Chapter 13: Shutter Lag

Tokyo

Hinata rushed to work today, even beating out the punctual Kiba to the studio. She waved a quick greeting to Jiraiya behind the glass of his office because he was on the phone, and urged the elevator to get to her studio faster.

Because she was eager to see what her pictures from the Nebuta festival would look like on a wider screen, she'd managed to wake up, snoozing her phone only once, and got to the train station with lots of time to spare.

When she strode inside, Hinata smiled at the computer that was in her office. This was a donation she'd gotten a few years ago from Neji, who'd known that Hinata didn't have the money for a new one. That time, his company had been shifting to new technology and was getting rid of their old computers. And since Hinata was launching her own studio at the same time, she'd gladly accepted Neji's offer.

That was five years ago, though. She knew she was due for a new one, judging from the amount of complaints that Kiba was making.

Kiba had brought his own computer to help him work, but Hinata, being one of those slow ones to adapt to technology, had continued using the old one.

Even though she kind of had the money to get a new computer now, work had been too consuming that finding time to go out and shop for the perfect one was extremely difficult. Plus, this contest had added more responsibilities to her plate that she'd put it off even more.

As soon as she got to her desk, Hinata took out the memory stick from her camera and inserted it into the slot.

She settled comfortably in her favorite chair and took off the lid of the coffee she'd grabbed on her way to work. However, as she was setting it down on the desk, she spilled it all over her mouse and keyboard. Instinctively, Hinata swept her hand over the devices to try to prevent them from getting even more soaked.

"Fuck!" she cursed, dismayed to see how much damage a small cup of coffee could do.

Hinata quickly got up and went to the storeroom to grab a couple of paper towels to mop up the mess.

When she eventually got everything dried, she looked up at the computer only to see a completely blank screen. Instead of the familiar folder icon with her photos, a sheer white space stared up at her.

She clicked on the mouse.

Nothing.

Hinata took out the SD card from its slot and inserted it back again. To her dismay, the white screen didn't disappear. Nothing indicated that her photos were there. In a panic, Hinata pressed every button on the keyboard and clicked on the mouse several more times. When that didn't work, Hinata restarted her computer a couple times and had to stop when the fifth attempt only brought a bright blue screen.

"No, no, no. Don't do this to me," she pleaded with her computer as she continued to fiddle with the mouse and the keys.

When nothing happened, her hands went to her temples and rubbed angrily, but what she wanted to really do was to pull out her hair in frustration. Dread was also creeping down her spine, causing her to sweat.

She blinked rapidly and then took calming breaths. She shook her head in denial.

No, she did not lose her photos, all the hard work she'd done the last couple days.

There was no way she was that stupid. There was no way she could be this unlucky.

But as she stared at the cheerfully bright screen blinking blankly at her, she let out a scream of irritation.

"Argh!"

Just then, her phone vibrated, causing her to jump up and shriek in surprise. In confusion, Hinata fumbled to see who was texting her. Instead of opening the message app, though, her fingers mistakenly grazed the button that enabled the call feature of her phone.

And then she heard his voice. It was breathless, pleasantly surprised.

"Hinata? You didn't have to call me. I was just sending you a text about the hotel. I figured I'd text you the details to my account and you can wire the money there."

She grasped her phone desperately. "Naruto?! Is that you?"

There was a pause. "Did you mean to call me?"

"No! Sorry, it was an accident!"

He must have heard her panic because he asked, "You okay?"

"No!" she wailed.

"What happened?"

"I think I lost my files, the photos I'd taken from the festival in Aomori."

There was silence on the other line.

"You mean you lost your memory SD card?" he finally asked.

Almost in tears, Hinata answered, "No, I was in the middle of uploading them to my computer and I must have done something to erase them. They're not in the computer or the memory card. In fact, my computer won't start."

"Oh, shit."

"Yes. And I don't know how to recover the files!"

"Don't panic. I'll send my tech lady over and see if she can help you out."

"Will you?"

"I can't promise anything, but she's a miracle worker. She might be able to help you."

"Oh, god! If she can salvage even just one photo from the Nebuta Festival, I'll be forever grateful."

"It'll be fine, Hinata. Don't lose hope yet. She should be there within the hour."

She took heart in his soothing, reassuring voice.

"Thank you!"

