Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Naruto.

Destined to Love
By: Chigiri Sasaki

Summary: He was a prodigy, with a damaged past and no future. She was a commoner, with a hidden secret. Strung together by fate, it was only a matter of time before she changed his life forever. [AU, NejiTen]

Chapter Seventeen

"Neji, you cover the northern area of the forest," a voice ordered. The deep voice belonged to a man, almost twice his height.

Neji, aged nine, nodded without hesitation. Not only was he determined to prove that he was worthy, he was also intimidated by the ninja that spoke. The tall man was dressed in a long, dark cloak, his face covered by a white mask with red stripes on the side. He barely moved as he proceeded to give orders to the rest of the four man team.

The young Hyuuga could only stare at the other members in admiration. They were all so tall, all so strong and knowledgeable. It was simply luck, him being part of this B-ranked mission. It was clearly for those who were experienced—not for nine year olds like him, who didn't even graduate from the academy yet.

However, that being said, Neji was the smartest and the strongest of his entire generation. His father's death and his mother's disappearance shaped his perspective and motivated him to do nothing but train. As a result, he became an impassive fighting machine, even at such a young age. He never gave up. It was that perseverance that convinced the Hokage to let him be part of this scouting mission.

"If someone finds our target, you know the signal," the leader continued in his deep, smooth voice. "Go!"

They all ran off in different directions. Neji was slightly slower than the other ninjas, but the speed difference was only visible to a trained eye. He ran as fast as he could go, feeling the wind blow against his face. His Byakuugan was activated.

Then, in the silent forest, he heard something strange. He slowed down, so that there weren't even the sounds of leaves crunching under his feet. As he approached the source of the noises, he realised that they were muffled sobs.

It was a tiny girl, with brown hair tied into two buns on top of her head. She was leaning against a tree, hugging her knees and crying into them. She looked so forlorn and sad that Neji felt the urge to ask her what was wrong. However, his conscience snapped him out of it and he fingered the hilt of his sword. Looks were deceiving. She could very well be the enemy, simply disguised as a young girl to fool the equally young, inexperienced boy. It seemed like a reasonable tactic, since Neji was the weakest out of the entire team.

For a few minutes, the Hyuuga prodigy stood there in an offensive stance, waiting for the girl to look up and fight him.

However, she never did and Neji sighed in relent. There was no use in letting her stay here, was there? It was already night, and the weather forecast predicted a storm. Besides, he had that smoke bomb in his back pocket; if he ever needed help, he could easily activate it.

Neji approached her cautiously, with his sword still in hand. In a soft voice, he asked, "what's wrong?"

The girl finally looked up. She was very pretty, despite her tearstained cheeks and bloodshot eyes. She eyed him warily, but then she noticed his weapons. She instantly wiped her tears and inched closer to the tree behind her. "W-what do you want?"

"I don't want to harm you," he said quickly. "I'm on a mission."

"To do w-what?"

"I'm supposed to find people who are attacking Konoha from the sidelines." He frowned suddenly as realisation hit him. "Did you see them? Are they the reason why you're crying?"

"No," the girl said before he jumped into any more conclusions. She sat back into the position she was in before, quickly deciding that he wouldn't hurt her. And even if he did, it was alright; she didn't know anything, not even the name of her parents or where she was born. What point was there left in life? Tears sprung to her eyes once more.

"Don't cry," Neji said stiffly.

"Why shouldn't I?" the young girl retorted, her voice cracking. "I'm lost! I don't know who I am, who my parents are, where I am, I don't know where I came from, I—" She let out a choked sob and continued to cry. "I don't want to live anymore!"

"Don't say that," the Hyuuga prodigy said suddenly. "And you're not lost. You're in Konoha."

"What's that?"

"A place. And what do you mean, by you don't know who you are?"

"I can't remember anything! I don't even know how I got here. I just woke up. A bunch of people brought me here, I think." She thrashed her arms wildly. "I don't care! I want to go home! This is just a bad dream… this is a bad dream…"

Neji kneeled in front of her. He grabbed both of her hands and steadied them. "Stop. You're going to attract attention from the attackers that are lurking nearby. Then, you won't be able to live even if you want to."

She instantly stopped, to his relief. "But that's okay," she said after a moment, "because you'll protect me, right?"

He looked at her oddly for a moment. What a strange girl.

"You'll protect me, right?" she repeated after a pause.

He nodded slowly, willing to do just about anything to silence this girl. "Right."

The doubt in her large brown eyes were replaced with joy. "Okay! So, tell me, what's your name?"

"I'll tell you if you tell me yours."

She pouted her lips. "But I don't know mine!"

"Exactly."

Then, her features changed. Her hair turned a few shades darker, now in a high ponytail. Her nose became longer and more angular, her large brown eyes grew darker, and her lips were suddenly fuller. The scene changed too. They were no longer in the forest; they were now undoubtedly in a different country, in a secluded place with just them two. The sky was a dark grey and raindrops pelted down at them. He was drenched within seconds.

In front of him stood his former teammate, Akira. She stared at him coolly, squarely in the eye. "Don't try to stop me, Neji. You can't do that, especially in your state."

