Chapter 13:

A few days later, my team found ourselves in a crowded waiting room with shinobi from around the country for the exams to begin. All of us, different strengths and styles, different personalities and passions, thrown into a room together. In less than a few hours we'd be stuck in an even bigger room, the weak minded weeded out before we'd be thrown into the Forest of the Death where the weak in body would either be killed or unable to make it to the tower.

We had spent the past few doing some mediocre training and also some research while Megumi-sensei continued to avoid us, coming into our room so quickly and disappearing even faster. It had also been a few days since I had laid eyes on Sasuke and I knew, given this exam, it was inevitable. We were bound to face each other eventually and I regretted it, unsure what he would say to me and yet able to imagine him spitting out hateful word after hateful word.

"Are we ready?" Hideki asked.

"Born ready." Kyoske grinned as he rolled his shoulders.

"Where's Naruto and the others?" I asked, craning my neck through the crowd. "You don't think they're running late do you?" The last thing I wanted to do was look so desperate but my mind was reeling with thoughts of him, a part of me just wanting to get it over with.

"If they are then they won't be able to take the exams." Kyoske said with a shrug. "No sweat off my back."

"It would be one less thing to worry about." Hideki said.

"But it would be harder to keep tabs on Uchiha if they are." I pointed out and both of them fell silent. Finally, after much peering and peeking, I found a flash of Naruto's orange jumpsuit and smiled, pointing him out in the crowd. "There they are!"

"There's a commotion of some k—" Hideki's words reeled to a stop as the crowd before us parted to give us a better view of the scene.

Sasuke darted forward, nothing but a blue blur and was seconds away from delivering a kick to some punk blocking a door when Rock Lee appeared, blocking their hits with his bare hands.

"Oh no." Kyoske said, running a hand through his hair. "Not them."

We ran forward then, pushing through the crowd until we were within earshot. We arrived just as Lee was looking right at Sakura who was sweating under his gaze a look of mixed terror and confusion on her face.

"Please be my girlfriend. I vow to protect you with my life!" Lee begged.

"You've got to be kidding me." Kyoske mumbled quietly.

"No!" Sakura shouted, disgusted as she stepped to Naruto's side. Naruto burst out laughing at Lee's rejection.

"Causing trouble, Lee?" Hideki said with a smirk.

Lee blinked at us for a moment before recognition lit his features. He raced toward us, taking my hands in his as he beamed.

"Miyuki! It is great to see you again! Kyoske, a pleasure. Hideki! Hideki!" Lee said and the two clasped the other's shoulders.

"Finally someone I actually like." Kyoske said.

"You know this bushy-browed freak?!" Sakura gasped, annoyance at her brow.

"Is there anyone you three don't know?" Sasuke said, and successfully managing to make his question sound more like an insult than anything else. I couldn't help but shoot him a glance. He seemed fine, the same actually. His glare still held the same level of intensity in it and his words were just as, if not more so, bitter.

"Don't hate because we're popular." Kyoske said, earning a glare from Sasuke.

"Hey you, what's your name?" Neji Hyuga stepped through the crowd with Tenten just a few steps behind him. She wore a smile on her face that deepened when she caught sight of us.

Sasuke turned around to face Neji.

"It's common courtesy to give your own name before asking for the names of others." Sasuke said.

"Burn." Kyoske muttered, earning an elbow to the ribs from Hideki.

"What did I say?!" Kyoske grunted.

Neji's eyes narrowed in response to Sasuke. "You're one of those Rookies aren't you? How old are you?"

"I'm not obliged to answer." Sasuke said, his voice cold.

"What's that?" Neji asked, an edge to his voice.

"See they just met and Uchiha already found a way to get under his skin." Kyoske chuckled.

"Grr! Why is it always about Sasuke?" Naruto grumbled. "Nobody ever wants to know my name.

I looked at him as Tenten giggled watching Neji and Sasuke go at it.

"Don't worry Naruto." I smiled. "Pretty soon everyone will want to know your name." It was all the support I could manage and after letting my words sink in, a smile returned to Naruto's face along with a blush.

"What are you three doing here?" Neji called to us, turning his glare away from Sasuke. Sasuke gave him his back as he too turned to face us. The small crowd that had gathered around us had long dispersed the moment they realized the fight wasn't going to continue. People were heading in every direction around us, some down the registration hallway and the others toward the classroom.

