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 Twenty Three

When Tenten first entered the Hyuuga mansion that night, her lips were curved into a smile. By the time she warmed up, ate dinner and took a shower, she was still grinning.

She had no idea as to why the smile seemed so perpetually fixated on her lips. Perhaps it was due to the giddy feeling she felt at the pit of her stomach whenever she thought of Neji, which was literally every second after their talk at the waterfall. Was it weird, that she was constantly wondering what he was doing, or what he was thinking about? She couldn't get him off her mind. And it didn't help that his room was located right across from hers. He was probably outside training, but it was like she could feel his presence through his possessions.

It was only reinforced by his clothes that were laid out on her bed. Neji had lent them to her earlier today when she had fallen into that lake. She didn't want to tell the maids to wash it just yet… was that weird?

Was it also strange that she felt oddly excited, yet at peace at the same time? As if her heart was bursting with this unusual warmth and all she wanted to do was to just sit by the wall and indulge in thoughts of nothing but Neji.

She paused.

Did she actually like him?

It was unexplainable. There was definitely attraction, because no one could deny the prodigy's attractiveness. She liked the way he smelled, the way he looked and she especially liked the deepness and velvetiness of his voice. However, it wasn't just some silly fan girl crush because she knew there was more to him than pretty pale eyes. It wasn't exactly infatuation, because she was still annoyed and frustrated with the way he acted sometimes. But she did respect and admire him, because he worked harder than anybody could fathom. And then there were times where she would feel this giddiness, or peacefulness, or sympathy… It was unnerving to know that he brought out every emotion in her.

She couldn't help it; she slipped on a thick robe and headed out to the Hyuuga training grounds. It was past midnight by now. The winds were chillier, the snow was falling, but she didn't mind the cold too much once she caught sight of Neji. He glanced at her briefly but didn't do or say anything else to acknowledge her presence.

"It's getting a bit late," Tenten said when he paused to switch stances. "Aren't you cold?"

"No," he replied. He suddenly stopped. "It's much colder when you simply stand there."

"I suppose." She blinked. "You're done already?"

"Isn't that why you came out here?"

"What—oh, you thought I was going to tell you to come back in. Well I'm not—I just couldn't sleep." She readjusted her robe, tightened the bow and walked out into the snow. "It's beautiful tonight."

"I guess."

"There's something very calming about watching snow fall." She gazed upwards into the clear blue night. "In a way, I like the numbing coldness. It's refreshing."

"It also keeps you cool when you're training."

Tenten smiled softly. "Is everything revolved around training?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I am a fighter," he replied simply, shoving his hands into his pockets. There was a brutal truth to his words. "I have no choice but to train. I cannot be defeated."

"Winning isn't everything."

"Winning is the only thing."

She paused. "Don't you ever think that there might be more to life? That there is something out there for you, something that's bigger and better?"

"I am forever bound by the Hyuuga name. Without it, I am nothing."

The words sounded familiar; she recalled yelling out those insults when she had lashed out at him. "Look, I didn't really mean what I said that day. I was angry, and—"

"You were right."

It took Tenten a minute or two to digest those words and to come up with a response. "No," she said slowly, "what I said wasn't true. You're not nothing—no one is nothing, because there's always more to a person. There's a reason why you train so hard, right? You are motivated and hardworking, which are qualities that many people lack nowadays. You're serious about what you do because you're certain about what you want in life. In that sense… many people admire you."

Neji's lips curved into a tiny smirk. "You know, you never fail to amuse me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You are a hypocrite."

"Hey! That's not nice."

"And you're childish."

"So?"

"And despite everything that I've said about you, you still are here, and complimenting me."

Tenten crossed her arms. She felt her cheeks warming up, but she was convinced that it was the cold. "What's wrong with that? I'm being the better person. You know, taking the high road. And I'm optimistic. So bite me."

"There is nothing wrong with optimism."

"Yeah, well, who's the hypocrite now?"

"What?"

"You've always said that I'm an idealist with a fantasy filled head."

"You do, but I don't always say it."

Tenten resisted her urge to stick out her tongue. "Well, it was implied."

