A/N: Inspired by my love of traveling.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

…..

Neji had never liked planes. There was something about being confined in such a small space with one hundred other strangers that made him feel uncomfortable. Sure he always flew first-class (being a CEO and all) surrounded by as much luxury as you could possibly squeeze into the first half of a Boeing 747, but air travel still displeased him immensely.

And today, he was hesitating to get out of his car. One minute he was poised to push open the door, determined to get this damn overseas conference over with, and the next, his clasp on the handle slackened, and he relaxed back into his seat, listening to some oldies tune blaring over the radio.

It was Monday, dreary, cold, oh so lovely Monday. Neji closed his eyes, taking in the soft pitter-patter of the rain against his window. Sometimes, he wanted to quit his job, just get up and leave, do something worthwhile in his life. Like photography, he'd always been fond of cameras and pretty pictures, why hadn't he pursued that instead? Oh yes, apparently intelligent people didn't give a crap about petty notions and hobbies (as defined in the words of his uncle); they were ambitious, always climbing the ladder of success. What was it his uncle always told him? One step higher on the social, political, and economic ladder, was one step closer to heaven.

"Fool," Neji whispered before finally yanking his keys out of the ignition and gathering his bags.

"Pardon me, Sir," a light, feminine voice said from somewhere behind him, before a woman, dressed in an air hostess uniform, managed to squeeze her way in a whirl of bright blue through the line of passengers. She quickly flashed her I.D. at the gate attendant and hurried down the connecter, leaving Neji's nostrils filled with the light, floral scent of her perfume. He watched her with displeasure, the color of her uniform imprinted on the inside of his lids when he closed his eyes.

The next time he saw her, she was making sure all the overhead storage compartments were properly closed. She slid her hands along the bins as she walked up the aisle (Neji was horrified when he caught himself mesmerized by the slight swing of her hips as she moved), occasionally stopping to ask someone to put their seat in the correct upright position and stow their carry on bags underneath the chair in front of them. Her nametag glinted in the light as she approached the first-class cabin: Tenten. She wasn't blessed with exotic beauty or any particularly sharp, defining feature, but he did catch the faint beginnings of a hum and a peculiar sparkle in her eyes as she brushed past him, her scent once again wafting underneath his nose.

He tried to ignore the safety procedure, but that Tenten woman (imaginative nickname, is it not?) would not allow it. She stood two seats away from him, demonstrating how to fasten a seatbelt and what not. He was not fond of the way she captured his attention, or the way she was looking directly at him when she explained how to use the drop-down oxygen mask (like she knew planes made him uncomfortable and she was making sure he wouldn't pass out mid-flight.) He was Neji Hyuuga, businessman extraordinaire. He was not one to become easily infatuated. Infatuation led to obsession (though the two in many ways are essentially the same thing) and that led to a one-way ticket to crazy town. The expense: your sanity.

Nevertheless, his state of mind only deteriorated after take-off.

Neji sighed quietly and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He stopped and did a double take, however, when he spotted the snack cart being towed his way with the help of that Tenten woman.

"Would you like anything to drink, Sir?" she asked when she reached him. His lips pressed into a thin line as he turned to give her a pointed glare.

"Coffee please. Black."

She nodded and set about making his caffeinated beverage of choice.

Giving him an infuriatingly cheery grin, she handed him the cup.

It was about midnight when he unbuckled himself and headed towards the lavatories. That Tenten woman was sitting in a designated flight attendant seat in the back, eyes glazed over, seeming deep in thought. Neji cursed his damned fate (and the damned plane, and the damned conference, and the damn bastards who were occupying the bathrooms) and leaned back against the wall, observing the brunette female.

"Do you even like this job?" he finally asked, too tired to be polite (but not too tired to be civil).

"Hmm? This. (She laughed) It's my dream, " she replied breezily, smiling (that odd twinkle was in her eyes again). The Hyuuga raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure if she was being serious.

"This is your dream? Don't you feel suffocated? How can you stand being confined in this-this airborne coffin for so long?" He was slipping more into his thoughts than listening to hers.

"This is what I genuinely love. I love flying, traveling, meeting new people. What about you?" she asked, her chocolate doe eyes focusing on him, curious.

"I'm the CEO of a billon-dollar electronics company. But I hate it. Goddamn it I hate it. You know what I've always wanted to do? (He took the seat beside her, in an almost drunken like state- the recycled cabin air was getting to him).

"What?" she whispered, cocking her head to one side.

"I want to be a photographer."

"A picture is worth a thousand words," she quoted, laughing, "Go for it."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Too risky."

"I dropped out of college to get this job. It was the best decision I ever made. Go for it. Things always work out somehow," Tenten said.

He looked incredulous. "You're crazy."

"Honey you win some, you lose some. You don't get it all. For me, it was between a degree in law or my love of traveling. It seemed insane to my parents too, considering I was only a year away from graduating, but I believe no piece of paper should define you. No title should define you. Chase your dreams. It's what makes life worth it."

Neji stared quietly, thoughtfully. He was surprised when her hand shot out, fingers trailing down his cheek, but he did not resent the tingling sensation.

"You going to quit or what?" she asked finally, when she got tired of their staring contest. Stop wasting your life.

"Yeah," his answer came out as a breathless whisper and for a moment, all he could focus on were her eyes and the delicious pink hue of her lips. But then he repeated his answer sounding surer, stronger.

"Good for you." She grinned, winking at him. "The bathroom's open."

"Right." He got up and then hesitated. He reached into his pocket, pulled out what looked like a business card, and scribbled down a number on the back. "Call me," he told her, pressing the card into her hand and then slipping into the lavatory.

Tenten grinned. Oh yes, she loved her job.

…..

A/N: Looking back, that was more of a drabble than a one-shot. I've been trying to edit this for a while and it's just not cooperating. Grr…

Thank you for reading and please review!

~M.I.