Ika Naide... [A Neji Love Story]

Chapter 20: Strangers

  Neji's P.O.V

I went to the main branch's living area, trying to think of what to say to Hiashi-sama. I was able to convince Kisaru not to come with me. She was practically begging on her knees. And when I was about to leave, she was pacing like crazy. She was really dreading it. I never thought that an ANBU captain would have that kind of side, even if it was a girl. And when I reached the living area, I noticed that Hinata and Hanabi-sama were there too.

This is not gonna end well...

"Care to explain what I saw this morning, Neji?" Hiashi-sama asked.

"There is a perfectly legitimate reason for that, Hiashi-sama." I said, trying to keep my cool.

"What's this about, father?" asked Hinata-sama.

"This morning, I saw Neji snuggling with a woman in his bed." he replied furiously.

Both Hinata and Hanabi-sama gasped.

"I wasn't snuggling with her! I was trying to comfort her!" I said.

"By sexual intention?!" Hiashi-sama countered.

"Nothing happened between us in that room!" I started slightly shouting.

"I am very disappointed in you, Neji Hyuga. What would your father say?" he said.

"I'm sure my father would accept all the choices that I make!" I said.

"But you are the Hyuga clan's Prodigy! How could you ruin your perfectly unblemished reputation by sleeping with a woman?!" he said angrily.

"She's not just any woman, Hiashi-sama! She's very special to me!" I said.

"Then tell me, Neji. What is so special about this girl to you? What do you see in her that you find attractive?" he asked.

"... I don't know..." I mumbled.

"I cannot hear you, Neji. Speak up." he said.

"I don't know!" I shouted at him. "There's just something about her that helps me forget about all of my responsibilities!" I said, slightly starting to get angry.

"But why do you let a girl like that get to you so much?! She is just using you so she'll be popular!" he said.

"No! She's not using me! I know she's not!" I said.

"But how do you know that, Neji?" he asked.

"Because... She's the love of my life and I love her with all of my heart!" I accidentally blurted.

Everyone in the room gasps and I cover my mouth.

"... How dare you have a relationship without my permission." he said.

I remain silent.

"I command you to break up with this girl at once. You are not allowed to see or talk to her except on missions." he said with a firm but furious tone.

"But-!" I was about to protest but he then shot me a death glare. I nodded reluctantly and said, "Yes sir."

*~BACK AT NEJI'S HOUSE~*

"How did it go?" Kisaru asked me worriedly.

"I told you it was nothing serious!" I lied. She paused for a moment and just nodded, looking slightly sad.

"Well, I have mission to prepare for. And your brother and sister might be looking for you so I think you should get going." I said to her.

"Oh... Ok." was all she said. Then, she just walked out the door without saying another word.

*~THREE WEEKS LATER~*

Kisaru's P.O.V

After what happened at Neji's house that day, Neji and I have started to drift apart from each other. We've stopped talking to each other. We've stopped looking for each other. We never saw each other except on missions. And even if we were on a mission, he would try to minimize anything that he had to say to me. Each and every day, we became strangers to each other. I don't even know if he has feelings for me anymore. I don't even know if... I have feelings for him anymore...

"Kisaru-chan!" I heard a familiar goofy voice call out to me. I raised my head to see Naruto running happily towards me.

"Oh, hello there, Naruto-kun!" I greeted him with a smile.

"Yo, Kisaru-chan! Can you come with me for a while?" he asked.

"What for?" I asked him.

"Well, I need help in my Nature Manipulation training. Do you think you can help me? You did master all 5 elements after all." he said.

"Sure, Naruto-kun!" I said.

*~AT NARUTO'S TRAINING SITE~*

"Kakashi-sensei! I brought her!" Naruto shouted as he dragged me towards a magnificent waterfall.

"Oh hey, Kisaru-san." Kakashi said as he looked up from his Icha Icha Paradise.

I giggled. "Hello there, Kakashi-san, Yamato-san." I said as I waved at them.

"so Kisaru-chan, how do you picture wind?" Naruto asked me.

"Okay. Imagine this, think of THE sharpest and THE thinnest thing that you can think of and multiply it tenfold." I said to him.

"Woah...!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Cool, isn't it? But unfortunately, wind is my weakest element." I admitted. "That's what makes wind nature chakra so special. And not to mention rare." I said to him.

"Do you think you can do demonstration for me by cutting the waterfall in half?" Naruto asked.

"Sure, no prob." I said as I hopped on the halfway mark and made 100 clones. Then, I focused my chakra into my index finger and placed it on the waterfall. It was halved in an instant.

"WOW! You're so awesome, Kisaru-chan!" Naruto exclaimed. I giggled and jumped back down to the ground.

"Alright! Now it's my turn!" Naruto said as he removed his clothes (save for his underwear) and started trying to half the waterfall. Yamato was trying his best to stay awake despite the fact that he's been using his chakra non-stop for a few days. I walked over to him and lent him some of my chakra through my medical ninjutsu.

"Kisaru-sempai! You don't have to lend me your chakra, I'm alright!" he lied.

"Liar. And besides, I don't like seeing you tired." I said. He smiled and went back to watching over the 9 tails as Naruto tried to split the waterfall.

I'm just glad that Naruto's training will help me take my mind off of Neji...