For the love of Neji’s Sandals
It was a quiet day, far too quiet for the likes of Tenten. She was used to Maito Gai’s endless rambles of The Flames of Youth. Their sensei has always been like that, but right now, Lee was off stalking Sakura or just hanging around with either Naruto or Gai.
She sighed. She was simply sitting on a tree next to a large clearing, also known as their training grounds, but today was different, Gai claimed that his team was working extra hard, and they were, the past month and he gave them a day off, just a day. Tenten had nothing to do, she wasn’t juts like any other girl who chases after some revenge-seeking retarded… guy, (No offence to all Uchiha Sasuke fans.) she didn’t enjoy shopping for clothes or shiny and colorful accessories, but she enjoyed shopping for shiny and sharp objects and she enjoyed target practicing with Hyuuga Neji. Instead of enjoying hanging around with her friends for chatting or maybe even gossiping, she enjoyed the company of her team mates, Rock Lee and Hyuuga Neji, and training with them.
Once again, she sighed. She began rocking back and forth from the branch of the tree, sitting, swinging with boredom.
“What are you doing here?” A deep voice suddenly asked. Recognizing the smooth and deep voice, she smiled and replied;
“Hello to you too,” she continued, “I should be asking you the same thing.” She turned around to face the Hyuuga prodigy and a bored smile on her face. Neji leaped onto the tree and sat next to her.
“I don’t enjoy holidays. Not entirely.” He replied, almost sounding lazy. “And you?”
“Oh, you know,” She began sighing. “Just trying to figure out what to do. I love holidays, I just hate it when I can’t find anything to do…”
After having that said, there was a long pause of silence. The kunoichi felt that the moment was a little awkward, Neji wasn’t the best choice if you were looking for someone who could strike up a conversation, so she spoke;
“What are you going to do for the rest of the day?”
“Nothing much, probably just walk the day away. Or just train.” He replied.
“But, today is the day we get to take a break! Why should you train.” She stated, a little irritated with his answer. It’s like he never knew how to answer a question properly!
“You certainly don’t look like you’re enjoying the day.” She held back her tongue, realizing that he did have a point. “Besides, do you see anything else to do around here?”
There were times where Neji would corner her with some smart remark to make her shut up or just change the subject, this was one of those times.
Suddenly, Tenten got an idea!
“Hey, Neji, have you ever liked someone?” She asked, eyeing him playfully. This was a good chance to know about his personal life, aside from his family affairs. Neji gave her a bothered look. Tenten laughed. “Come on! Besides your family, I know nothing about the world around you! We need some quality time with our team mates!” Tenten grinned.
“Right…” Neji said sarcastically.
“Aw… come on!”
“I’m leaving.” He said, but before he could jump off the branch, Tenten caught hold of his dark, silky hair, causing him to fall backwards on his back. “What the hell was that for??”
“Please tell me!” She looked so desperate to know so much about Neji.
“Why should I answer such asinine question?” He asked as he shoved Tenten’s hand off his low pony tail, but Tenten wasn’t the type to just shove something off that was as interesting as this. During Neji’s second attempt on escaping, Tenten grabbed Neji’s foot and pulled of his sandal!
“Aha!!” She screamed waving the navy blue sandal in his face. Neji’s pale eyes twitched, his eyes gave away his thought; what the hell?
“Ha! If you don’t answer the question, I’ll burn your sandal!!” Tenten’s moment of glory didn’t last long as Neji arched a brow.
“Burn… my sandal? What kind of maniacal threat is that?” Neji exclaimed.
Silence…
“If you answer, I’ll… I’ll treat you Ramen!”
Silence…
“… I’ll… buy you a new pair sandal!”
Silence…
“… I’ll… buy you new hair products!”
Neji kept the silence but considered that offer.
“… I’ll … damn.” Tenten ran out of words.
There was a long pause. Neji stood on the branch, missing a sandal, while Tenten sat there with his sandal in hand.
“I hope you’re aware that I am truly capable of walking home, missing a sandal.” Neji stated. Tenten pouted.
“You’re no fun… I just wanted to – OH MY GOD, IT’S GAI AND LEE, RAMBLING ABOUT THE FLAMES OF YOUTH!!” Tenten shouted randomly. Neji panicked.
“Holy shit! Hide!!” Once again, he leaped for cover, but Tenten grabbed his foot and pulled off the other sandal!
……….
“Gah! Now I got two of your sandals!” Tenten waved them around his face. Jumping up and down from the branch of the tree, there were times where she showed off her own sandals, claiming that she had something on his feet and he didn’t.
