Black or Blue

"I would like to know," explained Hinata.

Neji gave an unreadable glance in her direction before returning his attention to the plants. "I see no reason why," he remarked. "Also, it is not quite your business." To accentuate the reply, he tore a weed out roughly and tossed it aside.

The female looked nervously at his violent way of weeding, but left the matter for the original topic. "I do not agree. I am in one of those categories, so I think I should know. Do you prefer black hair or blue hair?"

"How did we come to this subject again?" wondered the long-haired boy.

"Your friend and I---"

"Which friend?" he interrupted, displaying rather bad manners.

Hinata did not criticize, but started to answer. "Tenten---"

"I should have known she is a part of this," interrupted Neji again, this time growling quietly to himself.

"Well, we were talking yesterday and she mentioned that you once kissed her." Her cheeks were flushed with slight embarrassment as she finished the sentence. The boy stopped his weeding in surprise and tried to look at his cousin, but she had lowered her head to the plants below and seemed concentrating entirely on the garden. However, she said nothing more.

Feeling that he ought say something, Neji thought about opening his mouth but caught himself gaping and closed his mouth instead. He finally decided what to say after a few moments. "That was a while ago. Did she mention the circumstances?"

"But you did kiss her?" asked Hinata hesitantly.

It took a full minute for him to answer, during which he tore out a few more weeds very violently. When he did speak, his voice was very quiet. "Yes."

"Well…" she almost whispered, with her face still directed at the flourishing flora beneath.

"Well what?" questioned Neji dryly.

"Do you prefer black hair or blue hair?" murmured the girl.

"This is unfair," he complained.

"What do you mean?"

"It does not include blonde hair, brown hair, red hair… or other types…"

"You have not shown interest in females with hair coloured blonde, brown, red, or other types before," she whispered. "Unless you have never told us…"

More than a bit uneasy, the long-haired boy coughed and answered, "No, of course, not." He stared at her hair and wished she would turn her gaze upon him.

"Please reply," she urged.

"Tenten and I have been friends a while just as you and I have been. I see little difference in this…" he trailed off uncomfortably.

A slight phrase was spoken in the silence. "You have never kissed me."

He blinked, at a loss for words.

Hinata lifted her head and looked at him. "You have never kissed me," she repeated slowly, while staring at him with her clear eyes.

For a few moments, they just stared at each other. Then, Neji leaned over and placed a slight kiss on her cheek. "Are you satisfied?" he asked as he edged away.

"You… you still did not answer my question…" murmured the very blue-haired female.

The person being questioned finally decided that he would answer the question. So, he leaned over for another kiss, this time a longer one on her mouth. "Did that answer your question?" he queried as he sat back, crushing a small pile of weeds with one of his hands.

Although she tried to say "yes" a few times, Hinata found that she could not speak properly anymore. Instead, she nodded to the affirmative in a way barely perceptible.

It was enough for her cousin to catch, but he pretended he had not. "We should always be thorough," he remarked shortly. He pulled her in for a third kiss.