What's upppp my good people! It's been weeks whew!
Here's a new chapter for the Prettiest Girl for you, enjoy!
ps : it's not beta'd yet, it seems like my betareader DoubleRainbowRainbow is still busy. So bear with the grammatical error throughout the story ;). It'll be beta'd as soon as DoubleRainbowRainbow has the time, so do not worry!
Enjoy!
Morino Ibiki had silently counted every seconds that passed by ever since midnight came and waited for his cleverly hidden chakra sensory device to alert him upon any arrival to his residence. As he skimmed through folders of cold cases on his study room, he faithfully waited for the device to let out the familiar small beep. The head of Torture and Interrogation division stole a glance at a small clock at the far corner of his table and noted to himself that if his prediction were correct, it's going to be exactly eight seconds before his device will finally made its sound.
He closed his eyes and started to count backwards out loud. "Seven, six, five …"
Beep.
His eyes snapped open as he made a silent grunt of disappointment. His prediction had missed by four seconds and it didn't make the scarred man happy. He was a man of perfection and while at the moment four seconds meant nothing, at other times such as during important mission or investigation, every seconds does count. Back to the present, Ibiki knew for sure that the little ball of fury that hurled toward him would burst through his door, without knocking, in about three seconds.
Three, two, one …
BAM!
Yamanaka Ino's rugged breathing was audible when she irrupted into the room. Ibiki did what he always does upon seeing someone; giving them a quick once over to assess their moods and condition. At the moment, Ino's condition were by all odds not great. Her cerulean eyes were dark with anger, her hair was a mess, and her blouse was unkempt. Assessment results: Yamanaka Ino was that angry she didn't give a damn about appearance -which she always held high- anymore. He figured that it would take her about another four seconds to process her anger into words she could shout out to him, so Ibiki decided he would use that four seconds window to open the conversation.
"Good evening, Ino." Ibiki greeted her. He even went as far as feigning astonishment upon her arrival though Ino didn't buy it, just as expected from the proud student of his. She made a hasty approach toward his table before she pointed her index finger at him angrily.
"How dare you." She rasped, the low and dangerous tone her voice hinted the galore of suppressed anger she held within. "How dare you." She repeated once again, this time in a softer voice, as if she couldn't make herself believe of what he did that she had to say it twice. Her index finger shook in her fit of rage. Upon closer inspection, Ibiki could see flickers of her emotions clearly on her eyes. There were dejection, disappointment, and rage but mostly, she felt betrayed.
Did it make him feel guilty? No, definitely not. He was disappointed and ashamed, even, that he was able to see those emotions in Ino's eyes. No shinobi should ever show that many emotions at a time, and coming from the only pupil of his, the feelings he was feeling were inevitable. If he had to feel guilty, it was to Lady Tsunade for failing to shape the only student that was trusted to his care to be a proper shinobi.
"I'll appreciate it if you'll calm down and stop pointing your finger at me. It's unseemly." Ibiki told her coolly but Ino shook her head. She did lowered her finger, however.
"No, Sensei. No. Not this time." Her lips quivered and her hands were balled into fists. Ibiki had hoped for her to play it more elegantly, the way he taught her to; the way she's supposed to distinguish herself from other shinobi. This mess of a woman was not unexpected, though.
"What are we even talking about here?"
Ino slammed her hand onto his table so hard some folders fell down to the floor. "Stop acting innocent! I know of you and your devious plans!"
Ibiki waited for her to pour her heart out some more and pour her heart out some more she did.
"You said I can choose! You said it's all up to me! And I have chosen! I have chosen an ending with Darui, expecting you, out of all people, to support it! I can't believe that you're trying to betray me now. With Sai, nonetheless!" She screamed.
"Calm down, Ino." He said as he gave her his signature intimidating glare. A glare that hinted so many tortures he could do to people. A glare that could immediately brought detainees into confessions. This time, though, Ino didn't budge. She didn't look away in fear nor did she back away timidly like she always did. Ibiki hid his amused look upon her dour reaction.
That was definitely a first from her.
"I am not calming down!" She persisted stubbornly. "You have crossed a line here, Sensei. I can't just sit around and calm down simply because you want me to!"
He lifted his hand as he put up his index finger.
"One, there's no line I can't cross." He reminded her. He then put up his middle finger as well to express his second point. "And two, I seriously have no idea what we are talking about here. What is wrong with you?"
Ino made a low growl of disgust. "Are we playing that game now? Cat and mouse and stuff?"
"Ino, you're storming into my house in the middle of the night, screaming and accusing me of things that I have no knowledge of and now you're refusing to tell me what is this all about?"