"It was, wasn't it?"

"Yes." She subconsciously tightened her robe.

"You're cold." It was a statement.

"Not really."

"It's also getting late," he suddenly said with all seriousness. "Get back inside. You shouldn't be tired when you take Amaya out tomorrow."

"Wait, what?" Tenten's eyebrows shot up with delight. "So you're coming tomorrow?"

"I said I would," he replied simply. "So we should go back inside now."

Tenten wordlessly did as she was told. As she walked back with Neji behind her, her eyes softened. Neji was going to accompany her and Amaya tomorrow. Who would've guessed that someone so seemingly cold was actually caring? The Neji she first encountered months ago suddenly seemed far away. And this Neji…

Tenten felt her heart beat just a little faster.

In another room, a golden-haired beauty sat on a bed, crying and burying her face into her hands. Leiko was sitting next to her and was trying to console the dejected girl. "It's alright, Sumiko-san, things will get better. Maybe you're just being paranoid. There's a big chance that he's not seeing some other girl."

"I know, but I can't help it. I can tell that he doesn't love me." The blonde's voice trembled. "I don't need him to worship me, and I know that it's hard to love someone that was assigned to you like a mission. But it's not like I got to choose my own husband either, and it's been over a year! I've been trying the entire time! I'm trying so hard to be the perfect fiancée, but…"

"I know," Leiko said gently, "I understand your feelings perfectly—more so than you think."

"Ah, I'm sorry," Sumiko said, sniffling and trying to control her tears. "You must think that I'm being frivolous and silly. You're going through the same thing but you're not even complaining, and here you are, listening to my complaints and endless ramblings of my petty insecurities. I'm terribly sorry."

"No, don't apologise for something like this. I know that it's very hard."

"It doesn't show."

"I've cracked a few times," Leiko admitted stiffly.

"How can one not?" Sumiko sighed. "Don't you ever wonder what life would've been like if we weren't born to prestigious families? There would be no one to constantly tell us to dress and talk properly, to tell us who to love and marry…"

"That would be great." If the quiet whisper was any louder, Sumiko would've picked up the underlying sadness. "But we don't have a choice."

"No, we don't." Sumiko caught her reflection in the mirror and laughed through her tears. "Look at me, I'm a mess. I look like a racoon." She continued to chuckle as she swiped at the smudged areas. "I've never been that fond of makeup, you know. It makes me feel like I'm hiding behind a mask, a façade because I'm too cowardly to be anything less than perfect."

Leiko smiled. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." She offered the other girl a tissue. "You try so hard to keep yourself together… that itself is an admirable quality."

Sumiko mustered a small grin. "I thought that after a year, I would get used to this entire concept."

"It's not easy."

"I just don't like that feeling… that feeling of my position being jeopardised. My father needs me to marry a Hyuuga. I can't return home. I can't dishonour my father, or my family name…"

"Me neither."

"Leiko-san, you are very lucky that Neji is a loyal boy. Only sixteen, but he possesses so many admirable traits. If I were one year younger…"

Leiko giggled. "Dealing with Neji isn't so bad, but it isn't exactly a walk in the park either."

"Hm, Neji as your husband… what do you think about that?"

"Me? I can't exactly say anything about him. Neji and I are both only sixteen. We still have two years until we have to marry. A lot can happen until then."

"You're right… I'm just wary. You'd think that a seventeen year old would be ready for marriage."

"I'm sure that things will smooth out in time." Leiko paused. "Say, you've never mentioned your fiancé's name."

"That's because I know that word gets around here very easily—I don't want any rumours starting if my fiancé isn't actually cheating on me." Sumiko's voice dropped to a whisper. "But since you know my name, you'll probably find out anyway… his name is Hiro."

The hospital was back to its usual, controlled state, without the overwhelming urgency and fear that previously lingered in the hallways. Although there were still sick patients, everything seemed to be under control. Neji and Tenten arrived the next morning and headed straight to Amaya's room, but on their way they bumped into Sakura. The pink-haired girl, who wasn't treating anybody at the moment, immediately lit up and urged them to follow her into her locker first, where she pulled out a magazine.

