Chapter 12
It is later and most people had already left the pool. It's just Sakura, Takara, Neji, and Tenten.
"Hey, I'm going to get out and sit at the table," Takara says.
"Okay!" Sakura says and then playfully splashes Takara. Takara laughs and splashes Sakura back.
Takara then goes to the pool ladder and climbs out. She looks back at Neji and smiles. Neji notices and smiles back at her. Tenten notices and quietly groans. Sakura noticed. Takara then walks inside the building.
"Tenten? What's wrong?" Sakura asks.
Tenten sighs. "It's nothing, just..." Tenten sighs again. "I'm just jealous."
"Jealous?" Sakura asks.
Tenten looks around and leans in closer to Sakura. "Don't tell anyone, but I've had a crush on Neji for a while, but he won't give me the time of day. I really think that he likes that Takara girl and I wouldn't blame her for liking him back."
Sakura looks around awkwardly. She's friends with Tenten and Takara and she doesn't know how to help her two friends who like the same guy. Sakura has been friends with Tenten for years, and Takara has been through hell and is so happy to be in love with Neji. Sakura doesn't want to hurt any of her friends.
"Um, uh... Well, have you ever tried flirting with him? Or show any sign that you have feelings for him?" Sakura asks.
"No way," Tenten says. "You know, after all these years I've never seen his soft side? Plus if I attempted to flirt with him I feel like I'd ruin our solid friendship and make things awkward between us."
Sakura thinks back to where Takara told her that she saw Neji's soft side and the way he put his hand on the back of Takara's head when they hugged.
"Have you two ever hugged?" Sakura asks.
"No," Tenten says and looks down. "I mean he has put his arms around me and pulled me away from danger, but that's the only time we've ever touched."
"Tenten has no chance with Neji. Neji was soft and sweet to Takara and he asked her to hang out. Maybe it was just the heat of the moment and he and Takara won't click? Ah I doubt that. Neji is always so serious, but Takara managed to get him to smile, to be nice, and show his curse mark willingly! If Neji has feelings for Tenten, he's definitely doing a good job hiding them. But he's not hiding his feelings for Takara it seems. I think Neji only likes Tenten as a friend, and likes Takara differently. I could never tell Tenten this, but I think Takara and Neji are a good match." Sakura thinks to herself in a deep thought.
"You know what?" Tenten says.
"Huh?" Sakura asks while coming back to reality.
"I'm gonna go for it," Tenten says.
"Go for what?" Sakura asks.
"I'm going to plan a day to hang out with Neji and tell him the way I feel towards him! And who knows, maybe he secretly likes me and won't show it?" Tenten says.
Sakura's eyes get big. "Oh! Good luck Tenten."
Tenten smiles. "Thanks Sakura! I'm going to go home and plan it out right now!"
Tenten quickly goes to the pool ladder and looks over at Neji. He doesn't notice Tenten at all. Tenten's face drops. "Must be in a deep thought. What else is new?"
Sakura looks up and starts to panic in her head. "Oh man, if Neji gets feelings or has feelings for Tenten and if she tells him how she feels, Takara will be so crushed. I don't want to see her depressed, but I want Tenten to be happy! Ugh, why couldn't she like Lee? She could literally like any other guy but she likes Neji. Should I tell Takara? Do I straight up ask Neji who he likes? Nah, he wouldn't open up to me."
Tenten takes her towel that is next to Neji and wraps it around her body. Neji finally realizes that Tenten is out of the water.
"Going home?" Neji asks.
"Yeah. I've got things to do tonight," Tenten tells Neji.
"Okay," Neji says while not looking at Tenten.
Tenten rolls her eyes. Then she walks in front of Neji, causing him to look at her.
"See you later Neji!" Tenten says with a smile.
"Bye," Neji says.
Just then, Takara comes out of the building with a towel wrapped around her waist, covering her bruise. She walks out with a bag in her hand. Takara puts her bag down on a table and sits down facing Neji which causes her to see Tenten.
Takara looks up at her and smiles. "Oh, are you already leaving Tenten? I hope to see you again soon!"
Tenten looks over at Takara without a smile. "I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to Neji!" Tenten turns back to looking at Neji.
Takara looks at Tenten looking offended. "Okay, that was unnecessarily rude!"
