A/N: Phew, that took a really long time! But finally chapter 7 is up. Getting them together was relatively easy. But describing an actual relationship is a whole different thing! I hope you like this chapter. It is longer than the others; it's a way to make it up to you all for the waiting!

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Chapter 7. Good old fashioned lover boy

I can dim the lights and sing you songs full of sad things
We can do the tango just for two
I can serenade and gently play on your heart strings
Be your valentino just for you

Still holding hands, Sakura and Neji reached the side gates of the impressive Hyuuga compound. The medic-nin had been there countless times before, but this time things would be different. Before, she was Hinata's friend and one of Konoha's top medics. Now, she was officially together with the prodigy of that clan and she couldn't help but be a bit nervous. How would they react now that the two teens were together? Neji said it would be all right, and, since he knew his family, he was probably right. Still, she wasn't one hundred percent sure yet.

"Sakura," he stopped, making her stop too "there's something I have to tell you before we get in there. I'm afraid it may scare you a bit, though…"

"Don't tell me that when the moon is full you become a werewolf."

He choked on his own saliva, chuckling and coughing at the same time. "Only you to make me laugh… Of course I'm not a werewolf."

"Then it can't be that bad!" she smiled, squeezing his hand lightly.

'She's right' he thought. "You know how I feel about you, right?" She nodded. "And I know you feel the same way." Again she nodded, her cheeks getting a little red. "You should know that the family will be asking when we're going to get married. That's because-"

"I know," she cut him "that's because we're not exactly dating. Hyuugas don't date; they court." he widened his eyes.

"What, Neji? I already knew that. Why did you think it would scare me?"

"Because you're only seventeen and we're talking about marriage? By the way, you know that it's what courting means, right?"

"Of course I do. And believe me; I like the idea very much." She said with a charming wink.

"Good." He was relieved. He didn't doubt her feelings, but talking about marriage that soon in a relationship was not a normal thing. Except in the Hyuuga clan. "By the way, how did you know?"

"Tenten gave me some hints but I figured it out by myself. It is very flattering, you know…"

"Really? Why?"

"Because I am theone in your life! You never really got involved to a girl, and now you're making this big commitment to me. Which means that one day we'll get married, isn't it great?" A little too rushed? Perhaps, but who can condemn a seventeen-year old teenager girl for being a romantic dreamer? (A/N: something similar happened to me, so it's not impossible!)

"I need you to know that it doesn't have to be tomorrow, next month or even next year, Sakura. After all, we're still teenagers."

"Yeah, I agree. But I still expect a proper proposal when the time comes, ok?"

"I would never deny you that. Now come, we must not get late."

Neji was right about his family. Sakura felt uncountable pairs of white eyes on her as soon as the young couple entered the huge dining room. She wasn't expecting that many people!

"Neji," she whispered "does your whole family eat together all the time?"

"No; usually the family cells eat in their own houses. However, sometimes they like to get together here in the head house. Lucky you, you'll meet all of them at once!"

'Lucky me?' She was panicking. How in the world would she remember the names of all those look-alike Hyuugas? She knew some of them from her previous visits, but that family was way too big. Luckily there were some 'outsiders' like her and Kiba – who was there, too, much to her relief. When the dog boy and Hinata saw them together, they smiled at the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Neji, Sakura-san, welcome home. Please take your seats, so we can get started." The deep voice that belonged to the clan leader, Hyuuga Hiashi, echoed through the room. The young couple bowed and did as they were told. Sakura sat down beside Kiba and Neji between her and an older cousin.

The dinner went on pretty calm. The food, the best dishes from traditional Japanese cuisine, was nothing less than scrumptious. Several pairs of white eyes looked intently at her every once in a while, although nobody said a thing about her being with their genius. 'Perhaps they already knew? Hyuugas are smart, and maybe Hinata-chan slipped a hint about us… But I'm glad they're not bombarding me with questions – yet. I would not like to stop eating this wonderful meal in order to answer them' she thought, while chewing a shrimp.

"Hey, Sakura" Kiba whispered while they were eating dessert "you're so lucky! When I first came here as Hinata's boyfriend, they literally interrogated me for hours. They asked every kind of question, every kind! Even the most embarrassing ones. I bet they're going easy on you because you're a girl…"

"Or because they're afraid of what Neji-niisan could do to protect Sakura-chan" Hinata pointed out. Kiba chuckled, Sakura reddened and Neji pretended he didn't hear that. But it was somewhat true.

Finally everyone stopped eating. Most of the Hyuuga members were already gone. The ones remaining in the room were Hiashi, his daughters and Neji, as well as Sakura and Kiba. The clan leader motioned them to go to the room next door, which seemed to be Hiashi's private living room.

"So, Sakura-san" the older man started "I see you and my nephew are together now."

"Hai, Hiashi-sama." Her cheeks got pink, but she had a huge smile adorning her lips. Neji was caressing her hand with his thumb, in an attempt to calm her down. He knew she was a bit nervous, even though there was no reason to be.

"That's good. Welcome to the family, then. I'm sure Neji already told you the way our family acts when it comes to relationships."