"Don't tell me you're in the Exams too." Tenten giggled again, coming to Neji's side.

Kyoske shrugged. "I mean at least now we get to have a fair fight, right?"

"In your dreams." Neji said, which made Kyoske's eyes narrow.

"Hi Tenten." I said with a nod. She gave me a small wave before putting her hands on her hips.

"Hey Naruto! Sasuke! Let's get out of here." Sakura said and took the two boys by their wrists, pulling them down the hallway. She turned to shoot us a smile. "See you guys inside!"

We managed a nod as the three of them walked down the hall and Sasuke grumbled for her to stop pulling him.

"You three haven't changed." Neji said, taking a step toward us.

"Shame we can't say the same for you, huh?" Kyoske said with a chuckle.

"Still a joker." Tenten smiled softly.

"Don't support him." Neji said.

"You'll never guess who else is here." Hideki said.

"Who?" Neji grumbled. "What is this some sort of twisted reunion?"

"Who is it?" Tenten asked, her eyes widening with interest.

"The Sand." Hideki said.

They fell silent and I watched as Neji's hands balled into tight fists at his sides. "That better be a joke."

"It's not." I said.

"That is great!" Lee said but it was clear that he had no idea who we were talking about. During our mission together, Lee had gotten separated from the group and in our search for him we had bumped into the Sand Genin. While our team had known them, it was Neji and Tenten's first time meeting them and it was beyond pleasant. Harsh words were exchanged and Neji and Gaara had been on the brink of going at it if I hadn't stepped in, convincing the two of them that it was not the time. But, nothing was stopping them here especially when we got into that forest.

"Things just got interesting." Neji said. "Now I have him and that boy to look forward to fighting."

"Uchiha?" Kyoske asked. "Back up, Hyuga! He's mine!"

"Well then I guess we'll see when we get into the Forest of Death, won't we?" Neji said with a sarcastic smirk on his lips. With that he started walking past us and Tenten giggled before following after him.

They were halfway down the hall when we all realized Lee wasn't following behind them.

"Lee! C'mon! We have to check-in." Tenten called.

"I will catch up with you in a minute. You do not need to wait for me. I just want to check something." Lee answered. He went in the opposite direction of his team and started down the hall where the other Leaf shinobi had gone down. Tenten watched him go, light worry knitting her brow before she let out a sigh and shrugged.

"What do you think that was about?" I asked Hideki.

"I don't know when it comes to Lee." Kyoske said, stretching. "But I don't really care either."

"It's probably about him trying to get Sakura's hand." Hideki said. "C'mon, let's go register."

"I'll be right behind you guys." I said and pointed to the bathroom down the hall. "I need to freshen up first."

The boys nodded and started after Neji and Tenten. The moment they were out of eyeshot, I ran after Lee. I was getting close when I bumped into Temari who was rounding a corner.

"Oh!" Temari said, surprise lighting her eyes but settling when she realized it was just me. "Miyuki."

"Hey." I said and then craned my neck down the hall. "Did you see Lee pass by here?"

"Don't tell me that bushy-eyed freak and his squad are here too." Temari sighed dryly. "There's only so many throwbacks I can handle in a day."

I shot her a hard look.

"I'm kidding."

I glared.

"Hardly." Temari sighed, waving a hand through the air. "Anyway, how are you feeling?"

"I don't have time for this." I said, moving past her until she reached out and grabbed my arm. I looked back at her.

"What are you chasing after? Your little boyfriend?" Temari asked, her eyes dark.

I glared at her again. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Then why are you looking for Lee who just so happens to have gone after your little boyfriend too?"

I clenched my teeth together. "Must be coincidence."

"Seems too good to be true." Temari said and released me. "Answer the question."

"I'm fine." I grumbled. "Tired, but fine."

Temari didn't seem to buy it and looked down at her wounded arm which I was sure by now was beginning to scab over. "I'm doing fine, thanks for asking."

"Good." I muttered.

Temari nodded before leaning against the wall.

"He's worried about you." I knew instantly who she was referring too and though it would be hard for people to believe that Gaara cared for anyone, the fact that he hadn't killed me yet spoke wonders and it wasn't like he didn't have tons of opportunities to do so.

"Does he tell you these things late at night?" I asked.

Temari's eyes narrowed. "Watch it."