"Yeah Tenten, I'm gonna have to agree with Takara there," Neji says. "We all should be nice to her after her traumatizing past."
"Just because she's had a shitty past doesn't mean we owe her anything!" Tenten says angrily.
Neji looks angry and raises his voice. "Tenten!"
"Whatever. I gotta go," Tenten says and walks out of the pool area. Takara, Sakura, and Neji watch Tenten leave in disbelief.
Takara is sitting in her chair with her eyes big, and she's frozen. Sakura and Neji look at each other and then back at Takara.
Sakura breaks the silence. "Takara?"
Takara blinks a few times. "Yes?"
"Are you okay?" Sakura asks.
Takara shrugs her shoulders. "I guess so. I don't understand why she was so mean to me when I've been nothing but nice to her. But, maybe she's right. I did have a hard life, and you guys don't have to be nice to me because of it."
"We're nice to you because we like you and you're our friend," Sakura says.
"Well, thank you," Takara says.
Sakura nods. Takara faces forward and grabs 2 things from her bag: a lunch box and her song journal. Takara opens her lunch box and picks up a side diagonally shaped sandwich then opens her songbook with a smile.
Neji has been watching Takara since Tenten left. He smiles, just enjoying seeing her do her thing. He thinks that her hobby is writing, and that her hobby is peaceful. Sakura notices that Neji is smiling at Takara, a sight she's never seen.
"Even after dealing with Tenten being unnecessarily mean to her, she still manages to smile and act like nothing just happened," Neji says to himself. He slowly leans in closer. The sun is hitting Takara at the right angle to make Neji speechless. His mouth is slightly open. "She's... she's so, beautiful."
Sakura heard what Neji just said, but Takara didn't hear him. She's too much in her zone of writing a song. Sakura looks up at Takara. She then gently splashes Takara's foot.
Takara looks down at Sakura and smiles. "If you were talking to me, I'm sorry. I was really into this song."
"Do you really carry your songbook with you everywhere you go?" Sakura asks.
"I sure do!" Takara says with a smile, "You never know when the right lyrics come to you."
Sakura nods with a smile. "That's actually pretty cool Takara."
"Thanks!" Takara says with a big cute smile.
"Takara, you write songs?" Neji asks.
"I do!" Takara says. "It was my coping skill back in the day. I would always pretend to be a famous singer and pretend to perform them."
Neji does a side smile. "That's actually really cu..." Neji cuts himself off and clears his throat. "C- can I see one of your songs?"
Takara's eyes get big. "A- are you sure? T- they're really not that good."
"Page 9 was beautiful!" Sakura says.
Neji smiles. "May I, Takara? If it's okay with you?"
Takara's face goes red. She puts down her sandwich and looks down at her songbook. She then slowly turns to page 9. Neji gets up and walks to Takara's table. He sits across from Takara and smiles. Takara shyly smiles back at him. She then slides her songbook across the table to Neji. He sees that Takara's hand is shaking. Neji puts his hand on top of Takara's.
"Takara, if you're not comfortable, you don't have to show me. I can't wait until you're comfortable," Neji says in a soft sweet tone.
Sakara's mouth barely opens. she's in shock seeing Neji being so nice and caring.
"I- I... It's okay. I'm fine," Takara says while looking at Neji's hand on top of hers.
"Promise?" Neji asks in the same tone.
Takara nods. Neji then smiles and takes his hand off Takara's. He then slides the songbook closer to him. Neji looks at Takara and she looks worried. Neji gives Takara a sweet smile and looks down to read her song.
"After this war, I beg that you come home to me. While I wait, I'll hum our song. I'll be waiting for you, my love," Neji reads. When Neji read "my love", Takara got goosebumps. "Takara, this is so good. I can tell you put your soul into it just for this little part alone. It's full of passion. I would love to read some more sometime."
"Y- you would?" Takara asks.
"I would," Neji says.
"Oh my goodness the chemistry between them! They're so cute together!" Sakura says in her head.
"W- whenever we h- hang out, I can, um, show you more," Takara says nervously.
"I would love that," Neji says.
"Oh my gosh I love you," Takara says in her head.
Takara smiles at Neji and he smiles back at her. Just then, a security guard walks into the pool area. "Hey, the pool's closing. Please leave."
