Chapter Seven

The next morning came quickly. After an endless search for that special medicinal herb, Tenten—much to her displeasure—was still vulnerable and weak. Her body threatened to collapse from extreme exhaustion every time she walked, even though it had been a few hours since she had rested at the Hyuuga compound. She mentally scolded herself for being so pathetic. A true ninja wasn't supposed to display any emotion of whatsoever. But then she remembered that she wasn't an official one. In fact, she technically wasn't even a citizen of Konoha, being one to live way down in the south, in a place that hardly anybody knew about.

But even though she hadn't attended the ninja academy during her younger years, she still considered herself a kunoichi. Even though she had woken up in the middle of nowhere, not knowing her name, she still knew how to talk and how to understand languages. She also had the ability to focus her chakra and summon weapons. Her parents must have not wanted her to be defenceless.

The past seven years, she had been busy polishing her skills. She was now definitely skilled enough to be qualified as a Chuunin, but because she wasn't part of an official team, she couldn't even register for the exam. This irked her; although she was happy that she was treated like any other regular person whenever she was in town, she did not intend to stay invisible and unnoticed. She wanted to be respected and well-known, much like the female of the legendary sannin, Tsunade. But considering her current status now—a peer tutor, out of all occupations, she felt that she still had a long way to go before getting her talents recognised.

The sun had already completely risen, its brilliant light pouring in shafts through the pale curtains above her bed. The rational part of her mind urged herself to leave the bed, in spite of her reluctance and her body screaming to lay still. She hadn't been assigned a specific time of day to wake up, but she could tell that even someone as considerate as Hiashi would expect her to get up at a reasonable hour.

She rolled over and sighed contentedly as she gazed up at her canopy bed. Long transparent fabric in a soft shade of lavender hung from the smooth wooden frame and various silk pillows in colour coordination were scattered among the mattress in which she slept comfortably in. She wouldn't deny it: even after two weeks of waking up to luxurious surroundings, she couldn't help but be awed by the glamour and richness Neji lived in. She couldn't even compare herself to him. He was richer in every aspect.

As Tenten descended the stairs and made her way towards the kitchen, a pleasant aroma of freshly cooked lunch began filling her senses. She absentmindedly fixed her ruffled hair into two messy buns and straightened her clothes in an attempt to look somewhat presentable. Despite her tired and groggy mood, she managed to find herself smiling because she knew that the Elders were attending an exclusive meeting this morning. She would suffer no disapproving glances today. With that knowledge she cheerfully walked towards the kitchen, humming a soft tune.

"You seem to be in a good mood today, Tenten."

Said girl beamed at the older man as she seated herself in a nearby chair. It was a rectangular table in a rather large living room, with most seats vacant due to the assembly. Hiashi was seated in the chair across from her, while Hinata and Hanabi sat on the left and right side of their father, respectively.

"I am in a good mood, Hiashi-sama," Tenten replied happily. "It's probably because I'm feeling a lot better today!" That particularly wasn't the main reason, but she didn't have the heart to explain truthfully.

Surprisingly, Hanabi did not make an insulting comment. Instead she remained sitting calmly in her assigned seat, occasionally poking her food with her utensils in an attempt to amuse herself. Perhaps Hiashi had had a talk with her and taught her the meaning of respect? Tenten nearly smiled at incredulity of the last thought and shook her head slightly.

"Glad to hear that, Tenten. So, I see you managed to find the rare medicinal herb. I am truly fascinated by that. How was it possible to locate its whereabouts? I myself have the Hyuuga bloodline limit but without that advantage, I'm positive that it would have been quite difficult to see, especially with that unforgiving storm."

"Well, you see," Tenten began, scratching the back of head sheepishly. She was rather nervous, since it wasn't everyday that she had the leader of the Hyuuga clan interested in her experience. "I guess I was just really motivated. I wanted to heal Neji's wounds as quickly as possible since I felt so bad about the damage I had caused. So I suppose I just decided to make finding the herb my only priority. It wasn't easy but I didn't want to give up either so I just kept looking—there was nothing else to it."

The older man's eyes glowed with pride, as if he was certain then that he had chosen the right candidate. "You may be as stubborn as Neji."

Tenten laughed, a little more to herself than anyone else. "With all due respect, that statement could not be more false. Neji won't take the medicine no matter what I say or do." She sighed. "I really hope that Neji would just reconsider this time. The doctor at the hospital said that yarrow intensifies the medicinal action of the herbs we already have. So it's really for his own good. I can't see why he wouldn't take it."

Hiashi chuckled. "Actually, he did."

Tenten nearly dropped her fork. "What?"

"H-he did," Hinata repeated. "He took a portion of the herb this morning and made the medicine himself. I reckon he does want to heal, but doesn't want to swallow his pride and accept anything that you give him." She giggled softly when the brunette blinked at her implication. "B-but you should give him another dose of the medicine after you finish your—err—breakfast. There's still some left in the pot."

