This is another story idea freestyled for the NejiTen Week 2024 festivities. This was Day 3 prompt and folks seem to like it.

Disclaimer: All rights owned by Masashi Kishimoto

~ 00000 ~

Day 3: Yuan-fen (Chinese): The destiny, the fate, or the luck that brings people or things together.

The front door to the Maito Gym slowly opens and a young brunette stumbles in looking exhausted. Her hair is messy, most likely from the helmet that she currently has slung across her arm. Tenten takes a deep breath and walks further into the building before she finally spots who she came to see.

Hey Lee" the green-clad man whipped his head around and rushed over to her just as quickly pulling her into a hug. The man smelled like wisteria, sandalwood, and sweat. Tenten flinched, equally distracted by the smell, as the pain. Lee let her go when he felt her body seize up. Panic flushed across his face.

"Lotus, are you okay?" He took in her appearance. Her arms and legs were scrapped up. There was dirt smeared across her face.

"It's just been a rough day" She was exhausted. "I got into a little bike accident but…. I'm fine. You don't …need to.. freak -"

One.

Two..

Three…

Tenten watched as his brain short-circuited and spiraled out in the way she knew he would. Maybe she should have kept that last part to herself. As if on cue, he moved back and forth. Firing off 21 questions faster than she could answer them.

She shook her head and walked over to a nearby set of bleachers to take a seat. Lee followed right behind continuing his string of questions and concerns.

"Lee, calm down. Look I'm okay"

"You have to tell me what happened? Right now! "

She rolled her eyes, waiting for him to simmer down a bit before she said anything else.

"This idiot in a luxury vehicle hit me with the passenger side door as I was riding by. I go flying off and this random person catches me and we both go tumbling to the ground"

Lee nodded so that she would continue.

"My adrenaline was pumping so… I'm a little foggy on the details. I'm not sure how to.. explain it…but the guy who caught me ended up being the owner of the vehicle that I crashed into. Not sure, how that works exactly because…. he was out on the street with me" Tenten said trying to recount the details.

"I.. think he said his name was Nani or something…I got his contact information and I'm supposed to call him to make arrangements"

Lee puts his hand out, asking for the card. Tenten reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the thick business card made of vinyl. He read the name.

Hyuuga Neji

Assistant Director of Hyuuga Industries

The look on Lee's face shifted.

" I know him. This is that friend I have been wanting you to meet. How youthful" A bright smile crept on his face. " Funny enough, he should be stopping back shortly for our weekly workout," Lee handed her back the card.

Tenten didn't know what to say. Her high is now gone and the ache in her muscles now began to set in. She was just stuck.

"You should wait around and properly meet him. Wait here. I need to go grab something from the back" Lee quickly ran off leaving her to her thoughts.

She didn't know whether this was destiny, fate, or just random but she knew one thing for sure. It was happening.

Yuan-fen