A/N: Another AU! PS: This is eleven-twelve year olds we're talking about. Neji is obsessed with his family: Yes; Neji is maniacally obsessed (and blood-thirsty) about his family: NO. PS: Read the A/n at the end.

Word count: 6,604 words

Characters: Neji, Tenten

Summary: That was a summer he would never forget. It was the peak of the baseball season drenched with the heat wave that represented July. The brick after childhood and before adolescence, he met her then. R&R

Chapter 7:

That summer in Tokyo

The Konoha Leaves were in a hitch (a very deep hitch if he did said so himself), the start of their minor league play-offs was near and there still were two positions to cover.

Their star pitcher Kankuro and his brother Gaara, left fielder, had left town last Friday after their father's job transfer to Osaka (along with their older sister Temari, on whom genius tactician, short-stopper, Shikamaru had an undeniable crush on).

That, of course, meant trouble. They only had a week to cover both spots, find both a decent pitcher and a reliable left fielder if possible or they were literally doomed, which meant they would have to use their rookies whom consisted of a group of conceited and –often—crybaby, seven year olds.

Unluckily for them, even when the noblest sport of baseball had quite a number of fans, it didn't necessarily mean they were cut out for the job.

"You're shit!" yelled a short blonde to a very scared nine year-old who didn't even seemed to know the pitcher's hand signals.

Removing the catcher's helmet from his head, buffing angrily, Naruto watched as the scrawny looking boy rushed way from the park as he slumped tiredly on the bench where the rest of his teammates sat.

"They all suck, bad," Naruto spat angrily, his face resembling that of a person smelling rotten eggs.

"What're the stats Shikamaru?" asked the tallest of the lot, whose long hair was neatly tied in a loose ponytail; everyone turned to him since he was the self-proclaimed leader of the group.

"At this peace, we'll have to ask Sai to join us and we'll have to use Konohamaru as a very inefficient left-fielder," said Shikamaru with resignation, his face, as always, read boredom.

The sour look of the rest of the team members could only be compared to that of the flavor of an especially acid lemon.

"Sai? Isn't he…like a freak?" exclaimed an aggravated Kiba; a collective shudder ran down all the boys.

"Yeah! He keeps talking about penises all the time," nagged Naruto, who was one of Sai's preferred victims to ridicule.

"I don't believe we have another option," finalized Shikamaru with a sigh, he didn't like Sai much either but he recognized a good arm when he saw one and Sai, even when he didn't prefer playing, had a good pitching arm.

A silent boy named Shino looked at his bug themed watch, it was soon to be get dark and so… time for their curfew. The silence that reigned after hung for less than a minute over the tanning sun of the afternoon when a relatively tall figure entrusted a shadow over them, almost gracefully.

He (or so they thought) was probably as tall as Neji, who was tallest among them, his skin was tanned by the sun, big brown eyes and a couple of freckles by the bridge of his nose made him look younger than he was because there was no way he could be younger than twelve. From where they could see, his hair was dirty brown and short under a dragon themed cap, while he wore a thin but still very unusual red sweater, a pair of jeans and the usual darkened chucks.

"Are the try-outs still on?" his voice was so soft he could easily be mistaken as a girl, from the pit of their hearts they all knew he had won them over.

"Not if you're a sissy," Naruto was the first to snap off; the other boy's smiling face looked like he couldn't even kill a fly.

Suddenly, his smile grew wider and he threw one of the forgotten balls into the air with his foot just to catch it with his left hand in the air.

"I'm sure I won't disappoint you," he replied, even when a little too cheerily, full of confidence.

"What's your name?" Neji spoke from his standing position behind the bleacher, his voice as menacing as his twelve-year old persona could manage. His voice was changing but that didn't make it less terrifying.

"T..Tian," the other boy replied cautiously, he unexpectedly seemed afraid of the Hyuuga.

"Sasuke you're 'batting', Naruto you know were to be," Neji ordered with disdain as he made sure to freeze the nearly taller boy in front of him, this time Tian didn't seem afraid at all and gave him a sheepish smile that threw Neji of his comfort zone.

Naruto growled annoyed, while Sasuke followed orders mutely and without much enthusiasm, everyone knew he believed himself a god and the only reason he was participating was in order to achieve the same title his older brother had won a couple of years ago. It wasn't a well kept secret Sasuke looked forward to beat Itachi's home run count.

Tian set himself up on the pitcher's mound and waited patiently for Naruto's signal to throw a fast ball. The rest of the team watched idly from the sidelines ready yet again for another disappointment. And then, before Sasuke could even register what happened a fast ball zoomed past his nose, going right over Naruto's head. Neji worked very hard not let his jaw drop like the rest of his teammates, that fast ball had been faster than Kankuro's best shot.