Naruto's "tech lady" came forty minutes later. Kiba, who'd arrived only ten minutes before her to open up their shop, had heard of the problem from Hinata and was expecting her.

He eyed her appreciatively when she first walked in.

"Woah," he murmured under his breath to himself, awed by the beautiful brunette walking in.

She was slim and of medium height, dressed in a black leather jacket and blue jeans. Her black biker boots that came up almost to her knees were rough-sounding against the floor. Underneath her arm, she held a shiny motorcycle helmet, also black. Her dark brown hair parted in the middle, styled in twin braids that hung just off her shoulders. The bangs brushing against her forehead touched on a couple of eyebrow rings. It added to the overall metallic effect of the piercings that dotted her ears.

"Good morning," he said.

Her dark eyes flashed coolly but she smiled briefly, causing a twitch that made the sunlight glint over the small diamond stud that pierced her nostril.

"Morning." She bowed a shallow greeting. "I'm Tenten. Naruto sent me."

"That was fast!"

Kiba then glanced at her helmet, which prompted Tenten to say, "I parked my bike in the space in the back, that okay?"

He nodded. "I just need to know what it is so I can let our landlord know. He gets really petty sometimes and has illegally parked cars and bikes towed just for fun."

"Fair enough." She pointed to the logo emblazoned on her helmet. "Black Kawasaki Ninja with green panels on the side."

He whistled. "Cool." Then he picked up the phone and punched in Jiraiya's office number.

Hinata, still slumped despondently over her computer, looked up when she heard Kiba talking to Naruto's tech lady. Normally, she would have gaped and stared at the picture of such a badass, but she was only concerned about her photos so her reaction was muted. "Can you really work miracles with computers?"

"Depends," Tenten answered as she turned her head towards her.

The tech lady then walked to where Hinata was seated, but she stopped abruptly when she saw the clunky computer on the desk. She gasped.

"Wow, what a relic! You hardly see those nowadays. Most of my clients have the newest technology. Conversely, I'm impressed that you've got something that ancient in your office."

Kiba snorted pointedly.

"I know it's old, but whatever. Just help me," Hinata cried.

"I'll see what I can do." She shooed Hinata away, who obligingly gave up her seat. Tenten placed her helmet on the desk and took off her jacket, revealing a form-fitting plain white t-shirt and more silver jewelry and chains that hung around her neck. Then she settled in front of the computer and took out her own laptop from the bag on her back. That done, she attached a couple of wires to connect both of them. Her fingers were suddenly flying over the keyboard, her face squinting close against the screen as it transformed into a jumbled mess of unreadable text.

Hinata hovered behind Tenten worriedly. She chewed on her lower lip even as the computer wizard did her magic—or so she hoped.

"I just want my pictures back," she mumbled.

Tenten humphed, still frowning at the screen, now black with white gibberish. One hand was typing something into the space following a blinking horizontal line. Her other hand was hovering over the mouse. "There's a slight chance I can recover them."

"Tenten?" came Kiba's voice. "We have tea and stuff. And I could also grab something from the vending machine downstairs if you're thirsty. You want anything?"

She shook her head. "No, thank you."

Hinata stared at the woman sitting before her computer. "Tenten? Is that your real name?"

Tenten's fingers suddenly stopped moving over the keyboard. She took her attention off the screen, straightened up, and then met Hinata's gaze coolly. "You got a problem with it?"

"No! Not if you can help me!"

Tenten's eyes narrowed slightly.

Hinata, still nervous and panicked about her photos, explained lamely, "It's just that… it's funny. Your name. You know, Tenten. Tech lady."

"And?"

"It just makes me want to say, ten-te-teeeen!" Hinata intoned in a fanfare, ending the last syllable on a singsong note.

Tenten didn't crack a smile. "You're an ass. That's a terrible joke. And are you really going to pull that shit with someone who's trying to help you?"

"I know, sorry! I admit I'm a trainwreck. This is what I do when I'm nervous and anxious," Hinata said as she looked over Tenten's shoulders again, peering at the screen and praying for her photos to appear.

Tenten brought her eyes to Kiba. "Is she always like this?"

He shrugged but his smile was sardonic. "You caught her on a good day."

Tenten made a face. "My condolences. I don't envy you your coworker," she responded, then turned back to the screen and keyboard, back to the business of rescuing the files.

Kiba laughed in response, but Hinata was gasping because she was suddenly looking at one of her photos that Tenten had salvaged.