For a moment there, her eyes softened and hesitation crept into her face. She was starting to question if what she was coming here for were true or were just a malignant rumor designed to shake her up. However, she visibly resolved to believe on what she had heard and looked back at him on the eyes with a newfound determination.
"I have a good information that you and Sai are planning to sabotage my marriage arrangement." She proclaimed, her tone was certain and unshaken.
"It amuses me on your take of 'good information' here."
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't play innocent, Sensei. You taught me well enough to spot a felon when I see one."
Yes, he did. "Felon? Aren't you going too far here? Also, for your information, I don't meddle with your personal life, Ino. That senbon picker would be dead by now if I chose to get my hands into your personal life."
"Don't bring Genma into this conversation."
"He's merely an example in order for you to see my point. Now, do you?"
There was a pregnant pause on her side. Ino was weighing all the possibilities the matter has, to try to determine if indeed, all her accusations were true. Ibiki decided to put a little more gasoline into the fire.
"With Sai, nonetheless. You would have thought that I'd choose a better partner, or work alone, that is."
She glowered at him upon the comment. "It's not unexpected. You'll obviously try to exploit his nosy nature. That guy was naïve enough to not know to never have business with you."
His scarred lips curved into a small, chuffed smile. "And you think you know, Princess?"
She looked away from him finally for the first time that night.
"Now, now." Ibiki said. "I wonder who leaked you that kind of horrible rumor."
Upon the query, Ino's stance went defensive. Her stance previously showed that she was mad before, now, she was changing her stance into the defensive stance. The kind that screamed to the world that she was ready to die to protect a secret. Ibiki felt that twinge of disappointment once again. Ino's performance tonight had been especially atrocious. No shinobi should ever be that see-through. When in a more important mission, the moment the enemies knew that there was a secret that a shinobi was trying to protect, every means necessary would be employed in order to get that particular secret.
"It's none of your business."
"I have to tell you you're being a see-through glass tonight, Ino." Ibiki decided to voice his concern. He knew it would irk Ino more, but as a responsible master for Ino, he had to say that.
"Shows how angry I am."
"Not an excuse for you to be unprofessional like this."
"It's not your place to lecture me now." She squinted her eyes at him.
"It's always my place to lecture you anytime I want. Don't be insolent, Ino. You know better than to try me with your insolence."
"You stab me in the back, Sensei. I'm sorry if I'm being insolent right now." She mocked him. Ibiki sensed that Ino was trying to rile him up, trying to get him to slip.
"Who do you think we are? Chivalrous soldier of the country? Majestic guardians of virtue? We are fucking shinobi, Ino. We backstab, we betray, we assassinate, we do dirty works. I've told you before and I'm telling you again now, if you wanted a job that held virtue in high regards, you better choose a new line of work."
"You're saying you did backstab me."
"I'm saying you're feigning virtuousness and it's ridiculous."
"Oh? So we should all just be bad people now?"
"I don't remember teaching you to be this naïve. Those heroics are for people like Naruto."
Ino scoffed. The doctrine had been drilled into her mind for years and years, but while something about it sounded incredibly off, it was not wrong. Root was made with the very same spirit, though Danzo ended up overdoing it which ultimately led to the organization's demise. Also, he got greedy with power. No shinobi should ever have greed.
"I'm starting to think that those were just reasons you made up for an excuse for all the bad things you've done." Ibiki could see that she was forcing her lips to curve into a taunting smile. She didn't mean what she said, at least from her heart.
"I don't care whatever you think of me, Ino. If you had nothing to say anymore, just scram. You're quite the disappointment tonight."
"You think I'm not disappointed at your backstabbing?"
"I want what's best for you." Ibiki glared at her.
"You don't know what's best for me!" She hollered. "What's with you and Sai getting the idea of knowing what's best for me?!"
"Don't lump me with that man." Ibiki scoffed. "Also, I don't backstab you, Ino. I believe in you knowing what's best for yourself."
Ino shook her head. "You know what, Sensei? I don't believe you. Whatever. I'm done. Whatever it is you're planning, it is not going to work. I will follow through with the marriage arrangement. I will marry Darui."
Ibiki tilted his head slightly. "Good for you, then."
Ino gave him one last look of disbelief before she turned around and slammed the door shut. Ibiki watched the door as he sensed the girl's chakra finally fading away.
She'll thank him one day.
XXX
Earlier that day …
Sigh.