Tian soon rushed to their side.

"I'm sorry, I went a little overboard," he exclaimed anxiously, his right hand rubbing the back of his head embarrassed. Sasuke ogled at him as if he'd been an alien descending from a spaceship.

"Are you kiddin'? That was at least 65 MPH!" Naruto gushed frantically, his eyes shinning with renewed excitement. That was the closest he had been to a real baseball pitcher! The scarily surprised faces of the rest of the members stared almost as if they'd been watching a bloody fighting scene in an anime.

"Go back to your mound," Sasuke barked darkly pointing his long pale finger to the pitcher's base. Tian looked at him startled.

"What?" Naruto protested startled to no one in particular, he was more than eager to let Tian join the team as soon as possible.

"Go back to your mound," Sasuke repeated a little more slowly but with even more venom, Tian didn't need been told twice. He turned back and waited for Naruto's signal.

First went a flawless curve, then a slow one and finally he ended Sasuke's frustration with yet another fast ball that sent pain through Naruto's entire arm. Sasuke had been punched out, his dilated irises and closed fists where enough indication of his astonished irritation.

Naruto ran to Tian's side and stirred an arm around the taller boy, taking a slow return to the bench where the rest of his dumbfounded teammates rested.

"I've never seen such a good pitching, since…I don't know …ever," Naruto gushed almost admiringly as his eyes shone with pleasure; Tian didn't seem to mind at all.

"It wasn't that good," he said, failing to be humble. His red cheeks were enough indication that he felt highly embarrassed.

"You're modest…how…annoying," Sasuke condemned like a snake walking behind them, the dark aura that shone around him told them they should not even try to talk to him.

And suddenly, before they could notice it, the rest of the team littered around them like a pack of hungry lions.

"Where did you buy that arm?"

"I believe I was born with it…"

"Is your dad Suzuki Ichiro?1"

"I believe that's not possible…as far as I know, my dad is a simple police officer,"

"Who was your teacher then?"

"That would be my nii-san, 2"

"You still call your brother by onii-san!"

Tian's cheeks colored a brighter shade of red, "I…"

There was an abrupt pause and then the group couldn't refrain from laughing.

"That's so cute!"

If Neji hadn't known them better, he could easily have mistaken them as a group of exasperating girls gushing over a hamster pet.

"Everyone shut up," they didn't need another call other than Neji's soon to become baritone for them to shut into silence. Tian's big brown eyes made quick contact with him almost innocently in a way that drove Neji out of his wit.

"We still haven't decided if he's in," there was a quick arousal of voices," I believe it is only fair to vote," he finished severely, everyone nodded with enthusiasm, Tian's cheeks reddened faintly again.

"Who says Tian's in?" Naruto yelled from his place loudly. Every single member of the team raised their hand in the air including Sasuke who made an effort not to raise his hand too high.

Neji looked at his team with some sort of pride, he had united them…he was like the father. There was Sasuke who he had almost forced to join remembering into the Uchiha's memory Itachi's yet unsurpassed record and Naruto who came with the package that meant Uchiha Sasuke. There was Shikamaru who he had convinced after a couple of well arranged talks and the fact that he had invited them both him and his best friend Chouji to a Hyuuga barbecue that could've cost no less than one hundred thousand yen, so Shikamaru as the sensible individual that he was considered he owed Neji a hand. There of course, was Kiba and Shino who didn't hesitate to take part, partly because they were actually real fans of the sport and partly because his cousin Hinata and their protégé had requested them to accept his invitation. Finally, was Lee, his 'auto-proclaimed' rival, who didn't hesitate to take part if it meant he could compete against him. And there was the new mysterious individual who covered himself behind a kind smile with the name of Tian, the season couldn't be better.

"Tian, Welcome to Konoha Leaves," Neji greeted politely as the rest of his teammates cheered.

In a gesture that Neji considered official he offered his hand to shake, same that Tian took with serenity. Neji though his hand was small but didn't think much about it. There was a long play-off season to look forward to.

The season started on the first week of their summer vacations, Neji let out a relieved sigh as another flawless fast ball of their now 'star' pitcher punched out yet another batter of the opposite team. Beside him, their 'older' manager Kakashi continued his reading peacefully, he had taken the job when Sasuke's dad and Tokyo's police chief had literally forced him to—truth was, he did nothing but to arrive late to every single one of their games.

The umpire had declared the end of the game, Konoha Leaves 7-Ame Rain -1, Neji smiled faintly while the rest of the team cheered happily, repeatedly patting Tian on the back. The real game had just started, this year they were beating Sound, he knew it.

"How was it?" Tian asked with enthusiasm suddenly appearing beside him, Neji turned to him almost annoyed, he still couldn't get used to Tian's soft voice.

