes widened and she dropped the broom she was using to sweep up the hair in the parlor. "Tenten!" she cried out eagerly. "What are you doing here? Are you here to get a hair cut? You know I do make discounts, but only if you have cash-"

"Slow down Ino!" Tenten interrupted. She showed the girl her bags. Ino's blue eyes glazed over briefly with understanding. She quickly took Tenten's arm and pulled her closer. "You'd better tell me what's going on in the apartment! All of a sudden Shikamaru opens the door and Naru-"

"Jeez," Tenten sighed. "Relax. Anyways, you're closed for the day. Let's go over now." Ino snorted, but didn't object as she grabbed her coat.

"First," Ino explained as she pulled out the key to her apartment. "We ought to find you a job. Naruto has already found one as a ramen waiter… well… since he gets free discounts every time he eats over there. But for you-"

Tenten interrupted her with a yawn. "Gee, Ino. Can't we decide this after my beauty sleep?" She cracked her neck to the left, and smirked as Ino cringed. "Where do I sleep?"

"Upstairs, first on your left." She hung up her coat and then walked over to a man who was sleeping on the couch in front of the TV. "SHIKAMARU!" she shrieked. Tenten rolled her eyes and chuckled as she saw the two argue with each other.

"What do you want…?"

"UGH! Honestly Shikamaru! Can't you even turn the TV off before you fall asleep?!" She took up a wad of mail that she had picked up before coming into the apartment, and slapped him over the head with them. "See this?! BILLS. ELECTRICITY BILLS! If you're going to just sit there and waste a crap load of electricity, then YOU pay the-"

She stopped and frowned. He had dozed off again.

The last thing Tenten heard before retreating up the stairs was a loud, "SHIKAMARU!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Tenten quickly shut the door behind her and began unpacking most of her things. She shook her head at the two's childish fighting – it would keep her awake for hours at night.

Naruto came in, pulling the door open. "Tenten!" he cried cheerfully, sliding next to her. "What are you doing?"

Tenten gestured to the bed she was currently setting up. "What do you think?" she asked, then sighed. "Ino tells me you got a job. How much do you get paid for it?" Naruto gave her a confused look.

"Huh?" he asked. "Why?"

She held up a pocket calculator from her bag. "Gotta calculate the sums… If you know what I mean."

"Mom…" Sasuke muttered. "I'm… home."

"SASUKE!" Mikoto cried as she hugged him. Sasuke twitched. He disliked physical contact.

"Did you hear?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the urgent tone of her voice. "Hear what?"

She slowly stepped away from him. "Neji… He did… He did not tell you?"

"…"

"Come," she told him. "We're going to the hospital."

"Hum…" Tenten began, staring at the calculator. Shikamaru, Ino, and Naruto were around her, staring at the digital numbers in the calculator. It had taken awhile for her to find the proper equation, for Shikamaru kept butting in with, "Where the hell did you get the six from? Troublesome…"

Anyways, all four of them stared at the result.

"At least we reduced the number," Tenten stated, trying to be optimistic.

Ino stared at her in puzzlement. "You mean… you did it before?"

Naruto snorted as he looked at the blonde. "Of course she did it. You wouldn't believe how often she takes out that calculator of hers."

Shikamaru, was for once, slightly interested. "What did it say last time?"

Tenten coughed. "It said… Well… About 16 years," she admitted. "And I didn't even put in the tax calculations in it yet, making the outcome a lot less-"

"Wait," Shikamaru interrupted. "How come it says only 10 years (Tenten winced) now? Where did you get the extra money?" Tenten opened her mouth to say the answer, but stopped herself.

"It doesn't matter," she said, staring the calculator down. "What matters is, is that I have to get a job that rings in even more dough in order to reduce it."

Ino thought for a moment. "Maybe if Shikamaru and I pitched in with some-"

"No, Ino!" Tenten cried out, horrified. "I couldn't ask you to do that!" She swerved around to look at them. "Seriously, Naruto and I can handle this. It's enough that you guys are willing to let us stay here until we've paid the debt."

Ino sniffed as she turned around, knowing that no matter what, she would lose the argument. "Fine," she huffed as she stomped back toward the stove. "I have a friend who can recommend you for a waitress job." She looked at Tenten, knowing she would be peeved by this. She was right. "It'll only be until you can find a better one – one that you enjoy doing yourself!" she explained.

Tenten nodded. Fair enough.

Naruto, meanwhile, was scrutinizing his face at the rice Ino put down. "Are you sure you don't have any cups of ramen lying around?" He picks up a lump with a spoon. "You burnt the rice!" he exclaimed.

Shikamaru kicks him in the shins. Ino can be dangerous when she's mad.

"What are you doing Miz Tenten?!"

The girl said just rolled her eyes at the sound of her boss's voice. She'll just scream at Ino later. She continued pouring a cup of coffee for the next customer, ignoring her boss's comments. Jeez… She could be such a bi-

"MIZ TENTEN!" the woman screeched again. "CAN'T YOU SEE THERE'S A LIABLE CUSTOMER WAITING AT-"

"ALRIGHT, I GET IT!" Tenten bellowed back venomously.

Neji had been walking around in the city, sneaking away from work when Hinata's back was turned for a brief moment. He frowned at the predicament he was in, also mentally scolding himself for shoving Tenten away. He sighed, looking up into the sky.

This was getting to be annoying.