Tenten was too stunned for a moment to speak. "Wow," she finally managed, a smile unfurling on her lips. "I definitely will."

"Who does Hyuuga Neji think he is?"

The acerbic question was voiced by the oldest Hyuuga Elder, Hyuuga Hideki, in a tone that made Hiashi's authority seem trivial. He was single-handedly the most venerable and illustrious member of the clan, and would have never stepped down from his leadership position if he had not been bedridden for a year after an almost fatal injury.

He glanced up to six other Elders, whom he had called earlier this morning for a meeting. Hiashi had not been invited because when it came to Neji, he wasn't as impartial as a leader had to be. "That boy needs to be put in his place."

"He thinks being a prodigy makes him exempt from following the traditions," Hisoka remarked. "What would happen to the clan if there was no weight behind its rules? He must be engaged by the end of this week."

Hisoka, barely an adult and the youngest of all the Elders, was the only one who sympathised with the prodigy. "Perhaps he already has someone in mind."

"That is impossible," Hisashi said dismissively. "He doesn't spend time with anybody but that commoner whom Hiashi hired."

"She is a disgrace," Hiroki muttered in disgust, recalling the time Tenten had shown up to dinner looking provocative. "Neji would not choose someone such as her."

"The clan would never approve, either," added Hitoshi. "Has the arrangement for Sato Mikya's arrival been made?"

"Yes," Hotaka replied, the corners of his mouth slightly lifting to show his being pleased. "She's already on her way. Her family sent her off the instant they received our letter of approval."

"Does Hiashi know?"

"He should be expecting it," Hideki replied, glancing at Hitoshi. "He knows we're going to bring her over no matter what he or Neji says." A shadow was cast over his pale eyes. "If Neji rebels, we will use the last resort."

Hisoka opened his mouth to protest, but the vigour and the unyielding adamance present in all the Elders' eyes made him stop short. The last resort was undoubtedly activating Neji's curse mark and inflicting crippling pain to his mind until he complied. Using pain to break one's spirit was, in every aspect, torture but it was what had kept the Hyuuga clan intact for so many years. The curse mark acted as a guarantee, a guarantee that ensured the survival of the main family, the Byakuugan and consequently, the future of the clan.

The Hyuuga Elders were unforgiving, cruel and often inhumane, but in a way it was their job to be so. They had been chosen to carry out their roles as both the protectors and decision-makers because they knew what was best for the clan. Without a council that was impartial, unaffected by bloodshed and willing to make necessary sacrifices, chaos would ensue.

Hisoka finally nodded in agreement. "What about Tenten? With Hiashi on her side we can't make her leave."

"She's not a deterrent," Hideki replied logically, albeit still with disdain. "Neji doesn't seem to have taken a liking to her."

"Things can change," Hisao murmured, his eyes strangely calm. He was the only other young Hyuuga Elder, perhaps nearing his thirties, and had been observing the minute changes in the Hyuuga prodigy. "I'll talk to the boy. Better yet, I'll talk to the girl."

No one in the room decided to object to Hisao's proposition, not because they necessarily agreed, but because it was Hisao. Out of all the Elders, he was perhaps the most acrimoniously sinister and merciless. His eyes held a strange blankness to them which did not falter even when he killed. His lack of humanity was the reason he was the Hyuuga's appointed executioner. He carried out them all flawlessly, for he simply didn't care.

"Very well," Hideki said with the unmistakable note of finality, getting up. "Meeting dismissed."

As every member exited the room, they passed by a window through which the afternoon sunlight penetrated. Seven Hyuuga crests, attached to each Elder's traditional robes, glistened ever so slightly.

Tenten felt her confidence falter with every step she took towards Neji's room. She suddenly didn't feel so sure of herself anymore, as if the whole self-assurance she had had was all just an act in front of the others. In her hands was a tray with a mug on it, the hot liquid it contained scorching with steam. Even though her pace had considerably slowed down, she eventually ended up standing in front of Neji's door.

"Neji," she said, tentatively. "I brought you your medicine. I'll bring it to you, okay?"

"Don't."

Tenten held back a sigh; why had she even hoped that Neji would act differently today? "But I brought you a medicinal concoction."

When she received no reply, she thought that he was giving her his silent consent. But even then, she felt hesitation holding her back, rooting her feet to the ground. Hinata's warning from her first day kept ringing in her head and with the words being chanted by her mind Tenten couldn't bring herself to move; what had she been thinking? Nobody entered his room—it was a given. He didn't enter anybody else's room and he expected the same treatment in return, which was, in a sense, very logical and very Neji-like. The only exception she knew of was the maid who had delivered his food, but that was only during the time he was truly bedridden and couldn't move. If he had gone to the kitchen to make his medicine this morning, however, it meant that he didn't need anybody anymore.