"It was fine," Neji declared.

Tian's big brown eyes shone with something similar to expectation. Neji didn't voice it but the fact that Tian seemed to always look up to him for acknowledgment seemed to him a little too pushy and energetic for his taste, that and the fact that Tian was also older than himself made him uncomfortable. He felt as if Tian had arrived to take his position as leader considering he had already won everyone's genuine sympathy, something he still had to achieve. Worst case scenario was that even when he wanted to feel some sort of dislike for the boy, he couldn't really get himself to hate him, and that really drove him out of his mind.

"I'll try my best next game, Hyuuga-san," he replied with that gentle smile of his that rarely anyone reserved to him.

Neji's hands tingled strangely, sometimes Tian's presence gave that effect to him, and nodded quietly—he didn't want to encourage the brown eyed boy's scary admiration of his persona with a vocal congratulation.

"Don't use honorifics with me," Neji severed at which Tian gaped with what he thought was a pleasant surprise. He hated to be addressed with a last name that had given him more harm than joy.

Tian patted him on the back with force, "The team is going to Ichiraku, you going?" the brunette asked as his eyes shone with hopefulness.

Neji paused and kicked the dirt with his shoe, even when he was regarded by them as their team leader he was sure most of them didn't consider him a friend. He was convinced they probably didn't want him there to ruin their fun either.

"No," he replied almost crossly.

Tian moved his head to the side and his eyes widened—his sudden resemblance to a girl hit Neji with the force of a bullet train.

"Is something wrong?" he asked carefully.

Neji stopped on his tracks and glared at him. He hated the kind of people that liked to pretend they knew him— like his stupid family—, or worst yet, people who went as far as to pretend to care about him and asked stupid questions about his welfare.

"Don't ask stupid questions," he spat and continued walking past him. The field was vacant; he wasn't surprised considering everyone had probably parted to celebrate their victory.

He felt Tian catch up to him, and the Hyuuga rolled his eyes, that guy didn't know when to give up. He hated that kind of people too.

"Where are you going?" he asked curiously, intelligently giving up on asking about his teammate's well-being, though the Hyuuga didn't fail to observe the other boy had kept himself from calling him by his first name.

"None of your business," Neji replied coldly, truth was nobody really cared about the time he returned 'home' as long as it was before dinner.

"You wouldn't care if I stay by your side, would you?" the boy asked beside him warily hiding his embarrassment.

Neji clenched his teeth, "Do as you wish," he wasn't about to refuse angrily, and make him believe he had enough self-importance in his life to deserve to be hated.

They walked for three blocks in silence until a vast park appeared before them. Neji was careful to pretend the place didn't hold any importance to him. He could still remember those late afternoons on which his father used to take him there to play.

He glanced into the sky once. There were, still, seven birds.

"You come here often?" Tian asked behind him, for a moment Neji had forgotten the brunette had been following him.

"Not really," he lied through his teeth, as he felt Tian's penetrating stare on his neck. He was certain the he had caught him on the act, but he didn't comment on it.

"It's a really nice place," Tian said dreamily, "there are lots of birds around here,"

Neji turned around and noticed Tian was now lying on the ground, hands behind his head staring at the sky. Neji leaned his frame against a nearby tree and joined him.

They didn't speak until dusk, but Neji didn't mind. After that, he was sure there was no way in hell he could get himself to hate such a guy.

It happened three days after their complicated game against Sand (they won because of a lucky double that went between the legs of the short-stopper); they were two weeks away from the final, which meant that if they were to win against Whirlpool they were most likely against Sound for the final.

It had all been a mistake; Tian was playing third base for a change (they were preparing for other case scenarios). Lee had taken little notice of the boy and had crashed carelessly against him on his way to the base, both of them landing painfully on the crimson sand.

Lee rubbed the back of his head with his left hand and offered his hand, his eyes still seeing stars; behind him the rest of the group gasped.

He opened his eyes blearily, his vision blurry, "How funny! Tian's youthful hair has grown out!" Lee said with a laugh; he'd meant it as a joke of his blurry vision, but it certainly wasn't. Not a single soul laughed.

A wavy cascade of chocolate hair fell down 'Tian's' back just over his backside. Everyone stared awestruck; apparently this 'Tian' boy was either: a) Even more effeminate looking than Neji, Sai and Sasuke put together or b) Tian was definitely female.

"You're a girl!" Naruto pointed with a face that screamed horror, Tian's cheeks filled up with a very delicate tint of pink.

"A girl?" Lee questioned dumbly as he rubbed his big eyes roughly.

"Aaah…this wasn't supposed to happen," she said with resignation, her voice changing from a very soft 'boyish' tune to a high pitch.