He was now aware of the pain that throbbed at his leg and his arms. His clothes were soaked as well—whether it was from the rain or his blood, he didn't know.

"Leave, Neji. I don't want to kill you."

"I can stop you, in any condition."

She cocked her head to the side, smirking smugly. "You're underestimating me, Hyuuga."

"I'm not. I know you wouldn't betray Konoha. You wouldn't hurt your own teammate, either."

Her eyes tightened for a moment. "It's not by choice," she whispered finally. Then, in a fraction of a second, she drew her sword and plunged it into his chest. Momentarily losing his ability to stand up, his knees gave way and he collapsed to the ground. He could feel the warm blood spilling out. He felt cold and lightheaded, unable to see or feel or hear properly anymore. His body and mind was losing consciousness fast, and he knew that very well. He completely gave up in trying to get back up. But somehow, he felt the need to keep his eyes open. As long as he kept them open, he would still have hope in staying alive…

He had to open his eyes…

"Neji, open your eyes!"

At the warm, familiar voice, Neji's eyes snapped open. To his relief, he finally gained all of his senses back. He was now aware of the fruity aroma that floated in the air, the sweet, light voice, and most of all, the large brown eyes stared at him curiously. Realising their proximity, he immediately rolled out of bed. He glared at the intruder. Why was she in his room? Did he let her? Did she think that she was so important she could barge into his room whenever she pleased?

"Neji," Tenten said, startled by his reaction. "Are you alright?"

"Why are you in my room?"

"Well, I woke up this morning, and then I heard you talking in your sleep. You sounded like you were in pain, so I came over."

"I don't talk in my sleep." After a moment, he added, "what exactly did you hear?"

"I only heard little fragments, and even those weren't coherent."

Neji scrutinised her carefully. There was a mixture of doubt, shock and worry in her eyes—it was subtle, but she was definitely lying. She heard what he said. He was a light sleeper, but from time to time, he would replay pieces of his memories in his sleep. Those memories were usually the ones that he remembered best. And since he knew them well, he would somehow recite the lines aloud. It was a bad habit of his; that was actually how his teammates Lee and Akira learned about his past. He didn't actually tell them; he told them when he was asleep.

Why was he dreaming about his first encounter with Tenten, anyway? Was it because she gave him a gift the night before? And then, he remembered the last time he saw Akira as his teammate. The memories stayed crystal clear, despite all these years.

He glanced quickly at her. She seemed normal. Yet, he could tell she was unsettled, as if she was thinking really hard. Did she figure out? Did she figure out that he was the boy that provided her comfort years ago?

"Well, you seem to be fine now," Tenten suddenly said, slightly flustered. "I j-just wanted to say that… um, Tsunade-sama wants to see you. She wants to make sure that you're okay after that nasty fight." She didn't quite want to mention who he had engaged in a battle with.

"I don't need it. I'm fine," he said shortly. "Tsunade-sama has her own business to deal with."

"Just go, please. This is for your health."

He fell silent, suddenly remembering his plan to get rid of this silly, ignorant girl. He simply gestured to his door, silently telling her to leave and walk out of his life forever. Sure, he would be disobeying the orders of his uncle, but at this point, he was almost desperate. Anything was better than having this girl ruining his life. Everything seemed to be different with her around. He had agreed to go shoe shopping with her—was that not enough proof that he had become unworthy of the Hyuuga name?

Tenten put her hands up in defeat. "Alright, alright, I'll go. Just remember, I got a notice this morning. All ninjas are to help out at the hospital. Apparently, there are too many patients coming in. Those are Tsunade-sama's orders." Seeing that he still did not respond, she sighed and left the room.

She was glad, in a way, that Neji was this cold. That just proved how he could never be the boy that helped her out years ago. It scared her, at the beginning; she woke up to hear him recite a few lines that sounded uncannily familiar. But to her great relief, he then began to mumble something about betrayal and hurting a teammate. It didn't even occur to her that he could have been talking about Akira.

Not that she didn't want Neji to be that special person she cherished in her heart. It was just that, she imagined the boy to grow up to be a great, inspiring, strong young man—Neji was simply cold and tiring.

She had long figured that that boy was a Hyuuga. Only they possessed such hauntingly beautiful moonlight eyes. She never knew before, though, roaming around the different villages in the country, until she came across the leaf village. And when she entered the Hyuuga household, she was ecstatic—she thought that she would surely find him again. She swore she found him when she laid her eyes on Neji, but then he flatly said that he didn't know who she was.

Technically, it could be anyone in the clan—they all looked somewhat alike. But then again, she didn't know much. For all she knew, he could be dead by now. Wasn't he on a dangerous mission when he found her? He was still such a young boy then. Since then, he could have gone and gotten himself killed.

From her room, she could hear Neji exiting his.

She smiled slightly. At least he took what she said into consideration.

Neji cursed to himself as he walked down the street, shoving his hands into his pockets. He felt the cold seep into his clothes and his breaths came out in little puffs. Why didn't he choose to wear something warmer? It was dawn, when the sun had barely risen, and it was the middle of winter. Well, Konoha's winters were short and not all that cold, and Neji was pretty much immune to everything, but he still preferred the warmth.

