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“Can you believe it's already time for the chūnin exams?” Tenten asks.
“Yes, it appears that the genin this year are very promising.”
“Well they better be. I’ve stopped the preparations for my shop just to see this!”
Neji chuckles. “Don't worry, I'm sure it will be worth your time.”
Tenten grins. “I could never imagine the patience it takes to teach some brats ninjutsu. I have no clue how Lee does it.”
“Well, we were those 'brats’ not too long ago.”
“Yeah, remember when we were upset that Guy held us back?”
“I’d never forget. But, we eventually agreed and it proved to be fruitful.”
“You were especially a brat, especially during our first chūnin exams,” Tenten chuckles. “Thank Kami you changed from back then, it was so irritating.”
“Not so fast, girl who got fanned,” Neji quips back.
“Hey!” Tenten elbows him. “I thought we agreed to not talk about that!”
“You started first,” Neji laughs.
Tenten ignores his response and keeps walking.
Neji looks over, concerned. He takes her hand.
This surprises Tenten and she looks back at him.
“I’m sorry,” He says. “You’ve improved exponentially since then.”
Tenten blushes and pulls her hand away. “Ugh, maybe I do want you to go back to the way you were. I can’t even resent you now.”
Neji smiles, noticing Tenten’s concealed smile while she turns away.
She's been like this ever since we started dating.
“Anyways, you mentioned the other day that Hinata would be coming with Hanabi to watch the exams too?” Tenten says, deliberately changing the topic.
“Yes, Hanabi-sama has already surpassed the chūnin equivalent due to her personal training with the Hyūga, but since she was never put into the chūnin exams like her older sister, she wants to observe the exams pretty much every time they come around. I personally am against her doing so, but if this lets Hinata-sama finally have some time away from Naruto and the nuptial arrangements, then I wholeheartedly agr–”
“Yeah that’s great. Who’s that?”
Neji quickly turns to see who she is talking about.
It is a Stone shinobi flaunting his skills with his weapons.
Tenten is clearly impressed and can't take her eyes off him.
Neji notices this and gets *slightly* irritated.
"He's most likely a shinobi from the stone village that doesn't use a well-known stone fighting method. There are many peculiar visitors this time of year." He answers quickly. "Let's go."
Before they could go, the strange shinobi comes right up to them.
"I see that you are impressed by my fighting style!!" He proclaims. "And judging by your weapons, you have good reason! You're a fellow fuīnjutsu buki-style shinobi, aren't you?"
Ten-ten nods, dazed.
"My name is Yajirushi. What's yours?" He asks.
"I-i'm Tenten." She stammers. "I haven't met a foreign buki-nin ever!!" she squeals.
"I haven't either!" He says. "What clan are you from? What's your surname?"
“I-”
“We were just leaving to go to the chūnin exams, so we’ll be on our way,” Neji interrupts. “Though it was a pleasure observing your lack of decorum." He turns away.
"Neji! Mō!" Ten-ten scolds.
As they walk away, she turns and apologizes, "Gomen’nasai!"
"Interesting..." Yajirushi says to himself, smirking. A Hyūga, huh?"
“Neji! What. Was. That. About???” Tenten fumes.
“You hate when people ask about your surname anyways. I was just trying to help.”
“Neji.” Tenten stands in front of him, stopping him from walking.
She crosses her arms. “I feel like it was more than that.”
Neji is silent.
“Neji, are you serious?” Tenten says. “I was just talking to him about weapons stuff! You know that’s my passion.”
"You seemed very attracted to him. You were even blushing and stumbling on your words."
"Neji…*sigh* I'll be honest with you. I was attracted to him a tiny bit. But it's nothing compared to you. I don't love him. You have nothing to worry about, I promise."
Why am I feeling this way? Neji thinks. We just started dating. I usually don’t fall prey to emotions like this. But for some reason I couldn’t control my jealousy?
Tenten notices the myriad of emotions under Neji’s poker face.
“Kono baka. You still don't believe me, huh?" She retorts.
She cups her hands around his chin and pulls his face to her lips and kisses him.
He accepts it and softly kisses back, eventually wrapping his arms around her.
When she finishes, he is heavily blushing.
“S-sumimasen…” he stammers.
“You better be, kono baka,” Tenten says. “You’d really think I’d like a stranger over you? Come on.”
She grabs his hand and they continue walking.
Tenten smiles to herself after heaving a sigh of exasperation.
He’s been like this ever since we started dating.
~
“That was quite eventful.” Neji recounts.
“Yes! I’m glad that they were more genin from some of the lesser-known Konoha clans! It was so fun watching them all.”