"He did. I must say I'm honored."

"So are we." All of them looked at Hiashi with big question marks in their eyes. "Well, Sakura-san, everyone in Konoha knows that you are a top kunoichi. You have super strength, perfect chakra control and powerful healing power. Don't be offended, but I was thinking about a way to bring you into our family. Luckily you came to us on your own, thanks to Neji. I think you're really suited for each other."

"Th-thank you, Hiashi-sama! That's very kind of you."

"I'm telling the truth. Now, if you excuse me, I have some business to take care of."

After he left, Sakura sighed in relief. "Neji, you were right. I survived!" They all laughed.

Ooh love - ooh lover boy
What're you doin' tonight, hey boy
Set my alarm, turn on my charm
That's because I'm a good old-fashioned lover boy

It has been a week since they got officially together. Anyone could see the happiness in the eyes of the young couple. Sakura, who was naturally cheerful, now seemed to be floating all the time. Even Neji showed a few signs of emotion. His face was cool like always, but his eyes betrayed his feelings every time he looked at his pink-haired girlfriend. True to his word, he never showed his passionate self in public. This did not stop him from walking hand in hand with her all the time. He knew she liked it; it was also a gesture of possessiveness, although he would never put it that way. He just wanted to show everyone what he was most proud of.

When their relationship got public, their friends were not surprised. Actually, most of their friends. Naruto, oblivious as usual, saw them together and was speechless for almost five minutes – which was a record for the always talkative boy. And Sasuke was still convincing himself that she was doing it only to make him jealous, and that it would not, never, not in a million years, work.

A crow flew through the sky. AHO! AHO!

But the worst reaction came from Neji's huge fan club. When his crazy fan girls (and some of the fan boys too) knew he was dating someone, they set a camp in front of the Hyuuga compound's main entrance. A few girls said they wouldn't eat until he got single again. The ANBU captain could care less about what that bunch of nuisances were doing. But, this time, they got a little too far. They were disturbing his family, his home, and that was just unacceptable.

"I should just go there and Kaiten those idiots away from here." Neji said with a big frown.

"So why don't you?" Kiba said with a wolfish grin. That would be really amusing!

'Inuzuka is right' he thought. He looked at his cousin-to-be and the boys nodded at each other, walking towards the main entrance. However, they were stopped by two small yet strong hands. The look Sakura gave them said something like 'don't go there or else!'

"Let me handle this" she said plainly and knew she would be obeyed. She let go of them and headed outside.

"Neji, she is so killing everyone! We should keep an eye on her. Come on, let's go!" the two boys stealthily followed Sakura.

The kunoichi opened the gates and stood in front of the crowd. She might be petite, but she was highly respected – and sometimes feared – by the people of Konoha. Her face was calm, but still Neji's fan club was apprehensive.

"Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. I see that yo-"

"Sakura-sensei, why are you here? Is Neji-kun hurt, or ill? Please tell us!" a hazel-haired girl interrupted her.

"Yeah, tell us! So we can take care of him!" another fan girl added. Soon all the girls (and the boys) started talking at the same time. Sakura could only hear sparse words, like 'Neji-kun', 'love' and 'that bitch'. Back in the Hyuuga compound, Kiba was trying his best to hold his laughter; he didn't want to blow their cover. Neji was scowling.

"Oi!" Sakura said, trying to hush the mob. "OI!" They were still making uproar. She sighed, and stomped her left foot on the ground, creating a mini earthquake. Now it was quiet. She smiled at them as if nothing was happening.

"Thank you for your attention! Well, I have to ask you to kindly go away from here and mind your own business. Ok?"

"No! We won't get out of here until Neji-kun breaks up with thatgirlfriend of his." The same hazel-haired girl spoke. Sakura thought she was sort of the leader of the mob.

"First," she ignored the girl "you're harassing the Hyuuga family. You can be arrested for that, you know. Second, I see that many of you are shinobi. You should be training or doing missions instead of wasting your – and our – time here. And third, why do you even insist?"

"He never told he didn't want us around."

"Maybe he never told it because he was ignoring you all. Now, will you please leave the Hyuugas in peace? I'm asking it nicely, so you better do it."

"Never. We'll never leave. Neji-kun, we love you! Come back to us!"

Sakura was not known for her patience. She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists; it was going way too far. "Stop chasing after MY boyfriend. Is that clear?" Glaring at those stupid people, she started gathering chakra in her hand… All of them flinched. Of course she wouldn't hurt those people, but she knew she could be very intimidating.

"Well, we could never compete against Sakura-sensei" a brunette girl said. "If she is Neji-kun's girlfriend, then we should-"

"Ha. Ha ha. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Come on, Sakura-sensei! Do you really want us to believe that you, the traitor's number one fan girl, are actually with our Neji-kun? I must say I almost bought it, but it is just so impossible!" that same hazel-haired girl, again.

Sakura only smirked.

"Neji! This is when Sakura goes wild. Now she will kill everyone there. Do something!" Kiba was worried. Being the target of the pink-haired kunoichi fury meant a lot of pain – if you were lucky.