"No! Me and Neji are getting somewhere!" Takara says in her head.
"Oh, sorry! I didn't realize how late it was getting!" Sakura says.
Takara looks down and puts her lunchbox and songbook in her bag. She then gets up and walks to the building to change out of her swimsuit. Sakura gets out of the pool and starts to dry off. Neji walks up to Sakura.
"Hey, Sakura?" Neji asks.
Sakura chuckles. "Yes Neji?"
Neji looks down. "Hey, um... Please don't tell anyone about what happened. I don't want others to know my soft side."
"You can count on me!" Sakura says.
"Also...," Neji says.
"Hm?" Sakura asks.
"Did you... um... Did you happen to hear me call Takara-"
"So beautiful?" Sakura cuts Neji off. Neji's face turns red. "Yeah I heard but I won't tell anyone."
"Please don't tell anyone Sakura! Especially Takara. I know when girls say they won't tell anyone, they mean that they won't tell anyone except their best friend and you two seem pretty close," Neji says while low-key panicking.
"Neji," Sakura says. "I won't tell her."
"Promise?" Neji asks.
"Yes," Sakura says while nodding.
Takara pokes her head out of the building. "Uh Sakura, I really need you in here right now."
"Go on," Neji says.
"Okay," Sakura says and runs to see what Takara needs. "What's up?" Takara grabs Sakura's arm and pulls her inside the building. "Ah! Takara! Gentle!"
Neji watches Takara pull Sakura inside with a cocked eyebrow and chuckles to himself. Takara shuts the door behind Sakura. Sakura notices that Takara is wearing her normal everyday shirt with the shorts of her tankini.
"Sakura. This is so embarrassing, but someone stole my freaking panties..." Takara says.
"Are you sure? Did you look hard enough?" Sakura asks.
"Yes! Who the frick would have taken them?" Takara says in frustration.
Neji knocks on the door. "Is it okay if I come in?"
Takara looks at Sakura mortified. "Sakura… Help"
"Um, sure Neji," Sakura says.
Neji walks inside and can feel something is off. "Is everything okay?"
Takara's face turns red. "Oh God..." She sits down on the bench in the room.
"Takara?" Neji asks.
"Um, Takara is uh... missing something," Sakura says.
"What is it? Is it her songbook?" Neji asks.
Takara puts her hand in her bag and pulls out her songbook. "No, it's safe."
"Well that's good," Neji says. "What's missing? Maybe I can help?"
"Um...," Sakura says.
"My panties! Someone stole them!" Takara blurts out and hides her face in shame. "Ugh, it's so embarrassing!"
"No need to be embarrassed Takara. If you want me to leave I can," Neji says in that soft sweet tone that Takara loves.
"No, you're okay," Takara says.
"I don't understand people that steal women's panties," Sakura says while shaking her head.
Just then, Takara, Sakura, and Neji hear a cough in one of the dressing rooms.
"You heard that right?" Takara asks Sakura and Neji.
"Yes," Neji says.
"Someone is definitely in one of the dressing rooms," Sakura says. "Neji, which one?"
Neji uses his byakugan and searches the dressing rooms. Neji points to a dressing room. "That one."
"I'M GONNA KILL THEM!" Sakura screams.
Sakura's eyes turn into fire and she angrily marches to the dressing room. Sakura then pulls the curtain back and almost screams to see who is in there.
"J- Jiraiya Sensei?!" Sakura yells out.
"I thought you died and sank at the bottom of the ocean!" Neji says in shock.
"Who is this dude?!" Takara asks. Takara looks down at Jiraiya and sees that he's holding her panties. "Dude? For real? You stole my panties?"
"I'm not surprised," Sakura says.
Neji's face turns red seeing Takara's panties. They are black with purple hearts on it with lace on the top.
Sakura goes up to Jiraiya and snactches Takara's panties out of his hands. She raises her hand up with the panties so that Jiraiya doesn't take them back. "What are you even doing in there?"
"Research," Jiraiya says.
"Research?" Takara asks. "Stealing panties and watching women change is your research? Why don't you look at magazines or you know, rent out movies?"
"Does Naruto know that you're alive?" Sakura asks.