"No objections, right?" In spite of her determination to do her job right, she gulped. She could almost feel his infamous gaze on her through the door—the penetrating stare that could only be intensified by his Byakugan. She half-expected him to open the door that instant and force her back into her own room, or simply tell her to go away.

"Go away," his cold voice intoned.

Tenten nearly laughed at how predictable he was. Clearing her throat, she willed herself to act the way she needed to and not the way she felt. "Neji," she called out, standing closer to the door to make her voice a tad louder in his ears. "But it'll help you get back onto your feet. Don't you want to train?"

"Leave."

"But you already took some of it before! It's your own creation, anyway."

"Exactly, which means that I'm capable of making and taking medicine. I don't need you to fetch anything for me."

Suddenly Tenten felt stupid. Of course, why would Hyuuga Neji need her help? It wasn't as if he was paralysed or didn't know how to brew medicinal tea. He was perfectly capable of doing everything himself so he certainly didn't need or want her help—he had made that clear many times before so why had she come to his room expecting things to change? Shouldn't she be grateful that he had used the herb in the first place? The last bit of her resolve from this morning crumbled and she was left feeling like a complete fool.

"Leave," the prodigy repeated curtly. "I took it this morning. I don't need any more, so leave."

The sixteen-year-old kunoichi took a deep breath and forced herself to recall the reason for her being here. "You're supposed to take it a few times a day so you might as well take it now." Trying to conceal her uncertainty by lightening her tone, she added playfully, "What's the point of acting all macho and tough when you and I both know that you want to get better?"

When he didn't say anything, she suppressed the urge to sigh. "Okay. Think about it like this: I need to do my job, and you need to train. If you just drink this medicine, then you'll get better faster. Then both of us would be happy. Don't you want to get back to training?"

"I could go on like this all day," Tenten continued when she still received no reply. She expertly hid her exasperation. "You know, I don't know why you can't just drink it. It's going to take you like thirty seconds at most but you're just too stubborn to accept any kind of help so essentially you're implying that you would rather listen to me whine all day. I hope you do realise that cooperating with me is the most effective way to get rid of me—I will stay out of your hair once I finish my job. Since you hate me and I'm not thrilled about you, just work with me and I'll leave earlier! That'll be good for both of us, so just take the medicine. I didn't poison it, if that's what you're worried about—"

A tired sigh could finally be heard from the other side. "Leave it on the floor," his weary voice came through. Returning back to his sharp, cold voice, he added harshly, "And then leave."

Tenten laughed lightly—and in relief, too, because she had started to run out of things to say. "You're really polite, Neji," she exclaimed sarcastically. "Anybody would have the common courtesy to come out and personally take it. I'm not your slave. You don't pay me—"

"You are being paid, actually, so—"

"So," Tenten cut in, "as your peer tutor I can report to your uncle and tell him how you're not behaving."

The Hyuuga prodigy inwardly scowled at both the ironic and childish threat. Regardless of how idiotic her approach was, she did have a point. Hiashi still had power over every branch member in the family. He slid the door open rather roughly to face a surprised Tenten. "Medicine."

Tenten gave him the medicinal tea, which he drank in one shot, but quickly blocked his way when he tried to go back into his room. She winked playfully, laughing at his distressed and tired expression. "So you've finally come to your senses, Neji. But we're going to do something else!" Watching his eyes narrow dangerously, she couldn't help but laugh again, this time quieter due to his scornful look. "Did you think I was simply trying to get you to take the medicine? And relax," she assured him airily. "We're just going to pay the town a visit today! Think of it as a chance to stretch out your legs." She reached for his arm, but he instantly slapped her hand away.

"Don't touch me," he warned impassively. "I can walk."

Neji felt irritation build inside of him when he heard her humming a light tune. Her light, bouncy footsteps were annoyingly prominent as she followed happily behind him, her tied hair bobbing with each step. It bothered him endlessly; he wanted her to stop singing, he wanted her to stop walking the way she did, he wanted her to stop her annoying tricks and laughter altogether.

He wanted her gone.

Neji scowled again at the happiness that graced the wrinkly features of Hiashi when they arrived at the gates. It certainly didn't help that Hiashi was absolutely ecstatic at the fact that Tenten hadn't broken down into tears yet. In fact, the leader was standing there proudly like an uncle who was going to escort his nephew and his nephew's soon-to-be wife.

Neji turned to Tenten. "Hurry up and carry out whatever torturous plans you have for me."

Only tinkling laughter erupted in response to his grumbling. "Why do you always think I'm going to torture you? Like I said, we're going into town to have a great time!" The brunette turned to the clan head. "See you later, Hiashi-sama!"

Hiashi smiled warmly at the two and waved goodbye. "Have a great time, you two."