Darui shut his eyes upon the sound of the suspiration. He and Tenten had been walking together or approximately eight minutes and this was her eleventh sigh -and yes, he'd been counting-. Which made her goes at the rate of about one point four sighs per minute. Which means, a lot of sighs. Darui didn't know if the sighs were deliberate in order to incite some reactions from him or Tenten was just innocently sighing, not knowing that by doing that, she was making the dark skinned Kumogakure shinobi felt uncomfortable.
To be frank, Darui had lost all interest he previously had over Konoha's arms and weaponry. The mood for that had completely evaporated with Tenten's sudden melancholy as the huge – if not the only- cause of it. He wanted to say something to cheer her up, but Darui realized that he wasn't in close enough relationship with Tenten to do that. Or was he? The line of thinking that believes that people may only cheer up their close friends, what kind of line of thinking was that? Everybody deserved to be cheered up. Besides, in a way, Tenten was kind of his friend. Their conversation during the training earlier, when her mood was still chipper, was the proof. It had felt like talking to an old friend he hadn't met in years. Brimming with the new resolve in his mind, Darui set to cheer Tenten up. At least until another question stumped his effort.
What should I say?
Another sigh came from Tenten's lips and Darui felt the urge to comfort her became greater. He glanced at Tenten and the somber and sullen expression still persisted to stay on her face. So in the end, he went with the expression he was most familiar with.
"Sorry." He finally broke the silence between them. For a moment there, she seemed like she didn't hear him. Then however, she shrugged her head and turned her head to him.
"What? Why?" She asked, her eyes widened in astonishment. Darui scratched the back of his head.
"You look like you feel crappy." Darui said. "So, sorry."
Tenten let out a weak, ironic laugh. "It's not necessary. I'm the one who's supposed to apologize, even, for making you feel … uncomfortable, I suppose?"
"Apology accepted." Darui let out a small smile. "So, are you okay?"
Tenten let out another sigh. The thirteenth sigh, Darui thought, not exactly knowing why he still kept counts of such trivial matter.
"I'm okay."
"You look otherwise, though."
"I'm just a little bit shocked, that's all." The weapon master let out another forced chuckle. It seemed like the girl's defense mechanism upon nervousness was through chuckling.
"Is it about Lee-san and Sakura-san?"
She shrugged her shoulder. "It's just that they're an unlikely couple. I'm surprised."
"Do you like Lee-san, Tenten-san?" The question seemed like that it hit the right button on Tenten who was previously shutting herself from him. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She looked like she wanted to say something but then she closed her mouth again. She tried to say another thing, but then she closed her mouth again.
"So you do like him."
"I'm fond of him." She quickly corrected Darui. The Kumogakure shinobi turned to Tenten who obviously looked like she was in a complete denial.
"Fond? That's dull."
She didn't answer for what felt like hours. "Well." She squeaked. "Maybe I do like him a little bit more than I should like my regular teammate." Tenten admitted. The weapon master then turned her head to him, as if she wanted to know how he reacted.
"I think it's completely normal to fall in love with a teammate."
That was actually spoken from real life experience.
Mabui was a teammate. He fell in love with her, hard. He could still vividly remember the day he consoled her during her breakup with C. Was Darui already in love with her then? No, not at all. At that time, Darui decided that he'd focus on making all those Raikages proud instead of chasing girls. He believed on the fourth Raikage's word that the girl would be the one that chased him when he became strong and reliable. So, girls were not in the equation that time. However, Mabui was a friend and C was his partner, so Darui felt like he owed it to Mabui to stay there at her side while she's mourning.
That was when he started to fall for her.
To his delight, Mabui reciprocated it – or so he thought - and just like that, they were in a relationship. He didn't feel ashamed that he was going out with Mabui so soon after she broke up with C. He didn't care when people told him that he was just being a mere rebound to her. What did those people know about his feeling and his relationship with her? This felt real. Mabui was the perfect girlfriend, she leaned on him, depended on him, and needed him. At the same time she also cared for him and did everything that stroked his ego as a man. Darui loved her. So, when Mabui brought him to the lake in the forest that day, he had felt like something big was going to happen. Yes, it was something big, indeed. Mabui broke up with him. She told him that she felt guilty that she's been taking advantage of a man as nice as him and she didn't – never – love him that way. She didn't want to be in a relationship with him and thought of another man.
It had crushed him utterly but of course he didn't show it. He was the strong, independent man everybody could rely on. So he nodded, apologized to her for no reason at all, and that was it. They were over.
"Darui-san?" Tenten's voice brought him back to the present.
Shit, Darui thought. He was daydreaming and he might have just ignored Tenten, who was obviously grieving.