"Oh, my god! It's there!" She hugged Tenten from behind. "Thank you so much!"

Tenten extricated herself from Hinata's embrace. "Don't celebrate just yet. There's still more work to be done."

"Okay! But I trust you! I shouldn't have doubted Naruto. You are a miracle worker! No! You're an angel, a god, a legend!" Hinata whooped and did a little celebratory jig．

Tenten shot a brief questioning glance once more at Kiba, who was ignoring the dancing Hinata. He was looking down at his own computer and was working on the studio bookings for the day. Hinata was getting into her performance now, swinging her arms enthusiastically while the photos appeared one by one on the screen.

Tenten puckered her face at the weirdness of it all, but apparently, this was all normal for the both of them.

She went back to typing more code into the computer.

To distract herself, Hinata grabbed a stool to sit next to Tenten and launched into a monologue explaining the details about the photo on the screen.

Tenten frowned because she normally liked to work quietly, but she encouraged more chatter when she steered the topic to what she was more interested in hearing about. "You're the lion lady. I know about your accident."

From her periphery, Hinata saw Kiba stiffen, but she nodded, not bothered when the subject was broached. If it would help her get her pictures back because Tenten wanted to hear it, then she would tell all in excruciating detail if need be. But luckily, Tenten only wanted to hear the basics. Hinata then proceeded to explain what had happened three years ago while she'd been in Tanzania in that wildlife preserve.

And while Hinata talked beside her, Tenten's fingers continued to pound at the keys and click on the mouse.

Until finally, she announced, "I think I got all of them. I'm counting 1,582…no, sorry. I got 1,633 files?"

Hinata nodded, sitting in shocked appreciation. She could only stare in wonder at her photos arranged perfectly in a folder on the screen.

"Did I get all of your photos?"

Hinata checked, then bobbed her head up and down enthusiastically again. "Yes, thank you so much, Tenten! I love you to hell and back!"

Tenten ignored her declaration of undying love and instead frowned at her. "You want my advice? Junk this computer and get a new one. It's too old. If this happens again, you'll lose them forever."

Kiba grumbled noisily. "I keep telling her but she won't listen. Thanks for proving me right, Tenten."

"Yeah, I learned my lesson this time. I'm getting one ASAP."

"Alright, I'm done here."

Tenten stood up, put her leather jacket back on, and stretched her arms and neck. Kiba's eyes ran over her figure appreciatively while she did, which made Hinata straighten up and stare at her speculatively.

"Are you single?" she suddenly blurted.

Startled, Tenten turned around to face her. "Yes."

"You have a type?"

"I swing both ways, but not really."

Hinata's eyes gleamed. "Would you be interested in dating a super-serious, easily-teased, adorably-riled guy?"

Tenten raised a brow. "I thought you were going to ask me out, but that sounds interesting. Who's the guy?"

"My brother."

"I'll bite."

Hinata squinched her face. "Gross. Save the kinky stuff for him—eventually, I hope. But I'll set up a date."

"Can you?"

Hinata paused but then she nodded. "Yeah. But I have to warn you he's not really looking for a relationship right now…"

"What's wrong with him?"

"He likes his job."

"Oh." She snorted. "Yeah, what a weirdo."

Hinata laughed. "I'm going to trick him into meeting you."

Tenten shrugged. "Deception and trickery? I don't usually need that to get dates, but go ahead. You've piqued my interest."

Hinata was giddy with her matchmaking success. "He'll show up thinking he's coming to see me, so he might be pissed on your first meeting."

"Sounds like fun."

"Are you guys serious?!" Kiba interrupted. "I don't really know you, Tenten, but this sounds pretty desperate even for you."

The girls ignored him.

"Are you really okay dealing with a pissy dude on a date?" Hinata asked.

"Used to it. First of all, I look like this." Tenten drew her hand in a downward motion over her leather-clad body. As she did, the various piercings on her ear shook. "And most of the time, my job is to tell a lot of nontechnical guys twice my age what to do. Not many take kindly to somebody female and younger bossing them around and lording over the fact that they don't even know how 5G works."

Hinata beamed at her. "I like you."

Tenten grinned back. "Likewise."

Before the tech lady left, Hinata got her phone number and promised she would get in touch about the date.

"If the date works out with your brother, I'll bill Naruto for this."

