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 Nineteen

The next morning arrived quickly. Tenten had, yet again, another dreamless night of sleeping. It was probably the eleventh time in a row by now. She didn't know what felt better—being traumatised by the bad memories that seemed to come time after time, or feeling simply numb throughout the night.

She was really beginning to wonder what her past was like. Up until now, none of the memories felt like a part of her. They didn't seem to add up. From what she had gathered from the glimpses, it was likely that she had a bad childhood. So bad, that she maybe had decided to forget the horrible things herself. Or maybe her parents decided to erase her memories so she wouldn't be disturbed for the rest of her life.

She rolled to her back, staring at the ceiling of her canopy bed. The light material blew and floated in the wind that blew in. Regardless of the cold weather, she still kept the window open. There was no other indication of the weather like the scent of the air. She loved how it went from being humid and minty, and then to cool, crisp and frosty, and then being back to musty and grassy again.

She reached her hand towards the window. Subconsciously, she closed her fingers. She sighed. Was there a way to stop time?

Like the air, time seemed to slip from her fingers. Without knowing it, she was already wasting her life away. Nothing in her life so far made a huge impact on anybody—she had nothing to prove that her existence was real and her existence was worthwhile. She didn't know what she was battling for anymore, she didn't know what the meaning of her life was. She knew she had something to fight for, but what if that something was always out of her reach? And what if that something was no longer valuable?

She was always determined to find her parents, and even that mysterious boy. Yet, it was always something she told herself to find. What if they were all dead? What if they didn't care about her anymore? Maybe it was time she stopped focusing on her past. Dwelling on something that happened years ago would do nothing but consume her time needlessly. If it was meant to be, then it should have happened years ago. Maybe it was time to move on, to look forward, to put things behind and leave it forgotten.

But yet, she couldn't. Those things were what made her. Her past gave her a sense of living. Even if it was bad, even if it would make her cry, she could at least proudly say that she lived through those hardships. That would give something to her identity, something for her to tell others. Right now, she was nothing. She had no name, no identity. She was still incomplete, or rather, a nobody. She wasn't exceptional at anything, she didn't have spectacular looks or talent, nor was she the best of friends with anybody. So what was she doing, staying here like some dreaming fool? All her efforts were in vain.

She closed her eyes. Why were her memories erased in the first place? Did her parents erase her memories, or did she decide to forget herself? If the latter was true, then she was stupid. She was foolish, to have done such a thing. No matter how painful things were, she shouldn't have taken the easy way out.

There was a knock at the door. She didn't even bat an eye; it was so habitual that the same maid would come in every morning and give her freshly washed clothes. It still amazed her that she didn't know her name.

"Tenten-sama, would you like me to bring you your breakfast? I noticed that you haven't gone to the kitchen yet."

Tenten smiled at the maid who had already begun to place the folded clothes into the closet. "No, I'm not hungry yet. But thank you anyways."

The woman politely nodded and bowed before leaving.

Tenten eyed the new row of clothes hanging in the closet. There were items she had never seen before; clearly, Hinata was generous yet again and decided to add a few items to the brunette's wardrobe. By now, Hinata roughly knew Tenten's exact size and style. Tenten smiled as she fingered the items, which were all brand new and smelled great. Hinata was way too nice, as was everyone else at the Hyuuga estate. Well, most of them at least.

She gazed out her door, pretending to see Neji sleeping in the room across from her. Neji was nice, even it lasted for a span of roughly a few days. Even though he was unusually cold, she had a feeling that Neji had his reasons. How illogical and ridiculous they were, she didn't care. She wanted to break through that cold exterior of his. If she could only convince him that she wasn't like the others. She guessed that something must have hurt him more than once; perhaps, that was why he pushed everybody out of his life. If he got too involved, then he would be a vulnerable target to get hurt. How could she ever convince him that she would never betray him?

Today, they, among some other Hyuugas, were going to the hospital to help out. Neji was required to do so, and Tenten was volunteering. Maybe she would be able to do something then; maybe she could work with him and become closer to him that way. She shook her head. Either way, she would have take a long shower first. Her head had been hurting all morning.

"And then boom! Sasuke took the bait and the entire thing blew up in his face!" Naruto burst out laughing, and Hinata joined in with her soft giggles. "I still laugh at it, even though it has been months. Oh boy, that was probably the best prank I've ever pulled."

"Sasuke-kun must have been mad," Hinata replied with a smile.

"Oh… you should have seen his face! He started chasing me around, but thank God Kakashi-sensei appeared on time."

"Kakashi-sensei seems to be always helping you out."

"Well, he is supposed to. And he does a good job of it, unless he's reading that stupid book of his."

Hinata laughed. She was, yet again, with Naruto, and they were coming back from their walk around the village. They had been doing this almost every day. Each morning, they would meet up secretly, just to simply talk and enjoy each other's company. They obviously couldn't do it during the day; they weren't only from different teams—the Hyuugas didn't approve of Naruto, and both of them didn't like the attention from their everyday friends.

"So what else did Sasuke-kun do?" Hinata's voice was thoughtful. "Knowing him, he wouldn't simply leave you alone after something like that." She let out another giggle.

"Sakura-chan helped me loads. She distracted Sasuke for the next few weeks so he wouldn't pummel me!" Naruto laughed. "It really helps to have a girl on the team. Sakura-chan's like our mediator. I'm sure you're the mediator of your team."

"Shino… doesn't fight."

"No way! Not even once? Kiba's always looking for something to fight, and with that dog of his peeing everywhere…"

Hinata shook her head. "No, not once."

"Aw, he's no fun. He doesn't do much, does he?"

"He's very interesting, to say the least," she replied defensively. "He does do a lot when he's not with my team. There were many times where he was late to our training sessions."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and scratched his chin. "I do wonder what he does…"

"You're going to spy on him?"

"No… that would make me sound like a stalker. I want to simply know what he does without really asking him that. He's so weird." Naruto's eyes were full of curiosity. "Did you ever see him laugh before? Everything about him is concealed. His eyes, his mouth…"

"Naruto-kun." Hinata's voice was patronising, but she couldn't help but giggle herself.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan. I didn't mean to make fun of your teammate."

"It's alright, you didn't mean any harm."

The blond grinned widely. "Hinata-chan understands me the best!"

"R-really?"

"Sure. It's like you know exactly what I'm going to do—which is kind of predictable, because everybody seems to know about my plans—but you're one of the few people that accept it." Naruto stopped when the Hyuuga manor came into sight. He frowned slightly. "Oh, we're almost at your place."

"We are?" Hinata didn't even try to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "I guess—"

"Can we make a detour?" Naruto suddenly asked. "Let's walk down the next few blocks, and then make our way back around again."

Hinata smiled softly. "Sure, Naruto-kun, I'd love to."

Naruto grinned in return, and noticed his strong urge to wrap his arm around her yet again. It was strangely reoccurring. She was just so delicate and tiny that he wanted to never let her go. She seemed so fragile, yet at the same time, she was still strong and stood up for herself. Was there a way to distract his… urges? He began to whistle a melodious tune as they walked around the blocks that surrounded the Hyuuga mansion.

"What tune is that?" Hinata asked. "It's beautiful."

"Oh, that?" Naruto walked ahead a little faster, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I don't actually remember. I've had that tune in my head since I was just a kid. I don't know. Maybe I made it up when everyone shut me out."

There was a moment of silence.

"You were never alone," Hinata finally said. Her voice was quiet, but in such a calm morning her words were very clear. "I have never thought anything ill of you."

The blond turned around, suddenly grinning. Yet Hinata could see that there was something underlying; it was like he suffered a little more than he would let on. "Naruto-kun?"

"Well, anyway. It doesn't matter. That was the past, Hinata-chan. I have tons of friends now. I'm even acquainted with Neji, which I thought at first was impossible."

"Neji-nii-san isn't that bad. Well, sometimes he's nice."

Naruto chuckled. "Sometimes?"

"He can be difficult at times."

"I know what you mean. So how's Tenten-chan holding up?"

"She's doing great, in my eyes. She's different, and definitely very strong-willed. I think even Neji can't wear her down."

"Oh?"

"Tenten has honestly been a really big help to all of us, whether she thinks so or not." Hinata gazed up at the sky, her eyes distant. "She's really one of the few girls that can stand Neji-nii-san for a long period of time. She left once, and at first we all thought it was for good. Luckily we got her back. I don't know what else we could have possibly done to help Neji-nii-san. Every other girl, despite our wealth and power, decided to leave because Neji-nii-san was constantly battering down their confidence. His remarks can sometimes be beyond cruel."