“To be fair, any chūnin exam will look better to us compared to our very first exam!”
Tenten laughs. “That is true.”
They reach Tenten’s apartment.
“ So , Hyūga. What should we do now?” Tenten asks coyly.
“Oh, I-i thought you said you were going to train-”
“I still am,” Tenten giggles. “Just teasing.”
“I’ve had quite enough of you today,” Neji laughs, pulling her close.
Tenten squeals. “Neji!”
They kiss.
Tenten smiles. “Do you want to train with me?”
“It is late…are you sure you-” Neji says.
“Is that a yes or no?”
Neji sighs. “I have a meeting with the Hyūga…”
“Ugh, why are you guys in so many meetings?” Tenten sighs. “Even right after the chūnin exams?”
“Yes…”
“Can’t you not go this once?” Tenten pouts. “We haven’t trained together for a while…besides, you owe me for your ridiculous behavior earlier.”
“Tenten, you know they just started allowing branch members to be part of these meetings,” Neji says. “They’d look for anything to turn things back the way there were, so if I don’t go-”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Tenten cuts. “They always take you away from me...”
“Someday, they won’t be able to,” Neji softly says.
Tenten, surprised, meets his eyes and notices his tender gaze.
But then she tears her eyes away, her heart pounding.
“Goodnight, Hyūga.” Kami, those eyes of his.
Neji chuckles. “Don’t do anything dangerous. You should not be training this late.”
“I can do whatever I want. Just go already!”
“That’s a strange way of saying thank you, but I’ll take it.”
“Ugh, you’re so annoying.”
“You know you love me.”
“What part of ‘just go already’ do you not understand?? Deteike!”
“ Kiwotsukete. Be safe.”
“I’m always safe. Now go.”
Neji smirks and turns to leave. I mean it.
Tenten smiles and watches him walking away. Yep, he’s definitely still irritating. That idiot. What did he even mean earlier…?
Tenten shakes her head.
Whatever. I need to get just a little training in tonight. I need to see if I’d be any good against that Yajirushi guy. Shame I couldn't talk to him more. He seemed very interesting.
She heads to the old training grounds.
I’ve missed this place…next time I will make Neji come with me, even if I have to force him.
Nostalgic thoughts flood her mind.
Whenever Lee would train with Guy-sensei, me and Neji used to spend countless afternoons here…
I can’t believe we’re really dating now. After all this time and everything we’ve been through together, we’ve survived.
She shakes her head.
I should stay focused. This will be just a quick, night training session.
~
“Whew!” Tenten pants. “I think that’s enough for tonight. It’s getting chilly, I should head back.”
As Tenten starts to walk towards the exit of the training grounds, she senses something.
It feels like something…or someone has just unmasked their presence.
“Who’s there??”
Someone runs behind her, parallel to where she is standing.
“Neji, this is not funny! You could have just waited tomorrow to tell me your meeting ended early-”
A kunai whizzes towards her neck.
Tenten deftly blocks it with her staff that she quickly summoned.
“I said, who’s there??” She yells. “Don’t make me have to shoot you, and I assure you, I won’t miss.”
The perpetrator says in the shadows.
This shinobi has probably been observing me since I got here, s o they probably have taken note of my fighting style, since they’re most likely shinobi, Tenten analyzes.
How they found me, I’m not sure, but this isn’t good. But, I was only reinforcing basic techniques and rarely practiced my longer-range, more specialized techniques in these mid-ranged training grounds, so they still won’t have a firm enough grasp of my fighting style. I can probably sense them now because I’m no longer engrossed in training and they’ve probably used up all their strength to mask their presence.
She looks to where the kunai was thrown.
I can sense their presence, so I have a vague idea where they are. I’m sure I can make a fatal shot with my arrows, but I'll slightly miss on purpose so I won't get in trouble for killing a possible foreigner.
She immediately turns and fires an arrow into the adjacent tree.
Someone falls out. “ Ite!! How did you get me??”
Tenten unexpectedly recognizes the man who has fallen a couple of feet ahead of her.
“Yajirushi-san??”
"We meet again, Tenten-san,” He smirks. “You’re quite impressive, aiming at an immobilizing spot with low visibility."
"W-why were you spying on me??" Ten-ten demands, defensive and on guard.
" Ochitsuke ," he says whilst pulling the arrow out of his shoulder. "I wanted to confirm if you truly knew the ways of the buki-nin.”
“At this hour, foreign nin should be in hotels, traveling back home, or in main areas away from in-town areas or the outskirts like these!”