"Look!" Sakura flipped to a bookmarked page and thrust the glossy magazine in the brunette's face. "Tenten, we're in a magazine!"

"What?" And surely enough, a very foreign yet familiar face popped up. "Th-that's me."

"I know, it's weird seeing yourself, right? But it's so cool at the same time! I got it today in the mail, thinking that it was just another magazine, so I freaked out when I saw us! They had a feature for the hottest, newest books that are going to be released next month, and guess which one is the most anticipated? Ours! Well, technically not ours, but we're on the cover, and it's called 'Gravity'—you know, because the girls in here are addicted to something and it brings them down, just like gravity. Get it?" She took a deep breath and her emerald eyes were sparkling with pride when she flipped the page. "And look! Akio thought that our photos turned out so well that we're now featured in a two page spread! A two page spread! With a little paragraph about us being such ordinary girls with a fresh new take on fashion." She squealed uncharacteristically. "My family ordered an extra twenty copies!"

Tenten was speechless. It was so odd, seeing her and Sakura in a prestigious high fashion magazine. "I look… so… so perfect. They must have edited my photos a lot."

"Oh please, you just don't know how gorgeous you naturally are." She looked at Neji expectantly. "Do you like the cover?"

The prodigy nodded slightly but in actuality, he was mesmerised by the beauty of Tenten. The brunette was right; the photo was obviously edited but there was no mistaking that the serene, yet pained expression in Tenten's eyes was real. A photo editing software simply couldn't create a look like that. Also, the theme of the book was cliché—there was no doubt about that—but something about the cover was so sickeningly beautiful Neji found it difficult to tear his eyes away.

"I almost forgot," Sakura said suddenly. "You guys are taking Amaya out today, right?"

"How did you know?"

"Tsunade-sama told me. She also wanted me to give you a bag full of necessities, just in case something happens today. You mind getting it, Tenten? It's in my office, which is just down the hall. Ino should be in there—she'll open the door." Seeing that Neji was following Tenten out, Sakura added, "Neji-san? I need to talk to you privately."

When Tenten left the locker room, Sakura turned to Neji with serious eyes, all traces of her earlier excitement gone. "Tsunade-sama wants to send you and Lee-kun to the lightning country."

"I've heard about that."

"She's hoping that Akira will somehow be nicer to you guys, since you guys were once her teammates and all. She thinks that you guys can get the cure."

Neji's voice was cold. "She was the one who chose to leave us."

"I know, but—"

"She didn't want to be with us anymore. If anything, she'll treat me and Lee with more hostility."

"That's what I told Tsunade-sama, but she doesn't know who else to send. She's in a sticky situation because the strongest need to be here, guarding the country, and the other teams have been defeated. Even Naruto couldn't beat Akira."

"Akira is much stronger than she used to be."

"I know. She singlehandedly defeated Naruto's squad. Naruto… you know how he is. He drew out his demon's chakra and everything, but she still managed to fight him and his teammates off. Naruto ended up all right, but that's because the Kyuubi protected him. Shikamaru, on the other hand, was in critical condition and Chouji was put into a coma."

"Perhaps an experienced Jounin would've helped."

"Maybe, but currently, Gai-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Kurenai-sensei… they all need to be in Konoha. They're not going anywhere."

"Lee and I cannot go alone."

"I know, that's why she wants to add Sasuke-kun, to make a three man team."

"We need four people. That's the standard team."

"Yes, that's why she's been considering me or Ino, since we are medically trained and can heal you on the spot. However, that's not possible. We can't go because we're required to work at the hospital. Volunteers are no longer needed, but there are still many patients to treat. So Tsunade-sama's thinking about Hinata, but she doubts you guys need another Byakuugan user."

"You're thinking about Tenten." It was a flat statement.

"Yes," Sakura admitted. "She's the only option left, really, unless you want to work with twelve year old graduates from the academy. Do you think she's ready?"

"No," Neji replied honestly. "She hasn't been trained professionally. She cannot take on an A-ranked mission. She hasn't worked with Lee or Sasuke, either, so she's unfamiliar with their techniques. She's unfamiliar with any kind of procedure—"

"But do you think she's capable? There's a difference."