"He does that to everybody. I remember what he called me during the Chuunin exams—a loser, a failure at life. I didn't beat him then, but look—who's a Chuunin now?"

Hinata smiled faintly. "Yes, but Naruto-kun, you always stand back on your feet. You never stop trying. Not many people can bravely do that—they usually just give up after bearing Neji's glares and whatnot. I don't understand why Neji-nii-san has to be always so mean. I'm quite sure that he doesn't even think about his grudge towards the main household anymore. Well, I'm positive that he does think about his father from time to time, but he's not bitter anymore. There's just that something always holding him back. Whether it's pride or stubbornness or something else, I don't know."

"He'll come to his senses one day."

"He already is, in a sense. After Tenten came, he became… different. He's still mean to her and all, but there's something underlying. Like he knows that he has no reason to be bitter but he still is because he has been in his own little bubble for years. He doesn't know any other way to act. It's like he's ignoring her for the sake of ignoring her. Does that make sense?" Hinata tilted her head slightly. "I do have to admit, he is much more polite to others. He probably still harbours negative thoughts, but he keeps it to himself."

"I think I noticed that too. I remember the dinner we had a few weeks ago—he seems awfully close to Tenten, if you ask me."

"I know… I think everybody knows that but them two. I just wish that Neji-nii-san would admit that Tenten is the closest thing he can have other than family. I've been with him since I was born, and for the first time, I think I'm seeing something different in him." She shyly looked away. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, for dumping all of this on you. I just… it's not quite the same talking to family that are involved."

"It's fine," Naruto replied with a loud laugh. "I really like listening to you talk."

Hinata didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or not—did he think that she spoke too much? She chose her reply carefully. "I've talked to you before."

"Yeah, but you didn't stutter once today," Naruto murmured in awe, the edges of his eyes softening. They were already at the Hyuuga gates, but none of them bothered to depart. Without knowing it, Naruto closed the gap between their bodies. "I've never seen you speak so much."

"I-I don't k-know w-whether it's g-good or n-not—I k-know it's n-not like m-me—"

Naruto grinned lopsidedly. "I like it."

Hinata felt the pervasive heat spread throughout her face. The beauty of his deep, blue eyes and that hint of a smile still playing on his lips made her knees go weak. She knew she was going to faint soon. To prevent her legs from giving way, she immediately stepped back, hoping to feel a solid wall of some sort for support. However, instead she felt Naruto's hand, at the curve of her back. It sent chills and shivers down her spine. She felt so lightheaded she knew she was going to pass out within seconds.

"Sorry," Naruto immediately said, stepping back. "That… that was so not something I should do, especially at your place."

"It's… i-it's alright." Hinata looked away and gathered her thoughts. A soft fierceness came over her eyes. "I should be able to talk to whoever I want. I'm tired of having to sneak around just because I'm with you. They can't control me."

Naruto couldn't stop gazing at her; he still couldn't believe how much she had opened up to him over the past few months. It felt like a long time since they had graduated from the academy, but for as long as he could remember, he had spent all his time crushing and making googly eyes at Sakura. Then, after a while, he finally realised that she would always love Sasuke. At that turning point, he took his mind off by noticing the other people around him. He became intrigued with one particular person, and that was Hinata. One thing he could never figure out was why she would always faint.

He became frustrated one day, and followed her, and then he realised how interesting and what a sweet girl she was. She was nothing like Sakura; Sakura was much rougher around the edges, while Hinata was always calm, reasonable and sweet and quiet. She always put others before herself. While Naruto liked the chase, he realised that he preferred something more substantial. He loved the way that he didn't have to work hard around Hinata. She had always accepted him for who he was, and he could just be himself around her.

It was strange. He had never noticed that he liked Hinata more than a friend. Back then, he had always acknowledged the fact that he liked Sakura. That was why he followed her, tried to impress her and did everything to get her attention. It was much more subtle with Hinata. It all started with the academy, with the quick glances and subtle smiles. And then she began to wish him good luck, for various tournaments and missions. It was obviously something even a teammate would do, but for someone like Hinata, it was different. She was constantly shy. For her to come out of the blue and wish him good luck was something extra for the both of them.

He suddenly grinned. "Well, I guess I have to go now."

Hinata didn't say anything, but her eyes reflected a hint of sadness.

"Tsunade-sama wants to see me soon—to babysit or something. I'll definitely see you again if I have a mission."

His gaze met hers for a moment, and he smiled, but he was dumbfounded. He didn't know what to do. Something inside of him urged him to lean forward, and give her a tight hug, or perhaps even a quick kiss—but the nervous look on Hinata's face made him stop in his tracks. Of course. It was like this every time they departed. Hinata would get nervous and quiet, and he would always end up just saying goodbye. He couldn't really blame her. Hinata wasn't like any of the other girls. She liked to take things slow.

"Bye Hinata-chan!" Naruto did his signature grin once again, flashing her with his pearly whites.

"Bye," Hinata replied softly. She turned around and with a sigh, entered the Hyuuga gates.

Being independent and strong doesn't mean being lonely. It's fine to accept companions along the way; it's 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. I may not be there to guide you, 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.

Neji already remembered most of the letter that his father had written.

It felt like ages since he had first received it. Well, at least, it seemed like a long time to Neji; he was someone of an analytical disposition, so even a short period of time would seem dreadfully long. He gazed out the his window.

There was that rare snow falling again. The grounds were all white, covered by a thin, light layer of snow that had accumulated. At this time of year, youngsters his age were usually wasting their time by playing and frolicking in the snow. He, on the other hand, would be training hardcore; he was never like the average teenager. He had never been much of a normal kid anyway. Reckless training and nightmarish nights left him wiser and bitter. He always considered himself luckier in a way, as he was exposed to the darker side of human nature at an early age. That way, he was knowledgeable before even becoming an adult.

Yet, a part of him didn't want the burden. He had seen too much. Why couldn't he be one of those normal, carefree villagers? He would be ignorant, yes, but at least he wouldn't be constantly bothered by his past.

Yet, at the same time, he wasn't quite sure that it was his past that made him this way. Yes, it had been a part of it, but training hard had become so habitual. He shut everyone out without realising it.

When he read his father's letter, Neji supposed his wish was granted, in a way. The misunderstanding had been cleared, and he figured out his father's true intentions. But, that still didn't explain the reason behind his mother leaving, or Akira betraying him. Why him? Why was he the one who got hurt time after time?

Stop acting like you're the only one suffering!

The words came out of nowhere, really. However, he remembered them clearly; it was Tenten who had said it, back then, back when it was still warm and the air was still nice and breezy. She, too, had her own problems, but unlike him, she didn't drown herself in them. She didn't accuse people of faults they didn't commit either. She also didn't shut herself away from the people who were actually kind and caring. She took it all in, kept it to herself and put a smile on her face.

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.

Tenten matched that description. He couldn't deny that she was annoying and pestering, and she had rather childish approaches to everything. However, she had a strong spirit and she kept her head held high even when facing difficult situations. She was kind to everybody, and time after time she proved how true and good her intentions were. She had done nothing but good to him; for a little while, he was actually much more considerate around people.

He had never met anyone like her. She was so different. He had always assumed that there were two types of people—the people who were ignorant and blissful, and the people who were suffering and miserable. She seemed to fit both descriptions. She had her moments where she would break down, but she dealt with everything just fine. She didn't become twisted and bitter after hardships; she still wished the best for everyone. Even after suffering, she still had faith.

So why did he seem to repel such a person?

It was like his natural reflexes, to block out the people who would interfere with his goals. He convinced himself recently that she was nothing but manipulative. He had no proof, and he didn't mean to be exceptionally rude to her, but it was almost out of desperation. She affected him way too much.

It worked for a while, even though he felt the inevitable guilt every time she looked hurt from his rather cutting insults. Why was she so persistent in the first place? He would actually rather not be the person to always send her away. If she willingly decided to leave, at least he knew she had done it out of her own free will. Then, he could resume back to his normal life, content that she was only another one of those girls. But then, the letter came, and it unravelled everything he had been building up in his mind.

Neji closed his eyes, burying his face into his hands. So, now what? Was he supposed to trust Tenten now, like he should have done so long ago? But if he did, would that mean throwing away everything he had been working so hard for?

