╰┈➤ In which a shinobi falls in love with a girl who doesn't belong in Konoha
Chihiro knew not that her decisions at the age of 14 would affect her over four years later. But the day she woke up in a foreign land, she realized all she'd been taught...
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NEJI Hyuga once believed he'd always be indebted to the Hyuga main house, as lesser, regardless of his strength. Regardless of his genius or quick rising through shinobi ranks. Regardless of learning main house secrets on his own. But opinons change. And that included his. The power of choice; power to choose his own path regardless of the family he was born into. Neji needed to believe in that to escape his former thoughts, to uphold what the obnoxious blonde haired shinobi showed him. Weights were taken off his shoulders as his head cleared by fourteen, driving himself to grow stronger than before. He was kinder than before, he liked to believe, more willing to help. More willing to understand.
A cool mist was settling over Konoha as the day grew to an end. Two shinobi were out finishing their final rounds asked of them to fill in for those out on missions. It was silent between them asides from the occasional small talk, but the girl had other ideas. Tenten knew somebody had to talk to Neji about last weeks escapades, so she'd bite the bullet.
"You know Neji, Naruto was just being harmless last week when he tried introducing you to that girl he met at ramen." her voice was smooth as honey as she talked, carefully choosing her next words.
"Kiba and Shikamaru certainly agreed with his motives." he mumbled.
"All just fun and games!"
"You agree," he said bluntly.
"I don't agree with forcing you to meet someone, but you're the only one nobody can remember having crush... we're twenty- almost twenty-one now!"
Neji just chuckled under his breath as he motioned for Tenten to drop it. She could see the painted blush on his cheeks by the topic, he was shyer about it than he let on.
God his friends were a hassle at times but he appreciated the concerns they spewed. But he took relationships far too seriously than the average male at his age. Kiba would josh on him for rarely coming out to the bars, lack of hookups, etc. But he knew what he wanted was someone to be devoted to, to call his wife and make her happy. He knew it's the idea that he likes, but hopes when he meets the one he'll know. Was he a hopefully romantic like the guys made fun of him for? Perhaps, but he knew the reality of his age and family line. He'd probably end up in an arranged marriage soon. Though he hoped he could meet the one and have the time to get to know her. Neji found the topic hard to talk about. But amusing in the sense that his friends cared a little too much, per Naruto's attempts.
It was the final stretch of their rounds, nothing unusual thus far. They were coming to a small clearing, a beautiful one where flowers bloomed in rhythm. A soft sway of branches left shadows on the grass. Soft trickling of a creek could be heard in the background as crickets began to chirp. But it was something weird that caught their attention. Tenten felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest as her gaze laid upon a figure on the ground.
"Neji, is that someone over there? Or am I seeing things..."
"You certainly aren't.." his eyes narrowed as he activated his Byakugan, "it's a girl. She doesn't appear to be moving."