"You speak like a girl too!" yelled Kiba almost accusingly, knowing perfectly well the voice trends of 'strong females': aka: tomboys.

"Truth is, my name is actually Tenten," she said in her girl voice, lifting herself from the ground and picking her cap from the ground, readjusting her hair into it with difficulty.

"But…you don't have…" Naruto placed both his hands over his own chest signaling what he was referring to. Tenten knuckles closed into a fist, quite not believe what she had just seen.

"All the girls in our year are flat too, and it doesn't mean their boys, stupid," Sasuke commented, his cheeks slightly red at the matter of conversation.

Naruto scratched the back of his head remembering the image of a certain pink haired girl.

"Yeah Naruto, girls don't get their "rack" until they get their circle," said Kiba who was to the boy's the infinite source of women knowledge, since his family was ruled mainly by females.

"Circle?" asked a two very confused Naruto and Tenten in unison.

"Yeah, my sister got her 'first' last month and mom bought her a training bra," Kiba added with a shrug.

Half the boys looked between amazed or disgusted at Kiba's superior knowledge of girls. Neji, Shikamaru and Tenten smacked one of their palms into their foreheads, 5th graders still were to arrive to that part of the science course where they talked of the difference between boys and girls.

"But the circle…how…" Naruto started with confusion.

"I think it got on mail," replied Kiba with confidence.

Tenten groaned reflexively as she obscured half of her face with her palm. The blonde turned to her innocently.

"Do you use training bra, Tian?"

If veins could pop suddenly, one of Tenten's veins would have exploded bloodily right then. And in a movement no one expected, she punched Naruto across the face. Naruto barely moved, but the redness of his cheek was enough to indicate it had stung.

"My name is Tenten!" she screamed and stumped her way out of the park angrily.

Finally out of sight, Naruto crunched over and caressed his cheek.

"That hurt," he fake sobbed to himself.

"That's why I say girls are troublesome," said Shikamaru.

"And scary," complemented Chouji.

And after a couple of seconds a fake laugh resounded among them, it was Sai who held a very wide falsely structured smile.

"You know Naruto-kun, girls get their cycle, nor circle and—

"Shut up Sai," said Sasuke threateningly at which Sai obliged with another short laugh.

Neji was very troubled, he was supposedly the team captain, he was the one in charge hence the one who was asked (ordered really) to convince 'Tenten' to return as 'Tian' to help them up with the final. They had barely made it against Whirlpool, winning only after Sasuke's genius homerun earned them the run of the breakthrough (1-0).

So, when Sasuke presented them that morning with Tenten's family address freshly obtained from the police station (even he knew they didn't stand a chance against Sound without her) it didn't took them more than a couple of seconds for them to decide that it was Neji's duty as leader to convince the brunette to return.

Right…

"I saw you guys on my way back from Ichiraku under a tree, you're mates! Don't lie!" Kiba had claimed vehemently, much to his annoyance and the team's surprise.

We are not friends…

He stood in front of apartment B-13 on Hakusen Apartment complex, the place wasn't one of luxury like his clan's compound but it was safe enough to deduce her father held a good position in the police.

He knocked the door twice, if they don't answer in thirty seconds 'I'll leave', he decided. However, as soon as his fist ended the last knock the door opened widely before his eyes.

The woman that greeted him was obviously to his eyes of Chinese ancestry, though she looked way too young to have a twelve year old daughter. Neji was quick to acknowledge she was very pretty too.

"Good afternoon," he bowed deeply with respect, Neji really hoped his cheeks hadn't colored; he wasn't used to speaking to female adults outside of his clan; he went to a Boys Only private school and he had little to none interaction with women.

The woman smiled at him with a toothy smile that made Neji believe she looked even prettier. Her dark ebony hair contrasted perfectly with her white smile.

"I'm Hyuuga Neji, from the noble house of Hyuuga," the words slipped past his lips dumbly before he could even help it. Neji bit his tongue acidly trying to suppress his emerging blush. That was the dumbest introduction he could've come up with.

The woman raised her eyebrows lightly but didn't ask any question at his unusual greeting, at which Neji was grateful.

"What I, Xue Mei of the noble house of Long…or would it be Ama, now? Well it doesn't matter, what can I do for you Neji-kun?" she asked him kindly and Neji was sure that if it weren't for the fact that his cheeks were already a little bit red, he would've flushed. He had never been addressed with such familiarity and it embarrassed him, though he was surprised to notice he didn't feel offended.

"I'm here to look for Tian," he was too quick to answer he had forgotten to call 'Tian' by her real name. Neji bit his tongue again.