"She won't. Trust her."

"You should listen to your friend" the medic-nin replied calmly, as if nothing was happening. "Go home. If you go away now, I will pretend that nothing happened here."

"What if we don't?" guess who.

"I was in need of a good sparring session, you know. Maybe you guys can be useful. Actually, you can all stay. This will be so great!" she cracked her fingers and put on her gloves. "Ready?" her right hand was surrounded by a blue aura. "SHANNARO!!!"

It was like magic. In two seconds, no one was there to be seen.

"We won't give up!" some random fan girl shouted form far away.

"Then keep sending chocolates, I love them!" Sakura retorted.

"Girl, that was amazing! For a moment, I thought you would slaughter everyone." Kiba got out of his hiding place; Neji followed him.

"Heh, maybe I should have. But I would be sent to jail; it's not worthy."

She laughed, but didn't miss the proud look in her boyfriend's eyes.

Ooh let me feel your heartbeat (Grow faster, faster)
Ooh ooh can you feel my love heat
Come on and sit on my hot-seat of love
And tell me how do you feel right after-all
I'd like for you and I to go romancing
Say the word - your wish is my command

February 12. It meant that Valentine's Day would be in two days! Neji was laying on his futon, looking at the ceiling, trying to think of what he would give Sakura. Traditionally, she was the one supposed to give him chocolate. Then, one month later, at White Day, he should give her white chocolate. He had received tons of chocolate from his fans, but never returned them. Not even by courtesy. And since Sakura was not a regular girl, he thought it would be ok to go against the tradition. She was so lovely and warm and sweet and perfect… That would be their first Valentine's Day together and he wanted to make it special. What would make her happy?

"Hello, handsome!" her cheerful voice filled his bedroom. "I must confess I wasn't expecting you to be actually resting." She sat on her knees beside him.

"You told me to take better care of myself. That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm being a good boy; don't I deserve at least a kiss?"

"I was getting there!" she bent down and their lips touched. When she was breaking the kiss, he smirked and brought her closer, encaging her with his arms.

"Hmmm, that's better" he said huskily, after a few moments of heated making out. "You are the best medicine I could ever get, you know?"

"Of course I am! That's why you never let any other doctor or nurse get near you. You always knew you needed me, even unconsciously!" she winked playfully. "Oh! Before I forget, I have wonderful news!"

"Yeah? And what is it?"

"Well, you are still recovering from your last mission, right? Since you had some lung injuries, it would be better to be in a place where the air pressure is lower. Do you know where the pressure is lighter? In the mountains! This morning I was telling Tsunade-shishou that you needed to go to the mountains, and your uncle overheard it. He told us that the Hyuugas have a nice and cozy house in the mountains and that you could stay there until you're fully recovered. Shishou liked the idea, saying that one of our best assets should get the best treatment available!" Sakura stopped; she needed to breathe.

'The best treatment available?' he thought. 'Then it should include our top doctor, which means that-'

"So, she said I should be the one taking care of you! Isn't it great? We're going to the mountains until you're fully healed! Isn't it great?" she repeated the question, squealing and clapping her hands.

Great? Taking a vacation in a romantic place with the one he loved? Great was a huge understatement. "That's just perfect! When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow. I would go today, but my shift isn't over yet. Yes, I ran away from there because I just had to tell you that! By the way, Hinata-chan and Kiba are going, too."

"That's good. This way I can keep an eye on that Inuzuka."

"I thought you liked him!"

"He's ok. But I must take care of Hinata-sama in the first place."

"Neji, she's not a child anymore!"

"I know. Still…"

"Ok, whatever. I have to go now. Don't you get out of this futon! I'll be here later to help you pack up your things."

"Yes, commander."

She punched him playfully. "I mean it! You should rest today because of our trip tomorrow. You are strong but not immortal. Understood?"

"Crystal clear. Do you want to have dinner with me?"

"I'd love to! I'll be here around 8 p.m. See ya!" she kissed him and left. And he already missed her.

'She is truly amazing. To think that she'll be mine and mine only for some time… No hospital, no shifts, no Hokage-sama, no Naruto, no Ino, nothing will get her away from me. I won't be able to go to any missions while there, but Sakura makes everything worthwhile. Now I really have to get something perfect for her. But what could it be? And to make things worst, if she finds out that I left my futon, she'll give me an unforgettable earful.'

"Gah! What should I do?" His train of thought was interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Neji-niisan? May I come in?" he heard Hinata's voice outside his room.

"Sure." The Hyuuga heiress opened the shoji door and sat beside her cousin. "What can I do for you, Hinata-sama?"

"I just met Sakura-chan; she told me you already know the news! And, knowing you, I'm sure you're dying to get out of here and buy her something über special! Isn't it?"

'I can't believe it. She IS a mind reader.' "Indeed. But Sakura told me to stay."

"And you're actually doing as she said? Then you must really love her."

That, or sometimes her temper scared him to death.

"Anyway, I'm here to help you."

"Thank you. I'm really clueless about what to give her."