Neji didn't reply.

"If she were to go along with you guys, will she be a hindrance?"

"Perhaps."

Sakura gave him a look. "I remember that she beat you once."

"I was tired and out of chakra," Neji muttered. "But I suppose she would be of some help. She could probably take down a guard or two."

"Great! That's all I needed to hear." She smiled slightly. "And I saw the way you looked at that magazine. You think she's beautiful, don't you?"

Neji immediately frowned. "Don't make such false and ridiculous accusations."

"It's not an accusation if it's true." She recognised that infamous scowl of his but she couldn't help but chuckle. "It's crazy, seeing me and Tenten—ordinary ninjas—on the cover of such a high fashion magazine. But it turned out quite nice, didn't it? Oh, look at this pretty one, with just Tenten staring into the camera. Isn't she cute?"

"And it's printed on perforated paper, too," she added slyly when he didn't reply. She neatly ripped off the page. "Now it's like a nice picture, perfect for framing." She placed it on a table and gave it a light pat. "I'll put it here, and if you want it, you can take it."

Then she left, because her break was supposedly over but Neji knew Sakura had mischievous underlying intentions. It was unnerving to know that so many people continuously implied the same thing when he clearly did not like Tenten. Was it so difficult to understand that she was simply a companion he didn't mind being around? It seemed like people nowadays had nothing to do so they made something out of nothing. It was preposterous, and ludicrous, and just utterly outrageous.

Neji then took the picture of Tenten and slipped it into his pocket.

"I can't wait to see the look on Amaya's face when she sees you," Tenten said once Neji met up with her.

"She doesn't know that I'm coming?"

"She doesn't know that I'm coming either. After I asked Tsunade-sama, I never got the chance to tell her that I'm granting her second wish." Tenten grinned and clapped excitedly. "And on top of it all, you're coming!"

"I'm not going to be entertaining."

"It's okay, she loves you the way you are." She glanced at the prodigy, who was carrying a large bag full of extra clothes, water, medicine and first aid kits. "Are you sure that that's not too heavy? We could've split the load into two bags."

"It isn't heavy."

It didn't seem like a challenge for Neji, so she left it at that and headed for the kid's playroom. Amaya wasn't there and was instead in her room. That usually meant that she wasn't healthy enough to play with the other kids, but Tenten tried to not let that bother her. "Amaya! How are you feeling today?"

The little girl was slightly pale, but her grin was still bright as she jumped off the bed to hug the older girl. "I'm good!" she exclaimed happily, jumping up and down. "What's my surprise, Tenten-nee-chan? What's my surprise?"

"What?"

"Sakura-nee-chan said that you have a surprise for me!"

Tenten laughed. "Did she tell you what it was?"

"Nope, but I really really want to know!"

"Guess."

"Is… is it Neji-nii-chan?" Amaya peered excitedly at Neji, who looked down at her with an unreadable expression. He wasn't exactly beaming but he wasn't being cold, either.

"He's a small part of it," Tenten replied, chuckling. "One more guess!"

Suddenly, Sakura's head popped into the room. "Why are you guys still here? I thought you were taking her out."

Before Tenten could laugh at Sakura's uncanny ability to ruin a surprise, Amaya squealed loudly, and for a moment she no longer looked like a frail eight year old fated to die. "You're taking me out? Thank you, Tenten-nee-chan! I've been stuck here for so long!"

The first place Amaya suggested was the aquarium. Tenten, who had never been to an aquarium before, happily complied and dragged along the prodigy. Well, she couldn't exactly say drag, because Neji was obedient enough. He didn't say or do much, but it was better than him trying to escape.

There was actually a lot of people at the aquarium. Many were foreigners that undoubtedly came from a tour bus of some sort, and there were lots of families. There was a show going on, but Tenten struggled to find a good spot in the crowd. Although she was taller than most girls her age, she could barely see past the men that stood in front of her. She only frowned when she saw another crowd of tourists burst through the doors. Not that she minded them at all—she just wanted this day to be perfect with Amaya. If Tenten could barely see, what was the chance of a little kid seeing anything?