It was abnormally quiet. No one was in sight; he thought that he would at least see the elderly couple that lived down the street. For as long as he could remember, they got up every morning to watch the sunset on their balcony together. They were always there, in any kind of weather. But they weren't here today.

He vaguely remembered what Hiashi had been mumbling about the other day. Something about an epidemic that attacked mostly the young and the elderly. Wasn't that also what Ino was implying the last time he and Tenten visited Amaya? She even made sure that they swallowed a pill before going anywhere.

It surprised him when he entered the hospital. Unlike the lifeless streets, the hospital was full and crowded with patients. It made him nauseous, going in. He smelled sweat, blood and vomit among many other unpleasant stenches. There were doctors and nurses running about, cries and yells were heard, people were being rushed into the emergency room, and papers were scattered and flying about everywhere.

"Hyuuga," a voice suddenly said.

Neji turned around to see Uchiha Sasuke standing by the hospital door. He was holding a large jar of white and black capsules. Beside him was Naruto, who was standing by a large water dispenser and five large stacks of disposable cups.

"Tsunade-sama told us to give one to every visitor," he explained dully, as if he had said this many times before. He probably did.

"It's supposed to give you immunity to the new disease that's going around," Naruto added. "Seriously, it's starting to scare me."

"Everything scares you, you idiot."

"Why you!"

"It's different," Neji stated in an attempt to prevent their annoying bickering. "Last time, the pill was much smaller. And I swallowed one before. Aren't I protected by now?"

"Yes, but Tsunade-sama makes everyone take it anyway. And it's different because the bacteria is always changing," Sasuke said, pausing momentarily. "Why are you here, anyway?"

"Check-up."

Naruto snorted. "There are much more pressing matters than your check-up. Obviously you're fine." On a more serious note, he added, "you know, Chouji and Shikamaru are all now hospitalised. Apparently, something happened to them during our mission. They all came in yesterday."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I'm aware of that. If they're all sick, then why aren't you, Uzumaki? You were part of that mission."

Naruto shrugged. "I've got superpowers."

"Idiot." Neji left the two younger ninjas, as they had to serve other visitors. They came in abundance, which made Neji's brows furrow. The hospital was usually crowded, but most of the patients were ninjas that were injured during missions. However, now, instead of ninjas coming in, commoners and villagers filled the hospital. What was up with this new epidemic? It seemed to be everywhere.

"Daddy, make it go away," he heard a little girl cry to her father. She was then thrown into a fit of coughing. Neji caught sight of the tissue she coughed into; there were specks of blood on it. Perturbed, he turned to the counter at the front.

"Hyuuga Neji," he said to the distressed receptionist. "I'm here for my examinations."

"Right," the lady said, running a hand through her tousled hair. It looked like she didn't get much sleep for the past few days. She quickly filed through some documents, pulled out a few sheets and handed them to the prodigy. "Here. Wait in room 304, in the F wing. A doctor will come shortly."

"Why does he get a room so quickly?" the middle-aged man behind Neji shouted. "My daughter is the one who's sick! He looks completely fine!"

"Save my son instead!" another woman exclaimed.

The Hyuuga could hear similar complaints by the other people in the lobby. He could hear the receptionist yelling over all their voices, explaining how their children's disease was different and needed special care in a different area of the hospital.

Neji was glad that their voices and the ruckus faded as he walked down the east wing of the hospital. It was beginning to bother him. Back at the Hyuuga household, everything was much more calm and organised. If he didn't leave the mansion this morning, he would have never realised what a mess Konoha was in.

He called the first person that passed by. "Haruno."

Sakura was running; she stopped short when she caught sight of Neji. "Neji-san," she said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

He held up his sheets. "I was asked to return for a check-up."

"Oh, right." She ushered him into the room. "I'll just run some tests quickly."

She performed them rather quickly; professionalism was evident in her movements as she checked for various factors. Still, Neji couldn't help but feel that she was skipping certain examinations to save time. Why were they all so stressed out?

"And that's it!" Sakura said finally, scribbling some final notes. "You're good to go. You didn't have to come in, really. You were fine when you first left the hospital. You must be dying to train by now."

"So I could've been training for the past week?" He didn't mention the fact that he started training yesterday; he had done so because he was tired of having nothing to do for a week. Instead, he had dinner with people, visited a sick girl in the hospital and went shoe shopping with Tenten.

His irritation was so evident all of a sudden and Sakura laughed nervously. "Well, it was best if you didn't. You shouldn't be so reckless with training, even if the tournament is this week. Your wellbeing is the most important of all. No silly title is worth putting your life on the line."

"I'm aware of that."

Sakura tilted her head questioningly for a moment. Neji wasn't being exactly nice to her, but something about the way he responded indicated that he was different. He even stayed long enough to listen to her chiding about his training habits. What exactly did Tenten do?

"Sakura!" Ino's familiar voice suddenly shouted into her earpiece. "Sakura, do you hear me?"

"Yes, Ino," Sakura cried exasperatedly into her mouthpiece. "What is it?"