"You mean Tenten? You're the second boy to call her Tian this week; is that how you call her at school?" she asked with curiosity and some sort of childish glee before opening the door widely for Neji to enter. It was more than apparent that Tenten's mom had no idea of her daughter's morning activities.

Neji accepted the gesture as graceful as he could and slipped the shoes of his feet by the door like he was taught and was supposed to do.

"You can wear the blue slippers; they belong to Tenten's older brother but he's not here for the moment," she added kindly, at which Neji obliged almost happily, though he hid it well. She did look too young to have a son older than twelve, Neji corrected himself mentally.

"Tenten will be right here in a moment, let me get her," she told him with a cheerful smile,

"Tenten-chan~!" she called dearly, "another boyfriend of yours has visited you! Why hadn't you told your Mama you had such affinity for Japanese men just like her?!" she yelled loudly, piercing Neji eardrum like a needle.

The Hyuuga glared into space, someone had visited Tenten before…and he was still forced to come to get her. Stupid…whoever. He was surely getting to the bottom of the case; the perpetrator was going to receive a punishment from his very own hand.

In less than half a minute Tenten emerged from the back of her room red faced, only multiplying itself when she saw it was Neji her mother was talking about. She was in white socks, a dark navy Capri and a red mandarin collar shirt. How could he have believed so easily Tian was a boy?

"He's surely not my boyfriend!" she yelled miffed. This time Neji had to pass a very dodgy laugh by a cough; Tenten turned to him with a glare offended.

"You shut up! I'm still mad; I've already told Naruto yesterday! I don't want to see you ever again," she added with venom, at which her mother stared quite entertained. Suddenly, Neji wanted out of sight with her cheeky smile. Stupid Naruto…

"Tenten…" he started cautiously, he really didn't know what else to say.

"Oh how dear~, a lover's squabble… should I make some tea for your …guest?" Tenten's mother asked oblivious, avoiding the mention of the word boyfriend to escape her daughter's fury.

Neji wanted to laugh and smile against his will…

It struck him like a lightening. He had never felt that comfortable around strangers…ever. He didn't feel uncomfortable and tense as he felt in his own house, by the contrary…he could deny it all he wanted but he felt…warm.

"No mom, Neji is leaving now," she cut off at which Neji couldn't help but to feel a little bit disappointed.

"But Tenten-chan…Naruto-chan even stayed for dinner yesterday…" he mother whined and Tenten colored again but ignored her. Neji too wanted to ignore her words, but they did stung, he wanted to stay for dinner too.

In a movement that even took her mother out of ward Tenten took Neji's hand, fighting against the redness of her cheeks, and drove him out of the door without his shoes, closing the door in his face.

"We'll be back shortly mom, don't worry," he heard Tenten say behind the door. Neji's mind was so blank he couldn't even drive his mind to reflect on what had just happened. Had Tenten just kicked him out of her house? Without his shoes?

The door then opened, Tenten's face looked calmer and she offered Neji his shoes with a remorseful half-smile, which he took without question. Noticing her brother's suddenly forgotten slippers, the brunette leaned down and put them inside a pouch Neji had failed to notice she had been carrying.

"You troubled your mother," he was quick to diminish her. The brunette rolled her eyes; she really was a complete different person when she was angered.

"She's always like that when I bring people over; I really don't have much—

She interrupted herself, "wait…this is none of your business," she snapped again in his face. Neji said nothing; he was used to fiery tempers.

"And she's too old for you, by the way," she added as a side remark with a huff obviously referring to the Hyuuga's behavior to her mother; her cheeks were redder than ever. Neji was surprised to find he actually didn't like Tenten's mother, at least not in the way Tenten thought.

"She seems like a great mother," he muttered almost sheepishly with a shrug. He didn't know what a mother felt like and that was the closest he had ever gotten.

"I know," she replied back, the coloring of her face reducing to a delicate pink.

Neji wanted to kick himself, how could he have thought Tenten was boy or a tomboy for doing a thing like posing as a guy? Her hair was very long and beautifully straight, her eyes were big and her features even when not too soft weren't sharp at all… He really had been blind.

Neji snapped out of his reverie when Tenten took his hand again.

"Come'n, let's talk, there's a park near," she tugged of his hand but didn't let go. Neji was positively flabbergasted to notice he didn't mind that much.

Tenten had let go of his hand inside the elevator, though none of them commented on the action. They walked in relative silence, while he observed occasionally out of the corner of his eye Tenten's behavior. Gratefully, she had calmed on the progress of the walk.

He hadn't noticed it before, but once Tenten stopped by the same park they had visited two weeks ago it became very apparent that they lived only a couple of blocks from each other.

Tenten sat on a wooden bench under a tree and Neji followed suit as he expected Tenten wanted him to.