She picked up the little blonde, awkwardly trying to find a comfortable position that would let the both of them see. It was impossible, though, considering that people behind her began to complain and Amaya was going to kick the people in front of her. Tenten looked at Neji helplessly.

Without a word, he took Amaya from Tenten, carried her into his right arm and somehow found a good spot near the sidelines. How he managed to find the perfect spot and position so effortlessly, Tenten didn't know. But she was grateful because Amaya's face was glowing with delight and now they were all able to see.

"Welcome all to the annual anniversary of Suizokukan! It is the largest aquarium in all of the Fire country," the announcer exclaimed in his booming voice. "Here, we have the widest variety of marine animals—from fish to sharks, you name it. Here I will show you perhaps one of the most endearing animal species—"

At that instant, the black curtains draping over the tank were gone, revealing a group of penguins. Amaya's eyes widened with excitement and she cooed and giggled when a plump penguin slipped on the ice and spun on its stomach.

When the show ended, they moved on to other shows, where dolphins did tricks and seals bounced balls. They also saw blowfish and eels and giant catfish that frankly scared Amaya so much she yelped when it pressed its face against the glass.

"It's so scary!" Amaya exclaimed, pouting. She pointed her stubby finger against the glass. "He's not going to have any friends if he keeps doing that!"

"Perhaps he likes you," Neji murmured.

"Really?" Amaya looked a little closer. "Well, I think he looks a little cute."

Tenten smiled. "See? He's not that scary anymore."

"You're right, nee-chan, he isn't scary." After a pause, the little blonde added, "I think everybody is cute in their own way, even if they seem scary at first." She secretly glanced at Neji and Tenten and then giggled to herself.

"Shall we go?"

"Okay, Neji-kun!"

Tenten happily followed the prodigy, who had consistently been carrying Amaya like she was his own daughter. It looked almost normal, almost right—Neji looked like a protective father, carrying a large bag in one arm and his daughter in the other. And Tenten? Well, she didn't dare to think that she was anything else other than a babysitter.

They then went to a park because Amaya wanted some fresh air—they all did, especially after spending a few hours being surrounded by hundreds of people. They passed by an ice cream truck on the way. Before Amaya could even ask, Tenten skipped to the ice cream truck and asked for three cones.

"What would you guys like?"

"Chocolate please," Amaya replied with a toothy grin to the cashier. "With rainbow sprinkles too!"

The guy chuckled. "Gotcha, kiddo. And you?"

"I'll have a vanilla cone," Tenten answered politely. She turned to Neji. "What do you want?"

The prodigy shrugged. "I don't eat ice cream."

"Treat yourself for once."

"Who eats ice cream in the winter?"

Rolling her eyes, Tenten told the cashier, "he wants chocolate."

"Coming right up."

"Chocolate is the best flavour in the world!" Amaya exclaimed a little while after, licking her ice cream. They were currently walking around the park, trying to find an empty bench to sit on. Despite the fact that it was winter and the park was covered in snow, there were lots of families and couples. Kids were running about, fully equipped with their hats, mittens and boots. No wonder the ice cream truck decided to pass by, Tenten realised; there were lots of potential customers.

"Vanilla is really good too," Tenten said in response to Amaya's statement. "And it looks like we're not the only ones eating ice cream in the winter."

"Nee-chan, I think we should enjoy ice cream all year long!"

"I totally agree."

"I also think that—" Amaya suddenly stopped. "Look, Tenten-nee-chan, there's an empty spot there!"

They sat on the bench Amaya spotted even though it was covered in ice. Tenten made sure to take out an extra shirt from their bag of necessities and covered the seat before the little blonde sat on it. All three of them watched as the other kids screamed and ran about.

"They're so lucky," Amaya commented wistfully. "They can play whenever they want."

"You can too," Tenten said gently.

"That's not true. I'm always in the hospital."

"You're not there now."

"That's because Tsunade-sama said it was okay to take me out for one day," she countered dully. "You still have to take care of me because I'm sick."

Tenten had nothing to say to that, so she looked away and pretended to be engrossed in her ice cream.