"Come over to room 205. You have to watch the patient until Tsunade-sama comes and takes a look at them."

"What? Yamazi-san was the first one she wanted to check today. Where is she, then?" Sakura momentarily eyed Neji, who was now gazing expectantly at her, as if waiting for her approval to leave. Quickly, she handed him his medical sheets, circled the area he needed to sign, and dismissed him with a wave. She locked the door on her way out, and began heading towards the forbidden area of the hospital—the area where patients with the new, unknown disease resided. "Ino? You still there?"

"Yeah," said blonde said after a pause. There was a long beeping noise on the other line. "What was I saying? Oh, right. Tsunade-sama is in the tower. She's reading Kakashi-sensei's and Kurenai-sensei's report from their missions. You know, she sent them and their teams to find the roots of the plague."

"Yes, I know that. Except with Kakashi-sensei, she sent Chouji and Shikamaru to replace me and Sasuke."

"Right. And—" Ino paused. She mumbled something incoherent to who Sakura guessed to be a patient. "They both went on the same night, but at different times. Kurenai-sensei's team left after being ambushed by a group of Jounins. Kakashi-sensei's team, who came a few hours later, made it a little further, but weren't so lucky."

"They came back to Konoha, all infected by the disease, with the exception of Naruto," Sakura finished, sighing. "I know, Ino. That's nothing new."

"Yeah, well, I bet you don't know that Tsunade-sama's sending a third group. Apparently, Gai-sensei and his team are going next. She's even considering Asuma-sensei and Hyuuga Hiashi-sama."

This took Sakura by surprise. "What?" she exclaimed. "No matter how strong Neji and Lee are, they're going get killed in the process. And they're even missing a member since Akira left us years ago. There are other ninjas that are older and more experienced. Why not send those?"

"That's because they're busy guarding Konoha. There might be an infiltration. We can't afford to lose any valuable members… we saw what happened to Chouji and Shikamaru."

Sakura sighed dejectedly. "What is Tsunade-sama thinking?"

For the next few days, it was rather uneventful. Tenten couldn't help but sigh as she sat by her window, gazing at the tiny snowflakes that had accumulated on the edge of the windowsill. It was still early in the morning—she only woke up because she started to shiver from the cold. She had, yet again, another dreamless night; she was beginning to wonder why there was such a long interval between each activated memory, and why they were so short. She wanted to go back to bed, but after rolling around for an hour or so, she decided that her efforts were useless.

So she sat by the window, staring at the grey sky and the soft, fluffy snow that fell from it. It was relaxing, to simply sit and not do anything. Actually, that was pretty much what she had done for the past few days—most of the time, she just sat, not doing anything but thinking. Neji had spent all his time simply training, and since he had ignored her every attempt to strike up a conversation, she had given up and just went back to her room. She couldn't go out either—ever since Sasuke came by with a week's supply of immunity pills and warned them about some new epidemic, Hiashi had strict orders to keep everyone within the Hyuuga estate. Everybody obeyed without hesitation, since most of them were not keen on being contaminated and spreading the disease to the rest of the clan. Hiashi kept strict tabs on the people who did have to go in and out—people like himself, who were ordered by Tsunade. The maids were also forced to take daily doses of medicine, since they didn't live here.

Yet despite the orders to keep everybody in, the Hyuuga mansion was eerily quiet and empty. Everybody seemed to have disappeared. Most of the Hyuugas were either taking advantage of the new epidemic to catch up on some rest or they were out by Tsunade's orders. Her friend Hiro, the handsome boy who gave her an expensive necklace, was one of the people who were protecting Konoha and watching the main gates.

Hinata, who had nothing to do, had accepted Tsunade's request to help out at the hospital. Tenten heard that there were a lot of rooms where three or four patients stayed in, some even sharing a bed. They were also short of doctors and nurses, which was the reason why Tsunade had asked help from Hinata and some other trustworthy ninjas.

Tenten wondered why Tsunade kept everything so secretive. Most of the village by now knew about the epidemic, as a lot of people were starting to get sick. But despite their pleas, the hospital's doctors and nurses kept mum about the unknown disease's origins, what progress Tsunade had made finding the cure, and what she was doing by rejecting all missions, depriving Konoha of its main source of income.

Tenten sighed. She had no one to talk to—she didn't know how she was going to amuse herself for the rest of the day. Naturally, if she had a choice to go out, she would have gone right out to visit Amaya at the hospital. She had grown to be fond of the little blonde girl with the bright cerulean eyes. She was so young and innocent with such a promising future, but she was dying from brain tumours. Why she was still trapped in the hospital, Tenten didn't know.

The brunette didn't even know if Amaya was being cured at all. She had brain tumours, so couldn't they have used chemotherapy? Clearly, Amaya had all of her hair, which meant that they didn't try that method. But why?

Money couldn't have been the problem. Indeed, Amaya was an orphan, but she was taken in by the Tanaka's, who owned the largest medicinal herbs store in all of Konoha. Vaguely, Tenten also remembered that the apothecary, who she had met before in town, and his wife were hospitalised as well. They came in a week or two after Amaya, which was when Tenten first visited her. And then, a few days later, more and more people started to come in. It was sort of strange, actually. It all started somewhere near then.