He drew nearer to the window, hoping the chilly wind would help clear his mind. Somehow, nothing seemed to make sense anymore. Would he be throwing everything away simply because he accepted Tenten? Now that he saw his logic, it actually seemed kind of illogical. He didn't even know how it drove him to push Tenten away like that. Like that time she bought him that necklace. Instead of thanking her, he only mentioned that it was fake. It probably was, but there was at least sentimental value to it. He didn't bother wearing it to the tournament, however. He wouldn't let himself wear it; if he didn't accept all the other gifts he received, then why should he do so now? Not that he would need it anyway—the opponent wasn't that hard to beat. He was actually more interested in the finalists.

He eyed the little black box on the corner of his desk. He had never touched it ever since the night she had given it to him. There was no need to do so now, right?

He suddenly found himself reaching for it.

"Neji! Neji!"

Leiko's calls were soft, but they echoed through the entire hallway. She wanted to see him before they all left to the hospital together. Not that she wouldn't see him for the rest of the day, seeing that she volunteered to help herself, but she wanted to talk to him alone. Yet her calls were cut short when she suddenly bumped into someone. She barely noticed the younger girl, but smiled when Hanabi stared at her. "Hi, Hanabi. Sorry I didn't see you there."

"Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Hah, don't blink so innocently. No one except Neji and Tenten are here anymore. You can drop your act. I know what you're up to."

Leiko raised her eyebrows. "I'm not up to anything. You must have the wrong person or something, Hanabi."

Hanabi pointed a stubby finger at her, eyes full of accusations. "No, I know what you're up to, Leiko. You may be prettier than everyone but you're not much better. You're here for the Hyuuga wealth, aren't you?"

"What? No, I'm definitely not after the money."

"Yeah, that's what they all say. Everybody that comes here as a candidate for a Hyuuga's wife always ends up having some kind of bad intention. Don't think that you can come here and bat your long stupid lashes and then expect Neji to fall for you and give you anything that you want. Oh, don't you shake your head at me! I know it's true. I saw it in all the movies!"

Leiko shook her head gently, biting a smile. "I'm sorry that you feel that way. But the truth is, I don't even need your money. You see, my father back home is quite powerful himself. I don't exactly need to inherit the Hyuuga's wealth to survive."

Hanabi narrowed her eyes. "That's what they all say."

"Hanabi, I'm serious. I'm really not after the Hyuuga's money."

"I don't believe a single word you're saying—"

She stopped suddenly when the atmosphere had gone tense and cold. She turned to her left to see that Neji appeared from his room, and he was casting her the most disapproving glare she had ever seen. The intensity almost rivalled Hiashi's when he was at his angriest. "Hanabi-sama," he muttered, deathly quiet. "Do not speak of such nonsense. Leiko is much better than everyone else who had come. And she doesn't deserve this hogwash that you're giving her."

Hanabi could only stare at her older cousin. She had given this speech to everyone that came to the Hyuuga household, but being the leader's daughter, she was never scolded at. This was the first time anyone—let alone the impassive Neji—stood up to her. She huffed, and finally spun around to leave.

"Hanabi-sama is suspicious of everyone," Tenten said suddenly, coming out of her own room. "She gave that speech to me too, except I can say that you handled it way better." And Neji didn't defend her then, but she wasn't going to mention that.

Leiko laughed. "Don't worry, I probably would have snapped if she went on any longer. Good thing Neji was here, right? He seems to be saving everyone."

Tenten managed an awkward laugh, especially when she felt Neji's gaze on her. "Well, I'm going to get ready. When should I meet you guys?"

"How about twenty minutes from now, at the gates?" Leiko turned back to Neji when Tenten disappeared back into her room. "So are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Did you eat properly?"

Neji raised an eyebrow, but he nodded.

"A good meal is essential." Leiko smiled shyly, feeling slightly nervous and awkward for the first time. What was she supposed to say now, especially when he was so close to her? And it wasn't like he was making an effort to talk. No wonder so many people called him antisocial. "So," she said after a little while, "should we just wait for Tenten out here?"

"No."

Leiko attempted to nod intelligently and understandingly as she glanced at Tenten's room. What was she supposed to say, yet again? An idea suddenly flickered in her mind. She abruptly turned back to him, her eyes bright. "Neji, in the meantime, can you show me your room?"

Neji fixed his pale ivory eyes upon her for a moment, and although it felt evasive, Leiko decided that he was pondering and deciding on something. Finally, he exhaled inaudibly and entered his door. He left it open after he went in, and Leiko took that as an invitation. She entered happily.

The inside of his room wasn't something she didn't expect. She had always pictured him as a guy who enjoyed darker colours, along with some neutrals to add a hint of light. His walls were white, as were his pillows and desk, and the wooden floor was a dark mahogany brown, but everything else was black. The large window across from the door was draped with black curtains, but a surprisingly large amount of light poured in and lit up the entire room. And in the middle of the room stood Neji, who stood motionless. He glanced at her, looking more apathetic than ever. "This is my room."

"It's really nice. Very interesting." Leiko walked around, setting her eyes on the immaculate furniture. They were all polished and there wasn't even a speck of dirt on anything. She stopped by his large white desk, admiring all the numerous scrolls that were neatly placed in rows. A little black satin box in the corner caught her eye. "What's this?"

Neji, who had been staring at her intently the whole time, immediately froze. "That's… that's nothing important."

"Then may I see it?"

Leiko, assuming Neji's lack of response was a 'yes', opened the tiny box carefully. Her eyes were in awe when she saw the necklace and touched it gently. "Wow, this is gorgeous. The design is so intricate, so detailed yet practical at the same time. I think it really suits you. But… it's fake though, isn't it?" She turned to him when he, yet again, didn't reply. "It's fake, but it sure holds a lot of sentimental value, if you keep it on your desk like this. Did you get it?"

"It was a gift."

"From a friend?"

"Sort of."

"Of course. The Hyuugas wouldn't pay for anything that's less than excellent, right?" Leiko's light-hearted attempt to make him smile failed. Instead he nodded solemnly, showing no sign to disagreement. "Well, I'm sure you wear this a lot."

"Not exactly."

Leiko's eyebrows furrowed. "Isn't this something really special?"

"Not exactly."

"That's not true. You probably would've thrown it away if it doesn't mean anything to you. Unless, you don't like the person that gave it to you."

There was a moment of silence, before Neji finally took the necklace from her. He held it tightly. "Not exactly."

Leiko recognised the way he looked at the present, and smiled slightly. "I'm sure Tenten would appreciate it if she saw you wearing it more often."

Neji, eyes slightly wide, cast her a surprised look. "Why would you assume something like that?"

"Because I'm smart," Leiko replied with a laugh. "But it wasn't that hard to guess. It's a gorgeous and thoughtful gift, which probably means that a girl had picked it out. None of the Hyuugas had given it to you since it was from a friend. Now, automatically I would assume that it was your girlfriend or something, but you're not in a relationship, and you mentioned that this person wasn't anything special." She smiled when Neji didn't disagree. "It has to be Tenten. She's plain and not rich, but I'm sure she means a lot to you. Yet, somehow, you're always shutting her out of your life. You pretty much ignore her, but what she gave you means a lot to you. You know that, even if you deny it."

"That's not true."

"About denying or the fact that she means a lot to you?" She smiled when he didn't reply. "She's a friend of yours, so treat her like one. Come on, let's go. I'm sure Tenten's finished by now."

And with that, Leiko left, leaving Neji with Tenten's gift in his hands.

It was a short and uneventful trip to the hospital. No one really spoke within the group consisting of Leiko, Tenten and Neji. The Hyuuga prodigy was naturally quiet and conservative, while Tenten and Leiko were trying to take in the emptiness of the streets. It didn't seem like the normal Konoha they knew; it was way too quiet and the life just wasn't present anymore. Even the elders that would normally sit on their balcony to watch people weren't there anymore. The only things that were present in abundance were the pill dispensers.

"Hopefully this epidemic will go away soon," Leiko murmured as they reached the hospital. Again, Sasuke and Naruto were there, handing out the various types of pills to swallow before entering. They looked different this time.

The hospital was such a contrast to the streets. The hospital was full of people, even though none of them were exactly screaming or yelling. Neji could tell that the ruckus had died down a bit; most likely, all these people were waiting to visit their sick beloved ones.

There was a big sign above them, indicating where all the helpers were supposed to line up to register. There were two lines; one for the ninjas and the other was for the regular, everyday villagers. At this point, the group of three separated, and Tenten, being more of a ninja, simply decided to follow Neji. It was quiet between the two as they waited, even though there were conversations held by people all around them. Tenten shifted uncomfortably.