"Please don't think that I'm unhappy, nee-chan," said Amaya suddenly. She smiled brightly. "I'm very happy to spend a whole day with my nee-chan and Neji-kun!"

The brunette smiled softly. "You're a good kid, you know that?"

Neji abruptly stood up, threw away the tissue that came with his ice cream cone and stood in front of Amaya. "Have you ever made a snowman before?"

Amaya shook her head. "Nope."

"You want to make one now?"

The eight year old sprang up. "Yeah!"

Just then, an elderly couple walked past them, eyeing their now empty bench. "Young ones, may we sit here?"

"Of course! We were just leaving." Tenten noticed that they both struggled to carry their bags full of what she assumed to be groceries. "Here," she said, offering her hand, "I'll get that for you."

"My, what a nice young girl," the old lady said, smiling graciously. "See, Izanagi? There are still good people out there."

"The young generation is corrupted," Izanagi insisted stubbornly.

"Don't mind him. He's just a grumpy geezer," the old lady continued. "And oh—your daughter! What's your name?"

Before Tenten could correct the elderly lady, Amaya exclaimed proudly, "I'm Amaya!"

"Well, Amaya, aren't you just precious?"

"Thanks!"

"You are the cutest little thing ever. And I can tell that you will grow up to be just as pretty and kind as your mother."

Tenten laughed uncertainly. "Uh, you see, I'm not actually—"

"Amaya does take a lot after Tenten," Neji said unexpectedly, his eyes amused. He only smirked when Tenten turned to gape at him.

"You're right. And she has your nose."

"And my eyes," the prodigy added with a mysterious voice.

"She does have your light eyes—oh my, what a lovely family," the elderly woman cooed. "I certainly approve. Don't you, Izanagi?"

"Young people these days," he simply muttered. "What ever happened to abstinence?"

Tenten turned slightly red, and with an embarrassed laugh, bid the elderly couple farewell. "What was that about?" she asked once they were out of earshot distance.

"Naruto said that joking is fun."

"Since when did you start listening to Naruto?" Tenten's voice rang with incredulity. "And that's not joking—you were fooling old people. And they were so nice!"

"And gullible."

Tenten slapped his arm, but Neji wasn't the slightest bit fazed. "Yeah Neji, way to set a bad example for Amaya—I mean, seriously! Out of all the things that you can do."

"I thought it was funny," Amaya piped, her eyes twinkling.

"Being a Hyuuga's wife is very honourable," Neji stated, shoving his hands into his pockets. Tenten didn't know what he meant by that statement, but she detected something underlying and couldn't help but fluster.

"Well, you know what? You shouldn't—oh—oh just forget it," she mumbled as Amaya began to giggle. The corners of Neji's mouth twitched. Even Tenten couldn't help but smile; there was something about these two people that made her especially happy.

"Can I go make a snowman with the other kids?" Amaya suddenly asked. "You guys don't have to join if you don't want to."

"Go ahead," Tenten said. "Neji and I will just walk around. We don't have gloves anyway."

"Okay!"

"You're worried about Amaya," Neji stated shortly after Amaya ran off. The eight year old had already bonded with some of the other kids and now they were working together to make a big snowman. Currently, she was gathering branches for its arms.

"Aren't you?" Tenten countered immediately.

"She's not weak."

"She is physically. She has both brain tumours and this weird disease—and on top of that, her immune system is abnormally weak. She's normally in the hospital, monitored by professional doctors… and now, she's out in the freezing cold playing with germy kids. Any moment, she might collapse from fatigue, or catch a cold, or start coughing up blood again…"

"Then why did you bring her out?"

"Because… Because she wanted to?" Tenten sighed. "I know, I'm being a hypocrite. I allowed myself to put her in danger and now I'm worrying about her health. It's just that she's always being cooped up inside the hospital… and I wanted to grant her second wish… and… well, doesn't everybody deserve a breath of fresh air?"

"Then don't regret your decision."

"I don't. I'm just worried."

"Go with Amaya. You should make a snowman if you haven't made one before," Neji suddenly said.