Tenten closed her eyes to think harder. There must have been a connection somewhere, something that was the key element that led to the epidemic.

Tenten retraced her trail of thoughts, back to the fact that Amaya had brain tumours. When the brunette first met her, Ino and Sakura mentioned that Amaya had the typical tumours. But then, they also added that Amaya's case was a little strange. That was the first hint that had led Tenten to think. The brunette had long suspected that the eight year old had the unknown illness; her assumption was only confirmed when Ino gave her a pill to swallow more than two weeks ago—it was during the time when Tenten was still staying over at Ino's. In fact, the blonde had even let it slip that the wing of the hospital they were in was for patients with a 'special' case.

Was that why they wouldn't put Amaya through chemotherapy? Was it because on top of her brain tumours, there was something else and they didn't know how it would react to it? It sort of made sense. Yet, they probably could've killed off the blob—or whatever form the bacteria took—with chemotherapy. The strong, concentrated waves would've finished off whatever was in there, unless the virus had the ability to spread through the entire body.

Tenten groaned. It was too confusing, and literally mind-blowing, since she had no information to form a base with. There were countless possibilities. If she just knew some basic information—but she didn't, since the hospital kept every piece of information within the pale, white building. She was even considered lucky, because Ino and Sakura were her friends and told her a little bit more since she visited Amaya so often.

What were the origins, though? Theoretically, it all started with Amaya. Amaya was the first one Tenten had heard of that possessed the strange new disease. Yet, her foster parents were sick as well—Amaya's brain couldn't have simply conjured some bacteria that had spread to her parents, brain tumours or not. So it must have been some outside source. It couldn't have been the kids from academy, if Amaya really was the first one to have it. Then it must have been something else, something elsewhere, like her home, or her parent's store—

The medicine that the Tanaka's owned in their large store. There was definitely something in it.

Before she could crack a triumphant grin, there was a soft knock at her door. Immediately knowing who it was, Tenten said, "come in." A dark brown-haired woman in her early thirties came in, and gave a slight bow to Tenten, timidly greeting her. She then laid a pile of freshly washed clothes on the table by the large closet. Without another word, she began hanging or placing each article of clothing to its assigned spot.

Tenten immediately stood up. "Here, I'll do it."

The woman, with slightly round eyes, shook her head slightly. "Thank you, Tenten-sama, but I cannot let you do so much work. You helped me last time already."

"Oh, that was just once. Here, let me do it," the brunette insisted, almost forcefully taking the hanger and shirt out of the maid's hand. Tenten could see the dark, hollow socket under the woman's eyes—clearly, she hadn't slept much. "It's the least I can do."

The woman smiled slightly, but there was genuine gratefulness in her eyes. "Thank you, Tenten-sama."

Tenten smiled at how sincere she was. Yet at the same time, she seemed so tired, so constantly worried about something. Tenten didn't know much about her—in fact, she had no clue as to what her name was, but the brunette knew for sure that the maid didn't live here. Actually, most of the maids didn't live here. They only served during the daytime, and left when the hired guards came at night. The only maids Tenten knew of that stayed here were the ones who served the best and were only kept in case of an emergency during the night.

Tenten watched as the timid woman scurried out of the room. She couldn't help but wonder what was wrong. Family issues, perhaps?

She couldn't really ponder any further, as the maid suddenly re-entered her room a few moments later. She smiled slightly, almost apologetically. "I'm sorry to disrupt again, but Hiashi-sama has requested to meet you in the main dining room."

Surprise flickered in Tenten's eyes. "Really? When?"

"Now."

"Oh!" Slightly shocked, Tenten followed the maid out of the room and headed towards the dining room. It was rather strange, actually, seeing that Hiashi was usually out and helping Tsunade with whatever he could do. And why was he calling her, at such an early time?

She found him sitting at the largest, most adorned head chair, eyes closed. The long, smooth, marble like wooden table looked spotless, reflecting the light of the chandelier that shone above. The clan head, despite his tired appearance, was alert and opened his eyes at the sound of her footsteps. His eyes crinkled into a paternal smile. "Good morning, Tenten."

"Good morning, Hiashi-sama," Tenten greeted happily, grinning. The thought of bowing never crossed her mind anymore; not that she was disrespectful, but he felt like such a fatherly figure to her she stopped bowing to him a week and a half after her first arrival. Not that he seemed to mind, anyway.

"I hope I did not wake you up too early," he said, "but I must leave especially early today. Duty calls."

"I was already awake," Tenten reassured quickly. "So why did you call me here?"

"I want to pay you. It has been over a month, yet I have not fulfilled my end of the deal." He put his hand into the pocket of his robe and fished out a dark velvet pouch, closed off at the top by a silver ribbon. He tugged at the ends of it, loosening the knot and revealing its contents. He handed it to her. "I hope this is sufficient."

For a moment, Tenten could only gape at the large wad of bills that the bag contained. She could swear that he didn't offer this much when he first consulted her with regards of the advertisement he saw of her. It was so tempting, to simply accept it, thank him and walk away—all that money was for her to take and for her to spend. But her conscience took over just in time and she handed it back to a surprised Hiashi.