"I doubt it," Neji muttered under his breath. Giving a slight nod of his head towards the clan leader, he began walking without waiting for the insufferable brat, who was probably informing his uncle about their whereabouts. His pace quickened and even began jogging slightly in hopes of losing that tutor of his.

But much to his disappointment, Tenten followed closely behind and even began talking excitedly as if he was interested in what she had to say. "It's such a nice day today, isn't it? Well, that's why I planned a nice trip for today. Even though I woke up at noon today, we still have at least half a day to wander around town. We need to pick up some groceries too; I mean, it isn't our job or anything, but I thought that we could do the maids a favour, since they work so hard. Last time I went to get some herbs for you I didn't get to go through every store! Shopping is sort of like a marathon, if you think about it, which is good for you. It's going to help strenghten your body so that you can train sooner. Doesn't this sound like a win-win situation? Okay, so where do you want to go?"

She stopped when he halted and spun around to face her. Due to his abruptness she only had a moment to regain her equilibrium; she managed to prevent the collision between her and his chest by a mere hairline.

When she looked up, she refrained from gasping. Practically looming over was Neji Hyuuga with his penetrating eyes boring into hers, his glare so intense it was practically invasive. "This is useless," he intoned emotionlessly. She could hear the underlying anger and irritation.

"What's useless? Nothing is useless in life." The brunette forced herself to keep her chin lifted. She refused to let his attitude turn her into a coward—she couldn't doubt herself if she wanted to do her job right.

"You're absolutely pathetic. I am not going to accompany you on some trip."

"I don't see why you're so against it. It's not like you can train or anything. Why stay cooped up in that room of yours?"

"It's better than being with you."

"Going out is good for you, you know. When was the last time you've been around town?"

"That is irrelevant. I'm going back."

"No you're not"—she stood in front of him, arms spread out—"because we just started to make progress." She bravely searched his eyes, trying to find some kind of justification as to why he was so unwilling to cooperate. She knew that he saw her concern as an act of pity, but why? She had never met anyone like him before. "Why refuse now?"

"You're foolish."

"I'm foolish for taking you out shopping? How is such an everyday thing foolish?"

"Because I don't go shopping."

"A change is good."

"You're kidding." His ivory eyes were blank but there was a frightening, acrimonious edge to them. "To think I would actually change after twelve years of training is pathetic, sad and pitiable."

"That's because you're not trying."

"What makes you think that I want to try?"

Tenten opened her mouth and closed it again.

"You've finally learned how to shut up." Neji took a menacing step towards her, closing the gap between them. "I don't need help from the likes of you. I don't need to be fixed, so go back to where you came from." He stepped aside and began walking again towards the Hyuuga mansion. He didn't bother to wait for her reaction. He inwardly smirked; maybe this was the last straw for her. Maybe he could finally gain back his old life back, where there was no annoying girl constantly bothering him—

Suddenly her voice shot back, equally as annoyed and full of mirth. "Look, Hyuuga Neji, I'm not dragging you on 'some trip' because I have to. It's because I thought that you would maybe like to do something else for a change! But of course you can't accept anything from anybody so all you see is a girl who's either pitying you or doing her job—but you know what? At this point it doesn't even matter. You're too deluded and jaded to understand anything!" This time it was her turn to walk up to him. "You know, it's not like I want to be the heroine of some drama who changes the heartless guy and proves to the world that the bastard everybody's scared of is not as tough as he seems. I don't actually care, alright? I try as hard as I do because it's my job and I want to live, unlike you. Since all you do is train and look down at people with your little glares and stares, why won't you go die in a hole? And don't you dare give me that I'm-bitter-cause-I've-seen-the-world bullshit. Self-pity doesn't get you anywhere, got that? The whole world does not revolve around you, so stop acting as if you're the only one suffering!"

Neji could only stare at her. Needless to say, he was speechless and shocked. "Excuse me?"

"You're not excused!" Tenten snapped angrily. "Now I have permission from Hiashi-sama himself so you cannot stop me, Hyuuga Neji. Follow me, cause we are going to shop!"

Too flabbergasted to even protest, Neji followed her. No one had ever dared to yell at him like that. People normally accepted his remarks no matter how insulting they were. No one had really bothered to fight back—not that they could stand up to the prodigy, anyway. Even the Elders kept their disappointment to a minimum, for he was the pride of the clan. Never had he seen such a girl.

Just who was she?

"Do you want to get some of those?" Tenten asked, pointing her finger at various stands containing trinkets and good luck charms.

"No," Neji answered shortly.

"Want to go there? Those clothes look really nice."

"No."

"Oh, the food looks pretty yummy! Do you—"

"No."