"Hmmm" she put a finger on her chin, deep in thoughts. "Since you can't go out shopping, you can either make something or find something here."

Make something? Impossible. Neji was highly skilled as a shinobi, but he was not a craftsman. He could write Sakura a card, but it surely wouldn't be enough. And he lived alone in that house. This meant that there were only manly things there. (A little explanation here. In this story, the Hyuuga estate is composed by several houses. Each family cell – husband, wife and kids – lived in one house, and the clan leader's family lives in the bigger one. Since Neji has no siblings and living parents, he lives alone now.) If only his mother was there to help him…

"That's it!" he smacked his right fist against his left palm, startling Hinata a bit. "Mother and grandmother had a lot of girly stuff; they're in a box somewhere here. How could I forget that?" He sat up on the futon. "Byakugan!"

Scanning his house he quickly found what he was looking for. The box was well hidden in an old storage room, which he never opened. "This will be like an archaeological expedition. Do you want to join me?"

"Yes! I will help you choose something nice for Sakura-chan."

He opened the door and turned the light on. Lots of old stuff covered with years of dust were everywhere. He saw a white crib, with some toys inside, that must have been his when he was a baby. Three broken fishing rods. A medium-sized box with PHOTOS written on it. 'That must be interesting. I'm taking this with me, in case we get bored.' Some old style crystal glasses, every size and shape. Old stuff in general.

"I found it!" Hinata was holding the box they were looking for.

"Let's get out of here. This dust is unhealthy." His nose was itching; Neji was somewhat allergic to dust. They went to the living room and put the box on the coffee table.

"Open it!" she softly told him. And so he did. They both bent over the box, looking at its content. Bling bling.

"I remember this!" Neji said, holding a golden bracelet. "My mother loved this one."

"I can see why; it's really beautiful." She smiled and grabbed a silver tiara incrusted with amethysts. "Wow, looks like it belonged to a princess!"

"Look at this pearl necklace. I'm sure it belonged to my grandmother. My mother never used pearls because she said they looked like Hyuuga eyes."

"That makes sense. Hey, take a look at those ruby earrings! They would look lovely on Sakura-chan!"

"Indeed. But I was looking for something that matched her eyes… Like this." Hinata widened her eyes.

"That's just… Perfect! I'm sure she will love it. But it needs a good cleaning. We should take this to a pro! Scratch that. I will take it to a pro. You will stay here, safe and sound."

"Thank you, Hinata-sama."

"You're welcome! Well, I should be going then. Bye!"

She left and Neji got back to his bedroom. He was a bit anxious; he was sure Sakura would love his gift, but he just couldn't wait to see her face. Her lovely smile was the best reward he could get. She should be back in a few hours, so he decided to take a nap.

Ooh love - ooh lover boy
What're you doin' tonight, hey boy
Write my letter
Feel much better
And use my fancy patter on the telephone

"Neji? I'm coming in!" Sakura opened the shoji door and found Neji already up and dressed. "Awn, I had the slightest hope you would still be in your sleeping clothes" she giggled lightly.

"That can be arranged." He started to unbutton his shirt. Sakura got beet red.

"Neji!!! I was just kidding!"

'No you weren't! Why did you stop him, baka?'

'You are so shameless…'

'Me? As if I was the only one undressing him with the eyes…'

'What?'

'You heard me! I know you just loooove his muscular chest… His toned arms… His six-pack abs… Hahahahaha you're drooling!'

'I'm not!'

"Oi, Sakura! Why are you drooling?"

"It's not because of your muscular chest and your toned arms and your six-pack abs!" she blurted, without even thinking. Then she saw his smirk. And realization hit her. "I just said it out loud, ne?" She covered her face, really embarrassed. "Bah, blame me for having a hot boyfriend!"

"So you think I'm hot, huh?" bad, bad Neji! Teasing Sakura just for the kicks!

"Stop it! You're making fun of me." She pouted, her face still red.

"Ok, ok, sorry" he kissed her pouting lips and embraced her. "Have you eaten something?"

"Yeah, I woke up early, too. We should get going; Hinata-chan and Kiba are already waiting for us."

---

"Finally!" Kiba said as soon as they got into the big but cozy Hyuuga mountain house. "I was about to go crazy! What a long trip, ne?"

"Hn. I would've gone faster, but someone threatened to kill me if I didn't take it easy."

"Shut up! It's for your own good. And remember, you have to do everything as I say. Otherwise you won't get better and won't be assigned to any missions!"

"Hey, emotional blackmail is not right!" Neji crossed his arms in front of his chest. Sakura stuck her tongue out.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving! We should get something to eat." Hinata said softly, trying to change subject.

"Who's gonna cook, Hinata-chan? Should we decide on jankenpo?" the medic-nin asked.

"That won't be necessary. Father asked Ayumi-san, Koushi-san and Hitomi-san to come here and help us as long as we're staying." The white-eyed girl replied.

"What are we waiting for, then? Let's eat!" Kiba said, heading to the kitchen. The other three followed. There was a warm smell of food in the air, which awoke their stomachs. "What is this smell? Udon?" he asked.