"I… I can't take this," she said finally. "It hasn't even been a month yet. And I left for a few weeks while I was supposed to be here. And I'm eating the food that was given for free, I have free maid service…"

"Please, Tenten. Accept this. You have done wonders to Neji. For the past few days, he has been so pleasant to be around with."

"I honestly didn't do much, Hiashi-sama." And should she mention that he ignored her for the past week? She suddenly recalled the way he reacted to her gift and her shoulders slumped slightly. "And even if he did change the slightest bit, he's still not as nice as any other regular person."

"Yes, but you are more effective than anyone else. I tried everything, from volunteering him for camps so he could interact with kids to planning gatherings and dinners for him and his teammates. He wasn't interested in anything."

"You make him sound like an object—like a puzzle of some sort."

Hiashi chuckled softly. "I wish he was an enigma that I could figure out. There really isn't anyone like him out there. No one colder, no one harsher… well, with a few exceptions of course. But truly, he has seen too much as a mere sixteen year old. Even within the Hyuuga clan, it's rare to find someone of a similar deposition at Neji's age."

Tenten nodded understandingly, ruminating over his words. She wanted to know about Neji's past, but the Hyuuga prodigy didn't even want to glance at her. Could she possibly pry it out of the clan head?

"Is there something you would like to ask me?" he asked pleasantly, as if he read her mind.

"Um… yeah." Looking up at the venerable leader, she asked quietly, "what happened to Neji?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"As in his past," the brunette said softly. Her words were thoughtful as she recollected her memories of him. "He's always so cold, he always reprimands people when they're not strong, he looks down upon people, yet I can tell that he's hurting inside. He's always talking about fate, how I'm fated to be a commoner, and how things just aren't meant to be. I also noticed that I have never seen his parents. At first, I thought that they were on a long mission of some sort, but Neji seems too bitter about something. And I once heard him say something about the main family. He also always uses terminals when addressing a Hyuuga, when he doesn't use them with other people. Why is that?"

"And then," she continued without giving him a chance to speak, "I heard about Akira, his teammate, but everybody doesn't want to tell me the entire story behind it, as if it's taboo. Did she betray him or something?"

Hiashi closed his eyes when she finally stopped. "Ah, you're an observant one," he commented. "Well, I suppose you must know a little bit of Neji's background." He reopened his eyes and they were surprisingly distant. "Neji was left without parents at the mere age of four. And the loss of his parents, which he blamed on the clan, shaped his entire perspective."

Tenten's eyes widened. "But why would he blame it on the clan?"

"Ah, that, you should ask Neji himself, for I am not the person to tell you this. In time, Neji will reveal things to you. Just be patient." He cleared his throat. "This brings me to my point. I have a favour—well, it is part of your job—to ask of you."

Tenten tilted her head questioningly.

"Tenten, the Elders are planning to get Neji married once more. They have found another worthy candidate—from the rice country, this time. Last time, Neji was lucky because his fiancée turned out to be an enemy. The marriage was therefore delayed, but that wasn't the result of my efforts. I am positive I cannot stop the Elders this time, not when I have been agreeing to this tradition many times before." Hiashi eyed the brunette carefully. "You have a few weeks left, Tenten. There are only a few weeks left before I have to officially engage Neji to the new candidate. She will come here soon, with the intention of befriending Neji. However…"

The brunette waited in anticipation.

"However, Neji will never be happy. No matter how wonderful this new woman might be, he will always hold a resentment against her. To his eyes, if he accepts her, then he'll be conforming to the Hyuuga clan and its tradition. He thinks his purpose in life is to serve the clan and its reputation—and in some ways, it very much seems like it—but at the same time, he's trying to rebel against the clan because he holds a grudge against it."

"I'm confused," Tenten said after a moment.

"There is no need to understand, but simply, let Neji see a different side of the world. Continue what you've been doing and I'll be satisfied."

"Yes, but lately, he has been really cold again," Tenten blurted out. "He's been ignoring me, no matter how hard I try and it's really starting to frustrate me. You should be the one talking to him, and making him change because he respects you so much. He thinks I'm just some commoner that's bothering him." After a moment, she added, "I apologise for my rashness."

"No, you're wrong, Tenten. He respects the Hyuuga clan because he has to—he is bound by contract. However, despite his loyalty, he holds nothing but remorse for me and the clan. After what happened years ago, he blames the clan for his suffering. You're the only hope."

Even after Hiashi left, Tenten continued to ponder over his words. She was now sitting on her bed, looking directly through her open door and at the door that would lead into Neji's room. She was still surprised. More than a month ago, she had put up a flyer because she was willing to do almost anything for money. She accepted this peer tutor job, because she had heard about the Hyuuga clan and wanted to see what it was like. She also knew that it would be a good opportunity to socialise, since a lot of people in the clan were her age.

Yet, Hiashi was so solemn and sombre today, literally pleading her out of desperation. Only after today did she finally start to feel the pressure and the weight of her responsibility. Hiashi, the man who was known for his strength and abilities, was counting and depending on a silly, nameless girl like her.