Hours after their dispute had taken place, Neji and Tenten were still walking around town. Their shopping trip was a failure to say the least, as the Hyuuga prodigy was keen on ignoring her. He was also keeping his distance, too, claiming that he would be the laughing stock of Konoha if he were to be spotted with a commoner. And even though he was complying with her rules—to follow her and not attempt to escape—he did not intend to cooperate with her in any other way. He hadn't entered a single store.

Tenten sighed. "Will you work with me?"

"No."

Neji inwardly smirked, as he was pleased with the progress they were making. She was frustrated and they both knew it.

He had a plan formulated. There were three ways to get rid of this girl. Firstly, he remembered the words she had said earlier: "Just work with me and I'll leave earlier!" If he were to work with her, he figured he would be left with the annoying brat for another two months. His second choice was to forcefully kick her out of the Hyuuga manor, but that wouldn't possible with Hiashi on Tenten's side. The last possibility was to make Tenten leave on her own accord, but that would only happen if she were to break down. Provoking her seemed like the easiest task to fulfil, so Neji was determined to make her life miserable.

"Okay," Tenten said with another sigh, "here's the deal. I have a friend whom I'm supposed to meet at the café restaurant down the—"

"Really?" Neji interposed, smirking the slightest bit. "Does that mean I can leave?"

Tenten fell silent. As subtle as it was, the slight upturn of the corners of his lips changed his appearance so much. Even though the half-smile only lasted for a brief moment, she felt something in her heart flutter. She could almost see someone really charming and attractive—almost.

Realisation suddenly dawned on her that Neji had already begun walking back towards the Hyuuga manor again, probably having assumed that her not answering was a "yes". She rolled her eyes and ran after the prodigy. "Hey—don't go! You're coming and that's it!"

Spinning him around, she put his surprisingly warm hand into hers and began dragging him towards the café restaurant. When she noticed that he hadn't jerked his hand out of hers yet, she felt something tug at her heart. It was the first time in two weeks that he had actually allowed her to touch him while in a conscious and relatively uninjured state. But the feeling disappeared as fast as it appeared though. She quickly buried the feeling underneath her anger and frustration towards the spoiled brat.

Tenten waited in line for tea alone while she waited for Ino. Neji had wordlessly seated himself. He didn't need to repeat himself again—she knew that it was disgraceful to be seen with a girl like her. She rolled her eyes at his uncharacteristic yet unsurprisingly ever-present pride.

She watched him from where she was standing inside the café; he was sitting at a small table in the corner of the outdoor patio. His elbows were placed on the cold marble surface, his chin resting on his hands. His head was hung low, his long hair covering most of his visage. Perhaps he was hiding from girls? She shook her head in disbelief. How could girls even admire him? His eyes were always so cold, and his frown seemed to be fixed there permanently.

She inhaled shakily when she found herself, yet again, doubting the chances of his being able to change. What he had said earlier was right—after twelve years of ruthless training in solitude to become so independent, would he really change just because she was here? And the fact that Hiashi counted on her only pressurised things. Hiashi had mentioned that he wanted Neji to become more normal and decent, but Tenten couldn't find anything decent about the unpleasant boy. Neji was simply bitter and cold, ruthless and cruel.

She sighed. The next six weeks were going to be long.

"Miss?" The high-pitched, chirpy voice cut into Tenten's thoughts. "Your order's ready. Just pick it up over there, okay?"

Tenten, quickly thanking the cashier and grabbing her order, stepped out of the café to find Neji. Careful not to spill the beverages, she slowly climbed the stairs leading to the patio, keeping her eyes on each step. When she caught sight of multiple pairs of shoes, she looked up to see that a group of wannabe thugs had blocked her path.

She mentally cursed. Unfortunately, she had left her weapons at the Hyuuga manor. She had assumed that a trip to the town would be harmless, which it still was; there was nothing she couldn't handle with sheer strength. There was no doubt that her fists alone were enough for something like this but she knew she couldn't hurt them unless they made a move on her first. She gripped her drinks tightly and stared at them coolly, hoping that they would back down. "Excuse me."

"I would let you go," the approaching boy said, leering as the rest began hooting and cornering her. His eyes were a light shade of grey, and his hair a light blond; he would have been attractive to Tenten if he hadn't flanked her in with questionable intentions. "I honestly would cause you're such a pretty thing, but it's almost dinnertime and I'm hungry."

Tenten wanted to grimace when he licked his lips, but refrained from doing so. "If you're hungry, go wait in line for food."

"How cute, how naive. All the more delightful when I have my way with you."

"What do you want?" Tenten asked lowly. It was a stupid question but she was trying to buy time. She couldn't knock them out; she technically could, but she didn't want to cause a commotion during rush hour or have the Hokage after her for violating the laws. Besides, these guys were ordinary people, a small gang of village boys who probably just entered adulthood and didn't know what to do with themselves.

"I want to know why a pretty girl such as yourself is wandering alone. How 'bout this, come with me and let's get a private room so we could have some real fun."

