KonohaSchoolof the Arts
Chapter VII: While Sakura was Gone (Part II)
A/N: Tell me if you think Ten Ten and Neji are OOC As well as the other characters ^^ Much appreciated!
-Momo Mirasaki
Once they got to the art room Neji went to a table all the way in the back of the room. He had a saw among other wood work tools strew out around the table, a sketch of what he was going to do with the wood sat close by. Ten Ten walked in cautiously and was a bit in shock when he handed her goggles. She slipped them on, putting her supplies on the table next to his. In the background she could hear faint classical music playing. She hummed to it, playing the piano with it in her mind.
Neji was a bit surprised when he heard her humming. Not many teenagers he knew listened to classical music like him and for a girl who was supposed to be all about sports to know it…well, that was a bit too weird in his mind. He had felt sorry for the girl, which was odd for him by all standards, but, he considered the fact that even today in school this one wasn't as annoying as the other ones. She actually sat there quietly when she was told to; she was polite and stayed d out of your way.
So, he had invited her to Art room, to his domain. He made his way back to the project Jiraiya-sensei had given him specifically. He was to be making a wood project. He settled on doing a few flowers and leaves, making them all cool colors. Handing the girl goggles incase she decided to watch he got back to work. He took the wood and used his pencil to draw the outline, going over them in marker not a minute later.
Ten Ten stared in awe at his precision and accuracy. She had to agree with Hinata- Neji was on a whole other level. She sat down and got started on her own project as well, still humming along with the music, letting the noise of the saw going up and down, then the rough scratching of sand paper join in the melody. Minutes passed by and finally Neji was done. Ten Ten had been midway done with her drawing when she saw him painting. Putting her stuff down she had pulled her legs onto the chair and rested her chin on her knees, watching him as he bent over the wood, his long hair in loose ponytail going back and forth with each stroke he made, just like the paintbrush in his hand.
Ten Ten was enjoying the peace immensely. Sure she liked it when she was with her friends being loud and goofing around but there was a certain peace that she liked about sitting there in silence, no drama, and no worries just a person and their work. She had been staring a bit too long, lost in her thoughts because Neji was staring at her now eyebrow cocked. He had finished a good five minutes ago.
"Ten Ten?" Ten nearly jumped, her eyes focusing now to find Neji staring at her intently. She blushed. That was the first time he'd actually called her by her name. All that thinking and staring off into space wasn't for nothing though.
"I have a question."
He waited, looked at his work then replied. "It better not be stupid,"
She didn't take it offensively, just nodding her head. "Can you show me how to paint flowers?"
Neji was staring at her. She had to be kidding right? "Why?"
Why was this girl starting to peak his interest? This had to be the longest conversation he's had with a girl besides his cousins and the one time he'd ever been alone with a girl. Sure, he was popular with girls at school and was constantly hit on, but once he'd give them a cold glare or ignore them, they'd eventually get the hint.
Either he was going soft of this girl wasn't getting the hint.
Ten Ten bit her lip thinking. "Well, if it isn't of any inconvenience of course," She stood stretching her body. It was sore from sitting in the same position for so long. "Because I want to learn how to make beautiful flowers like you; I know it'll take a lot of practice, but I'm willing to do it."
Her eyes met his questioningly and he gave in with a sigh. One lesson wouldn't hurt would it? He nodded and she grinned.
When Hinata and Temari came looking for Hinata an hour later, the Art room was the last place on the list. They found Neji holding her hand, the one with the paintbrush in it, correcting her stroke.
Temari grinned wickedly and took a picture with her phone. Ten Ten wasn't gonna live this down.