"Uh … Yeah. Sorry." Darui said. "I got caught up in my own thought."
"What are you thinking about?" Her tone was curious.
"Dull things."
"Try me." She challenged him. Darui shrugged.
"Stuffs … about the … past." He said.
"Did you fall in love with your teammate as well?" She started to pry.
"Yeah." Then he turned to Tenten. "It didn't end well. She loved another man."
Tenten looked down at the road. "So we're pretty much peas in the same pod."
Darui nodded. "It's been years ago. We're long over by then."
Tenten let out a pensive sigh. "I have liked Lee ever since we were made genin. He was just so … fiery, at that time and I have admired him for his hard work. He's enthusiastic, even though he didn't have much talents on him. More importantly, he doesn't look down on woman. He appreciated me."
"Your perfect guy."
"My perfect guy." Tenten agreed. "I have liked him for so long, Darui-san. I can't remember how it is not to like him."
Tenten wiped her eyes quickly as she laughed nervously.
"Why don't you tell him?"
"Who am I, Ino?" Tenten chuckled ironically but then she realized that it was Darui, Ino's betrothed, she was talking to.
"I mean, Ino is very outspoken. I'm not - at least not in that kind of thing."
"So …"
"Yes. It's hard to let go." She then turned to look at him. "But I bet you know all about it as well. You've been through the same stuff."
"The pain will dull after … a certain point." Darui told her.
"Dull, huh? So it still hurts."
"You know all the stories about waiting on the day until you wake up one day and suddenly you're over that special person? That's a lot of bull, you know? The pain gradually decreased over time, but it's still there, albeit very small. At one point, the heartbreak simply becomes a disappointment."
"Disappointment?"
"That I'm not chosen, but that's okay, it's fine, it's nothing big."
"At least you have Ino now." Tenten mused.
"Yes. That just goes to show that you'll find someone else as well in the future. Someone who deserves you, not some dull guy who doesn't even realize how you feel about him." Darui smiled at her.
They locked their gaze as Tenten glanced at him. She batted her thick, wet eyelashes at him and Darui felt a flash of something that is both strange and familiar, something that he couldn't quite put his hand on, something that made him feel guilty simply by feeling it. Something that made him felt like he cheated on Ino.
"You're going to make Ino very happy in the future, Darui-san."
"A dull man like me? I doubt it."
"You're just underestimating yourself." She then stopped at a place with a huge banner that said 'SHINOBI WEAPON SHOP' and reached for her pocket. She produced a key from the door and opened the door. When Darui didn't follow her when she walked inside the shop, Tenten turned around and gave him a questioning look.
"Let's come in. This is my weapon shop." Tenten invited him in.
Darui gave it a thought before he shook his head. "Sorry, I think I'll pass for today. You deserve some rests. It's been quite a day for you."
"No, no, no! Please come in! I may be sad but there's no way I'm snubbing a potential customer."
"I'll come by tomorrow. Now go meet your ice cream and dull reality show. I bet they can't wait to meet you." He said jokingly.
Tenten blushed. How the hell did he know that she's going to drown herself in comfort foods and cheap reality show?
"Fine. Tomorrow then? That's a promise?"
"That's a promise."
XXX
Ino woke up the day after her confrontation with Ibiki feeling utterly drained and dreary. She had spent the remainder of her night trying to figure out what her sensei was planning until her body eventually gave up and just knocked her out to sleep. Ino took a deep breath in a futile attempt to spin her mood toward a more positive direction. That didn't work, of course. Whoever gave the shitty advice of taking deep breaths to improve mood swings definitely never tried it themselves.
There was a knock on her door and Ino reluctantly shouted out her permission to enter the room. She knew exactly who was behind that door. Shikamaru and Chouji rarely ever came through her door. They were more the window people. Her other girlfriends would just enter her room without knocking, while her mother would knock once before she entered the room. Ino tried to scrounge last pieces of any good mood she had when her father strode inside.
"Good morning, Father." She said.
"Good morning, love." He replied sweetly, even though concern laced his expression. The memory of their fight was still lingering on his mind, it seemed. He sat himself at the edge of her bed.
"Are you okay?" He made a query, easily seeing through her façade. Ino wondered why she'd even bother to put up a good mood front in front of her father. He's the head of the whole Intelligence department, for God's sake, which meant he's Ibiki's boss. Which made him her boss' boss.
"I'm fine." Ino sighed. She decided that it was part of her courtesy to at least look good for her father.
"So, your mother wants me to apologize for yesterday."
"Do you want to?"
"Of course, dear. I don't want to fight with you any longer than this." He reached out to hold her hands.