Temporarily forgetting about Neji, Tenten blatantly ignored the thug and headed back into the café in hopes of losing the gang. She was clearly aware of the scene they were making; although no one was trying to prevent them from approaching her, she saw various heads turning towards them. Some simply shook their heads and resumed their conversations, but the majority watched with fascination, as if they were being given a sneak peek of a highly anticipated movie.

The blond, presumably the leader by the way he spoke for everybody, suddenly grabbed her arm. "Why are you running from us?"

"Back off."

"Oh, she's a feisty one! Boss, I like," a riffraff behind Tenten murmured. She heard him licking his lips.

"Let me go," Tenten warned, narrowing her eyes. She gave her most intimidating stare to the blond still holding onto her. "Let me go before I pour both cups of tea down your pants."

The boy, who was unusually tall, leaned down and held her chin with his free hand. The smell of alcohol was suffocating. "There's a reason why no one is helping you. No one dares to defy me—not him, not her, not you." His voice was breathy. "Do you know who I am?"

"A day drinker, apparently."

"Clever one, aren't you?" His grip on her tightened, but Tenten's composure was unwavering. She remained defiant even when he placed his face so close to hers their noses were practically touching. "Wait until I shut you up—"

"Leave her alone."

The boy cornering Tenten stopped; the atmosphere suddenly grew cold when a dark aura surrounded the two. Before she could even register who had approached them, someone appeared in front of her, effectively disarming the unsuspecting thug. There was something about the cold edge in the stranger's voice that she recognised.

Neji.

And her intuitions were right. There Hyuuga Neji was, standing so tall and strong it made her heart almost burst with pride to be by his side.

But the leader of the gang began erupting with laughter, and the rest of the group quickly followed suit. "Look," the leader jeered. He put his hands on his cheeks and opened his mouth in mock fear, his body trembling as he began laughing. "Oh, I'm so scared! A white-eyed freak is trying to start with me!"

The poor boy never saw it coming. In the next instant his body flew to the other side of the patio, the wood of the fence snapping in two as he fell through the newly made hole.

Tenten stared in shock, utterly speechless for a few moments. Neji had barely moved at all. The only thing she had managed to catch was the flick of his wrist and a mutter that was probably the name of the attack. Then a powerful gush of wind combined with chakra had appeared and blasted the thug away.

The café was now, unsurprisingly, enveloped in silence. Every customer and employee had stopped and turned their way—interested or not—and gaped at both Neji and the group of boys, eyes darting back and forth as if attempting to decipher the situation. Eyebrows raised questionably when they thought they recognised the Hyuuga prodigy and some furrowed in jealousy at the sight of Tenten.

"Leave," Neji said sharply, his voice especially clear in the now-silent café restaurant.

The group of boys' eyes widened when realisation finally hit them. This was Hyuuga Neji. Without a second thought, each of them mumbled an apology quickly towards Tenten and went over to help their leader up. The leader, however, refused to swallow his pride despite knowing the huge difference in his strength and Neji's. So he sent both of the prodigy and the girl beside him a resentful look before scrambling to his knees to run away.

When all of them were out of sight, murmurs and whispers began filling the café again, but most were about the incident that had just taken place. Tenten was tempted to yell that pointing fingers weren't polite, but her gaze was fixed on Neji, who wordlessly took his drink from her and walked back to their table.

"Neji," she whispered angrily after him. "What the hell was that? Now there's a giant gaping hole in the fence!"

"I can afford it. And if you hadn't been so pathetic, my interference wouldn't have been necessary."

"Me, pathetic?" Tenten made an effort to keep her voice low because there were already enough people watching. "They were the ones who were pathetic! I could've handled them all by myself, you know. I didn't want to cause any kind of commotion but obviously you had to be a hothead and use chakra on normal villagers! Now everybody's shaken up and who knows how expensive the reparations are!" She didn't mean to babble on and complain and insult him; she realised in a moment's time that she was actually trying to process what had just happened. Had he actually stood up for her?

"They bothered Hinata before, and I got blamed for not doing anything," Neji stated simply. He looked at her with a hint of disdain. "I didn't do it for you."

With that being said, he walked out carelessly, leaving the untouched drink on the marble table. He ignored her shouts of protests when she tried to make him stay.

Tenten felt her heart sink as she collapsed back into her seat. There was no doubt that she was the worst tutor the world had yet to meet; instead of encouraging Neji to become more open, she had ironically refused his help and even complained about it because she thought she was a capable ninja. Instead of helping him work through his personal problems, all she had done was complain about her own. Instead of helping him train, she had rendered him injured.

No wonder Neji hated her.

He had everything already. He most definitely didn't need to deal with her. He most definitely didn't need help from her.