"You do come here often, then," Neji commented offhandedly, he hadn't meant to break the uncomfortable silence first but the statement came out of his mouth before he could rationalize it.

"Yeah, it's one of my favorite places," she replied quietly. Neji wondered if she ever noticed him lying around the trees.

"So, what's the deal, Neji?" she asked seriously, her gaze firmly planted on the red dirt on the ground.

Neji paused briefly, "You called me Neji," he stated with slight astonishment ignoring completely the matter at hand. Tenten opened her mouth and turned to him suddenly conscious of her action, she had never called him Neji before.

"Ahh…well," she fidgeted, "I did considered you my friend," she told him barely over a whisper and Neji was slightly taken aback.

Neji stared at her unmoved; he had no idea how she expected him to react to her statement. He had been told 'you're my friend' before, but Lee and Naruto considered everyone, even their enemies, their friends and this scenario was completely different.

Was she his friend?

Who was she exactly?

She heaved a sigh, "I wanted to join the Konoha Leaves for a reason," Tenten paused, hiding the frame of her face with her hair; for the way she clenched her fists into her capri pants Neji guessed speaking had taken her a lot of effort,

"I've been watching you guys since my first day in Tokyo, you see…dad was transferred here by the end of the mid-term and the start of my baseball team's play-offs too," Tenten paused again but her hair obscured Neji of the reason, now that he noticed it Tenten did have some sort of foreign tone to her, "I didn't want to come to the capital, but once I saw you I thought one last summer memory before middle school wouldn't be that bad, I… really wanted to play…" she finished, finally letting releasing her fist from the strain.

His behavioral pattern told him he wasn't supposed to ask more question, he was a Hyuuga after all, but his curiosity was way too aroused at her course of action, "There exist girl baseball clubs, you know," he commented methodically.

The brunette at his side turned to him with pink cheeks, "We-ell…," she staggered, "that's none of your business," she bit with embarrassment returning her gaze to the floor, at which Neji didn't comment. He had a hunch Tenten was actually a very forward person and that the reason involved was in fact a very girly one he didn't intend to know about, nor did she plan on telling him anytime soon. The silence that rose proved Neji of his suspicions.

"I think you're here for another reason though, I don't think this was what you had in mind at all," Tenten broke the pivoting stillness and faced him with a smile. Neji reaffirmed his theory; girls were the moodiest beings on the face of earth.

"The team wants you back," he answered quietly like he had been rehearsing on his mind all the way before walking to her house.

Tenten giggled, "What do you want Neji?" she poked his chest; her big brown eyes gleamed with mischief.

He opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. Was that supposed to be a rhetorical question? How could she honestly expect him to answer to something like that? He was only twelve…

"Gotcha," she poked his rib painfully with one of her fingers, Neji refrained himself from glaring at her annoyed.

"You were supposed to answer you wanted me to come back," she told him face deadpan and then started laughing loudly out of the blue.

How could he have believed she was mature?

"I'm…" her speech was interrupted by one of her laughs, "still…waiting,"

"Come back," he ordered blankly at which Tenten quieted down. At least he didn't tell her he wanted her back…

"Well," she built up suspense, "I did implanted my selfish whishes over you and lied shamelessly in your faces…I do owe you guys one," she told him with one of those smiles that forced your eyes closed. Neji crossed his arms over his chest; he wasn't smiling….even if he wanted to.

"Soo…"

"Yeah, I'm coming back and help kick Sound's ass," she winked at him, the Hyuuga ignored her altogether.

"I guess… I'll go tell the guys," he resumed, standing up from the bench.

"Wanna go to my place and play video games? I have mortal kombat if that's your thing," she said hastily before he could even start walking.

Neji paused painfully; the smile she was giving him was way too wide, "Fine, but I claim first controller," he replied as seriously as he could, he couldn't say no to her. Tenten punched his arm playfully.

Was that considered friendly by girls' standards?

"I'm still beating you Hyuuga, and wait until you see my mom play, you're dead meat," she commented with pride as she started a run to her house.

What kind of girl behaved like that anyway?

It didn't took long for Neji to proclaim himself victorious of their running match, however, truth to her word Tenten and her mother handed him his ass over in silver platter.

Neji still had to understand how two of the weakest characters were able to beat his Sub-Zero without any mishaps. A part of Neji had been annoyed, they did say they were going easy on him and he had no doubt they had not been lying.

He returned to the Hyuuga compound right before dinner how he was expected (he had to reject Tenten's offer for dinner). Both his cousins (mainly Hanabi) pestered him on the reason of his suddenly elevated mood, Neji denied all of their affirmations as politely as he could; his uncle would obliterate him if he ever dared to be rude to any of them.

Though, as much as he wanted to deny it, he felt happy.

