Sakura had a pleasant chat with Naruto, but he excused himself to go back to work. Since Sakura had to head towards Tenten's place anyway, Hinata tagged along. The women say in awkward silence in Lee's car. The only thing they had in common was their connection to Neji.

"I bet you're excited that Neji's almost out of the hospital," said Sakura, trying to drum up conversation. She cast a smile in Hinata's direction but all Hinata would do was purse her lips. Sakura cleared her throat. "We'll find your sister," she promised her. "Naruto is one of the most trustworthy people I know. He'll help you for sure, even if you think the police won't."

Her words seemed to have a bit of comfort on Hinata. She smiled softly. "Thank you..."

"If you ever need a friend," Sakura told her, "you have me. Though I'm sure Tenten is treating you nicely."

"Tenten, s-she..." Hinata paused and looked down at her hands in her lap. "I think she only treats me nice because Neji is my cousin. W-well got along when we first met but e-ever since Neji was hospitalized she's regarded me from a distance."

"I don't know Tenten that well," Sakura admitted. "But maybe it's just because she doesn't know how to console you. I'd imagine that she needs some consoling too." After all the time Sakura spent with Neji in the hospital, she learned that he really cared for the two women.

And since Lee cared a lot about Neji, Sakura would care about him and Hinata as well.

"Her house is here," Hinata pointed out as they drew close.

Tenten's townhouse was a small and simple one with white walls and a single story. There wasn't much going on the outside in terms of decoration aside from some wind chimes hung up outside. As Sakura and Hinata approached, their sweet song reached their ears.

Sakura rang the doorbell and Tenten answered rather quickly. "Well," Tenten eyed Hinata, a hint of mischief behind them. "Look what the cat dragged in. You know you could have asked to borrow my car." She spoke giddily as if under the influence. Sakura briefly wondered if she had been drinking.

"I-I'm sorry...!" Hinata apologized profusely, bowing her head repeatedly.

"S'okay," Tenten opened the door wider to allow them passage. "Come on in." She was grinning widely, almost akin to Guy's smile.

Sakura walked in slowly, feeling awkward to be in Tenten's space. She interacted with her the least, almost all the information she knew about her came from Lee, Neji, and Guy.

The inside of Tenten's home had decorations nearly lining the walls. Her pension for weapons and antiques showed more than anything. They were simply everywhere. But even Sakura could tell that there was a method to the madness.

"Sorry about the mess," Tenten swiped her hand beneath her nose, "I'm using my house as storage until I open up my shop." She led them to the living room where Lee was perched onto the couch.

He was sitting hunched forward, resting his elbows on his knees, head in his hands. He lit up once he saw Sakura. He looked relieved to see her, more than usual.

Between the weapons that littered Tenten's coffee table, a sake bottle stood out clearly. Perhaps Tenten had been drinking. But Lee, was he...? Sakura felt herself get scooped up into a hug as Lee pressed his lips to her ear, uttering a whisper. "She had been taking recent events harder than I thought."

He didn't reek of any alcohol so it was apparent that he on babysitting duty. Sakura wasn't suprised either considering what Tenten had been put through. She seemed like the type to swallow her sorrow for the sake of others.

Lee pulled away slightly to look at Sakura. "I do not want to leave her, but..." He threw a glance towards Tenten who meticulously straightened out her mounted katana, saying that it was was crooked (it was not.)

She abruptly turned towards them. "Hheyy, I have an idea. Why don't we all go to Konoha Apartments? Lee still owes me for the advice I gave him for your... Date."

Sakura gave Lee a puzzling look, to which his face responded by turning red.

Tenten laughed. "That's right, the mastermind behind it all was me! Sso sorry my captivity ruined your nice time."

"What does Lee owe you?" Sakura asked her with her brows raised.

"Oh it's nothing..." Tenten flapped her hand dismissively. "He just has to do a flip from the top of Konoha Apartments into the community pool."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Lee, who was flush under her gaze. "Now why on God's green Earth would you offer to do something like that?"

"I uh..." Lee looked everywhere but at Sakura's face. "I was desperate," he admitted, quietly. He truly wanted to impress Sakura without coming on too strong.

Tenten sauntered over to the coffee table, pouring the sake into its little cup. "You should be thanking me really, it's because of me that you two are dating now." She smiled again, this time having an air of lament. Tenten hated to be the girl that talked about boys and romance at length. She lived her life as some kind of Bechdel Test. Not that she had been surrounded with many other women she could consider friends. Even talking to men about other men felt strange.

But deep down, she was at odds with the fact that Lee started dating someone he knew for a little over a month where her relationship with Neji had gone nowhere. She wasn't even sure he felt the same.