“I am well aware of that,” Yajirushi retorts. “But I have never met a buki-nin with your competence. I hereby challenge you to fight me."
“What??”
“We must determine who is the strongest buki-style shinobi!”
“Hello?? I don’t even know you! This is why you’re picking a fight at this time with a foreigner in their own land?” Tenten yells. “This is not the chūnin exams! Fighting another village’s shinobi without good reason is prohibited!”
“So what?” Yajirushi sneers. “You’re gonna call the authorities on me? Or better yet, that Hyūga boyfriend of yours?”
“Watch your mouth,” Tenten warns. “I’ll take care of you myself.”
~
Meanwhile, Neji fidgets in his seat at the Hyūga meeting. He cannot pay attention because he senses that Tenten is in danger.
Hinata notices.
“Neji-nīsan, dōshita ? Is there something wrong?” she whispers.
“ G-gomen , Hinata-sama,” Neji whispers back. “I can’t help but sense that Tenten is in danger.”
“You were with her right before our meeting, right?”
“I was, but don’t tell-”
“ Shinpai suru na . Don’t worry,” Hinata winks. “I’ll cover for you. Go.”
“Hinata-sama–”
“ Daijōbudesu . It’s okay,” Hinata smiles. “Now go, there’s a heated discussion starting up between the head families, so it’s the perfect time to leave. Just check on her and try to be back as soon as you can. I’ll cover for you if they ask me.”
Neji hesitates..
“I know how much you love her,” Hinata gently says. “So I understand.”
Neji is taken aback.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” Hinata giggles.
Neji clears his throat. “ A-arigatōgozaimashita , Hinata-sama!” he stammers. “I’ll be right back.”
Hinata smiles. “ Makasete.”
Neji discreetly leaves the Hyūga compound. He chuckles.
Hinata-sama just knows everything, huh? He smiles. I’m coming, Tenten!
~
Yajirushi deftly dodges Tenten's barrage of weapons from one of her scrolls.
“Ah. Space-time ninjutsu,” Yajirushi comments. “You seem to have cracked the code. You specialize in fūinjutsu, the sealing techniques. But I'll have you know that the ancient buki-nin–”
“Shut up!” Tenten yells. “Quit lecturing me like an academy instructor! You're not the only one who has deeply researched buki-nin!!”
“As I was saying ,” Yajirushi continues, "The buki-nin originally fought with poisoned weapons, until they themselves got poisoned and the clan greatly diminished. I am one of the few that have survived. You are nothing but an imitator of the true buki-nin."
"Damare!" Ten-ten yells. "I am no mere imitator. I have perfected the ways of a buki-nin."
“Prove it!" Yajirushi yells, shooting several poison-tipped arrows at her.
So this is why he waited until I was fatigued after my training session. He knew I would have a slower reaction time and this would increase the chances of at least one poisoned arrow grazing my skin, Tenten analyzes. If he is using the authentic, traditional poison and weapons, just one graze is enough to be lethal! I can't let those make contact with my body. Time to test out one of my tried-and-true techniques to see if I still got it!
Yajirushi smirks. I would love to see how she deals with this !
“Sōshōryū!!” Tenten yells.
~
Neji pounces on treetops at full speed.
She should be at those old training grounds where we used to train together. Neji thinks. She is quite fond of them. I just hope she's not actually in danger. I would never forgive myself…
Via his Byakugan, he notices several clouds of smoke coming from the direction of the training grounds.
I must hurry! Neji thinks. If someone ambushed her, then I'm sure she took care of them. But I must at least ensure that she's not hurt.
When he reaches the training grounds, he sees Tenten on the ground, panting, surrounded by her scrolls and weapons.
He also sees a beaten-up, injured figure crumpled on the ground several feet away from her.
Her chakra levels seemed to have lowered, but she's not in critical condition. Thank Kami. Neji sighs in relief. The other shinobi, though, needs medical care. Who is that, anyways?
“You're too late, Hyūga!” Tenten grins. “Come over here and help me up.”
Neji helps her get up. “Tenten, what on earth–”
“I'll explain later,” Tenten pants. “I just had to beat someone up. No biggie.”
“Is this what you consider training?”
“Possibly,” Tenten laughs. “But if you were- ow…”
“Are you hurt??” Neji asks, reactivating Byakugan to recheck her chakra levels.
“ Ochitsuke , Neji. I’m fine,” Tenten gently assures, softly pushing him back. “Could you help me carry the foreigner to the hospital?”
“Tenten, you beat up a foreigner?? That’s against-”
“I know, I know!” Tenten interrupts. “But he picked a fight with me first!”