Sakura, already inside the kitchen, nodded at him. "Dog boy, your nose is truly amazing! It is udon, and it's begging to be eaten before it gets cold. Kids, don't forget to wash your hands before!" All of the laughed – and washed their hands before eating.

When I'm not with you
I think of you always
(I miss those long hot summer nights)
I miss you
When I'm not with you
Think of me always
Love you – love you

Valentine's day. Neji wanted to make that day perfect for Sakura. He got up before everyone – well, he would have done that anyway, but still he had a different purpose – and went to the kitchen. There, he got a tray and put a pristine white cloth over it. He then placed two porcelain cups, a small jar with hot jasmine tea, a bowl of strawberries and raspberries, a plate full of freshly made madeleines, a plate with toasts, a plate with sliced Gouda cheese, a pot of blackberry jam, some napkins and a slim porcelain vase with pink primroses. It would never be his choice for a breakfast, but he knew she would love it.

The ANBU captain knocked lightly on her door. He didn't want to walk into her bedroom and find her naked or something like that. It would totally ruin the day, if not their whole 'vacations'. But he heard no answer; she was probably asleep, as the sun was barely up. He knocked a little harder.

"Sakura?"

"Hmmm?" he heard her sleepy voice and felt a little guilty for waking her up. But he was way too anxious to be with her.

Wait a second. He gave in to his anxiety? That easily?

Boy, he surely loved that girl.

"It's me, koishii!"

"Neji? Come in. Is there" she yawned "something wrong?"

"No." He opened the shoji door with his foot, since he was carrying the tray. "Happy Valentine's day!" Her eyes were still red from sleep, her face was crinkled and her hair was disheveled. And, to his eyes, she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

She rubbed her eyes. "Am I still sleeping or you are really bringing me breakfast?"

"Why would it be a dream?"

"Too good to be true?" she smiled, while he opened the tray so it became a small table. He put the breakfast in front of her and sat across of his girlfriend.

"Anything for my beautiful Sakura."

Her smile widened. "You're so sweet! When I first met you, I had a whole different impression of you."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure if you remember… It happened right before our first chuunin exam. We were trapped in a genjutsu, and Lee asked me out – poor guy, I was so mean back then!"

"Of course I remember. Since our first day as Team Gai, Lee wouldn't stop talking about some Sakura-san and how beautiful and sweet and kind and youthful she was. That day I found out who that Sakura was."

"So you noticed me there!"

"I'm always aware of my surroundings."

"Anyway, the way you behave made me think you were an arrogant ass."

"You weren't wrong. I was an arrogant ass."

"What did you think about me?"

"To be honest, not much. You noticed the genjutsu, so I saw you were smart. But you seemed weak, and I didn't pay attention on you." He was tactful enough to leave Sasuke out of that conversation.

"And we ended up together… The arrogant ass and the whining weakling. What a couple!"

"Well, I think we are pretty well suited for each other. And this breakfast is getting cold, we should eat it soon!"

Sakura smiled and nodded. Only now she took a look at the table in front of her. Her eyes traveled through the food and stopped on the flowers. She widened her eyes and looked at her boyfriend.

"Primroses!"

"I see you know their meaning." (A/N: primroses mean 'you are my life').

"I'm amazed to see you know that! Oh Neji, how touchy! You're the best" she leaned in and kissed him chastely on the lips.

The rest of the day went out smoothly. Neji and Sakura joined Hinata and Kiba in a friendly championship of indoor games – table tennis, snooker, canasta and Monopoly. At night, they decided to go out to dinner in a double date.

"There's a village nearby called Murayama. Koushi-san can drive us there, since it's too cold and dark to go walking." Hinata said.

"Murayama? Are you sure?" Sakura asked.

"Is there any problem, Sakura-chan?"

"No, not at all. It's just that… well, my parents live in Murayama. I didn't realize we were close to it."

"Do you want to visit them?" Neji suggested.

"Of course! But not tonight. I'll call them later and tell we're here. We could go lunch with them, what do you think?"

"I would be honored." The white-eyed man answered. Then Koushi called the four teens, saying that he was ready to take them downtown.

After dinner…

"I swear, I love my Jacuzzi to no end, but having a private onsen is just SO PERFECT!!!" Sakura sighed contently, welcoming the comforting feeling that the hot water gave her.

"I knew you would like it" Neji said, trying his best to pretend he wasn't alone with his girlfriend, late at night, enjoying a good warm bath. Together. In the same pool – there was only one, so men and women should bathe together. Obviously they were wearing swimsuits, but still…

She slowly approached him, hugged his neck and looked straight into his eyes. "Neji…" the way she said his name sent a shiver up and down his spine. The girl was too close to him, clad in almost nothing, her cheeks red because of the heat… He couldn't hold back his hands to hold her slim waist. "If I asked you something, would you do it for me?"

What was she thinking? He got a bit anxious. His heart was beating faster. "Name it and it's done."

"Tell me what you do in your hair. I know there's a secret! It can't be only Hyuuga genes."