"I don't need you three babysitting me. I can handle myself." I said. "Now if you'll excuse me—"

"The Uchiha is cute, I'll give him that." Temari said, folding her arms. "But he's dangerous, desperate almost."

"Sounds familiar." I mumbled.

Temari smirked and closed her eyes. "He's a card but Gaara has a point. There's something in his eyes."

"We're the same." I said. "We've gone through the same thing."

"He's broken is what he is." Temari said. "I say you find a new crush in that idiot on their team and call it a day."

My hands balled into tight fists at my sides.

"You can't fix broken things." Temari said, her eyes opening with a tone of seriousness in them.

I didn't have a comeback for that one. Broken? Uchiha? There was something there, something dark and angry and sinister, but there was still that flicker of hope too. A possibility of finding something good amidst the sea of bad.

"No, but you can try and sometimes it's the effort that counts." I said before turning and starting down the hall.

For once, she had no comment and when I glanced back at her, I found her spot empty. She was gone. I felt a small swell of victory in my chest and couldn't help the satisfied smirk that spread across my lips. Triumph, this is what Kyoske was always feeling off of when he had made an actual point.

"SASUKE!"

I froze, my heart stilling in my chest. It was Sakura's voice screaming out for him and I ran after it, hoping for the best but fearing the worst. So much worry in her voice and the sound of her scream brought up the memory of tears streaming down her cheeks. I burst into a spacious room that led to the outside corridor and gripped the railing, starting for the stairs until I saw the scene below. Naruto slumped against the wall, holding the back of his head, Sakura helping an injured Sasuke to his feet, Rock Lee's bandages being held down by a spinning toy and a giant turtle standing beside Lee who was bowing to to the turtle, begging forgiveness.

"His sensei's a turtle?!" Naruto screeched.

Sasuke looked up, sweat dotting his forehead, his cheek a little bruised and the Sharingan in his eyes. A cold chill washed over me as I stared into his eyes, the memory of the girl with the red eyes and Kakashi's Sharingan rolling around in my head. I started down the steps and made it to the bottom just as the turtle revealed Gai, Lee's team's captain, posed as he usually was, glistening teeth, bowl-shaped haircut, jutted hip, etc. It never failed to make me laugh lightly, as it did now which forced all eyes to land on me.

"Miyuki." Naruto said, surprised.

"Miyuki!?" Gai greeted, making a show of jumping off of the turtle to take my hand. "Where you are, so is your beautiful sensei, am I right?" Gai said with a wink that sent chills down my spine.

"I really think after all this time she's still not interested." I said.

Gai pulled his hands away to give another pose and laughed confidently to himself. "I'm a changed man, Miyuki. Wait till she gets a load of me again."

"So you've seen her?" I asked, scratching the back of my head.

"Of course I have. At the announcement of Chunin Exams contenders where she revealed you and your team would be participating." Gai said with a wink.

I nodded, trying to hide the fact that I was bothered knowing Gai had probably seen more of my sensei than I had. But then there was the image of her standing in the same room as the White Fang and I was suddenly desperate to find out that story. I shifted my gaze away from Gai before looking at Sasuke and the others. "You alright? What happened?"

"Lee here thought it would be a good idea to try and reveal his most prized moves before the fights even begin." Gai said, grabbing Lee in a tight headlock that if it weren't for Lee's amazing sense of stamina would've made anyone else cry.

"Forgive me Gai-sensei!" Lee managed.

"These guys are weirdos." Sakura whispered.

"Tell me about it." Naruto whispered back.

"Lee why don't you lead these fine young ninja to the classroom immediately." Gai said, appearing behind and not failing to unnerve the Leaf Rookies by appearing behind them and flashing a toothy grin. With that, Gai disappeared along with his turtle, leaving us alone.

"You started a fight?" I asked Lee as I walked beside him and caught him re-bandaging his heavily battered hand.

Lee nodded before turning to look up at Sasuke who was glaring at him.

"I have not been totally honest with you, Sasuke. I wanted to test my abilities, but it was not on you." Lee said.

Neji, I thought. Hyuga and Uchiha, two legendary clans with promising members. Neji tested everyone's buttons and was so dry and straightforward, it often rubbed people the wrong way. Lee was over the top, swearing by Gai's extreme Taijutsu and while that was admirable especially when his other skills were close to zero, Neji and Lee were like water and oil. Unable to mix, just forced to keep quiet when the other spoke.

