When It's All Over [NejiTen Fanfiction] | ✓

Chapter 2

Three years later, when I was eight years old, I went to the Ninja Academy for the first time. Most of my friends, like Sakura-chan and Ino-chan, were a year younger, so I spent a majority of the school year on my own. About a month into the school year, during recess, I was approached by face that looked familiar, though I couldn't seem to recall a name. He had long dark hair that was tied towards the end with a whit tie. I was excited to gain a new friend, especially since most of the other kids didn't like hanging around the weapons girl who always had her nose in a book.

"Hi." I smiled innocently. I was doing my best to be nice so that hopefully I wouldn't scare off another boy with my tomboyish talk. "I'm Tenten."

I broke into pieces and swallowed when I saw the frown that developed on his fair-skinned face. Trying to clear the silence, I asked for his name.

"You don't remember me?" He was hurt, and I felt terrible. For some reason, my heart ached, and I apologized.

He glared with his clear, lavender eyes. "It's Neji. Neji Hy-"

"Hyuga?" My eyes widened in a dull silence. "Oh my god... Neji-kun, I'm so sorry. You're older and I didn't recognize you and… and..."

I felt terrible. I felt a lump in my throat as I looked down. He turned and walked off. I was shocked that he remembered me, but I couldn't remember him. 

For the next five years, we both attended the Academy, and were sorted into the same class for our fifth year. When I had been in a different section of the building, staying out of his way had been very simple. Being in the same classroom, I couldn't help but watch him. He was serious and diligent. My thirteen year old self had unknowingly fallen in love with him and even with my so-called courage, I couldn't find the right time to apologize or admit my love, and not even my closest friends found out.

Unfortunately, we were never grouped together for projects, in-class activities, or anything of the like. Another negative occurrence was that I always arrived the earliest every morning to the Academy. Almost every day, I would watch girls from various other classes and grades sneak in and leave a gift or love letter in his desk. Simultaneously, almost every day, I'd watch him throw them out or give any chocolates to his friends. He was so uninterested and solemn.

The presents became scarce as the end of the school year drew nearer, and live confessions became more frequent. After school, a girl would take Neji-kun aside to ask him a question, but every morning, he would return to school either alone or as Hinata-san's escort, and never with any other girl. I was tempted to ask him aside too, but I knew what would happen. Well, I thought I did.

Later, I found out that he rejected all the gifts and presents because of his lingering love for me, but that'll be explained sometime in the extremely near future.

On the last day of school, graduating students were called out one at a time for final exams, and left once they had passed or failed. Neji-kun went before me, as Hyuga was before Mitsashi when going by alphabetical surnames. Once I finished and was walking home, I passed and unintentionally eavesdropped on a confession. Unsurprisingly, it was aimed towards Neji-kun. I was turning around the corner and past the playground, where Neji was approached by one of the other girls in another class. I instinctively took a step back so that they wouldn't spot me, and listened in on their conversation.

"Neji-san… I know it's our last day at the Academy and we probably won't be put on the same team, but I like you. I've liked you since our group project at the beginning of last year. We weren't in the same class this year, so I never really had the chance to talk to you…" Her voice was quiet and nervous. It was so typical and usual, and wasn't unlike any confessions I had read in manga or heard of from my friends.

His response was quick, and he clearly didn't have to think too much about it. He was polite, as he usually was, in his reply. "I apologize, but I cannot reciprocate your feelings. My family forbids me to date, and even if it was permitted, I already have a first choice. Thank you, and I am sorry."

This shocked me the most. I didn't think Neji-kun liked anybody, and a majority of girls in our grade had confessed. Maybe he liked a girl a year younger? They were all obsessed with "Sasuke-kun". The girl who was confessing at the time sounded very distressed, worried, and even overly obsessive.

"You like somebody? Is that why you keep rejecting everybody? Who is it?" The struggle was real. "Tell me who it is! I promise I won't tell anybody." If every other girl was like this, no wonder Neji-kun never said yes. I almost wanted to leave at that moment, but I listened on. "Please?”

Somehow, Neji-kun kept his cool. "I cannot, as it would be unfair for me to have told you but none of the other girls." He paused before going on, "However, I have given all of the girls a hint. She's a girl in our grade and it is very likely that she has graduated."

The annoying, persistent girl continued to try to force the information out of him, "Um..." Using the process of elimination, she listed all of the girls who hadn't confessed, with was only a handful, including me. ".......... Tente-."

"I'm not going to tell you, okay? Please leave me alone." I heard his footsteps shuffle in my direction, and it occurred to me that I was standing right on his route home. I also heard the girl sniffle before running in the opposite direction. I quickly looked around for a way to hide for fear that Neji-kun would spot me on the path and realize I was listening. I decided to pretend as if I was just walking by and that I didn't hear him.

He turned the corner and our eyes met for the first time in a very long time. My first instinct was to keep walking and drop my gaze. He was already behind me when he broke the silence.

"It's been a while."

"It has." I responded, but kept walking. It was the closest thing we had had to a conversation in an long time.

For the second time, I assumed that I wouldn't be able to see him again after graduation, which was the very next day. The chance of being sorted onto the same team was unlikely, so that night, as I tried to fall asleep, I planned out my five-year late apology.