"You know," Neji suddenly intoned.

He looked at her, who seemed slightly surprised by the sudden attention. She deserved an apology from him, he suddenly realised. He owed that much to her.

He had accused her before and said things that she didn't quite deserve, even if she was constantly irritating him. He rejected and ignored every kind gesture she had made. And on top of that, she told him of her problems as if she trusted him. What kind of person was he, if he was the person she was looking for but didn't say anything?

However, instead of apologising, he pointed to the line where Leiko was waiting. "You're supposed to be standing there," he said flatly. "You weren't asked by Tsunade-sama, like the rest of us ninjas are. You're volunteering."

"Oh."

She didn't know whether to be happy that he finally spoke or sad because he just indirectly insulted her. She plastered on a smile. "Well, okay. Um, I guess I'll see you later then."

Neji nodded, and with a slight feeling of dejection, Tenten simply went to the other line, where she met Leiko. Leiko seemed happy enough to see Tenten, and after filling out forms, they both chatted until it was their turn to register with the secretary. Tenten didn't miss the strange look the secretary had when she mentioned that she had no last name.

"Yamamoto-san," the secretary said pleasantly, handing the girl her newly formed identification card. "You will be working with the medical assistants. You will help them with whatever they need, including photocopying extra files and bringing them messages and whatnot."

"Tenten," she proceeded to say, and the way her tone left off on an uncompleted high note implied that there was something missing. The woman's smile faltered slightly, and now it looked rather forced. "You're a ninja, but you haven't attended the academy. There are quite a few references from other ninjas though… Sakura… Ino… You're apparently very responsible and capable of anything a ninja is. Hm. Where should we place you?"

"Aha," she said after a moment. "Tsunade-sama just messaged me. She needs an extra ninja. Well, I suppose at a time like this, even you'll qualify." She gave Tenten a tiny piece of paper. "Meet her in her office in the F wing. That's the door all the way to the left when you exit the elevator—it's the only one without a room number. You won't miss it."

"Alright. Thank you."

Tenten hastily grabbed her identification card after it was printed and entered the closest elevator in sight. She hated the crowdedness; it was smelly and she literally had to wade her way through the hoards of people. The loud buzz was immediately cut off when the metal doors closed. She sighed in relief.

Finding Tsunade's room wasn't hard. It was the only room whose door was open and, like the secretary had mentioned, it had no room number. Voices were heard in the silent corridor, and although they weren't very loud, she immediately knew that they belonged to Neji and Tsunade. And there was also this other male, who was much louder and sounded much more enthusiastic. She couldn't help but smile; perhaps this would be her chance to work with Neji. And there would be that other boy, but she was quite certain that he would be much nicer than Neji.

"Tsunade-sama," she heard the unknown male shout, "I must know if I can return back to my regular training routine! Because you have not given me consent, Gai-sensei reduces everything by half. It is simply too frustrating! I can't reach my full potential!"

Tenten furrowed her brows. Who was that excited to train?

"You're both fine and can do whatever you want," Tsunade said, tapping her ruby nails on her desk. "You were both barely grazed during the tournament."

"Alright! Thank you, thank you Tsunade-sama!"

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

"So Lee, Neji, there is something—" Tsunade-sama was cut off when Tenten entered the room with a smile. It didn't falter, even when Neji turned to glance at her with an annoyed look. The brunette bowed gracefully in respect. "Good morning, Tsunade-sama. You asked for me?"

"Yes, yes. Tenten, right? Please sit."

Both the other males in the room were standing, but Tenten gladly took her seat. "Hey, Neji. And you are?"

"Lee!" The green clad boy that sported a black bowl cut grinned at her. She could have sworn that for a moment, the sunlight hit his pearly whites and flashed a beaming light at her. "Tenten! What a delightful name, to match such a beautiful girl! May I address you with your first name?"

Tenten laughed. "Sure."

"Enough with the socialising," Tsunade-sama interposed with a hint of annoyance. She ran a hand through her blond locks, and stifled a yawn. "Now listen Neji and Lee. As I was saying, you probably remember the last major mission we had. It was an attempt to find the roots of the current epidemic. Six of your fellow ninjas were sent in two teams, at different times. The first team, consisting of Hinata, Shino and Kiba, came back unharmed. Naruto, although he was part of the second group, returned perfectly fine. Chouji and Shikamaru, however, are both now hospitalised, with the disease."

Tsunade looked down. "I don't know why Naruto isn't sick. He only mentioned that he went further ahead than the rest of them, but I still don't see why he's not affected…"

Lee put a finger on his chin. "What did they find out?"

"Various things, I suppose. The first team discovered the essential facts. The stocks for our medicine stores were all interfered in the same area—from the border of our neighbouring village, to the forest that's located far north of the leaf village."

"That's a rather large area," Neji commented. "But did they find who was actually inserting the… disease?"

"I'm assuming it's someone that resides near or perhaps even in our village, for easy access. Hinata's team found a dead corpse near our border, probably killed by one of our enemies. The killing method was rather familiar—it was unique to a single country, so they scouted the surrounding area. They found nothing. However, when I received this message, I looked up the killing technique, and sent Naruto's team to the suspected country. My assumptions were correct."

"And?"

Shadows were cast underneath Tsunade's eyes. "Akira's father is behind it."

It was completely silent for a moment. Immediately, Tenten spun around, to see both Neji and Lee frozen. Lee was Neji's other teammate, wasn't he? She recalled Neji mentioning her once or twice, but she couldn't quite remember exactly why or when. Of course—why else would Tsunade-sama call both Lee and Neji and tell them about their top secret discoveries? Obviously she wanted them to know of their teammate's doings.

"I-I don't understand," Lee finally said. "Why? Why would they do something like this?"

Tsunade-sama shook her head. "I don't know. I haven't given anything much thought. I've been in the laboratory for the past few weeks. Since Akira was once your teammate, I was hoping that you could put some of your input into this."

Tenten had never seen Tsunade so tired, or so confused. The woman had always been her role model; Tsunade was always direct, professional and strong. She was the Hokage. Everyone looked up to her. And she led them. So when was she ever unsure of herself?

She turned to Neji, who still had not spoken. Was he that shocked? It seemed like a shadow had cast over his eyes, but he was also contemplating at the moment. Realisation flickered in his eyes. "Did… they find out?" he finally said, quietly. "That… Hiashi is still alive?"

Tenten furrowed her brows. Why wouldn't Hiashi be alive?

Tsunade's smile was grave. "Yes, that crossed my mind as well. I thought that there would be some other reason, but I guess it's pretty obvious, isn't it? This is what I've been afraid of. For the past years, we have been extremely careful when letting members of the lighting country in. Hiashi would then be staying inside, or out on a mission."

"Yet they somehow found out," Neji countered, "and now we're back into that same predicament."

Tenten was the only one who couldn't keep up. "What predicament? Why shouldn't Hiashi still be alive?"

They ignored her questions. "So is this some kind of way to seek revenge after we tricked them?" Lee asked.

"Threatening the entire village, and even neighbouring countries is unreasonable," Neji pointed out. "If what they really wanted was the secret of the Byakuugan, then why would they want to implicate the entire population of Konoha?"

"To get revenge," Tsunade instantly replied. "It's human nature, isn't it? They were humiliated. And now, they're most likely going to kill off everyone, demand for the secret, and then simply leave. It would then be difficult to fight back, as we would be very, very vulnerable."

"Then just give him the secret," Tenten suddenly said. "Why don't we just give him the secret? That way he'll stop, and then we could demand for the cure to this epidemic. Then rest of the village would be safe."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Neji retorted scornfully. "That secret has been cherished and kept for years."

"What, so your little secret is more important than all the lives of Konoha put together?"

"That's not the point," Neji replied, narrowing his eyes. "The Hyuuga clan is the most noble and powerful clan in all of the Fire country. If they find out our weakness, it will be fatal. It will potentially be the end of Konoha's strongest ninjas, as the Hyuugas make up the majority of the teams. And once all the other countries find out that we're weak and vulnerable, they'll start attacking. Who would protect the village then?"

Tenten stood up, narrowing her eyes as well. "I'm sure there are other ninjas that would do that job. And that's just assuming we'll even get to that point."

"Of course we will. There is still a quarter of the population that is not affected by the epidemic."

"Do you even hear yourself? That's three quarters that are being hospitalised, and are probably dying at the moment!"

"The healthy quarter of the population and the ninjas are enough to keep the village alive."