That summer the Konoha leaves beat Sound in the most exciting game of the season. Tenten had nearly broken her arm when a dirty batter purposely hit a fast ball into her elbow, which was good because without Tenten's good arm Sound was able to broaden their lead by 2 runs (0, 3). The tactic had to be modified; Sai took the pitcher's position, Shikamaru had to act as catcher so Konohamaru (their seven year old substitute) could take 1st base and Naruto could act as a short-stopper. Naruto hit a homerun on the last inning, helping Sasuke, Neji and Lee land the runs that gave them the game.

Konoha Leaves 4―Sound 3

That was Neji's (Lee's and Tenten's) last summer as elementary school students—he didn't like to refer himself as a child—and without a doubt one of the best summers he had ever had.

"How's your arm?" Neji asked Tenten when they were finally left alone—the rest of the team was busy showing off their victory to their parents.

"It has been better," she replied with a half-smile letting her guard down, they were sure her arm wasn't broken but she already had a triangular shoulder sling just in case.

"What are you telling your mom?" he persisted, Tenten rolled her eyes.

"I'll tell her I was pro-wrestling with you," Neji looked at her incredulous, "I'm kidding, I think mom would kill me if I tried pro-wrestling with you," she laughed, "Falling from a swing sounds like a good idea,"

The Hyuuga said nothing as he wasn't about to accept it but, he was worried because he already considered her one of his friends.

"So…where are you going after this?" she asked him.

"Aren't we going to the party?" he answered and the brunette's eyes perked up, Neji wasn't quite sure why.

"I meant after next semester, we'll be starting middle school, you know," she reminded him.

"Mhm," he didn't answer; he was almost sure his uncle already had plans for him on that department and he had no say on the matter.

"Join me at Konoha Gakuen, would you?" Tenten's face shone with resolution; Neji wished he could be as sure of something in his life as she was.

Konoha Gakuen even when it wasn't a private school had a very high educational level, as it was often placed in the top five of Tokyo's best institutes and as it was expected, it also had one of the hardest entrance tests in the city. Most private schools were relatively easy to get in if you had money however that didn't guarantee of its excellence, only of its pedigree since most students were only there for the diploma.

"Someone said Konoha Gakuen?" Lee's face popped in front of them so suddenly Neji had no time to answer Tenten's question.

"I did," Tenten rose her hand and Lee's smile broadened considerably.

"You going there Tenten?" Lee had been the first boy on their team to begin to call her by her real name.

"That's right," she gave Lee thumbs up and a big smile plastered on her face.

"You going there Neji?" Lee turned to him with a determined expression. Neji shrugged trying to look composed.

"I am," he decided suddenly; Tenten gasped pleasantly beside him. He didn't know how he was getting there, or if Hiashi-sama was going to approve but he was getting there, he had to.

Lee's eyes suddenly set on fire.

"Then that means I'll get there too, I won't fail you, my eternal rival!" Lee pointed at Neji; from the way his eyes shone he guessed Lee was about to burst into a fit of enthusiastic tears. Tenten bit her bottom lip in order to hide her laughter.

"I gotta go and tell Gai-sensei now, Ja!" he added with fervor before he started running on the opposite direction fiercely, he wasn't the fastest runner on the team for nothing.

"Then, that means we'll going to be together," the brunette beside him said with glee.

"Yes," Neji felt as if he had started digging the grave of his burial, he wasn't surprised to note he didn't care at all.

"Hey Neji, I gotta tell you secret," Tenten put a hand over her curled lips, Neji looked at her curiously, he had no idea of what she could actually tell him.

"You did a good job today," she said barely over a whisper, Neji rose his eyebrows puzzled.

The movement was so sudden it took him out of guard; he knew his expression probably look positively terrified. Tenten planted a kiss on his cheek and withdrew rapidly; Neji drove a hand to the place her lips had been. He wasn't sure if his face acted fast enough to regain his dignity in time.

That had been, technically, his first kiss. His cheeks blushed pink involuntarily, Tenten laughed beside him. He had a hunch, she was actually aware of his awkwardness towards the female gender.

"Come'n, everyone is probably waiting for us," she grabbed his wrist and started their walk to the place the rest of their teammates were standing still celebrating (Neji could barely move so he let her drag him down the field; his mind was still too surprised and blank to react); this time she didn't let go.

That was a summer he couldn't even bring himself to forget.

AoAoAoAo

Hyuuga Neji opened the door of his apartment tiredly; another day under Hiashi-sama's exhaustive orders and he would have to lock himself in a mental asylum. He opened the door almost happily. All he wanted was quietness and calmness, yes…that and a warm—

"Good night, my eternal rival, how's your youth today?" his friend Lee questioned animatedly.

His dream came to a tumultuous stop. Neji groaned as he proceeded to rub his right temple.

