Disclaimer: I don't own naruto. . .
Oks, this is going to be my first nejiten fic so yupz…enjoy! BTW…there is possible OOCness. (cough neji cough)
P.S for those who are waiting for Perfect Girl, Hinata to update, I'll do it by the end of this week…my computer totally crashed this month. (sob) Anyways, ON WITH THE STORY! xD
1000 Paper Cranes
He didn't love her.
Even though they were supposedly a 'couple', he never said those three words. Those three words that she wanted so much to hear from him. Was it really that hard? She said it to him everyday.
Sometimes she wondered…did she make a mistake? Maybe they just weren't meant to be…
Maybe they simply just weren't…destined to be together.
------------------------------------------------------
Tenten sighed as she re-adjusted her ANBU mask so that it hung loosely around her neck. Fumbling around for her keys she found the right one and opened the door to her apartment...which she lived in by herself.
A small familiar feeling of loneliness crept inside her as she surveyed the messy and silent place which she called home. Breathing in deeply she made her way towards her bedroom for some much needed sleep…a shower can come later. Her eyes involuntarily flickered towards the tall jar that stood on her desk. She felt a stir of emotions rise inside her…hate, sadness, hurt…love.
Plopping herself on the chair she stared at the jar. It was nearly filled to the top with cranes of different sizes and colours. She took off the lid and took one out. It was folded perfectly and beautifully…by him. Neji.
God, she wondered how she could fall for the Hyuuga prodigy. No, scratch that…she wondered how he could fall for her. She closed her eyes as she remembered the time when he agreed to go out with her…the first time he had handed her a crane.
Tenten sat on the bridge whilst staring glumly at her reflection in the water. She tried her best to forget yesterday's events but it was replaying in her mind…over and over again.
She had got into another one of those very heated arguments that she often had with her Hyuuga team mate and this time it was about…
--------------------------
…"WHY WON'T YOU GO TO THE DAMN HOSPITAL??!!" screamed a very pissed off TenTen. Lee sweat dropped and tried to calm her down…unsuccessfully.
"I don't need to…" hissed an annoyed Neji. Tenten's eyes bulged…wasn't he supposed to be a prodigy?? Any sensible and logical person could see by the huge amount of blood that was spurting out of a deep cut on his arm, that he needed medical attendance immediately.
But he was being so goddamn stubborn about it.
"What do you mean you DON'T NEED TO???!!" Oh god, she wanted to punch that emotionless face of his so bad. Didn't he understand?? She didn't want him to die! If she never saw him again…yeah, that stupid arrogant face of his…
She wouldn't know what to do.
Suddenly she felt tears streaming down her cheeks. Neji and Lee both looked up at her startled.
Tenten tried to calm down by breathing in deeply but it didn't work, in fact, the tears came down even harder. Why couldn't he just see? See how much she loved him?
"I DON'T KNOW WHY I EVEN CARE!" she yelled at him.
"Tent-"
"I'LL JUST STOP. I'LL JUST STOP LOVING YOU."
With that she turned around and ran away from him…leaving a very shocked and confused Neji. Yeah, for the first time in Konoha history…the Hyuuga prodigy was confused.
-----------------------
Tenten screamed out in frustration, anger and embarrassment, causing people who were near her to scatter away at her outburst. It was a heat of the moment thing, she never thought of actually confessing like…that.
"…You know you really need to control your temper…"
Tenten nearly fell off the bridge and into the water below. She didn't even need to turn around. She could recognise that voice anywhere.
She nimbly hopped off the bridge and walked away. However she only took about three steps before she felt something warm grip onto her wrist gently but firmly.
"…I'm sorry"
She turned around to stare at him. No this wasn't Hyuuga Neji. It couldn't be him. The cold-hearted genius would never say something like that.
Maybe this was a prank or something. Naruto…
"Naruto if this is another one of those lame jokes of yours…it isn't funny"
'Neji's' eyebrow twitched and he dropped her wrist.
"You really need to stop being so paranoid"
Tenten was about to retort angrily but she stopped herself…there was only one person who could piss her off like that. Ok…so maybe it WAS him.
She glanced at his arm. It was wrapped up in thick white bandages. She could feel his pale eyes follow hers. "…I went to get it wrapped…" he said stiffly. Tenten stared at him even more. Was he admitting that he was wrong? Maybe it was from all the blood that he lost from yesterday. She placed a hand on his forehead, startling him.
If she actually looked closely…she might have been able to see the faint, microscopical blush that fleeted across the Hyuuga's face.
Tenten frowned. He didn't seem to have a fever or anything…
"Neji, are you sure yo-"
"About yesterday..."
She flushed.
Oh god.
She swallowed nervously… "Hai…?"
She saw him blush. Ok, he must have lost a LOT of blood yesterday.