"Are you kidding me? What if some new disease pops out of nowhere? What if it's even more serious?"

Neji raised an eyebrow. "We are more prepared now. We guard the borders."

"Oh please. We so aren't ready for anything more. We didn't see this epidemic coming—how do you explain that? This Raikage probably has something up his sleeves. If you don't give up your secret now, then there would be no village to protect!"

There was a silence as Neji simply glared at her. Tenten gazed coolly back at him.

"That's enough," Tsunade cut in, glancing between the two teens. "I didn't call you two up here to fight."

She continued before they had the chance to apologise. "Now, back to my point. I just wanted to give you a heads up, as this epidemic concerns your past teammate. Which is why I should send Gai's team. I really should've sent you guys, but I had no idea as to who was behind it. I know exactly who brings over the stocks of the medicine, but I didn't know who interfered with them. I tried contacting the apothecaries who send us this rare herbs. Apparently, every delivery person is missing."

"Well, you three don't have to go anywhere now," she started to say again. "There is a reason as to why I called all three of you. I want you to find this herb for me. It's a very rare herb, and I think it has been seen in the forest, located just a little north of Konoha. You three should split up, as there is a lot of area to cover. It looks like this."

She opened a scroll and showed the three ninjas an intricate drawing of the herb. It looked rather ordinary, something that anyone would be able to imagine. However, there was one little thing that was odd about the plant; the stem branched out many times, and each end was curled towards the main stem. It looked almost prickly.

"Here is a diagram of the forest, and where I think most of this herb grows. I would suggest you guys search the west first."

"Alright. Do we leave now?" Lee asked. "There is going to be a thunderstorm in the afternoon."

"You should go after the thunderstorm ceases," Tsunade replied. "If you go now, you'll only have an hour before you'll be soaking wet."

"So what do we do in the meantime?"

"You three… can watch the kids." Tsunade nearly smiled at the thought of the stoic prodigy and excited, green-clad boy taking care of children. "There is a large room in the opposite wing. The kids that we put in there belong to parents who are infected by the disease. Their parents are too sick to tend their children, and they're obviously too young to take care of themselves. We don't want the youth to get sick as well, so we placed them in a room that is as far as possible from the actual disease. Well, they're still in the hospital technically, but nobody who resides in any room from that wing is infected."

"Kids?" asked Lee right away. His eyes burned with determination. "Is this some kind of physical test we must pass?"

Tsunade raised a blonde eyebrow. "Sure, Lee. You will gain… experience. Taking care of loud, noisy, impatient, whiny little kids." When she saw Neji's expression, she added, "it's an order. I can't have my doctors there doing jobs that you three can do."

"Kids are there," Tenten said, who immediately thought of Amaya. "Would Amaya be there?"

"No."

Realisation hit the brunette. "Oh, that was a stupid question to ask. Amaya's contagious."

"No, she isn't."

"What? I don't understand."

"Well, you see." Tsunade inhaled deeply. "Well, I supposed you're involved with Amaya so it wouldn't hurt for you to know. I checked with Amaya—she was the first person recorded to have this disease. Before I created the medicine—you know, the capsule that prevents people from getting infected, Amaya was already here. Tenten and all the other nurses came to visit her, but none of them were affected, despite the fact that they weren't protected."

Tenten tilted her head questioningly. "So the disease… isn't contagious?"

"It is, during the embryonic stages. I concluded that the disease isn't transmittable after its early stages. I checked with other patients, and my assumptions were confirmed. Amaya, when you visited her, was in a stage where her disease wasn't contagious anymore. After a week or so after being affected, the patients are usually in that state. However, by then, they would've affected approximately three to four people without even knowing it."

"I thought that there were symptoms," Lee interposed, "which included coughing of blood, tantrums and headaches."

"I thought so at first. But these symptoms only occur after a while, when they're not in their 'contagious' stage anymore. That's why I created the immunity pill in the first place—everyone must take it, as nine out of ten people don't know they've got the disease."

"Well then why keep one side of the hospital for the patients that are affected by the epidemic?" Tenten asked. "If they aren't contagious, then why isolate them?"

"That's because it varies from person to person. The incubation period is different for each individual, and the symptoms show up whenever they want. I'm still unsure of many things concerning this virus. I'm not even sure it's a virus—sometimes, it almost looks like a bug."

Tenten grimaced.

"I have a question," Neji said. "Why did you let the tournament still take place? One infected person could transmit the disease to the entire crowd."

"They're taking pills before they're all going. We're making lots of them." Tsunade's smile tightened. "But the disease is constantly changing. Tenten has a point, when she said that the Raikage probably has something up his sleeves. He seems to have control over the intensity of the virus. They're becoming stronger and stronger, and the stages are frequently changing. I have constantly to make new versions of the pill, along with other doctors, but keeping up is hard. Sometimes I'm afraid that I'll slip up and the pill won't be as effective. And my theory is that the immunity won't last long, as everything is always changing. But at the same time I can't overdose anyone with these pills—they do contain a trace amount of the dead virus, as well as other various substances that can not be taken in abundance."

"So it's a bacteria, then?"

Tsunade tiredly put her hand against her forehead. "I'm not sure. It's like nothing I have ever seen before."

Neji gestured towards the bulletin board Tsunade had hung up—it contained ads of all the festivals and upcoming tournaments. "Then why endanger everyone?"

"I'm doing the best I can," Tsunade snapped, losing her patience for a moment. "Tournaments are, by far, the most popular form of entertainment, other than festivals. People pay money, and we use that money to improve our treatments at the hospitals. Besides, I don't know if we'll have another chance to have a tournament." Her eyes were grave. "Now, all of you, please leave. I need to sleep. I have given you more information that I should have… and I need some beer…"

The three nodded slowly and left.

"Wow," Tenten murmured when they were heading towards the children's room. "I've never seen Tsunade-sama so…"

"Dishevelled? In a mess? Confused?" Lee nodded intelligently. "I know. But I'm sure that the fire in her will burn once more after this epidemic passes! We all must be strong!"

"We don't know when that will be," Neji murmured, and that was the end to their conversation.

The infant nursery room was huge. It was the only painted room in the hospital—with maybe the exception of Amaya's—and it was a bright yellow. It felt like they had stepped out of the hospital and into a real daycare of some sort. There were intricate flowers painted on the walls, but there were also soccer balls painted as well. Fluffy green carpet made to resemble grass covered the floor. On the left side of the room was a large treasure chest—there was everything in there, ranging from wigs to crowns to toy trucks. There was also a large brown shelf containing many books, and above that was a large alphabet strip taped to the wall. It looked like the perfectly cosy place for children to spend their time in.

That being said, it was the noisiest place Tenten had ever been in. There were both babies and children. Multiple babies stayed in a crib—and they were all crying, little boys were ripping dolls' heads off, and little girls were crying because of that.

A very annoyed Sasuke and tousled Naruto stood in the middle. The blond immediately cried in relief. "Thank God help has arrived!" Naruto instantly gave Tenten the baby he had in his arm. "Here, you're a girl! Go do something! It won't stop crying!"

"Me?" Tenten stared at the infant who began to cry so hard its face turned beet red. "So what if I'm a girl? I don't know what to do!"

"I don't know, use your mommy instincts!"

"What? I was never pregnant!"

"Well you should know more than me! Comfort it!"

Tenten began to rock the little girl back and forth. "C'mon, don't cry…"

"You're holding it wrong!" Lee repositioned Tenten's hands. "You have to support her neck! And she's probably just upset because she's either hungry or… full. Check her diaper!" Lee pushed Tenten to the nearby table, grabbed a towel and covered the surface. "Yes, I feel the need to take charge! So listen to what I have to say! Naruto-kun, provide me with a brand new diaper. Sasuke-kun, get me baby powder and some baby wipes! Now, Tenten, do your magic! Unwrap the creature!"

"Lee, that's not helpful! I have no magic!" Tenten tried to focus on calming the baby. Yet she could barely hear herself think with the surrounding ruckus. "Can somebody please calm the children? Neji, Sasuke, Naruto, do something!"

"I was never taught how to take care of children," Neji said simply, and sat on a green miniature chair that didn't quite fit him.

"To think that I would have to deal with something like this," Sasuke added, and sat next to Neji on a pink miniature chair. "Fighting, that I can do. But babies?"

Tenten knew her attempts to convince them would only be in vain. She turned to Lee desperately, who immediately grabbed the closest child. "You! I command you to be quiet! If you don't listen to orders now, you won't grow to be a strong, disciplined ninja!"

