As Tenten sat on the bench, holding the antihistamines Neji had slipped into her pocket, she couldn't help but ponder her feelings towards him. She realized she had been acting petty and questioned why she harbored so much resentment towards him.
Her mind drifted back to their first year at Konoha University, where her crush on Neji had started. They became seatmates and lab partners in Chemistry, and Tenten admired his skills and intelligence. Yet, she couldn't ignore his occasional arrogance, which irked her.
In those early days, Neji seemed to be softening towards her. He would playfully tease her and even play with her hair during lab sessions. Tenten thought they could be close friends, or maybe even more, until rumors of him dating a classmate named Kin surfaced.
The crush faded as Tenten distanced herself emotionally from Neji. One day, when he poked her side, she snapped at him, "Stop it. You're annoying."
Surprised by her reaction, Neji asked, "Are you on your monthly period?"
Tenten retorted, "You know Hyuga, you shouldn't do this to other girls when you're in a relationship. You're giving your girlfriend the wrong idea or making her jealous. So get lost."
Neji's stoic expression returned as he simply replied, "If you say so," before leaving the classroom.
Tenten, on the other hand, felt relieved that her feelings for him had waned. She had her pride and didn't want her emotions to affect her medical studies.
Since then, they remained civil, though occasional arguments and rivalry were still present.
As Tenten reflected on the past, she couldn't help but wonder if her unresolved feelings were the root cause of her annoyance towards Neji. Perhaps it was time to confront those emotions and address the unspoken resentments that had built up over the years.