"Lee…"

"Oh," a short surprised pause, "hey, Neji," Tenten greeted casually over the couch.

Neji closed his eyes briefly dropping his overbearing coat and suitcase by the door— he was too tired to place them in their respective place as he usually would— a friends' reunion was most definitely not what he had in mind when he imagined a cozy apartment to rest.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as laid-back as he could without sounding annoyed—which he was.

Lee sat happily on one of the stools of the kitchen while Tenten sipped from a cup of hot coffee on his dark leather couch while her socked feet rested contentedly over his expensive tea table. He didn't doubt she had turned off the TV after she heard him opening the door.

"I live one block away and I ran out of coffee, Lee here," she pointed to the other man off-handedly, "is obviously worried about your youth…and you gave both of us a key, remember?" she finished as both of them raised the golden key he had given them no more than two weeks ago when he was finally allowed to move out of the Hyuuga state to live on his own.

Neji brought his right hand to massage his eyebrows, sometimes when he talked to them he felt like he was talking to a pair of toddlers, "I think, I specified those were for emergencies," after all he did trusted both his friends with his life.

"This is an emergency," both said in unison, probably referring to completely different things. Neji sighed in defeat as he dropped himself beside Lee on a stool.

"You still haven't answered my question Neji, how's your youth lately?"

Neji grimaced slightly and closed his eyes. He had honestly believed, blindly, that Lee's current speeches about youth would end once they departed from high school (away from the inevitable influence of Maito Gai), unfortunately for him; they still saw each other on weekends.

"Fine," the Hyuuga tried to sound truly relieved with effort.

All he wanted to do to was to remove the adjusted tie he had around his neck.

"That fine doesn't sound convincing, when was the last time you shared your fiery youth with a female companion?" Lee's bright and smiling face almost deterred Neji from asking what he meant.

"What?" he asked blurrily.

"When was the last time you had sex, Neji?" the Hyuuga almost fell from his stool of the shock, the sudden charge of adrenaline waking him up from his slumber.

He turned away from Lee's smiling face as he heard Tenten cough on her coffee. Who was Lee to intrigue about his love life? And more importantly, who the hell was Lee thinking on asking him such questions?

"Excuse me?" His mind had so much stuff jostling inside he couldn't come up with a less retarded come back.

"You heard me Neji, when was the last time you got laid? ...Shared your healthy youth with someone else –

"I heard you Lee!" Tenten called from the small living room indignantly; Neji instantly guessed she'd had a though day at the office again and scowled slightly, this was the third time she's been fighting for a promotion.

"Ohhhh," apparently Lee couldn't understand a threat, "could it be that Tenten has not shared her youth –

"If you speak one more word about youth, I won't hesitate to beat the crap out of you Lee, I'm serious," Tenten interrupted face deadpan, the death glare she sent them over was intimidating enough that Lee didn't dare to repeat the same word again.

"So, Neji…"

"NO,"

"Is that a month confession?" Lee's huge eyebrows rose so high they disappeared under his bowl-cut (he had not dropped after high school). Neji had to shatter the sudden urge to strangle him; Lee's amused face wasn't something he was fond of.

"No," he replied lowly, he wanted Lee to shut up so badly…

"Could it be that…you haven't had sex ever since you and Tenten—

Lee's started with awe before he was interrupted with a flying cushion aimed his way, Lee was lucky it had been a soft piece of furniture rather than a knife; both of them knew how good Tenten's aim really was.

"LEE!" Tenten yelled furiously surprised; her eyes vaporized them so rapidly that Neji felt a sudden urge to leave the room. Neji too joined and sent Lee a glare, he had promised to never mention that ever again.

"What!" Lee exclaimed back acting innocent…way too innocent; the Hyuuga scowled…he had probably forgotten.

AoAoAoAo

A/N: Oh, I'm suck for leaving it this way….such a bad place to end an advance. I guess…life isn't fair. (Laughs) Thing with this is that it moves back and forth between humor, dark humor, and drama, weird isn't it? You'll probably (hopefully?) read it yourselves.

On another note, I'll update this faster while on holidays, which is good. Another good new is that I've already written the Holiday fic, which means Christmas update! Alas, I have lots of work ahead of me. With any luck I have you guys' support to keep me going, without you guys I'll be a lot slower.

Also, I have a challenge for everyone that is up for one. I have two references to another anime/manga on this fic, if someone is clever enough to notice them mention it on the review and I promise a special prize. Happy hunting!

I hope you continue the reading. Constructive criticism is always welcomed, just as positive feedback or if you just happen to have an opinion, a comment/suggestion or whatever, don't hesitate to leave a review. It's always nice to read what you guys think. Happy holidays!

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