"But I don't want to be a ninja," the six year old said, grinning lazily. "My dad owns a big company that I'll get to rule. And you have bushy brows."

"They're thick!" Lee replied. He put down the boy and tried calling over the noise. "Attention all! I command you all to be quiet! If you don't listen to orders now, you won't grow to be a strong, disciplined—"

Two children grabbed onto his legs. "You talk too much, green man," one of the children said.

The other child nodded in agreement. "Give us a ride, if you're such a strong, disk and peed ninja!"

The next few hours were, although loud, manageable. Tenten never ended up having to change any diapers because a nurse came in temporarily and let them all have a break. When they returned, a good quarter of the children were gone because some relatives were contacted and brought them home. Hinata was also there when they returned. Naruto, because others were present, refrained from doing anything, but Tenten didn't miss the way he glanced at Hinata.

"When will the thunderstorm pass?" Lee asked sadly when the sky rumbled yet again. Most of the children had gone under tables because they were either scared or Naruto convinced them that the hospital could potentially collapse. Neji and Sasuke both weren't helping—they claimed that they were watching the cribs. They refused to touch the "stinky, milk-and-powder-and-poop smelling little animals". In Tenten's opinion, Neji totally deserved it when a baby barfed on his arm.

Within the past hours, Tenten had grown to love the infants. She was currently rocking a chubby baby in her arms. Her arms were tired from carrying so many children, but she didn't really care. She couldn't help but stare at the pudgy faced baby that kept reaching up to touch her hair. She poked its velvety cheeks, and in response, the baby curled his fingers around one of hers. He gurgled happily as Tenten began to scrunch up her nose and make funny faces.

A little girl, aged five or so, began to climb up on a chair behind Neji and Sasuke. She began to pet the blue-haired boy's hair, and began to giggle. "Pretty," she cooed. "Like night sky, or ocean—pretty waters!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but didn't proceed to move or tell her to stop.

The little girl moved to the next chair and began to touch Neji's much longer hair. "Long and dark," she said thoughtfully. "Like poo-poo."

"What?" Neji demanded.

Everyone laughed wholeheartedly, and even harder when the little girl jumped onto his back, holding onto his hair like it was the mane of a horse. "Tomoko really likes you," Sasuke commented, smirking.

Meanwhile, the baby next to him rolled over too much and hit its head on the crib. It woke up and began to wail, causing the other infants in the same crib to cry as well. That was the moment Neji snapped. "That is it," he said, standing up. He went up to Tenten and grabbed the little girl on his back. "Take her. I'm leaving."

"No! Neji, you can't leave. Tsunade-sama said—"

"I know what she said, but I'm leaving. I would much rather look for the herb in the damn thunder than stay in this suffocating and revolting room. These… these children are driving me insane. Beyond, actually. They keep poking me, pulling at my hair and I have barf remains on my hand. They're loud, whiny and God knows why they're bugging me. I never did anything to them."

"They're not bothering you on purpose and you know it."

"Do you want to smell the barf residue?"

They both stopped when Tomoko suddenly peeked through the gap between Tenten's legs. "Me like you, Neji-kun," she said softly. She didn't understand much but his tone scared her. "Sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry," Tenten said gently. "Neji's just mean."

Neji narrowed his eyes at the brunette.

"I like you too," little Fuji piped in. He tugged at the bottom of Neji's pants. "I want to be like you. Strong and disciplined."

Lee, who was playing cards with the older children, looked up and grinned widely. "Ha! I knew it! I knew my words were made of inspiration! Good advice never goes wasted. Oh, it feels so great to pass on a positive message." He threw all the cards that he was holding and spread his arms like a lunatic. "All children! Group hug! Let's spread positive things!"

Neji raised an eyebrow, and turned back to stare at Tenten with scepticism. "And in addition, I have to waste more time dealing with Lee, as if I haven't dealt with him all my life."

Tenten sighed. "Can't you just be more patient? The storm is bound to clear up in a little while."

"I have the Byakuugan. I can see through the rain."

Fuji continued to tug at the hem of Neji's pants. "Please stay. I want to learn from Hyuuga Neji."

"Come on Neji, just stay. Fuji's adorable. How can you say no to him?"

"Like this." Neji shoved the little boy, and Fuji went flying. There wasn't enough force to severely injure him, but Fuji hit his back against the bookshelf and began to cry.

It was quiet for the first time. Everyone present in the room stopped with whatever they were doing and stared at the Hyuuga prodigy with wide eyes. Tenten gasped in horror and quickly put down the baby she had in her arms. She ran over to Fuji, who Hinata was already comforting, but Fuji showed no signs of calming down and only pointed to his back. "It… it hurts!"

"Oh my goodness," Hinata murmured when she lifted his shirt. It revealed a long, red, purplish mark caused by the impact, and there were already the beginnings of a huge bruise.

Tenten glared daggers at Neji. "You… you! What is wrong with you? Why did you just kick him like that? He's a child! Neji—don't just roll your eyes—answer me! Are you going to at least apologise? Get a doctor, a nurse—do something!"

Neji ignored Tenten as well as the other people in the room. He approached Fuji slowly. Fuji shrank away from him, but Neji firmly gripped his chin.

"Neji," Tenten warned. Even Naruto stood up to keep a hand on the prodigy's shoulder.

"I'm not going to hurt him," Neji said simply, calmly removing Naruto's hand. His ivory eyes were impassive but cold. "Now you listen, Fuji. Are you sure about what you said? That you want to be like me?" He gave a short, lifeless laugh. "Then for starters, stop crying. You'll never become disciplined if you can't even control your own emotions. What? One little shove and you're crying? You have to be able to stand back on your own two feet, no matter what. You can't let anything stop you from getting what you want, even if it costs you your life. You're pathetic right now. If you can't even hold in your tears, then you will never be strong."

"Neji," Tenten said slowly, her voice deadly. She was beyond angry. "We're leaving—now."

"Finally."

"Wait!" Lee stood up. "Where you going? We still need to find that herb!"

Tenten stopped for a moment, and handed Lee the diagram that Tsunade had given them earlier. "How about this? You search the very west of the forest. Neji and I will cover the rest… we're going now."

"You're going in the rain?"

"The s-skies haven't cleared up yet," Hinata added, glancing up with worry. "Maybe you should w-wait for a little while."

"Don't worry," Tenten said sarcastically, mimicking Neji. "Neji here has the Byakuugan. He can see through the rain!"

Naruto coughed awkwardly. "Well, uh, call a doctor on your way out."

"Will do." Tenten grabbed Neji's arm, and with an extra firm grip, led the both of them out the room. Tenten honestly had the intention to leave the hospital and start searching—she was basically doing anything to get Neji away from the children. But at this point, she was so angry she really needed to vent. So she shoved the both of them into a storage room.

Neji's voice was sceptical and condescending. "This is not the forest." He eyed the large laundry basket that was filled with dirty linen. "Do you have a thing for stinky things?"

Tenten couldn't help but gape at him. "You… you jerk! You cold, stoic, unfeeling idiot! You bastard, you son of a bitch—"

"Insults won't get us anywhere."

"Hopefully it'll get something into your head. Maybe you'll actually feel something for once!"

"And that something is…?"

"Guilt, shame, whatever!"

"Why should I feel guilty? I asked to leave many times."

"Don't you feel any shame for shoving a seven year old like that? Fuji just wanted to be like you. How can you be so heartless?"

"Little guy has to toughen up. He won't survive if he starts crying after something like that."

"He's seven. You're sixteen. There's a difference, you asshole."

"Oh, I see that the insults are present once more."

"Yes, because you deserve it, you… you!"

"I'm what? Do your best. I've heard it all before."

Tenten's scoffed in disbelief. "Really, Neji? Then what would it take for you to actually feel something?"

"I don't know. You tell me. You're supposed to be my peer tutor."

"Okay. Well, firstly, don't ever treat children like that," she said, facing him with surprisingly enraged eyes. "You can insult people like me—you do that all the time, but don't corrupt such innocent kids! What kind of person are you?" When she saw that he opened his mouth to retort, she quickly added, "it's a rhetorical question, Neji. I know what type of person you are. I just… I just never thought you'd be so cold even around children! And what you did to Fuji—what was up with that? They're such harmless creatures. What did they ever to do to you? I can't believe you're so heartless! You can be as mean as you want to me, and I can suck it up, but don't just say things like that to children! How can you be such a… a bastard?"

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Then leave me alone. It's who I am. And we both know that what I said was the truth."