He was somewhat relieved. For one second, he thought… "Ok, then. But you can't tell anyone! Understand that sharing this secret is a big form of commitment."

"Thank you!" she hugged him tightly. "I won't tell anyone, I promise."

The feeling of her skin against his made his blood boil. He was courteous and he would never try anything without her consent, but he was still a human, a male teenager, and his hormones were more powerful than he wanted. Neji broke the hug before anything improper happened.

"Listen carefully. This technique is not hard, but when done the wrong way it can be dangerous. Basically you will use chakra while washing your hair."

"That's it?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yup."

"Amazing. It's simple, yet I would've never thought about it. Show me!"

"You have to create little chakra brushes in your hands. Like this." He put his hand in front of her and pumped chakra to it, making a lot of tiny strings come out of his fingers. "Your turn."

She did the same thing and, with her perfect chakra control, her hand was just like his.

"Excellent. Since it's your first time using the technique, I will wash your hair, so you'll know how it feels. Be careful; too much chakra will burn your hair!"

"Eek! That can't happen!"

"Hold still." He positioned himself behind her and put his both hands on her hair. Neji silently activated his Byakugan; he wanted to see how her chakra system would react to his chakra getting into it. At first, it seemed disturbed, but in no time her body accepted the little intake of foreign chakra eagerly. It made him think about other situations where he could use his chakra on her – and he mentally slapped himself for having improper thoughts.

"Mmmm, it feels so good!" Sakura moaned softly and it was like music to his ears. His light chakra enhanced massage was very relaxing and she was enjoying it.

"Ok, I'm done. Your short hair makes the technique easier to apply. By tomorrow, you'll see the difference."

"Thank you, my dearest boyfriend!" she held his hands and squeezed them. "Can we get out? It's a little too hot in here."

"Sure." He couldn't help but ask himself if it was because of the water or because of him. "But before you go to sleep, I want to give you something."

"Me too. See you in 15 minutes? I have to dry my hair first.

"Ok. Meet me by the fireplace."

Needless to say, Neji got there before her. He brought two cups of chamomile tea and her gift, hidden inside a small red box. Sakura came ten minutes after him, holding a medium sized package.

"Well, Neji, tradition says I should give you chocolate. But I know you don't like it. So I decided to kick tradition away. I hope you like it! Happy Valentine's day!" she handed him the package and he opened it carefully. He found a knitted chocolate brown sweater and a knitted beige scarf.

"I made them myself! I used the shirt I stole from you as a model, so I think the sweater should fit."

"Koishii, you are so skilled! You cook, you dance, you knit, you fight and you heal. Tell me something you can't do."

"I can't sing for the life of me. I love karaoke but my voice is not exactly pleasant…" they both laughed.

"Thank you for your presents, they will be very useful here." He liked them a lot, especially because they were made by the lovely girl in front of him. "Ok, here's a small something I want to give to you. I think it will look lovely on you." He handed her the small red box. She opened it and widened her eyes.

"Neji! It's… it's… absolutely beautiful!" she took the small piece of jewel with her slender fingers. It was a hair clip: a silver curvy branch, sided by lots of leaf-shaped jades. "I love it! Thank you!!!" she attacked him with a frantic wave of kisses all over his face.

Mission accomplished.

Hey boy where do you get it from
Hey boy where did you go
I learned my passion in the good old
Fashioned school of lover boys

"Neji, are you ready?" Sakura said while knocking on his door.

"No, but you can come in." and so she did.

"I want to give you a little check-up before we go. It will take less than 5 minutes."

"Ok, doctor." Neji gave her a charming wink. She approached him and raised her hands, trying to unbutton the first button of his shirt. He quickly put his hands over hers, stopping her. She looked at him questioningly.

"Please don't. Let me do it."

"Why? I've done it many times before…"

He sighed. "Sakura, I'll be honest with you. When you were just my doctor, it was fine. But now… Seeing my girlfriend unbutton my shirt is completely different. It's not modesty, it's just…" he had a light blush across his cheeks. Sakura, however, blushed furiously when she realized what he was saying.

"Oh… sorry! I didn't mean to make you feel… uh… awkward."

"That's ok." He quickly got his shirt off. She leaned in and narrowed her eyes, tracing his broad muscular chiseled sexy chest with her chakra, trying her best to ignore all those qualities.

"Your lungs are recovering pretty well. I'm such a genius for bringing you here! Now, get dressed, I don't want to leave my parents waiting!"

He wore the sweater she gave him. It fitted perfectly, and was warm and comfortable. He noticed she was wearing the hair clip, which looked really good on her.

During their way, they talked about nothing in particular. Until he asked something he was curious about.

"Why do your parents live here? I mean, they used to live in Konoha, right?"

"Well, the Haruno family is civilian. I'm the only ninja in my family… Do you remember when Konoha almost got destroyed during our first chuunin exam? My parents got really scared – and I didn't tell them I almost got killed, otherwise they would lock me in the basement trying to protect me. So they waited until I was old enough to live by myself. When I was 15, they sold our house, bought me the apartment where I live and moved to Murayama, where my grandparents already lived. It happened right after we got back from Suna, when we rescued Gaara…"

"I see. Didn't you feel lonely?"