A cold wind blew, and he shoved his hands in his pockets. He had forgotten that winter was going to begin soon, and that he had chose to wear his lighter coat today. He decided to stop to get a cup of coffee to warm his hands. Most of the coffee shops were closed, since it was nighttime, but he finally came upon one that was opened.

He stepped into the shop, and the manager noticed him. She had cried out in a sultry voice, "Oh Mr. Hyuuga! How pleasant to see you again!" He rolled his eyes at this. He knew he should've just walked back home.

"MIZ TENTEN!" the woman cried out loudly.

Neji did a double-take. TENTEN?!

Kurenai sat in front of her blank canvas and growled.

She just couldn't paint.

She had all of the paint bottles set up, ready to get started, but… She had no idea of what she wanted to do.

She cursed herself. It was enough that she always had to compete with that widow, Mikoto, but now this! Her eyes saddened. She couldn't paint for awhile now, ever since Hiashi had gotten sick, but she wouldn't admit that. Not even to herself.

She sought out a scapegoat to put her blame her current situation, and she found it. Or heard it. Whatever.

Outside, soft, but loud music was playing. Grouching to herself, Kurenai got up and went to the door that led to the backyard outside. She ripped it open and then slammed it shut as she stomped up the wooden stairs.

She saw Asuma painting a newly finished wood furniture that he had finished carving. She scoffed as she goes over and yells, "TURN IT DOWN ASUMA! PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO CREATE ART."

Asuma just stares at her. And stares. "This is not art?" he asks incredulously.

Kurenai just rolls her eyes. "All you do is carve a hunk of wood," she grumbled. "How is that art?" She coughed. "And stop that smoking! It's bad for you!"

Asuma rolls his eyes this time, ignoring the latter. "This is my kind of art," he explains. He gets up and then turns the music off. The lawn is dead quiet except for the rustling of the trees and the birds chirping.

"There," he scoffs. "Happy?"

"Yes," she agrees, and she goes back down and slams the door shut. Asuma chuckles at her as he resumes painting.

Kurenai sat down. Then frowned.

She still can't paint.

"Neji…" Tenten mumbled, a bit frustrated… and also a bit embarrassed. She can already feel him taking in her baggy, oversized uniform. She twitched as he opens his mouth, knowing that an insult will pop out.

However, none does.

"Tenten," he said slowly. Almost with respect, Tenten thought. "Can I… talk to you?"

She rolled her eyes and was about to retort something, but remembered that they're in public with everyone's eyes on her. She glanced up at the clock, and grinned as she saw that her shift was over. She nodded her head towards Neji, and they both exited the shop.

"So?" Tenten asked, tapping her foot impatiently. 'What is it?" They were at the park nearest to Ino's apartment. They had walked silently the whole way. Tenten didn't even have the sarcasm to make small talk.

"Tenten," Neji began slowly. "I need you… to be my cousin." Tenten's eyes widened and she almost choked on thin air.

"What?!" she cried out loud. "What for?"

"I… Well…" he stammered, searching for the right words. He frowned inwardly at what he was doing. Hyuugas don't stammer! "You have to agree to do it first," he said, trying to compromise. "Before I tell you."

Tenten scoffed. "Right, Neji. I'll just agree to do whatever you ask me to do." She rolled her eyes as she begins walking away. "Good bye, Neji." Before she can walk one step, Neji grabbed her wrist and pulls her to face him again.

"HEY! WHAT THE-" She began to struggle in his grasp.

"My Uncle is dying," he explained quickly. Tenten stopped moving. "His dying wish is to see his missing niece." He could tell that he's getting to her by her pensive face. "Would you allow a man to die like that without-"

"No," she said automatically. She threw her wrist out of his grasp. "I won't do it."

Neji was taken aback. "What?" he demanded. "Why not?"

She didn't answer and stared at the ground, not making eye contact. He scoffed at her. "Is it so hard for you to lie? You lie all the time!" he accused. "What's wrong with-"

"What's wrong with you?!" she butted in rapidly. "Huh?! Why not get your own cousin to do it?" She began to walk back, but he grabbed hold of her again.

"I'm… We're not sure where she is," he said. "She may be dead or worse… But that's why you must-"

"So you're just going to lie to your Uncle like that?" Tenten asked him seriously as she turned to face him. Neji was speechless, baffled by what she just said. She shook her head at him.

"I lie when I'm desperate, Neji," she explained. "But I would never lie to my own family." She stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to say something else, but he didn't. She tried to shrug out of his grip, but he holds it even tighter.

"Tenten," he said. She could hear the desperation in his voice. "Please. Just this favor… Please."

Tenten looked at him with pity and sad understanding. "Neji," she says. "I won't do it." She pried her wrist off from his grasp and began to walk away. "I have my own problems right now. I have-"

"Tenten," Neji's voice comes in, this time urgent.

She looks at him for which she hopes will be the last time. "What?" He doesn't reply for a moment, and she can tell that he's just trying to buy some time. "Neji, just tell him the truth, ok? I really have to leave." Tenten turned around and walked forward.

"I'll pay you."

She stopped.

A/N. Eh. This chapter was a little iffy. Don't be surprised if you see it all screwed up and such. -bows- My apologies. Eh heh... Wow. Well, there's no more dodging behind the bush now. :)

Thanks to those who read and reviewed. Or just read.

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Tsukiko Yuki – Thank you for the correction of Moegi's name. :) Ch. 9 has been updated. (ah! sorry for confusion! D:)