There was silence until she heard him mutter something.
"Huh? I can't hear what you're saying"
His eyebrow twitched again and he looked annoyed.
"…did you mean what you said yesterday?"
Tenten felt herself go Hinata red and her heart started beating like crazy.
"Y-yeah…"
Neji smirked and he leaned in closer, making her flush even more and her heart thump madly.
"Don't stop"
She looked into his pale eyes…stop what? And then she remembered. She felt more blood rush to her face. God she hated him for making her feel so weak and girly.
Neji smirked at her scowling face and then he did something that surprised them both.
He kissed her.
It was nothing fancy, just a simple brush against the lips, but it was still something that made them both feel giddy.
Tenten felt slightly dizzy…was this a dream?
Suddenly she felt him slip something into her hand.
"I'll see you at training"
She could only nod dumbly and stare at his retreating back. Did that really just happen? She pinched herself. Ouch…
She looked down into her hands to see what he gave her.
It was a crane.
Tenten felt herself blush slightly when she remembered the chain of events. The next day he had given her crane and the day after that…he gave her a crane each day. It confused her but she accepted it silently and added it to her growing collection.
However, she still hadn't heard him say it. Those three words that she wanted to hear so bad. I love you. She wondered if he actually liked her. She often saw him with Sakura these days. Smiling and laughing…together. She felt anger boil inside her.
She felt so tired. Stupid NejiShe was supposed to see him off to his mission later. She glanced at the clock she had about 3 more hours. Her eyes trailed to the calendar…today was their 1000th day since that day on the bridge, the first time he kissed her, the first time he gave her a crane.
I wonder if he remembered…with that last thought, she let sleep over take her.
---------------------------------
Oh god, Neji was going to have a fit.
Tenten leapt quickly from rooftop to rooftop at her fastest speed. She had woken up late and had barely just squeezed in enough time for a quick shower so that she didn't stink.
Breathing hard she slowed down a bit when she reached her destination. She saw Neji waiting at the gates, his arms crossed and his ANBU mask slung loosely around his neck. She felt her heart do the weird flip-flop whenever she saw him. She glanced around for the others who were on the mission. They must have left already… Happiness flooded her when she realised that he had actually waited for her.
She was about to leap down to greet Neji when she stopped. There was another figure with Neji. A figure with pink hair. Tenten felt her anger rise and it rose even more when she saw Sakura give Neji a quick hug before she darted off. Oh god, that was it.
She couldn't put up with anymore of his shit.
She leapt down from the building and walked angrily to him. He turned around to greet her and was about to say something.
"What was she doing?" she hissed.
Neji looked startled and confused at her tone of voice. "What are you talking about?"
Tenten felt her anger bubble even more. So the idiot was trying to play his game this way eh?
"I SAW her HUG you! Godarnit!" she yelled at him.
Suddenly his face went cold. "There's nothing going on between us" he said in a quiet voice.
"Nothing going on? Then why are you always together?!"
"Tenten…"
She didn't let him finish. She was beyond pissed off.
"Why is it that you never see me?! Why is it that you never hug me?!Why is it that you never smile with me?! Why is it that you never laugh with me?!!" she could feel tears streaming down her face but she didn't care. She couldn't take it anymore.
"Why is it that you never say those three words to me?! I hate you Hyuuga Neji!!"
She looked through her blurred vision to see his face. He had on that emotionless mask on again. It pissed her off even more.
"You know WHAT? Neji…" she said hissing.
"Let's just break up"
She didn't wait for an answer, she was crying too hard. She ran away. Away from him. She never wanted to see that stupid, arrogant face of his. That face she hated but loved so much.
If she actually looked back…she would have seen him standing there, dumfounded and hurt. And if she looked even closer…she would have been able to see something wet sliding down the Hyuuga's face.
Hyuuga Neji was crying.
Tenten waited along with the crowd. She felt nervous, anxious and guilty at the same time. She hadn't been able to sleep properly for the last two weeks. She couldn't believe she had actually said all that to him. She needed to see him and tell him that she was sorry. Because…she didn't know what she would do without him. She hated to admit it because it made her sound so…weak and needy. But…
"I can see them!"
She looked up eagerly and began to push and slip her way through the crowd until she was at the front. She saw Hinata, Ino and Sakura. She greeted them with a slight nod and tried to avoid Sakura's gaze.
After a few minutes she could make out seven figures in the distance. Seven? That means the Sasuke Retrieval mission failed. She glanced over at Sakura who also seemed to have noticed this fact. Although the emerald eyed girl had tried to hide it, Tenten could see the sadness in her eyes.
The crowd seemed to have noticed the missing figure too and some of the excited frenzy had died down.
Kiba and Shino entered first and was greeted Hinata.
