Konoha Academy's Dormitory (Nejiten)

Accidental Kiss

It was Tenten and Itachi's engagement ceremony. Neji was obviously invited, he was still Tenten's teammate, still her Friend. Fugaku liked Tenten, the moment he spoke to her. Itachi was right, she was incredible, enchanting anyone who spoke to her. They agreed to proceed with an engagement when Tenten was in her second year and the moment Itachi graduated from the academy.

Neji came in an elegant white Haori with the Hyuuga crest embroidered intricately with golden thread on the back, his Haori was edged with silver linings. His dark Long tresses that he refused to cut, stood out from his plain white Haori. He stood silently next to Lee who seemed to be sobbing in what Neji assumed to be happiness. On Neji's left stood Gai, who was also crying continuously. They looked ridiculous. Neji sighed as he placed a hand on each of his teammate/instructor's  shoulder and said, "I understand the both of you are happy for Tenten, but please stop crying with me in the middle, you are making the sleeves of my Haori wet.."

"We are not happy Neji!!" Gai exclaimed in a shocked voice.

"What's going to happen to you?!! We saw even before we knew she was a woman.. You care for her..." Lee started but was interrupted by Neji himself.

"I was assigned to protect her at that time. She does not need it now. Be happy for her..." Neji started but was interrupted by another voice from behind him.

"Even if it means to sacrifice your happiness for hers?" Kakashi's voice mused.

Neji turned around to face Kakashi, they hardly spoke with each other, Neji wondered why Kakashi of all people was interested in his personal affairs. Neji narrowed his eyes slightly at Kakashi, he must have heard it from Airin or something. Airin enjoyed getting on Neji's nerves lately. Kakashi chuckled lowly before he shook a dismissive hand, "It's not what you think, my wife has nothing to do with this..I used to have a friend who looked exactly like you. Smart and sharp lad, always knew what was best for him. He gave me the best advice that I would never forget. An advice that made Airin mine. You see Neji.." Kakashi lowered down his voice so that Gai and Lee who were busy talking about Neji's youth, would not be able to hear, "..I loved Airin for the longest time without her knowledge. But I was a fool, I pretended to be a pervert just to get closer to her. Because of that she used to despise me. Until one day, she read my mind and I confessed. The only thing I regretted was the fact that I did not tell her earlier. We could have been together way earlier if I have not chosen to pretend to be someone else..."

Neji looked at Kakashi's onyx eyes intently, he sighed as he asked, "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because.. It is not too late and because... you reminded me of me.." Kakashi winked and with that he disappeared into the crowd as he looked around for his Wife.

Neji scanned around the room for Kakashi before his gaze stopped to view the woman who was walking down the steps towards the front of the room-Tenten. Her movements were graceful and fluid as ever, each step she took sent flutters in Neji's tummy. Tenten's hair were not in their customary twin buns, by rather it was braided intricately into a single bun, it created and effect that made it look like she had a single rose as a bun. With her dark brown tresses and her head held high, she waltzed on with an effortless saunter. Her eyes widened as she scanned the room with determination until they rested on Neji's and smiled. So beautiful it was like the endless gleaming of the rarest stones themselves. She looked breathtaking, her cream coloured silk Kimono contrasted Itachi's black Haori. Her face was adorned with light makeup that did not hide her true natural beauty. She looked up to Neji who had just realised that he was holding his breath and winked at him. Neji was pretty accustomed to Tenten's antics by now, she was always throwing him silly winks to annoy him during missions whenever he was behaving far too serious.  Neji smiled warmly at her and gave her a quiet nod before she walked over to the front of the room and stood next to her future fiancé.