"I want to say sorry too, but I can't. I still think that what you've done to him was …" Ino squeezed her father's hand. Inoichi frowned.
"It was all for the sake of protecting you, Ino."
"I know! And that's why it's so … excruciating."
"Why? Do you love him?"
She stopped. That was the big question. Did she love Kakashi? What is love anyway? Ino was pretty sure she loved Sasuke but look at how easy she gave him up for the sake of her friendship with Sakura! It was not that easy, to be fair. It included lots of tears, pain, and disappointment and even after that there was a part of Ino that really wasn't ready to let Sasuke go. Maybe Ino loved Sakura more than she loved Sasuke.
All of that were not important, however. She had Darui.
"What are you talking about, Father? I have a fiancé. It's unseemly." Ino chuckled nervously.
"I know, though it still doesn't answer my question, love."
"I think love is such a fickle thing everybody kept overrating." Ino uttered, directly quoting Ibiki's words of wisdom he told her long ago. "Human minds are so easy to trick. Love is just another trick."
"You're not pulling all those dispirited Ibiki's stuff on me. You know love is not like that, it's bigger." Her father scolded her.
"But it's true!"
"We've been through this conversation long before, Ino." Inoichi sighed.
"It's because you won't believe me." Ino persisted.
"No. It's because you can't answer my question about whether you love Kakashi or not."
Silence engulfed the room. Ino always made sure that she was always the one with the last word, but this time, she had to admit defeat. Her father stroked her head gently.
"I did what I did out of my love for you, my dear. I don't think that Kakashi is the right man for you no matter what and I ask you to put your blind trust in me this time. That's why I'm not going to apologize to you because of what I did to him; he deserved it. I'm apologizing to you because you have to endure that heartbreak."
Ino was at a complete loss of words. "Why?" She finally squeaked.
Inoichi stood up and kissed her forehead.
"You'll understand one day."
This was literally the worst mood she's ever been in her life. It just seemed like everybody who she thought she could always lean on to somehow found a way of disappointing her in various ways. Her father, the man she loved the most in this world, had somehow decided to pull the strict father persona this time out of all the time he could have done so. Inoichi had spoiled her so much in the past her wish was practically his command. Who let their five-year-old daughter came along to their B-rank mission just because the daughter 'wanted' to? It's dangerous and it's violating his shinobi code, yet there young Ino went to Kirigakure with his father. Nobody in his team were daring enough to speak out to Inoichi about that of course, since even when Ino was just still a small girl, her father was already greatly respected throughout the village. Inoichi was later being scolded by Sandaime Hokage for doing such reckless actions but Sarutobi Hiruzen was always a forgiving guy, so he let it slide without formal punishment. So, how come he had to do that to Ino now? Ino then reminded herself that what her father said about Kakashi didn't matter anyway because she's marrying Darui. Still, something persisted at the back of her mind. Something that longed for closure. Something that longed for a certainty with Kakashi. Something that longed a certainty with anyone, since her marriage was greatly on danger now that Ibiki had decided to sabotage it. Which brought Ino back to her original point. Her sensei was another person who disappointed her. How could he try to betray her like that? Ino figured that Ibiki had nothing but good intention for her but his method was, as always, sucks. She figured that maybe he thought that Darui won't give her happiness, but really? Who's he to decide on her happiness? Furthermore, Ino knew very well that Ibiki wouldn't approve of her relationship with Kakashi either, so he's …
Wait.
Her father wasn't so absolute about how her relationship with Kakashi should be so much before. Inoichi was angry with Kakashi for obvious reasons, but Ino didn't seem to recall him telling her to stay away from the particular silver haired shinobi. No, Inoichi never said that. In fact, she was so crushed at the moment because Inoichi had just told her that he didn't approve of her with Kakashi. Even in yesterday's fight, Inoichi only screamed something about protection and his love for her and nothing else. Nothing about Ino couldn't be together with Kakashi. Something must have happened to her father that put that idea in his head. Or someone.
That snake.
Ino cursed inwardly. The memory of yesterday was replayed once again in her mind, where Ibiki suddenly entered Kakashi's room and stated that Inoichi told him to be there. Ino kicked her small trash can out of annoyance. So now he was trying to sabotage her relationship with Kakashi too. Seriously, what was Ibiki trying to do? Damning her to eternity of loneliness?
She let out a small growl. Ino used to think that people who was daring enough to challenge Ibiki for a psychological mind games were actually secretly having a death wish. Ironically, that was what was happening to her at the moment. During her long musing last night, she actually seriously considered to surrender and let Ibiki did his work at cancelling her arrangement, but by doing that, it had meant that she was actually giving Ibiki complete control of her life and it bothered the hell out of her. She wouldn't go down without a fight. Or even better, she wouldn't go down at all.