"In the first months, yes, a little. But I was always at the hospital, and luckily I have great friends, so I quickly got used to live by myself."

"Sakura… Do you think your parents will like me?"

"Are you worried about them? You shouldn't. My parents are very nice people, I'm sure you'll get along with them very well."

Soon they reached Sakura's parents' house. The pink-haired medic rang the bell, and in no time a beautiful middle-aged woman opened the door, greeting them with a wide smile. Neji saw that the woman was exactly like Sakura, except from her honey-colored hair. 'If her mother is almost a blonde, does it mean that her father has pink hair?' he thought, preparing himself not to laugh at the sight of a pink-haired father-in-law.

"Kaa-chan!!! So good to see you again!" the girl threw herself in the woman's arms and they hugged tightly.

"Sakura-chan! I missed you so much! You look so beautiful; your hair is absolutely gorgeous! Love does wonders to a girl! And you must be Neji, right?"

"Nice to meet you, Haruno-sama." He offered his hand to a polite hand shake, but Sakura's mother wrapped him in her arms.

"Welcome to the family, Neji-kun. I can see my daughter is really happy with you! Trust me, a mother knows. By the way, it's Chiharu"

"Hai, Chiharu-sama."

"So polite! And so handsome! And makes my daughter happy! I couldn't wish for a better son-in-law! Come on, kids, lunch is almost served."

Their house was not very big, because there were only two people living there. Still, it was very welcoming and warm. He saw lots of pictures of Sakura everywhere.

"Tou-chan!" Sakura ran towards a tall, black-haired man. With a great amount of relief, Neji didn't see any sign of pink.

"My baby! It's so good to have you here!"

"Come meet Neji. Tou-chan, this is Hyuuga Neji. Neji, this is Haruno Takeo, my father!"

"It's an honor, Haruno-sama."

"Son, I appreciate your politeness, but I'm not your boss, I'm your in-law, which means I'm family. It's Takeo. And welcome to our home!" they shook hands and headed to the dining room.

"Neji-kun, I hope you like horse meat." Chiharu asked.

He flinched. It was one of the few things he couldn't eat to save his life. But he couldn't give them a bad impression. He blinked and mentally sighed. It was when the other three started laughing.

"Don't worry, I was just kidding! It's grilled squid with rice and tamagoyaki."

"Chiharu-sama, I must confess you scared me." He already felt at ease with her family, so he thought it was safe to say that.

"And you didn't run away promptly. Very brave of you! Chiharu's parents did the same with me when we started dating. They said we would be eating raw grasshoppers! I almost fainted." All of them laughed and started eating. The food was simple, but it was delicious!

"Excuse me, Takeo-sama… Was it you who cooked this?" Neji asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes! How did you find out, son?"

"I guess it's the spices you used. Women tend to use more saffron, but here there's more black pepper. So I guessed it was you."

"Well done!"

After lunch, Chiharu showed Neji some photos of Sakura when she was a child. They laughed a lot, the Harunos remembering the stories and Neji learning everything he could about his girlfriend.

"So we should get going… Come visit us some time!"

"Ok dear! Neji-kun, it was a pleasure!" Chiharu hugged him and Takeo shook his hand.

On their way back, Neji suddenly stopped.

"So…?" he asked anxiously.

"Neji, they loved you! I told you they were nice people."

"Very nice indeed. But there's something I didn't understand…"

Sakura seemed to understand what he meant, because she smiled. "It's my hair, isn't it? It's one of the greatest mysteries in our family. All of my ancestors had normal colored hair. Not even a redhead. My guess is that the pink color is a genetic mutation. That's the only reason I could think of."

"I like your pink hair. It makes you unique. Oh, by the way, I brought some old pictures of mine; they're in my room. Do you want to see them later?"

"As if I would lose this chance! You must have been the cutest little kid ever!"

He chuckled, she giggled, and holding hands, the couple went back home.

Dining at the Ritz we'll meet at nine precisely
One two three four five six seven eight nine o' clock
I will pay the bill, you taste the wine
Driving back in style, in my saloon will do quite nicely
Just take me back to yours that will be fine (Come on and get it)

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Sakura, happy birthday to you!" the crowd cheered loudly. It was Sakura's 18th birthday and Neji insisted in having a great party for her, with all of their friends. The party was being held at nowhere less than the Hyuuga compound. Hiashi insisted in hosting her party, and she couldn't refuse. There were golden balloons everywhere – which she was thankful for. People often thought her favorite color was pink. Actually it was blue, but a golden party was ok for a change. In front of her was a huge decorated chocolate cake filled with passion fruit mousse. (A/N: this combination is perfect, trust me!)

"Make a wish and blow the candle!" Ino said; she was eager to eat that wonderful looking cake.

'I wish I can be happy like this forever.'

'I wish Neji stays hot forever. Don't look at me like that, it's my birthday too and I deserve a wish!'

'Fair enough.'

Then she blew the candle.