He was going to say more, but Tenten cut him off. "No, Neji, that's not true. You're being a bastard by saying that. No, you're not just a bastard. You're so much worse, you know that?" She sudden recalled the moments where he put her down in some way—not thanking her for the gift, insulting her, pushing away the medicine, refusing to accept her. And look at the exchange they were having now—since when was Neji so talkative and cruel? He was only being this way because he was talking to her—the no name commoner. Every speck of annoyance and pent-up anger she felt for this ungrateful boy bubbled up. "Why are you so unwilling to be decent? You were nice at one point—you actually apologised to me then—so what's your problem? Take me, for example. Why can't you just accept me? Is it because I'm not rich? Because I have no name? Why do you always have to shut me out?"

"I—"

"You know what your problem is, Hyuuga Neji? You're too used to being called perfect. You're always admired by people. You only get compliments, and that inflates your ego like crazy. But you always think that you're the only one that's aware of your pain. You undermine others, battering their confidence beyond imagination. You always think everybody's below your level, below your beloved Hyuuga clan. You think everyone's stupid, you think everyone's not as mature and strong and smart as you. You keep thinking that everybody's oblivious as to what you're going through, but that's not true. Your emotions are written clearly on your face." That wasn't necessarily true, but she was in the middle of an epiphany. "You're stubborn. You always stick with your first train of thought, never stopping to consider other options. You only have negative views of people, always accusing them, always thinking that there are bad intentions behind their seemingly good actions. Would you just wake up? Open your eyes, Neji. Stop acting—no, not acting, because you're not acting. You're nothing but a conceited, cynical and pessimistic jerk."

Neji opened his mouth, but shut it again when he had nothing to say.

"Stop putting on that self-pity act. Stop thinking that you have some hidden pain that no one else knows about. You think you're the only one that has been hurt? You think you're the only one that has to face hardships? I've said it once, and I'm going to say it again. Stop acting like you're the only one suffering!"

"And one more thing, Hyuuga Neji. If you're stripped of your Hyuuga name, you're nothing. If you never had the Byakuugan and the fighting skills to start with, you're nothing. You have no other interests, no other hobbies, no one—you have nothing to turn to. Doesn't it make you sad to know that you're a nobody?" She stared at him, feeling more stirred and riled up than she had been in a while. "I know what you're probably thinking. And I know. Me? I know I'm not any better. But unlike you, I try to get things through hard work. I have no name, no special inherited bloodline, no special techniques, no talent. I may be called a failure, but at least I try. You, on the other hand, were given everything. You have family, you have money, wealth, power, talent and even the looks. You don't have to try hard to accomplish your goals. You have so many advantages. Yet, you spend your entire life training and keeping everyone out of your life. Is that what you think is a good and successful life?"

Neji's eyes darkened. "Don't pretend like you know me."

"Maybe I don't," Tenten finished, smiling tightly. "But I'm right, aren't I? You being cold to everybody—it's to prevent yourself from getting hurt again, isn't it?"

Neji didn't speak and looked away.

"And I know this is getting off topic, but I'm going to get it out right now, since you're actually listening for a change." Tenten actually seemed surprised and strangely satisfied at this realisation. "Okay, so first thing tomorrow, you are going to apologise to Fuji. Any objections?" When he didn't reply, Tenten took it as a yes and swerved around. "Good. So now that I'm done, let's go find the herb!"

"Finally," Neji muttered, but bumped into Tenten when she suddenly stopped. "What now?"

The brunette turned to face him with a slight smile. "Oh, and one more thing, Hyuuga Neji. There are people who aren't out there to get you, you know. I hate to break it to you, but it's time to break that bubble of yours. Your family cares for you. I'm sure your friends care for you—heck, even I care for you." She smiled dryly. "Just because you have the Byakuugan, it doesn't mean that what you see is what you get. Maybe you're the one blinded, for once. I'm done being insulted by you. I was given a job, and the harder you make this for me, the harder I'm going to try."

"I'm not some evil scheming devil in disguise," she added when he didn't reply. She was feeling rather bold at this moment. "What can I say that will actually convince you? Do you want me to make a promise?" Before Neji could look up in surprise, she smiled and lifted her hand dramatically, catching the attention of the passing townspeople. "If this makes you feel better, then whatever—I'll do it. Okay, well, I, Tenten, promise that I will never intentionally hurt Hyuuga Neji." There was a spark in her eyes that he hadn't seen in a while. "Is that enough? If that isn't, then I really don't know what to do. I just made a promise in the middle of a street, for crying out loud!"

Neji continued to stare into her eyes, his eyes impassive. "That's a big promise to make."

"I don't care," Tenten said defiantly, confidently gazing back at him. "I never backed down on my words, and I don't plan on doing so either."

His ivory eyes flickered with something, and he glanced away. What was with this girl? She was so persistent and stubborn—not to mention poor and embarrassing. Yet, something about her words were very appealing.

He turned to look back at the strange bundle of happiness, but she wasn't beside him anymore. She was already out the door, at the end of the hallway, close to the exit of the hospital. He caught up with her quickly. "Where are you going?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Where do you think? I'm going outside to search the forest."

"You're not supposed to go alone."

She shrugged. "Yeah, well. We both know that the herb's located in the forest. Lee's already covering the west. It's going to be faster if I take east side and you cover the middle area."

"Fine."

He didn't take one more glance at her before he sprinted off to the opposite direction. Tenten inwardly sighed; she was relieved he didn't act any different after she yelled at him like that. Somehow, back there, she couldn't control her words; they just spilled out, rolling off her tongue before she could stop them. They were mean and she didn't mean to sound so harsh and critical. Yet, at the same time, she was glad she got it off her chest; he at least knew that she wasn't completely oblivious to what he was feeling. He took it well, even though he seemed quite surprised by everything she mentioned. Not that she would tell anyone, but she felt a surge of pleasure when he looked genuinely baffled at her words.

She glanced up and gulped; the deeper she went into the forest, the darker the sky became. There was nothing visible in the sky except for dark grey clouds. Something didn't feel right. She didn't feel aware of her surroundings—it was like some of her senses were stifled and she couldn't sense anything. She wasn't scared of the dark or prone to being lost or anything—in fact, this was the same forest she searched a long time ago. She had been looking for yarrow then to heal Neji's wounds.

She tried to shake off the uncomfortable feelings by thinking of something else. Inevitably, she began thinking about the hospital, and Amaya, and meeting Tsunade, and how amazing it was to be working in the same hospital as the Hokage.

She shielded her face when rain hit her face. She cursed. At this moment, she wished she had Neji's Byakuugan. It was hard enough to see in the dark, but it just had to thunder and rain. The vicious sheets of rain made it nearly impossible to see and was really beginning to soak her clothes. It was hard to run on the slippery, muddy ground. If she just took one wrong step, she would slip—

She didn't notice that the land was slanted until she fell and started to slide. Her eyes widened; how did she not see that she was near the edge of the cliff? She had completely lost track of where she was because she was so focused on finding the medicinal herb. She instinctively stuck out both her arms and expelled chakra, hoping to create some friction between her and the ground. Yet her efforts were in vain. She only continued to glide.

She squinted. There was a good distance before she reached the edge of the cliff. How long was the fall? She couldn't tell. Eyes widened, adrenaline pumping, she immediately pushed her limbs firmly onto the ground. She couldn't find anything to grasp and she let out a yelp of desperation. There had to be some way to stop. There had to be—she was the only one out here. Neji wasn't that far away, but he couldn't possibly find her in such a state. Why would he, anyway? It was evident he never wanted her in his life.

But she called out his name anyway.

She shut her eyes. Somehow, she still didn't feel the danger of her predicament—she lost that feeling of uncertainty. What did that mean? That she was going to die painlessly? Or maybe the danger didn't really hit her yet. Or maybe, maybe this meant that she would survive the fall, like she had survived many other incidents. But then again, what would she feel if she didn't survive the fall? She would be just numb and unfeeling. The only thing left of her would simply be a body that would eventually decompose. Who would miss her? Certainly not—

A hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. She could swear that it cut her circulation off, but in the spur of the moment, she didn't really care.

"You idiot," a familiar voice murmured.

"Neji," she breathed before she even looked up. She had never felt so relieved to hear his voice. How he was able to find her in the rain? How did he know exactly where she was? Why would he save her, even after she insulted him like that? Yet, when she finally glanced at the prodigy, she noticed that his Byakuugan was activated and his eyes were looking more focused and tensed than usual. Was he actually worried?