Ino cursed her mood and figured that she needed to do something to make her feel better. She immediately thought that a dose of charming and fun Genma might make her feel better but she's engaged now. Being seen with Genma wouldn't exactly do anything good to her reputation. Speaking about engaged … She hadn't seen Darui since her birthday. A pang of guilt surged through her heart as she thought about it. What kind of fiancée is she? Ino looked at the clock by her night table and figured that she still had around thirty minutes before she had to go to the hospital to continue healing Kakashi. There's no way she could see her fiancée with such a short time span. She looked like a mess of a woman at the moment and there's no way she would go out of the house looking like anything but prim. Ino took a mental note to visit Darui on her lunch break before preparing herself to go to the hospital. It didn't matter that her father didn't agree with Kakashi, because she wouldn't be with him anyway. She'd follow through with the arrangement no matter what.
Even if it meant that it's her battle with Ibiki.
XXX
No, she didn't wait for him! Why would she wait for a stranger just because he happened to be kind and considerate and …
No.
Tenten steeled her resolution to her mind, as if she were giving her mind a stern talking to. She sighed as she slumped on the chair behind the cashier. Business were slow nowadays hence working as the shopkeeper was incredibly boring. The only reason Tenten out of the blue volunteered for this work was because she thought he'd be coming by …
No. She scolded her mind once again, nearly frustrated with the kind of thought about Darui she's been having.
Tenten had worked with Darui before during the world war and he was a really nice person. He was simply just a right man at a right time yesterday. Or a wrong man at a wrong time. Doesn't matter. Yesterday when Darui opened up to her about her relationship, she felt a connection was developed between them. It felt like he understood her and it made her feel really great. All were great, but Darui was Ino's fiancé so there's not much hope there. Tenten sighed.
Of course all the good guys are always taken. By her best friends too. Good job life! She mentally screamed sarcastically.
The sound of the door being opened distracted her from her thought as she looked up hopefully. Instead of the sight of a certain Kumogakure shinobi she was expecting for, it was Neji. Tenten couldn't help but to let out a disappointed sigh.
"Huh … It's only you." She muttered in an almost inaudible tone. Neji, however, could hear it.
"Only me? Who are you expecting?" He frowned as he approached the cashier table.
Tenten immediately got flustered. "Uh … no one!"
"Please, even a six year old could tell that you're lying." Neji tilted his head curiously.
"Anyway, what do you need?" Tenten changed the subject, but Neji was nothing but persistent.
"Now you're changing the subject. What's wrong Tenten?"
"Nothing." Tenten repeated once again. "It's just that …"
Oh my, what she'd give to be a liar as great as Ino. "It's just that …"
"You'll just be lying to me again." Neji folded his hand. "Fine, I won't pry. Anyway, I need a new refill of the standard weapon for the pouch."
Tenten mentally thanked her understanding teammate and started to work.
"So … Lee and Sakura is totally hitting it off for real." Neji began the conversation. Tenten dropped a kunai as it dramatically made loud sounds as it hit the linoleum floor.
"Tenten?" Neji peered at her over the counter curiously. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, I'm just being my clumsy self." Tenten laughed nervously. The Hyuuga branch family member didn't buy it. He furrowed his eyebrows, his expression was concerned.
"What's wrong, Tenten?"
Tenten wanted to shout 'Everything is!' but there's no way that she's telling Neji that all this time she's been having a crush for Lee. Besides, her mind was occupied with Darui until Lee's name was brought up again. Though Darui, too, was off limit.
"Nothing. Gee, Neji, you're such a worrier." She tapped Neji's hand and let out a feminine giggle.
Wrong move. Now, Neji was really worried.
"Are you well?" He asked, the back of his hand reached for her forehead, trying to feel her temperature.
"I'm fine, I'm fine."
"See, you haven't stop laughing nervously since I got here, you suddenly become clumsy, and you're suddenly getting all touchy-feely on me. Something's definitely wrong."
Tenten sighed.
"Fine, you're right. Something's wrong, but I can't tell you, okay?"
Neji folded his hand. "Why? Do you think I can't be trusted with a secret?"
"No, no, no, it's not like that." Tenten hastily corrected him. "It's a girl's problem, so …"
"Hello guys!" The door was slammed open enthusiastically and Tenten's heart skipped a beat. Only one person would open the person that way. Well, two, but Gai was on a mission at the moment.