When had this seemingly simple peer tutoring job become something much more serious?

And surprisingly, after thinking about this stubborn prodigy she was now especially determined to change, she drifted off to a deep sleep.

By the time she woke up again, it was late afternoon. This took Tenten by surprise, as she hardly slept this much; she was a light sleeper and usually woke up to the sounds of footsteps or even the wind howling. And as of recently, she started to remember fragments of her past, and those memories' vividness usually shocked her out of her sleep. Yet, today, she had slept peacefully. Now she was rejuvenated and surprisingly happy; it felt like she had caught up on a week's worth of sleep.

However, it was already dark, to her dismay. The sun barely peeked through the snowy clouds. It was literally night, now, and she had missed out on a whole day of changing Neji. She had been so determined after her conversation with Hiashi. She rolled out of bed, splashed her face with some cold water, and went out into the training grounds. That was the one place where she would always find him. He was so devoted to training.

For the past week, Neji had refrained from practicing, since Ino had advised him not to do any strenuous exercise after his fight with Akira. The prodigy obeyed the orders for about six days, until he started again. And ever since he went to the hospital a few days ago and got Sakura's permission, he had been training nonstop.

Tenten found him panting, laying on the ground. His hair was loose from its low ponytail and his white Hyuuga robes were stained with the brown soil. His eyes were closed, but they suddenly snapped open when he heard her approaching.

"Hi, Neji!" A smile sprung to her lips, but she stopped halfway when she saw the damage he had caused. The large clearing that the Hyuuga owned for training purposes had craters and dents of all sorts. Neji cleared the ground of any plant life. She suspected that the completely destroyed fence was his doing as well.

Her eyes rounded as she turned back to Neji. "Well, looks like you had fun wasting all that energy."

Neji turned his head away, ignoring her completely. Why wouldn't she go away? His plan worked for the past few days. He got her to go back to her room every time. What made her think that this time was any different? Honestly, she should simply realise the truth and return to where she came from.

"So, did you come up with any new attacks? I'm sure the opponents in your upcoming tournament are strong," Tenten continued. She had to make some kind of progress—besides, she was eager to get Neji to talk to her. He was nice, for a period of time, when she first came back to the Hyuuga estate. Where did that person go?

"You want a training partner?" she asked, trying again. "I can be some help. Training by yourself will only train your attacks. What about your defence skills?"

Before she could pester him about anything else, she heard a smooth, silky voice cut in. "Hyuuga Neji, why are you ignoring such a lovely young lady?"

Neji stiffened and immediately stood up upon hearing the voice. He, although glared at the intruder, spat out, "Hiro-sama."

"H-hyuuga-san!" Tenten stammered, taken back by his sudden appearance—she didn't even notice him coming in, let alone the fact that he was standing right behind her. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still out."

He gave her a lazy grin. "Tsunade-sama let all the Hyuugas leave early today. Besides, we guard during the morning, and the other clans take over the night shifts."

"Why are you here?" Neji asked suddenly. "You don't train here."

"True, but I still have rights to every training area that the Hyuugas own. You don't."

At this, Neji silenced and Tenten couldn't help but wonder what was going on. Why did Hiro seem like an authority figure to Neji? If she couldn't pry it out of Hiashi, then she'd simply try Hinata or the rest of her friends.

"But you're right, Neji," Hiro continued smoothly, as if noticing Tenten's confusion. "I don't train here."

"Then why are you here?"

"Hiashi wants to see you in his meditation room."

"Fine." Neji, without taking another glance at the other two, stalked off. Tenten could only sigh dejectedly as she watched his retreating figure. Neji's walk was so strong, his shoulders were so broad and his hair snapped behind him like the mane of a lion. He was dirty and stained, but there was the unmistakable aura of a warrior that surrounded him. He was independent and strong all by himself. He clearly didn't want or need any help from the likes of her.

"Tenten," Hiro suddenly intoned from behind.

The brunette jumped. "Hyuuga-san! I didn't know you were still here."

"My, my," Hiro said, shaking his head. "Nobody wants Hiro around. First Neji, and now you."

"N-no, I didn't mean that! I—"

"You are quite delightful when you fluster," Hiro murmured, leaning dangerously close towards her. "And your blush…"

Immediately, Tenten took a few steps backwards in retaliation. "Hyuuga-san! I-I must go now."

"Please, call me Hiro." He straightened, stepping away from her and smiled politely. "I am quite tired of being regarded as some stranger. I consider you as my friend, Tenten."

"Well, Hiro, as a friend, can I ask you something?"

"Oh, but I thought you had to go?"

"Yeah, well. It's just a quick question."

"You want to ask about Neji's past." It was a statement, and it was only confirmed when Tenten nodded slightly. With suddenly serious eyes, he said mysteriously, "some family matters are best kept within the clan. If you manage to get it out of Neji, then that's an accomplishment, considering what he's been through. But, for now, let's just say that his life is in my hands. I can crush his mind this very instant and obliterate it."

Tenten subconsciously flinched at the harsh words. "But surely, you mean that you can beat him in a battle, right?"