“Are you serious??”
“And honestly, I haven’t had to spar with anyone in a while,” Tenten sighs. “Kinda felt nice.”
“Unbelievable.”
“Are you gonna help me or not?”
Neji doesn’t answer her, but deftly hauls the shinobi over his shoulder.
“Ooooh look at my strong boyfriend!!” Tenten teases, clapping.
“Do you even know this person?” Neji says, ignoring her jeers(Tenten swore she saw him start to blush though).
“Oh yeah, it’s that Yajirushi guy from earlier.”
“What??”
“You didn’t notice?” Tenten laughs. “That’s strange, considering you have way better eyesight than me.”
Neji clenches his jaw and keeps silent, walking towards the hospital.
Tenten detects this and tries to change the conversation.
“So…you didn't have your meeting after all?”
“I did. I just sensed you were in danger so I had to come.”
“Really? Neji, you know I'd be fine. You shouldn't have–”
“The meeting was getting heated, anyway. I just needed some fresh air.”
“Mhm. Is this the same Neji who couldn’t train with me for said meeting?”
Neji is silent.
“Neji.” Tenten walks in front of him and crosses her arms. “Are you really mad at me?”
“Is cutting my path while crossing your arms starting to become a habit of yours?”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“I’m not mad.”
“Are you sure?” Tenten asks. “Because when you’re mad your eyes turn into a darker shade of periwinkle. And I’m seeing that right now-”
“It must be the lack of sunlight and the shade that makes them appear that way.”
“Neji,” Tenten sighs. “Didn’t we say that we would be honest with each other when we started dating? Yet here we are, bickering just like we did when we were teenagers!”
“I guess I was jealous.”
“You guess?”
“I was jealous,” Neji corrects. “I am jealous.”
Tenten sighs. “Neji, don’t you remember what I told you earlier?”
“Yes, but…” Neji starts. “I guess…it’s hard for me to know how to act because I haven’t been rigorously trained on this type of thing.”
“‘This type of thing’?” Tenten asks. “As in, dating?”
“Yes,” Neji admits. “Heck, I’ve only started to understand myself in the recent years. It’s hard to know what to do regarding another person that you’re in a relationship with.”
“Thank you for being honest with me, Neji,” Tenten smiles. “I’m still learning too. But there’s no way to ‘train’ love. You just discover more and more ways it works for yourself and your partner. And I know you had to grow up in an environment where you have to rigorously train for everything under great pressure, which may make it hard to understand this. So, I think I understand a little of what you feel.”
“It just felt strange for me to feel jealousy in this way,” Neji ponders. “You know…I felt this way even before we were dating, and I resented it.”
“Wait, really?”
“Yes,” Neji admits. “And it was frustrating because I always felt drawn to you. I would not be able to get you out of my head. I would think of you when in everything I did, even training, even on missions…”
“Aw, Neji…”
“So when we started dating, I guess I… didn’t want to lose you. I’ve felt this way even when we were just friends, but now it has only gotten stronger. Given that we both survived the war, we…”
“...kept our promise.” Tenten smiles.
Neji looks at her expectantly.
“We promised before the war that if we both survived, we would allow ourselves to date each other,” Tenten recounts. “Because back then, before peace, making time for love was unthinkable. Right?”
“Tenten…”
“What you feel is because of love, Neji. And these feelings are normal,” Tenten gently says, touching his cheek. “Besides, I was never able to get your annoying, perfect face out of my head, either. So I guess I love you too, kono baka .”
Neji smiles.
“I’m flattered, though,” Tenten giggles, “That I was always on your mind.”
“You still are.”
“Neji…”
“I’ve always had to be on high alert and protect myself in the past,” Neji admits. “But now, I feel like you belong to me, so I just want to protect you and keep you to myself.”
“You’re too sweet,” Tenten smiles. “Remember, we belong to each other, always.”
“So you did end up bringing your Hyūga boyfriend, huh?” Yajirushi interrupts.
“Y-yajirushi-san??” Tenten burns red. “You were supposed to be unconscious!!”
“Yeah, but when I heard you guys confessing your undying love for each other, I had to tune in,” Yajirushi sneers. “Hey, Hyūga, could you get to the hospital faster? I’m getting way too much of a kick out of you being jealous of me.”
Neji drops him to the ground.
“Neji!” Tenten exclaims.
“If you’re well enough to talk, I don’t see why you can’t walk the rest of the way,” Neji says to Yajirushi. “We’ve made it to the clearing. It’s right up ahead, you can’t miss it.”