Hinata snickered and joined in the joke. "Cool! If it doesn't work out with Neji, then I'll send you the payment."

Tenten smiled. "Don't worry. I'll give you a discount."

Hinata laughed and waved good-bye.

"She's hot."

Hinata glanced at Kiba. "Definitely!"

She held up a hand, anticipating what Kiba wanted to complain about.

"I know, I know. Why didn't I set her up with you? Well, I just think she's perfect for Neji."

"Hmph!" There was a pout on his face.

Hinata relented. "Next time I see Naruto, I'll ask him about the models he works with. Maybe he knows a couple of girls looking for an awesome guy like you."

Kiba's eyes gleamed. "You do that."

"I like her. Why can't you be a boss like her?"

Naruto looked up from his camera and glanced at Tenten when she strode back into his studio. She handed him the coffee she'd stopped on her way to pick up.

"Thank you," he said appreciatively and unsurprised because Tenten always brought him coffee without him asking for it. She was nice like that. He took a sip then set the coffee on the corner of the table. "That's impossible," he said in answer to her earlier question. "I'm not female."

"True." She took a sip of her own coffee and then peered at the photos arranged on the table, recognizing the face of the actress beaming at her. "Is that for the next issue of Vogue Japan?"

He nodded and turned back to inspect the rest of the photos. He was just putting the finishing touches on them, making sure that he cropped them perfectly as per the editor's instructions.

Tenten sighed as she slid into the comfy swivel seat in front of the worktable. She spun around once in it and then when she was back to face him, she asked, "Can I be her tech lady, too? I want to go visit her again."

Naruto stopped working and glared at her. "No! Where the hell is your loyalty? I'm the one who pays your salary."

"Exactly! Judging from the state of their studio, I don't think she can afford me. But you pay me and I'll do stuff for both you and her."

"Tch!" He ignored her and went back to inspecting his photos.

Tenten did another spin on the chair. "She's more fun. She's crazy and she talks. Like nonstop. She talks about her job, her family. Holy shit has she got stories. Like the lions she photographed. Great white sharks. Wild chimpanzees, Naruto, that fling poop!" Her eyes were wide and eager. "Like, real poop," she said again to emphasize her point.

He recalled Hinata chattering next to him when they'd eaten ramen at Ichiraku together and he smiled briefly. Yeah, Hinata was definitely a talker.

Still, the fact that Tenten was raving about his rival rankled.

"I know, alright," he grumbled. "I can't compete with that. Unfortunately, I don't have experience with shit-flinging chimpanzees to dazzle you with. I'm boring and shy. And I work in fashion, which you're not interested in. Blah, blah, blah."

She looked at him, her expression startled. "I never said you were boring and shy."

"Right." He made a face at her and then took a sip from his coffee.

Tenten was still regarding him steadily. "No, shy's the wrong word for you. You're…guarded." She nodded. "Yeah. That's the right word for you."

"I'm what?!"

She was staring at him, watching his every reaction. "Guarded. As in lock, key, and armor around your heart."

"The hell's gotten into you today? You're not usually this chatty and enthusiastic." He eyed his normally cool tech-lady with a frown.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I met a lion-lady today. I'm excited."

He didn't blame her. Hinata was exciting. Still, he glared at her. "Guarded. That's just silly."

She shifted on her seat and then raised a brow after a long perusal of his face. "You ever been in love?"

"Yes. When I was in the US."

She was shaking her head. "Doesn't count. You knew you were coming back to Japan. You deliberately didn't get too deeply involved."

"You're full of shit."

"Am I? I wonder." Tenten did one more spin around in the chair. When she turned to face him again, there was a pucker on her face. "Did you ever tell that girl you were dating in America you loved her? What was her name?"

Naruto flicked Tenten a curious glance. "Sara."

"Yeah, Sara. You ever confessed your true feelings to her?"

Did he? he silently asked himself. He wasn't sure, but it was impossible that he would willingly get into a relationship with a girl he didn't love.

"Yes."

She caught his hesitation and called him out on it. "See? Too slow in your response."

He ignored her and pointedly picked up a photo and brought it close to his face.

Tenten persisted. "Why didn't you ask Sara to come back with you to Japan? Why didn't you stay in New York if you really loved her?"

He was unsure of the answer so he remained silent.

She sensed it and nodded. "Yep, guarded."

Naruto finally shook his head. "Tenten, really! Your psychoanalysis of me doesn't make any sense, but whatever."