"No," Jiraiya says and laughs. "I plan on surprising him. In fact, I plan on writing a new book and when I publish it, I'll reveal myself to be alive!"
"Oh, of COURSE you know Naruto," Takara says. "Well don't come around his home, I don't want to see you around!"
"Oh, are you dating Naruto?" Jiraiya asks.
"Huh?" Takara asks, almost disgusted. " No! I'm not dating Naruto."
"Look, I understand you don't like me right now, but I did help Naruto train and with my training, I heard he saved the world," Jiraiya says.
"That's hard to believe," Takara says, looking to the side, annoyed. "How can a perv train someone so well? So well to save the world?"
"I'd be happy to show you sometime!" Jiraiya says with a smile.
"Well, I'm gonna have to trust you first, and that's gonna be a while," Takara says.
The security guard from earlier knocks on the building door. "Come on, I need to lock up the place!"
"Sorry, we're coming!" Sakura says.
Takara grabs her clothes and goes inside a changing room so that Jiraiya doesn't watch her. Sakura puts her dress on over her bathing suit. Neji grabs his clothing and handband and goes inside a changing room too.
"I guess I'll be on my way. Don't tell Naruto or anyone about me just yet," Jiraiya says and walks out of the pool building.
"God, what a perv!" Takara calls out in her dressing room. Takara puts her swimsuit in her bag and walks out fully dressed. Neji comes out shortly after. Takara looks at him and smiles.
"May I walk you home Takara?" Neji asks in his sweet tone.
"Huh?" Takara freaks. "Oh, um, sure!" She smiles.
Sakura smiles. "It seems like you're in good hands. I'm gonna get a haircut, then head home! Bye Taki! Bye Neji!" Sakura walks out of the building and it's just Takara and Neji.
"Let's get you home," Neji says.
"Okie dokey," Takara says.
Takara and Neji walk to the door. Neji opens the door and holds it open for her. Takara smiles and thanks Neji. Neji lets her walk out first and he follows.
Takara's mind is racing. She is trying so hard to think of something to talk about with Neji. She's back to being alone with Neji. She just wants to hold his hand or kiss him, but she knows she can't.
"So Taki?" Neji asks with a smirk and a chuckle.
"So Neji," Takara says in the same tone as Neji.
Neji laughs at Takara. "Um, do you want to hang out now?" Takara stops walking and her eyes get big. Neji looks down at her and smirks. "Did I say something wrong, Lady Uta?"
"NO!" Takara says quickly. "I mean, you're fine. But yes, I'd like to hang out now. Where would you like to go? P- Plus, y- you don't have to call me Lady Uta..."
"I was thinking we could get some ramen and go back to your place and get to know each other better," Neji says with his face turning red.
"Oh?" Takara asks. "Yeah, w- we can do that."
"Cool," Neji says.
Neji starts to walk with Takara to Ichiraku Ramen. It isn't too far from where they are. When they get near the shop, Takara inhales the air and starts to drool. Neji looks at her and chuckles.
"Enjoy your meal, Tenten!" Takara and Neji hear Ayame say.
"Tenten?" Takara asks. Neji and Takara look over and see Tenten dining alone.
"Crap!" Takara says.
"Don't worry, I won't let her say anything mean to you," Neji says.
Neji walks up to the ramen stand and Takara follows. Tenten looks over and smiles when she sees Neji.
"Hi Neji! What brings you here?" Tenten asks excitedly. Takara pokes her head out from behind Neji. Tenten's smile goes away. "Oh, you're hanging out with Tak..."
Takara's eyes get big. Without thinking, she grabs onto Neji's arm tight. Neji looks down and sees Takara's eyes shaking.
"Takara, what's wrong?" Neji asks.
"I- I hate the name Tak. I- I'll tell you more about it later," Takara says with her voice breaking.
Ayame walks up to Neji and Takara. "Hi Neji and the legendary Takara! What would you like?"
Tenten rolls her eyes.
Neji looks down at Takara. "What would you like?"
Takara can't think of anything that is on the menu. "Um.. uh... w- whatever Naruto gets."
"Make that two to go," Neji says.
"Okay, coming right up!" Ayame says and walks back to her father.
"Oh Neji, before I forget, Guy said to meet him and Lee here tomorrow at noon," Tenten says.