And with that, Neji takes Tenten’s hand and walks away.
“Hmph. The special treatment from that Hyūga was nice while it lasted,” Yajirushi mutters, watching them walk away. “What a strange couple. Konoha is really a strange village.”
After they walked away a far enough distance, Tenten says, “Neji, are we really going to leave him like that?”
“Well, he’s not dying,” Neji responds. “I know you intended just to weaken him enough so he would not fight back.”
“Good thing I only used stage one of my Sōshōryū …”
“Look, he’s struggling to even walk to the entrance of the hospital,” Neji chuckles.
Tenten gasps. “You’re so mean, Neji!” She laughs.
“Time to add that to my list of your rather meticulous descriptions of me,” Neji laughs.
Tenten giggles, hugging him. “Make sure you add handsome, and strong, and has the most beautiful eyes in the whole universe-”
“Wow, you’re complimenting me? The world has indeed found peace.”
“Come here, you idiot.”
~
“What did I miss, Hinata-sama?” Neji whispers to Hinata as he discreetly returns to the meeting.
“The meeting is about to come to a close, but it was just mostly the elders recounting the Hyūga main family history, and I know you’d probably not want to hear about all of that,” Hinata recounts. “Is everything okay with Tenten-san? You were out for a while.”
“Yes, everything’s okay. Thank you so much,” Neji says. “Did they ask for me?”
“Surprisingly, no,” Hinata says. “Which is good, because you know that I’m a terrible liar!” she giggles.
“Thank you again, Hinata-sama,” Neji says gratefully. “I’ll never put you in that position again.”
“It’s okay, Neji-nīsan,” Hinata smiles. “I will always support you guys!”
Neji smiles. “I really appreciate that.”
~
Hinata walks Neji to the exit of the Hyūga compound.
“You seem really happy, Neji-nīsan,” Hinata observes, “Does that mean you and Tenten made up?”
“H-how did you know??”
Hinata giggles. “I have my ways.”
“ Sasugadesu , Hinata-sama,” Neji chuckles.
“I can’t wait to attend you guys’ wedding in the future.”
“Honestly…I think about that every day,” Neji admits. “But do you think the Hyūga will allow it?”
“We can change that,” Hinata smiles. “Just look at me and Naruto-kun!”
Neji smiles. “I know I can always trust you, Hinata-sama.”
“Neji-nīsan, please stop with the honorifics!”
They both laugh.
“Hinata, may I speak with Neji for a minute?” Hiashi suddenly appears.
“O-of course, Father!” Hinata bows.
“H-Hiashi-sama!” Neji bows.
“It’s alright,” Hiashi says, “Now, come with me.”
~
Neji walks from the compound, deep in thought.
“Do you have to look serious all the time?”
“Tenten?” Neji looks up. “You stayed and waited till the meeting was over?”
“I guess I did,” Tenten chuckles. “I’m too used to you walking me back…”
“Well, I’m glad you waited,” Neji says. “Let’s get you home.”
As they walk, Tenten notices Neji’s preoccupied temperament.
She takes his hand, which seems to help him come back to reality.
“Is everything okay?” Tenten asks.
“Yeah,” Neji says. “Just…clan stuff.”
“Don’t want to talk about it?”
How could I tell her that despite us trying to be discreet about our dating, Hiashi-sama indicated that he suspects that I’m not interested in extending the Hyūga bloodline?
Tenten hugs him.
He is slightly surprised, but hugs her back.
“Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together,” Tenten assures him, “Right?”
“Right,” Neji smiles back.
They have a small kiss.
“Goodnight, Neji,” Tenten gently says.
“You’re leaving?”
“The train leaving to the branch compound is different from the train leading to my apartment,” Tenten explains. “You should go home now. Don’t worry about me. I just wanted to see you before I went home for the night.”
“You’ll be safe?”
“I’m always safe. Now go.”
Tenten watches Neji walk away.
Even the way he walks is perfect. She laughs to herself. Those Hyūga better not be giving him a hard time, or I’ll personally beat them all up.
She chuckles.
Beat up the Hyūga? What am I saying? I guess I’m really crazy about him.
Neji walks to the train station.
Everytime I tell her to be safe, she tells me she’s “always” safe. Neji chuckles. What a lie. Did I not just have to carry a foreigner that she beat up to the hospital? In any case, I know she will always stay safe. Because of her own skills, but also I will pulverize anyone without a second thought if they so much glare in her direction.
Neji stops. He chuckles.
I’m really crazy about her, aren’t I? Looks like Hinata-sama was right, once again.