That was just awkward.
“You’re evil…” Neji scowled. Neji gave up and sat down on the branch, once again, only bare footed. Tenten laughed evilly.
“Well?”
“What was the question again?” Hints of irritation were noticeable.
“Have you ever liked someone? Who? Where? Why?” Neji grunted.
“You added stuff.” Tenten laughed.
“You have to answer all of them. If you answer them properly, I won’t have to give you your sandals piece, by piece.” She threatened, holding a kunai. She was evil sometimes. Neji didn’t want to answer the questions, nor did his want his beloved pair of navy sandals given piece by piece! He couldn’t bear the thought of his sandals shriveled into little shreds. No, it wouldn’t die like this, not his sandals. They’ve been through so much together! Those were exact pair that he used to kick Sasuke in the face, since he just so happened to be walking by while he was PMSing. He remembered that he used those sandals every time he was going to use Hakkeshou Kaiten, he has successfully deflected all the attacks that have been delivered ever since he was brought back from the fight he had with spider-man!(In other words… Kidomaru) This was too much, his beloved sandals would be gone forever if he didn’t tell Tenten about his so-called love-life. Tenten, the weapon master, his team mate, was about to destroy his sandals! The one he has loved oh so much! The pair that he has kissed good night and – wait… WHAT?
“Fine.” He said, after faking a cough. Tenten pondered for a while.
‘Are his sandals that important to him?’ She shook the thought away.
“So…”
“So…” Neji repeated. “… What?”
“What’s your answer?” She asked impatiently. Neji hesitated, but the feeling was quickly pulled away when Tenten lifted her kunai in front of his sandals. Tenten chuckled. She knew that she was the only female he really talks to, except for Hinata of course, but it was just so much fun to watch Neji panic because he thought that he has one of the most boring love life than Lee. Neji cleared throat.
“Well, my… um,” Neji sniffed, trying his best to make up some good love story. He already knew whom he was, slightly, attracted to. But it wasn’t like he thought of it to be serious. He began scanning his brain to think of a good romance novel or movie that he and his team watched. And suddenly…it hit him! “Well, my um, love life is uh… very complicated.” He coughed. Tenten leaned over to listen carefully.
“Well…?”
“Um… you see I was always rejected from my family…” Neji began, keeping his smooth deep and cool voice. “I remember that my family and I were invited to a special celebration over to the…” Neji paused and thought of the easiest clan name he could’ve think of. “Um… Nara Clan.”
“The… Nara Clan?” Tenten arched a brow. Neji bit his lip.
“Um, yes.” He coughed and sniffed again. “Well, my family, didn’t allow a member of the branch family to um, take part in such event, and therefore caused me to feel devastated.” Tenten blinked.
‘This story is starting to sound very familiar…’ She thought.
“Well, as I was drowning in my own disappointment, I ran into my, um…” Neji, not being the greatest writer, paused then spoke. “My God Mother.” Tenten stayed silent. This was all too familiar. “Then, um, she uh…” He coughed again. “Um… got me this… uh… beau- great kimono because I had nothing to wear… and um…”
“Neji…”
“What? I um… wasn’t done yet.” His voice still cool.
“That’s Cinderella.”
……….
“How do you know?” Neji said, eyeing her. “I didn’t even get the chance to explain the love part…” Tenten stared at him.
……….
“You suck.”
“Shut up.”
“Come on! Tell me the real story!!” Tenten pleaded. Neji closed his eyes, hoping that Tenten couldn’t notice the tints of pink on his cheeks. “Every guy has to go through this kind of love crap! Unless I’m mistaken, you’re a guy too! So please!” Neji’s blush was now noticeable.
“It’s not that interesting.” He said.
“I bet it’s a lot better than that dumb Cinderella-crap-o-mania!” Tenten said laughing. “I won’t tell anyone! Promise!”
“… Fine.” He gave up. It was a little hard to run away from the weapon master’s grasp, once she captures you, you’re dead! She’s like a bloody siren! “Well… what do you want me to say?”
“Just tell me where you met her! Like, um, first describe how you began to like her!”
“I do not believe in this kind of fetish like love.”
“I didn’t say that…”
“Anyway!!” Neji got frustrated. “I just began to um… get interested in her during the one month break of the Chuunin Examination.” Tenten frowned. She didn’t exactly thought Neji was the kind of person to actually like someone.
“So… is she a ninja?” She asked curiously.