"Lee!"
"You do realize that it's a bad manner slamming open a shop door like that, right?" Neji scolded the green beast. Lee waved his hand in dismissal.
"It doesn't matter because I'm so happy now! Over the moon! Above the stars! Under the sea!"
"The last one doesn't even make sense." Tenten frowned.
"Sakura is so terrific! Ter-ri-fic! T-E-R-R-I-F-I-C!" Lee ignored Tenten's comment and proceeded to do a
weird twirling dance around the store.
"I think I can die happily right now." He added, a goofy smile was pasted on his face.
Tenten felt a weird sensation washed over her. She was glad to see that Lee was so happy, but knowing that it was because of Sakura, it made her wanted to throw up. She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself and fake a happy reaction for her teammate.
"That's great, Lee." Her voice came out shrill in which Neji noticed. The long haired man gave her a weird look.
"I know, right?" Lee, being Lee, of course didn't notice and nodded happily.
"Sakura's so nice, she made me a lunch box for today! I think I'm going to wait until our 50th anniversary before I'm eating that thing."
"Wouldn't it spoil then …" Tenten was about to correct him but gave up midway.
"It would spoil." Neji put it out bluntly. Lee held out his thumb.
"That's okay. I'll still be eating it and that'll show her how much I love her!"
Neji massaged his forehead. "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting that your absurdity knows no bound."
Lee patted Neji's shoulder sympathetically instead. "You'll understand when you find love, Neji!"
Neji frowned. "It's not about finding …" Tenten shook her head at him in which the Hyuuga translated as a request not to break Lee's euphoria.
"Oh? Quite a crowd here." A familiar sluggish voice interrupted their conversation. Tenten's heart skipped another beat as the man she's been waiting for finally came into the shop.
"Ah, Darui-san! What a great day!" Lee approached the muscular shinobi and shook his hand.
"Good day, Lee-san." Darui said, his eyes darted to Tenten with a hint of anxiety. Tenten felt touched at his compassion and gave him a conspiratorial wink that told him that she's okay.
"Why are you winking, Tenten? Is something on your eyes?" Lee asked.
"Yup, yup. Something's on my eyes." Tenten rubbed her eyes.
"You're so clumsy, Tenten!" Lee laughed. "Anyway, I come here to invite you guys to train with me! Gai-sensei is away on a mission, so any chance one of you become my training partner? It's just one hundred laps around the village, nothing hard! Sakura would love to come but she has this patient she has to take care of all day."
She's so bailing on him. Tenten thought. She shared a look with Neji and knew that he was thinking the exact same thing.
"I'm sorry but I have to tend the store."
"I have to go accompany Hinata on family's business."
Lee looked hopefully at Darui who was now put in a corner. "I … uh …"
"He promised he'll help me tending the store." Tenten told Lee.
"So everybody's busy, huh. It'll be lonely running without a partner, but well, I guess I'll get through it." Lee said. He then flashed everybody a wide grin. "After Sakura confessed her love to me I think I'll be able to get through anything nowadays!"
He didn't have to rub in in her face like that. Tenten took a deep breath, trying to control her feeling. Lee then ran out of the store just as enthusiastically. Neji took his now filled weapon pouch and put some money on the counter.
"I'll go too then. I do have business to attend with Hinata-sama. Keep the change."
"Thanks, Neji. Give Hinata my regards." Tenten nodded.
"I will." Neji said. "Be well, okay?"
"Sure." With that, Neji walked away. He nodded curtly at Darui on his way out. Darui unsheathed his sword.
"Do you think you can sharpen and service it for me? It's been a long time and I'm afraid it'll get dull. " He handed her his sword. Tenten gave it an appraisal.
"You can take it tomorrow."
"That's quite long."
"Well, to sharpen it is an easy job, but to service it … well, it might need some more working that took longer." Darui raised his hands up.
"You're right. Sorry, I should have known that masters know best."
Tenten laughed as she blushed. "I'm not a master or anything like that."
Darui smiled at her. "I'm happy that you're much better than yesterday now."
"Well, it appears that I'm strong enough to stomach that."
"I know you are."
They smiled at each other and for a moment there, Tenten was totally lost in the moment. In her world now, Darui was not a stranger she just knew two days ago. He's just … a guy. A guy who helped him when she's totally in the slump. A compassionate guy who understood her. A guy who eased her heartbreak over Lee. The moment didn't last, though. Her wake-up call was like a bucket cold water thrown over her head.
"Darui! You're here all along!"
There was no mistaking that feminine voice.