What could she offer, anyway? She had no title as a ninja, no money, no status—she didn't even have a last name. And after she was done at the Hyuugas', she would once again be hidden in the world. Her presence would be gone and nobody would even care. Sadness projected through her eyes as she stared at nothing in particular, her shoulders slumping from dejection.

"There you are, Tenten!"

A bubbly and feminine voice broke into her thoughts and she looked up to meet a pair of sparkly cerulean eyes. Tenten felt heart lighten as she stood to hug her friend. "Hi Ino," she cried, feeling a tiny bit relieved. "I thought that you wouldn't come."

"Nonsense," Ino assured her. Laughing, she punched her fist into the air. "I may be tardy at times but Yamanaka Ino does not forget anything!"

The unfamiliar girl beside Ino snorted. "And that would also explain why you forgot all the answers to your tests." She flipped her pink hair back and her emerald eyes flashed with in triumph when Ino turned beet red.

"Oh come on, that was years ago! And that was just one test! And it was ridiculously hard!"

"Oh, and that would explain my perfect score."

Tenten, bemused, stared at the two as they started bickering.

"I almost forgot!" Ino suddenly exclaimed, temporarily forgetting her rivalry with her friend. "Tenten, this is Haruno Sakura, my super nerdy best friend. And Sakura, this is Tenten, the super nice girl who's tutoring Neji, but you already know that, and—"

"Yeah, yeah." Sakura airily waved off the introductions and sat across Tenten, her emerald eyes sparkling. "So, tell me Tenten, what just happened here? We saw Neji's attack, but by the time we got here, everything was normal again!"

"Oh yes, do tell," Ino added eagerly, seating herself.

"Well," Tenten began, "so before I got some tea for Neji and myself, but on my way back to our table, a group of wannabe thugs just appeared." Sakura and Ino nodded keenly, their eyes slightly wide as they pressed her to go on. Tenten sighed after she finished recalling the rest of the incident. "So basically, I'm a horrible and ungrateful person."

"Aw, don't say that," Sakura said. "Neji, out of all people, would understand the need to be independent and prove oneself. And it's not like he's entirely grateful for everything himself. You're giving him a taste of his own medicine." A slow smile unfurled on her lips. "You know, in a way, you guys are very similar."

"Please don't say that," Tenten laughed. "He's so difficult."

"But he also stood up for you," Ino pointed out. "How's everything else going?"

"Equally terribly."

Ino smiled as she positioned herself comfortably on the chair and Sakura followed suit. "I love stories and we've got time! Spill."

And Tenten did; she told her newly made friends everything and anything, pausing from time to time to watch their reactions. She felt the stress slowly flow out of her system as she complained about Neji's lack of interest in anything, the clan's disapproving glares at her, Hanabi's unwelcoming tricks, and the tutoring job she unfortunately had that was destined to fail.

"I just don't know what he's thinking!" Tenten cried near the end, burying her face in her hands. "One day he actually accepts my presence but then the next day comes and he'll completely ignore and insult me!"

"It's alright. Just stay insistent," Sakura told Tenten sympathetically, sipping Neji's untouched drink. "You still have lots of time left—there's more than enough, actually—to make him change. Neji's just a tougher case, that's all. Everyone will change eventually. Just give him some time, Tenten."

"That's the thing though. I have a month and a half to do the impossible."

"A lot can happen in that time. Don't give up; I know for a fact that Neji hates quitters."

Tenten fell silent for a bit.

"Neji's past has always been a bit of a mystery, so maybe that's what traumatised him or something," Ino said thoughtfully, grabbing the tea from Sakura's hands to have a sip. "He mentioned something about his past during the Chuunin exams a few years ago, you know. I don't really remember much, but I think he lost his parents. I remember feeling really sorry for him."

"Really? What did he say?"

"Sakura," Ino said, "do you remember? It's been like what, four years?"

"I thought your memory was infallible," the pink-haired girl countered sardonically, ignoring the light shove that came her way. With a more serious note, she continued, "He didn't actually say much. He only revealed a little bit and that was for the sake of putting his opponent down—he said that fate was the reason why he had lost both of his parents. Then he proceeded to say that it was also fate that would make him the winner, which is what actually happened."

Ino snorted. "That wasn't the wheel of fate spinning. That guy from the Sand Village was obviously way weaker. But yeah, I think I sort of remember now—I wonder what had really happened to him."

"Me too," Tenten murmured, eyes distant from wonder. "He doesn't talk about his parents, that's for sure."

"Why would he?" Sakura mused. "I wouldn't if I lost my parents."

"I would be traumatised too," Ino agreed, nodding. "So don't give up, Tenten! Did you expect him, Neji out of all people, to start changing only after two short weeks? You know how he acts. Did you actually think that he would suddenly become a cuddly bear with a heart that's soft and glows with kindness?"

Tenten giggled. "Well, when you put it like that, then no, not exactly."