She was looking at him with a strange smile on her face, though.

"Why'd you send me to her? Especially since she's your competition."

Naruto ignored the question and stayed quiet. Instead, he turned his attention back to the pictures on the table.

"I saved all her photos."

He nodded, relieved and happy for Hinata, but he didn't comment on Tenten's last statement, still pretending to be engrossed with editing his work.

"Her photos are gorgeous."

That, however, made him stop pretending and finally look at Tenten. The expression on her face was grave, which meant he was in serious trouble. Gorgeous photos from a wildlife photographer who excelled in capturing raw, dynamic beauty. Recalling Hinata's previous work, he felt a sliver of apprehension rush through him and doubt flitted in his mind. "Shit."

Tenten nodded. "She might really win this competition."

He felt a rare burst of irritation inside him. "Again, Tenten, where's the loyalty?"

Unperturbed, she met his gaze evenly. "Just because you pay me doesn't mean I'm loyal only to you."

He grunted and rolled his eyes, giving up. "Fine."

"Oh, and I got a date out of this."

"Well, that explains it." Naruto folded his arms. He flashed her a look of displeasure. "You're throwing me over, after our years of friendship, for a hot date with a guy? Or is it a girl?"

She grinned at him. "A guy—her older brother."

"I hope your date sucks."

"That's what I hope, too! My boobs, anyway," she said with a laugh as she stood up and gathered her things. She checked her phone. There was a message from her other client, the company full of stubborn old Japanese geezers she'd mentioned to Hinata. She sighed. "Right. I'm off to my other job."

Naruto snorted and waved her out. "Go on! Get your ass outta here!"

She was a few steps from the door when he called her name. "Oh, and Tenten?"

She turned around and her glance was expectant when she met his gaze.

"Thanks for helping out with Hinata."

She smirked at him. "My pleasure, Naruto."

A few days later, Hinata was editing her photos at her office when she felt her phone vibrate. She picked it up and quickly set it to ignore when she saw the name that flashed on the screen. This was the third time in the last five minutes.

It meant Neji was really raging.

A few feet away from her though, she heard Hanabi's phone ring.

Hanabi was in the office, too, but in a separate room, helping Hinata organize her pictures. Before Hinata could warn her, Hanabi picked up her phone and answered it distractedly.

"Neji-niisan?" Hinata heard her say. "Yeah, she's here, in the next room."

Hinata groaned then whispered, "I'm not here, Hanabi!"

"She said she's not here, Nii-san… I don't know… Put you on speaker? Oh, sure. Hang on a sec."

Hinata heard Hanabi get up and when they were in the same room, she set the phone down right in front of her desk.

"You're on speaker, Nii-san," Hanabi said with a merry look in her sister's direction. "Go ahead."

Hinata braced herself.

"Hinata, you are so fucking dead to me! DEAD, you hear! You have some nerve tricking me into going on a first date with a complete stranger! I can't believe you'd do this to me! I'm going to kill you when I get home! Why the hell did you set me up with this girl?! I told you before that I'm not interested in relationships at this time! I need to focus on work! And how in the world did you think she and I would get along?! She's not the kind of girl I would ever date! She's brash and abrupt and completely arrogant! In the five minutes I've been here, she's already offended me so many times. I'm now—"

A new voice interrupted Neji's tirade.

"Hey, Hinata! It's Tenten. You're right. Your brother's gorgeous. He's adorable when he's pissed."

"Did you actually follow me out here?! This is a private conversation! Leave me alone for a few minutes!"

Tenten ignored it and addressed her. "But Hinata, you didn't tell me he's a coward. Instead of talking to me directly at the bar, he's out here in an alleyway complaining about me to you…"

"I'm not a coward!"

There was an answering silence from Tenten. Then the girls heard her say to Neji, "Sure. You're only out here yelling at your sister instead of having a conversation with me—like an adult."

Neji growled in the background.

"Fine! I'll have dinner and finish that drink with you just to prove that I'm not a coward!"

An amused female laugh. Hinata heard satisfaction in the sound. Hanabi heard it too, and she chuckled softly.

"Hinata! I mean it! You are no longer my sister! And when I'm back home, you are soooooooooo dead!"

Then the phone abruptly cut off.

In the silence, the sisters looked at each other. Hanabi grinned. "Well, looks like she's having a good time."