“Yes, but not a very good one at that.” He added. Tenten arched a brow. “But as time went by, she grew quickly. Got a lot better.” He added. She notice his pale eyes soften. “To me, she stood out among the other kunoichi. I’m still not sure how I got to know her. There are times where I was fond of her and there are times when I hated her.”
“Why?” She asked, the sound of disappointment was clear.
“I hated her for making feel like an idiot whenever I am around her.” Neji said. It was almost like he wanted to smile. “I hated the feeling, every time I go close to her, I feel like my head is about to explode. I forget what to say, so I stay silent. I couldn’t feel support on my knees when I stood next to her, so I kept my distance.” Tenten listened. Something inside her made her feel good about what he was saying. “There were several times I walk up to her and talk to her, I feel like a total idiot. Not saying anything, always making her start the conversations.”
Tenten relaxed her body, letting her arms hold herself up from behind. It was Neji’s chance. He raised his arms and extended them and quickly and his head told him to, but Tenten simply pulled the sandals away and held them across her left fore arm.
“Nice try…” She said, smirking. She heard a grunt and a couple of swears but wanted to hear more of his story. “So… have you told her?”
“No.”
“Do you plan to?”
“No.” Tenten’s eyes twitched.
“Well, do I know her?” Neji, of course, didn’t feel comfortable about lying, so he might as well say much.
“You can say that.”
“So… tell me about her! I can take a couple of guesses!” She said cheerfully, hoping the sound of her disappointment couldn’t be noticed.
“Well… over the past few years, she’s become a strong kunoichi, though her Genjutsu definitely needs more mending.” He said smirking.
“Not that, I mean, what is she like? What captures you the most about her?” Tenten didn’t exactly felt like knowing more about this girl, but, she was still curious.
“She’s nice.”
“Nice.”
“Yes, nice.”
“Anything else to top that?”
“She’s… she’s understanding.”
“I… see. Well, to be honest,” Tenten began. “I never thought that you were the type to like a normal girl!” She laughed.
“I know. But that’s what captures me, she’s just normal, just like everyone else.” Neji said. Tenten’s laugh came to a halt. “It’s strange, really. When you think about it, she’s just normal, the same among the other girls. But, in a way, she’s completely different.” Neji gave himself a silent chuckle. The weapon Master smiled.
“You know what? I bet she feels exactly the same!” Neji stayed silent.
“You think?” He grinned.
“Well, probably, most likely… I guess!”
“What does that suppose to mean?” Tenten kept silent as she smiled. She looked at him and gave the signal to continue. “Well, can I have my sandals back?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You’re not done.”
“I’m not?”
“No, you aren’t.”
“Well, what else do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know… tell me more about her! Tell me… um, her flaws!”
“You sure you want to know?”
“Of course!”
“Well…” Neji coughed. Suddenly his face became stern, his voice sounding annoyed and a little wimpy. “Ever since I cam back from my fight against the sound nin, I was hospitalized for a month, yes she took care of me, I became a little nice, tried to see things differently. She knew this… but…” Tenten got annoyed.
“But…?”
“She… she took advantage of me!”
“… what?”
“She began to take advantage of my change!” He breathed. “ She… She began bossing me around! Sometimes calling me names! She tried giving me lunch boxes of her cooking, but wanted to poison me!!” Tenten clenched the kunai and the sandals in her hands, this too was familiar…
“Poison…?”
“Yes! Poison!” He exclaimed. “She.. she even made fun of my hair!” He held up his pony tail, pointing at it.
“Made fun of?! How?” Tenten was pissed.
“She did my hair into buns!! I mean, what?” Neji was rambling. “She began making me and Lee go shopping with her!” That gave it away… now she was really pissed.
“Well, you know what? I think that she really liked you!!” Tenten screeched.
“You think?! She made me carry her shopping! She was bossing me around, pushing me away, and stealing my favorite sandals!” After that was said, it was all over. He was done for. With any luck he would only come out missing an arm or a leg… maybe even both! Tenten held up her kunai. Neji noticed this. His eyes grew paler than usual. It was the end. He knew he said too much, but she was not giving any chances… no, was gone… today will be the last time you see-
“NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
In the end… Neji was sulking… walking all the way back home. It was like he wanted to burst out in tears. Just then, Nara Shikamaru passed by Hyuuga.
“Oi, Neji, what’s wrong with-“ He gulped. Neji’s eyes were paler than usual, he slouched, cupping the remaining of his beloved sandals that were now torn into shreds. “O-kaaaaay….”