Tenten laughed. "You remember me saying that?"

"I don't forget things easily."

"Well, I don't know. I'm a little old for that, aren't I?"

"Excuse."

"I'll go if you go."

"I don't have gloves."

"Excuse," Tenten imitated with a laugh. "You're Hyuuga Neji! You love being in the cold."

"For training purposes only," Neji corrected. "It trains the body to become immune to the cold."

"You can't really become immune to the cold."

"You can if you've been training all your life."

At this point, they were now back at where they first entered; they had made a complete turn around the park. Amaya was still there with her newly made friends. The little blonde spotted the two and waved her arms frantically. "Neji-kun! Tenten-nee-chan! Look at my snowman!"

She was out of breath when the two teenagers approached her. "Look at what me and my friends made! It's so big!"

In actuality, it didn't even reach Tenten's shoulder but it did tower over the little kids' heads. "Well done you guys!" Tenten exclaimed with a smile. "It looks just like the ones in the movies. Where did you guys find the carrot?"

"My lunchbox!" A lanky kid, who had a big gap in his teeth, beamed. "My mom knew I was going to make a snowman today, so she packed a raw carrot!"

"That's great! And whose scarf is that?"

"Mine!" Amaya cried happily, falling backwards to sit on the snow. "I already have a thick sweater underneath, so I gave my scarf to the snowman!"

"You're really out of breath, Amaya. Are you okay?"

"Yeah! I'm just really tired."

"We all are," the lanky kid added. "We ran around looking for branches and rocks and everything. But—"

Just then, Amaya's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she collapsed. Everything else spiralled downwards afterwards. The surrounding kids began to scream and yell, the nearby children who were even younger began to cry, families began to surround Amaya with wide eyes, but Tenten's frantic cries seemed to be the most piercing of them all. "Neji! What—we—I can't feel her pulse! Neji—we have to get her to the hospital—now!"

"You shouldn't stay here," Sakura said, using her professional business tone. Her eyes were rather cold. "Amaya's not going to wake up any time soon."

"Sakura," Tenten cried, "I have to know if Amaya's going to be alright. What's going on?"

"She overexerted herself and now she's unconscious."

"What are you going to do now? Is she going to undergo surgery?"

Sakura let out a harsh laugh. "And do what? The best we can do is just let her rest and see what happens. Look, Tenten. I know that you're attached to her and all, but Amaya's going to die. She's too weak to undergo any kind of surgical procedure and we don't have enough funds to do so anyways. She is going to die. If not tonight, then probably in a few days. I'm surprised she's even lasted this long."

"That's it then? You're just going to give up? You're just going to put her in a room and hook her up to a few tubes?"

"I'll let you know when she wakes up, okay?"

"Can't I just stay here?"

"You have to know when to let go." The pink-haired kunoichi sighed softly. "And honestly, Tenten. She's beyond exhausted. Even in the hospital she has to stay in her room and be monitored. You let her run around in the cold?"

"I didn't know—look, I'm sorry, that was a lack of judgment on my part. But is there anything that I can—"

Sakura readjusted her face mask. "You've done enough." Without another word, she turned around and disappeared into another room.

"Haruno's tired," Neji commented for the first time since they had arrived at the hospital. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "To her, Amaya is just another patient."

Moments passed with the two standing outside Amaya's room. Inside, the little blonde looked as pale as ever and her chest barely rose every time she breathed. There were various tubes and wires that wrapped around her body to ensure that she would stay alive. Just moments ago, she was still grinning as if the world couldn't get any better. Moments ago, she was happily playing in the snow, almost blending in with all the other kids. Moments ago, she was still alive.

Now, Amaya was essentially a lifeless doll. Without her bright blue eyes and her warm sunny smile, she was noticeably thinner and frailer. And if Sakura's predictions were right, then in a few days…

Tenten's hands balled into fists. There was nothing quite as unnerving as knowing that if Amaya had stayed in the hospital, she wouldn't be like this now.