"I came here to fight him, someone on my own team. Now, you are our opponent and I want you to know that I will crush you." Lee said before jumping up to the landing above and disappearing down the hall.

I looked after him before looking back at Sasuke and Naruto who looked unimpressed.

"Well, well, look at that. Guess the Uchiha clan isn't as great as everyone says they are." Naruto said.

A vein pulsed in Sakura's head as she turned to glare at Naruto. "Naruto!"

"Next time I'll bring him to his knees." Sasuke growled, a dark storm behind his eyes.

Naruto still didn't seem impressed. "Coming from the guy who just got his butt kicked."

"Naruto! Cut it out!" Sakura snapped.

Sasuke was seething as he took Naruto in and I could sense the tension in the air, sense that Sasuke was about ten seconds away from punching Naruto's teeth in.

"Didn't you see his hands?" Naruto asked, the same unimpressed expression on his face. "I bet old Bushy Brows trains day in and day out every day until he drops. He trains harder than you, that's for sure."

This seemed to shock something in Sasuke and it threw his anger off completely. He was shocked as he thought back and I remembered the sight of Lee's mangled hands, covered in bruises and cuts. Naruto was right. Lee trained harder than anyone I had ever known. He was strong and fast as a result and all of it was a token to how hard he worked to achieve it all. Blood, sweat and tears, and that was just the beginning.

"Fine." Sasuke said as he looked away, his fists trembling slightly. "This Chunin Exam is starting to get interesting. I can't wait to see what happens next."

Naruto smiled, breaking his expression as Sakura smiled with relief.

"Right." Naruto nodded before looking at me.

"Where's your team, Miyuki?" Naruto asked.

I smiled softly. "Registering."

"It's almost 3, Miyuki." Sakura said, worry knitting her brows together. "You better hurry and get yourself checked in."

I nodded and was about to turn to walk away when I stopped myself and looked back at them. "Word of advice for these exams?"

"Go for it." Naruto smiled.

"My team and I have taken this a few times." I said. "Each time is just as hard as the first but hold onto the reason you're all here and never let it go. You hold onto it and you can't lose. They can take a lot from you, but they can't take that."

Naruto and Sakura nodded appreciatively and were starting to walk away as Sasuke stepped toward me.

"So you got your butt kicked, huh?" I asked, making a light flush cross his cheeks. It was evident that he had gotten hit by Lee several times and I could see a small bump on his cheek beginning to form. I dug in my weapons pouch and pulled out an ointment Priestess Akane had helped me make a few days before the Land of Waves mission.

"Here." I said, handing him the small bottle.

"What is that?" Sasuke asked, eyeing it.

"It's an ointment, just dab a little on your cheek and it'll reduce the swelling." I smiled. "You can have it."

Sasuke took it from my hands and opened the bottle. He looked down at it as if it were something contagious but then he composed himself and looked up at me.

"Is this supposed to help me forget you disrespecting me at my house the other day?"

I swallowed but a lump had formed, making it difficult. I coughed, my body shaking with shock. I couldn't believe he had had the audacity and at the same time I scolded myself for allowing the shock in, for letting his words throw me off. I composed myself, flipping my hair over my shoulder as I fixed him with a stern look.

"If giving you my opinion counts as disrespect you should have said something that day." I said.

Sasuke's eyes flitted over me and I felt a light flush light my cheeks until his eyes met mine again.

"I doubt you would have apologized."

"For being real with you? For trying to open your eyes and get you to stop being so stubborn?"

"I don't know what your problem is—"

I glared at him, stomping my foot on the ground. "My problem is that I told you about all the pain in my life, the biggest one and you had no reaction. No acknowledgement, no words of sentiment, nothing!"

His glare hardened. "What would you want me to say? Say that we're the same so we can skip off into the sunset together?"

He had caught me there. I wasn't sure what I had wanted, at least not what I really wanted. The goal was to get him to trust me again but all my story seemed to do was annoy him, force him to dig himself even deeper down the steep hole he was already in.

"I wanted the exact opposite of what happened between us to happen." I mumbled, not even sure what that meant, but letting the words out anyway.

He said nothing, just continued to stare down at me, his glare softening only slightly.

I looked up at him, feeling my lips turn down at the corners. "I want to be your friend." I said. "But I feel like you don't even know what that means, I feel like you don't know what that even is."

"I don't need friends."

"Everyone needs someone."