Next were Shikamaru and Chouji…who was nearly killed when Ino flung herself at him.
Where was he??!
Suddenly the whole crowd went quiet and a few gasps could be heard.
Naruto and Lee were supporting…Sasuke into the gates. Tenten could hear Sakura suck in a deep breath. But wait…where was…Neji?
She felt her blood go cold.
Oh god. Please. No.
She rushed forwards to Lee.
"Lee! Where's Neji?!" she said urgently, a clear note of desperation in her voice.
Naruto and Lee's eyes darkened and she saw Sasuke stiffen.
"I'll take care of Sasuke" said Naruto quietly as he supported Sasuke to a shocked Sakura.
Tenten stared at Lee and waited for an answer.
She saw Lee hesitate.
"Well?!" she asked again, her voice shrill.
"Tenten…"
Please. No.
"…I'm sorry"
No.
He handed her something.
It was a crane.
She felt tears starting to form in her eyes.
No.
No.
"He wanted to give it to you before he di-"
She didn't wait to hear the rest.
She ran.
She could distantly hear Lee call out her name.
She ran blindly. She wasn't really sure where she was going. She was dimly aware of the trees that surrounded her. Her mind was so numb.
This wasn't happening.
She stumbled over a tree root and she felt herself falling.
She sprawled onto the ground and she lay there crying.
This couldn't be happening.
She cried even harder.
She…she would never be able to see him again.
Never to touch him again.
Never to hear his voice again.
Never to say…I'm sorry.
She couldn't stop her tears. Oh god. The last thing she had said to him was…I hate you, let's just break up and oh god…No, she didn't want to say that. She just wanted to yell, I love you, I love you, I love you. But it was too late.
She'd never have that opportunity again.
She clenched her hands tighter until she noticed there was something in it. She tried to wipe away her ceaseless tears and she looked.
It was the crane.
She smoothed it out. It was the last thing that she would ever get from him. The tears started falling again and she clenched her hands tighter. She felt something hard.
Curious, she rubbed her eyes and shook the crane a little. It rattled.
With trembling hands she started to unfold it.
Something fell into her lap.
She picked it up and her breath caught in her throat.
It was a ring.
She saw writing on the paper.
Tenten,
I'm sorry…you know I've never been the type to say these type of things.
But I love you
I know I'm a coward since I can't say this to your face but I love you more than anything else. Always have. Always will. So Tenten…
Will you marry me?
I know this really shouldn't be a way to propose but it was the best way I could think of. Tease me all you like ( I know you will). I know you feel lonely living alone so I bought a house we could live in. Sorry it took so long but…let's just say there were some problems in the main house. Today is our 1000th day together and this is the 1000th crane I'm giving you.
You know how they say that if you make 1000 cranes you get one wish?
Well…oh god, I know this sounds corny. But
I wish that you will marry me.
So say yes.
Neji
Her mind was blank.
And she felt the tears start again.
She picked herself up, slipping the ring and the paper into her pocket and started running back to her house.
Shoving her keys in she stumbled into her bedroom and grabbed the jar from her table. She spilled it all onto the floor. Picking one up with quivering hands she unfolded it.
I love you
She picked up another one and unfolded it.
I love you
The tears started slipping down her cheeks but she ignored them.
She unfolded every one and they all had the same message.
I love you
She buried her face into her arms.
He did say those three words to her.
In fact, he said it everyday.
Sobs racked through her body. She should have known that Neji was never the straightforward type guy. He did things subtly. She remember the times where he had shown his affections through his own ways.
Like the time where he had made her wear his coat when it was 2 degrees outside and he ended up getting pneumonia afterwards, or the time where he had carried her all the way back to Konoha after a mission because she had broken her leg, or the time where he had stayed by her side all night, hugging her, after her parents death.
She should have realised…
But it was too late.
He was gone.
The tears started to from again but she stopped them. No she knew what she had to do…no matter how long it took her.
She stood up unsteadily and went to her drawer.
Taking out paper she began folding.
-------------------------------------
Tenten stood silently over his grave. Her eyes red and dark bags under them. She placed the jar on top of his grave. She had stayed up all night and into the morning folding.
In every one she had written I love you too.
And then in the very last one she had simply just written the word Yes and slipped a ring into it.
She sighed and she looked up to face the endless grey skies. Seemed to fit the mood…suddenly she noticed a small patch of blue. She felt the corners of her mouth twitch a bit…she closed her eyes.
I hope you got your wish Neji
Well, my first one-shot. Hehe. Hoped you liked it. Oh, I included a line from 'Lovely Complex' (a manga) I thought it would suit the story so yup. I'll update Perfect Girl, Hinata soon. Review please! s2 - everlasting.rainbow
P.S For those wondering, Neji and Sakura were only close friends…nothing happened between them.