"Precisely. So break it down into steps. The first step in making a breakthrough is spending time together! Did you ask him to the Cherry Blossom Festival yet? It's this weekend."

Tenten shook her head. Honestly, it hadn't crossed her mind since Ino had mentioned it to her. She knew for a fact that Neji hated crowded places and after today's events, she wasn't particularly eager to convince him to do anything anytime soon.

"Well, you better today or tomorrow!" Sakura insisted. "But you have to prepare though—first things first. What are you wearing?"

Tenten shrugged. "What I'm wearing now?" She looked down at her her usual attire, an outfit that consisted of a white Chinese-styled shirt with crimson-coloured baggy pants. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"Is there something wrong with it? Of course there's something wrong with it!" Ino shrieked, standing up. "It's fine for training and all, but really, Tenten, for a festival? Girl, we need to get you some clothes right now! Let's go!"

"But Hinata already gave—"

"Still not enough!" Sakura gleefully replied.

Tenten's shout of protests were ignored by Ino and Sakura as they dragged her down the street, one pulling on each hand. Ino giggled as she announced their first stop. "The Konoha mall!"

The sun had already disappeared and the moon had risen. Neji sat motionlessly on his bed with his eyes vacant, his thoughts far away. Memories of today's events flooded his mind. Why was he still bothered by the guys that had attacked Tenten? He frowned. He could have left while he had the chance, yet he had decided to interfere. Why? The conclusion he had come to made perfect sense: it was the right thing to do, especially since they had bothered Hinata before. Yet the anger he had felt and was feeling now—it was unsettling.

He was vaguely aware of the fact that Hiashi and Hinata were still downstairs waiting for Tenten by the main entrance. He didn't know why they were so ridiculously concerned. They had interrogated him about her whereabouts the instant they had seen him without her and even though he had reassured them, they were still apprehensive. Why were they so worried about a commoner? It wasn't like she was valuable to the clan.

The Hyuuga prodigy, on the other hand, wasn't the slightest bit troubled because he knew that Tenten was fine; he had remained long enough at the café to see her meeting up with a blonde and a pink-haired girl. Not that he would have actually cared enough to stay if he had known otherwise—he just knew for a fact that he would be blamed if anything were to happen to her.

His frown deepened. Tenten wasn't important to him in any way or form, yet despite the fact that he had clearly established her insignificance in his mind, her words from this morning were floating in his mind.

"Self-pity doesn't get you anywhere, got that? The whole world does not revolve around you, so stop acting as if you're the only one suffering!"

Approaching footsteps were suddenly heard after what felt like an eternity and he felt a familiar presence in front of his door. It was Tenten, no doubt about it, bringing his medicine in hopes that he would drink it. He had a feeling they would go through the same process all over again, with his refusing and her persuading.

He frowned. "I don't need the medicine."

A sigh was heard through the sliding door. "Really, Neji?"

"Really."

"Are you serious?" Tenten cried exasperatedly. "We're going through this again? Do you want me to lose my voice from whining every single time?"

"I already took it."

"Nice try. I was told that you went straight into your room after dinner, and you know that you have to drink the tea after every meal. You know, it took me half an hour to brew it, not to mention that I used the yarrow I had found only after hours of searching. I thought my hard work would move you somehow but I guess it didn't. You're just a cruel, heartless jerk, Neji. You know that? I can't believe—"

The door suddenly slid open. Neji wordlessly took the drink from Tenten, placed the cup to his lips and gulped its contents down his throat. "There," he said shortly. "I drank it. Now leave."

Tenten was at loss for words. Today was, by far, the most surprising day since she had arrived at the Hyuuga manor two weeks ago. Although Neji was still far from being decent, he had done things today that made her heart swell indescribably.

"Neji, wait," she finally called out when he was about to shut the door on her. The prodigy stopped, an indication that he was listening. "Thank you," she said softly. "Thank you for drinking the medicine, again. And thank you for defending me earlier."

"I didn't do it for you."

Even though that response was more than expected from the cold-hearted prodigy, Tenten still felt a twinge of disappointment. "You know, it wouldn't hurt to act a little nicer. It's not hard. Just don't be so—so you."

"But this is who I am."

"You're absolutely impossible, you know that?"

"So are you," Neji simply retorted before retreating back into his room without another word. He failed to notice his uncle and cousin who were standing in the dark, watching the entire scene.

Hinata whispered to her father as she watched Tenten grumble to herself. "Neji-nii-san and Tenten-chan are really getting along, aren't they, Father?"

Hiashi smiled. "Indeed."

A/N: Some unbelievably cliché ideas with the whole damsel-in-distress bit and bring-the-new-girl-shopping but hey, it was enjoyable to write! I am unashamed.

Thank you Philyra for putting up with me and thank you for reading!

Much love,
Chigiri Sasaki

Posted June 2007, edited August 2013.