"He did? I didn't hear about that," Neji says.
"Yeah he told me to pass along the message since you weren't around," Tenten says.
"Oh, um... okay," Neji says. "Wonder what he wants?"
"I don't know," Tenten says and picks up her bowl and starts drinking the ramen broth. While the bowl is in her face, she smirks and starts to think to herself. "Tomorrow, you will love me."
Ayame walks up to Neji and Takara. "Your food is ready!" Ayame hands Neji the food. Neji pays her. "Please come back and visit us! Enjoy your food!"
Neji bows. "Thank you. See you tomorrow Tenten."
"Bye Neji!" Tenten says. "Ayame, another bowl please!"
Neji and Takara start to walk away from the ramen shop. When they get far, Neji walks in front of Takara.
"Neji?" Takara asks.
"Now that we're alone, why do you hate being called Tak?" Neji asks.
"Oh man," Takara says.
Takara sighs and walks by a building and sits down like how she did with Naruto. Neji joins her.
"Want to eat here?" Neji asks.
"Sure," Takara says.
Neji gives Takara her food and Neji takes his food.
Takara sighs. "Tak. I hate that 3 letter nickname so much. When I was living with my kidnappers, abusers, whatever they were, they would only call me Tak. When they were yelling at me, when they gave me orders, when they would beat me up, when they... made me do things to them... no matter what, I was never referred to by my real name."
"Oh Takara, I'm sorry to hear about that," Neji says. "But hey, I think Takara sounds better than Tak!" Neji winks and chuckles.
Takara smiles at Neji's wink. "I agree." Takara then sighs. "Hiroshi, Eito, Leiji, and Leitangi were the guys who controlled my life for 9 years."
"Wait, 9 years? But the news said that you were missing for 13 years," Neji says.
"Because when I was 14, I escaped and got help. I stayed there for four years and after the war I decided to live on my own," Takara says.
"Who saved you?" Neji asks while eating his ramen.
"You're not gonna believe me, but when I escaped, I made it to the hidden Cloud Village. I was taken to Ay, and Killer Bee was there. They were trying to figure out where to take me, and Bee offered to take me in, and I lived with him until I moved here recently," Takara says.
"Killer Bee? As in the 8 tails jinchuriki?" Neji asks in shock.
"Yeah!" Takara says. "We got along really well because we wrote songs and I sang while he rapped. We even made a few songs together. They were horrible but we had a great time making them." Takara smiles at the memories she had with Bee.
"Aw, I would love to hear you and Bee's songs," Neji says. "Or... at least your singing voice, if I'm being completely honest.."
"I sound like a crying baby trapped in a turned on blender," Takara says and laughs.
"No, you can't be that bad, silly," Neji says.
"Eh, to each their own I guess," Takara says. Takara grabs her songbook and looks through some of the pages. "I, um, want to show you a song I wrote a long time ago. I've never shown this to anyone, not even Bee."
"What? Really?" Neji asks.
Takara nods and turns to the page with the song. Neji looks at the book and begins to read it.
"I am stuck in this prison. Being spied on by the guards, makes me wish I had already died. Not knowing where my family is. The guards do not care. Do I dare try to escape? Nothing good could come from this. Would I be able to survive if I escaped? Ohhh, I want to escape. I want a good life. I want my family. I just want to be happy. The guards are so yappy about my life. Stop controlling me, let me leave now. I want to escape. I wanted a good life. I want my family. I just want to be happy. The guards are so yappy about my life. Let me leave now, please… please… please."
Takara watches Neji read her song to see his reaction.
"Takara..." Neji says.
"Yes?" Takara asks nervously.
"This song is beautiful," Neji says. "I love it."
"You do? Oh I'm so glad you do!" Takara says excitedly.
"Maybe someday I can get you to sing it to me," Neji says and pokes Takara's small nose.
Takara giggles. "Maaaaybe!" Neji laughs. "I- if you want to read more of the song, it's on the back."
"Oh, awesome!" Neji says and turns the page over.
"Now?"
"Now."
Neji and Takara look around after hearing voices. Just then, two large men jump out from the alley with face masks. Takara screams and Neji jumps up ready to fight.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Neji demanded to know.
"We are taking Tak back with us."