"Push against the ground with chakra," he said quickly. "Do something. I can't hold on much longer."

With his other hand, Neji was holding onto the branch of a nearby tree—why didn't Tenten see that before? However, it was terribly bent over, looking like it would snap any second from supporting both their weights.

"It won't work!" Tenten's voice was shrill from looking at the branch. "I tried before, but it's impossible against the mud—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the entire branch snapped and the two were sent sliding down. Tenten clamped her eyelids shut—okay, so even though Neji was here he wasn't much of a help. It didn't matter. He risked his life for her, didn't he? That was what mattered.

She finally felt the alarm when they were sent over the edge—the air was suddenly knocked out of her lungs and she knew they were heading straight to the ground. She could faintly see a rushing river way down beneath them. Or was it a lake? She really couldn't tell anymore, because her eyes were blurring from all the force being exerted upon her body. Come to think of it, she honestly couldn't feel anything anymore… was she dead already?

"Relax," Neji suddenly murmured.

His voice made her aware of her senses again. But she didn't really notice the rush of the air anymore. She could only notice how Neji still held tightly onto her wrist. Then, to her immense surprise, she felt him manoeuvre himself—which was nearly impossible in the state they were in—around her, wrapping his body around hers. She felt one arm encircle around her waist, and she instinctively held onto him, but she didn't know what he was up to.

Suddenly she felt a larger gust of wind—if that was possible—and then, all the rushing was gone.

When her eyes opened again, they could only widen at the scene before her. Firstly, she had miraculously survived the fall. But the miracle was Neji—his abilities never ceased to amaze her. Currently, with his free arm, he was expelling a steady amount of chakra against the ground, keeping both of their bodies in the air. The large gust she felt earlier must have been him trying to reduce the impact of their weights for a safe and smooth landing. Slowly, the burst of chakra from his palm lessened, and they both reached the ground without another scratch.

Tenten breathed heavily, still unbelieving of what just happened. No wonder they called him a prodigy. Who else could perform such a technique under such circumstances?

"You inexperienced girl," Neji muttered, staring at her, but it looked like he was making sure she was alright. "You could've gotten killed."

"I'm sorry."

"And look where we are now."

They both glanced up, and Tenten winced at how far below they were. How would they get back up to the forest? The only exit she could think of was the rushing river, but they didn't know where it led to. They could try climbing, but it was far too slippery to grab onto anything. Besides, the climb would be too long—it almost made her nauseous, looking at how high the cliff was. She grimaced. There was no doubt that she would have died if Neji wasn't there; the drop would have easily finished her off.

"Thanks for not dropping me," Tenten finally said. "I don't know what would happened if you didn't save me. I'm sorry. Now we're pretty much stuck, with nowhere to go and on top of it all, we never ended up getting the herb."

"Not necessarily." Neji held out his palm, and revealed the squished herbs that Tsunade had described earlier.

"What—how?" Tenten tried hard not to gape. How was he able to hold onto them, and save both their lives at the same time?

Neji raised an eyebrow. "It's the right type of herbs, if that's what you're thinking."

"No, no, it's not that. It's just that you…" Tenten blinked, trying to get a better look at this boy. "You're incredible."

"What?"

"I'm amazed, that's what. You did everything. The only thing I could do was close my eyes."

The corners of his mouth lifted the slightest bit. "From insulting me to complimenting me? Your opinions change quickly."

"What—?" Tenten suddenly recalled the things she said to him earlier and felt a pang of guiltiness. He still remembered? Well, obviously. He was probably never criticised, especially by some random girl like her. He probably hated her. "Well, thanks again. For finding the herb and for not dropping me back there."

Neji's eyes were impassive. "I wasn't going to let you die, whether I dislike you or not."

Tenten shrugged. "I thought you were merciless with the people you hate. I bet you hated Shino."

"That was different."

"Oh, how so?"

"That was a tournament."

"You nearly took his life."

He eyed her and narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Can't you just thank me?"

His response was sharp and curt, signalling the end of his patience. Tenten, who was too tired and exhausted to fight, immediately quieted and sat down. She drew her knees closer towards her chest. There was no point in speaking now, and although there were no words exchanged, the silence was comfortable. The sounds of rain falling and the river were soothing. She lifted her head, letting the droplets of rain hit her face and soak her hair. She watched Neji from the corner of her eye; he was standing, clearly thinking of a way to escape. Finally, after a good ten minutes or so, he sighed and sat down, only an arm's length away from her.

"Did you figure anything out?"

"No. Stop bothering me." He immediately turned his back to her. Tenten sighed; was he back to being mad at her again?

"Neji, do you hate me?"

There was a pause, and then finally a sigh. "No."

"Then why does it seem like it?"

"Don't assume things."

"What else should I assume?" Tenten counted off her fingers. "You ignore me, you insult me, you don't care about what I say, and you treat everyone better than me. Like that time there, when I gave you that amulet. Why did you refuse to wear it? Do you just dislike the gift itself, or do you hate it because I gave it to you?"

Neji recalled the little satin box containing the necklace—he had looked at it just this morning, after Leiko questioned him. Yet, at the last moment, he decided to leave it in his room. He didn't need to wear it. Besides, even if he did decide to wear it, it would get ruined, especially with today's events. For people like him, it was best to keep delicate things at home.

"Why do you seem ruder to me than you do to everybody else? Is it because I'm sent to be your peer tutor?" she added when he didn't reply. "Do I bother you that much?"

"No."

"Then why? Why do you have to be so… impossible at times? You ignored me for the past week, but you're still perfectly polite to everyone else. Did I do anything?"

"No."

He clearly wasn't going to give any answers more detailed than that, but Tenten was content with him actually responding. "Well, I'm really sorry for whatever I did. And I'm sorry about what I said to you today. Yes, I did mean those things, but I didn't mean for the words to sound so harsh. You were terribly wrong to hurt Fuji, but at the same time, you didn't exactly deserve my lecturing. Oh, and thanks again, for saving me. The fact that you bothered to save me even after I what I said really means a lot."

Neji could only stare at the rushing river. Was Tenten that selfless? He was the one that was rude to her constantly. He was the one who always ignored her. He was the one who always insulted her, while she treated him with nothing but kindness. Yet, just because she insulted—if he could even call it that—him once, she was apologising for it. He momentarily glanced at the sky. It didn't look like it was going to clear up anytime soon.

So maybe she did care. Wasn't that what he had concluded some time ago, but then rejected that conclusion because he was so untrusting? Maybe trusting her wasn't a weakness. His father had mentioned that companions were mandatory…

He wondered why Tenten was silent all of a sudden. He looked at her, and raised an eyebrow when he saw her sleeping. How could she sleep in such a predicament? Not only were the sounds of the rain distracting and loud, but she shouldn't simply sleep in a secluded area. He could abandon her right now and she would never know until she woke up. She was so convinced that he hated her. Didn't she know better than to sleep in the presence of people that supposedly hated her? They could kill her, ditch her, throw her in the river, take advantage of her, or whatever.

"I'm not asleep yet," she murmured suddenly, breaking into his thoughts. "And I know what you're thinking. I'm not afraid of you leaving me, because I know you won't. I trust you."

Neji remained quiet, trying hard to ignore the way her words made him feel.

He lifted his gaze. The rain and clouds were still vicious and dark as ever, but the sky somehow seemed brighter.

A/N: Okie dokes, I'm sorry for the lack of updates, but it's finally here! Finals are over… and I got my report card. Boo! Let's just say, I'm very unhappy. It was alright, but I got my (gasp, all of you) first seventy for history, booo some more. The teacher is evil, I tell you. But my mom thought that it was because I was way too 'distracted' and decided to lecture me, sort of like how Tenten did in this chapter, haha. My mom's words of "inspiration" just really made me angry and I produced the long ass speech. And did anyone notice how I made Neji extra snappier? Well, yeah, I think that was influenced by my mood too haha.

Well anyways, time for my own personal notes! (It's supposed to be the author's notes, but I don't care. I'm cool like that.) So the good news is that a) I got an iPod touch! Woo, it's awesome and I have so many songs on there - more than I used to have on my cell/mp3. And 2) I'm starting swimming lessons again! I totally suck compared to what I was able to do, but whatever. My instructor is really nice and actually pretty cute ;) . And 3) I can write more now! They're all unedited but hey, don't you all love seeing a gazillion typos? ;)

Anyways, I shall go now and continue with my guitar playing. Thanks for reading this super duper long chapter! :)

Love always,

Chigiri Sasaki