"It's all my fault," Tenten whispered, knowing that if she spoke any louder her voice would completely break. "I knew something like this would happen—we all did, but I didn't listen. Tsunade-sama didn't allow me at first, and she gave us a whole bag of necessities, and I knew she was sick, and she was weak, and she's so frail—"

Her vision blurred and she could feel the pent-up tears finally falling freely. She immediately looked down. She needed her hair to cover her eyes—she didn't want to cry in front of Neji again. How many times had she broken down in front of him? He probably thought she was weak and pathetic. Which she was, in many ways. She was always so stubborn and she could never do anything right. What good did playing fairy godmother do?

Tenten heard Neji taking steps towards her. "I know, Neji. You don't have to say anything," she said, almost half chuckling. "I'm crying again, I know I'm being weak—"

"Don't show your emotions. Do not crack under pressure," he said quietly. "To any ninja, that is the most fundamental rule. But… perhaps that isn't always the case."

Before Tenten could process his words, she felt Neji's arms around her. She suddenly stopped breathing altogether. It was the strangest sensation, feeling her forehead against his neck, but she knew she needed his support, even though she would never admit it. She was independent and strong, she wanted to say, but she didn't want to—no, she couldn't pull herself away.

"Am I wrong?" she finally murmured into his shirt. "At first, bringing Amaya outside seemed like the greatest idea in the world. And now… she might never—"

"You're not wrong," Neji replied, his grip on her tightening. "Amaya was weak to start with. She's not in this state because of you."

"I know, but I'm so… so stupid! I keep thinking that this disease will just magically disappear…"

"People come and go."

"It's not fair."

"Is life ever fair?"

"She's eight!" Tenten exclaimed in frustration. Her face was still buried into his shirt but she didn't care. "Am I the only one that sees something wrong with this? Neji, she's not supposed to be all wired up and trapped in the hospital. It's not natural! It's… it's…"

"You can't help it. It's not your fault."

"I hate being useless," she said quietly. "I can never do anything right. God, I am so stupid!"

"Don't say that," Neji whispered fiercely. "Not everybody would pay attention to a dying orphan. You went out of your way to make her happy."

Tenten stayed silent for a long while. She couldn't really fathom what was happening, or why Neji's arms were around her, or why his words were so oddly comforting. She didn't really care, though. She took in a shaky breath, willed herself to stop crying, and managed a small smile. "Thank you."

His arms dropped to his sides again. "I don't like seeing you cry."

If it weren't for Amaya's current predicament, Tenten would've laughed at Neji's sudden sensitivity. "Since when?"

"Since I made you cry."

Normally that memory would've hit a sore spot, but Tenten could barely recall the hatred she had felt for him. "That was a long time ago."

"Was it?" Neji stopped his trail of thoughts and gestured towards the exit. "Shall we go?"

"But Amaya's still unconscious."

"Visiting hours are over. We shouldn't be here whether she's awake or not."

"I need to know if she's going to be alright."

"Haruno said she would inform us when Amaya wakes up."

Neji gave her a knowing look and Tenten sighed; there was no use in arguing with someone that was far more rational and logical than she was. It was irritating, almost. Neji would always be right and she would always be wrong. However, she realised as they were walking back home, she liked that about him. He had always struck her as a mature and cynical adult-like teen, but at the same time he possessed all kinds of knowledge. This wasn't the first time he had helped her. It was like she was this reckless, impulsive, naïve child and he was her voice of reason, the one person that would keep her feet on the ground.

She snuck at a quick glance at the prodigy, secretly wondering if he could hear her thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" Neji asked without turning his head. His eyes were still cast up ahead.

"You're really creepy like that."

Neji's lips curved into a slight smirk.

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A/N: This is the last chapter written by the fifteen year old me. It's pretty short in comparison to the others, but I wrote most of it tonight so I still deserve a pat on the back. (The random typos/missing words will be fixed in the future.)

I'm turning sixteen! :) You know what's weird though? I've always thought of "sixteen" as a big milestone. I've always thought that once I'm sixteen, I would be sure of what I want in life.

What a wrong assumption that was, haha.

Thanks for reading! Expect a chapter in the next… three to four months? Haha, kidding. I'll try to update a little more often. :)

Lots of love,
Chigiri Sasaki