Ino strode in confidently into the shop and Tenten was afraid that she'd misread – or just read, really- the moment that had just happened. The blonde woman stopped and looked at them both, realizing the odd pairing of Tenten and Darui.
"Hi. Darui's just dropping his sword for me to sharpen." Tenten said, suddenly having an uncanny need to explain the situation to her. Ino gave Darui a lingering look before she darted her gaze to Tenten.
"He's only dropping his sword? Aww, and when I thought he finally made friends with my friends." She linked her arm with his and gave him an adoring smile.
"Tenten's a friend." Darui smiled at Ino back.
"Awesome. I'd like you to bond more with her, but I'm starving at the moment. Can I steal him away for lunch, Tenten?"
Tenten gave Ino a weird look. She's been acting strange today.
"Sure." Tenten nodded, trying to list all kinds of possibilities of things that might have happened to her.
"Why don't you join us, Tenten?" Darui asked her.
Oh yes, she'd love to. However, she saw how Ino tensed as she tightened her grip on Darui's arm unconsciously. Tenten didn't want to admit it, but yes, she liked him a bit, and while she was aware that some of her feelings are mere illusions created over her heartbreak over Lee, still, she liked Darui.
However, there's no way she's compromising her relationship with Ino over something trivial like that. Ino was one of her closest best friend who has been there since their genin days. She's not that kind of person. Besides, Tenten knew exactly how hurtful it is to get your love stolen away by your friend. She'd never want to inflict that kind of pain to her friend.
Except Ino didn't love him.
Tenten shook away the thought. "What? No, I think I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."
"No, no, no! We'll have plenty times for that. Come with us." Ino insisted though Tenten knew that it was merely a part of her courtesy. She sighed. It's weird how Ino felt how she still needed to apply things like courtesy in front of her.
"I have to tend the store." Tenten gestured to the whole shop.
"Do you want a takeout or something?" Darui offered.
"I'm good, I'm good." Tenten waved her hand in dismissal. "Now, go, people! I thought one of you is starving?"
"We'll definitely get you that takeout." Darui said.
"No, you don't have to." Tenten insisted. She then turned to look at Ino. "Ino, please, tell your man over there not to be so persistent."
"Huh?" Ino made an inexplicable sound. It looked like she was amidst some deep thinking herself.
"Oh. We're getting you that takeout. No argument." She said sternly, quickly reverting to her confident self in a matter of seconds.
"Thanks, then." Tenten nodded, reluctant to continue the useless argument.
"Ino?" She called out to her friend.
"Yes?"
"How's Kakashi doing? I heard you're in charge of healing him."
Ino's face paled upon the mention of the name. "I'm trying my best."
"I hope he gets well soon."
"I hope so too, since I won't be around next week."
"Why … Oh, you're going back to Kumo next week."
"Yes." Ino nodded. "Well, we're going now."
She tugged Darui's hand but the muscular shinobi let go of her hand. He gave Ino a small smile.
"Can I talk to Tenten privately for a second?"
Ino furrowed her eyebrows and Tenten was torn in between telling Darui to tell her whatever it is he wanted to say with Ino there or staying quiet because Darui's gesture made her feel a little bit flattered. Ino looked like she was about to say something but then she held back.
"Sure. I'll be waiting outside." She gave Tenten and Darui one last confused look before she ambled outside. Darui made sure that Ino had closed the door before he turned to Tenten.
"Are you sure you don't want to go?" He asked.
"No. I don't want to bother you two." Tenten said.
"It looked like it's dull here, I think you can use some refreshing."
"I will get some refreshing when I'm done with my responsibility." Tenten gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry."
"Sorry that I'm worrying too much."
"No, it's okay, really. Though I'll appreciate if you didn't tell Ino what happened yesterday."
"Of course." Darui said. "Your secret's safe with me."
"Thank you."
Darui gave her a small smile. "I'm going then."
Tenten nodded and hesitantly, his hand reached for her head and patted it softly. Tenten blushed furiously as she watched the man walked out the store.
It had felt like a kiss.
Aaaaaand that's it for this chapter! I'm actually planning to make the chapter a little bit longer but well ... it'd take even longer. So I figure I'll just post this first! PLEASE SHARE ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS STORY IN THE REVIEW SECTION, IT'D BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
Especially the part about Tenten and Darui, I do think that it's a little bit 'too much too soon' but Tenten's heart is broken :( and Darui loves to help a damsel in distress so ... Well just tell me what you think!
ALSO! I updated my profile so if you have the time, please visit! I'm in a mood for a one-shot right now and am open for ideas and challenge for those who has one but too lazy to write it themselves ;)