"Speech!" Kiba and Naruto said in unison.

Sakura smiled. "Ok, I have some brief words. First of all, thank you all for coming here! You, my friends, are the reason I kept my sanity so far. I love you guys from the bottom of my heart!" They cheered even louder. "Also, I'd like to thank the Hyuuga family, my family, for kindly hosting this party. And last, but not least, I'd like to thank the fabulous man who stole my heart and keeps it very well. Neji, thank you for making me so happy!" she kissed him lightly and the guests went 'aaaaaawn'. "Here, the first piece of my cake goes to you!" Neji smiled and took the plate from her hands. "Now, people, help yourselves, and on with the party!"

After everyone left, there were only Neji and Sakura in the room.

"Wow, that was the greatest party I've ever had!"

"Your happiness is my happiness, my beautiful."

"It's getting late, I should go back home." But he held her hand.

"No."

"No?" she was taken aback by his attitude.

"No. I didn't give your present yet."

"Of course you did! And it was the party!"

"But I happen to have something else to show you. Come." He led her to the gardens. The moon was full, which gave the atmosphere a silvery look.

"You are so lucky; they are a bit early this year." He hugged her shoulder while they walked, and she hugged his waist.

"Who?"

"They."

In front of her, there was an alley full of blossoming cherry trees. The blossoms were falling in a beautiful light pink rain, carpeting the ground with soft petals. The sight was breathtaking.

"Oh Neji, this is so magic! I can never get enough of cherry blossoms. Guess my name fits me perfectly, ne?"

He grabbed her hand and gently pulled her to the ground. His back was against a cherry tree, and he brought her to his lap.

"What did I do to deserve you, Sakura? You're so perfect for me… You're beautiful, intelligent, sweet, kind, caring, selfless, good smelling… and mine. Ah, Sakura, you are the one." He cupped her cheek in his hand, the other hand hugging her back. "I love you so much that sometimes my chest seems to be about to explode."

Her face was adorned with a beaming smile. She knew how he felt about her since the beginning, but he had never voiced it before. Neither had she. A small tear managed to escape from her eye. A tear of pure happiness. "I love you so much that it makes me want to scream it out loud all the time."

Their lips connected in a very passionate kiss. Their hearts were frantically beating, almost in unison, as they showed how much they loved each other with each caress, each look and each kiss.

Ooh love, (There he goes again just like a good old-fashioned lover boy)
Ooh lover boy
What're you doin' tonight, hey boy
Everything's all right
Just hold on tight
That's because I'm a good old-fashioned lover boy

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Neji, happy birthday to you!" this time there was no crowd. Only Sakura, covering her beloved boyfriend with kisses. Neji said he didn't want a party. Instead, he wanted to spend his birthday alone with the woman he loved. They went to a secluded lake and made a picnic there. It was summer, so the air was pretty hot and sticky.

"Neji, it's too hot! Let's go for a swim!" she whimpered.

"But we didn't bring any swimsuit, koishii."

"Hm, that's true. But this heat is driving me insane! That's it, I'm going anyway. The water seems so cool and refreshing and inviting…" she started unzipping her shirt.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" he asked her, a bit startled.

"Duh? I don't want to soak my clothes!" she took her shirt off, exposing her flat stomach, her beautiful back and her cornflower blue bra. Neji got as red as red can be and looked away briskly.

"Sakura, could you at least do this in a more reserved place?"

"Why? You already saw me in a bikini. It's the same thing."

"No, it's not. Lingerie is much more appealing." He was still looking away.

"Neji, seriously. We will get married; you'll have to get used to see me in undergarments, and even less than that."

"When we get married, then it'll be ok. But we're still not married…"

"Oh, I almost forgot about my good old-fashioned lover boy… Ok then, don't turn around until I get into the water. Is it better?"

"Yes, thank you."

She quickly got rid of her skirt and sandals, and threw herself into the lake. "Oh, this is pure bliss! Come, Neji, this water is heaven! I'll turn around, so take your time."

When she heard the noise of moving water, she turned around to face him. "Feeling better now?"

"Yes, thank you. The water is really perfect for a swim."

"Then… catch me!" she said playfully and started swimming away from him.

"Oh, so you think you can escape me?" he swam after her. He was taller than her so he could swim faster, but every time he got near her she would swim like an otter – taking an abrupt turn to the right, or to the left, or even diving under him. But eventually she miscalculated her timing, and he threw his arms around her, pressing her whole body against his.

"Gotcha." He whispered on her ear and earned a shiver from her. Their lips automatically found each other in a kiss so hot that could boil the cool water around them. She buried her hands in his hair as she trailed kisses along his jaw line. He felt her legs encircling his waist and was about to complain when she started kissing down his neck. Neji involuntarily held her closer and she moaned not so softly. 'Did I hurt her?' He looked into her eyes. Her bright jade lust clouded eyes.

He was strong.

He was courteous.

He was old-fashioned.

And still the sight of those green colored lustful pools made him lose it. He kissed her almost ferociously, while his hands looked for the clasp of her bra. And the rest is history.