And with everything going on, confessing felt impossible.

She still blamed herself for losing to Temari as futile as it was. She was supposed to be strong. Not whatever this mess was that she had become. Tenten offered the sake to Sakura. "Here. Lee can't have any but it's not fun drinking on my own."

"Why can't Lee have any?" Sakura inquired.

Tenten's response was a fit of laughter. "He's a terrible drunk! I can't tell if he's jusst an angry one orrr... Just plain crazy. He'll fight anyone and break everything in sight. It takes foreverrr to get him sober again. The hangover is ever worse."

Lee gave an awkward laugh, hardly having any recollection of anything of the such. He just knew that Guy Sensei barred him from drinking if it could be helped. All he knew was that his tolerance was low and that under all circumstances, he should not test it. "I can drive, Sakura. You go ahead of you would like."

"I don't know..."

Tenten pouted. "Please...? I'd offer some to Hinata but I think she's gonna have to be my designated driver."

Hinata's interest was piqued at the mention of her name. The whole time she simply let the scene play out before her as she stood off to the side.

"Are we really all going to the apartments so you could do that stupid flip?" Sakura's question was directed towards Lee. "You're sick, you shouldn't be doing that."

"I feel fine," said Lee, lifting Sakura's hand to make her touch his forehead. It was of neutral temperature. His sniffling had stopped, probably due to the cold medicine he had been taking. "Besides, a promise is a promise and—"

"— You don't want to make yourself into a liar," Sakura finished. "I know." She sighed and accepted the sake, downing it in one gulp. "Fine. Let's go."

ˏˋ ˎˊ

Sakura stood with Lee and the girls on the roof of their apartment. She'd never been up here before but Lee felt rather comfortable up her. The height didn't seem to bother him like it did her. Just looking down below gave her an uneasy feeling. The pool was fairly large and it would be a difficult target to miss and the building itself was a mere few stories high. Still. Jumping off into the pool was a crazy thing to do.

"I can't believe you're doing this," Sakura remarked, she had long since resigned her indignation towards the event about to unfold. She had come to accept that Lee was intense and hardly backed down from a challenge.

Lee gave her his signature thumbs up to try and comfort her. "This will be easy!"

"You should have seen all the stunts he pulled as a kid," Tenten added. She had her phone out ready to record. Hinata was by her side, equal bits horrified as she looked. "Okay Lee, do your thing. I'm recording."

Lee dipped his head. He was standing at the edge of the building, much to Sakura's surprise. But Lee remembered that he told Tenten that he was going to do a backflip off of the building. He tests his momentum, squatting and swinging his arms repeatedly before he pushes up with his feet to launch himself into the air.

Sakura's breath caught in her throat. She half expected him to flip right back onto the building and hit his head before plummeting below.

Fortunately for the Green Beast of Konoha City, Lee splashed into the pool. He hollered his exhilaration once he resurfaced, poking his head above the water.

Sakura sighed with relief. "Oh good."

Her reprieve wouldn't last however as Tenten was handing Hinata her phone, now reaching for Sakura's and Lee's.

"What are you doing...?" Sakura blinked.

"We're going to jump," said Tenten matter-of-factly, as if it was something she did all the time. "You don't mind holding everything, right Hinata?"

Hinata shook her head. "N-no, not at all."

"Okay good." Tenten linked her arm with Sakura's and the two took several steps back. "Ready?"

Sakura was wide eyed. "This is insane."

"I'll take that as a yes."

The two women got a running start, giggling and shrieking. Eventually, Sakura felt her feet leave the solid formation of the roof beneath her, being replaced by nothing but air. She and Tenten fell together, holding onto each other for dear life.

They plunged into the water before coming up for air.

Sakura gasped. "I can't believe... We just did that!"

Lee swam towards them. His cheeks nearly hurt from how much he had been smiling. "Look at you Sakura! You are amazing! You too, Tenten!"

Tenten's hair buns were sopping wet, flattened by their own weight. "Couldn't let you have all the fun, Lee."

Lee submerged himself into the water once more and Sakura felt herself getting lifted up, finding herself perched up onto Lee's shoulders. His hands firmly grasped her ankles. Sakura squealed in delight. "Lee!" She felt like she was going to fall back into the water but Lee held her tight.

"Get onto my back Tenten, I can carry you out of this pool as well," he said, determined to show off his strength, challenging himself to carry two people at once.

Tenten snorted her laughter. "You got that, I'll let you two have your sappy moment." She swam towards the stairs, helping herself out of the pool.

Lee looked up at Sakura.

"You and your family are really something else, aren't they?" Sakura asked somewhat rhetorically.

While the smile never left Lee's face, he looked even happier. "Yes," he said. "Yes we are."