Hiro smiled crookedly. "Look under that black cloth he's always wearing around his head."

And with that, Hyuuga Hiro walked off, leaving Tenten confused, shocked and even a bit scared.

Neji could feel pain throbbing at his arms and legs as he walked down the long, quiet Hyuuga corridors. It unnerved him, to hear his own footsteps so clearly; it felt like he was the only one in the entire estate. If what Hiro said was right, all the Hyuugas should be present. He shook off the uneasy feeling and continued to walk towards the room where Hiashi meditated every day.

He found his uncle meditating on the floor, in the middle of the incensed room. A white scroll was laid beside him.

"Hiashi-sama," Neji greeted, bowing. "You requested to see me?"

"Yes, I have." Hiashi stood up, taking the scroll with him and twirling it between his fingers. His eyes were sombre, almost sad in a way. His commanding voice didn't quite match his expression. "My nephew, I've been meaning to give this to you for a while."

Neji took the scroll wordlessly, without taking a second glance at it. "Is this a mission?"

Hiashi's eyes were still dull as he shook his head. He subtly gestured towards the scroll.

Neji glanced down, and to his surprise, he saw that it was addressed towards him. His name was written in a familiar handwriting, so familiar it was identical to—no, it couldn't be. Yet, in this situation, at this moment, Neji was more than positive that the handwriting belonged to none other than his father. The Hyuuga prodigy glanced up, and in a dangerously low voice, asked, "what is the meaning of this?"

Yet, he couldn't wait for Hiashi's response. With hands almost trembling, he loosened the red bow and opened the scroll.

Hyuuga Neji, my son…

Neji was unable to move after reading the first few words. That was the familiar handwriting of the person who had taught him how to write. Neji suddenly recalled the times where he would try to copy Hizashi's writing, with said person right by his side, guiding him along the way. Right now, he felt like he was that little boy again, with his father's presence right next to him. Neji could almost hear his father's voice reading the letter.

By the time you read this letter, I will already be dead. I know your uncle will show you my dead corpse very soon, but do not be afraid, Neji. Do not be resentful, because I chose to die. I opted for my own death, because I want to protect Hiashi.

You see, the night Hiashi killed Hinata's kidnapper, the land of lightning was furious. The Raikage did not apologise for his attempt at kidnapping. Instead, they demanded for the murderer's body. It seemed like a natural reaction, but the entire clan knew their true intentions. They wanted the secret of the Byakuugan. For days, Hokage-sama and Hiashi discussed the issue. Hiashi wanted to take responsibility for his actions. He knew that if he didn't, a war would break out and that was the last thing Konoha needed.

Yet, there was a problem. He was the clan head. If the clan's leader died, and they figured out the secret, the entire clan and its members would be put at stake. So I stepped in.

Hiashi didn't want me to die—he didn't want me to die for something I did not do. But I insisted, because protecting a member of the head family was my duty. However, you will be surprised, because they did not consider replacing Hiashi with me once. Only when I spoke up did they realise that there was a simple solution to the mess. I spoke up not because it was my duty, but because I wanted to protect my own twin brother.

I know that right now, you're probably still waiting by the cherry blossom tree, awaiting my return. I'm sorry that it will never come. I apologise for your mother's actions, and I apologise for mine. I hate it, leaving you at such a young age. However, I have my reasons, and as you grow older, you will understand them as well.

Now heed my words. Even though your mother left, even though I'm going to leave you myself, you must continue to live on. You are blessed, my son, with the greatest talents the clan has yet to discover. I can see your future already. Use that potential and become a strong, young man. Do not let any responsibility or the loyalty you owe the clan hinder your dreams. Nothing is written in the Fates, my boy, so aim high. Do not become a slave or a mere puppet of the Fates. There are other ways to live your life freely, and I know you will find them. It's up to you, Neji, because I know that out of all people, you have the strongest will and desire to be free.

Yet, being independent and strong doesn't mean being alone. It is fine to accept companions along the way. It is not a sign of weakness. No one, regardless of their strength or independence, can walk down the road of life alone. There are people out there who truly care for you, and will always be there to give a lending hand.

Well, it is time for Father to go now. I can't give you any more than what you already have. But remember, I chose my own death. I defied the fates, and so will you. Neji, forge your own destiny and do not hesitate to choose your own path. Do not regret the mistakes that you make, because you will learn from it.

I will always be proud of you, my son.

Hizashi

A/N: Just wanted to add that bit with Hiro near the end. Well, I must say that this is a long chapter! It took a while to write. Time is passing by so quickly! It honestly feels like I updated a week ago, when it has actually been over four. Time passes quickly for people like me. I am leaving for Boston in a few hours, so I just wanted to get this out. This is an UNEDITED version of the chapter, so I apologise for all the grammar mistakes, typos and whatnot. Hopefully you managed to get this far! :)

Anyways, if the epidemic/missions are confusing, just let me know and I'll try to clear it up. :) By the way, that's where the little bit from the previous chapter comes in. Hinata helped Naruto out (use your imagination, people!) and that's why he gave her a big yellow teddy bear as thanks.

Much love!
Chigiri Sasaki